#FurmanAtHome: "Home-gating" Recipes with Charles Davis

Although we can’t join together physically on campus as the Furman Family on homecoming this year, we can join together in spirit and celebrate all things Furman. Here are some suggestions from Charles Davis, Furman’s First Gentleman, for hosting a homecoming brunch or tailgate – safely socially-distanced,  of course – for your family and friends. 

Quick Bites – Grab one or two (or a handful!) to pop in your mouth for a quick treat

 

Sausage Balls

1 pound hot sausage	8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups Bisquick

 

Mix all ingredients together until they form a ball of dough (you can use hands or a heavy-duty mixer).  Roll dough into balls (I usually do about 1-inch balls, but you may want a larger ball).  Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 10 – 15 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Spicy Zucchini Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour	3 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda	2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt	1 cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon baking powder	2 teaspoons vanilla
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon	2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
¾ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans	1 (15-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained

 

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nuts.  Set aside.  Beat eggs lightly in a large missing bowl.  Add sugar, oil and vanilla.  Beat until creamy.  Stir in zucchini and pineapple.  Add dry ingredients, stirring only until dry ingredients are moistened.  Spoon batter into well-greased muffin tins.  Bake at 350° (325° for dark pans) for 25-30 minutes or until done.  Makes 30-36 regular muffins.  Can also be made in mini muffin tins (check after 12 minutes for doneness).

 

Dips and spreads bar – Add your favorite chips and crackers

 

Raisin Lemon Spread

It may sound a little strange, but it’s delicious on Wheat Thins crackers or as a sandwich filling.

 

2 eggs, beaten	1 cup raisins
1 cup sugar	1 cup mayonnaise
Zest of 1 lemon	1 cup chopped pecans
¼ stick butter

 

In a double boiler, add sugar and lemon zest to beaten eggs; mix well.  Add butter.  Cook in double boiler for 15 minutes.  Add raisins and cool.  Add mayonnaise and nuts; mix well.  Store in refrigerator.

 

Dad’s Pimento Cheese

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated	1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces diced pimentos	8-10 drops Tabasco hot sauce
¼ teaspoon black pepper	Mayonnaise, as needed
1 teaspoon yellow mustard

 

Finely grate cheese and let it warm to room temperature.  (DO NOT use pre-shredded cheese; it’s too dry and will not bind together adequately.)  Add all other ingredients except mayonnaise and beat with electric mixer.  Add mayonnaise as needed until mixture appear as thick as cake batter.  Refrigerate.  Will keep for about 10 days.

NOTE:  This is a “to taste” recipe, so you may want to increase the amount of pimento, and Tabasco for your personal taste.  If you prefer a chunkier pimento cheese, use coarsely grated cheese, less mayonnaise, and less mixing.

 

Southwest Caviar

1 can yellow and white corn	1 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans	1 large (2 small) avocado, diced
2-3 tomatoes, diced	Cilantro to taste, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped	½ bottle fat-free Italian salad dressing

 

Drain and rinse corn and black beans.  Mix all ingredients and serve.  Use more avocado and dressing to suit your taste.

 

Taco Dip

1 16-ounce can refried beans	1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 8-ounce carton sour cream	1 or 2 tomatoes, diced
½ to 1 8-ounce jar taco sauce	¼ cup chopped green onions
10 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

 

Layer ingredients in order listed on shallow plate or dish.  Serve with tortilla chips.

 

Sandwich Bar – Add some small rolls or buns along with your favorite condiments and you have instant sliders

Barbara’s Fabulous Beef Tenderloin

1 whole beef tenderloin	Onion powder
Salt	2 pinches marjoram
White pepper	1 pinch rosemary

 

Trim all fat from the meat – or purchase a pre-trimmed tenderloin.  Pat dry with a paper towel.  Spray with Pam.  Sprinkle meat all over with salt and white pepper.  Sprinkle marjoram, and rosemary over meat.  Lightly sprinkle meat with onion powder.  Pre-heat oven to 400°.  Place meat in hot oven and bake for 20-25 minutes – or use a meat thermometer to bake to level of desired “doneness”.

 

Four-Cup Brisket

1 beef brisket	1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup Coca Cola	1 cup water
1 cup Ketchup

 

Place brisket in glass baking dish large enough to hold brisket and have 4 cups of liquid cover the meat.  Mix the liquids together and pour over brisket.  Cover and bake at 325° for 2-3 hours, until tender.  Cut brisket across the grain or shred for sandwiches.

 

Quick Barbecued Chicken

Chicken breasts	1 bottle barbecue sauce
1 large box chicken broth

 

Boil chicken breasts in chicken broth until done.  Shred chicken and mix with barbecue sauce. 

NOTE:  Depending on your taste and how much chicken you use, you may need more or less barbecue sauce

 

Ham and Swiss Sliders

12 dinner rolls (Hawaiian preferred)	1½ teaspoons grainy mustard
12 slices thinly-sliced ham	1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
12 slices thinly-sliced swiss cheese	1 teaspoon poppy seeds
6 tablespoons butter, melted and divided	1 teaspoon dried minced onion

 

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a bowl combine 4 tablespoons butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and dried onion.  Cut the rolls in half separating the top and bottom. (If they are attached you don't need to separate each roll).  Brush with the inside of the rolls remaining 2 tablespoons butter.  Place the bottom in a baking pan.  Layer about the ham onto and top the cheese.  Top with the other half of the roll and gently spoon the butter mixture over the top.  Use a pastry brush to spread topping as needed.  Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tops are lightly browned. Serve warm.

 

Breakfast Casserole

It’s not technically a sandwich, but with a top and bottom crust, it can be eaten like one.

 

2 packages crescent rolls (or sheets)	1 pound sausage
1 package Danish ham	2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

 

Brown sausage and drain excess grease.  Separate one package of crescent rolls into 4 rectangles.  Seal perforations and place in bottom of a 9×13 pan to form a bottom crust.  Layer ½ each of ham, Swiss cheese, sausage, and cheddar cheese, in that order, on top of rolls.  Repeat the meat and cheese layers.  Prepare the second package of rolls as before and place on top.  Refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

 

Dessert Bar –Because no tailgate is complete without some sweets

Purple Velvet cheesecake bars

 

Lemon bars

Crust	Filling
1 cup butter, softened	4 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup powdered sugar	2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt	½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour	¼ cup all-purpose flour
	¼ cup lemon juice
	Rind of 1 lemon, grated

 

Crust

Cream butter and powdered sugar.  Add salt and flour and mix well.  Pat into greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.

 

Filling

Mix all filling ingredients.  Pour over hot crust.  Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.  When done, sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut when cool.

 

Congo bars

You may know these as blond brownies.

 

⅔ cup butter, softened	1 cup chopped pecans
1 box light brown sugar	6 ounces chocolate chips
3 eggs	1 teaspoon vanilla
2¾ cups self-rising flour

 

Cream butter.  Add brown sugar and mix well.  Add eggs and flour and mix well.  Stir in vanilla, chocolate chips, and pecans.  Pat into 9×13 pan and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

 

Cheerwine Floats

No tailgate in the President’s Box is complete without this half-time treat.

 

1 liter of Cheerwine soda (use Dr Pepper if Cheerwine isn’t available)

1 gallon vanilla ice cream (preferably Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla)

 

Soften ice cream and mix with Cheerwine until the consistency of soft serve ice cream.  Pour into glasses and serve.