BBQ Archives - Busy Moms Helper

All American Hot Dogs

May 27, 2016 by Chellie Schmitz

It is back yard barbecue season! Hosting an outdoor gathering is always so much fun. Why not beef up your bbq with these All American Hot Dogs? Take it up a notch, add some fun!

All American Hot Dogs

So, let’s talk about hot dogs for a moment shall we? Do you love’em or hate’em? I remember being a kid and thinking they were the best things ever! Well, my tastes have changed, slightly, to say the least.

Since I’m a much healthier eater now than when I was a kid, I have a hard time buying hot dogs. Simply because they are processed and often loaded with things that aren’t the best for you. I’m continuously trying to make the best possible version of whatever I’m making. So, while I don’t think there is such a thing as a “healthy” hot dog, there are better for you options.

I love to keep entertaining simple but delightful. So these All American Hot Dogs really do bring the norm to another level with added barbecue pork and creamy cole slaw. But, it doesn’t take too much more effort. And, I’m using all beef, no nitrates, blah blah blah… they’re better for you! 🙂 I’ll also use an all natural barbecue sauce, and broccoli slaw instead of cabbage.

What you need~

all natural, beef hot dogs (or regular hot dogs do just fine)
season all
Pork shoulder
all natural barbecue sauce
broccoli slaw
mayonnaise
dijon mustard
apple cider vinegar
honey
salt
poppy seeds
hot dog buns

What to do~

Season the pork shoulder generously with season all or some other all purpose seasoning. Cook the pork shoulder, low and slow until you can shred it with a fork.
Shred the pork with a fork and place into another pan or container. Add barbecue sauce and stir well.
Make the slaw~ combine mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, honey, and salt and stir well. Add a 12 oz package of broccoli slaw and toss to combine. Top with poppy seeds.
Put it all together! After grilling your dogs, top them with bbq pork and slaw and enjoy!

Notes~

I used the slow cooker to cook the pork shoulder. It needed a good 10 hours on low. For sure prep this beforehand. If you’d prefer to use your oven, see this shredded pork recipe.
You can use regular cole slaw if you prefer, or chop up your own green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots. I chose broccoli slaw to add some more nutrition.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. It was a nice way to change up the regular routine without too much more effort.

Print Recipe

All American Hot Dogs

Ingredients

1 package of all nautral all beef hot dogs no nitrates added.
1 pork shoulder
seasoned salt
1 bottle of all natural bbq sauce or homemade
1 12 oz package broccoli slaw
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs dijon mustard
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp salt
poppy seeds for garnishing
8 hot dog buns

Instructions

Prepare the pork, by seasoning generously with seasoned salt.
Cook in the slow cooker for 8-10 hours on low, or until you can easily shred with a fork.
Shred all the pork, place it in a pan on low heat to maintain warmth.
Add barbecue sauce (about 2 1/2 cups, or to taste) and stir to combine.
For the slaw:
Combine mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, honey and salt together and stir well.
Add the broccoli slaw to the dressing and toss to coat.
Garnish with poppy seeds.
Grill hot dogs until hot throughout and plump.
Top each hotdog with bbq pork and creamy cole slaw, garnish with more poppy seeds if desired.

Looking for more back yard bbq ideas?

BLT Salad on a stick

All natural Go-gurts

BBQ Chicken Pasta

October 31, 2015 by Danielle

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Calphalon. I received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for my participation. #KnifeSkills

Who has tons of time to make a good lunch or dinner? I’m thinking not many hands were raised – and I’m right there with ya! Life’s too busy to spend forever cooking, but we still want to give our families delicious, healthier options. Luckily, this yummy simple-to-make BBQ Chicken Pasta just became even easier with the Calphalon Self-Sharpening Knife Set!

As far as prep goes, the time that could be cut the most was chopping the produce and meat – and to make that go faster, while still being safe, is with sharpened, quality knives. And when you’re already looking to ‘cut’ down on time, it helps that they’re self-sharpening, with ceramic sharpeners built into the storage block (in the stainless steel spot). Calphalon even shares plenty of Knife Skills on their site – to keep your skills as sharp as their knife set!

Ingredients

1 box Pasta of choice
1-2 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
2-3 cups BBQ Sauce
1 cup Green Onions
Shredded Cheese of choice

Directions

Bake chicken, marinated in half the BBQ sauce, at 375 for about an hour (or until chicken is cooked through). Cook pasta according to package directions.
Dice the green onions and chicken breasts – add to pasta. Include the remaining BBQ sauce and mix it all together. Plate and top with shredded cheese.

See, told you it was super easy! I like to whip up a bunch and freeze the extras, so we can grab a meal when we’re super stressed for time.

