barbecue

Quick & Easy BBQ Sandwiches

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It seems like we are always on the run, wrestling matches, piano lessons, school this – school that, whatever it is it puts a pinch on time to fix dinner.  I know everyone can relate with their own busy schedules. I love a tasty recipe that can be on the table in a jiff on a busy night. This one literally just takes a few minutes to throw together and no one will even know it’s a speedy recipe!!  This recipe is also easily adjusted to make double the amount if you need to feed a crowd.  

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Ingredients:

  • 2/3 c. ketchup
  • 4 T. water
  • 2 T. brown sugar
  • 2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 ½ T. mustard
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 ¼ lb. thinly sliced lean deli roast beef

In a small saucepan, combine everything except roast beef, over medium low heat.   Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.  

Heat roast beef by stirring into sauce and mixing to combine well.  (You can also heat roast beef separately in skillet or microwave, serving sauce on top.)     Serve on hamburger buns with thinly sliced red onion.    

Make Ahead Meatballs

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If you’re a busy mom (or dad) like we all are, or someone who likes to do their food-prep ahead of time, then this is a great recipe for you. It seems like these days there are so many sporting events and meetings that if I waited until we all got home to start dinner….well, let’s just say we might as well eat in our pajamas. One of the things that I’ve found helps a lot is to pre-prep as many of our meals as I can over the weekend. This recipe is one of my favorites because it makes so many meatballs that can be used in a variety of ways. Our favorite way to eat them is with a special semi-homemade barbecue sauce (I’ll include that recipe), but I also leave some dry and freeze them to use for spaghetti or meatball subs — or any other way you’d like them!  ~Tracy

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Meatball Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ lbs. extra lean hamburger meat
  • 1 lb. breakfast sausage (Use turkey sausage for Weight Watchers.)
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 c. quick cook oatmeal
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 c. finely chopped onion
  • 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

Meatball Instructions:

Mix all ingredients well and form into balls approximately the size of a golf ball (for recipe purposes I weighed meatballs in 1.5 oz. servings before cooking).  

Bake meatballs at 350 for approx. 50 min. or until cooked through.

Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:

  • 2 c. catsup
  • 2 tsp. liquid smoke
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ c. finely chopped onion
  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • ½ bottled barbecue sauce (I prefer Head Country Original)

BBQ Sauce Instructions:  

Mix all ingredients in sauce pan and simmer on low for approx. 15 minutes to melt the sugar and blend flavors. Spoon sauce over meatballs during last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking to caramelize sauce onto meat.  

WW Freestyle Info.: Recipe makes approximately 70 meatballs (1.5 oz. each before cooking).  Using extra lean (95/5) ground beef and turkey sausage, these meatballs are 2 points each (not including sauce).  

Monterey Chicken

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Posted by Erin

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie… a classic in many restaurants and diners, Monterey Chicken is always a favorite.  It’s so easy to make, there’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy it at home as well!  This is one of the first dishes I made when Albert and I were newlyweds… or at least one of the first successful dishes.  It’s still on the menu at our house quite often, 14 years later.  It’s a quick and easy meal for a busy night, especially if you have the bacon precooked.  I keep cooked bacon in my freezer all the time (We love bacon!) but, if you don’t have any on hand, you can easily substitute 1 T. pre-packaged real bacon bits per chicken breast.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 6 (approx. 4 ounce each) boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded 1-inch thick
  • 1 tsp. each of cumin, garlic salt, onion powder, and smoked paprika
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 6 T. barbecue sauce
  • 6 thin slices Colby-Jack cheese (such as Sargento Ultra Thin)
  • 6 slices center cut bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
  • 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
  • 1 green onion, chopped

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Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large oven-safe skillet.

Season chicken breasts with cumin, garlic salt, onion powder, and paprika.

Brown the chicken in the skillet for 3 or 4 minutes on each side until no longer pink; remove from heat.

Top each chicken breast with 1 T. barbecue sauce, 1 slice cheese, and 1 slice crumbled bacon.

Sprinkle evenly with chopped tomatoes and green onions.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake about 5-8 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.

WW Info.:  6 servings (Each loaded chicken breast is one serving.)

Freestyle points: 5

Old points:  6

Oven Barbeque Chicken

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This recipe has been floating around our family for quite some time.  It is quite simple to prepare and get into the oven on a busy night.  The homemade barbeque sauce is the perfect mix of tangy and sweet.  We are certain this will be a family favorite of yours soon too! ~Kathy

Ingredients:

  • 6 large chicken breasts cut into thirds (as equal in size as possible)
  • 3 T. oil
  • 1/3 c. sliced onion
  • 3 T. butter
  • ¾ c. catsup
  • 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ c. molasses
  • 1/3 c. water
  • 2 T. prepared mustard
  • 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed (or ½ tsp garlic powder)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350˚

Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with non-stick spray.

Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

Place oil in large skillet.  Brown chicken in hot oil on each side.  Remove to plate.

Add butter into skillet. S auté onion in the butter until soft.  Add remaining ingredients to skillet.  Simmer sauce about 15 minutes, uncovered.

Place chicken pieces into baking dish and cover with sauce.  Bake 45-60 minutes, basting occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes 6 servings at 9 points each.