{"id":54726,"date":"2023-11-17T09:00:54","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T14:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=54726"},"modified":"2025-09-23T12:37:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T16:37:13","slug":"tasty-tailgate-treats-thanksgiving-appetizers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2023\/11\/17\/tasty-tailgate-treats-thanksgiving-appetizers\/","title":{"rendered":"Tasty Tailgate Treats Thanksgiving Appetizers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Football Friday All Y\u2019all! First and foremost did y\u2019all save last week\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2023\/11\/10\/tasty-tailgate-treats-wild-weekend-of-wings\/\" target=\"_self\">Wild Weekend of Wings<\/a>? Which one was your favorite? Whew! What a wild week in college football. The coaching carousel is spinning on high. \u00a0The season of firings and buyouts has started. So, that means the holidays are fast approaching. \u00a0Today we will tackle Thanksgiving appetizers. \u00a0These will help get you through the small talk with the family as you wait for the bird to make his grand appearance. \u00a0Have a great weekend of football. Enjoy!<\/p>\n<h2>Tasty Tailgate Treats Thanksgiving Appetizers<\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"css-2l10x9 exadjwu10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.delish.com\/holiday-recipes\/thanksgiving\/a29167451\/turkey-cheese-ball-recipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Turkey Cheese Ball<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>The kitschy cheesy appetizers just because it is fun!<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-1csxh9k eno1xhi4\">\n<p class=\"css-5s4u28 eno1xhi6\"><strong>For Cheese Ball:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2\u00a0(8-oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened<\/li>\n<li>4 tbsp\u00a0butter, softened<\/li>\n<li>6 oz.\u00a0goat cheese or cheese of your choice<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 tsp.\u00a0garlic powder<\/li>\n<li>1\/3 cup\u00a0freshly chopped\u00a0chives<\/li>\n<li>3\/4 cup\u00a0freshly chopped parsley<\/li>\n<li>1\u00a0sprig of thyme, stem removed, plus more for serving<\/li>\n<li>Kosher salt<\/li>\n<li>Freshly ground black pepper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-1csxh9k eno1xhi4\">\n<p class=\"css-5s4u28 eno1xhi6\"><strong>For Decorating &amp; Serving:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 1\/4 cup pecan halves, toasted, divided<\/li>\n<li>Red and yellow bell peppers<\/li>\n<li>Orange and white carrots, julienned<\/li>\n<li>Pretzels<\/li>\n<li>Crackers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Directions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol class=\"css-19p7hma et3p2gv0\">\n<li>Combine cream cheese, butter, goat cheese, and garlic powder in the bowl of a food processor.<\/li>\n<li>Pulse until smooth. Add chives, parsley, and thyme leaves and pulse a few times until well combined.<\/li>\n<li>Season with salt and pepper.<\/li>\n<li>Form the mixture into a large ball.<\/li>\n<li>To make the turkey body, Pulse \u00be cup pecan halves in a food processor until finely chopped.<\/li>\n<li>Roll the cheese ball in pecan crumbs and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the cheese ball to set up.<\/li>\n<li>To decorate: Make the tail by sticking pretzels, pretzel sticks, and multi-colored julienned carrots into the tail end of the turkey.<\/li>\n<li>Slice carrots to make the turkey feet.<\/li>\n<li>Cut a red bell pepper into a large triangle to make the face of the turkey and place it on the cheese ball using a toothpick or pressing into the cheese ball.<\/li>\n<li>Slice a smaller triangle from the yellow bell pepper and attach it to the red triangle to make the beak using another toothpick.<\/li>\n<li>Slice a thin carrot crosswise to get two rounds, for the turkey eyes and place it onto a red triangle with toothpicks.<\/li>\n<li>For the wings, stick pecan halves into the sides of the body, overlapping each other to make a wing shape.<\/li>\n<li>Serve cheese ball turkey on a platter along with crackers.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 class=\"css-15pzlx3 exadjwu10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepioneerwoman.com\/food-cooking\/recipes\/a38441921\/sausage-dip-recipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sausage Dip<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>You can never have too many dip recipes!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ingredients:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 lb.\u00a0pork sausage, such as Jimmy Dean<\/li>\n<li>8 oz.\u00a0cream cheese<\/li>\n<li>1 cup\u00a0chunky salsa<\/li>\n<li>Thinly sliced scallions and\/or chopped cilantro, optional<\/li>\n<li>Tortilla chips, for serving<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Directions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol class=\"css-19p7hma et3p2gv0\">\n<li>Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until very hot.<\/li>\n<li>Add the sausage and break up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.<\/li>\n<li>Cook until no pink pieces remain, about 6 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Reduce the heat to medium-low.<\/li>\n<li>Add the cream cheese and break up into smaller pieces.<\/li>\n<li>Add the salsa and stir well to combine.<\/li>\n<li>Continue to stir until all of the cream cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Top with scallions and cilantro and serve right out of the skillet, with tortilla chips on the side.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 class=\"css-2l10x9 exadjwu10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.delish.com\/cooking\/recipe-ideas\/a45048581\/french-onion-soup-bites-recipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">French Onion Soup Bites<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ingredient-lists css-xm7ys2 eno1xhi3\">\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">Cooking spray<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">2 tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">1 tbsp.unsalted butter<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">Kosher salt<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">Freshly ground black pepper<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">1\/2 c.low-sodium beef broth<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">2 tbsp.sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">2\u00a0(8-oz.) cans crescent rolls<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">4 oz.Gruy\u00e8re, grated<\/li>\n<li class=\"css-1oxvhc1 eno1xhi2\">Fresh thyme, for serving<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Directions:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol class=\"css-19p7hma et3p2gv0\">\n<li>Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil, and butter until butter is melted. Add onions; season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Stir in broth and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost completely reduced but onions are still a little wet about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from heat.