Best Hashbrown Casserole EVER!!!

Wow...It's been so long since I blogged! Blogger is so different now...I feel like I have to learn everything all over again!

As most of you know, I had a baby girl back in April. She just turned 4 months old on the 20th! I can't even believe it. People are NOT lying when they time flies by when you have a baby because it seems
like just yesterday we were on our way to the hospital for my c-section.

Anyways...Towards the end of my pregnancy I had a craving for hashbrown casserole and green bean casserole. My Mom offered to make both to bring over for a BBQ. Score! While she was making it, she wasn't paying attention and accidentally put the fried onions in the hashbrown mixture, I guess she thought she was making the green beans...OOPS! She decided not to tell anyone and see if anybody noticed a difference. There sure was a difference and it was AWESOME! I may or may not have half of the whole pan...So next time try this out...you won't regret it!

1 package southwest style hashbrowns
8oz sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (I like the four cheese blends)
1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 container french fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Put in a baking dish and bake for approx 30 minutes or until the edges are bubbly.

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Spring has FINALLY sprung...Sort of...

This past weekend Spring decided to FINALLY show up...even though it only lasted until Sunday night. Saturday was a bit chilly in the morning but come afternoon, the sun was shining and I think we almost reached 70! It was a perfect day to bring the pit out of hibernation...

Ahh..the pit!!!

It was built by my Uncle Stevie somewhere around 10 years ago...maybe more. It is built directly into a trailer for easy transport! When Matt & I bought our house a few years ago, it would make frequent trips to and from my parents house and somehow has become a permanent fixture in our backyard...along with the gas grill, the mini pit and the caja china...BBQ much???

I looked all over my laptop for a picture of them all together...but of course, couldn't find one...I will take one this week and post it...

Well anyways...where was I going with this...Oh yeah, My Mom & I were CRAVING ribs...and who other to turn to, besides my Dad...who is in Texas right now...was Matt! So he fired up the pit and they may have been the best ribs.ever...or because I hadn't had them in so long...but who cares, the were AWESOME!

A few weeks ago I posted about Matt's Bourbon BBQ Sauce...since he is so busy at the greenhouse now, I knew he wouldn't have time or want to mess with it and frankly, neither did I...So this is what we do to zest up a bottled sauce...

Zested Up BBQ Sauce

enough for 2 slabs of ribs and 1 whole chicken

1 cup stubb's original bbq sauce

1/2 cup beer

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and simmer for 10 minutes.

NOTE* You want the sauce to be warm to hot when you sauce the meat.

Feel free to use any beer of your choice or BBQ sauce but we LOVE Stubbs and Johnny Harris(but that doesn't need any zesting up)..we don't drink bud light but have some on hand for friends...

stir and simmer!

pure deliciousness!!!

I also made my Aunt Bea's BBQ beans...I'm not sure if I have ever mentioned this but, I have a large three ring binder filled with various family recipes, clippings from magazines, newspapers and recipes I have printed from the internet...It is my go to cookbook anytime I am looking for something great to make....
I came across this recipe and though I don't remember eating them as a kid, my Mom assured me I did and she then remembered how delicious they were...My Aunt Bea informed me yesterday that the recipe is over 40 years old, she hadn't made them in ages and that I inspired her to do so! Maybe these pictures will help get the ball rolling a little faster...

NOTE* The original recipe calls for 1/2 small box of brown sugar. I did not add this. The canned beans themselves already have a bit of a sweet flavor and I was afraid it would be too much for me.

BBQ Beans

1lb lean ground beef

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 11oz cans pork and beans

1 22oz can bush's grillin beans, I used the Southern Pit Barbecue

The following ingredients, I did NOT measure out...

yellow mustard, a few squirts

Worcestershire sauce, a couple shakes

ketchup, a few squirts

bbq sauce, stubbs, about 2 tablespoons

salt & pepper, to taste

1. In a large cast iron skillet or pan, brown the ground beef and onions. When done drain grease and return to pan.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together well. 
3. Slowly bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom.

Printable Recipe!!!

MMMMMMMMMM Gooooood!!!!!!

Kinda makes ya want to cookout this weekend huh????
I hope ya'll enjoy them as much as we did!
Until next time...

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This one's for the guys!

Matt LOVES to BBQ...rain, shine or snow and around here we have all three! Two Christmas' ago, my Dad received a La Caja China from a friend...at first we were all like "What the heck??" but once it was put together it became an instant hit!!! Needless to say Matt had to have his own, so for his birthday last June, my parents got him one, except they got him the bigger version. Score!!!
What is it you say? La Caja China, also known as a Chinese roasting box, is designed to BBQ a whole pig but will cook practically any other meat as well. The initial market for these was geared toward the vast Cuban-American population in Miami but quickly sparked the interest of BBQ enthusiasts everywhere. Last Fourth of July Matt roasted a 70lb pig in less than 4 hours!!!! Yes! and it was OUTSTANDING!!! I just searched high and low for a pic on my laptop and can't find one...but don't worry, we will be doing that again this Fourth of July without a doubt...along with the huge party that comes with it!

Matt has been pretty busy at the Greenhouse these past few weeks, so he hasn't had a chance to BBQ as much as he likes...so a couple of weekends he made a slab of ribs, a whole chicken and even made his own sauce!!! I gotta tell ya...when he was making the sauce it was hard for me not to try and jump in and give my two cents...not that I knew what I was doing but I'm just so used to being the one standing where he was :) But I assure you, he knows what he's doing.

Anyways...here it goes!

La Caja China Ribs -n- Chicken

recipe by : Matt

1 slab of baby back ribs

1 whole chicken, cut in half

your favorite poultry/rib rub

24 lbs charcoal, kingsford is Matt's preferred brand

lighter fluid

Season the meat generously with the seasoning on both sides.

Place the meat on the grill rack, bone side up, place the cover over the box and add approx 16lbs of charcoal in two separate piles and light. 

After 20 minutes, spread the coals evenly across the top. Your actual cooking time starts now.

After 45 minutes, lift up the top, flip the ribs and chicken. Replace cover. Add approx 8 more lbs of charcoal evenly across the top and continue cooking until internal temp of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

If you want to sauce your  meat while still in the box, approx 10 minutes before the meat is done, sauce it. Otherwise, you can sauce it once you bring it inside.

Printable Recipe!

So guys...go out there and buy yourself a Caja China...you will not regret it! 

Matt's Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Recipe by: Matt

3/4 cup bourbon, preferably Maker's Mark

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 cups ketchup

1/8 cup yellow mustard

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons worcesteshire sauce

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

2 tablespoons molasasses

1/4 cups brown sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

hot sauce, to taste

In a medium sauce pan ad the bourbon, onion and garlic. Cook down for approx 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better.

If you prefer a smooth sauce, run through a strainer and discard onion and garlic.

Printable Recipe!

INSERT PICTURES HERE...

I SADLY...deleted the pictures of the sauce...oopsie....I was clearing out the photos on my iPhone yesterday and thought I had already transfered them...but turns out I didn't. FAIL!!!! But I promise you...this sauce is the way to go...

ENJOY!!!

*Caja China information courtesy of  www.lacajachina.com and  www.squidoo.com*

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