Patti’s Firecracker Chili We had 3lbs. of stew beef and a few ideas. Stew, for instance, but that included veggies Ken doesn’t like. I suggested chili and was scoffed at because Ken is the chili master…a well deserved title. But, today I actually impressed him with my first from scratch chili. Woo Hoo! Lots of smoky heat and tender meat. Excellent. Patti and I have…
Our Pacific Living Outdoor Oven Patti and I have set one night a week just for us. It’s our date night. We usually put something special on our Pacific Living Outdoor Oven, but sometimes we cook inside. We always eat outside on our patio where it is very comfortable with a rainforest theme. Wood burning stove, little lights, candles, lanterns and surround sound. We enjoy…
http://youtu.be/eOT-2nykh_I?list=UUiQQgeeiljVzZFv966eI91Q Chipotle Bacon Bombs on a Stick Patti and I are still working on a few treats to serve “Off The Grill” for tailgating parties. These are a big hit at the Super Bowl parties also. With us, it has to be something smoked off the grill. A great start for anything we come up with. How about Chipotle Bacon Bombs on a Stick? We…
Philly Mac & Cheese Patti was born & raised in Philadelphia, so she knows something about cheese steaks. Ken was born in Texas so he knows something about big beef. We were both craving comfort food and macaroni and cheese fills the bill. But, not with the shaved meat you get in Philly cheese steaks. We wanted a big, beefy cheese steak taste. Sunday at…
Caprese Stuffed Tomatoes for Two It was our date night and we wanted a side dish that was special, not the same old thing. But, still easy with lots of flavor. Ken loves Caprese salad and we love our Pacific Living Outdoor Oven and made full use of the smoker box. So, Patti made a side dish under the stars and didn’t have to heat…
Bacon Explosion with Cheese Guest Chef Rusty Stander from TipsforBBQ SLC, Utah http://tipsforBBQ.com http://makingvanilla.com One of my favorite barbecue recipes has got to be my Bacon Explosion with Cheese (originally posted on "http://tipsforbbq.com/Recipes/Pork/BaconExplosionRevisited. It's a recipe that is simple to do and looks amazing any way you slice it. Cooking doesn't have to be hard. Make it fun, make something good and learn while doing…
Lemon Rosemary Spatchcock Chicken We love grilled chicken; it’s economical, easy and full of flavor. We grow our own rosemary and have a lemon tree…an “aha” moment. It was simple enough for a weeknight dinner and pretty enough for company. We served it with our garlic mashed potatoes and fresh steamed green beans with a bit of butter. Easy and so simple on our Green…
Smoked Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Style It’s summer squash season! One of favorites is spaghetti squash. It’s so versatile for any spaghetti recipe and has no carbs, so it’s healthy, easy and delicious. We get ours at the Murrieta Farmer’s Market because it’s “from the farmer” fresh and they’re happy to share recipes. We got this one from Engle Farms changing it just a bit because…
Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Sauce We have been looking for a house cheese sauce, something we could have on hand and be ready to use anytime. We wanted a sauce I could pour hot over something that would leave a thick coat as it cooled. Like hot fudge on ice cream. We now keep lots of this on hand. In the last few weeks we’ve used…
Coffee Rubbed Chuck Roast We have done a few big chuck roasts now, we think they are great. I am thinking about retiring my crock pot. What I like most about doing these big roasts is that someone always has them on sale. We made roast beef burgers, BBQ beef sandwiches and stringed beef burritos all week. Patti likes to put a piece of the…
Chef Tunes The Chef Tunes is an excellent gift for the BBQ Gadget Geek that has everything… Maverick's Chef Tunes Bluetooth TM Kitchen Speaker & Roasting Thermometer is THE ultimate gadget for the backyard pit master. The new Chef’s Tunes lets you play your favorite music and keeps track of the time and temperature so you can sit back and enjoy your friends and barbeque…
Birds Nest Garlic I love roasted garlic, add a little rosemary and things just get better. The trouble I have is in finding garlic big enough for the grill. The only time I see the big stuff is on TV. We cook a lot with garlic and buy it by the 5 pound bag already peeled. Not having any big bulbs for the grill I thought…