No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Balls

Heather Jurczyk from HeCooksSheCooks.com shares her recipes with Shindigz

Today is National Peanut Butter Cookie day. And where it might be too late (and hopefully too darn hot) for baking, these no bake cookies are sure to be the hit of any event. From Father’s Day (my dad LOVES his peanut butter) to 4th of July BBQ’s to just your everyday peanut butter celebration day, they are easy to make (your kids can help, or your cats if you don’t have kids) can probably be made with what you have already in your pantry, and disappear quickly.

These are low sugar but the sugar can easily be increased to up to 2x to appease the sweet tooths out there. And sugar substitutes are sure to work as well.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Balls
(Makes 24)

Just as good as Cookies, Heather’s No-Bake Peanut Butter & Pretzel Balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal like Rice Crispies or Chex.
• 1 cup crushed pretzel sticks

In a large bowl mix the peanut butter and powdered sugar together till well combined. Add the chocolate chips and crispy rice cereal and also mix till well combined.

Roll the peanut butter mixture into 1″ balls and then roll in the crushed pretzels to coat.

Chill for 1 hour.

Recipe by Heather Jurczyk, the sassy half of the duo that make up the cooking team of He Cooks She Cooks. They have a weakness for feel good, down to earth, amazingly tasty eats that almost always include the addition of beer.

From growing their own tomatoes to brewing their own beer, they like to cook from scratch as much as possible. They know what’s important. Love. Food. Beer. Visit He Cooks She Cooks for more recipes.

Grilled Brats, Beer, Kraut, & Peppers

Heather Jurczyk from HeCooksSheCooks.com shares her recipes with Shindigz

Holiday cookouts to me are all about burgers, bratwurst, and other assorted sausage family members that can be grilled and shoved in a bun for easy consumption. Paired with some tasty side salads, fruit and corn on the cob and you have a quick and easy meal that people can chow down on while never missing a single game of corn-hole.

Now that we’re entering prime summer party season, it’s time to add a few more delicious recipes.

One of our favorite ways to grill brats is to first cook them in a pan of beer, peppers and sauerkraut and then quickly brown them over hot coals so they can get some wonderful color and smoke. Plus everyone loves the Grill Master.

Grilled Brats, Beer, Kraut, & Peppers
Serves 6-8

These will go fast so make a double recipe of Grilled Brats, Beer, Kraut, & Peppers!

INGREDIENTS

• 6-8 Bratwurst (we used a jalapeno bratwurst that our favorite local butcher makes)
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 1 green pepper thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic finely diced
• 1 bottle of good beer
• 1 28 ounce jar of sauerkraut
• 1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a disposable aluminum foil pan or a large cast iron pan add the onion, red bell pepper, and unsalted butter with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Place this over a hot grill and cook till the onions are translucent and the pepper soft. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 5-10 minutes.

In another bowl combine the beer, sauerkraut, bay leaf, paprika, caraway seeds, and mustard. Stir to combine. After the onion mixture is softened add the beer and kraut mixture along with the bratwurst to the pan. Cover the grill and let this mixture simmer until the bratwurst are done (about 20 minutes).

After the bratwurst are cooked through, remove them from the pan and place over hot coals for a couple minutes so they get those beautiful grill marks and delicious smoky flavor.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe by Heather Jurczyk, the sassy half of the duo that make up the cooking team of He Cooks She Cooks. They have a weakness for feel good, down to earth, amazingly tasty eats that almost always include the addition of beer.

From growing their own tomatoes to brewing their own beer, they like to cook from scratch as much as possible. They know what’s important. Love. Food. Beer. Visit He Cooks She Cooks for more recipes.

Chicken Enchilada Meatballs

Heather Jurczyk from HeCooksSheCooks.com shares her recipes with Shindigz

Happy Cinco de Mayo! One of the tastiest food holidays ever. Ever ever. So many delicious tastes! Tacos and burritos and taquitos. Fresh salsa and guacamole. And margaritasssssss! Sigh. I love it all. And much to Jeff’s dismay, I could eat Mexican food every day of my life. For now he concedes on twice a week. I am working on increasing that.

These Chicken Enchilada Meatballs came about as we were planning a Cinco de Mayo party. I wanted simple finger foods (no dinner time assembly required like tacos) but I also wanted all the flavor of some of my favorite elaborate meals. The Enchilada meatball was born.

This is simple but does require some prep work. Grind your own chicken if you can, and get a good quality enchilada sauce. You can make your own and we usually do but we make a half gallon at a time. I wanted easy for this recipe.

