Quick and Easy New England Clam Chowder

Whatever you do, do not let the words ‘quick’ or ‘easy’ deter you from making this quick and easy New England clam chowder. Just because you open a few cans and add them to a pot doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect great flavor. And this, despite it’s simplicity, is one great clam chowder. It has the right consistency, the right amount of potatoes, and best of all, plenty of clams. Lots of clams. This is great creamy goodness in a bowl.

Quick and Easy New England Clam Chowder

Don’t change a thing when making this quick and easy New England clam chowder. Don’t substitute milk for the half and half. And definitely don’t use fewer clams. Nope, make it just as it says and you’ll be happy with the results. And this makes a big batch, so you’ll have plenty for a crowd, too!

The history of the variations of clam chowder are actually quite interesting.

Quick and Easy Clam Chowder
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Quick and Easy New England Clam Chowder

Don't change a thing when making this quick and easy clam chowder.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword clam chowder
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 211kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they just being to soften, 2-4 minutes.
  • Add the drained clams, both cans of clam chowder, both cans of cream of potato soup, and the half and half. Stir to combine.
  • Bring soup to a simmer then reduce heat and simmer slowly for one hour. Stir occassionally.
  • Serve with your favorite crackers.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 629IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Easy Pimento Cheese Grits

Pimento cheese is one of those things that does not last very long in our house. Make batch, do a quick errand, come back.. gone! It doesn’t seem to matter how much I make, it’s gone in an instant. Where does it go? Well, one place is in this delicious easy grits dish. Creamy, yummy grits with kicked up pimento cheese. You can’t beat it. Sure, pimento cheese is great on crackers or sandwiches, but in grits… oh me is it ever amazing. Always make extra.

Easy Pimento Cheese Grits

As much as grits are a wonderful thing, the star of this show is the pimento cheese and it deserves the love and the attention it needs to be extraordinary. First, hand shred your cheese. None of that pre-shredded bagged stuff. It has cornstarch or other coatings on it to keep it from sticking. Nope, pass on that. If you’re not a big fan of shredding with your old hand-powered box shredder, get one of these. It’s awesome!

Second, make the pimento cheese the night before you make this dish. Let it get happy in the fridge, just hanging out. It’s better that way. The flavors and the consistency are better the next day.

Easy Pimento Cheese Grits
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Easy Pimento Cheese Grits

Great cheesy creamy grits!
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword grits, pimento cheese
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 818kcal

Ingredients

For the grits

For the pimento cheese

Instructions

For the grits

  • Add the milk and water to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the grits, stirring as you pour.
  • Add salt to taste.
  • Let the grits simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, until they are thick and creamy.
  • Turn off the heat. Stir in the pimento cheese and season with pepper.
  • Serve garnished with parsley if desired.

For the pimento cheese

  • Place all ingredients except the salt and pepper into a bowl. Combine.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and stir.
  • Refrigerate at least an hour before using.

Notes

You can make the pimento cheese the day ahead.

Nutrition

Calories: 818kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1353mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1852IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 809mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Easy Asian Slaw

I was in need of a good side dish for a batch my orange chicken. The chicken is crazy good, with a thick, slightly sweet sauce that has just a slight kick to it. This easy Asian slaw was the perfect side. Crunchy with a hint of sesame oil, we both loved it. The red onion added a great little heat. I used a bag of pre-made slaw mix, but you could go thru the trouble of shredding your own cabbage too. Either way, you can’t lose with this slaw.

Easy Asian Slaw

The original recipe for this easy Asian slaw stresses that you shouldn’t add the dressing until you’re ready to serve it. We actually enjoyed it even more the second day, dressing it completely the first day. The cabbage and onion soaked up the delicious flavors from the dressing. I’ve made this several times and I prefer it that way.

Also try some Tub’s coal miner slaw.

This recipe is based on a recipe from David Lieberman.

Easy Asian Slaw
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Easy Asian Slaw

The original recipe for this easy Asian slaw stresses that you shouldn't add the dressing until you're ready to serve it.
Course Salad
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Asian, cole slaw
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 463kcal

Ingredients

For the slaw

  • 1 bunch green onions sliced thin
  • 32 ounces coleslaw mix with carrots if desired
  • 1 small red onion sliced thin

For the dressing

Instructions

For the slaw

  • Add the green onions to a large bowl. Add the slaw mix and red onion and toss to combine.

