Mexican Meatloaf

I love meatloaf, and I’m not afraid to make it a little different than what one might consider a traditional meatloaf (though I love that too. Gimme plenty of potatoes and carrots too!). This Mexican meatloaf takes meatloaf to a new spicy, flavor-packed place. There’s absolutely nothing boring about it, that’s for sure, from the tender moist meat mixture, packed with vegetables, to the spicy smoky tomato salsa topping. Is it just as great the next day? Oh, it’s even better!

Mexican Meatloaf

No Mushy Meatloaf!

I have a little rule about my meatloaf. I like to keep my vegetables cut a bit bigger than most. They don’t need to be cooked until mushy. They need to be a little crunchy, but not super crunchy. I don’t want the vegetables to get lost in the this fantastic Mexican meatloaf meatiness.

I love chipotles in adobo sauce. They aren’t too particularly hot, but the smokiness adds a great flavor to just about any dish.

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Also try my delicious barbecue meatloaf.

Mexican Meatloaf
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4 from 1 vote

Mexican Meatloaf

This Mexican meatloaf takes meatloaf to a new spicy, flavor-packed place. There’s absolutely nothing boring about it, that’s for sure, from the tender moist meat mixture, packed with vegetables, to the spicy smoky tomato salsa topping. Is it just as great the next day? Oh, it’s even better!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword meatloaf, Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 680kcal

Ingredients

For the meatloaf

For the salsa

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until just starting to soften, 8-10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute.
  • Remove from heat and let cool.
  • Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.
  • Add the ground beef, chorizo and the roasted poblano.
  • In a separate bowl combine the salt, pepper, cayenne, ketchup, and sour cream.
  • Add mix to the meat mixture.
  • Add bread crumbs and mix everything together. Thoroughly. Using your hands. Don't be shy.
  • Spray x 9″ x 13″ pan with non-stick spray.
  • Add meat and form into a loaf.
  • Place into the oven and bake until the meat reaches 165 F, 60-90 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  • Serve topped with the salsa from below.

For the salsa

  • Add the canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, and serrano peppers to a blender and pulse until chunky.
  • Transfer to a skillet over medium heat and add the brown sugar, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and mustard.
  • Simmer until thick then season with salt.

Notes

You can substitute your favorite salsa for the homemade version.

Nutrition

Calories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 1196mg | Potassium: 643mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 3558IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Barbecue Meatloaf

You never, ever have to tell me twice that dinner is ready if it involves meatloaf. I’ve never had a meatloaf that I didn’t like. And I’ve had a few that I absolutely loved, like this barbecue meatloaf. Tender and moist, it packs a nice barbecue flavor that isn’t overwhelming. My tastes lean towards the slightly spicy, so I used an off-the-shelf spicy barbecue sauce when I made this meatloaf, but with so many different sauces out there you can use something totally different to suit your tastes.

Barbecue Meatloaf

One Delicious Meatloaf

If you really want to amp up the barbecue flavor, try smoking your barbecue meatloaf instead of cooking it in the oven. You can also put it on your grill, be it gas or charcoal. Just keep the pan away from fire so it doesn’t cook too fast. You want a little heat, but not direct heat. My big Weber Summit 670 is perfect for making a huge batch of this meatloaf but any grill where you can produce indirect heat will work great.

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My favorite way to serve leftover meatloaf is sliced and then lightly frying it. Onto a bun or Texas toast with more sauce (or ketchup), mayonnaise, onion and lettuce.

Also try my delicious Mexican meatloaf.

