It’s that time of year. . . The weekends ahead are filled with Super Bowls food and entertainment, plus a long list of shows to watch because it’s way too cold to go outside (and hey, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic ). We can agree not to agree on who should win an award or championship, as well as what series we might see next on Netlfix. But we can all agree on this: Food is needed to fuel these wild adventures on our couches. The team at Salon Food has already shared 11 Instant Pot recipes ready for the Super Bowl (or any TV event). Now we have made a master list of our favorite entrees, which ensures that it is an opportunity to watch.
Bob Armstrong Chile with Queso: No trip to Austin is complete without stopping at Matt’s El Rancho for legendary queso. According to Rick Martinez, it was “named after former Texas Land Commissioner Bob Armstrong, who one day asked them to make him ‘something else.’ The result was a now legendary base of taco meat, queso, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. ‘Luckily, Rick has developed a copy recipe so fans of the beloved queso can enjoy it without leaving home. This is especially good for this Manhattanite, because New York is a queso dessert. – Joseph Neese, managing editor
Buffalo Chicken (and All Things) Dip: Both hot and cold dips are pretty unbeatable to me, regardless of the seasonality and / or what game is on TV or not. Any combination of cream cheese, crispy bacon, lots of alliums, a kind of green and large amounts of cheese (primary faves are super sharp cheddar, parmesan or pecorino and even fontina or gruyere) are always welcome – and you can not forget a heap of heaps spring. I like raw carrots, pita breads, torn pieces of baguette, thick potato chips and raw celery as hideouts. I’m not a heat lover, but I would also always appreciate a good buffalo chicken dip. – Michael La Corte, Salon Food Contributor
Buffalo Latkes: I’m not Jewish, and I’m not really a football fan either, but when I saw Sara Tane’s recipe for Buffalo Latkes, I knew I would have to put this recipe back for the Super Bowl. She takes the crunchy, starchy Hanukkah staple and adapts it for the game day with thinly sliced jalapeños and a Frank’s Red Hot-based glaze. Instead of sour cream or apple sauce, immersion of the day is a homemade, creamy and funky blue cheese decoration. – Ashlie D. Stevens, Staff Writer
Charcuterie Board: It’s a kind of cheating, but I like to pick up a cheese set at Costco. You know, the kind with some delicious cheese, for what, $ 20? Then I grab some salamis, a packet of dates – their fresh dates are the BEST – and a kind of nuts and biscuits. And look, suddenly I have a sign! Whatever I have at home is added – maybe some mustards, why not olives. If you put leftovers for a few days of ready-made snacks in the fridge. – Dana McMahan, Salon Food Contributor
Hot Corn Dip: I found Trisha Yearwood’s hot corn dip when I was digging through Pinterest in the early days, looking for a meatless appetizer for a party menu. I knew her as a country star and had no idea she had her own Food Network show, but I thought Trisha Yearwood would not send me wrong. (She has her God and she has good wine / Aretha Franklin and Patsy Cline … and hot corn dip?) I made it once, and now my friends ask it for any festive occasion where dairy products are served. If you are lactose intolerant or philosophically canned against “Mexican corn”, you will not like this dip. I can suggest five ways to figure it out, but it will frustrate the purpose. It is an unpretentious appetizer that anyone who can work in an oven can make. It is aggressively maize-colored. People may be skeptical. But trust me: if you make it once, you will have to make it for the rest of your life. – or at least until all your friends are vegan. – Erin Keane, Editor-in-Chief
Samin Nosrat se souse: If you, like me, always forget to plan until the last minute for meals (and don’t have time for something extended), a quick way to impress is to make some homemade sauces. This can be accompanied by dumplings, vegetable dishes, pitas, chips or biscuits. Along with the perennial hummus, I love Samin Nosrat’s sauce recipes at The NYT Cooking vertical. Herbal yogurt goes well with kebabs, raw vegetables and even fries. Soy sauce sauce plus a bag of steamed scones from the frozen food section looks beautiful and takes about 10 minutes to make. Plus, you can always make it beer queso recipe, thanks to me if you really want people to drop by. – Amanda Marcotte, senior political writer
Rotel and Velveeta Famous Queso Dip: I learned early in my days of kids parties that the guests who are most excited about most junk food are always adults. Sure, I could make real queso with good cheese and fresh tomatoes. But if you want to see people’s eyes flare up with nostalgic joy, you can not beat the American classic consisting of only two ingredients – and it is quite specific. I keep it in the Crock Pot mini and leave the works in the kitchen next to a bowl of tortilla chips. It’s also a big hit with crackling blocks. – MaryElizabeth Williams, director of the community