Colts Stuff! » Entertainment

Football Trivia & Word Games for Kickoff Weekend

Colts Stuff — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:00:51 +0000

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how very excited I am for this weekend. Just 48 hours to Colts’ season opener—and we have fall weather to go with it!

With football season comes the need to entertain the girls while the hubby and I zone out for the duration of the game. I think the word search in the NFL games pack I just downloaded will be just the thing for our older girls.

The sports trivia is a bit beyond them but should be a lot of fun for the grownups during commercial breaks & halftime. Especially for me, since I’m positive I’ll completely dominate the hubby. (Just sayin’.)

Plus, I have a coupon code for you! (It’s pretty much what I do.) Save $5 with code HEATHERSAVES on any purchase of $19.95 or more. Coincidentally, that’s the exact price of the giant Thanksgiving game pack, which already includes the football set.

How are you planning to celebrate Sunday’s kickoff?

Python Printable Games provided me with a free NFL Pack download to facilitate this post, but the opinion is 100% real.

Colts Themed M&Ms

Colts Stuff — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:48:26 +0000

If you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate football season (it’s here, it’s here, it’s here!!), might I recommend a little chocolate? The Colts NFL M&Ms come in blue & white (naturally) and include the Colts logo & horse shoe.

The cost is $10.99 per bag, but you’ll save $1 each when you purchase 3. If that’s a little too much for you, I’ve compromised with blue & white M&Ms in the past. Or, you can go all out and order custom printed M&Ms—they cost $11.99, but you’ll receive 1 free bag when you buy 3.

What are you doing to kickoff the season?

Indy-Themed Party Food

Colts Stuff — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:19:34 +0000

With the Colts in the Superbowl, it’s time to feature something more than chili or chips & dip. Of course, if that dip is salsa from Red Gold tomatoes, you’re already in the game! And, don’t forget to grab blue corn chips (often found in the organic food department) to finish it off. There are foods native to Indiana or Hoosier culture that you could serve as well. Watermelon is a popular Hoosier treat, though not currently in season. You could probably still give a nod to its Indiana roots with a fruit tray or watermelon basket.

Breaded pork tenderloins are an Indy delicacy, though they might be difficult or time-consuming to whip up at home. Instead, how about a few local brands to celebrate our state’s showing in the big game? At South Bend Chocolate company, you could pick out a variety of treats to please the chocolate lovers in your group. (Might I recommend the double-dipped peanuts? Yum!)

And, yes, there’s corn! More accurately, popcorn! Orville Redenbacher himself was born right here in Indiana. Serving popcorn balls, caramel corn or other flavored popcorns would be a fun (and tasty) tribute. Just Pop In even features blueberry popcorn in the perfect shade for your party! Sara Gaum from Vendor Bar has given us a few recipes for the do-it-yourself crowd:

Curry Popcorn

3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 dashes hot sauce
1 gallon popped popcorn

Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir in the garlic, turmeric, curry powder, and cumin; keep over heat 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 minute more. Add the hot sauce and pour over the popcorn. Serve immediately.

Peanut-y Sweet Popcorn

1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 (3.5 ounce) packages microwave popcorn, popped

Bring the corn syrup, honey, and sugar to a boil in a saucepan; cook at a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir the peanut butter and vanilla into the syrup mixture until the peanut butter has melted completely. Pour the sauce over the popcorn and stir until evenly coated. Allow to cool completely and break into chunks to serve.

Colts Melamine Chips & Dip Set, Sports Fanfare $21.99

Colts Melamine Serving Bowls, Sports Fanfare $34.95

Colts Superbowl Party Planning, Inexpensively

Colts Stuff — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:41:43 +0000

Once you have invited your friends and set a budget, it’s time to find creative ways to work within it! The Superbowl lends itself very well to low-budget parties—not only is it perfectly acceptable to plan a pitch-in but there’s no need to plan a full meal. Provide simple, inexpensive foods that are snackable between plays.

Food/Drink: Kroger is having a great sale right now with several items perfect for Superbowl snacks. Stockup on appetizers, chips and sodas. For alcohol beverages, BYOB is completely acceptable in this type of situation. Simply ask your guests to bring their favorites.

You can also use the food to play up the football theme & add a little “decor” to the event. Cut themed shapes out of cookies, shape a football cheese ball or create a football field cake.

Decorations This is obviously not a priority for a Superbowl party but it’s a great chance to show off your favorite Colts merchandise. You can’t wear all your jerseys at once, right? Go ahead and put them on display.

Paper Goods Besides the ultimate Superbowl plate, you’ll need cups, napkins and silverware. You can keep costs to a minimum by resisting the urge to buy everything Colts. Licensed party goods are available online and at Hallmark, Marsh & Kroger but they’ll be a lot more costly than basic blue & white.

Entertainment Obviously, the number one source of entertainment here is the big game, but be sure to play along with AdBowl in between. Register for the site in advance to rate commercials after the game. You can even print score cards or download the FREE iPhone app to play live during the Superbowl. You know, when you aren’t watching the Colts win the championship!

The Perfect Superbowl Plates

Colts Stuff — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:58:50 +0000

If you’re hosting a Superbowl party, I just found the perfect plate! The Go Plate features a hole in the center for your beer bottle—too funny! (And clever!) The center place holder is also a great fit for cans or cups, if beer isn’t quite your style.

This plate was practically designed with the Superbowl in mind. With a houseful of guests, all gathered around the television, you’ll have the perfect accessory to balance snacks & drinks on your laps. Of course, you can still Coltsify (Is that a word? It is now.) your party with logo napkins or Super Bowl XLIV cups.

You can buy The Go Plate on Amazon in 3 different packages—4 for $5.99, 10 for $10.99 or 21 (I don’t get it.) for $19.99. They look fairly sturdy to me, but review comments indicate you should expect them to be one time use.

How to Host a Colts Superbowl Party

Colts Stuff — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:42:36 +0000

Now that our beloved Colts are in the big game, it’s time to get ready to host a Superbowl party—Hoosier style! We’ll be sharing our favorite tips and recipes plus where to find the coolest Colts party supplies all the way to the big day.

Step one, of course, is to invite guests. This isn’t a red carpet event, though, so don’t stress over formal invitations. Call your family, email your friends and update your Facebook status.

Greg Jenkins of Bravo Events also suggests letting our guests in on the atmosphere of the event. With a Superbowl, it’s usually pretty casual but if you are including certain guests to make an impression (boss? business partner? mother-in-law?), you should be sure the rest of your friends are aware. Don’t forget to remind everyone that they should arrive in blue—you might even consider having a contest for the most spirited outfit.

Next, you’ll need to decide on a budget. On Monday, we’ll explore ideas for keeping your costs down to make the most of your money but start thinking about how much you’ll spend. If guests offer to bring something, feel free to delegate—it’s a great way to spread some of the workload as well as keep your party under budget.

With an instant theme, automatic entertainment and sheer excitement surrounding the entire week, a Superbowl party is one of the easiest to host. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and check back here for updates on our favorite tips, tricks and tools to make Superbowl XLIV a fun, memorable experience!