IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON!What I usually hear this time of year is:“I’m tired of our same old game day plan” and “I don’t want to grill- I want to relax and enjoy my friends” So, here are some ideas for your game day that will keep everyone happy and let you have some fun, too. Big thanks to Dandy RVfor the use of the awesome RV for our tailgate party!
VARIATIONS ON A THEME: MIX IT UP…one week Mexican with hats and decor, the next week you can take it to New Orleans with aMardi Gras menu, the following week make it a Lowcountry crab boil, Italian, Pirate Party, Chili cook-off, beach party, etc. You don't have to go with BBQ or typical tailgatefood every weekend.
MULTI-PURPOSE FOOD: For example, chili works for a variety of different foods... chili pie, tacos, hot dogs, nachos, and more. You can hosta chili throwdown where everyone brings a Crock-Pot with their favorite recipe. Add a condiment and hot sauce bar so everyone can add their favorite toppings.
Serve chili in a Fritos bag! Instant chili pie!Serve chili in individual Fritos or Doritos bags.... yes, serving right in the bag makes yummy Frito chili pie ornachos! This is so good andmakes clean up a breeze. Best of all, no dirty dishes to take home!
MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES TAILGATE TIPS
1. When it is still hot outside, make sure totake an extra cooler filled with ice so you can keep drinks and food items cold and have plenty ofclean ice for drinks.
2. Use multi-purpose glasses like the insulated glasses from Tervis Tumblers– they keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. LOVE THEM... especially when I have a party inside. No condensation rings and no broken glass. Plus they go right in the dishwasher.
3. A great way tokeep hot food hot is towrap and store them ina cheap Styrofoam coolerand pack it with newspaper. This will keep it hot until you are ready to serve.
4. Do most of the prep at home so you just have simple assembly or grilling when you get to the stadium.
Make a toss-away beverage cooler
Re-use a drink holder for dips
Use the 6-pack carrier for condiments5. If you don’t want to take a cooler- get a case of your favorite drinks, empty itand line with a white or clear garbage bag andput the drinks back and fill with ice. Afterwards, put the whole thingin the trash. I always double the bag so I don't have any leaks. You can also use a beer carton as a condiment holder. Works great! Save the carton from your next 6-pack!
6.Another use for a cardboard drink carrier- is to use it for a condiment carrier or a dip holder!
7. Pre-cook what you can. You can even pre-cook ribs and finish them on the grill. Just make sure to keep them well chilled.
8. Get in on the Crock-Pot craze…. Plug it in before you go to bed the night before and you’ve got a good start on lunch when you get there.
9. One of the most frustrating things about going to the game is not being able to find your friends ortheir tailgate!Use acluster of helium balloons and fly them way over the top of your tentso your friends can spot you from a distance! I got huge balloons and wrote on them with a marker to define our tailgate and help friends locate us easily!
Make a game day table runner from a rug, placemat or tablecloth with white electrical tape and stick on numbers10. You don’t have to buy special football items or tableware- you can easily make a football field runner from placemats or some other item. I used a green chenille kitchen rug I got on sale for $4 at Target and lined it with white plastic electrician's tape. I got the numbers at Wal-Mart in the mailbox section but you can get stick-on numbers where you get scrapbook supplies also.
11. Bring items in a large plastic tub. When you are ready to pack up, line the tub with a garbage bag and then put your dirty dishes inside. Makes for super easy clean up when you get home!
Make giant sandwiches like a Muffaletta and just slice to serve. No more making lots of small sandwiches!12. Make giant sandwiches instead of lots of small sandwiches. Just take a large loaf of bread and make one large sandwich. Slice itup and you are good to go! If you make hot sandwiches, make sure to double the foil on the bottom so you do not burn the bread. Open up the top of the foil for the last few minutes to get the bread toasty. Add a little cheese on top for some extra yum!
NEED MORE GAME DAY IDEAS? CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES AND TIPS FROM MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES:
Host a Chili Cookoff for Game Day!
Game Day Grub: Steakhouse Steaks with Herb Butter
Make a Bloody Mary Bar for Game Day
FOLLOW MARTIE ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPES, IDEAS, AND FUN!
