How to Set Up a DIY Super Bowl Buffet

Do you need to feed a crowd for a certain high-profile sports event? Do you also love puns? Then this Super Bowl buffet is perfect for you! Honestly, it’s pretty great for any other kind of gathering too, or a normal weeknight dinner that will provide you with plenty of leftovers—even pun haters will be happy.

If you’re over ordering pizzas for the big game and want a bit more of a meal than chicken wings and chips and dips comprise, you’re probably still searching for something relatively low-key and easy to put together. After all, it’s hardly the time to throw a fancy-pants dinner party and serve up a five course French meal—although true iconoclasts may beg to differ and wish to put their own spin on Le Super Bowl.

For the rest of us, chili is always a fine choice, yet also potentially divisive. People who are passionate about it are sure to have their very favorite version—all beef, or bean-and-meat; ground beef or cubed; vegetarian or even vegan; super spicy, or on the milder side—and they can be downright intolerant of bowls that buck their own traditions. Politeness dictates eating whatever you’re offered and being glad about it, but there’s no way you’ll truly please everyone with a pot of chili, however impeccable.

So how can you mitigate disappointment, satisfy everyone’s hunger, and still make it easy on yourself? Set up a build-your-own bowl buffet!

The Roasted Root’s Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef Burrito Bowls

All you have to do is make some relatively simple components that everyone can pick and choose from as they please: rice or grains for your base layer, maybe beans for extra bulk, a main protein (or two), veggies, sauce(s), and garnishes. Most of the work can be done well ahead of kickoff, and everyone can customize to their heart’s content, then carry their whole meal to the couch, or wherever they want to hang out (since some are only in it for the commercials…and the food). As an added bonus, these are generally pretty healthy, too.

Here are some pointers on choosing, prepping, and serving your various bowl components:

The Base Layer

This should be something fairly simple and starchy, good for adding texture, helping fill people’s bellies, and most importantly, soaking up all the delicious flavors of the bowls’ top layers as they trickle down. Rice is wonderful (and ridiculously easy to cook, not to mention keep warm pretty much indefinitely if you have a rice cooker), but you could also go with quinoa, couscous, pearl barley, kamut—even noodles, mashed potatoes, or other mashed vegetables (this piece on alternative mashes was for Thanksgiving, but you can smash turnips, yams, cauliflower, and whatever else you like all year long). If you go against the grains, you’ll probably want to skip the beans; although spaghetti and beans is a thing, that’s got to be an acquired taste. If there are low-carb members of your crew, you might offer an additional pot of cauliflower rice; the minor extra effort (and since you can buy frozen riced cauliflower in lots of supermarkets these days, emphasis on the minor) is certain to be appreciated.

Making Thyme for Health’s Miso Glazed Sweet Potato Grain Bowl

The Beans

While not essential (and downright weird with certain combinations of other ingredients), beans can add a lot in terms of texture, heft, and flavor to bowls of all varieties, from Mexican and Cuban to Mediterranean and Moroccan. While cooking them from their dried state is a worthy pursuit—and doesn’t even take that long if you have a pressure cooker—this is definitely a time when it’s fine to just open a few cans instead. Black beans make sense with lots of different cuisines and flavor profiles, but if you’re skewing Indian or Middle Eastern, you probably want to pick chickpeas. Consider the plethora of other options too, from pintos to black eyed peas, even lentils if they make sense with your chosen protein and sauce, or go the other way and use a particular kind of bean or legume as your whole bowl starting point.

The Gourmet RD’s Cuban Pork & Black Bean Rice Bowls

The Protein

There are a lot of different ways you can go with the main element of the meal, but since your goal is most likely maximum flavor and yield with minimal effort, we’re probably looking at big hunks of meat, like pork shoulder or beef brisket, or many smaller hunks of meat, like chicken breasts or thighs (or even wings, if you just can’t quit ’em, although in that case, boneless is probably best for bowls). Your oven can handle any of these, but if you have a Crock-Pot, why not break it out for the occasion? It can be a great pinch hitter for various Super Bowl food favorites (and yes, that is mixing sportsball metaphors, but the point still stands); check out some of the intriguing possibilities here, but recognize that one of the simplest and best ways to put your slow cooker to work is to chuck in a mass of meat and let it go to work making that animal incredibly tender and delicious. Of course, you can go in any other direction that appeals to you—grill tuna steaks or bake entire sides of salmon, smoke ribs or sausages, sautée tempeh or braise jackfruit.

