If you’ve been following this column at all, you could probably infer that Super Bowl-style grub is not exactly my go-to genre. I hardly ever make meat, usually try to maintain some pretensions of health-consciousness, and generally am not inclined towards plentiful, greasy man food.

That said, the Hawks making it to the Super Bowl is a major event. And I’m not about to let a major event pass me by without appropriate culinary recognition.

So I took to the web, scouring it for recipes that were Super Bowl-ready, but still fit the boundaries of my column: easy for students to make, seasonally appropriate, sophisticated, and downright delicious.

Toasted Almond Parmesan Dip from How Sweet Eats

I must admit, I might have shed a little tear or two when I found this recipe, since I’m still trying to eat right in the wake of the holidays. But let’s be real: if this recipe is wrong, I don’t want to be right. Cream cheese, Parmesan, and toasted almonds, baked until golden and scooped up with pita chips? Yes. Yes all over this. You can even serve it with fresh vegetables, because then it’s technically health food.

Homesick Texan Carnitas from Smitten Kitchen

Carnitas are my go-to order at Rancho Bravo, Barrio, and Poquitos–melt-in-your-mouth pieces of pork, crisp slaw, and warm little corn tortillas are the perfect combination. But I had no idea how easy they were to make until I found this recipe. They’re also easy to make for a crowd. Put out tortillas, carnitas, and an assortment of toppings, and everyone can assemble their own tacos during commercial breaks.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp from The Pioneer Woman

I know that shrimp cocktail is a classic Super Bowl dish, but I can’t be the only one who’s less-than-enthusiastic about cold, bland shrimp served with a cloying dipping sauce. This zesty shrimp is just as easy as shrimp cocktail and would pair well with almost any dip (or none at all).

Reuben Sliders from Lemon Sugar

The reuben is my absolute favorite sandwich in the entire world. This is not hyperbole. Reuben sandwiches are a perfect combination of all the funky, bitter, fermented flavors that just knock my socks off. I would make these sliders in a second, if not for the fact that I would end up eating every single one.