While there is something to be said

Meaty Marinade

"One of the reasons people don’t feel that great food and a great experience can be created is because they think they are going to be slaving over the food instead of enjoying the party," says chef Michael Feker of Il Mito, Wauwatosa, and The Chef Michael Feker School of Culinary Magic.

The secret? Advance prep, Feker says. "It’s not really rocket science," he says, "but it is passion science." He describes his recipe for Bloody Mary London Broil as simple yet extremely gratifying.

Chef Michael Feker’s Bloody Mary London broil

Serves six generously

3 1/2 pounds London broil, about 1 1/2-inches thick, trimmed
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons vodka
2 teaspoons crumbled dried oregano
1 teaspoon crumbled dried basil
1 teaspoon of celery salt
1 sprig of rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Coarse salt

In a blender, blend the tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, vodka, oregano, basil, celery salt and pepper.

Place the meat in a medium-size storage bag.

Pour the tomato juice mixture over the meat, close zipper, move and shake gently, so that the meat is coated evenly. Refrigerate overnight or a minimum of four hours.

Prepare a three-zone charcoal or gas grill — one-third very hot, one-third medium, one-third low. Lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Remove the meat from the marinade and scrape the extra marinade from the surface. Set aside the marinade for later. Season with coarse salt (sea salt preferred). Grill the meat for eight minutes on the hot side, four minutes per side. Move the meat to the medium side and grill for another 10 minutes, five minutes per side. Move steak to the low side for another two minutes.

Meanwhile, place the marinade and the rosemary in a small pan and place on the hot side of the grill. Allow to come to a boil and let sit on the medium side to maintain temperature.

Increase the second step cooking time — longer for medium or until it reaches the desired doneness. (Use a thermometer for help.)

Remove the meat from the low side and let the meat rest off the heat for another three minutes before slicing.

Slice on the diagonal against the grain into thin strips; complement with the warm sauce. Serve with a good white ale beer or cabernet wine. And as a side, serve easy yet unique mushroom risotto cakes that can be prepared in advance. Go to www.ilmito.com for the recipe.

Think Seafood

If you are grilling for the health-conscious, vegetarians or those simply wanting a change of pace, "Wisconsin Foodie" chef Brian Moran of St. Paul’s Fish Market at the Milwaukee Public Market suggests seafood.

"If you are going to take a grill and cooler along anyway, why not expand your menu selections," Moran says. Toss a big frying pan into your bag and you can roast shrimp in the shell right on the grill, he says, perhaps in some oil and cajun spices. You can eat the shrimp right out of the pan.

Veggies, such as eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers and portabella mushrooms, taste great on the grill. You can serve the veggies alone or with a pesto sauce on a bun or sliced french bread.

Here is another of Moran’s suggestions for a dish that will travel well to the ballpark.

Steamed Mussels with Dark Beer

1 pound fresh mussels
1 bottle dark beer (or any full-flavored beer)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon butter
French bread for dipping

Instead of a grill, bring a portable butane burner and a 2-quart pot.

Pour the mussels into the pot, add half the bottle of beer, garlic and butter. Cover the pot and heat full blast for three to four minutes. When mussels are all opened, pour into a bowl or just eat right out of the pot. Drink the rest of the beer with the mussels and bread.

Fresh and Simple

Steve Ehlers of Larry’s Market in Brown Deer says you don’t have to over think your tailgate. A cheese plate with a fruit salsa is very versatile and summery, he says, and a salad with spinach, fresh strawberries and a simple vinaigrette takes very little prep time.

"There are a lot of easy things to do that are just a little different," Ehlers says. "Let your imagination go a little bit."

Swordfish Kebobs

Serves 4

1/2 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
2 pounds swordfish fillets, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
2 lemons, thinly sliced, plus lemon wedges for serving
2 bell peppers (assorted green, yellow or red) seeded, deribbed and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares
16 firm cherry or grape tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a shallow nonaluminum bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, oregano and basil. Add the swordfish cubes, turning to coat well. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for about two to three hours.

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a broiler.

Remove the fish cubes from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Thread the cubes onto metal skewers, alternating them with the lemon slices, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the skewers on an oiled grill rack or a broiler pan and grill or broil, turning as needed and basting a few times with the reserved marinade, until the fish is opaque throughout, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the skewers to a warmed platter and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms

4 large portabella mushrooms
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Arrange mushrooms in a shallow glass dish. In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oil, shallots, rosemary, salt and pepper. Pour over mushrooms and turn until well coated. Marinate for about 30 minutes. Heat grill until hot. Add mushrooms and grill four minutes on each side. Baste with marinade.

Spice it Up

Rebecca Guralnick of Cooking With Chef Becca says one way to liven up your tailgate is to try less grilling and more chilling. "If less time slaving over the grill will contribute to your enjoyment of the event, incorporate a variety of foods that do not require a grill, or par-cook whatever you can at home before you go out (just be sure to bring the par-cooked food properly chilled)," she says.

For healthier side dishes, she suggests grilled vegetables, such as par-boiled corn on the cob, mushrooms, asparagus, peppers and sliced eggplant and summer squash. Just brush them with extra-virgin olive oil before grilling, and season lightly with salt and pepper. "With the exception of the corn, these veggies cook up in a matter of minutes," Guralnick says. "As soon as you see the grill marks, they’re done."

