Ultimate Family Games Night Menu

Father’s day is coming up and if you want to treat dad like a king, plan an ultimate family games night. With today’s busy schedules what would make a better gift than some quality time together?

Our husbands have participated in numerous poker nights over the years. So we recently challenged them (why should we do all the work?) to list their favourite poker night finger foods, drinks and tunes. And although it was hard for them to decide, we  managed to get the list narrowed down to just their top favourites. All were ranked based on three main criteria: taste, ease in preparing and praise from friends.

We thought this would be a great way to celebrate with the whole family. Playing cards is optional but these mainly prepare-ahead finger-food recipes are sure bets to deal up a great night with the family and make dad feel like a winner. You can also download for printing menu labels here.

ALL-BETS-ARE-IN MUNCHIES

All-In Steak Bites with Garlic Aioli Sauce

We love this recipe on dinnerwithjulie.com. The instructions are very clear and the result is a delicious and filling appetizer. Try to trim off all the fat and use only ¾ cup of soy sauce. And we prefer ours without the pepper.

2-of-a-Kind Meatballs

To make approximately 35-40 meatballs you’ll need:

• 1lb of ground beef and 1lb ground pork
• 1 clove of chopped garlic
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup oats
• 1 egg
• dash of Frank’s hot sauce
• dash of Tabasco sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in large, deep sized bowls
2. Shape into balls
3. Pan sear meatballs for 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked
4. Add barbecue sauce until fully coated (try Club House la Grille Montreal Steak sauce)
5. Cook on medium heat until slow boil reached and simmer for 15 minutes
6. Optional: grill on BBQ if desired

Poker Chips and Dips

Enjoy these quick and easy kid-friendly dips. Serve with a plate of Tostitos Bite Size Round nachos or mini flat bread.

Simply Quacamole: For a serving of 4 you’ll need 2 avocados, diced cherry tomatoes, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp lemon juice. Combine all ingredients in medium sized bowl and mix until smooth.

Salsa: Our go-to is Old El Paso Salsa. They come in a range of flavours from mild options for the kids and spicier options for the adults

Creamy Cheesy Spinach Dip: This easy-to-make spinach dip recipe is always a hit with guests. Even though it doesn’t contain any mayo or sour cream it is very flavourful.

Full House Cold Cut Platter

Arrange an assortment of cold cuts on a plate. This is a great way to satisfy different tastebuds in the house and also to add a little spice to the menu. Add some creatively with cut mixed veggies on the side.

Hold and Fold Nachos

For a serving of 6 you’ll need 1 bag of nacho chips,  1 cup grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of salsa.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Celsius
2. Arrange chips on pizza stone
3. Top with salsa and cheese (we like to layer the toppings with the chips so all nachos are fully loaded)
4. Bake in oven until cheese is melted (15-20 minutes)

Bar Maid Ginger and Spice Cookies

Of course we need something sweet! We love these Ginger Spice Cookies from the November 2006 Chatelaine issue. While we weren’t able to find them on the Chatelaine site we did find the recipe on the Pops de Milk blog. We usually add in one cup of chocolate chips and forego the sugar rolling part!

What poker night would be complete with some cold, refreshing beers. Our favourites are Corona, Moosehead and Steam Whistle. And for the kiddies, try this Homemade Harry Potter Butter Beer recipe!

And to top it off here’s a playlist that includes some poker themed tunes (warning: the kids, especially the teenagers may call “Pass” on this list!):

1. Take the money and run – Steve Miller Band
2. The Gambler – Kenny Rogers
3. Ace of Spades – Motorhead
4. Living After Midnight – Judas Priest
5. Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
6. Black Betty – Ram Jam
7. The Jack – ACDC
8. Ride On – ACDC
9. Have A Drink On Me – ACDC
10. Money For Nothing – Dire Straits
11. If 6 Was 9 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
12. Hangover – Max Webster
13. Money – Pink Floyd
14. The Joker – Steve Miller Band
15. Come Sail Away – Styx
16. Win, Lose or Draw – Allman Brothers Band
17. Hard to Handle – Black Crowes
18. Come out and play (keep ’em separated) – The Offspring
19. Raise A Little Hell – Trooper
20. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers – ZZ Top

The ultimate family poker night is set. Game on!