Tag: Tailgating

Winter, Wings and (Almost) Winning…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Winter, Wings and (Almost) Winning…

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

I am admittedly in a bit of a fog right now- not only because it’s a Monday and I’m back at work and waiting for the caffeine to kick in- but because I was at last night’s Patriots/Chiefs game with some friends from my office in Foxborough and am utterly wiped out from a full day of tailgating and cheering in the bitter, almost painful cold!

Not only that, but the game itself was nerve-wracking- and although I thought for sure the Patriots would pull off another last minute victory- the referees had other plans with some blatantly poor calls.

Oh well. I had a really, really fun time anyway- and it was absolutely worth being as tired as I am this morning!

A little later on this week, I have a recipe for a Holiday-inspired dessert, and festive “fashion” (I use the term very loosely) I’m excited to wear at my next holiday party.

I’ll also have a full recap from this coming Wednesday’s Boston Music Awards- which I’m looking forward to crashing!

But until then, I’ve got to wake up- get some work done- and power through until 4:30 PM today!

Enjoy your Monday, everyone! Hang in there!

xx

– Ashley –

Super Bowl Snacks: Mozzarella-Stuffed Pizza Bread

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Super Bowl Snacks: Mozzarella-Stuffed Pizza Bread

Good Afternoon and Happy “Hump Day,” everyone!

Today’s post is coming at you all a little later on in the day than usual- but with a Patriot’s Parade, work and friends visiting from California- the past couple of days have been a little crazy!

I’m still riding the post-Super Bowl celebration high right now- which is why I’m sharing a dish that I particularly love to make during football season- but can also really be prepared and served any time of year! Pizza dishes are appropriate year-round- on any day, occasion, party, etc.

This cheese-stuffed pizza dough takes just over an our to prepare, cook and serve- and about two minutes to eat (or one minute, if you’re like me…)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • 1 pound pizza dough
  • 1 large egg
  • 12 ounces finely diced fresh mozzarella
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomato pesto (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese Fresh basil, for serving

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 4-by-14-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water until combined.
  3. Sprinkle the mozzarella down the length of one piece of the dough in an even layer. Sprinkle the oregano and pepper evenly over the cheese. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash around the perimeter of the other piece of dough. Stack the pieces of dough, pressing firmly around the edges to seal and encase the cheese.
  4. Use a spoon to spread a line of pesto, about 1 inch thick, all the way down the length of the dough.
  5. Gently pick up the dough and twist down the length of it so that the pesto looks swirled. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and coil it into a tight spiral.
  6. Brush the dough with the olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle the Parmesan onto the dough and then bake until very golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. 8. Serve immediately, garnished with basil.

Amid the nachos, French fries, chicken wings, chips & dip, sliders and beer- this “Pizza Bread” was definitely a hit and went pretty fast! I also made sure to serve it alongside small bowls of marinara sauce and ranch dressing- since those are the mandatory Super Bowl side-sauces, after all!

And, of course- no Super Bowl party is complete without properly representing your team. Luckily, I had plenty of Patriots plates/cups on standby for the occasion! There’s still some left over, too- so maybe I can break it out again for next year’s Super Bowl!

A girl can hope, right?

Anyway, I have to get back to work- but here’s wishing you all a wonderful rest of your Wednesday!

xx

– Ashley –

Game Day Eats: Loaded Baked Potato Chips

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Game Day Eats: Loaded Baked Potato Chips

Good Morning and Happy “Hump Day”, everyone!

I took today off from work- not only to get some errands done and spend time with friends/family visiting from the West Coast this week- but I’m also getting ready to go live on-air for Morning Glory at Indie617 bright and early this A.M. before I head on over to the Black Rose on State Street to grab lunch and catch an acoustic set by The Wombats!

There’s going to be plenty of updates on my Instagram for those looking to follow along!

With last night being Game 1 of the World Series (go Sox, by the way!)– I thought I’d share one of my favorite “Game Day” and tailgating party recipes I like to whip up before my local teams’ big games. It’s a fun spin on loaded baked potatoes- since you can serve these like nachos, instead!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • 5 medium red potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chives

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Slice the potatoes into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Brush both sides with olive oil and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
  3. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and roast until they begin to turn golden brown on the base, about 15 to 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and roast until they are golden on the other side, 12 to 15 minutes more.
  4. Remove the tray from the oven and top each piece of potato with ½ – 1 teaspoon of crumbled bacon. Top with 1 teaspoon of cheddar cheese, and then return to the oven. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown and the cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes.
  5. Let the potatoes cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then garnish each with ½ teaspoon sour cream and ¼ teaspoon chives. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I could honestly eat an entire serving of these on my own if the opportunity presented itself- but sharing is caring and I made sure a couple of friends I had over last night to watch the game had enough of these chips to eat, too!