Jerked Chicken Skewers with Pineapple Mango Salsa

Serves 4-6

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except chicken; puree until smooth. Pour mixture into a 1 gallon plastic sealable bag. Add the chicken to the bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes, or use metal skewers.

Heat grill to medium-high. Skewer chicken pieces and grill on one side for about five minutes. Flip and grill the other side until cooked through. They should feel firm to touch and grill marks should appear.

Serve with Pineapple Mango Salsa.

Pineapple Mango Salsa

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 mango, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced
2 green onions, diced

In a medium bowl, combine lime juice, hot sauce and ginger. Mix thoroughly and add the remaining ingredients. Toss and refrigerate for one hour.Time-Honored TraditionYou can’t go to a game at Miller Park without seeing Saz’s Catering somewhere on the grounds. The Milwaukee catering giant works more than 1,800 events a year, ranging in size from 20 to 20,000 guests. And in the last 19 years, Saz’s has seen it all — from a brunch tailgate with made-to-order omelets and carved roasted tenderloin to Tailgate Fest with Saz’s BBQ pork sliders and its famous mozzarella marinara attended by 3,500 guests.

Saz’s Baked Potato Salad

20 servings

10 Idaho potatoes
8 ounces shredded cheddar
8 ounces cooked, chopped bacon
1 bunch green onions or chives
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash potatoes and poke holes using fork. Bake potatoes in oven for 40 minutes or so until they are soft, yet slightly firm to the touch. Set potatoes aside for cooling. When room temperature, place in refrigerator to chill for a minimum of two hours or overnight.

While potatoes are baking, assemble ingredients for the dressing. In a glass bowl, whisk mayonnaise and sour cream together until well incorporated. Add Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper mix well and store in refrigerator until needed.

When potatoes are chilled, remove skin either with a peeler or a paring knife. Dice into desired size, but a medium dice is recommended. Place into bowl.

At tailgate, add dressing, bacon and cheese and gently mix using rubber spatula.

Transfer to serving container and garnish with sliced green onions. (This can be done at home ahead of time.)

Sweet ’N Spicy Grilled Chicken Breasts

Makes 6 sandwiches

6 chicken breasts, skin on
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
2 ounces olive oil
12 ounces Saz’s Vidalia Onion BBQ Sauce
2 ounces honey
2 ounces Tapatio hot sauce
6 Kaiser or favorite baked rolls
Lettuce, tomato, onion for garnishing

Wash and pat dry chicken breasts. Place in sealable plastic bag. Combine kosher salt, black pepper and olive oil. Place over chicken breasts and tumble. Marinate for three hours.

In a bowl or plastic container, whisk Saz’s Vidalia Onion BBQ Sauce, honey and Tapatio hot sauce. Cover and store in refrigerator.

At tailgate, preheat grill to medium high heat or arrange coals 6 to 8 inches beneath grates. Grill chicken skin-side down. After three to four minutes, flip chicken over and cook an additional four minutes. Be careful not to place directly over flames.

Return chicken to skin-side up and brush with BBQ sauce blend. Let chicken cook for two to three additional minutes or until a thermometer inserted into chicken reads 165 degrees.

Cooking times vary depending on grill and outdoor environment. Refrain from putting sauce on chicken too early as the sugars will burn, leaving an unpleasant bitter taste.

International Flavor

Rebecca Guralnick of Cooking With Chef Becca suggests picking a region of the world to create a tailgate menu. Here are some suggestions to get started:

Tailgate Tapas: Assemble a variety of Mediterranean-style skewered meats (marinated and ready-to-be-grilled), along with some interesting flat breads to wrap around them. Add some spiced nuts, olives, raw veggies and dip, olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, tomato, onion and basil salad, assorted cheeses, Italian salami or prosciutto, marinated artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated mushrooms and olives.

Tuscan: Grill up some crostini (sliced baguette brushed with olive oil) and serve them with bruschetta topping or white bean spread. Make meatballs ahead of time to grill for sandwiches, and bring along some Chianti.

Latin: Spice up your summer feast with fajitas (make sure that your meat is sliced wide enough to stay above grill grates), grilled quesadillas, roasted corn, black bean salad and jicama coleslaw.

Heart Smart: Bring a selection of flat breads and prewashed lettuce leaves to enclose a variety of low-fat, high-protein spreads and fillings, such as white-bean spread and hummus or grilled chicken with Greek or Caesar salad wraps.

Greek: Lamb burgers or kebabs with pita, tahini, cucumber, tomato and feta salad with olive oil vinaigrette.

Thai: Chicken or beef satay, curried chicken wings, cucumber salad, larb (spicy ground beef served cold in a lettuce wrap) and tropical fruit salad.

Jamaica: Jerk chicken skewers (see recipe above), curried potato salad and coleslaw, grilled plantain or banana slices for dessert.

Vegetarian: Sear tofu steaks or kabobs, portabella mushrooms stuffed with feta and spinach, served alongside a Quinoa salad with clementines, shaved fennel, Craisins and walnuts. (You can substitute tofu for meat in virtually any recipe. Place a brick of firm tofu on top of a broiler pan under a weighted plate in your fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to use. Draining the water from the tofu in this way will give it a firmer texture, making it ideal for marinating, grilling, or sautéing.)