Mike, Author at Life's A Tomato

Slow Cooker Spicy Italian Beef Sandwiches

My wife and I both agreed that these slow cooker spicy Italian beef sandwiches were absolutely fantastic. And besides tender, juicy beef, you also get great Italian spice flavors. All served on a sub bun with plenty of smoky provolone cheese. Every bite of this sandwich is perfect.

Kick it Up Even More

To really kick up your slow cooker spicy Italian beef sandwiches use hot pepperoncini and Giardiniera, and substitute habanero jack cheese for the provolone. You’ll have the perfect game-time sandwich.

You may or may not need all of the peppers and Giardiniera I listed for the sandwich build. It all depends on how much you like on your sandwiches. Me, I like pepperoncini, and lots of it, on top. I only used the Giardiniera in the slow cooker and didn’t add any to the sandwich. To each his own!

Crock-Pot 7 Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel (SCV700-S-BR)

I love sandwiches topped with tender slow-cooked beef. Try my beef debris po boy and French dip sandwiches too.

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Spicy Italian Beef Sandwiches

Besides tender, juicy beef, you also get great Italian spice flavors. All served on a sub bun with plenty of smoky provolone cheese. Every bite of this sandwich is perfect.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword beef, Italian, sandwich, slow cooker

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 9

Total Time 9 5

Servings

Calories 493kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

For the Italian beef

2 cups beef broth
2 envelopes Italian salad dressing mix zesty
1 tablespoon dried red pepper flake
1 12 ounce peperoncini slices, plus some of the liquid from the jar
1 12 ounce Giardiniera drained
3 pound chuck roast trimmed

For the sandwiches

10 Hoagie buns or steak sandwich rolls
10 slices Provolone cheese sliced
1 12 ounce peperoncini slices, drained
1 12 ounce Giardiniera drained, lightly chopped

Instructions

For the Italian beef

Add beef broth to slow cooker set to high.
Stir in the dressing seasoning and red pepper.
Add the peppers and Giardiniera.
Add meat and cover.
Cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 10-11 hours until the meat can be shredded.
Remove meat, shred, and return to the slow cooker and cook another hour.

For the sandwiches

Open buns and add cheese slices. Make sure to cover the bread with the cheese – it’ll help keep the buns from getting overly soggy.
Add shredded meat.
Top with pepperoncini and chopped Giardiniera as desired.

Notes

Have plenty of napkins nearby.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Reynolds Kitchens Slow Cooker Liners, Regular (Fits 3-8 Quarts), 6 Count

Smoky Chipotle Rubs

I love my smoker. My Weber Smokey Mountain gets a workout all through the year, making everything from jerky to pulled pork. Sometimes I want a great smoky flavor (and some heat) from my gas grill or my Big Easy. That’s where these smoky chipotle rubs come in.

The smoked paprika in both versions of rubs add that great smoky flavor. The chipotle powder brings the heat and a bit more smoky flavor. To mellow it out a bit there’s a bit of brown sugar. The big difference between the two versions? I use the first when I want an earthier, more southwestern flavor. I use the second when I want a bit more texture, a little heat, and the added flavors of garlic and onion.

Great On Everything

These smoky chipotle rubs are great on poultry, pork, and beef. Sprinkle them on your burgers. My favorite way to use them? On chicken wings.

I keep my rubs and spice mixes in a dark, cool pantry, in air-tight containers. To remember what is what and when I made it, I write the name and the date I made them on blue painter’s tape and affix it to the container. The tape comes off easily when I’m done with the mix so I can re-use the container for other things.

RoyalHouse 6 Pack 32 Oz Plastic Spice Jars with Red Cap, Clear and Safe Plastic Bottle Containers with Shaker Lids for Storing Spice, Herbs and Seasoning Powders, BPA Free, Made in USA

Chipotle rub #1 is fantastic on my (wet) smoky chipotle chicken wings.

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3.50 from 2 votes

Smoky Chipotle Rub #1

The smoked paprika in my smoky chipotle rubs add that great smoky flavor. The chipotle powder brings the heat and a bit more smoky flavor. To mellow it out a bit there’s a bit of brown sugar.

Course Spice Mix

Cuisine American

Keyword rub, smoky, spicy

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Servings cup

Calories 272kcal

Author Mike

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chipotle powder ground
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1/2-1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Instructions

Place all ingredients into an air-tight container.
Seal and shake to combine.

Notes

Shake or stir before using.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Chipotle rub #2 is fantastic on my smoky chipotle dry wings.

