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Jim Begley

Wed, Feb 1, 2012 (6:51 p.m.)

First Food & Bar is home base for gourmet comfort food, so who better to tap for Super Bowl snacking inspirations than Matt Piekarski, First’s assistant executive chef. He gave us three easy recipes you can actually make at home in time for kickoff.

Spicy Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

2½ lbs. Cheez Whiz

3 finely diced jalapeños

1 finely diced habañero

1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese

1 cup milk

Method:

Heat milk and Cheez Whiz together (without boiling) until hot.

Stir in jalapeño, habañero and pepper jack, and heat (without boiling) until everything is combined.

Adjust consistency with milk if needed.

Best served with: Just about anything. It’s cheese dip, dammit!

Olive Tapenade

Photo: Beverly Poppe

Olive tapenade you can make during a commercial break.

Ingredients:

½ lb. mixed olives

1 garlic clove

1 lemon

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 tbsp. capers

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Rinse olives well and pit (if necessary).

Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. (Do not make into a paste.)

Chill and serve cold.

Best served with: Pita bread or toast points.

Sammy D’s Blue Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

¼ cup shallots

¼ cup garlic

2 cups white wine

3 quarts buttermilk

1 wheel Maytag blue cheese

2 sprigs rosemary

Method:

Sweat shallot and garlic in heavy-bottomed pot.

Add white wine and reduce by half.

Add buttermilk, rosemary and blue cheese, and simmer.

Puree mixture and strain through a fine strainer.

Serve warm.

Best served with: Chicken wings, though it’s tasty enough to eat with almost anything.