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.
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| 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
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|
- 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!
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.
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| 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
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- 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!
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!
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| 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!
Easy Chicken Burritos
Does this time of year leave you running around like crazy? Soccer, baseball practice, end of school trips? Trying to be 10 places at once leaves little time for your family to actually sit down for dinner together let alone spend time in the kitchen making dinner. Tonight try this easy chicken burrito recipe that will get everyone and dinner to the table within 20 minutes.
What does dinnertime look like in your family?
Growing up sitting down to dinner with my family was something that my mom made a priority. Even though she was a single mom and worked different shifts as a local factory she always made it work. I’m thankful to her for that because I carried on the tradition with my family. If we are at home, we are eating together no matter what. No tablets or phones just eating and having conversations about our day. Now let’s get started with this simple recipe that isn’t simple on taste.
The beauty behind this dinner is using already cooked chicken. I always keep shredded chicken on hand for shredded chicken recipes like this or my Chicken & Mushroom Subs. The same holds true for pulled pork. I will make a double batch so I can make BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza one night then save the other half to make Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese another night. Double duty cooking is another way to make dinnertime doable on busy weeknights.
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and greasing a 9×13 pan. To the bottom of the pan add about 1/4 cup of the thick and chunky salsa to the bottom. Shred the cooked chicken into a bowl then add the rest of the salsa to it and stir to combine. Add the chicken mixture to a flour tortilla one at a time then roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the chicken to add to the top. Roll up and repeat with the remaining 5 tortillas.
Once all the burritos are made finish by adding the remaining chicken to the top then top with the cheese. Bake uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is all melted on top. Shred some lettuce, chop up tomatoes and any other toppings you like. 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.
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| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 6 flour tortillas, burrito size
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 16 ounce thick and chunky salsa
- 8 ounces shredded colby jack cheese
Ingredients
|
|
- Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and greasing a 9x13 pan. To the bottom of the pan add about 1/4 cup of the thick and chunky salsa to the bottom.
- Shred the cooked chicken into a bowl then add the rest of the salsa to it and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken mixture to a flour tortilla one at a time then roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the chicken to add to the top. Roll up and repeat with the remaining 5 tortillas.
- Once all the burritos are made finish by adding the remaining chicken to the top then top with the cheese. Bake uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is all melted on top.
- Shred some lettuce, chop up tomatoes and any other toppings you like. Enjoy!
Toad In The Hole
Welcome to Mitten Movie Night the Royal Wedding Edition! Tonight I tried my hand at a classic English dish, Toad In The Hole. Savory sausage is baked on top of a simple bread ‘pudding’. Top with an Mustard-Onion gravy and you have a meal fit for a King.
I hadn’t had Toad In The Hole before I knew that it was going to be something that I would love. Meat, onions, carbs….GRAVY!!! Of course I had to add some Michigan appeal to this dish by using Beer Brats made with Founder’s Dirty Bastard Craft Beer. We eat these a lot during the Summer and they worked great in this recipe.
While I did do some research about favorite beers of England I felt like I would rather share a Michigan beer that I felt was fitting not only with the meal but also the name, Soft Parade from Short’s Brewing. This beer is full of fruit flavor: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Fruit beers pair so well with dishes that aren’t exactly complex in flavor and that’s why a simple sausage dish like this is perfectly contrasted with this beer. Plus the name gets you in the mood for the ‘procession’ that the Royal Wedding will have. See how I did that? Wink, wink….I know it was a weak analogy but like most things I’m going with it! Now on to the meal.
So after going through about a million recipes I settled on this one from Cooking Channel TV for Toad in the Hole with Mustard-Onion Gravy. For the base it’s just flour, salt, eggs and milk. To one bowl add the flour and salt. In another bowl add the milk and eggs then whisk to combine. Slowly add the milk and egg mixture to the flour whisking it together to make a batter.
Simple enough but then the trick seemed to be what you do with it once the ingredients are mixed together. Half the recipes said to just keep it out on the counter for 10-30 minutes. The other half said that you had to keep it in the refrigerator overnight or at least a few hours to set. What I did was make the batter in the morning and put in the refrigerator until I was ready to make this about 6 hours later.
