Foodstirs

Super Bowl Snacks for Kids

Snacking and the Super Bowl go hand in hand, but it’s not always easy to find healthy, easy, and kid-friendly snacks to satisfy the munchies during the big game. These 3 recipes are our favorites for snacking during the Super Bowl because they are simple, delicious, and even entertaining!

 

For an appetizer or snacking:

Zucchini Chips

Serving Size: approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 5 medium size zucchinis, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and favorite seasonings to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 225°F.
2. Using either a mandolin or a knife, thinly slice the zucchini.
3. On parchment-lined baking sheets, evenly spread the zucchini in a single layer. Lightly sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess water.
4. Blot the zucchini with a paper towel.
5. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings such as paprika, garlic powder, or cayenne pepper.
6. Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours (with the convection fan turned on) or until zucchinis brown and become crispy. Oven times may be longer without convection fans.
7. Remove from the oven. Cool and serve.
8. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Popcorn Cauliflower

Serving Size: 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 pound) head of cauliflower
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste
• nutritional yeast to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cut or pull cauliflower apart into popcorn size pieces.
3. In a medium size bowl, toss pieces of cauliflower in 1½ tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Evenly spread cauliflower pieces out onto a baking sheet.
4. Place in the oven for 10-20 minutes, checking and tossing cauliflower around every 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven when cauliflower is tender and can be pierced with a knife.
5. Season with nutritional yeast and serve at room temperature if kids plan on eating the “popcorn” with their hands.

For the main course:

Heart Calzones

Serves: 16

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 (¼ oz) packet active dry yeast
• 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup semolina
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ounce olive oil
• cornmeal for baking sheets
• 1 (16 ounce) mozzarella cheese log, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing on top of finished calzones

Instructions:

1. Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup warm water. Stir in 1 packet active dry yeast. Let stand until foamy.
2. Add flours and salt to a mixer.
3. Mix together flours and salt. Pour in 1 ounce olive oil and yeast mixture.
4. Mix until dough forms into a ball using a dough hook or your hands.
5. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest until doubled in size.
6. Sprinkle cornmeal onto baking sheets and preheat oven to 400°F.
7. Roll dough out onto a floured surface. Using heart cookie cutters, cut out hearts and place onto cornmeal sprinkled baking sheets.
8. Using a smaller heart cookie cutter, cut out cheese and place on top of heart pizzas.
9. Place a second heart pizza on top of the cheese. Press edges together to seal using your fingers or a fork.
10. Using a pastry brush, brush olive oil on top of all of the calzones. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
11. Bake calzones for 10 minutes or until golden.

Easy Tomato Sauce

Serves: 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ½ of an onion, chopped and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Cook until onions become slightly translucent. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
2. Add 1 (28 ounce) can of tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and basil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
3. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper to taste. Remove from heat, use immediately, or store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

 

For dessert and entertaining:

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Football Cookies

Serving Size: about 40

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 cups white chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium size bowl, mix together 1½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon molasses until light and fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until combined.
4. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
5. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
6. Stir in 2 cups oats and ¼ cup mini chocolate chips.
7. Drop 1 tablespoon dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Form each mound into an oval.
9. Bake for 8 minutes until the edges begin to brown.
10. Remove from oven and using two butter knives, immediately shape the ends of the soft cookies, forming the footballs. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
11. While the cookies are cooling, melt 2 cups white chocolate chips in the microwave. Fill a plastic bag with the melted white chocolate, snip the end of the bag and squeeze lines in the center of each football cookie. Allow to set.