Ham Sliders and Tot-chos for Football Season Snacking

Food columnist Michael Knock has published four recipes for football season snacking. The recipes are designed for home tailgating and include ham and cheese sliders, tater tot nachos, a chile con queso dip, and a blended cocktail called Beer-Ga-Ritas.

Ham and Cheese Sliders

The first recipe is for ham and cheese sliders, which the columnist says are quick to make and delicious both hot and cold. He credits the website My Baking Addiction for the recipe.

You start by mixing melted butter with Dijon mustard, honey, dried parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder. A package of sweet Hawaiian rolls is sliced in half horizontally to create a top and bottom sheet. Thinly sliced honey ham and cheddar cheese are layered between them. The butter mixture is brushed over the rolls before baking, first covered to melt the cheese and then uncovered to crisp the tops.

Tot-chos: Tater Tot Nachos

A recipe for "Tot-chos" substitutes tater tots for traditional tortilla chips. Knock found this idea on the website Bellyfull.net and notes you can customize it, suggesting adding browned ground beef or using a mix of tots and chips.

Frozen tater tots are tossed with taco seasoning and baked. They are then topped with shredded Mexican blend cheese and returned to the oven briefly to melt. The dish is served with black olives, jalapeno peppers, and pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes. The recipe serves eight.

Chile Con Queso with Homemade Chips

A more involved chile con queso dip recipe comes from the cookbook "Sara Build’s Casual Cooking." It uses a blend of grated Manchego and Monterey Jack cheeses, bound with cornstarch. The dip is built in a saucepan with sautéed onion, garlic, dark beer, roasted peppers, cumin, and red pepper flakes.

Knock strongly recommends making the accompanying homemade corn tortilla chips. Tortillas are cut into wedges and shallow-fried until crisp. He admits he was prepared to suggest store-bought chips but was "hooked" after tasting the homemade version for their light, crispy texture and customizable seasoning.

Beer-Ga-Ritas Cocktail

The final recipe is for a cocktail called Beer-Ga-Ritas, which Knock found in the cookbook "Damn Good Food" from Minneapolis's Hell’s Kitchen restaurant. He serves them at every party and praises them, but warns they "pack a wallop."

The drink is made by blending frozen limeade, beer, tequila, and ice until smooth. The source recommends using an IPA. The recipe yields four servings.

Knock, a longtime columnist for the Press-Citizen, frames these recipes as a distraction from the stresses of watching football, suggesting you can "spend a chunk of the game in the kitchen." He writes that the snacks can help you "forget that dropped pass, missed tackle, or late interception."