Tailgate Recipes: Sausage Pizza Dip

I'm happy I finally got my act together enough to share some Tailgate Recipes with you at least before the season is over! Sure I've been way behind but I'm trying to change that. I figured it would be a smart move for me to share my recipes with you on say Tuesday {this week will be a Monday edition} so that you've have time to plan your meal and get the ingredients together if you wanted to make these for the game of your choice the upcoming weekend. 

I made this week's recipe this past weekend. I thought I should taste test and road test any of the recipes I pass on to you this season so that I know if they are good. It would be really irresponsible of me to pass one on to you having not tired it.

We were supposed to have a few friends over for the game so instead of making one dip, I made two. The first dip was one I shared with you last year and one that all my friends always beg me to make, and that's my Buffalo Chicken Dip. You all know my obsession with Buffalo Sauce, if it wouldn't burn so bad I'd probably freebase that stuff. Addicted what? Call Dr. Drew. 

The second dip I made was a great recipe I found on Everyday with Rachel Ray. I didn't know if I would like the recipe but I was told by a dear old myspace buddy last year that I had to try it that it would blow my mind. And secondly, of all the different Rachel Ray recipes I've made, which is a lot (she taught me how to cook) I've only ever hated one, so I'd say her record is pretty awesome. Sure it only took me about a year to try this recipe, but let's be honest I'm a bit late at everything, *coughtruebloodcough* and I'll probably be late to my own funeral.

Let's just say that the Iron Maiden {my myspace buddy's handle} was correct. This dip is absolutely knock your socks off amazing, and easy as hell to create. It's called Sausage Pizza Dip and I got the recipe from here.

Photo Credit to Kang Kim via Everyday with Rachel Ray

Please see recipe information from link marked *here* above. I added my own touches and made some changes as well. Instead of Tomato Sauce I used 1 cup of my favorite Newman's Own Marinara Sauce. Eventually I will learn to make my own sauce but this does in a pinch for me all the time - it's also great for pizza sauce as well in my opinion.

via google • This stuff is SO good!

AFTER THOUGHT ADDITION: Next time I make this recipe I would like to try to rub all the bread with down, hot out of the oven with a fresh garlic clove for an extra kick. It would also be great if you sprinkled garlic powder on the bread but I really love the bite of fresh garlic so it's a winner for me.

TAILGATE APPROVED: If you are going to do this for an actual tailgate in a parking lot, before a big game, one where you have limited access to an oven, but have electricity... instead of broiling this at the end I would recommend cooking your sausage ahead of time and adding all the ingredients together in a crock pot. Melt together until combined and dish out with a spoon onto a plate and serve with bread.

FUN ADDITIONS: After discussing with my guests about what might improve this we really didn't have much to add but my thoughts were possibly adding some pepperoni roughly chopped or on top while it bakes would be a great add on, just like pizza. If you have friends that like red onions I think that would be a great addition also to let them cook under the broiler and get nice and sweet. I also thought that a healthy addition might be cutting up green peppers for dippers instead of the bread or using pretzels or bread sticks might be a fun idea as well.

SKINNY IT UP: I never really love reduced fat cheese when it comes to melting or dips but I do think this would taste just as delicious with reduced fat cream cheese as well as the others and even as great with turkey sausage or chicken sausage. That being said I feel that everything is all in moderation. 

PERFECT BEVERAGE: Beer... hands down. I don't think anything fruity would go well with this at all.

FINAL VERDICT: My guests loved this and while I only ended up having three people over instead of the 8 that we originally expected, the left overs from this dip were just as great reheated the next day for lunch. That being said... if you're dieting or eating clean... send your guests home with this so you won't be tempted to stuff your face later, seriously, it's really hard to resist seconds the day of, let alone left overs the day after.

P.S. Buffalo Dip Addition - I have discovered that Chicken in a Biscuit Crackers are amazing with the Buffalo Chicken Dip! Last year when I made this for Mike's family and added the crackers as a dipper (Iron Bowl Game 2009) everyone raved about them. They are absolutely amazing alone but the buffalo sauce is a great kick with all the cheese.

"So good it'll make you wanna slap yo Mama!" • via google

P.S.S. If you're on a diet or watching what you eat I apologize in advance for this post. I promise to at least have a few healthier options to add to these in the future. And for the record, I did want to have veggies on a platter for people to eat, but the person in charge of veggies was not able to come over so it was total carb overload central!

P.S.S.S. Yes...  I know this isn't P90X approved but honestly it was a cheat day so get off my back! And by the way I'm finished with the X and I will write about it this week!

Needless to say - both of my teams won this weekend and I couldn't have been happier!!! RTR & GO STEELERS!

I hope you all are ready for this weekend's big games!!! I know it's only Monday but it will give us something to look forward too! And If you're a Titans or Jaguar fan you have a big game to watch tonight sooo, LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!