Home Cookin'

I made Spiked Apple Crisp for a Junior League event - it's a recipe out of our cookbook. Apple treats happen to be my favorite. Thought I'd share in case you're interested...the only suggestion I'd make is reduce the Grand Marnier and Amaretto. It was a little strong for the dessert.

Spiked Apple Crisp

5 cups apples, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1-ounce Grand Marnier
1-ounce Amaretto
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange apples in a greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle cinnamon, lemon and orange peels, Grand Marnier and Amaretto on top of apples. Combine sugars, flour, salt and butter until crumbly. Spread this mixture over apples. Bake 1 hour or until apples are tender and top is brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Yields: 8 servings

Cutting up the apples...

I found it easier to prepare the ingredients and get them ready to combine all at once. Then it was simple as dumping the bowls into the casserole.

First add the spice combination on top of the apples....

...Then the flour mixture.

Bake, and whoilla! A wonderful smelling house and dessert. (This is three batches below.)

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Oak Ridge-ers

For the second weekend in a row, Jay and I came up to Oak Ridge, near Knoxville. The first weekend, my dad bought tickets for the two of them for TN/Auburn game. This weekend we got tickets for the TN/GA game. It's been a great couple of weekends!

Last night we went to a new-ish restaurant at the end of my parents street, called the Flatwater Grill. It overlooks the river that travels over 30 miles through east Tennessee.

Jay & me

Mom & Dad

The four of us at dinner

Mom and dad outside...

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College Football - Southern Style

Being a huge college football fan, it helps that I live in SEC country. Maybe it is the other way around - it could be that I'm a huge college football fan BECAUSE I live in SEC country...

There is nothing like gameday - Especially at an SEC school (and some ACC schools...). I try to make it to a few games at different campuses each year, and am yet to have a bad time. From Southern Gent's post on Tailgating, I have experienced gameday at the following schools: UGA, Bama, Tennessee, and Ole Miss (nos. 9, 7, 4, & 1 respectively), among many others. I have to mention Auburn & Clemson as great southern schools that should be included on that list in terms of high-end tailgating.

The thing I like most about tailgating in the South is that it is an event. People take it seriously. We dress up. Eating well is standard - it isn't a bucket of chicken and a six pack. Arriving hours before the game is normal - and we HATE noon kickoffs. It's pride. It's a religion.

Neyland Stadium

Image: city-data.com

I had the opportunity to experience Knoxville last weekend for the Auburn vs. UT game. A lot of orange. Auburn travels well, and they brought a crown. The Vols always show up. Even though you can't move in any bar on the strip (Cumberland), it's worth trying just to see the crowds. You will know the words to 'Rocky Top' prior to kickoff. Calhoun's on the River is great as well - good ribs and an even better view. The actual tailgating is spotty around campus, but can mainly be found around the Stadium. Since it was a 7:45PM kickoff, most were well lubricated for the game.

The stub

The Power T from our seats

I'm headed back up to Knoxville this weekend to watch my Dawgs face the Vols. It will be a totally different experience since we have the dreaded noon kickoff...oh well.

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