Let’s face it: Tailgates in their traditional format are to be missed, but aren’t we so relieved football is back? We’re turning our backyards and patios into The Grove and Tiger Lane with adorable Bella Vita SEC wearables; and the best part? Allegiance to different teams is welcomed! I gathered outside with some girlfriends for a tailgate scene with light beers, refreshing individually-portioned appetizers to keep us our spread extra sanitary, and the cutest tees around. Since Texas Longhorn gear isn’t in-store, I opted for Alex’s Arkansas Razorbacks, which I now proudly associate with by default!
Photos by Elizabeth Looney Photography
This post is brought to you by Bella Vita. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!
We sported airy game day tees with designs that range from the mascot or chant to college town. Don’t worry, Memphis: Bella Vita has you covered, too! These Bella Vita plastic wine cups are precious, shatter-poof and super lightweight for towing to a friend’s porch. My favorite discovery is that they’re stackable and stick together!
Keep scrolling for the winning appetizer of the day: next-level pigs in a blanket. Puff pastry enhances the taste and aesthetic without adding any extra work. Same goes for the andouille flavor. I portioned each serving on a piece of parchment paper on these new wooden mini boards, six of which fit perfectly on the Montes Doggett serving tray. Grespresso cups by Costa Nova worked as condiment holders for a single dip! A vegetarian-friendly option is possible, too — just scroll for yourself to see!
FANCY PIGS IN A BLANKET
1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed and cut into 4 5-inch squares
4 links fully-cooked chicken andouille sausage
1 egg
Whole grain mustard
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon water, creating an egg wash. Arrange puff pastry squares on a work surface and brush the top edges with egg wash.
2. Place sausages on the bottom edges and roll up the pastry, pressing edges to seal. Freeze for 10 minutes, or until firm. (You can can store and freeze at this point for a month!)
3. Cut logs into 1/2-inch slices and place cut side up in mini muffin pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined rack to cool. Serve with grainy mustard.
*Going vegetarian this tailgate season? Replace sausage with roasted carrots (pictured below!).
