Let's Tailgate!

[TerpsFan]

The time has come to eat our meals from the back of the truck!

I would really like some alternatives to the usual burger fare... Please help!

Make sure to include options for different times of the day (noon game, early afternoon, night games)

Fear the Turtle!!
Go Ravens!

[Rosebud]

We don't do much tailgating, but I think this recipe could work well for a tailgate if you had a way to keep it warm.

I always make this chili for Super Bowl parties. Last year, it beat out 9 other chilis at a friend's chili cook-off. It's really good and pretty darn easy to make. I originally got the recipe off of allrecipes.com and recommend serving it with cornbread.

Fantastic Black Bean Chili

INGREDIENTS:
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
In a large heavy pot over medium heat, cook onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Introduce turkey and cook, stirring, until meat is brown. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, basil and vinegar. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 60 minutes or more, until flavors are well blended.

[Delaney21]

*bump*

We are tailgating this weekend for the UM vs. MSU game and I need some suggestions for food. We need some new things to add into the mix, any suggestions?

Here is our usual:
Burgers, brats, hotdogs (we tried steak once and it was too hard to eat out there)
Pasta salad
Various chips
Ham, cream cheese and pickle rollups
Bean dips
Salsa
Cookies
Of course - Jello shots

[katmg]

what about grilled veggie kabobs to go with the burgers, etc.? Or grilled corn?

[strwbrygirl]

We are tailgating this weekend for the UM vs. MSU game and I need some suggestions for food. We need some new things to add into the mix, any suggestions?

Well, as an alum of Ohio State, I usually make buckeyes... :)

http://www.anthony-thomas.com/store/images/14.5ozOSUBoxBuckeyesFP.jpg


I have a few yummy recipes, but I'll have to post later when I'm at home. Also, I think that Cooking Light or Real Simple had a bunch of tailgating recipes this month- you may want to check that out... or I'll look for that later as well.

[wine_o_girlie]

Will you have a grill or a portable stove at the tailgate? We don't have one so we have to prepare everything at home and take it to the tailgate. One really easy thing to make and bring is pulled pork or beef sandwiches. You just bake a pork or beef roast until tender, let it cool, and shred it (you can do this the day before the tailgate). Bring buns and a squeeze bottle of BBQ sauce. I make the roast in a disposable aluminun container so that I can just throw it out at the game.

Another good tail gate food is fajitas. Make whatever meat you want in advance and bring tortillas, salsa, cheese, and guacamole with you and people assemble their own.

Our staples for side dishes are deviled eggs, pasta salad with veggies, taco dip, tortilla wraps with roasted veggies inside, and fruit kebabs.

ETA: We just did a breakfast tailgate for a noon game and I brought a quiche, cheesy potato casserole, blueberry muffins, and fruit salad. We had mimosas and bloody marys also. I made the quiche and casserole the night before. On the morning of the tailgate I just heated up the quiche and potato casserole until very hot and put a double layer of aluminum foil on them. I wrapped a kitchen towel around each dish and transported them for 45 minutes to the game. They were still warm when we got there and no one got food poisoning!

[sublime311]

You gotta do:

Beer Brats

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 dozen brats
Beer, to cover
1 medium large sweet onion
2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter

Place brats in a Dutch oven with onions and butter, cover the brats with beer. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until brats are cooked. Remove brats and set aside beer mixture. Grill brats until golden brown and return to beer mixture until ready to serve. Serve brats on fresh baked brat buns with sauerkraut, onions, green peppers, ketchup, and/or mustard.

From Food Network!

[sublime311]

Here's a website all about tailgating with recipes, etc.

http://www.tailgating.com/
(http://www.tailgating.com/)

[TerpsFan]

We've done make your own breakfast burritos (eggs, tater tots mashed up, sausage, veggies, all wrapped up in tortillas)--my husband saw a commercial for Sonic and was craving them. For the last tailgate, we were really busy the night before and didn't have time to prepare, so we pre-ordered party trays from Chick-Fil-A and picked them up on the way to the game. We got chicken breakfast sandwiches and chicken tenders for before the game and had nuggets for post-game, waiting for traffic to loosen up. Such a hit!!

