Brisket & Queso Rangoon with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

Desert Pepper Trading Co is hosting a Blogger Recipe Contest and I am so excited to share my first entry with you! What could be more perfect for your next game day (or any day, really) snack? Brisket and Queso in a crispy crunchy wonton wrapper with a cool and creamy jalapeno ranch dip on the side. Yes please!

Brisket & Queso Rangoon with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

1 large fresh jalapeno, chopped

½ cup cilantro leaves

2 green onions, chopped

½ cup bottled ranch dressing

8 ounces beef brisket, coarsely shredded

¾ cup Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso

20 Wonton Wrappers

6 cups vegetable oil

2 teaspoons BBQ Rub

 

Place the jalapeno, cilantro, green onions and ranch dressing in a small food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and place in the fridge to chill.

In a small mixing bowl stir together the brisket and Desert Pepper Chile Con Queso.

Working one at a time, use your finger and moisten the outer edges of a wonton wrapper with water. Add about 2 teaspoons of the brisket queso mixture in the center. Bring the 2 bottom points together in the middle of the wonton and pinch. Repeat with the other 2 corners and pinch to form a square bottom and pointed top. Lay on a cookie sheet and cover lightly with a clean damp kitchen towel while assembling the remaining wontons.

In an electric fryer or large high sided skillet fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the oil up to 375° over medium high heat.

Working in batches, fry the wontons for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle the fried wontons with the BBQ rub seasoning and allow to drain on a cooling rack placed in a cookie sheet. Serve with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce.

Makes 20 wontons.

 

You can purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at your local Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, Meijer

You can follow Desert Pepper on their Website, on Facebook and Instagram 

#desertpepperrecipechallenge #desertpeppertradingco #desertpeppersalsa

Blackened Turkey Tenderloin Po Boy with Avocado & Bacon Remoulade

 

This is my entry for the "Grill Outside The Lines Contest"

Blackened Turkey Tenderloin Po Boy with Avocado & Bacon Remoulade 

1 ½ Tablespoons Cajun Blackening Seasoning Blend

1 package Honeysuckle White Turkey Breast Tenderloins

1 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons creole style mustard

2 Tablespoons hot sauce

2 Tablespoons chili sauce

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons white pepper

½ cup finely chopped bacon

2 (15 inch) French bread loaves

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

4 small tomatoes, sliced

1 cup hamburger pickle chips

Preheat grill to high heat.

Season the turkey with the blackening seasoning and grill for about 10 minutes per side (until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees).

Remove from the grill and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes and then slice.

In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, chili sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, white pepper and bacon.

Slice the bread loaves in half, lengthwise and spread a thin layer of the Remoulade Sauce on both sides. Top each evenly with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles and a generous amount of sliced turkey. Drizzle with Remoulade Sauce and slice into 6 portions. Serve immediately.

Big as TX Blended BBQ Burger with Brisket and Pickle & Jalapeño Slaw

 “Big as TX Blended BBQ Burger with Brisket and Pickle & Jalapeño Slaw”

Pickle & Jalapeño Slaw:

1 1/3 cup thinly sliced cabbage

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 large jalapeno, chopped

½ cup chopped bread and butter pickles

4 teaspoons pickle juice

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon garlic salt

Blended BBQ Burger:

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces white button mushrooms

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon BBQ seasoning rub

1-pound ground chuck

8 slices Texas Garlic Toast 

4 slices red onion

2 cups shredded leftover BBQ brisket, warmed

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cabbage, green onions, jalapeno, pickles, pickle juice, mayonnaise and garlic salt. Set he mixture in the fridge to chill.

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Roughly chop mushrooms and add them to the hot oil. Cook for 10 minutes or until mushrooms have browned and softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-4 more minutes. Place sautéed mushrooms in a large mixing bowl and set aside to allow them to cool. 

To the large mixing bowl with the chopped sautéed mushrooms, add the Worcestershire sauce, BBQ seasoning and ground beef. Mix thoroughly to combine and shape the meat mixture into 4 patties. Heat the remaining Tablespoon of oil in the pan. Once oil is hot add patties to pan and cook 5-7 minutes or until a brown crust has formed on the underside of the patty. Flip burgers over and cook another 3 minutes. 

