Prepare burgers, rice, more for BCS title game

The LSU Tigers have squared off against rivals on more than one occasion in matchups that were billed at the time as “the biggest game ever.”

But Monday night’s BCS Championship against the Alabama Crimson Tide just really might be the most important, most watched, most cared-about game in Tiger history.

While food will be taking a back seat to football, if you’re a Tiger fan you’ll be glued to the tube for the historic contest — unless you’re fortunate enough to have snagged a seat in the Mercedes Benz Superdome — and will likely be surrounded by friends and family for moral support, which means you’ll need party food.

We’re all about that. Whether you’re having a small, solemn gathering — the better to really concentrate on the game — or going all out, we’ve compiled several tailgating recipes. They’re a combination of old favorites and new ideas.

If you’re having a crowd to the house, you may want to try chef John Besh’s Dirty Jambalaya, which takes no time to prepare since it is made with Zatarain’s Original Dirty Rice Mix. Another easy, delicious dish is Creole Slow-cooker Gumbo, which can be simmering all afternoon while you’re figuring out how to leave work early or entertain the kids, since many of them won’t have school.

We also loved the recipe for Tiger Rice Pilaf that came from our friends at Cajun Country Rice. They topped the dish with strips of purple onion spelling “Go Tigers.”

Three classic recipes are Tracey Koch’s Hot Boudin Burgers, Cold Couscous Salad, and Tiger Paw Cookies. Even though it’s early January, it’s never too cold to grill burgers; and if the weather is really inclement, you can do these stuffed burgers in the skillet.

Of course, we included a recipe for nachos, football-shaped peanut butter and jelly bars — for the kids in the crowd — and Grilled Chicken With Creole Vegetables. In other words, a little something for everyone.

The important thing is to celebrate what is certain to be a great night of football in typical, festive fashion. Enjoy and Go Tigers!