Bleeding Orange

I happen to live in Denver, Colorado, where today – the opening day of the professional football season – we host the Baltimore Ravens in the year’s NFL season opener.

If you have happened to stumble upon my humble blog ramblings and you live in Seattle, or Miami, or St. Louis, or (heaven forbid from a Bronco’s standpoint) Oakland, you may just substitute your team name and your team color.

Today, here in the Mile High City, we are bleeding orange.

I undertook an early morning trip to the grocery store, and it tickled me to see how many people were already wearing the Bronco colors of blue and orange. Of course the store employees were wearing Bronco garb; likely, they are required to show Bronco affiliation to get a paycheck. However, shopper after shopper, old and young alike, were already in their Bronco clothing. Heck, I have to admit that I was wearing my Bronco shirt and a pair of orange flip flops!

The same was true when I took two of my grandchildren to the zoo. Many of the people looking at the zoo animals were wearing their beloved orange and blue. I'm happy to say the animals were spared.

I grew up in a football loving family. You learned to love the Cornhuskers in vitro if you live in Nebraska. So my sisters and I are just as likely as my brother to sit in front of the television on any given Sunday to watch the games. And cheer. And boo. And cover our eyes. And complain about the officiating. And take walks if the score is too close (well, actually that’s just me).

As a single mother for many years, I taught my son to love football as well. And he is a true fan. He not only will be in his Bronco shirt in front of his television tonight, but his two poor, helpless girlies (both of whom would rather be wearing a Princess Ariel dress) will be in their Bronco shirts because he is convinced that is necessary for the Broncos to win. Not that he’s superstitious or anything.

And what will we be eating as we watch the game? I am going to disappoint all of you. We will not be eating either orange or blue food. We will not, in fact, be eating anything vaguely related to football or tailgating. Alas, on the menu tonight is tilapia. I have a Weight Watchers weigh-in tomorrow.

Pan-Fried Tilapia

Ingredients
2 tilapia filets
½ c. seasoned all-purpose flour
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 lemon

Process
Melt the butter together with the olive oil in a nonstick fry pan. Dip your filets in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Place the filet in the hot pan and let it sear for a couple of minutes, until it’s browned on the first side. Turn over, and do the same on the second side. Remove the filets to a plate and cover. Squeeze the juice of a lemon into the pan with the butter and oil. Stir until you have a nice pan sauce. When serving the tilapia filets, pour the pan sauce over the fish, and serve with a side of lemon.

Try not to look at the disappointment on your husband’s face when he sees you aren’t serving chicken wings.

Go Broncos!