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Heaping mounds of nacho-cheese chips and jars of store-bought dips, slow cooker meatballs made with grape jelly and ketchup, and just-delivered boxes of pepperoni pizzas: This is exactly the spread you won’t find at Barefoot Contessa host Ina Garten‘s home the day of the Super Bowl. How do we know this? The author of 13 cookbooks just shared her top three Super Bowl appetizers, and she’s putting a homemade spin on some game day favorites — with a classic cocktail recipe to accompany the snacks, of course.
“Why not make a few really good classics for the Super Bowl this year? Margaritas, wings, dip, and nachos sound like a good lineup, even if you’re only in it for the half-time show and the commercials,” Garten captioned the mouthwatering image carousel of her Real Margaritas, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Pan-Fried Onion Dip, and Fresh Crab Nachos.
First up comes Garten’s saucy broiled Buffalo wings. She cooks the wings under the broiler, basting them with a buttery hot sauce until they’re cooked through, crispy, and brown on the outside. And forget the bottled ranch dressing — the Barefoot Contessa serves these wings with a chunky homemade blue cheese dip. The recipe comes from her book Barefoot Contessa Family Style.
There are some foods that no party would be complete without, and chips and dip is one of them. But Garten gives this Super Bowl classic a major upgrade by skipping the dip from a tub or a jar and making her own pan-fried onion dip, from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. The onions are cooked with butter, cayenne pepper, and black pepper until lightly caramelized, then get mixed with a dippable blend of cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo. You’ll want sturdy chips to pair with this dip, so you can scoop up as much as possible with each bite.
And it just wouldn’t be the Super Bowl without nachos. Garten’s fresh crab nachos, from Modern Comfort Food, will blow your usual spread out of the water. Tortilla chips are topped with a creamy cheese spread that’s loaded with jumbo lump crabmeat and seasoned with scallions, chiles, and lime zest, along with shredded cheese and pickled jalapeños. A homemade avocado pico de gallo completes the dish.
To wash it all down? You’ll want to make a batch of Garten’s real margaritas, which prove that sometimes simple is best. Even better? Her recipe serves 4-6 people, so you can spend less time behind the bar and more time watching the game.
And if you want more Garten-approved, elevated Game Day appetizers that’ll please any crowd, oh, she has plenty.
Before you go, check out our gallery:
Watch: We Tried Ina Garten’s Overnight Mac & Cheese & We Totally Get Why It Broke the Internet
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