Get Up! Stand Up!

Sooo....how bout them apples!?

Mrs. Hullabaloo hereby takes back some of my sad, sad thoughts from last December's presser announcing our new head coach, because without having won a single game Coach CJ has given us some of our groove back. Lawd. That presser, thankfully, feels like centuries ago and Mrs. #1 Drama Queen here can now eagerly do my summer pre-season tailgate shopping with much anticipation and excitement. Hoo-ray!

intersperced here are some pictures I took at the Tulane Camp hosted for Greenwave Fans at the Hertz Center. It was kinda boring, other than the new Sand Volleyball Coach opening up his trap to ask who Riptide was.  OMG, Talk to the hand!!  Anyways, dontcha just love the Green and Blue bathroom tile and omg, the Green and Blue carpet!?!

You know those coupon hoarder shows? (who has time for all of that clipping and spreadsheet business, really.  I admittedly tried it out last summer.  But lawd have mercy, all of the hours and hours that all takes and most of the coupons are for science experiment pre-packaged food anyways, which I don't eat.  I mean have you seen the size of most of those women? hello, look at what you are eating, even if it's free doesn't mean you should put it in your mouth).  Anyways, my point: summer time at Chez Hullabaloo is when I stockpile for tailgating: game day dresses, napkins, plates, new tablecloths, etc.  So now, I am merrily on my way!

And the reason for my gaeity this summer is that, as I'm sure you've read from the breathless accounts by the media and heard the audible gasps from corners of the state used to having their way with Louisiana recruits, Coach CJ has landed multi-star players left and right. Yessir!  It's like raining commitments around here. Including: the grandson of Bob Marley! Holy Facundus, right? Seriously, I am so ready for the red stripe and jerk chicken themed tailgate! with fried plaintains, oh yeah....

....and so Ladies and Gentlemen of my cyber following: our proclivity on the recruiting trail means that The Greenies are at #32 and dropping as far as our recruiting class grade.  From hundred and whatever of years past to top 50.  And we had triple the number of recruits attend our camp over last year alone. For reals, y'all.

I welcome the crowds with open arms, I am so excited about this trajectory! I also realize that I have been somewhat complacent and comfortable in my congenial little Greenie Dat world. Now that we may have impending hoards, it's like Game On, Y'all. Competition!  It is quite the game changer.  It means I'll have to raise the bar that much higher as master tailgatress with new competition on the horizon. And that means spending more of Coach Hullabaloo's money. 

Plus the cuter the tailgate, the more I hope to annoy the unfun Audubon Boulevard Matrons (can you be-lieve those cheap-o's demanded that they be given free season tickets for their inconvenience?! the nerve of those people! talk about entitled.).

Just look at what I found on Etsy today and also during my Eastern Seaboard Shopping Trip earlier this week...

and Gentlemen, the perfect Tulane Green and sky blue check from Brooks Brothers.  It is so very Tulane, you have to have this.

And then this adorableness I found at the Gap.

I just love the little string bow detail around the waist, and it fits suuuuuper cute! Don't pay no mind to the lame model they used on the website, I assure you that it's very cute on.  Yes, I know I have a zillion green dresses that mostly look the same.  But like the hoards of black heeld loafers that I owned for my career girl days in our nations capital, each one is distinctly different okay. Maybe not to the male eye, but other tailgatresses would appreciate my affinity for having options on gameday.

and Yes. I know. I went all the way to the Eastern Seaboard to shop at places I could very well find back home. But at least I didn't have to gag at all of the purple and gold crap normally stocked here while I tend to my shopping.

Anyways, getting back to all of the recruiting hubbub....Mrs. Hullabaloo is a realist, so I'm holding my booty shaking down to an absolute minimum until after our game in Aslut this September.  Which, by the way, Mr. and Mrs. Preacher Man have indicated that they might geaux check things out in Oklahoma for the game and have asked us to reconsider our boycott. They are such a sweet and fun couple, we may consider thinking about it. Maybe.

So yes, I'm remaining cautiously optimistic about our upcoming season.  Give me some time here, I'm just now warming up to this ridiculous pre-dawn games we have to participate in.  I am guarded just in case we should go back to business as usual of embarassing ourselves. I would like to retain the right to remain blissfully in denial through the rest of tailgating season.  Because really, having to decide week to week whether I should proverbially hang on to my ankles or to the bed post in order to endure yet another heartbreaking game is a major downer..... Yes, I did just write that.

So to get our minds off such possibilities, I have finally decided to post some triple dog, super secret society recipes given to me by some friends years ago that I am finally getting around to sharing.

Coach Hullabaloo has a friend who turns out is married to a sorority sister!  Small world?!  Anyways, Elle, as I shall call her - is just wonderful and sweet and she has this amazing rib cooking recipe that she and Mr. Elle picked up from a cab driver during a trip they took to Memphis (you can brush up on Peggy's super easy rib recipe here if you'd like, which is also quite tasty).  Elle and her hubby had gone to the Land of Elvis and went about sampling various rib joints and were never quite blown away like they had anticipated they might be.  Being the serious grill foodies that they are, they rode around in a cab after a disappointing meal, bemoaning the situation.  So the cab driver let them in on his secret to cooking the perfect ribs and Elle generously has shared it with me.  Elle claims that this is a serious rib recipe and has made them King and Queen of the Grill in their neighborhood.  I am going to try it this summer finally.

ELLE'S FAMOUS RIBS

Lather your rack of ribs with dry spice rub of your choice and place onto a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil with a second sheet to lay on top of the ribs. Gather and seal edges to make rectangle around the ribs. If you can refrigerate the seasoned ribs at least an hour or overnight it's even better...Preheat and bake at 300 for 3 to 4 hours. Elle does 3 hrs. 30 min or less. Remove ribs and grill for 15 minutes over medium heat while basting with your favorite BBQ sauce.  How easy is that for perfect ribs?

DILL VINEGAR POTATER SALAD

I just love this tater salad.  Not that I'm judgemental or prejudice against certain tater salads.  I love them all with a boundless heart!  But this one is particularly tasty when it's hot and lawd you know how hot it gets on that superdome parking lot.

2-1/4 lbs new potatoes (about 10, depending on size)
1/3 cuppa olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
saltnpeppa and half teaspoon sugah
*using white pepper might be interesting here
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1-1/2 t dried dill weed

Wash the taters, but do not peel. Steam until fork-tender. Slice or cube when cool. Meanwhile sautee minced garlic in olive oil over medium to low heat.  Do not brown.  Remove and let cool.  Mix in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and then add to potaters and mix.  Cover, refrigerate and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Happy Summer ya'll!

