While the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts battle it out this Sunday for Super Bowl supremacy, there’s going to be another face-off, right there in your living room: food vs. football. On the couch is Team Beer, Buds, and Ball—pumped and destined to win. But there are going to be times when you’ll be blindsided by that platter of just-off-the-griddle burgers or the steamy plate of superb, old-fashioned buffalo wings as they whisper, “Hey, dude, over here. Look at me, pay attention to me. You can TiVo the game or set the DVR, but there will never be a time when I am more succulent, more seductive, more sexy than I am right now.” And you know your fanatical, football-loving soul will force you to pause and look, tempted by the aroma, pulled by the anticipation of the pure flavors of just-cooked food. And even as you reach out to take a handful of chile peanuts, never taking your gaze from the TV, they’ll whisper so close to your ear you’ll feel their spice-filled breath, “We won. We’re the true victor today.”

Recipes
Deviled Eggs by Ellie Krieger
Red-Eye Chili by Rick Rodgers
Southwest Chile Cheese Fondue by Peggy Fallon
Mini-Cheeseburgers With Waffled White Bread by by Rebecca Bent
Chile Peanuts by by Roberto Santibañez
Classic Buffalo Wings by by Christopher B. O’Harafrom