Entertaining... and Eating... Your Way through Football Season

Temperatures skyrocketed to a blistering 111 degrees today in the Valley. Yet, while the crystal clear blue skies & feverish temperatures indicated it is still very much summer - the Sunday NFL lineup told us it is time for fall. For a few weeks now we've been fighting off the heat and running to the local sports bar for Bloody Mary brunches and NFL Sunday Ticket or hunkering down in the comfort of home with a Sunday football feast.

I love football season and thereby fall for that very reason: food. I may not be the best football fan (love the uniforms more than the game), but I know it is a great opportunity to cook up a delicious meal and be social. From my perspective, there is something about a lazy Sunday spent with friends and family dressed in football fan gear and hanging out on the family room sofas that feels... well, like home. So whether you were watching the Cardinals take on the Atlanta Falcons, the Manning brothers battle it out for glory, or are planning to tune in to watch Kurt Warner make the step from football field to ballroom dance floor on Dancing with the Stars, it all deserves an appropriately themed football menu.

This is one of my favorite recipes to serve during football season. Literally. Once a team has staked their claim on this season's Super Bowl rings, this recipe gets filed away. It can easily be adapted to serve in large or small quantities, cooked quickly and easily in a pot on the stove, or simmered to perfection throughout the day in a slow cooker. I promise your guests will be impressed and your Sunday tummy full & happy. Enjoy!

This recipe originally came from allrecipes.com (one of my biggest go-to sources for great menu strategies):

Easy Chicken Chili, serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1.5 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (15.5 ounce) cans Great Northern Beans
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 prepared rotisserie chicken, bones & skin removed, meat torn into bite-size pieces
NOTE: the following seasonings have been cut in half from original recipe, suggested use half
1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (ground red pepper)
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream - NOTE: can also use light or fat-free sour cream, recommend purchase 16 ounce container as additional sour cream may be needed to achieve desired consistency
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese - NOTE: add shredded cheddar for a nice blend

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, Great Northern Beans, green chiles and torn chicken. Season with cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
2. Stir in sour cream and simmer for 5 additional minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese.

* Recipe can also be done using a slow cooker. Combine all ingredients, except sour cream, in slow cooker and set to low for 6-8 hours. Stir periodically. Add sour cream and cook for additional 20-30 minutes. Additional sour cream may need to be added to achieve desired consistency.
Kate Sepe joins Let's Party Magazine.com as the Event Trends Blogger with a background in nonprofit event planning and management. Kate is currently a Special Events Manager with the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona. Kate is a board member with the International Special Events Society (ISES) of Arizona. She expresses a true love and passion for the event industry and is thankful for the opportunity to share unique ideas and popular trends with readers.