There can be only one …. Champion that is!  I am not a huge boxing fan but it seems that every time Floyd Mayweather puts on those boxing gloves I am glued to the TV. So this fight night my husband has decided to kick me out of the living room and invite some of his friends to gather around the TV to eat, drink and cheer. So what kind of wife /event planner would I be if I didn’t decorate and cook to and help him cheer on his favorite boxer? So here goes …. In this special edition of “THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE” I will show you how to set up your space and I will share some of my favorite party foods that you can prepare for your guest … I ensure you that this blog will be a “TKO”.

First up is decor:

·         You don’t have to do much ... put up a few balloons and maybe hang some boxing gloves around the house /space and really that is all you need. Believe me as long as you have a TV your guest will be well entertained.

 Next up is Games:

·         Sometimes the undercards are not that exciting and people want something else to do while waiting for the main event …so here are two fun ideas that will help pass the time by.....
o   Tell your guest to arrive in certain colors for the boxer they project to win... predetermine the colors i.e. red = boxer #1 and white = boxer #2. Believe me this will cause some chatter.
o     Have your guest project the winner and have everyone put their answers in a fish bowl and at the end of the night the name pulled out of the bowl will win a prize ( as long as they projected the right winner ).

 Next up is my favorite.....Food and Cocktails:

 Here are a few of my favorite things

"Knock Out" Punch

·         1 Bottle of your favorite Vodka
·           1 Bottle of your favorite coconut rum
·         Orange Juice
·          Pineapple Juice

Served Chilled and as an added touch add some fresh fruit!

Jell-O "Jab" Shots

·         Your Favorite Jell-O( follow the recipe on the box )
·         1 cup of your favorite vodka
·           refrigerate and enjoy

"Below-the-belt" Buffalo Chicken Dip

 Ingredients:

·         1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)
·          1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing or ranch salad dressing
·         2 cans (12.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
·         1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® RedHot® sauce
·          

Directions:

 1. Heat the oven to 350° F.

 2. Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth.

 3. Stir in the dressing, pepper sauce and blue cheese. Mix in the chicken.

 4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling.

"Pound For Pound" Pizza

Of course, you could just order out, but nothing beats a homemade pizza....

Ingredients:

·         1 tablespoon olive oil
·         1 (12 ounce) bag Birds Eye® Recipe Ready Pizza Supreme Blend
·         1 (10 ounce) pre-baked whole wheat or regular pizza crust
·         1 cup prepared pizza sauce
·         1 ounce sliced pepperoni
·         1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook Recipe Ready Pizza Supreme Blend, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened and any liquid is absorbed.

3. Arrange pizza crust on baking sheet and evenly spread with pizza sauce. Top with vegetable mixture and pepperoni. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Weigh In" Wings

 

Ingredients:

 

·         3/4 cup all-purpose flour
·         1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
·         1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
·         1/2 teaspoon salt
·         20 chicken wings
·         1/2 cup melted butter
·         1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Place the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt into a resalable plastic bag, and shake to mix.

2. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Place the wings onto the prepared baking sheet, and place into the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

4. Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dip the wings into the butter mixture, and place back on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, about 45 minutes. Turn the wings over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.

I hope that your fight night is a WIN!!!!#living2plan