It was one of ‘those’ days. I was just way too busy to cook up a fancy dinner. Or even a marginally fancy dinner. So, quick fix shrimp tacos to the rescue. I had everything on hand already. A box of shells, some pre-cooked frozen shrimp, a bag of salad, and spicy salad dressing. That’s all it took to make light, crunchy, tasty quick fix tacos for dinner. Nothing fru-fru, just good and fast. Ok, I did add a few tortilla strips for color and more crunch, but that’s all.
I Like Mine Crunchy
You can of course substitute soft tortilla shells if hard shells aren’t your thing, but I like the crunchy contrast. But don’t get fancy. That’s not what we’re doing here. Quick Fix Shrimp Tacos are meant to be easy and fast.
You can of course substitute soft tortilla shells if hard shells aren’t your thing, but I like the crunchy contrast. But don’t get fancy. That’s not what we’re doing here.
I’m pretty much a meat-and-potatoes guy so these slow cooker garlic ranch potatoes didn’t last long after I made a batch. I’m a huge fan of baby potatoes because they’re minimal fuss. I don’t cut them in half, though I could. I like them whole. No matter how you cut them, these slow cooker garlic Ranch potatoes are packed with flavor and then some.
Happy Potatoes Are Better Potatoes
The potatoes soak up great ranch and garlic flavors and get perfectly tender. It’s so much better than boiling potatoes, which can get beat up pretty bad if you don’t watch what you’re doing. Not so in the slow cooker. Just add and cook.
As I mentioned, I do not cut my potatoes in half. Doing so does increase the surface area, and normally that would mean more flavor but these potatoes cook low-and-slow allowing the flavors to be slowly absorbed all the way through. No cutting in half required*
* Unless the potatoes are really big! Then I cut then in half so that they cook in a reasonable time!
I’m not ashamed to say it. I can put away some pot roast. Put a bowl of pot roast in front of me, and there’s only one outcome: an empty bowl. Put a bowl of this slow cooker BBQ pot roast in front of me and there’s only one outcome: me asking for seconds and probably thirds, with nothing but empty bowls between rounds. That same great flavor as a traditional pot roast, completely amped up with BBQ flavors. This is surprisingly different and really a treat to eat!
A Bowl Of Happiness
I used a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce when I made this slow cooker BBQ pot roast. You want something with a smoky flavor, and maybe even a bit of a spicy kick. After all, this isn’t your normal pot roast. I wouldn’t go with something that’s over-the-top sweet but a little bit is ok. Just like with the heat. A little heat is a good thing.
The broth in this pot roast screams ‘dip something in me’. So I made some Italian breadsticks on the side. I saved as much of the broth as I could for the end, at which point I got to soppin’ with my breadsticks!
I’m not ashamed to say it. I can put away some pot roast. Put a bowl of pot roast in front of me, and there’s only one outcome: an empty bowl. Put a bowl of this slow cooker BBQ pot roast in front of me and there’s only one outcome: me asking for seconds and probably thirds.
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.
I’m a big fan of all the marinades and anytime sauces from Stubb’s. I can’t say I have a favorite because I love them all. The Texas Sriracha sauce is packed with a little spiciness, making it perfect for marinating chicken before cooking it on the Char-Broil Big Easy. Although I’ve used the sauce for making wings, this time I opted for split chicken breasts instead. The end result is lightly spicy, very flavorful and downright pretty to boot.
A Great Marinade For Great Chicken
You sometimes need to be careful in choosing your marinade. You don’t want one that is loaded with sugar (real or not). The Big Easy cooks at a pretty high temperature. Sugary marinades will burn long before whatever you are cooking is done.
You won’t have that problem with the Texas Sriracha sauce from Stubb’s. You get a nice perfectly crunchy skin (you are of course welcome to cook your chicken without the skin), and perfectly tender, juicy tasty meat.
