BARRISTER BITES By: Angelia M. Nystrom, JD, LLM University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
FLAVORS OF FALL AND FOOTBALL I love Fall. After what seemed to be an endless summer, Fall has finally arrived. And I could not be more pleased. I love everything about Fall: the crispness of the air, the smell of a fire burning in the fireplace, the changing leaves, and the clothes. But most of all, I love football. Especially Vols football. Win or lose, I am there… and I always stay until the band plays the Tennessee Waltz. Hugh has always said that the whole of Knoxville rises and falls with UT football. His theory is that people are in a better mood when the Vols win. Restaurants are full. People are shopping in our local stores. Cash is flowing. The local economy is booming. Life is good. When the Vols lose, though, the mood of all of Knoxville changes. Until recently, mine did, too. I cried when they beat Florida a couple of years ago. And I’ve cried when they have lost. This year, though, I decided that, whether the Vols win or whether they lose, I was going to be happy. My plan was to embrace the season and all of the good things that it has to offer, but especially the tailgate. Whether the team wins or loses, the tailgate offers an opportunity for a really fun party. I saw this firsthand a few years ago at The Grove at Ole Miss. Whether the Rebels are winning or losing, the Ole Miss faithful know how to throw a proper party. I said at the time that Ole Miss always wins the tailgate. And I decided that this year, the tailgate could be my “win.”
My favorite Big Orange tailgate libation happened by accident. I’m not a fan of orange juice or orange sodas, so I had to get creative. I do love peaches, and I had a couple of bags of frozen peaches in the freezer. I combined the two bags of frozen peaches with a bottle of moscato wine in the Vita Mix and then prepared on the smoothie setting until it had a “smoothie” consistency. It’s really easy… and really good.
While I’m really good with the décor, I’ve never been great with tailgate food. I’m a bit OCD with having food that matches the color scheme, so it’s been a challenge. Cheese puffs are easy. Other orange foods are not. I also have a hard time making “small bites” that people can eat quickly. Much like the Vols, though, I have not been deterred. Bacon-wrapped tater tots with a chipotle dipping sauce have been the clear winner this football season. To make them, get two large bags of tater tots and two packages of bacon. Slice the bacon in half and then wrap the tots with the bacon and place on a baking sheet, crease side down. Bake at 450 until the bacon is done (about 25 minutes). For the sauce, mix ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 2 TBS brown sugar, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and 2 TBS of the adobo sauce. Pulse in a food processor until smooth. Skewer the tots with toothpicks and serve with the sauce. I promise that they will not last long. They are yummy goodness on a toothpick.
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I’ve also become a fan of Bloody Mary chili. My sister found this recipe in the NASCAR cookbook a few years ago and has used it to win several chili cook-offs in Northern Virginia. She told me that it was fantastic… and fantastically easy, and it really is. To make the chili, brown 3 lbs of ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. When cooked completely, drain and set aside. Chop one large onion and one large green pepper. Cook in 2 TBS olive oil until soft (about 5 minutes). Combine ground beef, onion and green pepper in a slow cooker. Add 2 TBS chili powder, 1 TBS cumin, 2 TBS red pepper (I like it hot), one 46 ounce bottle of Bloody Mary mix (I like Tom’s), one 15 oz can of red beans, one 15 oz can of kidney beans, and one 15 oz can of black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 2-3 hours. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese for a little orange and white. You can also add chopped scallions, and/or my favorite… Frito’s.
I will usually get a pre-made cheese ball (Food City’s pineapple cheese ball is great), form it into the shape of a football, and then use chives to make “football laces.” It is really great with Sociables crackers. For something sweet, one-bite brownies from the deli section at the grocery store cannot be beat. Of course, I always welcome my friends to bring their own additions. (Trace always hopes someone will bring chicken wings.) If you ever come to our tailgate party, he likes traditional wings with the fire rub from Big Kahuna or wet wings from Calhoun’s. To me, Fall is the best time of year. It’s filled with all of the things I love: cool air, warm clothes, changing leaves and Volunteer football. No matter what happens on the field, if we have been able to spend time each week with friends and share a meal, then I count it as a W.
DICTA
Happy Fall, y’all. And Go Vols.
November 2019