Behind the Bites

Feast Your Eyes


  • Baby Back Ribs

    Printable version Ribs are not easy to cook on the grill. I spent an entire summer two years ago trying my best to figure out the perfect method. What I learned: bake them in the oven first! For the grill flavor, all that is needed is to finish them off over some charcoal, just a…

  • Homemade Chili Dogs

    Printable version When it comes to hot dogs there is one item that stands alone as the best topping – chili. Chili dogs are my favorite guilty pleasure, I don’t indulge in them very often, but when I do – I go crazy. Years ago, I used to eat chili dogs after a late night…

  • Ranch Coleslaw Bacon Dogs

    Printable version Hot Dogs are a summertime staple. I couldn’t imagine going an entire summer without having at least one at either a family gathering or a cookout. I think they’re as American as apple pie. I will eat a hot dog with just ketchup and mustard, but I love to dress them up with…

  • Asian Beef Skewers

    Printable version Ginger was introduced to China by way of India more than two thousand years ago and is believed to have originated in the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia, according to The Practical Encyclopedia of Asian Cooking. It has a very distinct aroma and sharp flavor and is widely used in Eastern cuisine, not…

  • Grilled Ham and Colby-Jack Cheese

    Printable version What could be better than a grilled cheese? A grilled HAM and cheese! When I was in high school I worked near a small diner and I loved their grilled ham and cheese. I would have ordered them all the time if they served three per order. I could destroy one in about…

  • Italian Sausage and Shells

    Printable version A few months back I made a huge pot of chili using Italian flavors and seasonings rather than the usual Mexican flavors. The chili was good, but it tasted as though something was missing. This recipe is an improvement upon the original idea of Italian chili. The addition of pasta shells really helped…

  • Pulled Pork For 100

    Printable version My cousin Tammy is a cancer survivor and every year she organizes a Relay for Life to help raise money for cancer research. Last year she asked me to make the main course for a special meal for survivors at the relay. I must have done ok because she decided to ask for…

  • Pizza Grilled Cheese

    Printable version If you like pizza, you will like pizza grilled cheese. Seriously, I was as impressed with this as I am with a hot slice of pepperoni pizza from a pizza joint. The pizza grilled cheese was a little more portable and finger food friendly though. This will easily be your kids favorite lunch…

  • Crock-Pot Chicken Stir Fry

    Printable version I realize that slow cooker stir fry is really an oxymoron. I guess I could call it slow cooker chicken and vegetables with stir fry flavors, but that’s just not fun. This pot of yummy goodness tastes like a plate full of stir fry from a fast-food Chinese joint. I could have pumped…

  • Smoky Pablano Black Bean Soup

    Printable version I was walking through Meijer the other night and a little package caught my eye. When I stopped to inspect, I found it was jowl bacon. It was cheaper than normal bacon and I had a soup on my mind – long story short – I bought it and everything else I needed…