Mini croissant sandwiches

Southern women love college football. It’s a fashion opportunity. Oh, we genuinely love the game and can talk all that football talk, but I guarantee if you open any woman’s closet in the SEC you will find a blinding array of school-colored clothing, accessories and jewelry. If you are fortunate, you will be an LSU fan and can wear purple and gold. LSU is very fashion forward. On the other hand, if you are a Volunteer fan, as I am, your choices are somewhat limited and nearly always unflattering. Day-glow orange is not fashion forward.

We actually got cheated out of a pretty good color and I’m not sure why. If you look carefully at the Volunteer uniforms you will notice they are not the same extreme orange that the fans wear. The color is a lighter orange that was chosen in 1891 to mimic the color of the American Daisy, which proliferated on campus back then.

So as I’m pulling out my orange t-shirt, orange pajama pants (this is an “at home” game for me) and orange clogs I am thinking about football food. While rooting for the Vols at home there are certain precautions you must take to ensure victory. You must be dressed in orange, you must have a cocktail or two before halftime and you must have some manner of football food.

Football food can be the usual – wings, pigs in a blanket, barbecue. Or it can be something you just don’t eat every day. Special. Usually fattening. Able to soak up vats of alcohol should the Vols not be doing so well. Here are my mini croissant sandwiches, made so Southern with the addition of red pepper jelly as a component. If you have to ask what red pepper jelly is they probably don’t sell it where you live.

Mini croissant sandwiches

1 large onion

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 mini croissants

12 slices ham

6 slices Swiss cheese

Whole grain mustard

Red pepper jelly

Cut onion into thin slices. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onion and gently sauté until it is a caramel color.

Slice croissants and spread the bottom half with whole grain mustard. Add ham, cheese and caramelized onions. Spread the top half of the croissant with red pepper jelly.