Mark's Mailbag: Tackling Super Bowl Eats

Hey Mark, What kinda snacks did you have during the Super Bowl? I had a couple baked wings, some chips and bean dip, and then had to duck out early and get home if you know what I’m talking about.

Sara - Muncie, Indiana

Oof, sorry to hear about your stomach issues during the Super Bowl, Sara. Hope you didn’t leave the party looking like that anthropomorphized stomach scampering to the stadium bathroom.

That commercial is what I remember most about this year’s game.

The older I get the iffier I am about chicken wings. The baked ones especially. I’m always unsure if they are cooked all the way through, and the wing sauce being purple doesn’t help. If you are going to have wings I say go for the deep fried ones.

Readers of this column will be entirely unsurprised about my choice of the most basic thing on the menu. I had a grilled chicken sandwich. As is my custom, I also started the meal with chips and queso. You could say I had the tastiest combination of foods that are the exact same color.

I don’t fault you for having that bean dip. A better route probably would have been Mark’s Pizza dip, the recipe for which you can find below. Screenshot it and save for your next party.

Mark's Pizza Dip

1.Go purchase a pie pan.

2.Next, take some cream cheese and smoosh it around the bottom until you get a single, half-inch layer. Be patient, this can take a minute.

3.Locate the dried “Italian Seasoning” in your cabinet and sprinkle.

4.Cover with a layer of pizza sauce.

5.Now layer with pepperoni.

6.Cover the pepperoni with a layer of mozzarella. You can use pre-shredded cheese, but know that it probably has trees in it.

7.Don’t put too much mozzarella on there on account of the cheese-grease you might create when baking.

8.Now use more pepperoni to spell out MARK on the top of all the cheese.

9.Bake it for a while then eat it with chips or whatever. Don’t burn your mouth.

Mark is a former lawyer who lives in Nashville. If you see a guy who looks like this caricature walking a golden retriever in Germantown, feel free to say hi. You should know, however, that there is another guy who looks a lot like Mark who also walks a golden retriever in Germantown so you might be saying hi to the wrong dude. It has caused confusion in the past—including one particular incident where the other dude's wife hollered down the street at Mark several times before getting a closer look and realizing her mistake. Anyway, say hi. You can also find him on the internet at basketofchips.com and instagram.com/cmharrod.