Bull’s Eye Beer Cocktail
Man, has it been hot here in Michigan!?! Sheesh, with what equates to tropical humidity and almost 100-degree temps I’ve been spending a lot of time hiding out in the air conditioning. While it’s been nice I have to admit that it’s not conducive to a nice tan and getting much personal use out of our pool. So what better way to enjoy the refreshing pool than make a cocktail to float in the pool with? A Bull’s Eye beer cocktail to be exact.
Since I blog mainly about beer and food pairings, but I’ve been dreaming about fruity strawberry daiquiris or margaritas, I decided the best of both worlds would be to start playing with some beer cocktails! Now, I do not prefer an overly fruity drink or what my brother-in-law calls ‘purse drinks’ but something light is right up my alley. After doing some research I came across this article in Marie Claire, 15 Super Simple Beer Cocktails to Cool You Down this Summer. All of them looked great but I was intrigued by the ‘Bull’s Eye’. While the article states this is a Cuban drink I felt since it’s made with light beer and ginger ale it was waiting for a Michigan twist.
So to the store I headed to pick up Michigan’s own Vernor’s Ginger Ale. Then I picked up some Local’s Light Ale from Short’s Brewing. I have a deep fondness for Short’s Brewing. They have such unique and delicious brews that they make pairing them with food so much fun! A few of my favorites are:
- Toad in a Hole with Soft Parade
- Beef Tips & Gravy with The Double Magician
- Fried Jalapeno Burger with Michigantuan
- Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Bellaire Brown
Enough of the reminiscing and let’s get on to the recipe. This is will make 2 drinks. I made them right in the glass. I’m sure if you were serving a crowd you could easily double and make right in a pitcher. You might even avoid the overflow that you see below!
To a glass add 1/2 of the beer. Then add 1/2 Tbs sugar and half the amount of the lime juice, about 2-1/2 Tbs. This is where the bubble up will happen so let the fizz settle then using a spoon stir the ingredients together. Top off with half a cup of ginger ale then fill to the brim with ice. Add more ginger ale as needed to fill the glass. Give it one last stir and top with limes for garnish and straw. This beer cocktail is both refreshing and light, perfect for a hot day. And here you are….cheers!
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 0 minutes |
| Servings |
drinks
|
- 1 12-ounce light beer I used Short's Brewing Local's Light
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 1 cup ginger ale
- 1 Tbs white sugar
- ice
- lime slices for garnish
Ingredients
|
|
- To a glass add 1/2 of the beer. Then add 1/2 Tbs sugar and half the amount of the lime juice, about 2-1/2 Tbs.
- Let the fizz settle then using a spoon stir the ingredients together.
- Top off with half a cup of ginger ale then fill to the brim with ice. Add more ginger ale as needed to fill the glass.
- Give it one last stir and top with limes for garnish and straw. Cheers!
Duck Breast Wrapped In Bacon #CookoutWeek
For my last #CookoutWeek recipe I made something that I’ve never cooked at home before, duck. I was so excited to receive from one of our sponsors, Maple Leaf Farms, a whole bunch of duck goodies. Duck breasts, duck bacon, and half roasted ducks. So it was time to get creative and I think I created a winner for sure in this duck breast wrapped in duck bacon.
While I’ve had duck many times at restaurants and really enjoy it for me it’s like fish entrees, I prefer to eat them out instead of worry about how to make them at home. But I am up for a challenge and what better place to take a shot than Cookout Week?!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy. I received Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breasts,
Duck Bacon and roasted half ducks complimentary but all opinions stated in this post are my own.
For more information about visit Maple Leaf Farms site or Instagram.
For this recipe, I decided to keep it simple. As simple as it gets to WRAPPING IT IN BACON! Make sure that the duck breasts are unthawed. Pat each one dry then place on a rack. Open 1 package of bacon then wrap at least 3 pieces on each breast. You won’t use the whole package so what I did was add the bacon to the sheet that I baked these on and my family enjoyed them as an addition to the breasts. The duck bacon was amazing! The boys raved and raved about it.
I ended up baking the breasts in the oven since Michigan weather has been kind of a pain (rain, rain, and more rain). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and they should be done in around 1 hour. Next time I plan on cooking these on the grill! But I was very happy with how these turned out without going to grill route and it gives me a way to make these all year round.
One of my favorite combinations of flavors is chicken blackberries. Since duck has a similar flavor profile I thought a sweet sauce would be great with this. And then it’s summer so why not heat things up a little with chili powder? Yes! It’s so simple. Remove the pit from the apricots and chop. Add the preserves, salt, red pepper and chili powder. Done!
