"I already ate dinner...Oh, BYOT? Did you say BYOT?!?! I'll be there in 10 minutes."
Such was my end of the mobile conversation with my sister last night when she called me over to her place for dinner. Not only had I already eaten a huge meal just before she called, but it was also Mexican food. That all went out the driver side window when she said "BYOT." When anyone in my family does BYOT, everyone and their mothers (literally) shows up.
BYOT in my Delicious family stands for "Build Your Own Taco," which isn't anything earth-shatteringly new or innovative. It just happens that BYOT is perfectly appropriate for a Super Bowl party because 1) the food is not difficult to prepare, and 2) as a "Southwestern-style" food, it matches the Super Bowl XLII's host city, Phoenix, Arizona. It doesn't hurt, either, that BYOT is highly customizable to your and your guests' tastes. It can be comprehensive, vegetarian, or even a little gourmet.
All you have to do is prep the components and set them up as a buffet. Your guests will do all the work of putting their tacos together.
- Tortillas - We typically go with hard taco shells made from yellow corn tortillas, but you can also offer soft flour and corn tortillas, flat tostada shells, or if people are picky about carbs, nothing. They can make "salads" in bowls or on plates, and you can make fun of them for being "healthy" at a Super Bowl party. Remember that while people can eat regular tacos with their hands, tostadas and "bowls" mean you have to offer silverware.
- Meat - Protein choices for tacos are plenty. My sister likes ground beef with the requisite taco seasoning, but we have done carne asada, carnitas, and grilled chicken. You can do grilled fish or shrimp, and if there are vegetarians on your guest list, you may want to provide black or refried beans.
- Cheese - Go with any cheese you like, and shred it. If your cheese squirts out of a can, we can't help you.
- Vegetables - The standards are shredded Iceberg lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, chopped onions, and black olives. Don't get too fancy with vegetables. If you start grilling peppers and onions, you're crossing that fine line into fajita territory.
- Salsa - A simple red tomato salsa is perfect, though offering options like tomatillo, roasted tomato, and other salsas is nice.
- Guacamole - I very rarely see tacos with guacamole, but why? It's guacamole!
- Other Good Stuff - Sour cream and hot sauces (in addition to salsa) like Tapatio or Cholula.
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