5 Delicious Recipes for a Tailgate Party on Bald Head Island

Football season is finally here and you can’t wait to throw the ultimate tailgate party in your charming Bald Head Island vacation rental. Where else can you take a walk on the beach or sit on the back porch catching amazing views of the ocean during half time? A football party with exquisite views deserves delicious fare. Here’s 5 of our favorite recipes that are BHI tailgate party qualified. 

Mini Muffelettas

Ingredients:
2 (16-oz.) jars mixed pickled vegetables
3/4 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, chopped
2 tablespoons bottled olive oil-and-vinegar dressing
12 small dinner rolls, cut in half
6 Swiss cheese slices, cut in half
12 thin deli ham slices
12 Genoa salami slices
6 provolone cheese slices, cut in half

Pulse pickled vegetables in food processor until finely chopped. Add chopped pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives and bottled olive oil & vinegar dressing. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of pickled vegetable mixture over cut side of each of roll bottom. Top each with 1 Swiss cheese slice half, 1 ham slice, 1 salami slice, 1 provolone cheese slice half and roll tops. Cover with plastic wrap. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

Ingredients:
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 Tbsp.)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Drain and rinse chickpeas; pat dry with paper towel. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chickpeas to pan; cook 17 minutes or until golden brown and crispy all over, stirring occasionally. Transfer chickpeas to a bowl, toss with cheese, garlic powder, lemon rind, oregano, salt and pepper. Serve immediately or cool chickpea mixture in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet before storing in an airtight container.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Ingredients:
8 cups of cool ranch Doritos                              
1 ½ cups of wing sauce 
½ cup of water 
4 cups of shredded cooked chicken
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces of blue cheese crumbles
1 cup of chopped celery

Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees and spread Doritos on a baking dish. Bring wing sauce and water to a simmer. Add shredded chicken and heat through. Strain the chicken reserving the sauce and spread over Doritos. Top with cheddar and bake until cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Top with blue cheese crumbles, celery and reserved sauce.

Bacon and Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled
½ cup of mayo 
1 teaspoon of spicy brown mustard
12 pieces of crisp bacon cut in half

Slice eggs in half, length wise and carefully remove yolks. Mash yolks with mayo and mustard until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites. Garnish with bacon and serve.

Spicy Taco Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
¾ cup of dried parsley 
4 cups of shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
¼ cup of mayonnaise 
1 package of hot taco seasoning mix
¼ cup of chopped pickled jalapeno peppers 

Sprinkle parsley in a shallow baking dish and set aside. Mix Mexican cheese blend, cream cheese, mayonnaise, taco seasoning mix and jalapeno peppers until blended. Divide the mixture into 3 portions and roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball into the parsley until completely covered and then wrap individually with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

These recipes are simple and delicious! Don’t compromise beach time for tasty tailgate treats when you can have both. Happy tailgating from Bald Head Island! 

Published on Thursday, August 31, 2017