OCTOBER & NOVEMBER.........Enjoy Football, Fall Hikes, and Halloween

Football = Tailgating

I'm not a novice to football, not with a father who played semi-pro in college (until back injury), and brothers and son who played in their school years, but I had no idea how tailgating has grown.  To quote a football-loving friend, "tailgating is more than just a pre-game party-it's serious business combining friends, food and football". 

I believe that it is the camaraderie of fellow football fans, no matter what the game score,  that keeps Tailgating growing more every year. Here in New England it has become hugely popular due to more and more fans following our beloved Patriots football team. 

 Here are some tips I received from a self-professed “Tailgate Commissioner”:

decorate your tailgate site, fly a flag so friends can locate you, meet your tailgate neighbors, and leave the area clean. 

Also, snacks are a necessity so bring a good supply  of nuts, chips and brownies.

Here is an old favorite, the delicious and messy sloppy- joe sandwich.  They always go over big, and don’t forget your favorite chips.

Eat hearty and enjoy the game!

Sloppy Joes – Makes 5

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

 1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup condensed tomato soup

 1/2 cup ketchup

 3 tablespoons grape jelly

 1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

5 hamburger buns split

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain liquid off. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes until flavors are melled and mixture is heated through.

For an extra touch, lightly butter and toast the hamburger buns. Fill with meat mixture.

KICK OFF A GREAT TIME

Game-day treats Here are a couple of suggestions for “winning” snacks that I have seen done:
1. Sprinkle buttered popcorn with chili powder & toss.
2. Cut brownies in oval (football) shape. Use tube of white frosting to make football cross design on each.

Include in your menu “time-out” Chili-mac.

Chili Macaroni         Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound ground round
1/2 cup of each; chopped onion and chopped green pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni (cooked without salt or oil)
 1/2 cup water
  1 tablespoon chili powder
  1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of each; salt & pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 ounce) can no-salt added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (8.5 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, for topping

In a dutch oven cook ground beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is browned, stirring until meat crumbles. Drain well. Return beef mixture to pan; add cooked macaroni and next 10 ingredients (not cheese); stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep hot till ready to serve. Pass bowl of shredded cheddar cheese for topping.

 

HALLOWEEN FUN

I don't know about the children in your family, but my kids loved Halloween nearly as much as Christmas. They didn't have a clue, however, that I enjoyed it as much as they did. I loved fixing up something special such as "black spider" cupcakes, beef stew baked in a pumpkin shell, and for breakfast, these pumpkin pancakes. I would search magazines for some awesome and different ideas. I have several nieces now with young children that continue on the tradition and have well surpassed me in coming up with many clever and original ideas.

 

CREATE A SPOOKY TABLE.  For the centerpiece, buy a cut-out pumpkin with a light in it, or use a battery-operated candle inside. Place in center of table and throw a white sheet over it, gathering and tying at the pumpkin base. Cover base with string of decorations. (Keep in mind the Dollar Stores.) Spread out the sheet over the table. Simply scatter on the sheet candy corn, webbing, plastic spiders, and other creepy-crawly things you can find. Top the pumpkin with a black hat. When the room is darkened and the pumpkin is lit, it will look very spooky indeed. And eating meals there will be a special treat.

 

  When you make these pancakes you will have no trouble getting your trick or treaters to eat before school! Or, serve them for an early meal before trick or treat starts. (They may not eat as much candy!)

To make it easy on yourself do as much prep work the night before. For this recipe I would suggest (1) having all the dry ingredients measured in a mixing bowl. (2) In other bowl combine milk, egg, canned pumpkin and keep covered in frig. (3) When you are ready to make them, let milk/egg mixture sit at room temp a few minutes, then add oil and cook.

 

 Pumpkin Pancakes

Makes about 10 pancakes

Ingredients:

                        1 cup all-purpose flour

                        1 cup quick cooking oats

                        2 tablespoons wheat germ

                        2 teaspoons sugar

                        2 teaspoons baking powder

                        1/2 teaspoon salt

                        pinch of ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

                        1 cup whole milk

                        1 egg, lightly beaten

                        3/4 cup canned pumpkin

                        2 tablespoons vegetable oil

            chocolate chips or raisins for decorating

In a bowl, combine flour, oats, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Combine milk, egg, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour batter by one-quarter cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with butter and cinnamon sugar mix or syrup. Use chocolate chips or raisins to make smiley faces.

CHOCOLATE CHUNK PUMPKIN CAKE

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2teaspoon salt

6 ounces of semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into chunks

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

3/4cup butter, melted

6 eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With nonstick spray for baking, generously coat a 10 inch tube or bundt pan.

Put 1/2 cup of the flour in a small bowl with the chocolate chunks. Toss to coat

In a large bowl, combine remaining flour, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, soda, and salt. Whisk all together.

In another bowl, combine pumpkin, melted butter and eggs. Add this to flour mixture and stir till well mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks/flour mixture till combined. Pour batter into pan. Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Gently remove cake from pan onto serving plate.  Serve with molasses whipped cream.

Molasses Whipped Cream:

 In a chilled mixing bowl combine 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, and scant 1 tablespoon molasses. Beat with electric mixer till soft peaks form.

Place in serving bowl, pass with cake.

Glaze:

2 tablespoons melted butte

 1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk or light cream

 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Add butter to powdered sugar. Stir in milk and vanilla. Mix till creamy. Thin if necessary. Drizzle over cooled cake.

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FALL HIKES

One of the pleasures of serious hiking demands frequent snacking. Just a handful when you stop for a rest keeps your energy high.  A trail mix is what you want with a base of  low-fat, low-sugar granola, and items such as pitted dates, dried apples, cashews, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried apricots. (Bring enough to share and you will be popular.)  Avid hikers have learned not to be tempted with high fat /high sugar foods, which in the end can give you a sluggish feeling. You want wholesome food to look forward to after a strenuous day of hiking.

  My son Mark found the joy of hiking years ago. Besides hiking in many areas of New Hampshire, he has hiked in Hawaii, Alaska, and the Northwest. Now living in the "4-corners" of Colorado, he enjoys weekends of great hiking in the San Miguel Mountains.

Trail Mix Muffins

Note:  The less processed sugar, the more nutritious, and more energy.  Look for granola cereal with the lowest grams of sugar. When choosing choc. chips, dark chocolate is better for you.  Use as many ORGANIC ingredients as you can.

 Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup of whole wheat flour (I like King Arthur all natural white whole-wheat flour, it has a mild taste, and bakes nicely)

1 cup granola cereal

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup of each: chocolate chips;

chopped almonds, walnuts, OR dry-roasted peanuts;

chopped dried apricots or dried pineapple, or raisins

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12 STANDARD-SIZE muffin cups with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flours, cereal, brown sugar, chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, apricots, baking powder and salt.

In a smaller bowl mix together the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk mixture all at once, tossing with a fork until dry ingredients are just moistened. (Do not over mix). Spoon batter into muffin cups filling about three-quarters full.

Bake until tops are firm and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for a few minutes, than turn out onto rack to cool completely. Makes 12 muffins