5 Essentials for a Classy Football Party:
Wine made for the San Diego Chargers
Football Party Essential #1:
Football Wine
I’ve snagged Chargers QB Phillip Rivers for my fantasy team for the 2nd year in a row. I think it was also no coincidence that the Chargers released their limited edition, 50th Anniversary wine this season. I’m sure they knew I would need something delectable to sip on while cheering on all those touchdown passes.
Not a Chargers fan? You could also try wines for other football stars like Mike Ditka’s label from Mendocino Wine Company, Drew Bledsoe’s Doubleback (from Walla Walla Valley, Washington), or Terry Hoage’s highly-rated label from his Paso Robles vineyard, just to name a few.
Football Party Essential #2
Frosted Mugs
What service! This little gesture will make your guests feel welcome and special, and you, in turn, will score some mega hostess points. Here’s how to frost the perfect mug:
- Clear a space in your freezer, and start with cool glasses (if they’re warm, they will crack in the freezer). Also, the thicker the glass, the better it will frost.
- Submerge glass in cold water, just enough so it is wet. Dump out any puddles in the bottom of the glass, but be careful not to shake off excess water or dry the mug.
- Place upright in your freezer. Be careful not to let them touch because they could freeze together!
- Chill for a couple hours, or until a lovely frost forms. Pour your beer into the mug and serve immediately!
- Bask in all the ooohs and aaaahs and wows from your guests!
Football Party Essential #3:
Vintage Wood Cheese Board
A rustic, yet chic serving piece for all those hot dogs, burgers, sausages and just about anything else you could possibly serve up on game day. What I love most is how they provide great presentation straight from the grill to the buffet. It’s so effortless, you can even trust the hubs to get it right!
Football Party Essential #4:
Stainless Steel and Acrylic Dip Bowl
Keep your dips fresher longer with this genius little device! Fill the acrylic bowl with ice, creating an ice bath that will chill the stainless steel bowl filled with your yummy dips. Everything from ranch to guacamole will stay fresh for hours!
Football Party Essential #5
Homemade 7-Layer Bean Dip
This is a healthy alternative to store-bought bean dip, but it actually tastes way better! Plus, bean dip is a football party staple.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1(15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
- 4 ripe avocados, preferably Hass
- 1 jalapeno, stemmed, finely chopped, (with seeds for more heat) (I used 2, since we like spicy!)
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 1/2 cups nonfat yogurt, preferably Greek
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and some stems, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup plum tomatoes, halved
- 2 green onions, sliced
- tortilla chips, for dipping
Directions
- On a cutting board, smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. In a food processor, blend the garlic, beans, chili powder, water, and olive oil until smooth. Spread in the bottom of a serving dish. I used a deep-dish pie plate, and that worked well!
- Sprinkle the cheese over the beans.
- Halve and seed the avocados, then mash in a small bowl. Coarsly chop the jalapeno and place in the cleaned bowl of the food processor. Pulse until finely diced. Add the jalapeno and a teaspoon of salt to the avocado and blend. Spread a layer of the avocado over the cheese, and then scatter the lettuce on top.
- Finely chop cilantro ( I used the food processor again to do this) and combine with the greek yogurt, in a small bowl. Spread the yogurt mixture over the lettuce.
- Add a layer of tomatoes, then the final layer of green onions.
- Garnish with a few cilantro sprigs and serve Serve immediately with chips, since the moisture from the lettuce can puddle, causing the dip to get soggy.
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I LOVE this bean dip. It is as beautiful as it is delicious and a healthy treat for any get together!