When game day rolls around, we’re equal-opportunity eaters. Finger food to feed a crowd? Obviously. Something low and slow to accompany a long day in front of the TV? Yes, please. If it tastes good and football’s on, almost anything goes—but to help you narrow your options, we’ve made some recommendations.
Tried-and-True Stew
My go-to chili comes from Fearrington House Inn, a classic North Carolina restaurant and hotel. I make a double batch of this on fall weekends and it always goes quickly. The brilliance is in the technique: Rather than dumping everything in at once, you slowly add the liquid from a can of tomatoes, pulling tons of flavor out of the veggie base as it all simmers together. —CJ Lotz Diego, senior editor
Pork It Over
In their classic form, pigs in a blanket already border on perfection. But when the Atlanta chef Kevin Gillespie tells you to add garlic, cheese, jalapeños, and Conecuh sausage to turn them into Chonchos in Ponchos, you listen. They’re as quick and easy to throw together on a Saturday morning as the Bloody Mary you should pair them with. —Caroline Sanders Clements, associate editor
Out of the Frying Pan
That I’ve never thought of making chicken salad out of fried chicken deserves a penalty flag. Luckily, the Mississippi chef John Currence has a better imagination than I do. Get his Alabama firecrackers (spicy baked saltines) and fried chicken salad from his Tailgreat cookbook marinating on a Friday to add surefire palate pyrotechnics to your Saturday spread. I might call up a trick play next time: using Currence’s Coca-Cola–brined fried chicken from his first cookbook, Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey, instead of breasts and drumsticks from my local grocer’s deli counter. —Amanda Heckert, executive editor
Easy Cheesy
In a hurry? Erik Niel’s classic queso dip delivers familiar, restaurant-style goodness in about as much time as it takes to order takeout. If you’ve got a few minutes to spare, follow Niel’s lead and cook up mini corn tortillas for scooping. (Don’t own a tortilla press? Get one—it will change your life.) But be warned: You might then be tempted to throw in cubed steak, maybe some pickled onions, definitely cilantro. At that point you’re obliged to squeeze limes for margaritas. And that’s how this “easy” queso ends up covering the spread. —Elizabeth Florio, digital editor
Easy Cheesy Part II
When your team is often at the bottom of the SEC standings (go Hogs!) and kick-off is at 11:00 a.m., there’s limited prep time. My sister and I like to mix up a log of cheesy, buttery dough for this lazy version of a cheese straw the night before. Then, all that’s left is to slice them into thin cookies, slap on a pecan or sprinkle some thyme for garnish, and stick them in the oven before kick-off. They come out crispy, salty, and perfect for pairing with the bourbon you need to get through the game. —Lindsey Liles, digital reporter
Rise and Brine
Sometimes we crave what we can’t have, and in my house it’s usually Chick-fil-A on NFL Sundays. Fortunately, Ree Drummond (known to her Food Network fans as the Pioneer Woman) has a delish substitute: pickle chicken bites. I usually brine my batch for an hour (or more) for extra sour-pickle flavor. Her accompanying maple and mustard sauce works well for dipping, though we often include a few different options in our spread, like a spicy ranch or tangy barbecue. —Emily Daily, newsletter editor
Kicky Cashews
I have two conflicting personality traits–I’m always on the go but I refuse to show up to a party with anything store-bought (it’s a familial curse). Enter these tequila-spiked nuts. It sounds insane but trust: Creamy cashews mixed with the salty, spicy goodness of Tajín and the faintest bite of tequila will be your new addicting snack. Low effort, high reward. (Bonus points if you figure out what to do with the leftover cashew tequila–mine’s still sitting bottled up in my freezer.) —Allyson Sloway, social media director