I’ve already been through several of these videos and know they’re gonna help me plenty in the kitchen! You can check out the 3 Models they offer on their site. Plus enter below for a chance to WIN YOUR OWN KNIFE SET!!!

Who wants to win a Calphalon Self-Sharpening Knife Set of their own?! Here’s your chance!

Contest entrants are only eligible to win once per sweepstake, per household as part of a campaign sponsored by Influence Central.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spicy Dr Pepper Chicken Strips

September 22, 2015 by Danielle

My hubby LOVES spicy food. Me? I do love it – but can’t really handle it anymore since having kids. When I make recipes that have a bit of a ‘kick’ to them, I try to make them flexible, so we can adjust the level of spicy to please not only his taste buds, but my wimpy ones, too! These Spicy Dr Pepper Chicken Strips are just that – perfect for any level of hot you prefer! Plus they’re full of flavor and SUPER easy to make, making this a total win!

You don’t HAVE to do these as chicken strips – the sauce really would be great for wings, full chicken breasts, or even in a crockpot with some chicken for an even easier dish! But really, can you get much easier than just THREE ingredients to make the yummy sauce? I don’t think so 🙂 Plus, it uses Dr Pepper – the most wonderful of all drinks, in my very blunt opinion!

Ingredients – Sauce

24 oz. Dr Pepper
1/2 cup Hot Sauce of choice (I used Franks Red Hot Sauce)
4 tbsp. Brown Sugar

Directions – Sauce

In a medium saucepan, mix this ingredients well over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes while the sauce reduces (about half) and thickens slightly.

When the sauce is done, use it to coat the meat of your choice – wings, strips, or a roasted chicken, if that suits your fancy! To make it super quick for our purpose here, I bought some pre-cooked chicken strips, heated them up in the oven, then just tossed them in a bowl with the sauce until they were fully coated.

These were made as part of a football party where I made EVERYTHING using Dr Pepper – gotta learn to love football somehow, right, so why not with the drinks and food?!

How spicy do you like YOUR chicken?

Back Your Snack BBQ Chicken Bombs

September 15, 2015 by Danielle

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BackYourSnack #CollectiveBias

Life’s busy, right? Kids, school, work, house chores, cooking – okay, I better stop before I start to cry! Anywho – we need all the help we can get, such as some genius snack hacks. Well right now Farm Rich is having a Back Your Snack contest – so it’s the perfect time to create your own snack hack recipes, plus vote on others! One of my newest favorites that my family has enjoyed are these BBQ Chicken Bombs – delish, quick and only 4 ingredients. That’s what I call a winner!

We often use tasty snacks like Farm Rich products to make the after-school rush a little easier, plus it’s so easy to get a variety! For the Chicken Bombs, I just grabbed their Boneless BBQ Chicken Bites in the frozen section at Walmart, a few other items, then whipped it up really quick before the kids got home. It was a hit!

Ingredients

Farm Rich Boneless BBQ Chicken Bites
1 8-oz package Cream Cheese, softened
Green Onions (fresh produce section), diced
1-2 packages refrigerated biscuits or crescents rolls

Directions

Preheat the oven according to Chicken Bites instructions and bake as directed – without using the BBQ sauce packet.
In the meantime, spray or line a baking sheet and spread out the biscuits or crescent rolls. Spread some of the BBQ sauce from the packet on each biscuit.
Mix the cream cheese and green onions well. Place a small scoop on each biscuit. When the chicken bites are ready, place one inside each biscuit and wrap up, pinching the edges closed.
Bake according to biscuit package directions. Allow to cool a bit and ENJOY!

Another thing I like about Farm Rich is how easy it is to get the different things ready – then I can offer a variety to my kids, and they have fun picking and choosing their own snack mixes!

I sometimes make yummy sauces or dips to go with, and always offer some fresh produce, as well.

As amazingly yummy as these BBQ Chicken Bombs are, I bet YOU can do an even better snack hack for the contest! For all of the details, check out the rule book HERE. To see a list of stores where you can find upcoming demos and even vote, see HERE. Semi-finalists voting will be on September 19th and 20th, and finalists on October 9th and 11th. The winner will receive $10,000! Plus 5 winners from the voters ‘sweepstakes’ will get a prize pack containing all of the following items: a tote bag, a meat thermometer, grilling tongs, an oven sheet, an oven mitt, $50 worth of Farm Rich product coupons and a $50 Walmart Gift Card. The ARV of each Sweepstakes Prize is $140. Total ARV of all Sweepstakes Prizes is Seven Hundred Dollars ($700.00). So be sure to opt-in for the sweepstakes when you vote in-store!

What Farm Rich product will YOU use to create your own Back Your Snack creation?

