Join me today for an incredible Southern Gameday Menu and if you aren’t from the South by all means do what I do best and substitute your favorite ingredients into the mix! I know it will turn out fantastic!
As the fall approaches there is perhaps nothing more quintessentially Southern than a delicious spread of food lining tables under tents with families and friends gathered around. Come September, every weekend, campuses across the region erupt with cheering fans and all-day tailgating parties. Food is what game day is all about and at the end of the day a true southern belle can relax as long as she knows the “game” (food) went as planned. Traditional, easy, and simple food is the key to a successful game day celebration. So without further ado, let me introduce to a wonderful and easy spread of delicious food with a few Belleicious twist here and there.
My husband and I visit our old Alma Mata LSU every fall eager to get our first taste of the football season. My favorite part of the tailgating experience is watching the little kids run up and down the paths, archways and Indian Mounds full of excitement for a team they are destined to love! With all of the madness and excitement one must not go hungry! Zesty and spicy flavors combined with our favorite meats and seafood is what gives the South its tailgating pride in cooking some of the most delicious and creative dishes. Here you will find a fun and exciting menu that will have your tailgating neighbors filled with envy! If your neighbors aren’t for the opposing team then by all means invite them over. The more the merrier with this fantastic southern game day menu.
So What’s for Dinner:
A unique twist on your traditional jambalaya with my jambalaya pockets, complete with or without the seafood. An amazing batch of the ultimate tailgating veggie dip that might keep your crowd of hungry fans quiet for just a few minutes and to top it all off Bananas Foster Cookie Bars! My own rendition of my favorite southern dessert- Bananas Foster. ENJOY!!!!!
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Jambalaya Pockets
- 2 packages of pita bread
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 pound of andouille sausage, cooked and diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ribs of celery, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt and pepper each
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 can of tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes
Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in oil until onions begin to turn transparent. Add the tomato paste let it brown a bit, stirring, for a minute or two. Add the stock, tomatoes and remaining seasonings. Stir in the shredded chicken,1/2 cup rice and cooked andouille sausage. Cook over low-medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick.
Brush the pita breads with olive oil and grill over an open fire or in a large sauté pan on high heat until the bread is nice and crispy. Spoon in the jambalaya filling and enjoy! If not serving immediately, place in alumni foil containers and cover. Reheat in oven at 250 for 10 minutes.
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Ultimate Veggie Dip
- 8 ounces of Monterrey pepper jack cheese
- 1 cup pitted and finely diced Kalamata olives
- 2 ounces of diced green chiles
- 5-6 marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
- 1 can rotel, slightly drained
- 1 tsp Italian dressing
- ½ tsp fresh lime juice
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- ½ tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
Directions:
In a large bowl combine all ingredients including the hot sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate until game time.
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Bananas Foster Cookie Bar
Ingredients:
Crumb Layer:
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp rum extract
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
Banana Layer:
3 very ripe bananas
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup brown sugar
4 TBSP butter
Directions:
In a large bowl mix together the butter and sugar and add the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Pour all but ¼ of the batter evenly into a greased 9 inch square pan, bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile let’s make the banana layer for the bars. Over low heat, melt butter, sugar and cinnamon stirring until almost dissolved. Add in the bananas and vanilla, sauté for another 3-5 minutes until all the sugar has been dissolved. Mash the bananas with a potato masher and spread evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Top with the remaining dough by crumbling it over the banana filling.Bake at 350 for an additional 10 minutes until the top is nice and slightly golden brown. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day before cutting into 2 inch squares.
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Sounds like the south is a great place to be during September. The traditions sound very interesting, and the food sounds and looks delicious. I have to google to find out what tailgating was!
I love all three of these Belleicious twists on tailgate favorites. I’ve got some ripe bananas in the kitchen right now—can’t wait to make those foster bars! fabulous!
I’m coming over! It all looks delicious!
All three of these look delicious! Seriously, I couldn’t pick a favorite. I want to tailgate in your tent for sure. Geaux Tigers! Hope you and your family are staying safe with all the fires around. My parents have gotten an emergency plan together because the fires seem to be getting closer and closer to them. You all are in my thoughts and prayers. Have a great weekend!
Do you ship???
Yum!
