Put meatballs in the oven on a cookie sheet until browned. Remove the meatballs.
Pour the chili sauce and the grape jelly into the skillet and heat, stirring constantly and simmer, uncovered for about 30 minutes.
To keep warm place into a crockpot and keep covered on low.
Cook’s Notes:
Use Welch’s grape jelly or Cranberry Sauce. This recipe works great with pre-cooked, frozen meatballs. Just eliminate all of the meatball ingredients in the recipe, warm the sauce as above, then stir in the frozen meatballs with the heated sauce. Simmer on low to warm the meatballs through well, about 20 minutes, gently stirring them several times, then transfer them to a crockpot to keep warm if you like.
Frozen Meatballs in the Crockpot:
Heat the sauce on the stovetop. Place frozen meatballs into the crockpot and follow the suggestion on the bag of your brand of meatballs for heating. Generally speaking, you will need to allow about 3 hours for the meatballs to be ready to serve; about 2 hours on high, then another hour on low. Freshly cooked meatballs will only need to be held in the crockpot on low.
Cocktail Sausages:
Substitute a pound of cocktail sausages for the meatballs, eliminate all other ingredients except for the chili sauce and grape jelly.
I have to admit it—I’m a total nacho fiend. Whether I’m watching the game from the stands or on the couch at home, there are few things I find more satisfying than a plate of crunchy, cheesy nachos. I love playing around with different flavors, which is how I came up with my Mediterranean nachos—a healthier and more interesting riff on the classic dish. Preparing fresh hummus and tzatziki makes all the difference in this awesomely easy snack.
Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) bag baked pita chips
2/3 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
2/3 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Hummus
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas
3 tablespoons tahini
4 to 5 ice cubes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Tzatziki
1 cup reduced-fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig dill, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, half minced, half diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Make the hummus: Drain the chickpeas, and skin them by placing them in a single layer on a paper towel and rubbing gently; the skins will come right off with your fingers. Place in a food processor with the tahini, blend, and then drop in the ice cubes one by one to create a very smooth texture. Transfer to a bowl, and add the juice of 1 lemon, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix well. If you want a thinner consistency (similar to nacho cheese or refried beans), stir in 1 tablespoon water.
Make the tzatziki: Combine the Greek yogurt, 2 crushed garlic cloves, the juice of 1 lemon, and 2 tablespoons olive oil, the dill, minced cucumbers, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Stir thoroughly so all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Lay out the pita chips on a tray or serving plate. Top with 3⁄4 cup of the hummus and 3⁄4 cup of the tzatziki, and sprinkle with the diced cucumbers, lettuce, olives, tomatoes, and feta. Serve immediately with any leftover hummus and tzatziki on the side.
About the Contributor
“Fangating™” expert and celebrity cook Daina Falk, founder of the Hungry Fan®, is author of The Hungry Fan’s® Game Day Cookbook, which includes 165 Fangating™ recipes—including 40 that she collected from Olympians and professional athletes like LeBron James, Boomer Esiason, Michael Jordan and Andre Agassi! Daina merges sports, food and entertaining (including tailgating and homegating) to celebrate and curate game day revelry like none other. Reach her online at www.HungryFan.com.
Potato skins are a sportsfood staple. But I’ve got to say—and forgive me for sounding whiny—I’ve been served terrible ones so many times. Why are they so hard to make well? I think part of the problem is that, more often than not, people overcook the potatoes. And then once the potatoes get cold—yuck. Of course, I like this recipe for ’tater skins—it’s my own. But I’ve also opted to use sweet potatoes because I think they’re a bit juicier, they’ve got more flavor, and I find them less starchy. They’re also so much more nutritious than regular potatoes. Add my chipotle chicken mixture on top and you’ll hit your protein quota and enjoy every bite—you’ll need a fork and knife for these!
Ingredients:
3 medium-sized organic sweet potatoes
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 small breasts)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced chipotles in adobo
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups spinach, wilted (see Tip)
5 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated
Plain Greek yogurt (see Tip)
Chipotle hot sauce, optional
Cilantro sprigs, roughly chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Wash the sweet potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. Brush the skins with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place in a Pyrex dish or on a baking sheet, and bake them for 50 to 60 minutes or until fork-tender.
Place the chicken in a baking dish, rub with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and season with a small dash of salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the oven alongside the potatoes, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1⁄4 cup olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle pepper, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and 1⁄2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it with a fork or your fingers. Then combine it with the spinach, and keep warm.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes more.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
Using a spoon, scrape out the insides of the potatoes, leaving only the skin and a 1⁄4-inch layer of potato flesh. (Be careful not to tear the skins.) Return the skins to the baking dish, and brush the insides with the chipotle and herb mixture. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp.
Meanwhile, add the remaining chipotle and herb mix to the spinach and chicken, tossing to combine.
Once the skins are done, stuff them with the chicken mixture, top with grated cheese, and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the skins are hot and crisp. Serve topped with Greek yogurt, the hot sauce, if desired, and chopped cilantro.
Friendly Fangating Tip
Feel free to wilt your spinach in the microwave by putting it in a bowl with 1 teaspoon water and zapping it for 20-second intervals. I like to substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream. They taste almost exactly the same, but Greek yogurt is much healthier and lower in fat and calories.
About the Contributor
“Fangating™” expert and celebrity cook Daina Falk, founder of the Hungry Fan®, is author of The Hungry Fan’s® Game Day Cookbook, which includes 165 Fangating™ recipes—including 40 that she collected from Olympians and professional athletes like LeBron James, Boomer Esiason, Michael Jordan and Andre Agassi! Daina merges sports, food and entertaining (including tailgating and homegating) to celebrate and curate game day revelry like none other. Reach her online at www.HungryFan.com.
