Being honest, I really don't like ribs. It's about the bones--I hate gnawing away feeling like a caveman. Ricky and Olivia, on the other hand, love ribs and wings. I've had to leave the room while Olivia was eating because she grossed me out so much!

I accidentally bought Country Style ribs once thinking it was a roast (hey....I was shopping with kids) and they have been our favorite ever since.  They're cheap, too! I put a quick rub on, squirt some mustard on them and let the meat slow cook all.day.long.   When it's time for dinner, just throw them on the grill with some BBQ sauce.

BBQ Favorites: Creamy Ranch Potato Salad

Nothing says summer like potato salad! It's perfect with burgers, ribs, sandwiches...anything! Everyone has their own style that they love.  Do you keep the skins on or peel the potatoes? Eggs or no eggs? Mayo, mustard or yogurt?

Slow-Cooker Sauce: Best EVER Zevia BBQ Sauce

With summer coming up quickly, you're going to want a tasty signature BBQ sauce on hand.  Yes, there are hundreds on the market--but nothing is better than homemade, right?  Plus, who knows what goes into those sauces from the store.  Homemade sauces let you cater to your taste buds: go sweet, spicy or tangy.  Whatever you want!

Slow-Cooker Meals: Chipotle Peach Ribs

I realize prime BBQ season is over now that we've hit fall, but Ricky LOVES ribs.  I found some racks of ribs on markdown at Walmart for $3.99 and they've been hogging my freezer space. (Pun intended) Desperate to find an easier way for fall off the bone meat, I turned to my Hamilton Beach slow-cooker.  You won't believe how easy this recipe is!  I am wishing I would have done more than one rack!!

After this week's Walking Dead episode, it took me a few days to even be able to type up this recipe.  If you don't watch the show, you're lucky!

Don't forget: I have a Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Slow-Cooker giveaway going on this month! Head over to this page to enter!

Not a fan of chipotle peach flavor?  Use whatever style BBQ sauce you love.  I highly recommend sticking with the tasty Sweet Baby Ray's varieties!

Here's what you need:

• 1 large rack of ribs 2-4 pounds (always check for markdowns!)
• 1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chipotle BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup McCormicks Pork rub
• 2 tablespoons Smuckers Peach Preserves

1. Preheat slow-cooker to LOW setting for 7 hours.
2. Rinse ribs with water and dry.  Place on a large cutting board and coat both sides with pork rub.
3. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce with peach preserves. Set aside.
4. From the bottle, squeeze enough BBQ sauce in the base of the slow-cooker to coat the bottom.  
5. Brush the sauce from the bowl on the ribs. Discard any remaining sauce, since it's touched raw meat. 
6. Place ribs in the slow-cooker and cover.  DO NOT TAKE OFF THE LID.  It's tempting, I know, but let them cook for the full 7 hours.
7. Once cooked, remove and brush with the rest of the sauce in the bottle, adding some extra peach preserves if wanted.  They are great out of the slow-cooker, but for more of a char, broil them for 3-4 minutes.

This sauce mixture is amazing on any meat.  I like to throw boneless chicken thighs in the slow-cooker with a can of peaches and the sauce for pulled chicken sliders.  Use on pork roast for a new spin on pulled pork.

What's your go-to BBQ sauce?

Leftover Chicken? The BEST BBQ Chicken Nachos!

It's a given: if we go to a place that serves nachos, I'll order them.  I feel the quality of nachos tells you a lot about a restaurant.  Crappy queso, soggy chips and bland salsa? Not gonna fly in my book.  All chips and no toppings? No thank you.  I guess I'm what you call a nacho snob connoisseur. 

There are a million different ways to make nachos and every household varies a bit.  Growing up, my dad would always put toppings on each chip before melting the cheese.  Some people throw chips with cheese in the oven before adding other toppings.  To each their own!

When searching for the perfect nacho chip, you need one that can stand up to toppings.  I love to use my homemade baked chips for my normal ground turkey nachos...but BBQ chicken nachos need something different.  When paired with a honey chipolte sauce, you need a bit of flavor to them.  Enter Food Should Taste Good Kettle Corn Chips.  Sweet and salty pairs SO well with BBQ chicken for nachos. BAM! Recipe created.  This can be thrown together in under 15 minutes in you have leftover chicken on hand.