Living up north, and especially after going to MIT for college, I never really got to have that tailgating/game day experience! I think the only way to make up for it is to come to your place for dinner. This is quite the spread!
Those bars look amazing! Reheated with a dollop of vanilla ice cream? perhaps ; )
Without a doubt- you need ice cream:)
Everything looks fantastic!! I love good football foid. The bars look seriously amazinggg.
You are truly amazing….I love how you can take these regular dishes and and turn them into the neatest creations. I just love you for that girl. You are just to wonderful to myself and family we would starve without you! HaHa Have a great weekend.
Wish we were finished with harvest! We are doing harvest and Hay so it is going double.
I could seriously see myself enjoying those jambalaya pocket while watching the games tomorrow. Great job!
What a great spread!! Tha veggie dip and Jambalaya pockets are calling out my name:)
I would love to come over on game day or anytime to your place if the food looks like this. Awesome…. I am from Southern India. Now I know why they talk highly about “Southern Hospitality”:)
OH geez! This all looks so tasty! Love the pockets – I’ll have to try them out on my husband! YAY for football!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh your husband will love them
How fun do those jambalaya pockets look! I can’t wait to try them!
Oh my those bars look heavenly! My husband would love the jambalaya pockets. What a great idea.
What an amazing feast Miss Jessica! Oh my heavens. It all looks delightful.
Oh yummy! I grew up in the south (go Hokies) but now in the midwest I still love a game-day table laden with goodies (go Purdue, Notre Dame, IU, Butler–seems I have no true allegiance around here).
Best,
Bonnie
The Jambalaya Pockets look like so much fun…and the perfect party food! What a great idea!
I love how filling the pockets are and how chunky the dip is. And the bars just look divine. I don’t even like bananas all that much and I want four! Such a great menu.
Tasty!Tasty!Tasty!
SEC has the best tailgating ever!
I want to come hang out with you on game days! Those bananas foster bars especially sound like a must try
Think Jambalaya was one of the first things we learned to cook in Home Ec. And I loved it then…Yours looks fabulous
No fair! You had home ec! We didn’t have it- unless we had it and I just wasn’t into it at that time. It goes so well in the pockets- hope you get to try them soon
What a great game day menu. I love the idea of jambalaya pockets. And don’t even get me started on those bananas foster cookie bars. One of my favorite desserts by far. Yup, just printed the recipe!!
Hell yea to those bananas foster bars. I can’t. They look so good. They’re being moved up near the top of my “I need to make those” list.
Everything looks fantastic…but especially those bananas foster bars! Wow!! Delicious! I cannot wait for game day eats on Sunday!!
You are just too good to us Jessica!!
After watching almost 4 seasons of FNL, I’m really starting to wish I lived in a football town!! I mean apart from the excitement, the community, the PRIDE, all that food!!!! (You know I’d be in Heaven.)
All the 3 recipes are too good. Loved the banana foster bars the most. Yummy yumm..
Those banana bars look YUMMY!!
By the way, E has asked for Grant about a million times since yall left. On Sunday afternoon she ran in the living room, yelling his name & looking for him. Almost made me cry 🙁 She sure does miss him!
Love yall & hope to see ya again soon!
Wow, all those dishes are so new to me and they’re so great for picnic. Have a nice weekend!
HOLLLLLLA!!! I am back blogging my friend! I can’t wait to catch up!
All the above looks super delish, as always:)
XXOO, D
ps:swing by tomorrow for my blogaversary giveaway!!
Excelentes recetas me quedo con todas ,lucen de lujo me encantan,preciosas fotos,felicitaciones,abrazos.
I love jambalaya, what a great way to present them–next time I’m going to try serving them in pockets. The ultimate veggie dip looks so delicious and gorgeous!
Your Jambalaya pocket looks really good. Thanks for sharing all the 3 recipe, looks delicious.
I’m so coming to your house for the next game. You watch the Packers, right? 😉
i’ve heard about tailgate parties , it’s not a very common thing over here but i can imagine the fun of everyone sharing what they cook and watch the game. You mean only share with friends on the same team?? hahaha! this is really a nice selection of food..your banana bars look incredible!
These all look great! I am going to try them out. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, college football has arrived. Have I mentioned that we were a big Gator Family living in Tallahassee (FSU). Tailgating is a sport too….The bigger, the better. You gave some great ideas for making the food spread a winner.
