Easy snacks for football season: Chef Shota Nakajima's umami popcorn, Japanese corn dogs and nachos
Whether it's a "Monday Night Football" matchup of your favorite NFL teams or a casual Sunday with the game on in the background, delicious and easy game day bites are always a win.
Chef Shota Nakajima, "Top Chef Seattle" finalist and season 18 fan-favorite, shared three recipes with "Good Morning America" to remix popular stadium foods for home cooks that will be a hit with any crowd this NFL season.
The Seattle-based chef behind Taku and the newly opened Kōbo pizza, joined "GMA" from Lumen Field Monday morning.
"I like to doctor things up that are simple at home," he said of what makes a great upgraded snack.
Check out his ideas below and recreate the recipes for your next game day get-together.
Popcorn with Umami Butter
Ingredients
Popcorn
Ghee
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili flake
Spice mix
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions
Blend all spices together in a bowl and set aside.
Melt ghee in a pan with a lid on medium-low heat and add paprika and chili flakes.
Add popcorn kernels into the pan and cover again with the lid, tossing kernels once after 30 seconds on medium heat.
Once popcorn kernels have popped, toss with spice mix in a separate bowl. Plate and enjoy.
Corn Dogs
Ingredients
Japanese Little Smokies
Batter
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon garlic puree
1/2 cup honey
Flakey salt
Toasted pistachios, crushed
Cilantro
Pickled onion
Directions
Combine batter ingredients together in a bowl and mix. Pour mixture into a cup.
Skewer little smokies and dip in batter mix. Fry at 350 F for 3 minutes.
Mix honey and garlic puree and brush on fried corn dogs.
Sprinkle crushed pistachios and add cilantro and pickled onion as toppings.
Sheet Tray Nachos
"A must for nachos is I always throw my chips in the oven first for at least 10 minutes," he said. "It dries out the chip and it helps holds the sauce warmer and if you put it on the sheet tray it keeps it so the cheese doesn't clump up as quick."
Ingredients
1 ounce tortilla chips
1 pound ground beef
Cumin
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 ounce cheddar cheese
1/2 pint diced tomatoes
Pickled red onion
Lime
Sour Cream
Cooking oil
Salt and pepper
Directions
Add minced onions into a pan with oil over medium heat and add cumin.
Add beef into the mixture and bring up to high heat and stir to crumble. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add flour and butter and stir as you slowly add the milk at medium heat.
Add in cheese and slowly stir over medium-low heat till cheese melts (if you have a lid, the steam helps).
Bake chips in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes and then add remaining ingredients -- diced tomatoes, picked onion, sour cream, and squeeze of lime -- on top.