The Best Meatloaf Recipes
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5 from 1 vote

Barbecue Meatloaf

You never, ever have to tell me twice that dinner is ready if it involves meatloaf. I’ve never had a meatloaf that I didn’t like. And I’ve had a few that I absolutely loved, like this barbecue meatloaf.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword barbecue, BBQ, meatloaf
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Calories 408kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and saute until soft, 8-10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic. Stir and cook another minute.
  • Stir in 2 tablespoons of the BBQ sauce and the Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • Preheat your oven to 375 F.
  • In a large bowl combine the cooled onion mixture, breadcrumbs, parsley, and granulated onion. Add 1 tablespoon of half and half and stir to create a thick paste. If too thick and dry and a little more half and half and mix again.
  • Mix in the eggs.
  • Crumble in the ground beef and pork. Add green onions, Parmesan and salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Using your hands combine the ingredients until everything is distributed evenly throughout each handful.
  • Spray an 8" x 11" pan with non-stick spray. Transfer the meat mixture to the pan and form into a large loaf, keeping at least an inch of clearance between the sides of the loaf and the pan.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Combine the 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce and the ketchup and brush half of the mixture over the top of the meatloaf.
  • Return to the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 155 F as measured in several locations.
  • Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining BBQ sauce and ketchup mixture.
  • Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing thick and serving.

Notes

Substitute a smoky BBQ sauce for a nice change.

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 446mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Mac and Cheese Soup

I had pretty low expectations for this mac and cheese soup. I thought it might be too thick. Or not have much flavor. Oh, boy was I wrong about everything. This soup was fantastic. It made for the perfect bowl of happiness on a cold, dreary winter’s day. Just the right amount of seasoning. Just the right amount of cheese. And oh so creamy smooth. I should’ve doubled the recipe.

Mac and Cheese Soup

Creamy Goodness In Every Bite

I like a bit of kick, a bit of heat, in my dishes so I admit to adding a good deal more cayenne pepper when I made this mac and cheese soup. Not so much that it overpowered the great flavors, but enough that I knew that it was there.

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Feel free to use other varieties of Velveeta for totally new soup flavors.

I like to make this soup in my big ole trusty Dutch oven.

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Also try my creamy pimento cheese soup.

Mac and Cheese Soup
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5 from 1 vote

Mac and Cheese Soup

This soup was fantastic. It made for the perfect bowl of happiness on a cold, dreary winter’s day. Just the right amount of seasoning. Just the right of cheese. And oh so creamy smooth. I should’ve doubled the recipe.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 367kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook pasta per package instructions.
  • Drain well and reserve.
  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add the celery and onion and saute until the celery is softened.
  • Stir in the flour and cook another minute.
  • Slowly whisk in the milk.
  • Bring to a simmer and stir in the dry mustard, Worcestershire, garlic salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
  • Stir until the mixture thickens.
  • Add the Velveeta. Stir until melted.
  • Remove from heat and add the cheddar cheese. Stir until melted.
  • Stir in cooked pasta and serve.

Notes

You may have to add a little milk if reheating leftover soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1259mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 755IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 475mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Cedar-Plank Asparagus

I am a huge fan of cooking on cedar planks. From sides to main dishes to desserts, I love the flavor and aroma of cedar. I don’t go crazy with the cedar aroma or flavor. I char the planks just enough to add a hint of the wood to whatever I’m cooking. It adds something different to grilled foods. Like these cedar-plank asparagus. Easy as can be to make, they come out crisp-tender (or, to your liking) with a great fresh asparagus flavor. And yes, just a hint of cedar sets these apart from just having grilled them.

Cedar-Plank Asparagus

Have Them Your Way

You can easily change the flavor of your cedar-plank asparagus by changing the seasonings or using infused olive oil instead. I sometimes like to add a good pinch of red pepper flake for a bit of heat. Lemon-infused oil adds a great citrus flavor. A few roasted pecans or walnuts add crunch and well, nuttiness. You can’t mess these up. Just don’t overcook them.

I like to cook with cedar on my Weber grills. They last forever.

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Also try my cedar-plank sweet corn and my cedar-plank green beans.

