Ah, Super Bowl Sunday. This year it's the New England Patriots and the New York Giants facing off in Glendale, AZ this coming Sunday, February 3.

Though the teams change annually, we at Slashfood fondly refer to this event as the unofficial National Day of Snacking. Americans hold more parties on this day than any other day of the year, so whether you're a football fanatic or just a foodie interested in the half-time show and the crazy-expensive commercials, we're here to offer you a play-by-play guidebook to recipes and snack ideas that'll score a culinary touchdown.

Why do we go to such limits for you? Because we know that cheering on the teams, screaming at the referees, and napping on the couch yelling at the players is just more fun with food, right? So, today through Friday, we'll spotlight different types of foods to help you plan the Super Bowl party of the season. Here's the line-up:

• Monday: Appetizers and dips
• Tuesday: Main meals
• Wednesday: Healthy snack options
• Thursday: Sweet treats
• Friday: Foods you eat from a bowl (because, hey, why not?)

Search our Super Bowl recipe index now and keep it bookmarked for easy reference as we add recipes to it throughout the week.

So, start warming up your armchairs and mini Crock Pots! It doesn't matter if you think a blitz is a game play or a pastry. In our book, Super Bowl Sunday is all about the food!

Also check out our New York vs. Boston Slashfood Bowl 2008 series this week. Slashfoodies Sarah J. Gim and Marisa McClellan will face off to prove which city offers up the best food to rock the NFL. You get a say, too, with a final vote in our round-up post this Saturday.

I enjoy a good food ritual. The more work I have to do in order to eat, the more I enjoy the food. It's the biggest reason why, despite the fact that I'm not much of a sweets person, Oreos have managed to remain something I crave. And I'm not alone – According to ACNeilsen, Oreos were the best-selling cookies on the market in 2006.

You can't just grab an Oreo and go, well, I can't anyway. I have to sit down with a glass of milk and make a project out of it. First, I twist the top off. And you really do have to twist – if you just pull it, you end up with the cream filling on both sides, and nobody wants that. Next, I see which side most of the cream ended up on, and scrape the cream off the other side with my teeth. Then, I dip the clean side into a glass of milk until it's moist, but not soggy. Finding the proper amount of dipping time isn't rocket science, either – the cookie is just sturdy enough to stand up to the milk but yielding enough not to fight the melting effects of it. If dipped for the proper amount of time, it will have the perfect velvety taste, melting on your tongue with a little bit of crunch left in the middle.