Bring your bowls to the Super Bowl.
After chicken wings, chili, hoagies, cheesesteaks, pulled pork, bacon whatevers, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, soft pretzels and beer (perhaps not an inclusive list), will you make it to the Super Bowl meal’s end zone — dessert? Yes! None of the following football treats will make you feel deflated. Although your waist may gain some yardage, these desserts are quick to make and good to eat.
Fly, Eagles, fly — off the plate.
EAGLE HEAD TREATS
½ cup white chocolate
12 regular marshmallows
Coconut
12 chocolate sandwich cookies or chocolate covered thins
12 whole cashews
Black decorator’s gel
Coconut Field: Coconut mixed with green food coloring, optional
Melt white chocolate chips or white chocolate bar to equal ½ cup in a small dish.
Coat each marshmallow generously in the white chocolate, turning carefully with a spatula or fork.
Remove the marshmallow from the chocolate, and roll one flat end and the sides in the coconut — one flat side should be just white chocolate covered.
Quickly put the coconut free end of the marshmallow on top of the chocolate sandwich cookie.
Allow chocolate to set. Make a (beak) hole using a toothpick in the side of the marshmallow and insert a cashew.
Add eyes, using black decorator’s gel.
If making a field: In a large bowl, mix a few drops of green food coloring into the coconut and toss. Spread green coconut evenly across a rectangular plate to create a playing field.
Arrange eagle treats on coconut home turf.
These footballs are so light that you might think Tom Brady made them.
CHOCOLATE RICE KRISPIE FOOTBALLS
4 Tbsp. butter
1 package mini marshmallows (10 oz.)
6 cups cocoa krispies
In a large microwavable bowl, melt the butter (about 1 minute).
Add the marshmallows and microwave for 1 minute.
Butter a wooden spoon and stir the marshmallows. Return bowl and microwave for 1–2 minutes until marshmallows puff up the bowl.
Remove bowl, add cocoa krispies and stir. Cool slightly.
Butter your hands and shape/squeeze into small oval footballs — widest in the middle and tapering off to pointy ends. (Keep butter handy.)
Pipe the icing onto the footballs to resemble laces.
Icing: 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 3½ tsp. water, 1 drop vanilla, 1 small, heavy sandwich baggie.
Mix together the sugar, water and vanilla. Cut off a very small tip on the corner of the sandwich bag. Fill the bag with the icing and pipe a line down the center of each football. Pipe a few short lines across the center line to resemble football laces. Allow to dry.
Note: Arrange footballs (and Eagle Heads) on the coconut turf serving plate. (See Coconut Field Above)
Pass this dip and score big. Line up your pretzels and/or apple slices around the football, but don’t hesitate to try one. There’s no such thing as a false start.
PEANUT BUTTER/CHOCOLATE DIP
¼ cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup peanut butter (regular not natural)
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Jimmies or mini chocolate chips to cover football
White icing to draw laces (see recipe for icing above)
Beat together the butter, cream cheese and peanut butter, and add the vanilla.
Add the confectioners’ sugar ½ cup at a time, beating to combine.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pack into oval-shaped serving dish or shape into a football on a plate.
Cover football with chocolate jimmies or mini chocolate chips.
Use the icing recipe above or your own, and pipe a line in the center of football and a few short lines across the center line to resemble laces.
Remove from fridge 1 hour before serving.
Serve with pretzel crackers or apple slices.
Eat well, live long, enjoy!
(Questions or tips can be sent to Donna Zitter Bordelon at WhatscookinNEPhilly@gmail.com or in care of the Times, 2 Executive Campus, Suite 400, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002)
Don’t forget:
Send in your favorite recipe for a chance to win a $100 ShopRite gift card. Mail your recipe to Readers’ Recipes, 2 Executive Campus, Suite 400, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002. Or email your recipe to WhatscookinNEPhilly@gmail.com. Please include name, address and telephone number.
