This past summer, we did a Checklist for a Great Cookout. It did surprisingly well as a resource both within the Friends Food Family Community and the internet. Over the past few weeks, we have been putting together some great recipes which we can tie together for a checklist for a football gathering or tailgate party.
Let's start with dessert first. No football event is complete without Chocolate Covered Football Oreos. These were easy to make and disappeared quickly. We covered them in both dark chocolate as well as Symphony Milk Chocolate with Almonds and Toffee Bits. We'll give you a heads up...the milk chocolate go faster than the dark chocolate. The other dessert which is great for a large group is the Apple Slab Pie. The pie can travel in the sheet pan, it's easy to cut and eat with your hands. The nice thing about this pie is it uses ready made crusts which cuts your prep time in half.
Let's start with a few appetizers:
1. Sticky Chicken Wings - They are addictive. We normally make 5 pounds at a time because they go quickly. If you have a large crowd, we would suggest doubling the recipe. Another recipe we use for chicken wings is a little sweet and more sour. Try this one, too!
Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings
1 cup of dark brown sugar
1 cup of zesty italian dressing
1 cup of cola
1 cup of ketchup
1 - 5 pound bag of frozen chicken wings
Mix together in a bowl until well incorporated. Place frozen chicken wings in a large roasting pan. Pour this marinade over the chicken wings. Stir the wings so that they are evenly covered with the marinade. Cover with aluminum foil.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place in oven for one hour.
At the end of the first hour, remove the foil. Turn all the chicken wings over. They will be floating in the sauce. Cook for 30-45 minutes or until the wings become golden or slightly blackened. remove from oven and pour 1/2 of the liquid from the pan. Turn over the wings and cook for another 30-45 minutes to a dark golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
2. Killer Guacamole - What can we say! It's a staple for any party.
3. Our favorite for any party or gathering, Asparagus and Proscuitto.
And for the meal time filler, we would suggest chili. We have two we make on a regular basis, Al Roker's Spectacular Beef Chili and White Bean Chili with Chicken. Both chili recipes are delicious, filling and always enjoyable on a cold day. Real comfort food.
If you want to serve something other than chili, try the Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas. These you can prep ahead of time and they take a few minutes to put together and cook. We have also substituted the chicken and spinach with pulled pork (covered with your favorite barbecue sauce) and red onions. These can be served as both a meal or appetizers because you can pick them up with your hands and eat them.
To end, we will leave you with Muddy Buddies. Though we highlighted them as a cool summer treat, take them out of the freezer and place them in bowls around the room. They are great little snacks for those looking for "light" sweets after a day of great food!
Enjoy this combination of favorites and pass them on to your friends and family!