Tailgating Fun

 It is tailgating season.There are two schools of thought regarding tailgating.Is it fun to have a party in the arena, near where the action is happening or is better just to have it in the comfort of your own home? There may not be excitement bu there is a decent bathroom along with less noise and parking lot stress,

WHich camp are you? I actually prefer an at home tail gating party. It's somehow more comfortable to relax on  a couch with amenities at my fingertips

Which are you .Let us know if you're a more stadium partyer or prefer a cozy living room or den.

Your Favorite Teams, Your Favorite Treats

Yes football season seems an eon away as does tailgating. Yet the season will be here soon enough. With it comes  a recipe book that has the yummiest tailgating dishes. Keep in mind that these also work at a barbecue too.

Chef Tim Lopez  who created dishes for the Philadelphia Eagles for sixteen yeatr put together Kickoff Kitchen  Sixty-Four Game Day Recipes inspired by Every Pro Football Team.(quarto Publishing Group 2025). He has divided the recipes into the eight divisions where the teams stand.The first chapter has a playful picture guide to what home chef's will need in creating recipes.There are pictograms of blenders and even toothpicks. There is some great advice about not combining both hot and cold dishes along with how to cook with cleanliness when dealing with tailgating cooking. Home chefs should bring both thermal bags for keeping foods hot and bags of ice for keeping cold ingredients frosty.what is good about all of these recipes is that they would fit right in a backyard barbecue. Tailgating foods are not just hot dogs and hamburgers. Chef. Lopez takes into consideration the local ingredients and culinary traditions of the teams ' home cities.The Miami Dolphins has a mini Cuban sandwich  which has roasted pork and ham. Also there are extra points section that offer good tips about the ingredients or cooking process. The back of the book has interesting tidbits about the teams such as their mascots ,when they were first formed and hometomwn fun fact

The recipes are perfect for any cook out and party too.Being from Northern New Jersey I love the recipe for the NY Giants disco fries this is a big plate of crispy fries smothered in a homemade beef stock based gravy rife with onions, celery and carrots. Mozzarella is melted on top of all this. It's definitely going to be a fun weekend dish.Another alluring dish is the roast beef on weck sandwiches celebrating the Buffalo Bills. This is Buffalo's much beloved sandwich with a large pie of roast beef on a flavorful kummelweck roll with a slick of a horseradish and mayo spread on it. Tailgating food doesn't have to be all beef. Chef Lopez shines a light on the Atlanta Falcons with a tasty shrimp and  cheesy grits bowl.It's shrimp cooked with bacon and paprika along with other spices  and ladled on the grits redolent with cheddar. Then there's the Cincinnati Bengals Skyline chili,a fiery and spicy chili that's served over spaghetti with a sprinkling of shredded cheddar on top. This is the perfect meal for a chilly autumn night. Yes there are hot dogs here There are Sonoran dogs full of veggies  that celebrate the Arizona cardinals.and Coney dogs from Detroit .This last is a chili dog with cheese.

Tailgate season will soon be upon us. Use the fun  and filling recipes of Kickoff Kitchen  for your menu.everyone will love their teams and even the opposing ones favorite bites.

Tailgating Southern Style

 Southern food means good flavor and good times. Not surprisingly so is tailgating. Combine the two and you'll have a delicious way of enjoy your favorite team with friends and fans.

Most of the game day foods are Southern.What's a tailgating party with out ribs and fried chicken? Ribs can easily be grilled on  a grill.It's all in the seasoning. Try a savory dry rub consisting of paprika, onion powder brown sugar fresh ground pepper and salt. Cook until crispy and almost blackened (it pays to bring a meat thermometer along just to see what the ribs interior temperature is)> Serve with a Southern style barbecue sauce.This is an easy blend of ketchup molasses, and cider vinegar.Mix and then add the  dry ingredients such as onion salt, brown sugar, and garlic powder.Mix and keep in a large container. Of course fried chicken is the epitome of Southern cooking at its' best. Yet what's an authentic recipe?Use one that features a buttermilk batter. Add cornstarch for an extra crunchy coating along with herbs such a as thyme, basil, oregano and dried ginger . the last if you want a zing of flavor. A better way of cooking it in a parking lot is by air fryer.It's less messy and also less greasy.

Should you make grits for a tailgate party?It would be a different taste, especially with shrimp added. The grits can be made in a slow cooker  brought to the stadium parking lot. You can cook up some shrimp to go with it. An easy way of cooking is is again using the grill. This will also add a smoky flavor to the  dish.The shrimp can be marinated in a barbecue sauce but you can also make a lemon and butter sauce as well. The grits can be buttery or cheesy.It;s up to you and your fellow fans how you like them. Cornbread is another must and this can be made the day before and then wrapped in plastic to keep fresh. Even though people will be stuffed they still clamor for dessert. Dr. Pepper cake is a must around the holidays in the SOuth. Why not make it perfect for the party by making Dr Pepper cake cupcakes.These are a sweet mix of everyone's favorite soda and chocolate. For more depth add buttermilk and light brown sugar. As for the frosting why not carry the theme and create one that mimics the foam on top.This is a buttercream that also has the soda added too.It's a nice way to carry on the flavor.

A Southern themed tailgating party is always a great one. Southern food is delicious and perfect for any gathering. whip up ribs slathered with barbecue sauce, fried chicken, or shrimp and grits. Bake corn bread and Dr Pepper cupcakes for a treat.

Your Favorite Fall Treat

 This is the time of year when everyone gets back into the kitchen to either cook or bake. What's your fall favorite? Will you be air frying spicy wings for your tail gating party? IS artichoke spinach dip on your radar?Or I it sweets you'r thinking of? Are you buying flour for your apple cider doughnuts or spice cupcakes?

