As one of the most prominent American sporting events, the Super Bowl naturally merits some great food. These recipes are pretty simple but still satisfy the need for the tasty, messy finger food people love to eat.

 

Chicken wing dip

Famous at my boyfriend’s family’s house, this dip is something you can eat watching the big game at home or while you are tailgating (if you’re doing that, cook the dip on a grill — it won’t be easy to find an oven in the parking lot of Cowboys Stadium).

– 2 cans shredded chicken, drained or 2 chicken breasts, pan-cooked, cooled and shredded

– 2 blocks cream cheese, softened

– Hot sauce, preferably Franks Red Hot

– 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice

Combine chicken and cream cheese in a bowl. Mix until fully incorporated. Add hot sauce until it reaches a desired spiciness (I usually end up pouring in about 1 1/2 cups). Put mixture in an oven-proof casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and dip is hot. Enjoy with corn chips or bread chunks.

 

Cheesy chili dip

Whether you want to eat this as chili or with tortilla chips, this one-pot dish makes enough for a big game and is perfect for hosting a Super Bowl party.

– 1 pound ground beef (or 6 frozen hamburgers, thawed and broken down)

– 1 can whole-kernel corn, undrained

– 1 can kidney or black beans, undrained

– 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

– 1 can crushed tomatoes, undrained

– 1 package taco seasoning

– 1 pound processed cheese, cubed (Velvetta works wonders in this dish)

– 2 teaspoons red chili flakes

Cook beef in a large pot. Once beef is brown, add all canned items. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, until almost at a boil. Add cheese slowly, allowing everything to melt. Add taco seasoning and chili flakes and stir.

 

Nachos

A sports staple, this combines everything good about food — it’s crunchy and cheesy, hot and spicy.

– 1 bag tortilla chips

– 1 block cheddar cheese, shredded (or cut thinly if you don’t have a cheese shredder)

– 1 can kidney beans, drained

– 5 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

– 1 can sliced olives, drained

– 1 tomato, diced

– Sour cream, optional

– Salsa, optional

Place tortilla chips on a baking sheet and top with cheese, beans and bacon. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until cheese melts. Take out of the oven and add olives and tomatoes. Put sour cream and salsa in bowls for dipping.

 

— Complied by Sara Tracey, asst. copy editor, smtracey@syr.edu

Published on February 2, 2011 at 12:00 pm