8 Northeastern Recipes For Game Day & Beyond

The Big Game on Feb. 11 is fast approaching — and so are the parties! Whether you’re an avid football fan or a casual watcher, game day is a perfect excuse to enjoy good food and good company. If you’re looking to craft the perfect menu for your next sporting get-together, these mouthwatering Northeastern-inspired recipes are certain to be a touchdown.

1. Loaded Philly Cheese Steak Nachos (Mostly Homemade Mom) — For a Philly-inspired twist on the game day favorite, top tortilla chips with frozen beef sandwich steaks, sliced American cheese and (of course) peppers and onions. You’ll sauté your veggies in butter for extra flavor and tenderness, then do the same with the sandwich steaks. After that, layer your nachos for maximum topping spread; start with half of the tortilla chips, then place your sliced cheese on the chips, followed by steak, peppers and onions. Repeat for another layer, broil for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted to your preference. For optimal texture, serve immediately — they’ll be sure to go quickly. See the full recipe here.

2. Buffalo Wings (Delish) — This New York classic is near-synonymous with Sunday night games — and now, you can make crispy wings from the comfort of your own home. Toss your wings in oil, then season to your preference; Delish’s recipe keeps it simple with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bake your wings in the oven at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through. To whip up the famous buffalo sauce, simmer a mixture of hot sauce and honey; you’ll stir in butter and cook until the mixture is slightly thickened. Toss your baked wings in the sauce until they’re fully coated, then broil for just a few minutes until the sauce is caramelized. Serve your buffalo wings with a side of ranch dressing and veggies, or just eat them directly from the tray! See the full recipe here.

3. Cabot® Five Mile Farm’s Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip (Savory) — This five-ingredient slow-cooker savior comes together in just two hours! Three different types of cheese from Vermont-based Cabot Creamery — cream cheese, horseradish cheddar and extra sharp cheddar — combine perfectly with chopped spinach and marinated artichoke hearts. Simply place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and season to taste with salt and pepper; cook on low for two hours and stir occasionally. If you like a little extra crisp in your dip, transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish and broil just until the top is golden. Once your spinach artichoke dip is cooked to your liking, plate with veggies and crackers for a vegetarian-friendly, crowd-pleasing dish for any game day. See the full recipe here.

4. Football Pizza (Pillsbury) — The unofficial state food of Connecticut gets a football-themed twist, thanks to some well-placed toppings. Unroll and flatten Pillsbury pizza crust onto a baking sheet, then put in the oven for seven minutes at 425 degrees. After that, you’ll spread pre-made pizza sauce evenly and top with shredded mozzarella cheese; layer pepperoni slices to create a football shape and place strips of cut string cheese to emulate laces. Put your decorated pizza back into the oven for another 10-13 minutes, and try to grab a slice before it’s all gone! See the full recipe here.

5. New England Lobster Roll Sliders (King’s Hawaiian) — Bring the iconic flavors of New England to your game day celebration with these easy-to-make, easy-to-serve and easy-to-eat lobster roll sliders. You’ll combine fresh lobster meat with mayonnaise, lemon zest, crème fraîche and a few seasonings, including salt and white pepper to taste. Let your lobster salad chill for at least 30 minutes to bring out the flavors. Then, spread butter on sliced Hawaiian rolls and toast in a skillet, cut side down. After that, simply fill the buns with your lobster salad and dig in! See the full recipe here.

6. Blueberry Brie Phyllo Bites (The Foodie Physician) — Blueberries are the official state fruit of New Jersey, and these elegant little bites are a great delicious way to enjoy them! These blueberry brie phyllo bites can be prepped in advance — perfect for a busy game day host — and their miniature size makes them ideal for sharing amongst friends. You’ll stuff pre-cooked phyllo shells with creamy Brie cheese and top them with a mixture of blueberries, thyme and maple syrup. Bake the shells for 14-16 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the blueberries look softened and the Brie is nicely melted. See the full recipe here.

7. Football Whoopie Pies (Barley & Sage) — While the exact origin of these soft little cakes remains a mystery — they’re widely believed to originate from Amish or Pennsylvania Dutch bakers, though many Northeast regions lay claim to them — people from all over will love these adorable football-shaped whoopie pies. You’ll make a chocolatey cake batter from scratch, transfer it into a piping bag and then pipe football shapes onto parchment paper. (If you aren’t confident in your freehand piping skills, Barley & Sage has a free printable template.) Once the cakes are done, pipe in your marshmallow fluff-based filling, then pipe lines on the top cake to resemble football laces. See the full recipe here.

8. Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites (Practically Homemade) — This Bostonian classic gets the bite-sized treatment, making it an easy choice to nosh on in the final quarters of the Big Game. This eight-ingredient recipe from Practically Homemade has three simple steps. First, whip up a soft cookie cup mixture with yellow cake mix, then bake in mini muffin tins at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. You’ll press the middle of the cookie down to fill each one with a generous helping of vanilla pudding cream, then top with a bit of chocolate ganache. Pop these bites in the refrigerator to set the ganache before digging in. See the full recipe here.

No matter who you’re rooting for in this year’s Big Game, it’s easy to have a great time when you’re enjoying delicious Northeastern cuisine with your favorite sports fans. Have a favorite game day recipe we missed? We'd love to hear about it ...

Share your favorite recipe with us here!