Superbowl, Knox Blox & Traditions

What the heck are Knox Blox? I think that’s plural. It’s not Knox Bloxes, is it?

Okay, I’ll share what they are and how important they are to our family and our Superbowl tradition.

It’s a spin off of an informal party I used to have with friends in Tampa before children. Just a gathering around the TV with good food and good friends.

We have a party with the kids. It started as a silly little thing I thought they might like even though we watch way more basketball than we watch football. For about 10 years now, the kids pick a team to cheer for and they make banners and hang them in the family room.

I believe banner skills have dramatically improved over the years or maybe we were just out of markers that year? I won’t bore you with banner photos from every year but…The Grunter must have had some extra free time in 2004 as he seemed to really put his mad artistic skillz into play on this banner.

I had to display last year’s banners because it was a Midwestern girl’s football dream with the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears matched up! (And we had obviously replenished our marker supply.)

After the banners are made, we get really serious because we are ready to do what we do best…EAT! Everyone gets to pick a favorite snack or appetizer and the big thrill for the kids – they get to eat in the family room. Every once in awhile, you gotta break your own rules. Truth be told, they break this rule a lot more now but that’s another post for another day.

Scary Baby is NOT eating a chicken wing, is she? Calm down, of course she’s not. She’s only two in this picture. We wouldn’t let a toddler eat a chicken wing. That’s a tortilla chip and I’m pretty sure she had enough teeth then to chew it up and not choke. I think.

I try to avoid cooking on this day. I’m not opposed to turning on the oven, so frozen appetizers might make the menu. I’m always looking for easy and simple so we like to order wings and our favorite Mexican cheese dip and chips. Sometimes PhilBillPaul will drive to two or three restaurants to pick up everyone’s favorites. Because he’s like that. (He really does have a servant heart.)

Roger Leroy always requests “squirt cheese.” Yes, I’m talking about that gourmet cheese in a can with a squirt nozzle just like the “whupped” cream that Scary Baby loves. Oh yeah, we are FAN-CEE like that!

If “squirt cheese” is making you kind of queasy and you are feeling adventurous and want to try some new recipes, check out The Pioneer Woman Cooks because she has compiled her extravaganza and just seeing the pictures will make you hungry!

For the kids, it’s not about the football. It is really all about the food, family and the most important thing…

It’s really all about…

The Knox Blox.

Notice the tiny team pennants adorning the Knox Blox.

They’re optional.

Are you positive they are sisters twins?

As you can see we put a lot of time and energy into which flavor and color matches which team.

I make the final decision on which color gets to be the DOUBLE DECKER Knox Blox (my personal fav because whipping cream in anything is never a bad thing)!!!

Now I know you’re dying to get the recipe for Knox Blox because you can plainly see these are not your ordinary gelatin treats. I have posted the recipe as a separate post so you can print it and add some color and fun to your Superbowl party!

I need to confess that I made these Knox Blox with the pennants before I had kids. So now you know I was super fun even before I had kids.

Did I mention that the Knox Blox do not count as our mandatory dessert? Scary Baby’s favorite? The football ice cream cake by Carvel…

No Carvel where you live? Oh, I hate that for you. Don’t despair, you can go to your local grocery or bakery and get some classy dessert like this:

Life Lesson (LL): The most important thing is just to have a party even if you’re not a football fan. Because the fun is in the food, family and friends!

Share a Life Lesson(SALL): Do you have a Superbowl tradition? Any fabulous recipe you can share? We’re always looking for new ideas to add to our upscale party so come on, let us in on what you do at your house!