Texas Toast Salad - Part 1 of Saturday Nights Dinner

This is a very hearty salad that allows you to choose from a variety of options for the toast, including frozen Texas toast, Texas toast croutons or toasted white bread seasoned with your favorite garlic herb butter combination. You pick your favorite lettuce variety and dressing however this really is tops with plain ol’ mayonnaise.



Ingredients
 Frozen Texas Toast (3 slices) or equivalent crouton quantity
 1/3 Cup Olive Oil Mayonnaise (leave the low-fat stuff in the fridge just this once)
 ¼ Cup Chile Sauce
 ¼ - ½ Tsp. Fresh Ground Peppercorns (to taste)
 1 Avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
 6 Cups Torn Romaine Lettuce (or your favorite variety)
 2 Medium Vine Ripe Tomatoes (chopped)

Preparation
1. Preheat BGE or Oven to prepare toast, when baked, cut into 1” squares (or sub croutons)
2. Mix mayonnaise, Chile Sauce, Pepper and set aside.
3. In large salad bowl, toss tomatoes and lettuce, top with avocado slices and drizzle on the dressing mix.
4. Serve

 

Remember PANT-RY RAIDS?

Okay, tonight I didn't even make it to the porch to even look at my BGE Instead I raided the PANTRY to find something to eat; again. However, my onion, ham and tomato were sustainably raised and from the Farmers Market here in Columbia, the POTATOs were from a CAN! Oh my. Seasoned the ham with some southwest chiplote seasoning and the potatos were masked with garlic and parsley. I have to get back to that grill...and remember to thaw things in the morning...

NACHO MAMA's PIZZA

This recipe is CERTAINLY NOT YOUR Mama’s PIZZA recipe…Using pantry goods this pizza is quick and tasty; Nacho' Mama's, get it? Sorry :)

Ingredients and Recommended Brands (if available)
16 oz Can - Refried Beans - Taco Bell
12 “ Pre-cooked Thin Crust Pizza dough - Boboli
2.25 oz Sliced Black Olives (1 can) - Lindsay
2 cups Shredded Mexican Colby Jack - Kraft
1 cup - Diced Roma Tomatoes
1 cup - Diced Onion - Vidalia if available, or Green Onions as an option.
1 cup - Shredded lettuce
1 cup - Sour Cream Light
½ cup - Sliced Jalapenos (pickled) - Trappy’s
Bad Byron’s Butt-Rub (Optional Taco Seasoning)
1 Lb. - Lean Ground Beef (85-20)
Salt and Pepper
8 oz Chunky Salsa – Medium - Newman’s Own Salsa (comes in 16oz jar)

PreparationSlice and dice all vegetables and set aside
Place Pizza dough on BGE pizza stone
Spread Refried Beans evenly on Dough
Sprinkle cooked Ground Beef evenly on Pizza
Distribute shredded cheese evenly
Take to the Grill for Cooking!

Cooking Directions
1. Light up the BGE and let it roar
2. Insert Grill (not the plate holder)
3. Put dab of cooking oil into Frying Pan and add Ground Beef, salt and pepper to taste
4. Sprinkle a GENEROUS amount of Bad Byron’s Butt Rub on the ground beef and Brown until it is 98% done
5. Remove from heat and return the beef to the preparation table now)
6. Regulate Temperature in BGE to 450 degrees
7. Place Pizza (on BGE Pizza Stone) directly on Grill
8. Close lid, regulate temperature to 450 degrees and go away for 15 minutes.
9. Return, open lid, slice and serve with topping/condiments prepared from above (tomatoes, onions, lettuce, jalapenos, sour cream, black olives).

Tomato Basal Mozzarella Salad (Compliments your BGE main dishes)

Non-traditional tomato basal mozzarella salad with a twist…onions and mixed salad greens!

Ingredients

3 med Tomatos - Italian or Organic
6 Mozzarella balls - 1-1.5” balls (fresh)
12 oz. Mixed Greens - Vegetable lover’s pre-packaged salads provide a mixture of vegetables without the price of buying them individually!Olive Oil To-taste
Balsamic Vinegar Heavy
¼ Onion User preference but the more the better!
Croutons Optional
Taste Salt and Pepper Fresh Ground

Preparation DirectionsPlace 2 cups of mixed greens in medium bowl
Quarter the tomatoes and half each quarter
Slice mozzarella into 3/16” sections
Dice Onion
Mix tomatos and mozzarella, and onion
Drizzle small amount of oil from mozzarella onto mix
Add small amount of Olive Oil (to taste)
Add Balsamic Vinegar (heavy)
Mix and let set

Cooking DirectionsLet set for 20-30 minutes in refrigerator then serve. Actually, if you drain off some of the vinegar on salad leftovers, you can refrigerate and use the next day by adding some fresh lettuce…this is much better than it may sound.