Go Terps

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

We made huevos rancheros this past weekend, on a big griddle. They were a huge hit.

We adapted Emeril's Food Network recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_18893,00.html

[TerpsFan]

Last January around Super Bowl time, my dad forwarded this article to me from the Providence (RI) Journal. He thinks we're so bizarre for all the tailgating we do...he says the next step is painting our faces! No way! Anyway, there's some good regional recipes in here... My family is from Cincy, so the chili recipe is fantastic. This is my first time posting such a large amount of information, so sorry if this is too long.. I apologize in advance.

"Touchdown tailgating

01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, January 12, 2005

BY GAIL CIAMPAJournal Food Editor

The New England Patriots aren't the only ones who posted a great winning season. And the team isn't alone in preparing to battle for more victories in the playoffs.

We're not talking about the Steelers, Eagles, Falcons or other NFL teams here. No, this is a story about Michael Iannotti.

This 21-year-old Cranston man, who cooks for a living at Julian's, a restaurant on Broadway in Providence, cooks with passion for his Pats. He doesn't tailgate before home games, he TAILGATES.

Iannotti's weekly game preparation begins with research. He starts with the Internet search engine Google to find a cuisine or food group that defines the opposing team's hometown. (If the Pats had played New Orleans this season, he probably would have gone Creole or Cajun.)

Next, he begins writing a menu. He will make hearty main offerings, do side dishes and maybe a soup, too. Sometimes for 4 p.m. games, he does both a pre-game and post-game menu.

At home, he'll cook things like chilis, soups and sides and reheat them in the parking lot. When it comes to meats and fishes, he'll marinate them at home and cook them at the parking lot.

He usually brings one or two small round charcoal grills because they don't take up a lot of space. He uses applewood charcoal. He also takes along a couple of portal propane burners for reheating those soups, chilis, hot drinks and items that need to be sauteed.

Finally, Iannotti will pair the proper beer with the dishes. But he'll never drink too many brews.

"You can't be drunk and cook," he said.

Iannotti takes Sundays off so he can prepare his feasts and serve them there in the Rodman parking lot down from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

"Sure it's a lot of work, but I love my Patriots," he said. "I don't want to do hot dogs and hamburgers."

He goes to the games with his friend, and lawyer, Daniel Chaika, and a rotation of other friends. So he's usually cooking for four.

"Other people are always sniffing at the grill," he said.

"It's the first year Michael's gone to every game," said Chaika. "We always did things like chicken wings, chili and Manhattan chowder -- when the Pats play the Jets -- but he's kicked it up another notch. The food's been just incredible."

Consider the fact that Iannotti prepared trout stuffed with smoked chicken for the Seattle Seahawks game on Oct. 17 (a 30-20 victory).

For the Pats' rain-soaked 24-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 14, he made crab chowder and crab ravioli.

"I was making the crab raviolis in a smoked tomato and portobello cream sauce," he said. "But to do this I had to set up the two portable propane burners in the trunk."

He had an umbrella in one hand and tongs in the other.

"I managed to make an amazing tailgating meal in those horrid conditions and I enjoyed every soaking minute of it," he said.

For the Bengals game on Dec. 12 (a 35-28 victory), he kept things warm with Cincinnati Chili, mixing in accents of cocoa and cinnamon with the meat. He served it over linguine.

Bison chili was the main dish when the Buffalo Bills came to town on Nov. 14 for their 29-6 whipping.

The grilling was easy when the New York Jets played the Pats on Oct. 24 (a 13-7 victory). Iannotti cooked 12-ounce New York strip steaks on the grill and adorned them with white truffle butter. A field greens salad and chipotle lime potato salad were the day's side dishes.

Iannotti went a little off the Florida path with soy-sake marinated sirloin tips and pickled eggplant salad when the Miami Dolphins lost to the Pats 24-10 on Oct. 10.

When the Pats beat up the San Francisco 49ers 21-7 on Jan. 2, he made cioppino, an Italian-style fish stew. He put in crabs, shrimp and whitefish.

"It made a good after meal," he said, since it was a 1 p.m. game.