Toast the Texas Toast, following the package directions, until nicely golden brown and crisp.

To assemble the burgers, place an equal amount of slaw on 4 toast slices. Top with sliced red onion, a burger patty and shredded brisket. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and top with the remaining toast slices. Serve immediately. 

This is my entry for the Blended Burger Contest put on by the Mushroom Council and Food Network

Cheesy Chicken Bacon BBQ Egg Rolls with Pickled Jalapeno Ranch

The Super Bowl is on Sunday and I don't know if you're all about football or all about the food but I am definitely team snacks all the way. If you don't care at all about the game, here's something to be excited about - Cheesy Chicken Bacon BBQ Egg Rolls with Pickled Jalapeno Ranch!

Crispy egg roll wrappers are stuffed with bacon, BBQ sauce, shredded chicken and 2 kinds of cheese. The shredded sharp cheddar gets all melty and saucy when the egg rolls are frying and then the pockets of cubed pepper jack gives you those gorgeous cheese pulls that will keep your attention while you're waiting for the next commercial to come on. And do I really need to tell you how good Pickled Jalapeno Ranch is? I hope not, because I think the name itself tells you how awesome it is and I won't be mad if you make extra for tacos, as a salad dressing, veggie dip or literally anything else you have nearby to dip into it.

Cheesy Chicken Bacon BBQ Egg Rolls with Pickled Jalapeno Ranch 

6 cups vegetable oil

1 cup ranch dressing

½ cup jarred sliced mild pickled jalapenos

¼ cup chopped green onion

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

¾ cup barbecue sauce 

½ cup cooked, chopped bacon

1 ½ cup pepper jack cheese, cut into ¼ inch cubes

1 ½ cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

12 Twin Dragon Egg Roll Wrappers

In an electric fryer or large high sided skillet fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the oil up to 375 degrees over medium high heat.

Place the ranch dressing, pickled jalapenos and green onions in a small food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl.

Place the chicken, barbecue sauce, bacon and cheeses in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Lay an egg roll wrapper on a large cutting board with one corner of the wrapper pointing toward you and lightly moisten all 4 edges with water. Place ¼ to 1/3 cup of the filling just below the center of the wrapper.  Fold bottom corner over mixture, fold sides in, and roll up tightly.

Working in batches, fry the egg rolls for 3-5 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Serve with the Pickled Jalapeno Ranch sauce for dipping.

Makes 12 egg rolls

I am participating in JSL Foods “Twin Dragon Asian Wrapper Recipe Challenge” and this is my entry for Game Day Appetizers

You can follow JSL Foods on their website, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram 

You can find Twin Dragon Wrappers at Walmart, Albertsons, Shaw's, Von's, Stater Bros, Fred Meyer, QFC, Safeway, Associated Stores, Giant Stores, Shop N Shop, Winco, and Price Chopper. If you don't see them in your local store, ask them to carry Twin Dragon Wrapper products! Twin Dragon Asian Wrappers are Vegan and Non-GMO. Plus, they are manufactured with no artificial preservatives. 

The wrappers hold up when boiled steamed or fried. Attributes include low oil absorption, even browning and when fried, small bubbles. You will be surprised how easy they are to work with.

#twindragonwrappers #wontons  #eggrolls #potstickers #TwinDragon #ChefYaki

Loaded BBQ Ranch Cauliflower Steaks

Have you ever seen cauliflower look so beautiful before?! I don't think I have. I combined all my favorite BBQ flavors in an easy to prepare, vegetarian and gluten free main dish! Roasted cauliflower is coated in a flavorful BBQ paste, drizzled with Good Foods Creamy Ranch Yogurt Dip and topped with Good Foods Chunky Guacamole. No one will miss the meat with this combo! And I'm thrilled that the judges loved it just as much as I did since it won $1,000 in the Good Foods “Share the Love Recipe Challenge” by coming out on top in the Best Recipe featuring Guacamole category. 

