Birthdays and Cookouts and Tailgating, Oh My!

Whenever you have an action packed weekend it’s not easy to head back to the office on Monday.  Normal beginning of the work week tiredness is even more unavoidable when much of your weekend fun happens on Sunday funday.

This weekend my friends and I took part in an NFL tailgate.  It was the opening weekend in Cleveland and the City was out in full force in orange and brown.  This was my first NFL tailgate and the dedication of the fans was unreal (I unfortunately saw a man wearing a Browns thong…) and the company was awesome.

However, having gone to a small Division III college, I don’t have the same tailgate resume as my state school friends.  Nonetheless, I did learn a few things that I'll be keeping in mind for my next trip back to the Municipal Parking lot…

A few Lessons Learned:

#1.  Remember to plan ahead if you are heading to a Sunday tailgate.  Most states do not allow alcohol sales before noon or 1pm on Sundays, and others prohibit it entirely.  Plus, you need to make sure that you bring some snacks to contribute to the group.  You can never underestimate how happy your friends will be to see you show up with a bag of potato chips.

#2. Arrive at your designated tailgating area early.  Getting a tailgating space is a process that is similar to the struggle for land in the Wild Wild West.  Also, the earlier you get in the quicker you can complete item #3 listed below.

#3. Stake out your territory.  Bring a card table or folding chairs to use as you establish the boundaries of your “base camp.”  The goal, I believe, is to establish as much space as possible for your group.  Gaining a large amount of territory will also prevent other tailgaters (typically “dudes”) from playing catch with a football near your head.

#4. Bring some delicious homemade tailgate food.  If you’re looking for a simple yet tasty recipe try out these “Classy Pigs in a Blanket” recipe courtesy of Lauren H.

Ingredients: 

Hillshire Farms Kielbasa Sausage

Pillsbury crescent roll dough

Preheat oven to 375.  Slice up sausage into bite sized pieces.  Roll out the dough and cut it into strips wide enough to hold the sausage.  Wrap each piece of sausage in dough.  Place sausages on cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.  Serving suggestion: BBQ sauce.

What are your secrets to a successful tailgate?

-Best wishes for a wonderful week!