(Family Features) With football season in full swing, throwing a winning tailgating party is a must. Fire up the grill and mix up some great cocktails to keep your party going strong from kickoff to the final horn.

This year, take your game to new heights by putting an unexpected twist on traditional tailgate eats and drinks. Ditch the wilted stalk of celery and soggy slice of bacon, and bolster your Bloody Mary with any variety of sausage – a game-changing play sure to turn heads, experiment with different flavor in your garnish and earn the respect of your comrades.

A Bloody Mary is more than just a crave-worthy cocktail. It’s a spectacle, a cultural phenomenon and an opportunity to make a statement at your next tailgate party.

No matter which team you’re rooting for this football season, you can customize your Bloody Mary with a smoked cooked Johnsonville sausage and other garnishes. For added fun, offer a complete Bloody Mary bar to let guests call their own audible. Include options such as:

• Johnsonville Summer Sausage
• Johnsonville Smoked-Cooked Andouille Sausage
• Plain or flavored salt for glass rims
• A variety of hot sauces
• Worcestershire sauce
• Horseradish
• Pepper
• Pickled green beans or okra
• Pickles
• Wedges of lemon and lime
• Pearl onions
• Olives stuffed with pimento or blue cheese
• Cheese cubes

Find more game day recipes worth cheering for at Johnsonville.com.

Sweet ’n Southern Bloody Mary

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet tea vodka
• 3 cups Bloody Mary mix or tomato juice
• 1/4 cup okra juice
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 dash ground black pepper
• 4 skewers
• 4 Johnsonville Smoked Beef Brats, grilled
• 4 okra spears

Preparation

1. In shaker or pitcher, mix vodka, Bloody Mary mix or tomato juice, okra juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt and black pepper. Pour into 4 glasses with ice.
2. For garnish, assemble each skewer with smoked beef brat and okra spear and place into cocktails.

Bratty Mary

Ingredients

• 1 cup vodka
• 3 cups Bloody Mary mix or tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 dashes pepper
• 1 Johnsonville Brat, grilled
• 1 brat bun
• 4 skewers
• 4 cheddar cheese cubes
• 2 dill pickle spears, cut in half

Preparation

1. In pitcher, mix vodka, Bloody Mary mix or tomato juice, horseradish sauce, hot sauce, lime juice and pepper. Pour into 4 glasses with ice.
2. Assemble grilled brat in bun and slice into four pieces.
3. For garnish, assemble each skewer with one quarter of brat with bun, one cheese cube and half dill pickle and place into cocktails.

Sponsored by Johnsonville