Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook: 165 Recipes for Eating, Drinking & Watching Sports by Daina Falk

(Time Inc., 2016, $22.95)

• 3 medium-sized organic sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 small breasts)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. minced chipotles in adobo
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 cups spinach, wilted (see Tip)
• 5 oz. sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated
• Plain Greek yogurt (see Tip)
• Chipotle hot sauce, optional
• Cilantro sprigs, roughly chopped

Friendly Fangating Tip

Feel free to wilt your spinach in the microwave by putting it in a bowl with 1 tsp. water and zapping it for 20-second intervals. I like to substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream. They taste almost exactly the same, but Greek yogurt is much healthier and lower in fat and calories.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Wash the sweet potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. Brush the skins with 2 tbsp. of the olive oil. Place in a Pyrex dish or on a baking sheet, and bake them for 50-60 minutes or until fork-tender. 

3. Place the chicken in a baking dish, rub with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, and season with a small dash of salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the oven alongside the potatoes, and cook for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle pepper, oregano, cumin, chili powder and 1/2 tsp. each of the salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

5. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it with a fork  or your fingers. Then combine it with the spinach, and keep warm.

6. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, and let cool for 5-10 minutes more.

7. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Using a spoon, scrape out the insides of the potatoes, leaving only the skin and a 1/4-inch layer of potato flesh. (Be careful not to tear the skins.) Return the skins to the baking dish, and brush the insides with the chipotle and herb mixture. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until crisp.

9. Meanwhile, add the remaining chipotle and herb mix to the spinach and chicken, tossing to combine.

10. Once the skins are done, stuff them with the chicken mixture, top with grated cheese, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the skins are hot and crisp. Top with Greek yogurt, the hot sauce, if desired, and chopped cilantro. Serves 6.

Amador Brewing Company’s Altbier

Sited in Plymouth and only open since 2015, Amador Brewing Company may be a newer kid on the brewery block, but already boasts a great selection of brews in an array of styles, with loyal fans to boot. Their Altbier, a Northern German amber ale that clocks in at 6.3-percent alcohol by volume, took silver at the California State Fair and boasts a palatable and balanced blend of bitter hops and sweet European malt. With a sweet caramel start and dry, hoppy finish, it’s a very easy-drinking, food-friendly beer that pairs especially well with sweet-spicy dishes, like this month’s Healthy Chipotle Chicken Potato Skins.

—Eden Tuscano, 36 Handles Restaurant & Pub