A 2011 Super Bowl Soiree - "Lisa Style!"

The Super Bowl is about football.  The Super Bowl is about friends.  The Super Bowl is about....FOOD!!

The 2011 Super Bowl will be played on Sunday, February 6, 2011 - 6:30pm ET on FOX at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas.http://dallas-cowboy-stadium.com/?gclid=CPnjkpT336YCFYpN2godFTtZ6Q    I've never been to Arlington, Texas - have you?

The vocal powerhouse Christina Aguilera will perform our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, at the 2011 Super Bowl.  http://www.christinaaguilera.com/us/news/christina-aguilera-sing-national-anthem-super-bowl-xlv-fox

The Black Eyed Peas have been named the halftime musical act for the 2011 Super Bowl!!  The band has prior experience playing on the big stage, being a part of the 2005 Super Bowl pregame show that was titled, "Bridging Generations." The Black Eyed Peas also performed at the 2009 NHK Kickoff Concert in Pittsburgh.   http://www.blackeyedpeas.com/

The 2011 Super Bowl teams are the Pittsburgh Steelers (GO STEELERS!) and The Green Bay Packers. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania so I'm officially supporting the Pittsburgh Steelers!!
http://www.steelers.com/
http://www.packers.com/

Let me just start by saying I am not a fan of football. I am not only not a fan of football all I know about football is this...the quarterback throws the ball.  The gynormous defense people block the other team so the other team doesn't get to their quarter back before their quarterback can throw the ball to a guy who runs to the end of the field to make a touchdown.  Let me also say I am beyond okay with my lack of knowledge of the game of football.  It's just not an interest of mine.  I have no desire to peruse my local bookstore in search of  a book that will explain football to me from A-Z.   Lock me in a bookstore for 48 hours with nothing but books on travel, food and decorating and I'll be as happy as when the chocolate met the peanut butter and the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup was born!

My husband Chris loves football.  Chris loves football.  Chris loves college football.  Chris loves the Arkansas Razorbacks.  Chris' Grandmother Jean loves football.  Chris and Grandmother Jean love the Arkansas Razorbacks.  Chris and Grandmother Jean call each other before an Arkansas Razorback game.  They call each other during an Arkansas Razorback game (but only during commercials).  They call each other after an Arkansas Razorback game. Chris loves football!

So, you might be asking yourself how a marriage survives when the husband is in love with the game of football and the wife is an interested in the game of football as much as a pescatarian is interested in a sizzling, fresh-off-the-grill 2" thick Porterhouse steak.  (okay, I've officially made myself hungry!)

It's simple - I turn the event of football watching I must endure into a soiree - Lisa Style!  I entertain!  I decorate!  Oh, and I cook!  Now, let's be clear.  By entertain I don't mean have a couple people over with a bowl of Ruffle potato chips on the table and lukewarm Budweiser beer.  By decorate I don't mean hang streamers like my Mom used to hang at my birthday parties growing up.  (I really hated those things!)  By cook I don't mean toss some 2% milk Velveeta & a can of Rotel in the microwave and proudly call it a day.  No ma'm! No way!  No how!

I must admit I had several moments of decorating hesitation due to the primary colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers' uniforms -  black, white and gold.  I wanted to make sure our living room didn't look like 300 pregnant bees had thrown up.  I kept asking myself...why couldn't the Pittsburgh Steelers' uniforms be black, white and pink?  No worries - I overcame my doubts and forged full steam ahead!

Now let me break down a 2011 Super Bowl Soiree - "Lisa Style!" for you!  Let's talk exterior decor.  Attached to each column of the front of the inn (remember, we own MOUNT VICTORIA BED & BREAKFAST INN nestled in the Ozark mountains.  look to the right of my Blog page and become a fan via our Facebook page!  we want you too!) will be one dozen black balloons tied with gold ribbon.  The inn is white so there you have the black, white and gold colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers' uniforms!

