Heat Up Your Tailgate

Spicy Tailgate Burgers with Mustard-Beer Sauce
Serves 4 (1 burger plus 1 teaspoon sauce).

All you need
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp Hy-Vee Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp Hy-Vee cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Hy-Vee salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground Hy-Vee black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup Hy-Vee spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp beer, preferably lager or ale, divided
1 tsp Hy-Vee brown sugar
4 slices Hy-Vee pepper Jack cheese
4 Hy-Vee whole wheat hamburger buns, split
Lettuce leaves, tomato slices and onion slices, for garnish

All you do
1.  Combine garlic, Worcestershire, cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and ground beef in a large bowl.  Form into 4 patties.  If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

2.  To make mustard-beer sauce, combine mustard, 2 tablespoons beer, brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

3.  Preheat grill to medium heat.

4.  Grill burger 7 minutes per side, turning once, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  While patties are cooking, generously brush with remaining 1/2 cup beer.

5.  Just before removing patties from the grill, place cheese slices on top of patties to melt the cheese.  Toast buns on grill.

6.  Serve cheeseburgers on toasted buns slathered with mustard-beer sauce topped with lettuce, tomato and onion if desired. 

Nutrition facts per serving: 380 calories, 14g fat, 7g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 95mg cholesterol, 680mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 4g sugar, 32g protein.

Daily values: 6% vitamin A, 2% vitamin C, 20% calcium, 25% iron.

Cheesy Pretzel Dip
Serves 24 (2 tbsp each).

All you need
1 (1 oz) package ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
2 (8 oz each) packages Hy-Vee reduced-fat cream cheese
1 ½ cup Hy-Vee shredded Colby Jack cheese
¾ cup light beer
Hy-Vee pretzels, optional

All you do
1.  Beat dip mix, cream cheese and shredded cheese with electric mixer until combined.  Gradually add beer; mix until smooth.
2.  Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours.  Serve with pretzels if desired.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 70 calories, 4.5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 220 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 4 g protein.

Daily Values: 4% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 0% iron.