Jul5

Introducing…..Just Gen!

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Introducing…..Just Gen!

Meet the aspiring cook of my neighborhood…..Gen! She and her sister, Gabby, have perfected their video and TikTok skills over the last few months, and her latest creation is a copycat Chick-Fil-A Milkshake. Not sure about you, but anything ice cream/cold, etc., during these super hot days is welcomed! Oh yeah, and the standard ingredient will be sprinkles – not a bad idea. I invite you to check out her You Tube channel here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcXmPF1jzCE . You can also check out her grilled peaches which I made with Gen and Gabby a few years ago. My original post and recipe is here but Gen’s recipe on her YouTube channel is better! Stay cool!
~Connie Kaye

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Jan12

Pig Candy

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Pig Candy

Those two little words got your attention, didn’t they?? Well if they didn’t, try BACON candy!

I met Danielle (Diva Q) at the American Royal BBQ Contest last fall, and even sort of broke my way into the Traeger tent to get a pic snapped with her. (Pinned here: https://twitter.com/ConnieBeene1) I promptly put this recipe book on my Christmas list:

I made a couple of edits to the original recipe, cuz that’s what I always do, and I’m sharing it below. We made more today to share at work, but in actuality, not sure it’ll make it that far. Words of caution….super easy to burn it on the smoker (or grill), so keep it low and check it often. Diva’s original recipe says to use chipotle powder, but take it easy, because it’s POTENT! We used this on the batch today, and it came out delish also :

A delicious option from the Kosmos family of BBQ goodies

Mix it up a bit with your favorite spices — after all, it’s BACON!! Thanks for stopping by, and for more deliciousness delivered to your Inbox, click the Follow button! Enjoy!
~Connie Kaye

Pig Candy

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 lb thin sliced bacon
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1.5 cups brown sugar
1 tbsp chipotle powder (or to taste), or your choice of BBQ seasonings

Directions

Place the bacon slices in a single layer on a large disposable, perforated aluminum pan. Brush each bacon slice with maple syrup. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar, then chipotle powder or your favorite BBQ rub/spice.

Place the pan on the grill (approx 350 degrees) and grill until the bacon has absorbed the brown sugar and is crispy, about 1 hour. Remove the bacon from the pan and place in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside at room temperature until the surface of the bacon is dry, or close to it. If you have any left at this point (doubtful), refrigerate in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers and use within 1 week.

Dec29

A random recommendation and a good appetizer option for your NYE celebration

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I’m going to say that one of my best finds of 2019 was this:

If you are rolling your eyes, I’m ignoring you 🙂 I had never used it, as a doubter, and crossed my fingers and tried it on a bundt cake — probably the best test. The result: the mess that you have to endure otherwise with greasing the pan (not the mess), and then dusting with flour (still not the mess) and then shaking excess out of the pan (THE REAL MESS) has a solution…buy this stuff. Seriously. I gave my daughter this in her stocking (which is actually a bucket as you can never have enough buckets on the ranch – all the kids got them). If you like to bake, give yourself a gift and score this at your local grocery store.

We are joining some friends for a holiday dinner tomorrow night, and made these today to take for an appetizer. Warning: they contain blue cheese, but combined with the sweetness of the dates, and BACON, they are amazing, and super easy. We took them to another family gathering recently and I noticed that someone had taken a bite and was closely studying it. I thought I would bail him out, so said “they have blue cheese, you can just toss it if you don’t like it”. He replied that he loved them, and was trying to figure out what it was! I gave him a few tips to make them, so hopefully he’ll venture that way. They are time intensive, but so worth it!

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year – we are celebrating it with a ball drop in the Little Apple, a.k.a. Manhattan, Kansas! Thank you so much for stopping by my site– be safe, have fun, and most of all, BE KIND!! Here’s to a great 2020!!!

~Connie Kaye

Sep15

Football snacks!

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Anybody else glad it’s football 🏈 season besides me? My fantasy team isn’t going to win me millions but sure am glad to have #KSU back (and seriously kicking it, BTW) and the CHIEFS!!

I grabbed some more hatch chiles so roasted them this morning before the 90 degree weather showed up.

Put ’em on the grill until they’re really charred and then place in ziploc bag, seal it for about 30 minutes and the steam will help the skins come off. Remove skin and seeds, and they freeze well. They are sweet and great in tortilla rollups and a quick internet search will reveal many good recipe ideas!

I also smoked a piece of salmon with just these two spices:

Apologies for no pic, it came off the smoker and then with cream cheese on Ritz crackers for lunch. It was amaze sauce and so easy peasy. I will do that again soon! Also marinated a flank steak and smoked it. Sooo many things you can do with it – eat as is, fajitas, steak quesadillas, and we even got a call at a KCBS contest this year with steak and shrimp tacos in the Cooks Choice category.

