Football season means it's time to get serious about the most important part: the game-day eats [1]. Get ready to host the best parties (big or small) by preparing these popular recipes from some of our favorite celebrity chefs [2] and Food Network [3] hosts. From perfect buffalo wings to spinach and artichoke dip and classic recipes with a twist — like guacamole with a secret ingredient — this is how all the experts do game day. You'll be the real MVP if you show up with any of these winning dishes.
Sunny Anderson: Pimento Cheese
A staple at any Southern tailgate, pimento cheese is a classic that everyone's guaranteed to love. Sunny Anderson's easy pimento cheese [4] is a crowd-pleasing dip full of all the good stuff, like cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, garlic, and smoked paprika.
Alton Brown: Buffalo Wings
You'll never make mediocre wings again if you follow Alton Brown's buffalo wings recipe [5]. With only five ingredients, this recipe is simple enough for anyone to master and will quickly become your go-to method for wings all season long.
Chrissy Teigen: Guacamole With a Secret Ingredient
OK, the secret ingredient is cheese. If you're a little obsessed with Chrissy Teigen [6] (and her cookbook, Cravings [7]) like I am, then you probably know she swears by putting cheese in guacamole [8]. The cookbook author will be the first to admit her method is a controversial one, but she promises you'll never make guac another way again. You'll find the recipe on page 147 of Cravings alongside her hilarious preface: "Cheese in guacamole. Yes. Cheesy sharp cheddar bombs in every bite, and probably the most controversial recipe I have ever created. Guacamole is a sacred thing to people. Adding cheese to it is kind of like when Bravo introduces a new Housewife. You want to hate her. You don't like change. But she grows on you and, eventually, you can't watch the show any other way."
Pat and Gina Neely: Creamy, Cheesy Crab Dip
Patrick and Gina Neely have a standout recipe that anyone who loves goat cheese needs to try. Their must-have game-day recipe is a drunken goat cheese crab dip [9] that's creamy and crunchy with a cheesy breadcrumb topping.
Giada De Laurentiis: Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Ditch the frozen mozzarella sticks and go for Giada's mozzarella sticks [10] instead. They're so much easier than you think and so worth it. Giada's recipe calls for Italian breadcrumbs, a block of mozzarella to cut into sticks, parmesan cheese (of course), and homemade marinara sauce. This ooey-gooey appetizer will surely go quickly, so doubling the recipe is a good call.
Guy Fieri: Spinach Artichoke Dip With a Twist
Always looking to head to Flavortown, Guy Fieri is known for amping recipes up with spices and peppers. So it's no surprise that Guy's spinach and artichoke dip [11] has roasted red bell peppers that not only look pretty against the green dip, but also add a slightly smoky flavor.
Ree Drummond: Not Your Average Brownies
What's a tailgate without at least one dish to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth? The Pioneer Woman's brownies, called "Knock-You-Naked Brownies [12]," will get the job done and then some. The ultrarich chocolate brownies are stuffed with a layer of gooey caramel that takes them to the next next level.