This Sunday, the Buffalo Bills are playing the Dallas Cowboys at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. And what better tailgate recipe than @mead107's Stromboli, which has been a Bills tailgating staple for many years!?
Before watching the Buffalo Bills take on the Dallas Cowboys, why not make some Stromboli to enjoy during the game? If you are tailgating at Highmark, bring this great recipe to share.
Click here for all the information you need to attend a game at the Bills' stadium and have a fabulous time!
Helen and Rande Mead
© Helen and Rande Mead
If you have ever gone to a Bills tailgate at Highmark stadium, my guess is you have enjoyed Stromboli provided by Mead107 and his wife, Helen. They are world famous!! Rande and his wife have generously offered their Stromboli recipes, tips, and hints on how to vary those recipes, along with photos of them making these Stromboli! It is quite the production. This looks absolutely delicious, and I cannot wait to make it. Yum!
© Helen and Rande Mead
These are his family photos of his children and grandchildren helping make these delicious Stromboli. It is a true family affair.
So, what is Stromboli? It is a type of baked bread filled with various Italian cheeses and Italian cold cuts or vegetables and served hot.
Go Bills! 
If you would like to make Stromboli for your Bills tailgate, whether at the stadium, one of the lots, or at home, try one (or more) of these recipes. Your friends and family will thank you!
© Helen and Rande Mead
This recipe post was written by Mead107's wife, and so it is in her voice. I cannot thank her enough for taking the time to do this for us!
© Helen and Rande Mead
When Rande and I make massive quantities for football season and two big tailgate parties, we usually start by making the broccoli and sausage Stromboli first and move on to the cold cuts. As we get lower on the cold cuts, we can judge how many more loaves of bread to thaw out. We sometimes have to go get more cheese to finish, but we can better predict what we should buy.
Italian Stromboli
Italian Stromboli Ingredients:
● Loaf of frozen white bread dough (Rhodes brand that I can find in quantity at Walmart – both three or five loaf packages)
● Some sort of vegetable oil. Olive oil changes the taste.
● Eggs
● Yellow mustard
● Parmesan Cheese
● Basil
● 8 slices American Cheese
● 6 slices Deli Ham or Capicola
● 6 slices Provolone Cheese
● 14-16 slices Genoa Salami
● 14-16 slices Sandwich Pepperoni
● Paprika
● Grated Mozzarella Cheese
*****We make up to 10 loaves at a time. Each loaf takes 8 slices of American cheese, 5-6 slices of deli ham (been using capicola), 6 slices of provolone, 14-16 slices of Genoa salami, grated mozzarella, and 14-16 slices of sandwich-sized pepperoni. ***
Italian Stromboli Directions:
● At least 8 hours before making this, take each loaf out of the freezer, rub oil all around it, and set it in a bowl or pan. Cover with foil. Leave room for them to triple in size. We do 3, maybe 4, in a flat, large steamer aluminum pan and set them on the counter covered tightly with foil. If we are making them in the morning, we take them out the day before. If at night after work, we take them out in the morning. It is best to do no more than 10 loaves at a time, or the rising of the bread can get away from you. This is why we opened up "Stromboli Central" and did it for two nights or so.
● When the bread is ready:
● Whisk the eggs with mustard and Parmesan cheese using two tablespoons of mustard per egg. I don't make it too thick with Parmesan cheese. You can sprinkle more on after the dressing is spread. Set aside. I use about six eggs when making ten loaves – probably two for making three loaves
● The professional half-sheet pans are perfect, and two loaves fit on each sheet. You definitely want sides on the pans.
● Spray baking pans with non-stick cooking spray.
© Helen and Rande Mead
● Roll out the dough on your clean counter to a size slightly larger than your cookie sheet. I use professional half-sheet pans. Spreading a little oil on the counter and your roller helps the process. Add more oil as needed. Tape on the edge of the counter allows you to visualize the size.
© Helen and Rande Mead
● Spread the egg mustard dressing on the dough towards the middle, leaving 2-inch edges.
© Helen and Rande Mead
● Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and basil to taste. Rande is heavy on the basil.
© Helen and Rande Mead
● Layer American cheese, ham, provolone cheese, salami, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and a little more mozzarella.
