Monday, September 20, 2010

Tailgating Time

I love tailgating!  And I'm not talking about the tailgating we did in college with warm beer and a hibachi grill that had enough room for a single burger or hot dog.  I am taking tailgating to a whole new level my friends!  I am talking some nice cold drinks, hearty sandwhiches, and plain old classing it up a bit. 

I got the most rocking cooler as a welcome gift at my friends wedding in July.  It looks similar to this Small Round Red Cooler and has become quite useful.   My husband & I can fit a bunch of waters, beer, and some sandwiches in it comfortably and it is easy to carry. When we attend other tailgates, we fill it and bring it with us every time.  However, if this size cooler isn't big enough and you are looking for something a little bit more substantial, who doesn't love a cooler with wheels? At $40 this Large Gray Cooler is a steal!  Abundant space for lots of delicious food and drink items and honestly, the wheels are the best part. 

A couple other needed items for a good tailgate (in my personal opinion) are a Good Tent for all you die-hard sports fans who will rough it no matter what the weather forecast and a Long Folding Table.   No my friends, the long table it not for beer pong, sorry!  The tent is key for inclement weather and the table really helps in laying out all your food & beverage options as well.  I always bring a nice looking table cloth, which classes things up a tad.   And there are great tabelcloth weights on Ebay or Amazon.com from $.99 to $8 (about 4 in a pack) to help keep things stationary when the wind blows. 

If you want to get really crazy, when it gets colder you can invest in an outdoor Space Heater powered by battery which will keep things warm before you rough it during game time!   Just make sure to turn it off before the game starts and do it far enough in advance that you can put it back in your trunk before you haed into the stadium.  I don't recommend leaving it in the parking lot to cool down.  Someone may sneak off with it.  Because that is how cool it is!    

And as a final FYI- it is perfectly acceptable for your friends to pitch in with food and drinks for the tailgate, especially if you are hosting.   They can also bring their own chairs too- this is not something you need to provide for everyone if you don't have enough for everyone.  Do not feel obligated to go out and purchase five more folding chairs for your friends.  Just make sure to let everyone know to bring their own chairs in advance and you will be set.

So bring on the beers and the kielbasa!  It's tailgate time and time to enjoy one of the best things about fall....FOOTBALL!  

Friday, September 10, 2010

It's Getting Chilly

I love fall!  I love when it's warm during the days but a little cold at night.  I love making excuses to have the girls over for wine (and gossip) and everybody makes a dish to bring so we can all share.  I miss Ladies Night so I thought I would bring out a delicious recipe and some tasty wine that goes with it and share with you all for your next soiree.

Nothing beats a cold night like some crock pot chili!   One of my absolute favorite things to make is this recipe and it so easy to boot.  When I make it for my husband and I, 1 lb of ground turkey meat is perfect.  It gives each of us a healthy couple of bowls and then we have a couple bowls for the fridge or freezer.  Since the theme is "Ladies" Night....plural....I doubled the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 lbs Cooked Ground Turkey Meat
1 Cup Coarsely Chopped Onion (I tend to mince it in the food processor)
2 Jars Salsa, 12-16 ounces (whatever kind you prefer)
1 Can Pinto Beans (drained & rinsed)
1 Can Yellow Corn (drained)
2 Tbls Chili Powder
1 1/2 Tbls Ground Cumin
1 Can Minced Black Olives (2-4 ounces)
1 Can Sliced Chili Peppers (2-4 ounces)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:
Mix together ground turkey meat, chili powder, ground cumin, 1 jar of salsa, pinto beans and salt & pepper and cook on low 5-6 hours.
Add remaining igredients, cook on low for another 1/2 hour or so.

Garnish:
Mexican Shredded Cheese, Hot Sauce & Sour Cream of your choosing.

This meal is hearty and good for you which is the absolute best part!

Since this is turkey chili, both reds and whites can go with this.  I would stick with the lighter reds though since it is turkey meat and not red meat in the dish.  A Pinot Noir would go nicely and on the white side, a hearty white, like a Chardonnay, would be good here too.  Chile makes some of the best wine (in my opinion) so I have chosen to go with their wines as a recommendation.  

Viña Cousiño Macul is a winery in Chile where all the wines are made from estate grown grapes.  They have a variety of reds and whites that can compliment multiple palates and dishes.  Their selection is strong and varied and is only carried at higher end wine stores.  Check with your local wine carrier to see if they offer any of the Viña Cousiño Macul wines as I highly recommend trying one of them with this dish!

Bon Appetit my friends!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

A Long Weekend Equals Party Time!

Labor Day has almost arrived!  Once again the summer has come to a quick end.  It has been SO HOT here in Maryland that I am actually looking forward to things cooling down a bit!  How about you?  I figured since it is still pretty warm out during the day but cooler in the evenings, a nice outdoor BBQ might be the best way to celebrate this upcoming Labor Day holiday!  However, BBQ's can be done one of two ways:  Classy or Trashy.  I think we'll go with a Classy BBQ to wrap up this sweltering summer. 


Let's start by focusing on a good table setting, shall we...

For a  Classic BBQ outdoors, I recommend sprucing things up a bit with some nice white plates and some decorative placements.  White means clean & put together so trying to find something white to tie into your event is a must!  Whether it's the placements or plates, try to use something that will help your guests feel comfortable eating outdoors.  And whether you have a wooden picnic or rod iron table, placements will definitely help make the table look cleaner and your guests will feel more comfortable eating off of it so using them or a nice colorful tablecloth is a good option.  Especially if the table stays outdoors all year long.   

When it comes to silverware, steer clear of plastic and use whatever silverware you have in the house! If you don't have any good silverware (or any at all) you can always purchase some fine plasticware that resembles silver. Mozaic offers 80 pieces of silver plasticware for $11.99 and you'll be surprised how much this stuff actually resembles silver! 

Adding a water pitcher(s) to the table with orange, lemon or lime slices can definitely add to the color scheme as well.  Not to mention you will keep your guests hydrated with deliciously flavored water which is key if you plan to have alcohol!   Crate and Barrel has some really nice pitchers and they aren't too expensive at all (ranging from $8-$50). 

Another nice addition to a "Classy BBQ" is to have a bar area with cocktail options instead of just a keg or bottled beer.  Finding a book or website that gives options for cocktails and finding similar cocktails that use the same ingredients can be fun and an inexpensive way to step up the party a bit.  For example, vodka can be used in multiple drinks (IE- Cosmopolitan, Vodka Tonic, Dirty Martini).  If you find a liquor that is diverse, you can buy some mixers and have multiple options without emptying your wallet.

And if martini's aren't your thing (or you want to have a couple options), I have also found some really great boxed wine that doesn't look or taste cheap. And 1 box equals 4 bottles!  Check out Black Box Wine as they have an array of reds and whites that are really tasty and quite affordable.  And who doesn't heart them some wine! 

And once the sun starts to disappear and the moon comes out, tea lights are a great option that is also pretty cheap.  I bought 250 tea lights from one of my fave sites Save On Crafts and it cost me $50 with shipping!  And if you tend to have some bugs in your backyard/patio area, try these Citronella Tea Lights from Amazon.com (100 for $14.99). 

Now when it comes to the menu, you can do really whatever you want.  But definitely know your guests likes & dislikes and if you have any vegetarians in the group that is definitely important as well.  Now that you have your decor, the menu can really go any way your taste buds take it!  

So enjoy the night and have a great time celebrating the arrival of the fall!  Hooray for parties!!