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Treats

July 20, 2015 by Stephanie Kirkos

Happy Monday! This is Stephanie from Steph in Thyme, and today I’m sharing a dessert that was a hit at a big barbeque we hosted this past weekend at our new house. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Treats are gluten-free, but also a crowd pleasing dessert anyone will enjoy (and they did).

I find it hard to say “no” to a chewy, crunchy, marshmallowy treat at a summer picnic. Even more so when they are packed with rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter, such a decadent combination.

These treats are very simple and easy to prepare. Just melt, mix, chill, and serve.

The base of these treats is indulgent chocolate of Gluten-Free Chocolate Chex cereal. Chex has come out with a whole line of gluten-free cereals with fun, delicious flavors – Vanilla, Honey Nut, Cinnamon, and Apple Cinnamon…and of course, Chocolate.

If you eat the Chocolate Chex in a bowl of cold milk, the milk transforms into rich chocolate milk, the chex maintaining a crunchy texture, never turning soggy. But I digress, back to Chex Treats.

Almost a full cup of creamy peanut butter is melted along with marshmallows and unsalted butter, then poured over a big bowl filled with eight cups (nearly an entire box) of Chocolate Chex.

After everything is mixed together, peanut butter chips are folded in, partially melting into the gooey chex batter, leaving stripes of peanut butter in the sliced Chex Treats.

These Chex Treats don’t skimp on the chocolate and peanut butter flavors. The Chocolate Chex, held together by creamy peanut butter and melted peanut butter chips, are rich with flavor and an addicting chewy, crunchy texture.

I like to serve these bars slightly chilled and sliced into bite-sized treat sizes, especially if I’m serving these at a picnic. Guests clamored to taste the small bite-sized portions, coming back for seconds and thirds throughout the picnic – and most of these people were not strictly gluten-free.

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Treats are a fun, flavorful dessert made with gluten-free folks in mind, but are a dessert anyone will enjoy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Treats, a gluten-free dessert that will also please a crowd l Steph in Thyme for Busy Mom's Helper

Print Recipe

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Treats

Chewy Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chex Treats, a quick dessert that will please a crowd, not just those who are gluten-free!

Prep Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr

Servings: 12 big bars, 24 mini bars

Ingredients

8 cups Gluten-Free Chocolate Chex
10 oz bag gluten-free marshmallows
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup peanut butter chips

Instructions

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, or grease with non-stick cooking spray.
Place 8 cups of Chocolate Chex in a large bowl, set aside.
In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter and peanut butter together over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir frequently until melted and completely blended with the butter and peanut butter.
Remove pot from heat and pour melted contents over the chocolate chex. Mix together with a spatula until well coated. Fold in the peanut butter chips.
Pour contents of the bowl into the center of a 9x13 pan. With a spatula, or with your hand enclosed in a greased baggie, spread out the chex evenly into all four corners of the pan.
Let pan sit at room temperature for a half hour. Cover and chill in the fridge for another hour.
Slice into desired square sizes and serve.

BBQ Chicken Pasta

September 3, 2014 by Danielle

I’ve been craving BBQ lately. Not sure why; perhaps it’s my refusal to accept that summer’s almost over. Or maybe I’ve just been needing some tangy deliciousness. Regardless the reason, yesterday I finally gave in and tweaked our planned meal into this amazing BBQ Chicken Pasta!

We’re definite pasta-lovers in our house, especially penne pasta, and adding my Tangy BBQ Sauce just completed our dish perfectly! For some healthy protein I included some chicken, then you just toss on some Parmesan cheese and green onions, you’ll be licking your fork clean! I even made it look super-pretty to give my Hubby a tasty and attractive dinner to come home to!

See, it’s so pretty to serve up! For my semi-picky kiddos, I left out the green onions to avoid the complaining. For me, I added EXTRA Parmesan. Super easy to switch it up to fit everyone’s tastes!

Ingredients

BBQ Sauce of Choice (I used this Tangy BBQ Sauce)
1 box Penne Pasta (I use whole wheat)
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, fully cooked and shredded
1/4 cup Green Onions
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 – 1 cup Bacon Bits

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Put on plate and top with the warmed shredded chicken.
Pour BBQ Sauce over top, then sprinkle with the green onions, Parmesan cheese and bacon bits.
Serve it all pretty, or mix it in. Enjoy the flavorful tangy-ness!

Notes: You can also switch it up a bit and add things such as olives, tomatoes, diced onions, even a touch of cream cheese for a little switch in flavoring!

Tys BBQ Wraps

January 30, 2014 by Danielle

Hubby use to work at Wingers. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s like a Wing Restaurant. Seriously, famous for their wings (thus the name, duh Danielle!). Anywho…so Hubby use to make BBQ wings and strips All. The. Time. The guys LOVE it! I’m picky with my BBQ sauce, but loved it, as well. So when I went for a trip back to Utah last November, my brother-in-law Ty gave me a new recipe to try out.

