No matter what time of year it is, mimosas are always a great idea! Whether for a wedding or baby shower, celebration, or heck, even Sunday football, your brunch needs a mimosa! And we’re here to show you how to create a Mimosa Bar along with some fun ways to jazz up the average orange…
Wine
The Best Italian Red Wines to Pair with a Great Steak
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Italian Trade Commission for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine. Ever wonder what to pair with a great steak other than Cabernet Sauvignon? I’ve listed some of my favorites, and you might be surprised. When it comes to pairing wine with a great…
Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad (recipe and video)
A simple and delicious grilled romaine Caesar salad elevated with some smoky crispy pancetta (or bacon), grilled lemon, and grilled baguette slices to sub for croutons. This grilled romaine Caesar salad is the perfect side dish for your grilled meats or backyard BBQ and you’re gonna love it! I’m a huge fan of grilled salads….
Competition Style Smoked Pork Ribs – A Flavor Journey
What you need to know about Competition Style Pork Ribs, and an explanation of the “3-2-1 Method” of smoking ribs. Find a full video tutorial for these ribs below. Sean and I came from two different worlds of Smoked Ribs. I used to like them finger-licking juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender and drowning in sauce. He liked…
15 Awesome Summer Wines
I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
Easy Classic Ceviche Recipe (with white-fleshed fish)
This easy and classic ceviche is made with rockfish (or other white fish like tilapia or bass) and is perfect for a sweltering summer day when it’s too darn hot to cook. This classic ceviche recipe is also perfect for parties, appetizers, or a light meal at home. You don’t see many recipes here prepared…
Smoked Pork Ribs with Asian Spice Rub
Inspired by Asian flavors, these Smoked Pork Ribs with Asain Spice Rub and Sauce are absolutely incredible! (This post was originally published in August 2015, and edited in 2018) Barbecue can be a very subjective experience, especially if your lens for barbecue style foods is heavily influenced by one of the BBQ classical regions like…
Sparkling Wines of Italy — The wide variety you should know about
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Italian Trade Commission for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. There’s a wide world of quality sparkling wine beyond Prosecco produced in Italy. If you’ve read much of this blog you’ll know that I am quite passionate about sparkling wine, and if not, now…
How to Smoke a Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill (Recipe)
A step by step guide to smoking a whole roaster chicken on a pellet grill/smoker. Smoked Whole Chicken is one of the most common things we cook on our smokers, and you’ll see just how easy it is to do on your smoker or grill. Our collection of grills and smokers are like our kids,…
Dry Brined Smoked Chicken with a Carolina Glaze
This Dry Brined Smoked Chicken is slowly smoked then finished with a Carolina style BBQ sauce glaze. If you’re looking for your next favorite chicken recipe then you’ve gotta try this! I don’t know about you, but I feel like chicken never gets enough barbecue love. At least that’s what life is like around here…
Smoked Pork Tenderloin Sandwich – And Beaujolais Wines Perfect for a Picnic
Jazz up your summer picnic with a Smoked Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. They pair fantastic with a glass of refreshing Beaujolais. This post was sponsored by Discover Beaujolais and Honest Cooking. As always all opinions, statements, and recipes are my own. Pin for later As much as we’re all about grilling and backyard barbecues around these…
Grilled Flank Steak Salad
A simple and delicious recipe for Grilled Flank Steak marinated in a savory soy and rosemary mix. Perfect for a hearty Grilled Flank Steak Salad, or filling for a sandwich. You’ve gotta try this incredible and full flavored steak! Pin for later We’ve been dusting off some old favorite recipes lately and giving them new…
Grilled Beet Salad with Rosé Infused Cranberries and Smoked Bacon
Beets are incredible cooked on the grill, and even better topped with rosé infused cranberries and smoked bacon. This will be your favorite salad all summer long! We’ve become super beet fans around here, especially when it comes to grilled beet salads. I’m all about the veggies in my house, but there are just a…
Grilled Chipotle Shrimp
A super easy (and fast!) recipe for delicious grilled shrimp marinated in a spicy and sweet chipotle honey lime marinade quickly grilled to perfection. Perfect for summer grilling season or taco night. Any shrimp fans in the house? Be prepared to see some chipotle love around here the next couple weeks. I’ve been on a…
Grilled Chicken with Ancho Chilies and Prunes
Before you say, “Whaaaaaa the? Prunes and chicken??” Just take a deep breath and trust me. The combination of grill roasted rich prunes and earthy ancho chilies mixed with grilled chicken is a winning combination! So, there’s an awesome group of wine bloggers I’m friends with and we get together (virtually) a couple times a…
Jalapeño Kettle Chip Crusted Smoked Pork Tenderloin
An incredibly flavorful way to use leftover Kettle chip crumbs (or other favored potato chip), or just to jazz up your next pork tenderloin with some great flavor! We have an unhealthy addiction to something in my household. I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but we’re friends right? We have a Kettle chip addiction. But…
Classic All-American Cheeseburger — With a Twist!
How to add another element of great flavor to a Classic All-American Cheeseburger. There’s something fun about an over the top gigantic burger with a million additions, but there’s something comforting about a classic. We’re doing a reverse sear method using a grill and wood chunks to give your burgers incredible smoked flavor and that…
Turkey Burgers with Bacon Paste – Jazzing up Turkey Burgers
How to add incredible flavor to boring turkey burgers. Turkey burgers can tend to come out dry and flavorless. Adding bacon paste to ground turkey adds not only flavor but great moisture lacking in most turkey burgers. I’ll be the first to admit, when I transitioned from a vegetarian back into a meat eater it…
February Wine Favorites
I like to review wines the way most people taste them, with food. Many of the wine reviews you’ll see on this site are accompanied by a recipe. When we test recipes we usually open a few different wines of various styles that we think will work, then write about the best pairing. But often…
Grilled New York Strip Steak with Coffee Marinade and Rub
Coffee adds great flavor to both a marinade and dry rub for a grilled New York Strip Steak. This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight, but indulgent enough for a special occasion. For years I used to give Sean a hard time for being obsessed with visiting Starbucks on a daily basis during work….
Wine Travel: Discover Conegliano Valdobbiadene, The home of Prosecco Superiore
Discover Conegliano Valdobbiadene, in the heart of the Veneto, in Northeast Italy, where Prosecco is made and thrives. Prosecco often gets lumped into one category — fresh, fruity, and innexpensive sparkling wine. But if you’re willing to look a little deeper, there’s so much more to Prosecco than it gets credit for. In this post,…
Blackberry Aperol Spritz (recipe & video)
A Pacific Northwest twist on a classic Aperol Spritz. Aperol Spritz gets a new personality by adding some homemade blackberry simple syrup. Anybody who has been to the Veneto region of Northeast Italy will testify to the fact that the Aperol Spritz is *the* cocktail of the region. Shoot, many will say it’s *the* cocktail…
Valentine’s Day Recipes for your Smoker or Grill
Avoid the restaurants this year and dine in. Here are 10 ideas for Valentine’s Dinner you can cook on your Smoker or Grill. I used to be one of the many Valentine’s Day haters. You know the ones. Those who harp on the day for being an overly corporate holiday. Hater’s gonna hate. I…
Maple Chipotle Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon
Cedar Plank Salmon is amazing when coated with a sweet and spicy dry rub, cooked on the grill giving it that smoked influence, and finished with a maple syrup glaze. Sweet, spicy, and absolutely incredible. And if you don’t have a grill you can easily do this in a hot cast iron pan and finished…
