Family Features

Family Features

Savor the Super Bowl with a game day party that really scores with guests. Keep them cheering with finger-friendly food such as sausage roll ups, cheesy dip and delicious hot subs and hoagies. And introduce a new all-star to the menu with a football pancake that’s sure to earn some extra points!

The entertaining experts at Johnsonville Sausage have come up with a game-winning strategy that will help you make your big-game party a champ.

Game Day Party-Planning Tips

Set the Game Day Stage

Decorate with fan favorites by topping the table with a piece of artificial turf, found at your hardware store. Then, use white athletic tape to add yard lines and white self-adhesive num bers, found at the craft store, to finish your themed tablescape with yardage markers.

Score With Sweets

After the delicious appetizers and entrees, don’t forget dessert. Display cupcakes on a platter and add green “turf” and “yard lines and markers” with frosting.

Send Your Guests Off in Style

Create sports-themed gift bags for guests, featuring team-colored tissue paper and small prizes, such as a freezable plastic mug, bottle koozies and a team bottle opener or coasters. These gift bags also make great prizes for any contests you have during the party, as well!

BRat Super Party Sub Sauce

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1‚Ñ2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1‚Ñ4 teaspoon salt

1‚Ñ4 teaspoon cracked black pepper, optional

Sub

1 package (19.76 ounces) bratwurst

1 loaf (1 pound) French bread

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 medium tomato, thinly sliced

In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Grill brats according to package directions. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1‚Ñ4-inch bias slices. Slice bread lengthwise and transfer to baking sheet. Arrange brat slices on bread bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until bread is lightly browned. Remove from oven. Top with sauce, onion and tomato. Cut sub and serve.

Yields 6 servings.

Cheesy Cheddar Roll-Ups

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

2 tablespoons coarse ground mustard

1 package (16 ounces) Johnsonville Beddar with Cheddar Sausage

In a skillet, saut onion in oil until light golden brown; cool slightly. Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles (bake or discard two extra triangles). Spread each with mustard and top with onions. Place one sausage on wide end of each triangle; roll up. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Cheesy Game Time Sausage Dip

1 package (16 ounces) Italian ground sausage

2 pounds Velveeta processed cheese, cubed

1 jar (16 ounces) chunky salsa

1 tablespoon fennel seed, crushed

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon anise seed, crushed

1‚Ñ4 teaspoon dried basil

Garlic toast

In a skillet, cook and crumble sausage until no longer pink; drain. Place cheese in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 6 minutes or until melted, stirring every 2 minutes. Stir in salsa, season ings and sausage. Microwave 2 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with garlic toast.

Yields 6 cups

Tips:

UAdd 1‚Ñ4 teaspoon cayenne pepper for a spicier dish.

UServe garlic toast with diced tomatoes and chopped black olives.

UTo serve in a bread bowl, cut off the top of a round loaf of bread; carefully hollow out bottom, leaving a 1-inch shell. Cube removed bread. Spoon cheese dip into bread shell. Serve with bread cubes.

Football Sausage Pancakes

1 package (12 ounces) breakfast sausage links

21‚Ñ2 cups pancake mix

1 teaspoon baking cocoa or cinnamon

11‚Ñ2 cups water

1‚Ñ4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Maple syrup

Cook sausage according to package direc tions; set aside.

In a bowl, combine pancake mix and cocoa or cinnamon. Stir in water and vanilla. Pour 1‚Ñ2 cup batter onto a hot greased non stick skillet or griddle in the shape of a football. Place one sausage link length wise down center of batter. Cut two sausage links into thirds; arrange on sides of center link to form football laces.

Using two spatulas, carefully turn pan cake when bubbles form on top and edges are dry. Cook until second side is golden brown. (Trim edges to resemble a football if necessary). Invert onto a plate, sausage-side up. Repeat with remaining batter and sausage.

Yields 4 servings.

XSources: Johnsonville Sausage and Hungry Jack Pancakes.