There is usually a mix in every Super Bowl crowd: the ones there for the games, the ones there for the commercials, and the ones in it for the snacks. We don't judge your motivation for hanging out with friends during Super Bowl XLVI (that's 46 for you who never learned Roman numerals or are too lazy to add letters, natch). Whether you're hosting or in charge of bringing a tasty treat, read on for some suggestions for Super Bowl snacks.

Growing up in an Italian family, Thanksgiving was about three things: family, friends & food! For the past 4 years, I've been living in CA which is 3,000+ miles away from my family. Unfortunately, I've never had the funds or enough time off work to make it back for that delicious day. On the bright side, I've had the opportunity to start my own traditions. For the past few years, it's been all about Friendsgiving. It's pretty simple and very sweet: the person with the biggest apartment hosts and everyone meets up in the morning to start cooking together/ people roll in throughout the day with more food.

Whether you’re observing Indigenous Peoples Day up in Berkeley or Native Americans Day in South Dakota or just plain-Jane Columbus Day everywhere else, happy that one.   We hope you have a paid day off and aren’t too frustrated by all the closures around town.  We weren’t really sure how to celebrate this one but, with a little digging, we discovered fry bread. It makes sense that Native American foods would be bum friendly. There’s a pretty disturbing history still making itself felt. We present this article on fry bread in the hopes of honoring one of the many peoples who make up our fair city.

To me, there is something soothing about mixing together butter and sugar. I started making these cookies in college when finals, expenses, and relationships stressed me out so much I couldn’t sleep. Midnight often found me digging through cookbooks for new cookie recipes, but I often came back to these chocolate chip cookies. Something about their basic, easy, crowd-pleasing nature made them a top comfort cookie. In the middle of the night, or any other time, the instant gratification of these cookies may help make things just a little bit better.

Okay, it’s already 1pm on Labor Day and a BBQ blast beckons. But, you volunteered to bring dessert. It’s a bit of a dilemma when time is tight and your kitchen is too hot to bake but you can’t disappoint all the friends eagerly awaiting a tasty treat. Dah dah dah…it’s time to go old school with Rice Krispies Treats to the rescue. Just a few ingredients and a few minutes and you’ll be ready for all the applause.

The Loop may be off-air, but it left us with an important message: "you can't get mad at someone while you're eating fondue." While we won't put this to the test, we will whip up some delicious fondue. Cheese or chocolate, it's your call. Both rock. You may think that you don't have the requisite cookery, but we'll show you how to make do.

Summer heat is finally sneaking in and, with it, the need for refreshment. The farmers' markets are bursting with fresh summer fruits and the big box grocery stores always have a supply of orchard yielding. You can pretty easily turn some of that sweetness into a delightfully refreshing beverage. We know this is not an original idea, it's just a do-it-at-home-and-save-a-lot-of-money pointer.