Check the final temperature to make sure the duck is cooked all the way through. It should be at an internal temp of 165 degrees. And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Don’t forget to enter the #CookoutWeek giveaway! This prize pack has an ARV of over $750! You have until June 30th at 11:59 PM to enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
To enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
Check out all these delicious recipes from all the participants of #CookoutWeek!
Follow the other bloggers as well to get great ideas for your next cookout. Here are all the bloggers who are part of #CookoutWeek 2018:
The PinterTest Kitchen ♥ 2 Cookin Mamas ♥ A Day in the Life on the Farm ♥ A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures ♥ April GoLightly ♥ Authentically Candace ♥ Blogghetti ♥ Body Rebooted ♥ Bottom Left of the Mitten ♥ Cheese Curd In Paradise ♥ Chef Sarah Elizabeth ♥ Coconut & Lime ♥ Cookaholic Wife ♥ CookwithRenu ♥ Daily Dish Recipes ♥ Everyday Eileen ♥ Fairyburger ♥ Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice ♥ Family Around the Table ♥ Fix Me a Little Lunch ♥ For the Love of Food ♥ Frankly Entertaining ♥ Frugal & Fit ♥ Get the Good Stuff! ♥ Hardly A Goddess ♥ Herbivore Cucina ♥ Join Us, Pull up a Chair ♥ Jolene’s Recipe Journal ♥ Jonesin’ For Taste ♥ Karen’s Kitchen Stories ♥ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets & Treats ♥ Mildly Meandering ♥ Moore or Less Cooking ♥ Our Good Life ♥ Oven Tales By Syama ♥ Palatable Pastime ♥ Sarah Cooks the Books ♥ Savory Moments ♥ Seduction In The Kitchen ♥ Strawberry Blondie Kitchen ♥ Sweet Coralice ♥ Tampa Cake Girl ♥ Technotini ♥ That Recipe ♥ The Baking Fairy ♥ The Beard and The Baker ♥ The Freshman Cook ♥ The Simple Supper ♥ The Spiffy Cookie ♥ The Weekday Gourmet ♥ This is How I Cook ♥ Who Needs A Cape? ♥ Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 2 7.5 ounce boneless duck breasts
- 12 ounces duck bacon
- 1/2 cup aprictot preserves
- 2 apricots chopped and pitted
- 2 Tbs water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
Ingredients
|
|
- Make sure that the duck breasts are unthawed. Pat each one dry then place on a rack.
- Open 1 package of bacon then wrap atleast 3 pieces on each breast. You won't use the whole package so what I did was add the bacon to the sheet that I baked these.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and they should be done in around 1 hour.
- Remove the pit from the apricots and chop. Add the preserves, salt, red pepper and chili powder.
- Check the final temperature to make sure the duck is cooked all the way through. It should be at internal temp of 165 degrees. Top with the apricots and enjoy!
Margarita Pie #CookoutWeek
I really don’t think that #CookoutWeek can pass without having an easy, no-bake dessert that everyone will love! My Mother-In-Law’s Margarita Pie is a creamy, citrus no-bake pie with a pretzel crust that’s the perfect summer treat.
I have previously updated the recipe for this pie and made a Cherry Limeade Pretzel Pie for National Pretzel Day. The change was great but for today I thought I would just make the classic Margarita Pie recipe that I’ve been enjoying for years now.
This Margarita Pie also gives off some serious summertime vibes. Full of creamy filling mixed with lime and orange juice it’s the perfect compliment to the salty pretzel crust. No turning on the oven when it’s 100 degrees but you NEED to get a dessert made for that cookout your heading to. Now on to the recipe because Summer is short!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy. I received Barlean’s Butter Flavored Coconut Oil complimentary but all opinions stated in this post are my own.
For more information about Barlean’s visit their About page.
For the crust, it’s as simple as crushing the pretzels. You can use a food processor or a good old Ziploc bag and a rolling pin. Melt the Barlean’s Butter Flavored Coconut Oil, which made a fabulous swap for regular butter in this recipe, then either add it to the bag or slowly pour into the food processor while pulsing to combine and get the pretzels nice and fine. Add the sugar to the mix then press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate.
In a seperate bowl add the whipped cream, lime juice, orange juice then the sweetened condensed milk. Fold the ingredients together from the bottom up. Keep stirring until all the ingredients are well combined. Add the filling to the pretzel crust. Put into the refrigerator to set for at least 1 hour. Slice into 8 pieces and here you are……
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Don’t forget to enter the #CookoutWeek giveaway! This prize pack has an ARV of over $750! You have until June 30th at 11:59 PM to enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
To enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
Check out all these delicious recipes from all the participants of #CookoutWeek!
