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While I usually focus my videos on the main course, we all know that in order to complete the meal you need to add some side dishes. While I love Macaroni Salad, it usually is pretty boring. So I decided to kick it up a notch or two by adding all those flavors from a Jalapeno Popper into the Salad. Jalapenos, Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, and creamy dressing! This Macaroni Salad is sure to have all your friends and family asking you for the recipe. The best part is it is very easy to make. If you like the flavors of Jalapeno Poppers you need to try this recipe. I guarantee you will love it! Ingredients: 1 lb dried elbow Macaroni pasta 4-5 fresh Jalapenos, diced 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, cubed small (or shredded) (Monterey Jack or Colby Jack are good as well) 8 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled 1/2 cup Mayonnaise 1/2 cup Sour Cream 2 Tbsp Cream Cheese, softened 2 Tbsp Lemon juice 3/4 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder generous pinch of Black Pepper fresh Parsley or Green Onion, for garnish Start by slicing your Jalapenos in half and removing the seeds. If you like it more spicy feel free to leave a few seeds. Place the Peppers on a baking sheet and spray with some Olive Oil spray. Season with Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder. Roast in your oven at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until nicely soften. Remove from Oven and allow to cool down. Gently remove the outer skin from the Jalapeno Peppers. Sometime it is easier using a small knife to cut into the skin, and then you can pull it off. Diced the Jalapenos into pieces and set aside. Bring large pot of water to a boil, add generous pinch of salt and boil pasta per package directions. Drain, and rinse pasta with cold water until cooled. Also cook the Bacon and crumble into smaller pieces. To a small mixing bowl, add mayo, sour cream, cream cheese, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder and black pepper and whisk until smooth and creamy. Set aside. To a large mixing or serving bowl, add cooked and cooled pasta, jalapeños, cheese, and most of the bacon. Pour dressing over pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining bacon, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to fully combine. Serve and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

Today my little girl officially becomes a teenager. It doesn't seem that long ago that she made her surprise appearance in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. It isn't too surprising considering she is an "Action Woman", as my Mom use to say. She is always looking for fun and adventure, and always up to trying new things. I asked her where she wanted to go for her Birthday and she picked Texas Roadhouse. It had been quite a while since we had been here, so we were all excited to see if it was a good as we remembered. Join us as we go celebrate Ava Grace's 13th Birthday at Texas Roadhouse. Watch my video below to see us celebrate Ava Grace's 13th Birthday!

Are you looking for a quick and easy meal that takes around 10 minutes to cook on your grill? If so you need to check out this delicious and easy recipe featuring two of my favorite things, Shrimp and Sausage. I used both Smoked Sausage and Polish Kielbasa in this, and of course some Jumbo Shrimp. Brush on some of your favorite Barbecue sauce and you are ready to throw them on the grill. Simple, easy and delicious! Ingredients: Jumbo Shrimp Sausage (I used Smoked Sausage and Polish Kielbasa) Seasoning of your choice BBQ Sauce of your choice Skewers Start by preparing your skewers with the Sausage and Shrimp. Try to wrap the Shrimp around the Sausage. When all the Skewers are done season them with your favorite seasoning and set aside while you preheat your grill. Heat your grill to medium high heat. Grill the Skewers for 2-3 minutes per side. Brush some BBQ Sauce on during the last minute of cooking and flip over to help caramelize the sauce. Serve and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step simply watch my video below.

When my family and I lived in California we would always celebrate our Birthday's at Benihana. It became a tradition, and we all loved watching our chef prepare our food, and it always was delicious! We were all disappointed after moving to Wisconsin to realize we didn't have any Benihana restaurants close by. Closest one was one state away in Minnesota, inside the largest Mall in America. This year we decided to make the drive to celebrate my Birthday, and the upcoming Birthday of my daughter Ava Grace. Come join my family and I as we explore the Mall of America, and enjoy dinner at our favorite Birthday spot. Watch my video below to see our fun day together.

One of my favorite appetizers to serve my family and friends are Jalapeno Poppers. I usually wrap them with Bacon and smoke them to add some flavor. They are always a big hit whenever I serve them. Today I wanted to make these a meal. So I added some Chicken and wrapped up all the ingredients in a flour tortilla. A few minutes on my Blackstone Griddle and I had a delicious meal that was filling and satisfying, as it had the wonderful flavors of a Jalapeno Popper. If you love Jalapeno Poppers you definitely need to try these. As a bonus they are very easy to make and prepare, let me show you. Ingredients: Flour Tortillas 12 oz whipped Cream Cheese 8 oz shredded Cheddar Cheese 6 slices Bacon, chopped into pieces 2-3 Jalapeños, seeded and diced (or use canned diced jalapeños) Garlic powder 1-2 chicken breasts, cubed (or thighs/tenders) 1-2 tbsp Mayonnaise Seasoning of your choice Oil for frying Cook the Bacon until crispy. Remove it from the pan, reserving the bacon fat, and allow the Bacon to cool, then cut and crumble it. Meanwhile, coat the cubed Chicken with Mayonnaise (1 tbsp per chicken breast or just enough to coat thinly) and season with the Seasoning of your choice. Cook the chicken in the reserved bacon fat until fully cooked, then remove it from the pan. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the whipped Cream Cheese, shredded Cheddar Cheese, diced Jalapeños, and crumbled Bacon. Season with Garlic powder. Spread the mixture on half of each tortilla and add the cooked Chicken. Fold the tortillas in half. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Place the filled Tortillas on the griddle and cook until the tortillas are crispy and the filling is warmed through, adding oil as needed. Serve and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

