At this time of year, tailgaters are passionate about two things — football and food. The same can also be said for those who prefer to watch the game at home, too. Fire up the grill, throw on some burgers, brats or hot dogs and you already have the beginning of a great party. The game creates a festive atmosphere, so all you have to do is feed the fans. To coach you to pre-game victory, we’ve put together a play-by-play guide to tailgating prep complete with recipes, serving suggestions and tips for getting it all done.
The Game Plan
Entire cookbooks have been written about all the things you can cook and serve at a football party, but there are a few general considerations to keep in mind when planning your menu. You may prefer to do a typical picnic or buffet where everything is prepared in advance and you simply spread out the food when your guests arrive. If you are an avid griller, put most of your menu on the grill. Then, of course, there is a middle ground where you have some prepared side dishes and grill the meat closer to kick-off.
Whatever approach you take, a little planning is in order. Keep the menu simple. It is much easier to prepare larger portions of a few things than to have too many different items on the menu. Consider the number of guests and their appetites when buying food. Package information is helpful when determining the number of servings, but remember, some folks will eat more than one serving.
Divide up the work. Most of your guests will want to bring something to contribute, so make some suggestions so you will end up with a variety of dishes.
Executing the Plan
The key to a fun, relaxing party of any kind is planning, especially if you are tailgating. You don’t want to wait until after you get the party all set up before you think of paper plates or trash bags. If you are new to the game of tailgating, think through the process of preparing and serving the food you’ve planned to make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils you will need. A checklist will keep everything in order and remind you of all the items you want to bring back home.
It is often the obvious things that we forget, like serving spoons, salt and pepper, condiments and some kind of wipes for clean-up. Also, depending on the time of year, insect repellent or sunscreen may be a good idea. It’s also fun to bring a football, bean bag toss game or radio for extra entertainment.
Don’t forget about food safety and clean-up. To help keep cold food cold and hot food hot, plenty of ice, ice chests, thermal and insulated containers are a must. Hand sanitizer is good to have on hand, too. Bring plenty of trash bags for waste, and an extra trash bag works well for stashing away items to be taken home and washed.
Kick It Off
One fun part of a football party menu is the snacks. You can’t go wrong with chips and dips, cereal mix with nuts and cheeses and crackers, but sometimes it’s fun to add something a little different. “Sandwiches are portable and really easy to eat, so we’ve suggested a couple of appetizer versions that will get rave reviews from your fans,” said the Martha White® Baking Expert Linda Carman.
The Bacon, Cheddar and Tomato Biscuit Sandwich combines the fundamental bacon and tomato combination on a delectable drop biscuit. The crispy biscuits are chock full of bacon and cheese and made with buttermilk, so they have a firm texture perfect for a little sandwich. Add a slice of tomato, lettuce, arugula or basil for another burst of texture and flavor.
Another riff on a classic is the Open Face BBQ on Jalapeno Cornbread Sandwich. A thin pan of cornbread with corn, cheese and jalapenos is quick to make with a cornbread mix. Cut into squares and top with a dollop of barbecue mayo and a bit of your favorite barbecue sauce. Suit yourself and try a variety of different BBQ – pulled pork, beef, chicken, or brisket make delicious sandwiches.
Final Score
You’ve got to have something sweet to end on whether your team is winning or a little behind, so keep the sandwich theme going with Banana Ganache Sandwich Cookies. These crisp little banana cookies filled with rich semi-sweet chocolate ganache will score every time. Quick and easy to make, they will keep in a sealed container for several days. If you want to get a head start on the party preparation, you can freeze them.
For more winning party recipes, visit www.marthawhite.com and click on the Recipe section.
Bacon, Cheddar and Tomato Biscuit Sandwich
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
3 cups Martha White® Self-Rising Flour
6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 thick cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
Mayonnaise to taste
18 slices ripe tomatoes
Arugula or basil, optional
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Coat cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Place flour in food processor container. Add butter cubes. Process until texture of coarse corn meal. Pour into large bowl. Stir in cheese and bacon. Stir in buttermilk just until soft dough forms. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.
2. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool at least 10 minutes. Slice, spread with mayonnaise. Fill with tomato slice and arugula or basil.
Makes 18
Open Face Barbecue Sandwich on Jalapeno Cornbread
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 large egg
1 (8 oz.) can cream style corn
1/3 cup milk
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Martha White® Buttermilk Cornbread Mix
1 cup coarsely shredded cheddar cheese
2 to 4 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
Barbecue Mayo
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
Prepared brisket, pulled pork, beef or chicken barbecue
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Beat egg in large bowl. Stir in corn, milk and cornbread mix until blended. Stir in cheese and peppers. Pour into prepared pan.
2. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.
3. Stir together mayonnaise and barbecue sauce in small bowl. Cut cornbread into 2-inch squares. Top each with a dollop of sauce and barbecue.
Makes 24 servings
Banana Ganache Sandwich Cookies
Cookies
2 (7.6 oz.) pkg. Martha White® Banana Nut Flavored Muffin Mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon water
Sugar
Ganache
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Stir together muffin mix, sugar, butter and water in medium bowl until well blended. Shape dough into about thirty 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
2. Bake 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool.
3. Bring cream to a boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Cool. Spread half the cookies with ganache. Top with remaining cookies.
Makes 15 sandwich cookies
