Cook up some fun for Super Bowl LIII

ALBANY — Got the gang coming over for the Super Bowl on Sunday?

According to the annual Super Bowl survey conducted for the National Retail Federation, you’ll have a lot of company when the game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. About 44 million Americans will be throwing parties and 61 million will be attending parties.

And while watching the game, commercials and half-time show, as well as just hanging around with friends, score the most points as reasons why people will get together to watch the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams square off on Super Bowl LIII, 7 percent of those attending those parties say there’s another big reason — the food.

We looked back at recipes that were published over the years in special Holiday Flavors sections that date back as far as the 1990s in The Albany Herald for some ideas that can help you with your Super Bowl menu, whether you’re hosting or taking a dish to a party. They’re listed with the names of the readers who submitted them.

There’s a lot of beefy and cheesy stuff to choose from, plus one recipe with one of the best names ever — Uncle Charlie’s Drunkard’s Stew.

BEEF/VEGGIE STUFF

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground chuck

2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 cup catsup

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon pepper

4 carrots, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

8 medium potatoes, chopped

Directions:

Brown the ground chuck and drain. Add the diced tomatoes, catsup, tomato sauce, salt, lemon pepper, onions, carrots and potatoes. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to medium heat and cook until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with cornbread, corn chips or saltines.

— Jeanette Paul

THE BEST LITTLE MEAT BALLS

Ingredients:

1 lb. regular hamburger meat

2 eggs

ketchup, to taste

onion salt, to taste

Italian bread crumbs (enough to hold mixture together)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients. Form into shapes of a quarter. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

Cook’s Note: Simple and good. Usually fried, but can be baked.

— Karen Kiefer

CHEESE GARLIC BISCUITS

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix Bisquick, milk and cheese until soft dough forms. Beat vigorously 30 seconds. Drop dough by spoonful onto greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Mix butter and garlic powder. Brush over the warm biscuits before removing from baking sheet. Serve warm.

Yield: 12 biscuits.

— Annie Ruth Flanigan

CHILI

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp. cumin

garlic powder

1 large onion, chopped

1 can tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

2 can beans (chili, pinto or kidney)

Directions:

Brown the ground beef, then add onion and green pepper. Cook until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer about an hour, or cook in a slow cooker for a while.

Cook’s note: The spices can be adjusted for taste.

— Annie Ruth Flanigan

GRANNY’S CHILI

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground round beef

1 bottle Heinz chili sauce

Chili powder

1 onion, chopped

1 can chopped tomatoes and juice

1 can pork and beans

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Brown the beef. Add onion, spices (chili, salt and pepper to taste), tomato and juice. Add water until pot is 3/4 full. Simmer for 2 hours on low. Add pork and beans 20 minutes before simmer time is up.

Cook’s note: Simmer only; never boil. Pork and beans can be omitted. Good with saltines and iced tea.

— Karen Keifer (Recipe is from the late Mrs. O.G. Autry, Keifer’s grandmother.)

SALSA-CHEESE APPETIZER

Ingredients:

2 cans chili with no beans

8 oz. sour cream

1 jar picante sauce, medium or hot

Chips such as Tostitos or Doritos

Directions:

In a large, rectangular Pyrex dish, place chili, then sour cream, then salsa, then cheese. Microwave for 7 minutes. Serve with chips.

— Annette Collier

SAUSAGE PUFFS

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) pkg hot bulk sausage

1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup buttermilk biscuit mix

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix sausage, cheese and biscuit mix until blended. Shape into walnut-sized balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

SEAFOOD DIP

Ingredients:

1 can crab meat

3 oz. cream cheese

Mayonnaise (to soften)

Minced onion (to taste)

Worcestershire (to taste)

Garlic salt (to taste)

1 tsp. lemon juice

Chopped green onions

Parsley

1 can clams

1 can chopped shrimp

Directions:

Mix ingredients well. Chill. Serve with chips.

— Marideane Maxwell

SPICY PEPPERONI BISCUITS

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup finely chopped pepperoni

3/4 cup milk

Directions:

Combine the first five ingredients; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.

Stir in pepperoni. Add milk and stir until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead three or four times.

Roll dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut dough with 2-inch biscuit cutter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Yield: 1 dozen biscuits.

— Karen Reynolds Williams

UNCLE CHARLIE’S DRUNKARD’S STEW

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. of stew beef, cubed

1 can of mushroom soup

1 can of water

4 medium potatoes, peeled and in chunks

3-4 carrots, peeled and in chunks

3 onions, peeled and in chunks

1 rib celery cut into chunks

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 cup sherry (real sherry, not cooking sherry)

Directions:

Brown meat in oil or drippings. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 2-3 hours or at 275 for 5 hours.

Cook’s Notes: I use lean beef. This is always delicious. The recipe was given to me by Mr. Charlie Huie, a native of Scotland, in 1973.

— Karen Kiefer

VEGETARIAN CHILI

Directions:

Olive oil cooking spray or 1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 rib celery, sliced thin

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. chili powder

22-oz. can of chili beans, undrained

16-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

3 16-oz. cans of diced tomatoes

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

2 cups frozen vegetarian crumbles (veggie burger)

Hot sauce (optional)

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

sour cream (optional)

crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:

Coat a non-stick soup pot with cooking spray, heat over medium heat. Saute onion until soft. Add celery; saute for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and it evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic. Sprinkle chili powder and stir. Add beans, cinnamon and oregano. Bring to a boil and stir in veggie crumbles. Return to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

— Peggy Rowland

VENISON CHILI

Ingredients:

5 cups of canned tomatoes

1 1/2 lbs. chopped onions

1 lb. green pepper, chopped

2 crushed cloves of garlic

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup butter

2 1/2 lbs. ground venison

2 1/2 lbs. ground lean pork

1/2 cup chili powder

2 15-oz. cans of red kidney beans,undrained

2 tbsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 tbsp. salad oil

Directions:

Simmer the tomatoes 5 minutes in their own juice. Add onion, green pepper and cook until tender, stirring often. Add garlic and parsley. Melt butter in large skillet and saute meat for 15 minutes. Add meat to tomato mixture. Stir in chili powder. Cook 10 minutes. Add beans, spices and water, if needed. Simmer covered for an hour. Cook 30 more minutes uncovered. Serves 8-10.

Cook’s note: You can substitute ground beef for venison.

— Peggy Rowland