Summer BBQ Make Ahead Sides

With Summer BBQ season underway I thought it would be fun to share with you a couple of my favorite side dishes to bring as my covered dish to BBQ's I am invited to.  They both can be made a day ahead and will feed a crowd!  The first in the line-up is:

Pecan Praline Bark

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 1/2 Stick Salted Sweet Cream Butter

1 1/2 Cups Pecan Halves

1 Tsp Vanilla

1/4 Tsp Baking Soda

2 Sleeves of Graham Crackers

Lay Graham Crackers in a lightly greased 17 X 12 Pan

Bring sugar, butter and pecans to a boil and boil for 5 minutes

Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla.  Stir quickly and spread evenly over graham crackers

Bake at 325 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool completely and break into chunks

This rich and buttery delightful treat will have everyone begging for the recipe!  The hardest part is spreading the mixture over the graham crackers.  Just remember - it doesn't have to be perfect.  Just spread it as best you can and pop it in the over.  Store it in an airtight container and it will keep well for days.

Next dish in the line up is:

Greek Pasta Salad

1 lb. Vermicelli Pasta

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

2 Tbs Lemon Juice

2 Tbs Texjoy Steak Seasoning (Yes Steak Seasoning!)

2 Small Cans Sliced Olives

1 Large Jar Pimentos (which is only 4 or 5 oz)

1/2 Jar of Mayonnaise (about 15 oz or 2 cups)

Break pasta into small pieces before boiling and cook according to package directions

Drain and rinse well with cold water until pasta is completely cool.  Mix together the Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Steak Seasoning and add to cooked pasta and stir well

Next, add olives and pimento and give a quick stir before adding mayo

Add mayo and stir thoroughly.  Mixture will look quite creamy but will loose that appearance after it marinates in the fridge overnight

The key to this pasta salad's success is the Steak seasoning and the marinating time.  The salad will not taste the same fresh mixed as it does after marinating.  I know the steak seasoning seems like an odd addition but it is what gives this salad that unique flavor that will have your guest wondering what that special flavor is that they just can't put their finger on.  And I have tried a lot of other seasoning blends but nothing is as delicious as the Texjoy brand in this dish.  Leave me a comment below and let me know how you liked these dishes and thanks so much for joining me!

Video presentation of these recipes:  http://youtu.be/AJ0Q7eHVJKQ

My Boys Favorite Chili

This is one of my husband and son's favorite things I cook.  If I tell them I'm cooking chili for dinner they will cancel or change whatever plans they have to be home for dinner.  A woman couldn't ask for more!  What mom and wife doesn't love feeding her family well and knowing that they really and truly appreciate it?  As usual, this recipe is fairly simple.  I've learned over the years how to make tasty meals in an hour or less with readily available ingredients.  As any working mom knows, it's not always easy to get in from work and put together a quick and savory meal in a timely fashion.  So I do my best to bring you dishes that will please your family and get you in and out of the kitchen quickly. 

This recipe incorporates on of my favorite chili seasoning mixes and lots of canned ingredients that give the chili a simmered for hours kind of flavor.  It's also something that could be thrown in the crock pot and kept warm if you are having a football party or other gathering where people will be arriving and eating at different times. Here's a picture of the chili mix I use:

Wick Fowler 2 Alarm Chili Mix

It comes with all of these pre-measured seasoning packets.

Recipe:

2 lbs. Ground Beef

1 large onion chopped - reserve about 1/4 of it for garnish

28 oz can of Diced Tomatoes

29 oz can Tomato Sauce

1 15 oz can Chili Beans (I used Bush's brand this time but sometimes I use Ranch Style brand)

1 package of  Wick Fowler 2 Alarm Chili Mix

Garnishes:

Grated Cheese

Onions

Corn Chips

Sour Cream

Whatever you like on your chili!!

Directions:

Brown beef and onions together until meat is cooked and onions are wilted.  Drain off any excess liquid and fat.  Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve with your favorite garnishes.  This will serve between 8 and 12 people, just depends on how hungry everyone is! 

Pretty simple and quick!!!  Now for the best part, the pictures!

Chili simmering

Garnishes

The finished product!

Deliciousness in a bowl!!

This recipe would also be very easy to convert to a vegiterian version.  Just substitute the meat for more beans and throw in some squash and zucchini and voila, a veggie lovers dream!





Shrimp and Egg Stew

Eggs are used in many cultures as an affordable and accessible source of protein and are often incorporated in stews and other dishes to make them more hearty.  When using eggs in a stew you can get by with less meat making the dish more economical yet still filling.  Shrimp and egg stew is one of my family's favorite dishes.  The use of eggs in the dish allows me to use less shrimp (which is quite expensive) and still have an appetite pleasing dish.  The eggs are wonderful because they will absorb the flavor of what they are cooked with.  I've had friends tell me that they've added various ingredients to this basic recipe, such as chicken, potatoes and diced canned tomatoes.  The point is, have fun and experiment! This recipe will make a large stew but can easily be divided in half to accommodate less people.  Forgive me for the measurements as I usually eyeball the ingredients until they taste right.  You may use more or less according your taste buds.

Recipe:

Approximately 3 quarts of water
1 jar (16oz) of Roux (dark browned flour)
1/4 to 1/2 cup of Granulated Bouillon, Chicken Flavored
3 lbs. peeled shrimp
12 Hard Boiled Eggs Peeled
Salt and Pepper to taste

Fill 6-Quart Pot 1/2 full with water and add about 1 tablespoon of salt and chicken bouillon.  I add approximately 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.  Bring to boil and add roux.  Allow to continue boiling until roux is completely incorporated in water.  Add shrimp and eggs and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Serve over cooked rice.  This recipe fed eight hungry people at my home.