Fall Festival Favorites
Barbecue Chicken Wings
Beth Bundy
Long Prairie, MN
Partially baked, partially cooked in the slow cooker, these wings have a zippy flavor…they get even better the longer they cook!
3 lbs. chicken wings
2 c. catsup
1/2 c. honey
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. oil
1 T. paprika
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. curry powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/8 t. hot pepper sauce
Arrange wings on a greased baking sheet. Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over wings. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until juices run clear. After baking, place in a slow cooker, cover and cook on low setting 2 to 3 hours. Serves 12.
When it comes to tailgating dippers, serve up lots of variety. Hearty crackers, pretzel rods, crisp veggies or slices of thick sourdough or pumpernickel bread. All are just right for creamy dips and spreads.
Blue Cheese Spread
Marion Sundberg
Ramona, CA
While on vacation, we stopped at a wonderful California winery to taste wine. They had something similar to this yummy spread to eat while tasting their sparkling wine.
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
4-oz. pkg. crumbled blue cheese
1/4 to 1/2 c. dry sparkling white wine or sparkling white grape juice
cracked pepper to taste
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. fresh chives, snipped
assorted crackers
Combine cream cheese and blue cheese. Stir in wine, champagne or grape juice until desired consistency is reached. Add remaining ingredients except crackers; blend well. Serve with crackers. Serves 12.
Crabmeat Dip
Danyel Martin
Madisonville, KY
This recipe was given to me by my mom. It is wonderful to take to a potluck for work or a family gathering. I took this to a black-tie event with my husband’s boss and it was the hit of the party.
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 t. lemon juice
2 t. onion, minced
1-1/2 T. crumbled blue cheese
12-oz. jar cocktail sauce
6-oz. can crabmeat, drained
club crackers
Blend together cream cheese, lemon juice, minced onion and blue cheese. Spread evenly on a plate; spread with cocktail sauce to cover. Sprinkle with crabmeat. Serve with crackers. Serves 20.
Pineapple-Pecan Cheese Spread
Cynde Sonnier
Mont Belvieu, TX
This is a delicious fast-fix recipe and yummy with fresh veggies.
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 c. chopped pecans, toasted and divided
3/4 c. crushed pineapple, drained
4-oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
2 T. roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 t. garlic powder
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup pecans, pineapple, chiles, red pepper and garlic powder; beat until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a serving dish. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, sprinkle with remaining pecans. Serves 8.
Keep an eye out at flea markets for woolly blankets. They make perfect tailgating tablecloths, and will keep you toasty warm during a chilly Friday night game!
Cheddar Apple Pie Dip
Cindy Snyder
Kittanning, PA
This is a great appetizer for a fall gathering of friends around a toasty fire.
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 red apple, cored and finely chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and finely chopped
1/2 c. pecan pieces, coarsely chopped
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl; stir in apples and pecans. Mix cream cheese and Cheddar cheese; add sour cream, stirring well to blend. Spread mixture in a 9" pie plate; top with apple mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until heated through. Serves 6 to 8.
Give bottles of cream soda, root beer or lemonade a bit of hometown pride for a pre-game party. Choose papers in school colors to wrap around each bottle, then top off with a tag and mini pompom.
Slow-Cooker Roast Beef Sandwiches
Deborah Griggs
Lexington, TN
This is delicious and can be served with your favorite chips or French fries. Try spooning it on mini buns for easy-to-hold sandwiches.
1.05-oz. env. Italian salad dressing mix
1-oz. env. au jus gravy mix
2 c. hot water
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3-lb. beef rump roast
8 to 12 buns, split and toasted
8-oz. pkg. mozzarella cheese slices
Whisk dry mixes in hot water; stir in Worcestershire sauce until mixture is smooth. Arrange roast in a slow cooker; pour mixture over the roast. Cover and cook on low setting for 10 to 12 hours. Transfer roast to a platter and shred with 2 forks. Spoon onto buns; top with cheese. If desired, serve remaining juices from slow cooker as dipping sauce for sandwiches. Makes 8 to 12 servings.
A vintage metal cooler is as good as ever for keeping soda, cider and juice frosty for family get-togethers or neighborhood block parties.
Chili-Cornbread Salad
Rachel Keim
Millersburg, OH
I’ve been making this recipe for 5 years. I get so many requests for it, and I’ve never heard anyone say they don’t like it. I also like to use my own frozen corn and shred cheese myself for more flavor.
