BBQ Chicken Tacos with Corn & Avocado Salsa

Do you ever make something for dinner and before you have time to turn around, it’s almost all gone? Yeah? Me too!!! Like this! Crazy how fast this disappeared. I had a couple, IT Guy had a few and #1 Son and his wife each had a some.....POOF! Gone! We did have a little of the salsa left over which I promptly finished off with some tortilla chips. But seriously. Guys. So good! I know the pictures make it look like there’s a lot of ingredients...but really it’s bad. Things thrown together here and there and you’re done. Make this. Make it soon!

BBQ Chicken Tacos with 

Corn & Avocado Salsa

For the tacos:

 

3 chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion salt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1 box taco shells

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

 

Place chicken breasts on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, coating both sides.

 

In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, chili powder, onion salt, salt and pepper.

 

Sprinkle over both sides of the chicken.

 

Bake for 30 minutes or until done.

 

Baste chicken with BBQ sauce and place under the broiler for 3 - 5 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.

 

Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a couple of minutes.

 

Heat taco shells according to box directions.

 

Slice chicken and place inside taco shells.

 

Top with salsa.

Avocado Corn Salsa

 

1 10-ounce bag frozen corn ~ cooked (I used the “steam in a bag kind”)

1 red bell pepper ~ seeded and diced

2 avocados ~ diced

1/4 cup cilantro

1 small red onion ~ diced

1 clove garlic ~ minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Combine cooked corn, bell pepper, avocado, onion and cilantro in a medium bowl.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, sugar, vinegar, lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.

 

Pour dressing over corn mixture and toss to coat.

 

Serve with tacos.

Okay....so I forgot the red onion and the sugar but everything else is here!

Combine the garlic powder, chili powder, onion salt, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the chicken breasts.

Bake the chicken then baste with the bbq sauce and broil for a few minutes.

Mix together the corn, cilantro, bell pepper, avocado and onion.

Whisk together the garlic, cumin, red 

pepper flakes, sugar, vinegar, lime juice, 

olive oil and salt and pepper.

 

Pour the dressing over 

the veggies. Stir to coat.

Slice the chicken and place inside the taco shells then top with the salsa!

Pulled Pork BBQ Mac & Cheese

I guess I’m a kid at heart because I love mac & cheese. I’ll eat it homemade (my favorite) or even out of the famous blue box. But when you add a little bbq to it? OH MY! It’s sends it right over into adulthood! So good, guys! This little dish is so easy to make when you use pre-packaged bbq but if you have leftover pork, that works too! You’ve gotta try this. You won’t be sorry!

Pulled Pork BBQ Mac & Cheese

 

1 pound pulled pork (I used Jack Daniel’s but homecooked is fine)

1 cup bbq sauce (even if you’re using pre-packaged. Use more if you’ve got pork with no sauce)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

5 cups grated cheddar cheese

4 ounces cream cheese ~ room temp

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

12 ounces pasta shells ~ cooked and drained

1/2 cup diced red onion

5 slices bacon ~ diced and cooked crisp

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

 

In a medium bowl, combine the pulled pork and the bbq sauce.

 

Pour bbq pork into the prepared 9x13 inch pan.

 

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook a minute or two.

 

Pour in the milk and and cook about 5 minutes until thickened.

 

Add the cream cheese, 3 cups of the cheddar cheese, salt, chili powder and paprika. Whisk until smooth.

 

Add the cooked pasta, bacon, and onion and stir to combine.

 

Pour mac & cheese over the BBQ then top with remaining 2 cups of grated cheese.

 

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until hot throughout. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

The line-up!

Add one cup (or more) of your 

favorite bbq sauce to the pulled pork. 

Even if you're using pre-packaged bbq, 

add the sauce. Then pour into your 

prepared pan. I'm using two pans here 

because I'm giving one away and 

the other was for us!

Melt the butter then add the flour 

and stir until thickened and smooth.

Next, pour in the milk and cook until thickened.

Now add the cheeses and seasonings.

Stir to combine.

Then add the cooked pasta, 

the cooked bacon and the onion.

Stir!

Pour the mac & cheese over the 

bbq in the pan and bake for about 

20 minutes until bubbly. YUM!

Pulled Pork Nachos

Okay....so the Super Bowl is coming up next week so you need food for game day, right? These nachos might be something to consider because they are so easy and feed a crowd! Just throw a pork roast in the crock pot in the morning and let it cook then shred it up, spread it over some chips...add some toppings.....BOOM! You’ve just made a whole room full of people happy. You’re a hero! Make these....STAT!

Pulled Pork Nachos

1 3-4 pound pork shoulder roast

2 cups (or more) bbq sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s)

Salt and pepper to taste

Tortilla chips ~ I like to use chips with some substance with this...not flimsy ones that will break)

I 10-ounce jar sliced pepperoncini peppers (or jalapenos, depending on your heat tolerance)

1/2 cup diced red onion

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Additional toppings of your choice ~ salsa, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, etc.

