Grilled Roast, Baked Beans and Potato Salad

Hamburgers, potato salad and baked beans are a classic BBQ tradition. Just simply change the menu a bit and you still get a spectacular meal without the buns and crazy last minute cooking.  My family loves this Beef Roast grilled, but it also can be cooked in the oven during bad weather. Make sure to choose a good roast with good marbling! Put the beans in the crock pot in the morning, make the potato salad the day before and grill the steak just before you eat!

Grilled Beef Roast

• 1 (5 lb) Beef Roast
• 2 TB Salt
• 2 TB Brown Sugar
• 2 TB Old Bay Seasoning
• 2 TB Balsamic Vinegar

Rub the balsamic vinegar over the roast. Mix the salt, sugar and seasoning together in a small bowl, then rub the mix onto the roast. Let the roast sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Heat the grill and cook the roast,covered,  over indirect heat for 30-40 minutes, turning as needed to prevent burning, or until it is about 140 degrees in the center. Let it rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.
To cook it in the oven: After bringing it to room temperature, place it in a roasting pan and bake it, uncovered, and 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Baked Beans

• 3 C. Dry Navy Beans
• 1 lb. Smoked Ham, cubed
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
• 1/2 C. Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Dry Mustard Powder

Cover the beans in a large pot with 6-9 cups of water and let them soak overnight. In the morning, drain the water and cover the beans with water again. Bring the water to a boil and cook the beans for 10 minutes. Drain the water and transfer the beans to a crockpot. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 10 - 12 hours.

Potato Salad

• 2 lb Red Potatoes, quartered and unpeeled
• 1 TB Salt
• 3 TB Canola Oil
• 3 Tb. Cider Vinegar
• 1 TB Dijon Mustard
• 1 TB Honey 
• 1 TB Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 4 Green Onions, sliced
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Cover the potatoes with water in a large pot and add the 1 TB of salt. Bring it to a boil and oil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool in a large bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients and stir into the potatoes to coat. Serve warm or chilled.

Island Paradise Salad, Grilled Asparagus and Red Potatoes

Not every great meal requires meat. This salad looks like a yummy and great entree! I paired it here with additional Grilled Asparagus and Red Potatoes. So take a day off from the stove and light up the grill outside and enjoy a meal on the patio!

Island Paradise Salad

• 2 C. Frozen Sugar Snap Peas, thawed
• 3 C. Romaine Lettuce, torn
• 3 C. Bibb Lettuce torn
• 1 Avocado, peeled and sliced
• 1 Large Mango, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 C. Green Onion, sliced
• 1/2 C. Shredded Coconut

Lime Dressing:

• 1 tsp Lime Zest
• 2 TB Fresh Lime Juice
• 3 TB Honey
• 1 TB Canola Oil

Mix Salad Ingredients in a large bowl. In a bowl vigorously mix dressing ingredients until well combined. Serve dressing with salad.

Grilled Asparagus and Red Potatoes

• 2 TB Olive Oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Lemon-Pepper Seasoning
• 6 small Red Potatoes, quartered and unpeeled
• 1 lb Fresh Asparagus, trimmed

Toss potatoes with the salt and 1 TB Olive oil and grill in a basket or in foil poked with holes for 15 minutes. Toss the asparagus with the lemon pepper seasoning and remaining olive oil. Add to the potatoes and grill 10 minutes longer.

BBQ Ribs, Sweet and Spice BBQ Sauce, Mandarin Orange Salad with Citrus Dressing, Baked Potatoes

The first time I had BBQ ribs was on my honeymoon in Jackson Hole, WY back in 2000 at Bubba's BBQ.  Since then I have spent a lot of time perfecting my BBQ ribs. Whether you use beef or pork ribs, you cook them the same way. Pork ribs are my favorite.  I personally buy a bottle of my favorite spicy and sweet BBQ sauce at the store to make things easy. But I have also included a recipe for a BBQ sauce. Try it or buy your favorite (safe) flavor. Don't forget the salad and baked potato. Please, Please don't wrap your potatoes in foil, it holds the moisture inside, which is the opposite than what is desired. you want a tender, flaky, soft interior and a yummy flavored skin reminiscent of fries.

BBQ Ribs

• 1 Full Rack of Pork or Beef Ribs
• 1 tsp each: Salt and Pepper
• 2 C. Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce

Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper. Wrap them tightly in parchment paper, then wrap them again tightly in aluminum foil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake them at 250 degrees for 6 - 8 hours. Remove the wrapping and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the BBQ sauce over the ribs and bake, uncovered, at the higher temperature for 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce is heated through and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce

• 1 C. Ketchup
• 1 C. Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 C. Molasses
• 1/2 C. Honey
• 1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4  to 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and bring it to a boil, Turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes to reduce. Remove from the heat, it will thicken a bit as it cools.

Mandarin Tossed Salad

• 9 Cups Mixed Salad Greens
• 1 (11 oz) can Mandarin Oranges, drained
• 1/3 C. Green Onions, sliced
• 2 Celery Stalks, chopped
• 1 Cucumber, sliced
• 1 Green Pepper, chopped

Citrus Dressing:

• 3 Tb. Canola Oil
• 2 Tb. Honey
• 2 Tb. Lemon Juice
• 1 Tb. Orange Juice Concentrate
• 1 1/2 tsp. Water
• 1/2 tsp Ground Mustard
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Toss all the salad vegetables and greens in a large bowl. In a jar with a lid, combine all the dressing ingredients and shake vigorously until well combined. Serve with the salad.

