Football Fever
I am trying to be one of those supportive football wives, the ones who pull out their jersey and sit on the couch with the rest of the family glued to the game. But quite frankly, it has never really appealed to me. I know, I know blasphemy. What can I say? I like my quiet Sundays at home, without the ambient noise of 40,000 fans in HD surround sound. However, as I do have a patient partner who puts up with me recording five hours of Oprah every week, I can give him a few hours of Wisconsin’s favorite team.
We passed through Green Bay a while back on a trip to Door County, and I learned that apparently all roads there lead past Lambeau field. (At least as said by the football fan who was doing the driving.) We stopped for a tour and, while I thought it was an impressive structure, I didn’t feel chills or channel the ghost of Vince Lombardi giving inspiration speeches. However, I do appreciate the history of the game and the spirit of the Green Bay fans. I love the way people put their newborn babies on the season ticket wait list, hoping the kid gets it before he/she turns 40. Now that’s team dedication.
Despite my whining, I don’t consider myself a football “widow”; I will even occasionally sit down and watch a game if I don’t have anything better to do (like dust under the beds or wash the family cat). To be a good sport, I even I try to organize our meals around the game; however these noon kickoffs wreak havoc with my plans for a traditional Sunday roast lunch. I like it best when they are scheduled later in the day. Somebody call the NFL for me, would ya?
Let’s face it football food is man food--and usually the three basic man food groups—grease, crunch and barbecue. I realize I’m generalizing here, but really, have you ever seen a chicken Caesar salad on a tailgate menu? Um, no. When I do cook for a game, I’ll try and put together some snacks and finger foods—things easy to eat in front of the TV. And the recipe below works really well.
Things on a stick go well with football—like primitive man spearing meat over an open flame after butting heads to gain possession of a few yards.
What do you prepare for your game time feasts?
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Lightly adapted from Guy Fieri’s recipe on the Food Network
10 strips thick cut bacon cut in half
20 medium-large shrimp, shelled and deveined (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 Tbsp honey
3 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground pepper
Soak 5 to 8 bamboo skewers in water for about 20 minutes to keep them from burning on the grill or under the broiler.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet until halfway done, about 4 minutes. (You can do this also in a microwave for a minute or so—watch it carefully.) Some of the fat should have rendered out. Wrap a piece of bacon around the middle of each shrimp; skewer with bamboo through the point where the bacon ends meet to keep it from unraveling. Thread 3 to 5 shrimp on each bamboo skewer.
Puree the barbecue sauce, oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, chipotles, cayenne pepper and a pinch of freshly ground pepper in a blender. Set aside half of the sauce for dipping.
Preheat a grill or broiler. Grill or broil shrimp (on a foil-lined baking sheet, if broiling) for about 5 minutes, basting with the sauce once they begin to turn pink. Flip, baste again and grill or broil until just cooked through, about 4 more minutes. Serve with extra sauce.
Lisa Parsley is a Janesville native writes about food and cooking for Gazettextra.com. Lisa is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. Her opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
Nov 4, 2010 at 10:17 a.m.
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Good one w8nc! Buffalo Chicken Dip is always popular. I also like making chili for football games. I make up a basic chili and then have a bunch of different toppings for people to add as they like. For toppings I usually put out shredded cheese, onions, green peppers, sour cream and tobasco or other hot sauce. I also whip up cornbread muffins and set out crackers to enjoy. Mmmmm... makes me hungry thinking about it.
Nov 4, 2010 at 9:43 a.m.
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Here's an easy recipe that always gets rave reviews. It's a football or anytime of year favorite. Enjoy!
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients…
4 chicken breasts
2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1 – 12 oz bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 – 16 oz bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
8 oz shredded cheese (any kind), optional
1 cup chopped celery, optional
Directions…
1)Cook chicken breasts, either by boiling or baking. Let them cool down until they are not too hot to handle. Once they are cool, shred them with forks or use your hands to shred them.
2)In a saucepan, heat the cream cheese until smooth.
