Let me tell you a little secret about me…I love to know where you come from!  When I meet a new person it doesn’t take me long to ask where they are from… And I always bring up their college football (or basketball) preferences…By knowing where someone comes from might give you something in common or make you want to know more about that part of the country or world…

Recently at a dinner gathering, I asked  the girls if they were excited about the upcoming weekend of college football.  Everyone just looked at me and then someone spoke up and said “well I liked the Jaguar game this past weekend”.  I realized that not everyone in the country loves college football like I do…and as I looked around the table…I started asking where are you from?…and everyone was from New Jersey or New York.  I remember thinking…they probably think I am the crazy one talking about  Florida playing Auburn, Tennessee playing Georgia and Duke playing Pittsburg and since I have 72 Duke fans coming for drinks and dessert and to watch the Duke game on Saturday….my mind was on football, tailgating and enjoying college football!!!!!  On Sunday I will put on my Jaguar face too.

College football, especially in the south, is a tradition…a way of life and what we talk about from August through Jan….

Let’s talk about a few tailgating recipes for this weekend games…I mentioned the Florida/Auburn game…pitting#9 against #7…ESPN’S COLLEGE GAMEDAY IS IN GAINESVILLE…3:30

Son James, a Florida alum, came up with a good twist to the traditional Hammie (ham and swiss slider).  His take…a Cuban slider based on the Cuban sandwich made popular at The Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City and St. Augustine in Florida.

Florida Cuban Sliders

Serving Size: 12

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 12-pack of dinner rolls or Hawaiian sweet rolls
• 1/2 pound ham, sliced
• 1/2 pound fresh pork tenderloin, roasted and sliced
• 1/2 pound Genoa salami, sliced
• 8 ounces Swiss cheese, sliced
• 1 small jar sliced dill pickles (chips)
• Yellow mustard

Instructions

1. Slice the rolls in half lengthwise.
2. Layer ham, pork, salami, swiss cheese on bottom half of rolls.
3. Top with 1 or 2 sliced pickles.
4. Spread mustard on top half of rolls and place on top.
5. Wrap in foil.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
7. Slice, then serve!

Notes

You could try the Tasty method...Place rolls in a pyrex dish instead of foil. Baste with butter and bake. Slice and then wrap in foil to transport to a tailgate. Take to tailgate in a carryall with hot packs to keep warm.

James Miller via KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

Auburn friend and fan, Pam Hope gave me this recipe for Roast Beef and Havarti Cheese Sliders  Pam uses Peach Preserves.  I like Apricot Preserves.  The sweetness adds a little twist. ( Yes the picture shows ham, but I have made the roast beef ones many times.  Artistic license).

Roast Beef Havarti Cheese Rolls

Serving Size:

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped and toasted
• 2 packages party dinner rolls, (12 per package)
• 2/3 cup peach preserves (or apricot)
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard/mayonnaise blend (Dijonnaise)
• 3/4 pound deli roast beef, chopped
• 1/2 pound Havarti cheese, thinly sliced or shredded

Instructions

1. Slice party rolls in half, horizontally. (Do not separate rolls.) Spread top half of rolls with preserves, and sprinkle with walnuts. Spread bottom half of rolls with mustard/mayo blend.
2. Top bottom half with roast beef and cheese. Cover with top half. Cover with foil. (Can freeze at this point.) To heat, let thaw overnight in refrigerator. If cooking immediately, bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes before cutting into individual rolls. Serves 24.

Notes

To keep warm at a tailgate I use the Pyrex microwaveable Hot Pack in a Pyrex Portable container.

By Pam Hope via KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

Another big game for me…Tennessee/Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoville, Tn…7:00 p.m. kickoff…The only thing I will probably be happy with is the Pregame and Halftime shows featuring the Tennessee Pride Of The Southland Marching Band.  The players running through the T with the band playing  Rocky Top will be the highlight!  That and the orange and white checkerboard end zones.  As you can see, I’m not thinking we have much chance of winning this game…Georgia is that good and ranked #3!

