7 Weeks Until Kickoff...

Hawkfromnorwalk

Hawkfromnorwalk

Well-Known Member
Ok, we got past week one with the booze. Lets move on to the chow...

Each week I will start a new topic and we can discuss until it's time for the season to start.

Week 1: Brew/drink of choice at the tailgate...done
Week 2: Best menu item
Week 3: Tailgate setup
Week 4: Tailgate spots
Week 5: Tailgate arrival time
Week 6: Tailgate games
Week 7: Best Tailgate moment/memory
Week 8: Best game day/Melrose/Kinnick experiences/stories

I have two menu items that are fan favorites at our tailgate, both are dips.

The first is my buffalo chicken dip...

Two 10oz cans of cooked chicken
Two packages of cream cheese
1 cup blue cheese dressing
3/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine everything but the shredded cheese and mix it up. Put into a baking dish. Top with the shredded cheese. Cover and stick it in the grill and let it cook. It takes about 30 minutes or so. Once done you can use tortilla chips or crackers to scoop the stuff.

I also like my BLT dip. It's very easy.

1 cup Mayo
1 cup Sour Cream
1 lb Bacon
1 medium to large tomato

Cook the bacon until crisp. Take out and cool. Crumble into a container. Add the mayo, sour cream, and chopped tomato to it and mix. Let sit overnight so the bacon grease can mingle with the other stuff. Serve with Ritz crackers.

Anyway, those are a couple of my menu items. I want to hear yours! Let's hear 'em Hawk fans!
 
Brats boiled in beer Friday night and then grilled up Saturday. Also need to have some Chilli when it's cold out.....try throwin a cinnamon stick in the chilli while it cooks.....different but good. We also have cold cuts and cheese with crackers each game. Simple but good.
 
Here is the recipe we use for chili. I've only used it once for tailgating (I've made it other times) for the 08 PSU game. Don't pay any attention to the fact it's named "Boilermaker" Chili! The peppers in it really give it a kick. And when it's in the 30's, it feels really good to eat, especially with a beer or eight!:D

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/boilermaker-tailgate-chili/Detail.aspx

I should say that our menu changes from game to game. We'll do brats and burgers, steak kabobs. We also do pancakes, sausages, bacon, eggs, etc for breakfast. If it's a rivalry game (like ISU) we will do ribeyes. It really just depends on the game and the weather.
 
Our menu also changes week to week.

Sausage with peppers and onions. Serves 3-4, unless your tailgate is all men...then double it.

Italian sausage- I prefer hot, but mild or sweet works, enough for 5 or 6 links
2 red peppers
3 green peppers
1 extra-large onion or more
Olive oil
28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (drained)
28 oz can of tomato sauce
Garlic powder
oregano or Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
cheese- I used munster or mozzarella
Rotella rolls

Cut peppers and onion into long slices 1/4" to 1/2" wide. Lightly saute in olive oil and add whole peeled tomatoes (drain, then coursely break them up with you hand) and tomato sauce. Season with garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper to taste.

Brown the sausages on the grill and add to the peppers, onion and tomatoes. Simmer on low until the sauce starts to thicken.

I like to warm the rolls on the grill, add a link of the sausage, cheese and top with the peppers and onions.

Outstanding with beer...but then beer and football go with anything.:D
 
Drakebulldog93 said:
Our menu also changes week to week.

Sausage with peppers and onions. Serves 3-4, unless your tailgate is all men...then double it.

Italian sausage- I prefer hot, but mild or sweet works, enough for 5 or 6 links
2 red peppers
3 green peppers
1 extra-large onion or more
Olive oil
28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (drained)
28 oz can of tomato sauce
Garlic powder
oregano or Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
cheese- I used munster or mozzarella
Rotella rolls

Cut peppers and onion into long slices 1/4" to 1/2" wide. Lightly saute in olive oil and add whole peeled tomatoes (drain, then coursely break them up with you hand) and tomato sauce. Season with garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper to taste.

Brown the sausages on the grill and add to the peppers, onion and tomatoes. Simmer on low until the sauce starts to thicken.

I like to warm the rolls on the grill, add a link of the sausage, cheese and top with the peppers and onions.

Outstanding with beer...but then beer and football go with anything.:D
Click to expand...

