Tailgating in Style! Pt. 1

When I get the first hint of fall my mind goes directly to TAILGATING PARTIES !!

Of course I am a die hard Razorback fan and love going to the games, especially the Fayetteville ones. And I have a lifetime of fond memories at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock....now that's a great tailgating party !!

Every year it gets bigger and bigger (and a lot louder too)

Seeing old friends, sharing recipes for your food and drinks and the all time past time of BAGGO makes for a fun build up to the big game.

Here are a few of my favorite tailgating recipes... you can pick and choose the ones that sounds best for your gathering but I love laying out a big spread and watching them dig in.  I try to do it in a few stages if we have a lot of time.

Before the big spread I like to pass around my Fresh Asparagus with Garlic Mayonnaise.  It is always a hit. And I always do Deviled Eggs!

Fresh Asparagus with Garlic Mayonnaise

This serves 4:

2 pounds of fresh asparagus

5 minced cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Break off the thick end of the asparagus and using a peeler and remove any thick layer of skin. Bring a wide saute pan to a boil and add the asparagus, cover ad return to boil.  As soon as the water boils again remove the lid and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.  Gently remove from pan and run under cold water.  Place on a paper towel lined sheet tray cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge til time to serve.

Chop the garlic with the salt to make a paste. In small bowl mix together the garlic paste, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice and pepper. Stir well. Cover and chill til ready to serve.

Curried Deviled Eggs with Apricot Chutney

Personally I can eat a deviled egg just about any way you make them but these are exceptional. The combo may sound a little odd but it really works.  Sometimes I add just a little cayenne to mine..........ok, I lied. I Always add some cayenne.

serves 6:

6 hard boiled eggs

1 tablespoon soft butter

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon of minced green onion

1/4 cup apricot jam

cayenne to taste

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

A good friend of mine told me when my boys were little a wonderful secret to making hard boiled eggs because they could down a dozen of them a day!! Here's the trick:

Use fresh eggs and cover them with cold water. Turn on high and bring to boil. As soon as it starts to boil put a lid on it and remover from heat.  Let them sit for 15 minutes and then drain the water and cover with ice cubes.  Once you cover them in ice begin to rattle them around and the shells just pop off   So make deviled eggs all the time!

Remove the yolks and mash with a fork til they are a fine paste.

In a small bowl add the butter, mayonnaise, curry powder and green onions and add to the yolk mixture, cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.

Combine the jam, cayenne and minced cilantro  to make a chutney.

My recipe calls for you to fill the eggs with the yolk mixture and then put a dollop of the chutney on right before serving.

Here is a clever idea that I used at my last picnic where I served deviled eggs...Use a heavy plastic tray, round is best, and in the center place a small ramekin.  Put the eggs on the tray with the ramekin, cover in plastic wrap.  Ramekin will keep the plastic wrap off of the eggs and when ready to serve pour a little water in the ramekin and add a couple of colorful flowers.  Centerpiece that really works !

For the main course I have a couple of family favorites and I use my fresh herbs that Denny planted for me in the Spring to give them the fresh lift of fall air.

Everyone loves a good salad so here are a few of them that travel well.

Roast Beef and Potato Salad:

serves 4:

1 pound red potatoes, cut in cubes

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons of horseradish (not the creamy type)

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cucumber peeled,seeded and thinly sliced

6 to 8 cups if cooked rare to medium rare roast beef very thinly sliced in strips

1  15 ounce can of sliced beets, drained

In a large pot of salted water cook the potatoes til tender .about ten minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the yogurt, mayo, dill, horseradish , vinegar and salt and pepper. Mix gently . Refrigerate.

Place the cucumber slices, beef, beets and potatoes in container to transport

When ready to serve toss the dressing with the salad.  Sometimes I toss in clean mixed greens .

Mixed Grain and Vinaigrette Salad

serves 10:

This dish can be made several days ahead and re tossed .

