Tutorial: Assembling a Lightened-Up Game Day Taco Bar Stadium for the Super Bowl #superbowlfood #homegating #snackadium #foodietutorial #appetizerdisplay

The Super Bowl is next Sunday. That means cheering...commercial watching...and lots of amazing FOOD!! Today, I'm going to show you step-by-step instructions to create a Lightened-Up Game Day Taco Bar Stadium. These days, I use healthier versions of my favorite taco fixings to reduce fat, carbs, and calories. I do this without sacrificing any of the fun or flavor! I use a football field serving platter I found a couple of years as the taco bar's centerpiece. I'll show you how easy it is to create this simple football-themed appetizer display. My football field tray has sections to hold reduced fat shredded cheese, fresh pico de gallo, and guacamole. Reduced fat sour cream and a trio of  healthy sauces are spooned into four smaller sections in the tray's "end zones." The end result is a display with great eye appeal...and taste! 

Keep reading for step-by-step instructions to cook and assemble my Lightened-Up Game Day Taco Bar Stadium. I promise it's easy...the entire process of cooking and setup will take you an hour max! To save time, the beef and chicken taco fillings can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. This taco bar display is a perfect showstopping centerpiece for any game day spread. 

Lightened-Up 

Game Day Taco Bar Stadium

Ingredients:

• 16 crispy taco shells
• 16 low-carb flour tortillas
• 24 baked scoop-style tortilla chips
• 1 can fat free refried beans
• 2 cups 2% cheddar jack cheese, divided
• 1 bottle mild taco sauce
• Salsa Ranch dressing [I use Bolthouse Farms]
• Cilantro Avocado dressing [I use Bolthouse Farms]
• 1 cup lowfat sour cream
• 1 cup fresh pico de gallo
• 1 cup guacamole -- make your own OR purchase ready made

For the beef taco filling:

• 1.5 lbs. 96% lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup mild chunky salsa
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic salt + 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/3 cup water

For the chicken taco filling:

• 1 lb. boneless chicken breast
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. cumin + 1 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:

Step 1: Cook the taco fillings. Add the ground beef and taco seasoning to a large skillet, and brown over Med-High heat. Drain off fat and add the salsa and water. Stir to combine, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn heat to Low to keep the meat warm while you assemble the rest of the taco bar. 

To make the chicken filling, heat the olive oil in a second non-stick skillet over Med-High heat. Sprinkle chicken with cumin and garlic salt. Sear on both sides, then reduce heat to Low. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through -- about 10 minutes. 

NOTE: At this point, both taco fillings can be placed in containers and refrigerated up to overnight.

Step 2: Fill three long containers in the center of the football field tray with the pico de gallo, 1 cup lowfat shredded cheese, and guacamole. Place sour cream, taco sauce, and dressings into four smaller containers of equal size...two in each end zone. If you have miniature football players on hand -- thanks, Dad! -- you can also place them on the sidelines.

Step 3: Place the crunchy tortilla shells on a baking sheet and heat according to package directions. While the shells crisp up, carefully spoon warm refried beans into the baked scoop tortilla chips. Top each scoop chip with the remaining half cup of shredded cheese. Arrange these nacho bites along the end zones -- or wherever they fit best on the football field platter you're using. Have fun and be original!

Step 4: Place the football field serving dish on top of a green table cloth. Arrange the warmed taco shells, beef taco filling, and a platter with the sliced grilled chicken and flour tortillas around the perimeter of the football field. The best part of a taco bar setup is that everybody can make their personalized taco creations! Look at this crispy blue corn taco with beef taco filling, guac, sour cream, pico, cheese, and a drizzle of creamy cilantro lime sauce.

The key to this Lighted-Up Game Day Taco Bar Stadium is to have F-U-N!! Your football field serving dish will probably look different from mine depending on the specific football field serving dish you use...but no worries! Simply arrange the taco components in a way that makes sense for your "football field." 

Cheering for the Eagles or Chiefs in the Super Bowl? If so, incorporate their colors into your table decorations! Football themed cups, napkins, and plates make the game day theme even more festive. Bottom line: let your creativity flow...and your taco bar creation is sure to be a hit!