Will Cook for Smiles’ Tropical Shrimp Rice Bowls

If you’re hosting a mix of meat eaters and herbivores, it’s always nice to provide an extra vegetarian or vegan protein option in addition to the straight-up vegetables outlined below, but failing that, make sure you have lots of those vegetables so no one ends up with a sad, skimpy bowl. If you’re a carnivore who’s intimidated about cooking for vegans, check out this handy primer for reassurance and suggestions.

The Veggies

There are actually lots of great ways to work more vegetables into your Super Bowl spread, but when it comes to whole-meal bowls, simply roasting or grilling an assortment of vegetables is a fantastic option. If you’re cooking your protein on a grill or in a countertop appliance, you can cram as many sheet pans full of veggies as will fit inside your oven; cook one type, or mix and match as you see fit—from peppers, onions, eggplant, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, fennel, and on and on. As long as everything’s cut into similar sizes, you can generally toss them all together with oil, salt, and pepper (and whatever other spices you want to use) and roast at 425 to 450 for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring at least once halfway through and perhaps rotating the pans, but adjust time and temp according to how hot (or not) your oven runs, and check often toward the end to be sure nothing’s burning.

Cookies to Kale’s Roasted Vegetable Tahini Quinoa Bowl

If you make the vegetables ahead of time, just re-warm them before serving; they’ll still be good at room temp too, but if you expect guests to eat at different times and want everything to stay hot, you might want to look into relatively cheap disposable chafing dishes (most of which come with little Sterno cans so you can pretend you run a catering company). In addition to offering a medley of cooked veg, you can throw in a raw slaw or salad for good measure. Delicate greens may not be the best choice for incorporating into a bowl full of warm, hearty ingredients, though even they can work on top, or on the side. But think about heartier preparations you can put together in advance, like this Carrot Slaw or Fennel-Apple Coleslaw with Poppyseed Dressing, or even quick pickles cut from larger chunks of veggies so they’re a little more substantial than mere garnishes, like rice vinegar marinated carrots and cucumbers for Japanese bowls, or beets and turnips to complement Lebanese-leaning flavors (they’re good to go a few hours after making, but will keep well for weeks in the fridge).

The Sauce(s)

Make sure to provide a generous amount of sauce for people to drizzle or douse. Err on the side of too much so you definitely won’t run out. Obviously, you can coordinate a particular sauce with specific flavors you’ve developed elsewhere in the meal; think mango chutney and raita with curried vegetables and meat, or tzatziki with Greek-inspired tastes like oregano, lemon, and garlic on your protein and veg. If you make a batch of barbecue in your Crock-Pot, naturally, you should offer extra BBQ sauce on the side, and if you cook a marvelous mess of buffalo shredded chicken, make homemade blue cheese dressing to go with it. But if you opt for more neutral seasonings on your proteins and veggies, you can offer multiple sauces in a wider array of flavors, from chimichurri and mojo to gochujang and miso-maple sauce. Salsas can be fantastic too—for instance, pineapple or other fruit salsa to perk up jerk chicken bowls, or a classic pico de gallo (plus a batch of tomatillo avocado sauce or Chipotle-Avocado Salad Dressing) for Mexican flavors.

Chowhound’s Sweet Chile-Chicken Rice Bowl

The Garnishes

We are definitely not talking about curly parsley sprigs tossed on top for a token burst of color and dubious freshness, but truly exciting little extras that bring even more flavor, texture, and visual appeal to your other, equally wonderful bowl ingredients. Think about tortilla soup and how the garnishes really make the meal. Grated cheese, fresh cilantro, cubed avocado, and crushed tortilla chips all make sense to set out for jazzing up bowls too. In the same vein, consider what other crunchy, creamy, vibrant, pungent, fresh or preserved ingredients make sense with your bowls’ flavor profile. Nuts like roasted cashews and slivered almonds and plump golden raisins are great with Indian or Middle Eastern flavors; olives, pine nuts, chopped sun dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs like basil and parsley (flat leaf, please) make sense with Mediterranean; toasted nori and pickled ginger work wonders with Japanese; and sesame seeds and scallions marry beautifully with Chinese or Korean flavors. Just take a few minutes to really think about your food, and you’ll come up with something inspired and delicious.

