Super Bowl Sunday

While the Bears are on the sidelines for this one, the Super Bowl is still a great celebration of the sport of football. With that in mind, let's get this party started. On the menu tonight is the ultimate Texas-style football snack food: Chili, Chips and Salsa.

My chili is a thick, creamy treat. The level of spiciness can be easily adjusted for the audience. The "recipe" is not a constant. I believe chili is best when it's a creative experience driven by mood, music and what's in the pantry. With that disclaimer, here's the basic recipe:

Ingredients:

1 LB Ground Meat

2 Cans of Chili Beans of various degrees of spiciness

1 Can of Campbells Tomato Soup

Cilantro, cleaned and chopped

1 onion, chopped

Cumin, Chili Power, Garlic Powder, Ancho Chili Powder, Black Pepper, Red Pepper and Creole Seasoning - To taste

At least 1/4 Cup of Mike Ditka's Hall of Fame Salsa

Directions:

1. Brown the meat and onions, Drain

2. Add in Cilantro and brown for about 2 minutes

3. Add seasonings and Salsa and brown for another minute or two

4. Add Soup and Beans, Simmer

5. Adjust Seasonings

6. Enjoy!

The Packers Stand Between Bears and Super Bowl

Okay fans. We have one week to determine the winning recipe to beat the Packers and head for the Super Bowl. My Cheesehead Chowder has a sad 50/50 winning percentage and that won't do for the playoffs. I wondered if smoked cheese - building on today's win - would be a good base ingredient. Perhaps I should add some sort of sausage? It was time to do some research. Here's what I've found so far.

• Sausage Cheese Balls (Need I say more?)
• Smoked Gouda Chive Spread
• Smoked Cheddar Crispy Rice Balls

Apparently I'm building on a theme here. What suggestions do you have? Go Bears - Beat those Packers!