BBQ University

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Like many folks on Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, you might be making plans to go camping, or planning a BBQ, or even going somewhere for a picnic. 

Whatever the event, if you are the one in charge of the meal planning and cooking, if time allows, please try some of my make-ahead food ideas before, so that you can have more time to relax and to enjoy yourself and your family on the actual day of the event!

Just because you are the one in charge of the planning and cooking, it doesn’t mean you have to be busy doing EVERYTHING food-related that day. Consider these make-ahead food ideas:

Make-Ahead Marinated Chicken and Steak 

Adding steak and chicken to the hamburger and hotdog menu is easy.
The prep. time for any of my marinated steak, teriyaki chicken and Thai Chicken recipes is 15 minutes at the most.  For days or weeks before, combine the marinade and meat in a freezer bag and freeze according to the recipe’s directions. Remove from the freezer the day before the event and place in the refrigerator to thaw. For a day ahead, marinate and refrigerate for 24 hours.  When your grill is pre-heated, you will be ready.

Make-Ahead Stuffed Beef Tenderloin

For a special, out-of the-ordinary indulgence, how does a beef tenderloin stuffed with spinach, Swiss cheese, garlic and mushrooms and slow cooked on the rotisserie grill sound?  Although beef tenderloin is very expensive per pound (check out your local wholesale club for the best price) it is definitely worth a once-a-year Memorial Day event! Estimate ½ lb. per person, and a five pound tenderloin will easily feed about 10 people. My stuffed beef tenderloin recipe includes make-ahead instructions for the stuffing, allowing you to make the stuffing a day ahead.

The day you are ready for the grill, rinse the beef under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.  Cut a lengthwise pocket into the side of the beef and fill with the stuffing.  Tie the beef tightly with 5 or 6 separate strings to keep the pocket closed.  Cut off the excess strings if they’re hanging.  Rub the outside of the beef with the minced garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Insert a cooking thermometer in the center in the thickest part of the beef (not the stuffing.)  Grill on a rotisserie (or bake in the oven at 375°F) until the thermometer registers rare in the center.  Do not overcook.  The ends will be more done.  Let the beef rest for 15 minutes before you cut it.  Remove the strings.  Cut into ½ inch slices. Your guests will think you labored over extravagant cooking recipes, while you too are sitting and enjoying this delicacy.

Make-Ahead Cole Slaw and Pasta Salads

My cookbook contains some easy make-ahead cole slaw and broccoli slaw recipes. Whether its broccoli salad, Hawaiian cole slaw, or healthy broccoli slaw, it is simple to make these a day ahead. Make the dressing a day ahead and refrigerate.  Assemble the other ingredients and refrigerate. To avoid a soggy cole slaw, add the dressing and toss your cole slaw right before your BBQ.

My Italian sub and macaroni pasta salad recipes can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, and these will taste delicious the day of the event.

Make-Ahead Desserts

Dessert breads are a great finger-food for a picnic or an after BBQ treat. Many of my easy dessert bread recipes like banana bread, cinnamon bread, blueberry bread or strawberry bread, allow for making ahead and freezing.

After baking two loaves of bread (many of my bread recipes will yield two loaves) wait until they are completely cooled. Next, wrap them in plastic wrap before placing them in a vacuum bag to freeze. Take them out of the vacuum sealed bags to thaw, this way the breads are already wrapped and ready for you to serve in about 4 hours.

Kids always go for the cookies, even big (adult-sized) kids! Homemade cookies are simple, make-ahead desserts that are a great finish to any picnic or BBQ.  Making Ahead is easy when you flash freeze your cookie dough. Use the flash freezing method for my cookie recipes and you will have fantastic results.  These cookie recipes include: big ginger cookies; brownie cookies; macadamia nut cookies; oatmeal cookies; peanut butter chocolate chip crackles; peanut butter kiss cookies; snickerdoodles; and everyone’s favorite, chocolate chip cookies. You can find these cookie recipes, as well as, all of the above mentioned recipes and make ahead directions in my Make-ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook.  

The more prep. work you do in advance, the more fun you will have at your BBQ. You want to be in the fresh air and sunshine NOT in your kitchen!

My cookbook contains some easy make-ahead cole slaw and broccoli slaw recipes. Whether its broccoli salad, Hawaiian cole slaw, or healthy broccoli slaw, it is simple to make these a day ahead. Make the dressing a day ahead and refrigerate.  Assemble the other ingredients and refrigerate. To avoid a soggy cole slaw, add the dressing and toss your cole slaw right before your BBQ.

My Italian sub and macaroni pasta salad recipes can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, and these will taste delicious the day of the event.

