Easy Game Day Appetizers

Posted On January 30, 2019

When you’re the one throwing the Big Game Party, you want to enjoy  yourself as much as your guests!

These easy game day appetizers will let you spend time watching the game, not waiting on your guests. These recipes are tried and true and always a hit with young and old alike!

This is a make ahead spread. Turn any table into a buffet. Most of these recipes require very little last minute prep. Just turn on your oven, bake, and lay it out on the table. Let your guests help themselves!

You use disposable baking dishes, (loaf and sheet pans) and paper plates, you’ll virtually have no clean up at all! Just your serving utensils and taking out the trash! This is a party for the host!

Try these easy to make recipes, get the kids involved, some of them are completely kid friendly.

Kids Can Make: Pull-Apart Pizza Bread

From: Foodnetwork.com

Kids and adults will have fun making and eating this finger-friendly pizza bread.

For big and little kids: Let them help measure, roll

• Total: 1 hr 25 min
• Active: 25 min

• Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients

3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Kosher salt

2 pounds store-bought pizza dough, at room temperature

2/3 cup pizza sauce, plus more for dipping

24 pepperoni slices, quartered

1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce), plus more for sprinkling

Directions

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 400 degrees F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with oil.
• Pour the 3 tablespoons oil onto a large dinner plate, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pinch off pieces of dough the size of Ping-Pong balls, and roll them into rough balls. Roll each dough ball around in the salted oil until all sides are coated.
• Put half the balls in the prepared pan, squishing them together. Spread half the sauce over the balls, then sprinkle with half the pepperoni, mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, sauce, pepperoni and cheeses.
• Put the loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any drips), and bake until the bread is puffed up and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cover loosely with foil, and continue to bake until the bread is cooked through in the middle, about 25 minutes. Let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then use dry oven mitts or kitchen towels to carefully unmold. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan, and serve hot. (Let your guests pull the bread apart!)

Make this dip ahead, store in the fridge, and pop it in the oven when your guests arrive. Great before the game starter!

This is from Pillsbury.com

Green Chile Chicken Skillet Dip

• Prep 10 MIN
• Total 45 MIN
• Ingredients 9
• Servings 12

 

Ingredients

4oz cream cheese, softened

1/2cup sour cream

1tablespoon Old El Paso™ chicken taco seasoning mix (from 0.85-oz package)

2cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken

1cup frozen whole kernel sweet corn, thawed

2cans (4.5 oz each) Old El Paso™ green chilies

1 1/2cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (6 oz)

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, if desired

Tortilla chips and/or toasted bread for dipping

Steps

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 10-inch ovenproof stainless steel skillet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning mix.
• 2 Add chicken, sweet corn, green chilies and 1 cup of the Mexican cheese blend, stirring to combine. Transfer mixture to skillet, and top with remaining 1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend.
• 3 Bake 32 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling around edges. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

 

Expert Tips

• Stirring in 1 to 2 teaspoons of seeded and diced jalapeño chile before baking adds nice heat.
• Shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar may be substituted for the Mexican cheese blend.

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 10-inch ovenproof stainless steel skillet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning mix.

2 Add chicken, sweet corn, green chilies and 1 cup of the Mexican cheese blend, stirring to combine. Transfer mixture to skillet, and top with remaining 1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend.

3 Bake 32 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling around edges. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

How about this fun salad idea? Easy finger food kabobs. Double or triple this for a crowd.

Let the kids help with the skewering, this might make them eat more veges!

Try this RECIPE COURTESY OF TRISHA YEARWOOD, one of my favorite country singers! Make the filling the day before, have the kids help carve out the bread boat, fill and bake. So easy! Pop this in the oven before half time, for your half time spread!

Cheese Boat

• Level: Easy

• Total: 50 min
• Active: 20 min

• Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 loaf French or Italian bread

Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

10 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated (about 2 1/2 cups)

6 ounces corned beef, such as Carl Buddig, finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Large corn chips, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut an oval in the top of the load of bread, scooping out the bread in the center and make a “bread boat.” Place the bread on a cooking sheet.
3. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, Cheddar, beef, green onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot sauce and chili powder until fully combined.

 

Easy Spicy Ranch Chicken Wings

We make these all the time, when we just want to have some wings. Make them as spicy as you like.

Ingredients:

1 packet store bought or 3 tbsp. Powdered Ranch Dressing mix

1/2 tsp. Red chile flakes, or cayenne pepper

2 pounds of chicken wings

Mix dressing mix with chile flakes. Double or triple if making wings for a crowd.

Place wings on rack on shallow sheet pan. Cover pan with foil for easy clean up.

