5 Game-Day Snack Recipes

With March Madness coming up, we've gathered a handful of snack recipes from some of our friends. Each recipe is quick, easy, and has been tested to go the distance, from the pregame commentary to the final snap. Here are five recipes to get you on the court. For more recipes, click through to Serious Eats.

 PEPPER AND GARLIC TOASTED ALMONDS | makes 3 cups Prepare a double batch of these spicy nuts, and keep jars of them in the freezer. Frozen, they last for months, and even at room temperature in a sealed jar they will keep for two to three weeks. Add more red pepper if you want them hotter. Adapted from Real Beer and Good Eats by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly.

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 3 cups (about 1 pound) whole almonds
• Salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-low heat. Put in the garlic, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir them around until well distributed. Add the almonds, and stir and shake the pan until the nuts begin to brown lightly and develop a toasty-nutty aroma. Taste to be sure they are roasted enough. Drain almonds on paper towels, and lightly salt the nuts to your taste. Cool and serve, or pack into airtight jars for later use.

CRAB DIP ON RUSSET POTATO CHIPS | makes 8 to 10 servings. Adapted from Tom's Big Dinners by Tom Douglas, who says, "My mom makes a delicious creamy crab dip reminiscent of Thousand Island dressing that the whole family loved. She served it on Ritz crackers, but I serve dollops of crab dip on my homemade potato chips." Click here for Tom's Russet Potato Chips.

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise, homemade, or good-quality store-bought
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon seeded and minced sweet red cherry pepper (from a jar of vinegar-packed sweet cherry peppers)
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
• 3/4 pound fresh cooked Dungeness crabmeat, picked over for bits of shell and cartilage, with claw meat and large pieces of crab left whole
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lemon
• Russet Potato Chips (recipe here) or top-quality store-bought potato chips

A step ahead: You can make the dressing a day ahead and store it, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, mix the dressing with the crabmeat.

In a large bowl, whisk the tomato paste and honey together until smooth. Whisk in the mayonnaise, chives, lemon juice, cherry pepper, lemon zest, horseradish, and Tabasco. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg. Add the crabmeat to the bowl, and toss it with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Set a bowl of crab dip on a large platter and surround it with potato chips for dipping.

CRUNCHY SAUSAGE BITES | makes 25 to 30 pieces; serves 6 to 8 as a snack or appetizer. Adapted from Real Beer and Good Eats by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly.

• 5 spicy sausages, such as bratwurst, Kielbasa, bockwurst, or duck sausage
• 1/2 cup sweet mango chutney
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)

Fry the sausages in a skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and cut each sausage into 5 or 6 bite-sized chunks. If using the cilantro, mix it with the peanuts in a small bowl. Skewer each piece of sausage on a toothpick. Dip in the chutney to coat, and then roll the sausage bite in the peanut mixture. Serve immediately.

BABY BACK RIBS WITH COFFEE BARBECUE SAUCE | serves 4 to 6. You can prepare these ribs almost completely ahead of time. They are prebaked and then marinated in the sauce until you are ready to grill them. A few minutes of grilling are all you need to finish them off. This recipe adapted from our friend Susan Spungen's book Recipes.

• Two 1 1/2-pound racks baby back ribs
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup espresso or strong brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• Cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Place ribs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Generously season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool.

2. Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic until it just begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the espresso, vinegar, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, a pinch of black pepper, and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the marinade thickens, about 30 minutes; the bubbles will get larger and sauce should coat back of a spoon. Transfer to a large bowl, and set aside. (The marinade can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

3. When the ribs are cool enough to handle, place in a resealable plastic bag with the marinade, making sure ribs are coated evenly on all sides. The ribs can be grilled at this point or left to marinate for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Turn the bag a few times so they marinate evenly.

4. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-low: Place ribs on grill. Turn and baste often, about every 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn, until heated through and glazed, about 35 minutes. Cut into individual ribs for serving.

The ribs can also be finished in the oven. Place on a baking sheet lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and bake at 450°F for 30 to 35 minutes, basting frequently.

MOLASSES BAKED BEANS | makes 6 to 8 servings
Go ahead, impress your friends and make your own baked beans from scratch. It seems a shame to spend your time making your own ribs only to open a can of baked beans. These are simple and delicious, and tomorrow if you have any leftovers, cut up a few franks into your bean pot and transport yourself back to preteen-hood. Adapted from Tom's Big Dinners by Tom Douglas.

• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 12 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

A step ahead: Cook the navy beans a few days ahead and store, covered, in the refrigerator.

1. Cover the beans with cold water and soak overnight. Drain beans, put them in a large pot, and cover them generously with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, and simmer until beans are completely tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain beans, and set aside, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Set aside 6 whole strips of bacon, and dice the remaining 6. In a large pot, sauté the diced bacon over medium-high heat. Add the onion as soon as the bacon has rendered some fat, and sauté until softened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add the molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, mustard, cloves, and reserved cooking liquid. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and simmer for a few minutes.

3. Add the cooked beans, and season generously with salt and pepper. Bring the beans to a simmer, then pour them into a baking dish, such as a 2 1/2- to 3-quart ceramic or earthenware pot.

4. Lay the reserved slices of bacon on top. Bake until the beans start bubbling and the bacon slices are cooked, about 1 hour. Serve the beans directly from the baking dish.