And really, that just got me excited for tailgating. It’s the same basic idea – food that you can make on the grill or prepare ahead of time and that you can eat as you’re walking around talking to people. Small portions are best so that you can take some of everything and trade foods with your neighbors.

What did you have at your memorial day cookout? Here’s a list of some of the foods we had. I highly recommend them for your fall tailgating!

• Chicken on a Stick: http://www.grouprecipes.com/5262/chicken-on-a-stick.html
• Banoffee Pie: http://tinyurl.com/6mor54
• Cream Puffs: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-Puffs/Detail.aspx
• Pasta Salad: http://food.ivillage.com/course/sides/0,,11fw,00.html
• Crockpot Meatballs: http://tinyurl.com/58p945

What can you add to the list?

Post from: EveryJoe

Memorial Day – A Pre-Tailgate Experience

Who doesn’t love to head over to the stadium for a little tailgate action? Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, you can’t beat that awesome tailgating atmosphere. Every Thursday, BCS Frenzy is proud to bring you the Tailgate Tip of the Week. Feel free to send in your own tips or tailgating pictures, and I’ll post ‘em!

Mmm…the smell of burgers, hot dogs, and sausage fills the air of every good tailgate. The problem with that is…well…I only smell burgers, hot dogs, and sausage. Yes, there are some high-end ‘gaters that grill up steaks and a few drunken college kids that just have a buffet of chips and pretzels because they don’t have a grill, but overwhelmingly, the staples of the bun rule. And while that’s great, you can really take your tailgating experience to the next level with some awesome different foods.

Making stuff on the grill is hard. So here’s my suggestion: Find things that you can make rather easily ahead of time and then heat up in a pan over the grill for the game. For example, make little ham and cheese bites with just some lunch meat and dough (Pillsbury or any brand in the pop-can works great). Bake ‘em in the oven for awhile and then heat them up for your tailgate.

Or why not try making things on a stick? You can grill all sorts of meats and veggies and then create a buffet table with everything in different piles. Whether someone wants a snack, all they have to do it skewer the items they want and pop the whole thing back on the grill for a few minutes to reheat. It’s a great way to personalize a snack.

This is my tailgate tip today because good food brings good people together. The tailgate is all about making new friends, so as people walk by, comment on the player’s jersey they’re wearing, shake their hands, and offer them something to eat. Game day is the one day that a parking lot full of strangers can come together with something in common – the all-out love for their team!

Post from: EveryJoe

Thursday Tailgate Tip: Bring a Pan and Some Pre-Made Heat-Up Foods

Who doesn’t love to head over to the stadium for a little tailgate action? Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, you can’t beat that awesome tailgating atmosphere. Every Thursday, BCS Frenzy is proud to bring you the Tailgate Tip of the Week. Feel free to send in your own tips or tailgating pictures, and I’ll post ‘em!

Today’s Tailgate Tip? Get the hell off your ass. I’ve been to quite a few tailgates, and there seems to be an epidemic of people sitting around on their lawn chairs. And yeah, it’s easier to eat if you grab a seat. Just don’t stay there all day.

Bring a football or another outdoor activity to get you up and moving. It will help you work off all that beer and is a great way to meet new people. It’s a lot more fun to throw the ball back and forth a bit than to sit at your car and watch the drunkies stumble around. Wouldn’t you rather be one of the drunkies??

If nothing else, take a few laps every so often.  You’ll meet a lot of fans, get offered a lot of yummy food, and maybe, if you’re lucky, even get a few fun drinks to sip. Make the most of your tailgating experience – don’t just sit on your fanny!

To read more great Thursday Tailgate Tips, check out the Tailgate Category!

Post from: EveryJoe

Thursday Tailgate Tip: Get Off Your…

Who doesn’t love to head over to the stadium for a little tailgate action? Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, you can’t beat that awesome tailgating atmosphere. Every Thursday, BCS Frenzy is proud to bring you the Tailgate Tip of the Week. Feel free to send in your own tips or tailgating pictures, and I’ll post ‘em!

Here’s a great, simple tip for ya this week: leave early. I’ve seen it happen all too often – people leave for the game to get there for just, like, an hour of tailgating…but when they actually get on the road, traffic and parking hold them up so long that they miss kickoff. Tragic.

Tailgating is fun, so make a day out of it, especially if you want to sent up a site yourself (rather than just walk around or join friends). Unless its a night game, definitely get there around 9 am (even earlier for a noon game). And hey, if you want to spend the entire day showing your team spirit, leave at 9 am even if the game isn’t until 9 pm!

Of course, your tailgating time depends you your team and your team’s stadium too. If you cheer on a big, popular school (like Ohio State), you’re going to find tailgaters there at the crack of dawn. Smaller, less popular schools may not even open parking until a few hours before game. Make sure you check about that!

Look at the traffic patterns, too. The larger the stadium, the better the roads leading to it should be. Should. Sometimes, the guys who plan these things are on crack. Or not football fans. Or something.

If all else fails, take the bus. Most stadiums are near a downtown area, so you can always do a little shopping or eat first if no one’s tailgating yet when you get there!

To read more great Thursday Tailgate Tips, check out the Tailgate Category!

Post from: EveryJoe

Thursday Tailgate Tip: Leave for the Stadium Very Early

Who doesn’t love to head over to the stadium for a little tailgate action? Even if you don’t have tickets to the game, you can’t beat that awesome tailgating atmosphere. Every Thursday, BCS Frenzy is proud to bring you the Tailgate Tip of the Week. Feel free to send in your own tips or tailgating pictures, and I’ll post ‘em!

Tailgating with old friends is fun. Tailgating with new friends is fun-er. When you tailgate, you’re in a car lot with like, 100,000 or more other people who share a common interest–love for your football team. So why not make friends?

No, really. It sounds a little elementary school, but having lots of tailgating friends to play with will increase the awesome-o-meter’s level at your tailgate for a bunch of reasons. First, you get to talk about football. I love walking around, meeting  hot guys, and being able to actually hold and intelligent conversation about the upcoming game, even after a few beers. Talking about the game just gets everyone riled up! Walk around the Penn State tailgate sometime and just yell “We are…!” You’ll see how quickly people get excited, and soon the whole lot is chanting “…Penn State!”

Tailgating friends are also your source for food and drinks. Most of the old-time tailgaters know that you don’t come with just enough food for yourself. You bring enough to feed an army. As you walk around meeting people, you’re going to get a lot of free food, as well as a lot of free alcohol.

If nothing else, say hello to the people parked next to you. Hear their stories – how long they’ve been coming to the games, why they’re fans, what they think of *insert coach, player, line, etc here*.  Offer them some food (make sure you bring enough), help them lift that gigantic cooler, and catch their pile of napkins when the wind begins to blow. Be a good neighbor, and you could have game day friends for life.

Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever met when tailgating? 

Post from: EveryJoe

Thursday Tailgate Tip: Make Friends