Time to Tailgate Y'all!

It’s tailgating season and I am so excited!

I started tailgating sophomore year of college with my friend Sarah and her family and have pretty much been hooked since. The food, the drinks, the people, and the school spirit make for such an ideal day! I have a few recipes that have become staples over the years at our tailgates and anytime I try to get by without making one I get a lot of complaints…so it’s safe to say these are all hits!

My goals for tailgate dishes are low prep time and feasibility to make for a group. As a Carolina fan, I know all too well about noon kickoffs and waking up at 6am to prepare food that can cook while I get ready.  I’m often asked for recipes and I always say these are SO easy that you don’t really need a lot of experience in the kitchen. You’ve probably even seen a couple of similar recipes to these on Pinterest but I’ve jazzed them up with additional seasonings and flavor.

After many upside down deviled eggs and BBQ sauce stains on my car interior, I’ve learned a lot of tips for tailgating along the way that I’ll share after the recipes. Tailgating should be fun and low stress as possible! 

Y’all have asked for them and I’m excited to finally share my go-to recipes that have delighted taste buds at our tailgates the last eight years and evolved into my regular party spread due to their popularity! Enjoy!

*These recipes are based on larger servings I make on game days. For smaller gatherings you may want to cut them in half.

Easy-Breezy Game Day Meatballs

Ingredients:

• About 30 oz. frozen meatballs of your choice (original/home style is best)

• 32 oz. Sweet Baby Rays Sweet ‘n Spicy Barbecue Sauce

• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 aluminum casserole pan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spread out frozen meatballs in pan, and cover with barbecue sauce so that there is enough to cover all meatballs. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, chili powder, and garlic powder. 
3. Bake for 60 minutes, gently stirring occasionally to ensure all meatballs are covered in sauce. If the meatballs aren't fully coated, feel free to add more BBQ sauce. Cook until meatballs are moderately soft. 
4. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Serve with toothpicks and simply dispose of pan when finished…these are sure not to last more than an hour.

*These can also cook in a Crock-Pot on high for 60 minutes. This makes for easy transportation as well by simply removing the stoneware w/ glass lid to load up.

Hot Ham & Cheese Poppy Seed Sliders

For the sake of an easy tailgate morning, prep these the night before so you can just pop them in the oven on game day.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

• 12 slices honey ham (the longer, rectangular size slices)

• 12 slices Swiss cheese

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Poppy seed sauce:

• 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds

• 2 tbsp yellow mustard

• 1 tbsp minced onion

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Keeping Sweet Rolls in contact, and use a large knife to slice  in half. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread lightly onto both sides of the inside of the rolls. Put rolls back in white paper "sleeve", leave top off. 
3. Place ham and cheese across the “bottoms” of the rolls (still in the white paper sleeve). Cover rolls with top halves.  Use a sharp knife to cut between/separate rolls (but still leaving them in white packaging).
4.Sit each package of rolls on a large sheet of aluminum foil, securing the foil around paper packaging to keep poppy seed sauce from leaking out.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the poppy seed sauce. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. 
6. Completely cover each set of rolls with foil, place on cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover the top layer of foil and cook for 2-3 additional minutes or until the tops are slightly brown. Wrap the rolls back up in foil to keep warm during transportation to tailgate. 

*I have used the new Jalapeño Hawaiian Sweet Rolls for these and they added a nice kick of spice! Highly recommend it!

Bacon-Wrapped Maple Chili Smokies

Ingredients:

• 2 packages Hillshire Farms Lit’l Smokies (I get beef but either works)

• 2 lbs. bacon (each strip cut into thirds)

• 2 cups brown sugar

• 2 tbsp chili powder

• 1 stick of butter

• 3 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Mix brown sugar and chili powder in small bowl. Spread a thin layer of half the mixture in the bottom of a large glass baking dish. Roll up each Smokie in a third of a bacon strip, secure with toothpick. Arrange the bacon-wrapped Smokies very closely in the dish (depending on size of baking dish, you may not be able to fit every Smokie and will likely have some leftover bacon).
3. Melt the stick of butter and stir in the remaining brown sugar/chili powder mixture. Pour the mixture over the Smokies, then drizzle with the maple syrup.  Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the heat up to 400 to bake another 5 minutes. (I usually broil mine on low for an additional 1-2 minutes to char the bacon a bit, keeping a close eye so they don't burn)
4. Remove from oven and realize you may need to make 2 batches next time (they will be gone within minutes).

Flake’s Famous Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

• 12 large eggs

• 4 tbsp mayo

• 1 tbsp yellow mustard

• 5 tbsp (about 1/3 cup) white vinegar

• 2 tbsp sweet relish

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp chili powder

• Dash of cayenne powder

• Paprika

Directions:

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, use tongs to place eggs in a single layer on the bottom of the pot. Cover and boil for about 3 minutes, then turn off the heat but leave the pot on the burner. Let sit covered for 12 minutes. 
2. Use tongs to transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Let the eggs sit at least 10 minutes.
3. Peel eggs, cut in half, gently remove the yolks with a spoon and place them in a separate bowl.
4. Use a fork to mash the egg yolks and combine with all the other ingredients (except the paprika). This can also be done in a food processor but I prefer to do it the old fashioned way with a fork. Mash the mixture until there are no chunks of yolk left. If the filling appears too thick/dry, add a teaspoon or two of mayo until it thins some.
5. Spoon the mixture into the egg halves.  You can put the filling in a ziplock bag with a snipped corner to “pipe” it into the egg halves but honestly…deviled eggs weren’t created to be pretty and that takes far too much time in my opinion.
6. Lightly sprinkle with paprika to taste. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill before serving.

*I love vinegar so I tend to add a little extra.
**Eggs will vary in size of yolk (especially between store bought and fresh farm eggs) so I start with these measurements but add additional mayo and vinegar if the consistency is too thick. I prefer my deviled egg filling a tad on the runny side since I make them the night before and they set up overnight. Use less mayo and vinegar if you like your filling thicker.

No Hassle Tailgate Tips:

• I usually cook these dishes simultaneously on 350° and leave the smokies in a bit longer since they would cook at a higher heat if cooked individually. 

• Use disposable foil pans when possible. I always cook the meatballs in a foil pan so that it can easily be disposed of when we’re done.

• Use insulated casserole carriers! After removing everything from the oven, transfer immediately to the carriers and they will keep warm during transport to the tailgate. 

• Bring a couple of Tupperware bowls so you can save any leftovers before tossing foil pans (though I doubt you’ll have any leftovers).

• Use a plastic cupcake carrier for deviled eggs. You can easily put the eggs on your round egg platter, put some ice in the bottom of the carrier, place your egg platter on top of the ice, then secure the lid on the carrier. I have one with a handle and it makes the eggs so much easier to transport while keeping them chilled (especially during these early season games that are hot).

• Prep everything you can the night before! I go ahead and make my deviled eggs and prep the smokies and sandwiches the night before, storing them all in the fridge. I place the deviled eggs in the cupcake carrier (without the ice) to keep them airtight. The smokies can be covered with foil. Wrap the sandwiches in foil as well and place them back in the bag they came in, securing with the bread clip.