I thought I was being helpful with a lot of ideas which you can pick and choose to use or not.
nono, you are and I appreciate the ideas, but here's why I just made this an easy poll:
Hot wings are quite easy. Deep fry, while still hot toss in a large bowl with sauce, then plate. You can even bake them if you would rather. Use a combo of sauces you like, for instance HP Spicy sauce + Sarachi + Worchestershire + Soy + Chipotle Tabasco + a shot or three of bourbon.
we're going to put them in the oven if we make them. i have a great recipe for chinese 5-spice teryaki wings
You can make the dough ahead of time for the pizza and assemble the pizza, ready to throw in a mega hot oven. 15 mins later you ahve homemade pizza.
Or you could do Bobali or dejourno (whatever) it is
we make our own honey wheat crust at home, and blind bake the crusts so the toppings don't sag. the latest creation in the kitchen was an apple/smoked ham/shallot pizza that was amazing
You can't have a super bowl party without a super bowl sub!
The Mr makes a party sub that can feed about 12, and that's already on deck
When you are making your stations of snacks (areas of the room(s) with a bowl of chips and dips), leave the bags of chips or prezels closed but inside the bowl until the guests arrive. they will be fresher that way. Open them up and pour them when people start coming in.
Also easy access to a large trash cans will aid in keeping the areas clean. If you are going to do a cooler for beverages (I recommend this instead of opening and closing the fridge all the time) keep it at a level that people will see so they don't trip over it or don't see it because it's hiding. I recommend a tub of ice and the beverages instead of a cooler because since a tub has lower sides than a cooler, you can put it on a counter top at arm level and it isn't too high or too low that you trip over it.
because we have so many people coming, we have this event in our 2.5-car garage, complete with multiple trash cans and 21cu ft beverage fridge. the food won't be put out until half an hour before guests arrive anyways.
I would do chips and salsa as well. I would do a homemade salsa that you can make days in advance. Actually the longer it sits marinating, the better the salsa is.
i make homemade salsa and guacamole for this. the guac alone has people from 3 states away making the pilgrimmage.
Also, because the event revolves around the TV, make sure you have as much viewing area as you can to it. Whether people are standing or sitting, make sure there is visibility to the TV. Locate the food around the room(s) so they do not interfere with the view but also keep key pathways open, like those to the restroom.
WE have 4 TVs set up in the main viewing area- 1 52", 1 32", 1 over the bar and one in the back office. We will also have the family room one on as well, and our iPads set up in the bathrooms.
summer sausage is quite good with a side of various cheeses. I prefer havarti or a nice gouda and a good wheat cracker as a vessel for them. Triscuits work as well but I like the flavor Wheat Thins add to the equation.
We have a great butcher down here, and even though it's not venison sausage it'll do just nicely. One of our friends that is coming makes a great gouda puff and brings crackers.
You can always make "relish trays" as well. An assortment of veggies, maybe with a dip in the middle, would be lovely, too.
I argue that anything "lovely" doesn't involve the activity of watching football
Oh, I forgot a crock pot on Low with meatballs in BBQ sauce. Make sure to have toothpicks or a slotted spoon next to it.
Oh as for drinks, a variety of beers would be appropriate. We are getting out of the stout season, so if you are going to do a darker beer, stick to light porters or dark lagers. The new hotness now is Black IPAs and I am on the fence with those; they are definitely a hit or miss. You could always go with Sam Adams Lager as the staple, serving small amounts of the macro brews (Bud, Miller) for those with a less distinguished palatte. And you can do a small amount of crazy brews for when chim or I come over to visit. I recommend a good sharp Chech pilsner. Clean and crisp taste that goes with most foods and won't overpower them.
We're already on the meatballs. Many of our friends are not as deft as we are in the kitchen and will happily stock our fridge for this event. We are also considering a pony keg of a local craft beer but we're not sure on that yet.
For the spinach cheese dip, perhaps do a big soft pretzel and cut into inch long segments for dipping.
we'd need like 20 something pretzels
Deviled eggs are always a winner as well, for those that like them. Use a piping bag with a decorative star tip in it. It makes filling the egg halves easier and looks far more professional. When serving them, put a little out at a time so they stay cold.
The Mr. makes great deviled eggs and they're on the list.
Just crank the heat and it shoudl be ok. (should be 500 anyway really). and do one pizza at a time, ration the food out over the whole game, that way the oven has less in it at once.
500 degrees is not going to do any favors for my nachos, the wings if we make them, etc.