A big-screen TV, killer sound system and a recliner aren’t all it takes to make Feb. 5 an incredible day. What’s Super Bowl Sunday without the food?

As EO staff members have participated in a count down until the big day – made even more dramatic knowing the Seahawks will be on center stage – we’ve been in the mood to party. And, of course, what’s a party without good grub?

Apparently, the main food group on the pyramid for Super Sunday is dip, and we’ve got dips in abundance.

In addition, you’ll find sugar and spice and everything awesome. Pick your favorites, stop at the store and get ready for praise. You’ll be the host with the most.

Immaculate Reception Buffalo Wing Perfection

Sick and tired of all the bones and fat that accompany traditional hot wings? This variation turns a darned good idea into perfection.

12 chicken tenders

2 cups Krusteaz Coating Mix

2 eggs

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 jar Hooters wing sauce

1 jar Marie’s Super Blue Cheese

celery

Crack eggs into mixing bowl and blend with fork. Place Krusteaz into another mixing bowl. Cut chicken into large, bite-size pieces. Put chicken into egg and coat.

Pull chicken from egg and cover with coating mix.

Transfer chicken to a large plate. When all chicken is coated, place plate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Do not cover. Preheat olive oil in a saute pan. Carefully transfer chicken to hot oil. Rotate chicken pieces as they brown. Pour Hooters sauce into a saucepan to heat. When chicken is thoroughly cooked (about 7 minutes or 180 degrees) add chicken to Hooters sauce and simmer. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place on serving platter.

Put Marie’s Super Blue Cheese – no other brand compliments the “wings” nearly as well in terms of taste or consistency – and the remaining sauce in small serving bowls and place on platter. Add celery pieces as desired.

Lance “Pigskin Picker Champ” Ogden

Shaun Alexander’s M-V-Peanut Butter Pie

2 3-oz. packages of cream cheese

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 tub Cool Whip

1 graham cracker or chocolate crust

chocolate syrup

Let cream cheese soften. Blend cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar and regular sugar in mixer. Fold in entire tub of Cool Whip. Scrape into crust and top with chocolate syrup (in a criss-cross pattern). Freeze to desired consistency.

Dave “Don’t Call Him Bob” Sager

Super Bowl of Nibbles

8 cubes of Nucco margarine

11/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce

4 Tbs. curry powder

7 Tbs. chili powder

7 Tbs. garlic powder

Rice-, Corn- and Wheat Chex, Crispix, Cheerios, pretzels and peanuts

Melt margarine. Mix in sauce and powders and bring to slow rolling boil for two minutes.

Put 1/3 of the cereals, pretzels and peanuts in a roasting pan. Using a turkey baster, evenly apply 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat twice. Bake three hours at 250 degrees. Every 30 minutes, transfer mix into another roasting pan to mix the ingredients. Do not stir.

“Dandy” Don Cresswell

Punt, Pass and Kickin’ Pepper Dip

3 red bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 cup cream cheese or curd cheese

1 or 2 tsp. cayenne pepper (how spicy do you want it?)

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

salt to taste

Preheat the broiler. Put the pepper halves, skin side up, on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 10-15 minutes or until the skins begin to blister. Using tongs, put the pepper halves into a plastic bag and tie the top. Set aside until peppers are cool enough to handle.

Remove peppers from bag and peel away the skins. Coarsely chop the pepper flesh and place in food processor. Process to a smooth puree. Scrape into serving bowl.

Stir in cream or curd cheese until smooth. Stir in seasonings. Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve with mushrooms, cucumbers, tomato slices, celery, broccoli and cauliflower.

Casey “Super Bowl Goddess” White

Two-Minute Warning Dip

1 can Nalley’s chili

1 jar Tostito’s cheese dip

3 heaping spoonfuls of sour cream

Tostito’s chips

Heat the chili and cheese in a saucepan. Put in bowl, stir in sour cream, and serve with chips.

Wendy “Cheese Whiz” Preston

First and 10-Layer Dip

Refried beans

Sour cream

Guacamole

Salsa

Shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped green onions

Chopped tomatoes

Sliced olives

Chopped avocado

Chips

Layer the first nine ingredients in a cake pan. Use the 10th ingredient, the chips of your choice, to dig in and enjoy.

Dawndi “Too Tall” Johnson

Second and Seven-Layer Dip

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 large can refried beans

4 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

8 ounces sour cream

1 cup guacamole

1 cup salsa

1 (6-oz.) can black olives, chopped

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Brown ground beef. Drain and cool. Spread the beans in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch dish. Sprinkle two cups of cheese on top of beans, layer beef on top of cheese. Spread sour cream on top of beef, then guacamole on top of sour cream. Pour salsa over guacamole and spread. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese. Top with black olives, tomatoes and green onions.

Fine either served immediately or refrigerated overnight and served cold.

Kathy “Pass the Chips” Aney

Action Shot Crab and Cheese Dip

2 cups crab meat

5 Tbs. butter

1/3 cup flour, rounded

1/2 cup whipping cream

6 Tbs. sour cream

Milk

4 Tbs. sherry

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Loaf of sourdough bread

Melt butter add flour to make paste, add whipping cream. Stir in milk until thick. Add sharp cheese, sherry, sour cream and parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until hot and thickened. Add milk as needed for consistency.

Add crab meat to mixture, heat through and place in fondue pot, top with extra grated parmesan and sprinkle with paprika. Tear bread into bite-sized pieces. Dip and enjoy.

“Dandy” Don Cresswell

Creamed and Smothered Tailback

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 8-oz. jar cocktail sauce

1/2 pound cocktail shrimp

Favorite crackers or chips.

Place softened cream cheese on a platter and smooth the edges to shape like 1/2 of a football. Pour the cocktail sauce over the top and then place the shrimp on top of that.

Surround it with crackers or chips (or both) and enjoy.

Maggy “Better Half” Brickey

Coin-Toss Cranberry Meatballs and Sausage

1 egg, beaten

1 small onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1 Tbs. dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp. sage

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1 16-oz. can jellied cranberry sauce

3 Tbs. cider vinegar

2 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. prepared mustard

1 1-pound package miniature smoked sausage links

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble bulk sausage over the mixture and mix well. Shape into one-inch balls. In a large skillet, cook meatballs over medium heat until browned. Drain.

In a large saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and mustard. Cook and stir over medium heat until cranberry sauce is melted. Add the meatballs and sausage links.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink and sauce is slightly thickened. Serves 14-16.

Diana “Bottom Line” Porter

Referee Slip Spinach Dip

1 10-oz. package of baby spinach, chopped or same size of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 16-oz. container sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup mix

1 8-oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

3 green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill about two hours. Serve in a bread bowl with chunks of bread, or with whatever you like to use as a vehicle for your dips.

Yolanda “Head Coach” Lennon

Hail Mary Nachos

3 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large can Manwich

1 large brick Velveeta cheese

1 or 2 cans sliced olives

1 large tomato, chopped

1 or 2 avocados, cubed or guacamole

sour cream

lettuce (optional – why ruin a good thing with health food?)

favorite chips (the chef prefers Frito’s)

Brown hamburger and onion together and drain off fat. Add Manwich. Melt the Velveeta in a bowl with a little milk, stirring during commercials. Set it out buffet style and let everyone build their own.

Dawndi “Too Tall” Johnson

Matt Hasselfree Cheese Dip

2 cubes of Velveeta cheese (one package consists of two cubes)

2 cans of Ro*Tel Chilies

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the cheese in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Once cheese is melted, add the chilies and mix thoroughly.

Serve hot with tortilla chips and enjoy the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory.

Emily “Wazzu Woman” Hansell

Holmgren Hot Chicken Pieces

2 pounds chicken wings or legs

2 boxes barbecue or spicy Shake and Bake

2 cups Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

1/2 cup hot mustard

Ranch dressing

Mix chicken with Shake and Bake the night before. Put in a baking dish, cover with tin foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, put the chicken in the oven and cook at 250-degrees for about 11/2 hours. Remove chicken from oven. Mix the hot sauce with mustard and pour over the chicken. Bake an additional 11/2 hours at 250-degrees, covered with foil. Uncover and cook until desired texture is reached.

Shannon “Grizzly Buck” Denton

Seattle’s Sackin’ Caesar Chicken Subs

2 packages of sub sandwich buns (eight to a package)

2 bags of pre-cooked Tyson chicken strips

2 bags of Caesar bagged salad (do not use croutons)

1 bag of Parmesan shredded cheese

Bottle of Caesar dressing

Warm up chicken. Feel free to cut larger pieces to the size you desire. Mix Caesar salad with chicken and cheese. Put one scoop of chicken and greens on each bun, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with cheese.

