My top 5 favorite game day recipes

1. Veggie platter with homemade ranch and hummus

   • Chop whatever raw veggies you want for dipping (I love bell peppers, carrots, sugar snap peas, celery, cucumber, and/or tomatoes)

   • Ranch: add all ingredients below to a bowl and mix well:

     • 1 cup Greek yogurt

     • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

     • 1/2 tsp black pepper

     • 1 tsp garlic powder

     • 1 tsp onion powder

     • 1 tsp dried parsley

     • 1/2 tsp dried dill

     • 1-2 tbsp milk I used unsweetened almond

   • Hummus: in a food processor, blend all ingredients below and season to taste:

     • 1 can chickpeas

     • 1 large lemon (juice)

     • 1/4 cup tahini

     • 1 small garlic clove, minced

     • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

     • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

     • Salt to taste

     • 2 to 3 tablespoons water

     • 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

     • I like to drizzle olive oil on top with a sprinkle of paprika, dried oregano, and dried paprika

2. Chicken taquitos with guacamole

   • Preheat the oven to 425° F.

   • In a large skillet, combine a little olive oil with 1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey or beef), and 1 chopped yellow onion and cook until browned. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer while you add the following:

     • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

     • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

     • 1 teaspoon chili powder

     • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

     • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

     • 1 cup beer

   • . Once the sauce has thickened a bit (about 10 minutes) remove from the heat and stir in 4 ounces cream cheese.

   • Warm the tortillas (16-20 of your choice) for above 30 seconds in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the chicken down the middle of the tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Roll up and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp.

   • Option to serve with ranch or preferred toppings (homemade ranch for the win again!)

   • Guacamole: mash 3 medium ripe avocados to a mixing bowl and add the following ingredients:

     • Juice from 1 lime (sometimes I add more because I love lime) - add one then play around with it according to your flavor preference

     • 2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped (option to skip)

     • 1/4 red onion minced

     • 1 Roma tomato finely chopped

     • Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (here’s your chance to eat half of it to “taste test”)

     • Option: sometimes I just mix some pico de gallo salsa into the avocados and add seasonings (instead of adding cilantro, red onion, tomato separately).

3. Buffalo chicken dip...but make it healthy-ish

   • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

   • Add all ingredients below to a mixing bowl and mix well:

     • 1/2 cup cottage cheese

     • 1 cup full fat greek yogurt

     • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

     • 1/2 cup buffalo sauce

     • 1 egg

     • 1 cup shredded chicken

     • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

     • 1/2 tsp ground pepper

   • Spray a 9x9 baking dish with avocado oil or some kind of oil and spoon the buffalo chicken dip mix into the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the oven to broil and put the dip back in the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the top is crispy.

   • Option to drizzle ranch on top (or better yet the homemade ranch above!) Serve with celery sticks and tortilla chips.

4. Huli huli chicken (option to make into burgers)

   • In a large gallon-sized bag, add all ingredients below:

     • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

     • 1 teaspoon grated ginger

     • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

     • ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

     • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

     • ¼ cup brown sugar

     • ¼ cup ketchup

   • Mix ingredients in the bag and add 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs to the huli huli sauce and sit for at least 4 hours. You may need to split between a couple bags.

   • BBQ grill, broil, or bake chicken however you prefer (I like to broil on high for about 6 minutes each side).

5. White bean chicken chili

   • Brown onions in pot with a little olive oil. Add all ingredients below and simmer on low for 30 minutes or more (you can also make this in a crockpot and keep on low for hours).

     • 11/2 lbs. chicken, cooked and chopped/shredded (I use market rotisserie)

     • 1 diced onion

     • 3 or 4 cans (15 oz.) Great Northern Beans or white pintos (drained and rinsed)

     • 1 cup (or more) chicken broth

     • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles (don't drain)

     • 2 tsp. ground cumin

     • salt and pepper

   • Optional: Top each serving with sour cream, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips