what to serve a football crowd

With food prices on the rise, preparing home cooked food for your Super Bowl viewing party will save you money and perhaps give you some extra cash to purchase an extra square or two in the football pool.
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I’ve looked over my extensive recipe listing and have some ideas for your Super Bowl party. First on my list are some favorite appetizers such as hot dogs and bourbon, Mixed Antipasto is a great do ahead salad or Tomato Olive Focaccia. You can use the focaccia recipe as a starting point and add any type of toppings you desire. 

For heartier offerings I suggest Apple Cider Pulled Pork or Crock Pot Barbecue. A hearty soup is also an excellent choice as is lentil soup with fennel and sun-dried tomatoes or pea soup.  I’ve made Slow Cooker Roast Beef Sliders with Pickled Peppers and Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders for large parties and they were a hit.
 
For dessert, cookies are a great do a head such as biscotti giving you a high yield with minimal effort. I’m partial to either Crisp Chocolate  or Cappuccino.  You can also make Carrot Cake in a tube pan which will feed a hungry crowd.
 
For easy entertaining, offering a selection of pâtés is a good option. I love those made by Alexian Pâté & Specialty Meats, a New Jersey company based in Monmouth County.  They offer a wide variety pleasing any palate, from vegetable, vegan, coarse cuts and creamy mousses. I love their Vegetable Pâté and Wild Forest Mushroom Pâté. You can find Alexian Pâtés at Delicious Orchards, Joe Leone’s, Super Foodtown in Sea Girt, NJ and Sickles Market to name a few. For a complete listing of pâtés and store locator, visit Alexian’s website.
 
 
I also like the food prepared by Pastosa Ravioli in Manasquan, New Jersey,  and Brandl Restaurant in Belmar, NJ. If you’re looking for something different Palmer’s Quality Meats in Neptune City, NJ has a variety of pork and chicken sausage as well as their Dougie Sausage made with a beef blend, caramelized onions and cheddar cheese, yum! Palmer’s is a whole animal butcher shop offering local beef, pork and chicken products.
 
I hope I have inspired you to begin planning your Super Bowl party. With advance planning you can take advantage of weekly sales in your local food store.