I’m a big fan of making snack mixes for my wife to take to work and share with her co-workers. They’re usually easy to make but crazy good. Everyone enjoys them and that’s what cooking is all about! Take this cheesy Ranch Chex mix. Just a few ingredients and just a little time are all that’s needed to make a big ole bowl of treats, great to share at work or serve at a party or take to that next big family get-together. I doubled the recipe because I knew it would disappear quickly. And it did. Plus the more I make, the more I get to ‘sample’ at home.
Variety Is Good
I like to use a little bit of each kind of the traditional flavors of Chex cereal in my Cheesy Ranch Chex Mix. You know, mix it up a bit so to speak so each bite is a little different. So, rice, wheat and corn it was! If you’re in love with a particular variety, just use that one! You can also add roasted peanuts or pecans, but don’t add too much. You might want to cut back on the pretzels if you do go the nut route.
Just a few ingredients and just a little time are all that’s needed to make a big ole bowl of treats, great to share at work or serve at a party. I doubled the recipe because I knew it would disappear quickly. And it did.
Ah, fried bologna sandwiches. Now, they aren’t something I eat every day, but when I do make them I do them up right. And that means brushing them with plenty of this hot bologna sauce. Well, maybe brushing isn’t the right word. ‘Slathering’ is more like it. The sauce adds a bit of a tang, a bit of a sweetness, and a bit of heat. The perfect combination for a hot-off-the-grill or hot-out-of-the-skillet bologna slices. The beauty of this sauce is that you can really change it up by adding a different BBQ sauce depending on your mood.
One Crazy Good Sauce
I used my smokehouse BBQ sauce when I made this hot bologna sauce. I like the little bit of smokiness that it adds. You can also use any store-bought BBQ sauce that you like.
This sauce is just as crazy good brushed onto grilled hot dogs or smoked sausages. Or hamburgers too!
I like to keep my sandwich sauces in squirt bottles. It’s fun to squirt sauces onto sandwiches or well, just about anything.
Ah, fried bologna sandwiches. Now, they aren’t something I eat every day, but when I do make them I do them up right. And that means brushing them with plenty of this hot bologna sauce.
We absolutely love meatloaf. We don’t consider it to be just a cold-weather dish, either. Heck, one of our favorite meatloaf recipes involve smoking it, which isn’t that much fun to do when it’s -20 F and windy out (although I’ve done it). That’s why I’m always excited when I come across a new-to-me recipe, like this copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf.
Perfect On Sandwiches, Too.
This is great meatloaf. It has the perfect balance of texture and flavor. It’s not crazy different than what grandma would make. It’s old school and it’s incredibly great. Great on a plate sliced or on bread as a meatloaf sandwich. You can’t beat it.
This is the part of my blog posts where I suggest ways to change up a recipe. Add a bit of kick. Do things differently. Not this time. Not for this copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf. I wouldn’t change this. Ever. The idea to change it never entered my mind. We loved this meatloaf just as it is.
This is great meatloaf. It has the perfect balance of texture and flavor. It’s not crazy different than what grandma would make. It’s old school and it’s incredibly great. Great on a plate sliced or on bread as a meatloaf sandwich. You can’t beat it.
Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!
I’ve always been a fan of Buffalo wings so I’m always up for trying an already-made Buffalo wing sauce, specially since there are so many different ones. I picked up a bottle of TGI Fridays Buffalo wing sauce and quickly got to making a batch of wings, this time using my Vortex insert on my Weber charcoal grill. This is not a thick Buffalo wing sauce, but instead it’s quite thin. A bottle goes a long, long ways. It’s a mild sauce so you get great Buffalo-style flavors but without a lot of spiciness. I would say it’s a good standard Buffalo wing sauce, perfect for a crowd since you don’t have to worry about it being too hot.
Great Stuff. On Anything.
TGI Friday’s Buffalo wing sauce isn’t just great on wings, either. It makes for a perfect dipping sauce for chicken fingers or nuggets. If the sauce is too thin just warm it in a saucepan. Then whisk in just a bit of flour. Not much, but just enough to thicken it up.
