Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Pre-Season Line Up

We expect to have some visitors to our site today.  Welcome them the "Highlowaha Way." Show them how a blog, based solely on concepts of creativity and community will SHINE!

Our visitors are food lovers,  The occasion is start of football season.

Some background for those who were not with us last year at this time.  Facts, just the facts...

Highlowaha scoured the country looking for the craziest, zaniest, most over-the-top football fans we could find.  Turns out the Struble Family, in Naperville, Illinois fit the bill.  They've converted their basement into a full blown Packer Pub called Struble Suds.  Their set up is about as close to Cheers as you can get and still be zoned in a residential neighborhood.  Visit their pub and expect to be greeted with a steady stream of fans, printed t-shirts, mugs, a jumbo-tron of a screen, rows of reclining seats, a wall holding framed photographs of all the regulars, and a bottomless keg.  PACKER FANS! 

Once the right fans were found, we set the ground rules for the First Annual Highlowaha Super Bowl Snack Throw Down.  High:  We had great participation, voting for secret ingredients each week was fun, and the one-of-a-kind super bowl that AZLori won was great looking.  Lows: The cost of shipping weekly snacks to Struble Suds added up.  Aha: With a little bit of creativity and a lot of desire, you can find a better way.

Here it is.

The new and improved Super Bowl Snack Throw Down: Take Two.
  • Today by 8:00 p.m. CST.  Host writers of food blogs from around the country will compete in a 6-word essay about why they should be selected as one of two competing teams in our newly revised Superbowl Throw Down.
  • Tomorrow, Highlowaha readers (plus anyone that our foodies gather) will select two winners by voting on which 6-word essays they think are best.  The two food blogs receiving the most votes will win.
  • The two winning sites will compete each week during football season, to see whose football snack recipes posts the most wins.
  • No mailing involved.
  • Each Friday before the next competition, Highlowaha readers will vote between two secret ingredients.  
  • The next day (Saturday), the secret ingredient will be officially announced.  The winning ingredient must somehow be incorporated into a football snack prepared by our two competing food bloggers.  Food bloggers will have 12 days to prepare their dish and to post a photograph and recipe.
  • On a designated day of the week, Highlowaha readers will visit the sites of our competing food bloggers to check out their entries.  Then, return to the Highlowaha comment section to cast your vote.
  • Recipes will be judged on the following criterion.  Creative use of the ingredient (you had to know creativity would be #1), most likely to be eaten first, best photograph, and "replicability" (chances that a clumsy, non-foodie like me could actually make the recipe).
  • Competing food bloggers earn a score, based on 100 percentage points.  
  • Each Monday morning the winner will be announced. 
  • The food blogger at the end of the season with the most wins earns the right to compete against Highlowaha readers in the ULTIMATE snack throw down on Super Bowl Sunday.
  • Sunday, February 7, 2010, Highlowaha readers go head-to-head with the reigning Food Blogger Champion, by submitting a recipe that, for this one time only, will be mailed to Struble Suds.
  • Monday, February 8, 2010, gifts and treats, including a hand-crafted super bowl, will be bestowed upon the ultimate Second Annual Super Bowl Snack Throw Down winner!  And the crowd roars.
That's it.  That's the plan and Heather, Katie, Cheryl, and I are pretty excited.  We hope you are too.

Do you know someone with a food blog you want to make sure gets a crack at competing?  Forward them today's post.  It's not too late for them to get in on the fun.  Remember, 6-word essays must be posted by 8:00 p.m. CST.

Don't know anyone you think should compete?  That's ok, tell us how you are getting ready for football season.  But, do it in six words.

Signing off until tomorrow...

28 comments:

cassie p said...

I'm not ready for it yet!

Chaotic Kristi said...

I don't...too much going on.

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

Go Colts Football! Believe in Blue!

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

But also welcome Megan, Lauren and Kate!

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Planning Chili Cookoff for Gift 218

Katie said...

Good morning, HLA and welcome to all the foodies out there!!!

In other football season news, we have once again set-up a Fantasy League through Yahoo, thanks to reader Tera!!! If you want to join, go to http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1/register/joinleague

the League ID is: 359300
Password: football

As for me: Please don't let the Bengals suck.

lindsaymarie said...

reading this entry made me go "YESSSSSSSS" and even throw in a little fist pump.
i love snacks, and i didn't tune in until near the end of last year's competition. I AM PUMPED.
and this year i will have a kitchen so i'll be able to make some of these recipes for my roommates!

Peggy said...

Snack making, a mom's special talent!

Lauren said...

Food plus football equals fabulous time!

Brian K. Root said...

Football, football, oh glorious football! Ahhhhhh.


................

And BeeKay's ButtKickers are officially registered for fantasy football.

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

Note we've had our first competitor!

=)

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

Lauren is from http://lacucinadilauren.blogspot.com/

Check out her yummy recipes!

Cheryl Houston said...

Shopping empty stores on game day
or
football will not run my life
or
We got the F-O-O-T
We got the B-A-L-L
We got the Foot
We got the ball
We got the hip
We got the jive
Come on Cowboys
Skin 'em alive

That's enough of that.

In the gutter Struble said...

Matt Want Food Beer Sex Now.....that is 6 words...is this a legal entry?

Struble Suds Charity said...

On a more normal note (for me). Struble Suds is proud to be able to participate with you all again this year. I have also agreed to a charity thing for you all, so I claim September as my month of 218.

Struble Suds trainees said...

We love the Packers boo Bears

Cristine Aka the queen of Struble Suds said...

We are looking forward to another great collaboration with HLA and the other food bloggers. It's going to be a great season

my words friends food festivities Packers pants

Anonymous said...

Go Bears!

Peggy said...

Yikes! See, Bears fans can't even show their faces, they have to be anonymous!

Cheeseheads all the way.... Peggy who lives in Illinois, but will always, ALWAYS be a Packer fan... Brett who?

Danko Family said...

Military wife who makes HOO-AH snacks!

HOO-AH is a military term for "woo hoo" for those who aren't military!

Sarah said...

Pick me to make yummy snacks!

Sarah said...

Oh yeah...

http://sarah-cooking.blogspot.com/

Danko Family said...

Oh yeah...I guess my food blog would be important too!

www.goodiesbykate.blogspot.com

Katie said...

Mom who plagiarizes budget friendly foods.

http://busymomscookbook.blogspot.com/

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

Katie I love it!!! Too funny!

And to all you hla'ers just ask and I'll explain.

Annie said...

Annies eats makes some yummy treats.

Annieseats.com

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Competition is stiff and still forty-five minutes left to enter! Who else is out there?

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Megan's Munchies... where are you?