When I got the Monument Grills Denali 605 Pro Gas Grill I knew I had to cook something with the included Rotisserie. Of course the first thing that comes to mind is a Chicken, but I wanted to try something different. I decided to cook a Pork Loin. I added some smoke flavor with a smoke box and some Cherry wood chips. I also made a very easy Glaze consisting of 3 ingredients, Honey, Maple Syrup and Bourbon. What a great combination, and it came out Delicious! If you have a Rotisserie and are looking for something to cook besides a Chicken you definitely need to check this recipe out. Very easy to do, and it will impress your family and friends! Ingredients: Pork Loin Mustard (for a binder) Rub of your choice Butcher Twine Glaze Ingredients: Equal parts of Honey, Maple Syrup and Bourbon (I used 1/2 cup of each) Mix in a Saucepan and simmer to reduce down. Brush on the Pork during the last 30 minutes. First trim any excess fat from your Pork Loin. Apply some Mustard on the outside of the Pork and apply your favorite BBQ Rub. Make sure to get all sides and the ends as well. Truss the Pork Loin by using Butcher Twine every inch or so. This will help the Pork Loin to maintain its shape while rotating on the Rotisserie. Carefully attach the Pork Loin to the Rotisserie Bar and Hooks. Make sure to test it to guarantee it turns freely. Place a foil tray underneath the Pork to help keep your grill clean. Fill a smoke box with Cherry wood chips, and place over a burner. Once some smoke is being produced close the lid and allow the Pork Loin to turn for 30-45 minutes to absorb some smoke. Next turn on some additional burners and get the grill up to 350-400 degrees. Continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 141-142 degrees. Remove and cover with foil for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy! To watch my cook this recipe simply watch my video below.

One Sunday morning Monica and I were enjoying our coffee and watched a few YouTube videos. We watched a review of Portillo's, which is a Chicago fast food chain. After watching a few more videos Monica and I were craving the food so bad that we spontaneously decided to drive 3 hours round trip to Woodbury, Minnesota. This is where the closest Portillo's Restaurant is located. Having grown up in the suburbs of Chicago, I grew up enjoying the Chicago Classics. Italian Beefs, Polish Sausages, and of course the classic Chicago Dog. It had been years since I was last at a Portillo's, so this was a special treat! Road Trip! Not to mention that Portillo's make one of the best Milkshakes you will ever experience. The Chocolate Cake Shake. The actually blend a whole piece of Chocolate Cake into the Milk Shake. It is incredible, and I would highly recommend it! Come join me and the family on a road trip to Minnesota to enjoy some Portillo's! Simple watch my video below!

Are you in the mood for a Burger, but want to try something different? Why not smoke them? Smoking them will take them to the next level of flavor. The best part is it isn't very complicated. Simply place your seasoned Burger patties on your smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 135-145 degrees. Add a very simple and easy Burger sauce and you will be amazed at how good these Burgers taste. Ingredients: Burger patties Slices of Cheese Burger buns Sliced Red Onion Lettuce Pickle slices Salt and Black Pepper Burger Sauce Ingredients: 1/2 cup of Mayonnaise 2 Tablespoons of Ketchup 2 Tablespoons of sweet Relish 2 Teaspoons of Mustard 1 Teaspoon of finely diced Red Onion A few dashes of your favorite Hot Sauce Start by mixing the Burger sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and cover. Place in your Fridge until you are ready to assemble your Burgers. Form your Burger patties either by hand or by using a Burger Press. Season both sides with Salt and Pepper. Place in your Fridge until you are ready to cook them. Heat your Smoker to 225 degrees. Once it reaches temperature add your Burger patties. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 135-145 degrees. Flip the Burger patties half way through the cooking time. Total cooking time should be around 60-90 minutes. When they are almost done top the patties with sliced Cheese, and add your Burger Buns to the smoker. When the Cheese in melted and the Buns are toasted to your satisfaction remove and assemble your Burgers. Enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step simply watch my video below.

