It's fall! Do you know what that means? Football season has begun! Whether you prefer watching your Alma mater slaughter your rival school, or cheering on one of the many NFL teams, no game is complete without munchies. A lot of people tailgate but they don't always know what kind of food to have. Anything goes from BBQ to more sophisticated dishes. But drinks, dips, and desserts are a must. It doesn't matter if you tailgate at the stadium, at home or on campus; the Three D's of tailgating will make your game day great! Here are some recipes to help you plan your perfect party.

DIPS:
No game day/tailgating party is complete without at least one delicious dip! There are so many great dip ideas out there; here are two that I thought sounded good! Grab your favorite chip, vegetable or bread and start dipping!

Cheese Steak Dip: This recipe turns a classic cheese steak sandwich into a hearty game day dip!

Cheese Steak Dip

Total Time to Serve 1 hour 10 minutes

Serving size: 32
Calories per serving: 26

Ingredients:
1 (17-ounce) package refrigerated beef roast au jus
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 (15-ounce) jar process cheese dip
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (optional)
crackers to serve


Directions:

1. Remove cover from beef package. Place onion on top of beef. Microwave beef and onion, uncovered, on high for 2 1/2 minutes. Drain beef and onion, reserving juices. Use two forks to shred beef.

2. Add beef and onion to 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Stir in 1/3 cup of the reserved juices, cheese dip, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours.

3. Stir in red pepper, if desired. Serve immediately with crackers, vegetables, bread etc. (Or, keep warm in slow cooker on low setting for up to 2 hours.)

Source: snackpicks.com

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Charleston Cheese Dip: What makes a great dip? At least two types of cheese, bacon and a little spice! This recipe has all of those things!

Charleston Cheese Dip

Total Time: 25 min

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Serving size: 10
Calories per serving: 255

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 dash cayenne pepper
8 butter crackers, crushed, such as rRitz
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
corn chips, crackers or bagel chips, for serving


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions and cayenne pepper. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish, such as a 9-inch pie pan. Top the mixture with the cracker crumbs and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and top with the bacon. Serve immediately with corn chips, crackers or bagel chips.

Source: foodnetwork.com

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DESSERTS:
Maybe your fellow tailgaters don't like dips and want something a little sweeter. No problem. One great idea is to pick up some already made cupcakes with vanilla frosting and put sprinkles or candy pieces on top that are the same color as your team. This is a cheap and fast dessert idea! Here are a few more.

Candy Bar Chocolate Brownies: This delicious dessert combines brownies and your favorite candy bar to make one irresistible and crowd pleasing dish!

Candy Bar Chocolate Brownies

Rich, decadent, moist and chewy with chunks of candy bars melted in, you couldn't ask a brownie for more. One of the best parts about them is that you can do them in one bowl, so cleanup's a breeze. The one thing you have to remember is to put the candy bars in the fridge before you got to chop them up or you'll get mush instead of chunks. Total Time: 40 minutes

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: about 16 brownies

Serving size: 16
Calories per serving: 176

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, melted, plus a little more for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
10 mini chocolate-peanut candy bars, crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups), refrigerator cold (recommended - snickers fun size)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch cake pan (aluminum is fine) with butter. Beat the 1 1/2 sticks butter and the sugar together in a large bowl until blended. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then stir in water and vanilla. Sprinkle the salt and baking powder over the mixture, then mix in. Do the same with the cocoa. Finally, stir in the flour until just blended. Put the candy bars in a food processor or blender and pulse on low speed until all the bars have been reduced to a coarse crumble. Fold the crumble into the batter thoroughly. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the center is set, the edges look a bit crusty, and the top of the brownies start to crack a little. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Source: cookingchanneltv.com

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Cinnamon Football Cookies: These tasty little cookies can be shaped into footballs, and who doesn't like to eat themed and shaped cookies?

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DRINKS:
We all know that during an intense, great football game, people get thirsty. If you're going to throw a tailgate party make sure you have lots of drinks for your guests. Whether it's a family friendly event, or an adult's only party, there are lots of great drink recipes. Here are a few for example.

Homemade Cherry Soda: This homemade drink is perfect for kids and adults alike!

Homemade Cherry Soda

Serving size: 16
Calories per serving: 106

Ingredients:
2 (12-ounce) packages 2 (12-oz.) frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
1 1/2 cups demerara sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup liquid from jarred maraschino cherry
club soda


Directions:

Bring cherries, Demerara sugar, and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes or until cherries are tender. Let stand 30 minutes.

Press mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher, using back of a spoon to squeeze out juices; discard pulp. Stir in lime juice and liquid from jarred maraschino cherries.

Chill 2 to 24 hours. Stir together 3 Tbsp. cherry mixture and 1 cup club soda for each serving. Serve over ice in 16-oz. glasses.



Source: myrecipes.com

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Berry-Colada Punch: This fruity, refreshing drink is easy enough to make. You can make it with or without rum, if you have younger and older guests make two batches, just be sure to remember which is which.

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Beer Punch: This drink is strictly for adults. A common drink at any game is beer. If this is your drink of choice Why not make it a little more festive and fun with this recipe?

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If none of these drink ideas caught your eye, you can always go with the classic line up of soda, lemonade, water and whatever else you like to drink! It doesn't really matter—your guests will appreciate anything after cheering their hearts out.

There you have it! Dips, Desserts, and Drinks are all you need! If you love tailgating or watching the game and have an awesome recipe you always make please let us know! I'm always looking for new things to make for my parties!