Game Day Chili

Never in my life have I cared about football. Growing up, my best friend's family watched football every Sunday. It was practically their religion. And if I slept over on a Saturday night, the rule was, I had to watch it too. Her Dad, an excellent cook, made the best game day food. I would suffer through watching a game just so I could eat his sausage and peppers on any given Sunday. If I close my eyes, I can still smell them and feel the grease on my fingers.

My family was never big on sports. At least, not watching them. We played a few, not very well, but we tried our best. Seven people under the same roof and not one of us had a particular sports team we rooted for or against. We all agreed the Yankees and Patriots sucked but failed to have the grounds to back it up. Recently, I heard a football game coming from the T.V. in our family room and went to investigate the scene. And there I found my father on the couch, asleep with the remote in his hand.

But nevertheless, we watched the Super Bowl every year. My mom would make Tamale Pie, which is essentially chili with cornbread on top. Instead of eating dinner at the kitchen table, like we did every night, we got to watch it in front of the tv. This alone made the night feel special.

When I got a little older, I would make guacamole, following the recipe from Klutz's Magic Spoon Cookbook. We would open a jar of mild salsa because that's who we are, and pour a massive bag of tortilla chips into a metal bowl to eat during the first quarter. Back then, when we still had a pull-out couch, we would crowd our bodies onto the squeaky mattress to watch "The Game" or, more likely, the commercials.

I have watched the Super Bowl every single year for as long as I can remember, except one. In my freshman year of college, we did not have cable in our dorm room. We were too cool to pretend to care, but as the sunset and the game kicked off, we headed to the store on campus to buy chips and guacamole. The guacamole sucked. So we unwrapped chocolate bars and ate them on my extra-long twin, my laptop between us playing an episode of Bob's Burgers, checking the score on our phones.

In recent years, my friends have hosted parties. Using the game as an excuse to eat and drink in the company of people we love. I brought spinach dip in a Tupperware container in a lunchbox and a crusty loaf of bread. Held them on my lap on the MetroNorth. When I arrived, I struggled to find a place for them on the snack table full of carefully made dips and spreads. My sweet friends passed around mismatched plates and bowls while the game played in the background. I have no idea who won, but that is, without a doubt, one of my favorite memories of 2020. 

This year is my first time spending Super Bowl Sunday alone. Even still, I bought all the ingredients to make chili. And if it wasn't snowing, I would go back out to buy the ingredients for cornbread too. I will still watch (part of) The Game. Rooting against Tom Brady because that's what feels right. And make myself a cocktail because as hard as I try, I can not get myself to like beer.

However you are spending this Sunday, I encourage you to make yourself a bowl of any food that brings you comfort. For me, it is this chili recipe that tastes nothing like my mom's Tamale Pie. But it has sweet potatoes, which I love. 

Game Day Chili

oil
3 cloves of garlic
Half an onion I had in the back of the fridge
2 carrots
1 sweet potato
1 green pepper (because they are cheaper than red)
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cans of whatever beans you like best, drained (I like black beans & kidney beans)
1 can of corn, drained  (it's cheaper than frozen)
1 can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
1 28oz can of whatever tomatoes you like best (I used crushed)
water or vegetable broth

Prep your veggies. Mince your garlic, and chop carrots, sweet potato, and pepper. Put them all in a large pot, with whatever oil you like, over medium heat. Let them get a little tender. Then add your spices. If you don't have all of them, that's okay; neither do I. You're going to toast them until they smell really good, like 30 seconds.

Now add everything else. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce to low and let the chili simmer for 40 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender and the consistency feels right. Stir occasionally, and if it gets a little too dry, add water or vegetable broth a 1/4 cup at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I serve mine in a bowl with greek yogurt and dairy-free cheddar because I'm an absolute freak. Enjoy!