After making a sleeve of Fire-Eater saltines the other day, I had to keep trying other flavors. I mean, there’s good and then there’s crazy good. These Ranch saltines are definitely crazy good. Great Ranch flavor on a crunchy yummy cracker. That’s all you’ll need, trust me. Yes, you could slather a bit of cream cheese on them too, but I found them addicting enough just as they are. It’s the easiest snack cracker you could ever make.
Buy It Or Make It
Buy Ranch seasoning in bulk or if you prefer you can make it at home. Check out my homemade version. And add more if you want. I’m a Ranch addict, so I put extra on my Ranch saltines.
I use the same base recipe any time that I make flavored saltine crackers: a sleeve of crackers, 1/3 cup of oil, and whatever flavoring I am using. It’s just that simple.
One of my favorite things is roasted red peppers, so I was happy to find this recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette. Of course, the roasted red pepper flavor is delicious. But the vinegar gives it a little bite, and the honey balances it all out. Sometimes my husband and I will have salad week for dinner and we will change up the salads and make a couple of dressings for the week. This dressing has become one of my favorites!
Simply Delicious
Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette is easy to make and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry. I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting my own, but either will work.
We like this dressing to be smooth. But you can adjust the consistency a bit by not running the food processor as long. Or run it longer. You might want to check it after a few seconds to see if it’s where you want it to be.
I’m a big fan of beef jerky, I’ve made it for years. And as good as it always was, I was always searching for a way to perfect my technique. More flavor. More tender, but still with a slight tug. Sous vide has done that for me and more. It’s the only way I make jerky now, drying it on my Nesco Snackmaster Pro. Sometimes I make my own flavors and sometimes, I order packages seasonings, like this Pepper and Garlic flavor from Wilton’s. This is great peppery jerky. It has a hint of garlic, but the main flavor is wonderful pepper and lots of it. I loved it!
Always Great, Time After Time
This approach to jerky is simple and highly repeatable so it’s not like you have to stress over the next batch being just as good as the last. Just mix up the seasoning with a bit of cure and add to thinly-sliced beef. A few hours in sous vide then onto the Nesco Snackmaster Pro dehydrator until perfectly dried. Not too tender, not too tough. Each and every time. Sous vide Pepper and Garlic Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro is easy and fantastic!
I like my jerky to be pretty flavorful so I usually end up adding a bit more seasoning than the manufacturer recommends. The Pepper and Garlic flavored seasoning definitely packs the pepper punch. But a little more punch is… better!
Sous Vide Pepper and Garlic Jerky on the Nesco Snackmaster Pro
I like my jerky to be pretty flavorful so I usually end up adding a bit more seasoning than the manufacturer recommends. The Pepper and Garlic flavored seasoning definitely packs the pepper punch. But a little more punch is… better!
Set up your immersion circulator for 108 F sous vide.
Combine the jerky seasoning and salt cure per package instructions. Wilbur's has an excellent conversion chart if you need to adjust your quantities for the amount of beef being used. For the cure, visit this link here. For converting the sure cure quantity, visit this link.
Place the meat into a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning/cure mixture. DO NOT ADD WATER. Using your hands, mix the seasonings and meat well.
Transfer the meat to a sealable bag and vacuum seal. Make sure there are no leaks.
Transfer bag to sous vide setup and heat for 2 hours.
Increase temperature to 130 F and heat for an additional 4 hours.
Turn on your dehydrator and heat it to 160 F.
Remove the meat from the bag and transfer to the dehydrator. Do not overlap the pieces.
We were looking for the perfect side for our Stove Top stuffing meatloaf. We thought perhaps it would be mashed potatoes. Creamy homemade mashed potatoes would definitely be good with the wonderful brown gravy from the meatloaf. But we both wanted something a little crunchy, something roasted… something with more flavor than ‘just’ mashed potatoes. These crispy Parmesan potatoes were definitely the perfect side. We could not have found a better pairing for our stick-to-our-ribs meatloaf! The crispy edges were a good contrast to the meatloaf.
The Right Bite
The original recipe for these crispy Parmesan potatoes called for using fingerling potatoes. As much as we both love fingerlings, we felt that cubed Russets would give us more of that crunchy texture, more of that wonderful roasted-ness that we were both craving. Plus, I couldn’t find any fingerlings at my grocery store!
We made the right call as they were fantastic! Fingerlings probably would’ve been just fine. If I could’ve found them!
