Quick & Easy BBQ Sandwiches

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.    

Avocado Chicken Salad

Don’t you love it when two of your favorite things come together in perfect harmony?  Things like your favorite song on the radio and being in the car alone, hitting all of the green lights when you’re in a hurry, or the perfect concoction of chicken and avocado?  I know, I know…these things rarely happen, and I’m sorry to say that I can’t help you with the traffic lights.  I can, however, hook you up with the perfect summer combination in this Avocado Chicken Salad!  It’s become one of my favorite summery dinners – especially if I can make it with at least a few of the ingredients right out of my own garden (though I haven’t yet figured out how to grow avocados in the Oklahoma climate).  Everyone in my family goes back for seconds on this dish, and sometimes, when they aren’t looking, I might indulge in a third helping! ~ Tracy

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Ingredients

  • 350 grams of avocado, usually 3 medium avocados
  • ½ c. finely chopped yellow or white onion
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ c. grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ c. cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped grilled chicken breast
  • Juice of one lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the avocado from the rind.  Discard rind and pit.

Roughly mash the avocado with large fork or potato masher.

Mix all ingredients together, stirring gently.

Serve in your favorite tortilla or wrap.

Makes 4 cups.  Each ½ cup serving is 2 WW Freestyle Points.

Cowboy Joes

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My boys sometimes get to choose what is for dinner.  Often, this is their request.  By often, I mean we could eat them once a week.

Cowboy Joes are a smoky, tasty, twist on a classic sloppy joe you know and love.  Last time I made these, my youngest was switching schools so he got to choose what was for dinner the night before.  On the way to school the next morning, in the midst of a narrow canyon, around a sharp bend, we come upon an entire herd of sheep and sheep herders coming right toward us.  On the highway, side to side, cars lined up the other direction for a long way. (Check out the picture – ignore my dirty windshield)

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Completely slowed us up, but we made it to school on time!

These truly are one of my cowboys absolute favorite meals.  You can’t go wrong!!  Serve ‘em up and please the cow punchers (or regular folk) in your life!!   ~Kathy

Ingredients for beef:

  • 1 lb. 95% lean ground beef
  • ¼ c. onion, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. heaping salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper

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Ingredients for sauce:

  • 1 T. Worcestershire
  • 1/3 c. water
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
  • 2/3 c. catsup
  • 4 T. smoky BBQ sauce
  • 1½ tsp. mustard
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a large skillet, combine first 5 ingredients.  Cook until beef is cooked through.   Drain on paper towel lined plate and return to pan.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well to combine.  Adjust seasonings if needed. Simmer about 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened and no longer runny.

Serve immediately on hamburger buns.

WW Info: This recipe makes 7 servings.  Each 1/3 cup serving is 4 points (on purple, blue, and green).  We did not include a bun in the calculation; this gives you more freedom to choose your favorite.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

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These sandwiches are the easiest thing you will ever make (even if you’ve never cooked a meal in your life, you can make these) and people will think you slaved in the kitchen.  This beef is fall-apart tender and melt-in-your mouth delicious.  They have a whopping 5 ingredients, and prep time is less than 5 minutes.  Set it and forget it! ~Erin

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds top round (or similar cut) beef roast
  • 2 or 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 (0.6 oz.) packet Good Seasons dry Zesty Italian dressing mix
  • 1 (16 oz.) jar whole or sliced pepperoncini peppers
  • 8 to 10 ounces fat-free Zesty Italian dressing
  • Buns for serving
  • Cheese for sandwiches, optional

Instructions:

Place roast in a slow cooker.

Top with garlic and dry zesty Italian seasoning mix.

Discard all but about a quarter of the juice out of pepperoncini jar; pour remaining juice and all the peppers over the roast.

Pour in liquid zesty Italian dressing.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 3-4, or until meat is fully cooked and shreds easily.

Shred the beef & serve it hot on a toasted bun with the cheese of your choice.

WW Freestyle Info.:  The beef/pepper mixture calculates to 5 points per 4 ounce serving.