Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Super Bowl Snack Time

Feb 13, 2023

Super Bowl Sunday has always been an event in my life.

The men in my family always watched NFL football so the Super Bowl was must see TV.

Mom made a slow cooker dish, chili or beef stew, some rolls or corn muffins. She made sure that we had potato chips or cheese and crackers.

When I was in high school, my boyfriend and I would bet on the game. Guys always thought they knew more about the ball game. I won the bet every time.

The first time I had my very own Super Bowl party, in my single girl apartment, I was so excited. I sent invitations. I planned snacks. I’d just started to learn how to cook so I couldn’t wait to fill my table with taco dip and potato skins, Mom’s stuffed mushrooms.

My friends arrived and laughed out loud when they saw my television. At that time, I had a 19” TV.

The computer monitor on my desk now is larger than that.

When I visited Mom in Naples during the Michigan winters, I’d occasionally land during Super Bowl week. We’d plan a fun snack menu and have people over to watch the game. I remember the, ahem, older people not enjoying the halftime performers. Um, hello! Madonna? Beyoncé?

This year, I started planning the menu the minute I knew the teams heading to the Super Bowl: the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. I immediately thought of barbecue and cheesesteaks, but I wanted to take a deeper dive into the cities’ foods.

One of my best friends is a girl from Philly, so I asked her for some guidance. I learned about roast pork sandwiches, tomato pie, and water ice. But the headline news for me was soft pretzels.

You could say I have a soft spot for soft pretzels. When I was a kid, Mom shopped at KMart a lot. There was a kiosk near the front of the store that sold snacks and depending on the season, I begged either for an Icee or a soft pretzel. They had a glass case filled with rotating pretzels. Spending money spontaneously was not something that Mom did. Sometimes I got a treat and sometimes I didn’t, so the times she said yes were exciting. She’d hand me the warm pretzel encased in a waxed paper envelope and I’d happily stroll with it and her through the store, chewing and hoping to get a bite with that big crystal of salt, making sparks on my tongue.

I hardly ever come across those soft pretzels anymore as an adult. I think Mom bought a box of frozen pretzels once in a while, but those weren’t the same. I looked and you can still buy those at the supermarket. Pretzels buns are in fashion now too.

I found a soft pretzel recipe that seemed manageable so I was all in. Time to play with dough! The pretzels need a quick baking soda bath in boiling water, then they go into the oven for a fifteen minute bake.