8-1/2 oz. pkg. cornbread muffin mix
4-oz. can chopped green chiles
1/8 t. ground cumin
1/8 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. dried sage
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
1-oz. env. ranch salad dressing mix
2 15-oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 15-1/2 oz. cans corn, drained
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 c. green pepper, chopped
1 c. onion, chopped
10 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
Prepare cornbread batter according to package directions; stir in chiles and seasonings. Spread in a greased 8"x8" baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until center tests done; set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and ranch dressing mix; set aside. Crumble half of the cornbread into a lightly greased 13"x9" baking pan. Layer with half each of beans, mayonnaise mixture, corn, tomatoes, green pepper, onion, bacon and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serves 12.
Keep all your favorite fall recipes right at your fingertips. Keep recipe cards organized in a retro tin lunchbox…how fun!
Fast & Easy Red Pepper Hummus
Kathy Harris
Valley Center, KS
I experimented with several recipes and came up with this quick, easy and delicious new one. Our friends just love it served with pita chips.
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 T. taco seasoning mix
1 c. roasted red peppers, chopped
olive oil to taste
Purèe chickpeas, taco seasoning and roasted red peppers together in a food processor. Drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Chill one hour before serving. Makes 2 cups.
Homebaked Pita Chips
Nola Coons
Gooseberry Patch
These crispy, crunchy chips are ready in no time at all!
6 pita rounds, halved and split
1 T. kosher salt
Cut each pita half into 8 to 12 wedges. Arrange on an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet. Spray chips with non-stick vegetable spray; sprinkle with salt. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden. Serves 6 to 10.
Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
Cincinnati-Style Chili Dip
Tara Horton
Gooseberry Patch
It’s just not a tailgate party in Cincinnati unless this warm dip is passed around. Try to find a chili with cinnamon for an authentic Queen City experience!
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
10-1/2 oz. can chili without beans
8-oz. pkg. shredded mild Cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
Spread cream cheese in an ungreased 8"x8" baking pan. Pour chili over top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 10.
Buffalo Wing Dip
Amanda Coomer
Franklin, OH
Every time I take this somewhere I come home with an empty pan. Everyone loves it and I always get many requests for the recipe.
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
15-oz. jar chunky blue cheese salad dressing
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
12-oz. bottle chicken wing sauce
8-oz. pkg. shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese blend
tortilla chips or crackers
Blend together cream cheese and salad dressing until smooth. Spread in the bottom of an ungreased 8"x8" baking pan. Combine chicken and sauce together; spoon over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and dip is heated through. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers. Serves 10.
Peanut Butter Bars
Theresa Wehmeyer
Rosebud, MO
This recipe is loved by both my kids!
1/2 c. margarine, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. plus 2 T. creamy peanut butter, divided
1 egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. milk
Combine margarine, sugars and 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; stir into margarine mixture. Spread into a greased 13"x9" baking pan; sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden; set aside to cool 10 minutes. Combine powdered sugar, milk and remaining peanut butter until smooth; drizzle over bars. Cut into bars. Makes 16 to 18 bars.
Enjoy football fever even if you don’t have tickets to the big game. Invite friends and neighbors over to watch the game on TV…you can enjoy all your favorite foods while cheering on your team!
Raspberry Crumb Cookie Bars
Andrea Heyart
Aubrey, TX
This recipe has become an often-requested dessert at family gatherings and holiday parties.
1 c. sugar
1 c. plus 1 T. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 c. butter, diced
18-oz. tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
12-oz. jar seedless raspberry jam
Whisk together sugar and one cup flour. Stir in butter with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside. Blend cookie dough and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining flour if mixture is too soft. Press into the bottom of a greased 13"x9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then spread jam over crust. Sprinkle sugar mixture over jam; return to oven for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool and cut into bars. Refrigerate any leftovers. Makes one dozen bars.
Whether you’re bringing drop or cut-out cookies, brownies or bars, wrap each individually in wax-paper bags and tuck them in a picnic basket for easy toting. They’ll arrive tasting oven-fresh and the bags will keep crisp cookies from drying out softer ones.
Raspberry Chipotle Dip
Linda Vogt
Las Vegas, NV
I have made this for the past couple of years and it is delish! You can’t stop eating it once you start!
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
15-oz. bottle roasted raspberry chipotle sauce, divided
assorted crackers
Arrange blocks of cream cheese side-by-side on a serving plate. Pour one cup raspberry chipotle sauce over cream cheese, reserving remaining sauce for another recipe. Serve with assorted crackers. Serves 20.
Cashew-Chili Cheese Ball
Paula Marchesi
Lenhartsville, PA
This cheese ball was my favorite every time my mom made it…my brother and I couldn’t wait until it was ready! Now I serve it at all my family gatherings. Often I’ll swap out the chili powder and substitute cayenne pepper, black pepper, cumin or curry powder.
