Spicy Pretzels
Spicy pretzels are not in fact spicy, but heavily seasoned pretzels. They make a great snack with a long shelf life. Great any time of year, these have become a staple on my holiday cookie trays as well as a go to snack.
The story behind these is pretty simple… I wanted something salty on the cookie trays because I make so many sweets at the holidays. So, I combined seasonings that sounded good and put them on pretzels. As is with many things that I make, I mix things together until they look good.
They are a bit labor intense. Simply because you have to keep an eye on the pretzels while they’re in the oven so that they don’t burn.
Spicy Pretzels
Ingredients
- 2 12 oz bags pretzels
- 1/2 c butter, melted
- 1/4 c canola oil
- 3 T ranch seasoning
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 t cajun seasoning
- 1/4 t onion powder
- 1/4 c grated parmesan cheap works best
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 deg. Pour pretzels onto two sheet pans.
- Whisk melted butter, oil, ranch seasoning, garlic, cajun seasoning, and onion powder. Pour over pretzels and mix to combine.
- Sprinkle parmesan and mix again.
- Bake until dry and crunchy (30-45 min), stirring every 15-20 min. Let cool completely and store in a sealed container.
BBQ Meatballs
BBQ meatballs are a family favorite appetizer that comes together quick and can live happily in a crock pot for hours. Despite the name, BBQ meat balls are not made with BBQ sauce. It is a whopping 3 ingredients. Perfect for a quick snack that feeds a houseful.
You can just eat them with a fork or toothpick, or make it into an entire meal with rice and a veggie.
BBQ Meatballs
Ingredients
Supplies
- Crockpot
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 26 oz frozen, fully cooked meatballs
- 18 oz grape jelly
- 12 oz heinz chili sauce
Instructions
- Combine grape jelly and chili sauce in a bowl and stir. Add frozen meatballs to a crockpot, and cover with the sauce mixture.
- Heat on HIGH for 3 hrs, stirring occasionally. Let simmer on low. Serve on slider buns or over rice.
Savory Snack Mix
I’m one of those people that needs a savory snack with my sweet snacks. So, every year I make a savory snack mix and what I call spicy pretzels (a story for another day). That is the whole story. I’m not one to drone on if I don’t have to. I mean, I always skip the most of those blog posts anyway.
Chex Mix
Ingredients
Mix
- 3 c Corn chex cereal
- 3 c Rice chex cereal
- 1 c cheddar crackers
- 1 c pretzel sticks
- 1 c bagel chips
Seasoning
- 6 T butter or veg oil
- 1-1/2 T worcester sauce
- 3/4 t seasoning salt
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1/2 t onion powder
Instructions
- Measure the mix ingredients into a large mixing bowl, set aside. In a large microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter until it’s melted. Stir in seasonings. Stir in mix ingredients until coated.
- Spread onto baking sheets & bake at 250 deg for 1 hr, stirring every 15 to 20 min.
- Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe Box: Funeral Salad (Deviled Ham Salad)
An oldie but a goodie, at least to the dad-man. Deviled ham salad is an acquired taste because of its thick consistency. Honestly, you either like it or you don’t. I like it in very specific ways; on top of crackers. Full stop.
Funeral Salad (Deviled Ham Salad)
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lb cooked ham, finely chopped
- 3/4 c mayo
- 2 T dried onion, minced
- 1/3 c dill pickle or sweet relish
- 1/4 c brown mustard
Instructions
- In small batches, blend ham (5-7 pulses). Place ham in a large bowl and continue processing the ham.
- Add mayo, relish, onion, and mustard; mix well. Add more mayo if it is too dry for your tastes.
Notes
Best Turkey Salad For Any Poultry
Turkey salad is an easy classic that can be taken in many different ways. You can even use it on your leftover chicken. Simply replace the turkey with chicken.
Turkey Salad
Ingredients
- 4 c cooked turkey, cubed or chopped
- 2/3 c mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 t granulated sugar
- 1 t dijon mustard
- 1/3 c celery, finely chopped
- 1-1/2 t fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1/4 c green onion, thinly sliced
- 1-1/2 t fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix mayo, salt, pepper, sugar, mustard, dill, parsley, and green onion. Add turkey and mix until combined.
- Refrigerate and serve.
Trail Ready Sandwiches
These trail ready sandwiches are a meat lover’s dream on bread. They were a go-to sandwich for the dad-man when he went out four wheeling or camping. A lot of times he’d take all the ingredients with him and make them himself, but I like the compliments I’d get from my Jeep family when I would make the sandwiches in camp or send them with the dad-man.
These sandwiches were my gateway into menu making. I would make the menu and grocery list for the dad-man when he went out camping (he still does, but packing looks a bit different now). My menu making has grown exponentially since I started helping the dad-man. I’ve made him burgers, chorizo, salsa and the list goes on. But no matter what I make him, these sandwiches are a staple.
Trail Ready Tools
I’m not going to leave you out in the cold here; the tools are just as important as the ingredients when you’re out camping or trying to make these babies at 3 am before heading out.
- Paper Towels
- Aluminum Foil
- Mini Spatula
- Bread Knife
- Small mixing bowl
I like to have about half a pound of meat on each sandwich, but a good rule of thumb is 6 oz of total meat per sandwich. You will not need all of the meat for these sandwiches and that is by design. When you’re camping you don’t always want to stop and eat a full meal; I roll the meat with cheese and eat it as is when I don’t feel like a full meal.
Trail ready sandwiches are a staple for my jeep family. Honestly, the altitude and adventure is what makes them taste better. I’ve made them at home, and it is not the same. Add these sandwiches to your next adventure! Or your lunch menu. Don’t forget to check out the full menu here. Happy camping and cooking from my family to yours.
Trail Ready Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Sourdough bread approx. 10 slices
- 1 lb Thin Sliced Deli Swiss Cheese
- 3 T Delicatessen Mustard
- 1/2 c Mayo
- 1 lb London Broil Roast Beef
- 1 lb Mesquite Roast Turkey
- 1 lb Tavern Style Ham
- 1 Jar Sandwich Slice Pickles
Instructions
- Mix mayo with mustard. Spread a liberal layer of dijon-mayo mixture onto both slices of bread all the way to the edge.
- Layer the cheese on one slice of bread followed by the pickles, turkey, beef and ham. You can add another layer of cheese here, or just put the top on the sandwich.
- Cut the sandwich on a bias. Wrap each half of the sandwich in a layer of paper towel and put them together on your tin foil. Firmly wrap the sandwich to help prevent cooler water from getting in.
