The Smoking Musket Tailgate Menu: Fancy Breakfast Feast

Folks… we’re back.

For the first time in 2020, West Virginia football fans will trek to Morgantown to (sparsely) pack Milan Puskar Stadium to watch a game. Though the Old Grads and the Young Lads won’t be able to tailgate before the game, the gameday atmosphere is still rolling into Touchdown City. like the remnants of the morning fog under the Star City Bridge.

Knowing that many of us won’t be fortunate enough to make the Hajj to our spiritual nucleus, let’s still tailgate our best while at home.

As has become a tradition for Kansas games, today’s menu highlights the original white meat: chicken. Given the early start of the game, we’re going to feature chicken in breakfast dishes.

Chicken Florentine Crepes

I know what you’re thinking. “Crepes are fancy, Bart!” But I promise you, they’re really not that much fuss and surprisingly easy to make on a grill in a skillet. Chicken Florentine is a hearty dish that tops chicken breasts with a spinach-mushroom-parmesan sauce. This may not sound like a great breakfast tailgate dish, but with some pre-game prep, these actually become almost like a DIY burrito.

You can either make your own crepes according to the recipe OR you can just buy pre-made crepes from a store. The trick is a nice swirl when you pour the batter in the pan to create a thin wrap for the filling. You can make the batter the night before so you can spend more time cooking and less time whisking.

The Chicken Florentine sauce could be made on gameday or you could also make it ahead and heat it up on the grill. Either way, this creamy, cheesy sauce will make a delicious filling for these crepes. You assemble the crepes for your guests or have the crepes and sauce out for them to build and fold their own. Top the crepes with shredded Parmesan cheese and some chives (optional).

Egg Spread Crostini

Continuing the “fancy’ theme of this tailgate, we’re taking basic toast up a notch with crostini. Toasted bread slices topped with this egg spread will be great finger food and accompaniment to the Chicken Florentine crepes.

To make the spread, you’ll need to first hard boil eggs. My pro-tip is to keep your eggs in the fridge upside down overnight so the yolks set a bit more toward the middle of the whites.

Blend your peeled (and sliced) deviled eggs with ranch dip and green onions, seasoning with salt and pepper. You can then fold in crumbled bacon and set in a bowl to spoon on top of your grilled baguette slices.

Morning Mule

Moscow Mules have increased popularity in recent years. They’re a very refreshing cocktail and honestly would be a great breakfast drink to start your day on a bight note. The traditional recipe combines vodka, ginger beer and lime together over ice. To twist this into a morning beverage, mix equal parts orange juice and ginger beer with the vodka and lime.

It may be a tease to allow fans into the stadium without allowing tailgating but, honestly, I know the players will love having the support of Mountaineer fans behind them as they take on the Jayhawks.