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.
This Super Bowl snack was a winner! I will definitely add these to the dough repertoire.
Now it’s time for a quick change from the gridiron to Cupid. I need to look for heart-shaped cookie cutters and check my chocolate inventory.
I care about you. Please don’t forget to eat your greens.
Pretzels were winners!
I love that you always won the bets ;)