The Bulldawg, a tailgate, and a giveaway

Tailgating.

It seems to be all about football, NASCAR, full contact curling, or whatever sporting event is currently in season right? That is a misconception.

We don't really CARE about whatever team is about to take the field/track/court/ice rink. What we really CARE about is spending time and sharing food with family and friends. I think that's really what "game day" is all about.

So when Bush's Beans offered to sponsor a tailgate event, instead of choosing a professional or college sporting event, I chose one of Trevor's football games. Just three seasons ago he was this little boy (#38 in the picture)...

Now he is in his first year at middle school, plays for the Bearden Bulldogs league (#50 in the picture) and hopes to play for Bearden High School in 3 years.

Weather is a key factor in tailgating and our first two attempts were rained out. Fortunately, the third time was the charm and we had a perfect Autumn fall afternoon.

We had issues with space onsite so we tailgated nearby the park. There was plenty of room and the boys threw the football while Alexis and I set up everything.   I say "boys" but they are all college age now.   Three of them have been best friends since we moved to Knoxville 11 years ago.

We cooked everything except the hot dogs at home and then transported it in covered steam pans. All we had to cook on site was the hot dogs and then warm up the Bush's Baked Beans on a small grill.  I like it easy like that.

Since Bearden's teams are the Bulldogs, one of the menu items was "The Bulldawg".  The Bulldawg is an all beef hotdog topped with cheese, chili and onions and we served it with Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans which have a tangier sauce, special cured bacon, and a hint of brown sugar.  The thing about most hot dog chili sauces is that most are "too saucy" for me and end up soaking the bun.  Bulldawg sauce is a little "less saucy".   It is still moist and tangy, just not oozing with sauce.

Bulldawgs with Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans

The Bulldawg

Ingredients

• 8 all beef hotdogs
• 8 hotdog buns
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

For the Bulldawg sauce

• 1.25 lb ground chuck
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds removed
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp chipotle hot sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat a wide pan over medium high heat.  It's important to use the wide pan so the meat is not crowded when you brown it.
2. Brown the ground beef, breaking it up into fine pieces with a spatula while it cooks (about 10 minutes).  Remove and drain.  
3. In the same pan, saute the onion and pepper until the onion is softened and translucent (about 5 minutes). 
4. Return the cooked beef to the pan with the onion mix.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened.
5. Preheat your grill over medium heat and grill the hot dogs for 5 minutes, rotating frequently.
6. Serve hot dogs topped with cheese, then chili, and onion.

Notes

• If you like "saucier" chili, just increase the water to 3/4 cup.  But don't keep asking me for napkins (ha ha)!
• Make ahead and then just warm up on the grill.

Hot dogs taste SOOO much better on the grill than boiled or microwaved.

For hot dog chili, the fine size of the meat makes it easier to spoon into a bun.

I found plates, plasticware, cups and napkins in Bearden colors at the party store.

Bush Beans Tailgating Package Giveaway
Bush Beans is giving away this tailgate package to one of my lucky readers.  As you can see from the pictures above, I received a similar package and have enjoyed using it.  The "stereo cooler" rocks, literally.  You connect your MP3 player or phone (not included) to the powered speaker system and you can listen to tunes or play the radio pre-game show if your MP3 player has a receiver.

The package includes

• Two Bush Beans folding chairs with carry bags
• Bush Beans cooler with powered speaker system (for MP3 player, not included).
• Enough Bush's Baked Beans for 20 guests.
• Twin burger press
• Hot dog grill tray and handle

How To Enter
Each person can receive up to a total of 3 entries as follows:

1. leave a comment below telling me your favorite tailgating dish and which Bush's Baked Beans flavor you would make to accompany it.  The flavors include Original, Homestyle, Maple Cured Bacon, Boston, Country Style, Honey, Onion, Vegetarian, and Bold & Spicy.  (NOTE: If you use the "anonymous comment" option, be sure to leave an email or your screen name in the comment so I can contact you if you are the winner. Something like "EggerinFL from the Egg Forum" or "swibirun from the BBQ Brethren forum" is enough.)
2. Mention the giveaway with a link in Twitter and use the hashtag #BushBeansGameday
3. Mention this giveaway and link to it in a post on your blog.  (Include your URL in a comment so I'll know you did it.)

