Turning Lemons Into Lemonade

I hope you are not expecting a recipe for lemonade today.

Sadly, I just finished unpacking for my trip to NY. The weather in Atlanta made it impossible to travel today and tomorrow is going to be such a hassle trying to get to the airport, I finally decided to postpone the trip until the end of Feb. That's the bad news.

The good news is that I now have four whole days with NO plans...nada....nothing...zip!  So what is a girl to do with 4 free days, an upcoming Super Bowl, and seven 18 year old boys who will be watching the game at my house?  You know where this is going....

Super Bowl snacks!!!!!

I have many times discussed my embarrassing love of bar food (nachos, chicken fingers, cheesy dips, onion rings, etc.). So, of course, I always have a stockpile of recipes that I want to try, but never really do, because I try to serve my family meals that have some nutritional value.

I could easily spend hours pouring over recipes and browsing Pinterest for ideas, but I decided to make it easy on myself. The boys have already ordered a big platter of wings, so I am not under too much pressure to produce large quantities of food. Joey's friend was over for dinner, so I asked the two of them what I should make. While they were thinking I blurted out, "Nachos!". That was met with approval. Then, I remembered that I am currently taking a Wilton Method Cake Decorating class, and I need practice, so I also offered, "A football cake!". Done.

The nachos need no recipe. I am going to start by preparing some chili that is spicy, tangy and a touch sweet , kind of like sloppy joe meat.  It is amazing on nachos. Then I'll begin layering the hot toppings....tortilla chips, sharp cheddar, chili, and pickled jalapeño slices. Pop it in the oven until the chips toast a little and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Next comes the cold toppings.... tomatoes, sour cream, onions, salsa, lettuce, fresh cilantro and homemade guacamole. Heaven!

For dessert (and cake decorating homework), I am going to make rich chocolate cupcakes and decorate the top to look like a football.  It will look something like this:

You can find this recipe at The Baker Chick.

I am quite sure that I will begin to feel guilty on Sunday morning, and will end up sending Phil out to get as many veggies as he can for a raw veggie tray. I will  most likely whip up a secretly healthy dip (any dip can be made healthy by substituting all or some of the sour cream/mayo with non fat, plain Greek yogurt).

This is how I turn lemons into lemonade.

Stay safe to all everyone in Atlanta!