In general, Chaika is in charge of the pre-game tailgate for the early games. He makes a breakfast of scrambled eggs, loaded with cream or butter, and shredded potatoes. In the fall he serves a cold drink, like screwdrivers, and in the winter, he offers warm choices like spiked hot chocolate.

Cooking-wise, Iannotti prefers the 4 o'clock games. They give him more time to prepare. With 1 o'clock games, he has to be in the parking lot by 9:30 to 10 a.m.

What are Iannotti's thoughts on Sunday's big playoff game.

Right now, he's scrambling to assemble a tailgate spread with an Indianapolis accent. All he knows for sure is that it will include "old school b-b-q" and maybe the pre-game tailgate that will include barbecue beef brisket, smoked-bacon baked beans and hash brown casserole.

When the Patriots played the Colts in the first game of the season (and beat them 27-24), it was a Thursday night game. Since he worked that day, Iannotti had no time to do his usual elaborate menu.

Instead, he made steak sandwiches with asparagus. Most fans would say that was still many cuts above what the average tailgater prepared that night. But then, not all fans are a chef with a plan.

Here are some of Michale Iannotti's recipes with the message: GO PATS!

CINCINNATI CHILI

1 large onion, chopped

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa or 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 16-ounce package uncooked dried linguine

Toppings

Oyster Crackers

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Onion, chopped

1 16-ounce can kidney beans

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion, ground beef, garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat.

Cook linguine to package directions and transfer onto individual serving plates. Ladle chili over linguine. Serve up with topping of your choice.

Serves 6-8

Beverage of choice for this dish would be a nice cold dark stout like Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout or Beamish Genuine Irish Stout.

RAINBOW TROUT WITH SMOKED CHICKEN STUFFING

4 smoked chicken breasts, skinned and boned, if not available substitute 1 1/2 pounds smoked chicken or turkey from your deli

2 cups bread crumbs

1 large egg

2 tablespoons hot sauce, Frank's Extra Hot is best

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (picked)

1 tablespoon garlic, chopped

1 bunch scallions, rough chopped

2 tablespoons chicken stock or water

Salt and pepper

6 whole rainbow trout, heads and pin bones removed

2 cups flour

1 to 2 cups canola or soybean oil

For the stuffing, put chicken, bread crumbs, egg, hot sauce, thyme, garlic, scallions and chicken stock in food processor and pulse until ingredients bind together and make a thick paste. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.

Meanwhile, take trout and open cavity, skin side down on workspace. Season well with salt and pepper. Remove stuffing from fridge and put two to three heaping tablespoons of stuffing into fish depending on size, and fold over other side of fish and press seams together. Fish does not need to be sealed. Heat one or two large saute pans on stove on medium high heat. Dredge fish in flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan(s) and sear fish for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove fish from pan and place on paper towels to remove excess oil. Take six sheets of tin foil and place fish in center and wrap fish up sealing tightly. Refrigerate until its time to serve. When that time comes, place foil wrapped trout on grill and heat through 4-5 minutes per side.

Serve up with your favorite tailgating sides such as potato or macaroni salad, grilled asparagus or baked beans.

Beer of choice for this dish would be a good light-bodied strong flavored brew such Heineken or Hoegaarden.

Serves 6

CHIPOTLE LIME POTATO SALAD

6 medium to large red bliss potatoes, boiled and cut into quarter inch cubes

1 large onion, julienned

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons canned chipotle peppers, pureed, add more if you want to break a sweat

2 limes, juiced

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper

In large bowl, place potatoes, onions and celery. In a separate bowl whisk remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour entire mixture over potatoes and vegetables. With rubber spatula, fold mixtures together until well blended. Refrigerate overnight and serve with your spread.

Beer of choice for this one would be Corona or Amstel Light.

Serves 6"

[TerpsFan]

BUMP because our first home game is 9 days away!!

I think we are going easy with burgers and dogs for the first one, but let's get some more creative ideas going!

[luvnbeng]

Iannotti's weekly game preparation begins with research. He starts with the Internet search engine Google to find a cuisine or food group that defines the opposing team's hometown. (If the Pats had played New Orleans this season, he probably would have gone Creole or Cajun.)


