Super Bowl 2017: Recipes, Snacks with Patriots vs. Falcons Theme

Whether you're a diehard fan of the New England Patriots or Atlanta Falcons, or you're just showing up for the food, everyone's gotta eat at some point on Super Bowl Sunday. 

That being said, if you're going to prepare a spread for your Super Bowl LI party (or, let's be honest, maybe just for yourself), why not take it a step further and create some culinary concoctions that have a little New England or Atlanta flair?

You can serve the staples, too—the pigs in a blanket, guacamole and gooey nachos. But how does New England-style clam chowder sound as an appetizer? How would you like to bite into a crispy, tangy peach-bourbon glazed chicken wing?

That's what we thought. Get those thematic recipes and more below, and remember: Calories don't count on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Patriots-Themed Recipes

New England-Style Clam Chowder 

Matthew Mead/Associated Press

Listen; New Englanders eat a lot of seafood. That's what tends to happen when every state in the region except Vermont has a seacoast. 

So if you don't like seafood, you can subsitute corn here for the clams. But there's no better way to whet your appetite before the big game than with a creamy, salty soup course. 

Clam chowder is remarkably easy to make. You just need to have patience as it all comes together.

This recipe includes a bacon garnish (necessary) and only has two steps, which means you can assemble it and then leave it alone while you work on the rest of your spread.  

Ingredients
Instructions
4 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups water
4 cups peeled/cubed potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt; pepper to taste
3 cups half-and-half
3 tablespoons butter
2 10 ouce cans minced clams
1. Cook diced bacon in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes/until potatoes are fork tender.
2.Add half-and-half and butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into pot. Cook until heated through; do not allow to boil.

Crab Dip with Bacon 

Once you're finished with your first seafood-and-bacon dish, why not serve up another?

After you've enjoyed your clam chowder, one of the dips you can serve your guests is this crab dip with bacon. Pro tip: When you cook the bacon for the clam chowder, cook the bacon for the dip at the same time so that you'll only have to dirty one pot.

(And while you're at it, maybe cook a few extra strips to snack on while you work.)

This recipe from Hostess at Heart comes together in 10 minutes and just needs an additional hour to chill in the fridge, so you could even make it the night before the big game. Serve it with crackers, pretzels, veggies or, if your crew is heading over earlier in the day, even as a spread for bagels. 

Ingredients
Instructions
4 oz crab meat
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chives plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Crumbled bacon
Crackers for serving
1. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.
2. Shred the crab and stir in all remaining ingredients except for the bacon.
3. Cover and chill for two hours.
4. Sprinkle with bacon pieces and additional chives right before serving.
5. Serve with crackers.

Falcons-Themed Recipes 

Coca-Cola Pulled Pork

Matthew Mead/Associated Press

Coca-Cola is one of the things that Atlanta is most known for, but did you also know that it's the perfect secret ingredient for juicy, tangy pulled pork? 

When you cook a pork shoulder in soda, such as Coke, the sugar breaks down the meat and makes it incredibly tender. It also adds a nice sweetness as the base for making a sauce to serve with it. 

Because this recipe calls for cooking your pork in a crock pot, once again you can prep everything the night before the big game and wake up on Sunday with delicious, fall-off-the-bone pork just waiting to be spooned into sandwiches, sprinkled atop nachos or just eaten straight with a fork. 

Ingredients
Instructions
1 5-pound pork shoulder
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced onions
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 liter Coca-Cola
1 20-oz bottle of your preferred BBQ sauce
1. Place pork in a 5 quart crock pot (optional: sear first). Season with garlic, onion, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Add liquid smoke and pour in Coca-Cola until it covers the meat.
2. Cook 8-10 hours on low heat.
3. To serve, remove pork from Crock Pot. Remove bones and trim all fat. With a fork, shred pork. Add barbecue sauce and fold into meat.
4. Serve on buns, atop nachos or however you'd like!

Peach Bourbon Chicken Wings

Matthew Mead/Associated Press

You didn't think we'd do a Super-Bowl recipe roundup without including some wings, did you?

Because Georgia is the Peach State, and because the Super Bowl is one of the country's booziest pastimes, these peach-bourbon chicken wings are just the thing for your party. 

Like most of these recipes, even these wings can be made ahead of time and then popped in the oven before your guests arrive. Serve them with blue cheese, ranch or BBQ sauce; whatever your preference! 

If you want to go the extra mile as a host, provide your guests with some Wet-Naps. They'll need them after digging into these saucy, sticky bad boys. 

Ingredients
Instructions
1 cup peach preserves
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup bourbon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
4 pounds chicken wings
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees, line a 15 x 10-inch pan with non-stick foil.
2. In a food processor, combine preserves,brown sugar, garlic and salt; process until smooth.
3. Place contents of food processor in a saucepan, stir in vinegar and bourbon and cook 5 minutes at a simmer over medium heat.
4. Mix cornstarch and water and add to saucepan; cook 2 minutes or until thickened.
5. Trim wing tips; cut wings in half at joint.
6. Place wings on prepared pan; set aside 1/2 cup peach-bourbon glaze. Brush wings with 1/2 cup of glaze and roast at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
7. Remove pan from oven; turn wings over; brush with remaining glaze and roast 15 minutes more, until juices run clear.
8. To crisp skin, broil wings for 2 to 4 minutes, serve with reserved glaze.