Inspired by Brunch Tailgating

Yes! ..... when God closes one door, it's because there's another door, full of wonderful surprises, that's ready to be opened for you.  Although, we, in the Greenie Dat Nation, have been waiting patiently about what that means as far as the actual Gridiron, but in the meantime, with respect to tailgating: Mrs. Hullabaloo is in a much more exciting place!

I hereby begrudgingly admit that these red eye football games that Tulane will be playing in the fall in front of a Ukranian Television Audience have actually been an inspiration.

Indeed.

I feel like Matt Weiner (creator of my other obsession, Mad Men), in that I awake suddenly in the middle of the night with a gasp in order to jot down my latest tailgating menu brain storm:  Chicken and Waffles!!!

How could I have overlooked such an idea!?!  My tailgatress soul sister, Anna from South Carolina got on that idea for their game against Auburn.  Doesn't Anna sound like a Kindred Spirit?  I love her intros, wanting to punch holes dry wall and call to the heavens, "Why!? Why!? Why!?" - wanting a win so bad she can taste it, but then taking a cleansing bath, dreaming up recipes for next week's tailgate and soldiering on.  I love her!

I also found this simpler Mancave-y version of serving up Chicken n Waffles at your tailgate...Not quite "walking tacos" (guh-ross!), but quite efficient.




Of course Mrs. Hullabaloo will jazz up our waffles a bit other than going the Eggo route. So while we'll most definitely pre-order chicken strips from the awesome downtown Rouse's on Baronne - I will probably make some cornbread-ish inspired waffles to heat up on the grill. And possibly top with green onions and pralines or something.  Also, I need to figure out how to get my hands on the waffle maker in Bruff that allegedly makes waffles with the Meanie Greenie on them.  How cuuuuute would that be?!

Genius, right!  So I've updated our Revised 2012 Tailgate Menu to include Chicken 'n Waffles, Hashbrown Casserole, with Booty's Berries 'n Cream and Sweet potato pie.  I think the chicken 'n waffles will be awe-some with some sausage gravy or pepper jelly syrup and some kind of pecan, praline inspired topping.  Can't wait, Can't wait, Can't wait!

and then while I was perusing chicken 'n waffle recipes, I ran across this!  Squeal!!!

HOT REUBEN DIP

• 1/2 cup cooked corned beef diced or shredded
• 1/4 cup sauerkraut, drained and dry
• 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 4 ounces (half a pack) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup Russian dressing*

Ok, are you ready for these instructions?  It's so hard.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Toss all the ingredients in a baking dish or foil pan. If you can handle it, mix em around a bit.  Bake in an oven for about 20 minutes until bubbly and the top is golden brown.

*Now the complicated thing about this recipe is the Russian Dressing bit.  True Russian Dressing is vinegary based and made with beet juice.  The reuben version of "Russian Dressing" means the mayo-ketchup variety.  The easiest version I found to whip up is Heinz Chili Sauce, Mayo, Horseradish, minced onion.  Almost like a new orleans remoulade kinda, but sweet.

The reason I am so excited about this discovery is that back when our Rutgers game was announced, I was completely torn, as an obsessed hostess is (Anna from South Carolina would understand!), about all of the fabulous New Jersey inspired menu options that could be served.  My very first thought was REUBENS!

Mrs. Hullabaloo had a wonderful friend from my junior semester abroad in college, who was from an adorable hamlet in New Jersey.  Ironically, while I was a very enthusiastic and social Tulane co-ed, I was a bit cloistered amongst a very Southern Newcomb crowd, so I didn't much venture too much into Northern food except for discovering Matzoh Ball soup, Bagels and Knishes from this little deli that used to be on Carrollton.  The farthest North I ever even ventured in the dating world at Tulane was a boy from St. Louis.  Anyways, when Daddy asked what I wanted as a graduation gift, I immediately told him I wanted to take a road trip to New York and visit my New Jersey friend.  I'd never been past Virginia before then!

The two genius things my New Jersey friend did was to introduce me to Ice Hockey and NJ Sloppy Joes, which are turkey meat and coleslaw versions of Ruebens. and from there it sparked an obsession with "true" deli sandwiches.  Stein's Deli on Magazine makes turkey version of Ruebens and calls em Rachels.  When Graff hosts radio shows from Tracey's on Magazine, their cooks will make turkey reubens for me without looking at me sideways, ha!  However you wanna free-style em, I love, love, love them: Grilled up some juicy deli meat, add sauerkraut, melted swiss and russian or thousand island dressing.  and Rye bread to hold and soak up all the juicy delicousness. Awesome!

But the downer is how do you keep tailgate-served Reubens from getting all soggy if you do a make-ahead batch? Or do I chain Coach Hullabaloo to the grill as a short order cook to make em "to order"? 

Here, the awesome Anna dishes out a Southern Inspired Reuben version with po boy bread, jazzed up saurkraut, vidalia onion dressing and a fried green tomater. Sounds awesome, right?

Anyways, so for Rutgers I opted for roastbeef cheesesteaks because we can deconstruct the parts easily and serve in chaffing dishes. Have some hollowed out po boy loafs that the Hullabaloo Huddlers can just grab buffet-style and assemble themselves a proper Cheesesteak.

 
I mean really Cheesesteak sandwiches are just basically a twist on New Orleans roast beef po-boys, but just adding a provolone bechamel and some carmelized green peppers, onions and mushrooms for garnish.

So I am very excited about this Hot Rueben Dip that is basically fool-proof in preparation, dontcha think?

Anyways, too good not to share the recipes for, so I hope you enjoy these tailgate recipe ideas!

BOBBY FLAY'S PROVOLONE SAUCE (for the cheesesteaks)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk, heated

1 cup grated aged provolone cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Start by making a blonde roux: melt ya butter in a sauce pan, whisk in the flour and stir, stir, stir for 1 minute until you have a cream consistency. Slowly whisk in the warm milk (see, now you're making a bechamel!) and simmer, whisking constantly until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the bechamel mixture from the heat and whisk in the provolone and Parmesan until combined; season with the salt and pepper.

