In Honor of Today.

I love events like this. Big game days. I'm not even really much of a sports fan, but the energy from those who are, is contagious. And I am easily emotionally influenced to say the least.

So maybe the most exciting day in football all year. Well, except for when Nebraska plays. Those are the most exciting. And then after Nebraska, and college football has subsided, then The Super Bowl.

Which, here's a fun fact, Churches are not actually allowed to use the term "Super Bowl" in any type of announcement or invitation. Or have parties where they show the game on a "Big Screen." The NFL decided that that was infringing on their copyright. Maybe everybody knew that already, since it's like two years old, but I was kind of shocked.

We have a big screen. We are having people over. We are calling it a Super Bowl Party. Does that mean we are infringing on copyright laws? And if not where do you draw the line then? What about work parties? Or neighborhood parties? Aren't these technically as bad as churches? Or is it just because churches might abuse the opportunity and lead non-believers to Christ through a Super Bowl party?

I'm not so sure about this, since I would say people in general are at their worst when there is a sporting event on.

"If you died today where do you think you would go? Hold that thought, I need to yell and scream at the TV, possibly throw something at it or at a parallel wall. And now that I'm red in the face and have spit all over you.... What were you saying?"

It doesn't work like that. Take them out for a cup of coffee. After the game. Or better yet, after they have erased your behavior from their short term memory.

Who was I complaining about? Churches or the NFL? I can't remember now.... Anyways, that is not actually what I'm talking about today.

I was going to talk about how I love to throw a party.

I absolutely love having people over. Which is a little bit difficult right now since we live in a windowless cave. But still, it doesn't make me awkward and so I just assume other people are the same as me.

They're not.

Where we live totally makes a lot of our friends uncomfortable because the space is small and they don't feel like we have enough seating.

Sorry guys.

Ok, back to the point. Although I cannot magically make 21oo more feet of space, I can make a lot of good food. Which is totally what I plan to do today.

I always, always go overboard with the cooking. But I really, really can't help it. Whenever there is a big game, a holiday(Even ones like Columbus Day or Flag Day), or a party(Such as Pampered Chef or a Jewelry Party), the first thing I do is make a menu.

I sit down with several of my favorite cook books, or in front of the computer with google and thefoodnetwork.com at my finger tips and I search out about ten good recipes. Ten recipes that are exciting to make, possibly challenging, involve lots of chopping(I love to chop things, I think that this is really weird and I have never admitted it to anyone before, but here we are and it's the truth.), and that will inevitably taste, really, really good.

After I find Ten recipes, I tone it back. I look for ones with similar ingredients so the flavors blend and I can cut back the cost of shopping and for recipes with ingredients I already have laying around the house or ones I can improvise with using things I already have.

So, in the end, I would say my average menu for a party like to day is between five and six items, depending on whether I make two desserts or one.

I go to the store, buy everything in one long day of shopping, usually with two(Sometimes three) impatient children and put everything away in groups of how I will use them.

After this, I inform Zach that I am making a huge feast and he should invite as many people as he wants.

A side note: Zach actually expects and really looks forward to these events but rarely wants to invite anyone else except for his good friend Nate. So, I have to throw in my own invites for good measure, just to make sure all of the food I made with good intentions doesn't attack my body with bad intentions.

On the day of the game, I have my own game plan. It is always important to have a plan of attack when making a menu like this. Not that you don't already know that, it's pretty common sense, but sometimes I like to state the obvious so I'm going to ask you to deal with it.

Today, the game plan is simple. Get the girls down. Commence the cooking. Hopefully get it done by the time the game starts(This is sometimes iffy and the food won't come out until Half Time at which point I will always declare that it was on purpose!). And enjoy the food.

Sounds simple enough.

It has at least gotten simpler over time. I was not always so at ease in the kitchen.

Taking into context that I had never cooked anything harder then macaroni and cheese and raman noodles before I got married, or baked anything more difficult then a box cake, my comfort level in the kitchen today is nothing short of a miracle.

Ask Zach. Seriously, he sat through some pretty, pretty bad and inedible meals before I made something he would ask for again sometime.

Which, this is endearing to me now, so I'll share it; but at the time I'll suffice to say it was um less than flattering. Whenever Zach and I would finish a meal that first year of marriage he would always look up at me and say, "You should ask my mom for her recipe next time."

Yea, it's funny now, but at the time..... Not so much.

So.

Today's Menu you ask?

Cheesy Chorizo Bean Dip with Chips.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Nachos.
Creamy Artichoke Dip served in a Sourdough Bread Bowl.
Mini Cheeseburger Sliders with Guacamole.
And.....
Warm Chocolate-Carmel Nutty Brownies.

I feel like I should serve a fruit or something. Ha.

Anyways, enjoy the Game! I know I will.