Mike, Author at Life's A Tomato

Taco Melt

My wife proclaimed this taco melt as “one of the best things I’ve ever made”. That made me pretty darned happy, since I kinda thought of the idea on my own. I’m sure I’m not the first one to think of making a patty melt-like sandwich using taco meat, but I’m glad I did. It all started with a loaf of Texas Toast. I think Texas Toast is horribly underused. It holds up to darned near anything. If you use wimpy bread you’re going to get wimpy results. Don’t do that.

Taco Deliciousness

This taco melt is almost like having a Sloppy Joe sandwich. But without the sauce and the big mess. It’s packed with flavor. And the meat mixture could easily be used in a whole lot of other dishes. In fact, now that I think about that some more, I think I’ll go toss some taco meat on a hamburger bun and have lunch! It’d also be fantastic (like really fantastic) on hot dogs!

I usually use my Cuisinart Griddler for sandwiches like this melt.

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Also try my ‘normal’ patty melt.

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4 from 1 vote

Taco Melt

I’m sure I’m not the first one to think of making a patty melt-like sandwich using taco meat, but I’m glad I did. It all started with a loaf of Texas Toast. I think Texas Toast is horribly underused. It holds up to darned near anything.

Course Main

Cuisine Southwestern

Keyword sandwich, taco

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 830kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Cuisinart Griddler or skillet

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning I used 3 tablespoons of our homemade version
½ medium white onion chopped
4 teaspoons taco sauce I used our homemade hot version
8 slices Texas toast
butter
4 slices Pepper jack cheese or more
2 small avocados seeded and sliced thin

Instructions

Brown beef in a large skillet. Drain excess fat.
Add onions and taco seasoning and cook 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Slather one side of each piece of Texas toast with butter.
Heat another large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 4 slices of the bread, butter side down.
While the bread is browning, top with meat mixture and cheese.
Drizzle meat with 1 teaspoon of taco sauce on each slice.
Once the bread is nice and brown and the cheese is melted, remove to serving plates. Top with avocado.
Add remaining bread slices to the skillet, butter side down, and brown.
Remove and top sandwiches. Serve.

Notes

You’ll want to make these on nice, thick bread.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Smoked Or Grilled Asian Ribs

The BBQ Pit Boys make some amazing food. They’ll grill anything, and no matter what it is, it’ll look great and taste great. Like these smoked or grilled Asian ribs. Go spend a few hours at their site and watch all of their videos. You’ll see what I mean.

Amazing Ribs With A Different Flavor

I picked up a few racks of ribs the other day. I had been jonesin’ for Asian chicken wings, but since I had ribs, I had to take a slightly different route… And luckily for me, the BBQ Pit Boys already had a technique for grilled Asian ribs.

These ribs came out with a great Asian flavor, almost like Teriyaki. If you’re smoking them, go light on the smoke. You don’t want a strong wood to fight with the great Asian taste.

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Also try my slow cooker Vietnamese ribs.

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5 from 1 vote

Smoked (Or Grilled) Asian Ribs

These ribs came out with a great Asian flavor, almost like Teriyaki. If you’re smoking them, go light on the smoke. You don’t want a strong wood to fight with the great Asian taste.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword Asian, grilled, ribs, smoked

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 6

Total Time 8

Servings

Calories 751kcal

Author Based on a recipe from the BBQ Pit Boys

Ingredients

2 racks pork ribs St. Louis-style, trimmed, membrane removed

For the marinade/basting sauce

1 cup hoisin sauce
1 cup oyster sauce
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup garlic minced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Place the ribs in a large resealable baggie or container.
Combine all of the marinade ingredients.
Add all but 1 cup of the marinade.
Seal and toss to coat.
Marinate for 2 hours.
Set up your smoker for cooking at 225 F.
Smoke the ribs for about 6 hours, basting with the reserved marinade every 15 minutes during the last hour.
Let rest before slicing.

