Mesquite Beer Can Chicken

This flavorful Mesquite Beer Can Chicken is a smoky take on a classic grilling recipe...

This post is sponsored by McCormick Grill Mates & Soapbox Influence.

I can't even tell you all how excited I am about the arrival of grilling season. I mean, I have been looking for just about any reason to get outside of the house and out on my back deck at this point. Any reason. Not that doing a little grilling is a hard sell for me at all.

One of my absolute favorite recipes to make on the grill is a classic beer can chicken. It is so easy and simple to make. A little olive oil, a good seasoning mix, a can of beer, and a hot grill are all that you need to pull off this impressive whole grilled chicken recipe.

Recently, I discovered McCormick Grill Mates Seasonings & Marinades at my local Walmart. With flavor profiles like Roasted Garlic and Herb, Brown Sugar Bourbon, and Mesquite, I thought why not take my usual beer can chicken recipe to a whole other level of seasoning?

Bavarian Ham Burger

 A juicy burger is topped with ham, cheddar cheese, & Heinz Yellow Mustard on a pretzel bun in this crowd-pleasing Bavarian Ham Burger...

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

I look forward to warmer weather all throughout winter. First of all, I am not a fan of snow or the cold. Yes, I know I need to move south or west. ;) But the other reason is for full-time grilling season! 

We grill all year round in this house- even if we have to shovel a little snow to get to the grill- but once the warmer weather becomes a regular thing around here we are out grilling at least twice a week. Usually my husband is the one manning the grill, so that also means I get a little break from the kitchen. (Not complaining, folks.)

Two essentials that we always have on hand for grilling is New Heinz® Yellow Mustard and Heinz Ketchup. Before we fired up the grill last week, I headed over to my local Walmart to stock up on our grilling must-haves...

Orange Barbecued Ribs

We live by a little motto here- The family that grills all year round, eats well all year round. Am I right, folks? ;)

It doesn't matter if it is 20 degrees outside or if there is a foot of snow on the ground, we break out our grill and electric smoker all year long.

We are also huge fans of fancying up our favorite bottled barbecue sauces. Why make it from scratch when you can pick up a bottle of your favorite Kraft Barbecue Sauce made with high-quality ingredients like tomatoes, sweet molasses, cider vinegar and cane sugar (ahem- no high fructose corn syrup here, folks!)?  If you haven't tried Kraft Barbecue Sauces lately, be prepared to be impressed. Their line of newly revamped sauces in Original, Hickory Smoke, Sweet Honey, Mesquite Smoke, Sweet Brown Sugar, Sweet & Spicy, Spicy Honey, and Thick & Spicy are not only made with better ingredients, but are also bolder in flavor.

When I saw Kraft's recipe for Orange Barbecued Ribs, I knew we had to give it a try. My husband had been itching to grill the baby back ribs we have had in our freezer, and I couldn't wait to try this sauce. Kraft Original Barbecue sauce comes together with fresh oranges and a little spicy kick in these juicy and flavorful basted & grilled ribs recipe...

Florida Orange Marinated Kabobs

I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for the Florida Department of Citrus. I received promotional item to thank me for participating.

College football season is finally here and for many of us that also means the ushering in of tailgating and football party season. 

I mean, I will be honest.  I love our Mountaineers here in the great state of West Virginia, and I love watching them play.  But what I love even more is inviting friends & family to come on over and hosting a football party. ;)  

But you can’t have a football party without delicious food! We love simple grilling recipes, like a citrus marinade that adds bright flavor to grilled chicken. Plus, we always have the main ingredient in our fridge – 100% Florida Orange Juice!

Florida Orange Juice is an easy addition to just about any game day grilling marinade.  And when we are not marinating and grilling with it, this family is drinking it.  As a mama, making nutritious choices for my family is important. 100% Florida Orange Juice is not only delicious, but it is also packed with all the good stuff like vitamin C plus other essential nutrients like potassium, folate and thiamin!  

And the fact that it makes a fantastic base for a tailgating chicken marinade? Bonus! :)

This simple chicken marinade takes just 4 ingredients to make, but it is packed with flavor. It is sure to quickly become a new game day favorite... 

25 Buffalo Sauced Recipes {A Recipe Round-Up}

Here are 25 tasty & spicy recipes perfect for game day or any day...

Hello football season!  Well, kind of... Football season hasn't quite commenced in our house yet.  My husband is a die hard Pirates fan, so surprisingly he hasn't cared very much about college or professional football... yet. ;)

Right now it is ALL about major league baseball and the Pirates first winning season in like... forever.  

I am happy to see my husband so giddy over his favorite baseball team, but I am not going to lie- I prefer football season...

