AU fans know how to celebrate — deliciously

As promised, I trekked about six miles around the Auburn University campus hunting for the finest tailgate fare. Here’s a taste of what I found.

Janine Slick and a group of friends have been tailgating for more than ten years.  Janine is a terrific cook and her tailgating has real style. Don’t be surprised to find tablecloths, real china and incredibly, silver service.

Baked Garlic-and-Herb Cheese Grits

• 4 cups water
• 4 cups milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups uncooked regular grits
• 2 (6.5-ounce) containers garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring first water, milk and salt ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in grits and return to boil.

Cover and reduce heat to low, stirring often. Cook 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in spreadable cheese, Parmesan, and pepper.

Gradually stir about a quarter of the grits mixture into beaten eggs. Add remaining grits mixture, stirring constantly. Pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake at 350º for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and set. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon and parsley.

Casserole may be prepared and chilled up to 24 hours before baking. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake as directed. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon and parsley.

Chunky Apple Cake

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2    cups sugar
• 2    large eggs
• 1    teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2    cups all-purpose flour
• 1    teaspoon baking soda
• 1    teaspoon salt
• 2    teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4    Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 1    cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 13×9-inch pan.

In a large bowl, stir together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until blended. Set aside. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring until blended. Stir in apple and 1 cup walnuts.

Spread into 13×9-inch pan. Bake for 45 minute or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts if desired.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1  package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 3  tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In an electric mixer at medium speed, blend cream cheese and butter until creamy.

Gradually add sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Jill Borders’ family has been tailgating for years in the spot on Mell about half way between Samford and Thach. You can’t miss their festive tailgate tents emblazoned with  “War Dam Fam Jam” —their “official” title. The cheese ball recipe is Jill’s, and Melissa Pigg contributed the black beans recipe.

 

Cheese Ball in a Bowl

• 8 ounces Cracker Barrel’s Sharp Cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces Cracker Barrel’s Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 2 ounce jar diced pimentos
• 2-3 tablespoons sliced black olives
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 2-4 tablespoons mayonnaise (enough to bind the cheese)

Stir ingredients in a medium size bowl and serve with crackers.

 

Black Beans and Feta

• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can white shoe-peg corn
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 8-ounces crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Stir the black beans, corn, and onions. In a separate bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, and sugar and stir into the black bean mixture. Put mixture in a flat serving dish.

The mothers of Alpha Chi Omega gather in front of Cary Hall. Stephanie Haugen gave me this recipe for a rice salad.

Cold Rice Salad

• 1 box long grain and wild rice cooked according to package directions and cooled
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 cup dry cranberries
• 1 cup toasted pecans
• ½ cup prepared sweet-and-sour dressing (I used Ken’s)

This can be made the night before the game.

Mix the cooked rice, green onions, celery, and cranberries. Stir in the sweet-and-sour dressing and chill. Just before serving stir in half of the pecans. Sprinkle remaining pecans on the top.

Tom Gallagher, husband of Lee Magazine’s very own Lisa, does the cooking for their tailgate under  the large trees in the yard of the old forestry building on Mell Street. Deep fried turkey might rule the roost at many tailgates, but this trashcan bird is so moist and delicious I can’t wait to try it at our own tailgate. Even though I had not heard of this method of preparing turkey, Tom assured us there are even kits available. But he really likes his homemade setup.

Trash Can Turkey

Set up:

• 10-gallon galvanized metal trash can
• 30-inch wooden stake with a hole drilled about 3 inches above the halfway point.
• 12-inch nail or bolt to use as a cross bar
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil
• 10 pounds charcoal

Drive the bolt through the hole in the stake to form a cross. The turkey will rest on this bolt, so it should be a snug fit.  Clear dried leaves and other debris from a 3-foot-square area. Drive the stake about three inches into the ground. Cover the ground around the stake with aluminum foil.

Ingredients:

• 12-pound turkey
• 1/3 jar of Cajun Injector Brand Marinade Creole Butter or other injectable marinade.

Start coals in small grill so they’re hot when it’s time to put the bird on. Inject marinade into all parts of the bird. Place the turkey onto the stake, legs pointing down, so that it rests on the crossbar. Cover with garbage can. It should touch the ground. Pour hot coals atop can and all around the base of can.

Cook for 90 minutes. This tender bird may fall apart when can is removed.