If you’re wondering why football is so popular, I’ll tell you. It’s modern day gladiator shit; money, mentors, drama, meteoric rises in fame, agony, ecstasy, coliseums, hometown pride (with slight variations on the to-the-death part) and the Seahawks are about to take it all down. Let’s soak in the gluttonous glory before our empire falls. How? Besides the obvious, with serious snackage. But first, a little background…
Against many odds (namely, nary a female relative or friend who liked football) I became a fan. It was during Faith Hill’s administration, and she will always be the one true singer of the “Sunday Night Football” song IMHO (no offense Carrie, but you’re missing a certain je ne sais quoi. Go have a kid or something.) This later-in-life development could be traced back to the scores of hours I logged breast-feeding babies in front of a game; I had twins in August ’07. As a captive audience member, there was nothing to do but learn the (admittedly extensive) rules, which made me like it. I soon became enthralled by the regular strategic surprises, coupled with what these gladi-players do with their bodies (which makes it more exciting than say, baseball). At the time I didn’t think much of it (probably because “thinking” was the height of luxury back then) but synthesizing horse-portion quantities of food into 10-times-daily nutritious, life-sustaining milkshakes for two infants may have led me to feel a certain kinship with these warrior athletes. That 67 yard punt return? That one-handed grab between two defenders?? That flip into the end zone??? Do what you gotta do, boys. My body can do really dope shit too, while I watch you from this couch.
Games are a legit excuse to make all manner of party food, this recipe being the most healthy (fresh veggies?) easy (no cooking?) and requested (no brainer) by my family in that category.
Game-Changer Eight Layer Dip (appetizer for 8-10 or dinner for 2)
Ingredients:
- one 15 oz can refried black beans
- 8-16 oz sour cream
- two cups shredded cheese blend
- 3-4 ripe (Kumato are great) tomatoes, coarsely diced
- one or two ripe avocados, pitted and flesh coarsely diced
- one 4 oz can sliced black olives, drained
- 2-3 green onions, white and pale green parts thinly sliced crosswise
- one bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped
- one lime
- one bag stone-ground yellow corn tortilla chips