Game Day Favorites

I’m having trouble keeping my mind on work today. For the first time since 1981, my alma mater Clemson University is playing in the National Title Game. I’m counting down the hours and minutes until 8:30pm tonight.

As the daughter of a Clemson football fanatic, I spent almost all of my fall weekends on Clemson’s campus growing up. When I was three or four years old, I’d get my face painted with an orange tiger paw and amble around the university’s rolling hills with my mom to search for ice cream made from Clemson dairy cows, climb up the oak and cherry trees near the library, and listen for the roar of the crowd and boom of the cannon from Death Valley stadium when the Tigers scored. I’d make my way back to the tailgate spot and snack on Carolina boiled peanuts, tiger-paw-shaped biscuits, lowcountry boil, and orange frosted cupcakes.  

As I grew older, I started joining my dad in the stadium for games. I got to invite my best friends from school to join me, and we screamed our heads off and shook our pom poms, sneakered feet standing on top of our hard metal seats. We’d take breaks from the late summer sun to snack on cool, refreshing frozen lemonade at the concession stand.

Before I knew it, I was college bound. As a Clemson student, I kept the tradition alive, attending every home game and spending a good chunk of time at my dad’s tailgate. Having learned a thing or two about healthy cooking, I started contributing to the food spread. I’d make hearty quinoa dishes, mozzarella spinach bites, and fresh fruit salads that I carried over from my dorm. Dad started ordering trays of chicken nuggets, banning all tailgaters from opening the tray until I arrived, his poor college daughter with a serious craving for free protein.

I’ve spent hours and hours at college football games, consumed thousands and thousands of calories, laughed hundreds of belly laughs, and screamed dozens of different game chants and “tiger rags”.  For me, football wouldn’t be football without family, friends, and food. So you’d better believe I’ll be watching the National Title Game tonight with my DC family and plenty of good game snacks. I’m making a smokey black eyed pea hummus, fresh seven-layer dip, and plenty of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies to share. I hope you’ll follow suit and gather those you love to watch THE BEST TEAM IN THE COUNTRY win the national title. At the very least, maybe you’ll send my Tigers some positive energy and bookmark these great game day recipes for your Super Bowl parties next month.