Are you ready for some football? Getting together with family and friends on the weekend is a fun and spirited way to celebrate fall while cheering on your favorite team. There are so many games to watch and plenty of creative food options to choose from. We are gearing up for the big Viking / Packer game this weekend so I wanted to share some of our favorite football snacks. These were a hit for past games so I’m sure there will be some repeats for the game this weekend!

I am not someone who can pass up sweets so I started with the most important part…dessert 🙂 I made chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered Oreos that I decorated to look like little footballs. Both are super easy to make!

Start by lining 2 baking sheets with wax paper (this helps with easy clean-up too). Then melt 1 package of chocolate almond bark. Dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate and place on one of the baking sheets. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate hardens.

Melt the other package of chocolate almond bark and dip the Oreos until completely covered. I find this easiest to do with a fork because you can shake some excess chocolate off. Place on the other baking sheet and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes so the chocolate can harden.

Next, melt either white chocolate chips or vanilla almond bark. Once melted, pour into a piping bag with a very small tip. If you don’t have piping bags you can easily create your own by using a drinking glass and Ziploc bag. Fold the top of the Ziploc bag over the sides of the glass, add the mixture, seal, and snip a tiny amount of the corner. Then decorate the strawberries and Oreos with the melted chocolate creating lines to resemble a football.

Trust me – these won’t last long!

For the “main course” I chose a variety of appetizers; Jalapeño Popper Wontons, Pigs in a Blanket, Taco Dip, and Boneless Chicken Wings. The Jalapeño Popper Wontons were by far the biggest hit. They are cheesy and spicy, and hard to keep on the table! Here’s how you make them:

Ingredients

• 12 Wonton Wrappers
• 4 Oz Cream Cheese, softened
• ½ Cup Sour Cream
• 12 Oz Bacon, cooked and crumbled, reserve 2 Tbsp
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, reserve 2 Tbsp
• 3-4 Jalapeños, seeded and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray (regular size muffin pan, not mini). Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup. Lightly press down each wonton to form a bowl. 
3. Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly brown.
4. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
5. In a mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, and jalapeños.
6. Spoon into each wonton cup, then sprinkle with the leftover bacon and cheddar cheese.
7. Return to oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes, until the wontons are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

*This recipe make 12 but you could easily double the recipe if you are expecting a lot of people and want to have enough for everybody.

*An alternative recipe would be to use Bacon Chive Dip that is available in the Deli Department at Festival Foods. Place a dollop of the Bacon Chive Dip into each wonton cup and bake. Then sprinkle with more cheddar cheese and bake for a few more minutes.

The Pigs in a Blanket are a great finger food and super kid friendly. You can pop one in your mouth as you walk by the food table without having to stop for a plate. Plus, kids love them and you won’t have to worry about any picky eaters. Here’s how you make them:

Ingredients

• 1 Can Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
• 1 (14 oz) Package Cocktail Size Smokes Sausage Links or Hot Dogs
• Yellow Mustard
• Ketchup

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Unroll the crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Then slice each triangle lengthwise into 3 smaller strips.
3. Place one sausage or hot dog on the thin point on the crescent roll and roll toward the thicker end. Continue until all sausages/hot dogs have been rolled.
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the baking sheet ½ way through cooking to allow even baking.
5. Cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Squeeze mustard and/or ketchup once lengthwise and 3 times crosswise to create football lines.
7. Serve with more mustard and ketchup for dipping.

If you happen to have leftovers (I know, who has leftovers of these delicious appetizers?) they make a great after school snack for the kids. Just store them in the fridge and reheat when ready to serve. This would also work if you want to make them ahead of time. Do all the prep work and baking but don’t add the mustard or ketchup lines. Reheat when ready to serve and add the football lines right beforehand.

I admittedly cheated a bit on the last 2 appetizers because they were store bought and not homemade…but that’s OK! As much fun as it is to host a party and go all out with the food and décor you also want to have time to socialize and watch the game. That’s why I chose to have 2 homemade appetizers and 2 store bought appetizers.

Both the Taco Dip and Boneless Chicken Wings came from the Deli Department at Festival Foods. You can easily make your own Taco Dip if you have a recipe you like or you can follow the recipe here. I found buying the Taco Dip at the store was easiest. You can either keep the dip in the container it comes in or transfer to a bowl of your choice. Pair with some tortilla chips and you are good to go.

I chose the Hot Buffalo Boneless Chicken Wings but other flavors are available. Let me tell you, the Hot Buffalo is HOT! So if you like a lot of heat these are perfect. You will want to have ranch or bleu cheese dressing available for dipping. Simple place the wings on a baking sheet and bake according to package instructions. Easy peasy!

These are just some of our favorite snacks to enjoy while watching the game but there are plenty of other options available. Festival Foods makes it super easy to host a football party without having to do much work. Aside from the Taco Dip and Boneless Chicken Wings I mentioned above you can get pre-made or “take and heat” options from the Deli Department. Some of these options include pasta salads, potato salads, fried chicken, take and bake pizzas, sandwiches, mac and cheese, chicken alfredo, goulash, and more.

Plus the bakery has great football themed desserts available. You can find cookie cakes and cupcakes decorated with team colors. Can you tell I’m a Vikings fan? 🙂

Enjoy rooting for your favorite team!

Happy Cooking!

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