The Football Foodie

Cooking With The Kids: Faux Fast Food

2020-10-01T20:20:00.005-07:00

In this now CoVid era, parents are often looking for ways to keep their children engaged in a fun and structured manner. I've bonded with my child during this pandemic through cooking. We often try out a new dish each week and do our best to have a lot of fun while in the kitchen.

Like any and all kids, my tot loves chicken nuggets and french fries. It's rare that we go through a fast food joint for some but when we do, she gobbles them down like there's no tomorrow. I decided to take a stab at making these from scratch and she was all too excited to help me. We took a shortcut with our fries by cooking frozen french fries since it was what we had available, but we tweaked it with a spice mixture.

Chicken Nuggets:
Ingredients-
One chicken breast cut into tiny bite size pieces
Salt & pepper to taste
Panko bread crumbs
1 cup spice mix-(I used 1/2 cup cajun seasoning mixed with 1/2 cup Garlic & Herb Mrs. Dash)
1 egg
1 cup flour
water
1 1/2 - 2 cups veggie oil for frying

Directions-
1. Cut and season bite size chicken pieces with 1/4 cup of spice mix.
2. Using 3 shallow dishes, pour flour/bread crumbs/egg into each dish separately.
3. In egg dish, add splash of water and mix.
4. Season flour and bread crumbs with 1/4 cup of spice mix each.
5. One by one, dip the chicken bites into the flour, then the egg, and finally the bread crumbs.
6. Once dipped, place chicken on a plate to await frying.
7. Heat oil to medium high heat in a large skillet.
8. Once heated, add chicken to oil carefully. Make sure not to crowd the pan.
9. Fry until chicken is browned on both sides.
10. Remove from oil and place on plate that is lined with paper towels (to drain excess oil).

French Fries:
Ingredients:
1/2 bag frozen fries
remaining 1/4 cup spice mix from Chicken Nuggets

Directions:
1. Fry or Bake french fries according to package instructions.
2. Once out of oven/skillet, coat with spice mixture.

And that's it! While it seems like this requires a lot of steps, it's not too bad. I probably prepped and cooked everything in under an hour. My daughter helped me mix the spice mixture and together we breaded the nuggets. She also helped me toss the french fries in the mixture and took great pride in making sure every fry was coated perfectly.

What I love about this recipe is that you can change the flavors up. I chose to make this Cajun spiced because that's what I'm feeling right now but you can do a Tex-Mex flavor or even Italian or Asian inspired. The sky is the limit and that's what's so great about making these types of dishes at home. YOU control the ingredients and can tailor it to your needs or your kids' needs.

My daughter absolutely loves this dish and it is now in our regular rotation at home. This upcoming week is an off week for some local Houston schools and this would be a great chance to try this dish out. Get the kids involved and have some fun in the kitchen. Be sure to try this out and let me know what you did differently!

Take a sneak peak at the Texans Cookbook!

2020-09-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

When people visit Houston, it’s not for the scenic views and definitely not for the weather. Instead, Houstonians have created a unique culture that’s inviting and one-of-a-kind, attracting visitors from all around the world. A big piece of our culture revolves around food, and just like our burgeoning art scene, and extravagant malls, food in Houston is not just good, its exceptional. Consistently being ranked as a top food city in the United States, it’s not uncommon for people to make the trip just for the food! Don’t just take it from me, here is what US News had to say about Houston’s Food scene. ‘Barbecue is a given in the largest city in the Lone Star state. But this up-and-coming culinary destination has a lot more going for it. The culturally diverse city is welcoming innovative chefs with open arms and has emerged as the intersection between Chinese, Vietnamese, Hispanic and Southern cuisines.” Barbecue is a given in the largest city in the Lone Star state. But, this up-and-coming culinary destination has a lot more going for it. The culturally diverse city is welcoming innovative chefs with open arms and has emerged as the intersection between Chinese, Vietnamese, Hispanic and Southern cuisines.”

