Home / Food Bites & Articles / Janet's Notebook

Football Fare Adds to Game Day Excitement

Marv's Meatballs

The most glorious time of year is back – football season. While I have a team I cheer for, for me game day is really all about the food!

College football is well under way, but the pros are kicking their season off this weekend. I’m having a few friends over to watch the game. What do you serve on game day? Appetizers!

“This is a different approach to the traditional pizza,” says Megan Conner. What makes her Italian Stallion Pizza different? Besides the unusual assortment of meats, she piles her toppings onto the crusty side of Italian bread. I know… it sounds a bit odd, but it turns out awesome.

Her pizza is hefty, hearty and perfect for a crowd. Feel free to add a smidge more sauce and cheese… it’ll make the pizza extra decadent. I guarantee this will disappear in a flash.

You’ll earn extra points with guests after they bite into Marvin Beachler’s Marv’s Meatballs. “I wanted to make a meatball recipe out of readily available items that was really easy and great,” shares Marv.

Chili sauce, cranberry sauce and crushed pineapple turn into a wonderful sauce. Serve these bite-sized goodies with toothpicks, or put them on small potato rolls and you have great sliders.

“These Mexican Pinwheels are a great appetizer to bring to a party because the hostess does not have to worry about baking or heating it,” explains Thea Pappalardo. “Besides, they taste really good.”

You’ll add a bit of kick to your menu with these pinwheels. They’re simple and so good. The best part is you probably have the ingredients in your pantry. There great to serve if guests get excited by the game and eat the snacks a bit too quickly.

Michael Hall’s Three Cheese Pepperoncini Spread is a great dip. “I love the combination and bite from the cheeses and the zing from the peppers and garlic,” says Michael. “Add the crushed red pepper if you like it extra spicy!”

This spread has a slight bite to it, but it’s not too hot for my taste buds. If guests don’t like things hot, cut back on the peppers and pepper juice. I suggest serving this with crackers or some fresh veggies. It’s delish!

What game day is complete without something buffalo? I’m a huge fan of buffalo wings and buffalo chicken dip, but this week I’m thinking of serving Tawny Cress’ Buffalo Chicken Sliders. The recipe starts with store-bought nuggets and couldn’t be easier!

“My kids adore these,” shares Tawni. Combining blue cheese dressing and wing sauce with mayo lightens up the buffalo flavor a bit. Guests can always add a bit extra hot sauce if they like it hotter.

Dawn Cordova’s Jalapeño Popper Roll-ups are another must-have for any football menu. “I love Jalapeno Poppers but find them somewhat messy,” says Dawn. “I came up with these quick easy finger snacks for a work pot luck.” Really how can you go wrong with crescent rolls, bacon and cream cheese?

Whether you wear your colors proudly for a college or have a favorite pro team you root for, it’s fun to gather friends and eat some game day grub. What’s your favorite tailgate snack? Share your recipe!