Cedar Planked Asparagus
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5 from 1 vote

Cedar-Plank Asparagus

Easy as cedar-plank asparagus are to make, they come out crisp-tender (or, to your liking) with a great fresh asparagus flavor.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword asparagus, cedar plank
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 40kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil use flavor-infused oil if you wish
  • 1 fresh lemon thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper plus more for serving
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for serving
  • Parmesan cheese shaved, for topping

Instructions

  • Soak cedar plank in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile bend asparagus stem until it breaks. This will remove the fibrous part.
  • Toss the asparagus with lemon slices, oil, pepper and salt.
  • Transfer plank to the grill over medium heat and top with the asparagus. Grill 20-30 minutes or until the asparagus is the desired tenderness.
  • Serve with shaved Parmesan and sprinkled with more salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

You can use this recipe for other vegetables, too!

Nutrition

Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Easy Marinated Chicken 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.

This super easy marinated chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy is exactly why I love using my oil-less fryer. I was serving salad for dinner, and wanted chicken to go with it. Not dried out, bland super market rotisserie chicken. Moist, tender flavor-packed chicken. And with as little fuss as possible. And this is it.

Easy Marinated Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

No Fancy Stuff Required

I don’t see any reason to use a super expensive fru-fru Italian dressing in this easy marinated chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy. I used a 16 ounce bottle of generic dressing from our local grocery store. For $1, it added the perfect flavor, tenderness and juiciness to my chicken. Use any dressing (or even bottled marinade) you like, but stay away from anything that contains sugar or sugar-like substances. Sugar will cause the outside of the chicken to burn long before the insides are done.

Also try my apple juice brined Big Easy chicken and my Famous Dave’s Country Roast chicken.

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Need a side dish? Make some apple pie baked beans 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.

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Easy Marinated Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Marinated Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy

This super easy marinated chicken is exactly why I love using my Char-Broil Big Easy. I was serving salad for dinner, and wanted chicken to go with it. Not dried out, bland super market rotisserie chicken. Moist, tender flavor-packed chicken.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 384kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Rinse chicken and place into a large resealable container or baggie.
  • Shake the bottle of dressing and add to container. Cover or seal and shake gently to coat.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning the chicken once or twice to make sure all sides get time in the dressing.
  • Fire up your Big Easy.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess.
  • Transfer the chicken to the Big Easy basket and place into the Big Easy.
  • Roast for about 20 minutes per pound, or until breasts reach at least 165 F and dark meat reaches 175 F.
  • Remove and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

You can substitute your favorite cuts of chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 266mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Charbroil The Big Easy Bunk Bed Basket…
  • Expands the cooking space of The Big Easy
  • Perfect for cooking two chickens at once

Fried Bologna Sandwich

I smoked a big ole bologna chubb not long ago. Of course I ended up with a lot of bologna. I ended up slicing it nice and thick, freezing some of it for later. Later as in ‘for the best fried bologna sandwich ever’ later. This is the sandwich bologna was invented for. Fried bologna with just a little bit of crunchy char around the edges. Melted gooey cheese. Crunchy BBQ chips and lettuce. And the tang of pickled chow chow. Mustard. Mayonnaise. All on white bread.

Fried Bologna Sandwich

Keep It As Simple As Possible

You must use white bread when you make a fried bologna sandwich. It’s a law. Or should be. Let’s face it, you didn’t make this sandwich because of its organic farm-fresh ingredients. This isn’t fru-fru, this is a big ole honkin’ sandwich that you’ll love.

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If ever there was a sandwich that needed chow chow relish heaped on top of it, this is it. I love chow chow.

