Game Day Food Favorites!
Broncos fans were out in force at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium last Sunday and happily celebrating another long-awaited win against Washington. And for tailgaters and armchair enthusiasts alike, here are a few of the top football foodie picks for the next match-up (Dallas, November 7) and home game (Philadelphia, November 14).
According to Stacker.com, which polled 50 states for each one’s favorite game day food, Colorado’s most beloved is Impossibly Easy Taco Pie. Not your fave? Keep reading – from brauts and dips to chilis and chips, we’ve got something for everyone – whether you’re watching your gridiron greats Sundays, Mondays or Thursdays!
Make-Ahead Finger Foods
Who doesn’t love a fiery popper? These Bacon Cheddar Jalapenos from Taste of Home make the game of football something to look forward to, for more than the competition! We have friends who have season tickets to the Broncos and they swear by this Coleman RoadTrip portable grill. You can prep these poppers the night before and throw them on the grill for 10 minutes until the bacon is crisp – turning frequently so they don’t burn. A little guac, a little sour cream and your mouth will thank you.
Another Taste of Home recipe that’s been around for decades are Barbecued Meatballs. You’ll need grape jelly and chili sauce and lotsa meaty balls – which of course you can make in advance and reheat right before you eat!
For an easy, whip it up quick finger food, try the No-Bake Gorgonzola Cheese Balls from HGTV. If you like your cheese tangy, and want a couple of make-ahead, melt-in-your-mouth bites in between cheering for Denver, these balls use smoked gorgonzola, low-fat cream cheese, white wine, Worcestershire and 1 cup of slivered, toasted nuts – oh, and chopped, fresh rosemary. Might not hurt to have a plate of wheat crackers to go-with.
Chips, Dips and Garbage Bread!
Trisha Yearwood, the country singer married to Country Music and Grammy award-winner Garth Brooks, has a collection of game day goodies that include Charleston Cheese Dip made with a blend of Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar and cream cheese. This trifecta of cheesiness is topped with cooked and crumbled bacon and is great on crackers, veggies, and everything bagel chips. (And don’t scroll past her Hot Chicken Meatball Sliders – five-star reviews from home chefs!).
The secret to Valerie Bertinelli’s Spinach and Crab Dip might be the butter and onion. Or maybe it’s the cream cheese and cayenne. But if you prepare both of these celebrity dips for your football friends and family, you may not need to make anything else! For more dips (Irish Nacho, Smoked Salmon, Maple Walnut and Salted Caramel), head over to HGTV for a few unusual options.
This recipe is more like a sandwich than an appetizer, and while the name’s not enticing, one look at this video from the Food Network of Bacon Cheeseburger Garbage Bread will make your mouth water! With ground chuck, American cheese, red onion, and dill pickle chips, this burger wannabe is wrapped in pizza dough, baked, then drizzled with ketchup, mayo and/or your favorite condiments.
More Game Day Grilling
With a few sunny days in our future forecast, why not add a little grilled meat to the menu? Southern Living’s beer-can chicken recipe calls for two chickens, prepped the day before so the skin can dry out and crisp up nicely on the grill. With a rub made of salt, brown sugar, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika, you’ll need two 12-ounce cans of beer to create this Southern go-to game day favorite.
You can count on Food and Wine to bring it – with a delicious and unusual Skirt Steak with Green Sriracha – a Thai-style hot sauce. The food editors used southeast Asian coconut, chiles and kaffir lime leaves to create the sauce, and to go with it, add a Swiss Mushroom Loaf from Taste of Home. This crowd-pleasing carb-loaded delight stuffs a loaf of French bread with Swiss cheese, mushrooms, butter and onion, plus a little seasoned salt.
And for a generous spin on traditional Buffalo wings try grilling turkey wings and drumettes like these from the Food Network.
Sweet Tailgate Desserts
The Savvy Couple put together this curated collection of tailgate food ideas and recipes including Football Chocolate Chip Peanut But
ter Blondies from Well Plated. If food were a sport, these football-shaped peanut butter blondies would win the MVP award.
You can have salted caramel on and in everything from coffee and ice cream to nut bars and sweet dips (see above!). For a dessert that won’t last till the final buzzer, check out Sally’s Baking Addiction. From Salted Caramel Turtle Brownies to Pretzel Crunch Bars, these sweet treats are the perfect sugary finish to game day festivities.
Game Day in Crystal Valley
Sundays in the master-planned community of Crystal Valley will find loads of residents cheering on their favorite NFL teams in living rooms, family rooms and rec rooms throughout the development. Come and explore the new homes surrounded by nature and only minutes from the town of Castle Rock. With 10+ decorated models from Richmond American Homes, Kauffman Homes, Century Communities and D.R. Horton, the thoughtfully designed ranch or two-story models – are priced from the $400s.
