To the delight of football fans, Super Bowl Sunday is nearly here and that means one thing — viewing parties.
Of course most people are more concerned about who's going to win the big game and thus win bragging rights, but there are some partygoers who are most interested in the food that will be served.
"Every year I go to a Super Bowl party with my husband, but I couldn't care less about touchdowns or point spreads," said Danielle Anderson, a Buford resident.
"The only thing that keeps me going is because his friends' wives always have lots of good food — I look forward to it every year. They always serve different stuff based on the teams that are going to be playing. Like last year, we had gumbo, hurricanes and beignets since the New Orleans Saints were playing."
Food quality also scores high points with the true-blue fans.
"Sometimes more than one of my friends will invite me to a party, I decide which one I'm going to based on who I think will have the best food," said Billy Griffin, a Flowery Branch resident.
"If there aren't any wings or nachos on the menu, I'm probably gonna take a rain check."
If you're the party host, your game plan for the day should be to keep it simple.
Super Bowl party food is all about big, comfy flavor and ease. Because on the day of the big game, you want to spend your time in front of the tube, not the stove.
"This is the only time of the year that I do the cooking," said James Handy, an Oakwood resident.
"I usually fire up the grill the day before and just warm everything up in the oven on game day, but I think my friends are tired of day-old barbecue."
If your usual game day fare has gotten more predictable than a field goal attempt after a touchdown, try mixing things up with new recipes. One idea is to serve a smorgasbord of mini sandwiches, better known as sliders. Sliders are great because they can be served as appetizers or entrees. And assembling a buffet of make-it-yourself sliders allows your guests to tailor the sandwiches to their liking.
Start with a basic roll that goes well with everything. Dinner rolls are a good size and French rolls are perfect for just about everything. If you don't find what you want in the bread aisle, try the bakery section or the freezer aisle; there will be several options available.
You could also cut down a baguette into slider-sized pieces. We've listed several fillings for slider sandwiches. These are all hot fillings, so consider rounding out the selection with some deli meats such as salami, turkey breast and ham, as well as a selection of cheeses and condiments.
Simply set all the fillings out on the table and let your guests assemble and eat at will. For each of these filling recipes, you will need 10 rolls.
The Associated Press contributed to this article