For the past few weeks I’ve been making out like a citrus bandit!

Coworkers have been hooking me up with tons of their homegrown citrus –  grapefruits, meyer lemons, tangerines, and oranges. So for tomorrow’s Super Bowl shenanigans, I will be using up a few of the lovely grapefruits to make a slight spin on one of my favorite cocktails – the Greyhound.

Before I delve into that wonderful goodness, I wanted to make sure that y’all had ample ideas for your Super Bowl spread so that you can fully enjoy game day. And the fun perk? It’s all finger foods!

Starting off is my Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip! Because you just can’t have a football party without dip – and this ones a show stopper with all the flavors of buffalo wangzzzzz.

Drools.

Love deviled eggs? How about Sriracha? Then we should be best friends….and you should whip up some of these Sriracha Deviled Eggs by the Pioneer Woman. ps. It’s a total touchdown if you add crispy bacon bits on top.

If you like Papas Rellenas….
And getting caught in the rain…..

Ok, rain is optional but you’ll swoon over these Cuban potato balls filled with savory ground beef.

Crunchy Jalapeno-Bacon wrapped Avocado Fries

No explanation needed.

Spicy Chicken Flautas – crispy goodness with a kick. You can even fry these up before your friends come over and then keep them warm in the oven.

Game day parties were meant for busting out the Slow Cookers. You can fix up the food hours and hours before kick off and it’ll keep nice and warm throughout the game.

First up, super easy and reliable BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches.

And then there’s these humongous, juicy, beef sammies — Slow Cooker Pot Roast Sandwiches. Drippy goodness.

Rather have seafood sandwiches? How about some rockin’ Seafood Burgers? We’ve got crispy salmon and ahi for you to choose from. Added bonus? I share with you how to make the BEST brioche buns ever.

E-V-E-R!!

Not up for waiting hours-upon-hours for the pizza delivery dude to show up? Make your own!

How about a BBQ Chicken Pizza?

Or for our veggie lovin’ friends – a Spring Skillet Pizza Pie!

If there isn’t some kind of fried chicken at a Super Bowl party, I immediately turn around and leave.

For reals.

How about a big ol’ platter of Vietnamese Style Fried Chicken? They’re crispy, sticky, slightly sweet and savory.

Finger – lickin’ – GOOD!

Now how about some liquid goodness?

Although kickoff isn’t until 3:30pm PST, I’m sure you’ll be up and bustling around in the AM to get ready for the game. And since brekkie is the most important meal of the day, be sure to fix up a big pitcher of Bloody Marys! The more extra garnishes, the better!

JELL-O SHOTS! JELL-O SHOTS! JELL-O SHOTS!

Yes, you can still enjoy a JELL-O shot every so now and then. Just amp them up a bit by hollowing out a few limes or lemons and fill them with JELL-O before allowing them to set in the fridge.

Show Stoppin’ JELL-O Shooters.

By now, you know my deep affection for the Moscow Mule. It’s a fantastic game day cocktail and even if you don’t have the traditional copper mugs to serve them in, sturdy mason jars will be just fine.

But copper mugs are OH-SO-GLORIOUS and keep your drinks so icy cold.

Moscow Mules are so nice—I had to show you twice!

This time with Apple Moscow Mules! They’re made with apple flavored vodka, apple cider, bitters and ginger beer.

Swoon.

And finally, we’re back to where we started–with the wonderful Greyhound.

Traditionally, Greyhounds are a simple cocktail made from vodka and grapefruit juice. Easy-peasy.

I usually like to add a splash of simple syrup to offset the natural bitterness from the juice. Which is perfect for my slight spin on the Greyhound as I like to add simple syrup that is infused with fresh rosemary.

The floral rosemary compliments the flavors of the grapefruit so well that you’ve got to stop yourself from guzzling it down too quickly!

The steps below are for a single serving but it’s just as easy to make a full carafe of it and have it sitting in a chilled bucket at your Super Bowl spread or brunch table….. you get where I’m going with this.

Enjoy Folks and have a Fantastic Super Bowl!

___________________________
Rosemary Greyhounds
Serves 1

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
ice
1½ ounces premium vodka
4 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
additional rosemary & grapefruit wedges for garnish

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium low heat. Bring to a low boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved Stir in the rosemary sprigs and take off the heat. Allow the syrup to come to room temperature. Remove/discard the sprig and pour the syrup into a resealable container. Refrigerate for a few hours prior to use.

Fill a tumbler or other glass with ice that has been rimmed with sugar. Add the vodka, 1-2 splashes of rosemary simple syrup (depending on sweetness preference), and grapefruit juice. Stir gently and garnish with rosemary and grapefruit wedge.

Cheers!