CHOCOLATE GAZPACHO for Super Bowl Sunday

So many great foods to serve today for Super Bowl Sunday, but here's one that's right up my alley: Chocolate Gazpacho. I love Chocolate Soup! FYI: This is savory! 

This Chocolate Gazpacho recipe is from Chef Mat Schuster of San Francisco’s Canela Bistro & Wine Bar I posted years ago, but thought it deserved a repost. Thank You, Mat, for permission to post! And, of course, this Chocolate Gazpacho would be great to serve on Valentine's Day! It's quite versatile! Bookmark it!

Chocolate Gazpacho

Ingredients
3 Tbsp unsweetened dark Cocoa Powder
2 cloves garlic
1 small shallot, diced
1 Tbsp Spanish Sherry Vinegar
1/2 cup Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup cucumber
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup to 1 cup cold water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
Place all ingredients into pitcher of blender and blend until smooth. Add enough water to make consistency of choice, but make sure you don’t dilute the flavor.
Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate to chill the soup.
Before serving, garnish with chocolate shavings. You can also add croutons for a crunch.

CHOCOLATE BEER PRETZEL TRUFFLES: Super Bowl Sunday!

Here's a great recipe for Super Bowl Sunday. These Truffles contain all the football food groups: Chocolate, Beer, and Pretzels (or nuts). These Chocolate Beer Truffles are rolled in Crushed Pretzels, but you can use crushed Peanuts or crushed Beer Nuts. If you're a purist, you can always roll them in cocoa!

CHOCOLATE BEER PRETZEL TRUFFLES

Ingredients
3/4 cup Beer (Guinness or another Beer you favor)
1 pound dark chocolate (65-75% cacao)--I really like to use Guittard Chocolate in my truffles
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Crushed salted pretzels

Directions
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler or saucepan over saucepan with simmering water.
Stir in cream.
Slowly add Guinness, stirring to blend.
Cover and chill overnight.
Shape mixture into 3/4 inch balls using small scoop or melon baller or your hands - using about tablespoon of ganache for each.
Roll in crushed Salted Pretzels (or crushed peanuts or beer nuts).

CHOCOLATE COCA COLA CHICKEN WINGS: Super Bowl Sunday!!!

Looking for a Savory Chocolate Super Bowl Recipe? You'll love these Chocolate Coca Cola Chicken Wings -- fabulous for SuperBowl Sunday! This recipe is adapted from Michael Siry of Duke's Original Roadhouse and Big Daddy's Restaurant and appeared on the Today Show a few years ago along with two other chicken wing recipes.

CHOCOLATE COCA COLA CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients
4 cans Coca Cola
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 habanera, minced
1-1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chocolate sauce
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup white vinegar

Frying
Brined chicken wings
2 cups flour
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp ground black pepper

Baking
Brined chicken wings
2 cups flour
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp ground black pepper
Vegetable cooking spray

Directions 
1. Add all ingredients (except butter and white vinegar) into 2-quart saucepan.
2. Bring to boil and simmer until 3/4 reduced.
3. Add butter and vinegar.
4. Keep sauce warm and toss with wings.

Frying recipe:
1. Drain wings from brine, toss chicken wings in flour and place on racked sheet pan.
2. Let stand for 5 minutes; during that time preheat fryer to 325 degrees.
3. Fry wings in batches for 10-13 minutes until wings start to float.
4. Place on racked sheet pan to cool.
5. Toss in sauce.

Baking recipe:
1. Drain wings from brine and toss chicken wings in flour and place on racked sheet pan.
2. Let stand for 5 minutes; during that time preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Spray wings with vegetable oil spray.
4. Bake wings for 20 minutes (wings should reach internal temp of 150).
5. Place on racked sheet pan to cool.
6. Toss in sauce. 

Chocolate Covered Football Strawberries for Super Bowl Sunday

Chocolate Covered Strawberries are always fabulous, but with the addition of some white chocolate icing, you can make fun footballs. Perfect for your Super Bowl Party.

You can buy them from: Shari's Berries (Photo--milk chocolate) or you can make your own. They're easy to make. Not a lot of fuss, and it's fun. Great project to do with kids! The strawberries on the right are dipped in milk chocolate (more football colored), but I prefer dark chocolate. It's up to you. Just remember to use the very best chocolate, and the freshest strawberries.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream
White chocolate, melted

Directions
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2-3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on waxpaper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
When hardened, decorate with melted white chocolate (see below).

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out the chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of strawberries.

For White Chocolate Football Decoration: 
Melt white chocolate in Microwave on high for 20 seconds or so. Stir and repeat if necessary. Put white chocolate in piping bag. Pipe stripe on top and bottom of strawberries. Pipe line down middle and then do about 5 short cross lines.

Tip: Go back over the cross lines to avoid drips