Kick-Off Recipes for Super Bowl

Are you ready for some football? Football recipes I hope. Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner and everyone knows you have to have some great snacks to go along with the big game. This Super Bowl features two high powered offensive teams in The Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees will be looking to lead the Saints to their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history while Peyton Manning is looking to expand his Super Bowl ring collection after his first in 2007. This match up is sure to be one for the record books.

With such an exciting game in the works, I have put together some equally impressive Super Bowl recipes to make your party a success. Nothing says football more than chicken wings, right? Well, I have a great recipe for some wings that are not the traditional, but will certainly bring a new excitement to your cooking game. Next is a little something to gas up your tank with a jalapeno three bean chili. These recipes may bring a little heat, but they will definitely pair perfectly with an ice cold brew.

If you're not up for doing these on your own, I have a Super Bowl Necessities Menu for take-out orders on Sunday. It includes quart, half and full trays of Super Bowl favorites like fresh Guacamole and chips, beef or chicken Nachos and beef or chicken Taquitos. Check out the complete menu at http://www.thesalsagrill.com/news.html or call the restaurant for details, 562-942-7072. I hope you all enjoy the game and make sure to have a cold one for me. Cheers!

Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings
Ingredients: 3 pounds of chicken wings, salt & pepper to taste, ¼ cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of chile powder, ¼ cup of seasoned rice vinegar.
For the sauce: 2 Mangos, 2 cups of orange juice, 6 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, ¼ cup of seasoned rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of honey.
Method of Preparation:
1. Toss the chicken wings with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chile powder.
2. Cover and refrigerate while you make the sauce. You can marinate a day ahead if you like.
3. In a 350-degree oven, cook the wings until done crisp cooked through approx 15 minutes.
4. For the sauce, peel and rough chop the mangos.
5. In a blender, blend mangos, chipotles, orange juice and rice vinegar until smooth.
6. In a saucepot, heat the blended sauce and bring to a simmer. Add honey and finish with melting in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove wings from oven and put in a large mixing bowl. Toss with the mango sauce and serve.
8. Serve with traditional carrot sticks, celery sticks and ranch or bleu cheese dipping sauce.

Jalapeno Chile Beans
Ingredients: ½ yellow onion (diced), ½ green bell pepper (diced), 2 garlic (chopped), ½ red bell pepper (diced), 4 jalapenos (diced), 1 pound of ground beef, ½ pound of Italian sausage (casing removed), ½ pound of chorizo, 1 quart of chicken broth, 2 cups of diced tomatoes in juice, ¼ cup of tomato paste, 1 cup of pinto beans, 1 cup of black beans, 1 cup of kidney beans, ¼ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of chile powder, ½ bottled beer, 1 tablespoon of cumin powder, 1 tablespoon oregano, 2 bay leaves, salt & pepper to taste
Method of Preparation:
1. Saute Beef, Chorizo, Sausage, Onion, garlic and peppers until meat is cooked.
2. Strain off any excess fat.
3. Add beer, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chile powder, cumin powder, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Add Beans and bring back to a simmer.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Check consistency. Add more chicken broth.