Chef's Hat: Feasting on Superbowl Sunday

Even though their team might not be playing in the Super Bowl, many friends and families still gather on this “unofficial” holiday to celebrate the end of the football season. The main festivities of the day lead to excessive celebrating by many people. So much so, that 1 in 10 employees either schedule the following Monday off from work or call in sick. Statics vary, but most indicate approximately 16 million people take that following Monday off – which has led to many online forums tossing around the idea of making that Monday an official holiday.

As everyone knows, it is not just about the game. It is about being with friends and family, watching the commercials, and of course, the food. The following foods are some of the top dishes served on Super Bowl Sunday:

• Pizza
• Chicken Wings
• Chips & Dip
• Nachos 
• Burgers 
• Popcorn

Granted, game day foods should be easy to prepare and not costly enough to break the food budget, but there is no reason not to try something a bit out of the ordinary.

Chicken and Avocado Ranch Burritos can be prepped ahead of time and then easily assembled on game day. The chicken can be cut up before the big day (or time or you can purchase cut up chicken) and the sauce can be mixed and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the burritos. If you have individuals that like more of a kick in their food, a few red pepper flakes can be added to spice up the dish.

Got an itching to serve steak but the cost is prohibitive? Steak bites are tasty little bites that are delicious and won’t break the bank. The steak can be cooked ahead of time – it can be either grilled, broiled or even pan friend. Just be sure to use a tender steak in this recipe or tenderize a tougher cut of meat with a marinade.

Get ready to celebrate the big game with a couple of new dishes at your fingertips. You don’t even have to tell your guests that these dishes were incredible easy to make. Happy Eating!

Contributed / Donna Evans

• 16 ounce Ribeye or New York Strip

Steak Marinade

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Steak Bites

• Steak cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 12-14 Grape tomatoes cut in half
• Balsamic vinegar to taste
• ¼ cup Blue Cheese Crumbles

Place all marinade ingredients into a small bowl or measuring cup and mix well. Place the steak in a resealable container or ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the steak. Make sure the steak is well coated. Place in the refrigerate and let the steak marinate 30 minutes to 4 hours.

Remove the steak from the marinade and let any excess marinade drip off. Place the steak on a plate and let it sit for 30 minutes. Cook steak in any desired manner. Steak can be grilled, broiled or pan fired. Cook until medium. The steak can be cooked ahead of time and paced in the refrigerator until you are ready to prepare the bites.

When ready to prepare the bites, cut the steak into ¼ inch pieces. If the steak is cold, place on a plate and warm up for a few seconds in a microwave.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the steak pieces. Top each piece with a piece of tomato. Sprinkle the blue cheese over the top and serve immediately.

Contributed / Donna Evans

• 1 cup cooked chicken (any leftover chicken works well in this recipe)
• 4-6 flour tortillas (10 inches)
• 2 avocadoes, halved, peeled, seeded and sliced
• ½ to ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning1
• /4 cup Ranch dressing
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, if desired to add a bit of heat
• ¼ cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half

In a small bowl, add the sour cream, taco seasoning, Ranch dressing and red pepper flakes, if using. Mix well. This can be made a day ahead of time.

To assemble the burritos:

Shred the chicken and set aside. Place a couple of tortillas on a microwavable plate. Microwave for 5 seconds and then flip the tortillas and microwave for another 5 to 10 seconds, just until the tortillas are warm. If preferred, place a frying pan on the stove and bring to medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and cook for 10 seconds and then flip and warm the other side for 5 to 10 seconds.

Place the tortillas on to a plate. Spread the sour cream mixture on to the tortilla. Place the chicken on top of the sour cream. Then add the avocado, cheese and tomatoes. Roll up the tortilla and set aside. Continue assembling the burritos until all of the chicken has been used. Note: one pound of chicken makes approximately 4 to 6 finished burritos.

Any remaining sour cream/ranch dressing mix makes a good dip for vegetables or chips.