NFL Offseason: Big Money, Big Draft, & Big Ben Follies

[Catherine M]

Lets see favorite New Orleans food to eat while watching football:

1. Jambalaya with either chicken or sausage; I prefer sausage but my sister makes it with both.

2. Anything with Shrimp. I'm partial to Shrimp Creole but BBQ shrimp can work too; I think you can make it in your oven, if its too cold to BBQ!

3. Love, love to have Mirlitons but I don't think they are sold outside south Louisiana. They are also called Elephant Pears. Its a form of squash and very delicious.

4. Any kind of local sausage that has been BBQ. We usually get a good boudoin and BBQ along with the generic hamburgers.

Gotta have a King Cake!! Its Carnival time here and each Saints playoff game party I've been to, King Cake has been a main part of the desert food. If that doesn't work, you can have a good Bread Pudding.

I use the Times Picayune "Cooking up a Storm" cookbook for my New Orleans recipes. They put it out after Katrina when people kept writing to the TP about recipes that they had lost in the flood and it has a great section on party foods. I'll look at it at home tonight and see if anything pops out at me.

Here's the Times Picayune's food section. My guess is that they'll be running recipes, leading up to the big game:

http://www.nola.com/food/

Tom Fitzmorris is a local food critic. He has a website that has lots of recipes on it:

http://www.nomenu.com/

[Jenny]

OMG this is fabulous!! Would you believe I've never heard of King Cake? Generally I don't serve sweets at these things as they don't go well with :40beers: but what if I have it for the *beginning* of the party? The colours alone intrigue me!

I will also keep an eye on both those websites this week and next as I finalize my menu. My other sources are two favourite cookbooks: Screen Doors and Sweet Tea by Martha Hall Foose, and Being Dead is No Excuse (The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral) by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays.

Thank you SO much!

[BigB08822]

The Saints were given the game by the refs? Did we watch the same game!? Just off the top of my head I can remember an off sides by the Vikings that instead got blamed on the Saints because the Vikings players jumped up and pointed at the Saints (this is one thing I hate about football, all teams try to influence the calls by pointing out who should have possession, let the refs make the calls!). I also recall at least 2 clean hits on Favre that got called as late hits and they were NOT. Favre even got caught smiling his smug smile after he got the call he wanted. He would lay on the ground and act hurt to get flags thrown. I also saw two specific plays where the refs gave the Vikings really nice field position, handing them a free yard or two after a down. I am a Saints fan so I surely noticed any bad calls that went against the Saints but I feel confident that the Vikings (specifically Favre) had the refs on their side, easily.

As to who will win? We will see, I don't think it will be a blowout. The Saints may have ended their regular season 0-3 but 2 of those games were played without starters. They didn't care about winning, the playoffs and home field advantage were wrapped up. The Saints have been able to do one thing all season, win when they needed to. They have their toughest opponent yet in the Colts but if anyone can beat them, if anyone has momentum on their side, it is the Saints.

[FSfan107]

Wrong.
The two games had little in common. Favre was never really in synch in the 07 game. In this game he was outstanding throughout (completely outclassing Brees), and made a bad final throw.. he really had no business doing a rollout on a bad ankle in the first place. But his protection was sh** all game long, and he really didn't have a choice.


Actually in both of the games Favre was in position to win (For the Packers in 2007 in OT and at the end of 4th quarter for the Vikings). Both of Favre's last passes were ridiculous interceptions. Favre had a good game, but I would stop short of calling his effort "outstanding". He had 2 INTs and was partially responsible for the Peterson fumble on the hand-off near the end-zone. As for Brees, he didn't have his best game on Sunday. However, he avoided making turnovers which are devastating in playoff games.

[BigB08822]

Jenny, I have a good suggestion for your party! It is a boudain dip. You mix a package of boudain (take it out of the casing) with some cream cheese and serve with crackers or some chips that will hold up to a thicker dip. It is delicious and the use of boudain makes it perfect for your party. You can get spicy boudain if you want.

