WEEK 3: VIKINGS vs SF 49ERS

ANCHOR STEAM BEER, SAN FRAN CHICKEN, and RICE A RONI

Only thing else we need is a win today in our home opener vs the Niners and we're set. The first and last are self-explanatory. Here's the middle...SKOL VIKES!:

SAN FRAN CHICKEN

This is a slight variation of a recipe I found a long time ago in a book by John Madden I had years ago. His recipe is a little different (called Sicilian BBQ Chicken, and came from San Francisco), but he inspired this dish:

Marinade: 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons Oregano, 3 cups white wine, 8 garlic cloves, minced, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 cup black olives sliced thin, and a dash of cumin.

Use Chicken Breats, bone-in, or boneless, doesnt matter.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a tupperware container. Shake well. Let stand 1 hour. Grill Chicken Breasts (1 per person?) skin side up for 10 minutes, turn over and grill another 5 minutes. Stcik BBQ'd chick in an Iron Pan, and cover with marinade. Cover with foil and cook on direct heat 40 minutes. Serve with Rice a Roni, and Anchor Steam Beer.

WEEK 2 (&10): VIKINGS at LIONS

The Detroit Lions are known for two things: Losing...and playing on Thanksgiving. Since Detroit isnt the mecca of food, and Turkey Day is 2 months away, I figured a nice smoked turkey would be a great week 2 meal.

SMOKED TURKEY

1 10 lb. Turkey

Hickory and Fruit wood

3 tblsp. Brown Sugar

2 tblsp. Seasoning Salt

2 tbslp. Paprika

2 tblsp. Garlic Salt

1 tblsp. Black Pepper

2 tblsp. Onion Salt

Apply dry rub to turkey, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the AM, satrt the smoker, 50% each wood, and add 2 cups white wine and a dash of oil to the water pan for the drippings, which will be the gravy.

Smoke 1 hour per pound.

Skol Vikings! Lets go smoke their asses today!

Week 1: VIKINGS at BROWNS

Todays Opponent: The Cleveland Browns, and the Dawg Pound.

In doing research for my tailgate, it was noted that early settlers of Ohio floated down the river from Pittsburgh by raft in search of new land. I can just picture that now. "Hey Johnny, let's leave this city where they win Championships and float on over to the Neverland of sports ...we'll call it Cleveland."

Today's Beer:

DOGFISH HEAD INDIAN BROWN ALE

No, it's not brewed in Cleveland, or even Ohio. It's brewed in Delaware...But it also has a 99 Beer Rating, and a ton of meaning behind my choice. Let's examine:

DOG...as in their fans, the Dawg Pound.

FISH...as in Stinks, like they do.

HEAD...the body part of Brady Quinn's which will be removed from his shoulders by Jared Allen.

INDIAN...the name of their sucky baseball team.

BROWN...the name of their sucky football team.

ALE...beer

Today's Food:

T-BONES...a Dog's Favorite.

3 T-Bone Steaks, cut one inch thick.

1 Larg. Ziploc Bag

1/2 cup honey

Juice of one lime

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tbls. spoons stone ground mustard

1 chipotle pepper

1 long red pepper

4 cloves minced garlic

1 tblsp. garlic salt

1 tblsp. black pepper

1 dash cinnamon

Tenderize steak with back of butcher knife

Put steaks in bag, along with marinade, shake and marinade for 3 hours

Preheat grill for 3 zone fire (bank coals into 3 mounds)

Cook untouched until juices start to seep mthrough top.

Flip and cook 5 more minutes.

Serve with BBQ vegetables, corn or rice.

SKOL VIKINGS! VALHALLA AWAITS!

Labor Day Lunch

Up here in NJ, Mexican food and that summer flavor are going to be gone soon. So I figured we'd have some Tex-Mex on this Labor Day weekend.

The Side: Spanish Rice and Beans

2 cups whole grain rice
1 can Goya pinto beans
1 diced onion
1 diced tomatoe
1 tblsp. paprika
1 long green pepper
1 16 oz. can tomatoe sauce
8 oz. Water
Garlic Salt
Olive Oil
1 dash ground cumin

1. Coat pan with olive oil, and cook rice on medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add peppers, onion, diced tomatoe, and all of the spices and saute' for another 5 minutes.
3.Add tomoatoe sauce, pinto beans (drained), and the water. Stir and cover.
4. Simmer on medium-low heat for approx. 15 minutes or until water evaporates.


The Dish: Char-Steak Fajitas

What we do here is actually grill the skirt steak directly on the coals.

2 lb. Skirt or Flank Steak

Chipotle Powder,Black Pepper,Garlic Powder

Olive Oil

1. Rub it completely with olive oil on both sides

2. Sprinkly both sides with the spices. Marinate 2 hours minimum.

3. Preheat lump charcoal grill. When coals are ready, spread out and throw steaks on for 1 minute on each side. Remove and serve on warmed tortillas, along with a topping of sauteed onions and peppers.

Welcome To My Blog

The fall is finally here, which means that the best 4 months of the year are upon us! NFL, and NCAA football starts, the MLB playoffs get under way, the nights are crisp, the days have perfect weather (at least here in the Northeast), its Oktoberfest, the holiday season, and best of all Prime Grilling Season.

As a life long Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Tigers, and Notre Dame fan, missplaced here as a cruel joke by the Man above, in the Northeast U.S., I take my game day backyard tailgates seriously. A lot of thought goes into my preparation. Sometimes I wish just as much preparation goes into the game plan for our team. I usually like to theme my meals and beverages around our opponent. Either by their culture, what they're known for, a little history, or maybe even having some fun with their name or mascot.

I'm creating this blog to share with and inspire those of us who aren't culinary professionals, but like a good cookout, and doesn't need someone on TV to tell me how to do it right. Cooking is like beauty. It's in the Eye of the Beholder....and the taste buds. Most of all as long as it brings folks together for a good time that's not work-related, it's a-ok in my book.