Super Bowl 2016 Recipe Roundup

HOWDY YA’LL!!

Don’t ask me where that came from. Maybe it’s cause I’m wearing my cowboy boots to work today. Maybe cause it’s been a looong week and it’s finally Friday. I might be a bit slap happy. Maybe all of the above. Just go with it.

Are you ready for Super Bowl 2016? It’s pretty darn fun to be in a city whose team is in the big game. The hype is real. Energy is in the air, fo sho! I hope it’s a good game. I’ll be at a Super Bowl party either way, but I’ll totally watch if it’s a good game. If it’s a blowout, I’ll end up chatting it up with friends, eating, laughing at commercials (I hope there’s some good ones!), and forgetting about the game.

Are you ready for the FOOD?

Whether you’re going to a party or hosting, Super Bowl is all about the food and drink, let’s be real. So today I’m sharing my top three picks for an appetizer, protein, sweet, and fruit & veggie (both L&L and non-L&L recipes) for your 2016 Super Bowl party. I hope you try some of these goodies at your gathering!

Be sure and tag L&L using #LaughterandLemonade or @shawleesha on Instagram and @LaughterandLemonadeFoodBlog on Facebook so I can see your yummy Super Bowl eats!!

APPETIZERS:

1. Lemon Roasted Shrimp Cocktail: Want a healthy appetizer at your gathering?? This is the app for you! Super simple. Very light. Can be prepared ahead. Sooo dang good. Pin it for later.

2. Black Bean Salsa from my RD pal Rachel at Delicious Balance: I shared this recipe with Rachel in a college dietetics class and it became a favorite of hers too! I’m selfishly happy she documented it on her blog so I can share it with you! As a four ingredient dip with a three ingredient dressing, it is my super-easy go-to salsa for entertaining. I typically serve it with tortilla chips or Fritos Scoops, but you can see Rachel likes pita chips!

Photo from Delicious Balance.

3. Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese and Sage: Chewy, sweet, salty, savory, delicious. Guaranteed crowd pleaser, period. Pin this recipe.

 

PROTEINS:

1. Perfect Pulled Pork from Kevin and Amanda: The recipe lives up to its name. It seriously is perfect. I’ve made this more times than I can count, both in the oven and on the Big Green Egg. It’s FAB every. time.

2. Buffalo Citrus Chicken Wings: Traditional buffalo wings get a fresh citrus twist. Baked to perfection, these wings are crisp on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.

3. Homestyle Beef Brisket: Tender, fall apart beef. Perfect solo or served with slider buns on game day! OR, better yet, serve this with pretzel rolls #forthewin.

 

SWEETS:

1. Triple Chocolate Brownies from Nigella Lawson: not for the faint of heart, these rich brownies are for bona fide chocolate lovers. They’re definitely on the fudgey, gooey brownie side, not the light cakey brownie side. Highly. Recommend.

2. Peanut Butter Chip & Chocolate Chunk Cookies: THE best cookie I’ve ever had. A sweet, chewy cookie with Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips and semisweet chocolate chips. Yeah, I said peanut butter + chocolate. Do you neeeed to know anything else?? I didn’t think so. Pin it for later.

3. Coconut Macaroon Thumbprints with Raspberry Chia Seed Jam from Oh She Glows: My kind of dessert. One that uses only a few ingredients (including my favorite fruit!!) and real whole foods.

FRUITS & VEGGIES:

1. Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad from Bon Appétit: A classic I’ve made over and over. It won’t disappoint!! Aaaaand, you get some greens on the table! Amen for trendy veggies.

2. Mediterranean Sweet Potato Salad: Roast sweet potato in spices, toss with a light lemony vinaigrette, herbs, and toasted almonds. Serve cold or at room temp. Slide this onto your Superbowl table and you’ll have something healthy, but shhhh! no one will know!!

3. Mixed Berries with Limoncello from Giada De Laurentiis: I’ve made this millions of times, and in the summer it’s one of my fav desserts! It’s topped with basil and mint, an AMAZING combo with the berries and lemon.

The recipe calls from limoncello (an Italian lemon vodka liqueur). I’ve never actually used the limoncello, I always make a lemon simple syrup: 1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup sugar + zest of one lemon. Bring to a boil in a small pot on the stove, remove and let cool. Strain lemon zest and drizzle (to desired sweetness) over the berries.

Happy Super Bowl 2016!!!