Saturday Night Tailgate: Week 8 (College Football Edition)

10/26/2013

This week, I'm changing things up a little and hosting my tailgate on Saturday night when my alma mater, the Penn State Nittany Lions take on arch rival Ohio State. I spent many years going to Penn State games and have fond memories of standing out on a cold October night with 110,000 friends, cheering the Lions to victory. Beaver stadium, as I remember it, would get so loud that you couldn't even hear yourself yelling. And when we'd chant "We Are . . . Penn State!" you'd get a double-echo. (In other words, the echo was loud enough to echo.) Great times! To celebrate those memories (and hopefully spur PSU on to a W), I'm going to be making some great dishes. As always, this week's menu features dishes so simple and delicious that even a college student living in the dorms and cooking on a hot plate can make them. (Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but they are still pretty easy to make.)

Oven Baked Zucchini Rounds

These vegetarian treats are a long-time favorite and incredibly easy to make. I know there's supposedly some sort of fued between those who like Miracle Whip and those who detest it (really? I didn't know people cared that much.) But I think the salad dressing adds a nice zing to this recipe. If you aren't a fan, you can use egg whites as a substitute.

1 or 2 large zucchinis (depending on how many rounds you want to make)
1 small jar of Miracle Whip (you won't use it all)
1/4 c. Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, for coating (you may need more)
1/4 c. Grated Parmesan cheese, for coating (you may need more)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Cracked red pepper, to taste
Pam cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, and pepper together in a shallow bowl.

Slice the zucchini into silver-dollar sized rounds (a small zucchini is best for this), about 1/4" thick.

Spread a bit of Miracle Whip on both sides of the zucchini and roll it in the bread crumb/Parmesan mixture.

Bake for 8 minutes and then flip the zucchini coins and cook for another 5 minutes. If not cooked enough, bake three minutes more and check again. (You want the zucchini to be a little crisp, but not undercooked or too crunchy.)

Flat Iron Steak Salad with Homemade Sweet and Sour Dressing

A Pittsburgh classic, steak salad is a great tailgate food because it combines your protein, starches, and vegetables into one delicious (and filling!) dish. Native Pittsburgh-ers eat their steak salad on a bed of French Fries, and that brilliant trend has made its way east to other parts of the state, including State College. Salads are fairly easy to make, and so that should leave you plenty of time to whip up my homemade Sweet and Sour recipe, based loosely on the Sweet n' Sour dressings at local PSU favorites The Deli (where I ate my very first steak salad ages ago) and Mario's.

Oh, and you absolutely want to use a flat iron steak if you can get your hands on it. Why? Because it is the best, most flavorful and tender cut of meat you can get, and it's relatively inexpensive. (That's right, I said best. Sorry Filet Mignon.) It's a long, plank-shaped cut. And it's uniformly thick, which means it takes a marinade well, and cooks evenly on the grill, on the stove top, even in the oven. You pretty much can't ruin this rich and meaty steak.

Note: You can add any of your favorite salad toppings to this recipe to fit your own tastes. When it comes to adding toppings, just eyeball it. Whatever looks right to you is going to taste best.

A 1-2 lb. Flat Iron Steak
Marinade (I used a Mesquite Jack Daniel's EZ Marinade pouch)
Mixed Greens (I like a mix of mesclun, arugula, romaine, and spinach)
Carrots, shredded
Celery, chopped
Cucumbers, sliced
Radishes, sliced
Grape Tomatoes
Red bell peppers, chopped
Scallions, chopped
1 egg, hardboiled and sliced
2-3 strips of pepper bacon, cooked and crumbled
Blue Cheese, crumbled
Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Freshly cracked black pepper
Frozen French Fries (I used garlic flavored fries for my salad)

Marinade your steak the night before. (If using a marinade pouch like the one described above, you may need to cut the steak in half.)

The next day, when you are ready to prepare the salad, bake your fries according to the recipe on the bag. While they are cooking, take your steak out of the marinade and sprinkle with coarse salt and cracked pepper.

Whether cooking the steak on the grill or in a lightly oiled pan, you should use medium heat and let it cook for about 8 minutes per side or until cooked to your desired level of doneness. After cooking, let it sit for 2-3 minutes before slicing it across the grain into 1/4" thick strips.

Mix together your salad vegetables. Lay down a bed of fries, top with the cheddar cheese, then the vegetables, the sliced hardboiled egg, bacon, blue cheese, steak strips, and the cracked black pepper. Top with salad dressing (recipe below)

Homemade Sweet and Sour Dressing:

4 TBSP Ketchup
3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBSP Honey
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBSP Chopped scallion
1/4 tsp. Dry mustard
1/4 tsp. Garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. Ginger paste
1/4 tsp. Paprika
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cracked black pepper
Pinch of dried/dehydrated onion
Pinch of Parsley, chopped (fresh or dried)
6 TBSP vegetable oil

Mix these ingredients well in a salad dressing carafe. (This is best if made the night before and refrigerated.)

Chocolate Beer Floats with Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

Chocolate and beer are one of the best combinations of all time, and beer floats have become something of a trend over the past few years. I figure why not make a beer milkshake by blending your ice cream concoction? (Especially since this might be my last chance to make milkshakes before the weather turns too cold for frozen treats.) The trick to this recipe is using an ice cream that has a high fat content. To ensure this, I'm using my homemade chocolate ice cream, which I make with my Cuisinart ice cream maker.

3/4 c. dark beer (I used Boddington's because it's creamy but not too bitter)
2 1/2 c. Chocolate ice cream (homemade recipe below)
2 TBSP Chocolate syrup or sundae topping
Whipped cream, for topping (optional)
Chocolate sprinkles or miniature chocolate chips, for garnish

Blend the beer and ice cream until smooth and top with sprinkles or chocolate chips. (Makes 2 shakes)

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

1 c. Chocolate milk
1/2 c. Granualted sugar
1/4 c. Packed brown sugar
Pinch of salt
2 c. Heavy cream
4 TBSP Chocolate syrup
1 tsp. Pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, sugar, and salt, until thickened. (The sugar may not completely dissolve.) Stir in heavy cream, chocolate syrup, and vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

When ready, pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and run the ice cream maker until thickened (about 15-20 min.).

Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours.

EAGLES PREDICTION: Win! -- Well, I really screwed up my prediction last week, but I'm hoping to get back on track with this week's pick. Since I don't make predictions about college sports, I'm keeping my focus on the Eagles as they host the New York Giants. Rematches are always tough, but the Birds should have Vick back behind center, and even though the Giants beat a weak Vikings squad on Monday night to grab their first win of the season, I don't see them making a big turn around. Count on the Eagles to sweep the series this year.

MY RECORD: 5-2

All recipes listed above come from my own imagination unless otherwise indicated. If you try one of these recipes in your own kitchen, leave a comment below and tell me how it goes. And, of course, share your modifications, enhancements, improvements, etc.