Grippo's Tangy BBQ Coleslaw

I've tried some BBQ coleslaw recipes before, but never have I found a twang like this. I "spiced it up" with some Grippo's BBQ spice. What a nice spicy surprise.
We made some pulled pork recently and I wanted to make BBQ sandwiches topped with slaw, Carolina-style. Since there isn't a lot of slaw eaters at my house I used one bag of slaw mix for two different recipes, but this recipe can easily be doubled to fit your needs.
This is very simple, only a few ingredients and quite a nice little kick. I wouldn't think twice about substituting red bell peppers for green or using some of both.

Grippo's  Tangy BBQ Coleslaw
1/2 pkg. coleslaw mix
1/3 of 16 oz. bottle Kraft coleslaw dressing (or 1/3 cup of your  favorite)
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 t. onion salt
1/8 t. celery seed
sprinkle of kosher salt and cracked black pepper
3/4-1 T. Grippo's Gourmet Bar-B-Q spice

Empty half of bag of slaw mix into medium mixing bowl. Add bell pepper and top with slaw dressing. Sprinkle spices over top of dressing and then mix well. Add more dressing dressing if you like it creamier. Adjust Grippo's spice to the amount of "tang" you like. This picks up a little heat. Serves 4-6.

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Rye Boat

 Appetizers and finger foods are perfect items for holiday and social gatherings. It's nice to have a small plate of tidbits to munch on as you mingle, or you can just "graze" by grabbing a snack to go. For those of us who love breads and dips a "rye boat" is a perfect combination.
Years ago, one of the girls at work brought this to an office party and she shared the recipe with me. It's been one of my favorites.

Rye Boat
1-1/2 pt. (3 cups) sour cream
2 t. Beau Monde seasoning*
1-1/2 pt. (3 cups) mayonnaise
3-3oz. pkg. corned beef, shredded
3 T. parsley
2 tsp. dill weed
2 T. minced onion
2-1 lb. round loaves of rye bread

* See post under spices for Beau Monde spice recipe
 
Scoop out 1 loaf of the rye bread. Cube remaining bread.
Mix remaining ingredients and chill. When ready to serve, fill empty round rye loaf with dip. Serve cubed rye bread on side.

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Beau Monde Seasoning

Image via Wikipedia

   I'm a real sucker for dips. I like chip dip, cheese balls and salsa - anything spread on something else.
   I have a recipe for a rye boat that calls for Beau Monde seasoning. Beau Monde is a type of seasoned  salt that gives a taste of celery to the recipe. It means beautiful world in French and used as a rub on steaks, roast, fish and poultry. Other uses include salad dressings, deviled eggs and to dress up a Bloody Mary.
   Once upon a time I had a bottle of this, but have since found the recipe. It is so much easier if these are already in your spice cabinet.

 Beau Monde Seasoning Salt
1 T. ground cloves 

1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 

1 T. salt 

1 T. ground bay leaf 

1 T. ground allspice 

2 T. ground pepper 

1 T. ground white pepper 

1 tsp. ground nutmeg 

1 tsp. ground mace 

1 tsp. celery seed

In a small mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients. Pour into a tightly closed jar and store in a cool, dry place. Makes about 9 tablespoons.

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Beer Brats

    One of the summer staples at our house is brats. It seems that anytime we've got the grill hot and cooking we throw on some brats. The boys love them and they are an easy item to take for lunch to work. They reheat really well. 
    By cooking them in the beer and letting them steam, they don't dry out. The peppers and onions, even if you don't want them as a condiment, are good flavor additions. The nice thing, this is a quick and easy meal.


Beer Brats
1 pkg. 4-5 bratwurst
1/4 onion, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a beer


   Put brats in small skillet with lid. Pour beer around brats, cover and cook on medium heat until they almost boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add onions and peppers and let steam. Cook for about 30 minutes until fully cooked. Heat grill to high and put brats over direct heat for just 2-3 minutes to brown. Serve topped with pepper and onions.