We do the same thing!! :) We are NY Giants season ticket holders, and our tailgating starts with our first home game two weeks from now. I have to start research and menu-planning. We are usually a group of 12 - 14, and everyone brings a dish.

Our first home game is Indianapolis. If anyone knows some good Indy recipes, please post them!

[TerpsFan]

[QUOTE=luvnbeng;939655] We are usually a group of 12 - 14, and everyone brings a dish. QUOTE]

Wow, that's quite a crew! How do you manage what to tell people to bring? Do you "assign" beforehand? Is someone usually the grillmaster every week? We've got a pretty large gatheringfor our Terps games this year and trying to figure out how to delegate..thankfully everyone's willing to help out! Now it's just trying to figure out how not to have duplicate food/dishes

[luvnbeng]

We definitely assign dishes in advance. We all take turns bringing breakfasts, lunches/dinners, desserts, etc., so no one gets stuck with the cost of the main course for each game.

We usually do a group e-mail a week in advance, with myself and 2 of the other women coordinating everything.

[Kristy]

As much as she irritates the hell out of me, Sandra Lee had a tailgate themed show on awhile ago. The recipes are really good, and easy. DH loves the beer brats, and everything is super easy.
Sandra Lee's Tailgate BBQ (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_sh/episode/0,1976,FOOD_14521_32637,00.html)

[Rosebud]

Some more ideas...

Tailgate Chicken Teriyaki
(serves 6)

2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (rice wine)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2/3 cup beer
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 4 to 6 ounces each

1. For the teriyaki marinade, combine the soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sugar, ginger and beer in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat until the mixture reduces by half. Let cool.
2. Place the chicken and teriyaki marinade in a plastic bag and seal tight. Place the bag in a cooler with ice packs and let the chicken marinate on the way to the game.

3. When you get to the parking lot, preheat a portable grill.

4. Grill the chicken on each side until it is cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes per side.


Touchdown Chicken
(Serves 6 to 8)

These chicken kebobs, which owe their moistness to a yogurt marinade, can be cooked up on an outdoor grill.

2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. hot sauce, plus extra to eat with the chicken
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
8 chicken breast halves
Lemon wedges (optional)

Combine a few tablespoons of the yogurt with the brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl and mix until well blended. Add the remaining yogurt, hot sauce, cumin, garlic and salt.

Cut each chicken breast half into 6 to 8 equal pieces.

Add to the yogurt mixture and stir until well combined. Thread the chicken onto eight skewers. Place in a doubled gallon-size ziptop bag (to guard against leaks). Chill for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Pack in a cooler to bring to the park.

At the park, prepare the coals for grilling. Grill the kebobs over medium heat, rotating sides every few minutes, until cooked through, about 10 to 14 minutes total.

Serve with extra hot sauce and lemon wedges.

COOKING TIP: While you have the grill going, cook up some veggie kebobs to serve alongside the chicken. Simply thread cherry tomatoes, zucchini, onion and other vegetables on skewers, brush with olive oil, and cook until slightly tender.


Tailgate Turkey Burgers
(Serves 4)

1 Pound ground turkey
1/2 Cup onion, chopped
1 Clove garlic, minced
1/4 Cup ketchup
1/8 Teaspoon pepper
4 kaiser rolls, sliced
4 Leaves lettuce
4 Slices red ripe tomato
4 Thin Slices onion

Preheat charcoal grill for direct-heat cooking. In medium-size bowl combine turkey, onion, garlic, ketchup and pepper. Evenly divide and shape turkey mixture into 4 burgers, approximately 3-1/2 inches in diameter.

Grill turkey burgers 5 to 6 minutes per side until 165 degrees F is reached on food thermometer and turkey is no longer pink in center.
To serve, place each turkey burger on bottom half of kaiser roll and top with lettuce, tomato, onion and top half of roll.


Spicy Black Bean and Corn Salsa

2 Tomatoes, chopped
3-4 Jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1-15 oz can Black beans, drained and rinsed
1-15 oz can Whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1/4 Cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Teaspoon Garlic powder
1 Teaspoon Onion powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
Juice of one fresh lime

Combine ingredients and stir to blend flavors. Serve with tortilla chips.