BOOTY'S DRUNKEN BERRIES

Blackberries, Blueberries and Raspberries
Splash of Chambord and Vodka
Whipping Cream
Kahlua
Marascino Cherries

Put your berries in a bowl  (I know, don't be discouraged! Bowl entry can be an uphill task for Greenie Dats). Add a generous splash of Chambord over the berries and a sprinkle of vodka. Let your berries marinate for a few hours in the fridge.  Meanwhile take your whipping cream, add a splash of kahlua, and whip the cream up until frothed, keep the cream fridged up til serving. Add a scoop of drunken berries, top with some whipped cream, drizzle some berry juice over the whipped cream. Top with a maraschino cherry as garnish.

HASHBROWN CASSEROLE

1 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup butter, melted
salt and pepper
1/2 cup minced onions
2 cups shredded colby cheese
2 lbs frozen pre-made hash browns, thawed
pinches of nutmeg for good measure! (I love me some nutmeg in these types of recipes)

Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together the soup, butter, salt, pepper, onions. Fold the thawed taters with this high fat goodness in a foil baking pan.  Maybe add a dash of tabasco across the top (this is Louisiana afterall).  Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Okay, who's ready for tailgating!?

Summer Shake Up

Word! TPTB has gone messin with our tailgating schedule in order to accommodate televised games. and this has now caused much consternation in the Hullabaloo Huddle Household, up in here!

Hold on cause I plan to be a cry baby in this post, so brace yourself.

....I have to pause here to insert that Peggy has discovered that the "NO IZD" yard signs being distributed from the Team Shop are - are you ready for this? - in purple and gold.  INSULTING!

Anyways:  11am?!?!  What could I possibly serve at 8 or 9 in the morning that will be worth dragging my wares and being out at the dome by 7am?  For all the TV coverage will be worth, we'll all be needing a nap. I get that this is part of TPTB plan to drum up our TV ratings that have been neglected for a decade. This neglect having caused a big ole screeching halt on our dancing with the Big 12 last spring, but, but, but, I still don't like it.

How cute are these!?!

Yes, another obscenely expensive pair of game day shoes. Available here from Mod Cloth.

The last time we had a televised 11am home game was the 2007 game in the dome against, gawd I actually have to type this, LSU.  Coach Hullabaloo and I were in our infancy of mastering the art of tailgating and so we had a Green and Blue kingcake I had picked up from Martin's Wine Cellar and Bloody Mary's.  It was very fun and carefree....and much less arguing while packing up the car that's for sure! ha!

But it's an odd time in the morning and you can only be so creative with breakfast options.  Who wants catfish and remoulade at 9am? Or hamburgers and corndogs at 10am?  And I was really, really looking forward to doing corndogs in a nod to the Texas State Fair since this is our swan song game with SMU now that we've had a "hip replacement."

But back to my story: in that '07 game I was absolutely famished by halftime and Superdome food is famously horrid. Plus you practically need to sell your plasma to pay for it.  While I was riveted with the game, I had few options that warranted me to actually get out of my seat - or to uhh, dispatch Coach Hullabaloo rather, so I had a monster migraine by the time it was over. So you simply must understand my consternation with proper feeding before kick off.

The other 11am game this summer is in Tulsa and as exciting and fabulous a metropolis as Tulsa is, with heavy hearts, we decided to skip a soujourn in the land of corn eaters.  Coach Hullabaloo and I really shed a tear on that one.  So now thankfully, we could possibly organize a gathering with lunch appropriate gameday food during that game to enjoy....Even if we should happen to have to listen to it FDR-style on the radio if the game ends up on some satellite Fox Channel only broadcast in the Ukraine as is sometimes the case in these obscure television deals that TPTB settle for.

As you can surmise: I'm really having a hard time about these game times!  Booty Judy tells me this is not a travesty and I just need to get over myself (I know, I know, I know - I am grasping at some center of the Universe attention here).  and Coach CJ has been gangbusters on the recruitment front with 7 solid players committing - and all locals (!). It's been quite exciting to watch, but I digress from my pity party here....

.......Couldn't us long suffering fans have gotten a bone, a morsel, for at least ONE MORE home game at 6 or 7 elsewhere in the schedule to make up for this miasma ruining my carefully orchestrated tailgating menus? On top of the fact that we're bidding adieu to this mediocre conference to have to face an even worse set of conference affiliations in 2013? All due to our short sightedness.  (am I laying it on thick enough?) 

Afterall, I believe I've been an exemplary member of the Greenie Dat Nation. Sucking up 2:30 kick offs for the past several years, despite feeling like we were tailgating on the surface of the sun.  At least we could serve tailgate appropriate food and enjoy this time honored American tradition, even though it always felt like we were packing it up early. With this middle of the day gametimes, Coach Hullabaloo and I would be just plum exhausted afterwards - emotionally and physically. But we soldiered on without complaint.

At the very least I think we merit at least TWO 6 or 7pm games as just compensation for all my letter writing to the City Council, sitting in at City Hall, putting up with petulant matrons and having to look at attorneys with bad hair. I feel 6 or 7 pm kick off should be a fair trade off....Ima just saying!

So - sigh - here now, are some ideas for the REVISED 2012 HULLABALOO TAILGATING MENU

Rutgers: Roastbeef Cheesesteak Po Boys, Tortellini pasta salad, mini meatball appetizers, Hot Reuben Dip+ rye melba toast, Peggy's red pepper dip and Italian breadsticks, pesto dip, stuffed artichokes, pretzels and mustard, amaretto cheesecake. (no change, yay!)

Ole Miss: BBQ Shrimp and Grits, Deviled Eggs, Praline Bacon, Apples with caramel and heath bar dip, White Lace Inn Blueberry Creamcheese French Toast Casserole, Mimosas, Brandy Milk Punch and Zing Zang Bloody Marys. (ok, ok, okay. this sounds pret-ty awesome)

ULM: Gumbo, meat pies, bacon wrapped shrimp skewers, jambalaya, biscuit sandwiches, dip, and bananas foster squares (no change, yay!)

SMU: Updated! Chicken n Cornbread Waffles with Sausage Gravy or Pepper Jelly syrup, Hashbrown Casserole, Booty Judy's Berries n Cream, and Sweet Potato Pie.

UAB: BBQ ribs and chicken drummettes, cornbread, Priscilla's potato salad, mac n cheese, green beans, and banana pudding and pecan pie

Rice: Greek-Mex! Tex Mex Brisket and gravy, Jalapeno Popper orzo mac and cheese, Grilled lamb sausage with BBQ sauce, 8 layer Greek dip and pita chips, warm spinach and feta dip and tortilla chips, lettuce, kalamata and cucumber salad with Nell's awesome cilantro dressing, Apple cinnamon tamales with dulce de leche.

