I have never been a fan of football. I didn’t understand why my dad was screaming at the TV. However, I did associate the Super Bowl with the halftime show, the funny commercials and, of course, the snacks.

I have always regarded the women in my family as great chefs and bakers. In honor of Super Bowl 56, I’ve decided to share two of my favorite recipes you and your friends can make together while the Cincinnati Bengals play the Los Angeles Rams.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Everyone knows somebody who makes a mean buffalo chicken dip. However, I can assure you my mom’s recipe is one of the best. This chicken dip recipe is a staple at barbecues, family parties and tailgates alike.

Ingredients:

3 blocks of cream cheese
3 to 4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 bottle of Frank’s Red Hot hot sauce

At least 2 cups of shredded chicken

Directions:

Set your cream cheese out to soften. Then, shred your chicken. We usually use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, but any shredded chicken will work. Once the cream cheese is fully softened, mix all the ingredients together in an oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Then stir and serve with your tortilla chip of choice.

Whoopie Pies

While whoopie pies are not customary in the discussion of “football food,” they are a great hand-held dessert. If you want to make them fit for the Super Bowl, you could even make them football-shaped. This recipe does require beaters or a mixing bowl, but it is well worth it.

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour
1 1⁄2 tsp of baking soda 6 tbsp of cocoa powder 1 cup of sugar
1 tsp of salt
6 tbsp of shortening
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 tsp of vanilla

Directions:

Mix ingredients together. Spoon out batter onto a greased baking sheet. Make sure to spread out the spoonfuls, as the cakes will rise and spread out. Bake at 350 F for eight minutes.

Filling

1 cup of shortening
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 1⁄2 cup of marshmallow fluff 1 tsp of vanilla

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a bowl; beat or mix until creamy. When all your components are done, spread filling on the inside of two cakes to make an Oreo-like pastry.