Super Bowl Party Planner

Think of a Game Day party as an indoor picnic -- the same rules apply. It's the time for lots of finger-food snacks and a main course that is easily consumed with a fork or spoon, with no cutting involved. Casual is the operative word so don't even think of going upscale (it won't be appreciated, even if you did!). It's okay to err on the side of predictable; really good versions of old favorites will always be consumed with gusto.

Snack Strategy

Plan on a minimum of two snacks but better yet, a selection of three or four. The more you have, the less of each you need. If you want to offer several but are short of time (not that such a thing ever happens), put your cooking efforts into just one or two of them and purchase good-quality versions of the others. Divide snacks among several bowls and place them strategically around the room to improve traffic flow and keep the TV unobstructed. Augment your offerings with bowls of store-bought olives and roasted nuts; both are always popular.

Guacamole

• A must have. Guacamole mounds easily on a chip so it's no surprise that it can disappear quickly. Two pounds of avocados yields about 3 1/2 cups guacamole, which feeds 7 generously, or 10 with reasonable appetites (that's 1/3 to 1/2 cup total per person).
• Don't count on finding ripe avocados the day you need them. Buy firm ones several days in advance and store them in a paper bag with a banana or apple; they'll ripen faster. You know they are ready when they give to gentle pressure when squeezed, though because guacamole is mashed, you have a bigger window of opportunity on the ripening process.
• If you want to increase the yield without buying more avocados, try adding broiled or pan-roasted tomatillos. They add a bright acidity, which pairs well with avocado's buttery richness.
• Another surprisingly delicious addition is fruit, such as pomegranate seeds or chopped green apple or pear. As unusual as it may sound, it's a classic variation in Mexico and you'll be amazed at how right-on the combination is.

Salsa

• As with tortilla chips, there are lots of good jarred salsas out there, but I have to say that homemade salsa, even if it's cooked, tastes so much fresher than jarred, and it's really easy to make. If you don't have access to really good fresh red tomatoes, though (which can be a challenge in winter), consider making a tomatillo salsa.
• Factor about 1/4 to 1/3 cup salsa per person. Again, no one will complain about leftovers.

Potato Chips and Onion Dip

• You know everyone loves them so don't be shy about portion size. Allow about 2 ounces per person. You know what I'm going to say: Better to have leftovers than not enough.
• For a real treat, warm them in a preheated 350 F oven for about 5 minutes.
• Make your own onion dip with onions cooked down until golden brown. Allow about 1 pound of raw onions for a 1-pound container of sour cream. A little golden garlic would be a great addition. Add a little smoky flavor with Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton) or some smoky heat with chipotles in adobo (sold in the ethnic food aisle of most supermarkets).

Hummus or Bean Dip with Pita or Crudites

• Hummus is so easy to make with canned chickpeas (as are bean dips) and tastes so much better than store-bought brands that it's really worth making your own. Two cups will be plenty for 6 to 8. For terrific flavor, sprinkle the top with pan-toasted cumin seeds.

Chicken Wings

• Whether Buffalo (hot sauce and butter) or glazed and sticky with a mixture of jam and soy, allow a minimum of 3 pounds for 6 as a starter. Try to buy what are often labeled "wingettes" (those cut through the joint to form two pieces), or do it yourself so that those 3 pounds will look like more.
• If you want to slow down the consumption, try this trick from behavioral scientists: leave a bowl in view for the bones and don't clear it. Apparently, the visual of seeing the growing pile of bones reminds people that they've eaten plenty.

How Much Booze?

Game Day is a beer and wine event--spare yourself the bother of mixed drinks. The standard formula is 1 (750-ml) bottle of wine for every 2 to 3 people, or 1 six-pack per 2 to 3 people. (Realistically? Make it 2 people per bottle of wine, and 2 people per six-pack.)

The Main Event

Remember-nothing fussy (imagine it flying through the air when people stand up to cheer) and nothing that you can't hold in one hand and put into your mouth with the other.

Chili

• There is no more perfect main course for a casual party that involves many people gathered around a television than chili. It's easily eaten with a fork or spoon (extremely helpful if you don't actually have flatware for 20, and need to put out both forks and spoons) and relatively inexpensive to make.
• Can be made with a variety of meats such as beef, pork, turkey, lamb, or venison. Select cuts that benefit from long slow cooking such as the shoulder. That means chuck if you are buying beef, or butt (a shoulder cut) if buying pork, and dark meat if using ground turkey.
• Plan on 2 pounds of meat to serve 4 people. If you want to stretch it, add a can or two of beans (be sure to rinse them well before adding)-you'll easily feed 2 more people without upping the amount of meat.
• You could also turn the chili into a tamale pie by topping it with a corn bread batter and baking it.

Salad

• Something fresh to go with the chili is in order. If you want a big green salad, choose romaine; it stands up well to getting dressed and hanging around a bowl for a while. A 12-ounce bag of romaine hearts will serve 6 to 8. Or try a fork-friendly chopped salad by cutting up a bunch of the usual salad suspects like cucumber, celery, radish, peppers, jicama, onion, and lettuce and tossing them with a vinaigrette.

The Sweet Stuff

I recommend offering up two desserts--one warm and rich, the other light and fruity-so there's something for everyone. A chocolate pudding cake or sticky toffee pudding would be terrific. And let's face it, a massive batch of brownies or homemade chocolate-chip cookies will do the trick too. As a fresh alternative, put a big bowl of clementines on the coffee table and watch them disappear.

Make-Ahead Game Plan

Guacamole: You can make it 4 hours ahead but you've got to press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole (to prevent it from browning) and then keep it chilled. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Salsa: A fresh, uncooked salsa can be done 2 hours ahead. A cooked one can be done 1 day ahead.
Onion dip: Homemade onion dip can be made 1 day ahead; the browned onions can be done 3 days ahead.
Hummus: You can make it 1 day ahead, but you'll want to taste it and possibly brighten it with more lemon juice and maybe additional salt, too, before serving.
Wings: Make the chicken wings the day of the party--they just aren't as good reheated.
Chili: You absolutely want to make the chili ahead because it will improve in flavor. You can make it up to 3 days ahead. But when reheating, you'll need to thin it out a bit with water and re-season it with salt and pepper.
Salad: salad greens can be washed, spun dry, and chilled in a bag the morning of the party.
Dessert: If you are doing a warm dessert or a fruit dessert, I'd make it the day of, but if you're doing brownies or cookies, 1 day ahead is fine.

Check out all of our Superbowl recipes.