BBQ Chicken Burgers

I’ve been craving burgers lately. This combines the tastes of barbeque with the healthiness of chicken breast. Easy and delicious.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

BBQ Chicken Burgers

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce + topping, if you desire (use your favorite)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onions, sliced
• 4 gouda cheese slices, for topping
• 4 burger buns (I used Hawaiian bread buns)
• lettuce, for topping
• tomato slices, for topping
• ranch dressing, for topping

Directions:

In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, cheddar cheese, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, green onions, and 1/3 cup barbeque sauce. Mix until combined, be sure not to over mix. Make 4 equal patties from the mixture.

Heat your skillet over medium heat. Cook the burgers on each side for about 7-8 minutes. When the burgers have only a couple of minutes to cook, top with gouda (which will turn into a melty goodness).

While burgers are cooking, heat a small pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and the sliced onions. Season with a dash of salt. Cook until caramelized, about 10-12 minutes.

Remove the burgers and serve on toasted buns with toppings of your choice.

Enjoy!!

“I met her at Burger King; we fell in love by the soda machine.” – The Ramones

Chipotle Honey Baby Back Ribs

Mmm finger lickin’ baby back ribs. I could eat racks and racks of them. The fall off the bone ones are the best. 😀 This is a quick and convenient recipe for those of you who love them as much as I do.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Chipotle Honey Baby Back Ribs

2-4 Servings

Ingredients for the rub paste:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 rack (2-3 pounds) baby back pork ribs, cut into pieces that will fit in your slow cooker
• 1/2 white onion, sliced

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1.5 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (7 ounces) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce*

* This recipe is pretty spicy if you leave the seeds in these chipotle peppers. If you have a more delicate palate, you can cut open the peppers and remove the seeds to your preference.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. (I like to spray it with a little nonstick spray just to really avoid sticking.)

In a small bowl, add the salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, cumin, and olive oil. Stir well to make a paste.

Rub mixture all over ribs, on both sides. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, and place in oven for 15 minutes. When the time has elapsed, turn rib pieces and cook for 15 more minutes.

While the meat is cooking, prepare the slow cooker and the barbeque sauce. Place your slow cooker lining in your slow cooker, if you like to use them. (Again, I like to spray a little nonstick spray in there just to make sure I can get every little delish piece of food out!) Place the sliced onion on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Place all the ingredients for the barbeque sauce in a food processor and process until smooth.

Remove ribs from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer ribs to the slow cooker on top of the sliced onions. Finally, pour barbeque sauce over the top. (I usually do this all the night before and place the slow cooker (with lid on) in the refrigerator. – I take the slow cooker pot out in the morning and let it acclimate to room temperature. Then I place the slow cooker on low right before I leave for work.)

Cover your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Turn off the slow cooker and serve warm with lots of sauce.

Enjoy!!

“I want my baby back baby back baby back baby back baby back baby back ribs. *Chili’s* Baby back ribs.” – Fat Bastard, Austin Powers:  The Spy Who Shagged Me

One-Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta

How often do we have TOO many dishes to wash after cooking a fantastic meal? Sometimes I wish my kitchen was in a tv show so I could have someone wash all the dishes for us after cooking! This meal is entirely cooked in one pot to cut down on the kitchen dish damage. This meal is dedicated to all those husbands who clean up after their cooking/baking wives! ;D

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

One-Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta

2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (I bought the mesquite flavored from the grocery)
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1.5 cups water
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces multi-grain pasta
• 1/2 cup favorite barbecue sauce (I used The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que Original Recipe Sauce)
• 1/4 cup non-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup gruyere cheese, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• green onions, sliced, for serving

Directions:

In a large non-stick pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté. When the onions have softened, remove and set aside. (I put mine in the same container as a shredded chicken.)

Next, add the water, chicken broth, salt, and pasta into the now empty pot. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer until the liquid is almost absorbed and the pasta is tender, about 12-15 minutes.

At this point, stir in the barbecue sauce and sour cream.

Once completely mixed, add in the chicken, reserved onions, and cheeses. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through.

Remove from heat, add cilantro and mix.

Serve warm and garnish with green onions and additional shredded cheese.

Enjoy!!

