"The Hungry Fan's Game Day Cookbook" - Cheeseburger Soup - NFL season begins!

Date I made this recipe:  Sunday, September 10, 2017 – NFL Season Begins!

The Hungry Fan's Game Day Cookbook by Daina Falk

Published by Oxmoor House

ISBN: 13: 978-0-8487-4583-7; © 2016

Purchased at: Half-Price Books

Recipe:  Cheeseburger Soup – p. 67

Already?  In these parts, we just finished the annual Minnesota State Fair, and then there was Labor Day and yet despite evidence to the contrary, such as training camps and pre-season games, it's time for our favorite teams to hit the gridiron as pro football season begins.

I'm still stuck in summer mode and even after fall commences on September 22, I'll still be stuck in summer mode.  And then I'll be stuck in "I can't wait for summer" mode for the rest of the year but that's another story for another day.

So right on schedule, high school, college, and the pros all commenced firing on the field last weekend and now we are off and running with our usual and customary hair-pulling, teeth-gnashing, and finger-crossing until February when Super Bowl 52 will be played in Minneapolis.  This is not to say that my rival team, the Vikings, will be in it but it will be played here.

At any rate, faithful readers know that I am a Green Bay Packers Shareholder which is to say, Owner, meaning I wanted to start my guys off on the right foot as this season gets underway.  My goal for using The Hungry Fan's Game Day Cookbook was to find a dish befitting my team and by page 67, I found it:  Cheeseburger Soup (For "Cheeseheads" everywhere, "cheesehead" being the world's nickname for Packers fans.  Wisconsin.  Cheese.  Get it?)

What I really loved about this soup is that it included also some spinach and yes, I could be giddy about it because spinach is good for you, but the green offset the yellow of the cheese and green and gold are the Packers colors.  Signs point to "yes" to this being a good omen.

So far, I've talked about football, but this cookbook is intended for hungry fan's of any sport.  In fact, Ms. Falk's father was an NBA sports agent.  I cannot say that pro basketball floats my boat, but if I was a fan, then naturally, I might want some game day food.  At any rate, she almost followed in her father's footsteps to become a sports agent, but switched it up and created instead, this cookbook and a website called Hungry Fan (www.hungryfan.com) that includes a blog, recipes, and other tips.  She also refers to "Tailgating" as "Fangating" which I have to say is more fitting these days.

Speaking of tailgating,  I have to confess that I've only tailgated a few times, mostly when the Twins or Vikings, or even the former soccer team played in the old Met Stadium in Bloomington, MN, where the Mall of America now stands.

If you are horrified that I went to a Vikings game, you should know that all games I attended (no matter what the sport) were all company-related events and it all happened decades ago. 

In my opinion, tailgating at a company function is boring.  In fact, it's almost non-existent.  If we had food at all, it was usually under a big tent and sometimes even in a special "company"-related section and not with the other fans.  Also?  Imbibing alcohol was often frowned upon even though this was still the age of the three-martini lunch.  I found it somewhat hilarious to be whooping it up at a game with my co-workers whilst sipping a soda.  Also, when the old Met Stadium was torn down, the location of the new stadium (now torn down), the Metrodome, had little land on which to tailgate, defeating the whole purpose of going to a football game...well, besides the game itself!

Now tailgating at Lambeau is an art as the entire parking lot is filled with fans and food.  Stories are rife of tailgaters offering food to passerby's but alas, we never got a morsel.  We didn't care because it was just fun to be there and I'm pretty sure most tailgaters say the same.  For those who party at home, in some ways this cookbook is skewed towards you as some of the dishes seem to require kitchen availability which of course is hard to emulate in a parking lot unless you are a southern school in which case, nothing gets in the way of these fans' tailgating.  Nothing. 

Okay then, hungry fans, here are your chapter choices:

• Starters
• Soups, Salads, & Flatbreads
• Sandwiches & Burgers
• Barbecue & Other Mains
• Sides
• Desserts
• Drinks

Let me just say that while there is nothing wrong with salads at a tailgate or game-day party, I expected to see at least one coleslaw "salad" recipe in this book and there weren't any; that's a demerit, folks.

And Flatbreads?  No.  Flatbreads on game day are just too precocious.  In my mind's eye, I'm trying to picture a bunch of hockey fans eating flatbreads but my brain just won't go there.  Yet another demerit awarded.

Okay, so let's back up a bit to see what fare she features in these categories.  In the Starter chapter, we have  "Shepherd's  Pie Quesadilla Bites" (Hmmm....not sure about that one); "Wisconsin-Style Fried Cheese Curds  ("On Wisconsin!")," plus your basic wings and things, some of which though, are prefaced with the word "healthy" in front of them, as in "Healthy Jalapeno Poppers."

