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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 06:01:59 -0700

Decorating a tailgate is a no brainer. Get everything in your team's school colors; I'm supporting the California Golden Bears so my party will have a blue and gold color scheme. Start by getting as many folding chairs and tables as you can. Use patterns to create depth in an outdoor parking lot setting. Get striped lawn chairs and a checkered tablecloth. Hang streamers from cars or nearby trees to mark your (insert team mascot here) territory. For a uniform look across the tables, get plastic silverware, cups, plates and paper napkins all in the same color scheme. Throw in any special extras: fresh flowers, beer buckets with your school's name, banners that depict a team cheer, etc. Don't forget your portable football shaped grill! Happy tailgating!

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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:01:18 -0700

No tailgate is complete without a selection of classic beverages. When it comes to game day cocktails, there are two options. You could go gourmet and pair wines with your football food, or you could go old school and pair beer and Bloody Marys with the grub. I prefer to offer lots of beer. Head to Costco or Bevmo where you can purchase a large quantity of beer for less. Pack a generous amount of bottled water especially if the weather is warm. Either way, it's important to stock your cooler with plenty of ice to last you throughout the day. I even pack an extra cooler with only ice to ensure no shortage occurs.

At my tailgate, I'll make a huge pitcher of Bloody Marias - Bloody Marys made with tequila instead of vodka - to get guests pumped up for the game. Take a look at the recipe, just read more

Bloody Maria
From The New York Times

24 ounces tomato juice
9 ounces tequila
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chilies)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon celery salt
Celery sticks, lemon wedges and pickled okra for garnish.

In a chilled pitcher or a large, chilled thermos, mix all ingredients except for garnishes. Shake or stir.
Garnish with celery, lemon and/or okra. Serve over ice.

Serves 6.

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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Menu (Part II)

partysugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 10:13:33 -0700

I'm cheering on my alma mater by hosting a huge pre-game party. I host this tailgate every other year when the game takes place at Stanford. While the menu for the majority of the dishes changes - this year it consists of a variety of tasty football foods complete with chips, dips, and chicken wings - the desserts are always the same two classics. Since we will be enjoying the desserts next to the field, it's important to make something that is transportable and easy to eat.

Chocolate truffle brownies and zesty lemon bars are two crowd pleasing treats that score big points year after year. For these delicious dessert recipes, read more

Truffle Brownies
From The Hearty Boys

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick margarine
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Chocolate ganache for topping, recipe follows
Special equipment: 9-inch round foil cake pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a hand held electric mixer, beat the eggs and salt together in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Add the sugar and beat until the eggs are thick and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.
Put the margarine and chocolate in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to insure that the chocolate has melted. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, if needed.
With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and beat 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.
Spray the cake pan with a pan release spray and pour in the brownie batter. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until the center is barely set.*
Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Top with the ganache and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
To serve, remove from freezer and slice immediately. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

*Cook's Note: If tested with a toothpick the center will still be gooey. If tested by touch, the center will be soft. It will set once frozen.

Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chocolate chips and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
Remove the bowl and stir with a whisk or fork until well mixed.
Use immediately. If using the ganache later it will need to be reheated.

Yield: 3/4 cup

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Lemon Bars
From Wolfgang Puck

Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces unsalted butter, cut into chunks
Lemon Custard
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon zest
Confectioner’s sugar, for decorating

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. With the machine running, add the butter and continue to process until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 12-by-18-inch baking pan. With your fingers, press it in to form an even layer of crust.
Bake the crust until light golden in color, 15 to 18 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the lemon custard topping. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the sugar, flour, and salt and stir until well blended. Finally, stir in the lemon juice, milk, and lemon zest.
Pour the lemon mixture over the prebaked crust, return the pan to the oven, and continue to bake until the custard has set, 20 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the oven, let it cool to room temperature, and then chill, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Before serving, use a sharp knife to cut down through the topping and crust to make 3 dozen bars. Carefully pry them from the pan and dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Makes 3 dozen.

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Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:28:33 -0700

The biggest game of the year for the California Golden Bears is against their lifelong rival Stanford. Since I was a cheerleader for Cal, I plan on giving my all for "The Big Game." This year the game is at Stanford - aka The Farm - which means it's time for my biennial tailgate! I go all out with lots of blue and gold, and tons of food and drinks. The game is not until Saturday, December 1, but I want to get the invites out now. This way people have time to make travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, and purchase tickets. To see how I made this postcard invite, one that you can adapt to suit your team's colors and mascots, read more

To make an invitation similar to the one seen here you will need the following supplies:

white cardstock
scissors
glue
mascot image
computer & printer

To assemble the invite:

Create a new Word document. Drag the mascot image into the document. Decorate accordingly with any phrases or cheers from your home team. Cal's mascot is the bear so I used an image of a ferocious and powerful bear. Since UC Berkeley was the first college in California, it has adopted the name California or Cal for short. I put a big California in blue and gold underneath the bear, but get creative! Print out a test copy and once satisfied, print out on the white cardstock.

