Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Yes brussels sprouts! Don't judge this recipe by its name... Consider the fact there is bacon in it. Bacon saves anything, EVEN little lettuce balls. This past week in my Bountiful Basket I received a handful of brussels sprouts. So of course recipes start swirling, roast, saute, grill.. what to do! Well of course my favorite cooking term FRIED comes to mind! Then bacon.. the absolute super food comes to mind. Put these two together and they will have a wonderful marriage! Taste delicious, too! 

Give it a try! May even work on your finicky veggie eaters!

Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts
Balsamic vinegar
1 TB Montreal steak seasoning 

4 TB water

Bacon

Canola oil for frying

Tooth picks

Dash of sea salt

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat until 350 degrees. Slice ends off your brussels sprouts and half them. Take bacon slices and cut in 3 equal length pieces for wrapping. Take your sliced Brussels sprouts and put in a single layer on a large plate. Pour 4 TB's of water over them, cover and microwave for three-four minutes or until tender. Marinate for  few minutes in balsamic vinegar and seasoning for a boost of flavor. This quick cooks the brussels sprouts since the frying process is quick with the bacon. Take one piece of brussels sprout and one piece of bacon and wrap up your little veggie. Stick toothpick in ends of bacon to hold together.  Continue until done and fry for 2-4 minutes or until bacon is crisp and cooked. Drain on paper towels after fried and sprinkle salt over.

Serve with dip of your choice. Ranch is always a delicious option!

If frying isn't your thing. Steam your brussels sprouts then when the frying process would begin throw em on the grill until bacon is cooked! 

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Grilled Black Bean Quesadillas

 Way back when I lived in Colorado my AC went out and I learned how to cook everything on the grill.  If we couldn't grill it then we didn't eat it. Now the way the grill perfects toasts the tortillas makes this my favorite way to cook these. This is one of those meals you can throw together in minutes and something my kids eat up like they haven't eaten in days. That makes this a double win.


Black bean quesadillas - Fresh style
3 medium tomatoes chopped
1 can home canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small onion chopped
2-3 ears of corn, corn cut off the cob
shredded pepper-jack cheese
diced green chilies
cooked chicken or steak in thin slices (optional)
tortillas
1/2 cup salsa
crushed red peppers (optional)

Black bean quesadillas -  lazy super fast style
1 can rotel
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
shredded pepper-jack cheese
cooked chicken or steak in thin slices (optional)
tortillas
1/2 cup salsa
crushed red peppers (optional)

I'll let you go ahead a guess which version I made.

1. Mix together everything but the cheese and tortillas in a bowl.
2. Lay tortillas out flat on a cold grill.
3. Top entire tortilla with shredded pepper-jack cheese. I actually used shredded cheddar cheese on the ones for the kiddos so it would take the spiciness down a notch.
4. Put tomato, bean and corn mixture in a thick layer on half the tortilla. Sprinkle with red crushed peppers if desired.
5. Light grill and set on low and cook til cheese is melted.
6. Fold in half and serve with homemade sour cream, salsa and avocado.

Grilled avocado

Mmmm grilled avocado is pretty much the best idea on the face of the planet.  

You will need:

avocados

lime juice

olive oil

sea salt

salsa and sour cream (optional)

1.  Cut avocado in half and remove the seed.

2.  Sprinkle with lime juice.

3.  Baste with olive oil.

4.  Place on hot grill and grill on medium for 5 minutes.

5.  Sprinkle with sea salt and more lime juice (optional).

6.  Fill hole with salsa and sour cream.

7.  Eat eat eat. yum yum yum.

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Grilled Steak Salad

Tis the season to be grilling! Fa-la-la-la-LA-la-la-la-LA!

I love to grill! Flavors that the grilling process brings out of food is just something my taste buds can't say no to. You can bet majority of our summer dinners are made on the grill. Sometimes in the winter, too. Oh its snowing? No problem hand me a jacket I'll be fine! With all the wild game in our freezer I'm always getting out packages to defrost, marinade and await their time to hit the grill. Having all the wild game year round leaves me always trying to be creative and come up with a different recipes to try with it other then steak, steak, steak. Not bashing steaks. I could eat them all the time. Putting a twist on just a plain ole steak makes for something new and fresh on the dinner table.

Grilled steak salad is abundant with flavor but yet a light dinner perfect for those hot summer evenings! So get your hands on some steak and lets get crackin'!

I could eat this picture... Literally... No Joke...

Grilled Steak Salad

2 marinated Pounds of steak. I use McCormick Smoking sweet tea marinade

Head of Lettuce *Romain, Iceberg mix is what I use*

1/2 Cup chopped tomato's 

1 Bell pepper chopped

1 onion chopped

1/2 Cup shredded cheese 

 Ranch dressing

Crispy Corn strips

Salt & Pepper

Salad directions

Heat your grill. While heating slice all your veggies and put in a large salad bowl. Grate cheese and sprinkle over the top. Toss ingredients together! Once grill is heated throw your steaks on and cook until desired temperature. I am a medium rare gal so just a quick couple minutes on both sides and set them aside for a little resting period just a couple minutes or so is all they need. Once rested I take the steaks and slice them down into strips. Layer starting with your lettuce/veggie mix and lay desired amount of steak over the top. Sprinkle desired amount of crispy strips and drizzle ranch over everything and enjoy!

Directions for the crispy corn strips

Slice 15 Corn Tortillas into four triangle pieces. Take each triangle and slice down from the edged into skinny strips. Fry in deep fryer or in a pot on the stove at 375. Be very careful with hot oil. Fry until they begin to feel crisp and have a slight golden color using metal tongs take them out and place on a paper towel lined plate. They will brown more as they drain so take them out before they get dark. Sprinkle some sea salt over and boom! Crispy corn strips!

*TIPS*

 For beef eaters I would use a flank/skirt steak cut. For wild game eaters I would use back-strap steak cuts. I usually allow my steaks to marinate for about a day or so. As for cheese I use cheddar or pepper jack but any cheese will work in this recipe. Marinade choice is up to you but the smoking sweet tea marinate is what I have found that fits this salad the best and has the best flavor. McCormick marinade mix's are amazing I use them religiously! I hate bottled ranch dressing, so I recommend using homemade. Even if its made from the powder packets you buy it tastes so much better than the bottle specially if you add some red pepper flakes to your dressing after its made! A vinaigrette works good on this salad as well for a lighter choice! As for crispy strips.. Use lots... lots of crispy strips! Their addicting! 

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Grilled peaches

It's grilling season folks, and this girl is excited! Last summer the AC went out in my rental house and to avoid making my 103 degree house any hotter I grilled everything. I mean everything.  I grilled eggs for breakfast, avocados, quesadillas, you name it I grilled it or we didn't eat it.

Unless it was ice cream, then we ate it and I didn't grill but I bet I could figure out how to grill ice cream too. Just let me do some research, and by research I mean pinteresting. 

So grilled peaches, eat them for dessert or side dish, your choice my friend, but I like 'em for a side dish and then again for dessert. Grilled peaches are yummy yummy yummy.

You will need:

olive oil

halved peaches

brown sugar

I use an olive oil mister to spray the peach halves with olive oil, or you could just pour a little bit on them.

Grill face down for 3-5 minutes.  

Flip and sprinkle with about a teaspoon of brown sugar.  

Cook til the brown sugar is liquified and golden and gloriously delicious. 

Proceed to eat them all before anyone else sees them.

Or share if you're feeling overly-needy for a pile of compliments, because you're about to get overloaded with them.