Easy tailgate recipes for a Big Orange Saturday
So, do you want to impress your friends with simple, yet amazingly delicious tailgate food? Do you want to create a fun menu that will fill the stomachs of your loved ones and get them pumped for the game? You’ve come to the right place. I have created these three recipes (student budget friendly) that will give you a leg up on your tailgating neighbors and will have them wishing they could come join your pre-game party.
The summer months have finally passed and left us eagerly waiting for the most wonderful time of the year: college football season. More importantly, it’s time for Tennessee Football. As the leaves begin to change and fall from the trees, Tennessee orange takes over Knoxvillians’ wardrobes. “Rocky Top” plays on repeat in our heads as we patiently wait for Saturday to approach us each week.
Big Orange Saturdays bring more to the table than just a football game, though. Along with football season comes tailgate season. Big Orange tailgates can range from a simple get together with some store bought food and some music to a huge set up with TV’s, games and homemade barbecue.
So, do you want to impress your friends with simple, yet amazingly delicious tailgate food? Do you want to create a fun menu that will fill the stomachs of your loved ones and get them pumped for the game? You’ve come to the right place. I have created these three recipes (student budget friendly) that will give you a leg up on your tailgating neighbors and will have them wishing they could come join your pre-game party.
Field Goal Guacamole
What you need:
- 3 avocados
Field goal guacamole. - 1-2 diced jalapeños
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup yellow onion
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1-2 tsp. hot sauce
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1-2 limes (juiced)
- salt and pepper to taste
- chili powder to top (optional)
Directions:
Scoop avocado out from the shells and into a bowl. Using a fork, smash avocado slightly until desired consistency. Combine all other ingredients to bowl and mix gently. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill. Enjoy with tortilla chips and your favorite salsa or use as a condiment/topper for hot dogs and hamburgers.
Game Day Sliders
What you need:
- 2 lbs. ground beef (14% fat)
- 2 tbsps. Worstershire Sauce
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1-2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
- ¼ cup diced onion
- fresh cilantro leaves to taste (optional)
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into bowl and mix well. (Use your hands. Yes, it can be gross, but it is the most effective and can be fun!) Form into small patties and grill to desired temperature. Remember, the patties will shrink slightly as they cook. Once all the sliders have been grilled, slice open the Hawaiian Sweet Rolls to form a bun. For extra flavor and texture, grill the buns so they are slightly toasted on the inside. Add your favorite condiments to create a slider that will blow your mind (and mouth) with tons of flavor. This should make about 12 sliders.
GBO Oreo Balls
What you need:
- 4 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
Go Big Orange Oreo balls. - ½ package of regular Oreos (NOT the Double Stuff, it doesn’t make it better)
- 1 package white melting chocolate
- orange food coloring (or yellow and red)
Directions:
Place Oreos in a gallon Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin (or whatever else you can find that will crush them). Mix in the room temperature cream cheese until smooth and evenly distributed. Scoop out mixture and form into consistent ball shapes and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the sheet into the freezer for at least 10 minutes. During this time, you can melt your chocolate, separating into two bowls after melted (one for orange food coloring, the other to stay white). Drop the balls into the melted chocolate and decorate to your heart’s desire. The more orange and white the better! Place the finished Oreo balls back onto the cookie sheet with parchment paper and freeze for another 15 to 20 minutes. Pop these drops of heaven into a Tupperware for everyone to enjoy at your tailgate.
Photos by Katy Hill
Edited by Taylor Owens
Assistant Arts and Culture editor, Katy Hill, is new to the journalism world. She began as an Exercise Science major before transferring to UT her junior year. After taking a media writing elective, she quickly found that she loved writing and switched to a Public Relations major. Her passion for blogging and local culture inspired her to begin her journey at Tennessee Journalist. Within her first year, she went from a 175 student completing a project to an assistant editor. She hopes to one day travel the world with her future pugs as a travel and food writer. When Katy is not writing, you can find her watching Food Network, playing soccer, or sitting at a local coffee shop.
