Easy Marinated Mushrooms

These easy marinated mushrooms are some of the most addicting little bites I’ve ever made. Easy is right, too. They take no time at all to make. They are packed with flavor, a little sweet, a little heat and a bit of vinegar kick. I can guarantee that you will want to at least double the recipe because you won’t be able to stop eating them.

Easy Marinated Mushrooms

Same-Sized Mushrooms Are Best

I used a mix of white button and cremini mushrooms, but you can use any mushrooms you like. You do want to make sure you use mushrooms that are all about the same size or some will cook faster than others. You want them to all be cooked the same, not some soft and some not.

The marinade for these easy mushrooms is very good. I plan on using it for other dishes, including as a marinade for chicken.

Also try my garlic ricotta stuffed mushrooms and my easy marinated cheeses (delicious!).

Easy Marinated Mushrooms
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Marinated Mushrooms

These easy marinated mushrooms are some of the most addicting little bites I’ve ever made. Easy is right, too. They take no time at all to make.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword marinated, mushroom
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Calories 228kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook until just tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain well.
  • Transfer mushrooms to a large bowl.
  • Add the remaining ingredients except for the parsley.
  • Toss gently to combine.
  • Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 8 hours.
  • Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

The mushrooms will keep up to 5 days but are best the first two days after they marinate.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 2259mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 991IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms

At first I thought maybe I just loved these spicy grilled mushrooms so much because I hadn’t grilled mushrooms in a while. Or maybe it was because of the full moon. But no, it was because these are now officially my favorite mushrooms. They have a perfect light Asian-inspired flavor, with a little vinegar tang and, as with everything I make, a little spicy kick. My goodness they were just delicious. I could (and did) eat them just like popcorn!

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms

Really Fantastic Mushrooms

I used cremini mushrooms, also known as baby Portobellos to make these spicy grilled mushrooms. You can use any mushrooms you like, even mix a few different kinds in. Just remember that the smaller ones will cook faster. You might have to move the smaller mushrooms away from the hottest part of your grill before the bigger ones get done.

I recommend that you use a grill basket when making this dish. It makes cooking easier and you don’t have to worry about anything falling through the grates. And cleanup is easier too!

If you prefer your mushrooms to have a more mellow flavor, try my dilly dilly mushrooms and my easy roasted mushrooms. Oh, and my grilled marinated mushrooms are divine, too!

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Grilled Mushrooms

At first I thought maybe I just loved these spicy grilled mushrooms so much because I hadn’t grilled mushrooms in a while. Or maybe it was because of the full moon. But no, it was because these are now officially my favorite mushrooms. 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword grilled, mushroom
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 66kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk together the soy sauce, red wine vinegar, pepper and hot sauce in a large bowl.
  • Add the mushrooms.
  • Let marinade for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
  • Fire up your grill.
  • Shake off any excess marinade from the mushrooms and grill for 10 minutes until starting to soften.

Notes

Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3248mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Sweet BBQ Bacon

This grilled sweet BBQ bacon takes candied bacon to a whole new fantastic place. The bacon gets ‘happy’ overnight in an off-the-shelf marinade, getting infused with slightly sweet BBQ flavors. Skewered and onto the grill over indirect heat until just starting to get golden brown. Any more and the marinade will caramelize.

Grilled Sweet BBQ Bacon

Bacon Appetizers. Yes. Bacon Appetizers.

After cooling (and I have to admit, some didn’t cool much before I devoured them) you have wonderous appetizer bacon-on-a-stick. Grilled Sweet BBQ bacon is the stuff dreams are made of. You won’t find yourself eating just one, that’s for sure. You can serve them as appetizers. You can serve them as desserts.

Great On Burgers, Too

I also took some of the bacon off the skewers and saved it for topping burgers later in the day. The bacon adds tremendous flavor to a burger. Way, way beyond your usual bacon. No plain ole bacon here. People will take that first bite and their faces will light up knowing they just had something truly special.

Breakfast on the grill is great. Trying grilling up some biscuits to go with your bacon!

