The biggest Sunday of the year has finally arrived. The episode of This Is Us where all of our questions are finally answered. Since the Super Bowl has officially become the pregame to NBC’s hit show, you’re going to need some sustenance. Check out these flavorful recipes that are perfect for game day and delicious for dinner any night of the week.
“Champagne is always a good bet. It’s only 90 calories a glass,” said chef Rocco DiSpirito. But instead of a big game beverage, DiSpirito offers up his vegetarian chili, a welcome respite from chicken wings and burgers.
Veggie Chili
Recipe courtesy of Rocco DiSpirito
Serves 4
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced onions
½ cup diced red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp chili powder
4 cups chopped tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and sweat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until soft, another 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the chili powder and cook for one minute or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.
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A huge fan of comfort food, chef Anne Burrell loves a Super Bowl with some hearty options.
“Everyone thinks of mac and cheese as comfort food, but there’s a lot of bad mac and cheese out there, and frankly, that food makes me uncomfortable,” said Burrell of some not-so-great cheesy dishes. “Great mac and cheese should be creamy and tangy and luscious—it should get me excited with every bite. I promise that this recipe is what mac and cheese should be. And it’s got bacon. What could be better?”
Killer Mac & Cheese with Bacon
Recipe courtesy of Anne Burrell
Serves 6-8
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch strips
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 qt whole milk, plus more as needed
1 lb shells or other short pasta
2 cups freshly grated Cheddar cheese
2 cups freshly grated Fontina cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
¼ cup Dijon mustard
Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste
Kosher salt
1. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a large saucepan, add bacon, and bring the pan to medium heat; stir the bacon occasionally. When it’s brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes, remove it from the pan, drain on paper towels, and reserve the bacon fat.
2. Add butter and onion to the pan with the fat, season with salt and cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, season with salt, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes more or until the mixture is slightly thick.
3. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package suggest. Taste it: It should be toothsome with just a little nugget of hard pasta still in the center. This is al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve.
4. Add the cheddar, fontina and Parmigiano to the milk mixture and whisk to combine. Add the mustard and a few shakes of Tabasco; taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Stir in cooked bacon and pasta. The mixture should be very creamy. Serve immediately or transfer to a baking dish and reheat in a 375°F oven.
