Anyone recall the infamous “Dragnet’s” theme song?  Dum dum dum….dum!!! click here to watch.

That’s the way I feel going into the annual Tennessee Florida rivalry football game.  All who know our family understand that this is a rivalry weekend like no other.  We tailgate together and then watch at different places.  After so many Saturdays in the Swamp watching Tennesse on the losing side, I decided as a family to watch the game seperately.

Last year’s homegate was a success!  Lots of great food.  This year we met up at James’ and Carries’, for a  few cocktails and appetizers!

The highlight of the homegate was Thunderback’s Little Smokies.  Ya’ll remember the Lil Smokies cocktail sausages, precooked and ready to eat.

Well James and Carrie made them and named them Thunderback’s Little Smokies in honor of a song my father taught us as kids.  The song is about a butcher named Thunderback who had a patent on a sausage meat machine.  “Oh Thunderback oh Thunderback how could you be so mean!  To ever have invented the sausage meat machine.  The pussycats and dogs and rats will never more be seen.  For they’ll all be ground to sausage meat in Thunderback’s machine.”

I think James and Carrie’s sense of humor got the better of them as the inference is that Smokey (our mascot) has been ground up to make the Little Smokies.

You can tell I’m still laughing.

LITTLE SMOKIES PIGS IN A BLANKET

LIL SMOKIES PIGS IN A BLANKET

Serving Size: 48

Print Recipe

Ingredients

•   Lil Smokies cocktail sausages
•  2 packages (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent roll dough

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Separate each package of crescent roll dough into 8 triangles. Cut each triangle into 3 smaller triangles.
2. Place 1 sausage on the wide end of triangle and roll towards the point. Place wrapped sausage point side down on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sausages. Bake 9-10 minutes until golden brown. Serve with ketchup and mustard if desired.

 

By KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

Olive dip with Tennessee Orange basket and deviled eggs!

OLIVE DIP

OLIVE DIP

Serving Size: 6-8

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup olives (green, black, kalamata, your choice), chopped
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive brine (juice in jar)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Chop olives finely
2. Soften cream cheese
3. Add all ingredients and mix well, using a hand whisk or food processor or spoon
4. Garnish with olives
5. Serve with crackers, pretzels, chips crostini, our vegetable crudités

Kathy's notes

You can use as a spread on sandwiches or wraps.  Can also serve as a hot dip.  Bake in a 375° in an oven proof container for 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot.  Add a little extra cheese on top

By KathyMillerTime
Bestappetizers

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

Carla’s gator eggs are delicious.  Deviled eggs with her twist…Wickles relish and hot sauce…a little spicy!

CARLA’S GATOR EGGS

Carla’s Gator Eggs

Serving Size: 24

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 dozen hardboiled eggs, peeled
• 3 tablespoons Duke's mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 7 shakes of Crystal Hot Sauce
• 4 teaspoons Wickles Relish
• 1/4 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
• Olives, cut in half for topping
• Small sprigs of fresh dill

Instructions

1. Cool eggs completely and peel, then cut careully in half.
2. Scoop yolks into bowl, mash until fine.
3. Set whites aside.
4. Add each of the next five ingredients one at a time, mixing thoroughly with egg yolks.
5. Generously fill white halves with yolk mixture. Add olive half to top of each egg.
6. Finish with dill sprigs.

Notes

Kathy's comment... If you have never tried Wickles, put it on you bucket list. "A deliciously wicked pickle" and the same goes for their relish!

By Carla Spalding via KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

Needless to say I was disappointed with the outcome of the Tennessee/ Florida game, but the food was delicious and fun.

Now on to Alabama!  Go Vols and hope your team wins this weekend.

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