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Smoky Chipotle Rub #2

The smoked paprika in both versions of smoky chipotle rubs add that great smoky flavor. The chipotle powder brings the heat and a bit more smoky flavor. To mellow it out a bit there’s a bit of brown sugar.

Course Spice Mix

Cuisine American

Keyword rub, smoky, spicy

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Calories 56kcal

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Turbinado sugar or substitute brown sugar
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flake
¼ teaspoon dried minced garlic
¼ teaspoon dried minced onion
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

Instructions

Place all ingredients into an air-tight container. Seal and shake to combine.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

AOZITA 14 Pcs Glass Spice Jars with Spice Labels – 4oz Empty Square Spice Bottles – Shaker Lids and Airtight Metal Caps – Chalk Marker and Silicone Collapsible Funnel Included

Mac-and-Cheese Waffles

It had to be done. I’ve made fries on a waffle iron. I’ve cooked breakfast sausage on a waffle iron. And I’ve even made brownies on a waffle iron. So it made perfect sense to make mac-and-cheese waffles.

What makes for a great mac-and-cheese? A nice crunchy outside and a creamy inside. Well, here it is. Crunchy and creamy, all in one, and a great way to use up leftover mac-and-cheese. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be leftover. Just make a batch of your favorite recipe and turn it into instant greatness!

You can use any mac-and-cheese recipe you want for mac-and-cheese waffles. Just make sure you let it set for a few hours (or best, overnight) before cutting it and putting it on the waffle iron. It needs to be nice and… well, solid. Good and firm and not runny. You don’t want to close your waffle maker only to watch all that cheese greatness run out the sides and onto your countertop.

Remember as you make these that non-stick spray is your friend. It definitely makes for easier clean-up.

Cuisinart WMR-CAP2 Round Classic Waffle Maker, Brushed Stainless,Silver

Also try my macaroni-and-cheese muffins.

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4 from 1 vote

Mac-and-Cheese Waffles

What makes for a great mac-and-cheese? A nice crunchy outside and a creamy inside. Well, here it is. Crunchy and creamy, all in one.

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, waffles

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 25

Total Time 8 25

Servings servings

Calories 455kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Will It Waffle?

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups elbow macaroni cooked, drained
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups whole milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
4 cups extra sharp cheddar shredded, divided

Instructions

For the mac-and-cheese

Cook the pasta per the box instructions. Drain well.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet or the same pot you cooked the macaroni in.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly.
Slowly pour in the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, and whisk.
Whisk steadily for about 10 minutes until any lumps are gone and the mixture is nice and creamy smooth.
Remove from heat and add the salt, pepper, cayenne (if using) and 2 cups of the cheese.
Stir until the cheese has melted.
Line a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with parchment or wax paper.
Pour in the macaroni and cheese and level out with a spatula.
Let cool before placing into the fridge for at least eight hours.

For the mac-and-cheese waffles

Heat your waffle iron and spray well with non-stick spray.
Working in batches, cut the macaroni and cheese into whatever sizes and shapes you want.
Sprinkle a bit of cheese on the waffle iron and add the macaroni and cheese.
Top with a bit more cheese and close the waffle iron. Do not press down.
Cook 5-6 minutes.
Turn off the waffle iron and let cool 5-10 minutes or until you can remove the mac-and-cheese without it sticking.
Keep warm in the oven on low as you cook the remaining mac-and-cheese.

Notes

Reheat any leftovers in the oven.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

OXO Good Grips Electric Grill and Panini Press Brush, Black

Malt Vinegar Aioli

This malt vinegar aioli is absolutely yummy. I made a batch and served it as a dipping sauce for tater tots and fries. What a great change from ketchup! That wonderful malt vinegar flavor, tamed just enough by the tarragon and garlic. All in a great creamy sauce. Anywhere you can possibly think of using malt vinegar, use this aioli instead.

I Love This Stuff

Oddly enough, as a kid my favorite thing about going to Long John Silver’s was the malt vinegar. Truth is, I could drown a piece of fish in that stuff. I consider this malt vinegar aioli to be the grown-up version (and hey, it does have malt vinegar in it!).

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Blue Plate Real Mayonnaise, Homestyle Mayo For Chicken Salad to Deviled Eggs, 30 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

This aioli is also absolutely amazing for dipping deep fried fish filets (like my awesome copycat Long John Silver’s fish filets), or just slather it on some crab cake sliders.

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4.50 from 2 votes

Malt Vinegar Aioli

This malt vinegar aioli is absolutely yummy. I made a batch and served it as a dipping sauce for tater tots and fries. What a great change from ketchup!

