February 10, 2023
It all started on January 15, 1967, when the Kansas City Chiefs from the American Football League played the Green Bay Packers from the National Football League. Until this point, the two leagues were separated and considered rivals. They competed for fans and players and didn’t care for each other much. In 1966, the decision was made to merge by 1970, and in 1967 the first Super Bowl was played. It wasn’t until after the game that Chiefs owner, Lamar Hunt, came up with the term “Super Bowl.”
With the invention of the wooden-sided station wagon in 1930 came along a rear folding tailgate. Fans drove the station wagon to college football games, using the tailgate as a picnic table of sorts, and tailgating was born. Once portable grills and coolers were invented in the 1950s, tailgating took on a whole new vibe. Cold beer and ribs replaced sandwiches and red wine. Then, in the 1970s, the car culture took hold and stadiums were relocated out of inner cities to the suburbs where there was ample parking, and the tailgating experience that we know today was cemented into our culture.
In honor of Super Bowl LVII, the culinary team here at Rock Creek Senior Living will be celebrating the big day with Bacon wrapped lit’l smokies, assorted chicken wings flavors, Buffalo chicken dip with bread and crackers, and cheeseburger sliders. As Culinary Director I’ve prepared a lot of different items, but my favorite Super Bowl snack is bacon wrapped smokies.
Here is the recipe I use for this snack: 1) Cut the bacon slices into thirds. 2) Wrap sausages with cut bacon slices nice and tight! 3) Put a toothpick in each one (optional). 4) Sprinkle wrapped sausages with brown sugar (measure with your heart). 5) Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until bacon is crispy and brown sugar is gooey and melty.
The first time I experienced this snack was at a family gathering probably 13-14 years ago. At the time I wasn’t sure what to think, but bacon wrapped anything must be good. The crispy, salty bacon coated in candied brown sugar was so good I ate almost the entire tray. Bacon is thought to have originated from the Chinese thousands of years ago, as they would cure slabs of pork belly using salt, making an early form of bacon. The Roman empire did the same and created an early bacon called “petaso.” And now, after thousands of years, we can wrap almost anything with bacon, especially these!
If you’re in the area, stop by to celebrate the big game with us! And if you can’t make it, check out our social media pages to see the great snacks we made and the awesome time we had watching the game!
Rock Creek Senior Living in Ankeny, IA offers senior villas, independent senior apartments, assisted living, and memory care with a variety of services and a range of floor plan options. Amenities include restaurant dining, 24-hour bistro, concierge service, housekeeping, events and entertainment, personal care, transportation services, and more. Centrally located near Mercy One Medical Center with convenient access to major shopping centers and attractions, including Briarwood Golf, The District Shopping Center, Saylorville Lake Marina, Big Creek State Park, and Ankeny Community Theater.