Monthly Archives: January 2014

“When you invite the whole world to your party, inevitably someone pees in the beer.” Xeni Jardin

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Practicing for the Super Bowl!

Practicing for the Super Bowl!

So the big game is coming up. You’re the guy with the big screen and the beer tap. You’re having way too many people over and you know something is going to get broken, the neighbors are going to complain and your wife has no intent of helping you with the food.

Here’s how to survive.

1                     Share the bounty. Ask people to bring something along with the beer. Salad, chips, popcorn, veggies (I was made to put that one in) and dip, anything that will lighten your load.

2                     More little food is better than big food. People want to snack. Change from burgers to sliders. You don’t want everybody to fill up on one thing.

3                     Timing is everything.  Work backwards from your scheduled time. Do something low and slow that you can prepare ahead and leave alone to take care of itself. Chili, stew, pulled pork, or brisket. Something that you can prepare and walk away.

4                     Only do one thing that needs immediate attention. If your doing wings, burgers, nacho, or something that has to be done at the last minute, have all your prep work done. Have the BBQ lit and up to temp. Have the veggies for the slaw shredded and ready to go for the last minute dressing. Have the beer in the fridge. Get as much done as possible before hand. Planning ahead means more eyeball time on the big screen.

5                     Don’t experiment! Go with your strengths. Doing something you’ve never tried before is for later. If you screw it up your chances of getting a pizza delivered to fill that void is slim. Remember this is the busiest day of the year for pizza delivery.

I’ve devised my menu on Seattle and Denver plus a little extra. Coffee rubbed brisket with a low and slow smoke served with slaw on dinner rolls. Denver chili over coals because I’m not doing a Denver omelet.   Bacon wrapped, jalapeno stuffed chicken legs. I love the option of chicken legs over wings. They reduce the amount of effort when you think about it. The average person will eat 5 or 6 wings but only 1 or 2 legs. When you have a large amount of people it reduces what you’re juggling on the grill. These are started about 45 minutes before anyone shows up but were assembled earlier in the day so they’re good to go for game time.

Remember, sharing, bite sizes, timing, prepping, and going with your strengths.

Lastly, have an exit plan. Plan on getting everyone home safely or making sure they have a place to stay. The day after the Super Bowl has the largest number of people calling in sick. Did you book a vacation day because your boss knows you’re not sick!

Last night was my first time on FanSidedRadio. Pre Super Bowl talk and food ideas for the party.

Check it out!  bit.ly/1mQpDfn

Be well and eat well

Scott

“You can’t get into the Hall of Fame unless you limp.” Casey Stengel

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This month in Tailgater Monthly! Me!

Everything, (well maybe too much information), that you’ve ever wanted to know about me and were afraid to ask!

Too much smoke! Just a little! What I do for my art!

Too much smoke! Just a little! What I do for my art!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.tailgatermonthly-digital.com/tailgatermonthly/20140102#pg26

“Reality is frequently inaccurate.” ― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

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What's for dinner when there's nothing to cook!

What’s for dinner when there’s nothing to cook!

So the cupboards are bare after the holidays. That’s a good thing. But not tonight! It’s -20c with the wind chill and I’m not going out. Too damn cold.

I have sausage meat, pasta, and various canned products. So fire up the BGE and let’s see what happens.

Canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, and the ground sausage and we have a sauce for the penne to bake on the BGE. A little flour, yeast, and water and we have a loaf for the cast iron pan. With a little imagination you can take what you have and create something from scratch without a lot of effort. Taking a look around made the bread into a garlic and onion loaf. A little left over red wine in the sauce and with parmesan rind to cream it out and dinner is served.

The idea is not to be spectacular every time but to add a little creativity, thought, and imagination. Although the sauce was made inside, (-20c outside just to remind you) the pasta and bread was baked outside to add a little smoke, flavor, and love.

We’ve all seen chopped and Iron Chef and the black box concept. Sometime you just need to look in the freezer and pantry to come up with something. Use your imagination! Substitute! Change it up and see what happens. Recipes are guidelines and are not carved in stone. The cooking police will not show up at your door and you might just find a new creation to add to your arsenal!

Be well and eat well!

Scott

Baby it's cold outside!

Baby it’s cold outside!

 

There's nothing better than fresh baked bread!

There’s nothing better than fresh baked bread!

“There’s an alternative. There’s always a third way, and it’s not a combination of the other two ways. It’s a different way.” David Carradine

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I’m feeling a little philosophical today. It’s a new year with new opportunities.

There’s always a different way, an alternative to your destination. If one road doesn’t get you there, take a look around and you’ll see that there is another road. It may not be the one you were expecting, but it most likely the one you need to take.  It might be hidden behind a few bushes or shrubs, but it’s there. Just look for it and you’ll find it.

Christmas and New Years are behind us. 2014 has presented itself and is open to all possibilities and whatever we want to make of it.  My mother use to spend New Year’s Eve cleaning the house. She said that she didn’t want to take the dirty from the old year into the new one. That’s my advice to the world. Leave the dirty, chaos, and past behind. Look for new opportunities, change your outlook, and find that new path that is hiding behind that shrub. There’s no resolutions that won’t be broken, but new outlooks always stand high above resolutions.

Happy New Year world!

Scott Tait

The glass is never half full or half empty. It's full of opportunity, or waiting for the next one!

The glass is never half full or half empty. It’s full of opportunity, or waiting for the next one!