Follow the other bloggers as well to get great ideas for your next cookout. Here are all the bloggers who are part of #CookoutWeek 2018:
The PinterTest Kitchen ♥ 2 Cookin Mamas ♥ A Day in the Life on the Farm ♥ A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures ♥ April GoLightly ♥ Authentically Candace ♥ Blogghetti ♥ Body Rebooted ♥ Bottom Left of the Mitten ♥ Cheese Curd In Paradise ♥ Chef Sarah Elizabeth ♥ Coconut & Lime ♥ Cookaholic Wife ♥ CookwithRenu ♥ Daily Dish Recipes ♥ Everyday Eileen ♥ Fairyburger ♥ Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice ♥ Family Around the Table ♥ Fix Me a Little Lunch ♥ For the Love of Food ♥ Frankly Entertaining ♥ Frugal & Fit ♥ Get the Good Stuff! ♥ Hardly A Goddess ♥ Herbivore Cucina ♥ Join Us, Pull up a Chair ♥ Jolene’s Recipe Journal ♥ Jonesin’ For Taste ♥ Karen’s Kitchen Stories ♥ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets & Treats ♥ Mildly Meandering ♥ Moore or Less Cooking ♥ Our Good Life ♥ Oven Tales By Syama ♥ Palatable Pastime ♥ Sarah Cooks the Books ♥ Savory Moments ♥ Seduction In The Kitchen ♥ Strawberry Blondie Kitchen ♥ Sweet Coralice ♥ Tampa Cake Girl ♥ Technotini ♥ That Recipe ♥ The Baking Fairy ♥ The Beard and The Baker ♥ The Freshman Cook ♥ The Simple Supper ♥ The Spiffy Cookie ♥ The Weekday Gourmet ♥ This is How I Cook ♥ Who Needs A Cape? ♥ Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 0 minutes |
| Servings |
pieces
|
- 1-1/2 cups pretzels, crushed
- 3 Tbs Barlean's Butter Flavored Coconut Oil melted
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1/4 cup lime
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice I use the type WITH pulp
- 8 ounces whipped cream thawed
Ingredients
|
|
- Crush the pretzels using a food processor or a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin.
- Melt the coconut oil then either add it to the bag or slowly pour into the food processor while pulsing to combine and get the pretzels nice and fine.
- Add the sugar to the mix then press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate.
- In a seperate bowl add the whipped cream, lime juice, orange juice then the sweetened condensed milk. Fold the ingredients together from the bottom up. Keep stirring until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Add the filling to the pretzel crust.
- Put into the refrigerator to set for at least 1 hour. Slice into 8 pieces. Enjoy!
BBQ Baked Potatoes #CookoutWeek
I’m so excited to be participating in another #CookoutWeek! Time sure goes by fast when it feels like we just got done with Choctoberfest. Here we are though heading straight into summer and that means grilling out! Give these BBQ baked potatoes a try. Loaded with a beef and beans then topped with cheese and green onions this potato makes a wonderful summer meal.
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy. I received Chef Shamy complimentary but all opinions stated in this post are my own. For more information about Chef Shamy visit their About page. You can purchase Chef Shamy here and save 10% with the discount code 10BUTTER10 through July 4th.
I feel like summer just started yet we are a week away from the 4th of July. Michigan is odd though because due to the law we do not start school until after Labor Day. Where we live in Michigan it’s very close to Indiana and they’ve already been out of school for what feels like weeks! I’m sure they feel the same when they go back to school close to the beginning of August and we’re still chilling through Labor Day though.
Well whenever your summer starts no matter where summer usually means cooking out. So let’s get to my first contribution to #CookoutWeek.
Chef Shamy sent me two tubs of what I am referring to now as ‘the good stuff’. From beginning to end Chef Shamy is what made these potatoes. The whole time we were eating them my 11-year-old kept saying, ‘The butter is what makes it.’ He is my best go to for honesty on recipes and he loved these BBQ baked potatoes. So let’s get to the recipe!
After looking into a few different variations of making BBQ baked potatoes on the grill it seemed like the only logical choice would be to season the tin foil that we are wrapping our potato in. So start by ripping off 6 large sheets of tin foil. Wash the potatoes then set them aside. In a microwaveable bowl melt the Chef Shamy Garlic butter. With a basting brush spread the butter on one side of each piece of tin foil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Poke each potato with a fork to make holes for steam to escape as they cook. Put the baked potato right in the center of the tin foil then fold at the top then the sides. It is now ready for the grill. Crank the heat on the grill to medium heat so these cook low and slow for 45 minutes-1 hour.
