Superdate.

In the new year, John and I have been trying to resume our weekly date nights, which were kind of forgotten over the holiday season. Whether we rent a movie, go for an evening walk, head out to dinner, whatever- one night per week is about us. With no plans other than to be together for Superbowl Sunday, we declared it our “date” day.

One of my favorite things about my husband is that he loves to cook as much as I do. We peeled through a few cookbooks to select new recipes to make together. I selected a gooey sausage beer-cheese fondue appetizer, and John wanted to make Enchiladas Suizas (with slow-cooked chicken!). We got the bird in the crockpot before heading out into the freshly-fallen snow for some pre-game fresh air.

We’re lucky to live just down the street from a quiet dirt road with a creek meandering alongside it. Within minutes, you feel like you’re miles from any neighborhood. In summer, Cholula loves to swim in the creek and chase ducks. This time of year, it’s the perfect setting for a wintry date-day stroll. Cholula chased snowballs into deep drifts while we watched a snippet of blue sky play peek-a-boo through the clouds.

Neither of our teams were playing in the Superbowl this year. When we got back home, John printed off some simple bets to keep it interesting (he knows my competitive nature quite well). And what’s a bet without money on the line? Each correct choice won the person a dollar, with the most correct choices winning the remaining pot. The questions ranged from actual game information (Which team will commit the first penalty?  Which team will call the first time out?) to chance guesses (Will the jersey number of the first player to score a TD be odd or even? Who will win the coin toss?) to random entertainment (How many times will Eli Manning be shown live? Will Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili  Peppers play a song on stage at the same time?). I got started on the baguette crostini for the fondue while John quizzed me.

We spent the next hour or two before the game started laughing in the kitchen: peeling tomatillos for salsa verde, cooking up the sausage and shredding cheeses, chopping onion and jalapeño. The incredible fondue was ready just as the National Anthem was sung (we timed it, since we had a bet on how long it would take) and we made a tasty tray of snacks and drinks to bring downstairs.

We were thankful for the bets since the game STUNK. We stayed interested for all four quarters, because we had money (and bragging rights) on the line! Cholula, however, was bored and gave up.

After the game, we headed back into the kitchen to finish dinner. John shredded chicken. I simmered tomatillos with onion and garlic for salsa. We took turns stuffing tortillas with chicken and cheese, rolling them into a casserole dish to bake. Our slow-cooker chicken enchiladas were scrumptious and simple! The food knocked it out of the park– I can’t wait to share both recipes later this week.

Despite the actual game, our Superbowl date was super fun. Cooking together is great- we’ve got plenty of recipes dog-eared in our cookbooks for the future. Oh, and the bets? Mama pocketed the pot- a whopping $36!

What are your favorite “date” ideas? Share with me!

Stay tuned for recipes for Sausage Beer-Cheese Fondue and Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas Suizas!

One year ago: Another date night IN and Superbowl Sunday at Snowbird Resort.