Notes

Have some napkins nearby.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Chipotle Honey Roasted Peanuts

For some reason I’ve been hankering for a bowl of roasted peanuts. They’re perfect to have on hand when watching TV or a movie on Netflix. I prefer snacks with a little kick. These chipotle honey roasted peanuts hit the spot. You get a little smokiness from the chipotle And there’s a little heat from the chili powder. Followed by a little sweetness from the honey.

Shelling Nuts Is Good Therapy

I bought a few big bags of unshelled, raw peanuts for making these chipotle honey roasted peanuts. My wife and I sit out on the deck in the evening and shell them. A pound-and-a-half bag of raw in-shell nuts produces about a pound of shelled nuts.

Let ‘Em Cool A Bit

When you first take these nuts out of the oven they won’t quite be crispy. Let them cool completely before serving and they will crisp up just fine.

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Also try my southern spicy roasted peanuts and my honey barbecue roasted nuts.

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5 from 1 vote

Chipotle Honey Roasted Peanuts

These chipotle honey roasted peanuts hit the spot. You get a little smokiness from the chipotle, a little heat from the chili powder, and a little sweetness from the honey.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword honey, peanuts, roasted, spicy

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Servings pound

Calories 1796kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons Chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound raw peanuts shelled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Lightly spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
Combine the sugar, chipotle chile powder, chili powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the honey and salt and stir. Bring to a bubble, making sure the salt is dissolved and the honey is melted.
Add the nuts and stir well to coat.
Pour nut mixture into the baking dish and spread out evenly.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the nuts are golden brown, stopping to stir the mixture every 10 minutes.
Remove nuts to a large metal bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar mixture and stir.
Let nuts cool, stirring occasionally. Serve cooled.

Notes

Great made using cashews, almonds or pecans too!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Hamburger Po Boy

This hamburger po boy is one of my favorite things to eat. It’s a little on the messy side, which is always a good thing. I think sandwiches are meant to be messy. And they have to drip down yummy drippings that you can sop up with your bread, or better, fries.

Crank It Up!

You can make this hamburger po boy a little more like a real po’boy by slathering the buns with some Kaw-Cajun Comeback sauce from Chez John. That stuff is like gold. It has a nice kick and it makes any sandwich amazing!

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.

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Also try a crab cake po boy.

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4.50 from 2 votes

Hamburger Po’Boy

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword burgers, sandwich

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 735kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Deep South Dish

Equipment

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread split horizontally
1 pound ground beef
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 envelope dry onion soup mix or 5 tablespoons of our homemade version
½ cup beef stock
Kaw-Cajun Comeback Sauce to taste, optional
mayonnaise optional
4-6 slices American cheese
½ cup white onion chopped
1 cup iceberg lettuce shredded
1 medium tomato chopped

Instructions

Lightly toast the bread and set aside.
Brown the ground beef and drain.
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, relish, mustard and black pepper.
Stir in the soup mix.
Add to the ground beef along with the beef broth.
Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer until thickened.
Slather the bread with the comeback sauce or mayo (both are optional).
Spoon the mixture over the bread and top with the cheese, onion, lettuce and tomato and serve.

Notes

You can also serve these on hamburger buns.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Butter

These grilled sweet potatoes with pecan butter are a favorite Thanksgiving dish for us. It’s a bit sweet, a lot easy, and very tasty. You can make it ahead of time and cook it on-site, in the oven or on a grill (which is how I do it). The beauty of cooking sides on the grill at Thanksgiving is that it helps free up the oven, which is so often crammed full of food. These potatoes come out slightly sweet, but with a nice edge thanks to the onion. Sweet potatoes and onion make for a wonderful combination.

Two Easy Steps

There are basically two parts to these potatoes. First, you grill the potatoes and sweet onions and a bit of oil in foil packets until they are tender. Then, you spoon on a sweet nutty cinnamony topping and let that get all melty happy. Serve them up in the foil packets or put them into a large bowl and serve family style.