In the last 15 minutes of the potato cooking make the toppings. I decided on beef, beans and a slightly sweet BBQ sauce would be perfect! In a pan brown the beef, garlic and chopped onion until the meat is cooked all the way through. Drain off the extra fat from the pan. Now add the beef broth, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, molasses, chili powder and paprika. Stir to combine and heat through.
Take the potoatoes off the grill and let set for a few minutes. Open the foil carefully since steam will escape. Cut the potato in half. Fluff the potato then add some more Chef Shamy Garlic Butter. Top with the beef and beans. Sprinkle cheese and green onion. Return to the grill for 2-4 minutes to melt the cheese. And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Don’t forget to enter the #CookoutWeek giveaway! This prize pack has an ARV of over $750! You have until June 30th at 11:59 PM to enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
To enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out all these delicious recipes from all the participants of #CookoutWeek!
Follow the other bloggers as well to get great ideas for your next cookout. Here are all the bloggers who are part of #CookoutWeek 2018:
The PinterTest Kitchen ♥ 2 Cookin Mamas ♥ A Day in the Life on the Farm ♥ A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures ♥ April GoLightly ♥ Authentically Candace ♥ Blogghetti ♥ Body Rebooted ♥ Bottom Left of the Mitten ♥ Cheese Curd In Paradise ♥ Chef Sarah Elizabeth ♥ Coconut & Lime ♥ Cookaholic Wife ♥ CookwithRenu ♥ Daily Dish Recipes ♥ Everyday Eileen ♥ Fairyburger ♥ Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice ♥ Family Around the Table ♥ Fix Me a Little Lunch ♥ For the Love of Food ♥ Frankly Entertaining ♥ Frugal & Fit ♥ Get the Good Stuff! ♥ Hardly A Goddess ♥ Herbivore Cucina ♥ Join Us, Pull up a Chair ♥ Jolene’s Recipe Journal ♥ Jonesin’ For Taste ♥ Karen’s Kitchen Stories ♥ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets & Treats ♥ Mildly Meandering ♥ Moore or Less Cooking ♥ Our Good Life ♥ Oven Tales By Syama ♥ Palatable Pastime ♥ Sarah Cooks the Books ♥ Savory Moments ♥ Seduction In The Kitchen ♥ Strawberry Blondie Kitchen ♥ Sweet Coralice ♥ Tampa Cake Girl ♥ Technotini ♥ That Recipe ♥ The Baking Fairy ♥ The Beard and The Baker ♥ The Freshman Cook ♥ The Simple Supper ♥ The Spiffy Cookie ♥ The Weekday Gourmet ♥ This is How I Cook ♥ Who Needs A Cape? ♥ Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 55 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 6 large baking potatoes
- 1/4 cup Chef Shamy Garlic Butter melted
- 2 Tbs sea salt
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbs lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbs yellow mustard
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dark molasses
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp Spanish paprika
- 1/4 cup Chef Shamy Garlic Butter not melted for topping after potatoes have cooked
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
Ingredients
|
|
- Rip off 6 large sheets of tin foil. Wash the potatoes then set them aside.
- In a microwaveable bowl melt the Chef Shamy Garlic butter. With a basting brush spread the butter on one side of each piece of tin foil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Poke each potato with a fork to make holes for steam to escape as they cook. Put the baked potato right in the center of the tin foil then fold at the top then the sides.
- Crank the heat on the grill to medium heat sthen place these on the grill and cook low and slow for 45 minutes-1 hour.
- In the last 15 minutes of the potato cooking make the toppings. In a pan brown the beef, garlic and chopped onion until the meat is cooked all the way through. Drain off the extra fat from the pan.
- Add the beef broth, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, molasses, chili powder and paprika. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Take the potoatoes off the grill and let set for a few minutes. Open the foil carefully since steam will escape. Cut the potato in half.
- Fluff the potato then add some more Chef Shamy Garlic Butter. Top with the beef and beans. Sprinkle cheese and green onion. Return to the grill for 2-4 minutes to melt the cheese. Enjoy!
Cookout Week 2018 + Giveaway
#CookoutWeek 2018 is here! During the next week, I am joining over 50 of my blogger friends to celebrate summer by posting delicious cookout-themed recipes. If you love grilling, frozen treats, picnics, berries, s’mores, campfire meals, and other summer goodies… you are in the right place!
This week, we are also hosting a HUGE giveaway thanks to our generous #CookoutWeek sponsors. Enter below to win. Here’s what one lucky will will receive:
- Char-Broil Classic 280 2-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill from blog hosts The PinterTest Kitchen. This grill has 280 square inches of cooking space over porcelain-coated grates and two 12-inch side shelves for extra prep space.
