We are entering into the greatest time of the year. I’m not talking about pumpkin spice lattes or leaves changing from green to shades of autumn, although they fill the void when it’s Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday. Football season is upon us, people.
Preseason NFL games have already started and now we all wait patiently (or not) for the trash-talking of the regular season to begin. I’ll be the first to admit that I really only follow a few teams and even though I enjoy watching the games with my husband and friends, I truly view them as social events. And you know what goes great with being social? Food! Really tasty recipes that you associate with the season, much like any holiday.
I’m going to share a few of my favorites. And just so you know, I’m no Martha Stewart. I only commit to a recipe if it’s quick, easy, and looks doable/edible in the picture that I’ve Googled. There will be no pretty napkin art swans with these recipes. I’m a lady of simple taste and little time, so let’s go!
5 Touchdown-Worthy Recipes for Football Season
1. Instant Pot Beer Brats
This is one of my all-time favorites that is also a meal at our house throughout the year, but could also serve a group of people and is a classic: (Instant Pot) beer brats. And for all you Instant Pot fanatics, this might appeal to you! You can get pretty creative and elaborate with caramelized onions and all that jazz, but I simply brown my brats on the sauté function to my liking, poke holes in them with a fork, add a can and a half of my favorite beer (I have a mini 3-qt. pot), and set it to five minutes. All you have to do is add your favorite condiments and you have the perfect football-watching food! No grill necessary.
2. Jalapeño Popper Football Cheese Ball
This is a great recipe that requires no kitchen appliances and is also cute! I’ve made a version of this with pepperoni covering the outside of the ball and it was a hit.
Are you ready for some foodball?!
3. Crockpot Cheesy Bacon Corn Jalapeño Dip
This is one of my go-to recipes for large groups. It does include jalapeño again, but I’ve found that it’s not spicy due to the amount of cheese involved (but I also love a little heat). I’ve even experimented and did not de-seed my jalapeño and it was great!
4. Pizza Roll-ups
I like this recipe for one big reason: simplicity. It only requires four ingredients and can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike!
5. Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Shrimp
Talk about easy! Cut up some bacon, wrap up a shrimp, pin it in place with a toothpick and brush it with your favorite barbecue sauce. Pop ’em in the oven (indoor grill would work for this too) and voila! You’ve got an almost fancy football snack!
Now, get to eatin’! And good luck to everyone’s favorite teams this season. May they always win (unless they are playing my team) . . . but if they don’t, at least you have some great food to ease the loss.