[hokiegirl]

*bumping since I am running out of tailgating options*

[Phen]

Heh. The tailgating at Ole Miss (not actually called tailgating, just said like "oh, we're going to be at the Grove before the game,") is so over the top. People set up tents and while many people "just" grill burgers and drink beer out of coolers while sitting on folding chairs, there are a CRAZY lot of people who set up elaborate tents with chandeliers, crystal stemware, silver punch bowls and chafing dishes, and enormous flower arrangements. There's usually more than a few people who set up generators to run their TVs (complete with satellite dishes) so they don't miss a minute of ANY game.

It is serious stuff being a SEC football fan.

~ phen

[hokiegirl]

Phen - I hang out with fanatics that do the dish setup with 2 TV's going under 3 sets of tents they set out hours before the game starts every weekend. No chandeliers though - that's wild!

Forgot to drop off my fave tailgating app I've had this season:
Buffalo Chicken Wings Dip - Spicey, delicious, easy to prepare in
advance

- 3-4 chicken breasts boiled or steamed. Chop or shread (I prefer
shredded)
- 2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese (this is dip, folks, se the real stuff).
Allow to soften
- 1 jar of Marie's or Marzetti's blue chesses salad dressing (Usually
found in/near the produce section)
- 6 ozs. of Frank's Hot Sauce (that's Frank's, NOT tobasco)

Thoroughly blend all of the above, and then bake at 400 for about 20
minutes.

Serve with celery sticks, your favorite crackers, white tortilla
chips/scoops, whatever.

Make plenty as it will go fast. I make a double batch and freeze the
remaining in small freezer bags for later used. Put it over an oven
baked potato or steamed broccoli, add a tossed salad and you've got a
meal to kill for.

[TerpsFan]

These are some great recipes. We don't go so over the top with TV's and chandeliers and such...just a couple of dueling cornhole games!

Our next game is Homecoming against NC State. I'm thinking we'll have a BBQ-off. Any of you Carolinians want to provide me with the best ever Carolina BBQ recipe?

Fear the turtle!

[TriSigmaNC]

These are some great recipes. We don't go so over the top with TV's and chandeliers and such...just a couple of dueling cornhole games!

Our next game is Homecoming against NC State. I'm thinking we'll have a BBQ-off. Any of you Carolinians want to provide me with the best ever Carolina BBQ recipe?

Fear the turtle!

My recipe.....go to Jackson's and buy a bottle, roast pork, marinate, shred, put on buns. ;)

Honestly, being from KC originally, there's nothing like ribs from there.

[andrew&shannah]

*bumping since I am running out of tailgating options*

Hokiegirl - do you mind if I ask if you are Va Tech games tailgating? I just noticed your screenname. We have season tickets so we are always tailgating there too. Just curious if there is another Hokie around these parts...

We did Giada's grilled meat and veggies at our first tailgate of the season. It was super easy and really yummy!

At our second game, we did breakfast burrittos with eggs, green peppers, onions, sausage, and cheese.

Next game, I think we'll be doing kababs with yogurt sauce :)

[hokiegirl]

anrew&shannah - yay hokies - although we became the chokies this last game :( Hubby and I actually are mooching this seasons tickets from a season ticket holder that has graciously given us his other sets of tickets. Kabobs are great ideas! Which Giada meat and veggie meal did you do? So far, every time I've done an everyday italian meal they have turned out good, so would love to get the one you used as well please!

[andrew&shannah]

anrew&shannah - yay hokies - although we became the chokies this last game :( Hubby and I actually are mooching this seasons tickets from a season ticket holder that has graciously given us his other sets of tickets. Kabobs are great ideas! Which Giada meat and veggie meal did you do? So far, every time I've done an everyday italian meal they have turned out good, so would love to get the one you used as well please!

