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Easy Gameday Recipes

September 21, 2024
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Football season is upon us, and whether you’re tailgating at the stadium or hosting a watch party at home, good food is just as important as the game itself. Here’s a roundup of some easy, crowd-pleasing gameday recipes that will keep your guests satisfied from kickoff to the final whistle!

Let’s get started!

Fried Pickle Straws

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 whole dill pickles
  • 1 cup buttermilk optional- see notes
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Cooking oil I used avocado oil

Method
 

  1. Take your whole pickle and spin it through the spiral cutter. You want long strands of pickles. Take the strands and soak in a bowl with the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes.
  2. In a pot, heat two inches of oil to 375°. While it heats, Stir together the flour, pepper and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Set aside. Transfer the pickles to a colander and drain off the excess buttermilk.
  3. Grab a handful of the soaked pickles and transfer them to the flour. Stir them around until each one is well coated in the flour and they don’t stick together. Shake off excess flour and transfer them to the hot oil. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown (times may vary)
  4. Transfer the fried pickle strings to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all the pickle strings are cooked. Top on your burger and enjoy!

    Notes

    I tried a few variations, and you definitely can just skip the buttermilk part and pat dry then add to flour, however I really liked the flavor when I soaked them in buttermilk first!

Pickle Queso

Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces cubed Velveeta cheese
  • 1 block of cream cheese
  • 10 oz Queso fresco
  • 1 cup dill pickle diced
  • 1 large jalapeño chopped and seeds removed
  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • 14 ounces rotel
  • 6 ounces evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves minced garlic

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. In a 13×9 baking dish, add the Velveeta cheese, queso fresco, cream cheese, pickles, jalapeño, cilantro, red onion, can of rotel and spices.
  3. Pour the evaporated milk on top. Do not stir, bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
  4. Stir to combine.
  5. Serve immediately with chips! Enjoy!

Mini Pickle Burgers

Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 4 minutes mins
Total Time 19 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Mustard
  • 20-24 dill pickle chips
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup sliced cheese cheddar or American
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Method
 

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
  2. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
  3. Shape the mixture into small patties, roughly the size of the pickle slices. You should get about 10-12 mini patties.
  4. Heat a grill or skillet over medium-high heat.
  5. Cook the patties for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through to your desired doneness.
  6. If adding cheese, place a slice on each patty during the last minute of cooking and cover to melt the cheese.
  7. Spread a little ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise on the bottom half of each mini bun.
  8. Add a mini burger patty on top of each pickle slice.
  9. Top with shredded lettuce and a slice of cherry tomato.
  10. Finish with the top pickle.

Crockpot Lasagna

Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 hours hrs
Total Time 5 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 24oz jars of spaghetti sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 12 ounces lasagana noodles not the no boil kind
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 16 ounces mozzarella shredded
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef. Cook until it begins to brown, breaking it up as you cook. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Drain the excess fat.
  2. Add the tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the meat mixture and set aside. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper to taste.
  3. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. This will be for topping at the end. In a large bowl mix together the ricotto, cottage cheese, eggs, and the remainder of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
  4. Spray your 6-to-8-quart crockpot with cooking spray. Add some of the sauce and meat mixture to the bottom. Add a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. You will need to break them and rearrange them to fit. Top the noodles with some of the cheese mixture and then more sauce and meat. Repeat until you have used all the ingredients. Top with the set aside cheese.
  5. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Cooking times on crockpots vary greatly. It was finished in my crockpot after 4.5 hours.

Fried Pickle Cheese Balls

Print Recipe
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup dill pickle chopped small and drained
  • 1/2 tsp crushed pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 1-2 cups oil I used avocado

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, add both cheeses, drained pickles, crushed pepper, salt, dried dill and pepper and mix together. Roll into small balls, about 1 inch and place on a small baking sheet. Flash freeze for 30-45 minutes.
  2. Set up a dredging station with 3 bowls. The first bowl with flour and ranch seasoning mixed together, the second with the egg mixed together, and the third with the breadcrumbs.
  3. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Roll each ball into flour, then into the egg mixture, next in the breadcrumb mixture, back into the egg mixture and back into the breadcrumb mixture.
  4. Place a few of the balls into the hot oil at a time, cook until golden on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Work in batches until all are fried up and then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

    Notes

    You can air fry these!
    Air fry at 400° for 7-10 min or until golden brown. Turn halfway through. I suggest spraying with avocado oil.

Crispy Baked Chicken Tender

Print Recipe
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer, dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs. chicken tenders
  • 1 cup pickle brine
  • 1 1/3 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Place your chicken tenders in a shallow dish or bowl and pour in the pickle brine. Cover and place in fridge for 2 hours.
  2. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Spray a large oven-safe cooling rack with non-stick spray and place it over an 18 by 13-inch baking sheet.
  3. In one dish, combine the flour and baking powder. In a second dish whisk the eggs. In a third dish, combine the panko bread crumbs, dried dill, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  4. Begin by dipping two chicken tenders at a time into the flour, ensuring they are evenly coated. Next, dip them into the whisked eggs. Finally, coat them in the panko mixture, pressing gently to ensure the crumbs adhere well. Shake off any excess coating.
  5. Place the coated chicken tenders on the rack, ensuring there is space between each tender for even cooking.
  6. Place in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning half way and you want the tenders to be golden brown.
  7. Serve up with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

    Notes

    Notes- want more dill flavor? Add dill and salt to the panko

Easy Nacho Sauce

Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 12 ounces canned evaporated milk
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar or velveeta
  • 1/4 cup milk see note
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles optional

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. If using pickles or onion and jalapeños, cook for 3-5 minutes
  2. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and onion powder and cook for 30 seconds more.
  3. Add the evaporated milk and cream cheese to the pan and cook, stirring over medium heat until the cream cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat to low and add the shredded cheese or Velveeta, whisking constantly, until the cheese has been added and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
  5. Add additional milk as desired to reach the consistency you prefer. Season with hot sauce and salt to taste.
    Enjoy!

I'm Ashlee

I hope you've got a coffee or tea in hand and you're ready to settle in. This is a space for easy comfort food recipes, everyday home ideas, and the occasional DIY, plus updates on new handmade shop items along the way.

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