SANDRA’S SMOKY GRILLED MINI SUMMER PIZZAS

A perfect lunch or dinner option, especially with homemade coleslaw as a side...

Servings:  2

Prep: 10 Mins.

Grill: 10 to 12 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

2 mini 8” Boboli pizza crusts, or one 12”

--(These crusts are thicker and perfect for grilling)

6 tablespoons pizza sauce

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons medium shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley

6 seeded kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

4 tablespoon shredded mozzarella

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

METHOD

Preheat charcoal grill.

Spread each crust with 3 tablespoons of pizza sauce, and drizzle both with ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar.  Top crusts equally by dividing the remaining ingredients in half in order listed.

Place prepared pizzas directly onto grill, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese melts and pizzas are golden. ~ Enjoy!

I like to serve these mini pizzas with homemade coleslaw:

Best Homemade Coleslaw recipe 

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Tip:  If you prefer to bake these pizzas in an oven, place them on a sprayed baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and bake at 450 degrees on rack placed in lowest position.

SANDRA'S KIELBASA SLIDER INDOOR PICNIC LUNCH

I always start by making my coleslaw mid-morning
to allow 2 hrs. for the flavors to meld, which
makes the remainder of the meal
a quick n' easy prep...

Servings: (2)
Prep: 5 Mins. |
Cook: 5 Mins.|
(+ Let coleslaw refrigerate 2 hrs. for flavors to meld before serving meal)

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

*Coleslaw:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon celery seeds
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained (or crushed pineapple, drained)

**Enhanced Baked Beans:
1 (8 oz. can) baked beans (Recommend Bush's Original)
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon red pepper, finely chopped
½ teaspoon light olive oil

***Kielbasa Sliders:
½ teaspoon light olive oil
2 smoky kielbasa sausages, cut in half lengthwise,
--and scored on outside to prevent curling while searing
2 onion hamburger buns, toasted
--Ketchup
--Sweet relish
--Yellow mustard

METHOD

*Prepare Coleslaw:
In a large bowl, add all first four ingredients and whisk until smooth, add the remaining ingredient and toss to combine; cover, and refrigerate 2 hours for flavors to meld before serving.

** Prepare Enhanced Baked Beans:
In a small saucepan, add the olive oil and heat to medium, and gently saute the onions and red peppers for 2 minutes, add the beans and when the boiling point is reached, reduce the heat and gently simmer until sliders are done.

***Prepare Kielbasa Sliders:
In a medium skillet, add the olive oil and heat to medium, and add the pieces of kielbasa sausage flat side down, and cook without disturbing to caramelize for about 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add your buns to the toaster, and watch closely so they are just lightly browned. Spread the tops and bottoms of the buns evenly with ketchup, sweet relish and yellow mustard.  Cut the kielbasa to size to fit buns, place on bottoms of buns, and top with other half of bun.  Cut in half, and serve as shown in photograph above. Enjoy!

SANDRA'S GRILLED COLA CHICKEN THIGHS with GRILLED CORN and COLESLAW

A superb barbecue option
that you'll be making quite often,
as it is a great "All-American" meal after all...

Servings: (6 = 2 pieces each)
Prep: 5 mins. |
Marinate: 4 hrs. |
Stand: 30 mins. |
Grill: 20 to 25 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce (I prefer Bull's Eye-Original)
2 tablespoons minced dried onion
1 (12 oz. can) Coke-a-Cola
12 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (I generally remove the skin myself)

METHOD

Add the barbecue sauce, minced onion, and coke-a-cola to a large ziploc bag, and mix to combine. Add chicken thighs to the ziploc bag make sure all chicken pieces are evenly coated with sauce. Seal bag and place in refrigerator for 4 hours to marinate, while turning over occasionally. Take out of refrigerator and let chicken return to room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling.

Meanwhile, preheat grill during so you have charcoal off to one side, as you’ll be cooking chicken over indirect heat (where no charcoal is below it). Before placing chicken thighs on grill, oil rack with an oil-soaked folded paper towel using tongs.

