Recipes to Help You Score a Food Touchdown.

Allison gets ready to score a touchdown with these recipe winnersSoon, millions of people will gather for parties to watch the Super Bowl, and although the game is the primary focus, food is the key ingredient to a Super Bowl party touchdown! That's why in this episode of Blue Ribbon Hunter we are revealing our insider's kitchen playbook to bring you our top tailgate party food recipes for the big game. Included below are recipes for an award-winning chili that will knock your socks off, a warm and gooey cheese dip that made the fans go wild, and a delicious spin on the king of all game-time foods - the Buffalo wing. May the best team (...or dish) win!

Haught Dawg Chili By Mark Haught

Cooking Time: 3 hours
Prep Time: 2 hours
Yield: 16 cups chili

Step 1 3 tablespoons California chili powder*
3 tablespoons New Mexico chili powder*
1 tablespoon Ancho chili powder*
1 cup hot water
1 cup hot beef broth
3 serrano chilies minced with seeds
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium sweet onion, minced

1. Combine all Step 1 ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a large pot and put pot over low heat while you proceed with Step 2.

Step 2 3 tablespoons olive oil
4 pounds trimmed tri tip beef, cubed in ¼-inch squares
½ pound hot breakfast sausage shaped into a patty

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add beef to skillet, and cook until gray (not brown). Drain and rinse the beef, and add it to the chili pot. Allow the chili to come to a slow simmer, and add the breakfast sausage. Simmer very slowly for 1½ hours.

Step 3 ½ cup hot beef broth
1 tablespoon California chili powder*
1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder*
1 tablespoon cayenne chili powder*
3 tablespoons ground cumin*
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup tomato sauce

3. Combine all Step 3 ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Remove the breakfast sausage from the chili pot, and add the step three blended ingredients to the chili pot.

4. Allow the chili to return to a very slow simmer and simmer uncovered for approximately one hour. The cooking time will vary depending on outdoor temperatures and altitude. The intent is to ensure the meat is cooked to the desired texture and the sauce is at the desired consistency. You may need to add water.

Step 4 1 tablespoon table salt
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon cayenne chili powder*
½ teaspoon Ancho chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder

5. Add the step 4 ingredients ½ hour before turning your chili in to the Judges. Adjust for salt as necessary prior to turning in to the Judges.

* * Mark's note: The various chili powders may be purchased from many local grocery stores. However, you will find that many of the common brad name chile powders have other spices mixed with them. I do not recommend them for competition cooking. A couple of good sources for spices can be ordered through the All Things Chili or Pendery's Spices web sites. 
Beginner's Luck Cheese Dip Makes about 2 1/2 cups cheese dip
1 pound Velveeta
1 can original Rotel, partially drained
1/3 cup cooked, roughly chopped bacon
1/3 cup sliced green onions (green parts only)
1 shot (two tablespoons) Octoberfest beer, or to desired texture
Directions:
1. Cut Velveeta into one-inch chunks; combine cheese, tomatoes, and bacon in pot on top of stove over medium-low heat or in a crock pot and cook on high until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. This should take 2-3 minutes in a saucepan, 5-8 minutes in a crock pot.
2. Just before serving, stir in the green onions and the beer. Serve with your favorite corn chips or crackers.


Blue Ribbon Hunter Buffalo Wings 1/3 cup mango nectar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
3 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup scallion greens
1 pound pre-cooked chicken wings

1. Place a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add mango nectar to skillet and reduce until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add butter to skillet and cook until melted. Add hot sauce to skillet and whisk to create one cohesive sauce, about 2 minutes.
2. Add molasses to skillet, whisk together and cook until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Add scallion greens and pre-cooked chicken wings to sauce. Simmer wings in the sauce, turning wings until they are well coated, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.