How to Make a Basketball-Themed Snack Stadium

It's March Madness, folks, and the snack stadium has evolved from its heyday during the Super Bowl to meet your spring basketball party needs. In the realm of game-day partying, nothing is more awe-inspiring than the snack stadium. It towers above all other snack presentations in both stature and mystique. For basketball season, a court made out of pizza replaces the football field. It is surrounded by a selection of 10 homemade and store-bought snacks, including a variety of both nutritious and indulgent appetizers appropriate for sports viewing. This one is big enough to impress (and feed) a crowd, yet manageable enough to build single-handedly. Here's how. 

You will need:

One 9-by-12-inch disposable cookie pan

Eight 5-by-8-inch and four 6-by-6-inch disposable food containers

Two 2-by-2-by-9-inch and two 2-by-2-by-12-inch hard Styrofoam or wood blocks

Hot-glue gun and glue sticks

The long sides of the stadium each have three snack containers, and the short sides each have two. Prop the side of the snack containers on the blocks and attach with hot glue to secure. If using Styrofoam blocks, wrap each block with plastic wrap and secure with tape to prevent bits of Styrofoam from breaking off.

Clockwise, starting with the wings at 12 o'clock:

 

Baked Hot Wings, Parmesan-Herb Tater Tots (see below), Cold Spinach Dip, Bagel Dogs, Cheese Twists, Ricotta Dip, sweet mini peppers, Caprese Bites (see next slide), Mandarin oranges, fiesta ranch dip, Caramel Corn, Doritos & Cheetos Mix, condiments and Corn Dogs; with a pizza decorated to look like a basketball court in the center.

Take your guests' dietary needs into consideration by offering a variety of snack options. You can even fill one side of the stadium with healthier, vegetarian options including sweet mini peppers, Caprese Bites and mandarin oranges decorated with food-safe pens to look like basketballs. Prepare the cold and raw items first, filling one section of the stadium containers in advance. Then store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Toss mini mozzarella balls with olive oil, oregano, basil and hot pepper flakes, then thread them on skewers, between fresh basil leaves and grape tomatoes.

Fill another side of the stadium with warm and hearty favorites: corn dogs, hot wings and Parmesan-Herb Tater Tots. Make these in advance, and keep them warm while the pizza is cooking.

It's easy to doctor up store-bought Tater Tots. Simply bake the tots according to package directions, then toss them with grated Parmesan cheese, smoked sea salt and chopped parsley before serving.

Fill the corners of the stadium with bowls of dips or spreads like this Ricotta Dip for Vegetables from Food Network Kitchen. 

To make the pizza court:

 

1: Stretch pizza dough to fit inside the rectangular pan.

2: Prebake the crust according to recipe directions, then brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with pizza seasonings.

3: Cut slices of Jack and cheddar cheese into 1/4-inch slices and arrange on top of the crust to create the planks of the basketball court.

4: Garnish with sliced olives and pepperoni to emulate the court markings. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese melts. 

Arrange all the containers of hot and cold snacks around the stadium, and then place the hot pizza in the middle.