We Houstonians take pride in the things we love, and for most us, food and football near the top of that list. With Houston taking so much pride in its food culture, we have been blessed to have a football team that takes pride in integrating these values into their own. With Texans players like J.J. Watt who as previously mentioned, eats more than 12,000 calories a day, or offensive line man Vince Wilfork who is a world class barbecue chef, our team is filled with foodies like us! Lucky for us, the Texans decided to collect some of the players and staff favorite recipes. Today we are going to take a sneak peek at some Texans’ all time favorite dishes.

First Vince Wilfork:

Background info: Vince Wilfork is a Veteran Offensive lineman who is a previous Superbowl champion with the New England Patriots. Also, on his resume, he is a world-renowned chef who has a popular YouTube channel and makes frequent appearances on popular cooking shows. Although Wilfork's videos usually consists of barbecue, you can be sure that he his a more than adequate cook for other cuisines.

At 6 feet and 3 inches and 325 pounds you can be assured that he eats a lot on his own, but to add to that fact, he and his wife are frequent host of other Texans players who lack home cooked meals. Here is one of his go to recipes.

Vince Wilfork's Sticky Chicken

Courtesy of Bianca and Vince Wilfork (nose tackle)

46 ounces pineapple

juice

15 ounces teriyaki sauce

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

½ cup honey

¼ cup minced garlic

10-12 pounds chicken drumsticks

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a large stock pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure that the sugar dissolves.

Background Info: Home-town hero and legend J.J Watt is no stranger to our blog, as previously mentioned, to fuel his ridiculous training he has to consume around 12,000 calories a day. To reach these caloric intake goals his meals are not only plentiful but packed with healthy calories to give him the energy he needs. His nutritionists takes a unique stance in that he doesn't promote Watt to eat the healthiest food, but instead eat a wide variety of food groups and most importantly just urges him to get enough calories. Here is a Watt household favorite.

Firehouse Baked Beans

Courtesy of J.J. Watt (defensive end) and his mother, Connie Watt

1 pound of bacon

1 pound of ground beef

Chuck, as much as desired

One half to three quarters pound ham,

cubed

56 ounces canned baked

beans

¼ cup ketchup

¼ brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced

onion

1 tablespoon chili

powder

1 tablespoon molasses

Instructions: Fry bacon. Reserve bacon grease.

Crumble bacon and reserve.

Brown the ham in bacon grease and reserve sauté on medium heat .

Brown beef in the same bacon grease lower heat and cover pan.

Combine meats and remaining ingredients in to a slow cooker.

Cook on low until heated completely through.

This meal is great for creating lots of leftovers that are very versatile.

Background Info: While beloved Texans coach Bill O'Brien does not have the same caloric intake requirements as his players, he is no stranger to having to cook for large groups of picky eaters. As head coach, part of job includes creating a team environment. This means he and his wife host lots of team get togethers where a good meal is expected. He stresses the importance of a good meal because it the first step in creating a peaceful environment. O'Brien also states that the easiest time to have control over his team is before a meal.

Tailgate Ham Sandwiches

Courtesy Colleen and Bill O'Brien (head coach)

1 cup melted butter

1 and one half tablespoons Dijon mustard

11 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 and one half tablespoons poppy seeds

24 dinner rolls

1 pound of cooked ham, thinly sliced

1 pound of Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine butter, mustard, Worcestershire and poppy seeds.

Slice the rolls in half. Place bottoms of rolls in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Brush half of the butter mixture on the bottoms.

Layer ham and then cheese on the bottoms. Place the tops on the rolls. Brush remaining butter mixture on the tops of the rolls.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until rolls are lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Slice in halves to serve.

For our last featured recipe, we our going to post the written instructions for the Texans favorite dessert. Originally brought to the Texans by Vice President Cal McNair, these were one of the meals that was an inspiring idea for the Texans cookbook. For a detailed walk through of this recipe, check last week's posts to watch a video with detailed instructions.

2 sticks butter, softened, softened in microwave is fine

1 packed cup dark brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

3 cups whole grain oatmeal

1 cup chocolate chips

2 cups Original Special K cereal

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugars in mixing bowl until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat completely. Stir in the vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly spoon dry ingredients into wet mixture until completely incorporated. Add oatmeal, chocolate chips and cereal, but do not over mix.

