Whether or not you are a football fan, the Superbowl is a great occasion for entertaining. Give your living room a game day makeover and make your party a winner with these fun decorating and entertaining ideas.
Game On
The focus of every football party is the television, so make it worth watching. The 39†Coby LEDTV3916 is an affordable ($329.99) full HD hi-res 1080p flatscreen loaded with features that make sports viewing a kick. The LED backlight delivers a vivid color picture with rich contrast, and the built-in SRS TRuSurround XT widens your audio “sweet spot” so all the couch quarterbacks in the room feel immersed in the game. Equipped with HDMI for streamlined signal transmission and easy digital connections, this TV is a team player with all of your devices. The digital noise reduction feature sidelines the imperfections in compressed video and enhances picture quality, displayed in Native Contrast Ratio, assuring vibrant and clear detail, deep blacks and bright whites without loss in definition. Bonus features include V-chip parental control and closed captioning. The LEDTV3916 sports a super-slim profile that fits anywhere, and it’s ENERGY STAR certified – supporting greener turf for many Superbowls to come. Available on Amazon.
Raise the Bar
Don’t worry if you don’t have one of those Mad Men wet bars in your rec room, you can wheel one in. When it’s not serving as caddy for your morning coffee and bagel, the BrylaneHome Kitchen Cart with Breakfast Bar is the perfect set up for all your bartending needs. Made of sturdy solid wood, this versatile cart features a drop leaf for extra bar top space; easy-open storage cabinets for all your booze and mixers; gliding drawers for bar towels, corkscrews and bottle openers; and a handy papertowel holder and a built-in rack on either end. The heavy-duty locking rubber casters keep the cart in place, or you can roll the bar wherever you want it, and back to the kitchen in the morning. $449 at www.BrylaneHome.com.
Food Zone
Leave the bucket of chicken to someone else. Bring on the taste to a potluck with Harry & David frozen gourmet entrees, like the savory Caramelized Onion & Bacon Quiche ($29.95), made with artisan smoked gouda cheese and Rogue Creamery Echo Mountain cheddar; or a hearty and satisfying homemade Chicken Pot Pie ($39.95), filled with tender white meat chicken, sautéed onions, carrots, peas, celery, chunks of potato and a blend of herbs and spices, cased in a flaky, buttery crust. Available at www.harryanddavid.com.
Sweet Spot
Don’t just fill up your guests with bread; fill them up with great bread. Alexia’s new Sweet Potato Rolls are made with American-grown sweet potatoes, and they offer 8 grams of whole grains per serving. These yummy rolls can be served by themselves or used to create tasty appetizers, like Sweet Potato Crostini. Available at Ralph’s Vons, Target and other grocers nationwide.
Half-Time Hottie
Serve up some meaty tacos or other sizzling delights at half time in the Deni Non-Stick PFOA-free Electric Skillet. Its deep interior with a 12†x12†non-sticking cooking surface eliminates the need for oil or butter, and when set on warm it’s a handy, attractive serving dish that looks great on a buffet table. After the party, it’s easy to hand wash. 1300 watts, tempered glass lid, and easy-read temperature probe for precise cooking. Sale priced $39.99 at www.brylanehome.com.
Bathroom Break
Just because a guest takes a personal time out, the party can go on, in the bathroom. Carry your Superbowl party theme into the bathroom with a pot of wheatgrass on the tank or a shelf, adorned with team pennants. Find more party decorating ideas in Cheryl Najafi’s New York Times best-selling guide to entertaining, You’re So Invited: Panic Less, Play More and Get Your Party On!
