The Super Bowl: An American Pastime

The Super Bowl is so much more than an American pastime and tradition.  It's American Culture at it's core.  I like to celebrate it every year, making my favorite American dishes.  I'm of Italian and Spanish descent and cooking is a part of who I am, ingrained in me through family tradition.  I love to express myself through the art of creating delicious food I can share with my loved ones.  

In years past I've made wings, chili and ribs. Some important takeaways have been: When you smell it, it's done.  Big flavor is important; heck, it's imperative.  Garlic and onions (&/or shallots/leeks/scallions) are the important beginning of every dish.  Go big, or go home.  

This year I made Meatloaf with caramelized onions.  To me, meatloaf is the epitome of classic American comfort food.  It's like a juicy hamburger, but with A LOT more flavor.  I like to mix it up and make it different every time.  This year I used barbeque sauce, mustard, ketchup, cinnamon, ground ginger and a bit of curry.  The cinnamon & curry really rounded out and added an unexpected depth of flavor.  I topped it with caramelized onions and freshly chopped chives.  The caramelized onions added a sweet and savory component and the fresh chives "woke up" the flavor of the dish.  I love adding caramelized onions to so many dishes because it adds great texture.  It's such a treat, dresses up any dish and makes it look and feel complete.

All I can say is: Oh, baby.

God Bless America!  :)