That time of year is upon us. The time when most of the nation is gathering together at one another’s houses, glued to their TVs. That one time, regardless of who your “favorite” team is, you still somehow manage to come together with your friends and family and bond over the biggest sporting event of the year.
Now, although I do enjoy a good bonding sesh with friends and family, I truly couldn’t give a flying flip about football. No matter how MANY times my darling hubs tries to explain the game to me, I still have no idea what is going on. I chalk that up to 50% of me doesn’t really give a hoot and the other 50% is too ADD to be able to sit still long enough to pay attention to the game.
BUT, there is one thing I can totally get on board with during a game watch party and that is the FOOD!
Food, I understand, may be a little too much since I could stand to lose a few (too many) pounds. And although I do like to stuff my face more that I like to actually cook, I do have some crowd-pleasing recipes that I’d like to share with you.
So, whether you enjoy watching the game, gorging yourself on the tasty food (like I do), or a combo of both, your party will surely score if you serve one of these yummy treats!
Game Day Recipe #1: Hot Enchilada Dip
Ingredients
• 1 lb ground beef (I use ground venison sometimes and you could use ground turkey too)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• 1 4.5 oz can green chilies
• 1 can corn, drained
• 2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese blend
• Tortilla chips or Fritos for serving
How to Make:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat olive oil and add ground meat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned. Add the cans of green chilies, corn and enchilada sauce. Stir and heat through. Add 1 cup of cheese and mix thoroughly. Pour meat and cheese mixture into 9 x 9 baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Place in oven and cook until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few moments. Serve with chips and enjoy that cheesy goodness!
Game Day Recipe #2: Marinated Cheese
Ingredients
• 1 block of cream cheese
• 1 8 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese (Keep cheeses in fridge until ready to use)
Marinade
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley
• 3 Tbsp minced green onions
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 2 oz jar diced pimento, drained
• 1 tsp white sugar
• ¾ tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper
How to Make:
Combine all marinade ingredients in a jar and cover. Shake well and set aside. Take cheeses out of fridge and cut both cheeses lengthwise into ¼” thick slices. Once they are all cut, arrange cheese slices in a shallow baking dish by alternating the cheeses (cheddar, cream cheese, cheddar, cream cheese, etc) in rows or around the dish. Pour marinade over the cheese and cover. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
When ready to serve, transfer to serving tray and spoon marinade over cheese. Serve with crackers!
These two appetizers are great, but the Piece De Resistance is definitely the Kahlua and pecan cream cheese awesomeness my friend, Erin introduced me to. She is the BEST party hostess this side of Dallas, so that just legitimizes how good this recipe is!
Game Day Recipe #3: Kahlua and Pecan Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients
• 1 block cream cheese
• 1 cup Kahlua (I used the off brand one and it tasted just as good!)
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup pecans
How to Make
Combine Kahlua and light brown sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to stir constantly so it does not burn. Continue cooking until you have a syrupy consistency. Add the pecans and stir. Cook for a few more minutes. Pour mixture on top of cream cheese. Let cool slightly and serve with Ritz crackers. I promise you’ll enjoy this!!
What are your go to recipes for parties? I’d love to hear from you!
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