March Madness is always a fun time of year! Whether you’re a basketball fan or just a casual watcher, the excitement of these games is captivating! Gathering with your family or friends is the best way to celebrate hoops action and serving up some delicious food will keep everyone happy. One of my favorite ways to snack is to pile some goodies on a tray for easy, serve-yourself nibbling. And I’m excited to share these hearty and delicious ideas for March Madness munchies…that could serve as dinner too! So let’s get ready to cheer on the teams AND eat something good!
aim high for tournament snacking!
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keep game day eats casual…no need for the food to be stressful too!
soft pretzels and sports go hand-in-hand in my mind…so what’s better than a platter full of them? our menu consisted of andouille sausages, beer cheese & chicken sliders, and dipping bites!
the pulled chicken sliders had an unexpected slather of beer cheese spread which was a yummy compliment to the pretzel bun!
the cooled beer cheese makes a great spread…but warmed it’s an equally delicious dip! gotta love double-duty!
and you can’t have pretzels without mustard. a combo of traditional & cheese stuffed bites are perfect for dipping and popping in your mouth!
looks pretty good right?
napkins rolled and tucked into the tray look pretty AND are useful…
and a mug filled with blooms & a tiny ball made for easy decorations. not necessary but definitely fun!
soda and chips sit on the floor near the “table” (aka: ottoman) along with pillows for comfy floor seating!
casual, delicious, family fun!
let the games begin…
got your march madness bracket ready?
grab the printable recipe~
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 12 ounce light lager beer at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup half and half
- Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and saute one minute whisking constantly.
- Stir in garlic and saute an additional minute, continuing to whisk constantly. Flour mixture will be thick and start to have a nutty aroma.
- Whisk in the beer a little at a time. Simmer for two minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, mustard, Worchestershire sauce, & hot sauce. Stir until combined.
- Add the cheese in batches. Let each melt before adding the next. Simmer and stir the cheese mix another 4 minutes until smooth and thickened.
- Whisk in cream and additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve warm as a dip or cool and use as a spread once it sets. Can be re-heated in the microwave.
pin for later~
featured products~
Pretzilla Soft Pretzel Bread: buns, sliders, bites