Tailgating

Tailgating Recipes

You won’t have to use the following recipes on Oct. 4th if you go to the Stockman Bank Tailgate Party, but you might want to try them out at another game or just when you have a few friends over on the weekend.

Muffuletta Dip

Parmesan cheese helps hold ingredients together. You can also serve this versatile recipe with crackers over a block of cream cheese or toss leftovers in a Caesar salad.
Yield: Makes about 4 cups
Total:1 Hour, 10 Minutes
1 cup Italian olive salad, drained
1 cup diced salami (about 4 oz.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini salad peppers
1 (2 1/4-oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
4 ounces provolone cheese, diced
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Serve with: French bread crostini
Stir together first 9 ingredients. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours before serving. Stir in parsley just before serving. Serve with French bread crostini. Store leftovers in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Sausage, Bean, and Spinach Dip

Make the ultimate spinach dip by adding ground sausage, pinto beans, cream cheese,and Parmesan. It’s almost hearty enough to be a main dish.
1 sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 (1-lb.) package hot ground pork sausage
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (6-oz.) package fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
Serve with: Corn chip scoops, red bell pepper strips, pretzel rods
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cook diced onion and next 2 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid has almost completely evaporated.
2. Add cream cheese, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in spinach and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Gently stir in beans. Pour mixture into a 2-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with corn chip scoops, bell pepper strips, and pretzel rods.

Light Pimiento Cheese-Stuffed Celery

This pimiento cheese recipe is not only super easy, but it’s a little easier on the waistline, thanks to light mayonnaise and reduced-fat Cheddar cheese.
Yield: Makes about 3 cups pimiento cheese (serving size: 4-inch piece of celery with 1 tablespoon pimiento cheese)
1 1/4 cups light mayonnaise
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely grated onion
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 (8-ounce) blocks 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
6 celery ribs, cut into 4-inch pieces
Garnish: paprika
Stir together light mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese.
Spread 1 tablespoon cheese mixture into each celery rib. Garnish, if desired.
Note: Store remaining pimiento cheese mixture in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.
Note: Don’t be tempted to use pre-shredded cheese. It takes a few more minutes to shred your own, but you’ll be much more pleased with the creamy texture.

Cheddar Cheese Straws

Savory and rich with just a bit of a peppery bite, cheese straws are great party snacks. They’re especially easy to make and travel well.
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 (1-pound) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 cups all-purpose flour
Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating just until combined.
Use a cookie press with a star-shaped disk to shape mixture into long ribbons, following manufacturer’s instructions, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Cut ribbons into 2-inch pieces.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Cheese Wafers: Combine ingredients as directed; chill dough 2 hours. Shape dough into 4 (8-inch-long) logs; wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill 8 hours. Cut each log into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container 1 week.
Note: If you don’t have a heavy-duty stand mixer, you can use a handheld mixer. Just divide the ingredients in half, and work with two batches.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Dip

Fire up the coals for Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Dip. Chipotle peppers give this dip its zip.
DIP:
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 canned chipotle chile in adobo, seeds removed, chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
SWEET POTATOES:
Salt
4 sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 lb. total), peeled, halved lengthwise, each half cut into 4 wedges
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1. Make dip: Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, with red and green flecks still visible. Cover and chill.
2. Make sweet potatoes: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add potato wedges. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined tray; pat dry. Let cool. Preheat grill to medium. Oil grates.
3. Toss potato wedges with oil; sprinkle with garlic salt. Grill potatoes, turning often, until just tender and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Just before serving, taste dip; add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve potato wedges with dip on the side. Print this post