Game Day Entertaining
February 5, 2017
Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots
Football Snacks & The Big Game
The Atlanta Falcons & the New England Patriots face-off in Super Bowl 51 on Sunday. This will only be the second appearance for the Falcons, the last meeting against the Denver Broncos in 1999. The Patriots return for a ninth, the most of any franchise with the real battle set to kick-off between dueling quarterbacks Tom Brady & Matt Ryan. You can better believe football fanatics will be ready. Decked head to toe in team regalia & working up a mean appetite.
A good old fashioned throwdown on the football field deserves a roster filled with easy fan-favorite snacks that rank tops in the polls. Warm-from-the-oven Mini Philly Cheesesteaks With Gridiron Sauce are guaranteed to satisfy big game day appetites. Deli-sliced roast beef & spicy cheese offer a few quick moves that allow the host to catch every play of the game, too. Classic Game Day Snack Mix goes beyond the basic fundamentals when filled with a traditionally flavored blend of almonds that resemble footballs, pretzel stick hash marks, popcorn pom poms & megaphone bugles that sport both style points & good taste. Follow my game plan for a super football party & get ready to savor in sweet victory.
The Game Plan
Get the sandwiches oven ready the day before The Big Game.
Cook the onion & peppers. Cool completely.
Prepare the recipe as directed. Do not bake. Cover with foil & chill over night.
Pop the pan into the oven just before guests arrive.
Bake 5 to 10 additional minutes, if needed, or until the cheese melts.
Place the sandwiches on a platter.
Pour the snack mix in a bowl with a utensil made for easy scooping.
Add charm with a stack of Gridiron Tailgating Bags or Tag Football Sacks for easy serving.
Organize a stack of plates & napkins & let fans help themselves.
Have a separate area set aside of drinks, ice & glasses.
Decorate with sweeps of homemade Football Bunting to clinch the win.
The Menu
Football Snacks & The Big Game
Traditionalists may wish to swap out the yellow bell peppers for green but anyway you slice it, the cheesesteak– an entire sandwich category in its own right– ranks high in crowd appeal come game time. Get ready to kick-off a smashing party with this shortcut version & a crispy homemade snack icon filled with football fan fare.
Mini Philly Cheesesteaks
Gridiron Sauce
Classic Game Day Snack Mix
Butterfinger-Peanut Butter Cookies
Beer * Soft Drinks * Water
Mini Philly Cheesesteaks With Gridiron Sauce
makes 16 sliders
A Classic Throwback Revival
Legendary quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons from 1975 to 1985, Steve Bartkowski who was the all-time passing leader for over 15 years would have had no trouble sailing these pigskin-shaped sliders stuffed with deli-sliced rare roast beef & heat infused Pepper-Jack cheese into the end zone. The quick move saves time & still delivers a crowd-pleasing touchdown of good taste.
16 sweet dinner rolls, sliced
16 slices Pepper-Jack cheese, cut in half
1 lb thinly shaved deli-style rare roast beef
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
1/2 large green or yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Gridiron Sauce
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 x 11-inch jellyroll pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil. Place the roll bottoms into the pan. Top evenly with half of the cheese, the roast beef & the remaining cheese. Set aside. Sauté the onion in the butter over Medium-High heat in a large non-stick skillet 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper & sauté 4 minutes more. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Spoon the onion mixture evenly over the roast beef. Cover with the roll tops. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake 20 minutes or until the cheese melts & the buns are lightly toasted. Meanwhile, prepare the Gridiron Sauce. Serve with the warm sandwiches.
The Extra Point
The sandwiches make a fun weeknight supper the entire family will love. Add a variety of colorful peppers to brighten up dinner plates.
Gridiron Sauce
makes 1 1/3 cups
Style Points
Increase the field of play. Sprinkle the sauce with additional chopped fresh parsley just before serving.
