When I think about Fall and tailgating, I think of hearty recipes that are delicious and can serve an excited crowd. Most of those hearty recipes take a long time to prepare, which I don’t have the time for. When I saw MorningStar Farms Grillers Crumbles at my local Target, I knew they’d make the perfect addition to a hearty vegetarian chili that would satisfy the meat lovers and the vegetarians in our crowd.
Sometimes, at Target in particular, I find that I have trouble staying focused. I want to buy all. the. things. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the sporting goods section or the frozen food aisle. I cannot stick to my list. Into my cart went MorningStar Farms Buffalo Wings and MorningStar Farms Bacon Strips.
Tips for Homegating with Ease
If you live far away from your favorite sports venue like we do, homegating is a great way to feel like you’re part of the action. These homegating party tips will help make your party a success.
1| Make sure you can broadcast the game on your television. There is nothing worse than finding out the game is blacked out in your area!
2| Decide on decor. Will you go all out, or keep things simple. I like to keep things simple. The more decorations, the longer the clean up after the game!
3| Select your guest list. Make sure you have a mix of fans of both teams. That makes the cheering – and jeering – much more fun!
4| Plan a menu that appeals to a variety of people. MorningStar Farms is a great source for veggie cuisine that meat-lovers and vegetarians can both enjoy. I like to serve an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. I plan things that are easy to make and don’t require a ton of clean up.
Buffalo Wings with an Easy Dipping Sauce
Homegating is not complete without buffalo wings, right?! I like my wings spicy, and MorningStar Farms doesn’t disappoint in that area. While the buffalo wings were baking according to package instructions, I whipped up a quick and easy dipping sauce.
Combine your favorite sour cream with a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce, stir to combine. Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning as needed. Enjoy with buffalo wings.
Hearty Vegetarian Chili
Chili is one of my favorite meals to serve a crowd. This hearty vegetarian chili is always a big hit with everyone on game day!
To a large chili pot, add one medium diced onion and sauté in olive oil until soft. Add 6 ounces of roughly chopped portobello mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Season generously with 2-4 tablespoons of your favorite chili powder. You can find chili powder in the spice aisle.
Add one can each of black beans and kidney beans that have been drained and rinsed well. Add one 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, once can of water, and one package of MorningStar Farms Grillers Crumbles.
Stir well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
It’s hard to believe that you can have a great tasting, hearty chili in about 10 minutes. But I am here to tell you that is possible. AND it is delicious.
The short cook time for your vegetarian chili gives you time to prepare dessert. C’mon, you can make dessert. No party is complete without one!
Easy Chocolate Covered Bacon Strips
Chocolate + Bacon = Dessert.
Melt 2-3 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave. Stirring every 30 seconds. Follow the cooking instructions on the MorningStar Farms Bacon Strips packaging. With a rubber spatula, coat each bacon strip with chocolate.
Once coated with chocolate, lay strips on cooking rack that is set inside of a baking sheet. Place chocolate covered bacon in freezer for 5 minutes.
From appetizers to dessert, this entire homegating spread can be prepared in under 30 minutes! That gives you plenty of time to relax, set up your table, and wait for your guests to arrive!
As I mentioned before, I like to keep my party decor simple. My days are busy enough, I don’t want to make more work for myself with elaborate decor. I like to incorporate seasonal decor into my tablescapes. The great thing about football season is that it falls during Halloween and we always have cute pumpkins in our house. Those make great additions to your table.
Beverage choices are simple, too. I use colorful mason jars as drinking glasses and serve a few types of pre-made beverages.
Keep things simple. Your guests will appreciate your classic style and that you’ve created a fun, relaxed environment.
What are your favorite foods to serve while homegating this fall? Leave me a comment below!
Oh my, I want it all! I really love that you include mushrooms in your Veggie Chili. I LOVE mushrooms, but don’t currently include them in my veggie chili…I never even thought of that! But I also really like the addition of the crumbles because it makes it even more hearty, which I know my family would appreciate. #client
You serve chili and I am there!