3)Remove the cream cheese from the heat. Add the ranch dressing and hot sauce. Add the chicken and celery (if desired) to the mixture.
4)Cook or Bake - Pour the mixture into a crock pot and heat on low. Top the mixture with cheese. OR Place the contents into an oven safe dish, top with cheese, and bake for 15-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
*Serve this dip with heavy chips. I suggest bagel chips or tortilla chips as they are very sturdy. Another option is to cut bagels up into bite sized pieces and serve the dip with the bagel chunks.
Nov 4, 2010 at 9:01 a.m.
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Petty sure it is Better Homes and Gardens "The baking book" for the spanakopita.
Same brand book as the checkered red and white one. It has lots of good stuff in there.
Nov 3, 2010 at 6:21 p.m.
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beer and chip!they come ready to drink and eat
Nov 3, 2010 at 5:28 p.m.
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My fav easy peasy to do.
can of refried black beans in bottom of oven dish,layer sc,layer of cheese. You can spice it up how ever you like but don't forget cumin.
Bake until hot and melted. Dip with blue chips or whatever chips you like. Could add some whole black beans, chives, fresh tomatoes or whatever.
bacon wrapped water chestnuts -yum
chicken satay- cheat and go to oriental food(Woodmans) row and buy peanut satay and poor on top. bake or grill it.BTW- a new found topper to add a zing to it. Jalapeno jelly dabs on top.
Spanicopita isn't hard to make yourself and it is WAY better. Woodmans frozen row near the coolwhip for philo papers. Better homes and gardens "just baking" book has a good recipe. or is it a betty crocker book. Sorry I always goof up the name of that book.
Truth1- I didn't see what you wrote but if you don't prefer to watch sports like me you need some good food to eat IF YOU were to at least be invited over!
Yes those little smokies in a home ec recipe.
Grape jelly or whatever you like with chili sauce.
Nov 3, 2010 at 5:16 p.m.
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Football is all about snacks at our home. Tops on my list is Stumps Hot Olive dip with chips or crackers. Dip can be purchased at Pig in Edgerton. With a crock pot full of BBQ's and some potatoe salad....good to go!! Sometimes we even watch some football!!
Nov 3, 2010 at 3:07 p.m.
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vector sounds yummy!!! We have finger foods sometimes or sometimes make a roast and ham for sandwiches for halftime. Love football!!!!
Nov 3, 2010 at 12:35 p.m.
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eh, I read the original statement, which seemed a little trolly and bitter, but not worth taking down or commenting on further.
.
I think of football foods as small, savory little foods that require napkins but inevitably end up on the front of your shirt. Football/sports gives purpose to certain foods. The Lil' Smoky, for example, wrapped in crescent dough or steeped in barbeque sauce in a crock pot. There's always pizza rolls, but if I have time... mini quiches, or spanakopitas (onions, spinach, cheese wrapped in phyllo dough - yum!)
Nov 3, 2010 at 11:44 a.m.
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Gym class is not my life. But it is quite obvious you have some painful memory that is bringing back all these emotions over an article written about football. Picked last, couldnt catch a ball, hit in the man area because of lack of ability to catch said ball.....whatever it may be
Nov 3, 2010 at 11:23 a.m.
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johndenver- If "gym class" is your life, have at it.
Nov 3, 2010 at 11:19 a.m.
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LOLOLOL........my comment gets removed for passing an opinion on "professional" sports in general without making an attack or even mentioning anyone in person at all.....THATS just TOOO funny.!!!
Nov 3, 2010 at 9:40 a.m.
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Lisa, I cant wait for Sunday Football! His homemade greasy food and cold beer, and my good book, it dont get better than that!
Nov 3, 2010 at 8:34 a.m.
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"sickening stupidity"
"rather watch grass grow"
"idiotic garbage"
Guess we can tell who got picked last in gym class. If the first thing you could think of was watching grass grow I'd be willing to bet you do not have a "dozen interesting things to do."
Nov 2, 2010 at 11:18 p.m.
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