ECU: Cochon du Lait with carolina vinegar sauce, Shrimp Sliders, cole slaw, baked beans, broccoli and grape pasta salad, lavender cheesecake and pumpkin fudge

Well, what do you chickens think? Should I buy the shoes?

Summer Break

We were this, this, close to getting into a baseball regional (in Waco it was gossiped), but then that minor detail of actually winning games during the CUSA tourney kinda put a damper on things.

And of course, it helped that ECU had their AD on the selection committee so they got picked over us even having beat them senseless 4 times (hey! novel idea. when is the Greenwave TPTB gonna smarten up and figure out those kinda home cooking arrangements?)

So I bought me these boots instead of having a pity party.  Retail therapy, cures all that ails ya.

I found them on a birthday trip to Austin the same weekend of the Cusa Tourney which was taking place in Pearl, Mississippi.  I found these at this lovely boot scootin shop called "Allen Boots" located amongst the Hippie dives of South Congress.  (Serious. Austin is sooo weird. and I say that as a New Orleanean.)

Here's a link, don't look at the price, just buy them because they are fabulous. And get them in a size larger because they run small.

......So, now, am I ready to go pitchforking Coach Rick Jones like some of the haters? ....Uh, No Thank You!  Lawd have mercy.  Could you imagine all of the extraordinary drama that TPTB at Wilson Center could invent in their effort to derail yet another head coaching search?

During the football head coaching search, there was all kinds of drama. And I mean: all kinds.  I got grey hairs from all of it and worse: it was interfereing with my ability to hostess proper tailgating parties! And that is serious y'all! 

The Football Head Coaching Search which was conducted was such an absurd tragi-comedy that Hot Wheels renamed the thread on the topic on GoTula.net as the "Head Coaching Search Hostage Crisis Day {insert number of days}" lmao!  It was like a countdown, and each day it would be updated with the newest day.  Of course TPTB just hated that and even mentioned it underhandedly at the announcement presser, but whatever. Laugh with us, or cry with us.

It's sad that this was actually funny to us, but seriously - this search could not have been handled in a more absurd manner.  It got to the point that the only thing a random candidate needed was an offer from Tulane in order to parlay that into getting a better gig at a better program.  Scott Cowen had even schockingly opened up the coffers to the limit, above and beyond what other schools were offering to pay and nobody, I mean, nobody, dared accept.  Every candidate pulled a Todd Graham on us, accepting our overtures in order to use our offers to sweaten the ones they really wanted.  It was embarassing, excruciating, undignified.

Tulane started out at the front of the pack in the coaching search in October and we offered everybody with a living pulse before finally thankfully drawing the charade to a close in high December with someone not but 3 miles away from campus. I cannot make this up.

And then to top that drama, we now have the withering away of CUSA right before our very eyes - which was a joke of a conference to begin with. Titanic imagery and all. And second-guessing TCU for conference hopping.  And making Louisville and Cincinnatti promise to schedule CUSA games as an exchange condition for bolting. (!!!!!!)

We, as in Tulane, have managed to identify, along with CUSA, some additions of schools whose names even I can't even wring out of my skull or point out on a map.  Seriously.  The indiginity of even recalling these "new" additions to CUSA is so embarassing to me, that I can't bring myself to even type them until I absolutely must because they happen to be on the schedule.

(Please Buddah or whoever, Great One Up Above, please, pretty please help us get into a for real college conference?  If you could find it in your heart. We've suffered enough.....)

So in short, I'll get back to my point with respect to Coach Rick Jones: We all deserve better treatment than what would most certainly ensue in a "search" should we fire him. The foreseen possibilities that this course of action would promise causes me to have post-traumatic stress disorder in advance.  And by "we" who deserve better: I mean the entire Greenwave family: fans, players, and most of all Coach Rick Jones who's given us more wins than any other coach in the history of the Greenwave. and yet, has stuck around.

I do, however, acknowledge that RJ does need to do some hard thinking about the lineup of his coaching staff and how long he lets pitchers marinate on the mound. And then Dickson needs to do some Rise Up TM thinking about proper scholarship arrangements for baseball so that we can do what Rice figured out to do long ago.

Maybe we'll get these wishes in time for Christmas. Dare to dream.....

It was funny to us in Section 110 at the time, but we threatened to take matters into our own hands and do a Forrest Gump.

As in commandeer signal calling away from the third base coach.  Sending players around 3rd when they wouldn't make it in time, giving them the signal to stop when it was too late for them to cool the momentum of their jets, running into players running for home.  And lawered knows how many botched stolen bases that would doom innings.

Anyways, that's all I gots to say about all of this.  Onward to the food and shopping portion of my post today.

I have found these cuuu-te football party gear and hope ya'll love them too.

Cute tailgate glasses from Glam Glasses.  Adorable, non?

and Yummy recipes too...I think I'm gonna serve this at the Rice game this season

RACHEL RAY'S TEX MEX BRISKET 
Spice Rub
1/4 cuppa light brown sugar, packed
3 tbs paprika
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs mustard seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Braised Beef prep  beef brisket (5 to 6 pounds), liposuctioned, but leave 1/8" of fat on top
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive erl
4 cloves chopped garlic
2-3 stalks chopped celery
2 chopped carrots
1 large chopped oignon
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons pureed seeded chipotle in adobo
2 tablespoons tomater paste
1 bottle dark Mejican Cerveza
2 cups beef stock
One 32-ounce can tomater puree

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine spice blend ingredients, reserve 2 tbsp of blend for another use.

Bring the brisket to room temperature. Sprinkle with black pepper and some of the spice blend onto the meat.

Heat 3 tbsp of erl in a skillet and brown the brisket on both sides and then remove from heat onto a separate plate. Don't cook thru.

To the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil, sautee the veggies for 5 mins, seasoned with salt n pepper. Stir in the chipotle puree and tomato paste and let simmer for a minute. Add the beer, stir and simmer for another minute. Add the beef stock n tomato puree and bring to a low simmering boil.

Add the brisket back in, cover the skillet and braise in the oven until fork tender, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Very carefully, remove the brisket and slice it up.

Puree the braising gravy left in the skillet with an immersion blender and add sliced brisket back into the sauce.

serve with Jalapeno Orzo Mac n Cheese (yum-o!)