Host the Toast’s Thai Cashew Coconut Rice with Ginger Peanut Sauce

If you still want to take on something more spectacular, by all means, throw that French dinner party (escargots served in the shell do kind of look like tiny football helmets…sort of), or assemble an edible stadium that will score big points with your guests (and on social media), but don’t feel like you’re compromising by going the bowl buffet route. It is truly, well, super.

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Ceviche Recipes From Around the World

Ceviche is one of those magical dishes that originated in one country but couldn’t have existed without the contributions of another. Most historians agree that ceviche was born in Peru or Ecuador but not until the colonial era after the Spanish introduced citrus fruit to the region.

It’s the acid of the citrus that “cooks” the fish or other seafood such as shrimp or scallops, which is technically not cooked at all. Instead, the acid denatures the flesh, changing its texture by firming it up and turning it opaque. In Peru, ceviche is its national dish, but the same is true in other nations, including Tahiti where coconut milk is added for creaminess and flavor. Today, there are ceviche recipes spanning the globe. It seems wherever there is a coastline there is ceviche, each nation adding their own voice through spices and other native ingredients.

The key to a good ceviche is to ensure you are using the freshest fish possible, sushi-grade if available. Serve it immediately to maintain that fresh-from-the-sea flavor and don’t forget the chips and a glass of crisp white wine.

Here are six ceviche recipes from around the world:

Peruvian Ceviche: Cebiche

Laylita

Peruvians are so proud of their ceviche (which they spell cebiche) that they consider it their national dish. It makes sense since the nation has one of the largest coastlines in South America and a bounty of fish to choose from. This recipe includes a flash of heat from the habanero peppers along with plenty of limes and cilantro for a bright, zesty finish. For an even more authentic Peruvian experience, reserve the acidulation juice once the ceviche is ready and drink it separately in a shot glass. In Peru it’s called tiger’s milk and Peruvians are convinced it’s the best cure for a hangover. Get the recipe.

Cook Islands Ceviche: Ika Mata

Nadia Lim

It makes sense that an island where palm trees heavy with coconuts that is surrounded by turquoise blue water would have invented a ceviche recipe. It’s called Ika Mata and what differentiates it from many other ceviche recipes is the addition of coconut milk to the acid that cooks the fish. The result is a creamy finish that in this recipe is made even more tropical with the addition of pineapple. Get the recipe.

Mexican Ceviche

My Latina Table

What distinguishes Mexican ceviche from other recipes throughout the world is that it almost always includes avocado which grows in abundance throughout the coastal regions of Mexico. This recipe also swaps out fish for shrimp which is the traditional way to prepare it in Veracruz, Mexico, one of the nation’s most famed regions for ceviche. Pile it high atop a plate of nachos and you’ll be immediately transported to a Mexican beach. Promise. Get the recipe.

Tahitian Ceviche: Poisson Cru

Arousing Appetites

The name might harken back to a time when Tahiti was a French colony but the ingredients and flavor is all Tahitian. Poisson Cru is so beloved on the island that it’s considered its national dish. High-grade sushi-grade tuna is the fish most frequently used on the island but any high quality, firm white or red fish will also work. Ginger, red bell pepper, and coconut milk are standout ingredients in this recipe that will instantly transport you to the warmth of Polynesia. Get the recipe.

Mediterranean Ceviche

The Spice Detective

South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean can’t have all the fun when it comes to ceviche. Nations fortunate enough to boast of a coastline along the Mediterranean are also rightfully proud of their ceviche recipes. Sumac, fennel, and mint are the ingredients that define the flavor profile of a Mediterranean ceviche. In this elegant recipe, cherry tomatoes, orange juice, and jalapeno round out this simple yet addictive and refreshing dish. Get the recipe.