Yeah, last weekend, we didn't look so good. Hopefully, they can pull it back together before next Thursday! Mooching can be a good thing ;) We have 2 extra season tickets this year (we always get a total of 4) so we've been selling them off. It was working great but I'll be interested to see how the demand is now that we have a loss on the record.
Anyway, back to food...this is the mixed grill I did. I just skipped the saffron orzo part of it.
To make it tailgate friendly, I mixed the marinade before I left home (we live in NoVA) and put it in a small pitcher in the cooler. Then, I had chicken breast in one ziploc bag, peppers in another, and mushrooms in the final bag. The corn traveled in its foil wrapper. The morning of the game, I just poured some marinade into each bag and let them sit for a few minutes (chicken the longest and mushrooms the shortest). Then, I actually grilled the veggies in a foil packet but you could easily do straigt on the grill.
Grilled Meats and Vegetables over Saffron Orzo
For marinade:
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 5 lemons
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon smoked salt, or kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
For grill:
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 ears corn, husked and cut into thirds
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean
1 red bell pepper, halved and cored
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and cored
1 orange bell pepper, halved and cored

Saffron Orzo, recipe follows


In a medium bowl, combine the marinade ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine half the marinade with the chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and shrimp. Toss to combine. Cover and let marinate for at least 1 hour. If marinating for longer than 1 hour, make sure to refrigerate.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the corn with reserved unused marinade and wrap in foil. Toss the mushrooms with 1/4 cup of the reserved unused marinade. Grill the chicken breasts and thighs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 7 minutes a side. Grill the corn inside the foil, for about 5 minutes a side. Grill the peppers for about 5 minutes a side. Grill the shrimp and the mushrooms, about 2 minutes a side. Brush the grilled peppers with the last of the reserved unused marinade. Slice the peppers and mushrooms before serving, if desired.

Arrange grilled meats and vegetables over the saffron orzo on a large platter and serve immediately.


Saffron Orzo:
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 pound dried orzo
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, bringing the stock to a simmer. Add the saffron, stir, and allow the saffron to bloom, about 5 minutes. Return the heat to medium and the stock to a boil, then add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain orzo and transfer to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss to combine.

[hokiegirl]

andrew&shannah -Even though we lost, I think demand will still be high since there are a lot of good teams to watch. Thanks for the recipe - sounds yummy (plus easy to make especially since we stay with hubby's mom who still lives in the 'burg).

TerpsFan - I may be too late, but a recipe I got from an old coworker for good carolina bbq:
The Meat:
6 to 10 pound pork shoulder roast
The Eastern-NC-Style Sauce:
1 cup plain vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Using an icepick, poke holes through the meat as deep as possible, using a rough 1"-2" grid pattern as a guide. Roast all day in a 350 degree oven, until it falls apart to the touch. Chop large chunks of the cooked meat on a board with a cleaver or other large knife, until your preferred texture of sized pieces is achieved. Sprinkle sauce liberally. Finish cooking by warming chopped meat in a cast-iron skillet on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

[mgmhmj]

Phen - I hang out with fanatics that do the dish setup with 2 TV's going under 3 sets of tents they set out hours before the game starts every weekend. No chandeliers though - that's wild!

Forgot to drop off my fave tailgating app I've had this season:
Buffalo Chicken Wings Dip - Spicey, delicious, easy to prepare in
advance

- 3-4 chicken breasts boiled or steamed. Chop or shread (I prefer
shredded)
- 2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese (this is dip, folks, se the real stuff).
Allow to soften
- 1 jar of Marie's or Marzetti's blue chesses salad dressing (Usually
found in/near the produce section)
- 6 ozs. of Frank's Hot Sauce (that's Frank's, NOT tobasco)

Thoroughly blend all of the above, and then bake at 400 for about 20
minutes.

Serve with celery sticks, your favorite crackers, white tortilla
chips/scoops, whatever.

Make plenty as it will go fast. I make a double batch and freeze the
remaining in small freezer bags for later used. Put it over an oven
baked potato or steamed broccoli, add a tossed salad and you've got a
meal to kill for.


I have a similar recipe - the only difference is instead of 1 cup of blue cheese, I use 3/4 cup rance and 3/4 cup blue cheese, plus 2 cups of cheddar cheese, and I bake it at 375 for about 30 minutes. It's always a huge hit...I snagged the recipe from a friend of mine, and I've considered bringing printed copies with me to places I've taken it before since I end up writing it down at least a couple of times every time!! I've never tried it on a baked potato...that sounds REALLY good...hmmm, do I have time before UGA/UT kickoff to go to the store??? ;)

I'm an Auburn girl, so Phen, I'm right there with you on SEC tailgating!! You can see the RVs heading up 85 starting as early as Wednesday, or even Tuesday evening for the really big games, or especially SEC match ups. And I wouldn't trade it for the world!!

