Football and food, forever

By LISA LOSASSO BELL

Every fall, Youngstown State University football fans flock to the stadium (and surrounding parking lots) to cheer on the Penguins. But it’s much more than a game. It’s about hanging out with friends.

That is definitely the case with Carla and Grant Williams of Boardman, who have been gathering with friends for YSU tailgate parties, home and away, since 1975.

Once football season starts, the cooks are in the kitchen preparing the feast ... and that, it is. “There are usually 35 to 45 of us,” said Carla Williams. Every tailgate party has a different theme.

The first home game of every year is made up of an array of favorites including hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, wings, chicken nuggets and Hungarian peppers, all grilled on-site by Amy Bowell.

Dishes prepared ahead of time include pepperoni rolls, pirogi (long-gone by the time I got there), a cheese and pepperoni tray with crackers, Italian greens, apple cake, Texas sheet cake and Rollo pretzels. The pizza is usually take-out from Wedgewood or Belleria. This year they tried the Stromboli from Caf Dar’s in Canfield, which seemed to be a big hit.

Another first-game favorite is Carla’s wedding soup with homemade meatballs. She explained that she uses grated Parmesan cheese in her meatball mix. “I use Parmesan in a lot of recipes,” Williams said. “It makes all the difference in the world.”

Other tailgate themes include Mexican, Italian and Hunky Day, which boasts homemade pirogi, kielbasa and sauerkraut and haluski.

Every homecoming is celebrated with steak, baked potatoes, salad and wedding soup.

Homemade pepperoni rolls are made from scratch with a basic bread dough recipe containing flour, yeast, Crisco and salt.

Her homemade salad dressing is made with red wine vinegar, canola or olive oil, oregano, garlic powder or fresh garlic and two tablespoons of sugar. She allows it to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours. “Then you just shake it real good and pour it over romaine lettuce or your favorite salad greens,” she said.

Another favorite is stuffed cabbage. She said that the secret to good stuffed cabbage, no matter how you make it, is to store it in the freezer for 48 hours before cooking.

For a neat twist on a typical pepperoni roll, make them the size of a bread stick, filled with ground pepperoni, cheese and a little bit of tomato sauce, then fold them over once and seal the edges before baking.

The very last game of the year is reserved for Thanksgiving dinner with rotisserie turkeys, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, corn, rolls, salad, stuffing and green bean casserole.

“We have a lot of fun and we’ve met a lot of nice people,” said Williams.

Upcoming games are Sept. 20 vs. North Dakota State; Sept. 27 vs. Liberty; Oct. 18 vs. Southern Illinois; Oct. 24 vs. Northern Iowa; and Nov. 8 vs. Indiana State. For a more complete schedule and further details visit www.ysu.edu/sports.

Kielbasa and Coke

2 pounds kielbasa cut into 1 inch slices.

1 (2-liter) bottle of Coke

Put into Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until coke caramelizes. (about 11‚Ñ2 hours).

Carla’s Killer Chili

1 pound ground sirloin browned

1 pound hot sausage cooked then drained.

3 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes — add 1 cup water

1 red pepper diced

1 green pepper diced

1 medium or large onion diced

5 tablespoons chili powder

1 dash cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 cans kidney beans

Mix and simmer over low heat for 2 hours.

Pepperoni Rolls

1 pound sandwich pepperoni

1 (8-ounce) bag shredded provolone cheese

3 cups flour

11‚Ñ2 cups very warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 heaping tablespoons Crisco

Dissolve yeast in water and set aside.

Put 11‚Ñ2 cups flour in bowl.

Add yeast mixture (salt, sugar and Crisco and mix well).

Add remaining flour and mix.

Add more flour if dough is too sticky.

Knead 5 minutes.

Cover and let rise in warm place 2 hours.

To make rolls, pinch off dough and roll or pat with fingers to make 4 inch circle.

Put 2 slices of sandwich pepperoni and 1 tablespoon shredded provolone cheese on each and roll tucking in sides. Bake 350 degree on greased 9x13 pan until golden brown.

Homemade Italian Dressing

3‚Ñ4 cup canola oil

1‚Ñ2 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon oregano

3 tablespoons sugar

3 cloves garlic

4 tablespoons Romano cheese grated

Mix ingredients and let marinate overnight. The longer it sits the better. Shake well before tossing.

Brownies

1 cup margarine melted

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup flour

2‚Ñ3 cup cocoa

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon baking powder

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts chopped

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients by hand and pour into 9x13 greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Frosting:

6 tablespoons oleo

3 tablespoons cocoa

22‚Ñ3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla

4 to 6 tablespoons milk

Mix well and spread over warm brownies

German Apple Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 eggs

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1‚Ñ2 teaspoon salt

4 cups golden delicious apples-chopped

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, oil, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake 45 to 50 minutes Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream.

Sausage Pinwheels

2 cups Bisquick

1‚Ñ2 cup cold water

1 pound bulk sausage cooked drained and crumbled (mild or hot)

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon oregano

Mix baking mix and water until a smooth dough forms. Roll into 12x15-inch rectangle. Mix remaining ingredients and spread on top of dough. Roll up tightly and seal edges well

Cut into 1‚Ñ4-inch slices and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Recipes contributed by Carla Williams of Boardman.