[ThePurestSport]

previous post 318
Finally a non-cheerleading response. I'll grant you that year-end resting of starters had a lot to do with them slogging into the playoffs. Now can you explain what exactly happened to their offense in the 2nd half? Playing "half a game" against the Colts ain't gonna cut it.

[BigB08822]

Finally a non-cheerleading response. I'll grant you that year-end resting of starters had a lot to do with them slogging into the playoffs. Now can you explain what exactly happened to their offense in the 2nd half? Playing "half a game" against the Colts ain't gonna cut it.

What does that mean? If you don't like my posts then feel free to put me on ignore.

To answer your question, perhaps the Saints offense was so poor because the Vikings defense really got on their game? They didn't give Brees a chance in the 2nd half, good on them.

GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!! :cheer:

[ThePurestSport]

^ I didn't mean you (doing the cheerleading) I was referring to a few others' borderline-delusional posts.

But what do I know - apparantly the Colts are only favored by 4 to 4-1/2 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/24/super-bowl-xliv-odds-colt_n_434910.html), lower than I would have guessed (I'd have it Colts+7).

[VIETgrlTerifa]

The Saints were given the game by the refs? Did we watch the same game!? Just off the top of my head I can remember an off sides by the Vikings that instead got blamed on the Saints because the Vikings players jumped up and pointed at the Saints (this is one thing I hate about football, all teams try to influence the calls by pointing out who should have possession, let the refs make the calls!). I also recall at least 2 clean hits on Favre that got called as late hits and they were NOT. Favre even got caught smiling his smug smile after he got the call he wanted. He would lay on the ground and act hurt to get flags thrown. I also saw two specific plays where the refs gave the Vikings really nice field position, handing them a free yard or two after a down. I am a Saints fan so I surely noticed any bad calls that went against the Saints but I feel confident that the Vikings (specifically Favre) had the refs on their side, easily.

As to who will win? We will see, I don't think it will be a blowout. The Saints may have ended their regular season 0-3 but 2 of those games were played without starters. They didn't care about winning, the playoffs and home field advantage were wrapped up. The Saints have been able to do one thing all season, win when they needed to. They have their toughest opponent yet in the Colts but if anyone can beat them, if anyone has momentum on their side, it is the Saints.

Repeated for truth.

[Jenny]

Jenny, I have a good suggestion for your party! It is a boudain dip. You mix a package of boudain (take it out of the casing) with some cream cheese and serve with crackers or some chips that will hold up to a thicker dip. It is delicious and the use of boudain makes it perfect for your party. You can get spicy boudain if you want.

Boudoin? Boudin? Are you referring to what appears to be a Cajun sausage? Sounds like it's also used in French Canadian cookery, so I will see if I can locate some around here, because it sounds good. What kind of crackers would you use?

One universal Super Bowl recipe we like is a hot dip (we serve it in an electric fondue pot) with bulk pork sausage, onions, green pepper, tomatoes and chilies all mixed into a bucket of cream cheese and sour cream. Certainly not the kind of food I advocate, but as I said, Super Bowl is amnesty day on junk food in our house!

[Catherine M]

Boudoin? Boudin? Are you referring to what appears to be a Cajun sausage? Sounds like it's also used in French Canadian cookery, so I will see if I can locate some around here, because it sounds good. What kind of crackers would you use?



Yeah, Boudoin is a Cajun sausage. But I'm not sure if its similar to french-canadian sausage but since Cajuns are "cousins" to french-canadians, it could be the same! Boudoin is very tasty but spicy.

Here's an online glossary of Cajun terms:

http://www.realcajunrecipes.com/dictionary/

Since the Saints are really a regional team, not just for New Orleans, any food item from Louisiana, Mississippi, south Alabama and southwest Florida would be considered "authentic".

Since I come from a french creole background, not a cajun one, I tend to prefer creole foods over cajun but most people now just tend to cook both types of food. Its all good so no matter.

