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For some, this is the most wonderful time of year. No, I’m not referring to the upcoming holidays. I’m talking about football season – a time to don our jerseys, gather 'round the TV to cheer on our favorite teams and, of course, chow down on finger foods. But this weekend, instead of tired pretzels and bland wings, impress your football fanatic friends who temp as foodies with this recipe for queso carnitas poppers from Anthony Serrano of El Palacio restaurant in Chandler.

“Everyone loves deep-fried (food) and everyone loves cheese,” he says. “It’s a winner.”

You can buy the salsa and carnitas at most Valley grocery stores, or make it at home, Serrano says. If you like your food on the spicy side, he suggests adding the optional jalapenos or another hot pepper.

But if you’re not ready tackle the recipe at home, the poppers will be available on El Palacio’s new menu debuting Oct. 31.

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Venue: University of Phoenix Stadium
Item: Chocolate fruit kebob
Why it's weird: It's chocolate. And fruit. And football.

Tucked in-between an Italian sausage concession stand and a beer “garden” in section 114 of University of Phoenix Stadium, a chocolate fruit kebob stand feels like a welcoming oasis, surrounded by the smoky smells of typical stadium grub. Sporting an assortment of different delicious delicacies, including frozen cheesecake, a caramel apple blossom and the most popular, strawberry banana kebob, YumShack is offering football fans with a sweet tooth a chance to treat themselves during the game.

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Some go for the naseau/adrenaline-inducing rides. Some go for the chance to win a massive Scooby Doo. Others go to pet the cows and llamas. Everyone goes for the food. The Arizona State Fair is in its first full week and crazy-food lovers won't be disappointed by this year's concessions offerings. There's the normal fare of funnel cakes and fry bread of course, but for the more daring, there's plenty to give your tastebuds their very own ride on the whirligig. Read on for a rundown of the sweetest, messiest and whackiest grub at the fair. 

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As the Valley takes a collective breath of relief and Phoenicians start to venture out from their air-conditioned caves, chefs across town are rolling out fall menus loaded with hearty autumnal foods – gourds galore! The Thirsty Lion debuted six fall dishes in September, including this Grilled Shrimp & Butternut Squash Risotto.

Executive chef Keith Castro says the dish is great to prepare at home, depending on how much time you have. “Risotto is a labor of love,” he says. “The actual risotto part of the recipe takes the better part of an hour to do it correctly.”

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Fans of Bobby-Q in Phoenix will find some familiar flavors at the new East Valley outpost – wood-fired steaks, saucy St. Louis-style ribs, and the cheesiest, most gooey mac and cheese around (made with five different cheeses). The menus at the venues are the same, but the new Bobby-Q -- which opened to the public on October 3 -- has some fresh amenities, too.

The Feel: Like sitting in a really cool collage of Americana. Restaurateur Bob Sikora has a big personality and favors several seemingly disparate design elements that somehow comfortably come together. He’s big on lighting, and before the new restaurant opened, he sat in every single seat and booth to check the spot’s luminousness. There’s soft blue lighting under the bar and around the bar racks. He also loves big, leafy green indoor plants, and they hang around and over various parts of the massive restaurant, along with too many flat-screen TVs to count, custom-made sconces with bent silverware sculpture bases, and old timey light fixtures. The social lounge features gorgeous handcrafted juniper tables inlaid with turquoise and copper, custom leather chairs and sofas, and antique steel mirrors. Brick and wood abound. A DJ turns the lounge into a disco dance hall late at night, but during the day, classic rock rules the restaurant speakers.