Football — it’s finally here! I could not be more excited to throw on a jersey, stress over my fantasy team and get a nice buzz while watching the games every weekend. But equally as important — the food!

With just a few simple ingredients, these Pepperoni Puffs are great for a crowd. I serve the cheesy bites with a side of marinara or ranch for dipping.

Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients yields about 2 dozen puffs

  • 2 cups Bisquick
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese of choice (Italian blend, mozzarella or cheddar)
  • 1 cup chopped pepperoni (or turkey pepperoni)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • Marinara and/or ranch for serving

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

    In a large bowl, mix together ingredients until well combined.

    Coat a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Drop spoonfuls into each cup and coat the tops with more spray.

    Bake until light golden brown and cooked through, about 7-9 minutes.

    Serve hot with a side of marinara or ranch for dipping. Enjoy!

    And in case you missed them, check out these Tequila Lime Wings w/ Buttermilk Dill Dip.

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    • This article appears in Sep 13-19, 2012.

    Brooke Viggiano is a contributing writer who is always looking to share Houston's coolest and tastiest happenings with the Houston Press readers.