It's a Carolina Rocky Mountain Music Day

These days I often find it very hard to keep blogging.  But one thing that really keeps me going is how much I enjoy the posts that somehow have become an annual occasion.  Looking back to my posts from the start I believe my first post that has become an annual was my first "Foods of the Super Bowl cities."  It combines sports, food, and travel; all things I love

Here is that first Super Bowl post.

So now we find ourselves at Super Bowl L (or 50 for you Trump supporters who refuse to read anything that isn't written in American or if you read in tee shirt sizes).

I'm personally in a bit of a quandary on who to pull for.  My natural inclination is to pull for Carolina, as they are my 2nd favorite team after my Washington Native Americans (yes I'm a rare Washingtonian who thinks we should get over the name thing and move onto a newer catchier nick-name for our beloved team).

Btw my thoughts for new names are the Washington Beltway Bandits, the Capital City K Street Filibuster Kings, the DMW Pork Barrelers (where DMV stands for Delaware, Maryland, Virginia; not a place where you renew your driver's license), or maybe even the Inner Beltway Defense Contractors!

So I've always been an admirer of Peyton Manning back to the days he played for the Tennessee Vols.  I would love to see him go out a winner!  More importantly I am catastrophically afraid that if Cam wins we will be dealing with "the Dab" for several more years to come!

Anyway here is Ryan's 2016 Super Bowl XV "Foods of the Super Bowl Cities."

I'll start with what I know best, Carolina Low-Country cooking.  I love Low Country cooking, it is very similar to Caribbean and Creole because it fuses European colonial, African-American, and Native American cuisine.  It evolved along the coast of the Carolinas as well as the Carolina/Georgia Sea Islands.

Except the Panthers are not from the coast, they are from that Banking capital of the south - Charlotte, which is very different.  So rather than going with my gut I'll go with a more neo-classical/Mayberry'esque Central Carolina culinary choice.

To me nothing says Carolina cuisine (other than maybe Cheer Wine) than Pimento Cheese.

Btw, the best Pimento Cheese is not in Charlotte, it's in the Triad but we won't split hairs; Carolinians always irritatingly cheer whichever Carolina team is playing so it's all the same to them.

Spicy Carolina White Cheddar Pimento Cheese (or Carolina caviar as some say down there)

Ingredients:

1#          Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
0.5 Cup All Natural Mayonnaise
6 oz       Canned Diced Pimentos (or cut to 4 oz & use fire roasted red peppers for spicy)
2 oz       Jalapeno Peppers
0.5 tsp   Sugar
2 pinch  Black Pepper
1 pinch  Salt to taste  Garlic Powder and or Onion Powder

*            Grate the cheese at desired size, I prefer a finer grate but do as you wish.
*            Slowly stir in mayo until combined with cheese
*            Strain canned pimentos and add to cheese and mayo.
*            Strain and add jalapenos, if you want to add spice you may add a little brine from can.
*            Add sugar, pepper, salt, garlic power, and onion powder (if desired)
*            Taste to insure desired flavor.  Add spices as needed.
*            Refrigerate for several hours, overnight for best results


Enjoy as a sandwich, as a dip on crackers, or even as a topping for a burger and with a Cheer Wine or better yet with Miss Cheer Wine!!!

Denver Green Chili (or Chili Verde as some say up there)

To me Denver doesn't just scream great food.  However, Denver is home to my favorite airport restaurant the Timberline Grille, which you should definitely visit if you are ever on a SWA flight through DEN!

But lacking some experience I reached out to one of my best blogging fan pals/resident Denver Bronco fan (nee maniac) for some direction.  Moira pushed me in the direction of anything with green chilies and that is cooked low and slow.  You may remember her, she joined me on a Denver related post a few years ago.

Ingredients:

1.5#       Pork Tenderloin or Shoulder
2 Cups   Green Chiles
1 Can     Diced Tomatoes
1.5 Cup Tomatillo Salsa
5 Cups   Chicken Broth
1            Large Onion
1 Tbs     Olive Oil
0.5 tsp   Oregano
4            Garlic Cloves, minced
to taste  Salt and Pepper

*            In a Dutch oven slowly heat whole pork tenderloin/shoulder with olive oil, salt, and pepper
*            Once golden brown on all sides remove and set aside, leave liquid in the Dutch oven
*            Slice the onion and add to Dutch oven with liquid, reduce heat to medium
*            Mince the garlic cloves and add to oven mixture, stirring in slowly
*            Cook until onions are soft
*            Slice pork into 1" cubes
*            Introduce pork back into Dutch oven
*            Stir in green chilies, diced tomatoes (w/juice), tomatillo salsa, and chicken broth (as needed given liquid already in pot)
*            Add oregano
*            Simmer on medium to low heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally
*            Add roux to thicken if desired or remove 2 cups of "soup" (with no pork), strain, and blend in food processor, and add back into stew, creating ticker texture.

Serve as a chili soup, as a burrito filling, or over rice and beans garnishing with fresh cilantro.

I won't predict a winner because I'm always wrong, but Madden football says the Panthers in a close one.

Here is a Rocky Mountain song I really love for all those Denver fans:

And for those Carolinians, here is a song from two of our favorite Carolina musicians: