Fan-tastic Flavors

Grab my Fan-tastic Flavors recipes for inRegister here: Aimee’s Pretty Palate

The temperatures are droppin’ and the football parties are going to be rockin’. Score big with my top-pick menu items for a tasty tailgate/homegate that is sure to please.

There’s a reason my Honey Garlic Party Meatballs have the word “party” in the title. A little bit of garlic. A little bit of honey. It’s a party meatball recipe that will give all other football-watching snacks a run for their money. Eat ’em as poppers served alone with toothpicks or on a sandwich sub-style. Like potato chips, I’ll bet you can’t just eat one.

My Hot Muffuletta Dip is more than a warmed-up version of my beloved and ever-popular Muffuletta Dip. While delicious in its original state, I fancied it up for inclusion in my friend, Beth Peterson’s new book The Tailgate Cookbook. A sports-themed restaurant owner turned TV competitor (Food Network’s Cuttthroat Kitchen & Fox’s MasterChef), Beth resides in Chicago, but our paths crossed when she was on tour as an ESPN College GameDay tailgating spokesperson. I had the honor of hosting Beth along with cookbook author, BBQ pitmaster and TV personality Ray Lampe, aka “Dr. BBQ.”  Beth’s tailgating-themed tome features 75 recipes from her travels to game days across the country, and I was tickled pink to be asked to represent the South, along with local chef and culinary personality Jay Ducote.

Never one to pass up an opportunity to color-coordinate my cocktails, my Spiked Lemonade is super refreshing and quite easy to theme around your favorite college team—purple sanding sugar for LSU or blue for Southern. Just a little warning, though: you’ll want to pace yourself so you’ll make it past halftime.

Cheers to a great season!