Football season is in full swing ya’ll and since my teams’ season is already in the crapper, I’ve moved on to enjoying the gatherings, aka…food! This weekend is chock-full of college and professional football, golf, and baseball playoffs. No doubt this party girl will be having a sporty delicious time.
This is where my next tailgating tip comes in, food themes. When planning your menu it really makes preparing simple by sticking to one type of cuisine such as; Mexican, Italian, Greek, Carnival Food, Backyard BBQ, etc. You get the idea, right? It also makes it super easy to pair one heck of a good cocktail too (hello margaritas), which I always recommend serving one signature drink vs. a full bar.
I’m also under the belief that the fewer utensils required, the better. BBQ Jackfruit sliders are versatile, satisfying and can be consumed in a couple of bites. Other ideas include bite-sized vegetables, quesadillas, and meatless skewers.
This week I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite hand-held recipes categorized into different cuisines. Let me know which on you go with or if you come up with your own.
Mexican:
Probably one of the easiest to prepare and always a crowd favorite. Try making finger foods like taquitos and quesadillas ahead of time and keep them warm in foil on a low setting grill. Whip up your favorite salsa and guacamole (or try mine here:http://katmendenhall.com/recipe/holy-moly-goals-and-guacamole/ ) and set back and enjoy a margarita. Hola’!
http://eat-drink-love.com/corn-black-bean-taquitos-with-creamy-avocado-dip/
Don’t forget dessert!
Italian:
Mama Mia! Who doesn’t love Italian??? Think outside the typical pizza and pasta (hello utensils!) and go for a meatball calzone or mini pizza rolls. Make a big ole vegan cheese board with crackers, a variety of olives, artichokes, and nuts as an accompaniment. To wash it all down I’d set out a large jug of Sangria.
https://servingrealness.com/vegan-pizza-rolls/
For dessert make these cute cannoli bites:
https://ohmyveggies.com/vegan-cannoli-bites/
One more for ya’ll! Since football reigns here in the Texas, how about a Southern smack down! Does it get any better than chickin biscuit sliders and cute carrot dogs??? My side dish would be a bowl of Texas Caviar (https://theprettybee.com/texas-caviar/ ) and scooped sized tortilla chips. Wash it down with a spiked Arnold Palmer, you’re welcome!
https://veganfoodlover.com/southern-style-chicken-biscuit-sliders/
Who cares if it’s pee-can or pecan, you had me at Bourbon and chocolate!
https://wholefully.com/bite-sized-vegan-chocolate-bourbon-pies/
And if your tailgate has you outside this weekend, don’t forget to bring a cutting board and a sharp knife for last-minute prep. If you want to make sure you have all the essentials, check out this previous post from a few weeks back here http://katmendenhall.com/recipe/tailgating-must-haves-and-winning-nachos/.
Let the games begin!
WPS!!!
Kat