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword aioli, malt vinegar

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings cup

Calories 780kcal

Author Based on a recipe from the Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

Equipment

Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons malt vinegar more or less, to taste
1 clove garlic very finely minced or mashed into a paste
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon crumbled
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Whisk together all ingredients.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Stir or shake before using.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Southwestern Stuffed Peppers on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

Wow. When I set out to make these southwestern stuffed peppers on the Char-Broil Big Easy (you can make them just as easily in the oven) I admit, I had high expectations. The recipe came from Chile Pepper magazine, and past experience has shown that everything I’ve made from the magazine has been outstanding.

These peppers were no exception. They were just unbelievably good. Spicy salsa, hot cheese, roasted peppers and southwestern spices all came together in one of the best dishes I’ve made (or had).

A Great Easy Side Dish

I served our southwestern stuffed peppers as a side dish, but you could easily change this recipe to add some browned ground beef (or better, Mexican chorizo!) and serve them as a main dish. You can’t go wrong with these peppers. They are great.

Don’t let the fact that the recipe for these peppers came from a magazine geared towards chileheads scare you off. Chile Pepper magazine isn’t just about scary hot dishes, not by any stretch. It’s about flavorful foods.

You can always (easily) modify the recipes to tone down the spice. For these stuffed peppers, use mozzarella cheese instead of habanero jack, leave out the hot peppers, and use a mild salsa.

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket

Also try my sausage-stuffed peppers made on the Big Easy.

It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.

Char-Broil 2425514W12 Big Easy Grease Tray, Silver- 5 pack

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

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4 from 1 vote

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers on the Char-Broil Big Easy

These peppers were unbelievably good. Spicy salsa, hot cheese, roasted peppers and southwestern spices all came together in one of the best dishes I’ve made (or had).

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword bell pepper, Big Easy, Char-Broil, southwestern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 165kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Chile Pepper Magazine December 2015

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups salsa divided, if cooking in the oven, 1 cup if cooking in a Char-Broil Big Easy
2 hot peppers minced
½ cup mushrooms diced
½ cup spinach chopped
1 cup habanero jack cheese shredded, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 15 1/2 ounce dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
3 eggs beaten
kosher salt
ground black pepper
3 bell peppers halved lengthwise, seeded, with membranes removed
cilantro chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Cooking in the oven

Preheat oven to 400 F if cooking in the oven
Evenly spread out half of the salsa in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Cooking in the Big Easy

Fire up your Char-Broil Big Easy.

Then…

In large bowl, combine remaining (all if cooking on the Big Easy) salsa with the hot pepper, mushrooms, spinach, cheese, sour cream and beans.
Add the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Fill pepper halves with egg mixture. Place in casserole or Big Easy and bake/cool for 35 minutes.
Serve garnished with more cheese and chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Notes

If you are cooking these peppers in a Char-Broil Big Easy you’ll need a bunk bed basket to be able to cook all 6 pepper halves at once.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket

Slow Cooker Gumbo Joes

The sloppier the sandwich, the better it is. I’ve made chorizo Sloppy Joes, Sloppy Cubans, and kicked-up regular ole Sloppy Joes. All were sloppy. All were fantastic. These slow cooker Gumbo Joes pack in fantastic bayou flavors with traditional Sloppy Joe ingredients such as ketchup, mustard, and onion. Thick and messy. It’s gonna drip and it’s gonna make a mess. It’s gonna be great.

Gumbo-licious

This recipe for slow cooker Gumbo Joes is also a great way to use up leftover gumbo. I don’t usually have leftover gumbo. It seems to disappear very quickly around here. That’s why I had to use a few cans of gumbo instead. It’s surprisingly good on its own. But it’s fantastic in this great take on a Sloppy Joe.

Go Open-Faced

As much as I like to eat these sandwiches like… sandwiches, my preferred way is actually to enjoy them open-faced. I like to toast some hamburger buns until they get a bit crusty. With a bit of a crunch to them. Then I pile the meat mixture high and dig in!

Crock-Pot 7 Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel (SCV700-S-BR)

You can also make this dish on the stovetop. Just bring it to a slow simmer and let it simmer for at least 4 hours, stirring often and checking if it gets too dry. If it does, just stir in a bit of water.

Also try my slow cooker gumbo.

