Up the ante on your tailgating chow this football season.
eMeals founder Jane DeLaney's go-to tailgating recipes consist of slow-cooked pulled pork sliders, spinach dip that she's dubbed "Swamp Dip" as a nod to the Florida Gators and bacon-jalapeño sliders, which can be made vegetarian sans bacon bits.
All three make for tasty bites before the game, as well as quick in-between plays grubbing while you watch. And you can eat 'em one-handed.
Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders
Makes 12
Ingredients
6-pound bone-in pork shoulder roast, trimmed
2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper
18-ounce bottle barbecue sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 (12-count) packages slider buns
16-ounce jar bread and butter pickles
Directions
Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. Combine roast, barbecue sauce, broth and vinegar in a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until roast is very tender.
Remove pork to a cutting board; shred with two forks. Return pork to slow cooker, and discard bones. Toss pork to coat with sauce; serve on slider buns with pickles.
Bacon-Jalapeño Sliders
Makes 28
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons bacon bits
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt, to taste
14 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
Texas hot sauce, optional
Directions
Preheat grill to medium-high. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions, bacon bits, lime juice, garlic and salt to taste. Fill pepper halves evenly with cheese mixture. Place in a container for easy transport.
When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high. Place a sheet of aluminum foil onto grill rack, and carefully place peppers on foil, being sure they don’t fall between grates.
Cover and grill 8 to 10 minutes, or until the peppers begin to char and the cheese is melted. Garnish with a dash of Texas hot sauce if desired.
Swamp Dip
Ingredients
10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup drained and chopped roasted red bell peppers
8-ounce container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 packet dry vegetable soup mix
Pepper, to taste
Dash ground red pepper, optional
Directions
Thaw spinach completely, and squeeze dry in paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl and add red peppers, sour cream, mayo, onion, lemon juice, vegetable soup mix, pepper and ground red pepper, if using.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla, pita or bagel chips.
