Last Minute Dinner: BBQ Chicken Pizza

I have not always been great at planning a heads and here is a perfect example.  With a quick scan of the refrigerator and bread box I found the following original creation that turned out pretty good.

For the crust I went with these new Oroweat Sandwich Thins, they are only 100 calories for both sides and seemed pretty pizza crustlike.

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Next I applied a thin layer of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce and topped some BBQ chicken leftover from the previous day which I chopped up into small pieces.

Last I sprinkled some Italian and cheddar cheese on top and baked on a cookie sheet for about 8-9 minutes at 350 degree F until cheese is thoroughly melted.

I chose to skip the ranch drizzled on the top, but my wife said it tasted great.  Sometimes improvisation works out pretty good anyone else have a similar story for a 5-10 minute last minute dinner?

Happy Fourth of July

Simple little cake made from angel food cake, strawberries, blueberries and a bit of whipped cream.  This tastes great and though not completely guiltless, I know I can do much worse…

How to grill a steak

There are many ways to grill a good steak, here is my proven way to grill a great steak.  Just as a warning this method takes a little longer to cook so plan ahead, you don’t want your hungry “customers” forcing you to speed up the process resulting in a lesser steak.

1. Season steak generously with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper on both sides of steak.
2. Leave steak on counter to come up to room temperature and let seasoning get into the meat for 20 minutes.  Do not skip this step it is critical…
3. Add water soaked wood chips to disposable aluminum small bread loaf pan and place below grill grate.
4. Close grill and preheat grill on high
5. Add meat to the grill and close cover, after 5 minutes flip over the steak and close cover for another 5 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low and move steak to upper rack and close grill.  Check every 5 minutes to see if the meat is at the proper temperature for how you want it cooked.
1. Rare: 145F
2. Medium: 160F
3. Well: 170F
7. Once you hit the right temperature place the meat on a cutting board to cool for 10 minutes.  This is when things get hard, you are hungry you can smell the steak but if you cut into the meat early much of the delicious juices will be lost.  Trust me it is worth the weight.
8. Enjoy

 

Spicy Homemade Chicken Chili Recipe

I decided to try my luck with some homemade chili.  After perusing a few different recipes it became clear that chili should be a dish you just through together and adjust as needed.  After a couple attempts here is my favorite version and a piece of cake to make.

Spicy Chili Chicken Chili Recipe

• 16 oz can Pinto beans
• 16 oz can White beans
• 16 oz can Black beans
• 10-12 oz of cooked chicken breasts
• 16 oz can of Diced tomatoes
• 16 oz can of Tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1-2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Ground cumin
• 1/4 cup diced jalapenos
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tablespoons Ketchup

Directions

Just dump all ingredients into crock pot and set to high for one hour. Reduce to low and cook for 6 more hours. Feel free to add remove spice to taste with the advice, much easier to add spice later than try to remove if you add too much.

If you are feeling very adventurous add a 1/4 tsp of Bhut Jolokia powder for a very unique flavor.

You can add some chips, cheese, and sour cream for a more filling meal or skip them for a pretty nutritious snack with the nutritional information below.