For the dressing

  • Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Pour over the slaw and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5748mg | Potassium: 2091mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 369mg | Calcium: 494mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I’ve made homemade breakfast sausage from scratch before. I picked up a few pork shoulders, trimmed them, ground them (twice) and added seasonings. But I don’t always have the time (or energy, really) to do all that work. That’s when my quick fix homemade breakfast sausage comes in handy.

Note: It’s not uncommon for many homemade sausage recipes to say that you should refrigerate your mixer bowl and even utensils before starting. I agree if you’re grinding your meats from rough cuts, but in this case we start with already-ground pork so I don’t think it’s necessary to start out ‘cold’. That doesn’t mean that you can’t. And it might be a good idea if you’re working in a particularly warm kitchen or area.

Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I use a great seasoning mix from A.C. Legg’s that I picked up on Amazon. It has just the right blend of spices without having too much sage or black pepper.
I cook the quick fix homemade breakfast sausage as soon as I make it. I crumble it and freeze it in batches so I can make breakfast cups for my wife’s breakfasts during the week. You can also form it into patties. I also love smoking breakfast sausage for a fantastically different flavor.

Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage
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Quick Fix Homemade Breakfast Sausage

I use a great seasoning mix from A.C. Legg’s that I picked up on Amazon. It has just the right blend of spices without having too much sage or black pepper.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword breakfast, quick fix, sausage
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Calories 1193kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the pork into your mixer bowl and place into the freezer for 15 minutes.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix.
  • Place onto mixer using the bread hook and mix for 5-10 minutes.
  • If this is your first time making the sausage I recommend that you take a small handful of the mixed sausage and cook it in a skillet. Taste it after it cools (while cooling place the uncooked meat mixture into the freezer in case you need to mix more). If you need to, add more seasoning and mix well.
  • Freeze or cook the sausage. You can also form it into patties if you wish.

Notes

I use a mixer to combine the meat and seasonings. You can use your hands if you wish, just make sure the meat and the bowl you are using for mixing are very cold before mixing.

Nutrition

Calories: 1193kcal | Protein: 77g | Fat: 96g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 327mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 1302mg | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Quick Fix BBQ Ranch Dressing

A lot of restaurant signature sauces start with simple, off-the-shelf ingredients. A restaurant near us starts with BBQ sauce and Ranch, just like with this quick fix BBQ Ranch dressing, and then adds a few other ingredients (such as crumbled cooked bacon) to make it different for different dishes, such as for dipping onion rings or chicken wings. They also use it as a spicy version of their house Ranch salad dressing for well, you guessed it, salads.

Quick Fix BBQ Ranch Dressing

This quick fix BBQ Ranch dressing isn’t just for salads, though. That’s for sure. I squirted it on a big plate of French fries. Then I dipped grilled chicken wings in it. I slathered it on hot-off-the-grill hamburgers. Heck, it’s great on wraps too!

Just make sure you start with good, quality BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing. And don’t hesitate to use a spicy BBQ sauce, or one with a bit of smoky flavor to it.

This dressing will last a while in the fridge, if there happens to be any leftover. Just make sure to give it a good shake or stir before serving.

Also try my dill Ranch dressing. Oh, and this dressing is fantastic on my Santa Fe chicken salad.

Quick Fix Bloody Mary Potato Chips
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Easy BBQ Ranch Dressing

A lot of restaurant signature sauces start with simple, off-the-shelf ingredients. A restaurant near us starts with BBQ sauce and Ranch, just like with this quick fix BBQ Ranch dressing, and then adds a few other ingredients.
Course Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword BBQ, Ranch, salad dressing
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 827kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk together the two ingredients.
  • Add any embellishments and stir to combine.

Nutrition

Calories: 827kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 2781mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Easy Creole Meatloaf

There’s one rule I have about meatloaf: the veggies have to be chunky. I want some crunch to offset what is essentially a large brick-of-meat. Nothing wrong with a brick of meat, but put some nice chunky vegetables in it. This easy Creole meatloaf hit the spot and it definitely did not break my meatloaf rule. Chunky vegetables everywhere, in every bite. Great flavor. Moist. And just a hint of spiciness.

