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    7 New Tailgating Food Favorites

    By | Shine Food – Wed, Oct 20, 2010 7:41 PM EDT

    Another weekend watching football and chowing down with your man? If you're like me, you've tried all the usual suspects (ribs, burgers, dogs), and you're wondering how much longer you can keep gorging yourself on wings. (I love them too, but a gal can only take so much.) Before you resign yourself to munching on those lonely celery sticks, take matters into your own hands. If you're hosting, steal some winning moves from my tailgating playbook:

    Instead of burgers, try Meatball Sliders.
    Meatballs aren't just for spaghetti - slip 'em between buns, and you get convenient mini-sliders. (Don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors over: the recipe yields a ton of these addictive little bites.)

    Instead of plain old hot dogs, try Chili-Beer Hot Dogs and Bratwurst.
    Franks are always a stadium stand-by, but can be dry, and generally lackluster. These hot dogs are simmered in beer and chili to amp them up with flavor and give them a juicy snap.

    Instead of packaged chips and dip, try Chunky Guacamole with Chili-Lime Chips.
    Sure, you could throw out a bag of potato chips and a tub of French onion dip, but it's only a little more effort to whip up this guac. Ripe, creamy avocados are the perfect foil to tangy, spicy chips.

    VIDEO: This super-simple guac is an easy crowd-pleaser.

    Instead of overstuffed frozen 'tatoes, try these skinny Potato Skins.
    This cleaned-up version of the guilty pleasure has less fat and calories because it's made with lighter ingredients. So go ahead - indulge!

    Instead of chili OR mac 'n' cheese, combine them for Chili Mac 'n' Cheddar Soup.
    Save yourself the trouble of cooking up batches of both of these classics by combining their tastes in one hearty bowl of soup. Garnish with a few of those Chili-Lime chips, and this dish will be a total touchdown.

    Instead of a messy tower of tortilla chips, try these tips for the Best Game-Night Nachos.
    Pat and Gina Neely (of Food Network's Down Home With the Neelys) share their MVP secrets for nachos that won't fall apart, and, of course, have a Southern twist.

    If you're gonna go the store-bought route...
    It's all in the presentation. Here, we've jazzed up frozen Jalapeno Poppers with fun and festive condiments like guacamole and pico de gallo. Set them all on a pretty platter, and now you're entertaining in style.

    Do you have a fave snack or recipe for sports-watching?

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