The Rules

1. Giveaway entry period begins Monday, 12:01pm November 7, 2011 and ends November 14, 2011 11:59pm. Winner will be announced November 15, 2011.
2. Comments will be numbered by order received and random.org will generate a random number for the winner.
3. Limited to residents of the continental US unless you wish to pay the extra shipping charges.
4. I am the final judge regarding any discrepancies, interpretations, grievances, etc about this drawing.
5. Bush Beans is sponsoring the prize. They are not responsible for the drawing or the giveaway.
6. Winner must respond and claim the prize within one week of the winning announcement. If a winner does not claim the prize during the specified time, a reserve winner will be drawn from the original entries.
7. Employees, Board Members, pets, indentured servants, and family of Nibble Me This are not eligible to enter.

This post and giveaway are sponsored in partnership with Bush Beans.  [Standard Disclaimer]

Southwestern Chicken Fricassee

You know how I am always cooking on my grills but often say, "You could also cook this inside..." ?

Well tonight I actually cooked this inside, but you could cook this on your grill.  I had intended to cook most of this on the grill but a soaking shiver inducing rain invaded East Tennessee.  Being a big wimp, I cooked inside instead.

My parents gave me this great bowl set for my birthday over a month ago but I was waiting to come up with something suitable for them.  I wanted something Southwestern to match the festive colors but also something that reminded me of my childhood.  One of my favorite dishes that my mom made when I was a kid was chicken fricassee.  So I took a Southwestern spin on chicken fricassee. 

Southwestern Chicken Fricassee

Servings:  6 

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 6 chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 cups cream of garlic soup

For the Cream of Garlic Soup

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup coarse chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1 shallot, coarsely chopped 
• 3 slices bread, crusts removed and cubed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flake
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup half and half or cream

Instructions

1. Preheat a wide bottomed pan and a large skillet over medium heat.  
2. Add 2 Tbsp oil to the pan and saute the garlic, bell pepper, and shallot for 2 minutes.  
3. Add the bread, toss to coat in the oil and continue cooking another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Stir in the broth, pepper, oregano and pepper flake.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile work on the chicken - season the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic.
6. Add 2 Tbsp oil to the skillet and brown the chicken thighs skin side down.  This took about 5 minutes for me to get a nice golden color.
7. Flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes. 
8. Add the 1 1/2 cups broth, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and braise for 25 minutes or until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 175f (I like my thighs done well).
9. Back to the soup - after 15 minutes, whisk the soup mixture rapidly for 1 minute to break up all of the bread into a smooth consistency.  Simmer for another 5 minutes.
10. Slightly beat the egg in a large bowl.  Whisk 1 1/2 cups of the hot soup into the egg.  Now whisk this mixture back into the rest of the soup.  
11. Stir in the cream, taste for seasoning, and remove from heat. 
12. Put it all together - Drain all but 1/2 cup of the juice from the chicken pan.  Add in enough of the cream of garlic soup to come up to the edges of the thighs.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.
13. Serve in bowls with plenty of the flavorful soup mixture.  

Notes
For a full meal and nice presentation, serve with a timbale of yellow rice and peas.
The cream of garlic soup is great on its own too!
If you like a spicier soup base, double the red pepper flake, add chipotle pepper, or use red serrano or jalapeno instead of red bell pepper.

When browning the thighs, a lot of fat will render out, don't be alarmed.

You could also finish the braise in a 400f oven.  Stove top was just easier.

This recipe was actually inspired by and created for this bowl.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

It was just the four of us eating but all 6 thighs, the extra soup and all the rice disappeared amongst grunts of satisfaction.  The recipe was a little more involved than most that I do but the results were well worth it.  One thing I wanted to add but ran out of time was some masa harina dumplings.  Maybe next time but it really didn't need it.  I can't wait to try this one on my Big Green Egg using a Dutch oven.

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Grilled Chicken Sliders

Sliders are easy to make and even better to eat, but sometimes sourcing buns for them can be a problem.  If Alexis doesn't have time to bake a batch from scratch, I usually just use Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.  But yesterday, she found a 16 pack of slider buns from Pepperidge Farm at Wallyworld.  It might not be a new product but it's new to us so I thought I'd share.

Anyway, here are some grilled chicken sliders that I made last night.  The first time I made them, I didn't add the beer to the glaze and it burned almost instantly because of the sugars.  The second time, the additional liquid made it work perfectly.  If you don't want to use beer, you could just use chicken stock but I like the nutty flavor a dark beer adds to the sweet glaze.

Grilled Chicken Sliders
Makes:  8 sliders

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 2 tsp poultry rub (see notes)
• 8 slider buns
• toppings of your choice such as lettuce, tomato, onion, or pickles

For the glaze

• 2 Tbsp Maple agave nectar (see notes)
• 2 Tbsp amber style beer
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

For the spicy mayo

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp Cholula chipotle hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat your charcoal grill set up for direct heat to 350f (medium). 
2. Mix the spicy mayo together and refrigerate.  In another bowl, mix the glaze together and set aside.
3. Using a very sharp knife, slice each breast in half lengthwise to make cutlets.  Cut each cutlet in half.
4. Season your cutlets on both sides with poultry rub.
5. Grill cutlets 2-3 minutes, just until the edges start to turn white.  Flip and grill another 2 minutes.
6. Brush with the glaze on both sides and cook another minute.  Check with a thermometer to make sure they are properly cooked to an internal temperature of 165f.
7. Toast slider rolls on the grill, if you prefer.
8. Serve on rolls with the spicy mayo.

Notes

• For poultry rub, I used Albukirky Seasonings new Green Chile Rub.  You can make a quick poultry rub of 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp of garlic powder.
• If you don't have maple agave nectar, you could substitute honey or maple syrup.

Split in half lengthwise and then halved again makes the right size for sliders.

These grill quick because they are so thin.  Don't leave unattended.

Two sliders and fries left me stuffed!

Food Network Opportunity
Are you a budding food entrepreneur?  If so, you might be right for a new Food Network project currently being developed by Bobby Flay's production company.

A new Food Network series is looking for FOOD ENTREPRENEURS.  Specifically, people who have left their previous career and have little-to-no prior professional food experience, but are taking a risk to pursue their passion of launching their own food business.  They must be planning to open a brick-and-mortar space (restaurant or singular food ideas welcome) before the end of 2011 (for our pilot) or Spring of 2012 (for our series).  Those chosen will receive culinary & business coaching from a major celebrity chef and restaurateur, as well as invaluable national publicity.  If interested, contact Heather Briggs at hrb@embassyrow.com.  Serious inquiries only.

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Roasted Red Potato Fries With Po'dunk Sauce

Podunk.

It's usually used as a term for a small, backwoods, in the middle of nowhere place.  So when Alexis suggested I name the dipping sauce for these oven roasted fries "Podunk Sauce" I looked at her like she was crazy. 

But she clarified, "You know, you 'dunk' your 'po'-tatoes in the sauce."

Okay, she was right, cute name.  But don't tell her that, she'll be impossible to live with. 

As far as the potatoes, this is a basic way we do our roasted potatoes.  Sometime we quarter them, sometimes we do them as fries like this.  The herb mix I used tonight was half fresh thyme and half fresh oregano. 

