4th Tailgate! OKTOBERFEST AND HOMECOMING!!!

Well it’s been an interesting football season so far. GEORGIA TECH held a lot of promise at the beginning of the season, and they’ve played their hearts out in some games and others they’ve struggled mightily. Rough loss this past week to Boston College puts GT at 3-4 for the season. The good news is though, we are going to have a ball tailgating!

This game is a big one playing ACC rival UNC who are 6-1 currently after losing a shocker to Virginia last week.

It’s October, so cooler weather will roll in and we can enjoy some fall foods. And as usual our goal is to at least WIN the tailgate! And lots of fun campus events all weekend to look forward to as well!!!

MENU:

OKTOBERFEST!

LIPTAUER CHEESE SPREAD with soft pretzels

SAUSAGE DIPPERS and GRILLED BRATS AND SAUERKRAUT

GERMAN CUCUMBER SALAD

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

FALL SNACK MIX (2 versions)

PUMPKIN BARS

FALL PUNCH (OR ‘HEEL HOOCH) and German Beer

LIPTAUER CHEESE SPREAD
(Adapted from The Foreign Fork)

I will double this recipe for our tailgate group.
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
4 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
½ TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP capers
1 tsp caraway seeds
2 TBSP white onion, minced
2 green onions, chopped
½ TBSP paprika
½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper

Use an electric mixer to beat 8 oz cream cheese and 4 TBSP butter together until creamy.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients. 
Sprinkle with paprika.

And I wanted some really really good soft pretzels to go with this cheese spread. I found the perfect ones by mail here. They were absolutely incredible. Of course great with mustards as well!

Enjoy with pretzels, vegetables, and/or crackers! Better if made a few hours or day in advance to allow the flavors to marry.

SAUSAGE DIPPERS

(Adapted from Culinary.net)

johnsonville

2 pkgs (13.5-14 ounces each) Smoked Sausage (such as Beddar with Cheddar, Jalapeño & Cheddar, Turkey with Cheddar or Chipotle Monterey Jack Cheese Chicken Sausage)

Spicy Hot Buffalo Sauce
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 bottle (12 ounces) hot sauce
1 bottle (16 ounces) blue cheese salad dressing
Orange Bourbon Barbecue Dip
1 cup original or bourbon barbecue sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
Creamy Mustard Dip
1 cup spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup sour cream
2 TBSP horseradish

Cut sausage links into 1-inch pieces
In large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until lightly browned and heated through.
Serve with toothpicks and dipping sauces.
Spicy Hot Buffalo Sauce: In microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and hot sauce. Cover and microwave on high for about 2 minutes or until butter is melted.

Stir until smooth.

Serve buffalo sauce in one bowl and blue cheese dressing in another bowl. Makes: 2 cups buffalo sauce plus 2 cups blue cheese dressing
Orange Bourbon Barbecue Dip: In microwave-safe bowl, combine barbecue sauce and orange marmalade.

Cover and microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.

Makes: 1 1/4 cups servings
Creamy Mustard Dip: In bowl, combine mustard, sour cream and horseradish.

Makes: 1 1/3 cups

GRILLED BEER BRATS AND SAUERKRAUT

½ cup unsalted butter 
12 oz beer (pale ale, lager or summer seasonal beer)
1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
2 sweet banana peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped or green bell pepper
2 lbs sauerkraut, drained
12 brats
12 bakery buns, hoagie-style or pretzel style, optional
Dusseldorf mustard or other mustard

Prepare grill, either gas or charcoal. If charcoal, set up coals to one side.
Melt 1 stick of butter in a disposable aluminum pan (at least 2 quart capacity, preferably 10-by-13-by-3 inch). Add beer, onions, peppers and sauerkraut; mix well.

Place the pan on the cool side of grill.
Place the brats on grill and sear on all sides, being careful not to pierce the casings. When they’re seared and have good grill marks, transfer to sauerkraut mixture in aluminum pan; nestling each brat down into mixture and covering with the sauerkraut.
Cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, close lid, and cook for 40 – 45 minutes. Remove from grill and serve: either plated or on buns, with mustard and sauerkraut piled on. 

GERMAN CUCUMBER SALAD

2 English cucumbers
1 tsp salt
1 small yellow onion
1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
3 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Wash the cucumbers and peel, if desired (we usually don’t peel the cucumbers when making the recipe). Thinly slice the cucumbers using a mandolin or the slicing side of a four-sided box grater. Add the cucumber slices to a bowl.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the cucumbers and let them sit for 20 minutes.

This will remove excess moisture. After the 20 minutes, give the cucumber a squeeze to remove even more water. Be sure to drain any excess liquid from the bowl.
While you’re waiting for the cucumber slices, wash, dry, and finely chop the dill. Make sure to remove the hard stems first. Also, peel and finely chop a small onion. Add both (dill and onion) to the cucumber bowl after the 20 minutes are up and you have drained the liquid.

