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Get Ready for Tailgating Season!

Tailgating Recipes

#1   Armadillo Eggs
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese
12 large jalapeños, whole and seeded
2 pounds loose (UNCOOKED) sausage: options can include Andouille, Breakfast, Deer, etc.
24 Slices of Applewood Smoked Bacon

Stuff each jalapeno with cream cheese. Then use a ball of sausage about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Flatten sausage into a 1/4-inch thick disc and place stuffed-jalapeño piece in the center. Wrap sausage around jalapeno, pinching sausage closed to completely encase jalapeño. Gently roll sausage in your hands to create a smooth egg shape. Repeat with remaining sausage and jalapeños. Then take egg shaped jalapenos and wrap an even layer of bacon around each egg.
To cook either use direct heat on the grill, cooking on each side approximately 3-4 minutes, for a total of 12-16 minutes, to ensure thoroughly heating thru to the center.
or
Place in smoker for approximately 30 minutes to achieve even color and temperature.
Glaze with your favorite BBQ sauce or eat them as is.

Pierce a few holes in the skin of the eggplant (to avoid explosion) and grill over medium-high heat turning every 7 minutes, for a total time of 30 minutes, until the skin is blackened and the body is nice and soft. If you do not have a grill you can roast your eggplant in a 375 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. 

Remove eggplant from the grill and let cool. 

Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard. Place the eggplant flesh in a colander and drain for 10 minutes. In a food processor, combine garlic, lemon juice, tahini and parsley and pulse to combine. Add the eggplant flesh, season with salt and pepper, and continue to pulse.  Adjust the flavor with more Tahini or lemon juice if you prefer. If it's too bitter for your liking, add a bit of sugar or honey.  

Serve with Pita chips. 


#3   Grilled Pineapple Kabobs with Vanilla Citrus Syrup
Ingredients: 
1 vanilla bean or 1 Tbl-spoon Vanilla extract
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 
1/2 cup  squeezed lime juice 
Pinch kosher salt 
1 whole pineapple 
8 metal skewers

Combine all ingredients into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. (If you use the vanilla bean let the mixture set for 2 hours before using.)  Let cool and store in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator. Peel and core the pineapple cutting it length wise to produce eight, from top to bottom, equal sized spears. Skewer pineapple and coat with the syrup and grill on all 3 sides at least 3-5 minutes each side, approximately 9-15 minutes total cooking time or until tender. Serve with remaining sauce.