Fried Bologna Sandwich
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5 from 1 vote

Fried Bologna Sandwich

This is the sandwich bologna was invented for. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword bologna, sandwich
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 751kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
  • 1 slice bologna at least 1/2" thick. If you can't find thick bologna, use 4 thin slices instead.
  • 2 slices white sandwich bread
  • mayonnaise
  • prepared yellow mustard
  • 2 slices American cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chow chow or a sweet pickle relish
  • ½ cup BBQ potato chips
  • ½ cup iceberg lettuce shredded

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Meanwhile, spread one side of one of the bread slices with mayo.
  • Spread one side of the other slice of bread with the mustard.
  • Cut a 1" wide 'X' pattern in the middle of the bologna if using thin slices. This will keep it from curling. I didn't have to do this with my thick bologna.
  • Add bologna to skillet and swirl around to coat the bottom in the butter.
  • Cook a few minutes until browned, then flip and repeat.
  • Add the cheese slices to the bologna and cook another minute to melt.
  • Place the bologna on top of the mayo-topped bread slice.
  • Add the chow chow, potato chips and shredded lettuce.
  • Add the last piece of bread and gently push down on the sandwich to just crush the chips. Don't destroy them, just make the sandwich bite-able.
  • Devour.

Notes

Add a little BBQ sauce along with the mayonnaise for the BBQ version of this sandwich.

Nutrition

Calories: 751kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1609mg | Potassium: 951mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 727IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 611mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Cedar-Plank Shrimp with Pesto

I had no idea just how much I would love these cedar-plank shrimp with pesto. I mean, I can eat shrimp like the dickens. And I love anything that’s cooked on a cedar plank. But sometimes, pesto can be a bit much for me. Well, this was the first time ever where I absolutely could not get enough pesto. Each bite was perfect. I just wish I’d made more. A lot more. I served these as our main dish, but you can certainly serve them up as an appetizer too!

Cedar-Plank Shrimp with Pesto

And Like That I’m Addicted To Pesto

You can certainly make your own pesto for these cedar-plank shrimp. Make it your own. Me, I was looking for a simple dinner that still looked great and tasted even better so I went to the pantry for my pesto. I’m not much of a pesto aficionado but Classico Traditional pesto worked just fine for me!

If I was going to serve these shrimp as an appetizer I might do several planks, each with a different type of pesto. Mix it up a bit!

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Also try my cedar-plank shrimp and grits and if you’re a big fan of pesto too, my pesto shrimp with mushrooms is delicious too!

Cedar Planked Shrimp with Pesto
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4 from 1 vote

Cedar-Plank Shrimp with Pesto

I had no idea just how much I would love these cedar-plank shrimp with pesto. I mean, I can eat shrimp like the dickens.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword cedar plank, pesto, shrimp
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 249kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp 21-25 count, cleaned, deveined
  • ½ cup pesto store-bought, divided
  • olive oil
  • 2 large lemons halved

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill for direct and indirect cooking. You'll use the direct heat to sear the cedar plank. You'll use indirect (low or no flame under the blank) heat to cook the shrimp.
  • Pat the shrimp dry.
  • Toss the shrimp with half of the pesto.
  • Toss shrimp in mixture, coating it all over.
  • Place your cedar plank over the direct heat for 15 or so minutes until charred on one side.
  • Move the plank to indirect heat. Add the shrimp. Drizzle lightly with oil. Note: You may not need much if any oil, depending on how thick your pesto is. A lighter thinner pesto may not require any. You only need the oil to slightly 'loosen' or thin the pesto.
  • Place the lemons over direct heat.
  • Close the grill lid and let cook until the shrimp start to turn pink.
  • Spoon the remaining pesto over the shrimp. Continue cooking until the shrimp are done. The lemons should get a nice char on them.
  • Drizzle two halves of the lemons over the shrimp (I used grill tongs to squeeze them).
  • Serve shrimp on the plank with the remaining lemon halves for squeezing.

Notes

I prefer to use tail-on shrimp since the tails make for great little handles for picking up the shrimp!

