This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
09/27/2016 12:00 AMBy Brian Boyd and Erin Shanley
There’s nothing quite like a good tailgate—coming together on a crisp fall day to celebrate your team, your friends, and tradition with an epic movable feast. If you do it right, it’s such a great party that it doesn’t even matter whether you’re a football fan.
Unfortunately, most of that spirit usually gets lost when we watch the game around the big screen. But why?
Take the spirit of a tailgate and move it to a place with a better kitchen, a better sound system, and protection from the elements. Turn Sunday football for the fans into a homegate party that everyone can enjoy. All it takes is some advance planning.
Here are some tips for a successful homegate:
Have something for everyone: Not all of your guests will be focused on the game when it starts, so make use of your home’s different spaces—indoors and out—to ensure the party continues after kickoff.
Let everyone participate: Chances are that, no matter what you plan to cook, people are going to want to bring their favorite dish. Get a list of who’s bringing what, and set a schedule in advance so there isn’t a blitz on your oven, grill, and stovetop.
Keep the spirit: If you replace beanies and weenies with cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, you’ve missed the point. Also, red-wine stains are way harder to remove from your couch than beer stains.
Do This, Not That
One of the great advantages a homegate party has over a tailgate is that you have your complete kitchen and your grill at your disposal before, during, and after the game. Why not put it all to use? Here are some tailgate favorites and ways to replace or upgrade them for your next homegate party.
• Instead of hot dogs, serve Philly cheese steaks. (The grilled-pepper-and-onion smell alone is worth it.)
• Instead of baked beans from a can, serve fresh black bean salsa with toasted pita chips.
• Instead of seven-layer dip, serve spinach-artichoke dip. (See recipe below.)
• Instead of stadium soft pretzels, serve pizza bagel with fresh mozzarella and basil.
• Instead of your best friend’s secret-recipe chili...Come to think of it, we at Fall Home & Garden do not recommend suggesting changes to this. Ever.
• Instead of Coors Light in a red Solo cup, serve Thimble Islands American Ale in a red Solo cup. (Why the red cup? It’s still a football party, folks.)
• Instead of Nacho Cheese Doritos, serve Nacho Cheese Doritos. (See above.)
La Cuisine’s Signature Spinach-Artichoke DipCourtesy of Brendan Bloom of La Cuisine of Branford
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 lbs. fresh baby spinach
2 cups artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup sour cream
2 cups cream cheese
1/3 cup mayo
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 package store-bought pitas
Salt and pepper to taste
Start by sautéing the spinach and chopped garlic in a touch of butter, and season with salt and pepper. Once the spinach is wilted, set aside to drain in a colander and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, add cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, mayo, and artichoke hearts. Pulse for a few minutes, but leave chunky. Add spinach, and pulse for another 30 seconds, but still leave chunks.
Transfer the dip to an oven-safe dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees until it’s bubbly hot.
While the dip is heating up, cut pitas in triangles, and arrange on a sheet pan with a touch of olive oil or cooking spray.
When the dip has 10 minutes to go, add pita chips to the oven to crisp up. Watch carefully so that they do not burn.
Remove dip and chips, and sprinkle a touch of salt on the pita chips. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dip.
Serve.