Our featured recipes this month will help add some variety

and fun to tailgating line-ups to enjoy during high school, college or professional football games.

 Bourbon Brat Skewers

• ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 cups whole mushrooms
• ½ cup bourbon
• 2 medium sweet red peppers in 1 inch pieces
• 3 TB brown sugar
• 1 medium green pepper in 1 inch pieces
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 medium onion, cut in wedges
• ¼ tsp cayenne salt
• 16 oz uncooked bratwurst links
•  Cut into 1 inch pieces

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first 5 ingredients.  Add the vegetables; seal bag and turn to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Drain and reserve marinade.  On six metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the vegetables and bratwurst.  Spoon some reserve marinade over vegetables and bratwurst.  Grill covered over medium heat 15-20 minutes or until bratwurst is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes.

Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese Quesadillas

• 3 TB olive oil
• 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 6 8-inch tortillas
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 4 oz crumbled blue cheese

Warm oil in a large heavy skillet over low heat and add onions, salt, pepper and rosemary.  Stir to coat.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.  Uncover skillet, sprinkle sugar over onions and stir to combine.  Raise heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until onions are an even golden color, 12 to 15 minutes.  (Add a bit of water if skillet becomes too dry).

Preheat grill to medium-low.  Lay tortillas on a flat surface and spread onion mixture evenly over lower half of each.  Sprinkle cheese over onions and fold top half of each tortilla down over filling, pressing gently to adhere.  Oil grill, then place quesadillas on grill and cook until lightly browned and cheese has melted, 2 to 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.  Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges and serve.

Charred Corn Guacamole with Corn Chips

 

• 4 Tb Canola Oil
• 1 small red onion finely diced
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted & diced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 serrano chile, finely diced
• Blue, yellow & white corn chips
• 4 ears corn
• Kosher salt

Heat the grill to high.  Remove the husks from the grilled corn and discard.  Brush the ears of corn with 2 TB canola oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the ears until the kernels are lightly golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Remove the kernels from the ears.

Place the avocado in a medium bowl and mash slightly with a fork.  Add the corn, serrano, onion, lime juice, remaining 2 TB of oil, cilantro and salt and pepper and gently stir to combine.  Serve with corn chips.

Charleston Cheese Dip

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 8 Ritz crackers, crushed
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• Corn chips, crackers or bagel chips
• ½ cup grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, green onions and cayenne pepper.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish, such as a 9-inch pie pan.  Top the mixture with the cracker crumbs and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and top with the back.  Serve immediately with corn chips, crackers or bagel chips.

PB&J Brownies

Base ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 sleeve saltines (40 crackers)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ cup finely chopped roasted peanuts

Filling and Glaze ingredients:

• ¼ cup grape jelly
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 7 Tb + 1 Tsp unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Make the base:  Line an 8 inch square baking pan with foil, extending it over the sides.  Put the butter in a medium heatproof bowl; position the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water).  Once the butter melts, stir in the sugar and cocoa.  Whisk in the egg; cook, whisking, until the mixture is warm and the consistence of hot fudge, 6 minutes.  Remove from the heat; mix in the saltine crumbs and peanuts.  Press the crust into the pan.  Set aside the saucepan of water.

Make the filling:  Spread the jelly over the crust in the pan; place in the freezer for a few minutes.  Beat 5 Tb plus 1 Tsp butter, the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar with a mixer until light.  Spread over the jelly layer; return to the freezer while you make the glaze.

Place the chocolate and the remaining 2 TB butter in a heatproof bowl; set over the pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate is melted.  Remove from the heat; stir until smooth.  When cool but still runny, spread the glaze over the chilled peanut butter layer and freeze for another 30 minutes.  Use the foil flaps to remove the bars from the pan; cut into squares while still cold.  Serve cold and keep leftovers refrigerated.