Red Pepper and Chickpea Dip

The No. 1 topic here in Northern Wisconsin these days is, of course, the Green Bay Packers-New York Giants game set for Sunday on the soon-to-be frozen tundra.

It’s been 11 years since Green Bay went to the Superbowl, and everyone is excited that this might be the year the Pack returns. I hope so, too. I loved that game in 1997 when a beaming Bret Favre made that long victory run. You gotta love the guy.

I normally don’t go in for much Packers hoopla. Or any football stuff. (But for several years, I worked with the organization – not for it, but with it – and I will say this: There are some mighty nice people in the team’s front office.)

But I am not and never will be someone who understands football, no matter how my husband or brothers or ex-boyfriends try to help me. The first time I saw a ref throw a yellow flag on the ground I thought he was just having a fit.

But I do enjoy the snack preparations. I mean, what is football without snacks?

Given my penchant for anything made with roasted red peppers and my 2008 quest to eat healthier, I will probably make this wonderful Roasted Red Pepper and Chick Pea Dip.You will notice it is really not much different from the other red-pepper dips I favor. It just seems healthier, thanks to the chick peas.

• 1 8-ounce container low-fat cream cheese
• 1 16-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
• 1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/tablespoon aioli
• 2 teaspoons minced onions
• dash lemon juice
• dash freshly ground pepper
• dash fleur de sel

Set the cream cheese out so that it is at room temperature. While you are waiting, puree the chickpeas and the red peppers. Blend them into the cream cheese with a beater. Add mayonnaise, minced onions and aioli. (It’s a good idea to taste it now – you may want to add a dash of hot sauce or horseradish to sort of pump up the volume, so to speak.). Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and allow the flavors to marry for several hours or overnight. Serve with vegetable chips or raw vegetables.

Bakeries and delis at local grocery stores will offer green-and-gold pasta, bread, cakes and special cuts of cheese and sausage for tailgaters at Lambeau Field and those of us who prefer to warm our frostbitten fingers around a big-screen TV.

Go Pack.