Behind the Bites

Italian Style Pasta Salad

Nothing says summer side dish like a fresh pasta salad – countless flavor combinations and ingredients can be utilized and it’s easy to create in large quantities. The best part is that it can be made before hand and served right from the cooler or refrigerator. When I set out…
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Crispy Cheese Tacos

I was camping at my family’s private campground over memorial day and ended up using my griddle more than my charcoal grill while I was there. The main reason was this new fascination with dropping shredded cheese directly on the hot surface of the griddle and making crispy cheese disks.…
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Everything Ham & Pickle Pinwheels

This easy appetizer takes minutes to make and is a mash-up of two favorites: Everything bagels and dill pickles and cream cheese wrapped with ham. I just replace the bagel with a tortilla and boom – A super simple treat perfect for a backyard BBQ. Ingredients Step 1 LayerSpread cream…
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Sweet and Smoky Spice Rubbed Pork Chops

A very simple pork barbecue rub featuring brown sugar, smoked paprika and cumin. The brown sugar creates a caramelized crust on the meat and is loaded with flavor. This is a great rub for pork as well as chicken. Ingredients Step 1 Make Spice RubThoroughly combine all seasonings in a…
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Reuben Smash Tacos

Corned beef on rye bread with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and 1000 Island dressing (or Russian dressing depending on the maker) is a basic Reuben sandwich. To make it a taco I swap the bread for a tortilla and add a ground pork patty. Caraway seeds are responsible for a large…
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Make a Box Cake Taste Like a Baker’s Cake

Most box cake directions call for water, oil and three eggs. Using milk, butter and four eggs instead of three provides the cake with the richness and moisture of one made from scratch or by a baker. The recipe I made for this post uses Strawberry Cake Mix, Cream Cheese…
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Roasted Chicken Salsa Verdé

Spice rubbed roasted chicken with salsa verde. This recipe uses one big skillet, starts on the stove top and finishes in the oven. Check out the video!!
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S’mores Bar Treats

I am not the first to make this amazing treat. However, I was standing in the cereal isle of the local grocery store, looking at the plethora of varieties and thinking – “which will pair well with a marshmallow binder like crispy rice cereal. ” I had eaten Fruity Pebble…
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