Place your pork roast in your crock pot and season with salt and pepper.

Allow to cook on low for 7 - 8 hours or until tender.

Remove any fat from the roast and shred meat with two forks.

Pour bbq sauce over the meat and stir.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil.

Spread tortilla chips on pan.

Scatter pulled pork all over the chips.

Add onions, pepperoncini and cheese on top of pork.

Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until nachos are hot and cheese has melted.

Serve with additional toppings.

Here we go...let's make some nachos!!

Season the pork roast and cook!

Shred meat and add bbq sauce.

Spread some chips in the pan.

Add the meat then the pepperoncini and red onion....

....then add the cheese and bake for a few minutes.

Touchdown!!!

Long Boy Burgers

As you may or may not know....I'm related to a bunch of carnivores so as always, I'm forever on the hunt for ways to satisfy them. And here's one way I found that makes them pretty happy. Instead of a boring hamburger, switch up the name, add a few fun ingredients and you've got yourself a Long Boy Burger! These are SO easy to make....so tasty and like I said...make meat-eaters happy-happy!

Long Boy Burgers



4 sub sandwich rolls ~ split in half lengthwise
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 slices bacon ~ cut in half
2 cups shredded cheese

Heat oven to broil.

Arrange split sub rolls on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler for 1 - 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the onion, Panko bread crumbs, milk, egg, 1/2 of the bbq sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the ground beef and stir until well mixed.

Divide meat mixture into 8 equal portions.

Place meat mixture evenly onto toasted bread making sure the meat is spread to edges.

Brush remaining bbq sauce onto meat.

Place a half slice of bacon on top of the meat.

Turn oven to 400 degrees.

Bake burgers for about 30 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted.

 

Okay...let's cook!

 

Mix together the milk, Panko, egg, 

milk, egg, 1/2 of the bbq sauce, 

garlic powder, salt and pepper.

 

Add the ground beef and stir until well mixed.

 

Divide meat mixture into 8 equal portions.

 

Place meat mixture evenly onto 

toasted bread making sure the 

meat is spread to edges. Brush 

remaining bbq sauce onto meat.

 

Place a half slice of bacon on top of the meat.

 

Bake!

 

Sprinkle with cheese and bake a little more.

 

Then eat!

Steak Sandwiches

There's almost nothing IT Guy likes better than steak. He'll take it in any form. So when I made these sandwiches, I knew we'd have a winner. You can use leftover steak for these or buy fresh, like I did. Make as much or as little as you like...that's one of the best things about this recipe. You can tailor it to fit as many as you need. This is a great recipe to use with the warmer months upon us because you can use your outdoor grill to cook the meat and keep the heat out of the kitchen!

Steak Sandwiches



1 - 2 steaks (I used some flat iron steaks I had on hand. I just grilled them in my grill pan.)
Steak seasoning of your choice or salt and pepper
1 large onion ~ sliced 
Cheddar cheese slices
1/2 cup to 1 cup bbq sauce
Butter
Sandwich or sub rolls

In a large skillet, caramelize the onion with a little olive oil. Remove from the pan to a plate. 

Season the steaks.

Drizzle a little more olive oil in the same pan and grill the steaks to desired doneness. I grilled mine about 4 minutes on each side. Allow steaks to stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Thinly slice the cooked steak. Add back into the warm skillet and add the bbq sauce. Stir to combine and warm through.

Slice open the rolls and butter each side lightly.

Start layering the ingredients on the bread.....onions, meat, cheese, etc.

Turn oven to broil.

Place sandwiches open-faced on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for a few minutes until cheese starts to melt. Watch so they don't burn. 

Place empty bun on top of filled bun...slice and enjoy!

 
The line up!

 
Caramelize the onions then remove from the pan.

 
Then season and cook the steaks.

 
Allow the steak to stand for a 
few minutes before slicing then 
return to the pan with the bbq sauce. 
Stir to combine and warm through.

 
Then build your sandwiches 
and broil a minute or so to melt 
the cheese and toast the bread.

 
Yum!

BBQ Orange Drumsticks

Super easy and super good! These drumsticks are great to make in the oven or you can throw them in the crock pot for ease and depth of flavor. The meat is fall off the bone tender and I'm pretty sure everyone will love them!

BBQ Orange Drumsticks



1 pound drumsticks
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup orange marmalade
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on a lightly sprayed baking sheet.

Bake chicken for 45 minutes turning once.

In a small bowl, combine the marmalade, bbq sauce and soy sauce.

Turn oven temp to 400 degrees.

Baste chicken on both sides with sauce. Turn and baste every 5 minutes for 15 minutes.

Remove chicken to a serving platter and serve with rice!

To make in the crock pot: Season chicken then place in the crock pot. Mix sauce ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low 6 - 8 hours or on high 3 - 4. 

 
Easy-peasy! Let's go!

 
Place your chicken on a baking 
sheet and season both sides. Bake!

 
Mix up the sauce.

 
Baste, turn and cook some more!

 
Enjoy! How easy is that?