16-oz. pkg. pasteurized process cheese spread, softened
4-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2/3 c. chopped cashews
1/2 t. garlic salt
Garnish: chili powder
assorted crackers and cocktail breads
Combine cheeses, cashews and garlic salt; cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Shape into a ball and coat completely with chili powder. Serve with crackers and bread. Makes 3 cups.
Old-Fashioned Ginger Beer
Amy Butcher
Columbus, GA
Our family always makes homemade root beer for family gatherings, but one year we tried this recipe. From then on, it’s been a must-have right alongside our root beer.
4 lemons
1 orange
3/4 c. fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4 c. honey
3/4 c. sugar
2 c. boiling water
1-1/4 c. orange juice
4 c. sparkling mineral water, chilled
crushed ice
Grate 2 tablespoons of zest from lemons and orange. Set orange and one lemon aside. Squeeze 1/3 cup lemon juice from remaining 3 lemons. Set aside. In a food processor, pulse ginger, honey and sugar until just combined. Add orange and lemon zests and boiling water; stir until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 5 days. To serve, strain ginger beer base into a pitcher. Thinly slice remaining lemon and orange; add to pitcher. Stir in sparkling water. Serve over ice. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Try making homemade root beer at home, it’s so easy and so yummy! Add 5 gallons of cool water and a 4-pound bag of sugar to a large beverage cooler; stir to dissolve sugar. Blend in a 2-ounce bottle of root beer concentrate. Wearing gloves, slowly add 5 pounds of dry ice to the mixture; cover loosely with lid to allow mixture to bubble. When bubbling is complete, your root beer is ready to enjoy!
Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches
Lori Rosenberg
University Heights, OH
This is a wonderful alternative to the traditional pulled pork.
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, sliced
1 to 2 T. oil
1/2 c. barbecue sauce
1/4 c. water
1 T. brown sugar, packed
4 mini loaves ciabatta bread, halved lengthwise
sliced cheese of your choice
Sauté chicken and onion in oil in skillet over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in barbecue sauce, water and sugar; stir to blend. Reduce heat to medium; cover. Cook an additional 7 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet. Shred chicken with a fork or chop into small pieces. Return to skillet; stir until evenly coated with sauce. Spoon chicken onto bread and add cheese slices. Serves 4.
Offer a variety of breads, rolls, buns, pita pockets and mini buns when serving sandwiches. Keep them soft and fresh by arranging in a market basket, then covering with tea towels in school colors!
Guacamole Tossed Salad
Gennell Williams
Fieldale, VA
This is the ideal salad, no matter the reason for your get-together!
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced and separated into rings
6 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1/3 c. oil
2 T. cider vinegar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. hot pepper sauce
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and cubed
4 c. salad greens, torn
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, onion and bacon. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Pour over tomato mixture; toss gently. Add avocados. Place greens in a large serving bowl; add avocado mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
Indian summer days can be warm, even though it’s fall. When heading to a tailgating get-together, keep traveling salads crisp by packing them in an ice-filled cooler. When they’re ready to serve, scoop some of the cooler ice into a bowl and set the salad bowls right on top…nestle them into the ice a bit to keep them cool.
Ranch Tortilla Roll-Ups
Jamie Rodolph
Lolo, MT
Really yummy appetizers and a snap to prepare.
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1-oz. env. ranch dressing mix
4 10 or 12-inch flour tortillas
2 tomatoes, chopped
2-1/4 oz. can sliced black olives, drained and chopped
2 T. bacon bits
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
Mix cream cheese and ranch dressing mix together until smooth; spread on one side of each tortilla. Sprinkle tomatoes, olives, bacon and shredded cheese evenly on top of the cream cheese mixture. Roll up tortillas and wrap each in plastic wrap; chill for one hour. When ready to serve, cut each roll into one-inch slices. Serves 10 to 12.
Marianne’s Cranberry Roll-Ups
Sandi Giverson
Vero Beach, FL
One of the girls I work with, Marianne Hudgins, always has the best recipes! With her permission, here is one of my favorites.
8-oz. container whipped cream cheese
8-oz. pkg. crumbled feta cheese
6-oz. pkg. sweetened dried cranberries
4 to 5 green onions, sliced
4 10-inch flour tortillas
Combine all ingredients except tortillas together; blend until smooth. Spre ad mixture over tortillas, roll up and wrap in plastic wrap; chill until ready to serve. Cut each roll into one-inch slices. Serves 10.