And Jenny, you must have a King Cake! Its a great breakfast food too so you could serve it earlier in the day, with coffee. Or after the Saints win big! I've never made one as I just go to Haydel's bakery down the street and buy one but I do know people who make them so I can dig up a recipe if you want one.

Hope everyone enjoys the big game. I refuse to get into who is better on paper as on any given Sunday, any team will and can win!! Lets just hope its a great game, with lots of points scored!!

[Jenny]

Since the Saints are really a regional team, not just for New Orleans, any food item from Louisiana, Mississippi, south Alabama and southwest Florida would be considered "authentic".

eys, I'm counting on the wider Mississippi Delta definition - not that any of my guests will get that, but it makes it more fun for me. :)

[QUOTE]Since I come from a french creole background, not a cajun one, I tend to prefer creole foods over cajun but most people now just tend to cook both types of food. Its all good so no matter.

Interesting as I have lately been exploring Acadian cuisine, which of course originates in France, was adapted to New World ingredients and conditions, and which spread to places like the American South when the Acadians were forced at one point in history to leave their adopted land.

Have you by chance heard of rappie pie? It consists of grated potatoes from which the starch is squeezed out and replaced by broth, and then baked in a casserole flavoured with salt pork (making it very salty). I've been wondering if there's a Cajun evolution of it.

And Jenny, you must have a King Cake!

Hubby was less than enthusiastic when I got to the part about the coloured icing ... we are not big on sweets. Plus now I have to find a plastic baby. I'm definitely intrigued by the idea, but we'll see if it makes the menu.

There will be shrimp in some form I think, and I'm considering trying Comeback Sauce for the deep fried pickles, plus if I do BigB's Boudoin spread, I could also do pimiento cheese.

Hope everyone enjoys the big game. I refuse to get into who is better on paper as on any given Sunday, any team will and can win!! Lets just hope its a great game, with lots of points scored!!

To be honest, I don't really follow football. We don't even get the commercials here (the local stations will overwrite them with whatever they've sold), although we of course get the half time show. I just like any excuse to party. :)

It's rather unfortunate that hockey is on the best of seven system, as it means you usually don't know what day the Cup will be won, so you can't really plan around it. :(

[BigB08822]

Jenny, this is the kind of boudoin (I think I was spelling it incorrectly before, I've found all sorts of spellings) you are looking for: http://boudinlink.com/DJs_Boudain/DJs_Boudain2.JPG

That is what it will look like. You simply cut it out of the casing and get all the rice, meet and veggies out.

I actually found my stepmoms recipe for the dip. She uses one package of boudoin (2 links), 2 small containers of cream cheese, a dash of Tony's seasoning and a dash of red pepper. However, you could season it with anything you like if you don't have Tony's which is just a flavored salt. We used crackers because it is a thick dip and some chips would break easily. As for the type of crackers, we just used any kind we would like but not plain ole saltines. I don't know the name of them but I am going to the store later and will try to remember to look at the crackers and let you know which brands look good. Have you ever served cream cheese with jelly on top? If you have, whatever crackers you like with that would be perfect with this since they both have a lot of cream cheese.

[FSfan107]

Kurt Warner is expected to retire on Friday.:wuzrobbed:wuzrobbed:wuzrobbed
http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/01/27/warner-expected-to-announce-retirement-friday/

He is such a class act. I admire all of the good and charity work he has done off the field. I'll miss watching him play. He is a definitely a Hall of Famer, IMO.

[Cheylana]

Kurt Warner is expected to retire on Friday.:wuzrobbed:wuzrobbed:wuzrobbed
http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/01/27/warner-expected-to-announce-retirement-friday/

He is such a class act. I admire all of the good and charity work he has done off the field. I'll miss watching him play. He is a definitely a Hall of Famer, IMO.
Kurt :respec:
Glad you have a SB ring! Thanks for the memories!!!