(If cooking ahead, return brats to original pan and keep warm in beer for serving later.)

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Oatmeal Cookies

Image via Wikipedia

This is a basic childhood favorite, oatmeal cookies. The variations are many on how to make this basic cookie healthy and tasty. Everyone should have at least one recipe for this in their collection.

Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
3 cups oats, uncooked
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.
Makes 5 dozen.

Variations - add chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins or coconut.

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Queso Broccoli Rice Casserole

The other night I needed a side for dinner and wanted something a little different but needed to use what I had on hand. With cheap rice out of the pantry and some broccoli in the freezer I only needed to add some Velveeta cheese from the fridge and a can of creamed chicken soup. This turned out to be really quick and easy, but was really rich, creamy and had good flavor. Of course, it helped that I accidentally bought the new Queso flavored Velveeta instead of the regular. What a surprise twist!

Broccoli Rice Queso Casserole
1 cup cooked white rice
1 cup broccoli, steamed in microwave 10 minutes
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 of 3 lb. block of Velveeta Queso cheese, cut into small cubes
1/8-1/4 cup milk (splash)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or coat with spray a 2 quart baking dish.
In medium saucepan combine 1 cup rice and 2 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and then cover. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Let set until needed.
Steam broccoli florets (covered) in microwave for 5 minutes, rotate one quarter of a turn and microwave 5 minutes more. Let set until needed.
Cut cheese in cubes. In medium bowl combine all ingredients mixing well. (Adjust milk as needed depending on creamy you want this.) Pour into baking dish and cook in 350 oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted. Serves 6.

Shrimp Scampi

   Seafood is a favorite of mine, and shrimp is at the top of the list, probably because it's the most accessible. The simple but flavorful Shrimp Scampi is one of my favorite shrimp dishes. Shrimp, garlic and butter . . . what could be better? 
   The only dish I found better than scampi is at "Bonefish Grille" and I love their Bang Bang Shrimp. I have the recipe but have yet to master it - will keep you updated. In the meantime, enjoy easy elegance.


Shrimp  Scampi
2 lb. large raw shrimp
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. salt
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 lemon. cut in half lengthwise
grated lemon peel*

 *(Use 2 tsp. grated lemon peel and squeeze lemon juice from one half. Save remaining half of lemon to cut in wedges for garnish.)

Preheat oven to 400. Remove shells from shrimp except for the tail. Devein and wash well under running water. Drain on paper towel.

Melt butter in a 13x9x2 sprayed baking dish. After butter melts, add salt, garlic and 1 T. of parsley and mix well. Put shrimp in a single layer in baking dish. Bake 5 minutes uncovered. Turn shrimp and sprinkle with lemon juice, zest and parsley.

Bake 8 minutes until just done. Garnish with remaining lemon wedges. Serves 6.

Note: if using smaller shrimp, reduce cooking time by at least 3-4 minutes. Shrimp will be tough if over cooked.

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Creamy Coleslaw

Now that summer cooking and grilling out are finally here, I'm gearing up for our Memorial Day bash. I've been trying out some new recipes on the crew, and there are future updates on that. But while looking through my assortment of ideas, I came across this one I've used in years past. Simple is sometimes very good. This is an easy do ahead dish when you need an quick side.

Creamy Coleslaw
4 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayo or salad dressing
1 T. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. celery seed

In large bowl mix cabbage, carrots and onion. In separate smaller bowl combine remaining ingredients for dressing. Toss with cabbage and chill well. Serves 8.

Note - Substituting Ranch dressing for the mayo adds a nice flavor. Pre-made slaw mix can be used instead of cabbage and carrots to make it easy. I often for look for produce mark downs when I make this dish.

