SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 29, 2014

 

THE RIVALRY IN TALLAHASSEE

I’m always for the Florida team that’s playing when it comes to football or basketball.  So when the Florida State Seminoles are playing another state, I’m behind them all the way.  But NOT today.  The Noles will be playing my Gators  in Tallahassee and I’m a die-hard Gators fan!

The Florida–Florida State football game is the big rivalry between the teams of the two oldest public universities of the state of Florida: the University of Florida Gators and the Florida State University Seminoles.  The first game in the Florida–Florida State series was played in 1958.

Osceola and Renegade are the official mascots of the Florida State University Seminoles. Osceola, representing the historical Seminole leader Osceola, and his Appaloosa horse Renegade, introduce the Noles football games by riding the horse to midfield with a flaming spear and planting it in the turf.

 

Osceola wears a Native American-themed costume that was designed and approved by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, consisting of leather clothing, moccasins, face paint, and a garnet bandana.  He carries a feathered spear and is accompanied by Renegade, an appaloosa horse which he rides bareback.

 

For the biggest game of the year (and the last game of the regular season), I’ve chose the quintessential tailgate food … chicken wings!  Fresh lime juice, a hint of cumin and a splash of tequila make these Tequila Lime Wings the perfect game-time snack.  Serve them alongside a homemade Buttermilk Dill Ranch.  Ahhhhh!

TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN WINGS

3 lbs chicken wings, tips removed, cut into drumettes and flats

Canola oil

Kosher salt

Pepper

Tequila Lime Marinade:

1/2 cup gold tequila

5 limes

3 tbsp honey or agave syrup

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp chile powder

1/2  Tbsp kosher salt

1/2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Buttermilk Dill Ranch:

1 cup buttermilk

1/2  cup mayonnaise (I use reduced-fat or substitute Greek yogurt)

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4  cup chopped fresh dill

1/4  cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Drizzle wings with about 2 tbsp oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat.

Arrange in a single layer on baking sheets and cook until crisp and cooked through, about 45-50 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time.

Meanwhile, whisk together tequila, the zest of 1 lime, fresh squeezed lime juice, honey, cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper.

Toss cooked wings in marinade to coat.  Increase oven temp to 425 degrees.

Line baking sheets with foil and arrange coated wings in a single layer, reserving the bowl of leftover marinade.

Bake again, turning halfway through cooking until glaze begins to caramelize and wings are crisp, about 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir in chopped fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Serve wings hot drizzled with reserved marinade and alongside fresh cut veggies and buttermilk ranch dip.

Recipe yields about 3 dozen.

MISSING TEBOW

It’s been a rough year for the Gators.  A few losses and now (after losing last week to South Carolina) our head coach (Will Muschamp) has been given the sack.  He’ll finish this season at Florida, but right now, we have no idea who will replace him next year, but I have an idea!  Bring Tim Tebow back to the Gator Nation!!!  We miss him so much and have since the day he graduated.  Who could possibly be a better Head Coach??? Tebow is currently calling the games for the SEC Network, but he wasn’t born to ANNOUNCE football, he was born to play it!  I feel he was black-balled from the NFL for his views and open stand on his Christian life.  So forget the NFL and come back to College Football and the Florida Gators, who always loved him. 

 

Today’s tailgate recipe is one that is so easy and so good.  Hope you’ll enjoy it!

CHICKEN DIP

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 (8 oz) brick cream cheese softened

1 can chicken

Stir ingredients together and put in a baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve with assorted crackers (Club, Ritz, etc.).

WELCOME TO THE NACHO NATION

Today brings us another great game for the Gators (Florida welcomes South Carolina to the Swamp) AND another great tailgate delicacy, NACHOS!  

The Gators beat Vanderbilt last week (34-10), so today deserves a very SPECIAL tailgate snack!  We're all really charged up here in the Gator Nation.

Nacho cheese is tasty and the first choice for children when it comes to dipping chips, veggies and crackers at a party or when snacking during family movie night.  It’s also a big favorite at stadium events, baseball or football games, concerts, drive in movies and watching your favorite teams at home.  Don’t tell me you’ve missed seeing one of these machines at your favorite sporting or recreational events!

Making homemade nacho cheese sauce is so easy you will wonder why you haven’t tried doing it yourself before this. A few little ingredients and you can make it mild or spicy depending upon your tastes.  More on that below.

NACHOS

The Cheese Sauce:

4 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of onion powder

4 tablespoons of flour

2 cups of milk

16 ounces of cheddar cheese

In a sauce pan under a medium to low flame melt the butter and flour together for about 4 minutes or until the sauce gets thickened.

Then add the milk and cheese to the pan stirring constantly until the cheese is completely melted which can take 8-10 minutes.

Once the nacho cheese sauce is heated thoroughly transfer it to dipping dishes and serve warm.  Or (the best way), drizzle generously over tortilla chips and heat either in the oven or the microwave.  Enjoy!

NOTE:  According to your taste preference, you can add chilis, chopped seeded jalapenos, and/or salsa (after it comes out of the oven).