Roasted Red Potato Fries with Po'dunk Sauce
Servings:  4 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs red bliss potatoes cut into sixths
• 1 Tbsp fresh herbs, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp oil

For the sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt (I used Drapers A.P. Rub)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flake

Instructions

1. Mix the sauce ingredients together and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450f.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the potatoes and then when it returns to a boil, cook for 1 minute.  (This step may seem unnecessary but it gets you the tender inside and crispy outside.)
4. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet flesh side down or use a preheated cast iron pan for extra crispy crusts.  Roast for 12 minutes.
5. Flip the potatoes and roast another 12 minutes.
6. Turn onto the skin side and roast 5 more minutes.  
7. Remove and serve with the Po'dunk sauce

Cut your potatoes in half, then each half into three wedges.

[Standard Disclaimer]  I received a variety 4 pack of hot sauces from Cholula for free.

Boneless Top Sirloin Petite Roast

I found a new favorite cut of beef today - the boneless top sirloin petite roast.

Barely medium rare at 132f, perfect for us!

And get this....it is extra lean.  Yeah, I know, that "extra lean" would normally make me assume it is "dry and tasteless" too but nothing could be further from the truth.  Earlier this year, the American Heart Association certified three cuts of beef as "extra lean", meaning they have met the AHA's criteria for low cholesterol and saturated fats.

• Boneless top sirloin petite roast
• Top sirloin fillet
• Top sirloin kabobs

I was checking out a "boneless top sirloin petite roast" at Food City when a nicely dressed woman asked if she could ask me a few questions.  At first I thought she was hitting on me because that happens all the time (ha ha!).   She was conducting an in-store survey about consumer views on lean beef and related marketing.

She and I talked some after the questionnaire and I learned a lot more about the nutritional value of these cuts.  I was going to buy the boneless top sirloin petite roast anyway because I thought it looked fresh and perfect for the grill.  Knowing they were lower in saturated fat AND cholesterol than a boneless skinless chicken thigh made that decision even easier.

I was wary of the "extra lean" factor but wanted to avoid covering it with a lot of sauces that would just add fat back in.  Instead I threw together a "Cajun-ish" flavorful wet rub and fire roasted it.

Fire Roasted "Cajun-ish" Top Sirloin Petite Roast
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 lb boneless top sirloin petite roast
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 3/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp dried minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp white pepper

For the au jus

• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 clove garlic, peeled but left whole
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• sprig of fresh thyme (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to 350f.  Have the grill set up for a two zone fire so you can switch from indirect to direct heat.
2. Whisk the oil and seasonings together into a "wet rub" and slather this rub all over the roast.
3. Combine the au jus ingredients in a pan.
4. Roast the beef over indirect heat on a rack directly over the au jus pan until it reaches your desired degree of doneness.  We prefer rare/medium rare so I cooked mine for about 50 minutes until it reached an internal temperature of 130f.  I also like to flip my roast about half way through the estimated cooking time for even cooking.
5. Sear roast over direct flame for about 1 minute per side to crisp and darken the outer crust.  Whisk and strain the au jus into a warm bowl.
6. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with the au jus

Notes
You could cook this in an oven and then pan sear it at the end or just crank the oven temp up to 500 for the last 5 minutes.

When I sampled the first slice off of the cutting board I was immediately impressed.  It is melt in your mouth tender like beef tenderloin but has the rich flavor of a strip loin steak.  The flavor of the beef really shines and the little spicy kick of the rub didn't overpower the tastes but added to it.   The family readily agreed.  We will definitely be adding this rich yet healthy cut o' beef to our shopping list regularly.

Did I mention...it is steak and has less saturated fats than a boneless skinless chicken thigh!?!  (Learn more at www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com)

See why I was going to buy it anyway before I knew the health benefits?

Look for the "Heart Check" symbol on your meat aisle.

A loaf pan sized foil pan fits perfectly to add the drippings to the au jus.

Searing direct at the end helps form a flavorful crust.

Make it a meal - Fresh green beans, garlic/rosemary roasted potatoes, and the au jus.

[Standard Disclaimer] I received no compensation for this post although I did receive a $20 Food City gift card for participating in their questionnaire at the store.

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Stracciatella

A cold steady rain arrived in East Tennessee today and 3/4ths of our clan are also figuratively "under the weather".  

It is one of those days that you just want to crawl up under a blanket with a good person, a captivating book, or hell, even something good on TV.    You just don't want to be spending hours in the kitchen after working all day.

Those circumstances call for soup.  It's easy to make and it heals & warms from within.  I decided to go with an egg drop soup from Rome called Stracciatella.  Several recipes I saw said that it is named after an Italian word for "little rags" for the pieces of egg but others said it simply means "torn".   Alexis had some left over yeast roll dough in the freezer so we baked them in small balls and tossed these mini rolls in some garlic butter. 

The bowls are hand made by Benji and Melissa at Stony Clay Station in Lenoir City

Stracciatella

adapted from Joy of Cooking (1997)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese
• 2 Tbsp dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat a large sauce pan over medium high heat.  Add butter and saute the shallot until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
3. Mix the eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, and garlic together.  
4. Steadily pour the egg mixture into the simmering chicken stock, stirring rapidly for 30 to 60 seconds.  Don't worry if it looks like someone boiled a paper towel to shreds at this point.  Remember the name?  
5. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper.  I used 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper

 It was just what the doctor ordered! Alexis said it reminded her of the Sopa de Ajo we often make when feeling under the weather.

[Standard Disclaimer]  We pay full price for the Stony Clay Station products that we use and receive no compensation. 

Upcoming Gameday Giveaway

I saw something cool on the NatGeo channel this morning on a show called "Brain Games" that explained why humans enjoy being spectators so much.   They looked at a key reason behind things like:

• why we get so worked up over a football game, 
• why we subject ourselves to scary movies, or
• why we tease ourselves, drooling over someone's food blog (I added this one).

The show attributed our voyeuristic enjoyment on mirror neurons.  When we watch one of these activities, inside our brain our neurons are firing similarly ("mirroring") to as if we were participating in the activity ourselves.

So when you are reading a food blog and see a picture like this for example.... (click for recipe)

In your brain, some neurons are firing just like mine did in real life when I was tasting the sweet, smoky wings and mouth watering beans.  

Relax, there is no such thing as "mirror calories".

October is a big month for spectator sports.  Baseball championships are underway, football is in full swing, and NASCAR is in the chase for the points.  To help you enjoy your mirror neurons, the fine folks at Bush's Baked Beans are sponsoring my October "Gameday Giveaway" with this prize package!

It includes 2 Bush's Beans chairs, enough beans for 20 tailgaters, hotdog/brat griller, hamburger press and a fun cooler with built in powered speaker system to play your MP3 tunes or listen to the pregame show (MP3 player not included).  

Bush's also sponsored a tailgate party for my friends and family this week at one of my son's football games.  We had "bulldawgs", stacked burgers, Bush's Baked Beans and more.  I'll post about that AND the giveaway details next weekend.  

In the mean time, here are a few quick & fun tailgating tips that I use:

1. Small bites = quick cooking and convenience.   Sure ribs & roasts are great but burgers, hot dogs, wings and brats cut down on prep time, cook a lot faster, and let you spend more time socializing.
2. "Smoke the competition" with game themed food names.  Have fun with your menu and eat your competition.  For example, if you are playing against the Falcons, serve hot wings and call them "grilled Falcon wings". (or Blue Jay, Orioles, Eagles, etc)
3. House Rules:  If you are tailgating onsite, find out the stadium rules BEFORE you go.  Many places are now enforcing strict rules for tailgating including WHEN you can start and whether open flames can be used. 

I have to run.  The Jaguars game starts in 30 minutes.  We may stink this year but I still like to watch the games and get my "mirror neurons" fired up.   

[Standard Disclaimer]  I received compensation from Bush's Beans for this post but any opinions are my own.  I have used and posted about Bush's Beans long before ever entering a sponsorship with them.