Today is the start of Super Bowl XLVIII (48) weekend. It’s a big deal for lots of folks. I don’t follow football or professional sports in general. I followed my kids’ sports teams (there were lots of them!) and I love playing sports, I just never got into watching professional sports once I became an adult. I followed the Phillies baseball team as a young teenager and I rooted for the Pittsburgh Steelers growing up since it was my grandfather’s & father’s team. I gave that up when high school hit, instead concentrating on schoolwork, boys and employment. In that order.

But I do love getting together with friends for the Super Bowl. For me and many others, it is all about the commercials. Advertisers pull out all the stops for commercials that will be aired for the first time during the game because it is frequently the most watched American television broadcast of the year with an average audience of about 110 million. That’s a lot of viewers.

For those who are actually interested in the game, that too, should be exciting this year. It will be the first Super Bowl to be played outdoors in a cold weather environment, the first played on February 2 and the first in which two states (New York and New Jersey) will share hosting duties.The game will feature the league’s top offense, Denver, versus the top defense, Seattle. So, sit back and enjoy some good food with friends during the game!

Jalapeño Popper Dip (adapted from spendwithpennies.com)

Ingredients:

• 4-6 fresh jalapenos, roasted and diced (include the seeds if you like it really spicy) or 1 4-ounce can diced jalapenos, well drained
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
• 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces total)
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon cilantro paste

Directions:

Roast the jalapenos if you are using fresh ones. Halve the peppers and put them cut side down on a baking sheet. Put them under the broiler on high for 3 minutes, just until the juices start to run. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool then chop the peppers. Reserve some of the seeds to add to the cheese mixture for a spicier dip.

Roast the fresh peppers to enhance the flavor and dry them out a bit.

Combine the cream cheese and sour cream in a mixer. Add the cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and the diced jalapenos, (and seeds, if desired) mixing well. Spoon the cheese mixture into an 8 x 8 baking dish, spreading it evenly.

The cheeses & jalapenos get mixed together.

Blend the bread crumbs, melted butter, 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and the cilantro, using a fork or your fingers, until it is crumbly.

Cilantro paste is sold in a tube in the produce section of the grocery store.

Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cheese mixture.

Spread the crumb topping over the cheese mixture.

Bake it at 375° degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve the dip with tortilla chips.

Dig in!

 Enjoy the game & the new commercials!  ~Linda

Jalapeño Popper Dip (adapted from spendwithpennies.com)

Ingredients

• 4-6 fresh jalapenos, roasted and diced (include the seeds if you like it really spicy) or 1 4-ounce can diced jalapenos, well drained
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
• 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces total)
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Roast the jalapenos if you are using fresh ones. Halve the peppers and put them cut side down on a baking sheet. Put them under the broiler on high for 3 minutes, just until the juices start to run. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool then chop the peppers. Reserve some of the seeds to add to the cheese mixture for a spicier dip. Combine the cream cheese and sour cream in a mixer. Add the cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and the diced jalapenos, (and seeds, if desired) mixing well. Spoon the cheese mixture into an 8 x 8 baking dish, spreading it evenly. Blend the bread crumbs, melted butter, 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and the cilantro, using a fork or your fingers, until it is crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cheese mixture. Bake it at 375° degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve the dip with tortilla chips.