When No. 1 Alabama gets its toughest test of the season, traveling to Baton Rouge Saturday night to take on No. 3 LSU in the 8 p.m. showdown on CBS, you’ve got to be ready to take your tailgate or watch party to the next level, right? We’ve got a great way for you to do that: trying these recipes from our friend Teri Stephens at www.buythiscookthat.com. She’s a Tennessee Volunteer who knows her SEC football. not to mention her SEC cuisine. We published her entire SEC recipe series – all 14 of them – in our fall edition of Inside Tailgating magazine, which you can access here.

For the purposes of this weekend, though, we’ll share Teri’s two favorite recipes for LSU and Alabama to share with your LSU or Alabama friends and family. Or if you’re that rare football fan who’s neutral for this one, you can always serve both – you’ve got the most fitting entree, followed by a creative and delicious dessert.

LSU: Death Valley Cajun Jambalaya

Buy this:

• 1 1/2 pounds venison andouille sausage, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bell pepper seeded and diced
• 1 onion peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend
• 1 1/2 cups long grain rice uncooked
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 12 ounces beer
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce, more to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, more to taste
• green onions chopped, for optional garnish

Cook that:

1. Heat oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook the sliced andouille until browned, about 7 minutes.
2. Add the chopped peppers, onion, celery and garlic to the pot. Sprinkle half of the Cajun seasoning over the top. Stir and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are crisp, tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the uncooked rice. Combine with the sausage and vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the chicken stock, beer, hot sauce, bay leaves, remaining Cajun seasoning, and cayenne. Stir to combine well.
5. Increase heat to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Keep an eye on the heat, and do not remove the lid while simmering. The jambalaya is done when the rice is tender and the mixture is very slightly sticky.
7. If there is too much liquid in the pot at the end of cooking time, remove the lid, increase heat slightly and cook until liquid is gone.
8. Serve in bowls with fresh chopped green onions, additional hot sauce and seasoning.

For more details, go to https://buythiscookthat.com/death-valley-cajun-jambalaya/

 

Alabama: Big Al’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Buy This:

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 sticks butter, room temperature

Cook That:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil and water with a hand mixer. Beat for about 3 minutes until the batter is smooth and creamy.
3. Using a spoon or scoop, measure even amounts of batter onto the parchment paper. Place them a couple of inches apart to allow for expansion during cooking.
4. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. (Repeat the process until all of the batter has been used. Use a new sheet of parchment paper with each batch.)
5. While the cakes are baking, make the buttercream frosting. On high speed using a hand held mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Continue to mix for 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
6. Spoon the frosting into a decorating bag. Snip the end off, and swirl a layer of icing on the inside of a cake. Place another cake on top.
7. Decorate the top of each whoopie pie as desired.