The past year, 2020, brought about a new and unusual lifestyle for all and it appears this will continue for some time yet. So we do what we must, make the best of it, and enjoy what we are doing.

For 11 years in a row plus in a few earlier editions, members of the Gazette-Journal staff, a group of excellent cooks, have baked, stewed, fried and sautéed their favorite recipes for you to enjoy on Super Bowl Sunday. So to prove the chefs knew what they were doing, the recipes were all taste-tested. Several weeks before game time and earlier enough so they could be shared for our readers’ culinary pleasure, the feast was held.

In 2021 there will be no gatherings of a crowd to sample recipes or foods. So our tradition of giving you some Super Bowl specialties, here are a few recipes from the past 11 years.

When Sunday rolls around and the Kansas City Chiefs meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Lombardi Trophy, try some of these recipes for your own Super Bowl Party.

History bit: The Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers played the very first Super Bowl game in 1967 with Green Bay winning.

CRESCENT CHICKEN ROLLS

¾ c. crushed canned French onions
1 Tbs. flour
½ tsp. salt
8 oz. can crescent roll dough
1 skinned, boneless chicken breast, cut into 16 pieces
1 egg, beaten
Poppy or sesame seeds

Combine onions, flour and salt. Separate dough into 8 triangles. Cut each in half diagonally to form 2 triangles. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with onion mixture. Roll up one piece in dough triangle and place pointed side down on lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush tops with remaining egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Bake at 375°F. 11 to 13 minutes. Serve with honey-mustard sauce.

MANGO AND AVOCADO SALSA

1 avocado
1 mango
1 small red onion
½ or 1 habanero pepper, as desired (I use half)
1 Tbs. cilantro
Salt to taste
Combine these ingredients, then pour over all the juice of 1 lime and 1 tsp. lime zest. Serve with chips or crackers.

BACON RANCH CHEESE BALL

12 oz. cooked bacon, chopped
¼ c. chopped pecans
¼ c. chopped parsley
2 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese
1 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ c. crumbled goat cheese
1 (1 oz.) package ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Combine the pecans, half of the bacon, and 2 tablespoons of parsley in a small bowl and set aside. Beat cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, goat cheese, ranch seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and remaining bacon and parsley in an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Shape the mixture into a ball and roll in the prepared bacon-pecan mixture.

BACON-WRAPPED SMOKIES

15 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in thirds
45 Little Smokies
¾ c. brown sugar

Wrap each Smokie in piece of bacon, secure with toothpick. Place single layer in electric skillet, sprinkle brown sugar over top. Brown on each side 5-6 minutes until done and brown sugar is melted. Serve warm.

BACON CHEDDAR PUFFS

1 c. milk
¼ c. butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 c. (4-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic salt
¼ tsp. pepper

Combine milk and butter in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter melts and mixture is simmering. Add flour; stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in one egg at a time until mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients; mix well. Drop by heaping teaspoon onto greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350°F. oven for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

VEGETABLE BARS

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 8-oz. bars cream cheese, softened
¾ c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
¾ c. green pepper, chopped fine
¾ c. broccoli, chopped fine
¾ c. carrots, chopped fine
¾ c. Cheddar cheese, chopped fine

Unroll each can of rolls onto cookie sheet; press together seam edges. Bake at 350°F. for 7-10 minutes and cool for 10 minutes. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise and dressing mix. Spread over rolls. Combine and toss vegetables and cheese. Sprinkle over rolls and press down slightly. Chill for 1-2 hours before cutting into bars.

HAMBURGER PIE

1½ lbs. hamburger, as lean as possible
1 egg
1 c. breadcrumbs, herb or plain
½ c. onion, finely minced
1 tsp. each salt and pepper
1½ Tbs. oregano or Italian herbs, divided
½ c. tomato sauce (can use salsa)

Cheeses: grated mozzarella, Cheddar and Parmesan (amount your choice)

Optional: Fresh mushrooms thinly sliced and fresh spinach leaves

Mix meat with egg, breadcrumbs, onion, salt, pepper, oregano, and pat into pie plate, pushing sides above the plate edge. Pour tomato sauce over all; sprinkle with a little more salt, pepper, herbs; then layer mozzarella and Cheddar, topping with Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until cheeses are browning. Let sit 15 minutes before cutting in portions. Optional: On top of tomato sauce, layer mushrooms and spinach; then add cheeses.