A.  It is a sport I enjoy watching more, for the most part.

B.  It is only on ONE day a week.  Maybe two, if you factor in one Mountaineers game a week and one Steelers game.

Baseball is on like almost EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

I am kind of over our days being planned around a 3-4 hour baseball game... like all the time.

Regardless, I am mostly ready for football season for the food.  ;)  Chips & dip, grilling burgers, and buffalo wings.  Am I right? 

To help you all usher in the official start of football season (you know, if you happen to live in a household that is not also occupied by a Pirates, Cardinals, or Reds fan), I have gathered up 25 of the tastiest Buffalo sauced recipes from some of our favorite food bloggers.  

Buffalo sauce isn't just for wings, my friends... ;)

Mango Chipotle BBQ Sauce

You are going to want to slather this sweet & spicy Mango Chipotle BBQ Sauce on everything you are grilling this summer! 

It is hard to believe that in just a few short weeks the school year will be upon us again! Anyone else wondering where the summer went to?  

Of course, grilling season is still here.  Just because the back-to-school sales are now in full swing doesn't mean that the fall temps have arrived here yet.  We are still sporting 70 and 80 degree days here, so that means plenty of grilling days left for now. ;) 

I actually made this Mango Chipotle BBQ Sauce for the first time for the 4th of July barbecue we hosted for my family.  We grilled half the chicken with this sweet, sticky, & slightly spicy BBQ sauce and the other half of the chicken we marinated all day in my Basil Balsamic Marinade.  Both were a huge hit with my family.  Maybe the Mango Chipotle BBQ sauced chicken was just slightly more popular.

This recipe makes enough sauce for 4 pieces of chicken, but you could easily double or triple this recipe if needed.  You can make this sauce in under 20 minutes, so there is no excuse to opt for the bottled BBQ sauce route. ;) 

Mango Chipotle BBQ Sauce

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5-7 minutes

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Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp chipotles in adobo (be sure to finely chop any peppers & remove seeds if you would like to reduce the heat a little)
• 1 quarter of a fresh mango, peeled and chopped
• A little juice or water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

In a blender, combine the peeled & chopped mango with a little juice or water. I used mango juice, but you could easily use a splash of OJ or just plain old water. Puree and then pour into a medium saucepan.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the saucepan and mix well.

Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit.

Brush on your chicken and grill. Be sure to baste the chicken with any leftover sauce as you grill it.

Enjoy!

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How are you all spending (aka, savoring) the last few weeks of summer before the school year starts?

If you love homemade BBQ sauces that come together quickly and easily, then you will also love my...

Sweet & Sassy Raspberry Garlic BBQ Sauce

Sweet & Spicy BBQ Stuffed Jalapenos

Stuffed with a creamy cheese filling and topped with sweet pineapple, these Sweet & Spicy BBQ Stuffed Jalapenos are the perfect way to start your backyard barbecue...

This content was created in partnership with Kroger Family Stores using free products provided by Kroger.

This recipe post first appeared on the Kroger Inspired Gathering site.

Who else is excited that barbecue season has finally arrived? I have two reasons for my love of grilling season: 1) I adore barbecued food! and 2) My husband is the primary tender of our grill, so this lady gets the evening off from cooking when we decide to cook out. 






While I love a good rack of ribs or a juicy grilled steak, sometimes it's hard to wait that long for that delicious grilled flavor. That's why I like to have a couple of simple and quick summer barbecue finger food recipes on hand like these Sweet & Spicy BBQ Stuffed Jalapenos that I am sharing with you all today.






A few tips for these stuffed jalapenos ... Buy the straightest jalapenos that you can find! If your jalapeno pepper has a curve in it, it will not lay flat on the grill rack, and that cheesy goodness will spill out. Just remember- a flat pepper lies flat. 






The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the halving and seeding of the jalapenos, so if you're planning to whip these up for an evening barbecue, just cut and seed them a few hours before, cover, and refrigerate. Stuff them right before throwing them on the grill.

Foodie on a Budget- Italian Marinated Flank Steak with Fresh Herbs

During my most recent visit to the local farmers market, my husband and I purchased flank steak from a local cattle farm.  Flank steak is not usually the most desirable cut of beef, I know.  But it is extremely affordable and with the proper marinating, can be just about as tender as a filet mignon.  The farm we purchased our steak from raises grass-fed cattle, free of growth hormones and antibiotics- what I like to call the “good stuff”. 

In a prior visit to the market, I had picked up basil and parsley plants from a local greenhouse and a jar of local honey. 

So what can I make with grass-fed flank steak, my own basil and parsley, and local honey?  An amazing Italian Marinated Flank Steak with Fresh Herbs.  This flank steak has a great flavor (no steak sauce needed) and is so tender that a steak knife is not required.  Just in time for the summer grilling season. 