Let's talk interior decor.  Let's talk tablescape.  I have four 12" tall square clear glass vases that I'm going to place in a line going down the middle of the table -evenly spaced.  In the bottom of each vase I'm going to put black river rocks.  I'm then going to arrange four white gladiolas and a handful of bear grass in each vase.  I'm then going to tie a gold satin ribbon around the middle of each vase via a simple knot - we're not talking a fru-fru bow here.  Surrounding the four 12" tall square clear glass vases will be two dozen white footballs that will be resting on the same black river rocks that are in the bottom of each vase.  The plates will be our simple over sized white Williams Sonoma plates.  The linen napkins will be gold.  The Ralph Lauren silver flatware will be rolled in each gold linen napkin and the gold linen napkins will be tied with a black satin ribbon via a simple knot - we're not talking a fru-fru bow  And there you have the black, white and gold colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers' uniforms!

Let's talk FOOD!  This is what I'm cooking / serving for the 2011 Super Bowl Soiree - "Lisa Style!"

TO DRINK:  In an over sized copper tub of ice - pitchers of Negroni, mineral water with cucumber & fresh lemon iced tea
FRUIT:  Fresh salad of mango, cantaloupe & pineapple drizzled with my homemade champagne dressing
BEEF:  Miniature meatball sandwiches with my fresh herb Feta marinara on ciabatta rolls
CHICKEN:  Grilled skewers that are continually basted with a marinade of minced garlic, extra light olive oil salt, pepper & paprika as they're grilled
PIZZA:  Carmelized onion and portabella mushroom with my homemade fresh herb pizza sauce on my homemade fresh garlic and black pepper pizza crust
DESSERT:  Red velvet cupcakes - super moist & dipped in my gold colored melt-in-your-mouth butter cream icing

Last, but certainly not least is the decor of ME!  A host's outfit is absolutely part of the decor and an oh-so-important element of the soiree!  I will be wearing a black cashmere turtleneck sweater, black leggings with strips of black leather down each leg, black pointed toe Michael Kors over the knee suede boots and, the piece de resistance, a faux fur black and gold leopard print hat!  Oh, and for the "bling" - over sized sterling silver hoop earrings and six strands of long, big over sized sterling silver beads!  A girl's gotta have her bling!  A hostess of the 2011 Super Bowl Soiree - "Lisa Style!" has got to have her bling goin' on!  She just DOES!

Oh, and ladies - how about dressing your man in some fabulous WRATH ARCANE?!?
http://wratharcane.com/

Below are the recipes for my homemade fresh herb pizza sauce and the iconic cocktail, the Negroni.

LISA's HOMEMADE FRESH HERB PIZZA SAUCE
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1 can organic tomatoes (drain almost all of the juice - set remaining juice aside)
2 fresh vine ripened tomatoes - chopped
3 fresh garlic cloves - chopped
2 good shakes of extra virgin olive oil
6-7 turns of fresh cracked pepper (pepper to taste)
2-3 tosses of salt (salt to taste)
1 small handful of Italian parlsey - chopped
1 small handful of fresh basil - chopped
1 sprig of fresh rosemary - just the leaves
1/2 of a purple onion - chopped
2-3 good shakes of dried marjoram

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  If you think the sauce is too thick add the reserved tomato juice until it reaches the consistency you desire.  Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 45 minutes and "Voila!" ...you have made Lisa's Homemade Fresh Herb Pizza Sauce!

THE NEGRONI
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1/3 Vermouth Rosso
1/3 Bitter Campari
1/3 Dry Gin

Using a tumbler or an old fashioned glass, mix until the ingredients are blended evenly. This cocktail is traditionally served "on the rocks" with a lemon twist as garnish.  I serve mine in pitchers with frozen Negroni ice cubes so the cocktail is not watered down!  (simply pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until you're ready to use them)

If you'd like any other recipes, or have any questions, please let me know by posting  a COMMENT!

"GO STEELERS! - BEAT GREEN BAY!"

P.S.  Chris is watching football today! (lol)

Always "Push The Parsley!"
 ~ A Girl Cook