The other part of this recipe that was in all of them was heating up the pan you are cooking the pudding and sausages in. About an hour before you are ready to put this on the table take the batter out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Now put the pan you plan on baking this in into the oven. I used a metal pan because I was worried about adding the cold batter to a hot pan would break it. Next brown the sausages in a pan on the stove with 1 Tbs oil. Brown all sides which takes about 8 minutes but don’t worry about cooking all the way through. Reserve any oil in the pan for the gravy.
Carefully take the pan out of the oven then add a small bit of oil to that pan. You can spray or add the oil then spread with a paper towel but please use caution since the pan is extremely hot. Now add the batter and top with the sausages. Return it to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.
For the gravy use the reserved oil you left from cooking the brats and add the thinly sliced onions. Using very low heat cook them down slowly for about 10 minutes. To the onions add the flour and stir to coat. Now add the beef broth, mustard. Continue cooking down until it thickens to a gravy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Take out the Toad In The Hole from the oven. Slice and serve topped with gravy. And here you are……
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
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| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 18 ounces beer brats I used Open Acres Dirty Bastard Beer Brats
- 1 Tbs vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced thinly
- 1 Tbs all purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbs whole grain mustard
Ingredients
Toad In The Hole
Mustard-Onion Gravy
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- To one bowl add the flour and salt. In another bowl add the milk and eggs then whisk to combine. Slowly add the milk and egg mixture to the flour whisking it together to make a batter.
- Keep batter on the counter for 10-30 minutes or keep in the refrigerator up to overnight if you like.
- Take the batter out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put just the pan you plan on baking this in into the oven.
- Next brown the sausages in a pan on the stove with 1 Tbs oil. Brown all sides which takes about 8 minutes but don't worry about cooking all the way through. Reserve any oil in the pan for the gravy.
- Carefully take the pan out of the oven then add a small bit of oil to that pan. You can spray or add the oil then spread with a paper towel but please use caution since the pan is extremely hot. Now add the batter and top with the sausages. Return it to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.
- For the gravy use the reserved oil you left from cooking the brats and add the thinly sliced onions. Using very low heat cook them down slowly for about 10 minutes.
- To the onions add the flour and stir to coat. Now add the beef broth, mustard. Continue cooking down until it thickens to a gravy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Take out the Toad In The Hole from the oven. Slice and serve topped with gravy. Enjoy!
Chicken & Mushroom Subs
Not looking to spend a lot of time on dinner? Then I have the perfect sandwich for your busy Friday night. Chicken & Mushroom Subs on a steamed bun. Using pre-cooked chicken, sliced mushrooms and shredded cheese this is a one pan wonder that will easily become your go to meal for the warm weather season.
Well we are heading into Mother’s Day weekend with lots of rain and dreary weather on this Mitten Movie Night. Trying not to get too down because we have really had great weather lately and it really was a long time coming. Since it’s rainy out tonight we will stay in and make these easy sandwiches and enjoy a cold Latitude 42 Michigan Honey Amber. This beer is such a unique mix of honey and citrus. The nice thing about this chicken sandwich is that it pairs so well with a big flavor craft beer like this. For me the perfect meal is this-a great beer and sandwich. Tonight we are watching Super Troopers! We had date night last weekend and watched Super Troopers 2 so naturally we have to go back and re-watch the original classic. Now on to the sandwich.
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and grease a sheet pan. This sandwich is a great use of cooked chicken. If you have a rotisserie chicken on hand shred it up. Did you cook some chicken in the crock-pot and have some leftover? Great! Even boil 2 chicken breasts on the stove top. Whichever way you choose to cook your chicken breast shred it then add to the pan. On top of that add the sliced mushrooms. Pop into the oven and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes take the pan out of the oven and add the cheese then put pan back into the oven for another 5 minutes to let the cheese melt.
For the buns I decided that I wanted them to be steamed and not toasted. I tried a little trick to steam buns in the microwave that I found online and it worked really well! Just leave them in the plastic bag (of course remove the bag tie first which could have metal on it) then microwave for 30 seconds, viola! Fresh steamed buns.
