Make your Super Bowl XLV party a winner

INDIANAPOLIS - Planning a big get-together for Super Bowl XLV? Then you want to make sure of two things: you impress your guests with the spread and that there is more than plenty for everyone.

Football fans need food at their fingertips, available throughout the game. To be a good host, set a table close to the viewing area and load it up with tasty treats, snacks and dishes.

Dip-tastic dishes

For starters, you’ll need the basics: chips and dips. There is no limit to what kind of dip you can make. Savory, fresh or even sweet, dips are like the glue that holds the party together. Three dips that are always crowd pleasers include homemade guacamole, cheesy Rotel and French onion dip.

Want to try something with extra flair? Try roasting some red bell peppers, putting them in the food processor with olive oil and roasted garlic and a little bit of black beans. Instant tapenade. Dips are easy and pleasing and can fill in during the times when you might be preparing larger entrees for the party.

How to roast red bell peppers

Easy pleaser– pigs-in-blankets

Everyone loves pigs-in-blankets. You don’t have to get all fancy, you just need two ingredients to make simple pigs-in-blankets: canned biscuits and hot dogs. You can add yellow or whole grain mustard. You can add a bit of cheese, or even squirt on a little bit of hot sauce prior to cooking. A bowl full of these little treats, though, is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. Click here for traditional pigs-in-blankets and look for more fancy-schmancy swine-in-silks here.

Don't forget the chili

For main courses, things like stews and chilies are real time-savers and also make most everyone happy. Especially this particular Super Bowl year, where most of us across the country have been covered in snow and falling temps, a warm bowl of chili can really hit the spot. What’s so great about chili is that you can really get creative. You can make chicken, beef or even meatless .

A really good, and different, chili recipe to try is white chili, made with white beans, chicken and green chilies. It's a little twist on traditional chili, and can add a bit of variety. Try this recipe here at simplyrecipes.com .

Lest we forget, you should have some traditional chili, covered in cheddar and sour cream, and extra spicy. Try this recipe especially created for the Super Bowl.

Chili = versatility

Chili is my all-time favorite Super Bowl dish, mostly because you can combine everything on your spread to go with it. Corn chips, guacamole, salsa all go with chili and you can even make some killer nachos if you just add a few more ingredients to the table.

Fix up a big platter with toppings– sour cream, chopped green onions, jalapeños, shredded cheeses, chopped tomatoes– get as fancy or be as simple as you want. There could be fresh chilies, goat cheese, arugula or even cocktail shrimp. Nachos are a build-your-own finger food everyone can enjoy.

Super Bowl Sunday is, of course, all about the game. But it’s kind of about the food, too. So do it up right, whether you do it simple or more elaborate. Make sure your party food makes a touchdown in the tummy so your party is all win.

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