‘Twas the week before game day when all through the house, football fans planning parties were scrambling about. They wanted their guests to have good food and fun, but without any recipes, hadn’t begun. Along came some experts, who offered advice. And those tailgates turned out to be twice as nice.
Tired of the same-old football fare? Score a touchdown with cheer-worthy dishes and surefire favorites, starting with jalapeno artichoke dip.
“My husband doesn’t like artichoke at all, but he loves the dip,” said Robin Dillman of Really Cooking with Robin in East Norriton. “It’s like my signature.”
Made with low-fat cream cheese and pickled jalapenos, it’s also her most requested recipe.
“You can make it as spicy as you want,” Dillman noted. “It’s like a blank slate. You can put anything extra in it to kick it up a notch.”
She offers healthier takes on tailgates, including “Mean Green” mac-and-cheese bites and cheesesteak egg rolls.
“People go crazy for them. They can’t believe how delicious they are, and they’re baked, not fried,” Dillman said.
At Westtown Meat Market & Deli in West Chester, 2-foot hoagies and cheesesteaks top the bestseller list. Another crowd-pleaser: pulled pork barbecue.
“Slow roast it 4 to 5 hours or boil in a pot of water until the meat falls off the bone,” explained co-owner Penni Bogda, a “live or die” Eagles fan, who enjoys “kicking back and watching the game” on rare days off.
Ron Inverso of Ron’s Original Bar & Grille in Exton shared more fumble-free recipes like his chicken chili, a menu staple for 25 years.
“We sell the hell out of it,” he said. “It’s almost like slow cooking. Some people could make it in a Crock-Pot. Very simple.”
Crab nachos are easy too.”Everybody who tries them loves them,” Inverso described.
And for the extra point, serve arancini – fried or baked rice balls with marinara sauce.
“It’s a nice finger food with an Italian flair,” he said. “Wings are the easy way to go. This is something different for you.”
So grab the ingredients. It’s time to begin. Happy game day to all, and to all a good win.
Jalapeno Artichoke DipIngredients
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 (8-ounce) pack low-fat cream cheese, softened or room temperature
3/4 pint fat-free sour cream 1 can (14- to 15-ounce) artichoke hearts, drained and cut into small pieces (Can also use marinated artichokes)
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos (taste for heat, add more or less depending on how much heat you like)
4 ounces white sharp cheddar, grated
InstructionsHeat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure cream cheese is soft. You can microwave for 1 minute to speed up process, but make sure it’s covered. Cream cheese can explode when heated and make a mess.
Mix all ingredients and a handful of the shredded cheese. Pour in ungreased casserole or Pyrex pie plate. Spread the rest of the cheese on top. You can garnish with some diced jalapenos or a sliced fresh one if you like. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly hot and starting to turn golden brown. Enjoy with tortilla chips or crackers.
Note: This is a gluten-free recipe if served with tortilla chips.
Variations: You can add fresh baby spinach (chopped) and roasted red peppers (chopped) for a different twist – about 2 tablespoons each.
Recipe courtesy of Really Cooking with Robin
Crab Nachos IngredientsTortilla chips
Shredded Colby-Jack cheeseDiced jalapenos
Diced scallions for garnishCrab Alfredo sauce:
1 quart heavy cream, fresh1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 pound butter, unsalted1 cup Romano cheese, grated
1-pound can lump crab meatInstructions
These gluten-free crab nachos are simply store-bought tortilla chips topped as follows: Make a plate with two layers of tortilla chips. The first layer will be shredded Colby-Jack cheese over tortilla chips (amount determined by you). The second layer will be tortilla chips topped shredded Colby-Jack, then diced jalapenos and crab Alfredo.
For the sauce: In stock pot, cook cream on low heat until reduced by 1/3. Add 1/2butter and whisk until melted. Add remaining butter and whisk. Add Old Bay, salt and pepper. Add cheese and whisk frequently; reduce to desired consistency. Add crab and then simmer for 10 minutes. Pour crab Alfredo over prepared tortilla chips and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. After baked, garnish with diced scallions. Serve with salsa and lemon or lime slices.
Recipe courtesy of Ron’s Original Bar & Grille
Arancini (Rice Balls)Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh garlic, chopped1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shallots, diced1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup Romano cheese, grated1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper2 quarts chicken stock
1 box (2 pounds, 3 ounces) Arborio rice
BreadcrumbsMarinara sauceInstructions
First make risotto. In a pan, add oil and then caramelize garlic and shallots. Add rice and toast slowly to release starch. Add lemon juice and half the chicken stock; cover. Add more stock as needed. Check and stir frequently. When all the stock is almost absorbed, add salt, pepper and cheese.
To make rice balls: When cool, roll risotto into 1-inch balls. To bread, use a little water on your hands to moisten and then roll in breadcrumbs of your choice. Here at Ron’s we use gluten-free breadcrumbs. When complete, deep fry or bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Serve with marinara sauce on the side.
Recipe courtesy of Ron’s Original Bar & Grille
Chicken ChiliIngredients4 cups red bell peppers cut in 1-inch pieces
2 cups onions, cut 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons garlic, fresh chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock2 pounds fresh chicken breast, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups sweet peppers, jarred3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon black pepper1 tablespoon cumin, ground
1/2 cup brown sugar4 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, not drained
1 quart marinara1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
InstructionsSaute the first four ingredients for 10 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients.
Stir thoroughly and cook on low-medium heat for 1 hour until hot.
Recipe courtesy of Ron’s Original Bar & Grille
Pulled Pork BBQIngredients1 (7- to 9-pound) bone-in pork shoulder
Salt, pepper and garlic or Montreal steak seasoning
1 (32-ounce) jar BBQ sauceInstructions
Season meat with salt, pepper and garlic or use Montreal steak seasoning. Slow-roast pork for 4 to 5 hours at 275 degrees with a little water in the bottom of the pan. You also can boil the pork in a pot of water until the meat falls off the bone. Pull meat and fat off the bone. Add BBQ sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. Yields 5 pounds. Serves 15 to 20.
Recipe courtesy of Westtown Meat Market & Deli
Tailgate cooking classesWatch the big game with friends while you learn to cook at Really Cooking with Robin in East Norriton.
“We book parties during the game,” said Robin Dillman, an Eagles fan who teaches how to make tailgate favorites.
“We’ll host anybody’s team. We’ve had Dallas people here rooting for Dallas during the Eagles game. That was a little hard for me to swallow,” she added with a laugh.