Grilled Sweet BBQ Bacon
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Grilled Sweet BBQ Bacon

Great eaten right off the skewers, or remove and use as the best burger topping ever!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon, griled
Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Calories 1891kcal

Equipment

  • Skewers soaked at least 4 hours before grilling

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Separate bacon strips and place into a large resealable container or baggie.
  • Add the marinade. Seal and toss gently to coat.
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
  • Turn the bacon over every few hours to get the marinade well-distributed.
  • Thread the bacon onto the skewers. I found it easiest to first fold the bacon like an accordion, then I fed the skewer through the middle.
  • Fire up your grill for indirect cooking.
  • Place the skewers onto the grill.
  • Grill for 10 minutes then flip and continue grilling another 5-10 minutes or until the bacon is done. NOTE: The bacon will not be crispy. Do not let it cook until it gets dark.
  • If you are serving the bacon on skewers as meat snacks, let them cool before serving.
  • If you are using the bacon on burgers or sandwiches, immediately remove the bacon from the skewers before cooling. Once the bacon cools it will be very difficult to remove the skewers.

Notes

Try this recipe using your favorite store-bought or homemade marinade!

Nutrition

Calories: 1891kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 180g | Saturated Fat: 60g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 299mg | Sodium: 3003mg | Potassium: 898mg | Vitamin A: 168IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Marinated Cheese

My wife told me that her sister was coming over to spend the night. No way was I gonna serve something out-of-a-box. Nope. I had to pull out the big guns. No shortcuts. This marinated cheese was it. And truth be told, it was easy.

Marinated Cheese

A Big Party Hit

Everyone absolutely loved this marinated cheese. It’s hard to stop eating it. The combination of the soft, smooth cream cheese and sturdy, tangy extra sharp cheddar is great by itself. Add in some fresh herbs and a few spices and a wonderful vinegar and oil dressing and you have a great appetizer. The peppers in our garden were ripe. I grabbed one and used it in this cheese instead of opening a jar of pimentos.

Also try my easy marinated mushrooms.

Marinated Cheese
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5 from 1 vote

Marinated Cheese

My wife told me that her sister was coming over to spend the night. No way was I gonna serve some something out-of-a-box. Nope. I had to pull out the big guns. No shortcuts. This marinated cheese was it. And truth be told, it was easy.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, marinated
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 21kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the cheeses

  • 1 8 ounce sharp cheddar cheese block
  • 1 8 ounce cream cheese

For the marinade

Instructions

  • Unwrap the cheeses and place on a plate in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, combine all of the marinade ingredients and whisk well.
  • Cut both cheese blocks in half lengthwise.
  • Slice the cheeses into 1/4″ thick squares.
  • Place cheeses into a resealable container, standing them on edge (think dominoes).
  • Add the marinade.
  • Cover and refrigerate 8-12 hours.

Notes

You can use a sugar substitute if you wish.

Nutrition

Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Cajun Ribeye

I was watching a new show on the Cooking Channel the other day about steaks. Who can pass up a show on cooking big ole hunks of beef over an open flame? The show, Steak Out with Kix Brooks, is hosted by Kix Brooks (duh!), of Brooks and Dunn country music fame. He travels around the country checking out popular steak joints. Steak after glorious steak. Like this one, from a very popular place, Chicago Cut Steakhouse. This is my take on the Chicago Cut’s grilled Cajun ribeye steak.

Grilled Cajun Ribeye

Perfect Steak With A Kick

To be fair, they use a massive, 24-ounce dry-aged steak that would put this one to shame, but mine turned out great too. The flavor is fantastic. A little heat (I used a spicy Cajun seasoning), and a whole lot of tender juicy meat.

Grilled Cajun Ribeye 2

One Nice Steak

The grilled Cajun ribeye steak looked amazing as it got happy in the marinade. Great color, thanks to the paprika and cayenne in the spice mix. My homemade mix since lets me adjust the flavors (in my case, hotter) to my own tastes.

I fired up my little Weber Smokey Joe using my mini charcoal chimney. In about 45 minutes I was enjoying a tremendous steak with a great open-flame char and flavor.

