30 Tailgating Recipes That Score
Banana Nut Sandwich Cookies [1]
Take advantage of a prepackaged muffin mix to keep the ingredient list short and the banana flavor big for these cookies. You can use a football cookie cutter or just cut in a ball-shape pattern.
Black Bean Salsa [5]
Nina Swan-Kohler of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, loves both food and football. She enjoys developing tailgating recipes and has published a collection in her cookbook, Tailgates to Touchdowns, Fabulous Football Food. "I developed Black Bean Salsa to serve over brats or burgers," Nina says, "but I recommend it as a tasty dip for tortilla chips, too."
Black Bean Salsa [6]
Cheesy Snack Mix [9]
Grated Parmesan cheese gives extra cheesy flavor to this blend of crispy corn and rice cereals, canned shoestring potatoes, crisp breadsticks and bite-size cheese crackers.
Cheesy Snack Mix [10]
Sweet and Spicy Caribbean BBQ Sauce [13]
Cookbook author Nina Swan-Kohler created this tailgating sauce recipe to remind her of the Caribbean flavors she enjoyed while living in Trinidad and Tobago after college. Brush the sauce on beef, chicken or pork.
Dave's Pigskin Special [17]
Assemble these hefty ham-and-cheese sandwiches at home, then grill them on-site for a warm game-day meal. The recipe is from Dave Sutton of Menomenee Falls, Wisconsin.
Touchdown Turnovers [21]
These sweet treats have a coconut-and-chocolate flavored center surrounded by flaky biscuit and topped with melted chocolate pieces.
Touchdown Turnovers [22]
Big Irv Favre's Red Beans and Rice [25]
This dish honors "Big Irv" Favre, the late father of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. Red beans and rice is a tradition in Mississippi, Brett's home state, and makes a great addition to Midwest tailgate parties.
Salmon Tailgating Sandwiches [29]
Freshwater salmon gets the spotlight in these sandwiches, created by Midwest Living® to represent Michigan's Great Lakes bounty. A relish made of Granny Smith apples and dried cherries tops it all off. While freshwater salmon would be the first choice in this sandwich, ocean fish works, too.
Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip [33]
Good food and friends are what tailgating is all about, says Debbie Pamperin of Suamico, Wisconsin. Debbie plans her Green Bay Packer tailgating experiences with this in mind. The Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe, originally from one of her co-workers, has been a crowd-pleaser at her tailgate parties.
Apple Bagel Sandwiches with Pumpkin Cream Cheese [37]
Illinois grows 80 percent of the pumpkins processed in the United States. That's why we created Apple Bagel Sandwiches with Pumpkin Cream Cheese. They're a good option for morning tailgating events. Or try them as a meatless sandwich any time of day.
To see more one-of-a-kind sandwiches created using ingredients special to each Midwest state, click the link below.
Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Chowder [42]
Nina Swan-Kohler of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, loves easy-to-make dishes that travel well to football games or other events. Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Chowder is one of her favorite recipes. "It uses a variety of convenience foods that are stirred together in one big pot, and brings out the great flavor of all the ingredients," Nina says.
Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Chowder [43]
More soups and stews [44]
Tailgaters' Brownie Cupcakes [47]
A surprise candy-bar center awaits those who bite into these fudgy delights. Based on a box of brownie mix, they're super-easy to bake.
Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing [52]
These succulent chicken wings might disappear as fast as you can grill them. The recipe comes from Danny Edwards Famous Kansas City BBQ, formerly Li'l Jake's Eat It and Beat It. The tiny, no-frills eatery has served weekday lunch crowds in Kansas City for more than two decades. You"ll enjoy sharing the recipe with your weekend tailgating friends.
Lansing Fire Chili [56]
If you're feeding a crowd, this recipe -- designed for hungry firefighters -- should go a long way. You can make the chili at home, then reheat at the game for a hearty meal. Three-Alarm Lansing Fire Chili comes from Lansing, Michigan's Fire Station 8. The recipe uses beef roast and pork sausage. A surprise ingredient: a chocolate bar.