With plenty of nail-biting sporting events coming up, I know I’ll be making more of these in the next few weeks- and may or may not share them the next time around!

With a busy day ahead of me, I’ve got to get going- but here’s wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday! See you again on Friday!

xx

– Ashley –

“And we shed what was left of our Summer skin…”

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on “And we shed what was left of our Summer skin…”

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone! I’m so excited we’ve arrived at the beginning of another weekend!

The next few days are gonna’ be busy ones- not that I mind. Today at the office, we’re having a bit of a “Food Day” and tailgating party to celebrate the Patriots regular season kicking off this weekend. I work with some pretty incredible cooks, so I’m really looking forward to snacking sporadically throughout my day.

In order to better prepare for today’s festivities and make sure my Pats gear was updated- I stopped by Patriot Place at Gillette Stadium over this past weekend to pick up a new team shirt (and some earrings I couldn’t resist.) There was a New England Revolution match scheduled a little later on that day- so the place was pretty packed and very wild- but it was a lot of fun. There’s so much to do there.

You can check out the photos of the new gear on my INSTAGRAM later on this afternoon!

Then, tonight- the MVP cook (my mom, of course) is whipping up a big dinner for our family to commemorate my older brother and my niece’s birthday- which fall within days of each other. Fridays are for food comas, right?

Tomorrow morning I’m getting up bright and early to pick up both my mom and my cousin and make the early a.m. drive to New Hampshire so we can spend a fun-filled day at Hampton Beach’s annual Seafood Festival. While I’m definitely going to get some crab cakes- as is tradition- the real fun comes from browsing the sales racks and seaside shops since many of them are going to be closing for the Fall/Winter season and need to move their merchandise quickly. You can find so many great deals if you know where to look.

Oliver is joining us, too- and if the weather permits- he and I will be taking one final dip in the Atlantic before the water gets too cold!

Sunday will, hopefully- be a day of rest and relaxation- spent in the comfort of pajamas after I grab my daily coffee. My West Coast vacation is quickly approaching and I’ve got a lot to do before I fly out to the desert! Apart from working my usual schedule next week- I’m seeing Interpol when they (finally) return to Boston, packing, picking up the necessities I’ll need on the road- and putting the finishing touches on my Autumn playlist for this year.

I’d like to decompress a bit on Sunday before I jump right back into my usual busy itinerary!

But the food is here and I’ve got work to do. Here’s wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

I’ll be back to it on Monday morning!

xx

– Ashley –

Quick Eats: Baking Sheet Quesadillas

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Quick Eats: Baking Sheet Quesadillas

Good Morning, Happy Monday- and Happy Labor Day, everyone! This post was drafted right before I left for a long weekend away in the middle of the mountains in Vermont with my best friend. I’m heading home later on today- and I’ll be sure to have plenty of photos from my trip to share this week once I’m back in my home office (where I have a more stable WiFi connection than out here in the woods!)

This coming Thursday is the kickoff to the New England Patriots’ regular season- and to celebrate- we’re having a tailgating party at work (I swear, we do actually work now and then) where everyone has been encouraged to bring their favorite game day food. Although my go-to recipe to satisfy a fairly large group of people has always typically been a big plate of nachos- this time around I wanted to try something a little different- and I came across this 20-minute recipe for mess-free quesadillas that looked delicious.

I did a trial run a few days ago to see if it was something I could pull off in the early morning hours before my commute so they would stay fresh and warm by the time our party started- and I’m pretty excited to share these with everyone at the office- because they turned out awesome!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
  • 12 tortillas or wraps
  • ½ cup salsa
  • 12 ounces shredded cheddar or Jack cheese
  • Shredded and cooked chicken or beef (depending on your preference! You can also go meat-free and stick to just the cheeses and salsa.)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons sliced green onions
  • Sour cream, as needed for serving
  • Salsa, as needed for serving

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
  2. Arrange half of the tortillas in the prepared pan, overlapping them as needed to fully cover the base.
  3. Spread the salsa in an even layer on top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the salsa and add your cooked and shredded chicken or beef.
  4. Arrange the remaining tortillas on top of the cheese, salsa & meat- overlapping as needed to fully cover the pan. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter evenly over the tortillas.
  5. Bake until the tortillas are golden and the cheese is fully melted, 9 to 12 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and green onions.
  6. Serve immediately, warm, with sour cream and salsa on the side.

I’m not even going to lie- I ate enough of these to the point where I felt like I couldn’t move- that’s how good they tasted. Fantastic flavor aside, I couldn’t get over how quick, easy, and painless these were to make- and I think I’ve found my new favorite party recipe for this coming football season!

Enjoy your Monday, y’all! (And Go Pats!)

xx

– Ashley –