3rd Tailgate 2022: GT vs Duke! 4PM Kickoff

WOO HOO! Tech won on the road vs Pitt!!!

The head coach and the athletic director have been let go at Georgia Tech. So needless to say, the fans are unsettled and the football team is in limbo. BUT, the tailgating must go on! GT played Pittsburgh Away this weekend, but we’ll be back in Atlanta on October 8th. Brent Key (the Offensive Line Coach) is the (UNDEFEATED) interim head coach for Georgia Tech.

Somehow the upcoming football game is at 4:00PM, so we will gladly take that and begin our tailgate fun around 1:00PM. Can’t wait! I’m scrapping the brunch menu that I was working on, and now I’ll have a heartier menu that will be fun and delicious. Plus, the weather should be incredible! October in Atlanta is the best! Should be in the mid-50s in the morning with a high in the mid-70s by kickoff = glorious!

It’ll be a 2-3 GT versus a good 4-1 Duke team this week.

versus

MENU

PEANUTS AND CANDY CORN MIX

BLUE CHEESE WAFERS

CAROLINA SAUSAGE DIP with tortilla chips

PORK POSOLE

BUFFALO CHICKEN ROLL UPS

JALAPENO JACK TURKEY BURGERS

PUMPKIN COOKIES

DRINK OF THE DAY: JACKET JUICE aka MARGARITAS FOR A CROWD

PEANUTS AND CANDY CORN MIX

Mix equal parts candy corn and salted peanuts for a killer fall snack (basically a Payday candy bar). So good!

BLUE CHEESE WAFERS

2 (4 oz) pkgs blue cheese, crumbled
1⁄2 cup butter, softened
1 1⁄3 cups flour
1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper

Beat blue cheese with butter until well mixed.

Mix in flour and cayenne.

Divide dough in half, and shape each portion into a log.

Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Then, cut each log into 1/4″ slices and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 13-15 minutes until golden brown.

Then cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

CAROLINA SAUSAGE DIP

Since we’re playing a North Carolina team, I had to have something “Carolina.” This dip is fabulous and so so easy.

1 lb pork sausage (regular or hot)

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

1 can Rotel

1/4 cup parmesan grated, optional

Cook sausage until no longer pink; drain. Add Rotel and cook about 15 minutes (until liquid has cooked down), then add cream cheese.

Cook until cheese melts. Add parmesan if desired and serve with chips. You can always make it in advance and reheat before your party/tailgate.

PORK POSOLE SOUP (pronounced Poh-zoh-lay)

(Adapted from Tasting Table)

1 cup flour
½ TBSP kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ TBSP freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
3 lbs pork shoulder or butt, cut into 3″ pieces
3 TBSP butter, divided
3 TBSP olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cups water
1½ TBSP minced oregano
¾ TBSP cumin seeds, toasted
2 bay leaves
1½ cups fresh corn kernels
1 lb (6 medium) tomatillos
2¼ cups canned hominy, rinsed
1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
Shredded cheese and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper and cumin. Toss the pork shoulder in the flour to dredge, shaking off any excess flour.

In a 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 1½ tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, sear the pork, turning as needed until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes per batch. Watch the pork carefully to make sure any excess flour in the pan doesn’t burn. Once seared, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

To the pot, add the remaining 1 1/2 TBSP butter, the garlic and onions. Cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the pork to the pan with the water, oregano, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer and cook, covered, over low heat until the pork is tender, 2 hours.

Meanwhile, on a baking sheet toss the corn with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, then set aside.

Once the pork has simmered for 2 hours, add the roasted corn, tomatillos, hominy, roasted red peppers and jalapeño. Return to a low simmer and cook, covered, until the pork begins to fall apart, 1 hour more.

Using 2 forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. It will be falling apart tender!

Ladle the posole into bowls and garnish with cheese and cilantro leaves, then serve.

BUFFALO CHICKEN ROLL UPS

(Adapted from Inspired By Charm)

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 TBSP sour cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (I used 1 rotisserie chicken to save time)
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce
8 soft tortillas (6-inch tortillas)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the blue cheese, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and garlic powder.

Add the chicken, red onion, celery, and Buffalo wing sauce. Stir to combine. ***This step can be made a day or two in advance, so it’s less work the day of your party/tailgate.

Spread about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla tightly and place on a plate. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Refrigerate the tortillas at least 2 hours or overnight.
Slice each tortilla roll into 8 slices. Discard (or snack on) the two end pieces.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

JALAPENO JACK TURKEY BURGERS

(Adapted from Sally’s Baking Blog)

This recipe makes 6 burgers. I’ll be tripling the recipe depending on my tailgate size.

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 TBSP chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, diced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 lbs 94% lean ground turkey

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

optional: 6 slices pepper jack cheese
for serving: hamburger buns, jalapeño slices, spicy mayo or ranch dressing, guacamole, tomato, lettuce, etc.

Stir all of the first 10 ingredients together (not the cheese or the ground turkey) in a large bowl.

Once completely combined, add the cheese and ground turkey and use your hands, a rubber spatula, or wooden spoon to thoroughly mix.

Once completely combined, form the mixture into 6 plump and compact patties. The patties will weigh around 6 ounces each and be a heaping 1/2 cup each.

Place the patties onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, baking pan, or plate. Cover tightly then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. This ensures the patties will hold their shape. You can also freeze the patties for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Clean the grill and grease with vegetable oil. Pour a little vegetable oil on a paper towel and carefully rub all over the grates. Preheat grill to high. Place cold turkey burgers on heated grill and cook for 5 minutes with the lid closed. Flip burgers over and cook covered for an additional 3 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F (74°C). If adding cheese, place a slice of cheese on the burger for the last 30 seconds. Overcooking the turkey burgers will quickly dry them out, so keep a close eye on them.

Serve on hamburger bun with desired toppings.
Store leftover turkey burgers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

ICED PUMPKIN COOKIES

(Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction)

Nothing says “FALL” like the taste of pumpkin! I’ve been doing daily Cappuccino’s lately with a splash of Pumpkin skinny syrup and it’s dreamy. The lower temperatures make me want comfort food, and these pumpkin cookies fit the bill.

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
MAPLE CREAM CHEESE ICING

3 oz block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 TBSP pure maple syrup
pinch ground cinnamon (about 1/8 teaspoon)

Blot the pumpkin with paper towels to rid excess moisture. No need to squeeze it completely dry. After ridding some moisture, you’ll have a little less than 1 and 1/2 cups of pumpkin. Set aside until step 4.
Preheat oven to 350°F Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and ginger together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and blotted pumpkin and mix on high until combined. Mixture will look a little curdled.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then mix on low speed until combined. Dough is thick and sticky. Scoop or roll cookie dough, around 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Bake for 14-15 minutes or until edges appear set. The centers will look soft. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The longer the cookies cool, the better their flavor!

Icing: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and a pinch of cinnamon (about 1/8 teaspoon), then beat on low speed until smooth and creamy. Add more cinnamon if desired. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into icing or spread it onto each cookie with a knife.

JACKET JUICE

For 24 (4 oz) Servings

3 cups Cointreau
3 cups Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
6 cups Reposado Tequila
1 cup Agave Syrup
1 bag of ice

In 2-quart pitcher, combine all ingredients, except the ice. Keep the margarita mixture refrigerated until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.
Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ of the way with ice. Add enough prepared margarita mixture to the top of the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously 10-15 seconds. Pour into prepared glasses and serve immediately. Drain excess water from the shaker. Repeat for the additional servings, adding more ice as needed.
Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

OOTD

I found an adorable Tweed Jacket that will work perfectly as we transition to fall clothing here.