The sauce is simply made by combining 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 Tbs Caesar dressing. This adds a creamy layer of flavor to the sandwich. Slather the sauce on the buns then slide the chicken, mushroom and cheese filling on to each bun. Pair with some chips. I recommend Better Made Garlic Dill Pickle! 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.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
sandwiches
|
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 8 sub sandwich buns steamed
- 1-1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs Caesar dressing
Ingredients
Chicken & Mushrooms
Dressing
|
|
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a sheet pan. To the pan add the cooked and shredded chicken. On top of that add the sliced mushrooms. Put into the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes take the pan out of the oven and add the cheese then put pan back into the oven for another 5 minutes to let the cheese melt.
- To steam the buns leave them in the plastic bag (remove the bag tie first which could have metal on it) then microwave for 30 seconds.
- Slather the sauce on the buns then add the chicken, mushroom and cheese filling to each bun. Pair with some chips. Enjoy!
- Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 Tbs Caesar dressing.
Hacienda Torta Cubana
Did you know that this weekend kicks off not only Cinco De Mayo but also the Kentucky Derby? Double celebrations for this Mitten Movie Night. Who is ready to party? I know I am. For this very special day I made this copycat recipe that I really love from a very popular restaurant, Hacienda. Really going out for this recipe I made the bread from scratch then piled it high with slow cooked pork, ham, cheese and a special spicy sauce to top it off.
What are your plans this weekend? We are actually going to have our first date night in awhile Saturday. We might go to a non-kids movie or a brewery to watch the Derby. What do you do when you and your significant other have a little time off?
For tonight though we are easting this Torta Cubana and enjoying some Latitude 42 Brewing Company Nectar of the Goddess. I really love this beer it is fruity and perfect for the warmer weather. Complimenting the sweet and spicy topping on this sandwich and cut the salty taste of the pork and ham. Now on to the recipe!
As I said in the intro I made the bread for this sandwich from scratch. This Salsa Bread was so good and I was pleased at how well it took off on the blog. In fact, just two days it is now my #1 post on the blog. If you do not want to make the bread from scratch any sandwich bun will work.
Need a use for leftover pulled pork?
Then this sandwich is the perfect use for that. When I recently made my Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese I got the pork on a great deal and cooked it all at once. I used half for that recipe then the other half for this one.
The amount of ingredients should make 6 sandwiches. Divide the pork and ham up and you will make each of these made-to-order style in one pan. To a pan add the pulled pork and ham. Start to cook it over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Flip the meat. Butter the bottoms of the bread with some butter then add to the pan butter side down. Add cheese to the top of meat then cook for another 2-3 minutes until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted. Remove and stack the sandwich on a plate and then prepare the Apricot Sriracha Sauce.
While the description for the sauce on this is ‘Spicy Chipotle’ I decided to use one of my favorite condiments, sriracha. Mix together some Apricot Jelly and sriracha according to taste but use the general recipe below to what I use and adjust from there.
Assemble the sandwich with warm and toasted salsa bread. Pile high with the pork, ham and cheese. Add the pickles and the sauce. Top off this deliciousness with the last piece of bread. 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.
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| Servings |
sandwiches
|
- 6 buns or 12 pieces of Salsa Bread/Regular Bread
- 1 cup cooked pulled pork
- 1/2 pound cookied ham
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced dill pickles
- 2 Tbs butter
- 1/4 cup Apricot Preserves
- 2-4 tsp Sriracha Sauce depending on taste
Ingredients
Torta Cubana Sandwich
Apricot Srircha Sauce
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Salsa Bread
Need a break from ordinary bread? Don’t have all day to spend making a loaf of bread from scratch? Enter Salsa Bread. A quick bread recipe full of spicy jalapenos, green chilies and juicy tomato goodness of the salsa you love. Perfect for sandwiches or even as a side to spice up taco night.
As I’ve stated many times before I really haven’t had the easiest time learning how to bake. I like to stick to hearty meals that can be paired with beer. The closest I get is jazzing up boxed cake mix for sweet or pizza crust for savory. However I was willing to give baking a try so I could make this bread for a specific sandwich I am trying to recreate.
