Smoky BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Apple Arugula & Orange-Bourbon Slaw

Growing up in Memphis, BBQ was on the menu quite often. It was always one of momma'a favorite foods, too. So if we weren't ordering takeout BBQ, it was being cooked at our house. Here's my take on chicken BBQ, which is the absolute most perfect recipe for leftover chicken!

Grocery list (4 people):

• 1 small onion - chopped

• 2 garlic cloves - minced

• 1 cup ketchup

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce - chopped

• 1-2 tbsp adobo sauce

• 1 tsp Worcestershire

• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

• Kosher salt

• 2 cups shredded chicken (I use leftover meat from a rotisserie)

• 4 hamburger buns (I homemade mine using this easy recipe from Taste of Home)

• Apple Arugula Slaw - for topping (search recipe on Andrea's Cooktales)

Directions:

IMG_7475.JPG

1. In a large saucepan, sauté onions with 1/4 tsp salt over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sauté one minute. 2. Add ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon, maple syrup, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a slight boil and simmer until somewhat thickened (if sauce gets too thick add water).

3. Put shredded chicken into a bowl and toss together with as much sauce as you'd like.

IMG_7474.JPG

4. Open buns and stack each bottom half with about 1/2 cup BBQ chicken. Top chicken with my Apple Arugula and Orange-Bourbon slaw.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!

Shrimp, Grits, 'N Collards

.

This dish simply reminds me of growing up in the south. As everyone knows, shrimp and grits are everything in the south. And you can't go to Mississippi and not find greens on the menu. Most kids grow up hating greens but I always adored them. They're still one of my favorite sides to order, next to grits of course. This recipe combines the two southern staples, making it one great, big country dish!

Grocery list (4 people):

Collards:

• 4 strips of bacon

• 3 cloves of garlic - minced

• 1 tsp red pepper flake

• 4 bunches of fresh collard greens - leaves only, stems discarded

• 1 tsp sugar

• 2 tsp Kosher salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 cup apple juice

Grits:

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups milk

• 1 cup stone ground grits

• 4 tsp Kosher salt

• 2 tsp pepper

• 4 tbsp butter

• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese

Shrimp:

• 1 lb shrimp - peeled, deveined, tails on

• 2 tsp fresh tarragon - chopped

• 1 tsp fresh thyme - chopped

• 4 tbsp butter - melted

• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• Fresh parsley - for garnish

Directions:

Collards:

.

.

Fry the bacon and set aside. Using the bacon grease, over medium low heat, sautée the garlic and the red pepper flake for 1 minute. Add the greens, sugar, salt, and pepper and let cook down for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and apple juice. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes. Crumble the bacon into the greens and stir to combine. Taste and add salt if needed.

Grits:

.

.

Add water and milk to a large saucepan. Over medium low heat, whisk in the grits. Continue whisking and bring grits to a slight boil for one minute. Simmer and whisk occasionally. You want these to cook slowly (watch them attentively and stir often, the way you would risotto). If the grits get dry, add more milk. Cook until creamy. Add the salt, pepper, butter and mascarpone. Stir to combine. Taste and add salt if needed. Shrimp:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

.

.

.

Stir together the fresh herbs, butter, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss the shrimp with the herb mixture on a roasting pan. Roast for about 6 minutes or until the shrimp just turn pink. Plate the dish. In a shallow bowl add grits, top with a nice portion of greens, then add shrimp. Garnish with torn parsley.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Balsamic BBQ Meatballs with Rudolph's Pork Rinds

These one of a kind meatballs are my final recipe that was featured on Local Memphis Live last week. A sweet and tangy balsamic BBQ sauce gives these meatballs a fun twist, but it's really the pork rinds that make this recipe stand out. Pork rinds in meatballs?!?!?! What in the world?! Well, traditionally breadcrumbs are featured in meatballs, and we've all had a BBQ flavored meatball so put the two together and you have quite a unique meatball! Pork rinds were a fun subject for me to discuss on the Local Memphis Live segment because it immediately brought back a childhood memory. When I think or pork rinds I think of being a kid on a road trip. When I was a kid, we would go on summer trips to the beach, and what I remember most were the gas station stops. We would make pit stops and stock up on snacks for the car. As strange as it may sound, pork rinds were always a family favorite. I've grown up eating pork rinds, so cooking with them made a lot of sense!

Grocery list (makes about 20 meatballs):

Sauce:

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup balsamic

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp Dijon

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tbsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

Meatballs:

1/2 lb pork

1/2 lb ground beef

1/3 cup grated onion

1 garlic clove minced

1/4 cup parm

1 tbsp cream or milk

1 egg - beaten

2 tbsp basil - minced

1 tsp salt

1 cup Rudolph's Original Pork Rinds (or breadcrumbs) 

Directions:

Step 1:

Start by making the sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, balsamic, brown sugar, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic power, and salt. Set over low heat and whisk until smooth.

Step 2:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Make the meatball mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine the pork, beef, onion, garlic, parm, cream, beaten egg, basil, and salt with a fork. Don't over mix. In a plastic bag, crush your pork rinds into very fine crumbs. You can also do this in a food processor. Add the crushed pork rinds and combine the mixture with your hands. Again, don't over mix. Just mix together until well combined.

Step 3:

Make your balls. You can use your hands but I like to use a small ice cream scoop so they're all the same size. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and spoon a small amount of the Balsamic BBQ sauce over each ball. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve extra sauce alongside for dipping.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Pork Rind BBQ Nachos

To continue my recipes from the Local Memphis Live TV segment on Tuesday, today I'm posting recipe #2: Pork Rind BBQ Nachos. This is a low carb version of the real thing. And I have to say, using pork rinds instead of tortillas may just give the original recipe a run for it's money. If you live in Memphis, you know that BBQ nachos are a staple around here. If you don't live in Memphis and you come to Memphis, the first thing you should eat is BBQ Nachos. I'm not joking. Do it.

This fun snack will always remind me of Redbirds and Grizzlies games. Yeah sure, we love watching the games, love the atmosphere, and love all the fun that comes along with the 'Birds and Grizz, but I have to admit, half the reason me and Tres go to the games are for the BBQ Nachos! We can't be in our seats for more than 5 minutes without getting an order of BBQ Nachos and a beer. It never fails and never will! Now we can make them at home -- low carb!

Grocery List:

1 bag Rudolph's BBQ Pork Rinds

32 oz pulled pork (I like to use leftovers from sandwiches the night before or you can find it in the freezer section of your grocery store)

1 cup cheddar cheese - grated

1/2 cup (or more) BBQ sauce

1 jalapeño - chopped into rounds (optional)

Parsley - for garnish

Directions:

Step 1:

On a large platter, spread out the pork rinds directly from the bag.

Step 2:

Top the rinds with the pulled pork, then the cheese, and finally the BBQ sauce (you can add as much or little of any of these as you like).

Step 3:

If you like a little spice, add the chopped jalapeño. Garnish with parsley.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!