- A Red KitchenAid Mixer and 5 Flavored Butters from our friends at Chef Shamy. Make the World a Butter Place® with Chef Shamy! The winner will receive Garlic Butter, Cinnamon Brown Sugar Honey Butter, Vanilla Bean Honey Butter, Strawberry Honey Butter, and French Onion Butter with Asiago Cheese to use in your favorite cookout recipes. And if you just can’t wait, use 10BUTTER10 starting today to get 10% off your Chef Shamy butter order on Amazon. These butters contain no oil, and the savory butters are perfect for keto recipes.
- A Duck Product Pack from our friends at Maple Leaf Farms consisting of 2 pkgs All Natural Boneless Duck Breasts (7.5 oz), 2 pkgs Fully Cooked Roast Half Ducks w/Orange Sauce (14 oz), 1 pkg Duck Bacon (12 oz), and 1 pkg All Natural Duck Legs (16 oz). Maple Leaf Farms is celebrating its 60th anniversary raising White Pekin ducks on local, family-owned farms.
- Butter-flavored Organic Coconut Oil from our friends at Barlean’s. This dairy free option offers all the healthy benefits of organic coconut oil, with the rich taste of butter. It’s great on toast, popcorn, baked potatoes, or cooked vegetables. You can also substitute it 1:1 for butter in baking, cooking, and frying, and of course it is perfect as a butter substitute for all your favorite cookout recipes.
- 24 Cartons of Vinegar Shots from our friends at Vermont Village. You’ll receive 12 cartons of turmeric flavor and 12 cartons of cranberry flavor. Each carton contains 12 individual, 1 fluid ounce vinegar shot pouches! This raw, organic apple cider vinegar has rich flavors from whole foods and is sweetened naturally with honey.
That’s a prize pack worth over $750!
To enter, follow our sponsors and bloggers on social media by entering your information below:
Here’s a full list of the bloggers participating in #CookoutWeek 2018! You can find yummy recipes by checking out any of the links below:
The PinterTest Kitchen ♥ 2 Cookin Mamas ♥ A Day in the Life on the Farm ♥ A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures ♥ April GoLightly ♥ Authentically Candace ♥ Blogghetti ♥ Body Rebooted ♥ Bottom Left of the Mitten ♥ Cheese Curd In Paradise ♥ Chef Sarah Elizabeth ♥ Coconut & Lime ♥ Cookaholic Wife ♥ CookwithRenu ♥ Daily Dish Recipes ♥ Everyday Eileen ♥ Fairyburger ♥ Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice ♥ Family Around the Table ♥ Fix Me a Little Lunch ♥ For the Love of Food ♥ Frankly Entertaining ♥ Frugal & Fit ♥ Get the Good Stuff! ♥ Hardly A Goddess ♥ Herbivore Cucina ♥ Join Us, Pull up a Chair ♥ Jolene’s Recipe Journal ♥ Jonesin’ For Taste ♥ Karen’s Kitchen Stories ♥ Kelly Lynn’s Sweets & Treats ♥ Mildly Meandering ♥ Moore or Less Cooking ♥ Our Good Life ♥ Oven Tales By Syama ♥ Palatable Pastime ♥ Sarah Cooks the Books ♥ Savory Moments ♥ Seduction In The Kitchen ♥ Strawberry Blondie Kitchen ♥ Sweet Coralice ♥ Tampa Cake Girl ♥ Technotini ♥ That Recipe ♥ The Baking Fairy ♥ The Beard and The Baker ♥ The Freshman Cook ♥ The Simple Supper ♥ The Spiffy Cookie ♥ The Weekday Gourmet ♥ This is How I Cook ♥ Who Needs A Cape? ♥ Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
Comment below with your favorite cookout recipe!
Dry Rub Chicken Wings
Kicking off Father’s Day weekend with Mitten Movie Night! I thought I would make my husband a special dish just for him, dry rub chicken wings. Coated with a sweet and smoky dry rub and baked to crispy perfection they are a great treat for Dad.
When I was thinking about what to make my husband this weekend I remembered some really great wings that we had in Florida. While there we stayed in a condo so we hit the local Costco (Fun Fact: I think my husbands goal in life is to visit every Costco in the United States) and grabbed some already made up dishes from the deli area. That is where we got the chicken wings and they were fabulous. We heated them up in the oven and paired with a giant salad. When we got home sadly our local Costco did not have them. So light bulb moment, I will make them!