“The story of barbecue is the story of America:  Settlers arrive on great unspoiled continent, discover wondrous riches, set them on fire and eat them. ” – Vince Staten

BBQ Pulled Pork Enchiladas

Enchiladas…a definite MUST in a Texas household. Tex-Mex is very dear to our hearts, and something we could not live without. The recipes are always so fun to come up with because the combinations of fillings and sauces are endless. This is our favorite corn tortilla enchilada recipe!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

BBQ Pulled Pork Enchiladas

4-6 Servings*

Ingredients for the enchilada sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 (15 ounce)  can tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Ingredients for the enchiladas:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 3 cups pulled pork**
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite barbeque sauce
• 1 cup shredded jalapeño jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese, divided
• 12-16 corn tortillas
• vegetable oil (for frying)
• sour cream, as a garnish
• 1 avocado, diced

*I halved this recipe since there are only two of us. All the photos are with half the ingredients.
**I actually used left over baby back rib meat I had in the freezer from a previous dinner, but you can also use the left over pulled pork from any other recipes including the one it’s linked to.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9″x13″ pan (used a 8″x8″ pan since I halved the recipe) with non-stick spray. Set aside for later.

First, prepare the enchilada sauce. Heat olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cook onion for about 4 minutes, and then add garlic for 1 minute. Mix in flour and continue to cook 1 minute.

Stir in tomato sauce and remaining ingredients for the enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer while you prepare the filling. Season to taste with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the filling, heat oil in a medium-sized pan/skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in pulled pork diced tomatoes with green chilies, and barbeque sauce. Cook until warmed through.

Move the filling into a separate bowl and allow to cool.

Once the filling has cooled a bit, add the 1 cup jalapeño jack cheese and half of the cheddar and monterey jack cheese (1/2 cup) and mix together.

In a small pan, use enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, around 2-4 tablespoons. Heat over medium-high heat and cook tortillas one at a time until soft, about 30 seconds on each side. As you cook each tortilla, place them on paper towels to absorb any of the oil left over. Repeat until all tortillas have been heated.

Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.

Once all the tortillas are cooked, start filling your enchiladas. Lay each tortilla on a flat surface and spoon about 1/4 cup filling into center. Roll closed, and repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.

Place rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam side down. Spoon remaining enchilada sauce over the top.

Finally, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded monterey jack and cheddar cheese on top.

Place pan in oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese melts. Turn on broiler, broil for 3-5 minutes or until cheese browns. Remove pan from oven and allow to cool slightly and serve with sour cream and fresh avocado chunks.

Enjoy!!

“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that’s what He’s getting.” – Jack Handy

Shiner Bock Pulled Pork

Pulled pork…so yummers! It is so easy and delicious. This pulled pork can be used in barbeque sandwiches, quesadillas, and enchiladas to just name a few. This is also very easy to make for a larger group of people while entertaining at home or for a tailgate. Yay for football season returning!  \m/ Hook ‘Em Horns! \m/

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Shiner Bock Pulled Pork

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 4-5 pounds pork loin, fat trimmed
• 1 cup pork loin rub
• 1 (12 ounces) bottle of Shiner Bock beer
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 5 tablespoons of water
• Bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce (optional if you don’t want to make the sauce out of the drippings)

Directions:

Cut roast into 3-4″ pieces. Place the dry rub into shallow bowl. Roll each piece of pork in spice rub, making sure that all sides are covered. Place pork in slow cooker.

Add beer, specifically pouring along the edges for easier clean up later.

Cook on low 8-10 hours or on high for 6-8 hours. When done cooking, the pork will easily flake apart with a fork. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred with 2 forks or your hands. (I prefer the latter.)

Strain broth through fine wire mesh strainer. Allow the drippings to sit for a bit and remove fat with a spoon. Place the broth in a sauce pot big enough for it, place it on the stove top, and heat it over medium-high heat. In small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Slowly whisk the cornstarch/water mixture into the hot broth. Heat and whisk until thickened.

Combine shredded pork and thickened broth in slow cooker on high to heat through and then lower to the warm setting. (Unfortunately I did not get any pictures of the gravy and meat together.) Serve on buns, plain or with barbeque sauce.

Enjoy!!

“Pork fat rules!” – Emeril Lagasse

Pork Loin Dry Rub

Dry Rub…can add a little *zing* to your meats. It adds another whole level of flavor to me. Most of the time when dry rubs are brought up it’s about barbeque. I say, why not use them on all  the meat you can find?! Even if you prefer to brine, smoke, or grill meat, you can still use a rub to boost the delicious factor in it. The best thing about rubs is that they can be free to cheap! You can also make them ahead of time and store them in an air-tight container for use in the future. I used this rub recently on some pork loin, but you can also use it on poultry.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Pork Loin Dry Rub

Yields enough for about 8-10 pounds of meat.

Ingredients:

• 1.25 cups brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 teaspoons onion salt
• 1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoons ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

Mix thoroughly. Place in an air-tight container for storage or use immediately. You can use the rub on pork loin or chicken before roasting, smoking, pan frying, or grilling!

Enjoy!!

“I love sleeping in on Saturdays, and I love college football games. I love not acting my age and good barbeque.”- Eric Church, “Love Your Love the Most”