The big game is almost here. Super Bowl XLII takes place this year on February 3^rd, 2008! Even though this is our January issue at Glutenfreeda.com we wanted to bring you a full Super Bowl menu in plenty of time before the big game so you have time to plan the big day.

Before we get to the menu let’s review the play book:

Play #1:

Don’t be afraid to serve all gluten-free foods. Even though your guests might be the beer drinking, hamburger and pizza lovers consider offering foods that can be easily prepared gluten-free and that fit your crowd and the event. Examples of this would be chips and salsa, guacamole, chili, stew, hearty stews and the like.

Play #2:

Beer Marinated Chili Wings

Choose foods that can be consumed on the go. Grab and go is the name of the game. Football fans don’t want to be caught at the buffet table (or even worse yet, at the dinner table) when a critical play is taking place! A nice selection of finger foods is always a good idea and will be appreciated by those die hard fans.

Play #3:

If you are strictly going to serve munchies and not offer a “main event”, make sure you have enough food for everyone – especially if they will be imbibing on game day. The general rule of thumb is 2-3 pieces of each appetizer for each guest with a total of 6 different types of appetizers (for a group of about 12 people). Plan for a good variety of food types. It’s always nice to offer a balanced menu of meats, vegetables, dips and chips.

Play #4:

Make your life easier by making your own game plan in advance. Identify which dishes can be prepared a day or so in advance. Write your game plan down starting with a day or two in advance and finishing with serving time.

Roasted Poblano Guacamole Dip

This year I plan on hosting a Super Bowl party myself with the following menu:

I am pretty sure that none of our guests will have gluten-intolerance, however you will notice that none of the recipes above really require a lot of modification – most are naturally gluten-free, except the beer marinated chili wings (made with Redbridge gluten-free beer), cornbread muffins and the cookies, but all of these items taste exactly like the real thing.

Spicy Caesar Salad

You will also notice that I will be serving Glutenfreeda's Real Cookies as the dessert on game day. This is not meant to be a shameless plug for our product line, but rather a great easy solution for a delicious dessert. I’ve found in years past that during parties such as this that a decadent dessert is too cumbersome and sometimes too difficult to eat while standing or sitting on the couch. A big basket of fresh baked cookies is the perfect sweet treat to finish the meal. And you will find that these cookies are a cinch to make – just pop them in the oven and in minutes you will have the perfect dessert. I personally guarantee no one will no that they are gluten-free! (To find out where you can purchase Glutenfreeda’s Real Cookies click here.)

Enjoy the game!

-Chef Jessica