Having the gang over to watch Super Bowl 50? Or maybe your family of basketball fans has marked off Tuesday night, Feb. 2, for the big Vols vs. Kentucky Wildcats game on ESPN?
Time to homegate.
Homegating is the new term for holding the pregame party around the coffee table instead of the tailgate. Maybe watching a televised game doesn’t match the electricity that charges fans in the stadium, but homegating provides all the comforts without having to transport multiple containers of food and drinks.
When we asked Times Free Press readers what they served friends coming over for a game-day party, more than 60 percent replied that they kept it simple and self-serve. Dips, other types of cracker-toppers and self-serve set-ups were keys to a relaxing party. Chili with a variety of toppings was the second-most popular answer to dips and chips.
Teachers Koko Payne and Dina Smith Couch both named Tex-Mex food as their go-tos.
“Move Over Taco Bell dip: layered refried beans, sour cream, salsa and cheese served with tortilla chips” scores with her friends, Couch says.
Payne says she sets up a nacho bar with Rotel, onions, chicken, beef, black beans, tomatoes, sour cream. “Everybody makes their own,” she explains.
“Dips. Lots of dips!” says Bekah Mason, former Chattanoogan now living in Louisville, Ky.
North Chattanoogan Rebecca Campbell says she and her husband like pepper jelly with cream cheese and crackers.
“We can our own pepper jelly” so this ingredient is always at-hand, she adds.
Carol Thompson of Gainesboro, Tenn., shared a two-ingredient dip that “is a rather simple recipe, but everyone loves it.” She jokes her friend wouldn’t give her the recipe, so she guessed at it until she found the right chili-cheese combination.
Rosemary Palmer, who writes the Not Just Paper and Paint blog, shared a seafood dip that she learned in a 2004 cooking class with Paula Deen just as the TV chef’s career was starting to take off.
The Shore Is Good dip is “great to make one day ahead of time,” she says. “Plus this tastes just as great being served almost at room temperature as right out of the oven.”
Palmer and Thompson’s dip recipes follow, along with others from Food Network.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.
Homegating dip recipes
Shore Is Good Seafood Dip 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium green bell pepper, diced 1 medium onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1/2 can of cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup mayonnaise 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese 1 6-ounce can crab meat, drained 6 ounces shrimp, fresh or canned, drained Parsley for garnish Heat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion and celery and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, just long enough to soften vegetables. Do not let them brown. Note: May use half red and half green peppers for extra color. In a bowl, combine the half can of soup, mayonnaise, Parmesan and cream cheese. Stir in the crab meat and shrimp, then add cooled vegetables just until blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 8-by-11-inch casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving. Serve with toast points or crackers. Works well in a bread bowl, and bread cut from center of loaf may be used for dipping. – Rosemary Palmer Chili Dip 1 can Hormel Chili with no beans 1/4 section of Velveeta cheese brick, cubed (may use more for thicker dip) Doritos Microwave cheese and chili until melted, or cook in pan on low heat on stove top. Stir to blend cheese and chili and pour into small crockpot or fondue set to keep warm. Serve with Doritos. – Carol Thompson Layered Spicy Black Bean Dip 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 16-ounce jar spicy black bean dip 1/2 of 8-ounce package shredded Mexican cheese blend Sliced green onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, as desired for toppings Tortilla and corn chips Layer cream cheese, black bean dip and shredded cheese in 1-quart serving dish. Add toppings and serve with chips. – Food Network Beer-Cheese Dip 3 5-ounce jars sharp cheese spread 16 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 1/4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 drops hot sauce 1 small onion, minced 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened 1/4 cup dark beer, heated and cooled, plus extra if needed 1 loaf mini pumpernickel bread slices, optional Blend cheese spread, cream cheese, blue cheese, garlic, hot sauce, onion and butter in a food processor. Mix in 1/4 cup beer. Add more beer if necessary, a few tablespoons at a time, until dip reaches preferred consistency. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with bread slices and crudités for dipping. – Food Network Creamy BLT Dip 1 pound bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sour cream 2 tomatoes, chopped Chopped fresh chives, optional Blend together bacon, mayonnaise and sour cream; chill. Stir in tomatoes just before serving; sprinkle with chives, if desired. – Food Network Blue Cheese Dip 8 ounces reduced-fat vegetable cream cheese, softened 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill weed Place cream cheese, sour cream, blue cheese, garlic powder, pepper, parsley and dill into a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until blended. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve. – Food Network Broccoli Salad Dip 1/2 pound fresh broccoli 6 ounces cream cheese, softened 2/3 cup low-fat Greek yogurt 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 4 thick bacon slices, cooked and chopped 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, about 2 ounces 1/3 cup minced red onion Remove and discard large leaves and stalks from broccoli. Coarsely chop florets. Process cream cheese and next four ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add broccoli; pulse 12 to 15 times or until finely chopped. Fold bacon and remaining ingredients into cream cheese mixture. Serve immediately, or dip may be chilled up to three days. – Food Network Bacon Cheese Dip 1/2 cup sour cream 1 4-ounce package crumbled blue cheese 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons diced onion 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled Chopped fresh parsley, optional Blue cheese crumbles, optional Process first five ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir in half of bacon. Cover and chill 2 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with remaining bacon. Garnish, if desired, if blue cheese crumbles or parsley. Serve with crackers. – Food Network