Ok, so it’s Sunday before the game and you really just want to hit “place order” for delivery right now, right? Stop. Save your credits for a rainy day, because every yinzer knows that football is only best enjoyed with homemade fried deliciousness. Yes, I said fried. Save your bikini for another day my friends (you’ve been working out all week anyways, right? Smirk.) Pittsburgh is a cold Steel Town and only one thing gets us through those 8am outdoor tailgates – hot, fried food. It’s common knowledge, and the smart yinzers have adopted these recipes into #homegating staples that we can enjoy without getting our gloves covered in Frank’s red hot.
Just in time for #NFLHomegating month, I’ve rounded up five of my favorite #homegating recipes that I am sure you can easily replicate. Just be warned – these are so good and easy, you’ll most likely make them more than once. So just have a talk with your waistline before proceeding further…
Note: All Steeler items pictured are available for purchase on NFLSHOP.com.
1. Chicken Wings (Lollipops)
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 28: A view of the prepared food as Jerry O’Connell and Josh Capon talk BIG GAME Entertaining with JCPenney on January 28, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for JCPenney)
So the big game is still a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to start prepping your favorite foods for the ultimate day to stay home and binge eat and watch football. After meeting Josh Capon (and eating at a few of his restaurants), I picked up one of these deep fryers from JC Penney to make my own wings at home and let me say – LIFE CHANGING. YOU WILL NEVER ORDER WINGS AGAIN. Okay, well, maybe you will, but once you see how delicious, easy, hot and crispy homemade wings are – there will be no going back.
2. Pretzel Rolls
For the love of ever fitting in your pants again, you may want to bypass this recipe. These Tastefully Simple Pretzel Rolls are my winter staple #homegating food. They are SO easy to make, make the entire house smell like happiness and they are so good warm you honestly MIGHT eat them all for yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. They’re such a (non-messy) finger food that is easy to keep warm and fresh on game day, how could you pass them up.
3. Sausage + Mac and Cheese Sammys
This was by far my favorite #homegating spread ever created. I (honestly) try to limit eating these soul soothing sammys to once a year – because, yeah. But it’s like Christmas morning knowing you get to grill a hot sausage and slather it with homemade creamy pasta. On a toasted roll. Football is all about the best things in life – right? Yum.
4. Buffalo Chicken Dip
[yumprint-recipe id=’13’]Did you really think I am from Pittsburgh and wouldn’t mention this? Do you think I don’t still make it EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. If not game? Buffalo Chicken Dip IS Pittsburgh. We swear by it – and it contains the one main #homegating ingredient that every yinzer obligatory has in their fridge – Frank’s Red Hot. (and with melted butter also graces the crispy wings). If you always wondered how to make this simple yet perfect football dip, here is the coveted recipe:
5. Steel City Stacker
Because Yinzers love to top their sandwiches and burgers with whatever we can fry in the kitchen, this new addition from #NFLFanStyle Chef Angie Mar fits right into the lineup. With a fried egg and onion rings on TOP of a burger. And I mean, how hard is that to make? Fry a burger and an egg? You can handle that – let’s just hope you can handle the deliciousness.