Thai Ceviche: Yum Hoy Shell

Chez Pim

Ceviche might have originated in Peru but similar preparations have been popular in Thailand for centuries. Fish is traditionally used in Thai ceviche recipes but this dish calls for scallops which is a fresh twist on a traditional ceviche. Fish sauce is added to ratchet up the umami flavors cucumbers give it a fresh finish and crunchy texture. Get the recipe.

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A Comprehensive Guide to Taco Types and Fillings

If there was a Food Addicts Anonymous, I would most likely need to attend it because of my addiction to tacos.

Confession time: I love tacos. No, really. There was a time in my life where I would leave the house in the middle of a storm because I knew there would be a short line at the taco truck in my neighborhood.  

While I love tacos, I also do not speak Spanish and I definitely don’t speak “taco.” Instead, I walk up to every taco truck praying for a lot English on the menu, which is great, but I always have a nagging feeling that I am missing out on something. As a result, I decided it was time to create a sort of taco dictionary. The result is shocking and mouthwatering.  

To start, here is a quick list of terms for the more adventurous eaters:

1. Cabeza: Cow’s head.

2. Machitos: Usually, this is tripe, which is the stomach lining or intestine of an animal. I am sure it tastes great, but the mental image kills me.

3. Nana: I try not to have mommy issues. So, I will not be eating this pig or sheep uterus.

4. Tripa: Tripe, again.

5. Viril:  Maybe it’s a guy thing, but I feel strange eating guy parts —specifically the male member. So, nope.

Now, for tacos I cannot wait to make!

(Al) Pastor

Gimme Some Oven

The name translates to “Shepard Style” and was actually inspired by slow-cooked shawarma brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants.  Today, it is a slow-cooked pork marinated in pineapple, spices, and chillies that are served with onion, cilantro, and pineapple. Get the recipe. 

Adobada

Honest Cooking

Put simply, this usually refers to a marinated pork done in style of a Mexican adobo, which is a red chili sauce made with vinegar, oregano, and other spices. However, this term can be used loosely, so it sometimes refers to marinades that are closer to an Al Pastor. Get the recipe. 

Barbacoa

Gimme Some Oven

The word barbacoa actually derives from the same word as barbecue, so it usually refers to meat slow-cooked over an open fire. In terms of tacos, this refers to slow-cooked beef that is seasoned with dried chilis, oregano, and other spices. Please note: You can cook other meat in a barbacoa style. Once cooked, the meat is served shredded and usually served with onion, cilantro, and salsa. Get the recipe. 

Birria or Chivoa

Mexico in My Kitchen

Originally from Jalisco, Mexico, it is normally made with goat. Birria means “a mess,” so it is a combination of slow-cooked meat, cooked bone-in to infuse the broth, guajillo as well as ancho chillies, and tomato. The word “chivo” just means goat, so birria is sometimes used in place of chivo as the goat meat might be implied by the style. Get the recipe. 

Campechanos

Hispanic Kitchen

This is the ultimate meat lover’s combo taco. It’s a mix of beef and pork. You’ll see anything from carne asada meat, ground beef, pork sausage, and chicharrones paired with salsa, onions, and herbs. In general, it’s hard to say exactly what you’ll get, but the combination will be juicy. Get the recipe.

Camarones

Gimme Delicious

Camarones refers to shrimp or prawns. This seafood taco usually uses garlic, cilantro, and salsa. Camarones refers more to the protein than the style, so a camarones taco will usually have additional descriptors to let you know what else you are getting. Get the recipe.

Carne Asada

The Stay At Home Chef

The direct translation is grilled beef. Typically, this is flank or skirt steak marinated with cilantro, garlic, citrus, chili, spices, and/or vinegar that have been grilled to perfection and then sliced. Get the recipe. 

Carnitas or Puerco

In This Kitchen

Puerco just means pork, so all puerco tacos are pork. Carnitas means “little meats” and this is usually pork butt or shoulder that is slow-braised and seasoned with household spices such as cumin, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and/or cinnamon. Get the recipe. 

