Tail gating At Home

 Tomorrow is the Superbowl and that means partying. However it's a different kind of party with just the family.It still can be fun. Just make classic tail gate recipes, sit back and hope your teams wins.

Tailgaters love ribs, You can easily make a sheet pan version using short ribs with a spicy rub of cumin and red pepper flakes along with onion and pepper sauce. You could easily make a wet sauce , This is just an easy blend of apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar and honey. Some add molasses but that's up to you. add a splash of lemon juice and either hot sauce or red pepper flakes for heat. You can use the sauce for burgers if you're also making them or save it for week night meat loaf. Wings are also a tailgating must.  You can oven roast them or do the easier air frying. Air frying them will give the skins an extra crispiness. Yes, they're good fiery but try them with a lemon pepper seasoning for a lighter, tangier taste. Lemon pepper seasoning is easy to whip up. It's just grated rind or zest mixed with ground pepper and then baked for anywhere from twenty five to thirty minutes. Sea salt is added later. You can also use this on grilled chicken breasts and fish too.Of course every football party has to have hot dogs. Make them extra special with the addition of a sharp cheddar stuffing. It's a nice change up from the usual dogs.

Every tailgate party has to have one or two dips. Yes you can make the usual onion one but you could also change it up with subbing in scallions and a little dill. Want to splurge on your family? Then try a crab meat dip that has jumbo lump crab blended with sour cream and cream cheese. Mustard, chopped onion and garlic powder are added for kick. This can be served with either Ritz crackers or potato chips. Sub in lobster meat and go easy on the onions if you want an over the top dip that's perfect not only on chips but crostini too.Tortillas and guacamole are a football party must. Guac is also an easy make. Cube two to three avocados and then mash with one minced vine ripe tomato. Vine ripes give the dip a rich flavor that pairs well with the avocado's buttery taste. Add a small drizzle of olive oil to give the dip a creaminess. Should you add minced onion which can be overpowering at times? Go for it if the family likes strong flavors. If not a small 1/8 teaspoon of onion powder mixed with garlic powder should season it nicely. Remember to add salt a pepper. salsa is another easy dip to create. Again use vine ripes mixed with minced red onions and garlic. Add a dash of hot pepper for some zing or pineapple for unexpected sweetness.

There may not the big Super Bowl parties of years past but there will still be parties. Treat your family to some tailgating classic as you root for your favorite team. It's a tasty way to still enjoy the big game.

Parties To Chase The Winter Away

January may be a month to detox and chill out after all of December's holiday parties but it can also be a bland month too. Amp up the weekends with fun get togethers to chase the chill away. It'll liven spirits during the cold nights.

One of the most obvious and most fun is a fondue party. This is great for those who were lucky to receive fondue pots for Christmas. Fondue itself is an easy recipe.Most do think it's just dipping stale bread in cheddar, It's more subtle than that. The fondue itself is a mix of Gruyere and Emmenthaler  along with dry white wine and even nutmeg.It's simmering the  wine first (and keep in mind you can serve this too) and then adding the cheeses and nutmeg.  Cut a baguette in rough edged chunks . You can also use boiled potato chunks too.Many Piedmontese from northwestern Italy will tell you the winter is a great time for bagna calda. This is a fun dish, that uses the fondue pot in a different way. Bagna cauda or hot bath is a phenomenal blend of anchovies cooked with a mix of olive oil, butter and garlic .Some recipes call for sardines, but it's more of a taste thing,Savoy cabbage, native to Piedmomte is always used although you can add rare cooked London broil pieces . This variation originated in Paterson, New Jersey with the Piedmontese silk weavers who ran the Paterson mills. Adding meat to the anchovy sauce is amazing. The juices blend perfectly with fish sauce. End it with everyone dipping hunks of Italian bread in the pot. You can also go the sweet route and have a chocolate fondue party. Use the best bittersweet chocolate you can and heavy cream. Then put out a buffet of all sorts of fun dip ins such as cake chunks, marshmallows and of course, fruit.

Fondue parties are more for smaller,, more intimate get togethers.If you want a bigger do, then think a buffet. A Caribbean themed one can be fun, full of spicy foods and rum spiked drinks.Jerk chicken is always a favorite and it's a combination of sweet , spicy and fiery thanks to the addition of Scotch Bonnet peppers. Make up platters of both legs and wings for easy eating. Another fun finger food is a pastelito, an empanada that can be stuffed with meat cheeses ,or veggies.Croquetas are also a tasty addition. These breaded beef and parsley croquettes are a nice change up from the usual appetizers and party bites.Fill a punch bowl full of rum punch, a mix of golden rum, pineapple, orange and lemon juices. Craving warmth and margarita? Then head south with a Saturday night taco party. Set up a taco bar with both soft and hard tacos and different fillings. Try a variety such as chicken , ground beef and a sauteed veggie mix of onions, broccoli and tomatoes.Make sure there's plenty of guac and sour cream along with fixings of shredded lettuce, cheddar and red and green peppers. Scatter around buckets full of Coronas and ice along with bringing out a slushie maker for margaritas. End the night with cups of cinnamon spiked cocoa and churros. The last can be cut up and dipped in caramel and chocolate sauce.

Chase the January blues away with a rousing party. It can be a few people or a houseful. Just have fun coming together with good food and great people.