The Super Bowl is on tomorrow and even though our Denver Broncos didn't make it to the show this season, it's still a big deal. Super Bowl XLVI, or 46 for you non-Romans, will be the 42nd annual championship game of the modern-era NFL, pitting the New York Giants against the New England Patriots. This matchup has all the makings of a great game, but it wouldn't be the Super Bowl without a Super menu. Now hopefully you've made your preparations, sent out the invitations or made your reservations for a party on Sunday. But if you haven't, fear not, the Kaptain's got your back. See for yourself.
We'll start off with a couple of dips to go with all those Chips, Veggies or Pita wedges that you bought while you stocked up on your favorite beverage. Then I've got a pigskin style recipe that might be known by the more serious Barbecue aficionados. We'll wrap it up with the main dish that you can serve at halftime while trying to get away from Madonna.
Bacon, Cheddar & Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 package of French Onion Dip Mix
- 2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
Directions
Easy Peasy bacon cheesy right? Okay this next one you can spice it up enough to keep your thirst going. Serve this tasty concoction with tortilla chips. You could also use it as a dip for chicken strips, a topping for Mexican dishes or a dressing for taco salad. Makes 2 1/2 cups and takes all of 5 minutes to put together, though you will want to refrigerate it for at least an hour to let the flavors meld.
Salsa Ranch Dip
Ingredients
- 1 pint (16 oz) sour cream
- 1/2 cup salsa (I like Pace Picante Salsa Medium-Hot)
- 1 package Ranch Dip Mix (Hidden Valley rules)
- 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite Chili Powder
Stir the sour cream, salsa, Seasoning Mix and chili powder in medium bowl until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. You can divide it into smaller serving bowls, but make sure to stir before serving. Accompany with tortilla chips.
Now for something completely different. I ran across this recipe the other day during my research travels and it intrigued me. It's called Pig Candy and outside the barbecue community, it is seldom heard about. Remember the Bacon Explosion? Well this is like an appetizer for that entree and would probably put you in a cholesterol coma if there is such a thing.
There are only three ingredients, so it's kind of hard to mess up. The amounts are vague, but you should be able to handle it.
Bacon strips for Pig Candy
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Bacon
- Brown Sugar (probably less than a cup)
- Cayenne pepper
Spray a grated cookie rack with cooking spray and place it in a cookie sheet. This creates a raised grid over a drip tray. Lay bacon strips on the cooling rack. Cover the bacon strips with about 1/4" of brown sugar. Sprinkle cayenne on the strips of bacon to your personal level of tolerance (a little is fine). Place the cookie sheet in a cold oven, turn it on to 350 degrees F, and, once the oven is up to temperature, turn every 4-5 minutes until the bacon is dark brown and crispy. Promptly remove the bacon, with a fork, from the cookie sheet to cool.
Now we come to the main event. This dish is tried and true. I made a batch this past week and it was so good my eyes rolled back in my head. You know it as Carne Asada, a traditional Mexican dish made of marinated steak. I'll start with the marinade and then we can expand on it.
Carne Asada Marinade
This recipe will marinate 3-4 pounds of meat and can be easily halved or doubled. Feel free to marinate up to 24 hours (it's alright if it goes a bit longer or shorter), then toss your beef on the grill for a truly authentic flavor.
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup lime juice (can substitute with lemon juice)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 cup water
- 2 cloves peeled fresh garlic - crushed
- 2 teaspoons white pepper
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/3 orange, sliced
- 1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped (no stems)
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Place the beef in a gallon sized freezer bag or in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade on top of beef, cover dish or close the bag, and marinate for at least 1 hour (more is better) before grilling.
An Audible: Omit the water and add one medium onion, one bell pepper, and 2 jalapenos, seeds and all. Puree that mixture and the flavor will go up. The water in the veggies more than makes up for the cup of water removed.
So after you finish grilling all this tasty meat, slice it up, and serve it in Burritos, make Fajitas or have a Taco bar assembly lineup with some Peppers, onions, lettuce and cheese. Add in sides of sour cream, salsa and guacamole and you have a winning combination.
It's been an exciting season watching the Broncos and the future looks bright for 2012. I hope you all have enjoyed this series as much as I did putting it together. As always, good eats and....
Go Broncos!