We face the Florida Gators…at least the food turned out like we wanted!

September 26th – It’s a miserably rainy dark day leading up the the 6:00PM football game in Lexington, Kentucky. Thankfully our menu is perfect for the weather, and we are well-prepared. Here’s what we enjoyed:

In spite of losing badly, there were 2 moments of bliss on this day:
1. Our son scored the lone touchdown of the day vs the Gators
2. Our tailgate was a huge success enabling us to lick (pun intended) our wounds before and after the game

The day before the game – enjoying a bit of time with our son.

Tailgating with my Dad, Stepmom and our Gator friends in the RV.

Coach Rich Brooks shaking hands with Coach Urban Meyer prior to kick off…

Our son catching the sole touchdown for UK for that game…

GO ROSS!

RECIPES

EASY Mexican Dip
In a 9″ glass or ceramic pie plate spread 8 oz of cream cheese on the bottom. Top with 1/2 jar of your favorite salsa and then roughly 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Microwave (or can put on the grill) until hot and bubbly.

Bacon Blue Cheese Dip
1/2 cup sour cream
4oz pkg crumbled blue cheese
3oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/8 tsp hot sauce
2 TBSP minced onion
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Process first 5 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Stir in half bacon. Cover and chill 2 hours; then sprinkle with remaining bacon.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches
2 lbs eye of round beef roast, cut into 4 pcs
12 cloves garlic
1 lg onion, cut into strips
1 12oz beer

Sauce
2 cups BBQ sauce of your choice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP ch parsley

pickles
rolls

Place beef, garlic, onion and beer in a crock pot or sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 2 hours (or until meat pulls away from the roast easily).

When meat is done, remove it from the pot and let cool. Pull beef into shreds.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Pour one cup of the mix on the shredded beef and combine. Hold remaining sauce for sandwiches.

For sandwich – cut roll in half and spread a bit of the sauce on both sides. On roll bottom

Cole Slaw (from Barefoot Contessa)
/2 small head green cabbage
1/2 small head red cabbage
4 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled
2 cups (16 ounces) good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Either shred 1 cup of red cabbage and 2 cups green cabbage (or buy pre-shredded mix)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, both mustards, vinegar, celery salt, kosher salt, and pepper. Pour enough mayonnaise dressing over the grated vegetables and toss to moisten well. Add parsley and toss together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Pecan Bars (courtesy of Ina as well)

Ingredients
Crust:
nocoupons
1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 pound unsalted butter
1 cup good honey
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

Very proud Dad and 2 Grandfathers after the game…