What will you be serving for Super Bowl Sunday snacks? According to the internet, America’s favorite food for this all-important football game is chicken wings. Follow that with buffalo chicken dip, then artichoke dip.
The list goes on: next is pizza, then seven-layer dip, followed by guacamole, potato skins and little hot dogs wrapped in bread dough.
The message here is that people like finger foods that are easy to eat and don’t require much more than a few napkins. Minimal utensils should be required, such as a spoon for soup or chili.
Thanksgiving is the biggest food day in America, but Super Bowl Sunday runs a close second. Pizza restaurants add extra help for deliveries and many churn out hundreds of pies in a single day.
I’ve served full dinners to company on Super Bowl Sunday, and while the meal was enjoyed, sensed that a table full of finger foods would be more appreciated.
When entertaining in the future I will still serve a meal, but make it more casual and designed for fun eating. After all, the focus is on the game – especially when the Eagles are playing – along with the halftime performance and the all-important commercials.
If you decide to treat your guests to buffalo chicken wings, you can air-fry, pan-fry or roast them. This recipe from slate.com says roasting is the only way to go. If you serve wings, make sure to make extra. Somebody will eat them.
Roasted Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
Yield: 4 to 5 servings (20 pieces)
Time: 1¼ to 1½ hours, mostly unattended
Oil for greasing the oven rack
10 chicken wings
Salt and black pepper
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
2 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the lowest rack of the oven. Remove the middle oven rack and grease it with oil.
2. Cut off the small tip of each wing; discard or keep for stock. Cut through each wing bone at the joint to separate it into two pieces. Season the wings with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the wings on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Turn the wings over and microwave on high for another 2 minutes.
4. Arrange the wings on the greased oven rack so that they aren’t touching. Return the rack to the middle of the oven – making sure there’s foil beneath all the wings to catch their fat – and lower the temperature to 350 degrees.
5. Roast the wings for 40 minutes. Turn them over, then roast for another 20 minutes. At this point, they will be golden, crispy, and still juicy inside. If that’s how you like them, remove them from the oven. If you like them well done, roast for another 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Put the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When it melts, stir in the hot sauce and vinegar. Serve the wings with the Buffalo sauce on the side.
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