February 4, 2013

Ravens Super Bowl Champs!

As my roommate greeted me this morning, welcome to a world in which the Baltimore Ravens are the World Champions! Man, that was an incredible post-season run - four games in which the Ravens were predicted to lose, beating some of the best teams in the NFL on the way. 

Our Harbowl Shrine

Obviously, I was extremely excited for yesterday's game - I said, it's like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one! - and I rallied the less-than-enthusiastic troops for a Ravens Nation party in Maine. 

I must thank my awesome friends, roommate, and boyfriend, as they all supported me (reassured me) and rooted for the Ravens on my behalf. 

Ravens cupcakes from East End Cupcakes

The Super Bowl is exciting to many though for the commercials and the food - in addition to the Maryland Crab Soup I made, we had Buffalo wings, "totchos" (tater tot nachos from S. at Edible Obsessions) that blew my mind, Rummy Worms (gummies soaked in rum, in honor of Flacco's Harbio contract), pulled pork sliders, soft pretzels, grilled veggies... man oh man, it was a feast. 


Even Rhoda the dog was attentive, but that may be a chicken wing she's staring at off-camera. 


While that was one one of the weirdest/craziest football games I've seen (30 minute power outage, faked field goal, an intentional safety, Williams shoving a ref and no call, Flacco's 30-yard under pressure dump pass to Boldin, Smith's no-holding call on Crabtree, etc etc etc.), a win is a win! 

CAW!

Maryland Crab Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, cut into small pieces
8 cups water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon, beef
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup potatoes, diced
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 cup peas, frozen
1 cup yellow sweet corn, frozen
1 pound crabmeat

Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, saute until translucent. Add garlic, saute for one minute. Combine tomatoes, water, beef bouillon, carrots, potatoes, and Old Bay. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Add peas, corn, and crabmeat, reserving some crab for garnish. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with crab meat. 

Related: Hottest NFL Quarterbacks of 2011 and 2012 (I take back all the nice things I said about you, Colin Kaepernick). Most Elite Quarterback of 2012: Joe Flacco. :)