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Gumbo Joes

These slow cooker Gumbo Joes pack in fantastic bayou flavors with traditional Sloppy Joe ingredients such as ketchup, mustard, and onion. Thick and messy.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot, gumbo, sloppy Joes, slow cooker

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 15

Servings servings

Calories 396kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
2 10 3/4 ounce condensed chicken gumbo soup
1 ½ cups ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
kosher salt
ground black pepper
10 hamburger sub or hoagie buns

Instructions

Ground the beef in a large skillet or Dutch oven.
Drain and transfer to a slow cooker set to low.
Add onion, soup, ketchup and mustard. Stir.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper and serve on buns.

Notes

Also great served heaped on hot dogs.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Reynolds Kitchens Slow Cooker Liners, Regular (Fits 3-8 Quarts), 6 Count

Apple Zoodle Dessert

I love my spiral slicer. So far, I’ve used it for making great side dishes or salads and a few main dishes. I was intrigued when I first came across this idea for a low-carb dessert that is made using a spiral slicer. What a brilliant idea – apple zoodle dessert! Great apple flavor and crunch, a hint of cinnamon, and topped with toasted coconut flakes.

Choosing The Apple

I used a Gala apple for making this dessert, but you can substitute whatever you like. Of course, it being a dessert you’ll probably want to use a sweeter apple, such as golden delicious, pink lady, red delicious or Fuji.

Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer: Strongest-Heaviest Spiral Slicer, Best Veggie Pasta Spaghetti Maker for Low Carb/Paleo/Gluten-Free/Vegan Meals, With Extra Blade Caddy, 4 Recipe Ebooks

This apple zoodle dessert pairs perfectly with my Parmesan chicken zoodles.

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4 from 1 vote

Apple Zoodle Dessert

I was intrigued when I first came across this idea for a low-carb dessert that is made using a spiral slicer. What a brilliant idea – apple zoodle dessert!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apples, dessert, spiral

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings serving

Calories 95kcal

Equipment

Spiral Slicer

Ingredients

1 gala apple or your favorite sweet apple
vegetable oil
cinnamon to taste
unsweetened shredded coconut to taste

Instructions

Core the apple then slice it into thin noodles using your spiral slicer.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion slices and saute until they start to get tender.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir.
Remove apple to serving plate.
Add the coconut flakes to the skillet and cook until starting to brown, stirring constantly.
Sprinkle apple with the toasted coconut flakes and serve.

Notes

I recommend going light on the cinnamon. You want to taste it and get the aroma but you don’t want it to overpower.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer Spiralizer Vegetable Slicer – Vegetable Chopper Onion Chopper Food Chopper Vegetable Spiralizer Mandoline Slicer Cutter Chopper and Grater Slicer Zucchini Spaghetti Maker

Mambo Chicken Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

It’s amazing how many great chicken wing recipes there are. Everything from the mild to the sweet to the volcanic hot. That’s why I love them, I can have a different flavor every day. Well, almost every day. I don’t actually eat wings every day, although I’m sure I could and never ever get bored with them.

I recently stumbled upon Mambo sauce (among many other great recipes) on a blog by Levy Restaurants, a family of different restaurants around the US. Of course, I thought “Now, here’s something different. A tomato-based wing sauce with Asian flavors. I gotta try it!” So I did, and boy, was I happy I that did.

Mambo sauce, like many great wing sauces, is a combination of sweet (a little pineapple and sugar) and acid (white vinegar and hot sauce), and the best part, a bit of heat (thank you Frank’s RedHot!). You’ll start out thinking you’re having a teriyaki-inspired wing, and finish up thinking you had a Buffalo wing. It’s great, like a journey of flavors.

According to the Levy Restaurant’s blog, Mambo sauce is also great on fries. That seems like a great idea. So does using it as a steak marinade.

I store my homemade sauces in squeeze bottles. If refrigerated, I set them out thirty minutes to an hour before using so they come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold sauce on hot food!

Kitchen Bottle Condiment Set 3 Hole Dispenser Lid Plastic Squeeze for Sauce Mustard Ketchup 12 oz. / 340 ML.

Also try Moore’s Buffalo Blue Cheese Buffalo wing sauce.

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Mambo Chicken Wings

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword wings

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 45

Total Time 3 45

Servings

Calories 2294kcal

Author Sauce based on a recipe from Levy Restaurants

Equipment

Ingredients

For the wings

3-4 pounds chicken wings separated
2 tablespoons your favorite wing seasoning I used our Fire-Eater rub
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Mambo sauce

¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup white vinegar distilled
½ cup pineapple juice
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Hot sauce to taste (I used 1/4 cup of Frank’s RedHot)

Instructions

For the wings

Place the wings into a resealable bag or container.
Add the rub and oil.
Seal and shake well to coat.
Let wings marinade for 1-3 hours.
Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Transfer cooked wings to a bowl and add sauce.
Toss gently to coat.

