Be an Angel: Bring the Deviled Eggs
For your consideration: The deviled egg is the perfect tailgating food.
Special-occasion snacks that are easy to make, they’re vegetarian-friendly. They’re fuss-free to eat. And, hello, they’re delicious!
Deviled-egg recipes are a dime a dozen (haha, get it?), but we love "Southern Living"'s idea of garnishing the half-shells with team-spirit toppings:
The Gator Bait Gobbler (Florida): Smoked salmon, sour cream and fresh dill
The Georgia Peach (Georgia): Fresh peach slices, chopped Vidalia onion and chopped toasted pecans
The Lowcountry (South Carolina): Peeled cooked shrimp and Old Bay seasoning
For easy transport, put all your eggs in a Snapware Snap ‘n Stack Eggtainer ($9 at Bed Bath & Beyond and Amazon).
Grilled Sausage with Spicy Sauce
Headed to the game with grub? Keep it simple, sports fan, with this recipe from “Iron Chef America’s” Duff Goldman.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds good-quality kielbasa or other smoked sausage
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Before you leave for the game, cut the sausages into bite-size pieces and soak eight to 10 wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill to medium and brush the cooking grate with oil. Thread the sausage onto the skewers, leaving space between each piece. Grill until slightly crisp, three to four minutes per side.
Mix the ketchup, mustard and hot sauce in a bowl. Serve with the sausage for dipping.
(Recipe courtesy of Food Network)
As every diehard football fan knows, the fun of game day begins not with the kickoff, but with the flick of “on” switches in the parking lot.
First step: Crank up some tunes or tune in to the pregame show. Next: Pour your favorite potent potable. Then: Set out some chairs, roll out the grill and, come on, baby, light that fire.
With the college gridiron season upon us, we present our Big 10 Picks for Tailgating Like a Pro. From the new to the tried and true, these items won’t ensure victory, but they could help avoid the dreaded party fumble:
GrillEasy FireQube: It doesn't get easier than this single-use container made of recycled cardboard. Place the cube in your grill, light its wick and let an internal vent system do the rest of the work. As the container burns away, the lump charcoal hidden inside ignites and, within 15 minutes, stands ready to cook your burgers and brats. $9 at Grill-Easy.com
Blacktop 360 Party Hub: Fans of this circular grill, griddle, deep fryer and warming plate call it "a must have" and "a real attention getter." Fueled by a one-pound propane canister, the Party Hub boasts 452 square inches of cooking space, independent temperature controls, a cutting board and carrying bag. Hubba hubba! $279 at Amazon.com
Wonderbag Portable Slow Cooker: It sure isn't your mother's Crock-Pot. For starters, it's non-electric and portable. You simmer your meal (barbecue pulled chicken, anyone? Southern greens? creamy polenta?), then place the pot containing your chow inside the heavily insulated Wonderbag. The magic of heat retention will finish the cooking by the time you drive to the game and find a parking space, and it'll keep food plenty hot for hours. $50 at Amazon.com (for each Wonderbag purchased, one will be donated to an African family in need)
Grill Topper Hot Dog Branders: Make those dogs bark with school pride with Grill Toppers, which "brands" franks with your team's name. $20 at Amazon.com
Road Pro Portable Stove: If frying wings or tending a pot of chili isn't your idea of game-day fun, do the cooking ahead of time and rely on the Road Pro to reheat it for you. The little stove plugs into your car's cigarette lighter and warms food to 300 degrees in about an hour. $45 at CampingWorld.com
Cool Shots Mason Jar Shot Glasses: Add a touch of home to those rounds of Alabama Slammers (OJ, vodka, Southern Comfort, sloe gin and amaretto). $13 for set of four at HomeWetBar.com
Go Bar Portable Bar: You'll be a mixologist on the move with this high-top bar, which sets up in 60 seconds and comes with a decorative gridiron skirt. $100 at GoPong.com
Open-Mind Insta-Bench: A longtime favorite of soccer coaches looking to provide seating for their teams, this collapsible, portable bench can accommodate six adult football fans. $105 at Amazon.com
The Amazing Flying Coozie: It's the drink cooler that flies! Get your drink and your game on with this specially weighted coozie that can be thrown like a football. Currently available in 28 NCAA varieties, plus generic football, baseball and basketball styles. $10 at FlyingCoozie.com
Kan Jam: Played just like bean bag toss ("cornhole" to those in the know), but way more fun, say its fans. Easy to learn, too: You and your teammate try to throw a disc into a goal 50 feet away, and score 21 points before your opponents. $40 at DicksSportingGoods.com
About the Author