Full disclosure I have never made wings before. If you read my post about Wing Sauce Sliders you would know why and how I just finally came around to buffalo sauce. I was willing to give it a try though you know since I kind of like the guy who has been a part of my life for the better part of 20 years. So off to the internet I went to check out how some of my favorite bloggers make chicken wing dry rub and since I don’t have a grill how to bake chicken wings.
For the rub I visited Bewitchin’ Kitchen and followed the recipe for Sweet n’ Smoky Rib Rub. It had all the spices I thought were in the rub I was basing these on. It turned out great and I didn’t need to go out and buy any fancy ingredients. I had all of them in my spice cabinet.
Next I headed over to The Chunky Chef’s site and followed the directions for baked chicken wings from her Epic Dry-Rubbed Chicken Wings recipe. To a large bowl, I added the wings then drizzled them with 2 Tbs oil. Spinkled them with 3/4 of the rub but saved some for after the chicken bakes to add some extra flavor. Then rubbed all the wings with that good flavor.
On a prepared cookie sheet I put down tinfoil and a baking rack. Layeded the wings out then put into a preheated 400 deree oven for 45 minutes. Be prepared because if you make these your house will smell downright amazing!
Once the chicken was done I decided to use a part of The Suburban Soapbox’s Grilled Old Bay Chicken Wings recipe. At the end of the recipe it called for melting 4 Tbs of butter. Add the spice that was left over to it then tossing the baked wings with it. So I did and believe it or not it made them smell EVEN BETTER!
These sweet and smoky dry rub chicken wings pair great with my hubbies favorite style of beer, IPA. Greenbush Brewing Starchicken Shotgun to be exact. Make a bowl of blue cheese dressing to dip them into. And here you are……..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Get The Recipe, Get The Goods
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 4 pounds chicken wings I used fresh but you could use frozen just follow package directions for thawing them
- 2 Tbs oil
- 1 Tbs Spanish paprika
- 1 Tbs brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp coarse kosher salt
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 4 Tbs butter, melted
Ingredients
|
|
- Mix together the paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, peppers, coarse kosher salt, dry mustard, chili powder, cayenne powder and cumin in a small bowl.
- To a large bowl, I added the wings then drizzled them with 2 Tbs oil. Sprinkled them with 3/4 of the rub but saved some for after the chicken bakes to add some extra flavor. Then rubbed all the wings with that good flavor.
- On a prepared cookie sheet I put down tinfoil and a baking rack. Lay the wings out then put into a preheated 400 deree oven for 45 minutes.
- When chicken is done melt 4 Tbs of butter and add the remining rub to it.
- Toss chicken in butter mixture. Serve with blue cheese dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Father’s Day Gift Guide
Looking for great Father’s Day Gifts that will Wow Dad this year?
Check out this Gift Guide that is full of fun and unique
gifts that every Dad will love.
Celebrate with 8’ is a weekly feature at Bottom Left of the Mitten – learn more here.
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Dad can start the day out thinking of the kiddos while drinking coffee from this ‘Yoda Best Dad’ Mug from DuneStudio.
This cute Train Track Shirt is a best seller for SOhandmade1 and you can see why, right?
Send a Cheers to Dad with this Fathers Day beer glass from CrazyLovely. Pick one of 4 different glasses that fits his personality best. This really is the perfect glass for a cold one.
Pampering isn’t just for Mom’s because Dad’s deserve to look their best too. This Beard Care Kit from FieryGizzardBeardCo will keep him looking as handsome as can be.
Is Dad a grilling machine? Does he spend most weekend out by the grill cooking up all kind of good food? Then get him this custom cutting board from from BlueRidgeBoards.
Add to Dad’s culinary arsenal with this 10 Piece BBQ Grilling Planks from KitschyChicSpicery. With spices named things like ‘Smokey & The Tomato Dip’ & Rockabilly Grilled Burger Spice there is something in here that he is sure to love.
Is your Father a frozen treat lover? This Dad The Ice Cream Killer Hand Stamped Spoon from LeBreux is a great gift that he can eat his ice cream with and be reminded of you at the same time.
If your Dad is the ultimate fire starter get him this Personalized Fire Pit Pokers from AmeHighCrafts. Take this bonfire to the next level!
Today is Dad’s Day so do as he says. Celebrate.
Need more More Father’s Day inspiration? Visit Etsy for items from simple to customized.
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Double Deluxe Tacos
Crispy and crunchy these Double Deluxe Tacos have everything that a taco lover is looking for. Double the taco goodness! A hard taco shell filled with spicy beef wrapped with a flour tortilla then spread with refried beans. Finish it off by sprinkling with cheese and bake. Top with crunchy lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. Don’t wait for taco Tuesday to enjoy these.
