Homegating Party: Bringing Tailgating Home
Football. Parking Lots. Grilled food. Three unmistakable signs that a new season is here – tailgating season.
If you can’t get to the game, or if you’re unwilling to deal with the hassle of tailgating at stadiums, why not get into the spirit by hosting a tailgating party at home. “Homegating” is a great way to spend Saturday or Sunday with family and friends, and it’s a lot less pressure and money than packing it all up and bringing it to the game.
Here are some tips to help you score big with your homegating party.
- Stock on with kitchen and bar accessories.
- Prep and marinate meat before the crowd arrives. Mix dips, cut up fruit and chop veggies so everything is grill-ready for game time.
- Serve individual-sized appetizers and finger foods – like sliders (see recipe below) and mini tacos. Serve them buffet style so you can actually watch the game without your guests going hungry!
- Cover your sofa with a slip cover in your favorite team’s color, and keep spot remover or a carpet and upholstery cleaner on hand for the inevitable spills. You might want to also have paper towels or rags in waiting, and a ready washing machine wouldn’t hurt either.
- Don’t forget to remove breakable items – For your rowdy fans or when the game comes down to the wire.
- Ask your guests to get in the spirit by wearing the colors of the team they are rooting for.
- Before the kick-off, rally your teammates for some backyard competition. Toss around a football or play a game of frisbee tag – just make sure all activates take place a safe distance away from the grilling area.
- Keep the grill close to the action, that way, the cook can talk with guests during the game.
- If you’ve got a big crowd coming, set up an extra, portable grill or a small smoker.
- When the weather gets cooler, fire pits offer a place to warm up while watching the game outdoors. They also create opportunities for more activities, like making s’mores. Fire pits, smokers and pizza ovens make the party more interactive for guests.
- Create a kid-friendly zone – Your young children more than likely don’t know who’s playing in the championship, and probably don’t care either. Dedicate a safe space for them to romp around and have their own playtime. Put out a craft table and let the kids decorate posters and or color.
- Buy face paint and ask someone to transform your young (and young-at-heart) guests into football fanatics.
- We all know the television is the center of the action. If you have a large crowd or just want optimal viewing no matter what, consider purchasing a big-screen TV and a good sound system.
- Set up an extra TV for friends who want to tune into other games, as well.
- Set up portable wireless Bluetooth speakers for stadium sound, so you can tune into the pre-game or halftime show from all corners of the yard.
Recipe: Kalamazoo Sliders
Kalamazoo Sliders
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 red onion
- extra virgin olive oil
- fine sea salt
- 4 pretzel rolls, about 3 inches in diameter
- 1 pound (15 percent lean) ground beef
- 4 ounces Cambozola cheese, cut into chunks
- 4 cocktail skewers
Directions:
- Prepare the grill for direct grilling over high heat, about 700 F grill grate temperature.
- Slice red onion into 3/4-inch thick slices. Oil both sides and season with salt. Reserve.
- Slice pretzel rolls. On dessert plate, pour oil and dip cut sides of each roll to coat evenly. Season oiled side with salt. Reserve.
- Form ground beef into patties 1-inch larger in diameter than rolls and about 3/4-inch thick. Recess center of patties so when burgers plump, they will turn out flat.
- Brush each patty on all sides with olive oil and season with salt.
- Grill onion slices until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill, break slices down into rings and reserve.
- Grill beef patties, turning once, 3-4 minutes per side. Flip patties, adding large ring of onion to each patty. Add small ring or two of onion inside larger ring. Add cheese on top of onion.
- While cheese is melting and bottom of patties are cooking, lightly grill rolls.
- Gently remove burgers when done and transfer directly onto pretzel rolls. Skewer each burger.
Photos courtesy of dollarphotoclub.com and MuscogeeMoms.com.
