Tailgate, Take five

I am getting pretty good at this tailgating thing, if I do say so myself! No boring burgers or dogs here! Not that there is anything wrong with them once in a while, but I think keeping it exciting is important. This week, I went with the same theme as last time and did a panini again. This time, the inspiration came from Food Network Magazine and their 50 Great Panini booklet from the October Issue. My partner in crime this week was Amanda, and we went with #20, the Steak and Gruyere Panini.

Curious about what's in that other foil??? Stay tuned! :)

Rain was definitely an issue, and I was very afraid that we would end up sad, soggy sandwiches, but we made friends with nearby tailgaters and shared their tent. I still got pretty wet, but it was worth it for this delicious pre-game treat!

Yes! That's Asparagus! At a Tailgate!! I told you I keep it exciting!

 Not pictured, chocolate croissants I baked the night before. Yes, I am that good!

A poppin' good time

It's no secret I love good dip, maybe a little more than the average person! Being Football Season and all, I am getting plenty of opportunities to try new dips! This week, another Rachael Ray play on a traditional dish, the Jalapeno Popper. Yes, it's a Jalapeno Popper Dip In all honesty, it tastes exactly like eating a popper! Smoky jalapenos, melty cheese and a little crusty on top..., yes please!! Not overly spicy, just the right amount of kick. Another tick in the win column!

And yes, that is my new Rachael Ray Bubble & Brown, thank you for asking!



and I helped!

Don't judge me, but I got an urge for Shake 'N Bake the other night. Now it has been quite a few years since I have made Shake 'N Bake. Did you know there are  a ton of new flavors available? It's not just chicken or pork anymore people! I was a little overwhelmed, but I ended up deciding on the crispy buffalo. You can never go wrong with spicy, right?! Here are my Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tenders.

To go with my old-school favorite, I decided to spice up my potatoes with a Horseradish Potato Gratin. Smooth, creamy, crispy topping and slightly spicy...definitely not what you normally expect out of a side of potatoes!

Can you see the bubbles of goodness there in the corner? Yum!

For dessert, I tried to go the healthy route, but you would never know these Blueberry Bran Muffins  (something else I haven't had in decades) were low-fat. Sweet, soft, loaded with blueberries, you coulda fooled me!

Throw in a salad, and you've got one heck of a Sunday Supper! (and leftovers for days) It may not seem super-fancy to you, but sometimes going old-school is just the comfort you need on a fall evening. Mmmm, feeling very warm and cozy right now!



silly sausage

I love pizza (who doesn't?) and I adore dips, so why would I not love something called Sausage Pizza Dip?! Yes, it is every bit as good as it sounds! Basically, it's a sausage pizza in a bowl for your dipping pleasure. Take a look at this bubbly magic right out of the oven:

Add some french baguette for dipping...

And you have a lovely plate of dipping deliciousness!

It may not look like much, but it really tasted like eating your favorite takeout pizza! With only a few ingredients, it was simple to make and a sure crowd pleaser!



a little taste of Cali to sweeten my day!

It's no secret I miss Cali pretty much every day; either the friends, the culture or mostly, the food! So I love it when I come across something that brings me back to my Cali days, and the new Eco Yogurt Lounge does just that. Self serve Cali-style healthy frozen yogurt? Yes please! With it's techno music, leather couches and changing neon lights, I can just image this place on a Friday night with all the local college students nearby!

I always go with the California Tart (naturally!) with Strawberries, Granola and Chocolate chips:

Whereas others go for something sweeter:

That's cookies-n-cream yogurt with Oreos, cookie dough and brownie bites for Amanda!

All that love for usually about $3.50. Not bad at all! Not as good as making it at home, but it'll do when I need a sweet treat during the week! ;)

Tailgate, take four

For the majority of our tailgates, I let the decisions of what to make be made by my brother, Scott. This time he did not disappoint! Inspired by a sandwich he had in a hospital cafeteria, of all places, this panini is not normal tailgate fare. Then the question was, how do you grill a panini in a parking lot? Foil covered bricks, of course!

Inside that sandwich is salami, pepperoni, ham, provolone and a good slathering of Italian dressing. A few minutes on each side, and it turned into a crusty, melty sandwich of goodness. Serve it up with some of Tammy's homemade potato salad, and that is one filling meal...enough to carry one from pre-game to post-game!

What did we name this lovely concoction??? The FININI!!!! Get it? lol!

And to wash it down? Jello shots, of course!

All in all a great tailgate! The outcome of the game was not as good, but (and I am getting tired of saying it) at least the food was good!

Pocket full of Sunshine

You may remember this post about a gadget I was coveting- a dumpling press. Well, I did one better, actually five times better- because I got this lovely 5 pack of dough presses! So, now what? Well, I had a ball on Sunday trying some of them out. Check out the sampling of the treats:

Pepperoni Pizza pockets with Marinara dipping sauce

Potato/Chorizo empanadas

Steak Fajita pockets with homemade salsa

Apple Turnovers

Sweet Potato Empanadas

Mmm Mmm Mmm! Mouth watering just thinking about it! So, the presses didn't work as well as I hoped, partly because of the the dough being room temperature and the filling being hot, but I will give them another shot. I have three other sizes to try, I am thinking potstickers and dumplings in my future! :)



Baba, oh baby!

Some of you may recall the post I wrote about Talia's Tuscan Table a few months back. Well the genius behind that lovable and addictive Italian restaurant has now expanded and opened Baba's Shrimp Shack right next door.  Finally, fresh, affordable seafood in South Florida! They had their grand opening party on Saturday, and boy was it party for the ages! I have never seen such a crowd for such an event. A true testament to Chef Andy and his reputation for good food and fun! Just look at the crowd, spilling out all over the parking lot:

That's me with Chef Andy in the Captain's hat and bell...told he was was fun!

There was even a band rockin' the house!

The party continued inside as well:

The place was so packed, that I only got to sample a few bites of food, but what I did try was tasty. You may know that I am not a huge seafood fan, so for me to say it was good, it another true testament to Andy's expertise. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it and had a great time! This happy customer says it all!

Best of luck to you Chef Andy! If this party is any indication of your success, then you have a lifetime of busy days ahead of you!

I Relish the thought

I have heard so much about the new hamburger spot, Relish in the last few weeks, I just knew that it was a place I had to check out for myself. I did my research and was very excitied! Very simple concept- Pick your protein, pick you relish (topping) and make your own creation. I have to say though, I was a little overwhelmed by the menu upon arrival. They have every protein you can imagine (lobster anyone?), and an array of delicious relishes. How does one pick just one of each?? Well, I already know I will be returning to try other tasty options! On this visit, I went with the beef burger, cheddar cheese and the sweet&salty bacon relish (chunks of smoky bacon in a sweet jam). I also went with the polents fries with the parmesan romano salt. Yes, you get to design your own fries too!

They forgot my cheese, and was cooked waaaay past the medium I asked for, but it was still yummy, and I definitely couldn't finish it all. The polenta fries, by the way, are the bomb!

My friend Matt went with the black bean burger with the guacamole relish and the polenta fries with the chipotle salt.

You thought my burger was big? Check out the size of that this thing! Spicy, moist and delicious, his burger was a definite hit!

Also on the menu but I didn't get to try are milkshakes that sound heavenly: Fluffer Nutter, Chocolate Truffle, Salted Caramel...yes please! I'll make sure to save room next time. Although my order get a little messed up, I still really enjoyed my visit to Relish, and look forward to going back soon!