4th of July BBQ Feast!

With the celebration of our country’s independence only a couple of days away, I wanted to get y’all ready…because you know it’s all about celebrating what an incredible place we have been given to live in and then there’s the food!!!!

Now, I have to admit, I copied this pic from the internet….I ate mine before I remembered to take a picture, but it look exactly like this!

Okay….I am going to start with dessert, because lets just admit it….dessert is what we are working our way through dinner for anyway! I can eat this stuff till it makes me sick, which seems to be a theme in my blogging about desserts! I have no willpower and will fess up to the fact that a dish of this doesn’t stand a chance in my house.  Typically there is a communal spoon next to this that my family uses to randomly swing by for a bite or two through out the day…doesn’t matter if it’s morning, noon or late night!

And the fact that this plate of delectable goodness only calls for 4 ingredients, makes it even more special and leaves NO excuse for you not to make it immediately….it’s so easy, make it now and then again for the BBQ parties!  Here is how you do it….

• 1 box yellow butter cake mix
• 2 cans cherry pie filling
• 2 stick’s unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350*.  Pour cherries into a 13X9 baking dish and spread out evenly.  Sprinkle cake mix over cherries.  Pour melted butter over cake mix and top with pecans.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.

THAT IS IT! Can you even believe it!

 

Now comes the veggies, which I am currently eating a bowl of because I have eaten so much dump cake that I need the roughage to push all that buttery goodness on through!

This is a recipe that my husband’s grandmother use to make, so we call it Nana’s Chilled Veggie Salad.  Make this at least a day ahead for ultimate goodness (really allows the veggies to soak up the dressing)

• 1 can French green beans, drained
• 1 can baby peas, drained
• 1 can white or yellow corn, drained
• 2-4 oz. jars chopped pimentos
• 2 bunches green onions, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp. each salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 12 pkt. sweetener

FIRST, I acknowledge that is a whole bunch of sweetener and it would probably not be a very good idea to eat that much all the time, but for this one day I think you will be fine. I keep saying I am going to try to adjust it with real sugar, but then I forget and just dump the sweetener in and go with it!

To make, dump all the veggies into a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, combine the salt, pepper, vinegar, oil and sweetener.  Mix and bring to a boil.

Pour sauce over veggies and mix well. Cover in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to eat….it’s a good idea to mix it a few times along the way so it completely marinates.

I made the brisket, sauce and beans the day before we ate them and then I only have to warm the meat and bake the beans.

Look at all that delicious garlic and broth…it is so moist!

BBQ Brisket (adapted from Michael Symon…he did his as a pulled pork version)

• 1 beef brisket (about 5 lbs.)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 4 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 1 Tbs. ground, roasted coriander
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 bottles New Belgium “Citradelic” tangerine IPA
• 2 chipotle peppers
• 2 Tbs. adobo sauce (sauce that peppers come in)
• Kosher salt
• pepper
• Montreal Steak seasoning

Preheat oven to to 250*

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Generously season brisket with Montreal Steak seasoning.  (you might as well get a large bottle of this because if you are going to be using my recipes, I use it ALL the time)

Place skillet over high heat and sear brisket on both sides.  Place seared brisket, fat side up, in a roasting pan

You want to see that crust on your meat…it will hold in all the moisture)

Reduce heat to medium and add the onions, garlic, cumin, and coriander.  Add the chicken stock , beer, chipotle pepper and sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over brisket and double cover with foil, super tight, so there is no where for the steam to go, but back into the brisket!

 

Place the brisket in the oven and cook for 5-6 hours, without disturbing too often…just let that baby ride until fork tender….maybe check at 5 hours and if needed, cook longer, but make sure to cover tightly.

When done, remove and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Carefully remove brisket from pan and place on cutting board.  Slice fat off of top and discard. Cut meat against the grain into desired thickness.  Place meat into an airtight container and pour marinade juices over meat.  (I put mine into an aluminum container, covered tightly with plastic wrap and then the aluminum lid and pressed tightly closed).  Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Can be rewarmed in the container, with plastic wrap still on, in oven for 20-25 minutes on 350*.

Serve with BBQ sauce.

This is a thick and sweet sauce….with plenty of smoky bacon flavor!

Chipotle-Plum BBQ Sauce

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup ripe black plums, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup bacon, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper, finely chopped
• 1 Tbs. adobo sauce (sauce that chipotle pepper comes in)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup New Belgium “Citradelic” tangerine IPA
• 2 Tbs. Dijon
• 1 Tbs. tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar ( more to taste)
• 1/3-3/4 cup water

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in skillet used to brown brisket.  Add bacon; cook till just browning.  Add onions and cook 4 minutes.  Add garlic, plums, chipotle and adobo sauce.  Stir and cook on medium-low for 2-3 minutes.  Add brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes.

Add beer and Dijon and cook 5 minutes.  Run through blender till smooth.

Pour back into skillet and add salt, honey, tomato paste, vinegar and water.

Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. (adjust with seasonings, chili and vinegar to your tastes)

AAAHHHH, bacon!

My mother-in-laws’ recipe!

BBQ Beans

• 2 cans pork n’ beans
• 1 can Ranch Style beans
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 3/4-1 cup KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• bacon, chopped (usually only takes about 6 pieces…only going on top)

Preheat oven to 375*. Mix all the ingredients in a baking dish and cook, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and bacon is done.

 

HAPPY 4TH! Enjoy and please join me in moment to be grateful for our Nation and all the blessings we have been given!