Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Cook Up a Win Worthy Tailgate Spread
No matter which team you are cheering for, don’t let the absence of a trip to the stadium stop you from cooking up a win worthy tailgate spread. You will always come out a winner while serving up delicious food and drink for tailgating at home or at the stadium. I am always hunting for a new tailgate recipe, something easy to carry, easy to eat and super yummy, here are a few that I have found, hope you will enjoy!!!
Slice and Bake Cheese Wafers
½ cup unsalted butter
2 cups hand grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon sea salt, and a little more for sprinkling on top
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
Optional toppers, pecan halves, or thyme leaves
Combine the butter, cheese, salt, cayenne, and flour in a food processor and pulse until crumbly, once crumbly pulse until a ball of dough forms. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and roll into a log about 2 inches in diameter, wrap twisting at each end, and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the chilled into ¼-inch slices and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with garnish of your choice. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Immediately sprinkle with salt, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cool store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Dill Pickle Dip
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup finely chopped dill pickles, a few more for topping
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
Serve with potato chips or corn chips
In a medium sized bowl, stir together the cream cheese, chopped pickles, sour cream, pickle juice, chopped dill, garlic, and cayenne pepper until smoothly combined.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend.
Garnish with dill and chopped pickles. Serve with the chips of your choice. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Jalapeno Poppers with Chicken
12 medium sized jalapeno peppers
1, 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
¾ teaspoon sea salt
12 bacon slices, cut in half
24 wooden toothpicks
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut each pepper in half lengthwise, remove seeds and membranes. Remember to use gloves.
Stir together cream cheese, chicken, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Spoon 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons chicken mixture into each pepper half. Spreading to fill each pepper half. Wrap each pepper half with a bacon piece, and secure with a wooden pick. Place poppers on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until bacon begins to crisp and peppers are softened, about 25 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil, and broil until bacon is crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes to set before serving.
Louisiana Muffuletta Roll-ups
4 large tortillas, I use the keto tortillas
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup of prepared olive salad, drained and finely chopped
½ pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
½ pound thinly sliced deli ham
½ pound thinly sliced bologna
½ pound sliced salami
Spread the tortillas with cream cheese enough to cover, then spread the chopped olive salad. Layer the provolone cheese, ham, bologna, and salami on top, covering the tortilla.
Tightly roll up each tortilla. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate, seam side down, you may also use a toothpick for holding it together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove rolls from fridge and unwrap, trim the ends. Slice into 1-inch pinwheels. Enjoy!!
Football Firecrackers
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
2 packages ranch dressing powder
1, 1 pound box saltine crackers, regular sized or mini’s
In a 2 gallon freezer bag combine olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cayenne, red pepper flakes, lemon pepper, and ranch dressing powder. Seal and shake gently to combine. Add the crackers to the bag, and carefully shake until crackers are evenly covered. Refrigerate the bag over night.
Remove from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Pour crackers onto the cookie sheets and spread to a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Cool and store in airtight container or bag for up to three weeks.
Everyone’s Favorite Velveeta and Sausage Dip
1 pound ground pork sausage, hot or mild, to your taste
2 pounds processed cheese, such as Velveeta, cubed
2, 14-ounce cans tomatoes and green chilis, such as Rotel
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Tortilla scoops or Frito scoops for serving
Brown sausage in a skillet over medium high, stirring often to crumble, about 6-7 minutes. Drain and rinse.
Transfer sausage to a microwave safe container and add cheese, tomatoes and green chilis, and crushed red pepper. Cook in a microwave on High for 1 minute, stir and add additional time as needed to melt and combine.
This may also be cooked in a slow cooker on High until melted and combined well. Turn slow cooker to low and plan to take the cooker to your tailgate.
Everyone Loves Sausage Balls
3 cups all-purpose baking mix
1 pound ground pork sausage, hot or mild, to taste
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded by hand
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray two baking sheets with non-stick spray.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, pressing mixture together with your hands.
Shape into ¾ inch balls, and place on lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
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