Of course, my game of the week is going to be Minnesota vs. Arizona, old guy vs. old hot guy. Why? Well, first I heart the Cardinals. But really, it’s because this sounds like a Disney Sports film to me. Two old QBs; one who has actually retired like 6 times; the other, an washed-up having a comeback. Both, having the best season of their careers, meeting today to see which old guy still has it. Okay so that’s a slight over dramatization. This really isn’t Kurt Warners best or comeback season. But allow me a little creative license here!

The Quarterback Match-Up:

Brett Favre: Age: 40    Quarter Back Rating: 112.1  Total Yards: 2,874   Touchdowns: 24
Kurt Warner: Age: 38     Quarter Back Rating: 94.4   Total Yards: 2,718   Touchdowns: 20

Sure Minnesota is 10-1 and the Cardinals are 7-4, but I’m still expecting an awesome match-up. The Vikings have the powerful combo of Favre and Adrian Peterson bur the Cardinals have Warner and Larry Fitzgerald.

I do apologize for not giving a little analysis/rundown about the game but I got rear ended in my car the other day and am having bad back spasms. But I wanted to at least give the yummy recipes for today’s key matchup!

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Pre-Game

1. Arizona Cardinals: Arizona Sunrise & The Arizona Desert SandStorm Cocktail
2. Minnesota Vikings: Purple Viking Cocktail,  Screaming Viking Cocktail

Arizona Sunrise

• 1 1/2 oz 1800 Tequila
• 1/2 oz Rose’s lime juice
• 4 oz orange juice
• Grenadine

1. Pour grenadine over chilled glass–(if using glass with ice, make sure some settles at bottom of glass)
2. Add tequila, orange juice, and lime juice into shaker with ice & shake thoroughly.
3. Pour over ice and grenadine. Pretty!

Desert SandStorm

• Thai chile-infused vodka **try Absolut Peppar Vodka or if you have two weeks you can make your own!
• Cranberry juice
• Splashes of lime
• Splash of pineapple juices

Minnesota Vikings

Purple Viking

• 1 oz Southern Comfort® peach liqueur
• 1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
• 1 oz blueberry liqueur
• 1 oz sloe gin
• 1 splash lime juice
• 1 splash sweet and sour mix
• 1 splash 7-Up® soda

screaming viking:

• 2 oz vodka
• - 1 oz dry vermouth
• - 1 oz lime juice
• - 1 celery stalk
• - 1 spear cucumber

1st Quarter

1. Jalapeno Popper Dip Spread Jalapeno poppers are probably my favorite guilty pleasure. Deep fried, oozing with hot cream cheese and big pops of bold heat…. my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I have some awesome recipes to make them at home but they are so obnoxious to make! But not anymore! Now you can get all the ooey-gooey spicy cheesey goodness of a popper, in a dip! This is so delicious, it had to be physically pried away from my hands because I did not want to share! Get the Recipe!

2nd Quarter

1. Southwestern wings with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing: Baked, not fried and covered in a lush green chili BBQ sauce. Still not enough for you? Pair it with the Jalapeno Ranch Dressing. The biting jalapeno is mellowed by the ranch, yet seriously brings out the flavor of the wings. Delish!  Get the Recipe

Half-Time

Minnesota Vikings burger

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 1/2 tbsp. horseradish
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 burger buns, toasted

1. In a large bowl, combine turkey, horseradish, paprika, mustard, pepper and salt.
2. Shape meat mixture into 4 patties, each 1/2 inch thick.
3. On lightly greased broiling pan, about 6 inches from heat, broil burgers 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in center. Serve burgers on buns.

Arizona Cardinals Burger

• 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
• ¾ cup good-quality commercial brand of tomato-chili salsa, well drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
• ½ cup grated cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese
• Lettuce leaves
• 4 burger buns, split and toasted
• Extra tomato-chili salsa, to serve

Tomato Coleslaw

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 18 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup diced cucumber
• 2 teaspoons minced onion
• ¼ cup mayonnaise/salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons French salad dressing
• 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper

Combine the cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber and mixed onion. Chill. Blend together the mayonnaise, French salad dressing, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper and chill. Just before serving, toss mayonnaise mixture lightly with cabbage mixture.

Third Quarter

Three Meat Three Beer Chili

• 2 pounds of lean, cubed meat (buffalo, venison, beef, pork)
• 2 large yellow onions
• 1 cup of your favorite beer
• 3 large cans of red kidney beans.
• 3 cans of boiled & peeled white potatoes.
• 1 large can of tomato sauce
• 2 cans of cooked pearl onions.
• 1 packet of preferred chili seasonings (Carroll Shelby’s).
• 2 cups of diced, pickled jalapeno peppers.
• 2-6 habanero peppers finely diced……….do not get juice on private parts, hands or in eyes!

1. Directions

   1. Brown 1 pound of lean meat in a large iron skillet.
   2. Dice up two large yellow onions and combine with the meat.
   3. Add one cup of your favorite beer to skillet.
   4. Slow cook for 15 minute and stir routinely.
   5. Combine skillet fixings into crock-pot and stir.
   6. In a 6-qt crock-pot add three large cans of red kidney beans.
   7. Add three cans of boiled & peeled white potatoes.
   8. Add one large can of tomato sauce
   9. Add two cans of cooked pearl onions.
   10. Add entire packet of preferred chili seasonings (Carroll Shelby’s).
   11. Add two cups of diced, pickled jalapeno peppers.
   12. Add 2-6 habanero peppers finely diced
   13. Simmer for 4 hours on medium heat.

Fourth Quarter

Now normally this is reserved for the dessert course. This week, dessert is going to be a bit different. For today’s match-up, I think you should serve up some blueberry muffins! Why? Because Minnesota’s state muffin (who knew state’s even had official state muffins!) is blueberry! Definitely the most fascinating fact of this game!

About the author: Jennifer Taglione is the owner of this fabulous website Stiletto Sports. Despite writing well over 500 posts, she still maintains that she is not a sports writer! She is however a huge fan of Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Mark Sanchez, the Celtics, and totally kicks butt on March Madness brackets! Connect with her by following her on Twitter @StilettoSportsJ and subscribing to her weekly newsletter. For more info check out the About the Editor page!

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