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I also make a spiral version of these grilled sweet potatoes with pecan butter.

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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Butter

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword butter, grilled, pecans, sweet potatoes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Mike

Ingredients

4 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/4″ thick slices
1 large sweet onion sliced thin and separated into rings
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup pecans toasted, chopped

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium, about 425 degrees.
Place potato slices and onion rings on a large sheet of aluminum foil.
Brush with oil.
Place another sheet of foil over potatoes and seal along edges.
Place on grill for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
In a small bowl, mix the butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Stir in pecans.
Open packets and top with pecan butter.
Serve.

Notes

Do not cook the packets over direct heat or the potatoes will tend to burn.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Southern Creamed Corn

My wife and I just love sweet corn from My Dad’s Sweet Corn, a farm in nearby Tipton, Indiana. She asked that I make a traditional Southern creamed corn using some of the corn we had on hand. I didn’t hesitate. This version is exactly what you expect – creamy and sweet. And packed with fantastic fresh corn flavor. Nothing beats it.

Fresh Is Best. But….

I prefer to use fresh corn when I make southern creamed corn, but the season is short here in Indiana. And worse, winter is long. It’s not quite the same, but when I can’t get fresh corn I use the corn I’ve put up for winter. Or I’ll use the canned or frozen stuff. For the canned I make sure it’s well-drained first. For frozen I make sure it’s thawed.

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Also try my deconstructed Mexican street corn and my slow cooker creamed corn.

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5 from 1 vote

Southern Creamed Corn

This recipe is exactly what you expect – creamy and sweet. And packed with fantastic fresh corn flavor. Nothing beats it.

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword corn, creamy, southern

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 151kcal

Author Based on a recipe from the The Neelys

Equipment

Ingredients

8 ears corn husked (or two cans, drained, if fresh isn’t available)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup cold water
2 tablespoons bacon grease do not substitute
1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

If you’re using fresh corn, scrape the kernels from the cobs. Try and save any corn liquid from the cobs too.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour.
Stir in salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the corn, cream and water and stir gently.
Heat a large skillet with the bacon grease over medium heat.
Once hot add the corn mixture.
Turn heat down to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the butter just before serving.

Notes

Save your grease next time you make bacon and store it in the freezer for recipes like this.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Lasagna

This is an adaptation of my mom’s lasagna, my favorite thing to eat as a kid. I could not stop eating this then, and I cannot stop eating it now.

Is it authentic? Nah. Is it stick-to-your-ribs good? Oh yeah. It also freezes great, which is good because this makes a big ole batch.

Too Good To Rest

I have only complaint about this lasagna. In all my years I have NEVER been able to let it rest long enough to firm up. I have never been able to get a pretty picture of it. Believe me, I have tried and tried. I just end up cutting off a big ole piece before it gets set up. So, that’s why it sags in the picture. It’s a good sag, though.

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Did you know that its super easy to make lasagna on a grill?

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5 from 1 vote

Lasagna

This is an adaptation of my mom’s lasagna, my favorite thing to eat as a kid. I could not stop eating this then, and I cannot stop eating it now.

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Keyword lasagna

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 335kcal

Author Mike’s Mom

Equipment

Baking Dish

Ingredients

1 package lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
½ cup Parmesan grated
1 pound fresh buffalo mozzarella torn into chunks
1 batch of our Italian Meat Sauce for lasagna

Instructions

Note: Total cook time does not include the time to make the meat sauce

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
Cook noodles per package instructions. Drain well.
First, spread a little sauce out on the bottom of the baking dish.
Then, layer the ingredients in the following order.
Try to divide the ingredients evenly between each layer, but you don't have to be picky about it. They'll all get gooey melty lovely in the oven.
Noodles
Sauce
Ricotta
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Repeat for 3 total layers.
Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly hot. Let rest (yeah, right) 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes

This lasagna freezes very well for later.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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BBQ Hot Dog Appetizers

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving dinner is the big selection of appetizers. You gotta have something to munch on while you’re waiting on the meal to get ready. These little BBQ hot dog appetizers are very easy, but also very tasty. Sure you can cheat and just toss some dogs with store-bought BBQ sauce. But, you’ll find that this homemade version is oh so much better.