[TerpsFan]

We found out our game next weekend is 12pm. Yuck...I hate early tailgating. We are still thinking of doing BBQ. Doesn't everyone want to eat BBQ for breakfast? :p

Any other ideas for breakfast tailgate? We've done the eggs/breakfast burrito thing. Kind of labor intensive. We also need many ideas of different items so we can tell people what to bring. Are there any Carolina specific breakfast items?

[wine_o_girlie]

Oh, I love breakfast tailgate. :) You must have mimosas and bloody mary's to start.

Quiches are great for a breakfast tailgate. Pre-bake them the night before and just pop them in the oven that morning for 35 minutes until hot, double wrap in aluminum foil, and go to the game! I usually make one "meat" one (sausage usually) and one "veggie" one (spinach, red peppers, mushrooms).

Another huge hit is cheesy hashbrown casserole. It's the basic hashbrowns, cream of celery soup, sour cream, garlic, and cheese that you see at a lot at potlucks. Get it really hot and bubbly before you leave your house, wrap with aluminum foil, and put a dish towel under it for transport. It stays warm for a long time.

You can also do mini ham biscuits - mini bisquits baked at home and split in half, top with deli ham or Heavenly Ham and have dijon mustard on the side.

Muffins transport really well as do bagels/cream cheese/lox, pastries, danishes, etc. Sliced fruit is a must too and can be done the night before.

Basically, my biggest piece of advise is do everything the night before and just pop one or two things in the oven the morning of the tailgate to re-warm them. Aluminum foil is your friend when you are trying to keep things warm. :)

ETA: I am from the South (not Carolina though) and we like our big breakfasts, our biscuits, and our ham. You could also do a cheesy grits casserole in a similar fashion to the hashbrown casserole if you wanted Southern food.

[TerpsFan]

Thanks! Those are some really great ideas!

[TerpsFan]

Ah, what a great game on Saturday! I made the mini ham and cheese biscuits with dijon mustard (thanks for the tip, they were delish). I split the batch in two and saved some for after the game while we were waiting for traffic to die down. I also made these egg and cheese puffs..YUM

From Allrecipes.com
Egg and Cheese Puffs
Submitted by: Karen
Rated: 5 out of 5 by 36 members Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 14 Hours 20 Minutes
Yields: 24 servings

"I sometimes take this to work in the mornings and everyone who has ever tried it has asked for the recipe. Try it with your favorite salsa on top. You may add cooked sausage and/or sauteed green onions if you prefer."
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound bacon
10 eggs, beaten
1 (16 ounce) container cottage cheese
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chile
peppers, drained

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, chile peppers and bacon. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Remove cheese mixture from refrigerator; stir in flour, butter, baking powder and salt. Spoon batter into 24 lightly greased muffin cups.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffs are slightly golden on top.

This week we have a 7pm game and are doing 3 types of chili (red, hot and white) other assorted sides like mac and cheese, cornbread, etc.

Go Terps

[andrew&shannah]

Bumping this up...we have a 7:30 game tomorrow night and won't have much time since we are driving down tomorrow (3.5 hour drive) after working 1/2 day.

Any ideas on relatively quick but super yummy things to serve? We have a grill and portable burner to use...

[wine_o_girlie]

Shannah,

What about grilling some bratwurst or turkey sausages or something like that? You would just buy them the night before and put them in the cooler for the drive. You could pre-slice some onions and peppers and wrap them in a foil packet and pop those on the grill with the brats/sausages. Buy buns and you are good to go. I would take along with that a bag of those gourmet potato chips (like rosemary & olive oil) and some pre-cut veggies with store bought ranch dip. Easy, easy and it can all be bought and prepped the day before. Go Hokies! :D

[andrew&shannah]

Shannah,

What about grilling some bratwurst or turkey sausages or something like that? You would just buy them the night before and put them in the cooler for the drive. You could pre-slice some onions and peppers and wrap them in a foil packet and pop those on the grill with the brats/sausages. Buy buns and you are good to go. I would take along with that a bag of those gourmet potato chips (like rosemary & olive oil) and some pre-cut veggies with store bought ranch dip. Easy, easy and it can all be bought and prepped the day before. Go Hokies! :D


Thanks :) My sticking point on the brats or sausages was the onions and peppers but you suggested a great way to get around that! No idea why I never thought to just cook them on the grill!
That works out well too because I keep the stove portion for heating up cider or cocoa since it is going to be c-o-l-d!
GO HOKIES!

