Tailgate Time: Good Food and Great Company

It’s finally that time of year again- time for us to gather together and cheer our favorite teams on to victory! If you’re looking for some good food and fun times, check out the recipes below (from Capstone Cooks: Volume 2, available in our shop):

Seven Layer Bean Dip

Provided by Agent Phillip Drummond

4 Tbsp safflower oil

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp chopped onion (from 1 medium onion)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (15 1/2 oz each) pinto beans, drained, liquid reserved

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled

1 -2 pickled jalapeño chiles, minced

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sour cream

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 oz cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)

6 scallions, thinly sliced

6 oz pitted black olives, chopped

1-2 bags tortilla chips, for serving

Heat oil in a large pan. Add 1 cup onion and the garlic. Cook over low heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans, and cook for 3 minutes. Roughly mash with the back of a spoon, adding reserved liquid as needed to attain desired consistency. Mix tomatoes with remaining 2 Tbsp onion and the salt. Mash avocados with jalapeños, 2 Tbsp sour cream, and the lemon juice. Spread 1/2 inch mashed beans into bottom of each jar. Top with 2 Tbsp cheddar, 1 Tbsp scallions, cup tomato mixture, 3 Tbsp avocado mixture, 2 Tbsp sour cream, then 2 1/2 Tbsp olives (Alternatively, layer all ingredients in a large bowl.) Serve with chips.

Orzo Salad (winning recipe of our tailgate competition)

Provided by Stovehouse Office Manager Donna Bauer

1 lb orzo pasta (make sure not to overcook)

1 lb crumbled feta cheese

8 oz sun dried tomatoes (julienne cut in olive oil is best)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup fresh oregano, leaves only (pulled off stalks and chopped)

1/4 lemon juice

1/4 lite soy sauce

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 lbs flank steak

1 onion chopped

2 fresh limes

1 bundle of cilantro

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 stick butter

16 mini corn tortillas

Thinly slice steak and then chop into bite size pieces. Brown the steak in a skillet in the oil. Add half the onions to steak in skillet and cook until soft. Season meat and onions with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of two fresh limes over the meat and onion mixture. Continue cooking until meat is throughly cooked. While the steak is cooking, heat the butter in a separate skillet. Fry the mini corn tortillas in skillet for 1 minute until they are soft. Allow them to cool slightly. Use 2 corn tortillas for each taco. Spoon the meat mixture into two tortillas and top with cilantro, fresh onions or other toppings.

Easy Banana Magic Cake

Provided by Agent Nichele Cooper

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 Tbsp water

2 cups lukewarm milk

4 eggs (separated)

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp light brown sugar

1/2 cup mashed banana (1 medium banana)

1 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease 8×8 inch baking dish, set aside. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form, set aside. Beat the egg yolks and sugars until pale yellow. Mix in the melted butter and the Tbsp of water (about 2 minutes) until evenly combined. Mix in mashed banana just to combine. Mix in flour until evenly incorporated. Slowly beat in the milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Fold in the egg whites. The batter will be thin. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 45-50 minutes (until the cake is barely jiggly in the center). Baking time might vary depending on your oven or pan you use, but start checking after 45 minutes. If the top browns quickly before the minimum of 45 minutes, you can cover the cake with aluminum foil. Cool the cake completely before dusting withe powdered sugar. Even cooled, it will be slightly jiggly because it has custard layer in the center.