Add the oil, vinegar, sour cream, sugar, and pepper to the bowl. Mix well. Add more salt (be careful here since you added quite a bit of salt earlier!) and/or pepper if desired.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

2 lbs medium-sized red potatoes 
1 TBSP + 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided 
1 lb thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces 
1 large yellow onion, diced 
3 large cloves garlic, minced 
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
1 TBSP whole-grain mustard (use a bit more if you really like mustard) 
1 TBSP Dijon mustard 
3 TBSP sugar 
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cut any larger potatoes in half so that all potatoes are approximately the same size. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1″. Bring to a boil and stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt. Reduce heat to medium, so the water is just gently bubbling.

Cook potatoes until they are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes. Immediately drain the water so they don’t overcook. Leaving the potatoes in the pot, return the pot to the still-hot burner. With the lid off, let the potatoes steam-dry for a few minutes. Then remove to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into 3/4-inch sized pieces (leave the skins on).
In a large skillet with tall sides, fry the bacon pieces over medium heat until chewy-crisp.

With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon to a plate.
Return skillet with bacon grease to the stove top, over medium heat. Add onion and stir to coat. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until onion is nicely softened, stirring regularly. If onion starts to brown, turn heat down a little bit and continue cooking until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in whole grain mustard, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Then slowly pour in the vinegar and stir to combine. Return skillet to medium heat and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Remove skillet from heat and add potatoes. Fold the potatoes until nearly all the dressing is absorbed. Then fold in the bacon. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (use more or less, to taste) and parsley, and fold again. 
Sprinkle with additional freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Serve straight from the pan or transfer the salad to a serving bowl. This dish is known for being served warm or at room temperature, but can also be served chilled.

FALL SNACK MIX

(Adapted from Fox and Briar)

Caramel mix:
½ cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar packed
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp baking soda
Popcorn Mix:
7 cups popped popcorn
1 ½ cups pretzels 
¾ cup roasted and salted peanuts
1 cup Reese’s Pieces
1 cup mini Reese’s Peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. DO NOT use foil. Set aside.
Add popcorn, peanuts and pretzels to a large bowl, set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the brown sugar and corn syrup. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil, stirring often.
When mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for two minutes without stirring. After two minutes, remove from heat and stir in salt and vanilla.
Stir in baking soda, and stir until mixture becomes light. Pour over popcorn mixture, quickly stir to coat everything with the caramel.
Spread the popcorn mixture on the baking sheet.

Bake for 2 minutes, stir the mixture, then bake for two more minutes. Remove and allow to cool.  
Once cool, add the Reese’s Pieces and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Minis. Break into pieces and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

FALL SNACK MIX #2 AKA PARTY FAVORS

Toss in a large bowl the following:

Popcorn, shelled pistachios, chex cereal, pretzels, m & m’s (whatever is your favorite), candy pumpkins, candy corn. Whatever ratios you want but ~8 cups popcorn, 1 cup nuts, 4 cups Chex cereal and 1-2 cups mini pretzels. Add enough candy to make it look festive and delicious. Found these adorable clear plastic boxes to serve them in as party favors here.

PUMPKIN BARS

(Adapted from Food and Wine)

2 cups flour
1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 cup canola oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree

Candied Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup roasted salted pepitas
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ TBSP unsalted butter
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Frosting

2 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15 x 10 x 1–inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper.

To prepare cake, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together oil, sugars, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin in a medium bowl.

Add oil mixture to flour mixture; whisk until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing into an even layer.

Bake at 350°F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes; lift cake (using parchment paper) out of pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

While cake bakes, prepare candied pumpkin seeds. Line a sheet pan or platter with parchment paper. Combine pepitas, sugar, and butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar melts, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until melted sugar becomes amber colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in pumpkin pie spice. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared sheet pan or platter, separating into small clusters. Cool completely; break any large clusters into small ones.

When cake is cool, prepare frosting. Place softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla and salt until well combined. Beating at low speed, gradually add powdered sugar until thick, creamy, and smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Sprinkle candied pumpkin seeds on top.

FALL PUNCH or ‘HEEL HOOCH
You can take the name of this drink however you want – it can represent the season of “Fall” or it can mean that our team has “FALLEN” apart! Either way, it’s a delish drink and tastes great anytime!
32-oz pear nectar
2 cups spiced rum
1 cup fresh lemon juice (add more if it’s too sweet for your taste)
1 TBSP angostura bitters
2 12-oz bottles ginger beer (I used diet ginger beer)
Pears, very thinly sliced, optional for topping

In a pitcher, stir together pear nectar, spiced rum, lemon juice, and bitters. Stir in ginger beer. 
Line glasses with pear slices if desired, and fill with ice. Pour pear punch over ice.  

TAILGATE PICS:

IT WAS A GORGEOUS EVENING FOR A FOOTBALL GAME:

AND….GEORGIA TECH WON!!! They are now 4-4 on the season! WOO HOO! It was a late night, but what an exciting game! Another really fun time making memories with family and friends….