Speaking of KCBS, got to meet this star yesterday at the American Royal BBQ – Diva Q is the bomb!!

Hope everyone has a fantastic Sunday and week!

~Connie Kaye

Oct20

Horseradish pickles anyone???

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ok, don’t run away immediately.  I gotta admit, these aren’t my complete faves, but the hubs likes them, and they’re similar to a deli here in town, famous for their pickles and chili.

I personally like my Sweet and Spicy Pickles  but he brewed these up today so I thought I’d share.  At our recent fall party, they were gone, like wildfire!  Super easy to make and you can adjust the horseradish to your liking.

Enjoy this beautiful fall weather, and those Kansas City Chiefs, who are on fire also!!!!

~Connie Kaye

Horseradish Pickles

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Ingredients:

46 oz. jar whole dill pickles
1 C. Sugar
2/3 C. white vinegar
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. horseradish

Drain juice from pickles and slice to your liking.  Bring sugar, vinegar and water to boil, let cool.  Place pickles back in jar, and add horseradish and cooled mixture.  Shake the livin’ tar out of it, repeatedly.  Refrigerate, flipping jar occasionally to continue mixing ingredients.

Aug27

Easy Pork Carnitas

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Easy Pork Carnitas

I made these recently for a Taco Tuesday party, and cannot tell you how delish, and easy they are.  I have not really experimented with carnitas, but will definitely do it again.  And, super affordable!  I found this recipe on the Food Network,  thanks to Melissa D’Arabian and then did a little “Connie editing” as I always do.

I encourage you to yank out that slow cooker, cuz it’s certainly too hot in Kansas for anything other than the grill.  Give this a whirl, and leave comments below if you create your own version of happiness.  Oh yeah, and don’t forget that you can get these ideas, ramblings and recipes delivered to YOUR inbox!

~Connie Kaye

Pork Carnitas

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Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped
  • 1 orange, cut in half.  Squeeze juice and place on meat
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side.

Aug22

Poor Mans Burnt Ends

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Poor Mans Burnt Ends
Burnt ends are amazing!  They’re normally made from the point of a beef brisket, smoked low-and-slow for hours and hours. However, you can get that tender juicy delicious beef bite using a much cheaper cut of meat, a chuck roast.   You follow the same cooking rules — smoke for a LONG time, cut up, add sauce and back on the smoker ending with a delicious meal!
We thought we would give this a whirl with about a 3 lb. chuck roast on a pellet smoker around 225 degrees.  A few steps are found below, but remember, you basically cannot overcook.   More smoke, more time, tender meat.
Please leave comments below as to how you tweaked it, and how it worked for you.  I know you’ll enjoy.
~Connie Kaye

Poor Mans Burnt Ends

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Ingredients:
  1. Rub your meat liberally and place on smoker.
  2. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 185 F.
  3. Remove the roast and wrap in foil. Let rest for about 30  minutes.
  4. Remove from foil and transfer to cutting board.
  5. Cut into cubes and place into a disposable aluminum pan.
  6. Lightly (very lightly!) drizzle the meat with the BBQ sauce. You just want the flavor from the sauce. Toss gently to coat.
  7. Sprinkle with more of the rub and return to the smoker for 1 1/2  to 2 hours.

Aug20

Steak tacos….using pita or naan bread

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Steak tacos….using pita or naan bread

Skirt or flat iron steak are cuts that are many times ignored as tough, chewy, etc.  However, if you marinate and slice correctly, they are both delicious!

A friend of mine has told me how great naan bread is, and with a little searching, I found it in the deli section at one of our larger local grocers.   Also, this recipe uses watercress — I have absolutely no clue what this is, so I grabbed some fresh spinach off of the salad bar.

Gotta tell you, we will make these again.  Easy and delish, and I encourage you to try this meal that won’t break your bank!

Enjoy!

~Connie Kaye

Grilled Skirt Steak Tacos

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Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
  • 1 onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1 pound skirt steak
  • 4 pocketless pitas or naan bread
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • watercress or fresh spinach

Preheat a grill to medium high. Make the marinade: Whisk the olive oil, garlic, mint (if using), oregano, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the marinade to a small bowl or plastic bag; mix in the yogurt and 2 tablespoons water. Add the bell pepper and onion to the bowl with the remaining marinade and toss; remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the steak and toss.

Grill the bell pepper, onion and steak, turning once, until lightly charred.  Set steak aside to rest, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, grill the pitas or naan until marked, about 1 minute per side.

Slice the steak against the grain. Fill the pitas with the steak, grilled vegetables, tomato and watercress/spinach. Drizzle with the yogurt sauce.