"taste of the NFL" news and stories

Where do pro linebackers and pro chefs on the line meet? At the Taste of the NFL event, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary of cooking up a dinner of regional specialties, talking football, and raising funds for hunger-relief organizations. (So far, "Taste" has given local and national food banks more than $10 million.) This year's bash, to be held on February 5th, at the Forth Worth Convention Center, features chefs and players who have been with Taste of the NFL from the very beginning: "Top Chef" judge Tom Colicchio (above left), Olives' Todd English (above right) and "father of southwestern cuisine" and James Beard Award winner Stephan Pyles, among them.

Players like Hall of Famers Floyd Little (Denver Broncos), Bobby Mitchell (Cleveland Browns) and Jan Stenerud (Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings) have also been with Taste of the NFL since its first dinner in 1992, and will join the inaugural chefs to kick off the party.

Plus, there will be 32 more chefs at the event, one from each of the NFL cities, along with a player rep. Each chef will cook up signature dishes, and the players will chip in. Let's hope Chef Tom doesn't make this into a Quickfire event. Would you want to run up against the former Eagles' offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore in the walk-in, and fight over the last rib?

For ticket information and more details, visit TasteoftheNFL.com.

You're in final stages of planning out your Super Bowl buffet. You know you want the big slow cooker of chili (perhaps in a football shaped slow cooker?) as well as some Crostini (for the fancier folks). However, there are still a few holes in your plan. What about featuring a recipe from one of your favorite players? Over at Epicurious they've rounded up 22 recipes from current and past NFL-ers. It's being done in conjunction with a fundraiser, Taste of the NFL, that will take place in Phoenix the day before the big game and will benefit America's Second Harvest.

You could whip up Chad Hennings Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Donny Anderson's Chicken Spaghetti, Stu Voigt's Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup, or Grandma Banaszak's Ribs and Sauerkraut (the recipe comes from Pete Banaszak's family). Whatever you choose, it will be delicious!

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