Tailgate Tuesday: Christmas Crunch

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

Christmas crunch is a sweet and highly addictive version of the typical Chex Mix party snack. Everyone goes crazy over this treat when Matt's mom makes this at Christmas (or at least I do)! This weekend, I decided to try it on my own, and it was really easy. Here is the simple recipe for converting basic Corn Chex into a perfect caramel crunch. Add some Christmas M&M's and you will be ready for your tailgate!

Christmas Crunch
*From Jeanne Snyder

17.5 oz. box of Corn Chex or Crispix cereal
2 C. brown sugar
1 C. butter
1/2 C. white Karo syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
M&M's

-Cut paper grocery bag just above the fold so it will fit in your microwave. Dump cereal into the bag.
-In a pan mix together the brown sugar, butter, and Karo syrup. Let boil for 30 seconds. Stir in the baking soda.
-Pour hot mixture over cereal and mix gently, but well. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir gently and repeat. Spread onto aluminum foil to cool.
-Break into pieces and add holiday M&M's. Store in Tupperware. Enjoy!

Tailgate Tuesday: Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

Matt and I visited Wisconsin this last weekend so cheese has been on my mind. With the Lions playing the Green Bay Packers this Sunday, I have a cheesy tailgate food for you. Cheese-stuffed burgers are a twist on the basic cheeseburger. Forget the sliced cheese on top-this version results in a delicious melted cheese center!

For a tailgate, try making mini burgers with a variety of cheeses to try. With most of our grills away for the season, make these on a grill pan on the stove or broil in the oven. Have fun!

Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

3 lbs. ground beef
steak seasoning
4 oz. of cheese (colby, goat cheese, brie, blue cheese or others)
8 hamburger buns
topppings

Separate beef into 8 equal mounds. Place a piece of cheese in the center and press firmly with your hands to form a patty. Sprinkle with steak seasoning or spices of your choice. Grill for 4-6 minutes a side, or until center is lightly pink. Serve with a variety of toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, avocado, bacon, or sauteed mushrooms. Enjoy!

Tailgate Tuesday: White Chicken Chili

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

We loved last week's Buffalo Chicken Dip and thought that we would continue with another spicy dish for this week. For the Dallas Cowboys game we are making a flavorful White Chicken Chili. With the weather getting colder in Detroit you will enjoy this warm meal while watching the game at home!

White Chicken Chili
1 lb. chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1 1/2 C water
1 t. chicken base (or replace water with chicken stock)
1 can of white northern beans, drained (or pinto beans)
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of tomatoes (use a kind with green chilies for a kick)
1/4 C. red pepper, diced (or green or jalapeno peppers)
1 t. each of cumin, paprika, and chili powder

Cook onion and garlic in a pan with oil. Add chicken and cook until done. Add pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook together for a few minutes and then add to a slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5 hours. Serve with cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream. Enjoy!

Tailgate Tuesday: Soft Pretzels

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

Soft pretzels are a delicious snack and would be a huge hit for a tailgate! We made some pretzels with kosher salt and some with a cinnamon and sugar topping. If you want to spice it up, serve with dipping sauces, such as cheese salsa or honey mustard.

Soft Pretzels (Makes 6-8 pretzels)

Ingredients
3 C flour
1 T dry yeast
1 t sugar
2 T softened butter
1 1/3 C water
1/4 t salt

3 C water
3 T baking soda
2 T melted butter
coarse sea salt or other toppings*

Directions
Preheat oven to 450F.

In a stand mixer or large bowl, stir 1 cup of flour, yeast, sugar, and 2 tbs. butter. Add 1 1/3 cups of water. Let the mixture stand until bubbles form (about 15 minutes). Stir in the salt and gradually stir in the remaining 2 cups of flour until dough can be picked up a kneaded. Knead bread for about 8 minutes (or use dough hook on a stand mixer) until it is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if needed.

Put 3 cups of water into a wide sauce pan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, divide dough into 6-8 pieces and let rest for a few minutes on a floured surface. Roll, loop, and twist into a pretzel shape.

When the water is boiling, remove from heat and add 3 tbs. of baking soda. Use a slotted spatula to dip pretzels into the water for about 45 seconds, one at a time. Place pretzels on a greased baking sheet. Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt*. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden. Enjoy!

*Variations: cinnamon and sugar, or cheese and pepperoni

Tailgate Tuesday: Tailgate Chili

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

Fall is the perfect time of year to make chili. I think I have made this thrifty dinner 3 times already this season! This is my latest version that I based off of my mom's recipe. I usually change it each time, so add whatever ingredients you like! You cannot go wrong with making chili. This is a great meal to take in a crock-pot to a tailgate on a chili day!