[hokiegirl]

A&S - A quick snack thing that we did for homecoming are wraps:
On Tortilla wraps, spread some garden-style cream cheese, layer on some lunch meats, cheese, shredded carrots and a piece of lettuce, wrap, roll and cut - quick and easy, but filling.
Go HOKIES!!!

[TerpsFan]

I'm making this for Saturday night 7pm game. We are going to freeze! All the peppers in this better keep us warm (oh yeah, that spiked cider too) ..From Allrecipes.com

Habanero Hellfire Chili

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound bacon
1 pound ground round
1 pound ground pork
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
6 habanero peppers, seeded and chopped
8 Anaheim peppers, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained
2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans, drained
1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
3 ounces tomato paste
1 ounce chile paste
2 cups water
DIRECTIONS
Place bacon in a large soup pot. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain excess grease, leaving enough to coat bottom of pot Remove bacon, drain on paper towels and chop.
Brown beef and pork in pot over medium high heat. When meat is browned, stir in the bell pepper, onion, jalapeno peppers, habanero peppers, Anaheim peppers, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder, bouillon, crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, beer, tomato paste, chile paste and water.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and bacon and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

[TerpsFan]

Bumping this up for the new season. We start next Saturday with Villanova. We're doing Philly cheesesteaks in honor of. We're trying to do a theme with the opposing team and have come up with good matches for everything except for Virginia. Any suggestions for a Virginia food theme?

[GoCougs]

The only thing I can think of in relation to Virginia is ham...not sure where I got that, but I remember something about a Virginia ham from the movie "The American President" :) I personally hate ham, so I have no suggestions as to how or what to prepare. And honestly, ham doesn't scream "tailgate" to me, so I'm really no help whatsoever :)

But to answer your question, yes, I'm ready for some football!! :)

[AlenaCal]

Ham, sausages and wine come to my mind... or how about an orange and blue theme for the school colors?

[BuffaloBlondie]

We also love the Chix Wing Dip! Another thing we are going to try-

"Chili in a Bag" or "Tacos in a Bag"
Buy snack size tortillas, doritos or fritos

Chili in a Bag
1. Make your chili
2. Put all of your sides in containers (or I have the PC veggie platter)
onions, sour cream, cheeses
3. Turn the bag of chips side-ways, cut across the top to make a pouch and plop everything in there- serve with a fork/spoon

Taco in a Bag
1. Cook your beef
same as idea, but with different toppings.

EASY & NO MESS!

[MrsBeckyLP]

Beer dip! This is one of my favorites for our Packer game tailgates. This is just a recipe I found on All Recipes, but I need to get my MIL's recipe. (It's about the only thing good she makes!) Eat with pretzels. (And maybe add some chopped green onions, and maybe more beer than the recipe calls for.)

* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1/3 cup beer

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and dressing mix. Stir in Cheddar cheese, and then beer. The mixture will appear mushy. Cover bowl, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight if possible.

[TerpsFan]

Becky, I made the dip you suggested below for the last game and it was delicious!! Thanks for the recipe!

I also made these.. from allrecipes.com

Cajun Appetizer Meatballs
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour
Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper
sauce
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup barbeque sauce
1/2 cup peach preserves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix thoroughly the ground beef, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, onion, bread crumbs, milk, and egg.
3. Form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until there is no pink left in the middle.
4. In a small bowl, combine the barbeque sauce and peach preserves.
5. When meatballs are done, place in a serving dish and cover with the barbeque sauce mixture. Toss to coat.

[AprilB]

Bumping up! Football season is starting- WOOHOO!!