Chicharrón
This a super indulgent taco as it is made from pork rinds or pork belly cooked with skin until it is crispy. If you don’t know what that tastes like, think of  the pork skin or  “crackling” that people serve at Christmas. In tacos, chicharrones are served with a sauce to soften them into a chewy delicacy. Sometimes you’ll be offered chicharrones a garnish or side, in which case you should always say yes.

Chorizo

Closet Cooking

Chorizo is smoked and cured sausage usually made of pork or beef and peppers and spices. Chorizo is typically spicy so expect a kick as you eat this taco. It can be served with just chorizo or with potatoes to cut the spice.  Because the flavor is so strong, is can also be a garnish, so never say no if you like spice. Get the recipe. 

Jamón

Pinterest – Renate Russouw

Jamón is actually a dried and cured Spanish ham that tastes similar to prosciutto. In Spain, Tacos de Jamón refers to diced or leftover bits of ham that are served with bread. In a taco, this would similar to adding prosciutto to your taco.

Pescado

The Rustic Foodie

Pescado means fish, so you are generally ordering a fish taco. However, the more authentic version is a breaded or tempura fish made from beer and flour topped with a creamy sauce. The tempura was originally created to keep the fish from falling apart and sticking to the pan while cooking, but I am sure it also just tasted great. Paired with onion and cabbage, the cream sauce is usually tart or tangy with ingredients like sour cream, mayo, garlic, and lime. Get the recipe. 

Tinga or Pollo

Mexican Please

Since pollo means chicken, this taco name is for your basic slow-cooked chicken taco. So, literally every pollo taco has chicken in it. The more authentic chicken taco is served “tinga” style. Originally from Puebla, Mexico, tinga is shredded chicken stewed eiyh chili peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Get the recipe. 

Phew! If you can believe it, there are even more tacos out there, but, hopefully, this article is enough to get through most menus. Happy munching!

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Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Professional Chicken Nugget Taste Tester?

If your 2018 resolution was to shoot for your dreams, we might be able to help you out (as long as your resolution doesn’t also entail healthy eating). B&M, a supermarket chain in England, is hiring a Chicken Nugget Connoisseur. If you spend your days and nigh obsessing over poultry byproducts and still order off the children’s menu, this is the job for you.

According to the amazing job listing, ideal applicants should have the following experience:

• Getting the 20 share box of nuggets from McDonald’s and keeping them all for yourself 
• Being the first in the office kitchen whenever someone says there’s cake
• That time you tripped and fell at a buffet and saved the plate before yourself
• You can conduct a power point presentation on the reasoning behind curly fries being nicer than chips

I don’t know about you, but I have never felt so seen by a job posting! I almost wish this was a personal ad instead, so I could marry it.

If you meet the rigorous qualifications, you’ll help the company expand their range of products in the coming year. They’re looking to expand both their frozen and fresh chicken items and are counting on a discriminating taste tester to help with the process. It’s tough work, but somebody has to do it.

In terms of compensation, the employee will receive 25 Euros (that’s about 30 bucks) in vouchers every month to try all the store’s new products. That’s a lot of nuggets! Then you’ll provide helpful feedback on their taste, texture ,and packaging to B&M. If you do get the job, you may want to brush up on our handy guide to every chicken finger and nugget on the market, which you should have memorized by now.

The only downside is that the position is temporary. Alas, nothing gold can stay, especially sweet, crispy golden chicken nuggets. The dream was nice while it lasted.

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Hot Reuben Dip

I’m from Omaha, Nebraska, where the Reuben sandwich was born (sorry, New Yorkers), and I grew up eating this classic sandwich.

I’ve had it in the homes of my mother, grandmothers, aunts and uncles. I’ve also consumed plenty of Reubens at bars and restaurants, where they usually come with a side of onion rings.

It’s a simple lunchtime favorite, and I’ve found that it also transitions into the perfect party dip.

Continue reading "Hot Reuben Dip" »

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Thousand Island Dressing

If the craving for a Reuben sandwich strikes or you need a “secret sauce” for your next burger, you probably have all of the necessary ingredients around to make this quick, creamy and delicious dressing.

Continue reading "Thousand Island Dressing" »

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Classic Steak au Poivre

Get Recipe!

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