We tried it, we loved it, we’re totally addicted to it! So tangy, lots of flavor, and totally flexible in the amount of Ka-Pow! it has in it. Oh, and only THREE INGREDIENTS! My favorite thing to use it with is these delicious BBQ Chicken Wraps, hereby named Ty’s BBQ Wraps.

Ingredients – Sauce

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, packed

1/3 cup Hot Sauce (we use Valentina)

1 tbsp. Water

Directions – Sauce

Put the three ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring lots until the sugar has dissolved. You can remove it then, or continue to cook for a more spicy flavor.

For the Wraps

Dip some chicken strips into the sauce, coating them thoroughly.

Spread a mixture of Ranch dressing and the BBQ sauce on a tortilla. Place the strips, then some diced tomato, shredded lettuce and a little diced red onion.

Wrap up, and enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

January 9, 2014 by Danielle

Have you noticed by now that I really like pizza? Between my folks owning a Pony Express Pizza while I was younger, and then working in a Papa Murpheys while in college, it’s just always been there for me. It’s delicious, versatile, and EASY. Oh, and especially cost-effective if you make your own (yes, we order it out sometimes, sorry)!

Ingredients – Sauce
3/4 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Paprika
1/4 cup Water

Directions – Sauce
Put all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir well. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pizza
Preheat oven (and pizza stone, if using) to 375 Degrees F.

Roll out some premade pizza dough to make your crust. (recipe here)

Brush some olive oil along the edges of the circular dough, to prevent burning.

Spread the sauce evenly over the rolled out dough, about an inch from the sides.

Top with a layer of cheese (Mozzarella is what I prefer) – I do about 1 cup here, but base it on your own preference.

Add other toppings: Chicken (cooked) pieces, bacon bits, green onion dices, red onion dices, tomatoes…up to you!

Then top with another good layer of cheese – I do about 1 1/2 to 2 cups here. I like cheese!!!

Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

What other types of pizza recipes would YOU like to see here?

BBQ Spare Ribs

June 18, 2013 by Danielle

This BBQ Spare Ribs recipe was my first attempt at ever doing ribs myself, and to be quite honest, I was nervous I’d mess it up. It turned out WONDERFUL, however, and definitely got two thumbs up from Hubby, and myself!

This post is a tribute to my amazing, wonderful and crazy Hubby ‘Flash’. This Father’s Day I was thinking of all the things he does for our family, all his sacrifices for us, and just feel like I could never repay him in a million years. I’ve made it a goal to better show my appreciation year-round, to remind him more often than just on Father’s Day. So here’s me shouting to the world: I LOVE YOU HUBBY!!!

BBQ Spare Ribs

Ingredients

4 lbs. rack of Pork Spare Ribs
1/8 cup ground black pepper
⅓ cup paprika
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Tangy BBQ Sauce

Directions
Preheat oven to 250 Degrees. Spray a rimmed baking or roasting pan. Put ribs in the pan and pierce meaty parts with a fork.

In a small bowl, mix the Pepper, Paprika, Sugar and Salt. Rub generously on both sides of the ribs.

Wrap the ribs tightly with foil. Bake for about 2 1/2 hours.

Pull back the foil, and use a basting brush to rub the Tangy BBQ Sauce all over the ribs. Reserve a bit for dipping, if desired. **Recover the ribs with the foil and bake for another hour.

Enjoy, with lots and lots of napkins or wet wipes!!!

**If grilling, this is where you would finish the cooking on your grill.

Tangy BBQ Sauce

April 11, 2013 by Danielle

I’m thrilled when I find a good dip, marinade or sauce recipe. This Tangy BBQ Sauce is so flavorful, I love using it with a lot of my grilling and BBQ recipes. It’s just so easy, and versatile – and we were all licking our fingers clean with our ribs I cooked up to enjoy with!

Ingredients
2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 cup Onion, chopped fine
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
1/8 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
3 tsp. Chili Powder

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the Onion and Garlic, and saute for 1 minute.

Stir in the Ketchup and Vinegar. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, Brown Sugar and Chili Powder. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.

Use for grilling or dipping – basically with anything you want a BBQ Sauce bursting flavor!!!

All American Hot Dogs

What you need~

What to do~

Notes~

All American Hot Dogs

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

Directions

Who wants to win a Calphalon Self-Sharpening Knife Set of their own?! Here’s your chance!

Ingredients – Sauce

Directions – Sauce

How spicy do you like YOUR chicken?

Ingredients

Directions

What Farm Rich product will YOU use to create your own Back Your Snack creation?

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Treats

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

Directions

BBQ Spare Ribs

What’s YOUR favorite meal to serve with BBQ sauce?