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: Deviled Eggs

A great finger food for a tailgate is the old standby, deviled eggs. It is also a very thrifty appetizer or snack. I made these as an appetizer for thanksgiving and they went over very well. In my opinion some recipes taste better when they are jazzed up with different herbs and spices but deviled eggs aren't one of those foods, they are great just as The Better Homes and Gardens cookbook tells you to make them! Enjoy!

(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!)

Deviled Eggs (recipe from The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

6 Hard-Cooked Eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
Paprika and/or chives for garnish (optional)

Halve hard-cooked eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Place yolks in a bowl; mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar; mix well. If desired, season with salt and pepper. Stuff egg-white halves with yolk mixture. If desired, garnish with paprika or chives. Makes 12 servings.

Tailgate Tuesday: Thanksgiving Edition

With the Lions playing on Thanksgiving we thought it would only be appropriate to give you a recipe that you can serve on Thanksgiving. This is a recipe that is shared by both my family and Jennifer's in-laws. This comes from I believe my grandma but it could be farther back then that but we call it Janet's Famous Cranberry Relish because I believe it was my mother who perfected it. This will be on my Thanksgiving table this week and I hope it will be on yours too!

(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!)

Janet's Famous Cranberry Relish

1 lb. cranberries
1 navel orange
1-2 peeled apples
2 cups sugar
1 large (or 2 small) packages of raspberry jello
3/4 cups boiling liquid (the juices from the cranberry/apple/orange mix; add water, if you don’t have enough juice to make ¾ cup)

Grind together cranberries, orange (including peel – I cut it in small pieces and try to remove all seeds) and apple in food processor. Drain juices, but keep.

In a separate bowl add two cups of sugar and jello. Mix well and then mix in the other ingredients. Refrigerate over night. (It also freezes very well.)

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: Buffalo Chicken Dip

(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!)

This post is from our dear friend Patti, who is also Jenn's sister in law. Patti and I go way back with our cooking adventures and many of my favorite recipes come from Patti. With a football lover husband, Patti has mastered the tailgate foods and here is one of her favorites. I will now turn it over to Patti:

Buffalo Bills Buffalo Dip

The first time I had this spicy, creamy, perfect-for-tailgating dip was when my husband, SideLion Lead Blogger Zac Snyder, and I were camping with our friends. Though it was summer, the weather was rainy and bleak, much like fall weather here in Michigan, and this Buffalo Dip warmed us through and through. The combination of hot sauce and cream cheese make a knock-out combination for any football game. This delectable dip may make you wonder why you ever ate buffalo wings off the bone!

Buffalo Bills Buffalo Dip

Recipe taken from franksredhot.com

8 oz. package of cream cheese

½ cup Blue Cheese dressing or Ranch dressing

½ cup hot sauce

½ cup crumbled blue cheese and/or shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cans chunk chicken (drained) or about 1 ½ cups shredded chicken

Dipping items, like celery, carrots, chips and/or crackers

Steps:

1. Melt your cream cheese over the stove at medium heat or in the oven at 350 degrees, stirring gradually.

2. Mix in salad dressing, hot sauce and cheese.

3. Fold in chicken.

4. Bake the mixture at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the dip is heated through.

5. Enjoy with carrots and celery, or with crackers or chips.

Pumpkin Bread

This recipe is called pumpkin bread, but it should really be pumpkin cake because it is so moist and sweet! A few years ago, our Bible study leader brought this in for a treat. We all demanded for the recipe and thankfully, she gave it to us!

This is a great fall dessert. I made it for our small group the other day and everyone loved it!

Pumpkin Bread

Preheat oven to 325F.
Cream 3 cups of sugar and 2 sticks of butter or margarine. Add 3 eggs.

Blend in a 16 oz. can of pumpkin (small can).

Add:
1 t vanilla
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 t cloves
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
3 C flour

Bake in a greased pan (works well with a Bundt pan) for 1 hour. It is done when a toothpick comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar.