{What I Love} no6: our Superbowl Traditions

No one in our family is a football superfan. Kendell will watch the Superbowl and sometimes a random game he happens to catch, but in general, he doesn't have a team he loves enough to watch all the games. (Something I am eternally grateful for because here's how I feel about football: hate it almost as much as basketball. It's frustrating and, I confess, a little bit boring to me. Probably because I don't know the rules and I don't know the teams and I certainly don't care about the players, most of whom seem to act like spoiled babies with too much money.) But we all look forward to the Superbowl for two reasons: the commercials and the food.

I love the Superbowl Sunday traditions that have sprung up in my family over the past six or seven years. I love that my kids rely on the same food being there—that it's become a given, a thing about life without which life would not make sense. I love that they talked about it all week and that they helped me prepare it. I love that we have this thing together. And that no one really cares about the game.

The Superbowl taught me to love avocados, a story I might just tell this month. But today I'm sharing one of my Superbowl recipes with you. The other one is just a seven layer dip: refried beans, guacamole, salsa, olives, flavored sour cream (mix in some taco seasoning), and cheese. (Note that at our house, the seven layer dip is really only six layers, because no one, not even me, likes raw green onions.)

It just wouldn't be Superbowl Sunday without pizza sticks. I heard the general idea for this once on a cooking show; I thought it was Rachael Ray's but I haven't been able to confirm that. (But am disclosing so as not to plagiarize.) Here's how you make them, Amy style (the original method called for pizza dough in a can and that, dear friends, is so not my style.)

Pizza Sticks
3 cups warm water
2 T yeast
2 T sugar
2 tsp salt
2 T olive oil
handful of Parmesan cheese
8 cups (ish) flour

Proof the yeast and sugar in the warm water for 10 minutes. Blend in the remaining ingredients, adding flour in ½ cup increments until soft dough forms. Knead for about 4 minutes (you want the cheese to be really incorporated into the dough). Let rise for about 1 hour.

Assemble whatever pizza ingredients you like. I use:

mozzarella cheese, shredded
pepperoni
Canadian bacon
olives
mushrooms

Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll it out into a rectangular shape. Sprinkle cheese on half of the rectangle, then cover the cheese with any of the ingredients. (They work best with just one extra ingredient.) (I also make some that just have cheese.) Fold the non-cheesy side of the dough rectangle on top of the side with the pizza toppings. Press the seam down firmly, then give the dough a few extra swipes with your rolling pin for good measure.

Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips. Carefully pinch the edges together, then twist each strip into a spirally stick. Some of the ingredients might fall out; just carefully tuck them back in. Let rise under a towel for about twenty minutes. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, or until done. Serve with marinara, bleu cheese, and Caesar for dipping.

MMMMMMMMMMM.

Do you have any Superbowl traditions?

Comments

[wendy]

I don't love football, either. I love the commercials, but never watch them in conjunction with the game. :) I love your traditions! A growing tradition at our in-laws' is to watch the commercials on computers or ipads or whatever devices are spread across the living room after the fact.

[Wendy]

Mmm - may have to trade in my salsa for the six layer dip!