Tampa Bay

2021

We have moved to a new state! We relocated to Arizona last December. That is what happens when you make a very extensive vision board during quarantine in south Georgia. We will be watching the Cardinals (and Falcons) (and really all of the games) but we will always be Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans.

We kicked off the season by ordering Burnt Ends from 4 Rivers Smokehouse (via Goldbelly). They were much greasier and fattier than in person, but we will take what we can get. We made some nachos and kicked off the season by watching a nail-biting win over the Dallas Cowboys.

2017

Ho Ho Ho...we love a late season NFC South showdown, especially when it is a Monday Night Football game. The game also features Jon Gruden being inducted into the Bucs' Ring of Honor, and I am way too excited about that aspect.

Cuban Sandwich Buccaneer Pizza

This was an easy one. We took all of the ingredients typically found on a Cuban Sandwich and threw them on a pizza. It tasted like home.

Dough

Publix Brand

Base

Olive Oil and Fresh Black Pepper

Toppings

Cubed Ham
Cubed Pork
Diced Dill Pickles
Italian Blend Shredded Cheese

Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees.

Secondary Toppings

Dill Pickle Juice and Mayo, whisked together.
Yellow Mustard and Mayo, whisked together.
Drizzle

2016
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are nacho home team anymore, Sandwich Gal. I still love them, quite a bit, and the entire Tampa Bay area. The Atlanta Falcons played the Bucs in the season opener. I decided that a perfect homage to my former home was the following nacho recipe. It tasted just like home!

Cuban Sandwich Buccaneer Nachos

Tortilla Chips
Ham, small diced
Pork, small diced
Dill pickles, small diced

Cheese topping:
I  used a recipe for a typical French Sauce Mornay, minus the nutmeg.

Secondary topping:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pickle juice
1 TBSP yellow mustard
Whisk it all together, and turn yourself around.

2015 Season

All of the feels are real for this post. I never dreamed I would be cooking for a game against the Buccaneers. The adjustments to our new home here in Atlanta continue. The last time the Falcons played the Bucs we were lucky enough to attend the game at The Georgia Dome. After cheering for the Bucs for almost two decades and sincerely trying to embrace my new city's team, I pretty much clapped for every play. By both teams. Yeah, football!!

This week was also the easiest to plan, there was almost no research necessary. I often dream of the fresh seafood from The Gulf Coast. I decided to try and make my own Fish Dip. It had a little kick, but was in no way as good as the countless spreads I have shoved in my mouth up and down said Coast.

The main dish was a no-brainer. If you know me, you know I love my sandwiches. These Cuban Sliders were simple and delicious.

A slice of Key Lime Pie rounded out my taste-of-home meal.

The husband and I are homesick 6 months into residency. The schedule is no joke. This meal was cooked solo-style, and will be enjoyed re-heated late on a Sunday night when The Doc gets home. Until he gets home.....Go Falcons.
And.....Go Bucs.

Here are some more tasty treats from Tampa Bay:

Chocolate Pirate Cocktail

Tampa Bay Buccaneer Fish Burger

Grouper Reuben Sandwich

Key Lime Pie Cookie Cups

Orange Julius

Cuban Quesadilla

Minnesota

2019 Season

This week I used Minnesota Wild Rice as a base in these vegetable 'sushi' bites. I may make this sauce for every dish ever, it was so good.

Enjoy!

Minnesota Vikings Vegetable 'Sushi' Bites

Sauce

Mix equal parts of the following:

sriracha

hoisin

crunchy peanut butter

(Slowly add water and blend until creamy)

Hollow out a Cucumber (I used an Organic English)

Fill half with wild rice.

Add in small diced pieces of:

jalapeno

kiwi

mango

avocado

When it is packed, slice cucumber. Top with a squirt of lime juice and serve with sauce.

Full disclosure: This was a hot mess. It was so delicious, but I definitely need to work on a better way to fill the cucumber. I ended up making individual pieces for the picture; the first version I did was not at all suitable for publication. If you have an easy way of doing this, I'd love to hear it.

2014 Season

This week the Tampa Bay Buccaneers played the Minnesota Vikings. There are many wonderful recipes from this region. We threw together an easy menu, as this week found the both of us incredibly busy.

When playing the Vikings, you simply must have a Juicy Lucy. This genius burger hides the cheese on the inside, like a tasty little secret.

 

Anything containing wild rice will nicely round out your game day menu. We took the easy way out. Thanks, Uncle Ben!

 

A quick and easy drink is this Purple and Gold Sparkler: Sprite, food coloring, and a lemon. Cheers!





Here are some other fun recipes from the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Minnesota Wild Rice Salad

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Purple People Eater

Screaming Viking

Honey Crisp Apple Sangria

Lefse

Arizona

2019 Season

The Bucs got their third win of the season against the Arizona Cardinals. That stat brings us to 3 and 6, not exactly the season we were hoping for. We revisited the deliciously easy cheese crisp recipe (see below). We first made this 6 years ago, and I am not exactly sure why we haven't made it every day since. We added a bit of sour cream and a sliced red chili pepper. All versions were delicious, and man camera phones have come a long way.

2013 Season

I will say that coming up with a menu for indigenous items from the great state of Arizona was a bit of a struggle.  When I ask for Spencer's input, he invariably says, "Stew". As in Cardinal Stew. Or Patriot Stew. No Help.