JALAPENO POPPER ORZO MAC N CHEESE
Kosher salt
1 pound orzo
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
4 jalapenos seeded and finely chopped
2 jalapenos, sliced with seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
Fresh ground pepper
2 cups cheddar
4 ounces cream cheese
2 cups panko
2 Fresno chile peppers, sliced

Cook orzo in berld salted water for 6 mins. Until al dente. Drain orzo.

Sautée chopped jalapenos, garlic and onions in 4 tbsp butter until soft. Add the flour and make a roux. Add the milk and stir until the sauce thickens (you've made a bechamel!). Season with salt n pepper. Add cheddar and cream cheese, stir until melted delicious goo-eyness.

Combine the orzo with your cheesy sauce in a casserole dish.

Melt 4 tbsp of butter and toss with panko to coat. Sprinkle buttered panko over the casserole and top with sliced jalapenos and Fresno chiles.  Yum, tastes just like a jalapeno popper!  With the Orzo, it's a perfect Houston inspired menu with the Greek and the Tex Mex and the American all coming together.  Can't wait!

SWEEP! SWEEP! SWEEP!

Hoo-ray! Hoo-ray Varsa Varsa Tee Ay!

image borrowed from livinglocurlo.com. I love this vintage baseball tablescape. love, love, love!

Before I get to the coverage of this very exciting weekend in Tulane Greenwave Baseball, I finally got Che to provide an update on former Tulane baseball players in the Minors/Majors y'all

PITCHERS
Brandon Gomes - Tampa Bay Rays
Micah Owings - San Diego Padres
Aaron Loup - New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA - Toronto Blue Jays)
Preston "Commando" Claiborne - Trenton Thunder (AA - NY Yankees)
Conrad Flynn - Reno Aces (AAA - Arizona Diamondbacks)
Josh Zeid - Corpus Christi Hooks (AA - Houston Astros)
Shooter Hunt - Batavia Muckdogs (A - St. Louis Cardinals)

GUYS PLAYING THE FIELD
Brian "Bogie" Bogusevic, OF - Houston Astros
Brad Emaus, 2B - Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA - Boston Red Sox)
Josh Prince, SS - Huntsville Stars (AA - Milwaukee Brewers)
Sam "Homerun" Honeck, 1B - Savannah Sand Gnats (A - NY Mets)
Ant'ny Scelfo, LF - Charlotte Stone Crabs (A - Tampa Bay Rays)
Tommy Manzella, SS - Milwaukee Brewers Minors system
Mark Hamilton, 1B - Memphis Red Birds (AAA - St. Louis Cardinals)
Rob "Seggy" Segedin, OF - Tampa Yankees (A - NY Yankees)

So meanwhile, back at Turchin, Tulane played USM this weekend in Baseball and the Baseball Gods looked down favorably on my beloved Greenwave after the horrible Thursday we had.  See, let God be your vindicator. 

We swept USM! Yes!

I can't remember the last time we had a CUSA sweep, which was I think 2008 when we played UCF and they were having a major meltdown in Orlando.  We even run-ruled them after like 6 innings it was so out of hand.  The team was on auto-pilot because their coach had been dismissed after some unfortunate incident where he simulated sodomizing the equipment manager with a bat, because I am certain that was the worst of his sins. 

Yes, I know,  y'all keep on keeping it classy UCF. But now, you see, they've traded up for this totally awesome former LSU player as a coach that teaches his players to slide cleats up.*  Oh and instructs them to say "Whatchu looking at Bitch?!" to the opposing team's catcher.*  And throwing their bats and helmets on the field after striking out.* 

(I am SO glad to be rid of UCF and their "Town and Gown" approved manners)

*true stories

But enough of letting UCF occupy real estate on my cyber shtetl.

Yes, ma'am did I enjoy the sweep this weekend - and, of course, who would want to miss Big Mike wearing a Sombrero in his nod to Cinco Derby Day?  

After Tulane won away on Friday,  USM turns it around gives us a game and takes a lead on Saturday. However, the USM closer had a major meltdown in the 9th inning and who the hell knows what happened in the outfield for them too.

It starts out with Boudreaux getting a base run to first (who by the way had a MONSTER weekend at bat. To keep up the Juju his adorable mom and dad wore the same clothes the whole series!).  So after Boudreaux gets on base, the USM pitcher walks on Crohan and then walks on Schnee.  He walked Schnee!  I honestly thought that the intent was to start to load up the bases into a double play and then a pop fly out or something like that, but in actuality what I was witnessing was a meltdown with no reliever in sight.

But then when Shaff knocked the ball out out to the wall, why didn't that Golden Eagle outfielder throw the ball? What the Facundus was that all about? Not that I'm complaining.  But Shaff knocked the ball onto the park wall and then the Golden Eagle picks it up and stands there watching the developments until we got the winning run in.

Of course the stands and our bull pen just E-rrupted in celebration when that went down.  The Wave players just burried Shaff in a pile on, it was fantastic. It was all just so crazy to watch!

Sunday was equally as riveting, with Tulane hanging on to a 4-3 lead going into the 9th and DJ pulling out the 3 strikes in a nail biter! 

There were these young superfans, whom I completely admire and who I believe are our neighbors during Football tailgating.  I'll call them The Young Turks. So the Young Turks took over the seats lined up over the USM bullpen and they were cracking us up! 

At the top of the 9th the USM pitcher was taking for-freaking-ever in his pitches, I think to buy time and hope that DJ Ponder would wear down in the bottom of the 9th after waiting so long to finish his pitching. We weren't sure if DJ Ponder would hold up after the rain delay and being called in so early to relieve. 

So The Young Turks started yelling at the USM pitcher to move it along, he was just camping out on the mound here. I swear I thought he was gonna grab a sleeping bag and a remote control to start watching movies on the Jumbotron.  One of the Young Turks retorts during the pitcher's stalling: "HEY! I GOTTA GO TAKE MY FINALS!"

We about fell out!

Anyways, another excellent development in the Greenie Dat Nation is how the Witches of Eastwick on the City Council and the snobs of Audubon Boulevard are getting the reaction that they deserve over the IZD sham to shut down construction of Tulane Stadium. Thank you Moses!

These snobs have just been getting raked over the coals in the public relations arena since they acted all a fool last week.  I personally would have expected at the very least for the Nimby's attorney, Jane Booth, Esq, to get a citation for showing up to a hearing dressed all kinda ways and with her sloppy hair pulled back in polka dot jaw clip.  Really now.  How professional of her.  What, with 3 days notice you couldn't find time for a proper blow out?