Shannon “Grizzly Buck” Denton

Instant Replay Chili

boneless skinless chicken breasts

your favorite brand of green chili salsa

fat free chicken broth

corn starch

garlic, salt, black or white pepper to taste.

Dice and brown chicken in a non-stick skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Place browned chicken in a stock pot or crock pot. Pour in green chili salsa. Mix 1 to 2 Tbs. of corn starch to each cup of chicken broth used and add to skillet.

Cook over medium heat a few minutes until thickened slightly. You can adjust this to the thickness you like. Pour into pot with chicken, season to taste and cook for several hours.

Yolanda “Head Coach” Lennon

Highlight Reel Spicy Chicken Pizza

2 bags Tyson precooked chicken fajita strips

3 tomatoes, diced

2 cans artichoke hearts, diced

Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (or sauce of preference)

1 2-pound block of mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 2-pound block pepperjack cheese, shredded

2 pre-made pizza crusts or eight mini-crusts

1 jar pizza sauce

Warm the chicken the night before, cut into desired size and mix with Frank’s sauce. Refrigerate overnight.

Put a very small amount of pizza sauce on the pizza crusts. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of mozzarella on the sauce. Equally distribute chicken and artichoke hearts on the crusts. Sprinkle tomatoes on top of chicken and cover it all with pepperjack cheese.

Bake at 350-degrees for approximately for approximately 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Slice and enjoy. Cool down the fire by dipping each bite into ranch dressing.

Shannon “Grizzly Buck” Denton

Defensive Stand Cheese Dip

1 Tbs. butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

4-oz. cream cheese

1 pound pepperjack cheese, shredded

1 cup salsa

8-ounces sliced jalapeno peppers

2 Tbs. (at least) Tabasco sauce or, for the very brave, Dave’s Insanity Sauce

Paprika, chili powder and/or cayenne pepper to taste

Saute onions in butter until slightly brown. Feel free to use more onions, if you love ’em. Slowly add cream cheese and pepperjack to the pan. Adding a little milk will help the cheese melt. Stir.

Stir in jalapenos, salsa and hot sauce. Add spices to taste. Continue cooking and stirring over medium heat until cheese is melted and mixture is creamy.

Use as a dip or drizzle over tortilla chips. Caution: Keep lots of fluid close at hand, preferably alcoholic in nature, just in case you made it too hot.

Phil “Mr. NFL” Wright

Football Fanatic Fruit Fizzle

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1 cup ice

1 cup Bacardi rum ( or an equal quantity of vanilla ice cream for non-alcoholic drinks)

Put ice and rum or ice cream in a blender and blend thoroughly. Add juice and fruit, mix and pour into glasses.

Shannon “Grizzly Buck” Denton

Time-Out Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

21/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup oil

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 package instant chocolate pudding, four-serving size, dry

2 eggs

1 package of chocolate chips

Combine first two ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine remaining ingredient, except chocolate chips, in large bowl. Gradually stir the contents of medium bowl into large bowl. Stir in the chips. Batter will be stiff and needs to be mixed well. Shape into footballs. Place, two inches apart, on nongreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375-degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Jessica “Just Desserts” Smith

Cheesehead Puffs

2 cups grated sharp cheese

1 cup flour

48 pimiento stuffed green olives

1/4 pound butter

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Put cheese and butter in mixing bowl or food processor and blend until smooth. Add flour and salt and mix well. Roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into two-inch squares and wrap each square around an olive, sealing the seams.

Place on cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. Can be frozen, but extend baking time by three to five minutes.

The Unknown Cheesehead

Baby Hasselbeck Ribs 4 racks of pork baby back ribs

Your favorite barbecue sauce

Cover two cookie sheets with foil. Place ribs flat on sheets. Cover with more foil. Bake in 300- to 325-degree oven for 3 hours. Drain excess grease.

When ribs are completely tender, generously cover both sides with sauce. Cover and place back in oven until sauce is absorbed into ribs (30-45 minutes). You may want to add more sauce during this time.

Steve “The Commish” Brown