Friday Night Lights

Matt is a coach for the Faith Christian Academy football team, so we are in the midst of the season now. It has really become a family affair and the kids just love going to the games. To make it even more memorable, I try to bake/make special treats for the game. My good friend CL (wife of the head coach) and I plan meals to "tailgate," using the wagon parked on the side of the field.

DINNER: Walking Tacos is one of our favorites. It's also a great camping meal. No clean-up!

Walking Tacos Recipe:

• Small bags of nacho cheese Doritos
• Cooked/seasoned taco meat
• Shredded cheese
• Shredded lettuce
• Chopped tomatoes
• Chopped olives
• Chopped onions
• Taco sauce or salsa
• Sour cream
• And, whatever else you like to put on your taco
• Plastic forks

Step One: Chop up all your ingredients and put them in small zip-lock bags. I usually put the meat in a Tupperware.

Step Two: Once you are at your location, open a bag of Doritos and crunch up the chips.

Step Three: Add all your toppings to the bag and mix using your fork.

Step Four: Eat directly out of the bag and toss when finished.

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DESSERT: I try to bake these right before the game and wrap them in cloth napkins to keep them warm. A thermos of coffee makes it perfection.

Apple Hand Pies Recipe:

These are a favorite and I really don't have a recipe per say for the filling... I do make my crust from scratch using this recipe.

Marilyn's Pie Crust:

• 4 cups sifted flour
• 1 tsp of salt

Step One: Take 2/3 cup of sifted flour out of the bowl and put in small bowl. Mix with

• 2/3 cup very cold water (sometimes I put ice in it to make it REALLY cold)

Step Two: In the dry flour bowl, add

• 1 1/3 cup Crisco

Step Three: Use a pastry blender to mix Crisco and flour. Blend until it just sticks together. Add wet mixture and blend.

Now you have a generous amount of pie dough to work with.

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For a short cut, buy a pre-made crust. You will likely only get four pies from a store-bought crust.

Then create the apple filling:

• apples-peeled, cored, sliced and chopped (any kind you like)
• flour
• brown sugar
• pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tbls. butter cut into bits
• Milk
• Raw crystallized sugar

Step One: Put the apples in the bowl and toss with flour. I like to have the apples pretty evenly coated to help them from getting too "runny" during the baking process.

Step Two: Add brown sugar, bits of butter and a generous portion of pumpkin pie spice.

Step Three: Divide dough into balls (if using homemade crust). Roll out a ball into a circular little crust.

Step Four: Put apple filling on one side of the circle and fold over the other half making a little half-circle. Seal the edges well using your finger so they don't leak.

Step Five: Brush pie with milk and generously sprinkle the sugar on top. I personally feel the crunchy, sugary topping is the best part.

Step Six: Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the crust is a golden.

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To make your own freezer-paper spirit shirts, check out this tutorial.

Comments

[angela]

So cute and awesome! I love all of it and I must borrow/steal your ideas!

[Tally]

Janna, I am always inspired by your ideas. Thanks for reminding me how much I love to create and that even as a busy mom of four, I can still find meaningful ways to express that passion!

[Sara]

Your tailgating ideas sound delicious!