Also, I post this picture because of the lovely tag line provided by the Times Picayune underneath Miz Booth.  Interim District Zoning?  Oh, whatever....

But it has been ever so delightful to snicker and pour over headline after headline, letter after letter, radio call in after radio call in, all calling out these whiners and accomplices for the idiots that they are. And Jackie Clarkson with her faux-outrage, puh-leeze. (What glee! Thank you!)

We were laughing about it at tailgating on Saturday before the USM game that we should hold a can shake fundraiser at the end of their precious Audubon Boulevard on the Claiborne Street side to gather funds to offset what their antics are costing us.  Orange vest suits and all - just watch us!  Maybe I'll even include a can shake to fundraise for Jane to own a round brush and a hair dryer. Or at least to set up a charity fund for her at Paris Parker.

But back to the purpose of this blog: Tailgating and all things cute and delicious.

Sweet Miz Jeanie joined us on Saturday and offered up some major awesome ideas for Football tailgating which I shall share below in anticipation. Yum-o

SOUTHERN ALMOND TEA (how genius and delicious does this sound?)
2.5 cups of simple syrup
2 cups ice water to mix with 2 tablespoons of instant iced tea
2 tablespoons of almond extract
2 tablespoon vanilla extract
enough water to make a gallon of tea
Lemon slices for garnish

Make your simple syrup and set aside.  Mix the ice water and instant tea to make a pasty liquid mixture. Mix together syrup, tea mixture, almond extract and vanilla and then add enough water to make a gallon of tea.  Serve over ice with lemon garnish. I wonder if an adult version of this could be figured out? How fun would that be?

APPLES WITH HEATH CARAMEL DIP (so easy and yet sounds so insidously evil!)
Sliced up apples
Sprite
Tub of caramel (bought or make your own if you are inspired)
Crushed up Heath candy bars

Soak your apples in Spite and then dump out the Sprite.  Take your tub of caramel and mix with the crushed Heath candy bar topping.  Leave some crushed Heath bar to garnish on top of the caramel to look cute. Apparently this was a huge hit with the crowd at the Grove, so it will probably be much appreciated with the Hullabaloo Huddlers.

And listen, I don't care how much these Audubon Boulevard homeowners come over groveling and begging for forgiveness to our fabulousity tailgating, I shan't share any with them for their childish and immature behavior.  That'll learn em.


Peace out!

Kristen Palmer Breastfed Her Child In My Living Room Sans Permission

Yes, I'm pissed off and this shall remain the title of my post.

The nerve of that woman to think she can just waltz in to my home and feel free to whip both of her boobages out at my dining room table and allow her child to suckle. Without even asking if I minded.

And then to come out today as Councilwoman Lady and vote in favor of the IZD* proposal the way she did. I am just beyond words. (plus I heard that she cheated on her husband with her campaign manager and Mr. Palmer just puts up with it. allegedly.  yes, I just published this accusation on the interwebs and I won't take it back.)

So surpise, suprise I have a post today! I know it's been a thousand million hours since my last post in February, but ya know the drill: busy, baseball, tailgating, Coach Hullabaloo's race schedule, trips, mardi gras, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

But I am EVER grateful that you are here today, reading my senseless drivel. Thank you, thank you.

Do any of y'all know Varla Jean Merman? She has the best drag show ever. Last fall, she teamed up with Ricky Graham at the Mid City Theatre and I swear I about pee'd my pants I laughed so hard.

Ricky Graham did a bit as an Uptown Matron, with a screen shot of the ORR-lee-ahhns Club behind her. You know the venue who's name cannot dared be printed (seriously, so lame) lest it tarnish the image of the location. He was dressed up in a Chanel tweed suit get up, these mardi gras bead-sized pearls.  I wished I could have gotten him to come to the City Council hearing today to annoy those crazy fools seated behind me.

So as you know, councilwoman lady, voted along with Mizzus Guidry, Head and Clarkson on this bogus IZD proposal, which was essentially a stupid way to stop the building of Fergie Field by the Audubon Boulevard homeowners.  Who, I might point out, bought a home that was adjacent to a 70,000 seat stadium and are now running scared about a 27,000 replacement. 

I also have to point out that prior to assuming her dictarorial role on the City Council while still an independent citizen, Kristen Giselson Palmer, literally harassed and bullied an adorable gay couple living in our neighborhood until they moved.  They ran the cutest little shop that was also a post office.  She bullied them just because they disagreed with her on some totally insignificant neighborhood issue which I can't even recall. These accusations dovetail nicely with the need to stop your dictatorial neighborhood association bullies before they reach the levers of power.  Nice harmless gay couple one day, a university the next.

I never thought I'd live to see the day where I would be THANKFUL for Cynthia Hedge-hyphen-Morrel and John Johnson's votes.  I don't think Kaare Johnson would have seen that either the way he bangs up on black politicians in Nola all the time for being relics of the past.  Just 10 days ago he was moaning up a storm about the showdown between Stacey Head and Cynthia Willard-hyphen-Lewis.  Say what you will, black politicians are much more keen to understand the hand that feeds them.

By my ranting, you can obviously tell that I completely dropped everything on my schedule and spent the day at the New Orleans City Council hearing.  Of course I did - I mean like, priorities here, hello.  Work can wait another day. 

Listen: I can bitch and complain about boneheadedness coming out of the Wilson Center sans interruption, I'm entitled to it (I feel anyways). But when these Witches of Eastwick on City Council think that they are gonna take away My Stadium and try to go against my alma mater because these bored Uptown Matrons are scared of black chirrens being so close to their neighborhood?  Wink, wink, I mean errr, PARKING.  Well, uh - they have messed with the wrong bitch.  And judging by the general reaction in the Greenie Dat Nation, these queens have stirred up the wrong hornets nest.

So the IZD in a nutshell is this:  The city has adopted a "Master Plan" after Katrina that seeks to standardize our haphazard "Spot" Zonging situations that make no sense, so that businesses/developers know what is acceptable, when, where and how.  That plan hasn't yet been finalized.  So right now, Tulane can build anything it wants on its property as long as it is within code.  They don't need to go get permission from the city and hold public hearings to present architectural drawings and then be at the mercy of random citizens to provide input to say, rebuild Bruff Commons as it is currently seeking to do. Or by rebuilding the UC as it did a few years ago.