What treat do you want to make as this season changes? Let us know

Getting Ready For Tailgate Season

It's the start of the football season here in the States and with it the start of the tailgate season!Whether it's your first or your fiftieth , it's a good time to get some gear to make parking lot cuisine easier to make and tastier to eat. There are so many different gadgets and cook stoves to choose from along with mini coolers and plates ,Start the season with the right stuff.

One of the most important items to have is the cook stove or grill.For true luxury there is the Go Galley Portable Kitchen. This is the Rolls Royce of carry along kitchens.It comes complete with four gas burners along with a sunken side burner and a gas smoker.It's an investment at $1700 however you can go in with four or five people  and cut the costs. This kitchen will be able to fry a whole turkey as well as cook up three dozen burgers and a slew of ribs. You may want to think of a smaller one, namely the Party King Grills Swing N Smoke MVP. it can also double your patio grill as well. A better , and easier to haul one is the Weber Portable Charcoal Grill.It's only twelve inches and can fit in any trunk. it's perfect for dogs and burgers and smaller racks of ribs. Hibachis are another great tail gating cooker.Try the cast iron Sportsman Grill Hibachi by Lodge Manufacturing. It's only one hundred bucks  and a good investment.There are also various smokers  you can buy too as well as Brazilian grills that allow you to  evenly roast skewers of beef and chicken.

Another important item is the cooler. A wheeled cooler is about the best . It can be toted anywhere and then discreetly pushed to the side when you're done with it. It needs to be able to store all the raw ingredients like the meats and condiments as well as drinks. The best size for this is the one that can hold eighty quarts. Coleman makes this  and it is also sturdy enough to last for a few tailgate seasons. Another idea is a mini fridge that can be plugged into your car's cigarette lighter for activation. Some even come with a pocket to hold favorite CDs. One of the cheapest is the trash can coolers which is a foldable barrel. You can store meats in them  but not for a long time, since the ice will melt. They are perfect for keeping beer and soda chilled. You could go with a cool radio cooler with Ipod port but this is just  and only for drinks . Another one  is a cross between a scooter with a fridge for a seat.It's a grand but it's great if you have to deliver food and beer to friends across the parking lot. As for how to eat your grub, go get the GOPlate. This is a plastic disc that has four large compartments that hold hot and cold food. There is a hole in the middle for  bottles and cups too  in the middle.they're only 9.99 for a set of ten and definitely worth it.

Get geared up for tailgating season with the right cooking and storing gear.It'll make for an easy, trouble free cookout  as you cheer for your favorite team. It'll make for a fun season  of burgers and beer.

Healthy Fall Party Foods

This is the time of year for all sorts of get togethers- from tailgating dos to Halloween parties. It's also time for harvests too, full of  healthy fruits and veggies . Combine the two to get fun and nutrition. You'd be surprised at what can come out of a healthy menu.

Tailgating parties are a must this time of year. However they;re usually a leftover from the summer barbecue. The menus revolves around barbecued everything . This may be good but a bit unhealthy . Try adding some veggies to those kabobs such as fall faves like Brussels sprouts or carrots. Beets are big right now and you can make a regular salad with sliced ones or a slaw full of shredded beets.This is a nice offset to those brats and dogs.If you're planning on an at home party then think about another seasonal favorite- artichokes, These can be stuffed with breadcrumbs or just have the leaves dipped in a vinaigrette  as a nice hors d'ouevre . Artichoke hearts are also a good topping on homemade pizza as well.

This is also the time for fruits as well.Of course every Halloween party planner is probably planning a bob for apples games. You can also vary it by having a bob for pears instead. Both are good in mini tarts or in regular sized ones too. Any get together would benefit from an old fashioned homemade pie too. Try a sweet potato one because this is also the season for them. These can als be made into pudding as well and served with a creme fraiche. You can also make a fudge with them or bake them into chips.Cranberries are another fall treat. These can be baked into cookies and muffins, and mixed with nuts , makes an interesting after dinner nibble.

This is the season for fun fall parties. Inject some healthiness in them by adding the fruits and vegetables of the season. They can not only be good for you too but also tasty in some great recipes!

Healthy Tailgating

Healthy and tailgating usually aren't used in the same sentence however it can be done. You can create healthy football fare that's both tasty and good for you. The best part is that you won't be sacrificing favorites or flavor. Another good thing is that they're easy to make.

Most parking lot parties start out with a grill.After all there's nothing like the taste of a well done burger or dog. However these can be bad for you with all that cholesterol and nitrates added. Switch to turkey or vegan substitutes. They taste the same yet provide you with lower calories and less preservatives. Also there is so much variety with veggie burgers these days you can bring four or five different types. Flavors range from the spicy Southwestern to the mushroom lovers to the tomato and soy cheese Italian. Serve on either rye or pumpernickel rolls for a healthier alternative to white bread.

Sides can be made just as healthy too. Cole slaw , always a favorite, can be pared down . It can have added crunch by introducing carrots and both red and green pepper strips to it. Also cut out the mayo and sub in a vinaigrette. Potato salad, long a tailgater standard, can be made with less mayo as well,or even with just oil and red wine vinegar. Add some onions and celery for flavor and texture . If your crew demands a macaroni salad, again make it healthier with spelt or whole wheat pasta and splash it with a low cal Italian dressing.

Tailgating is fun. Yet it doens't have to wreck havoc with your diet or health concerns. You can create a tasty, healthy party that's sure to create fans!