● Roll up from "long side to long side," stretching the dough as you go. Seal the bottom and tuck the edges under. Try not to get holes in the dough. When this has happened, Rande tries to patch them.
● Preheat oven to 425°F and spray pans with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully put on the cookie sheet (we bought professional ½ sheet pans – we are up to 5 of them). Two can fit on a sheet usually.
● Sprinkle the top of the Stromboli with paprika. Poke a knife gently through the top a few times to vent.
● Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes.
● Remove and cool pretty thoroughly.
● Cut each loaf in half, wrap in foil (use Reynolds non-stick foil), and place two halves in a freezer bag, seal, label, and freeze for future use or refrigerate if using within a day or two.
© Helen and Rande Mead
TO SERVE:
● Stromboli is fully cooked before frozen.
● Pull the foil packet(s) from the bag and pull the foil back from the top of the Stromboli to expose.
● Thaw Stromboli and place foil pack directly on oven rack. Open the foil to expose the top. If thawed, heat at 350°F for about 20 to 30 minutes. You can test them by cutting one in half and just putting it back in if it is cold in the center. You do not want to slice the pieces until it sits because, when it is too hot, your cheese will run out.
● Place the foil packet in a 350°F degree oven right on the oven rack. If the Stromboli is totally thawed, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to heat through. If the Stromboli is still frozen, it takes at least 45 minutes to heat through. It can be tested by cutting one in half and feeling the center.
● After heating it, allow it to sit for five to ten minutes so the cheese sets and cut with a serrated bread knife into ½ to 1-inch slices.
● Serve.
● Stromboli tastes good hot or at room temperature (if it lasts that long).
© Helen and Rande Mead
ADAPTATIONS OF RECIPE:
SAUSAGE STROMBOLI:
● Cook equal amounts of sweet and hot loose Italian sausage or all hot if you choose
●. Sauté red and green peppers, onions, and garlic seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. On our last batch, I also used hot sausage and some jalapeno peppers. It was awesome!
● Mix with the sausage.
● Roll the bread dough out as in the original instructions and apply the same dressing recipe and basil to the dough.
● Layer American and provolone cheese.
● Place sausage mixture (about three good cups or more) on cheese.
● Add mozzarella cheese.
● Roll it up as in the original recipe, sprinkle it with paprika, and follow the original recipe for baking and serving.
© Helen and Rande Mead
BROCCOLI STROMBOLI:
● Cut broccoli to the desired size. We layer the broccoli in a steamer pan with salt and pepper. It, unfortunately, does seem to need the salt to bring out its flavor.
● Roll out the bread dough as in the original recipe directions.
● PLACE MINCED GARLIC in prep bowls. We use two to three cloves for each loaf of bread and set them into individual prep bowls for each loaf.
● Add a little of the egg dressing to each prep bowl to help you spread out the garlic on the dough. You don’t need a lot and can add more dressing if you didn’t use enough.
● Sprinkle with basil and more Parmesan cheese if desired.
● Layer American cheese and provolone.
● Place about 3 cups of broccoli on top and cover with mozzarella cheese.
● Roll it up as in the original recipe, sprinkle it with paprika, and follow the original recipe for baking and serving.
© Helen and Rande Mead
BREAKFAST STROMBOLI:
● Cook a tube of breakfast sausage. Set aside.
● Sauté vegetables of choice (we use red and green peppers, onions, some garlic, salt and pepper)
● Scramble eggs. It takes about 8 eggs per loaf.
● Roll the bread dough out as in the original instructions and apply the same dressing recipe, and basil and more parmesan cheese to the dough.
● Layer American and provolone cheese.
● Place a mixture of eggs, sausage, and veggies in the middle and add mozzarella cheese.
● Roll it up as in the original recipe, sprinkle paprika, and follow the original recipe for baking and serving.
****THIS RECIPE CAN BE CHANGED:
You can use hot breakfast sausage, make it vegetarian, and use hot pepper cheese instead of American. Get creative.
OTHER TRIED RECIPES AND/OR FUTURE ONES TO TRY!
**Meatball **sandwich steak **My daughter made a Buffalo chicken and used provolone, blue cheese, and mozzarella. Blue cheese dressing for dipping. We have not perfected that.
What is your favorite tailgating recipe?
Written by Mead107! with a little bit of help from Ann
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