It's football season again. That time of year where millions of us dust off the grill and head to the parking lot.
We don't picnic in America anymore, we tailgate. These parking lot parties have become mini-neighborhoods where we spend time with our friends and make new ones. More and more families are tailgating together, too. As I traveled to write my book The Ultimate Tailgater's Travel Guide I visited with many families who make tailgating, and often road trips, family outings.
Many of them told me tailgating as a family is a treasured activity. Not only do they get to spend time together, but they have to work together to prepare and pull-off a successful parking lot party. This helps their children learn responsibility and organization, as well as making them feel a part of the tailgate party. There's no reason to have your kids feel they have to hang out in the parking lot, killing time, until the game starts.
The best thing to do is involve the whole family in the planning process from the beginning. Have everyone work together to create the theme of your tailgate party, the menu, and the checklist. (It is critical to make a checklist of everything you'll need; no one wants to eat a burger made on the asphalt because someone forgot to bring plates. You can find several tailgating checklists at (www.theultimatetailgater.com.)
Once you have your plan in place delegate tasks to each member of the family. If you have a teenager who loves music, have her program your tailgate soundtrack and prepare the CD or portable music player. If your son likes sweets, have him be responsible for preparing brownies or another desert. And everyone can spend a fun evening preparing decorations to hang from your tent or vehicle.
Remember that the best tailgate parties aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest spreads or the fanciest set-ups. The best tailgate parties are the ones where you're prepared enough before hand to spend your time on game-day relaxing with your friends and family and having fun.
Everyone loves pizza! Try this new take on an old favorite:
Kansas City Strip Pizza
The Kansas City strip steak is one of the most tender cuts of beef. You have a few choices when cooking it. You can just toss a couple of them on the grill-which will taste great-or you can do something a bit more creative with it. The creative option will impress your friends and family more. (Before you get started, make sure the pizza pan will fit on your grill. If not, you can use a smaller pan and make two pizzas.)
1 (14-inch) pizza crust (store-bought dough is fine)
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
5 ounces Kansas City strip steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
7 ounces Mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 ounces provolone cheese, shredded (you can use Parmesan or a similar cheese, too)
1 tablespoon oregano (fresh chopped or dried will work)
Preheat the grill to high (if you have a grill with a thermometer, heat it until 400° inside).
Place the crust on a 14-inch pizza pan. Spread the barbecue sauce evenly over the crust, and top it with the steak and onions. In a bowl mix the cheeses, and sprinkle them evenly on the pizza. Top the pizza with the oregano and place it on the grill. Close the lid and cook the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is crisp.
Makes 4 to 8 servings
Recipe from "The Ultimate Tailgater's Travel Guide: More than 20 Great Road Trips" by Stephen Linn (Rutledge Hill Press)