That sounds good! I may have to come back to this thread come football time!
 
I try out different ideas during the summer, and can't wait to do this at a brisk morning tailgate. If you want a break from chili on a chilly gameday try this recipe.

Okra, sausage and shrimp stew.

Use a four quart pot or Dutch oven

16 oz bags frozen okra let thaw on the trip to Kinnick (Fairway carries it)
1 small onion diced
1 red pepper diced
2 stalks celery diced
Olive oil
28 oz can peeled whole tomatoes (drained then crushed)
28 oz can tomato sauce
8 oz can tomato paste
1 can chicken broth
1 lb andouille sausage (1/2" slices and cut into quarters)
1/2 to 1 lbs uncooked shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Thyme
Salt and Pepper
Garlic Powder

Saute the trinity (onion, pepper, and celery) till soft in olive oil, add the crushed, whole tomatoes and tomato sauce on medium heat till bubbly.

Add the andouille sausage and can of chicken broth. If you prefer a more tomatoey (is that a word?) base, add a tablespoon or two (or more) of tomato paste until you like the flavor.

Add the okra. It will look slimey but DO NOT RINSE, that "slime will help bind the stew. Season with thyme, garlic powder, S&P to taste.

Cook until stew becomes bubbly and starts to slightly thicken or bind. Add the uncooked shrimp and cook until done (about four or five minutes)

5 to 6 servings. You can stretch this with pre-cooked white rice or wild rice. (IMO skip the rice, hard to pound beer after eating a starchy filler, and isn't tailgating about the drinking?;)) Take that President Mason.

You can substitute chicken for the shrimp. Just add it when the trinity is finished sauteing to make sure it's thoroughly cooked.

Sprinkle with your favorite hot sauce for a nice kick.

Serve in 16 to 20 oz styrofoam cups. Yummy stuff.
 
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Brats are a staple. Pre-boil them on Friday night in a spicy concoction that I've made up over the years. Grill on Saturday morning and serve with spicy brown mustard.

Pork burgers are another crowd favorite. Usually do those a couple times a year at least.

Breakfast sandwiches are another favorite. Butter up a sliced english muffin and lightly toast it. Fry an egg, with a couple drops of Tabasco in the yolk. Sizzle up some thin-sliced brown sugar cured ham, and melt a slice of cheese on there - serve on the english muffin. Puts an Egg McMuffin to shame.

Thinking of breaking out the breakfast burger at my tailgate this year, but to this point I've only tried it at home. Grill up a quarter pound beef patty & top with a fried egg, 2 slices of bacon, some country style hashbrowns and a slice of cheese.

Always have plenty of chips, nuts, cookies & licorice for munching.

Post game - we don't set everything back up, but always need another cold one and sometimes a hot dog with a kiss of mustard & some relish hits the spot before the drive home.
 
Glad to see that I am not the only one the boils their brats on Friday night. I used to think that this was cheating.....but it much better than serving a brat that is charcoal on the outside and still raw in the middle.
 
Buffalo Wings

2 lbs of drumettes
1 16 oz bottle of Frank's Red Hot
1 Bottle of Guinness or dark stout beer
3 table spoons of minced garlic
5 table spoons of red pepper chili flakes
3 table spoons of black pepper
3 table spoons of white pepper
a couple pinches of salt

Sauce after the grill
12 oz bottle of frank's
4 table spoons of butter


Mix all together in a large dish, cover and let marinate overnight. Next morning pour into a large stock pot and simmer for about an hour to an hour and 15 mins. About 30 mins in get your charcoal grill going nice and hot. Transfer simmered wings onto the charcoal grill and crisp them up for about 10-12 mins turning every 3-4 mins. Pull off the grill and immediately toss in more Franks Red Hot mixture and serve up with home made blue cheese dressing.

Homemade Blue Cheese dressing (I usually double this as I love Blue Cheese)
1 - 3oz cream cheese
½ cup half & half
½ cup real mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp wine vinegar
½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Soften cream cheese, beat smooth with electric mixer….slowly blend in half & half. Softly stir in mayo, lemon juice and vinegar with a whisk. Add blue cheese.
 
