Here are some recipes to get you started with your tailgate party!

Yield: 4 servings

1 and 1/2 pounds ground beef
16-inch squares aluminum foil
Carrots; sliced
Potatoes; sliced
Dehydrated onion flakes
A1 Sauce
Garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste

Separate meat into 4 patties. Place each in the center of a square of foil. Top with equal portions of chopped carrots and potatoes. Season with dehydrated onions, A1 sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Seal foil, checking for leaks. Place on hot coals for 10 to 15 minutes per side.

TOPPING:
2 cups Flour
3 tablespoons Sugar
4 teaspoons Baking powder
6 tablespoons Lard or butter
3/4 cup Canned milk cut half - strength with water (just enough to moisten dough)

FILLING: Dissolve cornstarch in water; add mixture to peaches and juice in a large, warm Dutch oven; stir well; sprinkle sugar on top; cover and allow to simmer lightly while topping is prepared. TOPPING: On a floured board, turn out a soft dough; pat down to 1/2" thick; cut into strips 1/2" wide and place criss-cross atop peach mixture; cover and cook approximately 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with Coffee. Serves approximately 18.

Marshmallows
Hershey bars
Graham crackers
Green sticks or Coat Hangers

2 Strips bacon
1 Med. potato, sliced
1 Med. onion, sliced
1 Med. tomato, sliced
2 Stalks celery
1/3 lb Ground beef
1 Carrot
Salt and pepper to taste
Coffee can and lid (preferably rinsed out and not rusty [wink])

Cut carrot in half lengthwise. Cut celery and carrot into 2" lengths. Cut bacon in half. Mold 2 meat patties. Place 2 pieces of bacon on bottom of can. Place layers of all ingredients. Repeat. Place closed coffee can on top of glowing coals for 25 min. Open lid and check after 10 minutes, if browning too rapidly, pour 2 Tb. of water in can.

20 caramels (from 14-ounce bag), unwrapped or you'll get more fiber than you need
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons stick butter or margarine, NOT spread, now
5 cups unsalted popped corn (purchased or yield from about 3 tablespoons kernels)
2/3 cup mixed salted nuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dark raisins (optional for my sisters, since they think raisins resemble flies)

Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil letting ends extend above pan on 2 sides. Generously butter foil. In a heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat, stir caramels, corn syrup, and butter until caramels melt and mixture is smooth. Before removing from heat, stir in popcorn, nuts and raisins until well coated. Scrape into prepared pan, cover with waxed paper and press mixture into an even layer. Let stand until firm, at least 30 minutes. Lift foil by ends and remove from pan. Invert mixture on a cutting board and remove foil. Cut in squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature up to one week.

Boiled peanuts are usually served as a snack, but they make a great substitute for dried cooked beans at any meal. They may be eaten hot, at room temperature, or chilled in the refrigerator and eaten cold, shelling as you eat them. They will keep in the refrigerator for several days, or they may be frozen.

Wash raw peanuts thoroughly in cool water; then soak in clean cool water for about 30 minutes before cooking. Put peanuts in a saucepan and cover completely with water. Because the shells of some peanuts absorb more salt than others, it's best to begin with 1 tablespoon of salt for each 2 cups of peanuts; you can add more salt to taste later.

The cooking period for boiled peanuts varies according to the maturity of the peanuts used and the variety of peanut. The cooking time for a "freshly pulled" green peanut is shorter than for a peanut that has been stored for a time.

When fully cooked, the texture of the peanut should be similar to that of a cooked dry pea or bean. Boil the peanuts for about 35 minutes, then taste. If they are not salted enough, add more salt. Taste again in 10 minutes, both for salt content and to see if the peanuts are fully cooked. If not ready, continue tasting every 5 minutes until they have a satisfactory texture.

Drain peanuts after cooking or they will continue to absorb salt and become over-salted. Oh, and don't eat the shells.

1 lb. pkg. Jack cheese
2 peeled tomatoes, diced fine
6 to 8 black olives, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. chopped green chilies
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Grate cheese and mix with diced tomatoes, chopped chilies, black olives and spices. Chill for 1 hour and serve with tortilla chips.

Just the thing to have a gas!

1 (28 oz.) can pork and beans
1/4 c. firmly packed brown
sugar
1 Tbsp. Tang (dry)
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 or 5 frankfurters

Combine beans, brown sugar, Tang, coffee and salt. Pour into shallow baking dish. Cut franks into 1-inch pieces and add to beans. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Rye bread slices
Cream cheese with chives (whipped)
Boiled ham slices (Virginia Baked ham is my favorite)
Lettuce

For each sandwich spread one slice bread with cream cheese. Top with slice of ham and lettuce. Spread other slice of bread with cream cheese. Put on top.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter or margarine

Topping:
1 box confectioners sugar
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine cake mix, egg and margarine. Pat into 9 x 13-inch pan. (It is very stiff to work with.) Combine topping ingredients and pour over cake mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool and store in airtight container.