Baked Potatoes

• 5-6 Large Russet Potatoes
• 1 TB Canola Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Olive Oil

Wash and scrub the potatoes. Rub the potatoes with the canola oil and the poke holes with a fork all around the potatoes. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and bake them at 350 degrees for 50- 60 minutes or until they are tender in the middle when poked with a knife. Let them rest for 10 - 15 minutes then squeeze the potatoes to smoosh the interior. then cut them open and drizzle them with olive oil salt and pepper.

Soup Bar

I have a good friend whom I consider a sister. Our kids play together and have sleepovers just like cousins would. We love to get together, but with both of our families having "issues" with food we are constantly looking for safe healthy recipes everyone will enjoy, kid and adult alike. This fun meal hit the spot with everyone! I made a soup base and we each brought a variety of veggies, meats and other items to put in our soup then everyone filled their bowl with the soup base and filled it with their favorite choices. The best part was, not only was it healthy but our kiddos didn't have to wait for their soup to cool after adding the chilled veggies.

Soup Bar

Soup Base:

• 4 C. Chicken Broth
• 2 (15 oz each) cans of Diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 tsp each: Cayenne Pepper and Nutmeg
• 2 tsp Brown Sugar

Filling Choices:

• Cooked Ground Beef
• Cooked Stew Meat
• Cooked Ham, diced
• Cooked Chicken, diced
• Cooked Sausage, sliced
• Crumbled Bacon
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Shredded Carrots
• Cut Green Beans
• Canned Beans, drained and rinsed
• Chopped Tomatoes
• Frozen Corn, thawed
• Celery, chopped
• Red and Green Peppers, chopped
• Cooked White or Brown Rice

Harvest Pork Loin, Cranberry Orange Sauce, and Wassial

 Serve the Cranberry sauce with the pork and pair it with a good salad or baked sweet potato, or both!

Harvest Pork Loin

• 2 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/8 tsp Pepper
• 3/4 tsp each : Cinnamon and Nutmeg
• 2 Apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 Boneless Pork Loin

Rub the oil and seasonings over the top of the meat and then layer the sliced apple over the top. Place it in a roasting pan and bake it, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Cranberry Orange Sauce

• 2 C. Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
• 1 (15 oz) can Cherries, drained
• 1 Orange, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 C. Sugar
• 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Orange Zest
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the berries "pop".

Wassail

• 6 C. Apple Juice
• 3 C. Cranberry Juice
• 1 C. Orange Juice
• 1 C. Sugar
• 1 Lemon, sliced
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 12 Whole Allspice Cloves

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.   Strain out the solid ingredients and serve.

Grilled Steak Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Cajun Sweet Potatoes

Salad is a staple at my house. There are a million ways to serve one, from a simple side dish to the main entree to even a dessert. So don't be surprised to see a lot of salad recipes here. The good news is: Salad is Healthy and very very yummy! And they don't need to be laden down with creamy dressings, and cheese.

Grilled Steak Salad

• 1/2 tsp each: Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder
• 1 lb Beef Flank Steak
• 1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Red Pepper, Sliced
• 5 oz Mixed Greens

Dressing:

• 1/3 C. Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 TB Fresh Basil, minced
• 2 TB Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

Season the flank steak with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Grill the meat over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side. Let it rest while you prepare the salad. Mix the greens, onion and red pepper in a large bowl.

In a small jar with a lid, combine all the dressing ingredients and shake vigorously until it is well combined. Thinly slice the meat and toss both the meat and dressing into the salad and serve immediately. 

It's hard to go wrong with sweet potatoes. They are sweet, full of flavor and vitamins and jam packed with goodness. Toss these in the oven just before assembling the salad. 

Cajun Sweet Potatoes

• 3 lbs Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed
• 2 Tb Olive Oil
• 3 Tb Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp. Cajun Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Toss the potatoes in a bowl with the oil and seasonings. Spread them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper nad bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until tender.

How to make Arepas

Arepas!

They are a venezualan Corn cake.  They use them from breakfast to dinner and dessert.  There are a few ways to cook them.  Here I use the griddle, but you can also fry them like a scone and they taste like a scone too when fried.  I like them on the griddle when they are more like a biscuit. 

 There are only three ingredients you need. Water, Salt, and Instant Corn Flour (pre-cooked) If your store has PAN flour it has a very light flavor, but I have also used the MASECA brand which is everywhere. Just be sure to get the kind that is for tamales... not tortillas.  The MASECA brand had a stronger corn flavor, but still works great. 

Start with 2 cups of hot water and about 1 tsp of salt mixed together ... then slowly add the corn flour until it forms a soft ball.  I wish I could give you an exact amount but depending on the day.. it differs,  I usually add between 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 cups. It should be moist, but not sticky. You CAN add 1 tsp of sugar for a cripier crust or 1 tsp of safe oil for a softer texture, but neither is neccesary.

 Take about 1/4 cup of dough and roll it into a ball

 Then flatten it into a patty.

  Place them on a griddle (set to 325 degrees farenheit) or stove top pan over medium heat.  Cook for about 10 minutes on each side until they are golden, then move them to a cookie sheet and bake them at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 15 minutes.   If you fry them... cook them in a safe oil over medium heat until they are golden, then flip them over and cook on the other side until they are golden.  Then in the oven for an additional 15 minutes as well.

 When they cool enough to touch, spit them open with a fork. 

These easy corn cakes are incredibly good! And they can be filled with anything! Our favorites are hamburgers, taco filling, shredded beef or chicken, and even dessert ones .. we fry them and make them like a donut. you would be surprised how good a melted marshmellow tastes in these :) But even eaten plain for One ingredient cooking.... YUM!