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 288mg | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 637IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Lone Star Steakhouse Amarillo Cheese Fries (Copycat Recipe)

My first (big) bite of these copycat recipe Lone Star Steakhouse Amarillo cheese fries made me think I’d just come upon the world’s largest plate of potato skins. Well, it has some of the flavors of potato skins at least. Good ones. Not the wimpy thin ones with no toppings. Man, I hate those. Not these. I love these. These fries are loaded with bacon. And cheese. And a taco-flavored Ranch dressing that you could just drink. I served this at home, but I’d been just as happy ordering a big ole plate of these fries while sitting at a bar sipping on a cold brew and watching my favorite team on the big screen! Sports bars take notice! You should put these on your menu! Ok, yeah, you should probably change the name first….

Lone Star Steakhouse Amarillo Cheese Fries (Copycat Recipe)

Great As Is. Even Better Kicked Up!

You can make this recipe for copycat Lone Star Steakhouse Amarillo cheese fries just as it is and have a good ole time eating it. Or, you can use it as a base recipe for even more amped-up cheese fries. Make them your way, with more flavors that you love. Add some green onion. Maybe a dollop or two of sour cream. Skip and bacon and add BBQ pulled pork or chicken instead. A little pico de gallo ain’t gonna hurt either! Own it!

Fries Time

I grabbed a bag of crinkle fries from the freezer section of my local grocery store to make these. Why crinkle fries? The crinkles. They hold more toppings that way. Skinny fast food fries? Stuff’s gonna fall right off. Wedge fries? You might use them as shovels to scoop up the toppings, but good luck! Crinkles are where it’s at. Same story for potato chips. Grab the ruffled ones. The ones with ridges. Ridges are great for dips!

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Also try my Texas fries.

Copycat Lone Star Steakhouse Amarillo Cheese Fries
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5 from 1 vote

Lone Star Steakhouse Amarillo Cheese Fries (Copycat Recipe)

My first (big) bite of these copycat Lone Star Steakhouse Amarillo cheese fries made me think I'd just come upon the world's largest plate of potato skins.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, copycat, fries
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 394kcal

Ingredients

  • 20 ounces frozen fries your favorite style
  • 3 slices bacon cooked crumbled
  • 4 ounces cheddar jack cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Ranch dressing
  • ½ package taco seasoning or 1 heaping tablespoon homemade

Instructions

  • Cook fries per package instructions. Baked is fine, but deep-fried is better!
  • Meanwhile make the sauce by whisking the Ranch and taco seasoning together in a medium bowl.
  • Arrange fries on a heat-proof platter. I like to use small cast iron skillets.
  • Sprinkle fries with bacon and cheese. Place platter in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
  • Drizzle with the Ranch dressing mix and serve.

Notes

Substitute blue cheese dressing for a nice twist!

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 941mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Korean Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This Korean fried chicken using the Vortex was right up my alley. As always with the Vortex, the chicken is cooked perfectly. Tender and juicy and delicious. The batter makes for an incredible crunchy coating. I mean, crazy crunchy goodness! And the sauce? Score! Asian flavors with a great spiciness. This is a different tasting chicken than the usual southern-inspired versions I make on a regular basis. And I do mean regular. The Vortex makes awesome chicken.

Korean Fried Chicken using the Vortex

A Little Kick And A Lot Of Flavor

This Korean fried chicken using the Vortex ain’t no wimpy chicken! I added more sriracha than called for because, hey, I like a little kick! I admit that I doubled the sauce ingredients, and I did end up with a little sauce leftover which of course found it’s way onto chicken wings!

Make It Milder If You Prefer

You can tame down the hot sauce and still have some great-tasting fantastic chicken. Or make half a batch mild and half a batch hot! No matter how you do it, it’s impossible to go wrong with chicken cooked using a Vortex. Impossible! It’ll always have crunchy skin. And it’ll always have tender, juicy meat. Each and every time.

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What’s The Trick?

Well, there isn’t one. Fried chicken on the Vortex isn’t smoke and mirrors and magic and what-not. I mean it’s really really easy. You can prepare the chicken any way you want. Any traditional (or non-traditional) fried chicken recipe will work just fine. And it really just as easy as battering up the chicken and putting it on the crazy-hot grill. Then you go away for 45 minutes, though the time might vary depending on how large your chicken cuts are, wind, temperatures, solar activity, etc. You come back to perfectly cooked chicken that you’ll swear was deep-fried in oil.