To celebrate both schools I am including 2 recipes for that old tailgating standby…

HAMMIES…HAM AND SWISS CHEESE SLIDERS

Georgia Style

Hammies-Perfect For Tailgating

Serving Size: 12-24

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 24 small party buns (or 12 Hawaiian rolls)
• 1 small sweet onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 pound sliced ham
• 8 ounces Swiss cheese, sliced

Instructions

1. Spread the butter on cut sides of bun, reserving 1 tablespoon butter.
2. Saute the onion in the reserved butter until clear.
3. Add the poppy seeds and dry mustard.  Mix well.  Remove from heat.
4. Layer the ham, cheese and a dollop of the onion mixture on half of each roll.
5. Replace roll tops. Wrap in foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Kathy's Comments:  These sliders are perfect for tailgating.  I transport in foil in a Pyrex Portable carrier kept warm with a hot pack.

By KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

TURKEY AND SMOKED CHEDDAR CHEESE SLIDERS.

During my college years at the University of Tennessee the place for hot deli sandwiches was Sam & Andy’s on The Strip.

I always ordered  Turkey & Smoked Cheddar Cheese on long white with dijon mustard.  Sounds boring.   Sam & Andy’s made subs differently borrowing the Krystal idea of steamed burgers.  They steamed the deli sandwiches and started a new, wonderful tradition in Knoxville.

My Tennessee tailgating version of the famous Sam & Andy’s steamed subs.

Tennessee Sliders

Serving Size:

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 12-pack of dinner rolls or Hawaiian sweet rolls
• 1 pound turkey, sliced
• 8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, sliced
• Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Slice the rolls in half lengthwise.
2. Layer turkey and smoked cheddar cheese on bottom half of rolls.
3. Spread mustard on top half of rolls and place on top.
4. Wrap in foil.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
6. Slice, then serve!

Notes

You could try the Tasty method...Place rolls in a pyrex dish instead of foil. Baste with butter and bake. Slice and then wrap in foil to transport to a tailgate. Take to tailgate in a carryall with hot packs to keep warm.

By KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

Lots of Dave’s fraternity brothers and spouses during his Duke years are coming to Amelia for a fun 4 day reunion.  Dinners, golf, cocktail parties, tours of Cumberland Island, tours of the Southern Living Idea House and of historic downtown Fernandina Beach are planned.  We have a housefull of Duke fans coming on Saturday for drinks and dessert and… the TV will be tuned into the Duke/Pittsburg game at 8:00.  I think I’ll be missing the second half of the Tennessee game!

I am serving cheesecake for dessert, but I do have a slider recipe for anyone interested in Duke tailgating.

Ham and Cheese Sliders with a twist…blueberry preserves…could that be a Duke Blue Devil preserve? This recipe calls for white cheddar cheese instead of swiss cheese and boursin cheese instead of the traditional butter.  Go light on the boursin cheese!  Also I added blueberry preserves for the Duke Blue Devils!

Ham and Cheese Sliders with Blueberry Preserves

Serving Size: 12

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 Hawaiian sweet rolls or party dinner rolls
• 12 ounces thinly sliced Black Forest deli-sliced ham
• 6 ounces thinnly sliced white cheddar cheese
• 1 package Boursin cheese with garlic and fine herbs
• 2/3 cup blueberry preserves (or peach, apricot)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• freshly chopped parsley or dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove minced garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice party rolls in half, horizontally and place in a 13x9 inch baking dish
3. Layer roll bottoms with ham and white cheddar cheese.
4. Add a small dollop of blueberry preserves.
5. Spread cut side of rolls with Boursin cheese (Go lightly with this as it can be salty)
6. Cover with top half of rolls.
7. Whisk together the melted butter, parsley, mustard and minced garlic.
8. Drizzle over tops of sliders. Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes more until cheese is melted and tops are light brown.
9. Serve immediately or wrap in foil and....see notes below.

Notes

To keep warm at a tailgate I use the Pyrex microwaveable Hot Pack in a Pyrex Portable container.

By KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

All you Pittsburg fans out there…What slider recipe would you recommend?

For my Michigan and Iowa  buddies…another big game at 12:00 noon is Iowa #14 at Michigan #19…and Michigan State #25 at Ohio State #4 7:30 p.m…Any recipe ideas for your schools…  sliders perhaps? Let me know and I’ll include in a later post!

I am so happy to be back writing this blog…I haven’t posted since Aug. 6 because I have a new Hip!  Surgery was on Aug. 5th and I am doing well…walking and looking forward to some hiking in the mountains!  Thank you for all your well wishes and HIP HIP HOORAY!

Come celebrate with me.  I’ll save you a seat at the table.