Super Easy Game Day Buffet
New England Baked Beans vs Giant Coney Island Hot Dogs
Will New England fans be tempted by juicy Coney Islands? Giants fans by sweet-smelling baked beans? Either way, the winner is you with these no-sweat recipes.
The big game is almost here. More people watch the superbowl than voted in the last presidential election. There are more in-home parties on Superbowl Sunday than New Years Eve. It is second only to Thanksgiving in the amount of food consumed in the US. You want to be ready for that if one of those parties is at your place. You don’t want to spend three days preparing, so here are two easy favorites, each representing the home towns of this year’s superbowl contenders: Baked Beans from Boston and Coney Island Hot Dogs from… Coney Island.
Start with the baked beans. They take a touch longer, but you could still put it off until and hour before kickoff and not be hit with a delay-of-game penalty. Alternate game plan: throw it in the crockpot while you’re waiting for your morning coffee to brew.
New England Baked Beans
Preheat oven to 350 or turn crockpot on high
- 4 rashers bacon (oven version - optional)
- 2 – 28 oz cans baked beans (B&M or Bush’s)
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 heaping Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
- If using the oven, half cook the bacon in a skillet. It should still be limp.
- Mix all of the remaining ingredients in a 3 qt baking dish (for the oven) or a crockpot. For oven version, top with bacon and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. The slow-cooker will take longer (thus the name), but you can serve it right out of the cooker. You choose.
Set out bowls and spoons and let your raving football fans serve themselves on commercials.
Coney Island Hot Dogs
- 2 – 16 oz cans chili without beans
- 2 pkgs good quality hot dogs
- 2 pkgs hot dog buns
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 2 cups white onion, chopped
- Heat the chili in a saucepan over medum heat, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or beer if the chili is too thick. Spike with Tabasco to taste. When the chili is hot enough, turn the heat to it’s lowest setting and keep warm. Be sure to throw the chili cans out with the recycling so you can begin calling this “coney sauce.”
- Heat hot dogs in a large pot of water (or a few at a time in the microwave for a smaller crowd—poke holes in them with a fork or they will explode…very messy and it destroys the “presentation” of the Coney Island, if that’s possible.
Set all the ingredients out and let your partiers assemble their own. An electric trivet or warmer is convenient for this. If someone needs assembly instructions, it goes bun – dog – “coney sauce” – cheese – onion. Five yard penalty for assembly infraction.
Add some chips and your favorite beverages and you’ve got a party.
More Game-Day Party Food Ideas:
- Cowboy Steak Chili (especially good for disappointed Dallas fans)
- Hot and Cheesy Artichoke Dip
- Hoppin’ John Chili
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