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper
1/2 lb. pepperoni, sliced thin
1/4 lb. Provolone cheese, sliced thin
1/4 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
1/2 lb. ham, sliced thin

Mix oregano, salt and pepper with beaten egg. Roll bread dough to 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Brush with 1/2 of the egg mixture. Cover the dough with layers of pepperoni, cheeses and ham, then roll up as a jelly roll. Seal all edges firmly and brush with remaining egg mixture. Place on greased cookie
sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. (It will bake to about 2 1/2 times its original size.) While warm, wrap in foil and place in picnic cooler to maintain
warmth for picnic or tailgate party.

1 pound thinly sliced ham (Virginia-baked or maple-flavored are my favorites)
8 ounces cream cheese
6 dill pickle spears
4 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup minced chives
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Blend together all ingredients except ham and pickles. Spread mix on ham slices, and place pickle spear in center and roll up, securing with toothpicks. Cut in thirds for easier serving. Chill before serving. This makes 6 or so servings.

Donalyn said that this is best when you are attending an away game and you must sit in 'enemy territory.'

Mix black beans with refried beans, add dry seasonings, and mix well. Spread in a casserole dish. Mash avocado and garlic cloves in a bowl with a fork, add sour cream and mix well (lumpy is good), spread on top of bean mixture. Top with taco fixins. Mash down on the cheese to set the dip. This is best served with tortilla chips, or baked pita triangles, or someone pulling your finger.

Thanks, Donalyn!

Mix everything but the bacon into a baking dish. Top with bacon. Bake at 350º until bacon is nice and done (about 30 minutes). This is one that I make in the morning before leaving, and then sit on the grill to reheat at the game.

Here's another recipe from Donalyn. She said, "No, this isn't the moron riding on your bumper. This is a great dry rub for meat (chicken, pork or beef) to use the night before the game. It will make whatever you're grilling tender and flavorful."

Combine dry ingredients. They can be kept in an airtight container for whenever you want to use them. Just keep in a cool dark place. Night before the game, rub down meat with jerk, work it into the meat. Put meat in ziplock freezer bags and refrigerate over night (I like to marinate for 24 hours). Don't salt the meat until right before putting on the grill, because salt will dry out the meat if put on there too soon. If you like, while you are grilling, you can brush meat with olive oil or butter, but I only do this if it is a very lean cut of meat.

If you want a liquid marinade, add 1 cup of GOOD bourbon to the seasonings, and the marinade the meat in the mixture of spices and booze. This is especially good on ribs and other pork. This is the marinade I use on my Drunken Pig.

Serve this when your team plays Arkansas! Suuuuuuuuu-eeeeeeeee!

Marinate the pork loin in the jerk plus 1 cup of bourbon for 24 hours.

Take a baking pan to the game, you are gonna want to cook this at first on the grill covered with foil. Cook covered until temperature at middle point is minimum for doneness for pork (sorry can't remember off top of my head but I think it's 160). Brush pig with olive oil and lay on the grill. Now you are going to want to brush with my special sauce:

Half of a bottle of Heinz chili sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup of that good bourbon (if you wouldn't drink it, neither will your pig)
2 good shakes of Rooster sauce (Worcestershire sauce for you Yanks)

Blend well, and brush on that pig while it cooks on the open flame. Cook long enough to really sear in those juices, and get that pig tender and juicy.

Make yourself a margarita any regular old recipe will do:

Place boneless chicken breasts in a ziplock bag, and pour your drink into the bag. (Okay, now you can make yourself one to drink). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Take out chicken, and sprinkle salt over each piece. Grill until done. NUMMY! This is great served cut in strips and served rolled up in flour tortillas topped with Donalyn's Dean Dip. These are the best fajitas you'll ever eat! Also it's AWESOME served over deep fried corn tortilla strips (cut your corn tortillas (the ones in the refrigerator section) into strips, and deep fry, drain, and put in paper lunch sack (will keep fresh if you tie the sack closed for several hours). Cut chicken in strips, and lay over a bed of the tortilla strips, top off with some salsa. Man oh man!

1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can white corn rinsed and drained
1 onion finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes (or two ripe peeled tomatoes diced) or you can use a can of Rotelle® tomatoes diced fine, and leave out the pepper
1 splash of the juice from the jalapenos or a splash of vinegar if you're wimpy

Mix everything together, and refrigerate over night (let them juices get to know each other)

Cook spagetti as directed. Drain. Run cold water over the spagetti to cool. Add all remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and chill overnight.

Variation: Use a jar of Roasted Red Peppers in place of the fresh Red Pepper.

Very easy to make and it's very good at room temperature. Plus there is no need to worry about it "spoiling" in the heat. There is no dairy. ENJOY!!!

Click here to return to my tailgating article.