White: Super Bowl eats

This will be brief. As we all know, the Super Bowl is Feb. 5. (I've begun to call it the Sloppy Bowl, since neither the Patriots nor the Giants looked terrific in semi-finals almost two weeks ago.) But these are my Patriots, and my second favorite team, of course, is the Giants.

So here are two incredible recipes for Super Sunday. And because Connecticut is pretty much split down the middle (Red Sox or Yankees? Patriots or Giants?), may the best team win.

Gumbo

From Linnea Rufo of the Bee & Thistle

4 tablespoons peanut (or any vegetable) oil

4 tablespoons flour

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

6 cups chicken stock (unsalted or nonfat stock from can or carton)

4 ribs celery

1 large onion, chopped

1 green sweet bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can whole tomatoes (14 ½ ounces)

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 teaspoon basil leaves

3 whole bay leaves

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1 teaspoon salt

One-quarter teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 to 4 cups cooked long-grain rice

1 pound andouille sausage

Heat a large black frying pan and add the oil and flour. Stir over medium heat until the mixture becomes a peanut-butter-colored roux. Add chicken and stock. Add celery, onion, green pepper, garlic and tomatoes and cook, stirring all the time, until almost tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the sausage and the rice and simmer a few minutes until thickened. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Add sausage and cook for additional 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

Cheeseburger Pie

From Val Chatis

Yield: serves 10 to 14

Have one 9-by-14-inch Pyrex baking dish, or two smaller ones

2 pounds ground beef

2 bottles of Ortega taco sauce

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup cottage cheese

2 8-ounce packages of taco-blend cheese (in refrigerated-dairy case)

couple of big bags of scoop-shaped tortilla chips

In a large skillet, saute ground beef, breaking down large chunks, until browned. Drain fat and add taco sauce. Mix together and set aside, off the heat.

In a bowl, cream together cream and cottage cheese. Spread mixture into the Pyrex dish. Add ground-beef mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, or until dish is hot throughout.

(This can be made the day before or morning of party. Make entire dish, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate. Add some extra time in the oven unless you bring it up to room temperature.)

Nibbles

I just found out that I will be watching Super Bowl with friends who live in Deep River. I have asked if I can bring food. The last time this couple hosted the Patriots and the Giants it was a victory for the Giants. Hopefully, this time it will be the Patriots who win. And the food will be terrific.

I know what I will be eating the next day and the days after: salad at least one meal each day. I am making bits of steak and chicken to top my at-home salads, but I know I will be getting lots of salad from Pizza Works in Old Saybrook. This restaurant makes, in addition to pizza and pasta, the Blacksmith Salad. Made to order, the salad consists of lots of romaine, chunks of tomato, onion, mushrooms, freshly grated Parmesan and washed with a superb balsamic dressing. They even throw in freshly baked bread topped with fresh rosemary. See if you don't agree.

Pizza Works

455 Boston Post Road (next to the train station)

Old Saybrook, CT

860-388-2218