Superbowl Entertaining Ideas

Published January 21, 2015

This week’s column is for football lovers.

The Super Bowl is just around the corner and this year you may want to host some friends and family at your home.

Feb. 1 is the official date for the big game so there is plenty of time to prepare for the day. Whether your favorite team is playing or not, the Super Bowl is a great opportunity to gather family and friends together and make an afternoon of it.

There are plenty of ideas for a Super Bowl savoury and sweet table.

Over the years I have seen quite a few creative ways to celebrate this event.

Here are some of my favorites that are easy to assemble.

Serve your favorite French fries and finger snacks in little containers made from empty tin cans.

Simply remove the labels from your used soup or vegetable cans and wash them thoroughly.

Cut a piece of brown craft paper to fit the outside of the can and secure it with scotch tape.

To make the football stitching you have two options. The first is to carefully hammer four to six small holes with a small hammer into the tin can and through the paper.

Thread a white shoelace through the holes in the same stitching pattern as a football.

Fill the cans with snacks.

The second option is to cut small pieces of white duct tape and place them on the outside of the can in the same stitching pattern.

Another easy idea for a serving container is to decorate an ordinary brown paper lunch bag.

Simply use a white felt pen or white duct tape to make the football stitching pattern on one side of the bag.

Fill the bag with chips and other snacks.

Strawberries make wonderful miniature football snacks.

This will probably be one of the more healthy items on the buffet but don’t worry, your guests will love the chocolate.

Purchase a fresh basket of strawberries and wash them thoroughly.

Dip the dry strawberries in melted chocolate and let them dry on the counter or in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Using a white icing tube, pipe the stitching lines of a football on each strawberry.

Serve with other sweet items on your table.

One of my favorite dips for football games is to spread one package of cream cheese on the bottom of a pie plate.

Follow with a little store bought salsa and freshdiced jalapeno peppers. Top it all off with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese and place it in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Serve with taco chips. It’s a simple dip but a real crowd pleaser.

Lastly, same-day football pools are always fun for a crowd.

Look for simple grid game ideas on the Internet for game day that will involve all of your guests (football fans or not) on the big day.

And let’s all hope the Seattle Seahawks win the big game. Go Hawks!

Barb Lunter is a freelance writer with a passion for home decor, entertaining and floral design. barb@lunter.ca lunter.ca