To make my Marinated Flank Steak, you will need:

• 1.5 lb flank steak
• 1 small shallot (or 2 cloves of garlic), finely chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup of red wine (or balsamic vinegar)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup local honey
• 7-8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• Small handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• ½ tsp of black pepper
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Whisk together the shallot (or garlic), olive oil, red wine (or balsamic vinegar), soy sauce, honey, basil, parsley, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl.  

Pierce both sides of the flank steak repeatedly using a fork.  Place the flank steak in a gallon size freezer bag.  Pour the marinade mixture over the steak in the bag and seal.  Massage the marinade into the steak, and then place in the fridge.  I marinated my flank steak for 8 hours, but you could marinate it anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.  Once the steak is marinated, take it out of the bag and season it with salt and pepper.  Cook over a hot grill for about 4-6 minutes on each side.  It is best to cook a flank steak medium-rare to medium.  Cooking it more done than medium will result in a tougher steak.  When the flank steak is cooked to your preference, let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes before slicing.  This will ensure that that the juices stay put where they are supposed to be- in the steak.  Slice the steak in ½ inch slices diagonally against the grain of the steak, and serve immediately.

Red Wine Marinated Grilled Chicken & Veggies

You and your family will love this healthier & flavorful Red Wine Marinated Grilled Chicken & Veggies...

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and NatureRaised Farms, but all my opinions are my own.

While I am not one to read every label in the grocery store aisles and I may not always buy organic, I do try to make a conscience effort to know what I am really feeding family and to make healthier choices for them and myself.  Some choices are not always so clear. But others definitely are. 

Like the fresh veggies and fruit I purchase from my local farmers market. The just laid eggs I try to pick up from my aunt's chicken coop a couple of times a month. And now with the frozen chicken that I buy for my family thanks to Sam's Club and NatureRaised Farms® Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Portions. :)

I can feel good about preparing and feeding my family NatureRaised Farms chicken because it is 100% natural*- meaning no added steroids or hormones** are used. The chickens are raised in large, open modern barns and are fed a 100% vegetarian diet.

Swapping the usual frozen chicken breasts that I buy for NatureRaised Farms chicken is an easy no-brainer for me.

With the warmer weather here and more and more fresh vegetables becoming available, my mind naturally turns to grilling season. We are a family that loves to grill.

Armed with my new favorite frozen chicken, some healthy fresh vegetables, and a simple & flavorful marinade recipe, I grilled up this Red Wine Marinated Grilled Chicken & Veggies for my family earlier this week. The marinade is light and healthy, but is full on rich flavor...

Sweet Honey BBQ Peach-Ginger Pork Chops

Sweet, juicy peaches come together perfectly with the bite of a good ginger beer and the smoky sweetness of KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce Mix & Dry Rub Sweet Honey in these tender, flavorful slow cooked pork chops...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KC Masterpiece. The opinions and text are all mine.

While I have been grateful for the warmer weather here lately, we just can't seem to catch much of break with the rain. I seriously think it has rained almost every day of the week for the past few weeks save a day or two here and there. Needless to say, it has put a slight damper on our springtime grilling. Ever tried barbecuing in a downpour? It never works out very well for the person grilling or for the meat being grilled. ;) 

So what is a girl to do when it just. won't. stop. raining, and I am craving some good BBQ? I break out my slow cooker and one of my new favorite KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce Mix & Dry Rubs, & get down to work creating a slow cooked dish that has all the smoky goodness of backyard barbecue without the outdoor charcoal grill. Everyone stays nice & dry, and we still get to satisfy our barbecue cravings. I call that a win-win, folks. 

For these Sweet Honey BBQ Peach-Ginger Pork Chops, I went all sweet and smoky with these babies. Sweet, juicy peaches come together perfectly with the bite of a good ginger beer and the smoky sweetness of KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce Mix & Dry Rub Sweet Honey in these tender, flavorful slow cooked pork chops... :)

Strawberry Cannoli Tiramisu

Sweet summer strawberries & two classic Italian desserts come together perfectly in this no-bake Strawberry Cannoli Tiramisu...

Now that summertime is pretty much in full swing, I am ready to break out all the no-bake recipes. I try to avoid turning on my stove top or oven as much as possible in the summer months. 

I mean, 80+ degree temps + a hot kitchen = no bueno, am I right? So from late June right on through the end of August, we are grilling, slow cooking, and no baking every chance we get. 

While I definitely have a pretty deep arsenal of slow cooker recipes & grilling favorites, I have realized that I really need to step up my no-bake desserts game on the blog. 

Inspired by the sweet summer strawberries that are just now starting to come into season around here & a two of my favorite Italian desserts, I came up with this easy to make Strawberry Cannoli Tiramisu. And the best part? It is 100% no-bake, folks! :)