There’s nothing I like more than getting a group of my closest buddies round and settling down on the couch to watch baseball, soccer, or the Super Bowl. It really doesn’t make any difference what sport happens to be on. It’s just great to get the guys around to sink a couple of beers, relax and watch the game. But you know what? As much as I love hosting these get-togethers, I do get a little bored just laying out the usual boring snacks and nibbles. There’s nothing particularly exciting about munching on store-bought potato chips and candy bars that I eat on every other day of the week.
This led me to wonder – wouldn’t it be more satisfying if I made a little effort creating my own homemade game day snacks? Just because we’re men, doesn’t mean that we can’t cook! So, to help you show them all just how it’s done, I’m going to share a couple of satisfying snack ideas that are guaranteed to be a hit on game day.
Pizza
Pizza’s typically a favorite game day snack for the majority of people, so why not have a go at making your own? They’re very easy to make, even for those who lack skills in the kitchen. You can buy ready-made pizza bases at most good grocery stores, and then experiment with different ingredients and flavor combinations. If you’re stuck for recipe ideas, you could cheat and order a pizza takeaway. This will help you decide whether to go for a thin or thick base, and will help you discover which flavors work well together. Once you’re confident, and you know what you want to make, have a few practice runs before the day itself. The guys will love that you’ve gone to that extra effort, even if it doesn’t turn out exactly how you’d hoped!
Beef Burgers
There’s nothing more satisfying than getting your mouth around a juicy and meaty homemade beef burger. Now, you can choose to have all the fun yourself and make them in advance. But I think it’s more fun to get all the guys involved in making them. Get down to your local butchers and buy the finest mince that you can afford. I personally love beef, but if you’re more of a pork man, feel free to buy that instead. Peruse the burgers that are being sold in the store and take note of what flavor combinations are used. For example, pork goes very well with apple so that would be a good recipe to try making first.
Whatever burger you do decide to make, be sure to finish it off with a couple of bacon rashers, a little green salad, and plenty of good quality cheese. The rule of thumb is that if your burger doesn’t look like something straight out of the Scooby Doo cartoons, it’s not big enough. So, if it doesn’t need a sandwich stick to hold the whole thing together, you’ve not quite cracked it.
Now you’re armed with plenty of inspiration and culinary know-how, it’s time to get out there and show everyone how it’s done!