Tailgate Recipe Competition
Whether you whip up your favorite tailgate munchies on the grill or in the kitchen, we’re looking for your best gameday recipes. We’ll post all the entries and President Anarumo and the Alumni Relations/Development team will taste test the recipies and choose the winner. The grand prize is an impressive box of Vermont food products, complete with recipes for your next party.
Below are the three top recipes:
WINNING RECIPE:
Peanut Goffies Bars
Frederick Breton ’62
As a Rook in Alumni #20 during my 1958-1959 year at Norwich, both my mother and grandmother would send me a “care package” (i.e. treats such as brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and these peanut goffie bars) every several weeks. My two roommates like these the best of the treats. We would go to the Cadet snack bar and buy a quart or two of milk and enjoy the treats over the weekend as we studied. For the last 40 years I been bringing a batch of them to Homecoming and giving them to the current occupants of Alumni Hall #206 (formerly #20). Until this year, I have never missed presenting them each year on my visit to the Hill on that special weekend. I will also be sending my roommate from those years a batch, as I have done for years. (Note: Brill Brick was Cadet Colonel, Regimental Commander in 1961-62). I’m sure that there are Cadets present on campus that will remember receiving them over the past several years. And no doubt that those lucky alumni from the past would also remember receiving them. Norwich is tradition. This is my small attempt to continue upon this.
Ingredients:
1-1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup peanut butter
confectionary sugar
8oz semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 Tbl. shortening
Peanut pieces
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°
Grease a 9x9x2” pan
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt
Melt shortening. Remove from heat, blend in brown sugar.
Cool slightly; add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add dry ingredients and blend.
Spread into pan. Bake for 16-18 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool slightly. Using a fork, pierce top many times.
Peanut layer: Heat peanut butter; add enough confectionary sugar to make a spreadable mix
Spread evenly over baked ingredients. Allow to cool fully.
Chocolate topping: Melt semi-sweet chocolate with 1 TBL shortening. Spread evenly over peanut butter
Top with peanut pieces. Cool and serve.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Best Chocolate Cookie Sheet Cake Ever
Alicia Fuller ’95
This comes from an old Betty Crocker recipe found in a magazine. It was a staple in the house and often sent for treats at Norwich, especially during the first year. I made this for Christmas when I worked for the Chief, National Guard Bureau. I brought in enough for the office and the 4-star ate nearly the whole batch himself. This is an absolute best end-of-meal treat…or if you don’t like cooking, the meal itself.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
¼ tsp salt
4 tbl cocoa (heaping)
1 cup butter
1 cup boiling water
½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
For the frosting:
½ cup chopped pecans
¾ cup butter
4 Tbl cocoa (heaping)
5 Tbl milk
1 tsp vanilla
1lb minus ½ cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Grease a 13x18” sheet pan
Mix flour, sugar and salt. In a sauce pan, melt butter. Add cocoa and water. Boil for 30 seconds then remove from heat. Add to flour mixture and stir lightly to cool. In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla. Add to other ingredients and mix. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, making the frosting: chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then remove from heat. Add the milk, vanilla and powdered sugar; mix together. Add the pecans and pour over warm cake. Let cool. Cut into squares, eat, and totally wig out over the fact that you’ve made the best chocolate sheet cake. Ever.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Moose’s Male Chauvinist Chili
Bob Hillier ’75
I have been making this recipe now for close to 40 years. This has become a staple during football season (and winter months) and the recipe has been shared with many chili aficionados throughout the years. A group of Class of 1975 alumni meet yearly in September at a classmate’s cabin in Maine and “Moose’s Male Chauvinist Chili” recipe has become a must make camp dinner.
Ingredients:
10 slices of bacon
1.5 lb of hot Italian sausage cut into 1 inch slices)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 large Spanish onion cut into chunks
1 bell pepper cut into medium pieces
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 Jalapeno pepper (or mild green chilies)
1 cup dark red wine
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1-1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp celery seeds
6 cups Italian pear shaped tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans
Directions:
Brown bacon in chili pot (preferably a large cast-iron pot) or 4-1/2 quart Dutch oven. Drain; crumble bacon and set aside. Pour bacon fat from pot, leaving only a film. Brown sausage; cut into 1 inch pieces (electric knife works best) then set aside with bacon. Pour sausage fat from pot, again leaving only a film. Fry ground beef; drain and set aside with other meats. Pour excess fat from pot.
Cook onion, pepper, garlic, and chili pepper over low heat…2-3 minutes. Stir in wine and Worcestershire sauce; simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in mustard, celery seeds, chili powder, salt & pepper; simmer 10 minutes. Mash tomatoes (food processor works great); add (with liquid) and meats to onion mixture. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer covered for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
Stir beans (with liquid) into chili; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour; stirring occasionally.
TIP: This recipe is best made a day ahead and slowly reheated as flavors will meld to their spicy best. The chef recommends pairing this meal with “Texas Toast” (sliced toasted Italian bread or sourdough bread for dipping) washed down with either an ice cold beer or glass of red wine.