Nothing but Net

          Conference tournaments, opening rounds, regional action and, of course, the Final Four and national championship game all provide the perfect opportunity to invite sports fans over for a March Madness party. So, get in post position and start planning for an evening of slam-dunk fun.

PICKING A DATE
          When it comes to party dates, you have many options. Around Smith Mountain Lake, the ACC Tournament (March 11-14 this year) is generally considered the kickoff for a nearly month-long marathon of basketball-watching. You could also plan your event for Selection Sunday (the day the NCAA Tournament brackets are unveiled) March 14, or one of the subsequent weekends of the tourney. The Final Four semifinal games are April 3 while the national championship game will be played April 5.

INVITATIONS
          If you choose to host for the big game on April 5, send out tournament brackets as your party invitations (or separately if sending online invitations). Have each guest fill out a bracket and return to you in advance so you’ll be able to kick off the fun with a basketball pool, tracking progress all the way up until your party date. In addition to predicting the winner of the championship game, each guest should guess what they think the combined final score will be (in case there’s a tie in the pool). Not familiar with all 65 starting teams? Browse the Internet for sites that specialize in March Madness predictions.

DECORATIONS/MUSIC
          School pennants, balloons and streamers are festive decorations and easy to find in all your favorite team colors. Create your pre-game music play list just as if you were at the stadium. Some favorite songs to consider include “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men, “Let’s Get it Started” by Black Eyed Peas and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”

ATTIRE
          Invite your guests to wear their favorite team colors or jerseys and, as the host, you may want to stand out by wearing an official’s shirt (black and white stripes). Don’t forget a whistle!

JUST FOR FUN
          Buy inflatable basketballs or Nerf balls and set up a basketball hoop in the room where guests will be watching the game. Have a small basketball-themed prize for the person who makes the most baskets.

          If weather permits, head outside between games for a pick-up game.

          Create a trivia game with questions about the teams playing. For example: What year did Virginia Tech join the ACC?  Name a current pro player who used to play for Wake Forest? 

FOOD
          Keep it simple with traditional stadium-inspired foods such as hot dogs, cheese steak sandwiches, roasted peanuts and nachos. But you’ll also score big with some of your own special game-day recipes such as Buffalo chicken dip and pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw (see recipes below). For dessert, make a large sheet cake, cut into a large circle and decorate like a basketball with orange and brown frosting. Of course, you’ll want a large cooler filled with a variety of drinks.

 Recipes

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons pepper
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
One 5-pound boneless pork shoulder roast, pulled and shredded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
8 hamburger buns, split
4 cups coleslaw (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Mix together the salt, pepper and paprika; sprinkle all over the pork and rub in.

 In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned (8-10 minutes). Transfer to a 24-inch-long sheet of heavy-duty foil and double-wrap the pork.

 Place the pork, skin side up, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roast until tender, about 4 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and carefully unwrap the top of the pork, revealing the skin. Increase the heat to 450 and roast for 20 minutes more.

 Transfer the roast to a large bowl, along with any juices. Using two forks, shred the pork. Add the vinegars, sugar and hot sauce. Toss. Serve on the hamburger buns, topped with coleslaw.

Coleslaw
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 green cabbage (about 2-3/4 pounds), cored and shredded

 In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegars, sugar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Add the cabbage and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes, then toss and serve.

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 BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
1 whole cooked roasted chicken, shredded
4 oz. blue cheese dressing
4 oz. ranch dressing
8 oz. cream cheese
1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
Red hot sauce to taste
1 small can of diced jalapeno peppers

Place all ingredients in a small slow cooker and stir every 10 minutes until melted and well blended. Serve with corn chips and celery sticks.

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MOJITO GELATIN SHOTS WITH
WHITE RUM AND FRESH MINT
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon powdered unflavored gelatin (from 3 envelopes)
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup lightly packed mint leaves
1 cup white rum

 In a small saucepan, cook the water with the sugar over moderate heat until the water is simmering and the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the gelatin over the sugar syrup and whisk constantly over low heat until the gelatin has dissolved, about 1 minute.

 Put the lime juice and mint leaves in a medium heatproof bowl and pour in the sugar syrup. Let steep for 15 minutes. Stir in the rum. Strain the mojito mixture into a large measuring cup, pressing on the mint leaves with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.

 Arrange 30 small paper cups on a rimmed baking sheet. Carefully pour the mojito gelatin mixture into the paper cups and refrigerate the shots until they are chilled, about 3 hours. Serve cold. The shots can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future articles, e-mail kmcrom@yahoo.com.