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup whole buttermilk
2 small scallions, sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, pressed
Stir together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
The Extra Point
A fresh Ranch-style sauce is about as a reliable return man as the New England Patriots cornerback legend, Mike Haynes. Spread over ham & turkey sandwiches or add additional buttermilk for a quick salad dressing to drizzle over mixed greens.
Classic Game Day Snack Mix
makes 14 cups
The Basic Fundamentals
The crowd noise will be deafening when you kick-off the party with this fan-favorite munchie. Reduced sodium seasoned salt peps this snack blend & rallies more herbs & spices instead of salt.
4 cups bugle-shaped snacks
3 cups rice cereal squares
3 cups pretzel sticks
1 cup lightly salted roasted almonds
2 tsp reduced sodium seasoned salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 cup melted butter
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 mini bag single serve microwave popcorn
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Combine the bugles, the cereal, the pretzels & the almonds in a large bowl. Set aside. Stir together the seasoned salt, the garlic powder & the ground red pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the cereal mixture & give it a toss. Stir together the melted butter & the Worcestershire sauce. Drizzle half of the butter mixture over the cereal & toss well to coat. Repeat. Spread the cereal mixture onto a lightly greased half sheet pan. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Cool completely. Prepare the popcorn according to package instructions. Toss with the cereal mixture. Sprinkle with pepper. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
The Extra Point
A variety of snack nibbles & cereals can be substituted for an instant game changer. Simply make an equal exchange to maintain the overall flavor of the mix.
FROM THE SOUTHERN HOSTESS OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{helpful advice}
How To Make Football Bunting
Football bunting is a cinch to create & it doesn’t take a lot to make an impact. Make several strings to display around your party the celebrate The Big Game.
The Technique
Cut 6 x 4-inch triangular shapes from chocolate brown card stock.
Cut 3 inch pieces of first aid tape & secure down the center of each triangle.
Cut 3 {1 1/4-inch} pieces of first aid tape.
Press over the large piece of tape to resemble football laces.
Pierce 2 small holes at the base of the triangles.
Weave twine through several homemade footballs for a tabletop touchdown.
etc
Game Day Entertaining 101
Visit these posts for more football & tailgating party inspiration
The Big Game: How To Make Football Bunting
The Big Game: Loaded Potato Pigskins With Sriracha Ranch
Game Day Provisions 101: SEC Championship Chalk Talk Cookies
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Iron Bowl Burger Smackdown
Game Day Provisions 101: House Divided Iron Bowl Snacks
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Gridiron Pizza Party
Alabama & Auburn Game Day Snacks
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Team Rival Dog Biscuits
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Hot Fried Chicken & Moonshine Sweet Tea
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Game Day Crostini Bar
Game Day Cocktails 101: Margarita Mimosas
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Fall Fiesta Tailgate Party
Game Day Provisions 101: Pumpkin Spice Peanut Brittle
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: A Southern Proper Hot Dog Stand
Game Day Provisions 101: Mini Sorghum Pecan Pies
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Southern Game Day Fritto Misto
Game Day Provisions 101: Kentucky Bourbon Blondies
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Fan-Favorite Game Day Snacks
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Gridiron Nacho Bar
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Upscale Southwestern Brunch
Game Day Entertaining: The Dairy Playbook Of Tailgating Recipes
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Dixie Barbecue
Tide & Tigers Today Tailgating: Fried Chicken & Champagne
Game Day Logistics 101: Kick-Off A Smashing Tailgate Season
Game Day Provisions 101: Gridiron Whiskey Caramel Corn
Game Day Crafts 101: Tag Football Sacks
Game Day Crafts 101: Gridiron Tailgating Bags
Game Day Crafts 101: Almond Footballs
The Tune
“Come Rain Or Come Shine” Ray Charles
social butterfly
instagram: buttermilklipstick
facebook: Buttermilk Lipstick
twitter: Buttermilk Lipstick@ButtermilkLips
{college football} Rebecca Gordon@TidefanFare
pinterest: Buttermilk Lipstick
Rebecca Gordon
Be sweet.
No comments yet.