Grill the chicken, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes (longer if using chicken breasts, as they are thicker), while turning and basting with sauce after 10 minutes, and then continue grilling, just until juices run clear when centers of the thickest pieces are cut next to the bone (they should read 170 degrees when done).  Toss marinade.  Remove grilled chicken to serving platter and tent for 5 minutes before serving. - Enjoy!


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Tip:  I like to serve this meal with my other recipes of  Cajun Grilled Corn and Sandra's Coleslaw as shown in the photograph above.

SANDRA'S BUFFALO CHICKEN THIGHS

A perfect 'holiday or game day' appetizer...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 15 mins. |
Cook: 25 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Fried Chicken Thighs

4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in

4 cups milk

3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 eggs, beaten

***Buffalo Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sriracha sauce (or tabasco)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon french’s mustard

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

HomemadeRanch Dressingor Dip

Homemade Coleslaw

Serve with:

-- Ranch dressing 

-- Celery sticks

-- Coleslaw 

METHOD

In a medium-size saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the chicken, and then pour in the milk. Bring milk to a gentle boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low allowing chicken to simmer in milk until it is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the milk, and place on a rack to cool. Allow chicken to rest until warm for about 15 minutes, and then pat dry using paper towels.

Meanwhile to make the buffalo sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in vinegar, sriracha sauce, garlic powder, paprika, worcestershire sauce, honey, and mustard. Heat and whisk mixture until butter and buffalo sauce are well blended. Season with kosher salt and ground pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Heat oil in an electric skillet or deep fryer to 375 degrees. Using a large ziploc bag, add salt, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, shake to combine. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Place each piece of chicken, one at a time, in the bag and shake to coat, and then dip chicken into the egg to coat. Place the chicken back into the flour to coat for a second time. Repeat this method with remaining pieces of chicken.

Gently place each piece of chicken into hot oil using tongs, allowing the skin to crisp and turn golden brown in color, just a couple of minutes per side to desired darkness. Do so in batches, if need be (so you do not crowd pan.)  Remove from the oil, and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt while hot.

Take 1/3 of the buffalo sauce and place in a small dipping bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the remaining buffalo sauce in saucepan, and then let drain for a bit on rack, and then serve. Eat buffalo chicken while dipping in the ranch dressing, and munching on celery sticks in between bites – I serve this with coleslaw as well. - Enjoy!

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Tip:  The buffalo chicken thighs are great served warm or at room temperature...

SANDRA’S BEST COLESLAW

This is a my slightly sweeter
version of Coleslaw that I happen to love...

Servings: (6)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Stand time: 2 hrs.

Posted: by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Salad
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained (or crushed pineapple)

***Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon celery seeds

METHOD

In a large bowl, add all the sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth, add the coleslaw ingredients, and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours for flavors to meld before serving.

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Tip:  A great timesaver is to purchase the pre-shredded cabbage and carrot slaw mixure - the 14 oz. size works well in ratio to this sauce recipe.

SANDRA'S SUPERB FRESH HALIBUT PO’ BOYS

Serves: (4)

Prep: 5 mins. |
Cook: 10 mins.

Posted: by Sandra

INGREDIENTS:

***Topping
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups shredded green cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrots

***Prepare Halibut Strips
1 lb. fresh halibut fillets, cut into 2-1/2” strips (finger-size)
2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning (or creole seasoning)
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

4 potato sandwich rolls split lengthwise, and lightly toasted
--(I do so in the toaster, although 5 to 7 mins. in
a 350-degree oven works as well)

METHOD

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and sugar until smooth. Add coleslaw mix; toss, and set aside.

In a shallow dish, coat the halibut with milk. In a large ziploc bag, combine flour, cornmeal, cajun seasoning, salt, and cayenne and mix thoroughly, and then add the halibut strips a few pieces at a time; zip bag closed and shake to coat.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat, and cook halibut for 3 to 4 minutes per side, just until fish flakes easily with a fork and coating is golden brown (do not overcook).

Spoon coleslaw onto bottom half of lightly toasted sandwich rolls, and top with halibut strips, and then add a bit more coleslaw mixture on top, topping with other half of roll.~ Enjoy!