<\/li>\n<li>Preheat oven to 375\u00b0. Unroll 1 can of crescent roll dough. Cut along the perforated line to make 2 pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise down the center to create 4 large rectangles (there should be a seam to guide you here). Cut each rectangle into 3 pieces. Press pieces into muffin cups, stretching as needed to completely cover the sides. Repeat with the remaining can.<\/li>\n<li>Spoon 1 tablespoon onion mixture into each cup. Sprinkle with cheese.<\/li>\n<li>Bake bites until cheese is melted and the dough is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Transfer bites to a platter. Top with thyme.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 id=\"article-heading_1-0\" class=\"comp type--lion article-heading mntl-text-block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.allrecipes.com\/recipe\/13654\/stuffed-mushrooms-iv\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Beef-Stuffed Mushrooms<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>These will go fast! Double the recipe!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">12<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">fresh mushrooms<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">\u00bd<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">pound<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">ground beef<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">1<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">tablespoon<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">minced onion<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">1<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">clove<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">garlic, minced<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">1<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">tablespoon<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">butter<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">\u00bc<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">cup<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">bread crumbs<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">salt and pepper to taste<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">\u00bc<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">cup<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">heavy cream<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">\u00bc<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">cup<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">butter, melted<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-ingredient-quantity=\"true\">1<\/span> <span data-ingredient-unit=\"true\">teaspoon<\/span> <span data-ingredient-name=\"true\">chili powder<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Directions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0-2\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).<\/li>\n<li id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0-6\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Remove and chop mushroom stems.<\/li>\n<li id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0-10\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Combine ground beef, onion, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until beef is no longer pink; drain.<\/li>\n<li class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Mix in chopped mushroom stems, 1 tablespoon butter, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.<\/li>\n<li class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cream.<\/li>\n<li id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0-14\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Dip mushroom caps in 1\/4 cup melted butter and stuff generously with meat mixture.<\/li>\n<li class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Arrange stuffed mushrooms in a baking dish. Sprinkle with chili powder.<\/li>\n<li id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0-18\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>On The Menu<\/h3>\n<p>Next week we will tackle more tasty tailgate treats. Perhaps we will find some creative recipes for those Thanksgiving leftovers. Have a great weekend of football. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. May you be surrounded by friends, family, football, and lots of love. Enjoy!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-54961 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/delish-190917-turkey-cheeseball-0042-landscape-pf-1569877666-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Tasty Tailgate Treats Thanksgiving appetizers\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/delish-190917-turkey-cheeseball-0042-landscape-pf-1569877666-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/delish-190917-turkey-cheeseball-0042-landscape-pf-1569877666-1024x1022.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/delish-190917-turkey-cheeseball-0042-landscape-pf-1569877666-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/delish-190917-turkey-cheeseball-0042-landscape-pf-1569877666-768x767.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/delish-190917-turkey-cheeseball-0042-landscape-pf-1569877666.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Football Friday All Y\u2019all! First and foremost did y\u2019all save last week\u2019s Wild Weekend of Wings? Which one was your favorite? Whew! What a wild week in college football. The coaching carousel is spinning on high. \u00a0The season of firings and buyouts has started. So, that means the holidays are fast approaching. \u00a0Today we [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1643,"featured_media":54961,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,35689,35691],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-culture","category-recipes"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54726","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1643"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54726"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54726\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80347,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54726\/revisions\/80347"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54726"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54726"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54726"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}