Mexican Inspired Chicken Enchilada Meatballs are perfect for a Fiesta anytime!

Chicken Enchilada Meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 4 scallions minced
• 1 teaspoon whole chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup Mexican cerveza
• 2 hand fulls of corn chips, crushed fine
• Mexican Quesadilla cheese (not fresh crumbling cheese, melting cheese)
• Red enchilada sauce (we used Frontera brand which is really good.)
• Cooking oil (olive, canola, vegetable or corn)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Let sit for 30 minutes. Roll into 1″ balls.

Preheat oven to 400°

In a heavy bottomed pan add about 2 Tablespoons of oil and heat till hot. Add the meatballs in 2 batches (This is so you do not over crowd the meatballs and steam them instead of browning them.) and cook till browned on all sides.

Move the meatballs to a 9 x 9 pan and pour the enchilada sauce over them. Top with 6 oz of shredded cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Be sure and check back Friday for a special “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere” recipe just in time for The Kentucky Derby!

Recipe by Heather Jurczyk, the sassy half of the  duo that make up the cooking team of He Cooks She Cooks. They have a weakness for feel good, down to earth, amazingly tasty eats that almost always include the addition of beer.

From growing their own tomatoes to brewing their own beer, they like to cook from scratch as much as possible. They know what’s important. Love. Food. Beer. Visit He Cooks She Cooks for more recipes.

Habanero Bacon Cheddar Cheeseball

Heather Jurczyk from HeCooksSheCooks.com shares her recipes with Shindigz

Happy Cheeseball Day!

Maybe, just maybe you have never heard of cheeseball day before. And you are thinking to yourself “you know there are plenty of other holidays we could be celebrating why the cheeseball?” Hmm… like tax day? Pfffft!

It is a day worth celebrating! Have you ever HAD a cheeseball? I don’t mean the small crispy cheeseballs that make a great after-school snack. (Or after work snack, or beer snack, or stuck on a train for 3 hours snack…) I mean the tasty cheesy smear on a cracker or on a stalk of celery snack that if you think back, you had once or twice, loved it but never thought you could do it for yourself because let’s face it, they are magical.

I am here to show you the cheeseball light! In a few simple steps you will be the easy cheesy hero at your next gathering with this Habanero Bacon Cheddar Cheeseball.

Yummy Cinco de Mayo party appetizer – a Habanero Bacon Cheddar Cheeseball

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1  4 oz. jar diced pimentos, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 Serrano seeded and diced
• 1 Habanero seeded and diced
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 8 slices of thick cut bacon, diced

In a large bowl or in the bowl of your mixer add the cream cheese and mayo and whip till well blended.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix till well combined.

Pour out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around the cheese mixture and form a ball. Twist end tightly.

Refrigerate for 4 hours.
Cook up the bacon in a large skillet till crispy. Drain and cool. Crumble.

Remove cheese ball from refrigerator and roll in bacon crumbles.

Serve immediately with crackers, celery, apples or whatever else you like.

NEXT WEEK: Zucchini Carrot Squash Bread

Recipe by Heather Jurczyk, the sassy half of the  duo that make up the cooking team of He Cooks She Cooks. They have a weakness for feel good, down to earth, amazingly tasty eats that almost always include the addition of beer.

From growing their own tomatoes to brewing their own beer, they like to cook from scratch as much as possible. They know what’s important. Love. Food. Beer. Visit He Cooks She Cooks for more recipes.

Sweet & Sticky Honey Soy Chicken Wings

Heather Jurczyk from HeCooksSheCooks.com shares her recipes with Shindigz

On the off-chance you are one of the unaware, March Madness spills over into April. The Final Four teams have solidified their spot for the NCAA Championship and there is a very good chance someone you know (or maybe even you) are making plans for a sweet get together for the big games. Since you will be competing with the TV at this event, you want to make sure whatever it is you make outshines squeaky shoes on a wooden court and big orange dimpled balls. If you’re looking for an excuse to fire up the grill and satisfy your basketball fans, these wings will do the trick.