Also try my spicy buttermilk fried chicken, orange chicken and my buttery garlic fried chicken, both made using a Vortex.

Korean Fried Chicken using the Vortex
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5 from 1 vote

Korean Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This Korean fried chicken using the Vortex was right up my alley. As always with the Vortex, the chicken is cooked perfectly. Tender and juicy and delicious.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword fried chicken, Vortex
Prep Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 5 hours
Servings 8 servings
Calories 234kcal

Ingredients

For the chicken

For the sauce

Instructions

For the chicken

  • Combine the salt and water in a large bowl or container.
  • Stir until the salt is dissolved then add the chicken.
  • Refrigerate for 4 hours.
  • Combine 3/4 cup of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of baking powder in a bowl or large baggie.
  • Working in patches, remove the chicken pieces from the brine and pat dry.
  • Transfer to the cornstarch mixture and coat well.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 3/4 cups of flour.
  • While still whisking, pour in the beer and create a smooth batter.
  • Fire up your grill with the Vortex. Get the coals good and hot, just ashed over.
  • Remove the chicken from the cornstarch mixture and shake off any excess.
  • Dunk into the batter a few times and shake off any excess.
  • Transfer to the grill around the Vortex.
  • Once the chicken hits 165 F as measured in several locations, brush several times with the sauce.

For the sauce

  • Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir until combined.
  • Keep warm until ready to use.

Notes

Instead of brushing the chicken with the sauce you can dunk or roll the pieces in the sauce in a medium bowl.

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 7734mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Homemade Taco Salad Bowls

I cannot find pre-made taco salad bowls anywhere. I’ve checked every grocery store within 200 miles of our house. Ok, well, maybe 5 miles but still, they’re nowhere to be found! A quick Google search was needed. I came upon a video from Food Wishes. It is the best (BEST!) step-by-step approach to making your own salad bowls at home! So I did it too and these homemade taco salad bowls were fantastic. Perfectly crunchy, not oily and just the right size for our taco salad dinner (using my slow cooker taco meat)!

Homemade Taco Salad Bowls

Tortilla Size Is Important

I used 8″ flour tortillas when making homemade taco salad bowls. They fit perfectly around 4″ ramekins to get their shape. If you’re after a bigger salad bowl, you’ll obviously need bigger tortillas. And bigger ramekins. You can’t fit a 10″ or 12″ tortilla around a 4″ ramekin, so plan ahead!

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Oh, and only flour tortillas will do for this approach.

You’re gonna need something to go into your salad bowls! Start with my slow cooker taco meat!

Homemade Taco Salad Bowls
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4 from 1 vote

Homemade Taco Salad Bowls

I cannot find pre-made taco salad bowls anywhere. I’ve checked every grocery store within 200 miles of our house. So I made my own!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword homemade, taco bowls
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 90kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Brush the tortillas with oil on both sides.
  • Place ramekins upside down on a baking sheet.
  • Cover with the tortillas.
  • Gently push down on the sides to shape the tortilla around the ramekin.
  • Tear off 2 8" x 16" pieces of foil.
  • Fold in half to form an 8" x 8" rectangle.
  • Place on top of the tortilla and press down all sides. The foil will keep the tortilla shaped like a bowl.
  • Flip over the ramekins.
  • Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the ramekins from the bowls.
  • Bake for 5 more minutes.
  • Remove the tortilla from the foil.
  • Carefully remove tortilla from foil.
  • Flatten out the foil and place bowl on top.
  • Bake another 8-10 minutes or until browned and crispy.
  • Flip bowls upright and bake another 3-5 minutes.
  • Remove to a wire rack to cool before using.

Notes

Bowls will become crispy as they cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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