Tailgating with Costco: World's Best Sangria

We have to share one of our new favorite libations – authentic Sangria -- which we discovered when we visited the outstanding Italian restaurant, Buca di Beppo in Pasadena, where it’s a house specialty. Like most people, we thought Sangria was simply a popular form of red wine, but it turns out to be mixed with brandy and other juices, fruit and liqueurs. Also, it can be made with white and rose wine. Delicious and perfect for tailgating (sticking to our previous themed post). Cheers!

From the Food Network magazine:

How to Make Sangria
1. Mix the wine, liqueur and sugar in a pitcher, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and then add the fruit.
2. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3. Add the seltzer just before serving.

Red
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (we prefer Barefoot Merlot)
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup orange liqueur
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 sliced oranges
• 1 sliced green apple
• 1 ½ cups seltzer

White
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine
• ¼ cup light rum
• 3 tablespoons elderflower liqueur
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 sliced nectarines
• 2 sliced plums
• 1 sliced lemon
• 1 ½ cups seltzer

Rose
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry rose wine
• ¼ cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ cups raspberries
• 11/2 cups quartered strawberries
• 1 sliced lemon
• 1 ½ cups seltzer

Tailgating with Costco: The Jucy Lucy Burger

Tina went looking for a good, simple recipe for tailgating in honor of the start of football season. She came up with the famous Jucy Lucy Burger, the original recipe from its place of birth, Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis. And all the ingredients can be found, in bulk, at your local Costco warehouse. (By the way, that's the actual spelling of this burger, even though it's incorrect: Jucy, without the i.)

Fire up the grill, indoors or out. We’ll be back with the appropriate libation – a discovery we made ourselves at Buca di Beppo Italian restaurant and subsequently made a few batches ourselves, for barbequing at the park and County Fair tailgating. Both recipes courtesy of Food Network Magazine.

2 ½ pounds 80% lean ground beef (such as chuck)
6 slices American cheese
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion sliced
Kosher salt and fresh pepper
Dill pickle slices, for serving
6 soft hamburger buns split

1. Divide meat into 12 loose balls, and then form them into ¼ inch thick patties. Fold 1 slice cheese into a small square; center it on a patty, leaving a ½ inch border of meat around the cheese. Top with another patty. Crimp the edges of the 2 patties together, sealing the cheese inside. Repeat with the remaining cheese and meat to make 6 cheese-stuffed patties.

2. Warm the vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer onion to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.

3. Add patties to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook 7 to 8 minutes. Flip, then poke the middle of each patty with a toothpick to release steam; cook 7 more minuets for medium well.

4. Put about 3 pickle slices on each bottom bun; top with sautéed onion and a patty, then close with the top bun. Wait a few minutes before biting into the burger-the cheese is hot!