For the start of June I’m living for these fruity, lemon, citrus and bright beers. Nothing heavy just delicious and makes me think of sitting on a beach, getting a tan then taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon. Chicka Chicka Yeah from Odd Side Ales is the perfect beer for just that. Similar to my favorite beer, Dirty Blonde, but different enough to feel like it’s not a repeat.
Then for this Mitten Movie Night Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is back so we must binge!! Sadly this is the first half of the last season of this adorable show. If your a fan of The Office, Parks & Recreation or 30 Rock I think you will love this show too. Now on to the tacos!
Start by browning the pound of ground hamburger. Cook through until no longer pink, around 8-10 minutes. Then drain the grease from the pan. To the beef add the water, beef base, tomato bouillon, cumin and chili powder. Cook medium heat until the bouillon has dissolved and the sauce is reduced which just takes about 4 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and great an 8″x11″ pan the set up the assembly line. With a knife spread the refried beans over the flour tortilla shells. Place a hard shell in the center of the flour tortilla then add some the beef to the middle of that. Place the finished taco in the pan and repeat until all 6 of them are done. I found that 6 was the perfect amount for the beans and meat ratio.
What should I do with those extra taco shells then?
I always like to have tortillas on hand since my 4 yr old loves cheesy roll ups. Just add cheese and some chili powder then microwave for 20 seconds and lunch is served. With a side of fruit it’s perfect for busy days.
Once all the tacos are assembled top them off with cheese then put them into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Chop up some lettuce, tomatoes and any other toppings you like. Open up some sour cream. And here you are…..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Get The Recipe, Get The Goods
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Servings |
tacos
|
- 6 flour tortillas 8 inch size
- 6 hard taco shells
- 1 16 ounce can refried beans
- 1 pound ground hamburger (80/20 mix)
- 1 cube Knorr Tomato Boullion
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 tsp beef bouillion
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 cups shredded cheese I used Triple Cheddar
Ingredients
|
|
- Start by browning the pound of ground hamburger. Cook through until no longer pink, around 8-10 minutes.
- Then drain the grease from the pan. To the beef add the water, beef base, tomato bouillon, cumin and chili powder. Cook medium heat until the bouillon has dissolved and the sauce is reduced which just takes about 4 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and great an 8"x11" pan the set up the assembly line. With a knife spread the refried beans over the flour tortilla shells. Place a hard shell in the center of the flour tortilla then add some the beef to the middle of that. Place the finished taco in the pan and repeat until all 6 of them are done.
- Once all the tacos are assembled top them off with cheese then put them into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
- Chop up some lettuce, tomatoes and any other toppings you like. Open up some sour cream. Enjoy!
‘Celebrate with 8’ National Salad Month
Salad can be a small side or a big meal.
Break out the salad bowl and let’s
‘Celebrate with 8’ for National Salad Month.
Celebrate with 8’ is a weekly feature at Bottom Left of the Mitten – learn more here.
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Crisp fennel and kohlrabi mixed with sweet blueberries and a creamy Honey Lemon Dressing. This Fennel, Kohlrabi, and Blueberry Salad from Simple Seasonal will have you eating it all Summer long.
The green you usually think of in a salad is lettuce but what about using something entirely different? Try this Shaved Brussels Sprouts & Apple Salad from Kitchen of Youth. Brussels Sprouts set the stage for smoky bacon, sweet apples and a Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing.
Start a little garden of your own so you have toppings for some really great salads. Grow Your Own Microgreens Kit from QuantumMicrogreens. This great company is offering Bottom Left of the Mitten readers a $2 Off Coupon – Just use SALADMONTH2018 at checkout.
Want a quick and healthy lunch that leaves you satisfied? Easy Salad Niçoise from Pinch and Swirl is loaded with potatoes, tuna and a homemade Dijon dressing.
This Black Rice and Shrimps Salad from The Cookware Geek is hailed as a ‘exotic twist to the regular shrimp salad’ and it sure doesn’t disappoint. Drizzle with a honey dressing for the perfect finish.
Keep lettuce fresher longer with this Greens Keeper from LilacHillDesigns. Perfect for your fridge or a gift for the foodies in your life.
Take a beloved sandwich, throw out the bread to make it a salad and you’ve got a Low Carb Reuben Chopped Salad with Russian Dressing from Peace, Love and Low Carb. All the makings of a family favorite.
Spice things up with this Cajun Steak & Potato Salad then cool things down with a Poppy Seed Dressing. A dinner salad that will have you eating your vegetables and asking for more.