Open another blank Word document. Write out the details of the gameday. Make sure the font is not centered, but to the left because you want the invite to be a functional postcard. I changed the font to dark blue and wrote, in Stone Sans ITC TT-Bold font,

It’s that time of year again...
Big Game time!
Come cheer on the Cal Golden Bears!

Saturday, December 1, 2007
Tailgate Starts @ Noon
Game Starts @ 4 pm

Tailgate field next to the Stadium
(Exact location details TBA)
Stanford, Palo Alto, CA

Blue, gold, and white attire required.
No RED allowed.

Print out a test copy and check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Once satisfied, print out on the white cardstock.

Cut the front of the postcard invite with the mascot image down to size.

Turn over and glue the text to the back. Cut this down to the same size as the front.

I added an axe to separate the text from the address on the back of the postcard. According to Big Game legend, the winner of the game takes home the axe. Cal won last year so we continue to be in possession of the axe! If your team has a tradition along these lines incorporate it into the invite!

With a sparkly pen and your best handwriting, write out the address of your guests. Stamp and send!

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What Should I Make For My Tailgate Party?

partysugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 06:01:33 -0700

Next week I'm planning a tailgate party - similar to the one I threw in the picture above - and I want you guys to help me come up with the menu! So what do you think I should make for the tailgate?

Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Menu (Part I)

partysugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 05:43:11 -0700

I'm planning a Big Game tailgate for the upcoming Cal vs. Stanford football game and last week I asked you what should be on the menu. The majority of votes were for a football themed menu with easy, classic game day dishes. With a little help from the grocery store, a cheese plate and veggie platter come together quickly. Spinach and artichoke dip can be easily heated on the grill. A Tex-Mex seven-layer dip tastes great chilled and can be prepared the night before. Teriyaki chicken wings and steak sandwiches round out the menu. Make these dishes for your next tailgate! Get the recipes when you read more

Spinach Artichoke Dip
Modified from Houston's restaurant

2 (10-ounce) bags fresh spinach, stemmed, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons. minced fresh garlic
1 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup flour
2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 Tbls. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. salt
1-1/4 cup fresh grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and julienned

Steam spinach - strain and squeeze dry. Must be very dry. Chop finely and set
aside.
In heavy saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add garlic and onions and saute about 3-5 minutes.
Add flour to make a roux. Stir and cook about 1 minute. Slowly add heavy cream, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumping. Mixture will thicken at the boiling point.
When it thickens, add lemon jiuce, Tabasco, salt and Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
Stir in sour cream. Fold in dry, chopped spinach, coarse diced artichoke hearts and half of the Jack cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
Turn the mixture into a baking pan. Top with remaining jack cheese.
Bake the dip for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately, with tortilla chips for dipping.

Serves 12-16.

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7 Layer Dip
From Kraft Foods

1 can (28 oz) refried beans
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix
1 cup guacamole
1 cup chunky style salsa
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. sliced pitted ripe olives
1/2 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes, optional

Spread refried beans onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Mix cream cheese and seasoning mix until well blended. Spread on top of refried beans.
Layer remaining ingredients over cream cheese mixture; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Serves 12-16.

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Teriyaki Chicken Wings
From Tyler Florence

2 dozen chicken wings, about 3 1/4 pounds, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned
Leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Teriyaki Sauce:
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 fresh, hot red chile, halved
5 garlic cloves, halved
2-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed with the side of a large knife

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Season the chicken wings with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil on them to prevent sticking. Lay the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until the skin gets crispy and the wings are cooked through.
Meanwhile, combine the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a large saucepan. Simmer over low heat and reduce until slightly thickened. Pour the sauce into a large bowl.
Dump the wings into the bowl and toss to coat them with the sauce. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve hot.

Serves 12.

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Steak Sandwiches
From Cooking Light magazine

Marinade:
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 garlic cloves, crushed, or 2 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak
Flavored mayonnaise:
1/2 cup fat-free or light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
Remaining ingredients:
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices red onion (about 2 onions)
16 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
16 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato (about 3 tomatoes)

To prepare marinade, combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Trim fat from steak, and add steak to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove the steak from bag, reserving marinade. Pour the marinade into a microwave-safe dish. Microwave marinade at HIGH 1 minute or until mixture boils.
To prepare flavored mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise and horseradish, and set aside.
Prepare grill. Place steak and red onion slices on a grill rack, and grill onions 4 minutes on each side, basting with the reserved marinade. Remove onions from grill.
Turn the steak, and grill an additional 8 minutes or until steak is desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from grill. Place bread slices on grill rack, and grill 2 minutes on each side or until toasted.
Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Spread 1 tablespoon flavored mayonnaise on one side of each of 8 toasted bread slices. Divide steak, onion slices, lettuce, and tomato slices evenly among 8 bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices.

Serves 8.

Substitute: pineapple juice for rum, if desired.

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