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
Everyone knows that grandma makes the best potato salad. No matter how you try, you can’t make yours quite as good. Well, this just-like-grandma’s potato salad is pretty darned close. I certainly had no problem devouring a big heaping helping of it. Or two. Yeah, it might look like grandma went through a lot of trouble, but this salad is actually pretty easy to make and boy, is it every delicious.
Better Mayonnaise Makes Better Salads
One thing that really makes just-like-grandma’s potato salad so good is the mayonnaise. You can’t use just anything, in my opinion. No, for that over-the-top great salad you want the best. So grab a jar of your favorite and you’ll be happy just like I was!
Most folks boil or bake their potatoes for potato salad. I prefer to steam mine in a steam basket. The potatoes keep their shape that way. It doesn’t really matter so much for the taste, but I think they look just a bit better and they hold up better, longer.
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.
Cook the potatoes in a heavily-salted pot of gently boiling water until tender.
Drain and let cool enough to handle then cut into 1/2" cubes.
In a large bowl, combine the relish, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, eggs, onion, bell pepper, 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise and salt and pepper, to taste. If the mixture is too dry add more mayonnaise and stir.
Add the potatoes and stir gently to coat.
Serve sprinkled with additional paprika.
Notes
I prefer to steam my potatoes so the skins stay intact.
This is not my first time grilling radishes. I’ve even grilled black radishes before. And golden ones too. But this is my first time serving them grilled as an appetizer. A wonderful creamy gorgonzola butter tames the heat from the radishes, which take on a slightly soft exterior but still crunchy insides. These grilled radishes with gorgonzola butter are a little different and quite good. Never would I thought that radishes would make for a great appetizer. I’m happy that I made them. Very happy.
Cheese And Radishes? Yes. Oh Yes.
You don’t want to overcook your grilled radishes with gorgonzola butter. It’s easier if you select ones that are all roughly the same size so that they all cook in about the same amount of time. You want them to still have just a bit of crunch to them. You don’t want them all soft and mushy. They don’t take long to cook. Feel free to test them as you go with a fork or a skewer.
Got leftover gorgonzola butter? It’s great on burgers or grilled steaks.
Fire up your grill for direct cooking, 400 – 450 F.
Cut radishes in half.
Place in a bowl.
Drizzle with a little oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Stir to coat.
Transfer to a grill basket or skewer if desired. You can also cook the radishes directly on the grill if they are large enough to not fall between the grates.
Place the radishes on the grill and cook over high heat 4-5 minutes per side or until lightly browned.
Serve immediately with the gorgonzola butter for dipping.
Notes
Also great served with Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dunking!
Give me a big ole slow cooker full of tender, juicy, flavor-packed, fall-apart beef and I’m going to make a sandwich. 9 out of 10 times that’s where it’ll end up. Piled high on a big loaf of French bread, like these barbacoa beef sandwiches. Nothing fancy. Nothing difficult. But it is messy. A good kind of messy. What’s the point of eating a sandwich if it’s not messy?
Messy. Like It’s Supposed To Be.
If you take a big bite of a sandwich and juices run down your arms, it’s a good sandwich. These barbacoa beef sandwiches are gonna run and then some. I love the combination of the tender meat and crunchy lettuce, offset by a creamy jalapeno-cilantro spread that brings just a bit of heat. It’s a great all-around sandwich.
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.
I love the combination of the tender meat and crunchy lettuce, offset by a creamy jalapeno-cilantro spread that brings just a bit of heat. It's a great all-around sandwich.
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.
You probably usually think of using your Char-Broil Big Easy only when cooking a main dish. Like a turkey or chicken. But, don’t forget that it’s also great for making delicious, easy, side dishes. Certainly ones like these garlic potatoes in dill sauce using the Char-Broil Big Easy. In no time you have the perfect potatoes. Tender inside. Lightly crunchy outside. All in a lip-smacking great dill sauce that I just could not get enough of. Dill and potatoes are the perfect match.
Add A Bunk Bed Basket For More Room
You can fit a single disposable pan (for 3/4 pounds of potatoes) in the basket that comes with your Big Easy. Get a bunk bed basket and you can do a full 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes at once. For this reason, you have to get a bunk bed basket for your Char-Broil Big Easy to make more great side dishes like these garlic potatoes in dill sauce!
Fire up your Big Easy. Meanwhile, prepare the potatoes.
Place the potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for 3 minutes on high.
Stir and check for doneness.
