Ok, fans, last week’s Border Battle came with a little more anxiety that we wanted, but Go Dawgs! You always make it fun….

This week brings us another opportunity to celebrate Southern Hospitality as we host our neighbors to the west – the Ragin’ Cajuns of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This Dawg fan is an Alabama native, and UAB is my mom’s alma mater, so this week’s tailgate menu is inspired by my family’s favorite Birmingham product: Dale’s Steak Sauce. If you do not know this bottle of magically flavored sodium, you need to. (I am not paid to endorse this or any product highlighted in my menus. I truly love the things I recommend, and my children will tell you “Chicken in Dales” appears weekly on our table during Grilling Season.) Today’s tailgate suggestions are new inspiration using Dale’s beyond my basic go-to and they are so, so good.

For Wicked Awesome Chicken in Dales, we’re adding some other favorites to make a fantastic marinade, and the hot spinach dip includes a fun zip thanks to the Dales too. A local bakery in Columbus, GA serves up a classic French Onion Dip potato salad that is the ONLY potato salad I like, and I found an up-cycled, amazing version of it created by Katie Lee Beagle that is also lightened up by the addition of roasted cauliflower. You will not be disappointed – and you will NOT think you are eating healthy. At all.

To go with it all, I’m trying to recreate my friend Tom Lehman’s amazing baked beans. At a recent dinner at his house, he served these alongside smoked pork ribs, and I almost embarrassed myself I liked them so much. If you want to take your baked beans to the net level without a ton of effort, try these. Or just shake some extra stuff into your favorite can.

In honor of our opponents, we’ll sip on a Cajun Lemonade – with or without the alcohol.

Whoever you enjoy the game, I hope it is with family or friends. Have a great weekend!

Gooooo Dawgs!