Vegetarians Beware! Super Bowl Weekend Fare!

First off, how awesome is it that the Burp! Buffalo Chicken Dip won Noble Pig's Sam's Club Super Bowl recipe contest?! Huh? Judging from the slurpy-deliciousness of the other entries, we're truly honored. (Confession time: I was rooting for that yummy Pull-apart Bacon Bread myself... but who can argue with bacon??!)

If you're curious, I'd suggest checking out all the great entries over at Cathy's blog. And, if your'e feeling really daring, I'd suggest making EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM this weekend.

Why?
Well, it's the Super Bowl. And I can't think of a better reason to embrace full-on gluttony. In fact, I've got a suggestion or two of my own.

Since this is the weekend for serious finger foods, why not try a few of my favorites?

1. Chipotle Shrimp (Serious smoky goodness for the chile-heads)
2. Butternut Squash Soup with Beer & Cheese (You'll need a spoon for this one, but who can argue with a soup that features BEER as a main ingredient?)
3. Zucchini Oven Fries (Alright, these border on being healthy, but you'd never know it cuz they taste SO good)
4. Blasted Broccoli (GREAT with a variety of dipping sauces. And, as Lo would remind me, you've gotta get your veggies in there somewhere)

But, I've saved my best suggestion for last.
This is something a friend of mine turned me on to earlier in the week. And it gave me a serious craving. This is the perfect dish for those of you who've been starving yourselves for a couple of days in preparation for the Big Game. IN fact, I'd advise fasting not only BEFORE eating this lovely dish... but also probably for 3-4 days following.

Ready for it?

BACON EXPLOSION
Yeah, it's Big. And it's Bad. But, comeon people, it's... BACON!

Sure, you'll need a couple of pounds of bacon and an outdoor barbeque to get this one going. But, I'm going to suggest that the results outweigh any inconvenience (or frost bite) you might experience.

Oh -- and maybe call ahead for an ambulance. Cuz this is going to cause some serious artery blockage.

Enjoy the game!! And the food!! (Especially the food.)


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Smoky Sweet Potato Chowder

*whew* After all the excitement of the tomato giveaway, I almost wasn't sure what to post next. Fortunately, we've been cooking up a storm in the past week or two.

Sweet potatoes... simple food with a pretty impressive nutritional profile. These humble tubers contain almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and (when eaten with the skin intact) sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal.

Now, if you're anything like me, the profile alone isn't all that matters. Sure, I can choke down a whole bunch of veg just to get my daily intake. But, it's really my preference to sit down with something that seriously tastes good. So, that's normally how we approach cooking on the healthier side. It's all about getting maximum nutrition AND maximum flavor.

One of our favorite ways to prep sweet potatoes is to make fries out of them -- either by roasting them in the oven or (*gasp*) frying them up in the deep fryer. They make a seriously tasty substitute for starchy old French fries, especially when tossed with a bit of chili powder and accompanied by a bit of smoky barbeque sauce.

However, our second favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes is to make them into soup. I always figure that soup gives pretty good mileage when it comes to cold weather eating. It's hearty, filling, and leftovers work well to take to work in the days following. We're also big fans of the soup/sammich combo, especially when we can pair a great soup with a panini (like our chicken panini with sundried tomato pesto). For more great panini recipes, check out PaniniKathy's blog over at Panini Happy.

We always start with a nice pile of diced sweet potato (skin on, of course).
Combine those potato chunks with a bit of sauteed onion, garlic, some Mexican oregano, a couple of chipotle peppers, and a nice healthy dose of vegetable stock. Simmer for 20-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Add a bit of honey and a swirl of heavy cream. Then, give the soup a whorl with your immersion blender... add some black beans and a dash of salt & pepper... and enjoy. This soup is also phenomenal with a few roasted red peppers added to the mix for flavor.
Creamy, smoky, sweet... and good for you. Dare I say this soup is the perfect treat on a cold winter's night?

We especially love it served with a side of sour apple and saurkraut quesadillas.

Smoky Sweet Potato Chowder


©BURP! Where Food Happens