Microwave another 2 minutes (or longer if needed) until just tender. Do not over-cook, they need to have a little bite to them.
Place the cream cheese, milk and peppers in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high 40-50 seconds or until the cheese is melted.
Stir in the dill. Add to the potatoes and stir to coat completely.
Divide the potatoes between two disposable pans and transfer the pans to a Big Easy basket fitted with a Bunk Bed so you can cook both pans at the same time.
Place the basket into the Big Easy and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes start to turn golden brown around the edges.
Carefully remove the pans from the Big Easy and serve.
My wife and I have been noticing recipes for shotgun shells around the internet for a bit now. They’re manicotti shells stuffed with a meat and cheese mixture and wrapped in bacon. Most folks are smoking them for a few hours, then finishing them over high heat to get the bacon cooked. We decided to use just a gas grill (although you can just as easily use a charcoal grill!) to make grilled shotgun shells. For a little smoke we added a small smoke box full of hickory pellets. The end result was out-of-this-world fantastic. Crispy bacon, cheesy spinach and sausage stuffing, all with a slight hint of smoke. It’s impossible to stop eating them!
Easy On Any Grill
There are a hundred ways of making shotgun shells. But, we really liked the simplicity of using a gas grill. No need to go from low-and-slow to high-and-fast to get the bacon done, it cooked to perfection in 45 minutes. No turning, flipping, nothing. Just put the stuffed shells on the grill and wait for the magic to happen.
Go Spicy. Or Don’t.
Because we like a little kick to our dishes, we ended up using a spicy BBQ seasoning on top of the shells. You can use any seasoning you like. We recommend that you stay away from anything that contains a lot of sugar since the high grill temperature might burn the seasoning.
If you’re using a charcoal grill, just make sure you keep the temperature 350 F, or even a touch lower. You’ll want to light your charcoal 30-45 minutes or so before you plan on starting to cook the shells. If you want a bit of smoky flavor, add a chunk or two of hickory once the coals are lit.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, another minute.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Break the egg into a large bowl and beat with a whisk or fork.
Stir in the Ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, basil, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Add the cooked sausage mixture and stir until well combined.
For the shells
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the shells and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. You don't want to fully cook the shells.
Remove the shells to a strainer to drain the water then transfer to a baking sheet to cool slightly.
Carefully stuff each shell with the sausage mixture. Don't press too hard or you'll tear the shells. You want to fill them right up to the ends.
Wrap each shell in a piece of bacon then return to the baking sheet.
Sprinkle the bacon all around with the BBQ seasoning.
Place baking sheet in the fridge for 4-6 hours for everything to set before cooking.
Cooking the shells
Fire up your grill for indirect cooking at 350 F.
Transfer the shells to the grill and cook for 45 minutes or until the bacon is done and just starting to crisp. I start checking them every 5 minutes after 30 minutes to make sure the shells don't get too crispy and the bacon isn't over-cooked.
For serving
Serve shells garnished with parsley along with warm marinara for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
Also make a batch using spicy sausage for your heat-loving friends!
I always keep a few bags of homemade spicy meatballs on hand. Grab them out of the freezer, toss in some marinara sauce, serve over pasta… dinner in no time! I also use them to make super easy meatball sandwiches. And slice them in half to top a homemade pizza. They’re very versatile, easy to make and taste great! And they’re way better than those store-bought ones you find in the freezer section. You know the ones. Dinky. Kinda weird colored. Questionable texture. Not so tasty. Yep, not these.
Perfect Tender Tasty Meatballs
You can make these spicy meatballs as spicy as you want. Or leave out the red pepper flake entirely and just make ‘meatballs’. The meatballs taste fantastic with or without the heat. They’re wonderfully tender and delicious. Just make sure you don’t overwork the meat. Mix it just enough to combine the ingredients. Anything more and they’ll start to get tough and you don’t want that. Mix lightly and they’ll stay soft and tender. I prefer to use my hands though I picked up some food-safe gloves to make the job easier.
Place all ingredients except for the oil into a large bowl.
Using your hands, combine everything thoroughly, but try to not overwork the meat.
Form the mixture into small balls. Depending on how you plan on using them, you may want small or large balls. It's all up to you.
Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, fry the meatballs until golden brown and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 160 F. Flip the meatballs once or twice while cooking to brown on all sides.
Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate and continue cooking the remaining ones.
Enjoy!
Notes
Great over pasta, on sandwiches or served as appetizers.
