Hoping to score a taste bud touchdown at your next tailgate party? Check out these recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest of football-loving foodies!

Recipe: Individual huevos rancheros in tortilla cups

Most tailgate parties already have guacamole, nachos, and salsa on the menu. Round out the game plan with Tex-Mex themed appetizers. Huevos rancheros begin with soft wheat tortillas, stamped into rounds, pressed into a muffin pan, and baked until firm. Fill the crisp shells with a soft scramble and garnish with salsa and scallions.

Recipe: Grilled jalapeno poppers

To pack these treats for a tailgate, first grill the peppers until they are soft. Cool and fill with the creamy cheese spread. Store them in the cooler and reheat at your site.

Recipe: Sweet and spicy wings with ranch dressing

Chicken wings and football are one of the all-time great American pairings. Here, the wings are glazed with a mixture of apricot preserves, Sriracha sauce, and honey for skin that is dark, glazed, and very sticky.

Recipe: Steak and cheese subs

Assemble a steak and cheese sub, called cheesesteak in Philadelphia, where it’s a specialty. Add lettuce and tomatoes, if you like, or mushrooms and mayo. For a gooey version, and to satisfy the kid in you, skip the provolone included here and add ketchup and Cheese Whiz.

Recipe: Country-style pork ribs with barbecue sauce

Rub the ribs with spices, braise them in beer or stock at home, then finish on the grill at the game with an easy homemade barbecue sauce.

Recipe: Pimento cheese

A ’50s favorite, this cheddar spread is studded with pimento and mixed with Tabasco, mustard powder, and parsley to give it a lift. Pack it into a bowl and pass with crackers or spread it inside celery stalks.

Recipe: Spiced hot chocolate

Spend the fourth quarter sipping spiced hot chocolate, which can be waiting in a large thermos. A sprinkle of chili powder in each mug adds gentle heat, or spike the chocolate with a splash of rum or whiskey.

Recipe: Mini-meatball subs

Tender turkey balls stuffed into a soft roll and covered with a lightly cooked marinara sauce make the sub shop staple a homemade treat. To make them, mix dark ground turkey, lots of Parmesan and parsley, and bread cubes soaked in milk.

Recipe: Ham and corn chowder

Corn chowder is a bridge between warm and cool weather, featuring the sunny flavors of the fresh kernels and the hearty richness of a cold weather stew.

Recipe: Grilled lamb meatballs in pita pockets

These meatballs come together quickly and are a fun, unusual way to feed a crowd using the grill before the game. By mixing the ground lamb with a simple panade (a mixture of milk and bread), you end up with moist tender rounds, even if you encounter a few flare-ups on the grill.

Recipe: Squash and white bean quesadillas

For quesadillas, choose any variety of canned, pureed squash or pumpkin. Assemble quesadillas with Monterey Jack cheese and white beans, then warm them in a heavy skillet until the wedges are crisp.

Recipe: Lobster sliders

To make these in advance, set the filled sandwiches on a platter, cover with paper towels, wrap the platter in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe: Rachel braid

Shred grilled turkey meat and lay it on pizza dough with Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. Fold strips of dough in a diagonal pattern to encase the filling, brush with egg, sprinkle with caraway, and bake for a packable pre-game snack.

Recipe: Italian sausages and peppers

Sausages and peppers make a hearty pair, no matter how you do them — grilled and lightly charred, braised in beer, slow cooked, served on a bun, or tossed with pasta.

Recipe: Spicy drumsticks

Drumsticks often come in large value packs at the supermarket making them perfect to feed a crowd of hungry sports fans. The moist, dark meat can stand up to a spicy-sweet sauce. Here, hot chili sauce (Sriracha brand has pleasant heat) is mixed with honey, a little oil, lime juice, and garlic and tossed with the chicken.

Recipe: Grilled German sausages and vegetable packets

Stacking vegetables inside a packet is a handy way to make more use of your grill rack. Season the layers with salt, pepper, oregano, and a tangy lemon-mustard dressing.

Recipe: Burgers

Cook over high heat so the burgers get nicely browned on the outside, done to your liking on the inside. A few slices of sharp-flavored cheese, such as cheddar or blue, lend a savory contrast.

Recipe: Buffalo shrimp

A lighter take on deep-fried Buffalo wings, these shrimp are the perfect blend of spicy and sweet. Skewer the shrimp and grill them outdoors, or broil them 6 inches from the element.

Recipe: Chicken chili with corn bread croutons

Chicken chili comes together in a snap with barbecued drumsticks, shredded off the bone. Add canned tomatoes and kidney beans. As the pot simmers, toast a tray of corn bread croutons. Pack fun toppings like sliced scallions, grated cheese, sour cream, or sliced avocado to serve at the game.

Recipe: All-bean chili

Veg-friendly chili, with tomatoes, bell and chili peppers, and kidney beans, has a meaty texture from the addition of bulgur. Soy sauce and red wine lend umami flavors, though no one will be able to pinpoint these ingredients.

Recipe: Buffalo chicken tenders with blue cheese dipping sauce

Instead of Buffalo wings, we made the dish using white-meat chicken tenders, marinated them in Frank’s Hot Sauce with honey, garlic, and a splash of tequila, and stirred together a blue cheese sauce based on low-fat Greek yogurt.

Recipe: Glazed bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp

Microwaving the bacon before wrapping the strips around the shrimp lets both ingredients grill quickly without overcooking. If you don’t have agave nectar, use honey with delicious results.

Recipe: Turkey chili with roasted poblano peppers

Make this chili a day ahead, using whatever beer you plan to serve (or substitute chicken broth). The flavors mellow when the dish sits overnight.

Recipe: Grilled lobsters

If you want a grilled lobster — its succulent meat stuffed with fresh herbs — stay in your own backyard and light the grill. The shell chars while the meat becomes slightly smoky.

Recipe: 5-layer dip

The classic seven-layer dip is now five, with dark beans forming one layer, then cheese, salsa spiked with sriracha, more yogurt, and a topping of chopped pickles, olives, and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Recipe: Lobster chowder

Begin with the lobster cooking liquid and add potato cooking water. Cook the corn and lobster meat briefly and finish with heavy cream. The chowder has no other thickening, so there’s nothing to dilute the tastes of lobster, golden potatoes, the first corn of the season, and fresh cream. Luxury in a bowl.

Recipe: Corn dogs

Homemade corndogs are worlds away from their frozen, convenience store cousins. Dip halved hot dogs into a thin cornbread batter, fry, and serve. Like most fried foods, these don’t hold up for very long, so fry just before serving

Recipe: Paisano sausage sandwiches

Sausages with peppers and onions are irresistible on crusty rolls. These are made with chicken sausages, but you can also use turkey.

Recipe: Chicken and sausage gumbo

Sometimes called the national dish of Louisiana, gumbo has as many versions as the state has cooks. Heartier meat or game gumbos typically make an appearance when temperatures aren’t surging into the hundreds.