The main reason I first purchased a Sous Vide machine many years ago was to cook the perfect Steak. Like most of us my first few attempts of cooking a Steak didn't exactly go as planned. Most of the time they were raw, or overcooked and dried out. I knew I had to improve my skills. Let me fill you in on a little secret. You do not need any skills cooking a Steak perfectly when you use the Sous Vide method. It takes all the stress and guesswork out of the equation. Let me show you how easy it is to prepare a perfectly cooked Steak. You family and friends will be very impressed! So will your stomach! Ingredients: Beef Tenderloin Steaks Kosher Salt Course Ground Black Pepper Fresh Rosemary Fresh Mushrooms Butter Worcestershire Sauce Oil for Frying Start by seasoning the Steaks generously with Salt and Pepper. Do both sides, and roll the Steaks to coat the sides with the Salt and Pepper as well. Preheat your Sous Vide bath to 131 degrees. Place the Steaks into a Freezer plastic Bag. Add some fresh Rosemary on both sides. Place into the Sous Vide Bath, making sure all the Steaks remain under the water line. Sometimes you might need to get creative to hold them down. Cook for an hour to an hour and a half. If you steaks are very thick you will want to increase the cooking time for an hour or so. Saute the Mushrooms in Butter and Worcestershire Sauce. Remove when done. Remove the Steaks and completely dry off using paper towels. Make sure the surface of the Steaks are dry, as this will guarantee a good sear. Sear the Steaks in a very hot cast iron frying pan in Oil and Butter for around a minute or so per side. Remove and serve immediately. Enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

I recently discovered the Bird Dog Chicken Sandwich. Basically it is like a Hot Dog, but instead of the Dog you use a breaded Chicken Tender. Serve with some Dill Pickle slices and Buttermilk Ranch and you have a Delicious Sandwich. As a bonus it is very easy to make. If you never had one I highly recommend you give it a try. Ingredients: Chicken Tenders (I cut up some Chicken Breasts) Hot Dog Buns or Sub Rolls Buttermilk Chicken Seasoning (I used Luvafoodie Chicken Lovers Spice Blend ) Chicken Breading Mix Dill Pickle Slices Mayonnaise Hot Sauce (I used Sriracha) Oil for frying Start by cutting some Chicken Breast into strips. You usually can also purchase them already sliced at most stores. Place the Chicken strips into a large bowl. Season with some Chicken Seasonings. Mix Well. Next cover the Chicken with Buttermilk. Mix well to ensure all the pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours if time allows. Mix 3-4 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise in a bowl with some Chicken Seasoning. If you like it a bit spicy add some of your favorite Hot Sauce. Stir well and refrigerate for later. Place the Chicken Breading Mix into a Gallon plastic bag. Add several pieces of the Chicken strips that have been soaking in the Buttermilk. Shake the bag to ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. Remove and place on a plate. Heat the oil to 350-375 degrees. Start to fry the coated Chicken strips for 5-6 minutes, turning a few times to ensure even cooking. Remove when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and place on a plate with paper towels to remove excess oil. Assemble the sandwiches by coating the buns with the Mayonnaise sauce. Place 1-2 Chicken strips into the buns and add a few Dill Pickle slices. Top with some Buttermilk Ranch. Serve and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step simply watch my video below.

The main reason I purchased a Pit Barrel Cooker many years ago was to smoke some Ribs. I love a smoked Rib, and the flavor profile you get from hanging some racks in the Pit Barrel Cooker cannot be matched with any other smoker. Just fire up the PBC and hang those ribs. Perfectly smoked results every time! Ingredients: 2 slabs of Baby Back Ribs BBQ Rub of your choice (or just use salt & pepper) BBQ Sauce of your choice Start by removing the back membrane of the ribs. Season well on both sides with your favorite BBQ Rub. Allow them to sit for a while to absorb some of the seasonings while you light some charcoal for your Pit Barrel Cooker. Once the coals are ready pour into the basket and add some wood chip or chunks if you like a smokey flavor. I would recommend a fruit wood, like Apple or Cherry Wood. Hang the Ribs and smoke for 2-3 hours, or until the meat starts to pull back from the end of the bone. If you like you can also apply your favorite BBQ Sauce on the Ribs for the last 20-30 minutes. Crack the lid around an inch to allow the temperature to climb and help the sauce caramelize. When done remove and let rest for 10 minutes or so. Slice and enjoy! To watch me make these Awesome Ribs on my Pit Barrel Cooker simply watch my video below.

I never considered that I could cook a Pizza on my Gas Grill. Usually I just throw the Pizza into the oven. But when Monument Grills sent me their new Denali 605 Pro with the optional Pizza Stone, I knew I had to try it. I decided to make some fresh Dough and then gathered all the ingredients I needed to make a Pizza. Pepperoni, Canadian Bacon, and some fresh Onion, Peppers and Mushrooms. Topped with lots of Cheese and we have a perfect Pizza. So join me as I make my very first Pizza on a Gas Grill. Does cooking it on your Grill take the Pizza to the next level of flavor, or can you simply make your Pizza in your Oven? Watch the video to see what we think. Ingredients: Pizza Dough Pizza Sauce Mozzarella Cheese Pepperoni Canadian Bacon Sliced Onion and Green Peppers Fresh Mushrooms Italian Seasoning Start by applying the Sauce evenly over the dough. Add a little cheese and then top with your favorite ingredients. Finally top with a little more cheese. Place on your Pizza Stone and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Slice and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step simply watch my video below.