1/2 cup wild rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown rice

1/2 cup barley

1/2 cup white or brown rice

1 small red bell pepper

2 green onions

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/8 teaspoon fresh tarragon

salt and pepper

1/4 cup corn oil

1/4 cup olive oil

bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the wild rice and cook for 20 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon o salt, the brown rice and barley and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Add the white rice and cook for 20 more minuets. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl..

prepare the veggies cutting into to small dice or chop.  In a small bowl mix the mustard, vinegar,herbs, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt till well blended.

Toss the veggies into the rice and pour over the vinaigrette. mix and chill .

I always round out my tailgate party with a tray of cookies ....I especially love to make sugar cookies in the shape of Razorback Hogs and paint them red with white eyes and tusks.  Serve up your favorite beverages for kids and adults.

Love these Razorback cookies I found on Etsy! 

Wooooooo Pig Sooie!!! 

Sandy

Ice Cream Social

My wonderful nephew, Brad, has always held a special place in our hearts and all of us have loved watching him grow into the type of young man that just makes you say ,"yeah, someone got it right " !!

So naturally when he began to bring someone to the family events we all paid attention because we wanted only the best for Brad.  Our first introduction to Sarah was at Christmas at my home and there were 26 of us and I was very fortunate to have one huge area that was entry, kitchen, dining, den and living all in one.  We had a pool table at one end of the den area and what made it so special was the custom designed dining top  so that I could use it for buffets or for seating.  I like place cards because it eliminates the shuffling around trying to secure your seat.  


Well, my sister, Ila, had told me that Brad was bringing a friend and her name was Sarah but that is not what I heard.  I heard Farrah, like Farrah Faucett.  Needless to say there was quite a bit of laughter at the young adults table when Brad showed them the place card.  Sarah was such a good sport about it and has been right there with the family and with Brad ever since.

So now they are engaged and are planning an incredible wedding in a friends big red barn!  I just love it that brides have so much more freedom to express their style these days.  We know this wedding and party will be one for the memory books.

To celebrate this upcoming occasion my sister Pam and her daughter Ellie and my daughter in law, Amy and my three granddaughters, Calynn, Katherine and Carissa and I hosted an old fashioned Ice Cream Social at the Red Oak Fillin Station and it was the perfect kick off to this wedding season.

Red Oak Fillin Station provided us the perfect backdrop of an old merchant store to the soda fountain. 

The theme of the shower was kitchen and garden so we used mason jars as our vases and put in fresh sunflowers, daisies and long stalks of basil and rosemary with carolina jasmine trailing out.  It was so simple and refreshing. 

On the brides table we used a pink and white enamel garden watering can with matching spade and fork and filled the watering can with vibrant colored flowers and added lots of the sunflowers for the big burst of color.

Before we opened gifts we served our guests fresh peach tea, in mason jars, and they had their choice of peach or apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream.  It was so much fun to see how everyone devoured the cobblers...they were not in the diet watching mode that day !!

The Jr. Hostesses served as hand maidens and took turns handing Sarah her gifts and they took this task very seriously, standing tall and praying they didn't drop the fragile ones !

It was a wonderful day and all our families came together with love and happiness for each other and our future bride and groom.  If having the love and support of the families makes a difference, and I believe it does, Brad and Sarah are in for a happy , healthy and loving future together, and I can't wait to watch it unfold.

Here is my version of the fresh Peach Cobbler

2 cups fresh sliced peaches

2 cups sugar or splenda

6 tablespoons margarine or butter

1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup milk

Mix the peaches and 1 cup sugar together and let stand while making batter.  Melt margarine in a 2 quart casserole.  In a bowl, mix 1 cup sugar, salt baking powder and flour.  Beaat in milk until lumps are gone.  Pour batter on melted margarine.  Do not stir.  Spoon peaches over top of batter and do not stir.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minuters or til golden brown. 

I follow the same steps for the Apple Cobbler.

You can use canned or frozen fruit but if it pre sweetend omit half the sugar.

Bet you can't guess which of the cobblers was the favorite of the 34 people in attendance at Sarah's Shower......it was fresh Peach hands down.

Sandy