Gridiron Grub


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Gridiron Grub: Getting Sloppy

It’s official! As I sit down to write this post, summer has ended and by the time you read this, fall will have begin. To be honest, this part of fall is my favorite time of the year. Baseball pennant races are heating up and there is the promise of playoffs fast approaching. College football has been going on for 3 weeks and half the people are already knocked out of my last man standing NFL pools. Every weekend, the morning chill starts warming, right as the tailgate grills begin doing the same.
Those tailgates and house parties call for heartier comfort food, but it is hard to resist the temptation of the last summer produce. That temptation grabbed me when I visited the farmer’s market last weekend and saw some late tomatoes piled high. The tomatoes, and the fact that we are having a bunch of people over to see the Eagles beat the injury-plagued Giants this weekend, made me decide to whip up a batch of Sloppy Joes.
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Nachos Gone Wild!

With football season kicking into high gear, it’s about time for some serious snack talk. But you know us ES-ers aren’t gonna just crack open some Tostitos spicy cheese dip and call it a day. These 10 recipes are taking nachos to a whole new level.

1. Greek Nachos

Pita chips, ground lamb, and tzatziki stand in for the usual Mexican ingredients in this inventive Mediterranean take on Nachos.

Greek nachos recipe from elly says opa!

2. Chimichurri Nachos

It’s Argentina’s turn to get creative, topping their nachos with grilled steak and the country’s signature cilantro sauce.

Chimichurri nachos recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

3. Totchos

Yes, that’s tater tot nachos, and really, can anyone argue nachos wouldn’t be better when you replace the chips with crispy fried potatoes?

Tater tot nacho recipe from Riley J. Briggs.

4. Pasta Nachos

At San Francisco Italian restaurant Puccini and Pinetti, wonton wrappers serve as the base for Italian nachos topped with marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil.

Recipe for pasta nachos.

5. Grilled Nachos

Once again proving that any food that tastes good tastes even better cooked over a grill.

Grilled nachos recipe from Jenn’s Food Journey.

Next: Potato chip nachos, dessert nachos and more

in Cheese / Desserts / Featured / Lists / Pig / Red Meat / Restaurants / Top 10 Lists / Trends 1 comments
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Gridiron Grub: Gearing up

This has been an odd year to be a football fan. With college football ending last January and the NFL lockout lasting through the summer, sports fans have heard incessant talk about the sport but seen very little of it until the last few weeks of preseason games. Because of this, I was ecstatic that I was able to spend last Saturday at the home opener for the Penn State Nittany Lions. I am from Northeast Pa. and Saturday pilgrimages to Beaver Stadium are practically a birthright. The early morning wake-up; the drive through pristine mountains and countryside until the stadium appears on the horizon; thousands of tailgaters sharing food, drinks and stories…..there is nothing quite like it.

Tailgating was in full swing at 9am, the university band was blaring, crowds were cheering and even the first kick-off was returned for a touchdown. There was really only one thing missing at last week’s game: fall weather. At kickoff the temperature was peaking at 90 degrees and felt even hotter with 100,000 of my closest friends packed around. Besides an opening day win, the only thing that made the heat easier to bear was the vendors climbing up and down the stadium stairs with water and fresh-squeezed lemonade for sale. Which got me thinking.

Spiked Basil Lemonade

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Super Bowl Grub: Top 10 Dips

Bravo to the NFL marketers! The Super Bowl has turned into something that is as much about food, commercials and friends as it is about football. Standard at almost every Super Bowl party is a dip of some kind. Here at ES we have covered dips, been covered in dips and we even have a theory as to why dips are so universal. Today we’ll just stick to sharing our Top 10 dips as you prep for the thundering herds.

10. Poblano and Garlic Scape Dip
Highlight: Roasted poblano lends a heat gentle enough for all crowds.

9. Tequila Mango Salsa
Highlight: One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.

8. Texas Caviar
Highlight: Creamy mustard meets sweet-tart apple cider vinegar, which encircles black eyed peas and fresh corn.

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in Lists 2 comments
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Super Bowl Grub: Sliders with Onion Marmalade or Tomato Jam

There are few things more American than the hamburger and the Super Bowl. The two are just meant to be together. And yet, if you’re having a crowd over for the big game, the last thing you want to do is have to slap a couple dozen patties on the grill and miss the game (or commercials).  I am a huge fan of prepping stuff beforehand, and it definitely sets a tailgating mood when you begin making hamburger patties at 10am. I use 90% lean ground beef, which can be a little tough to keep moist, but with these sliders, the stuffing and toppings help out in that department.

The ingredients, along with incredibly simple prep, are really what make these work.  As for the toppings, I am all for homemade ketchup and use it on many many things, but sometimes you need to up your game. This onion marmalade can be made beforehand and lasts about a week.

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Super Bowl Grub: Kimchi and Apple Brats

I have never been one for slow cookers. I understand the appeal and do not deny the results but I typically take little satisfaction from putting all my ingredients  in a crock pot and letting it do all the work. That being said, the Super Bowl is the slow cooker’s — well — Super Bowl. When you have a bunch of friends coming over, nothing is easier than having a portion of the game day eats just simmering away without needing much attention.

And what better to have simmering than sausage? Recently the governors of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin made the typical Super Bowl bet of food/drink from each respective state. Included in Wisconsin’s bet is a selection of bratwurst, cheese and beer. Besides making me want to visit Wisconsin for the first time in my life, it also had me craving some brats. But instead of the typical sauerkraut and brats, I decided to top mine with Korean kimchi, the spicy, funky Korean cabbage dish that is basically what sauerkraut wants to be when it grows up.

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in Recipe / Red Meat 3 comments
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Chocolate Beer Truffles

I love chocolate and I love beer. Put the two together and I am down for the count. I made these over the weekend and ended up eating nearly half of them. Ten, yes, 10 truffles later, 30 minutes lost and two days’ work gone, I am wearing my fat jeans. My skinny jeans with the stretched seams are now buried under some mismatched socks.

Okay, so maybe the debut of the fat jeans doesn’t completely coincide with the truffle-fest, but word of warning — these are addictive so try to eat them in the presence of others so you don’t end up inhaling them like I did. On that note, they’re perfect for a super bowl party — what’s better than  beer and chocolate in the same mouthful?

Chocolate Beer Truffles

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in Featured / Recipe 23 comments
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