This summer I joined some friends on their pontoon for a day of cruising around the lake and docking in the shallows with about 30 other boaters. My friends told me we'd have lunch on the boat, so I had brought along some simple fare. Instead of keeping it simple, my friends attached a small grill to the back of the pontoon and grilled a fantastic lunch. In fact, they made so much that they filled a styrofoam cooler with the food and walked it through the shallows offering other boaters food from their floating restaurant. Needless to say, the other boaters were thrilled.

Just as my friends wowed their water-loving comrades, you can wow your fellow football fans when tailgating. Cooking Light has four great menus for you to try. You don't have to stick to hot dogs or cold sandwiches. The Cooking Light menus are much more ambitious -- not to mention delicious; salmon, cous-cous, barbecued chicken, and peaches with caramel sauce are just a few of the tasty treats they recommend.

Want more tailgating tips? Check out Kristin's post on vegetarian tailgating.