Get Your Tailgating Nosh On!

The second football game of the school year is here, with College GameDay in tow. It’s like Eugene’s own version of “holiday season.”

Another flawless (or nearly spotless) season requires tremendous support of our team including, but not limited to, excessive cheering, high-fives, and trash talking referees – and no one can protest bad calls on an empty stomach. I don’t profess to know much about stats or the rules of the game, but you can bet your O-Face that I know a thing or two about excellent finger foods.

Whether tailgating outside Autzen or screaming at the TV, these recipes will keep you fed and spirits high. It’s easy to fall into tried and true chips, dips, and vegetable trays, but I believe that putting a different spin on game day noshes is the best way keep the game spirit alive.

That said, no tailgate or watch party is complete without a good, versatile dip. Being the Mediterranean-obsessed cook that I am, my go-to dip is Tzatziki, a creamy Greek number with cucumber and yogurt. It’s super easy to make, cheap, and delightfully fresh.

1 ½ cup plain yogurt
1 small cucumber
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (set some aside for garnish)
Salt and pepper

First, peel and coarsely grate the cucumber. Put the grated cucumber in a strainer and use the back of a plate or spoon to remove as much water as possible. Blot with a paper towel.
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Let chill for about 2 hours prior to serving. Transfer to a serving dish, stir, and garnish with the extra chopped mint.

Next up, we gotta include some carbs to soak up all that “soda” everyone will be drinking. Another Mediterranean treat, this tomato bread is a fresh and healthy spin on classic garlic bread.

1 loaf of French or other kind of crusty bread
2-3 tomatoes

Optional:
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the loaf into 6-8 slices.

(If the bread is soft, toast the slices in the oven for a few minutes until slightly crispy). Arrange on a cookie sheet.

Halve tomatoes and rub the halves into each slice, letting the juices and seeds soak into the bread. If you wish, drizzle with olive oil, parmesan, and/or chopped garlic.
Toast for about 5-7 minutes, or until edges of bread are golden brown.
Serve with deli meats, such as salami or ham, and cheese.

For a heartier snack, try my spin on pigs in a blanket. Make sure you have plenty of people to share these with. With its heavenly texture – light, buttery, and cheesy – they are sinfully delicious and dangerously addictive.

You have been warned.

2 cans of crescent rolls
1 pckg of Lil Smokies
2-3 slices of cheese, cut into 4 long strips to be roughly the same size as the meat
Garlic butter

Preheat oven according to directions on the can.

Pop open the cans of dough and unroll. Tear along the perforated edges to separate the triangles, but don’t worry if you mangle the dough. This being my first time with canned dough, I had some trouble keeping all the triangles intact a couple times. But, these piggies ain’t meant to be pretty. (But it doesn’t hurt if they are!)

Place 1 sausage and 1 slice of cheese at the base of the dough triangle and roll toward the point.
Place the rolls on a cookie sheet and brush each one lightly with garlic butter.
Pop ‘em in the oven and bake for about 11 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve with ranch, tzatziki, or red sauce.

After all these carbs and butter, I’m sure you will be absolutely craving something healthy. Well, mostly healthy, which is why you will love these baked zucchini fries!

2 small zucchini
¾ cup Italian-seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
(If you can’t find the seasoned ones, make your own by mixing ½ tsp each onion powder, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder with breadcrumbs)
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 425.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil; spray foil with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Cut the ends off the zucchini and quarter each as such:

Then cut those pieces into thin strips or “fries.”
Blot the fries with a paper towel to remove moisture.
Beat the eggs in a shallow dish. Dip each zucchini strip in the egg, shake off extra, and dip in breadcrumbs. Arrange the fries on the cookie sheet so that they aren’t touching each other.

(Note: be careful to not get too many breadcrumbs on the first few fries, because your crumb pile will absorb the egg and become hard to work with, so pace yourself.)

Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the fries over with a spatula and bake 10 minutes more, or until crispy.
Serve with ranch or red sauce.
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Now, for my almost-favorite part of any meal: dessert. I am about to impart on you the absolute BEST brownie recipe I have EVER encountered. Once you make these, you will never use boxed mixes again. Again, make sure you have a crowd to impress when making these treats; otherwise, you will probably eat them all before you can say “treadmill.” Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt

Optional:
1 king size or 7 oz. Hershey bar, chopped (you can also use chocolate chips)
½ cup walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla at medium-high speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy.
Meanwhile, sift together cocoa powder, flour, and salt and set aside in a bowl.
Add each egg one at a time, mixing well after each one.
Reduce mixer to low. Gradually spoon flour mixture into egg mixture until well blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally with a spatula.
Fold in chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) and walnuts. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, or when a toothpick comes out clean. Cool pan on a wire rack.

And for my very favorite part of a meal, or in this case, tailgate party: fun drinks!

If you are tired of the standard beer and soda fare, make these easy Lemon Drop jello shots – which can also be made without alcohol, of course – and get everyone pumped!

Here’s what you need:

2-4 lemons, depending on how many shots you want. Each citrus will yield about 4-6 wedges.
1 pckg lemon jello, or your flavor of preference
½ Cup vodka or drink mix of your choosing

Slice lemons in half, juice, and core. Make sure to remove all the pulp from the inside! Try to make a small slice in the pith (the white part under the rind) and peel it out. Be careful of this method if you have any cuts on your hands!!
Prepare jello according to directions. Reduce the cold water portion by ½ cup and add your ½ cup of alcohol instead.
Place each lemon half in a muffin tin and pour jello into the lemons. Chill overnight.
Before serving, slice the halves into wedges with a sharp straight-edged knife and prepare yourself for all the compliments you’re about to get!

If you try the recipes, tell us how they turned out! Gooooo Ducks!