Make-Ahead Desserts

Dessert breads are a great finger-food for a picnic or an after BBQ treat. Many of my easy dessert bread recipes like banana bread, cinnamon bread, blueberry bread or strawberry bread, allow for making ahead and freezing.

After baking two loaves of bread (many of my bread recipes will yield two loaves) wait until they are completely cooled. Next, wrap them in plastic wrap before placing them in a vacuum bag to freeze. Take them out of the vacuum sealed bags to thaw, this way the breads are already wrapped and ready for you to serve in about 4 hours.

Kids always go for the cookies, even big (adult-sized) kids! Homemade cookies are simple, make-ahead desserts that are a great finish to any picnic or BBQ.  Making Ahead is easy when you flash freeze your cookie dough. Use the flash freezing method for my cookie recipes and you will have fantastic results.  These cookie recipes include: big ginger cookies; brownie cookies; macadamia nut cookies; oatmeal cookies; peanut butter chocolate chip crackles; peanut butter kiss cookies; snickerdoodles; and everyone’s favorite, chocolate chip cookies. You can find these cookie recipes, as well as, all of the above mentioned recipes and make ahead directions in my Make-ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook.  

The more prep. work you do in advance, the more fun you will have at your BBQ. You want to be in the fresh air and sunshine NOT in your kitchen!

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Get the recipe for Bacon Explosion – learn how to make a Bacon Explosion just in time for the Superbowl!

POLL QUESTION – Answer the poll question and win a FREE Apple iPhone 3G

Have you ever eaten a bacon explosion?

YES – IT WAS DELICIOUS

NO – NOT YET (BUT I WANT TO)

NO – EWW, NASTY

The Bacon Explosion is a smoked or baked dish consisting of bacon wrapped around spiced sausage filling mixed with crunchy bacon bits, in a form roughly the size of a football. The Bacon Explosion was publicized by Jason Day and Aaron Chronister in December 2008 on their “BBQ Addicts” blog. Subsequently, it became an internet phenomenon, generating more than 390,000 hits and 16,000 links to the blog.

The other day the guys from BaconToday.com contacted me in search for some barbecue bacon recipes. Of course I have plenty of great uses for bacon in a barbecue pit, but the longer I thought about it, the more I wanted to step it up a notch and clog a few arteries for those guys. Behold, BACON EXPLOSION!!! Here’s what you’ll need… 2 pounds thick cut bacon, 2 pounds Italian sausage, 1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce, 1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub.

Obviously pork is best served by itself, but if you feel the need to make this meat monster into a sandwich, try placing a couple Bacon Explosion slices on a warm Pillsbury’s Grands Biscuit. You’ll reach pork Nirvana is no time flat!

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Rachel Ray free recipes make it possible for you to prepare extraordinarily dishes in a short time. Be it simple dishes for children, or elaborate lay-out ones to entertain the guests; Rachel’s long list of recipes has it all. Not only are these dishes irresistible to look at, but are also very simple to prepare. All of them take a maximum time of 30 minutes, from the time you start to the time you complete them. You would be surprised when your family and children actually start enjoying these home made dishes prepared by you, than take away food.

Good Food & Great Hostess

Rachel Ray free recipes are very popular. Food Network has done four shows with her. Besides these, she has eight cookbooks and a magazine also. Rachel looks gorgeous on the screen. She has a great way of making even some complicated recipes look simple. Some of the viewer’s favorite recipes are: Quesadilla Club, Orange BBQ Glaze, Bleu Cheese Tortilla Chips etc. Rachel Ray free recipes seem very attractive and are ideal for making an impact on friends, family or someone special on those special occasions.

Have A Complete Fare

You can access Rachel Ray free recipes at the Internet. All the recipes that Rachel shows in the episodes of her shows are available online. With Rachel’s recipes you can plan an entire dinner, complete with the three courses.  Dishes like Cracked Corn and Cheese Squares or chunky peanut butter in Thai salad with peanut dressing are ideal for appetizers.  For dessert, you can try Rachel’s Black Cherry Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce, which is not only delicious, but also very simple to prepare.

With speedy Rachel Ray free recipes, you can easily multi-task. Enjoy some splendid food with your family every day, while you manage your house and also get plenty of time to do other work.

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I have tons of tomatoes…and my husband wants a great bbq sauce he can make and save using fresh tom.
Do you know of any recipes? Thanks

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I love making bbq chicken wings, but somehow I always mess it up.

I have some “brown sugar bbq sauce” I bought at a local store and some chicken wings. I know I’ll probably need some other ingredients. I am thinking of cooking them in my toaster oven(I have a big toaster oven that has a “grill” function.

Any good bbq chicken wings recipes that are easy for a beginner like me? Thanks.

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