Host a Super Bowl Party

Watching the Super Bowl is only half the fun. Lure friends and family with a comfortable venue to watch the big game, and celebrate Super Bowl Sunday with good company and conversation. Pump up the festivities with football-theme decorations and kick off your game-day menu with the delicious appetizers, desserts, and fresh beverages that follow.

Create football fever without disrupting your home's decor. String mini pennants along a bookshelf for a quick and easy garland. Choose only the competing teams or celebrate the entire NFL. Strategically place footballs, mini helmets, paper team logos, or other football-theme accessories on the food table or around the party area.

Editor's Tip: Party supply stores, such as Party City, are a good resource for inexpensive football decorations, such as the ones shown.

Encourage guests to mingle from the TV room to the kitchen and in between by setting out snacks that can be eaten by the fistful. Sweet spices drive the flavor in this nut mixture that makes a bowl of pretzels feel incomplete.

Editor's Tip: Pour the crunchy, salty-and-sweet snack into paper cones for mess-free single servings that look more sophisticated than a generic snack bowl.

Who can resist popcorn during the game? Chili powder heats up this spicy version of kettle corn for a zippy twist on the classic stadium snack.

Editor's Tip: Use a big spoon with a cute handle for a pretty presentation and easy serving. A small scoop also makes it easy for guests to help themselves.

Snack mix is a crowd favorite at any gathering. Hot pepper sauce gives pita chips, cereals, and nuts an energetic boost in this recipe.

Editor's Tip: Raise the convenience level of this easy, traditional snack by serving it in individual helpings. Use martini glasses, ice cream sundae cups, or cozy ceramic mugs, depending on your party's style, to make the snack mix ready to travel from table to TV room.

Brie cheese takes the football snack table up a tasty notch. Tossed on the grill, it's easy to prepare and wins points for presentation.

Editor's Tip: If the weather outside resembles Lambeau Field in January, try preparing grilled recipes using an indoor grill option: a folding contact grill (similar to an electric panini maker), a grill pan (essentially a frying pan with parallel ridges on the bottom used on the stove top), or an open grill (an electric grill with a ribbed grilling surface).

Instead of bringing in the second-string pizza deliveryman, serve these upscale bite-size pizzas made from frozen bread dough and roasted cherry tomatoes to delight your football fans.

Buffalo wings are always a fan pleaser when football is on. Trade the tried-and-true BBQ version for this fiery, sour-spicy wing recipe that no one will want to pass.

Burgers are often in the starting lineup at football parties and tailgates. Bite-size sliders make perfect portions to mingle with other appetizers on your Super Bowl buffet, and these cheese-stuffed sausage patties are a delicious alternative to traditional ground beef.

Editor's Tip: Pennant-topped toothpicks are a playful way to embellish the buffet table.

Run a trick play on the traditional game-day wings that will have your football fans cheering. These grilled -- not breaded -- chicken drumsticks and wings are a delicious variation on the favorite football snack.

Sandwiches are a buffet-table staple, no matter the party occasion. This hearty salami-layered recipe brings tailgate flavor to your Super Bowl party when prepared on the grill.

Offer a twist on beer for guests who like to try something new. This fruity cocktail builds on classic wheat beer by adding a tropical twist.

Editor's Tip: With the drinks and camaraderie flowing, it can be hard to keep track of your beverage. Make drink tags by attaching a small piece of cardstock cut in the shape of a football or other sports motif to a fine piece of wire that can be wrapped around stem glasses or beer bottle necks.

This tangy beverage kicked up with a jalapeno chile pepper is a perfect complement to Mexican appetizers and other spicy nibbles on your Super Bowl spread. It offers a festive option for party guests who choose non-alcoholic drinks, too.

Earn the trophy for Most Spirit with these sporty brownies. Simply use a football-shape cookie cutter to carve these winning treats from a tray of brownies and then pipe on frosting.

When a sweet tooth strikes your football fans, be prepared with mini desserts that offer something for everyone. These bite-size cheesecakes are a scrumptious favorite you can eat without a fork.

These ice cream bars will delight fans of all ages on game day. Since you'll want to keep them frozen, bring them out at half time when everyone's buzzing around the food table.

Bring on that energy spike for the second half when you add this delicious cake to the food spread. It's a winner at any football party.

Frenzied football fans can work up quite an appetite. How much food and drinks will you need at your Super Bowl party? Use our free quantity checklists for quick reference.