Luckily, through the genius of the Google machine, I discovered extensive homages to the mighty cheese crisp. So simple and delicious.

Tortilla Soup-We used the Bear Creek (Holla!) brand and topped with tortilla strips, avocado, lime, and sour cream. I could eat this all day.

Recipe:
Cheese Crisp

Preheat oven to 400
Butter a tortilla all the way to the edges
Cook for 5-10 minutes (until it begins to brown)
Pull out, top with Cheddar Cheese (you can also add green chiles, but it is not necessary!)
Cook for another few minutes until the cheese melts.

Then shove it in your face and go make another one.

Arizona tea-Yep, made in NYC, shush, it says "Arizona" on the can. I dig that  Lite Arnold Palmer.

 

Other ideas for an Arizona Cardinals game day:

 

Pork and Tomatillo Stew

Seattle

2019 Season

I struggled a bit coming up with a vegetarian recipe for this week's Bucs/Seahawks game. So I took the lazy way out and used Seattle colored sour cream. The result...spicy goodness!

Seahawks Loaded Spicy Waffle Fries

Top waffle fries (I used sweet potatoes) with the following:

Morning Star Farms 'Meat' Crumbles

-sauté in a splash of olive oil for five minutes. Then add a tsp of rice vinegar, cook for one minute. Then add 2 TBSP of gochujang sauce; sauté for one more minute.

Pickled shallots

-thinly slice, add a tsp of rice vinegar and 1/2 tsp of sugar and a pinch of salt; stir occasionally

Shredded cheddar

Lettuce

Slices of one red chili

One diced tomato

Blue/green sour cream.

This was so delicious!

2016 Season

The Year of the Nacho

I really wanted to redeem myself after the soggy, messy, almost tasteless ordeal that was the Salmon Nachos of 2014. I believe I have done that with the following recipe, The Doc and I ate these up and wished for a few more. Please enjoy, I know we did.

Seattle Seahawks Nachos with Dungeness Crab 

Chips
Cut wonton wrappers into triangles. Coat with olive oil, top with salt and black pepper. Bake at 375 for 7 minutes.

Line a pan with tin foil for easy clean up. Working in layers, top the chips with cheddar cheese, black beans, and crab. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is good and melty.

While the nachos bake, make this easy peasy peanut sauce: 
1/2 cup Newman's Sesame Ginger Dressing
1 tbsp peanut butter
Shake, shake, shake it up.

Remove nachos from the oven and immediately top with the following:

Diced tomatoes
Diced red bell pepper
Bean Sprouts
Black olives
Scallions
Parmesan
Peanut Sauce

2014 Season

This meal was inspired by the great Northwest.
Salmon and Black Bean Nachos
(recipe from The Weary Chef )

Add salt and chili powder to salmon filets. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
Load your chips onto a baking sheet covered with foil. Top with beans, cheese, etc. and bake for 10 minutes.

Finish off with guacamole, tomatoes, jalapenos, and sour cream.

Truth? They were kind of a wet, soggy mess. However, they were a great homage to the eventual SuperBowl champs!

Of course, we had to throw in Starbucks coffee and some Washington candied apples.

Other recipe links, for the more seasoned players out there:
Steamed Dungeness Crab with Meyer Lemon Aioli

Seahawks Cocktails

Salted (and other) Caramel Apples

Russells Sprouts Cheese Dip

Seattle Grunge Chex Mix

Svedka Vodka Seattle Seahawks Sipper

Seattle Seahawks Coffee and Cherry Burger

Seattle Seahawks Rice Krispie Treats

Detroit

2018 Season

We decided to try the real deal Detroit-style pizza using the Goldbelly website. I had a coupon (they want your return business, if you order from them you can count on a steady stream of $20 off coupons) and opted to try Detroit Style Pizza Company. They did not disappoint. I got three small pizzas (cheese, pepperoni, and the 'Margherita in the D', which I ordered for the name alone). All were delicious, the pepperoni was our favorite.

The square shape is intriguing, but the money maker here is the thick crust. It is crunchy and chewy and buttery and oh so good. The sauce goes in clumps on the top; I'm not sure that made a huge difference in the taste but it is an interesting angle.

From the website:

"Rather than using traditional round pans, in true Motor City fashion, the originators baked their pizza in square, blue steel automotive parts pans that allowed the outer edges of cheese to caramelize, forming a delicious golden brown cheese barrier around the perimeter of the pie."

Genius.

2014 Season

Detroit (Rock City!...sing it with me folks!) offers an interesting array of delicious snacks. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the Detroit Lions game day, the main course was a no-brainer: Detroit Style Pizza. My husband loves the pizza like I love the sandwiches. The sauce is on the top of this square piece of Heaven, friends.

We chased that salty goodness with some Diet Vernor's ginger ale. This is my new favorite soda. Sorry, Dr. Pepper.

A sweet treat to end the meal? M & M cookies. I seize any and all opportunities to rock a hoodie and sing "Lose Yourself."

Pic courtesy of MeatsRootsandLeaves.com

Thanks, Motor City, for your delicious eats. Here are some more ideas for your Lions game day! Feel free to shoot me your recipe links. (Except for "Lion Stew", as per the spouse's suggestion. No thanks.)

Coney Island Hot Dogs

Grilled Dinty Moore Corned Beef Sandwich

Almond Boneless Chicken

Roary the Lion Cocktail