Loaded BBQ Ranch Cauliflower Steaks

1 large head cauliflower

1 Tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ cup BBQ sauce

2 Tablespoons Good Foods Creamy Ranch Yogurt Dip

½ cup Good Foods Chunky Guacamole

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 Tablespoons pickled jalapenos

Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Slice the cauliflower into ¾ inch thick steaks. 

To make the BBQ paste stir together the ketchup, maple syrup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and cumin in a small bowl. Brush the cauliflower with the paste evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the stem portion of the cauliflower steaks are tender.

Remove from the oven and brush with the BBQ sauce. Drizzle with the Good Foods Creamy Ranch Yogurt Dip and top each with and equal amount of Good Foods Chunky Guacamole, chopped cilantro and pickled jalapenos. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Big as Texas BBQ Bloody Mary

When I saw that Smithworks Vodka was hosting a Bloody Mary contest, I knew I had to enter! Part of the fun of a Bloody Mary is the garnishes and I loaded my Big as Texas BBQ Bloody Mary with a Chicken Fried Steak Slider, a Deviled Egg, Fried Chicken Wing, celery stick (can you even have a Bloody Mary without one?), jalapeno garlic stuffed olives, pickle and a marinated artichoke heart! 

Big as Texas BBQ Bloody Mary 

1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce

1 Tablespoon BBQ seasoning

 1 cup Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix

3 ounces Smithworks Vodka

1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce

Juice of ½ a lime

Splash of EACH: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pickled jalapeno brine, soy sauce, olive juice

 Top with the best snack/skewer/toppers that ever did exist: Chicken Fried Steak Slider, Deviled Egg, Fried Chicken Wing, celery stick, jalapeno garlic stuffed olives, pickle, marinated artichoke heart

 Dip the rim of 2 glasses into the BBQ sauce, then the BBQ seasoning. Fill with ice.

 In a pitcher stir together the Bloody Mary Mix, Smithworks Vodka, BBQ sauce, lime juice, and a splash of EACH: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pickled jalapeno brine, soy sauce, olive juice. Pour the mixture into the glasses, top with snack/skewer/toppers and enjoy!

Honey Harissa Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lemon Mint Crema

 Today I'm sharing my third and final entry into the Stella Rosa recipe contest. My Honey Harissa Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lemon Mint Crema are so fresh and full of flavor! Sweet and spicy grilled chicken is topped with quick pickled onions, crunchy cucumbers and a greek yogurt mint sauce and they're served in grilled tortillas (I like mine super charred)

Why should Tuesday have all the fun? Let's start our week off with taco night!

Honey Harissa Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lemon Mint Crema

¼ cup honey 

2 tablespoons harissa paste 

1 teaspoon coriander 

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

2 teaspoons garlic salt 

1 ½ pounds chicken breast, cut into 2 inch cubes 

1 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar 

1 tablespoon sugar 

½ teaspoon caraway seeds 

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 

1 small red onion, thinly sliced 

Zest of 1 lemon 

½ cup plain Greek yogurt 

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise 

¼ cup mint, chopped 

¼ teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon pepper 

10 corn tortillas 

1 English cucumber, cut into small sticks 

½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

 

In a large bowl combine the chicken, honey, harissa paste, coriander, cumin, apple cider vinegar and garlic salt. Stir the mixture around until the chicken is evenly coated and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably, overnight.

Bring the water, apple cider vinegar and white vinegar to a boil in a small sauce pot and place the sliced red onions in a glass jar or bowl. Whisk in the sugar, caraway seeds and salt until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour the mixture over the onions and set aside to cool.

Place the lemon zest, yogurt, mayonnaise, mint, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Place in the fridge to chill.

 Pre-heat a grill to medium high heat and remove the chicken from the fridge, allowing it to come to room temperature. Working in batches, cook the tortillas on the grill until brown and charred around the edges. Once charred, remove the tortillas from the grill and wrap in foil to keep them warm. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers and grill for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and continue to cook until the chicken is fully cooked, and juices run clear, about 3-5 minutes more.

To assemble the tacos, break apart the chicken with two forks creating bite sized chunks. Fill each tortilla with an even amount of cucumber sticks, shredded chicken pieces, pickled onions, chopped cilantro and drizzle with the lemon mint crema.

