Game Day Eats

Hello football season!

Anyone who knows me knows I could care less about actually watching a game. But I do love to cook and eat all the tasty foods! I want to share with you guys some of my all-time favorite dishes to bring to a tailgate, or just make and eat while you watch the game at home.

Fiesta Corn Salsa

This dip is so addicting! I found this recipe on the "South Your Mouth" blog. Serve this with tortilla chips or Fritos Scoops! 

• 3 cans (11 ounce) fiesta corn 
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 small bunch green onions (chopped)
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1. Mix all ingredients together, and chill! 

Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Every time we're at a restaurant, Cory points out the spinach dip on the menu. Since he's such a big fan, I had to find my own recipe so I could make it myself. Serve with tortilla chips or crispy bread. 

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 14 ounce can artichoke hearts (chopped)
• 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
• 8 ounce cream cheese (softened)
• 16 ounce can alfredo sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan 

1. Preheat oven to 350. 

2. Mix ingredients together

3. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until slightly browned.

Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

Put anything on a King's Hawaiian roll, and I'll eat it. 

• 12 King's Hawaiian slider rolls
• 1 box Steak-Umm (thin sliced frozen steak)
• 1 green pepper (thinly sliced)
• 1 onion (sliced) 
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• 3 tablespoons mayonaise 
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire 
• dash of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 350, and lightly spray a dish. (11 x 7)

2. Separate tops from bottoms of rolls. Place bottom of rolls in dish. 

3. Saute the pepper and onion with seasonings to taste, and until soft. Set aside. 

4. Cook steak according to directions on box. Set aside. 

5. Spread a light layer of mayo over the top and bottom of the rolls. 

6. Add the cooked steak onto the rolls. 

7. Add the pepper and onion onto the steak layer. 

8. Place the provolone slices over the pepper and onion layer. 

9. Put on the top of the rolls. 

10. Mix the Worcestershire and melted butter together. Pour over sliders. 

11. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melty. 

Caramelized Baked Chicken 

These taste as good as any wings from a restaurant, but they are oven-baked and not fried! This recipes is inspired by the caramelized baked chicken on "All Recipes".

• package of chicken wings
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• dash of salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.

3. Microwave for about a minutes, or until the ingredients are melted together. Stir to make sure there are no chunky parts. 

4. Let mixture cool while you arrange chicken on a lightly sprayed pan. 

5. Spoon or brush half of the mixture directly onto chicken. 

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. 

7. Take out chicken and pour the rest of the mixture on. 

8. Bake for another 30 minutes. 

Tailgate Chili

This chili is the best ever. Top with Fritos corn chips, sour cream, & cheese! This recipe was inspired by the Boilermaker Tailgate Chili on "All Recipes".

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 2 cans chili beans
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cans green chiles
• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 onion
• 2 celery stalks (finely chopped) 
• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
• 4 cubes beef bouillon 
• package of bacon bits
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon white sugar
• shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream 
• Fritos corn chips 

1. Place a large pot on the stove at medium heat. 

2. Brown the beef and sausage in the pot, drain grease, and return to pot. 

3. Pour in all of the remaining ingredient, and stir. 

4. Cover, and bring the chili to a simmer. Let simmer on super-low heat for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. 

5. Top with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and Fritos corn chips! 

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

Someone brought this to Choctoberfest (a Sherwood Oaks Church mom2mom event) last October, and I just had to make it for the next family gathering we attended. 

• package of thick-cut bacon
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

1. Place bacon on a foil-covered pan, and put in cool oven. 

2. Turn the oven on to 400 degrees, and let the bacon cook for about 20 minutes, or until desired doneness. 

3. Dab off excess grease, and let cool completely. 

4. Mix together chocolate chips and oil. Microwave for about 1 minutes, or until completely melted. 

5. Line a new clean baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

6. Dip the bacon in the chocolate halfway, and then place on the new sheet to cool and harden. 

Puppy Chow

This is always a crowd-pleaser. One of the easiest desserts to make and take to any event. White chocolate thrown into the mix adds a whole new spin on this classic treat. I like to believe I make the best puppy chow ever. You have to make it chunky, or not at all.

• 8 cups Chex cereal
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 cups powdered sugar

1. Add 4 cups of Chex cereal to a large bowl. Melt together 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1 cup white chocolate chips. (45 seconds in the microwave) Pour over cereal and gently stir until evenly coated. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and gently stir until coated. 

2. Add 4 cups of Chex cereal into a separate large bowl. Melt together 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour over cereal and gently stir until evenly coated. Add the 2 cups of powdered sugar and gently stir until coated. 

3. Now combine the 2 puppy chows into a large dish, and give them a gentle stir.