Super Bowl Sunday dip and chili recipes

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Jan. 30, 2015 11:15 AM PT

Theoretically, you can serve almost anything on Super Bowl Sunday. We once even ran a story proposing a game-day wine tasting with selected charcuterie. But let’s face it, that’s probably not going to happen at our houses.

What you really need for Super Bowl Sunday is two great dishes: a dip and a chili. Stock a bucket full of chips and make sure there are sweets for afterward, and you’ve got all you need for an afternoon of football.

We’ve got tons of dips and chilis in our California Cookbook, but here are two favorites. The spinach-bacon dip updates an old favorite just enough to seem fresh, but it’s still just as cheesy as ever. And the turkey chili from Gelson’s grocery store is one of our most downloaded recipes.

The menu might be as traditional as the single-wing, but it will still get the job done.

Recipe: Gelson’s turkey chili

Serves 8

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 pound ground turkey

1 small bay leaf

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes in purée

1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, not drained

1 1/2 cups tomato puree

1 cup chicken broth, more as needed

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in the turkey and cook until the turkey is browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Stir in the bay leaf, chili powder, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes to marry the flavors. Stir in the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato purée and 1 cup chicken broth. Add the vinegar and Tabasco sauce. Cover loosely and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

3. Continue to cook for 30 to 40 minutes to develop the flavors, adjusting the consistency of the chili if needed with additional broth. Taste, adjusting the spices and seasonings if desired. Remove from heat and chill if not using immediately; reheat before serving. The flavors will continue to develop and mature as the chili sits. This makes about 2 quarts chili, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week.

EACH SERVING

Calories 194

Protein 16 grams

Carbohydrates 19 grams

Fiber 6 grams

Fat 7 grams

Saturated fat 2 grams

Cholesterol 39 mg

Sugar 6 grams

Sodium 1,158 mg

NOTE: Adapted from Gelson’s Markets. For more heat, add a touch of cayenne pepper with the spices in Step 2.

Recipe: Spinach-bacon dip