Hawkfromnorwalk said:
Here is the recipe we use for chili. I've only used it once for tailgating (I've made it other times) for the 08 PSU game. Don't pay any attention to the fact it's named "Boilermaker" Chili! The peppers in it really give it a kick. And when it's in the 30's, it feels really good to eat, especially with a beer or eight!:D

Boilermaker Tailgate Chili Recipe - Allrecipes.com

I should say that our menu changes from game to game. We'll do brats and burgers, steak kabobs. We also do pancakes, sausages, bacon, eggs, etc for breakfast. If it's a rivalry game (like ISU) we will do ribeyes. It really just depends on the game and the weather.
Click to expand...


Wow... you go all out for cooking. The buffalo dip sounds awesome. And you serve breakfast? The only breakfast I get on Saturdays is a 6 pack, and for lunch, usually a 12 pack.
 
HawkfromNorwalk-

Does your Buffalo Chicken Dip have to be heated? That is to say, can it be a cold dip?

It sounds delicious.

For those of you from Des Moines, our tailgating crew will have a new menu item this year......Graziano Sausage Patties.........add some provolone and marinara sauce.......out of this world good.

Go Hawks!
 
My Nachos dip.... kind of easy to make...


A brick of velveeta cheese,
1 lbs browned hamburger cooked in taco seasoning
2 cans of beanless chilli
another packet of taco seasoning
Anything else you want in there like tomatoes, black olives, onions etc
and of course, tortilla chips.
 
Early games we do omelets in a bag.Just need boiling water and freezer bags.Everyone puts there own ingredients in it to there liking and put your name on bag,zip lock it and boil for around 15 min.no mess.rib eye steak sandwiches go over real well.In a pan mix cheese, green peppers,onions and mushrooms for topping.Chili for the later in the year games and cheese brocolli soup is real good.
 
HWK4LYF said:
HawkfromNorwalk-

Does your Buffalo Chicken Dip have to be heated? That is to say, can it be a cold dip?

It sounds delicious.

For those of you from Des Moines, our tailgating crew will have a new menu item this year......Graziano Sausage Patties.........add some provolone and marinara sauce.......out of this world good.

Go Hawks!
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's a hot dip. You can either bake it the night before, refrigerate it, and then throw it on the grill to reheat or you can just mix it up prior and throw it straight on the grill. As for doing it cold...I'm not sure how it would taste. I suppose it could be done.
 
InNormwetrust said:
Wow... you go all out for cooking. The buffalo dip sounds awesome. And you serve breakfast? The only breakfast I get on Saturdays is a 6 pack, and for lunch, usually a 12 pack.
Click to expand...

Yeah, tailgating is an art! Here is pic of us cooking the chili that faithfully cold November morning...
 
Hawkfromnorwalk said:
Yeah, tailgating is an art! Here is pic of us cooking the chili that faithfully cold November morning...
Click to expand...


That looks excellent/fun/bitterly cold. I only know the cold part because I was there at that time too. I have a cousin who makes these things called "buffalo turds". It's a little smokey with little slices of cream cheese, half a jalepeno and wrapped in a piece of bacon with a toothpick through it. Then you smoke it. It's absolutely delicious.
 
InNormwetrust said:
That looks excellent/fun/bitterly cold. I only know the cold part because I was there at that time too. I have a cousin who makes these things called "buffalo turds". It's a little smokey with little slices of cream cheese, half a jalepeno and wrapped in a piece of bacon with a toothpick through it. Then you smoke it. It's absolutely delicious.
Click to expand...

Atomic Buffalo Turds...I stuff mine with mexican four cheese blend. I split mine, dig out the seeds and membranes with a baby spoons, stuff with cheese and wrap the whole jalapeno with bacon. You make alot of friends, as they want to see what they taste like. I bring along a small charcoal grill just so I can smoke them with some hickory chips.

During the fall, Walmart has the biggest jalapeno's I have found.
 
I just grill some brats up but I'm bumping this. I need some ideas to take my tailgate experience to the next level.:D
 
Sam's Club sells a pork loin rib cut (about $2.60 a pound) that you grill and slice thin. Throw on some BBQ sauce on a Rotella roll and its great eating. Did this for some Hawk fans at ISU last year and they swore I BBQ'ed all night. It was done in 15 minutes. I used some Pensey's Chicago steak seasoning. Gives it a nice smokey flavor.
 
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