Everything but sports on Super Bowl Sunday

Anyone who’s anyone knows Super Bowl Sunday is great for every single reason except for the actual football game. We’re talking the food, the drinks, the commercials and the halftime show. You know, the good stuff. In order to prepare you for football’s greatest night, Weekend has put its heads together to give you new and different ways of spicing up your Super Bowl Sunday.


Boiled and broiled chicken wings

If you’ve lived in Bloomington, chances are you know the power of the chicken wing. Students flock to Kilroy’s on Kirkwood to get their hands on the sauce-drenched snacks. But one deep-fried wing can yield anywhere from 70-100 calories, usually with about 1.5 grams of saturated fats. That means if you’re eating eight of them at KOK, you’re gobbling up 600-800 calories and 64 percent of your daily value of saturated fats. But if you boil the wings, drain the fat and then broil them, you get rid of a lot of the bad stuff. Four or five wings cooked this way will only set you back 160 calories!
— Place your wings in a large pot and fill with water, enough to cover the wings by about two inches. Boil the wings for 10 minutes and drain.
— After boiling, transfer the wings to a broiler pan and broil for about five minutes, or until the skin starts to brown. Flip the wings and broil for another five minutes.
— Coat the wings with a generous slathering of your favorite sauce and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Health.com

Homemade hummus

Hummus is a nutritious substitute for those nacho dips piled high with sour cream and processed cheese, but it can be expensive and inconsistent if you buy it in stores. It’s ultra-easy to make at home, though, and quick enough that you can work on perfecting your technique. Plus, there’s no limit to the number of things you can dip or top with the stuff!
— Combine 1/4 cup tahini and 1/4 cup lemon juice in food processor, and process for one minute.
— Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, half a clove of minced garlic and 1/2 tablespoon each of cumin and salt, and process for one minute.
— Add 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to processor, and process for 1 to 2 minutes until thick and smooth.
— Add water to your desired consistency. Serve with pretzels, pita chips, vegetables or anything else you want.

Recipe adapted from inspiredtaste.net


American football is notorious for its lack of action compared to other sports. According to a 2010 Wall Street Journal study, the average time the football is actually in play on the field is about 11 minutes. And with the sky-high price of Super Bowl advertising, you better believe there will be a lot more commercial time than that on Sunday night. So here’s some rules for refreshment recreation to help you get through what’s sure to be one sluggish telecast. Always remember to drink responsibly. Friends don’t let friends drink too much.

Drink every time
— Someone mentions the weather
— Someone mentions Richard Sherman being called a thug
— Peyton Manning DOESN’T say “Omaha” before snapping the ball on a play
— You see a commercial you actually think is funny or legitimately appealing
— Russell Wilson dodges a tackle and runs for positive yards
— Peyton Manning throws an incomplete pass
— A member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers takes off or puts on an article of clothing during the halftime show
— Every time Hawaii native Bruno Mars shivers in the New Jersey cold

Take a shot if
— Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers do a weird mash-up
— You see a fan in the crowd who isn’t wearing a shirt
— Peyton Manning throws an interception


SONGS WE WANT BRUNO MARS TO SING
“Grenade”
“Locked Out of Heaven”
“Runaway”
“Treasure”

SONGS WE DON’T WANT BRUNO MARS TO SING
“The Lazy Song”
“Marry You”
“When I Was Your Man”
“Young Girls”


BEST SUPER BOWL COMMERICALS
Britney Spears’ 2001 Pepsi Commercial
Betty White’s 2010 Snickers Commercial
Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” Commercial in 1984
Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” featuring Eminem Commercial in 2011

WORST SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS
Those terrifying E-trade babies that started in 2008
Budweiser trying to make “Wassup?” happen in 2000
Anytime we were subjected to Danica Patrick in a Go-Daddy.com Commercial
Groupon’s horribly offensive Tibet Commercial in 2011