Cheers to you!
Velva
Now we know that every time there is a game on, you’ll be feasting on something delicious!
Sounds like a fantastic meal.
I’d pair it with a sparkling wine like a cava or a prosecco.
Cheers!
Nannette Eaton
Terrific round up of ideas! Using the pita bread is perfect for a grab n go sandwich! I’ve got my whole party planned out in one post!
Omg, all of these look fabulous and I will be trying them, but those Bananas Foster Cookie Bars are over the top! Thanks for the great recipes!
The pockets look and sound wonderful.
PERFECT!!!!! Oh so good 🙂
Mary
Amazing ! Not sure which recipe to start first! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Those jambalaya pockets look fantastic! I love tailgating and football food 🙂
OK My Dear,
I am coming over, all these wonderful dishes are screaming my name LOL
Those pockets look sinful….
Delicious!!!!
The Jambalaya Pockets look very good. I’m such a traditionalist and love rice anyway, so I don’t know if I could eat the pocjets. Oh wait, it’s a portable jambalaya; yeah ya right I’d love it.
Yep! Rice included and everything! if you love jambalaya then you will love these pockets
I have an overload of bananas, so I’m going to try those bananas foster bars! And never would have thought to put jambalaya in pita pockets – genius!
So, when is the party? I’m inviting myself! Especially love the veggie dip!
Tommorow! COme by! LOL!
I really need to step up my tailgate fare. This looks insane. I would miss the game because I won’t be able to leave the spread.
thats what my friends say. With all the food, they don’t leave the table and miss the game! LOL!
Oh Jessica! Bananas Foster cookie bars????? You may have just made me an LSU fan. 😉 Bananas Foster is easily one of my favorites and then to make it in a bar form. Oh wow!
I want to be invited! It’s not a full course meal yet your dishes are very comforting and they are all wonderful get-together food!! I really love your Jambalaya Pockets!!!! Already bookmarked. =D
Love it all! especially the dip. others are liking the bars and pita pockets but I am always looking for a new good dip- so I am definitely make this on the weekend
The dip is my favorite of them all but not as popular as far as comments go. Seriously the best dip you will ever have that is also healthy
I want some of those banana’s foster bars! OMG I just drooled a little on my desk 🙂
Love the foster bars and the dip! We are not huge rice fans but the others we can definitely do. just catching up on all your old posts
I was so intrigued by the Bananas Foster Bars that I immediately went to buy some bananas! I’m in the middle of making the recipe, and have hit some stumbling points. I made the crumb layer…you say pour the dough into the pan…but I followed the directions exactly, and the dough is very stiff, so I patted it into the pan with moistened fingers. It does smell delicious as it cooks! I’ve cooked the bananas…you don’t mention adding the vanilla, or when to add it, but I’m an experienced baker, so I’ll add it after I take the bananas off the stove so it doesn’t evaporate. Here’s where I’m really stumped…you say to crumble the remaining dough over the top and then refrigerate. The dough is very sticky, so I’ll put it in the freezer to firm up enough to make little lumps, and scatter them over the bananas mixture. Did you omit the directions to bake the crumble on the top (that contains raw egg)? Guess I’ll throw it back in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes or so. Despite being somewhat confused by the directions, each component tastes great, and I know I’ll be happy with the results! Thanks so much for sharing your idea…hope you don’t mind me adding my suggestions. This is my first time here…I’ll look forward to reading more on your blog!
Ok, so I made the Bananas Foster Bars. Couple things. In your directions your forget to say when to add the Rum extract…so I added it to the banana mix (but I didn’t know it would evaporate…so dang! But the mix tastes good!) Then, as for the crumb, I had the opposite issue of Chris Fountain. My batter was very wet (wish I would have thought of the freezer idea!!), so I put dollops around. Then had to bake it for 15 minutes, because it wouldn’t set. They don’t look at all like your picture with the nice pretty crumb topping, but dang they smell good (still too hot to touch) and I couldn’t stop eating the base dough…raw eggs and all! 😉 Anyhow, I’m not sure what I did wrong that my dough was like pudding (maybe a bit thicker) or perhaps a really loose cookie batter. The base baked up nice though. Anyhow, tips would be great! I read the first 40 comments and then proceeded…lol! They all loved the idea! 😉
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