3 Great Tailgate Recipies

I love an excuse to cook and an Alabama home game tops the list. Check out 3 of my favorite tailgating recipes.

My wife Randi and I whip up this easy Buffalo Chicken Dip on game day Saturdays:

Buffalo Chicken Dip

• 2 cans of chunk chicken, drained
• 2 packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce (We use Texas Pete)
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Mix ingredients together and heat in the microwave for 2 to 3 min at a time, stopping to stir until hot. Enjoy with Fritos Scoops!

If you get tired of the little crock pot smokies, try this as an alternative:

Cocktail Meatballs

• 1 bag of frozen  Italian meatballs
• 1/2  jar of apple jelly or Jam
•  1/3 bottle spicy brown mustard to taste

Cook meatballs according to instructions. Heat jelly and mustard in saucepan until it becomes a warm liquid. When meatballs are done, put in a dish and pour hot liquid over. Eat with toothpicks.

This one isn't as fast( or cheap) but worth the wait and price.

Grilled NY STRIP STEAK

This recipe works with up to 4 steaks

• up to 4 NY Strip Steaks
• Dales Steak Marinade
• 2 Sam Adams Octoberfest Beer (any flavorful craft type beer will work)
• Milk
• Seasoned Salt

Start by marinating the steaks a few hours before you put them on the grill

Generously season the steaks with seasoned salt and rub it in really good. In a bowl or dish with your steaks, pour 1 beer. Let sit for about 10 min. Mix up about a 1/2 cup of Dales and a 1/2 cup of milk then pour over the steaks and beer. Marinate for a couple hours.  When you put the steaks on the grill, cook for at least 3 min on each side before closing the grill to seal in flavor. cook'em like you like em...I always grab a meat thermometer and test every few min. an over done steak is JUNK. Crack open the other beer and enjoy!