Since the Panthers won’t be part of Sunday’s big game, we’ll be watching the game mostly to enjoy the snacks that come along with it. For us, it isn’t the Super Bowl without pigs in a blanket and a wide array of dips. We asked three local chefs what they like to serve on Super Bowl Sunday. —Kristen Wile

Alyssa Wilen, Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
Butternut squash and sage dip

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients
1 2-pound butternut squash, cut into 1″ cubes
8 ounces cream cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 sprigs fresh sage

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400˚F convection or 450˚F for non-convection.
2. Peel and dice the squash into 1” cubes. Place on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, until tender and the edges begin to brown. Cool for about 10 minutes.
3. In a food processor, combine the squash and cream cheese and puree until smooth.
4. Chop the sage leaves coarsely and then add it along with some salt and pepper to the puree and pulse until the sage is incorporated. Adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.

Eric Ferguson, Stagioni
Bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms

Ingredients
1 bundle enoki mushrooms, broken into bite size pieces with stems trimmed for uniformity
1 package fatty, thin-cut bacon
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
Zest of 1 lime
Chili flakes to taste

Instructions
1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Meanwhile, cut the bacon strips in half and wrap them around the mushroom bundles, leaving just the tips exposed.
2. Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, lime zest, and chili flakes in a small bowl.
3. Brush the wrapped mushrooms with the glaze.
4. Grill until the edges of the bacon are crispy, taking caution of grill flare-ups from the grease, then glaze again and serve.

Matthew Krenz, Beach Shack Coffee
Super Bowl queso

Ingredients
1 package Mexican-style chorizo
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 roasted pepper (preferably piquillo), diced
1 can fire-roasted RoTel (or spicy, if preferred)
2 containers melting queso (usually found in the dairy section near sour cream)

Instructions
1. Cook down the chorizo, onion, garlic, and roasted pepper in a crockpot.
2. Once the fat has rendered, strain off any excess fat and reserve the meat and veggies.
3. Strain the can of RoTel, then add into the crock pot and stir to combine.
4. Once some of the extra water has cooked out of the tomatoes, add the cheese and season to taste. (Sometimes I will add some chipotle with adobo sauce to give an extra layer of depth or some fresh jalapeño if it just needs a fresh kick.)
5. Allow the mixture to come up to temp, then serve with warm chips.

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