Spoon cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until bottom of cookies begin to brown.

More Information:

About this book

The "Houston Texans Cookbook" is $25 and available at the Go Texan Store at NRG Stadium and online at shop.houstontexans.com. All proceeds benefit the Houston Texans Foundation. All recipes were curated from Texans players and staff. All recipes have been reviewed and critiqued by professional chefs.

The Houston Texans Cookbook

2020-09-18T19:35:00.002-07:00

Did you know the Houston Texans have their own cookbook? Carefully curated by the players, coaches, and behind the scenes staff, this cookbook is filled with a variety of recipes for football and foodie fans all over.

As someone who tends to make well loved dishes for football Sunday, I am always afraid that tried and true favorites will eventually bore my family so I look for inspiration wherever I can find it. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon this cookbook during a library browsing session. I had to check this out and give it a try.

The Houston Texans cookbook has some very diverse recipes and we are particularly excited to try some of Whitney Mercilus' Haitian recipes like diri ak pwa which is a rice and beans recipe.

Whenever I bring a new cookbook home, I allow my daughter to pick out the first recipe we will try in an attempt to get her excited about trying new foods. I was hoping she would want to try an appetizer, but she chose a dessert which is still okay. We made chocolate chip cookie pie and I can't wait to share this video of us making it with you. Please let me know what you think and if you make it!

Half-Time = Dessert Time

2020-09-15T08:33:00.003-07:00

Week 1 of the 2020-21 NFL Football Season is officially in the books. The Houston Texans lost on Thursday, but hopefully they will bounce back this week with a win. Sunday was the first Sunday of all day football and we had leftover BBQ beef for lunch. As the morning games neared halftime, my family started to mentioned going out for ice cream. Rather than leave the couch and all day football fun, I immediately started rummaging through our fridge and pantry to find a quick, easy, and delicious dessert.

Introducing Chocolate Non-Fondue! I'm sure you're wondering what that is...well let me share with you how it works.

Take whatever chocolate you prefer and melt it. I always melt in a double boiler but you can use the microwave if you'd like. Once melted, add a splash of vegetable oil. That will prevent the chocolate from hardening and will also give the chocolate a nice glossy look. Put the chocolate in a pretty bowl and cut up whatever you want to dip into the chocolate. At my house, we love strawberries and green apple so that's what I prepared. After everything is cut up, just put out your spread and enjoy!

If you are looking for a quick and customizable dessert, this one's for you. This took all of 10 minutes to prep and was a hit all around because it allowed my family to dip their fruit in as much or as little chocolate per their preference. If you decide to make this, please let us know in the comments!

What happens when you eat 9,000 calories a day?

2020-09-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

After a tough loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, our week 1 food vacation is over.

With a loss already behind them, the Texans quickly dive into preparation mode for next week. For Texans defensive superstar JJ Watt, this begins in the kitchen. With a daily calorie count of 9,000, JJ Watt eats for a small family. Ever since JJ Watt came into the spotlight, athletes everywhere envied him. For several years nutritionist and athletes alike wanted a peek inside the pro-bowlers diet in hopes of replicating its results. After continuous domination from JJ Watt, he granted access to GQ to take a look at his daily diet. Here's what it takes to feed one of the greatest and most unique athletes of all time.

Breakfast

Oatmeal with blueberries and strawberries
Six eggs
Banana and apple

Second breakfast
Four eggs
Two slices of wheat toast with peanut butter and banana and honey
Two slices of wheat toast with jelly

Lunch
Three chicken breasts with whole wheat pasta and Italian dressing
Side of broccoli

Second lunch
More chicken breasts with mashed sweet potatoes
Steamed carrots

Dinner
Lamb chops with whole wheat pasta
Grilled asparagus

Second dinner
Filet with whole wheat pasta
Steamed broccoli

Destination 1: Kansas City

2020-09-08T21:13:00.004-07:00

This week marks the start of the 2020-2021 Football Season and we start the season with the Houston Texans vs Kansas City Chiefs. When I think of cuisine in Kansas City, the first thing that comes to mind is Kansas City Barbecue! One of the special notes about Kansas City barbecue is its sauce features tart, sweet, and smoky flavor profiles. According to Eater.com, you may have had it before if you ever had McDonald's BBQ Sauce.