Have you tried Food Should Taste Good chips yet? They are SO tasty and made with ingredients that you can pronounce.  I have found them at Meijer, Target and Costco...and they are frequently on sale! Score!  My favorite flavors: Olive, Kettle and Sweet Potato.  You really can't go wrong.

Here's what you need:

• 1 bag of FSTG Kettle Corn Chips
• 1/2-1 pound of cooked chicken (leftover grilled chicken is perfecto!)
• 1/2-1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chipolte BBQ sauce
• 1 cup of your favorite nacho cheese 
• (What's your favorite cheese? NACHO cheese...couldn't resist!)
• 1-2 slices cooked bacon
• Tasty toppings: sliced avocado, sour cream, diced red onion, cilantro, green onions and salsa

1. Shred chicken with a fork.  Put in a microwave safe bowl with BBQ sauce and heat for 1 minute.  I like to add some chopped cilantro and green onions to the chicken mixture.
2. Heat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat (silicone baking sheet).  
3. Scatter chips around the baking sheet and top with BBQ chicken, bacon and cheese.  Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
4. Once removed from oven, shower the nachos with toppings!

Want to try out these tasty chips? I have TWO free product coupons to giveaway!  

Head on over to my Facebook page and comment on which chips you would like to try.  I'll draw a winner on Friday (June 20)!

Curly's BBQ Cajun Bowl {Giveaway!}

Disclaimer: I was provided coupons to try the product, but was not paid.  All opinions are my own! I like to share tasty new food with everyone!

Check out all of the available products!

Have you tried Curly's BBQ yet? Now that (most of us) have put away our grills, outdoor BBQ season is over!  When I stopped at Meijer to pick up some Curly's sausage and pulled chicken, I really just expected the same old BBQ products.  I was kind of scared because the fat in the sausage is a LOT higher than we normally eat.  

The first time I sampled the pulled chicken, I was SO surprised.  It reminded me of smoky BBQ you can get in the south.  It's so hard to replicate that flavor and I am so happy to have found this!  The pulled chicken cooks up super fast and you can make a quick sandwich for lunch or dinner! 

I also made a Cuban sandwich with the pulled chicken, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles.  It was mighty tasty!

With the sausage, instead of just grilling it up, I thought I would make a Cajun bowl with it. Actually this is a combination between a stew and sauce, since it's on the thicker side.  Perfect for these chilly nights we have now!  I love to add a kick of heat to it with some hot sauce.

Do you want to try Curly's for yourself? Enter to win TWO free product coupons! Head on over to my Facebook page and leave a comment under the Curly's photo.  I'll draw a winner on Friday (11/15) at 12:00pm!

What the heck is: Jicama?

A few weeks ago I did a little game on Facebook and Instagram asking what the item was below was.  It took a few hours for someone to guess correctly.  Believe me, not long ago I would have no clue what jicama was either! 

I have been experimenting with new fruits and veggies lately.  I love searching the grocery store with the girls for new items to try.  We don't have a huge selection of new items here in Michigan, but it's a fun game for the twins! 

I'm a girl who loves crunchy food.  Also, I'm a dipper.  Being on Weight Watchers, it's hard to find a dipper that doesn't take up my daily snack allowance.  (I do love the Special K cracker chips though!!). You can only eat so many carrot sticks!  

Jicama is a perfect addition to salads and crudités.  I like to cut it into matchsticks for dipping, or I'll shred it for salads and slaw.

The best way to cut it is to slice off both ends and to peel it with a pairing knife or peeler.  I like to squeeze some lime juice on it. At first, you have to get used to the starchy texture.  Keep eating it, though! 

Here's my favorite Jicama Slaw recipe.  It's great with BBQ or fish tacos.

Ingredients

*1 cup shredded jicama

*1 cup shredded carrot

*1 cup shredded red cabbage

*1/2 red pepper, diced

*4 green onions, sliced thinly

*Added kick: 1 thinly sliced jalapeño 

Dressing (whisk together)

*Juice of 2 limes

*1 teaspoon agave nectar (or honey)

*salt & pepper to taste

*1/2 teaspoon cumin

*2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Toss it all together and chill for at least 30 minutes!

Are you a jicama fan? What the heck do you do with it?