Sprinkle dressing mixture liberally on both sides of chicken. Bake for 45 minutes, turning half-way through until wings are crispy. You can grill or air fry these also.

Serve with dip of your choice, ranch, blue cheese, onion, it’s all good!

Enjoy!

Pull Apart Crescent Meatballs

From Pillsbury.com

Everyone loves meatballs at a party. Make them into finger food to keep it serving simple! Perfect for your buffet table. Recipe is easily doubled.

 

Ingredients

 

16 frozen Italian meatballs (1/2 oz each)

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent rolls

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

1/2 cup tomato basil pasta sauce (from 28-oz jar)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. Make meatballs in microwave as directed on package; set aside to cool slightly. Unroll and separate dough into 2 long rectangles. Place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Firmly press edges and perforations to seal. Press each dough sheet into 14×4-inch rectangle.
• 2 Sprinkle mozzarella cheese down center of both pieces of dough. Space 8 meatballs evenly over cheese on each piece of dough. Spoon pasta sauce over meatballs. Press ends together to seal.
• 3 Starting from one end, stretch and pull both sides of dough up and between each meatball; press together to seal.
• 4 With table knife, score dough between meatballs.
• 5 In small bowl, mix melted butter, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Brush evenly over dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• 6 Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until dough is deep golden brown and meatballs are hot in center (at least 165°F). Serve with additional warmed pasta sauce for dipping.

Beef Sliders for a Crowd

RECIPE COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK KITCHEN

We’re redefining sliders with this easy press-in-a-pan recipe – no forming and cooking individual patties! And we took a cue from the classic burger joints: onions on the bottom, beef on the top. You can prepare the meat mixture on the cookie sheet a few hours ahead, refrigerate and cook just before serving.

• Level: Easy
• Total: 40 min

• Prep: 10 min
• Inactive: 20 min
• Cook: 10 min

• Yield: 8 servings (3 sliders per person)

Ingredients

1 medium onion

1 1/2 pounds 90/10 ground beef

1 large egg

1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Freshly ground black pepper

6 slices American cheese, quartered

24 thin plum tomato slices (from 2 to 3 tomatoes)

24 dill pickle slices

24 mini potato buns

4 large iceberg lettuce leaves, cut into 24 even pieces

Ketchup and yellow mustard, for serving

Directions

Special equipment:

A 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet

1. Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the onion in half, and shred each half on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the shredded onion dry between 2 towels, and scatter around a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet.
3. Put the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, and mix gently, just enough to incorporate evenly. Drop mounds of the mixture all around the baking sheet, and press them into an even layer without disturbing the onions too much (but expect some onions to move around and peek through the meat). Brush the top of the meat with the vegetable oil, then season it evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of fresh pepper. Score the meat into 24 squares, cutting completely through with a spatula.
4. Bake until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 8 to 9 minutes. Put a small square of cheese on each patty, and return to the oven to melt, about 30 seconds. Let rest a few minutes, then re cut along the scores to separate.
5. Top each patty with a slice of tomato and pickle. Slide a spatula into the pan, and let guests serve themselves. Serve alongside a platter with the buns and lettuce. Don’t forget the ketchup and mustard.

And of course, a nice hot bowl of Chili!

You can either make this the day before, and warm it up in your crock pot the afternoon of your party, or start it in the crock pot in the morning, just dump everything in, (brown the hamburg and veges first) and it will be ready when your guests arrive for the game. Chili always tastes better the next day!

Quick Chili

• Level: Easy

• Total: 50 min, or 6-8 hours for crock pot
• Active: 15 min

• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Directions:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 med. Onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, any color, chopped

1-3 Serrano or jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, minced, depending on how hot you want it

1 26 ounce can crushed tomatoes

12 oz beer

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 14-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

One 14-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup salsa, (you choose your heat level) or chili sauce

Directions

1. Add the oil to a Dutch oven and set over medium heat. When hot, add the beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, and peppers, saute until they start to soften,2-3 min. Drain off any excess fat. Add the crushed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin powder and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes, then add the kidney and pinto beans and the salsa. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
2. To make in the crock pot, brown the hamburg with the onions, peppers and garlic. Add to crock pot with remaining ingredients. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
3. Tip: If you want to make this in the crock pot the morning of your party, you can save time by pre browning your meat and veges’s the day before, then it’s really a “dump” recipe!
4. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped scallion or onion and more hot sauce. Let your guests garnish their own bowls.
5. If you’re really ambitious, make cornbread to dunk in the chili.

Of course, you need something sweet to end the meal. I say, purchase some cookies or brownies, or pre-cut cheesecake at your grocer’s bakery. My store usually has a variety cheesecake that you can buy with different flavors. They’ll have special cakes made also, so why not give yourself a break and take the bakery shortcut!

Enjoy the game!