5 ways to add a kick to popular football noshes like wings, potato skins and sliders

Football season is under way, and I bet you can’t stand staring at one more bowl of chips.

Since we’re looking at a few more weeks of college and NFL action, there’s still plenty of time to give your football fare some wow factor.

Home chefs can actually create sensational game-day munchies without a lot of extra work. Yes, the food is important, but not if it means you have to miss the game to prepare it.

To get you inspired, we took five of America’s favorite football noshes and jazzed them up: gourmet yet easy versions of wings, nachos, potato skins, sliders and stuffed mushrooms. Some of the recipes can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd, especially the wings and potato skins.

Pick one — or pick them all — and you’ll be dishing up chow your family and friends will always remember, even if they may want to forget the score of the game.

These dishes are worthy of your finest Super Bowl party, but why wait until then?

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Apricot-Glazed Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese-Wasabi Dip

From Robin Miller

Servings: 4-6.

Make ahead: Once chicken wings are coated with the apricot preserve-hot sauce mixture, you can marinate them (in the refrigerator) for up to 24 hours before baking; this makes them great for prepping ahead for a party.

INGREDIENTS

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 pounds chicken wings and drummettes, wing tips trimmed and discarded if necessary
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

PREPARATION

1. Place a baking rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet and spray the rack with cooking spray. (Don’t forget the foil. The apricot glaze that hits the baking sheet blackens from the sugars; it would be a nightmare to clean up.)
2. In a shallow dish, whisk together the apricot preserves, hot sauce and sesame oil. Add the chicken wings and drummettes and turn to coat.
3. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking rack, reserving the leftover marinade. Bake for 20 minutes. Brush with the reserved marinade and bake another 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy.
4. To make the dip, combine the sour cream, blue cheese and wasabi and mix well.
5. Serve the wings with the dip on the side.

Nachos with Rotisserie Chicken and Homemade Chile con Queso

From Robin Miller

Shortcut: Using a rotisserie chicken not only saves time, the rotisserie flavor adds a wonderful smoky note to the nachos. If you have leftover grilled chicken from a previous meal, you can use that too. Shredded beef and pork work, as well.

Servings: 6-8.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 dried chiles (chipotle, Anaheim, guajillo, ancho or pasilla)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup diced white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup half and half, divided
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 11/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 10-ounce bag white or corn tortilla chips
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• Fresh cilantro leaves

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the chiles in a dry pan and place the pan over medium heat. Toast the chiles until soft, warm and aromatic, about 3-5 minutes, turning frequently. Halve the chiles, remove and discard the stems and seeds, and transfer the flesh to a blender. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the half and half and the cornstarch. Set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Gradually, add the remaining half and half (3/4 cup), stirring constantly. Cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to the blender and let stand 5 minutes (to soften the chiles).
5. Process until smooth (make sure to cover the blender — hot foods often splatter out the top). Return the half and half mixture to the saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Add the half and half-cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and simmer until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low.
6. Stir in both cheeses, one handful at a time, and stir until the cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper.
7. Arrange the tortilla chips in a large baking dish. Top with the chicken and as much of the queso as desired. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the chips are toasted. Top with the black olives and cilantro and serve with extra queso on the side.

Mini Potato Skins with Mozzarella, Cheddar and Frizzled Bacon

From Robin Miller

Servings: 24 skins (about 8-10 servings).

INGREDIENTS

• 12 small gold potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked until almost crisp and cut into little pieces
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat the potatoes all over with the olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until tender.
3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/2 inch of the flesh with the skin. (Reserve the flesh for mashed potatoes later in the week.)
4. Season the inside of the potatoes with salt and pepper. Fill each potato skin with the mozzarella and Cheddar and return the filled skins to the baking sheet.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Top with the bacon and chives before serving.

Lamb Sliders with Feta and Cucumber

From Robin Miller

Servings: 8.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 small (about 1-inch) pieces feta cheese (use the larger crumbled pieces or pieces of a feta block)
• Cooking spray
• 8 small slider buns, potato rolls or dinner rolls
• 16 thin slices seedless cucumber (also called English cucumber)

PREPARATION

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled shallot mixture, lamb, ketchup, mustard, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 8 patties, each about 1/2-inch thick. Press the feta cheese into the middle of each patty and form the meat around the cheese to cover. Shape the mixture back into a patty, about 1-inch thick.
3. Coat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium high.
4. Brush both sides of the lamb patties with the remaining olive oil and add the patties to the hot pan. Cook 3-5 minutes per side, until cooked through.
5. Let the patties rest for 2 minutes before serving on the buns with the cucumber.

Vegan Stuffed Crimini Caps with Cashew Cream and Vegan ‘Parmesan’

From Robin Miller

Servings: 24 stuffed mushrooms (about 10-12 servings).

INGREDIENTS

• 1-3/4 cups raw cashews, divided
• Water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 24 crimini mushroom, stems removed, caps cleaned with a damp paper towel
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Fresh parsley leaves

PREPARATION

1. To make the cashew cream, soak 1 cup of the cashews in enough water to cover for 3 hours. (You can make the cream up to 3 days before using. Refrigerate until ready to use.)
2. Strain the cashews and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, vinegar and onion powder. Process until smooth. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. To make vegan “Parmesan,” combine the remaining 3/4 cup cashews, nutritional yeast, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and garlic powder in a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
5. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the vegan “Parmesan” to a large bowl and add the cashew cream, vegan mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Mix well.
6. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps, making a mound. Transfer the caps to a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with vegan “Parmesan” and smoked paprika. (Expect to have leftover vegan “Parmesan” to use as you wish.)
7. Bake for 20 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and starting to release liquid. Top with parsley just before serving.

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