During the 2017-18 season, we chatted with a handful of Grizzlies, including Ryan Walters, Travis Howe, Taylor Richart, and coaches Tim Branham and Ryan Kinasewich about their favourite foods, recipes, and more. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be publishing one every Monday, so get out your pots and pans, and enjoy!

So what’s your favourite kind of food?
I think my favourite food is probably Mexican food.

Why is it your favourite?
I like spicy food, so anytime I can mix that in, and you can get a lot of different options out of it, whether its burritos, nachos, tacos, anything of that sort.

What’s your favourite recipe?
My mom’s chicken wild rice soup.

Why is it your favourite?
I think I like it just cause she used to start it in the morning in a crock pot and then it’s always there. I could eat it from probably 5:30 to 10:30 and then the next day have leftovers the whole day.

Do you like to cook? And are you good at it?
I like to cook a little bit. It’s not my favourite thing. I’d rather have someone else cook for me. I’m ok at it. Nothing special.

What do you like best about the recipes you provided?
I just grew up with it. With my family, a lot of times we’d eat as a family every night, kind of have the same seven meals your whole life, so I enjoy them.

Who on the team is the best cook?
We’ve got a couple of healthy guys that cook pretty well. I’d have to say Travis Howe is the best cook. I go over to his house for meals every once in a while. He enjoys it.

Who would you say is the worst cook on the team?
Well, I room with Mitch Jones, and it’s gotta be him. He only knows how to cook hamburger helper or throw a pizza in the oven.

A couple of guys have thrown you under the bus and said you. Do you have have an answer for them?
Oh, I don’t think I’m the worst cook, I just might be the most unhealthy.

They also said you weren’t necessarily the worst cook, you just cook the same things all the time.
Yeah. Yeah, I got a couple meals on my repertoire!

Wild Rice Soup

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups milk
• 2 cans cream of potato soup
• 1 pound velveeta cheese in chunks
• 1.5-2 cups cooked wild rice
• Optional: 10 strips crisp bacon, crumbled for garnish

Saute onion in butter until tender. Add water, milk and potato soup. Increase heat to medium, stirring occasionally. When mixture is hot, add cheese. When mixture is creamy, add the cooked wild rice.

Garnish with crumbled bacon.

To cook wild rice: Wash 1/2 cup wild rice thoroughly. Add to 1.5 cups boiling water, salted to taste. Return to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered 50-60 minutes or just until kernels puff open. Uncover, fluff with fork. Simmer 5 more minutes. Drain any excess liquid. makes 1.5-2 cups.

Meat Loaf

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup finely crushed saltines
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
• Dash of pepper
• 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, saltines, onion, salt, sage and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Shape into an 8-1/2-in. x 4-1/2-in. loaf or an ungreased shallow baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients; spread 3/4 cup over meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until no pink remains; drain. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining sauce.

Yields 6-8 servings

If you try these recipes, or any of the others, take a picture and share it with us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram)!

Previous posts:
Ryan Walters
Rob Mann
Mitch Jones