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Tackle the Big Game with Fantastic Game Day Recipes

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

It’s the most magical Sunday of the year… the Super Bowl! My team’s not playing (again), but that won’t stop me from watching the big game. I’m having a few friends over and starting to get my house game day ready. If you’re hosting a party, too, take a look at four DIY craft projects for game day we found. There are cute ideas.

But, on Just A Pinch, we know what the day is really about… the food! When planning your party, add these game day recipes to your menu and everyone will go home a winner.

“My husband and I really like French onion soup but I wanted to do something different with it,” explains Nelda Carnley (Jack, AL). The result? Her easy and yummy French Onion Meatball Subs.

The onion and beef flavors soak into the meat and create fantastic meatballs. Melting the cheese in the oven, along with toasting the bun like Nelda suggests, makes these amazing. Between the gooey melted cheese and the caramelized onions, this is better than any sub you can buy. We took some of the extra broth and served it on the side… so good.

Rose M. Helle’s (The Villages, FL) Ham and Swiss Stromboli recipe makes two large strombolis so it’s great for a crowd. It’s delicious and a cinch to throw together too. The Swiss cheese melts beautifully and pairs nicely with the salty ham. Bits of bacon add a bit of smoke flavor. Brushing the outside with butter and a bit of Parmesan makes the top a little crunchy. A tasty appetizer for your game day party.

“I’ve always loved this dip, I just wanted to make my own version,” shares Bre Van Patten (Vale, OR). “So this was my crack at Spinach Artichoke Dip and it was delicious… I will never buy it again.”

This creamy spinach artichoke dip is packed with artichokes. Definitely not something you’d find in the frozen food aisle. The addition of salad seasoning, lemon zest, and juice elevate the flavors. Especially the lemon. That flavor really comes through. You can serve this warm and bubbly or cold. I loved it hot out of the oven (but cold leftovers will be great too.) Grab some pita or tortilla chips and dig in!

Jalapeno poppers are always a game day favorite and Cheri Echard (Prescott, AZ) puts her twist on on them with her Maple Bacon Stuffed Jalapenos. I know, you’re wondering if maple and bacon go together. Yup… and it’s fabulous.

“My family loves spicy food and lots of things to taste when we have a get-together,” says Cheri. “We tried bacon wrapped poppers and found them kind of difficult to eat, so I perused a number of recipes and created this one. Its been a huge hit with spice lovers and those with a little more timid palates.”

These stuffed jalapenos are bursting with flavor. Mixing maple bacon and sausage with all the cheeses is great. The maple syrup offsets the spiciness of the jalapeno pepper and adds a touch of sweet. These babies are salty, sweet, spicy and savory!

Who doesn’t love steak and bacon? I know my friends do so I’ll be serving Mary Shivers’ (Ada, OK) Sweet Heat Bacon Sirloin Bites. “These bacon-wrapped steak appetizers are always popular on game day,” reveals Mary. “The recipe can be assembled early in the day then baked just before serving. Score!”

The glaze (consisting of jelly, mustard, garlic, and cayenne) is the perfect balance of sweet and heat. It pairs well with the smokiness of the bacon. These bite-size bad boys are really good and a seriously easy appetizer to prepare.

No football party is complete without hot wings. A recipe I love is Mary Ann Hanson’s (Wakefield, NE) Slow Baked Chicken Wings. As the name hints at, it takes a while for these to bake. The result is meat that just falls off the bone.

“My family has eaten these right out of the pan right from the oven because they are so good,” jokes Mary Ann. “They are just yummy with no frying.” These are really good and different. The sauce won me over on these wings. It’s sweet and savory with a hint of spice.

Tara Stiffler (Cumming, GA) has made these too and had a rave review. “I have made this recipe at least five times now for my family and we absolutely love them,” shared Tara. “They are tender, have a wonderful taste, are easy to make even if time-consuming, and worth the wait – they don’t last long at all around here!” She went on to say, “Another bonus is that they aren’t fried, making them healthier with fewer calories and less fat.” That’s a winner in my book too.

Want more recipes for your football party? Take a look at these game day recipes. Happy Pinching!