So the end around on not appearing to be pick on Tulane, but picking on Tulane was for Susan Guidry to put up this sham "Interim" proposal, a "spot" zoning ordinance if there ever was one, that forces ANY college in Orleans Parish to go before the zoning board and city council regarding building projects inside their property.  And then when the Master Plan is finalized, codify this IZD bullhockey into the Master Plan.

Quelle Bullshit, non?  So of course, none of the colleges are for this.

It was a long day and of course the City Council Queens put the IZD as the very last item on the agenda.  I sat next to my friend Hot Wheels and we relished the opportunity to annoy the Uptown Matrons behind us for being just generally rude and snooty like they always are.  They kept tapping on us, and hissing at us and disapproving of my cute stadium sign.  Halfway through the overall boring agenda items that were being addressed before they got to ours, I discovered that I was in the path of the camera feed that was focused on the podium and just sprouted my horns.

So while other speakers were up, I took advantage of the prime position I was in.  I was totally obnoxious and hold up my sign to block the Nimby signs that were in seats behind me.  Well, then these Uptown Matrons started acting a fool and yelling at us in whispers.  Like I'm scared of them.  Bite me.  If you want to go toe to toe on being obnoxious, I will give you the competition.  Watch me.

This is a shot of me before I held the sign up over their faces. (and mine, so I screen shot this as proof that it's me)

Hot Wheels yelled at them to simmer down and quit touching him, but these women kept hissing away and generally being disagreeable.  Hot Wheels also screamed at the Council Members on his way out the door after their sham voting session, pretending to listen to all sides of the situation.  We left like Rock Stars.  It was so funny, I love drama!

What goads me about these people is that they are all assuring everyone that they are for the stadium, this isn't about the stadium, but it's about other uses and parking, meanwhile their signs all say "No Residential Stadium" Who are they kidding?  And then to be roping in all of the other colleges of Orleans Parish into this "Interim Zoning District" nonsense, thinking nobody was gonna say anything?

It was pretty funny because Scott Slatten called them out for the racists that they are and I literally heard the Uptown Matrons gasp.  They gasp-ed!  Who gasp's these days?  If I had eyes behind my head I swear I woulda all seen them grasp their pearls.

Of course, none of these Uptown Matrons gasp-ed when one of them went up to the podium to speak and turned around and faced Cowen, Dickson and Coach CJ Johnson and actually accused our Tulane Football Players of urinating on her yard!  For reals!  Could you imagine?  Sweet Ryan Griffin and the rest of the nicest players on the planet being so crude?!

Seriously - do these well-behaved young gentlemen look like they'd haul off and pee in your precious Audubon Boulevard Yard?

I mean like, if I didn't know better I'd organize a let's go pee on their yard party. Cause these women have pissed me off. That's just so wrong to accuse our players like that.

Crazy Lady also demanded to know from Cowen, Dickson and Coach CJ if we wanted to trade houses with her, because she just wants peace and quiet and I almost got up on my feet and yelled "ME! ME! ME!"  I would LOVE to have Tulane Stadium be my backyard.  Could you imagine my tailgate parties?!  I'd be elected Queen Tailgate Empress. For life!  Coach CJ was so funny because he smiled at her and shook his head yes! ha ha!

Anyways, OMG on Jackie Clarkson getting all offended about being called out for scheduling a hearing with 3 days notice that would halt a $60 million project and affect 50% of the city's land mass.  Yes, it's a backroom, corrupt way of handing city affairs, so don't be all offended when you get called out on it.  And lawered have mercy about Susan Guidry.  That useless woman has no business being a city councilman lady if she doesn't know what her amendments are, and how the process works in conducting a hearing. Or parliamentary procedure, hello you learn that on student council in elementary school.  Interrupting speakers that way because she was clueless.  She was so inept during the proceedings and I am glad that the general public had the opportunity to see her for what she is.  Bring Back Batt!

Well listen, I am here to tell you that if it's the last thing I do as a living creature on this earth Tulane Stadium is getting built, and Mz. Palmer, Mrs. Guidry and Mz. Head better start packing, cause they are in my radar and I'm done with them.

Sigh. After stewing all day about this sham of a situation, being proud of my student athletes, former students, alumni and boosters who showed up to show that they cared, I am now somewhat relieved at the turn of events this afternoon: Mayor Mitch Landrieu will veto the IZD when it is voted on as an ordinance. Cue the Angels in Heaven Singing. 

And what's more: Godfather Tom Benson is against the IZD, so the Saints issued a statement supporting the stadium.  And Tulane alumni and students are pissed and they are mobilizing.

So take that Uptown Matrons and suck on it. Or go move to some unfun soundless hole on the Northshore, please.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

One of my favorite football movie characters of the 80’s were the cheerleaders from the Goldie Hawn movie Wildcats. “U-G-L-Y! You ain’t got no alibi! You ugly! You! You! You ugly!”



From time to time when I get in the zone at games I start cheering that to opposing teams for giggles. Such a fantastic cheer! And plus the lyrics about alibis are just so appropriate for them fighting tigahs. ha.

Which I just have to address this: OMG about their incessant whining from the Championship to National Signing Day. Talk about u-g-l-y.

Silly me, I thought that Alabama completely embarrassing les tigres live on National Television would be the end of it. But no. When one feels entitled, then it’s imperative to complain, complain, complain (and it made me wonder which would have been worse: the gloating if they’d won or the never ending whining which ensued).

I just knew G-d would punish me somehow for gloating about this most awesome smack down in the history of America. And for laughing about the “Mantrums” (yes Peggy christened this word) which Peggy and Koozie witnessed. The complainers took it to the airwaves. and in the paper. and on the news. By air, land and sea. Oy! Enough Already!!!

About midway through football season, Peggy and Koozie took up the hobby of working Sundays at the Superdome for the Saints games which meant they got to work the BCS game. and Lawd did they have some stories about the complainers upriver.

At the end of the game, Peggy got to greet people as they left (which they did in droves). “Hope y’all have a great night! Thank you for coming!” "Enjoy your evening!" and she drolled this out there layered on REAL thick just because she could. ha ha! I love her!

Which by the way, I don’t think I can mention enough that their fans a) left in the third quarter and b) boo’d the players! Yes, they boo’d at children who play for free, don’t get an actual education and yet undertake this all for their selfish entertainment. Koozie had to work security on the field and was in front of the Golden Girls who were all forced to sit and watch the meltdown with mascara streaming down their faces.

