Adapted from Martha Stewart Living (September 2011)
Our interest in sports can be summed up in this small snippet of recent conversation:
Zach: "I don't even know who's playing in the Super Bowl."
Clay: "Uh, duh? Madonna."
So yes, it's Super Bowl Week, when America's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of snacks.
And whether you're a fan of the Giants or the Patriots -- or just Madonna or the commercials -- we've got the perfect snack for the big game: heated and spiced potato chips.
Yup, you heard us.
We've actually encountered hot potato chips twice in the past six months.
The first was when Clay was at a conference for work and heard Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi speak. An audience member asked about her favorite Pepsi product. Without hesitation, Nooyi said that her favorite snack by far was a bowl of Lays Kettle chips, heated in the microwave for 15 seconds. Microwaved potato chips? Um, okay. We'd try it.
Then we were reading Martha Stewart Living back in September, and there they were again. This time it was an idea to take potato chips, spice them with paprika and cayenne, shave cheese over them and then bake them briefly in the oven.
We'd never even considered heating up our potato chips. But we took the two run-ins as a sign and tried out Martha's recipe for ourselves.
You know what? It's awfully tasty. The mix of Parmesan, paprika and cayenne pepper gives the chips an awesome savory kick. Martha's recipe takes only 7 minutes (plus the time it takes to pre-heat your oven). But if you want to be really speedy, take a cue from Indra Nooyi: Toss all the ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl, and zap for about 20 seconds.
Consider us warm potato chip converts.
Still, one dish does not a Super Bowl spread make. Here are some other ideas for snacks that'll make your game day equal parts football and foodie:
- Smoked Salmon with Black Pepper Potato Chips and Lemon Crème Fraîche: Sure these sound high-falutin'. But they couldn't be easier. (We wrote at the time that we were a little underwhelmed by these, but some of the commenters said they loved them.)
- Garlic-Herb Pinwheels and Harissa-Sausage Pinwheels: Store-bought pastry, sausage and spices make these pinwheels incredibly easy to make. The aroma will have your Super Bowl guests wolfing them down before you even make it to the coffee table.
- Korean Fried Chicken: Crispy, crackly double-fried chicken lacquered in a spicy-sweet Asian sauce? Soooo much better than Buffalo wings.
And here are even more great snack ideas for Super Bowl Sunday:
Homemade Potato Chips
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living (September 2011)
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(This image: Martha Stewart Living)
DIRECTIONS
To make, spread 4 1/2 cups kettle-cooked potato chips (about 5 ounces, or one large bag) on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until oil appears, 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together 1/2 cup very finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 ounce), 1/8 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Remove chips from oven, and immediately sprinkle with cheese mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Serves 4)
Notes from Zach and Clay of The Bitten Word:
If paprika, Parm and cayenne isn't your thing, we encourage you to select a spice that you like and make your own mixture to top the chips. Here are some ideas for spices, cheese and other mix-ins that you can consider to give these chips a different spin.
For Spices:
- Old Bay
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- BBQ Rub
- Chinese Five Spice
- Fajita Seasoning
For Cheese:
- Manchego
- Pecorino
- Sharp Cheddar
- Monterrey Jack
Other add-ins:
- Thinly Shaved Parsley or other herbs
