When it comes to feeding a houseful of hungry fans, we like to think of all the football games leading up to the Super Bowl as practice. We use each of those fall and winter get-togethers to work on our wings strategy, hone our hoagie-making skills and cook up pots of chili that are sure to carry us to victory. That way, when the last game of the season rolls around, we’re ready to take things to the next level. Instead of simply setting out a spread of game-day snacks and cocktails, we go big—and prepare a hearty dinner, using the recipes in this roundup. Each and every one is a winner (fan-approved and perfect for eating while watching the game) but chili cheese dogs are always in our starting lineup. They require minimal ingredients, don’t take much time to prepare and are sure to keep hunger at bay. Best of all, you can make the beef chili and keep it warm in a slow cooker so that everyone can feed themselves between plays.

Step up your chili game with this green version of your favorite Game Day bite. Made with celery, corn, green salsa and white kidney beans this hearty meal packs the veggies — and flavor.

These Buffalo Chicken Cheese Balls deliver bold, spicy wing flavor in crispy, cheesy bite-sized form for an irresistible snack.

Smoky gouda, spicy chorizo and zesty jalapeños come together in these bold, creamy poppers that bring serious heat and flavor in every bite.

This crunchy, cheesy snack recipe is bound to win oohs and aahs at your next football party. Cutting the meaty open-face sandwich into two-inch pieces makes it fun and easy to eat, and your guests can even dip it in extra sauce. Baking the meatball mixture and garlic bread together not only makes quick work of this easy sandwich, it also results in juicy, tender meat and the crispiest, crunchiest garlic bread ever. Because this combo needs to spend a while in a very hot oven, it’s important to use a bread with a soft crust, such as an Italian- or Portuguese-style loaf, rather than a crusty French baguette that would bake up too hard. If you can’t find one long loaf, feel free to substitute two 9-inch sub or hoagie rolls.

The cheesy ground beef, onion, lettuce and tomato sandwich known as a chopped cheese is a signature New York City sandwich and a relative newcomer. Its origins are generally credited to Spanish Harlem in the late 1990s and it’s since spread to bodegas and delis around the city and beyond. The “chop” in chopped cheese comes from crushing and chopping seasoned hamburger patties into small pieces with metal spatulas as they cook on a griddle and combining them with griddled onions. It’s usually made with melty American cheese on a hoagie or hero roll, but we use nutty Muenster cheese for this inspired slider-style version.

Here's a spicy twist on chicken pot pie: The flavors of Buffalo chicken are combined with a creamy sauce, then baked between two pie crusts and studded with blue cheese. To cut down on prep time we call for store-bought pie crusts and use shredded cooked chicken meat (you can use leftover roast chicken, or meat from a rotisserie chicken). Make this recipe a new favorite for Game Days or serve it on weeknights for a cozy family dinner.

Equal parts lasagna and taco, this dish is comfort central, with layers of classic taco meat and toppings nestled between tender lasagna noodles and melty cheese. Use your favorite salsa to build the sauce — milder to keep it kid-friendly or spicier to liven it up.

Messy, meaty and utterly delicious, Ree’s sloppy joes are the ultimate game day meal.

You won’t miss the meat in Ree’s hearty sandwiches. She layers sautéed mushrooms with onions and peppers, then smothers the filling with a gooey cheese sauce.

Go the whole nine yards with Valerie’s game day gumbo. She loads up her stew with sausage, chicken and okra, then serves the dish with rice, scallions and a dash of hot sauce.

Molly’s recipe satisfies the three C’s: it’s creamy, cheesy and totally customizable. Set out a variety of ingredients, like kale chips and bacon, for guests to use as toppings.

Rachael’s classic meatballs are ready in just 30 minutes and served with a loaf of crusty, buttery garlic bread. What more could you want in a game day dish?

Sorry, sliders — Trisha’s massive main dish is guaranteed to steal the show. An entire bread loaf serves as the bun for her party-sized burger, which she tops with cheese, pickles and a special sauce.

Take the stress out of game day cooking by having guests serve themselves. Trisha’s taco bar includes both vegetarian and meat fillings, which she sets out with tortillas, cheese, avocado and more.

A touch of coffee adds depth to this simple but nuanced under-an-hour chili.

Chili in Cincinnati doesn't look like any other kind — it's served over spaghetti. The Greek restaurateurs who invented the dish in the 1920s seasoned it with the same spices they put in moussaka. No one knows how the chili ended up over pasta, but everyone in town knows how to order it: "two-way" (chili and spaghetti), "three-way" (plus cheese), "four-way" (plus chopped onion) or "five-way" (plus beans).