Grilled Spinach Feta and Kalamata Chicken Patties with Creamy Harissa Sauce

This is my second entry for the Stella Rosa wines recipe contest and it is a stunner! Super simple to make, only 12 ingredients and BIG on flavor! Lean ground chicken is packed with fresh spinach, crumbled feta and kalamata olives then grilled and served with grilled lemon and a spicy creamy sauce. What's not to love?! 

These are fabulous as-is but equally good next to a salad, with rice or wrapped in a tortilla. I always make the mixture and form the patties in the morning and place them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet so they're ready to be cooked when we are but they're so quick to throw together they can easily be made and cooked in less than 30 minutes!

If you're not familiar, harissa is a North African chile paste that happens to be one of my favorite new finds! If you can't find it, no worries, just sub sriracha or chili garlic paste but I promise you, if you make the effort to get some it'll be well worth it!  

Grilled Spinach Feta and Kalamata Chicken Patties with Creamy Harissa Sauce

4 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped 

1 cup feta cheese crumbles 

½ cup diced kalamata olives 

2-pounds ground chicken 

1 teaspoon garlic salt 

1 teaspoon pepper 

1 Tablespoon harissa 

½ cup marinated roasted red bell peppers 

½ teaspoon cumin 

1/3 cup mayonnaise 

1/8 cup Greek yogurt 

1 lemon 

Heat a gas grill to medium high heat.

 In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, feta, olives, ground chicken, garlic salt and pepper. Form into 8 equal sized patties and set on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet to chill in the fridge.

 In a mini food processor or blender puree the harissa, roasted red bell peppers, cumin, mayonnaise and Greek yogurt until smooth. Set in the fridge to chill.

 Slice the lemon in half and place on the hottest part of your grill, cut side down. Allow the lemon halves to get well charred and remove from the heat. Place the patties on the grill, cover and allow to cook 5-6 minutes, flip and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until patties are fully cooked through.

 Squeeze the grilled lemon over the patties and serve with dipping sauce.

Grilled Teriyaki Meatball Skewers

These Grilled Teriyaki Meatball Skewers are my kid's newest favorite dinner! They might be the easiest thing I've made all week too which makes it a total winner. With only a handful of ingredients and less than 20 minutes from start to finish, it may be my new go-to!
My kids even took the leftovers in their lunchboxes this week and  loved it cold too.
For these I used bamboo skewers since I can't find my metal ones (so annoying). If you use metal ones, you're good to go but if you're using bamboo be sure to soak them in some water before threading the food on them to prevent them from burning on the grill.
In the recipe I linked to the exact meatball I used, but please feel free to use any pre-cooked meatball you have, this recipe will be delicious no matter what flavor they are!

Grilled Teriyaki Meatball Skewers

1 (1 ½ pound) package teriyaki and pineapple fully cooked chicken meatballs

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

½ cup bottled teriyaki sauce/glaze

Heat a gas grill to medium heat (350 degrees).

While the grill is heating, thread the meatballs, peppers and onions on skewers. Place the full skewers on the grill and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Using tongs rotate the skewers and brush with half of the teriyaki glaze. Allow to cook for 2 minutes. Flip the skewers again, brush with the remaining sauce and grill 2 min more. Remove form the grill and serve immediately.

These are delicious as is or serve with cauliflower rice, white rice or a green salad.

Just look at those char marks! I always grab the ones with the most crispy edges!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Spaghetti Squash

Whether you're low carb, gluten free or just got home from a week long endless poolside margaritas and non-stop guacamole vacation like I did, I really think you're going to love this BBQ Chicken Pizza Spaghetti Squash! These beauties only require 7 ingredients and pack in so much flavor!

The spaghetti squash rings make the perfect bowl for all the smoky sweet BBQ shredded chicken to sit in while it's smothered in bacon, cheese and diced red onion.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash (about 8 inches long)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/3 cup chopped red onion

8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese

6 slices cooked bacon, chopped

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off the ends of the spaghetti squash with a very sharp knife. Then cut the spaghetti squash into 1-inch-thick rings.  (my spaghetti squash was about 8 inches long, so I was able to make 8 rings) Scoop out and discard the seeds from the middle and place the rings on a large cookie sheet. Spray the rings on both sides with olive oil spray and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.