I’ve always been a fan of Buffalo wings so I’m always up for trying an already-made Buffalo wing sauce, especially since there are so many different ones.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Buffalo wings
Prep Time 4 hourshours
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Total Time 4 hourshours45 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 312kcal
Author Mike
Ingredients
3-4poundschicken wingsflats and drumettes separated, tips discarded
I’ve made my share of savory popcorn snacks before. Crab boil popcorn for example has long been a favorite of mine. This time I decided to go the sweet route and add in my wife’s favorite: red velvet cake. It’s just that easy too. Make a simple red velvet cake from a box mix (or just buy a cake or cupcakes from your bakery) and add to popped popcorn. Every bite has that wonderful chocolaty red velvet flavor and hey, it looks cool too.
Because Popcorn Loves Cake. Really.
You could use any cake recipe you want when you make this Red Velvet Popcorn (though it wouldn’t be red velvet at that point!). This is also a great way to use up any cake that you might have leftover from a birthday party. It is a messy (but tasty) way to eat cake, so make sure you have plenty of napkins on hand.
I use an old Stir Crazy popper for making popcorn. It’s easy and always makes perfectly popped kernels. Nothing fancy but it does the job. There are new (I dare say, better) popcorn poppers on Amazon. But there’s something fun about using my good old popper.
Make a simple red velvet cake from a box mix (or just buy a cake or cupcakes from your bakery) and add to popped popcorn. Every bite has that wonderful chocolaty red velvet flavor and hey, it looks cool too.
Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!
I have cooked my share of wings and then some. On my Char-Broil Big Easy. And on a smoker. Sometimes, on a charcoal grill using the Vortex BBQ. Deep fried. Slow cooked. Any way, any time, I do love wings. Heck, I even put together a free eCookbook full of wings, using homemade and store-bought sauces. But until now I had never cooked wings using a rotisserie basket on my grill. One thing is for sure, this is not the last time I’ll be doing it, either. Perfectly crispy wings cooked up in no time, using a gas or charcoal grill. Nothing but yumminess here with these rotisserie chicken wings!
I coated the wings in a just a bit of oil first. Then I tossed them with my favorite wing seasoning. That’s it. For the rotisserie all you need is a super hot indirect fire. You don’t want flame directly beneath the wings as they will drip, and that’ll cause flare-ups and burning. So keep the fire around the wings, but not below and your wings will come out as great as my rotisserie chicken wings did.
Resist the temptation to open the lid to your grill while the wings cook. But I have to admit, I peaked once or twice because hey, it’s cool to see wings toss around in a basket. It’s the ultimate in food porn.
One thing is for sure, this is not the last time I’ll be making rotisserie chicken wings. Perfectly crispy wings cooked up in no time, using a gas or charcoal grill. Nothing but yumminess here!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword rotisserie, wings
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Calories 546kcal
Ingredients
3-4pounds chicken wingsflats and drumettes separated, tips discarded
Place wings in a large resealable baggie or container. Add the oil and seasoning. Seal and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Fire up your grill with a rotisserie attachment. You do not want any direct fire beneath the basket. I put a disposable pan under the basket to catch and drippings. On a charcoal grill you'll want to keep the lit coals in front of and behind the rotisserie. For a gas grill you want any burner(s) to the left and right of the basket to be lit if your burners run from-to-back. If your burners run from left-to-right you want to have the burner(s) in front of and behind the basket to be lit. If you have an infrared burner above your basket, light it also and turn it to medium-high. All other burners should be on high.
Transfer the wings to the basket and place on your grill. Turn on the rotisserie and close the lid. You want high heat, so no peaking. Let the wings cook for 20 minutes before checking them. They should start to crisp and the meat will start to pull back from the bones. Mine ended up taking 25-30 minutes until they got how I liked them.
Carefully remove the wings from the basket and sauce and serve.
Notes
Use caution removing the wings as they and the basket are very hot!
