The Elite 8 Appetizer Ideas for your March Madness Party

Crab cake sandwich deliciousness at Bistro Boudin...

With March Madness officially under way, you have probably heard rumblings around the office about brackets, picks and predictions. Horse racing news is a little slow this time of year, so in the interim we wanted to get in on the madness for a few days. As 64 of the best college basketball teams in the NCAA battle it out to see who will be crowned champions, fans are equally excited to try their hand at filling out the “perfect bracket”, trying to correctly guess every match-up and upset all the way down to the winner of the championship match.

With so many important games coming up, basketball fans around the country will be throwing nightly viewing parties, hoping their teams (weather its their Alma mater or just a team from their bracket) pull off a victory and advance to the next round. Instead of serving the average “chips and dip” munchies for your guests, how about channeling some of the fare from the areas around some of this year’s elite teams.

     Villanova - Cheesesteak Bites

This year’s no. 1 ranked team is Pennsylvania’s Villanova, located in a suburb just outside of Philadelphia. Philadelphia is renowned for its unique and tasty Cheesesteak, a sandwich packed with thinly sliced roast beef, melted cheese, and peppers. While watching the game, you might want to try these Cheesesteak bites, with all of the fixing baked into bite-sized biscuits! Get the recipe here: http://www.thegunnysack.com/philly-cheesesteak-bites-recipe/

      University of Virginia - Tomato Soup Shooters

The University of Virginia calls the city of Charlottesville home, who’s most famous resident was Thomas Jefferson. Among other things (including being the 3rd president of the US) Jefferson is noted for championing vegetables as a staple in the American diet, especially tomatoes (before then, most believed tomatoes to be poisonous). Drawing inspiration from this, try serving these tomato soup shooters during Virginia’s games, complete with a grilled cheese garnish. Get the recipe here: http://www.celebrations.com/c/recipe/tomato-soup-shooter-with-mini-grilled-cheese-appetizer


     Xavier – Cincinnati Style Chili

Residents of Cincinnati, which just happens to be home to basketball powerhouse Xavier University, are very fond of a unique “Cincinnati style” chili, which features a ground beef and tomato sauce-based chili poured over spaghetti. Serve to guests while watching Xavier vie for the title to give guests a little taste of Cincinnati. Get the recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cincinnati-chili-recipe2.html

     University of North Carolina – Pulled Pork

UNC is poised to make a serious run at the title, so why not serve a North Carolina staple during the game? North Carolina is known for its certain style of barbeque, favoring rubs and lighter sauces for the meat over the thick, molasses based sauces associated to Kansas City style barbeque. Check out this recipe that will churn out fall-off-the-bone pulled pork you can serve on buns or on its own. Get the recipe here: http://barbecuebible.com/recipe/north-carolina-pulled-pork/


     University of Arizona – Cactus Fries

Arizona’s deserts are caulked full of prickly pear cactus, and are often used in local dishes as well. One excellent appetizer you can serve during Wildcat games are Cactus Fries with Prickly Pear sauce, giving your guests are real taste of the Southwest. Get the recipe here: http://hungryriders.com/cactus-fries-with-prickly-pear-sauce

      University of Maryland – Crab Cake Sandwiches

College Parks’ University of Maryland has some strong shows this season and that is expected to continue throughout the tournament. Maryland and crab cakes go hand in hand, so why not try them out while watching the game. While they are a traditional knife and fork dish, there are plenty of ways to make them a bit more finger food-friendly. Take San Francisco’s Bistro Boudin (see image at top of the article), whose menu features a crab cake sandwich, featuring a classic crab cake with tomato, avocado and toasted sourdough bread. Get the recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/17771/maryland-crab-cakes-i/

     University of Miami – Cubano Sliders

Home to a large Cuban population (and the red-hot Hurricane’s basketball team) Miami is one of the best places to find Cuban food done right. While watching the games, try serving some Cubano sliders, a bite-sized take on the traditional Cuban pressed ham and pork sandwich. They are as simple to make as they are tasty! Get the recipe here: http://www.recipegirl.com/2015/06/15/cubano-sliders/

     Monmouth University – Italian Style Hot Dog

The Monmouth Hawks, this years’ media darling and Cinderella team, is making waves with its unprecedented towards the tournament with big wins and spirited sideline celebrations. What better way to cheer on the New Jersey-based school they snacking on a New Jersey staple, the Italian hot dog? Topped with onions, peppers, and potatoes, the Italian hot dog is a tasty and simple enough dish to serve while watching the games. Get the recipe here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/jersey-style-hot-dogs