Score points with friends at your next tailgate

With the arrival of football season comes tailgate parties.

It’s been a while since I’ve attended any tailgates. The last ones I visited were held in 2019, when my beloved N.C. State football team took on my husband’s alma mater, East Carolina, in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Wolfpack defeated the Pirates rather convincingly, but the true winners were the tailgaters. They welcomed other football fans, hung out in the parking lot, shared food and good-natured teasing. It was hard to keep our three kids from wandering around in the huge stadium parking lot as they were tempted to try all the delicious food.

In Morgantown, home of West Virginia University, RVs and trucks with trailers set up in parking lots a day or two before game day to tailgate. Several groups were people who met at games a few years back and became tailgating friends for life. Game day may have brought these people together, but food made them family and friends.

The Wolfpack is scheduled to play at Mississippi State on Sept. 11. I can’t wait to see how tailgating is done in Starkville.

Tailgating is basically like a picnic, but done in a parking lot rather than on a grassy field somewhere. You have to keep in mind things such as safe food storage, what utensils you’ll have on hand, and ease of eating when planning out your menu.

Safe tailgating

Don’t let special times with family and friends turn into an experience with food poisoning.

According to the Mississippi State Extension Office,  too much sun and heat can make perishable foods unsafe to eat. Mishandled food can become contaminated with bacteria and cause food poisoning.

When planning tailgate parties or other outdoor events, keep the following food safety tips in mind to ensure a safe and pleasurable event.

Keep perishable foods, such as lunch meats, cooked chicken, tuna salad, and potato or pasta salads in a cooler. Pack coolers with several inches of ice or use frozen gel-packs. Store food in water-tight containers to prevent contact with melting ice water.

Not all foods need refrigeration. Fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, trail-mix, canned meat spreads, and peanut butter and jelly can be safely left at room temperature. Once canned meats are opened, put them in the cooler.

Keep foods that require constant access, such as drinks and other non-perishable foods, in another cooler.

Return any leftovers to ice chests as soon as possible. Food sitting at outside temperatures more than two hours is not safe to eat. At 90 degrees or above, food should not sit out more than one hour. Food spoils quickly at high temperatures.

One thing to keep in mind while tailgating is the local burning rules. During certain parts of the year, when there has been little to no rain, a no burning ban may be issued. This prohibits burning of any kind, with the exception of gas and charcoal grills. To learn if there is a local burn ban, visit ​​mfc.ms.gov/burning-info/burn-bans/ .

Recipes

I tried to include semi-healthy recipes that can be prepared ahead of time and easily transported or won’t take long to prepare at your tailgating site. These also make good food for potlucks. Enjoy spending time with your friends and watching the game.

BARBECUE CHICKEN AND SQUASH SLIDERS

Leftover chicken is ideal for this recipe. You can also purchase a deli rotisserie chicken, and shred the meat for the sandwiches. Any additional deli chicken can be wrapped and frozen for another use

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1 pouch (4 oz) 100% butternut squash purée
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Sandwiches:
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 8 mini sandwich buns (slider buns)

Directions:

• In a 2-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir in chicken until evenly coated. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until hot.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto bottom of each bun; cover each with bun top.

COLD CHICKEN AND CHEESE KABOBS

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 5 ounces cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 16 cherry or grape tomatoes

Directions:

• Combine salt, chili powder and pepper; rub onto chicken cubes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add vinegar and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
• Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Heat oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Cool slightly. Thread chicken, cheese and tomatoes onto wooden skewers. Serve cold.

DILLY VEGGIE PIZZA

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1-1/2 cups vegetable dill dip
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

Directions:

• Unroll crescent dough into 1 long rectangle. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13- by 9-inch baking pan; seal seams. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Spread dip over crust; sprinkle with the carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, onions and olives. Cut into squares. Refrigerate leftovers.

SLOW-COOKER SPICY RANCH DIP

Use fresh jalapeños for a spicier dip, or reduce the amount of red pepper for a less spicy experience.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz.)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeños
• 1 package (1 oz.) ranch dressing & seasoning mix
• 2 teaspoons ground red pepper (cayenne)

Directions:

• Add all ingredients to a slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cover and cook on the high heat setting for about two hours, stirring occasionally.
• To serve, adjust the slow cooker to warm heat setting.