Football Sunday

 

 Football cuisine should be cheesy, tasty, and crowd-pleasing. Check out our list of addicting game day meal ideas before diving into dips, sliders, wings, and other great snacks. Here’s one idea for game day. Homemade meatball sliders are a creative way to serve meatballs at a gathering that doesn't require the use of a slow cooker. They're served on small Hawaiian buns with a bit of sweetness to balance off the excellent Italian flavors.

 

 

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons prepared pesto

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 jar (24 ounces) of pasta sauce

1 package (18 ounces) of Hawaiian sweet rolls

12 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese or shredded Italian cheese blend

Minced fresh basil

 

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, pesto, and egg gently yet thoroughly. Form into 12 meatballs and place in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with a greased rack. Bake for 35 minutes, or until browned and a thermometer reaches 160°. Set aside meatballs after tossing them with sauce.

Next, cut the rolls horizontally in half without splitting them; lay the bottom halves in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle oregano over half of the cheese slices on the bottoms of the rolls. Mix in the meatballs and sauce. Garnish with the remaining cheese pieces and bun toppers. Brush the buns with a mixture of butter, olive oil, garlic, Italian spice, and red pepper flakes. Bake for 20 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and top with Parmesan and grated mozzarella.

Cook, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted. Before serving, sprinkle with basil.