I’m from the south y’all. There are a few things that make the world go ’round here… Sunday church followed by Sunday dinner, monogrammed anything {and everything}, and football. Around here we do football with a bit of southern hospitality and LOTS of delicious southern fare. The menu may be different every time, but one thing stays the same… there will always be lots of it. I have NEVER heard of anyone going hungry at a party in the south!
This party line up is southern food from start to finish: hot pimento cheese dip with buttery crackers for dipping, deviled eggs with a bit of a gourmet switch up, and bbq chicken sliders! We finished this meal off with a VERY simple coconut cake that has been in my family for generations and is the epitome of a southern cake. I’ll share ALL the recipes here so you can pull off your next football tailgate with a bit of southern flair!
First up, the pimento cheese dip. Pimento cheese is a {normally} cold spread that people here in the south like to put on bread and eat as a sandwich. You can buy this spread almost everywhere but some brands are better than others. {I happen to like Palmetto Cheese brand if you are in the market for a store-bought variety}. This dip is a play on that southern staple – served warm. It got rave reviews from my family and friends far and wide…you don’t have to be southern to enjoy it.
:: Hot Pimento Cheese Dip
8 oz block of {softened – set it out on the counter ahead of time} cream cheese
1/2 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of shredded FRESH parmesan – not that powdered stuff for heaven’s sake!
1 small jar of pimentos {drained}
3/4 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and then pour into a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with butter crackers – like Ritz or Townhouse crackers.
The next dish I served up was deviled eggs…with a little twist. Most people make their deviled eggs with mayo, the yolks of the egg, and a bit of sweet pickle relish. I like to switch up the pickle relish for another southern favourite: Zucchini relish. To make the eggs look a little bit fancier I piped the yolks back into the egg white halves using a pastry bag and icing tip {like you use for frosting a cake}.
The main dish I made for this southern shindig was BBQ chicken sliders. This is really simple. I just grilled up a bunch of chicken, shredded it, and slathered it in our favourite sweet BBQ sauce. I served the meat up with small Hawaiian buns you can find in the deli or bread area of your local Walmart.
To wrap up the meal and ofer something sweet I served up our family’s coconut cake. This cake has been a favourite of mine back since I was a little girl when my grandfather {I called him pawpaw} used to make it for us at family get togethers after Sunday church. It still brings back great memories and is as good as I remember.Now, this cake is FAR from wholesome and includes several unhealthy ingredients. Everything in moderation. I COULD redo this recipe…but I won’t. It brings back too many wonderful memories for me just the way it is and having it once or twice a year isn’t going to hurt anyone. 
:: Coconut Cake
1 box of white cake mix
{ingredients indicated on the box}
1 can of coco Lopez coconut cream
1 can of Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 tub of cool whip
1 bag of shredded coconut {from the freezer section…this is important}, thawed
Prepare the cake as indicated on the box. When it has cooled, poke holes in the top of the cake and pour the condensed milk and coconut cream over the top. Allow the cake to sit in the fridge overnight. Before you serve it, top with cool whip and fresh, shredded coconut.
To wrap up and wash it all down, a southern shindig wouldn’t be a southern shindig without root beer, sweet tea, and a southern classic: Cheerwine.
How do you celebrate in your neck of the woods? What are some of your favourite snacks and appetizers you like to serve when you’re watching the big game with friends and/or family? If you need more ideas to go check out the great recipes over at Walmart’s game day website here: http://wm13.walmart.com/Cook/LP/Game_Time/13258/
And, if you are a sharer {and you like prizes} go share a photo of your favourite game time recipe on Instagram or Twitter using #WalmartMVPContest. You’ll be entered to win a trip to LA to go to the YouTube studios to have a pre-Superbowl party and create content with YouTube stars like these: iJustine and CookWithApril.