This recipe adjusts easily to 13×9 pan for larger crowd.

SLOW-COOKER MAC AND CHEESE

Cooking spray
16 oz. macaroni, cooked
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1½ c. whole milk
¼ c. butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
3 large eggs, beaten
2 16-oz. pkg. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Dash of paprika

In a large slow-cooker sprayed with cooking spray, mix the macaroni, evaporated milk, milk, butter, salt, pepper, eggs and all but ½ c. cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Turn off the slow cooker, stir the mixture and serve hot.

Recipe adapted from “Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood: Stories and Recipes to Share with Family and Friends.”

BAKED ITALIAN SPAGHETTI

3 medium onions, minced
2 lbs. ground beef
3 Tbs. salad oil
3 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 c. red wine, dry
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. dried rosemary
¼ tsp. dried marjoram
¼ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ lb. spaghetti, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 c. grated sharp cheese, divided

Day before: In Dutch oven or large heavy pan, sauté onion and beef in salad oil until brown. Add tomato sauce and next nine ingredients; simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for one hour. Cook and drain spaghetti. Add to sauce with ½ c. grated cheese. Turn into three-quart casserole. Refrigerate.

About 1½ hours before serving: Heat oven to 325°F. Sprinkle top of casserole with remaining cheese. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes; uncover and bake 30 minutes longer. Makes 6 generous servings.

Excellent with chicken, using 2 to 2½ c. coarsely cut-up cooked chicken instead of beef. Substitute dry white wine for the red.

Sometimes, I substitute one can Franco-American Beef Gravy for one of the cans of tomato sauce. And frequently, I find I need more cheese on top. Also, you can make it all the same day, and it does freeze well.

CHILI

1½ lb. lean ground beef
½ c. mild garlic, diced
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 habanero pepper (the orange one), chopped
½ tsp. salt
2 15.5-oz. cans pinto beans
1½ tsp. chili powder
2 c. water

Brown your beef and add garlic, salt, habanero pepper and chili powder. Put in the can of diced tomatoes and stir, and let cook a little while. Then add can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cans of beans and bring to a boil. Add water and simmer ½ hour.

MISSIE’S SHRIMP AND GRITS

2 Tbs. butter
¼ c. yellow onion, minced
½ c. green onion (reserve ¼ c. for topping)
¼ c. minced red bell pepper
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
¾ c. halved grape tomatoes
1 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
1½ lb. peeled and deveined large (26-30 count) shrimp
¼ c. dry white wine
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
½ c. butter, softened
Shrimp
Grits (cook ahead the number of servings you need)

In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbs. butter over medium-high heat. Add yellow onions and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add shrimp; cook for1-2 minutes or until shrimp begin to turn pink. Remove pan from heat and spoon mixture into large bowl. dd wine and lemon juice to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until mixture is reduced by 1/3. Remove skillet from heat. Return shrimp mixture to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until shrimp are pink and firm. Spoon grits into serving bowls; top with shrimp mixture and garnish with green onions.

STONE GROUND FONTINA GRITS

5 c. chicken broth
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. stone ground grits, uncooked
½ c. heavy whipping cream
1½ c. shredded Fontina cheese

In a medium Dutch oven, bring broth and salt to boil. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. Add cream and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes or until grits are very thick. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

FUDGE CHOCOLATE CAKE

2¼ c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ c. butter
2 c. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
6 1-oz. squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 c. sour cream
1 c. strong hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and melted chocolate. Add ½ of the sour cream and then ½ of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and blend well. Add remaining sour cream and dry ingredients to the batter. Stir in hot coffee. Bake in a greased 9×13-inch pan for 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before icing.

COCONUT CUSTARD PIE

½ c. Bisquick mix
¾ c. sugar
4 eggs
2 c. milk
1 c. coconut flakes
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. butter

Butter pie pans. Combine all ingredients and pour into pans. Bake at 400°F. for 25-30 minutes, until the custard sets. Cool before serving; makes 2 pies.

ROLO PRETZEL DELIGHTS

Small pretzels
Pecan halves
Rolo Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place one pretzel for each Rolo candy desired on prepared sheet. Top each pretzel with one Rolo. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until caramel pieces begin to soften, but not melt. Remove from oven; top each with a pecan half. Cool completely.