The dish we chose to make for this game was a BBQ Baked Potato with Beef. Prior to making the beef and the baked potato, we had to first get the sauce ready. I chose a recipe from Serious Eats and stuck to the recipe exactly. The sauce was made Saturday night in preparation for Sunday dinner in order to let all of the flavors come together for a tastier dish the next day. If you'd like, you can make the sauce from Serious Eats, use another recipe, or buy a bottle of Kansas City barbecue sauce. Once you've got your sauce ready to go, here's the recipe for the BBQ Beef.

Ingredients:

5-8lb Sirloin Tip Roast
1 Can Beef Stock
1 Medium Onion, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped

Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil

Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb spice mix

Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Medium Size Russet Potatoes

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash potatoes cleanly. Using a fork, poke holes into potatoes.
3. Rub potatoes with oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hr until tender. Remove from oven.

4. Preheat cast iron or oven safe skillet to medium high heat.
5. Rub beef with generous amounts of salt, black pepper, and Mrs. Dash spice mix.

6. Add 2 tbs of oil to skillet and add beef to skillet. Let beef brown on one side about 3 minutes.

7. Flip beef.

8. Put skillet in oven and cook on 350 about 25-30 minutes.

9. Remove beef and let rest for about 5 minutes.

10. Shred beef. Chop onion & garlic.

11. Bring skillet up to medium high and add onion and garlic.

12. Saute for 2 minutes, then add beef stock and deglaze pan.

13. Let stock cook about 5 minutes, then add half of BBQ sauce.

14. Bring to a slow simmer and add shredded beef. Let cook in sauce for about 10 minutes before serving.

15. Add your preferred fixins and enjoy!

My potato is "boring" compared to most, but I really enjoyed the flavor of the beef and felt the potato didn't need more than just a little bit of butter and cheese. I hope you enjoy this recipe and please share if you make this. Here's to a fun football season and Go Texans!

A Health Conscious Tailgate

2020-09-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

Keep your diet going this NFL season: By Connor Page

It's no secret that NFL tailgates have become a curated selection of America's finest junk food. If you plan on attending- then you're probably worried about your diet coming to an end. This is a fair conclusion to ideate knowing the temptations that chilli dogs and a big bowl of queso poses. However this does not need to be the reality, with healthy spin offs of new foods being created every day, there's plenty of ways to incorporate a healthy lifestyle in to your tailgate. If you're looking for some healthy snacks for this week's upcoming games. We've compiled a list that's sure to please even the pickiest guest.

Gluten Free Pretzel With Cheese Dip
Lime-CHIPOTLE carnitas tacos
EASY CHICKEN ROLL UPS WITH CREAM CHEESE + VEGGIES

2020-09-03T16:22:00.002-07:00

Hey everyone the name is Josue! And I must say, with the “game plan” being intense, there ALWAYS has to be some FUN during the game. Just a “slight” problem... we’re in quite the pandemic. SOOO I’m going to be giving you other ways to enjoy the game even without having to physically be there at the stadium. I find it a lot easier to watch the games with the fam because you don’t have to pay for tickets and you get to have more company. With the money you save for just a seat could be replaced with some sort of backyard festivities like, bean bag toss, a small speaker for music to dance to, or just chatting away about achievable goals and building stronger relationships, and last but not least we can’t forget about the food! So if you’re here, get your aprons on and start taking notes cause its about to get foodie in here. (pun intended)

Welcome!

2020-08-31T07:55:00.002-07:00

Welcome to The Football Foodie! My name is Jennifer and I love football and food. Sunday dinner is always a must in my house, but Sunday dinners transform during football season. As we approach the 2020-2021 season, I'm already gearing up for a new season of dishes that I can't wait to share with you.

Here's the game plan. Every week, the Houston Texans play a different team from a different city. We will be making a dish that is either popular or was created in that city.

Football season begins on September 10th. Are you ready?