Oh how fun it was to watch the Dawgs take the field last week! I had a sofa full of young men laughing and feasting and swapping stories. It was perfect! And this week we are ready to do it again with a tailgate menu that shares the best of my birth state as Georgia plays Birmingham’s Samford University.

My family is from Alabama so choosing items for a tailgate menu means choosing family favorites passed down through generations. My grandmother didn’t show up for a holiday meal without a tin full of those amazing sausage cheese balls. Here is a Keto-friendly version that is really good – but I’m not above grabbing the frozen ones at the grocery store. No need to make this hard!

For sides, I’m planning Mama’s favorite squash casserole and sweet potato fries with a tangy Yogurt Mustard Dip.

The star of the show features a lifelong favorite and a relatively new discovery. Dale’s Steak Sauce was invented in Birmingham, AL in 1946 and has been in the door of my refrigerator since I was a child. It tastes like home in every way and will be a perfect quick marinade for smoked chicken wings. It also makes an appearance in that yummy yogurt dip for the fries.

I didn’t learn about Alabama White Sauce until a few years ago, and I am IN LOVE. There is a recipe included with the chicken wings – but I recently discovered Duke’s Mayonnaise makes a bottled version that is a pretty good sub for homemade.

Chef Geoffrey Zakarian recently referred to Banana Pudding as the Tiramisu of the South. That sounds about right and will be a great end to this spread. It all calls for a perfect glass of sweet tea, but I’m also feeling the need for a little red and black and will probably mix up this Watermelon Blackberry Lemonade and spike it with a little gin.

Just a couple more days, fans. Goooooo Dawgs!