Sweet & Sticky Honey Soy Chicken Wings

15 whole wings (or 15 drumettes and 15 wingettes)

• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2” of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated.
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated.
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• ¼ cup lemon or lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teasppoon cayenne powder
• ½ cup canola oil

1. Rinse and pat wings dry.
2. In a heavy bottom sauce pan, heat honey till it is thin. Add soy sauce till well combined. Remove from heat.
3. Add the ginger thru the cayenne powder. Mix to blend well. Allow to cool completely.
4. Add the canola oil and wisk to blend well but do not emulsify.
5. Put the wings in a 2 gallon bag and pour the marinade over the wings. Push the air out of the bag and seal. Rock bag back and forth and massage wings to coat evenly with the marinade.
6. Place in the refrigerator and let sit overnight, turning the bag over a few times to mix up the marinade and the wings.
7. The next day, start your grill and bring it to 350-400. (Make sure your grate is clean and oiled.)
8. Take the wings out of the bag and transfer the marinade to a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring marinade to a vigorous boil for a minimum of 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
9. Lay the wings on the oiled grill grate in a single layer. Grill the wings over medium heat. Turn and baste with marinade at 15 minutes in and then again at 30 minutes. Remove at 45 minutes. Serve.

 

Optional: Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or thinly diced scallions.

Next weeks recipe is going to be Pecan Pear & Bacon Bites.

Recipe by Heather Jurczyk, the sassy half of the  duo that make up the cooking team of He Cooks She Cooks. They have a weakness for feel good, down to earth, amazingly tasty eats that almost always include the addition of beer.

From growing their own tomatoes to brewing their own beer, they like to cook from scratch as much as possible. They know what’s important. Love. Food. Beer. Visit He Cooks She Cooks for more recipes.

Chicken Burrito Pizza

2 T. salsa (more if desired)
Pizza Crust (store-bought)
1 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 chicken breast, grilled and diced
4 T. black beans
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

For the Pico De Gallo
1 large tomato, diced
1 small green chili, diced
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 red onion, diced
Salt

For the Guacamole
1 large avocado
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 red onion, diced
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

*note: to save on time you can buy prepared pico de gallo and guacamole at the store and use that instead.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread salsa over the prepared dough. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with the chicken, black beans and onions. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are golden brown. Meanwhile, combine tomato, chili, cilantro and onion in small bowl. Season with salt. Set aside. Halve an avocado, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh into small bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado. Mix in cilantro, onion, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken and Bacon Shish Kabobs

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 10 large mushrooms, cut in half
• 2 green onions, minced
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into chunks
• 1/2 pound sliced thick cut bacon, cut in half
• 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
• skewers

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, cider vinegar, honey, canola oil, and green onions. Place the mushrooms and chicken into the mixture, and stir to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Remove the mushrooms and chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes; set aside.
4. Wrap the chicken chunks with bacon, and thread onto skewers so that the bacon is secured. Alternate with mushroom halves and pineapple chunks.
5. Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange skewers on the prepared grill. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, brushing occasionally with remaining soy sauce mixture, until bacon is crisp and chicken juices run clear.

Hot Spiced Cheer

• 10 whole cloves
• 4 3 inch cinnamon sticks
• 4 pieces crystallized ginger, chopped
• 1 gallon apple cider
• 4 cups pineapple juice
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• white rum, optional

1. Place first 3 ingredients on a double layer of cheesecloth. Gather edges of cheesecloth together; tie securely.
2. Combine cheesecloth bag, cider, and next 5 ingredients (cider through salt) in a large stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Discard cheesecloth bag. Serve with rum, if desired.

 

Bacon Cheese Dogs

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 8 all-beef hot dogs
• 8 hot dog buns
• 8 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup barbeque sauce, or amount to taste
• 1 small red onion, diced

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Lightly oil grate, and set 4 inches from the heat.
2. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain on paper towels.
3. Place hot dogs on grill; cook until browned, 5 to 8 minutes, turning once, or until done to suit your taste. Lightly grill hot dog buns.
4. To assemble sandwiches, place a slice of cheese and bacon on each roll. Add a hot dog, top each with 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce, or desired amount, and red onion.

Triple Dipped Fried Chicken

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups beer or water
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces

Directions

1. In one medium bowl, mix together 3 cups of flour, garlic salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, paprika and poultry seasoning. In a separate bowl, stir together 1 1/3 cups flour, salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, egg yolks and beer. You may need to thin with additional beer if the batter is too thick.
2. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Moisten each piece of chicken with a little water, then dip in the dry mix. Shake off excess and dip in the wet mix, then dip in the dry mix once more.
3. Carefully place the chicken pieces in the hot oil. Fry for 15 to 18 minutes, or until well browned. Smaller pieces will not take as long. Large pieces may take longer. Remove and drain on paper towels before serving.