So for Super Bowl Sunday, we stayed home which is how I like it–primarily because I’m a football purist and like to focus on the game. But hey, I’m a foodie so made some good food too. My wife has been doing something similar to South Beach Diet, and so we kept things relatively healthy and low-carb. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be tasty. We made Andrew Zimmern’s Asian wings that I have covered on here before, South Beach Texas Bowl o Red which is basically beef chunks in a thick chili sauce, and Mark Bittman’s Black Bean Soup from a Men’s Health Magazine. I could not find that online, but here is a version of Bittman’s that is close.

This new show “The Taste” on ABC looks pretty cool. It’s essentially a food version of “The Voice,” with big names like Anthony Bourdain and Ludo Lefebvre and Nigella Lawson–the judges have to taste a spoonful of food prepared by someone that they don’t know is a home cook or a professional. And it looks like it has a big budget set. My wife and I barely got through the long 2-hour premiere, but it’s definitely a show that looks like it will be worth watching.

Have you guys noticed food prices going up? I have not researched this but man, it seems like simple things that were $4.99 a year ago are $6.99 now. Or maybe I’m imagining things.

Man, speaking of food, it’s dinner time and I’m hungry. See ya!

It’s that time again, and here are my all new recipes for Super Bowl Sunday that were posted on Bullz-Eye’s Grub for Guys last night. Hope you dig!

Super Bowl Spread III
Buffalo Chicken Nachos, Brat & Wisconsin Cheddar Pizza, Deep Fried Pierogies, and Apple-Bacon Brownies

You would think coming up with new and interesting Super Bowl recipe ideas would be difficult to do year after year, but when you think about the endless combinations of food that are available, it’s not that difficult. What IS difficult is trying not to eat all of everything when something you create tastes good. That’s a problem I encountered when making Buffalo chicken nachos, and hopefully you will enjoy them as much as I did. And with that, here is this year’s Super Bowl spread, and we included one recipe each to represent Green Bay and Pittsburgh. And while each recipe serves 4-6, that will vary based on how hungry everyone is, and also what else there is to eat at the party.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Ingredients:
1 bag sturdy tortilla chips (or 3-4 cups)
3-4 chicken breast halves, trimmed of visible fat
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper
1 cup Buffalo chicken hot sauce (Frank’s is always a good choice)
½ cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped celery
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
¼ cup pickled jalapeno peppers

Directions:
Spread chips in a large baking dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mist a large nonstick grill pan or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, sprinkle some salt and pepper over chicken, and grill for 4-5 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the center. Let rest on a plate for a few minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Place chicken pieces in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, and add hot sauce. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, then pour chicken/sauce mixture over nachos. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients, and bake for 5 minutes or until blue cheese is melted and chips just begin to brown. Serve immediately, and be ready to make more.

Brat and Wisconsin Cheddar Mini Pizzas (Green Bay)

Ingredients:
2 small ready-made pizza crusts (such as Mama Mary’s)
Olive oil
1 small green pepper, diced
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 pre-cooked bratwurst (Johnsonville beer brats are awesome), sliced
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (Wisconsin cheese is really good, but any kind of good cheddar will do for this pizza)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Brush pizza crusts with a bit of olive oil and set aside. Heat about 2 teaspoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, and fry pepper, onion and brat slices for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Sprinkle pizza crusts evenly with cheese, then spread brat mixture over the top. Bake for about 7-8 minutes, or until the edges of the pizza begin to brown. Cut into slices or bite-size pieces and serve.

Deep-Fried Pierogies (Pittsburgh)

Ingredients:
1 box frozen mini potato and cheese pierogies (Mrs. T’s are always good)
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions:
Heat about two inches of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat (or use a deep-fryer if you have one and prefer that) until you can feel the warmth easily when placing your hand about an inch away from the oil, or until a safe cooking thermometer shows the oil to be about 350 degrees. Remove pan from heat briefly, and very carefully lower about 10-12 frozen pierogies into the oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or just as they begin to brown, and then remove with a slotted metal spoon or spatula to a paper-towel lined bowl. Repeat process for as many batches of pierogies as you need, making sure the oil rises to cooking temperature before adding pierogies each time. Serve with ketchup for dipping on the side.

Apple-Bacon Brownies

Ingredients
1 box Brownie mix (with or without walnuts)
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup water
1 small apple, peeled and diced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons applesauce

Directions:
Prepare brownies according to package directions (you usually have to add egg, oil and water), adding apple, bacon, and applesauce. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 15-20 minutes and then slice brownies into small squares to serve.

Here is last year’s Super Bowl spread post, and the second in a series of three. That’s because next week we will unveil a new Super Bowl spread on Grub For Guys.

Buffalo Turkey Meatballs, Steak Bites, Olive Poppers, Smoky Chipotle Dip, and Fiery Snack Mix

Hey guys….last year, we introduced you to some dude-friendly Super Bowl eats that you could pile on your plate before settling in for kickoff. This year, we took that concept a bit further, but without making things any more difficult than need be. Because really, you’ve got all that pre-game stuff to watch, and you have to drink a few beers to prime your gut for the barrage of awesome food that will ensue. Well, that’s just a suggestion. Meanwhile, here is what we came up with for Super Bowl 2010. All recipes serve four, so multiply them accordingly…….

Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
You know, I think I have published more than a few recipes that feature Buffalo chicken sauce. That’s because for guys, that spicy, tangy, peppery awesomeness stimulates our salivary glands like a Victoria’s Secret model. Well, here’s a way to get that wing sauce flavor without the mess of chicken bones.

Ingredients
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3-4 baby carrot sticks, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Ground turkey
1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Buffalo chicken sauce (we like Buffalo Wild Wings medium sauce), and more for dipping
2 oz. crumbled blue cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat and then add celery and carrots. Sautee for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Allow to cool slightly, then place in a bowl with turkey, egg, wing sauce, blue cheese, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into 1-inch meatballs. Re-heat skillet, which should have some remnants of olive oil left, and add half of the meatballs, browning on all sides. Put meatballs on a plate and add second batch, browning them on all sides. Then put reserve meatballs back in skillet and place in oven. Bake for 10-12 more minutes, or until cooked through. Heat about a cup of wing sauce in a small saucepan and serve meatballs with a few spoonfuls of sauce on top.

Steak Bites
This one is super easy, and on Super Bowl Sunday, you need easy!

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