What’s On Your Superbowl Party Menu?

I decided it is time for me to stop blogging about school calendars and the psychology of integrating into a neighborhood through shared communal experiences and start blogging about something I know a little about: 

Drinking Beer, Watching Football and Cooking! WAAA HOO!

The Superbowl is next weekend, which means football, parties and plenty of food and snacks that are not approved by my brother-in-law, the heart surgeon. (I really do have a brother-in-law who is a heart surgeon and from what I hear he is a good one.)

So the question of the day is, “What’s on your Superbowl party menu?”

Are you fresh out of ideas? I thought I would share a couple of my favorite “non-heart smart” treats: Beer Can Chicken and Chicken Cheese Dip.

1. Beer Butt (Beer Can) Chicken

Just read the name; how can you go wrong serving something called Beer Butt Chicken at a Superbowl Party? I am just saying.

All joking aside, Beer Can Chicken is an easy way to cook/grill fantastic chicken —crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ½ to 4-pound) whole chicken
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub
• 1 can of beer

Directions

Remove the neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside. 

Open a beer can (or in my case, open another beer can because I already have one open) and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. 

Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can.  Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its two legs and the can like a tripod. (Tip: You can place the chicken with the can inserted on a metal/tin foil pie pan, the pan will catch the grease and help avoid flame flare-up from the grill that can char the chicken skin.)

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

If you are not a beer drinker you can substitute the beer with fruit juices (I like apple juice) or soda.

2. Chicken Cheese Dip

What’s a game without dip? No need to answer.

This dip is easy to make, always a fan favorite and as it is made in a crock pot, it is very portable if you are going as a guest to a party at someone else’s house.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken (shredded). You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken, microwave 3 boneless breasts or even use canned chicken if you want
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup ranch dressing (don’t use low fat or fat free – it’ll be gross). If you prefer blue cheese dressing, use a chunky style, or add some blue cheese crumbles.
• 1/2 cup hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot sauce)

Directions

Put all ingredients into your crock pot, cover, and cook on low for an hour or so – until all the cheese is melted. How easy is that!

Serve with tortilla chips.

So answer my question: What’s on your Superbowl Party Menu? (Feel free to share the recipe.)