Tailgate Chili

Ingredients
1-2 lbs. ground beef
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 diced onion
1-2 cans diced canned tomatoes (a kind with chilies adds a spicy flavor)
1/2 diced green pepper
ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
paprika
chili powder
cumin

Directions
Brown meat in a pan until done. Add to slow cooker along with beans, onion, tomatoes, and green pepper.

Add several tablespoons of ketchup and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Season with paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/2 cup of water if needed.

Cook on high for 3-5 hours until all ingredients are cooked and it is full of flavor. Serve on noodles or Frito chips and top with sour cream and shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Tailgate Tuesday: Cream Puffs

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

Catherine, a true baker at heart, always wanted to try making homemade cream puffs. Since Lions are playing the St. Louis Rams this week, we thought they would be a great fit for this game!

We were nervous at first, thinking that the cream puffs would take too much work. By following our adapted recipe from allrecipies.com, we had no problem! As long as you have all ingredients ready to go, you can make these in no time.

It may be interesting to adapt the filling by changing the flavor of the pudding. We did the traditional vanilla, but feel free to be more creative! Enjoy!

Cream Puffs (adapted from allrecipies.com)
~Makes 12 cream puffs~

* 1 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1/2 cup milk

* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/2 cup water
* pinch of salt
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1 tsp. sugar

Directions

1. Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
3. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs, mixing immediately. Continue mixing for 2-3 minutes until it has an elastic texture. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry. Immediately after removing from the oven poke each with a toothpick to allow the steam to vent.
5. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.

Tailgate Tuesday: Miniature Cheesecakes

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

We are girls, so we have to include cheesecake somewhere in this football season. What could be better than eating a scrumptious Philadelphia cream cheese desert while the Lions play the Eagles? (Well, a win maybe). These miniature cheesecakes are easy to make, and you can add whatever topping you like. We guarantee that they will be gone before the first touchdown!

Miniature Cheesecakes (adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (Philadelphia brand!)
  
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• fresh strawberries, pie filling, or other topping
• whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins paper liners.
2. Place one vanilla wafer into each paper cup.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool. Top with a teaspoonful of topping and whipped cream.

Tailgate Tuesday: Italian Beef Sandwiches

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

When it comes to Chicago food, Italian Beef sandwiches are a favorite. In honor of the Lions playing the Chicago Bears this week, we decided to make this Chicago staple. These sandwiches remind me of when my RA staff at Calvin College had Italian Beef sandwiches from Portillo's. Amazing!

I found several recipes online using a slow cooker and chuck roast to replicate these juicy sandwiches. A little bit of planning ahead in the morning results in an easy meal at dinner (or tailgate!). Served on toasted hoagie buns with melted provolone cheese and sauteed green peppers, these sandwiches are a perfect fit for some hungry football fans.

Italian Beef Sandwiches
1 3 lb. chuck roast
3 C water
2 t beef base
1 t ground black pepper
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t crushed red pepper
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper
sliced provolone cheese
hoagie buns

In the morning, trim the fat off the meat and place in a slow cooker. Combine the other ingredients (except the green pepper and cheese) in a liquid measuring cup and microwave until warm. Add to the roast and cook on low for 10 hours. After 8 hours, remove the bay leaf and shred the beef and place it back in the liquid and let cook for another 2 hours.

Cut the peppers into small strips and cook in a pan with some olive oil. Heat over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, until they are soft and begin to brown. Set aside.

When the meat is done, serve on toasted hoagie buns with a lot of extra juice and the green peppers. If you really want to make them tasty, place them under the broiler with provolone or pepper jack cheese!

*Adapted from http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/italian_beef.html Check it out for some history behind the Italian Beef Sandwich! The slow cooker version is adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/slow-cooker-italian-beef-for-sandwiches/Detail.aspx

Tailgate Tuesday: Cornbread Two Ways

Our friends over at The SideLion Report recently recruited us for a series of posts dedicated to tailgating and football. Check back every Tuesday for a new recipe relating to football or tailgating. This week we will start the series off with two recipes for cornbread, a sweet family favorite from Catherine and a savory and slightly spicy recipe from Jennifer. For some Lions fans, cornbread has a special meaning as hopes run high for a good season so this is a great way to start off the series.

Catherine's Sweet & Easy Cornbread

1 box of Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix
1 box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix
3/4 C of milk
1 T of water
2 eggs

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan or line muffin tins with papers.

Mix all ingredients well and blend for 3-4 minutes. Pour batter into greased baking pan or muffin pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove when a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Jennifer's Green Chile Cornbread

1 c flour
3/4 c yellow cornmeal
1 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 c fat-free buttermilk
2 eggs
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies, drained
3 tbs. butter, melted
1/2 c. low fat shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Combine the buttermilk, eggs, chiles, and melted butter in another medium bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently stir in the cheese. Transfer the batter from the pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake until the edges are golden, 17-22 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Cut into 12 squares and serve warm.

*Taken from WeightWatchers My Turnaround Cookbook.