Get out those tents, tables and chairs in your team’s colors, ’cause it’s tailgating time.
Games are great, but as you know half the fun is in the parking lot before and after the game. Tailgaters come hungry and enjoy the hearty recipes. Of course you must always have your traditional favorites, but each year it’s good to introduce new recipes to the mix.
Here are some of my winners.
Pepperoni Pizza Dip
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/4 cup Hellman’s Light Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
1 cup pizza sauce (I use a Marinara or Tomato Basil sauce)
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni (I always use the TurkeyRoni; mini size is perfect for this dip)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
For dipping, use any vegetables you typically like on your pizza
Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, half of the mozzarella and half of the parmigiano, garlic powder, oregano and crushed red pepper. Spread across the bottom of a pie plate; it’s always a good idea to spray with a non-stick spray before adding the ingredients.
Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle with remainder of the mozzarella, parmigiano. Top with pepperoni, green pepper and mushrooms.
Bake in preheated 350-degree oven until the sides are bubbling and the cheese has melted and turned golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.
Baked Beef and Blue Cheese Sliders
For the meat:
1 (2-pound) beef chuck roast, excess fat trimmed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup soy sauce
For the sliders:
12 white dinner rolls
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 to 5 ounces blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
2 teaspoons dehydrated onion
1 teaspoon sugar
For the meat:
Combine thyme, sugar, celery seed, garlic and bay leaf and sprinkle over roast in slow cooker. Pour soy sauce over roast. Cook for four to five hours on high, or seven to eight hours on low setting. Meat is done when tender and shreds easily. Remove meat from slow cooker and shred.
For the sliders:
Cut dinner rolls in half and lay bottom half of each one on a baking sheet close together. You want the sides of each roll to be touching. Place a portion of shredded beef on top of each roll, followed by the mozzarella and blue cheeses.
Combine the mayonnaise with horseradish and pepper, stir to combine and then spread on the bottom side of the top half of each roll. Place the roll tops on the cheese and beef to create a sandwich. Melt the butter and combine Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, onion and sugar. Pour butter mixture evenly over the rolls.
Cover baking sheet with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook for an additional five to10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and tops are browned.
Crockpot Buffalo Sliders
(The Buffalo Chicken Dip I shared last year is always a big hit. The following recipe uses the same flavors but turns it all into a sandwich!)
For the chicken:
6 to 8 chicken breasts or the equivalent in chicken tenders
Frank's Red Hot Sauce (unless you have another favorite)
Package of dry Ranch dressing mix
Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing (your favorite)
King Hawaiian rolls
Put chicken, Franks’s and dry Ranch mix in low crockpot for five to six hours. Shred, remove extra juices and add additional Frank's sauce to taste.
Serve on King Hawaiian rolls with your favorite dressing. (Mine is Chunky Blue Cheese.)
Texas Overnight Breakfast Casserole
(Some games start early and those are good ones to make a yummy breakfast casserole for your troupe.)
1 1/2 pounds cooked and crumbled sausage (for ease, I use precooked turkey sausage crumbles)
2 1/2 cups of seasoned croutons (make your own from almost old bread)
2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups of milk
5 eggs
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 can cream of mushroom soup
If cooking the sausage, drain and crumble.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spray a 9 1/2- x 11-inch casserole dish with no stick spray. Spread the croutons evenly across the bottom. Sprinkle with sausage and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese.
Mix together remaining milk, eggs, dry mustard and soup. Whisk until blended. Pour over the croutons and sausage. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake for about one hour. Let stand before serving.
Taco Dip
1/2 pound ground beef
1 can refried beans (I use fat-free)
1 packet taco seasoning
8 ounces sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat and drain. Mix beans, cooked ground beef and taco seasoning. Spread bean mixture in the bottom of a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Spread the sour cream on top of the beans and then top with cheese.
Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Serve with favorite corn scoops.
Tammy Kelly is director, Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center, 1791 N.C. 11/55, Kinston, NC 28504. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or Tammy_Kelly@ncsu.edu.