Tailgating: Its Time to Step Up Your Game

With fall comes the start of football season, and women everywhere roll their eyes at another whole Sunday spent in front of the TV. I can’t say I love watching football on TV, but I’m head over heels for tailgating at the game, and all the food and drinks that come with it. A bag of stale chips and a few cans of beer won’t exactly do the trick, so its time to step up your game. Appease the women in your life and show them the fun side of football with some truly standout tailgating recipes that will turn even the most skeptical girl into a fan. If you can’t make it to the game, tailgate in your backyard, or set up a big spread in front of the TV instead.

Read on to learn how to impress at all the big games this fall with these revamped tailgating recipes. They go above and beyond the staid and expected burgers, dogs, and chili. Surprise everyone with spicy-sweet chili Asian meatballs, tempt them with mini BLT’s on easy homemade biscuits, and celebrate the big win with mulled cider (spiked or straight) and a salty-sweet pecan toffee brittle.

Sweet Chili Asian Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 slice white bread
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground lamb
• 1/2 pound ground bison
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 Serrano peppers, chopped (deseeded)
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon plum vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Mirin
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 jar sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha

Directions

1. Soak the slice of bread in the milk in a small bowl.
2. Mix the ground meats, soaked bread, and all remaining ingredients, up to the olive oil, until well combined.
3. Roll the meat mixture into walnut-sized balls. In a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and sear the meatballs. If you can't fit them all in the pan at once, cook in batches. Sear into golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
4. In a small saucepan, heat the chili sauce over low heat.
5. Stick a toothpick or skewer into each meatball, then dip them into the sauce to serve. Serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Mini Biscuit BLT’s

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cup(s) All Purpose Flour, plus more for surface
• 2 tablespoon(s) Sugar
• 4 teaspoon(s) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) Salt
• 1 teaspoon(s) Baking Soda
• 2 stick(s) Unsalted Butter, chilled
• 1 cup(s) Buttermilk
• 1 large Tomato, chopped
• 3/4 cup(s) Mayonnaise
• 12 ounce(s) Thick-Cut Bacon, cooked
• 1 small Bunch Arugula
• 1 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients; cut in butter with a pastry cutter. Add buttermilk and stir.
2. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 1 /2-inch-round cutter, cut out biscuits; bake on a baking sheet until golden, about 15 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, mix tomato with mayonnaise; season with salt and black pepper. Split biscuits. Toss arugula with a squeeze of lemon. Layer each biscuit with mayo mixture, 2-inch piece bacon, and arugula.

Spicy Sweet Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 1 dozen hard-cooked eggs, peeled
• 1/2-cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons mango chutney
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• Garnish: sliced fresh chives

Preparation

• Cut eggs in half lengthwise; carefully remove yolks. Mash yolks; stir in mayonnaise, chutney, and Sriracha until blended.  Season to taste. Spoon/pipe yolk mixture evenly into egg white halves. Sprinkle evenly with desired amount of salt. Garnish, if desired. Chill until ready to serve.

Blue Cheese Spread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup(s) Mascarpone Cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon(s) Heavy Cream
• 2 teaspoon(s) Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon(s) Fresh Thyme Leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) Cayenne Pepper
• 1 cup(s) Crumbled Blue Cheese (Wedge of Maytag Blue crumbled with a fork preferably)

Directions

1. Mix mascarpone, heavy cream, lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in a medium bowl.
2. Gently stir in blue cheese.
3. Serve with sliced apples, pears, and baguette/crackers. 

Hot Mulled Cider

Ingredients

• 2 qts. Apple cider
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 orange (unpeeled)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp. whole cloves

Brandy or bourbon (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine cider, sugar, ginger and orange in large pot.
2. Tie cinnamon and cloves in a small cheesecloth bag; add to cider.
3. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
4. Remove the bag of spices. In a mug put a shot of brandy, then fill with hot cider mix.

Pecan Toffee Brittle

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
• 1-cup sugar
• 1-cup butter, softened
• 1/3-cup water
• 5 (1.55-ounce) milk chocolate bars, broken into small pieces

Preparation

1. Line a 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil; lightly grease foil. Sprinkle with 1-cup pecans to within 1 inch of edges.
2. Bring sugar, butter, and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 12 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 310° (hard crack stage). Pour over pecans; sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand 30 seconds.
3. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2-cup pecans. Chill 30 minutes. Break up toffee using a mallet or rolling pin. Store in an airtight container.

 Photo Credit: www.countryliving.com