Place in the oven for 20 minutes, turn the rings over and continue to cook for another 20 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, stir the chicken and barbecue sauce together in a medium mixing bowl until evenly coated.

Once the squash rings are roasted, top each ring equally with the shredded chicken mixture. Sprinkle each with red onion, shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. Place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.

Are you following me on Instagram yet? If not, please do! 

You can find my latest recipe postings and  updates on Beignet and Roux!

Weber Grill Academy, St Louis MO

A few months back, my Bacon Pimento Cheese Cherubs won the Grand Prize in the

Nature Sweet Tomatoes Tomato-Vators recipe contest! Part of the package was the awesome new gas grill that is now on my porch, but the best part finally happened this past weekend.

As part of my grand prize, Louis and I were flown to St Louis, MO to visit the Weber Grill Academy, cook with the chefs there and learn all about cooking techniques on their gas and charcoal grills.

  Here's what was explained to me before we left:
Your package includes an exclusive, personalized experience with their Grill Academy Chef using both charcoal and gas Weber Grills. Your tour will begin at the restaurant and Grill Academy. There will be a private bartender in the room to accommodate your needs. 

Your menu will be:

• Grill-Fired Mussels with Nature Sweet Tomatoes 

• Grilled Caprese Nature Sweet Tomato Salad 

• Bone In Tomahawk Ribeye 

• Grilled Lobster Tail 

• Grilled Roasted Ratatouille with Nature Sweet Tomatoes

• Grilled Lyonnaise Potatoes 

• Cherrywood Smoked Cherry Cobbler

What What?! To say I was excited is a huge understatement. They had me at "Private Bartender"

I knew the brief description sounded awesome, but I was truly blown away once we got there and realized that we had the entire cooking classroom, that usually seats 22 students all to ourselves! The table was set beautifully and had 2 gift bags for us, a mimosa was ready for me almost immediately and we rolled up our sleeves to started cooking.

Chef Keith had 3 grills ready to go with charcoal and he had Louis fill the grill baskets. Luckily no eyebrows were lost

All of our dishes were prepped for us and since I knew it was going to be a huge meal, I hadn't eaten breakfast. I'm really glad I didn't because the amount of food we made was insane!

First up was the Grill-Fired Mussels with Nature Sweet Tomatoes
Louis and I both love mussels, but I've always done them on the stovetop, so this was a treat!
You might not be able to tell, but the grill we cooked them on had an opening in the center of the grates so the dutch oven could be set inside of it. Totally want one of those now! We grilled the garlic bread around the pan while the mussels cooked and it was finished in maybe 8 minutes.

Each dish was paired with amazing wine, so for the Mussels we cooked with and sipped Cakebread Savignon Blanc. Tons of garlic, tons of butter- I was so happy!

We sat at our table and enjoyed our mussels while the dishes were cleaned up and the next prep tray was brought out. I really wish it was like that in my own kitchen! Let me just sit here and enjoy my wine while you clean up after me...

Grilled Caprese Nature Sweet Tomato Salad, Grilled Roasted Ratatouille stuffed in Nature Sweet Tomatoes and Grilled Lyonnaise Potato Salad was next. As I was chopping I mentioned how much I loved the knife that I was using. Chef Keith said "well then you're really going to like your gift bags"

I was SO excited that the knives we used were included! Totally didn't expect that and I can tell you, I've used it every day since I got back home. Joking with Louis while we were chopping, I said "I hope I remember how to make all of this" and, of course, that was already taken care of. Every recipe we made was typed up and included in our giftbags already. How thoughtful is that?!