Isn’t that fantastic?! Just enough to tide me over til September. Or this spring if we manage to beat them in Baseball.

Anyways, I just have to also point out that these quote/unquote “Fans" had the nerve to gasp and clutch their pearls when an Alabama fan went rogue and acted a fool in the Krystal’s on Bourbon. Because really, there isn’t a single solitary classless fan in the history of Louisiana A+M. That doesn’t excuse Mr. Downing for his behavior, but when you lower the bar for acceptable behavior, this is what can happen.

And then, for the cherry on top: les tigres went into a complete tailspin all the way through to signing day when their recruits started bailing on em. Because would you want to go before a sports tribunal for going 13-1? And Sweet Baby Jesus, if there is one thing I am grateful for in being mostly ignored by the media is that we don’t have whack moms, whack fathers or whack coaches who then go viral for talking out their mouths and looking like maroons. (or for that matter fans piling on by verbally lynching the high school coaches!)

So, now, meanwhile at OUR Glass House:

The Good: Tulane got it’s first four star recruit in a decade and we stole not 1, but a total of 3 recruits from the SEC. Yes indeed.


Fudge Van Hooser - turned down offers from Alabama, Auburn, Oregon, Stanford.


Kedrick Banks


Darion Monroe(!) - our twelfth hour 4 star coup, who switched his commitment from Texas A&M to the Wave and teared up explaining his decision. Holy Facundus, right?!


Joshua Rounds and Royce LaFrance, some more local kids for good measure. Shown here representing The Wave at Manning's

And there was gossip that there was – gasp- an LSU recruit who was wavering on his decision up until 7am that morning about jumping ship to come to Tulane. Could you have imagined? It’s actually a scary thought because since these people are in some kind of mood, they might have marched down and torched Tulane down to smoldering embers.

The Bad: I honestly don’t know if I should feel exhilarated or more tepid in my emotions about our Legendary Signing Day due to the impending fracas which is "Conference WTF"* that was birthed via negotiations by our very own Scott Cowen. The new conference name I am using is, of course, a joke since the conference has yet to be named. But I think it frames the situation perfectly.

How low our situation has sunk over the past decade is such a nightmare of epic proportions – and the fact that TPTB just allowed this slide down while every Greenie Dat could see it from light years away and yet were powerless in the situation – makes me really need to talk about food to push it aside and pretend it’s just not happening for the time being.**

So I won't think about Conference WTF right now. I'll think about it....in a year when I have to.

*I totally stole this from somewhere I can't remember, but if it belongs to you please let me know and I will happily give you proper credit

** yes, yes I know I just finished penning that it would be cool to have Hawaii in our conference. But I didn’t mean for an implosion to happen first for this to conveniently take place.

So now to items of real importance. Yes, my brothers and sisters: The 2012 Tulane Greenwave Fall Schedule was released and I promptly decided on our tailgating menus. I call it my swan song for the “Ex-CUSA” of a situation Tulane Football finds itself in.

Rutgers: Cheesesteaks and trimmings!

Ole Miss:  Shrimp n Grits brunch

ULM: Louisiana favorites

SMU: Chicken n Waffles, oh yeah!

UAB: BBQ

Rice: Greek-Mex!

ECU: Cochon du Lait

My friend Jack says that Cheesesteaks aren’t really NJ food, even though I’ve had delicious ones in NJ. But whatever – I think it will be delish, so I’ll just consider it a Rutgers-Adjacent themed menu.

As you can see I am going though serious football withdrawals. For my final hurrah of football season I had put together a totally cute par-tay for the Saints play offs hoping that I could extend tailgating festivities until the beginning of February. Alas it was not meant to be. Mr. Roman Harper. (yes I'm calling him out).

I admit I do have some residual bitterness and spent Superbowl Sunday shopping until I was kicked out of stores when they closed for the day. But as a more well-adjusted fan used to losing, I will only lash out about it on occasion. Besides, the last time I went to San Fran I was completely underwhelmed so I’m already on record about hating on it. and Jim Harbaugh can't touch Sean Payton with a ten foot pole in the class department.

For my partay I did a whole San Francisco Menu that came out really cute and delicious: Rice-A-Roni salad, Asian BBQ Spare Ribs (recipe below), California Rolls, Clam Chowder and Irish Coffee Cheesecake (recipe below). Nell brought Fruit (get it?) Salad and Peggy brought egg rolls and her awesome Sonoma Chicken Salad. FF brought a bunch of California artisanal beer and Coach Hullabaloo went nuts with the California wines at World Market.

My tablescaping was so cute, I loved it.


We even put bunting on the house and I made this fab wreath for the front door.


So I hope you enjoy these recipes. Now, onto planning our final hurrah in Ex-CUSA....

ASIAN BBQ SPARE RIBS
2 lbs pork spare ribs or baby back ribs
2 tbs hoisin sauce
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp five spice powder
3 tbs sesame oil
2 tbs sambal oelek (asian crushed chili pepper)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbs honey

Cut ribs in serving pieces, one or two ribs per cut. Wash and pat dry with paper towel. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. This will yield a wet mixture, not saucy. Rub onto the ribs and cook in a slow cooker overnight. Before ready to serve, broil them in an oven for 15 minutes on each side until brown and seared.

IRISH COFFEE CHEESECAKE
22 crisp oatmeal cookies
3 tbsp of cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp of brown sugar
1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs
3 tbsp of coffee liqueur or milk
1/2 tsp of vanilla
2 tbsp of instant espresso coffee powder
1/3 cup of Irish whiskey or milk
1 tsp of instant espresso coffee powder
1 tsp of granulated sugar
1 tbsp of whipping cream
1 1/2 cups of whipping cream
2 tbsp of granulated sugar

Butter a spring-form pan. Rough crush the cookies in a food processor. Add tbsp of brown sugar, butter and cinnamon to processor to combine. Mush it into the pan into a thin crust. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes and then let cool completely.

Beat cream cheese with a cup of brown sugar, add eggs until smooth. Add vanilla and the coffee liqueur. Dissolve the 2tbsp of espresso coffee powder in Irish whiskey. Add this into the cream cheese mixture and pour into crust. Bake at 350F degrees for 50 minutes and then let cool.

Dissolve 1tbsp of whipping cream with 1tsp of espresso coffee and 1tsp of granulated sugar. Separately, beat 1 1/2 cup of whipping cream with 2tbsp of granulated sugar until the mixture become stiff, and then fold in espresso mixture. Spread as garnish on top of cheesecake.