Super Bowl Chili

By Andrew Hunter

Food and sports have a lot in common. They bring people together, encourage bonding and provide fodder for fun conversation. So what better way to spend an afternoon with friends than over a Super Bowl of chili and a great ballgame?

As the Patriots and the Giants take center stage this Sunday, we’re gearing up for the big game with a celebration of kids, food and banter. They may only be eight and six, but Ben and Nick are already die-hard fans. The only thing that could make this Sunday better is if the Lions were playing the Cowboys!

Chili is almost as traditional to the Super Bowl as a great bowl of guacamole. I personally like serving chili to a group of people, because I can offer a tasty base and then a smorgasbord of toppings so each person can customize to their own.

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My L.A.

By Andrew Hunter

Five years ago we packed our bags and moved from San Francisco to L.A. completely unaware of the vast difference between Northern and Southern California. We replaced fog with smog, foghorns with police helicopters, and sourdough bread with taco stands. At first these differences were intolerable, but I must confess I’ve grown quite fond of this sprawling city. It’s now my L.A.

The restaurants in San Francisco tend to be more formal affairs where kids are less welcome. Since we eat out often, but rarely without the boys, the “everyone’s welcome” attitude of the southland better fits our lifestyle. Even at Spago, arguably L.A.’s finest, Wolfgang is glad to see kids of all ages dining at his tables. The boys love the Weiner Schnitzel, but more often crave old school hard-shell tacos.

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Halloween Spaghetti Casserole

By Marilyn Hunter

I don’t know about your house on Halloween night, but ours is hectic, especially this year with it falling on a Monday! This means by the time we get home from school, changed into costumes, go through the usual hysterics of two excited boys, then settle down for photographs before venturing into the jack o’ lantern-lit streets, there’s no time for preparing dinner. So I dug out a tried-and-true baked spaghetti casserole recipe that can be made on either Saturday or Sunday and then pulled from the fridge and reheated about an hour before serving.

It’s funny how memories work, but Andrew’s cousin Chipper sent him an email a few days ago asking if he remembered how Gramma Hunter used to make her baked spaghetti casserole. While this recipe isn’t hers, it is in her spirit that we offer this version to you. Gramma Hunter loved all holidays, mostly because the whole family would come to her house for food and fun.

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Make an Easy, One-Skillet Meal

By David Hu

Here’s a recipe that’s especially welcome on nights when you just don’t feel like cooking. Meat, veggies and rice come together in one skillet, so dinner is an efficient, one-dish meal. You do have to cook some rice first, however, but if you have a rice cooker, it’s a simple matter to measure out the rice and water in the pot, turn it on and come back to it when the rice is done.

Ground beef or lamb, green pepper and eggplant are an especially delicious combination of Mediterranean flavors. Quick, easy and hearty, this is a great dish for a brisk fall day.

To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.

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Meatloaf – Because it’s Cold Outside!

By Sandy Hu

Some said that meteorologists, by just uttering such an outrageous prediction, would jinx the possibility. Maybe so, because it didn’t snow in my San Francisco neighborhood this Saturday. While we are disappointed that we didn’t witness an historic weather event, we are still feeling cold – for us, that is. And we, too, like the rest of this winter-weary country, are craving comfort foods.

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