Super Bowl Nachos

My favorites foods for the Super Bowl (and really any football viewing party) are all classic game-day recipes, and today's recipe is no exception.

Here's a little secret though: I don't care about the Super Bowl. Yes, it's in San Francisco Santa Clara, and yes, I did go to watch fireworks at Super Bowl City, but don't count me in for watching the game. I'm actually going to be on a plane flying from Dallas to San Francisco (we're celebrating Z's mom's birthday this weekend). Given I have no attachment to either team, or really any pro football team for that matter, I am just going to finish reading the Nightingale on the plane.

That being said, there is something delicious about traditional football party food. Onion dip, wings, BBQ--all of it is so so delicious (and dangerous for the waistline). Nachos in particular are my weakness.

I like this recipe because a) it's vegetarian. Any vegetarian meal I can get Z to enjoy is a win in my book; b) it requires no specialty ingredients. You can buy everything at the normal grocery store and c) it looks great when you serve it directly from the cookie sheet, so no extra dishes!

Hope you have a great Super Bowl Sunday, whether you watch the game or not! Just make sure to eat a plate of nachos for me.

Super Bowl Nachos

Inspired by Bon Appetit

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 red onion

1 clove garlic

1 jalapeño

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

6 ounces tortilla chips

2 cups shredded cheese, Mexican blend

Sour cream

Salsa

Guacamole

Lime wedges

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeño to skillet and stir until softened. Transfer to a food processor, add black beans, lime juice, 1/4 cup of water, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange half of chips on a baking sheet. Top with half of beans, then half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining chips, beans, and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Add the sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and lime wedges to the sheet (one in each corner), then serve.

Tailgating Favorites: Caramelized Onion Dip

Fall is finally here, which means football and tailgating are in full swing! I didn't grow up as a football fan, and I'm not partial to any NFL team, but college football is a horse of a different color. Z and I are still loyal to our alma mater, and we spend fall Saturdays tailgating with friends down at Stanford.

With football and tailgating comes all the guilty pleasure food that I rarely allow myself to eat during the year, like this caramelized onion dip. This dip is inspired by the Lipton's Onion dip, but this one has way more flavor and no artificial ingredients. 

It's essentially a ton of caramelized onions, stirred into a combination of sour cream and mayo. It's creamy, not overwhelming salty, has a ton of onion flavor, and has a bright punch thanks to a slight addition of balsamic vinegar.

I love it to eat this at game days with potato chips and veggies, but it's also great as a spread on sandwiches. Put a bowl of this out at your next tailgate, and it's sure to disappear quickly. 

Caramelized Onion Dip

From Cook's Country

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 pounds yellow onions, diced fine

Salt and pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayo

Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heath. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to medium low, and continue cooking until onions are golden brown (about 10 more minutes).

Add 2 tablespoons water to skillet and stir, scraping up browned bits on bottom of skillet, until water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of water, and cook until onions caramelize and water evaporates, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar.

Let onions cool. Combine mayo and sour cream in bowl, then stir in cooled onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat. 

Chili for Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl Sunday is quickly approaching!  Though I am not an NFL fan, I will be watching the game with friends. For me, the Super Bowl is all about the game-viewing party--seeing friends, judging the commercials, and, of course, indulging in some great bar food.  

With the polar vortex still plaguing DC, nothing seems more satisfying for Super Bowl Sunday than a big bowl of chili and all the fixings. Lay out a few bowls of chopped green onions, shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, etc, and let your friends add their own toppings.  I prefer to eat my chili with rice, but this chili is hearty enough that it does not need it.

I know it can be tempting to make chili from a mix, but I promise this version will have a lot more flavor, and it will be ready in about an hour. Instead of placing a bet on the winner of this Sunday's game, I'll make you a different bet; I bet your friends won't believe you made this chili from scratch!  

Turkey Chili

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Serves about 6-8 people

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

6 medium cloves of garlic, chopped very finely either by hand or with a garlic press

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds of 93% lean ground turkey

2 15.5-ounce cans of red kidney beans, rinsed thoroughly

1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon table salt

2 limes, cut into wedges

• Heat oil in a large non-reactive pot over medium heat, until the oil is shimmering but not smoking, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add in onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne.  Stir the vegetables and spices occasionally, and cook until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

• Increase the heat to medium-high and add the turkey.  Break up the pieces of turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink and just beginning to brown, about 3 to five minutes.

• Add the beans, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and salt to the pot.  Simmer for about 40 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.  The chili should be darken and thicken while it is simmering.
• Serve with lime wedges (and any other topping you prefer).