Lansing Fire Chili [57]
Pumpkin bars and oatmeal cookies [60]
Cookies and bars are great to tote to tailgating events or potlucks. Canned pumpkin and chopped pecans add seasonal flavor to Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars, while rolled oats, chocolate pieces and shredded coconut combine to make deliciously chewy Oatmeal and More Cookies.
More fall cookies [63]
More bar cookies [64]
Macaroni Salad [67]
Chunks of sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, tarragon and spinach punch up the flavor in classic macaroni salad.
Macaroni Salad [68]
Iowa Corn Chowder [71]
This hearty soup, an update of an Amish favorite, comes from an Iowa City, Iowa, reader and football fan. Flavored with bacon and onion, it's a great soup for family dinners or tailgate parties.
Iowa Corn Chowder [72]
Cocoa-Cola Cake [75]
Soft melting marshmallows blend with toasty pecans and chocolate to create a sure crowd-pleaser.
Cocoa-Cola Cake [76]
Cuban Griller [79]
Mustard, mayo and dill pickle spice up this grilled ham, pork, salami and Swiss cheese sandwich. Our recipe gives step-by-step instructions to make this a tailgating success!
Cuban Griller [80]
Calico Bean Bake [83]
A trio of beans goes into this sweet version of baked beans. Ground beef and bacon add a hearty touch.
Calico Bean Bake [84]
Oven Barbecue [87]
Combine just three ingredients with a beef roast, and let the roast bake in your oven until it's tender enough to slice or shred. Serve on toasted onion buns or Kaiser rolls, if you like.
Oven Barbecue [88]
Hash Brown Casserole [91]
A crispy, savory crust of cheese, crushed cornflakes and butter tops a combination of ham, hash-brown potatoes, cubed cheese, condensed soup and sour cream. A potluck favorite!
Hash Brown Casserole [92]
Cajun Snack Mix [95]
Cajun seasoning is a blend of black and cayenne pepper with onion, garlic and other herbs. It adds kick to this appetizer mix of peanuts, popcorn and pretzels.
Cajun Snack Mix [96]
Zesty Three-Bean Salad [99]
Combine kidney beans, garbanzo beans and frozen sweet soybeans (edamame) with red onion, cilantro and lime juice for a fresh twist on three-bean salad.
Zesty Three-Bean Salad [100]
Beer-Braised Brats [103]
Steep your grilled brats in this onion-and-herb beer mixture for an easy way to keep them warm while tailgating. Beer-Braised Brats get a liberal dose of cranberry-pickle relish for extra color and tang.
Beer-Braised Brats [104]
Crimson Slaw [107]
Dried cranberries plump up when tossed with vinaigrette in this tangy coleslaw. The recipe was a winner at the 2009 Wisconsin State Fair.
Crimson Slaw [108]
Caramel Blonde Brownies [111]
Caramels, oats and milk chocolate pieces blend in these gooey sweets from a West Des Moines, Iowa, reader.
Caramel Blonde Brownies [112]
Mix-and-Match Corn Bread [115]
Personalize this quick-and-easy favorite, a great side for any tailgating menu. Start with the basic recipe, then choose your cornmeal, a liquid and a stir-in that gives your cornbread the flavor you're in the mood for. Next, select a pan or skillet, and bake. Serve the bread warm with butter, maple syrup, sorghum or honey. Plenty of options mean you'll want to try this recipe over and over again.
Mix-and-Match Corn Bread [116]
Beefy Chili Dogs [119]
The Coney Island Lunch Room in Grand Island, Nebraska, has served its all-American chili dog since 1933. In honor of this Cornhusker State edible institution, we created this recipe for Beefy Chili Dogs. Stewing the hot dogs in the seasoned meat mixture makes them extra juicy. Top them with cheese.
Beefy Chili Dogs [120]
Prairie State Oatmeal Cake [123]
Rolled oats keep this old-fashioned cake moist. You'll love the gooey coconut-walnut topping.
More party and snack ideas [127]
Click below for more great Midwest Living party and snack recipes!