College football starts this Saturday!! Here are some of my favorite "football" foods! Enjoy :)

Tailgating Menu

Melissa Friday

I love living in the south where we women love our football as much as our men do!  Football season is our favorite time of year in the Friday household.  We gather with friends and family, cook, fellowship and pull for our team.  These are a few of my favorite tailgating recipes.  They are simple and can all be prepared ahead of time so that you don’t miss any of the game J  Enjoy!

Slider Burgers

Simple Stuffed Mushrooms

Rumaki

Pineapple-Cream Cheese Spread

Banana Pudding Cups

S’more Cookies

SLIDER BURGERS

1½ lbs. ground beef

1 egg

½ cup rolled oats or Italian breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon A-1 Steak sauce

1 teaspoon Worstershire sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Use a tablespoon to scoop out mixture to make small patties.  Place them on the grill over high heat and grill 3 minutes on each side.  If you choose to make regular-size burgers, grill 6 minutes on each side.  If you choose to make the sliders, Sister Schubert dinner rolls are excellent with these.  Makes 10-12 slider burgers or 4-6 regular-size burgers.

SIMPLE STUFFED MUSHROOMS

1 lb. pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

3 (8-ounce) cartons whole white mushrooms, stems removed and scrape out insides

Paprika

Chives

Place room temperature cream cheese in a medium-size bowl set aside.  Cook sausage in a skillet until browned and remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain excess grease.  Stir the drained sausage into the cream cheese and mix well.  Using a teaspoon or baby spoon, stuff each mushroom with the cream cheese mixture.  Place mushrooms onto a large jelly roll pan, sprinkle with paprika and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Broil the tops for 1-2 minutes (watching carefully) then remove from the oven.  Transfer them to a serving dish and sprinkle with chopped chives.  These are so easy and delicious!

RUMAKI

1 lb. bacon cut down the middle

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 carton pitted dates

1 bottle Kikkoman’s Teriyaki Baste and Glaze

Take a water chestnut and a pitted date and wrap into a piece of bacon; secure with a toothpick and place into an 11x13 ovenproof baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and carefully place into a clean 11x13 baking dish.  Pour the sauce evenly over all bacon pieces and bake an additional 8 minutes at 350.  Let them cool about 10 minutes before serving.  Makes 25 to 30 appetizers.

PINEAPPLE-CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

¼ cup each finely chopped bell pepper, onion and green onion

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon seasoned salt

Stir cream cheese with a fork until nice and creamy then add remaining ingredients.  Form into 2 balls about the size of a grapefruit, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  This is delicious with Ritz crackers.  This also freezes well.

BANANA PUDDING CUPS

1 bag Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

3 cups cold whole milk

1 can Reddi Whip of Cool Whip

2-3 bananas sliced

Strawberries and fresh mint for garnish

6 (6-ounce) wine glasses or 12 miniature glasses

Mix the pudding and milk together and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.  Place cookies in a large Ziplock bag, seal and crush them with a coffee cup or rolling pin.  Place a few tablespoons of crushed cookies at the bottom of each glass.  Next top with a few tablespoons of pudding and a few slices of bananas.  Repeat layers and top with whipped cream.  Garnish with a strawberry and fresh mint if desired.

S’MORE COOKIES

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (you can find these on the baking aisle)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 bag large marshmallows cut in half (you will not use all of them)

3 Hershey bars broken into squares

Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.   Mix in flour mixture a little at a time.  Scoop out dough with a teaspoon, form into a round ball and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and place a slice of marshmallow onto each cookie.  Bake for 5 more minutes, remove from the oven and place a Hershey square over each marshmallow.  Let cool completely.  Makes about 2 dozen.