Football season is FINALLY here!  We are headed to the GEORGIA TECH (0-1 after losing a tough one at Virginia Tech on Monday) vs Presbyterian College game on Saturday, September 8, 2012 and will have a crowd in tow.  Although it’s not exactly a big game for GT, it will be a big tailgate!

My adorable nephew, from Orlando, Florida, is a freshman at Georgia Tech (he’s playing Lacrosse, so we’re looking forward to attending some of those games!).  I’m excited to show him a good time at a football tailgate!

vs
GO JACKETS!!!
WHERE:
GEORGIA TECH
225 North Avenue
Atlanta, GA
WHEN:
Saturday, September 8th
Game Time:  7:00PM
Tailgate Starts:  3:00PM (if not earlier!)
The weather should be warm, so I’m planning something that will be delicious but also refreshing.
APPETIZERS:
 
Muffaletta Dip on foccacia with salami
Tex Mex Pimento Cheese Dip
 
MAIN COURSE:

                                                          Buffalo Chicken Burgers

Brats
Cucumber Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Blue Cheese Cole Slaw or
Broccoli bacon salad
Chips and Salsa
Fresh celery and Carrots in cups with ranch dressing/blue cheese

                                                                    DESSERT:

 
Bumble Bee Cupcakes
 

                                                               DRINK DU JOUR:

 
Moscow Mule +
Beer, Wine and Water on Ice
 
MUFFALETTA DIP
(Adapted from Pip and Ebby)
 
Photo Credit: Pip and Ebby
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

This appetizer is just so good! I’ve made it before, but it’s so good I’m bringing it back again for this tailgate.

16-oz. jar pickled mixed vegetables (giardiniera), rinsed, drained and chopped (remove stems from peppers if there are any)
8-oz. package cream cheese, cubed
4 oz. provolone cheese slices, cubed
2 oz. cooked ham, finely chopped
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed, drained and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salami slices

Combine all of the above except the salami in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low setting for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in enough milk to reach dipping consistency. Serve immediately or keep warm on low setting in crock pot for up to 2 hours. Add milk as necessary and continue to stir occasionally.

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

 

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

 

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

Serve over salami, atop a square of toasted Focaccia bread.

TEX MEX PIMENTO CHEESE DIP
(Adapted from My Recipes)
Photo Credit: My Recipes
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 (12-oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (8-oz.) block pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves
Serve with: French bread cubes
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in cheeses. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until dip is golden and bubbly. Garnish, if desired. Serve with French bread cubes or potato chips.

BUFFALO CHICKEN BURGERS
(Recipe and photo courtesy of Home is Where the Holmans are)

 

 
These chicken “burgers” are so delicious!  I had no bread, so I used Panko bread crumbs, and they turned out very well.  We ended up placing them on a pan, and then placing the pan (sprayed with Pam) on the grill, so that they wouldn’t fall apart. 
  • I’ll multiply by 5 since we’re expecting a crowd, and I’ll make the “burgers” ahead of time, and place between wax paper in a sealed container and head to our tailgate.  They work nicely if you can place them in the freezer for a bit right before grilling.
  • Burgers:
    1 lb ground chicken
    3-4 green onions, diced
    1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce (plus more for serving)
    1 egg
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1-2 slices day old bread or 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
    1/2 tsp celery salt
    1/2 tsp dried thyme
    1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

 

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

 

Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
    • To serve:
    • Ranch and/or blue cheese salad dressing
    • Frank’s Red Hot sauce
    • Cheddar cheese slices or crumbled blue cheese
    • Pickles
    8 small rolls or 4 hamburger buns
    Prepare grill to medium heat. If you are using day old bread, quickly tear into chunks and pulse in a food processor to make crumbs. In a large bowl, add all of the burger ingredients and gently mix until just incorporated. Form into four patties for full size burgers or eight small patties for sliders. Make each patty slider larger than the bun and slightly thinner in the center (this is more important for full size burgers.)
      Cook finished patties about 5-7 minutes per side (you want these cooked all the way through since it’s poultry and not beef but don’t overcook them or they will be dry), flip once and cook through. Just before the finished, top with cheddar slices if desired. Serve on hamburger buns topped with condiments of your choice.










    BRATS

      • 1 dozen brats Beer, to cover
      • 1 medium large sweet onion, chopped
      • 2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter
      Place brats in a large pot with onions and butter, cover the brats with beer. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until brats are cooked ~ 15-20 minutes. Remove brats and set aside beer mixture. Grill brats until golden brown. Serve brats on buns with sauerkraut, onions, ketchup, and/or mustard.

    • ***I boil the brats at home, and then transport them to the tailgate to grill.