Healthy?  On game day?  Surely, she jests?  Demerit!

In the Soup, Salads, & Flatbread category we have this dish:  "Bacon Brussels Sprouts Soup."

I want you to let that sink in for a minute.  Bacon = good.  Soup ("is good food") = good.  Bacon + soup = tasty!  Even Brussels sprouts on their own = mostly good (depending on how they are prepared), but in a soup?  Never.  Never!  Takes some kind of balls to put that recipe in this book, that does!

Can you imagine hosting a party at your house and offering up "Bacon Brussels Sprouts Soup" to a group of hungry fans?  Aside from the fact that Brussels sprouts are green and the Packers' colors are green and gold, this dish has zero appeal and then there's the smell.  I'm definitely going to have to ding the author for this; we are now up to four demerits.

Happily, she has other recipes of interest:  "Baked Potato Soup" (Now that's more like it!); chili, or even "Kentucky Tomato Bourbon Soup," (When is bourbon in something not good?) but then she goes off-road again with recipes for "Chilled Avocado Soup," which is no doubt delicious unless it is -10 outside; lentil salad (Merciful heavens...no), or my favorite (not really) "Kale Quinoa Salad."

Let me explain something to you:  I have plenty of friends who would love some of the above recipes, and would probably celebrate the "Brussels Sprouts Soup," but you are as unlikely to find these people in my house at game day as you would seeing a moose waltzing down my city street. (Alaskan cities though, are another matter.)

Moving on, in the Sandwiches & Burgers chapter, we have a recipe for a "Bologna Cheesesteak" which honestly sounds pretty good, some hero sandwiches and some decent burgers and then this:  "Bite-Size Cucumber Sandwiches."

Hahahahahahahahahahaha.....Might as well have friends over for high tea if you're going to make that crap recipe.  Total demerits:  five.

Let's see how we fare in our next category, Barbecue & Other Mains, shall we? 

I am happy and relieved to report that she was back on track with recipes for ribs, more ribs, pork, pulled pork, and even fish and chips, not that I ever associate a sports event with fish and chips, but whatever.  (Exception:  sporting events in England and the rest of the British empire.)

The Sides chapter is not bad although my eyebrows raised at the inclusion of "Cassava Pie," a Bermudan recipe that calls for 4 pounds cassava which is apparently, a "woody shrub," similar to a potato or carrots although don't quote me on that.  I just have to say this though: "shrubs?") This dish might have been okay, except it called for 2 cups sugar, some nutmeg, and some vanilla extract.  Thank you, no.  Also?  How is this a side dish? 

 Finally, I do not have any complaints for the last two chapters, Desserts and then Drinks except again, I'm not picturing most sports fans sipping a "Watermelon Cooler" unless they are at Wimbledon, or a polo match.  Just sayin'.

This brings me back then, to the perfect choice for my Packers and hopefully your team as well:  Cheeseburger Soup.   What is not to like about cheese and burgers?  (Well, except for those who are vegetarian or vegan in which case, you are exempted from this quiz.)

Assuming you are a person with whom this recipe resonates, let's continue on.

For once, I decided to make a full recipe (Serves 6) and was glad I did because the leftovers were great.  As you might imagine, you cook ground beef, add in some other things, make your creamy broth and ta-da!  Just think of this as a deconstructed cheeseburger and you'll be good.

Let me just observe that I don't think you need a sporting event to make this soup as it was mighty tasty, game or no game.

Cheeseburger Soup – Serves 6

1 ¼ pounds ground beef

4 slices bacon

4 tablespoons butter

½ medium onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, diced

8 ounces sliced baby portobello mushrooms

2 cups tightly packed baby spinach

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried parsley, plus more for garnish

¼ cup all-purpose flour

6 slices Monterey Jack, cheese (Ann's Note:  I substituted Havarti.)

¼ cup ketchup

1 cup half-and-half (Ann's Note:  I had milk and cream on hand so I mixed them together.)

¼ cup sour cream, optional

1 ripe tomato, chopped for garnish, optional

Cook the beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until it browns evenly, about 6 minutes.  Drain and transfer to a plate.

Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium until it gets crispy, 5 to 7 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board to cool, and drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan.  Chop the cooled bacon into small, crunchy bits, and set aside.

Using the same Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the remaining bacon fat (reserve the other 3 T), and stir in the onions and celery.  Sauté until the onions become translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.  Add the spinach.  (It will start to wilt amid the hot veggies.)  Pour into the broth; add the beef, salt, pepper, and parsley, and bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium.  Add the flour, and cook for 1 minute while stirring.  The roux should start to bubble, signaling that it's ready.

