When you get together to tailgate and watch a baseball game what do you feed your hungry baseball fans?

Chips and salsa can’t be everything. Just bean dip? Nope. Pretzels. Sure, but there has to be something more.

Baseball tailgating deserves a MEAL. A real meal.

Hot dogs make sense, for sure. They’re all-American and synonymous with baseball. Steaks are incredible. They make everything a special occasion.

But how about going at it from a different angle? Why not create a really special dining experience for your crew?

Try a tailgating burger bar! It’ll have everyone talking the whole season long.

We all know there are all kinds of ways to enjoy a steakburger. So gather up some great recipes and let your guests have at it. Serve up lots of different variations on the burger and everyone will be happy. Even the kids and your pickiest baseball fan!

Try this recipe for a Cuban Burger. It has a decidedly flavorful essence and the great surprise is the addition of ham! How can you go wrong adding delicious ham? That’s not your everyday burger, for sure. Now we’re talking.

Another way to create a very different burger experience is with a burger sauce. This recipe for Jamaican Beef Pattie Sauce is a new twist on an old-fashioned burger. Made with coconut milk, shallots, curry and habanero peppers it’s got quite a kick!

Offer up some additional sauce choices and there will be something special for everyone to enjoy at your tailgating burger bar.

Be sure to include all the condiments anyone would need – relish, bacon, ketchup, mustard, mayo, cheese of all kinds, pickles, you name it! Don’t leave anything out.

And if you really want to go all out, offer different bun options. Brioche is a nice departure from the everyday white. But be sure to have those on hand, too.

Have fun with your very own baseball tailgating burger bar!

Seems like there’s always a holiday coming up! Maybe because there’s at least one almost every month throughout the year.

And I love that. It’s a chance to celebrate and take a break from our everyday lives. What a blessing. So how do we take advantage of these special times? We can’t just let them pass without stopping and slowing down and ENJOYING. We all deserve that.

And food, to me, is what makes the holidays extra special – no matter WHAT holiday it is!

It’s Mid-March now, so that means St. Patrick’s Day is coming up. Luck o’ the Irish, everything green and lots of merriment. I can’t wait!

We all celebrate differently. Some people like to go very authentic – taking part in some very Irish traditions and customs. And that’s wonderful. I take a more casual approach to this holiday.

Many times, I like to cook up an amazing steak meal for a holiday – any holiday. But St. Patrick’s Day seems to call for a steakburger fiesta instead! Patties for Paddy’s, I say!

Want to do the same? Here are some great burger recipes to try for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration – no matter how you’re celebrating.

Start with this Alas Burger Marinade. It’s so tasty and full of fantastic flavor! It’ll make your burgers really pop. Don’t forget to add pickles and/or lettuce for a touch of green!

Then, there’s these fun Inside Out Burgers. With bleu cheese crumbles and delicious bacon, it’s a flavor sensation. You’ll cut those patties in half horizontally, and add the ingredients to two levels. Yum!

Finally, serve a Kobe Patty Melt using American Wagyu Kobe beef, rye bread and lots of deliciousness in between. They’ll love it!

So, let’s get started on planning our Patties for Paddy’s adventures. St. Patrick’s Day is coming up soon! Enjoy!

Mid-March is a busy time. If you have kids, spring break is around this time. School and spring activities are in full swing. Maybe work is really challenging right now.

Spring brings a lot of schedule adjustments in my house. And that can be stressful to me – and lots of people around me.

Because of that, I hate to mention one other calendar item, but a springtime holiday is coming up fast. You know the one.

Time to start planning Easter dinner.

What, you say? It’s way too early!

Never.

These things have a way of sneaking up on us and then we have to scramble. Trust me, I have a lot of experience with the scrambling. And holidays are not a time you want to scramble.

So, order your spiral ham now. And, if necessary, learn how to cook a spiral ham now. It’s pretty simple. But you don’t want to test the waters on Easter Sunday. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row beforehand.

See how that extra time might come in handy?

So now that we’ve all accepted that it’s coming up sooner than we think, let’s start to think about what’s on your Easter ham menu.

For your viewing pleasure, here’s a look at mine (I’m in love with it):

• Hickory Smoked Spiral Sliced Ham
• Cheddar Bacon Twice Baked Potatoes
• Carrots with Maple Glaze
• Green Beans in Mushroom Cream Sauce
• Carrot Cake

Doesn’t that sound divine?

I am drooling just thinking about this menu. And shouldn’t we aim to make holiday meals extra special? I mean, what other occasions deserve such loving attention to detail?

Planning ahead now will eliminate the stress that weekend. And then, you can just enjoy that time eating a beautiful meal and enjoying the people around you.

Now that’s a winner dinner!