I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but these steaks were MASSIVE
and the lobster tail on the side was absolutely divine! Grilled and basted with a lemon, garlic, basil butter - I ate the entire thing

Naturally, these courses were paired with the perfect wine
Chateau Gruaud Larose, a Bordeaux from France
Then came the cobbler. We smoked cherries, blueberries and cranberries in a grill basket with Cherrywood and charcoal, topped them with an oatmeal cookie type streusel and "baked" them on indirect heat in the grill while we ate our meal. Once it was done, it was topped with cherry vanilla ice cream and served with Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny Port
Aren't those the cutest little cast iron mini casserole dishes? Definitely want some of those now too!

What's in that small glass next to the port, you ask?
Oh, no big deal. Just a shot of Louis XIII Cognac.
I had no idea what it was until Louis told me a bottle costs around $2500
After a sip I carefully handed it over and let him enjoy the rest.
That was not the time for me to be clumsy and spill
After dessert, we were given a tour of the kitchens for the restaurant before we packed up all of our gift bags and headed back to the hotel.
From start to finish we were spoiled and treated like royalty. It makes me feel so grateful and lucky that this little hobby of mine, that I started on a whim 11 years ago, has led me to experiences like this. An unforgettable day that truly couldn't have been better!

Sizzlin’ Skirt Steak Tacos with Asparagus Corn Salsa and Creamy Chipotle Steak Sauce

I am participating in the first ever “Budweiser Sauces Ultimate Blogger Recipe Challenge – Freedom Reserve" and I am absolutely over the moon excited about my first entry! Budweiser sent me a load of their BBQ sauces, Wing Sauces, Steak Sauce and, my favorite, their Marinade Bags. These things are genius and I knew that was the first thing I was going to try out! You literally have to just throw your meat in the bag and let it sit until you're ready to cook. No mess, no cleanup, so so easy and I was very impressed with the flavor.

First up is my Sizzlin’ Skirt Steak Tacos with Asparagus Corn Salsa and Creamy Chipotle Steak Sauce. I put my skirt steak in the Budweiser Sizzlin’ Steakhouse Marinade Bag and let it sit in the fridge until I was ready to use it later that night. Then I made a summer salsa loaded with grilled asparagus, corn and some jalapeno for kick. I knew I wanted a sauce to drizzle over these tacos so I kicked up the Steak & Burger Sauce with some chipotle which totally made the perfect pair with the grilled steak and veggies. Add in the crumbled bacon and goat cheese and I truly think I have a winner!

Sizzlin’ Skirt Steak Tacos with Asparagus Corn Salsa and Creamy Chipotle Steak Sauce

1 ½ pounds skirt steak

1 (12 ounce) Budweiser Sizzlin’ Steakhouse Marinade Bag 

¼ cup Budweiser Steak & Burger Sauce 

½ cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons pureed chipotle in adobo

8 ounces asparagus spears

2 ears fresh corn

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 jalapeno, diced

4 green onions, sliced

3 Tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons garlic salt

2 Tablespoons olive oil

12 warm flour tortillas

6 slices cooked chopped bacon

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Place the skirt steak into the Budweiser Sizzlin’ Steakhouse Marinade Bag and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours long. Mine sat in the fridge for 7 hours and it was perfect!

When you are ready to cook, take the marinade bag out of the refrigerator so it can come up to room temperature and heat your grill to medium-high heat. 

To make the Creamy Chipotle Steak Sauce, whisk together the Budweiser Steak & Burger Sauce, mayonnaise, milk and pureed chipotle in a small mixing bowl. Place in the fridge to chill.

For the Asparagus Corn Salsa brush the asparagus spears and corn cobs with the vegetable oil and grill for about 5-8 minutes, or until the corn has nice char marks. Slice the asparagus into rings and remove the corn kernels from the cobs. Stir together the sliced asparagus, corn kernels, jalapeno, green onions, lime juice, garlic salt and olive oil in a small mixing bowl.

Raise the heat on the grill to high (mine was 550 degrees) and grill the steak for 3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, cover with foil and allow the steak to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Once ready, cut the steak against the grain, in thin slices.

To assemble the tacos, spoon the Asparagus Corn Salsa into the warm tortillas. Top with slices of steak, chopped bacon and goat cheese. Drizzle with Creamy Chipotle Steak Sauce and serve immediately.

Makes 12 tacos.