After a little searching I found and baked this recipe for Dill Pickle Bread from Delish. It turned out fabulous and the recipe was so simple that I figured it was a perfect one to adapt for this. Guess what? It turned out exactly how I wanted. Yeah! So now on to the recipe.
First let’s start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and make the salsa. In a food processor combine the drained tomato with green chilies, jalapenos, garlic cloves, cumin and red onion. Pulse until there are no longer chunks and it has a slightly soupy consistency.
In another bowl or mixer start to make the bread base. Add sour cream, vegetable oil, egg and salsa mixture. Stir to mix all the wet ingredients together. Now start adding dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Prepare a bread loaf pan with spray or oil then add dough to the pan. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean in the middle. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes then slice and eat. 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.
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| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
loaf
|
- 1/2 cup petite diced tomatos with green chilies drained
- 2 garlic cloves skinned
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 Tbs sliced jalapenos you can use fresh or jarred
- 1 Tbs red onion
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, large
- 1 Tbs sugar
- 1-3/4 cup flour
- 1-1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- In a food processor combine the drained tomato with green chilies, jalapenos, garlic cloves, cumin and red onion. Pulse until there are no longer chunks and it has a slightly soupy consistency.
- In another bowl or mixer start to make the bread base. Add sour cream, vegetable oil, egg and salsa mixture. Stir to mix all the wet ingredients together. Now start adding dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- Prepare a bread loaf pan with spray or oil then add dough to the pan. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean in the middle.
- Let the bread cool for 10 minutes then slice and eat. Enjoy!
Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
Welcome to the first Mitten Movie Night of Spring! We are ready to settle in and start enjoying the warmer weather. Today I am sharing a recipe that is inspired by a wonderful meal that we had while on our Spring Break trip to Florida, Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese.
A little more on the backstory of where this recipe originated from. This year was the first year that we actually ventured out of Michigan for Spring Break. The Winter has been long and we were all in need of some serious Sunshine. So we headed down to a place that I grew up going to as a kid – Venice, Florida. Right on the Gulf of Mexico we couldn’t have asked for a better place to get away from it all….well expect for the traffic with everyone else having the same idea…but I digress and do not want to complain because this was easily one of my favorite vacations we’ve ever had. I mean look at this picture of the boys heading down to the beach. A picture truly is worth a thousand words.
While we were in Florida we visited my friend and her family who hosted us for Easter. Visited the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see Winter & Hope. Then enjoyed lots of time at the pool, the beach and eating really good food. On the suggestion of one of the residents at the condo we headed over to Darrell’s BBQ. It was a treat because anyone with kids and driving 24 hours to get to a location knows it means lots of fast food and we were ready for a sit down meal. The husband had the pulled pork platter, Big A had a burger and Little A and I shared a big bowl of Mac & Cheese with piles of pork and sweet BBQ sauce. It was so good and one that I kept note of so I could make it as soon as we got home.
Let’s start with the pulled pork. For this recipe I made the pork in the slow cooker. You can easily smoke the meat if you like but I ran short on time and really didn’t feel like pulling out the smoker so the slow cooker worked just as good. Mix the beef broth and seasonings in the bottom of the crock pot and add the pork. Set for 6-8 hours on low and the pork is ready to be taken out and pulled.
About 20 minutes before the pork is ready to come out start the macaroni and cheese. Boil the pasta according to package directions. Once it is done remove from the pan, drain and set aside in another bowl. To the pot you cooked the pasta add the butter and over medium heat melt the butter. Once it has melted stir the flour into the butter until it is slightly smooth (you may see some lumps) then add the milk. Stir until combines and you have a nice sauce appearance. Now add the nutmeg, pepper, garlic powder then finally add the 3 different cheeses. Make sure you stir the whole time. See how awesome this sauce comes out. The ‘pull’ of the cheese. Thick enough to coat all the noodles. Another word for it is ‘cheesetastic’.
Now add the noodles to the pot and stir to get all the sauce all over the noodles. Now set out a plate and add the mac and cheese. Heap some pulled pork on there. Drizzle with BBQ sauce (I recommend my Best BBQ Sauce). Finish off with pickled red onions and jalapenos.
