Gearing up to hosting a Super, Super Bowl Bash or NFL Playoff Party this year? The fun kicks off in January with the Wild Card, Divisional and Championship Rounds and continues right on up to Super Bowl Sunday, February 7th.

With so many opportunities to party at home, here are a few clever, money saving tips to help you get (and keep) the celebration going, Each will help you score big with your family and friends!

1. Serve traditional Super Bowl food and make it a team effort. Assign guests a dish to bring and share the work and expense.  Over the years I have hosted my fair share of Super Bowl parties and the one thing that remains constant is the food. The Super Bowl calls for "guy food". You know the kind you can eat with your hands so you can watch the television.

All kidding aside, without some chili, nachos or a foot long sandwich, it just doesn't feel like the Super Bowl. Keep your china in the closet and put out the paper (try eco-friendly brands like seventh generation products available at Stop & Shop and A&P in Basking Ridge) for serving the items below.  If you are short on time or don't want to cook try the Soup Shoppe, they have a great beef chili.  I spoke with Jill at the Soup Shoppe and she said they would be running specials for a Super Bowl menu. 

For a list of other Basking Ridge restaurants that offer Super Bowl style food for your party check out this great link here at the Patch - Go>   and for a list of those that offer catering options for your Super Bowl celebration - Go> .

Favorite Super Bowl Food. Score big, these foods are great for feeding a crowd without breaking the bank:

• Nachos,
• Chips, Dips and Nuts,
• Sandwiches,
• Pizza,
• BBQ Pork,
• Chili,
• Ribs,
• Italian Sausage,
• Hot Dogs, and/or
• Chicken Wings.

2. Save money on decorations and let your guests be the decorations. Ask guests to get in the spirit by wearing the colors of the team they are rooting for or don a team jersey. A room full of football fans dressed for the game will add all the spirit you need. If you simply must have decorations try for good deals.

3. Provide inexpensive fun for the kids. Buy face paint and ask someone to transform your young guests into football fanatics. This will entertain the kids (and all your guests). Take pictures of your football fanatics and send them home as mementos.

4. Pick a few items to serve as beverages and buy them in bulk. Offer 3 choices instead of 6 and save money.

5. Stick to basics for dessert and save. Avoid buying overpriced cookies and cakes decorated for the Super Bowl. Instead bake brownies and chocolate chip cookies – they are always crowd pleasers. Make cupcakes and frost with green icing then decorate with "line markers" like the image above.  Jell-O is also a very inexpensive, but fun dessert. Serve it up in team colors topped with whipped cream and fruit or make Jigglers for the kids.

My pick for a simple DIY Super Bowl Supper:  For all of you out there armed with a crock pot and an appetite for some really good food, this recipe is for you! It's a great dish, without the hassle of spending hours in the kitchen. While your supper cooks all day in your kitchen, you can spend the day the way you want to. Enjoying it any way you see fit and still be ready to feed a Super Bowl crowd when you get back home.Plug in the slow cooker and get cooking. 

The recipe comes from the National Pork Board's database of over 1,600 recipes. I spoke to Karma, Pork Information Specialist for the Board and this is her favorite easy BBQ Pork recipe. It's one of mine now too!

Lazy Man's Barbecue Pork Sandwiches  (Serves 10-12)

Ingredients:

• 4-5 pound boneless pork butt (shoulder)
• 1 14 1/2-oz can beef broth
• 1/3 cup hot pepper sauce
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• Sauce:
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 10-12 sandwich buns

Cooking Directions:

Place pork butt in bottom of large slow cooker. Combine broth, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and pour over pork. Cover and cook on high setting for 5 hours (or 8-10 hours on low setting) until pork is very tender. Meanwhile, for sauce, combine all ingredients in large saucepan; set aside. 

Place pork on cutting board; reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Coarsely chop pork; combine with reserved cooking liquid and sauce in saucepan; heat over medium heat until warm. Spoon pork onto sandwich buns to serve.

Serving Suggestions: Make extra sauce to serve on the side or for ribs and chops. Serve with salad, corn bread or any other family picnic favorites.

By Dawn Sandomeno - The Partybluprints Blog – The Real Girls Resource for Entertaining At Home!