Game day recipes

Monday night football. Army-Navy game. Superbowl Sunday. If there is anything more delicious than the thrill of a football game, it’s grazing tasty treats that are packed with flavor while being mostly portable.   

When you jump from your seat to cheer on your team or to shout at the referee, you have a drink in one hand and food in the other. Some might call perfectly pulling these recipes off a touchdown, but I would never be that cliché. Listen, I am here for the recipes, not for the cheesy puns.

Loaded Potato Cups  

Servings: 12

It’s everything you love about a baked potato, but mini sized. Golden-brown potato cups that are filled to the brim with cheese, sour cream, bacon, green onions and anything else you like to see on your baked potato. It’s the perfect bite-sized snack made for sharing. 

For the cup 

1 package dehydrated potatoes (4.2 ounce dry) 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons bacon fat or melted butter 

½ cup shredded cheese

1. Follow the instructions on the dehydrated potatoes for rehydrating them. (This involves pouring boiling water to a line and letting them sit.) 
2. Once they have cooled enough to handle, mix in salt, shredded cheese and the melted butter or bacon fat. Mix all the ingredients together. 
3. Evenly distribute into 12 regular sized muffin tins. Press the mixture up around the edges and try to form a bowl of sorts. 
4. Bake at 350 F for 30-45 minutes. The longer you bake them, the more it will retain its shape. 

For the toppings 

Cooked, chopped bacon 

Sour cream 

Shredded cheese 

Finely chopped green onion 

 When you’re ready to plate, remove the cups from the tin and fill with the ingredients listed above.

Chicken and Waffles  

Servings: 6 to 8  

There is something to love about chicken and waffles. This dish combines sweet and savory perfectly. And if you do it my way, you can add a bit of spice into it as well. I have a mini waffle iron that I use to make it. You could always purchase mini waffles, or quarter a full-sized waffle to make these more finger-friendly food. It is super simple and will be devoured quickly.  

2 “servings” of your favorite waffle mix (and other ingredients specified on label) 

6-8 chicken thighs, halved into equal size pieces 

2 eggs, beaten  

2 cups of your favorite chicken fry mix 

1 cup salted butter 

2 tablespoons honey 

¾ teaspoon cayenne, divided 

½ teaspoon cinnamon  

2-3 cups vegetable oil (or other frying oils) for frying 

1. In a stand mixer or food processor, whip together room temperature butter, honey, ½ teaspoon cayenne and cinnamon. Pipe or spread onto wax paper and place in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.  
2. Prepare waffle mix according to package instructions. Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne and mix until well incorporated. Setaside.
3. Heat oil until it reaches 350 F or begins to bubble slightly. 
4. Coat chicken well in egg, and then drudge in the batter. 
5. Fry for roughly6minutes per side or until 165 F internally/golden brown. 
6. Carefully remove and place onto a rack or paper towel.
7. While chicken is frying, cook the waffles until they are also golden brown. 
8. Plate the chicken on the waffle with some honey butter on top and an additional waffle.  

RELATED: Army-Navy: ‘Game that really touches all of America’

Nacho Burger Sliders  

Servings: 8 

I went home from Food Network Star with this recipe. It wasn’t because the food wasn’t good, but instead because Bobby Flay wanted chips on the burger. Well, sorry to disappoint, but I didn’t put any chips on this one either — but I did put chips IN it.

[If you can’t decide on a slider or nachos, just put them together.] 

For the patty 

1 pound ground beef 

¼ cup finely crushed tortilla chips 

1 packet taco powder 

Slider buns 

4 slices American cheese 

¼ cup canned, diced jalapenos 

1. Combine ground beef, taco powder, crushed chips and jalapenos into a bowl and mix until well incorporated. 
2. Stack four slices of American cheese and cut into 8 evenly-sized pieces. 
3. Take half the meat you need for one slider patty, place the cut American cheese in the middle and then put more meat on top, forming a stuffed patty. 
4. Continue until you have made 8 patties. 
5. Cook the patties and set aside until you are ready to plate. It is helpful to have everything else out so that you can still serve warm sliders. 

Other ingredients 

Favorite queso 

Favorite guacamole 

Shredded lettuce 

Sliced tomato  

Crunchy fried jalapenos or hatch chiles for topping  

Plate your food by putting some guacamole on the bottom bun. Add shredded lettuce and the sliced tomato. Add your patty, queso and some crunchy toppings. Finally, add your top bun and enjoy.  

For more recipe ideas, visit our sister publication Military Families Magazine.