I love to grill steaks over a charcoal chimney. Give it a try, you’ll love it.

Grilled Cajun Ribeye
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Cajun Ribeye

The grilled Cajun ribeye steak looked amazing as it got happy in the marinade. Great color, thanks to the paprika and cayenne in the spice mix. My homemade mix since lets me adjust the flavors (in my case, hotter) to my own tastes.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Cajun, grilled, steak
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 day 10 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 559kcal

Ingredients

For the steak

Instructions

  • Lay the steak out on a cutting board.
  • Take a fork and stab the steak everywhere, all over, on both sides. Don't be shy. Stab it. A lot. Every inch of it.
  • Sprinkle the steak with the Cajun seasoning and stab some more. Get the seasoning down into every little hole.
  • Place the steak into a resealable container.
  • Add the onion and garlic, then add enough oil to just cover the steak.
  • Seal and let marinate for at least 24 hours.
  • Fire up your grill for direct cooking. You are going to cook the steak high and fast.
  • While you are waiting for the grill to warm up, place the steak onto a cookie rack to drain the oil. Flip it at least once to get any oil off that may pool on the top.
  • Place the steak over the hottest part of the grill and cook it quickly, turning once, to your desired temperature. Keep an eye on it as flare-ups will occur from any remaining oil.
  • Remove and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

I recommend using thicker cuts for this technique. High heat will overcook a thin steak very quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 887mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

I’m a big fan of vinegar-based vegetable salads. They’re easy to make and great tasting. I like mine to have a little crunch in them. Of course, fresh produce is a bit pricey in the off-season and I try to avoid buying much of it. That’s why I like this version of marinated vegetable salad which uses a few frozen vegetables.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

A Great Salad For Any Vegetables

You can leave out the red bell pepper, or substitute jarred roasted red bell pepper. And frozen (but then thawed) pearl onions could be substituted for the sweet onion. Pretty much anything can be added to this marinated vegetable salad. I would tend to use things that add a bit of a crunch.

Also try my wild rice and pineapple salad. And if fresh vegetables are in season, you can’t go wrong with my delicious fresh vegetable salad.

Marinated Vegetable Salad
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Marinated Vegetable Salad

Fresh produce is a bit pricey in the off-season and I try to avoid buying much of it. That’s why I like this version of marinated vegetable salad which uses a few frozen vegetables.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword salad, vegetable
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 15 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 158kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add the vinegar to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
  • Whisk in the sugar until dissolved.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in the oil and salt.
  • Let cool completely.
  • Place beans, peas, celery, pimentos, onions, and bell pepper to a large bowl.
  • Pour the vinegar mixture over top of the vegetables.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

You can play around with using different vegetables, such as pinto beans, broccoli, etc.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 826IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Marinated Hot Dogs

Well, who would’ve thought about marinating hot dogs? Sure, I marinate pork, chicken and beef all of the time. But it never occurred to me to make marinated hot dogs. Well, trust me, these hot dogs are delicious! They’re packed with flavor, and super moist! Just like with marinating anything else, you’ll get a much better end result. These are surprisingly good. They’re a great thing to serve at a cookout because they will be the center of every discussion. So make a big batch today!

Marinated Hot Dogs

No Boring Dogs. Ever.

This simple idea for hot dogs really spices up plain old beef hot dogs. There’s no reason to make boring dogs when you just have to ‘soak’ them for an hour in Worcestershire sauce to end up with something so much better.

Spiral and smoke your hot dogs for even more great flavor and that big time ‘wow’!

Marinated Hot Dogs
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5 from 1 vote

Marinated Hot Dogs

Well, who would’ve thought about marinating hot dogs? Sure, I marinate pork and beef all of the time. But it never occurred to me to make marinated hot dogs. Well, trust me, these hot dogs are delicious! They’re packed with flavor, and super moist!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs, martinated
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 129kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place dogs in a resealable baggie.
  • Add Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning.
  • Seal and shake to combine and cover the dogs.
  • Marinate for 1 hour before grilling.

Notes

Cut a long narrow slit in your dogs before cooking to give the toppings a great place to go!

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 477mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 876IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.