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Buffalo Chicken Dip

One of our favorite flavors is  . . . Buffalo, whether it be Buffalo Wings, Buffalo Chicken pizza and now I found a chicken dip that's nice and tasty, too. A friend from work gave me a chicken dip recipe weeks ago and I finally got around to trying it. I couldn't quite follow the directions so I'll share my version of this dish. It's got a nice little kick to it, but is not too overwhelming. My son thought it was really good with Chili-Cheese Fritoes. It's a quick and easy dish that you can make up ahead of time and heat right before serving. It also makes quite a bit for so few ingredients.

Buffalo Chicken Dip
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce
1 cup Ranch salad dressing
3 cans (4.5 oz. ea.) chunk white chicken, drained and shredded
1 cup (4 oz. or 1/2 pkg.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
corn or tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350. In small bowl, with electric hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add hot sauce and salad dressing. Mix on low speed until well blended and smooth. In another small bowl, empty cans of chicken and with a fork, shred or separate chicken until lumps are gone. Stir chicken into cream cheese and hot sauce mixture until well blended. Spread dip into 8x8x2 greased or spray coated baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until heated through. Makes 5 cups.

Note: The recipe I based this on called for a 11x7x2 baking dish but the dip came out very thin. I think the smaller dish would be better.

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Cherry Cheesecake Pie

Photo Courtesy Taste of Home

What could be better than combining a cherry pie and cheesecake? I think adding sour cream to the cheesecake takes it over the top. I found this recipe back in college in a recipe card collection. I've made it a few times over the years and have changed it up on occasion - different flavors and berries. This bakes like a cherry pie, but is dressed up like a cheesecake. The sour cream gives it a little tartness that balances with the sweetness of the cherries. It's a fairly simple dessert without a lot of ingredients.

Cherry Cheesecake Pie
9-inch baked pie shell
1 can (1lb, 5 oz.) cherry pie filling
4 pkg. (3 oz.) softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1/4 tsp. almond extract)
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 425. Spoon half of cherry pie filling into pie shell and bake 15 minutes until crust is golden. Remove from oven and reduce oven to 350.
In small bowl, using hand mixer, combine cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla (or almond). Beat until smooth.
Pour over hot cherry filling and bake 25 minutes more. (Center will be soft.) Cool completely.
Just before serving, spoon sour cream around edge of pie and fill center with remaining cherry filling. Serves 8.

(Note -  blueberry or strawberry pie filling can be substituted.)

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Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Image by RosieTulips via Flickr

Who can turn down a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies? Not me and certainly not my food friend and coworker Maggie. She gave us this recipe, a favorite of hers, so I passing it along. It has one or two bags for chips - that's chocolate in every bite.

 Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
 Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup sugar 
1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar 
1-1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tsp. vanilla 
3 eggs 
4 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt 
1 to 2 bags of semisweet chocolate chips

 Preparation:
Heat oven to 375º. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs until well blended. Beat in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. On ungreased cookie sheets drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.  Makes 6 dozen cookies.

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Orange Rum Glazed Ham

Photo Courtesy Taste of Home

One year at Christmas I was trying to use what I had in stock and came up with the best ham I ever made. A friend from work had left a bottle of dark rum at the house from a party and another friend had given us a fruit basket for the holidays. I searched through my oldest recipe book and it covered many types of glazes for ham, so I combined a couple of their ideas. It turned out great. It was very moist with just a hint of orange. Of course, I didn't write down how I made it and have been trying to recreate it ever since. This is as close as I've come. (Note - don't use a shank ham, it's not the right cut for this dish. If you're making ham and beans, yes, but for carving for a holiday dinner, no way.)

Orange Rum Glazed Ham
1 6-7 lb. bone in cooked ham
1 cup dark rum, divided into two 1/2 cups
1/2 cup brown sugar, divided into two 1/4 cups
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ginger divided into two 1/2 tsp.
1 T. spicy mustard
1 medium to large orange (use one half for zest and juice, other half for slices.)

