Gridiron Grates

Gridiron Grates

Your Guide to Game Day Grub

All over the country, game day traditions include firing up the grill, cooking up a mess of chili or laying out a spread of munchies that last from pre-game to final whistle.

Author Ray Lampe, a.k.a. Dr. BBQ

Ray Lampe, a.k.a. Dr. BBQ, knows a thing or two about football and cooking. He's been a professional barbecue champ, chef, cooking teacher and food writer. "I've spent a considerable amount of time cooking outside of an NFL stadium," he says. "NFL football and cooking great food for my family and friends have been constant and important things in my life."

His passion for barbecue and NFL football have led him to write the book on cooking great football food. In "The NFL Game Day Cookbook," (Chronicle Books, 2008), Dr. BBQ has come up with recipes, tips and menu ideas that will satisfy hungry fans everywhere. "Most of the dishes are designed to be elegant enough to serve at home," he says, "yet sturdy enough to travel to the game. But they all have one thing in common: it's all real food that people like to eat."

The Game Plan

Just like NFL coaches, game day cooks need to have a good plan in order to get winning results.

Dr. BBQ recommends having a lot of different food choices. "It's my experience that the food on game day is best served as a day-long smorgasbord. We all like to graze anyway, and with this approach you can please even the pickiest palate."

Be prepared with two coolers of drinks - one for diet and regular sodas, as well as bottled water, and one for beer. "I also like to offer a special drink of the day. Depending on the time of day and the location of the party, it may be homemade lemonade or a chocolate martini."

No matter where you catch the action, good food turns a football game into a football experience. Dr. BBQ has a theory: "The better the food at my party, the better my team will play." So get out the grills and smokers and help your team out with some great game day grub.

Essential Equipment

In addition to charcoal grills, smokers, coolers, warmers and pans, Dr. BBQ takes a few other essential tools wherever he's cooking:

-Instant-read thermometer. I consider it invaluable for testing the doneness of meats.

-Billy bar. It's a simple but great tool made of cast iron with a wooden handle. It has a Y-shaped end that fits perfectly to the shape of the grill grates for scraping off the crud.

-Gloves. I always have a pair of heavy welder's gloves and silicone mittens to protect my hands when I'm handling hot grates or accessories. I also have latex gloves to keep my hands clean when I'm handling dirty grates or food.

-Pop-up shelter. Shade is a good thing on a hot day, and you can get one with your team's logo on it.

-Take two. Clean-up and cross contamination are serious issues. Once you use a plate for raw meat you can't use it for cooked meat or any other food until it's thoroughly washed with hot, soapy water. Wiping it off is not OK! If you won't be able to clean plates or utensils, bring two sets of what you need.

Excerpted from "The NFL Game Day Cookbook," Chronicle Books, 2008.

Nancy P.'s Smoked Cheddar Double-Baked Potatoes

Makes 4 servings

Nancy P.'s Smoked Cheddar Double-Baked Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
2 bunches green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup smoked cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Paprika, as needed.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Wash potatoes, poke a few holes in them, and rub with oil. Bake for 1 hour, or until tender. Let them cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in small skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until onions are soft. Set aside. Slice top off potatoes and scoop out the pulp into medium bowl. Set skins aside. With potato masher, crush potato pulp. Add onion mixture, cream, salt and pepper, and mix well. Add cheese and fold gently until mixed well. Spoon potato mixture back into shells. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Put potatoes on a baking sheet and return to oven for 15 minutes, or until hot.

Sticky Fingers Cinnamon Bread

Sticky Fingers Cinnamon Bread

Makes 8 servings

Baking spray
1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 9.5-ounce tubes pull-apart biscuits (buy the small, cheap ones)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 400°F. With baking spray, coat a 10-inch Bundt pan.

In small microwave-safe dish, melt butter in the microwave. In small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Using 1 tube, pull apart biscuits and dip each one in butter, then in sugar mixture, and line baking pan with them, laying them flat. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the pecans, 1/3 of the butterscotch pieces, and 1/4 cup marmalade. Continue layering with the remaining 2 tubes of biscuits and the remaining pecans, chips and marmalade.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbly. Cool for 15 minutes. Invert pan onto a serving plate. If the top biscuits stick, just pull them out of the pan and replace them on the loaf.

Buffalo Chicken Breast Sandwiches

Buffalo Chicken Breast Sandwiches

Makes 6 sandwiches

6 boneless chicken breast halves
Your favorite barbecue rub
1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter, melted
6 sandwich rolls
1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese
1 cup finely chopped celery

Prepare grill for cooking over direct medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts lightly with rub. Grill for about 5 minutes per side, or to an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove chicken to a plate.

In medium bowl, mix together hot sauce and melted butter. Dip each chicken breast in hot sauce mixture and transfer it to a rack to drain for just a minute. Transfer chicken to rolls and top each with an equal portion of cheese and celery.