You can visit Budweiser to see all of their sauces and marinades here, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

#BudweiserSauce #BudweiserBBQSauce #KingOfSauces

You can find Budweiser Sauces and Marinades at WalMart, HEB, Giant, Winn Dixie, BiLo, Brookshire and Publix

Ham & Swiss Slider Burgers

Have you ever tried those baked slider sandwiches before with the sweet and sticky glaze, ham and melty cheese? They are absolutely decadent and delicious and I think I just raised the bar by making them into burger sliders! My son stopped in the middle of scarfing one of these down and declared 

"I could live off these for the rest of my life"

Me too son, me too.

I swapped the traditional dijon for a spicy brown mustard in the glaze and used Golden Potato pillowy slider buns to soak up all of the buttery glaze.

Look at those buns!! Who could pass that up?

Ham & Swiss Slider Burgers

2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard

8 Tablespoons melted butter 

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound ground sirloin

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

12 slices deli ham

12 slices swiss cheese

1 package Pepperidge Farm Golden Potato Slider Buns

Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat and set the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mustard, melted butter, onion powder, Worcestershire Sauce, poppy seeds and brown sugar.

To make the Burger Patties, add the chuck, sirloin, garlic and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended, handling as little as possible to avoid overworking. Shape into 12 even patties to fit the bun size. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook about 3-4 minutes. Flip the burgers over and top with ham and then cheese. Cover and cook another 3 minutes longer, or until the patties are medium rare and the cheese is melted. 

Place the bun bottoms on a large foil lined cookie sheet and brush them with a very thin layer of the melted butter mixture. Place the bun lids on top and then brush the remaining butter over them. Place in the oven and allow to toast for 5 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. 

To assemble the burgers, remove the buns from the oven and place the burger patties on top of each bun bottom, top with the bun lids and serve immediately with lots of napkins!

#RespectTheBunPromotion   #PepperidgeFarmBuns  

The Italian Sub Burger

I just got home this week from a fabulous vacation in Mexico. 

14 people, 7 days, tons of belly laughs and more tequila than you can imagine. It was perfection! 

As usual, the time flew by way quicker than I was ready for and before I knew it I was home, unpacked and in the kitchen. First on the to do list: burgers.

Pepperidge Farm is hosting a contest perfect for Summer and I am excited to share all of my entries here with you! Their #RespectTheBunPromotion is calling for the best Burger and Hot Dog recipes that feature their delicious buns and I'm having so much fun coming up with entries for this one.

My first entry is  The Italian Sub Burger. I topped a perfectly grilled burger with all of the goodies you'd find on an Italian Sub; peppered salami, ham, melty provolone cheese, a sweet and spicy cherry pepper spread and tons of fresh crunchy veggies. As delicious as all of that is, I didn't forget the bun. I brushed it with Italian Vinaigrette and toasted it. Kinda like an Italian crouton. Sooooo good!

 The Italian Sub Burger

1/3 cup jarred pickled sweet and spicy cherry peppers

1 pound ground chuck

½ pound ground sirloin

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

4 slices provolone cheese

4 Pepperidge Farm Onion Buns

3 Tablespoons Italian vinaigrette dressing

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

4 slices deli ham

12 slices peppered salami

4 large slices tomato 

4 thin red onion slices

 Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat and set the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small food processor or blender, puree the pickled sweet and spicy cherry peppers until smooth.

To make the Burger Patties, add the chuck, sirloin, garlic and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended, handling as little as possible to avoid overworking. Shape into 4 even patties to fit the bun size. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook about 3-4 minutes. Flip the burgers over and top with cheese. Cover and cook another 3-4 minutes longer, or until medium rare. 

Lay the opened buns on a large cookie sheet. Brush each bun top and bottom with an even thin layer of the Italian vinaigrette dressing. Place in the oven and allow to toast for 5 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Once buns are toasted, spread each of the top halves with 1 Tablespoon of the cherry pepper spread.

To assemble the burgers, place shredded lettuce and then a burger patty on top of each bun bottom. Top with ham, salami, tomato and red onion. Place the top half of the toasted buns on each and serve immediately with lots of napkins!