Foodness Gracious - Week 63

Recipes

The Super Bowl is almost upon us and I took a lot of time combing through our 1,000+ recipes to recommend the perfect food for your upcoming football party.

Heck, these are good for any party, any time, any place!

These are good for Saturday lunch or an appetizer on a date night with friends.

I say the word “versatile” a lot because I love to experiment and this week’s recommendation is wide open for creativity.

Try our Popcorn Chicken for your next party or gathering and watch them disappear VERY quickly. You can toss them in any number of sauces (buffalo or the perfect combo of sweet chili/mayo/Sriracha).

Maybe you like them plain, but want to get creative with your dipping sauces. Go nuts! Ranch? Sure! Blue cheese? Please!

Popcorn chicken will soon become a fan favorite at your house and will be something that takes over the home kitchen. Enjoy the game and enjoy the chicken!

Reviews

I am a bit behind on my TV show watching and just started watching The Bear. If you haven’t seen it, the show centers around a chef nicknamed The Bear and it hit home for me because it combines cooking and great acting (it does have some language, so beware).

The main character in the first episode continues to complain about the knives not being sharp enough. That led me to look into our own knife collection and seek out something that The Bear would never complain about.

Check out this Sunnecko Chef Knife that will fill the need for many cutting and chopping jobs in your home kitchen. It is a little pricey vs. a $10 version that will dull quickly, but won’t break the bank like I’ve seen for knives that are hundreds of dollars.

Upgrade your knife game and don’t complain about dull knives like The Bear!

You can see all of our home kitchen product reviews too!

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Responsibility

My daughter is a freshman in college focusing her studies in education where she intends to become a teacher.

This led our team at Foodness Gracious to ask what teachers can do to stay food-responsible and focus on healthy meals while teaching.

Check out our article on Top Healthy Recipes for Teachers to Bring to School. Maybe my daughter will even remember to check our website when she becomes a teacher someday!

Learn more online at Foodness Gracious in our Responsibility section.

Foodness Fun - Food Trivia!

Last week we introduced our second installment of Foodness Fun Food Trivia. The question we posed was…

Which fruit contains an enzyme called
bromelain that can tenderize meat?

Some of you who love to grill may have guessed the answer. Some may have hopped over to Google to get the answer quickly (yes, I’m looking at my wife).

For those of you that are still waiting, here is your answer with a little bit of food knowledge as well:

What is Bromelain?

Bromelain is like a tiny, unstoppable meat-softening ninja hiding inside pineapples! This powerful enzyme breaks down tough muscle fibers and connective tissues in meat, making every bite more tender and juicy.

So, how does bromelain work its magic?

It’s a protease, meaning it specifically targets and breaks down proteins. When you apply fresh pineapple juice or a bromelain-based marinade to meat, the enzyme starts attacking those long, stubborn protein chains. Given enough time, it can transform a tough hunk of beef into something buttery soft.

Want to give bromelain a try?

Simply marinate your meat with fresh pineapple juice for about 30–60 minutes before cooking. Canned pineapple won’t work since heat destroys the enzyme, so stick to the fresh stuff! Whether you're prepping steaks, chicken, or pork, bromelain will give your dish a tender, tropical twist—just another reason pineapples are the real MVP of the fruit world!