Grab your vegetables and leafy greens. Or grow your own. Celebrate.
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Baked Coconut Shrimp Wontons
Happy Memorial Day weekend! Let’s start this Mitten Movie Night with a classic appetizer mashup. Do you love coconut shrimp? How about sweet and creamy wontons? Why don’t we just combine them? Of course we can. So now let’s sit back and start the holiday with a sweet beer and an even sweeter treat with these Baked Coconut Shrimp Wontons.
Have you ever went out to dinner and instead of ordering a meal you just order an appetizer….for yourself? I do because I can’t resist a good artichoke dip with crispy bread. A local restaurant here has the best potato skins with ranch that again I will order and just eat as my meal. This recipe came to me after I made these Sweet Cream Cheese Wontons from The Cozy Cook. They were so good so how could I make these appetizers into a meal? Add shrimp? Sure! I was just waiting for the right beer to pair them with…..and it all came together last weekend.
My husband, the kids and I went up to Flint, Michigan for our nephews graduation party. With our in-laws we made a weekend out of it and got a hotel so the kids could swim and not worry about driving 6 hours round trip in one day. It was a great get away and of course while away why not treat ourselves? We stopped at the Kroger to pick up some beer. Wow! What a wonderful selection they had. After picking up then putting down a bunch of choices because it was hard to choose I went with this Palisades Pineapple from Golden Road Brewing.
While it’s not a Michigan Craft Beer I have been on a fruit beer kick so, why not? This beer ended up being one of my favorites this year. Light, drinkable, fruity with pineapple and apricots but not overwhelming. Finally I have to perfect beer for Mitten Movie Night to pair with these wontons. Now to pair a great beer with a great movie? Since this beer was made in LA we’re watching Pulp Fiction. So now on to the recipe.
While the ingredients for this recipe are pretty basic the assembly can make them a little tedious to make. Worth it but just a little *warning*. For the shrimp I use already cooked salad shrimp. I always have a bag in the freezer and you can easily take out how much you need and thaw in some hot water and it’s ready. For this you need 2 cups. On the stove top in a pan heat up 1/2 Tbs olive oil and add the thawed shrimp and sautee until brown around 2 minutes. Add 1 minced garlic cloves and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Once cooked through the meat needs to be minced. You can either do this by chopping it into small pieces with a knife or you can do like I did for this Shrimp Cannelloni and bring out the small food processor.
Next set the shrimp aside to cool then preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. To another bowl add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and the coconut. In a smaller dish crack one egg and whisk it to combine. Once the shrimp has cooled add it to the cream cheese and coconut mixture. To this I added a ‘splash’ of sesame oil. While I love the taste it can be overwhelming so proceed with caution or leave this off the recipe if you think you or your guests might not like it.
Lastly is filling the wontons. This is the step I warned you about taking some time. Place a small dollop in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Take your finger and dip it into the egg then rub all the edges with it. To create the little pillows of goodness pinch the 4 corners with your index and middle finger on top then thumbs on the bottom and pull together making an ‘X’. A wobbly ‘X’ at best but sometimes flavor makes up for the presentation.
You won’t use all the egg for this so to the bowl add a splash of water then brush the egg wash onto the top of each wonton. Pop these into the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Sprinkle on some additional powdered sugar and serve with a side of sweet and sour sauce. And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Get The Recipe, Get The Goods
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 12 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 2 cups cooked shrimp, thawed
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 12 ounces wonton wrappers
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 'splash' sesame oil optional
- Powdered sugar for topping if desired
- 1 cup sweet and sour sauce for dipping
- 1 large egg whisked
Ingredients
|
|
- Thaw 2 cups of frozen, cooked shrimp. On the stove top in a pan heat up 1/2 Tbs olive oil and add the thawed shrimp and sautee until brown around 2 minutes. Add 1 minced garlic cloves and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Mince the shrimp by hand or food processor. Set the shrimp aside to cool
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- To another bowl add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and the coconut. In a smaller dish crack one egg and whisk it to combine. Once the shrimp has cooled add it to the cream cheese and coconut mixture. To this I added a 'splash' of sesame oil.
- Place a small dollop in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Take your finger and dip it into the egg then rub all the edges with it. To create the little pillows of goodness pinch the 4 corners with your index and middle finger on top then thumbs on the bottom and pull together making an 'X'.
- To the egg bowl add a splash of water then brush the egg wash onto the top of each wonton. Pop these into the preheated oven for 12 minutes.
- Sprinkle on some additional powdered sugar and serve with a side of sweet and sour sauce. Enjoy!
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