Comfort Foods and Indulgences

Whenever I'm in Hayes Valley around lunchtime, I'm always tempted to stop by Arlequin for a toasted cheddar, pear and bacon sandwich. The bread is crispy and crunchy, the cheese oozes and the sweetness of the pear is offset by the smoky saltiness of the bacon. Taking that sandwich as inspiration I decided to add mustard to my version. I was sure the warm spices including cinnamon, clove and cayenne in the mustard would really be delicious with the pear but I didn't want the intensity of bacon for this sandwich. After experimenting a bit, the combination I settled on was smoked turkey, white cheddar and pear. Smoked turkey is a good sandwich choice, it adds some heft and lean protein, and is healthier than ham or bacon.

One trick to getting this sandwich is right is to layer the ingredients just so. Start with a mustard slathered slice of bread and top it with cheese. The cheese and the mustard will kind of melt together. Put the smoked turkey in the middle and on the top put the pear. By grilling or toasting the sandwich on both sides in a pan you get a warmed through pear and gooey cheese that holds the turkey firmly in the middle. Make sure the cheese has melted before taking it off the heat. The last key is to let the sandwich sit for a few minutes before slicing, if you can!

In terms of sports-watching food, desserts are often neglected. And this just isn't right -- you have to balance out the nachos and wings with something sweet.

Granted, desserts aren't exactly the most fan-friendly food. Wielding a spoon while booing and cheering is a potentially dangerous (and definitely frustrating) endeavor. Which is why we've compiled a list of the best handheld desserts we could find. Classic cookies, rice krispies, blondies and brownies are all included.

Whether you're a fan of butterscotch, chocolate or peanut butter, we've got you covered. Check out our 35 dessert recipes that are perfect for football season.

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These little cakes have been on my mind since I had a version of them here. They were so, so good. Until now, I have never had a hot wing sauce quite like the one used to make these. It's literally mouthwatering....spicy...and tangy, which is everything you want in a hot wing bite. Definitely a step above the rest, and the reason why I have been craving this taste since I had it last.

Of course Saucy Mama sent us home with some of her amazing hot wing sauce, so I have been planning my little cakes since.  These are little bites of heaven with incredible flavor. I have no doubt, these will be your "go to" football food this season. I promise.

Saucy Mama used fancy little pastry shells and filled them with the chicken mixture. You can see their version here. I would use them too, EXCEPT you can not buy them in my town. I suppose we are not fancy enough in our part of wine country to have them. Lame! So I had to come up with my own version for a pastry shell.

So simple looking yet packed with an unreal amount of flavor, not to mention its perfectly thick consistency.  It's just the way I like my soup, creamy, cheesy and yummy.

Cheddar cheese soup has always been a favorite of mine but when made at home it can often turn out lumpy.  Cheddar has a tendency to clump together or get grainy when added to a hot liquid.

One way to solve the clumping issue is to grate the Cheddar finely and add it to the soup once it's removed from the heat; do not boil the soup once the Cheddar has been added   The cheese will melt easily and you will end up with an amazing meal. 

Using a good quality sharp, white Cheddar will yield the most flavor and you won't believe what an incredible taste this soup has, it's definitely company worthy.  Serve some fresh baked bread on the side and you have the perfect meal.