4 more recipes for a tailgate party touchdown

By Gretchen McKay / Pttsburgh Post-Gazette

Tailgate parties typically offer a smorgasbord of “help yourself” finger foods, including a variety of appetizers, meats and desserts.

These crowd-friendly dishes from the Post-Gazette archives are perennial favorites with Steelers fans — from wings to ribs to spicy empanadas and a black-and-gold dessert.

Buffalo Chicken Empanadas

PG tested

You really can’t throw a proper tailgate in Pittsburgh without buffalo chicken dip.

In this handheld twist on the old favorite, I stuffed the dip inside a refrigerated pie crust, creating an empanada-like treat. I also tucked in a bit of chopped cilantro and a pickled jalapeno for some extra zip, with blue cheese dressing for dipping. (If you’re not a blue cheese fan, substitute ranch.)

I used two dough rounds per empanada, but you also could cut the circles a little larger and fold them over to make it easier.

While I’ve made this dip countless times with Frank’s Red Hot sauce, I recently discovered Hank Sauce Cilantro in Sea Isle, N.J., and became a fan. It includes cilantro, hot peppers and garlic.

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

6 ounces (¾ package) cream cheese, softened

6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup blue cheese crumbles, optional

⅓ cup blue cheese or ranch dressing

⅓ cup of hot sauce, or more to taste

2 packages refrigerated pie pastry

Chopped cilantro and pickled jalapenos

1 egg beaten with a little water, for wash

Blue cheese or ranch dressing, for dipping

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together shredded chicken, cream cheese, cheddar and blue cheeses, blue cheese dressing and hot sauce. If it's not saucy (or spicy) enough, add a little more hot sauce.

Unroll a pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter placed on the edge of the pastry, cut dough into circles, or if you want to get really creative, 4-by-3-inch football shapes. Repeat with remaining dough, chilling and rerolling scraps as needed.

Transfer half of the cutouts to greased baking sheets. Place a spoonful (about 2 teaspoons) of chicken mixture in the center of each one and flatten with your finger, being careful to leave room on the edges.

Top with a little chopped cilantro and a pickled jalapeno. Brush edges of pastry with egg. Top with remaining cutouts and press edges with a fork to seal. If using football shapes, cut slits in the tops to resemble football laces. Brush tops with egg wash.

Bake 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and serve hot, or allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Makes about 3 dozen empanadas.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Coca-Cola Wings

PG tested

These spicy-sweet and very sticky wings are made with the famous soda, or as we say in Pittsburgh, pop: Coca-Cola. They’re baked instead of deep-fried, but also could be made in an air fryer. Mesquite barbecue seasoning adds a smoky finish.

Add more (or fewer) red chili flakes to adjust the spice level.

12 whole chicken wings (approximately 3 pounds)

Salt

1 cup Coca-Cola

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, or more to taste

1 heaping teaspoon mesquite barbecue seasoning

2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for garnish

1 or 2 green onions, slices on the diagonal, for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside while you prepare the wings.

Rinse wings under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Place on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut through the joint where the wing and the wingtip meet. Then, separate the drumette from the midsection by finding the joint that connects the two, and cut through it with a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears.

Lay separated wings onto parchment paper, leaving a little space between each. Sprinkle generously with salt.

Place tray in hot oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove tray from oven, and flip wings. Sprinkle generously again with salt and then place back in oven to bake for 20 more minutes.

While wings are baking, prepare sauce. Place Coke, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, chili flakes and barbecue seasoning in a large skillet and whisk until combined. (I used a wok.)

Bring to a low boil over medium heat, and cook until sauce has thickened, then keep warm while wings finish baking.

When wings are done, remove from the oven and add to the pan with the cola sauce. Toss well to combine, then cook over low heat for another 5-7 minutes, until wings are well coated and sticky.

Remove wings onto a serving plate, making sure to spoon any sauce left in the pan over top. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with plenty of napkins.

Serves 8.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Jack’s Spicy Baby Back Ribs

PG tested

These slow-cooked ribs are sweet and spicy, and finger-licking good. My son Jack likes to use habanero chile peppers, which are pretty darn hot, but you can tame the recipe by substituting jalapenos.

1 rack pork baby back ribs

For rub

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

½ cup salt

2 tablespoons cayenne

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon chile pepper flakes

For sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups apple cider vinegar

4 habanero peppers, minced

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup ketchup

1 teaspoon salt

Prep ribs by removing the tough membrane on the back of the ribs. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine sugars and spices in a small bowl. Put the dry rub all over the ribs (both sides) and rub it in. Tightly wrap ribs in foil and bake for 2½ hours.

While ribs are baking, prepare sauce: Heat oil in large saute pan, add onions and garlic and saute until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add vinegar and minced habaneros bring to boil.

When at rolling boil, add cayenne, brown sugar and ketchup and stir to combine. Cook sauce over medium heat until it’s reduced to sauce-like consistency, about 30 minutes. Keep warm.

After ribs are done cooking, remove ribs from foil and increase oven temperature to 400 degree. Brush ribs with sauce and place back in oven for 1 more hour, brushing with sauce every 15 minutes.

Serves 4.

— Jack McKay

Black and Gold Brownies

Every party needs some sort of dessert, and brownies fit the bill for a tailgate. These get the black-and-gold treatment with the addition of yellow M&Ms. It’s a pain to sort them from the bag, but they add a colorful home team touch.

I added chopped pecans, but you could sub in walnuts or almonds, or leave out the nuts.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Generous pinch of salt

1 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

¼ cup and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

⅔ cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped, or more to taste

¼-⅓ cup gold or yellow M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Line bottom with parchment or wax paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Butter paper; set pan aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Place butter and semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and heat in microwave, 10 seconds at a time, until smooth, stirring occasionally. Stir in cocoa powder and oil. Add sugars, eggs, vanilla and flour mixture; stir to combine well. Stir in M&Ms and pecans, if using, then transfer batter to pan with a spatula.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached (or sooner to make sure they’re soft). Cool completely before slicing into squares.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. These also freeze well.

Makes 16 brownies.

— adapted from marthastewart.com