For the Mambo sauce

Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and simmer, stirring, for 20 minutes.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan Garlic, Medium, Honey BBQ, Asian Zing: 12 Ounces Each

Copycat Applebee’s Sriracha Shrimp

We recently grabbed a quick lunch at the Applebee’s in Springfield, Ohio, meeting up with some old friends before heading over to one of our favorite places, the Heart of Ohio Antique Center. We knew we could rely on Applebee’s for good food and a nice environment to sit and chat for a bit. I decided to have an appetizer, so I ordered the Sriracha shrimp. As soon as I bit into one I knew I was going to make a copycat Applebee’s Sriracha shrimp when I got home.

Sorta Spicy, Definitely Great

Lightly battered shrimp, lightly fried, then tossed in a great Sriracha mayonnaise sauce. This is exactly as I remember except I left the Sriracha sauce on the side for dipping.

Sauce On The Side

The nice thing about keeping the sauce on the side is that these copycat Applebee’s Sriracha shrimp stay nice and lightly crunchy, instead of getting a bit soggy when covered in the sauce. You can serve it whichever way you like, of course. I also used larger shrimp because… I love shrimp.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Also try my copycats of Applebee’s fantastic Buffalo wings and peppercorn and garlic shrimp and (the new defunct) Joe’s Crab Shack popcorn shrimp.

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4.50 from 4 votes

Copycat Applebee’s Sriracha Shrimp

Lightly battered shrimp, lightly fried, then tossed in a great Sriracha mayonnaise sauce. This is exactly as I remember except I left the Sriracha sauce on the side for dipping.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword copycat, shrimp, spicy

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 222kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

For the shrimp

Vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 1 teaspoon
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup club soda well chilled
1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined (I used 20-30 count shrimp, but you might want to use 30-40 count for an appetizer-sized dish)

For the Sriracha dipping sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

For the shrimp

Preheat 1/2″ of oil in a Dutch oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne and garlic powder.
Whisk in the club soda until smooth.
Add the shrimp to the batter and coat well on all sides.
Shake off excess batter and add to hot oil.
Fry shrimp 3 minutes, then flip and fry another 2 minutes.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

For the Sriracha dipping sauce

Whisk together all ingredients.

Notes

The dipping sauce is also great for dipping chicken nuggets!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Breakfast Cups on the Char-Broil Big Easy

These low-carb breakfast cups are the perfect fast morning meal. I usually make a batch on Sunday for the week’s breakfasts. You can mix them up so you don’t get bored. Add chopped spinach. Or mushrooms. Substitute bacon for the sausage. Use egg whites instead of whole eggs. Add a splash of milk. Add some hot sauce. You name it, you can’t go wrong with breakfast cups made on the Char-Broil Big Easy.

The Ideal Breakfasts

You can just as easily bake these breakfast cups in the oven, but I love my Char-Broil Big Easy, and I love cooking with it, so I tossed them into the cooker. For cooking in the oven bake them at 350 F until done.

These cups keep well in the freezer, so make extra and keep some on hand for those days when you just want to grab a quick breakfast. Toss them into the microwave for 30 seconds or so, and it’s time to eat!

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket

Did you know you can make your entire breakfast on your Big Easy? Make bacon, breakfast sausage and even eggs!

It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.

Char-Broil 2425514W12 Big Easy Grease Tray, Silver- 5 pack

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

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5 from 1 vote

Breakfast Cups on the Char-Broil Big Easy

These low-carb breakfast cups are the perfect fast morning meal.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Big Easy, breakfast, Char-Broil

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 210kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

8 large eggs
½ pound breakfast sausage bulk (not links), cooked, crumbled
handful cheddar cheese
Your favorite seasoning like Mrs Dash

Instructions

Fire up your Big Easy.
Spray ramekins with non-stick spray.
Crack eggs into a large bowl. Use a fork to beat them.
Add in the sausage and cheese, along with your favorite seasoning to taste.
Use a fork to combine everything.
Divide mixture between the ramekins.
Place 3 ramekins in the Big Easy basket and the other 3 in the bunk bed. Lower into the Big Easy and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the eggs are done. I test them using a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are done.
Remove from the Big Easy and let cool before handling. The eggs should pop right out of the ramekins. If not, run a knife along the edges to loosen them then turn them over to remove the egg mixture.

Notes

You’ll need 6 3.5 ounce ramekins and the Big Easy Bunk Bed for this recipe.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Char-Broil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket