Stromboli part pizza, part calzone, all party!
A stromboli is kind of a cross between a grinder and a calzone. Bread dough is rolled out, filled with sliced meats, cheeses and vegetables, then rolled up into a tube and baked.
To serve, stromboli are simply sliced like a loaf of bread, creating a spiral baked sandwich that is perfect for large parties. If you like, you also can serve sandwich condiments (or even warmed marinara) alongside the stromboli slices for dipping. We've offered suggestions for fillings; but mix and match to suit your group (or devise your own combination).
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AP Photo - - To serve Super Bowl stromboli, simply slice like a loaf of bread. This creates a spiral baked sandwich that is perfect for large parties.
Just be careful with vegetables. Because you will be baking the fillings in the dough, watery vegetables (such as tomatoes) can release too much liquid during cooking. To avoid this, cook most vegetables in a skillet before adding them. Sun-dried tomatoes would be a good alternative to fresh.
Super Bowl Stromboli
Start to finish: 1-1/2 hours (30 minutes active). Serves 10.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped raw vegetables, such as peppers, onions and mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup drained and chopped Kalamata olives
1 tablespoon drained and chopped capers
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
Salt and ground black pepper
20-ounce ball pizza dough
10 ounces sliced deli meat, such as salami and ham
1 cup grated provolone or mozzarella cheese
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the vegetables and garlic, then saute until tender and any liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes depending on your choice of vegetables. Stir in the olives, capers and herb blend. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool slightly.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Arrange the sliced meat over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on the longer sides, as well as the end furthest from you. Spread the cooked vegetables over the meat, then sprinkle with the cheese.
Starting with the side closest to you, roll the stromboli up like a log. Pinch the seam and ends to seal. Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet with the seam on the bottom. Using a paring knife, make three deep slits in the top of the loaf.
Heat the oven to 375 F. Allow the stromboli to rest for 20 minutes while the oven heats.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted at the center reads 180 F. The outside should be golden brown and should sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 430 calories; 240 calories from fat (55 percent of total calories); 27 g fat (9 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 60 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 1 g fiber; 1,740 mg sodium.
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Cupcakes for the football fanatics in your life
These are not your girlfriend's cupcakes. There is no frilly pastel frosting piped on top. They are not delicate. They are not pretty.
They are big, bold, manly and totally down for a Super Bowl spread.
Since ease is key for Super Bowl feasts, we decided to start with a chocolate cake mix. To man-it-up, we made them big and added beer. And instead of pretty buttercream frosting, we're dabbed and smeared whiskey frosting all over them. And to really take it up a notch, bacon. Of course, salted peanuts, pretzels or crushed malted milk balls also would also be terrific.
If you want, you also could make giant cupcakes; you just need an oversized muffin pan (sold at most kitchen shops). You'll need to cook larger cupcakes longer (timing will vary depending on the size).
But whatever you do, don't you dare add sprinkles.
Super Bowl Cupcakes
Start to finish: 1 hour (30 minutes active). Serves 24.
For the cupcakes:
1 cup dark beer, such as stout
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 eggs
18.5-ounce package moist chocolate cake mix
For the frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup whiskey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the toppings (use any or all):
Crisp cooked bacon
Salted peanuts
Pretzels
Crushed malted milk balls
Heat the oven to 350 F. Spray 24 muffin regular cups with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the beer, sour cream, oil, eggs and cake mix. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, sugar, whiskey and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
When the cupcakes have cooled, add a smear of frosting to the tops, then sprinkle with your choice of toppings.
Nutrition information per serving (not counting toppings) (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 280 calories; 150 calories from fat (51 percent of total calories); 17 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 50 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 190 mg sodium.