The Perfect Super Bowl Snack

Of course, you can eat these any time of the year. They’re the perfect kind of treat that can be thrown together quickly when watching the big game.

This same recipe for BBQ hot dog appetizers would also be great with smoke sausages cut into bite-sized pieces.

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Also try my BBQ pinwheels.

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4 from 1 vote

BBQ Hot Dog Appetizers

These little BBQ hot dog appetizers are very easy, but also very tasty. Sure you can cheat and just toss some dogs with store-bought BBQ sauce, but you’ll find that this homemade version is oh so much better.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword barbecue, BBQ, hot dogs

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 177kcal

Equipment

Saucepan

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup sweet onion diced
½ cup Ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce optional, to taste
10 hot dogs cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions

Melt the butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and saute until it just starts to soften.
Add the ketchup, vinegar, water, mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Stir. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Taste and add hot sauce if desired.
Add the hot dogs and simmer until warm. Serve warm.

Notes

Also try dipping these in mustard!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Homemade Catalina Salad Dressing

We loved this simple and delicious homemade Catalina salad dressing. Why would you buy dressing at the store when you can make an even better version at home? Just toss some simple ingredients that you probably already have on-hand into a blender. Pulse a few times, then transfer to a Mason jar. You end up with a fantastic tasting dressing. And you have a healthier dressing for a fraction of the cost of store-bought.

For a little different flavor, substitute honey for the white sugar.

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings

Homemade Dressings Are Always Better

On the right is my homemade Italian dressing. It’s not only great tasting too, it is also just as easy to make as this Catalina dressing.

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

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This dressing is great on my Mason jar salad.

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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Catalina Salad Dressing

Course Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade salad dressing

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings cups

Calories 1434kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ cup white vinegar
⅔ cup ketchup
1 cup vegetable oil
white onion grated, to taste

Instructions

Place all but the onion in a blender.
Pulse a few times.
Add white onion to taste and blend until smooth.
Store in the fridge.

Notes

Stir or shake before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Beans and Weenies

These are not the beans and weenies you may have eaten as a kid. Not even close. Smoky bacon, sweet baked beans, and kickin’ jalapenos. You definitely won’t confuse them with the canned version. And you definitely won’t confuse them with the potluck version that uses lil ole chopped up hot dogs.

Not Like The Canned Stuff

You can use any store-bought sausage in this dish. But for a really tasty version, use some fresh sausage from a local butcher. Nothing beats fresh sausage, no matter what the dish is!

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Also try my smoked blueberry beans and weenies.

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4 from 1 vote

Beans and Weenies

These are not the beans and weenies you may have eaten as a kid. Not even close. Smoky bacon, sweet baked beans, and kickin’ jalapenos. You definitely won’t confuse them with the canned version

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword beans, hot dogs

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 412kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

4 large smoked sausage or your favorite kind of sausages, cut into 2"-3" pieces
8 slices bacon
2 cans baked beans
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small red onion minced
ground black pepper
Worcestershire sauce
2 jalapenos sliced
6 green onions sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Simmer sausages in 2″ of water for 10 minutes.
Cut bacon into 1/2″ pieces and cook in a large saute pan until almost crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the drippings.
Add sausage to saute pan and brown lightly on all sides. Remove.
Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick spray. Add in the beans, garlic, onion, and pepper. Stir.
Place sausage pieces into the bean mixture, pushing them in.
Sprinkle top of dish with Worcestershire sauce (I used about 2 tablespoons).
Scatter the jalapenos, green onions and thyme over the top of the dish.
Spoon a little of the reserved bacon drippings around.
Place in oven on a rack above a baking pan (in case some drips down) and bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly hot.

Notes

You can of course make these using hot dogs instead.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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