Easy Creole Meatloaf

Now, I will say that leftover super chunky easy Creole meatloaf does make for a pretty messy sandwich. But then, who really sits around dreaming of a nice, neat leftover meatloaf sandwich? Not me. It is not something to be ashamed of if you have to go open-faced with your meatloaf sandwich.

Grab a meatloaf pan, some ingredients, and get to meatloafing!

Also try my Cajun meatloaf and my copycat of the meatloaf from Cracker Barrel.

Easy Creole Meatloaf
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Easy Creole Meatloaf

his easy Creole meatloaf hit the spot and it definitely did not break my meatloaf rule. Great flavor. Moist. And just a hint of spiciness.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword meatloaf
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 353kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Place the bread in a large bowl and add the milk. Let soak for a few minutes.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the bread except for half of the ketchup and combine well.
  • Form into a loaf in the baking dish.
  • Spread the remaining ketchup over the top of the meatloaf.
  • Bake, covered, for 45 minutes.
  • Remove cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
  • Let stand 5 -10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 446mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Easy Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

There’s definitely no wrong way to make ‘fried’ chicken on your charcoal grill using the Vortex. I absolutely love it. For a long time I’ve been making my chicken using batter made from scratch. This time I decided to try an off-the-shelf batter mix usually meant for actual deep frying in oil. The result? Absolutely delicious, crunchy, moist fried chicken with about as little fuss and mess as possible. And no oil.

Easy Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Any good fried chicken batter mix will work. It’s called easy crispy fried chicken using the Vortex for a reason. Just dip and put onto the grill. I prefer to use split bone-in chicken breasts or thighs. I recommend bone-in chicken because it will have more flavor and won’t dry out as easily as boneless.

You can use boneless chicken but you might have to adjust the cook time. When I do need boneless ‘fried’ chicken I still cook it bone-on then remove the meat from the bone when done. If you prefer to make your own batter from scratch, try my super easy Vortex fried chicken recipe. For something a bit more fru-fru, make my spicy BBQ fried chicken. You’ll quickly see why fried chicken on the Vortex is fantastic!

Easy Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex
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Easy Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Absolutely delicious, crunchy, moist fried chicken with about as little fuss and mess as possible. And no oil.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword fried chicken, Vortex
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 332kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your charcoal grill with the Vortex insert. Get the coals good and hot.
  • In a large bowl combine 5 tablespoons of the batter mix with 1/4 cup of cold water.
  • Place the remaining batter mix in a shallow pie pan.
  • Working piece-by-piece, dredge the chicken in the wet batter mix. Shake off any excess then roll the chicken in the dry batter mix.
  • Transfer chicken to the grill, placing along the edges.
  • Cover and cook for 45 minutes, rotating the lid 90 degrees every 15 minutes.
  • Check for doneness (165 F as measured in the thickest pieces of chicken), remove and serve.

Notes

I’ve found that rotating the lid isn’t very necessary, specially on smaller grills. You can experiment by not rotating and checking the chicken after 30 minutes. If the pieces are cooking evenly you can skip rotating the lid.

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcal | Protein: 29g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 291mg | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Easy Smoked Turkey Breast

I set out to prove to myself just how easy it can be to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving. That meant no brining, no basting, no rubs, no oils, no injecting. Nothing. Just an easy smoked turkey breast.

I used a turkey breast that was already in a basting solution to speed things along and keep the ‘easy’ theme. Turkeys that are already pre-brined (or ‘pumped’) are common and they do save you a lot of time and hassle.

Easy Smoked Turkey Breast

I was very, very happy with this easy smoked turkey breast. It was completely fuss-free. The skin was nice and crunchy. The meat was tender and moist. I used plenty of wood to get plenty of smoky flavor. I think that made up for the spices or basting sauce I would normally add. If you’re making a turkey for a crowd this is the way to go. You’ll have plenty of free time for other things.

I prefer to use fruit or nut woods when I smoke unless I want a heavier smoke flavor. Pecan, apple or cherry are my favorites. I used apple for this turkey.

I served the turkey with my smoked turkey gravy, made using broth from turkey wings that I smoked on a few days before smoking this easy turkey breast.

Easy Smoked Turkey Breast
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Easy Smoked Turkey Breast

This recipe uses a ‘pumped’ turkey breast, or one that has already been brined. The package will state ‘contains up to 8% of a solution of water, salt, spices to enhance tenderness and juiciness’. Normally I would use a natural turkey that does not contain such a solution, but the goal was to make as easy a turkey breast as possible.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smoked, turkey
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 1 turkey breast
Calories 2796kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up your smoker for cooking at 325 F. If you’re using a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker (or any smoker that uses a water pan), line the water pan with foil and do not add water.
  • Use a fruit wood or lighter wood such as hickory.
  • Place the turkey breast meat side up in the center of the smoker.
  • Smoke until the meat reaches 165 F as measured in several locations.
  • Remove and let rest 30 minutes before slicing. Do not cover with foil as this will cause the skin to get soggy.

Nutrition

Calories: 2796kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 447g | Fat: 113g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Cholesterol: 1210mg | Sodium: 4098mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Shortcut Spaghetti

Yes, sometimes I just grab a big ole jar or two of spaghetti sauce at the grocery store instead of making a big batch of homemade. There’s nothing wrong with that. But I don’t just heat it up and toss it over cooked pasta. Nope, I gotta make my shortcut spaghetti. It’s a dish I started making in my bachelor years, and have perfected over time.

Shortcut Spaghetti

You can use ground beef instead of Italian sausage, but I wouldn’t. The first years I made shortcut spaghetti I used beef. Sausage is better. Much better. And my homemade Italian sausage is fantastic. I make a batch and freeze it in one pound packages. Perfect for a shortcut dish.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this spaghetti and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Oh, and I almost forgot! Instead of pasta, serve the meat sauce mixture on a hoagie or sub roll as a sandwich and top with tons of shredded mozzarella. It’s the perfect messy Sloppy Italian Joe sandwich. Or substitute meatballs for the sausage.

Shortcut Spaghetti
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Shortcut Spaghetti

You can use ground beef instead of Italian sausage, but I wouldn’t. The first years I made shortcut spaghetti I used beef. Sausage is better. Much better. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword spaghetti
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 21kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 2 14 ounce ground Italian sausage
  • 1 pound mushrooms sliced
  • 1 large sweet onion chopped
  • 2 24 ounce spaghetti sauce
  • spaghetti cooked per package instructions
  • parsley chopped, for garnish
  • Parmesan cheese grated, for garnish

Instructions

  • Crumble the sausage into a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • When the sausage is almost browned add the mushrooms and onion and continue sauteeing until the onion starts to soften. Remove from heat and drain.
  • Add sauce to a large pot over low heat.
  • Add in the meat mixture.
  • Cover and let simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve over cooked pasta (or mix the pasta in with the sauce first) garnished with parsley and Parmesan.

Nutrition

Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cheater Chicken Parmesan Sliders

I admit, I don’t always cook up a big ole fru-fru dinner. In fact, sometimes I crave junk food. Or a take on junk food. I was rummaging through the freezer and found a batch of homemade pizza sauce. I decided to make some cheater chicken Parmesan sliders. They’re just what you might imagine: pre-made chicken nuggets, pizza (or marinara) sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, all served on slider buns for a quick and easy tasty bites. They’re actually very tasty and kinda fun to eat. They are also perfect game-time snacks.

Cheater Chicken Parmesan Sliders

Make sure you use nuggets that are slider-friendly when you make these cheater chicken Parmesan sliders. Chunky nuggets won’t do well here. You want flat ones, which is why I used the nuggets from Tyson’s. Chunky nuggets to make for great crispy chicken po boys, though.

Cheater Chicken Parmesan Sliders
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Cheater Chicken Parmesan Sliders

Make sure you use nuggets that are slider-friendly. Chunky nuggets won’t do well here. You want flat ones.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, sliders
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 sliders
Calories 135kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Toast the buns if desired
  • Warm the nuggets per the package instructions.
  • Warm the sauce.
  • To assemble, top each bun bottom with 1/2 slice Mozzarella cheese.
  • Add 2 nuggets and a tablespoon or so of sauce.
  • Add Parmesan cheese and top bun. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 184IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.