Whether you are tailgating at the Auburn-Georgia game, watching it or cheering on another favorite team on television this weekend, plan to serve a variety of scrumptious foods. Prepare most of the recipes ahead of time to keep the refreshments easy and simple.
The Auburn-Georgia game is the oldest football rivalry in the south. The first game between the two teams was played on Feb. 20, 1892, at Piedmont Park in Atlanta with Auburn winning 10-0. It was the first intercollegiate football game in the south and known as “the game between the hedges.”
When tailgating, be sure to pack food in coolers, and it is better to replenish trays instead putting all the refreshments out at once. Be careful that food doesn’t stay at room temperature for more than two hours.
Clear covers are handy for keeping insects away from the dishes. Always pack plenty of bottled water to prevent dehydration, as fall days are still hot.
The Baked Cheddar Torta with Assorted Toppings is an attractive and delicious spread that can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The toppings add additional flavor and color. It is a tasty spread to take to tailgating or serving at home when entertaining for watching the game on television.
I have made this torta many times, and it is always delectable. Sometimes I will vary the toppings depending on what I have on hand. If you don’t have a spring form pan, line a round or oval baking dish with foil overlapping the sides for baking the cheese spread. Once it has cooled, use the foil on the sides to pull the spread out of the pan. Place it on a serving dish and add the toppings.
If you are looking for a different sandwich to serve, try Kathryn’s Avocado and Bacon Sandwiches. One avocado is mashed with softened cream cheese and a small amount of mayonnaise and then spread over bread slices. Another avocado is sliced and placed on the bread along with bacon. It is always a hit.
When selecting avocados, think about when you are going to use them. If it is that day, pick dark green ones that will slightly give when gently squeezed with your thumb. If you don’t need it for a few days, pick a bright green hard avocado. Never pick one that has a mushy feeling.
When ready to use, cut the avocado in half; remove the pit. If you are going to mash it, scoop the fruit out with a spoon. For slices, simply cut each half into strips and remove. You will need to add lemon or lime juice to prevent it from turning dark.
Snacks such as Cheese Straws, Firecrackers and Brown Sugar Mix with Cashews and Pecans can be prepared days ahead. Store them in airtight containers to keep them fresh.
Dinah and Joey Motley’s son, Matthew, played football for Opelika High School and the Auburn Tigers. They tailgated with friends for years. Two of Dinah’s favorite recipes for tailgating include Redneck Caviar with beans and tomatoes and a decadent Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Pecans. Both of these can be made a couple of days ahead.
Amanda Wunderlich’s Buffalo Chicken Dip with Tortillas can be prepared using rotisserie chicken to save time. The spread can be prepared ahead and then baked. This dish is popular for serving at home while watching football games on television.
Easy Brunswick Stew and Creamy Chicken Chili are two hearty entrees to simmer in a slow cooker on game day. The Brunswick Stew can also be cooked on the stove top. Both of these dishes go together quickly and provide tantalizing aromas.
Look over the following recipes for your next tailgate or for a gathering at home with family and friends.
Baked Cheddar Torta with Assorted Toppings
Sally McCormick
Three 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese
4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup sour cream
Toppings:
Chopped yellow, orange or red pepper (or combination)
Sliced green onions
Chopped tomatoes
Sliced ripe olive
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese and eggs at medium speed until well blended. Mix in shredded cheese and chilies. Pour into a greased spring-form pan. Bake about 40 minutes or until top is puffed.
Spread sour cream over top. When cool, loosen torta from rim of pan and refrigerate. Top with assorted toppings; chill until ready to serve in wedges or with crackers.
Brown Sugar Wrapped Smokies
Ashley Herring, wife of Will Herring who played football for Opelika High School, Auburn Tigers and in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints
2 ½ lb. bacon
2 ½ lb. cocktail smoked sausage links
2 ½ lb. light brown sugar
2 ½ boxes round toothpicks
1/2 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each sausage. Place all wrapped sausages in a single layer in baking dish.
Then sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Pour melted butter over top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Turn up to 400 degrees for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven, then let stand for 2 minutes and serve.
Buffalo Chicken Dip with Tortillas
Amanda Wunderlich
1 ½ lb. chicken breasts or tenders (can use rotisserie chicken)
2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup ranch dressing
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. buffalo wing hot sauce
Poach chicken in boiling water until it is cooked. Shred the cooked chicken by pulsing it in a food processor until finely chopped.
Mix cream cheese, ranch dressing, cheddar cheese and hot sauce in a bowl until well combined. Stir in the chicken.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.
Kathryn’s Avocado and Bacon sandwiches
2 avocados
Lime or lemon juice
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
8 slices cooked bacon
Mayonnaise
8 slices sandwich or sourdough bread
Salt and pepper to taste
Mash 1 avocado and mix with cream cheese, a small amount of mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste.
Slice other avocado and squeeze a little lime or lemon juice to prevent darkening. Spread avocado mixture on sandwich bread, then add bacon and sliced avocado.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Pecans
Dinah Motley
1½ cups chopped pecans, divided
1½ cups butter, room temperature
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups sifted cake flour
Dash of salt
1½ tsp. vanilla
Sprinkle ½ cup of pecans in greased and floured Bundt pan. Cream butter and cream cheese: add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add flour and salt; stir well. Add vanilla and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1½ hours or until center is done.
Brown Sugar Coated Party Mix with
Cashews and Pecans
Cherry Bruce
12 oz. Crispix cereal, or 6 oz. each Corn Chex and Rice Chex
1 cup pretzel squares
5 oz. cashew nuts
5 oz. roasted pecans
¾ cup butter, melted
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 ¼ cups brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar
Sea salt to taste
¾ cup dark chocolate M&Ms
Line a baking pan with aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick spray.
Combine cereal, pretzels and nuts in a large bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepot, mix the melted butter, syrup, brown sugar until well combined. Drizzle over the dry mix while stirring. Place on baking pan in a 250 degrees oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.
Cool completely before adding the M&Ms. Toss to distribute. Pack in sealable gift bags, tins or a sealable container to keep for yourself. I also like to add raisins along with the M&Ms. It is a great salty/sweet snack.
Cheese Straws
Debra Whatley
1 lb. grated cheese
1 cup shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. red pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
½ cup ice water
Blend cheese and shortening together. Combine flour with baking powder, pepper and salt. Cut in flour mixture as for pastry. Add water. Use pastry tube to form into strips on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Chinese Chicken Wings
36 chicken wings
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
Disjoint wings and discard tips. Arrange chicken in a single layer on baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour over wings.
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, turn wings and bake 30 minutes. Turn again and continue baking 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Redneck Caviar
Dinah Motley
2 cans black-eyed peas, drained
2 cans shoepeg corn, drained
2 cans Rotel tomatoes, drained
2 bell peppers, chopped
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
12 green onions, shopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. parsley flakes
16 oz. bottle Zesty Italian dressing
1 can black beans, drained (optional)
Mix all together in large container. Serve with Fritos or Tostado chips. Keeps in the refrigerator for long time.
Firecrackers
Lindsee Baubles
Great for a tailgate party. They are better the next day. However, we sometimes eat them immediately.
1 ¼ cups canola oil (must use canola)
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing
2 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
Couple pinches of Tony C’s Cajun seasoning for a little kick
Mix the above ingredients together well. A whisk works great.
16 oz. saltine crackers or 8 oz. saltines and 8 oz. Big Cheeze-its
1 or 2 gallon Zip Lock bags
Spread a small layer of crackers in one of the bags.
Continually mix oil and seasonings; pour some in the bag, shaking it.
Add another layer of crackers and oil mixture until the bag is almost full.
Turn back and forth gently for 10 to 15 minutes.
If needed use other bag and repeat steps.
Red Pepper Hummus
2 cans (15 oz.) garbanzo (chickpeas) beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 lemons, juiced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pita chips, fresh vegetables
Dry roasted peppers with paper towels. Add beans, peppers and remaining ingredients except chips and vegetables in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and creamy. Serve with pita chips and fresh vegetables.
Todd’s Mexican
Tailgate Dip
Mandy Trawick
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
16 oz. jar salsa
Green onions, chopped
Olives
Mix the cream cheese and salsa. Add green onions and olives. Serve with chips and enjoy.
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Chili
Mandy Trawick
Put 2 chicken breasts in a crockpot.
Add:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, undrained
10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes with green chilis, not drained
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
½ cup water
Then place on top:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
Combine ingredients except cream cheese and then place cream cheese on top. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. After the cooking time is over, take chicken out and shred. Then add to the chili.
Homemade Kettle Corn
Double recipe for larger servings.
2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
¼ cup popcorn kernels (I used Orville Redenbacher brand)
Salt, if desired
Measure out ingredients before starting and have a bowl or cookie sheet to quickly pour in the popcorn.
Use a heavy saucepan with a handle. Add oil and two kernels of popcorn. Once the kernels pop, quickly pour in the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon, then add popcorn and stir.
Hold the lid slightly ajar, and vigorously shake the pan constantly until the popping sounds almost finished. Quickly poured into the bowl or a cookie sheet. Sprinkle salt over popcorn, if desired.
Be sure to remove any kernels that did not pop before giving to children or anyone with dental problems.
Easy Brunswick Stew
It is super easy. I can have it on the stove in 10 minutes, and it does well in a slow cooker.
Beth Yarbrough
1 rotisserie chicken (if you feel lazy, put in more pork or just leave it out)
1 lb. chopped pork without sauce from your favorite restaurant
2 (14 ½- oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (16-oz.) pkg. frozen whole kernel yellow corn, frozen or thawed
1 (16-oz.) pkg. frozen butterbeans, frozen or thawed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (16-oz.) container chicken broth
1 (12-oz.) bottle ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
2 tsp. pepper (or to taste)
1 hot sauce to taste
Remove meat from rotisserie chicken. Chop coarsely. Put all ingredients in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, 2 ½ to 3 hours. If you use a slow cooker, cook the onions a little first and add a little more liquid (maybe a cup of broth or water). The onions don’t soften in the slow cooker. Cook in slow cooker on low.
Makes 10 to 12
servings.
