College Football Party!

Gooooooo, Seminoles!

Tonight, my beloved Florida State University kicks off its football season against Pitt in what I hope is a rough welcome to the ACC for our friends up north.  (I mean no disrespect to any of you Pitt fans, of course, and hope you will still be my friend after today, no matter who wins. :))

The first game of the season has a hallowed place in our lives here at Chez Recessionista.  The date is circled on the calendar months ahead of time, and the process of planning a menu for the festivities is the stuff of legend.  Tonight’s meal, for instance, has been dithered about and debated, discussed at length with family and friends alike.  And, finally, after a month (no joke) of deliberating, we’ll have on the docket:

• Backyard BBQ chili (from Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet – I’m linking to an adaptation here)
• Mamaw’s Cornbread (a recipe from one of our friends that makes good use of a cast-iron skillet and a liberal amount of high-test sour cream)
• Devilled eggs
• Chips and Lucky Onion Dip (blend a packet of Lipton onion-soup mix with a regular container of sour cream and voila, instant luck – unless you’re a Florida Gator!)
• Dessert to be brought by our friends Denise and Matt – rumor has it, a peach-apple crisp is on the menu!

… and, to add a bit of spice to the evening, we’re serving Tabasco Manhattans, using Tabasco-infused Southern Comfort (we ARE Southerners, after all) to give the vermouth a run for its money.  We’ll also have beer, soft drinks, and water for those of us who would prefer something a little more sedate.

This devilled egg recipe is one I’ve been tweaking since last football season, and I think I’m finally happy with it.  Give it a try and tell me how you like it (and how I can improve upon it!).  We’re all friends here, no matter your football team of choice. :)

Here goes:

DEVILLED EGGS

Serves 24 (or 12 … or six … or two.)

What you’ll need:

12 eggs

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. Cajun seasoning, plus enough to sprinkle on top of the eggs

Hard-boil the eggs and let them cool, then peel them and cut them in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the yolks and place them in a bowl along with the mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.  Combine the mixture until it forms a smooth paste, then spoon back into the hulled-out egg whites.

GO NOLES!

:)