Even though most of this post talks about Florida I am a Michigan girl and happy to be home because we do have some of the best craft beer in the country. Wouldn’t you know we came back just in time for the release of Hopsoulution Double IPA from Bell’s. 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.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 8 hours |
| Servings |
servings
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- 1 1/2-2 pounds boneless pork loin
- 2 cups beef broth I use beef broth base
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 tsp Spanish paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups dry pasta (I used rotini) cooked to package directions
- 2 Tbs butter
- 2 Tbs flour
- 1-1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded colby jack cheese
Ingredients
Pulled Pork
Mac and Cheese
|
|
- To a slow cooker add beef broth, onion powder, minced garlic and seasonings then set for 6-8 hours on low and the pork is ready to be taken out and pulled.
- Boil the pasta according to package directions. Once it is done remove from the pan, drain and set aside in another bowl.
- To the pot you cooked the pasta add the butter and over medium heat melt the butter. Once it has melted stir the flour into the butter until it is slightly smooth (you may see some lumps) then add the milk. Stir until combines and you have a nice sauce appearance.
- Add the nutmeg, pepper, garlic powder then finally add the 3 different cheese. Make sure you stir the whole time.
- Add the noodles to the pot and stir to get all the sauce all over the noodles.
- To plate: Add the mac and cheese. Heap some pulled pork on there. Drizzle with BBQ sauce. Finish off with pickled red onions and jalapenos. Enjoy!
Salad Delight
This Mitten Movie Night I’m taking it to the tropics so Salad Delight it is! Don’t let the name fool you this ‘salad’ is a tropical fruit salad that is a sweet treat. Fruits, marshmallows and whipped cream topped with toasted coconut. This vintage recipe stands the test of time and perfect for holidays, picnics or any night of the week. I may not be able to escape to a warmer climate right now but I can make a tropical salad, sit under a bright light with sunglasses and sip on a mango sour beer. Sounds good, huh?
With this I am serving it as a side with some slider sandwiches. A perfect beer to pair this with is In The Flesh from Two Brothers Artisan Brewing. I’m a really big fan of sour beers and this one made with mango is on the top of my favorites list. The sourness does cut the sweetness of the salad. Delicious!
Recommended watching: We are catching up on a new to us show, Atlanta. If you are a fan of Donald Glover either the show he started in Community or his music you will see him at his finest in this drama. A little thing you may not know about him thought (and no he is NOT related to Danny Glover) he was actually discovered by Tina Fey and wrote for my favorite show ever, 30 Rock. Now on to the ‘salad’ that’s not a salad at all.
While I do usually like to have pictures of each step there simply was no reason for it. All you have to do is set the whipped cream and frozen fruit on the counter and let thaw. You could also do this overnight in the refrigerator. Once the items have thawed make sure to drain the frozen fruit as it may have water in the bottom. Next open the can of crushed pineapple and drain that too. You don’t want it making your salad runny.
In a medium sized bowl add the fruit, pineapple, whipped cream, chopped banana and marshmallows. Mix to combine all the ingredients. In a small pan on the stove over medium heat melt 1/2 tsp of butter. Add the coconut and toast for 2-3 minutes. Take off the stove and let cool. Sprinkle on top of the salad. 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.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 2-3 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 medium banana chopped
- 20 ounces can crushed pineapple drained
- 1 cup frozen Daybreak Blend, thawed I use WaWona Organic Daybreak Blend from Costco
- 1 cup marshmallows I used regular but you can use Tutti Fruity too
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 tsp butter
Ingredients
|
|
- Set the whipped cream and frozen fruit on the counter and let thaw. You could also do this overnight in the refrigerator. Once the items have thawed make sure to drain the frozen fruit as it may have water in the bottom.
- Next open the can of crushed pineapple and drain that too. You don't want it making your salad runny.
- In a medium sized bowl add the fruit, pineapple, whipped cream, chopped banana and marshmallows. Mix to combine all the ingredients.
- In a small pan on the stove over medium heat melt 1/2 tsp of butter. Add the coconut and toast for 2-3 minutes. Take off the stove and let cool.
- Sprinkle the coconut on top of the salad. Enjoy!
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