Add the roux to the soup and bring to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring well to incorporate the roux.  Reduce the heat, and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add the cheese, ketchup, reserved bacon, and half-and-half.  Stir well, and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat, let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, and then stir in the sour cream, if desired.

Serve with a sprinkle of additional parsley and the chopped tomatoes for a little color, if you like.

"Cooking for the Champ - Muhammad Ali's Favorite Recipes" by Lana Shabazz - "The Greatest's" passing (June 3, 2016)

Date I made this recipe:  June 3, 2016 – boxing legend Muhammad Ali passed away

Cooking for the Champ – Muhammad Ali's Favorite Recipes  by Lana Shabazz

Published by Jones-McMillon

©1979

Purchased at Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks – NYC – July 2013

Recipe:  Banana Pudding – p. 100

"...Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" this is a recipe for Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali passed away today and that makes me very sad.  What a legend!  What a boxer!  What a trash talker!  I loved him.

When I was a kid (when dinosaurs roamed the earth), we watched sports, including boxing, in our family, all day, every day.  And one of the greatest boxers of my time, if not all time, was Muhammad Ali. I loved watching the fights. 

And if you were watching Muhammad Ali, then chances are good that you were also watching ABC's sports commentator, Howard Cosell, or, as he said it, How-ard Co-sel-l in that very funny and clipped way he had.  Those two together were pure gold—as gold as the ABC jacket Howard wore while on the air.

These two men could not be more different and yet they struck up a friendship that lasted until Cosell died.  I think Howard didn't know what to make of Ali (formerly known as Cassius Clay).  Ali was not a shrinking violet and took to interviews the way he took to the ring:  with gusto.  When Ali said "I am the greatest" he was speaking truth and I think Cosell was just enamored with a guy who said such things with no apologies given.

Mind you though, as a kid, I was rather put off by Ali because I thought he was overconfident to the point of being rude.  But when you are 11 or 12 or 13, you think these things.  Still, when Ali fought Joe Frazier in 1971 (a fight dubbed "The Fight of the Century"), I was all about Joe.  And unbelievably, Frazier won.  I don't remember much of that event itself but do remember Ali.  Regardless of the decision that night, he was a force.

Some of you "youngsters" might recall when Ali lit the torch at the 2012 Olympics in London.  It was a moving moment to be sure.

And so ends another era and sheesh people, the list of people passing away who I grew up watching on TV, whether in sports or TV shows or also in films is getting longer and longer.  It makes me sad.  But it also makes me happy that I can honor some of these folks by cooking, the activity that helps center me and calm me when life just takes a detour.  And this cookbook, one I purchased several years ago, helped make things right.

After Andy and I each went through this cookbook, we had a long list of potential recipes – "Baked Stuffed Summer Squash" – p. 20; "Lana's Meat Loaf
 – p. 20 as well as "Lana's Meatloaf for Ali's Gang" – p. 21; "Asparagus Pie (With Meat)" – p. 23 and so on and we had barely left the Meat section.  Dessert was even more overwhelming but for whatever reason, that day we settled on Banana Pudding and was it ever delicious!  Neither one of our moms made it growing up but we wish they had.  Rich custard + bananas + vanilla wafers + meringue = our kind of dish!

And here's the thing:  I seem to recall that when I first purchased this cookbook at Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks in NYC (a rare find that I snapped up), I didn't see much of anything in this cookbook to float my boat.  Was I nuts?  This book was great and this banana pudding sealed the deal.

Muhammad Ali had many riches in his life and his cook, Lana Shabazz, was one of them.

Fare the well to The Greatest.

Banana Pudding – Yield:  8 to 10 servings

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups sugar

5 eggs

 2 ½ cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon banana extract (Ann's Note:  I substituted almond extract)

1 box vanilla wafers

6 medium-size ripe bananas, sliced

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Ann's Note:  I made half a recipe and it turned out great but it's best if eaten right away because the bananas will start to grow brown.  Tastes great but that can't be said for the appearance!

Heat oven to 425.

In a large sauce pan combine flour, salt, and 1 cup sugar.

Beat together 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks and add to mixture; beat until consistency is paste-like.  Add milk, stirring constantly over low flame until mixture thickens and begins to boil (about 10 minutes).  Remove from heat and add vanilla and banana extracts.

Line bottom of large casserole with vanilla wafers.  Place a layer of sliced bananas over the wafers then pour portion of custard over bananas.  Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard, ending with custard on top.  In a small bowl whip remaining egg whites, add cream of tartar, remaining ¼ cup sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.  Pile on top of pudding and bake for 5 minutes or until delicately brown.  Serve warm or chilled.

Ann's Note:  If you half the recipe like I did, be sure to also divide the ingredients listed in the above steps (like eggs and sugar) accordingly.