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

      CUCUMBER BLACK-EYED PEA SALAD

       
      Photo Credit: Eating Well

      3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

      2 tablespoons lemon juice
      2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
      Freshly ground pepper to taste
      4 cups peeled and diced cucumbers (I use hothouse)
      1 14-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed
      2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
      1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
      1/4 cup slivered red onion
      2 tablespoons chopped black olives
      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

      Whisk oil, lemon juice, oregano and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add cucumber, black-eyed peas, bell pepper, feta, onion and olives; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.  I prep all the food in advance (chop everything), and then when I get to my tailgate, I just throw it all together!

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

      BLUE CHEESE COLESLAW

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Bon Appetit

       



      1 package of cole slaw mix (14oz)
      1 package of broccoli cole slaw mix

      Toss them together.
      Cook a 4oz. package of thin sliced Pancetta…dice it up and toss into the cole slaw mix.
      Crumble 4 oz. blue cheese

      Dressing:
      6 oz. Hellman’s mayonnaise
      1 TBSP honey
      2 TBSP red wine vinegar.

      Toss all together.

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

      BROCCOLI BACON SALAD

      This broccoli salad is a version of the classic one with red onions and cheese.  It’s lightened up a bit with reduced fat mayo and sour cream, but what I love is the cranberry addition!

       

       

       
      1 clove garlic, minced
      1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
      1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
      2 teaspoons cider vinegar
      1 teaspoon sugar
      4 cups finely chopped broccoli crowns
      1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped (optional)
      3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
      3 tablespoons dried cranberries

      Freshly ground pepper, to taste

      Whisk garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar and sugar in a large bowl. Add broccoli, water chestnuts, bacon, cranberries and pepper; stir to coat with the dressing.

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

       

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

      Fresh celery and Carrots in cups with ranch dressing

      Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
      Moscow Mule
      This drink is so refreshing and so easy to make.
    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

    1/2 ounce lime juice
    2 ounces vodka
    4 to 6 ounces ginger beer

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

    Squeeze lime juice into a glass, and add 2 or 3 ice cubes, then pour in the vodka and fill with cold ginger beer.  Delish!

    BUMBLE BEE (YELLOW JACKET ACTUALLY!) CUPCAKES

    As it’s my husband’s birthday weekend, I’m going with cupcakes for this game.

    Now, there is no way that my cupcakes are going to look as adorable as these, but I’m going to try!

    I’ll use my “go to” cupcake recipe from Amy Sedaris, then I’ll tint the frosting yellow and top with a bumblebee topper.  Here are some I found:

    From confectionery house

     

    Edible Fondant bees from Etsy

     

    These are the ones I ordered:

    Sugar bees from Treasured Birthdays

    Amy Sedaris’ Cupcake Recipe:
    This cupcake recipe is foolproof if you follow the directions!

    1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
    1 1/2 cups sugar
    2 eggs
    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 1/2 cups flour
    1 1/4 cups milk

    Amy Sedaris’s Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (see below)

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

    Turn oven on to 375 degrees F.
    Put butter in mixer and beat at medium speed until smooth. Pour in sugar and beat well. Add 2 eggs. Mix well. Add: vanilla, baking powder, salt, flour, and milk. Beat until it looks like it is supposed to and pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Should produce 24 cupcakes. Frost with Amy Sedaris’s Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

    Amy’s Buttercream Frosting Recipe:

    1 box confectioners’ sugar
    1 stick unsalted butter
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*
    1/4 cup milk or light cream
    food coloring (optional)

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

    *Less than 1 teaspoon pure almond extract can be substituted.

    In a bowl combine: one box of confectioners’ sugar, one stick of softened, unsalted butter, one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of milk or light cream and beat for a while. Add whatever food coloring you like, and you can substitute ~ 1/4 tsp. pure almond extract for vanilla.

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

    **To make these cupcakes for tailgating, I’m going to fix them the day before, and then place in an airtight container overnight.  I’ll frost in the morning and head to the game!

    Now that the menu has been decided, the next big decision is…what to WEAR? Obviously a close 2nd in importance when planning a tailgate! ;0) The outfit has to be team colors and has to be comfortable and cool (it’ll be humid and hot), but mostly it has to be cute!

    Georgia Tech’s colors USED to be black and gold, and apparently those are still the colors “academically.”  However, “athletically,” they have adopted NAVY and gold, so for a football game, here’s what I’m wearing:

    GO JACKETS!!!

    Photo Credit: Polyvore by Cate-McClane-Bogue

    Next up – we travel September 15th to Auburn in the SEC!  WAR EAGLE!!!

    ***Afternote – the tailgate was a huge success!  Here’s a few shots:

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue

     

    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue
    My nephew and his roommate – freshmen at Georgia Tech
    Photo Credit: Cate Bogue