A Football Star’s Game Day (Cooking!) Strategy

Alex Mack, center for the San Francisco 49ers, got into cooking quite a bit in the last few years. “I’ve always liked eating,” the star told us. “My mom used to cook our meals and I would hang out and help her.” When he became an adult, he “wanted more control over what I was eating.” Boom: A cook who today makes seared scallop appetizers for fun was born. We saw his fun Cooking with Alex Mack posts on Instagram and knew we had to meet in person.

Alex stepped into our San Francisco Test Kitchen with Belle English to whip up a few of our most popular game day favorites. On the menu: Nacho pizza! Air-fried pigs in blankets! Guac! Check them out on our TikTok, and snag the recipes below!

1. Guacamole

“Honestly, I don’t watch too much football when I’m not playing, outside of the Super Bowl. And for that there’s only one option: chips and giant bowl of guac!” We couldn’t agree more, Alex. As he points out in the video with Belle, this easy guacamole comes together in a molcajete in “like, four minutes,” so you may want a second batch. Be like Alex, and serve with beer. Watching a game is work for him. “You gotta just focus on the game and not worry about the drinks, so I keep it simple with a good, hearty beer!” Nice.

2. Nacho Pizza

Break out your pizza peel. It’s time to make our incredible nacho pizza. The love child of two game day favorites is a hit among our fans. Check out the video to see Alex’s pretty awesome dough toss and learn which favorite pizza topping he and Belle both like best. (Hint: “devil’s ketchup.”) It’s a fabulous recipe, and eating the results is, as Alex attests, “much easier than playing football.”

3. Air-Fried Pigs in a Blanket

Belle put Alex’s speed to the test (and a whistle to good use) by showing him everything good an air fryer can do. How many pigs in a blanket could he assemble in 30 seconds? Watch to find out! This recipe boasts an epic mayo-mustard combo sauce that’s both ensconced in the (frozen! pre-made!) puff pastry and used as a fantastic dipping sauce.

Check out Alex’s pigs in a blanket play-by-play:

Thanks for joining us, Alex! It was a real kick spending time with you.

More game day recipes!