Tennessee vs Florida… A Big Game In Our House…Still On In Spite Of Hurricane Irma!


The title says it all…even hurricanes shouldn’t stop Americans from living our everyday lives.  In the wake of such destruction, sometimes something as trivial seeming as a ballgame can bring a normality back to our lives.

I don’t say this lightly as I am sitting in our family North Carolina mountain home, listening to the hum of a generator (and we are lucky to have it!)  as we anxiously wait for the power to come back on in our Amelia Island/Jacksonville Florida home.  Friends and neighbors have sent word that our home seems ok, but the anxiety of not knowing is high.  We evacuated from Florida as did thousands of Floridians to safer ground.  And in many cases the “safer ground” suffered the effects of Hurricane Irma. The immense size of the storm caused power outages and flooding not only in Florida, but throughout Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.   In NC our power is off, trees have blown over covering our driveway,  keeping us from returning to Florida…that and the huge amount of traffic and lack of gas on the major highways heading back to Florida.

We have been glued to television and social networks to gather information about our state’s plight.

Thank you to all who have helped those in trouble and need and those who will continue helping for days to come.

nor·mal·i·ty (n)

the condition of being normal; the state of being usual, typical, or expected.  “let’s try to get some normality back in our lives”

 And what better way than football!

 Our house will be a house divided this weekend as Tennessee takes on Florida.

My Tennessee Vols will play the Florida Gators in Gainesville, Florida just 5 days after Irma passed through Gainesville.  The Lovett side of the family (my side minus H &K) will be rooting for the Vols.  The Miller side (Dave, Lizzy, James and Aunt Vern plus a few others) will be cheering for the Gators.  Some things never change.

For those who can tailgate this weekend, I am including some favorite Vol and Gator recipes.

And if you are in a part of the country not effected by the hurricane,  please try one or two!

 IT WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER!

My good friend and Tennessee sorority sister, Joy McCabe featured this recipe on her WBIR  Live at Five at Four segment last week.  Perfect for tailgating!

PARMESAN AND ROSEMARY WAFERS

Parmesan and Rosemary Wafers photo courtesy Joy McCabe

Parmesan Rosemary Wafers

Serving Size: 24 wafers

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2-3 tablespoons water, if needed

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment place butter and mix until creamy.
  2. Add the parmesan, flour, salt, rosemary, and pepper and combine.
  3. Add water, if needed, one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together.
  4. Dump the dough on a lightly floured board and roll into a 10-inch- long log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to harden.
  5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Cut the log crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices. Place the slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 22 minutes or until just golden. Makes about two dozen wafers.
Joy's Comments: These homemade cheesy wafers, made with fresh rosemary, Parmesan cheese, and a little cayenne pepper for just the right amount of heat, are quite the delicious treat. They can be prepared ahead and frozen, and since they thaw quickly, these Parmesan and Rosemary Wafers can be ready for any impromptu gathering. Perfect with a nice glass of iced tea or your favorite cocktail.

From the Kitchen of Joy McCabe
Via KathyMillerTime

KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

I love rosemary and think the combination with cheddar sounds wonderful.  When power is back on I will be making these…maybe to send to the game with James and Dave if and when they make their way back to Florida in time for the game.

Joy also gave me her sister-in-law’s Marinated Cheese recipe.  Thank you Joy and Ann!

MARINATED CHEESE

Marinated Cheese photo courtesy Joy McCabe

Ingredients

  • 1 block cream cheese
  • 1 block sharp cheddar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar (can use red wine vinegar)
  • 1 2oz jar pimentos, drained
  • 3T chopped fresh parsley
  • 3T minced green onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1t sugar
  • ¾ t dried basil
  • ½ t salt
  • ½ t pepper
  • Triscuits for serving

Instructions

  1. Cut cheeses in half lengthwise, then cut into ¼” slices.
  2. The cream cheese cuts best if placed in the freezer to harden a little.
  3. Line cheeses up, alternating colors into serving dish.
  4. Combine marinade and pour over cheese.
  5. Refrigerate until ready to serve. It will have hardened up a little, but will liquify again fairly quickly.
  6. Serve with Triscuits.

Notes

A great Tennessee game day appetizer. From Ann Bodie via Joy McCabe

By Ann Bodie via Joy McCabe
Via KathyMillerTime

KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

A favorite transportable salad recipe perfect for tailgates and picnics is Corn and Cucumber Salad courtesy of Florida fan, Linda Marees.  I like it because it can be served cold or at room temperature.

 

Corn and Cucumber salad photo by Kathy Miller

Ingredients

  • 2 12 ounce cans of shoe peg corn, drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 2 tablespoons diced pimento
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 cups peeled, thinly sliced cucumbers
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Combine the first 6 ingredients. Set aside.
  2. Combine oil, sugar, salt and red wine vinegar; stirring well.
  3. Pour over vegetables. Toss gently.
  4. Cover and chill 8-10 hours or the day before.
  5. Drain before serving.

By Linda Marees via KathyMillerTime

KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

 A perfect lid for this salad and many dips…A team logo FANPAN TOPPERZ!  The TopperZ is a silicone lid in large or small, perfect for chips and dip.  The lid creates an airtight seal on any smooth-rimmed surface.  No more wasted plastic wrap or tinfoil.

Florida silicone muffin Gator pan with Tennessee Fanpan TopperZ lid photo by Kathy Miller

 

Courtney of  FANPANs, a line of tailgating bakeware, sent me a few Tennessee/Gator tailgating items… FANPANs has Cake Pans, Muffin Pans, Ice Trays/Candy Molds, Oven Mitts/Grilling Gloves, Tailgating Lids and Gripz-drink sleeves.  They are all made out of silicone and are only limited in uses to your imagination.  The website is fan pans.com

All 14 SEC schools are represented as well as most ACC, Big 10, Big 12 schools…you’ll just have to go to the FanPans website to see if your school is represented!

My favorite item?  The Power T ice tray!

 

Power T ice cube tray and small Fanpan TopperZ lid photo by Kathy Miller

One of my favorite things to do in my FANPANs is to freeze orange juice in the Power T ice tray, serve champagne, and float a frozen orange juice T.  It’s a great mimosa for early games.

Power T Ice Cube Tray photo by Kathy Miller

 

 I’ll be including a few more FANPANS ideas next week.  In the meantime, we’ll try to enjoy the football this weekend.

For those traveling back home to uncertainty, I wish you the best!

UPDATE…

POWER JUST CAME ON IN NC

DAVE, JAMES AND AUNT VERN BACK AT AMELIA!

And as a special giveaway to my subscribers, each month during football season, I will draw a random The Art Of Living email subscriber name to win a Tailgating Through The SEC print.  You must be a subscriber to win.  SUBSCRIBE at the top right!  Please encourage your friends and fans to subscribe so they won’t miss new receipes and stories.

 

 

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7 Comments

  • Bobby Ballet says:

    Sounds like you need another Tennessee fan to be on your side. I’ll volunteer for that, double entendre intended.

  • Susan Nunn says:

    Kathy ,
    A beautiful posting in the midst of
    Angst ! Amazing job .
    Hooray for power both locations, safe journey home and go Vols !
    Sorry, Dave. 🙂

    • Kathy Miller says:

      Thank you Susan for your comment! It is difficult to write about fun things when so many people are suffering from home damage, flooding, no power, no water, stifling heat with no air. But I do believe in normality…so…Go Vols! And I appreciate your Go Vols!

  • Kay says:

    What a week this has been! It is refreshing to read your post as we try to return to “normalcy”. Love the tailgating ideas…go Vols!

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