Preheat oven to 350. Trim fat on ham to 1/4 inch. Put ham fat side up on foil lined baking pan and score diagonally to make a diamond pattern. (As ham cooks it will spread so this doesn't need to be very deep.) Pour 1/2 cup rum in bottom of pan around ham. Mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. ginger and 1 tsp. dry mustard and pat on scored part of ham. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Glaze - In a small saucepan mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1 T. spicy mustard, 2 tsp. orange zest, juice from 1/2 orange, and 1/2 cup rum. Over medium heat simmer glaze for 5 minutes, stirring often to dissolve sugar and mix ingredients well. After it's warmed and well blended turn off and let set to use as needed.

Remove ham after 30 minutes and brush on half of glaze, recover and return to oven for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add remaining glaze and return to oven uncovered for 30 minutes. For last 30 minutes of baking, arrange 4-6 slices of orange on top of ham (secure with toothpicks if needed) and baste with liquid in pan for the last 30 minutes. Let set for at least a half an hour before slicing. Total cooking time 2 hours. Serves 8.

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Ham and Broccoli Alfredo Fettuccine

Photo Courtesy Taste of Home

    Ham is one of the most versatile leftover meats. That's why I never mind having ham for holiday meals. I can do all kinds of things with it after the big dinner. This year we used it in some Cajun Red Beans and rice, an omelet or two and now in a one skillet dish combining ham with broccoli and covering it all in an Alfredo sauce.

Ham and Broccoli Alfredo Fettuccine
2 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 cup minced onion
sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes (not more than 1/8 tsp.)
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 tsp. white pepper (black if you don't have white)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped cooked ham
1 can Alfredo sauce
Parmesan cheese for topping
1/2-3/4 lb. fettuccine or your favorite pasta of choice

Preparation -
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt. Cook over medium heat about 4 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 more minutes. 

Add ham chunks to oil and cook over medium heat for just a few minutes to heat ham and blend flavors.  Mix in broccoli and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Add can of Alfredo sauce and mix well to coat. Simmer covered 20 minutes or so. (If sauce is too thin for you, leave uncovered while simmering).

Bring large pot of water to boil for pasta. When at a full boil, stir in pasta and sprinkle of salt and cook 7-9 minutes depending on pasta (angle hair only takes about 5 minutes.) Stir every so often to prevent pasta sticking together. Drain when done.

Spoon layer of sauce on top of pasta and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4-5.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

Image via Wikipedia

 One of my childhood favorites was peanut butter cookies. So it wasn't a hardship to find a way to make them for my kids. Peanut butter tends to be one of those things that you just keep in stock and so are the other ingredients in this recipe. Sometimes simple is just fine - and warm out of the oven is even better.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup crunchy peanut butter

In small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in peanut butter until well blended. Slowly stir in dry ingredients about a third at a time until dough forms. Chill 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 and grease or spray cookie sheets.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls and flatten with floured fork, make a quarter turn and flatten again (criss-cross). Bake 10-12 minutes just until golden. Transfer to cool. Makes 6 dozen.
(Note - dough freezes well if you want to make ahead and split the kitchen time.)

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Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Photo Courtesy Taste of Homes

The Princeton Moose recently had a smoked pork chop dinner that went over really well. One of the sides that night was an easy recipe for Cheesy Bacon Potatoes. With those three ingredients together how can you go wrong? Everyone at the dinner that night agreed - there were hardly any left. It was a perfect compliment to smoked pork.

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes
5 lb. potatoes sliced or diced boiled to half done
1 medium onion diced
1 lb. bacon diced
3 lb. Velveeta cheese block cut up
1 cup milk (you can add a little more if it seems to thick)
1 small jar pimentos diced (optional)
salt and pepper

Fry bacon until almost done and add the onion. Cook just until onion is tender. In a large microwave safe bowl combine cheese, bacon, onion, diced pimentos (optional) and milk. Microwave till cheese is melted stirring often. Place potatoes in 9x13 spray coated pan and pour cheese mixture over the potatoes. Bake until it bubbles and is lightly browned at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.
(Note - This can be made ahead and baked when you need it.)

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