Fire up the grill and celebrate the flavors of summer with this month’s “Grill & Chill” theme! From smoky Chipotle Deviled Eggs with Jalapeno Bacon and hearty BBQ Brisket Mac and Cheese to crowd-pleasing Korean BBQ Ribs, these Creative Arts ribbon-winning recipes are perfect for backyard cookouts and easy entertaining.
CHIPOTLE DEVILED EGGS WITH JALAPENO BACON
Stephen Hulcy
Dallas, TX
2015 – Best of Show – 1st Place – Tex-Mex
Ingredients:
12 lg. eggs, hard-boiled & peeled
8 T. Hellmann’s mayonnaise
2 ½ T. minced chipotles in adobo sauce
¼ tsp. Adobo sauce
2 ½ T. minced pickled jalapeños
¼-½ tsp. Mexene chili powder
Pinch of smoked paprika
Pinch of kosher salt
1 fresh jalapeño, finely minced for garnish
3 strips of HEB jalapeño bacon, cooked & sliced into ½-inch pieces for garnish
Slice eggs in half and separate yolks into a bowl, reserving egg white halves. Mash yolks, then add mayonnaise, chipotles, adobo sauce, pickled jalapeños, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt; mix until well combined. Transfer mixture to a piping bag and pipe generously into 12 egg white halves. Garnish with minced fresh jalapeño and insert one 1/2-inch piece of jalapeño bacon into the center of each egg.
BBQ BRISKET MAC AND CHEESE
Janice Nacole Lohrs
Quinlan, TX
3rd Place–Cooking with Cheese
Ingredients:
16 oz. pipe rigate pasta or shells
2 ½ c. whole milk
1 ½ c. heavy cream
1 c. vegetable broth
2 c. white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shreddedla
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Slap Ya Mamma cajun seasoning
½ tsp. ground mustard
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. black pepper
2 c. leftover beef brisket, shredded
¼ c. beef broth
¼ c. barbecue sauce
In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Add milk, heavy cream, and vegetable broth; stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Gradually stir in grated cheeses until melted. Add garlic powder, onion powder, Slap Ya Mama seasoning, mustard, turmeric, and black pepper; mix well. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a medium pot, combine brisket, beef broth, and barbecue sauce. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Spoon mac and cheese into bowls and top with brisket. Drizzle with additional barbecue sauce, if desired, and serve immediately. Top with crispy onion strings, if desired.
COMPANY’S COMING BANANA PUDDING
Toni Steger
Plano, TX
2017 – Best of Show – 1st Place – Southern Comfort Food
Ingredients:
2 c. milk
½ c. half-and-half
¾ c. sugar
5 T. cornstarch
4 egg yolks, reserving whites
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 T. banana rum cream
2 T. unsalted butter
5-6 med. bananas (ripe but still firm)
Juice of 1 lemon
11-oz. pkg. vanilla waters
Heat milk over medium heat until scalding.
In a large bowl, whisk together half-and-half, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, and salt. Gradually whisk in hot milk, then return mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, banana rum cream, and butter. Let cool to room temperature.
Toss banana slices with lemon juice to prevent browning. Spread one-third of the custard in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with vanilla wafers and banana slices. Repeat layers until all custard is used.
Top with meringue and brown under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, or brown with a kitchen torch.
Meringue:
1 c. sugar
½ c. water
4 egg whites, room temp.
½ tsp. cream of tartar
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water over high heat. Brush down the sides of the pan as needed with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cook until the syrup reaches 240° on a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, combine egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, slowly and carefully drizzle in the hot sugar syrup. Increase the speed to high and beat until the meringue reaches the desired stiffness.
NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN DIP
Judith Faulkner
Allen, TX
3rd Place–Chicken or the Egg
Ingredients:
3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
¾ c. buttermilk, at room temp.
Scant ¼ c. hot sauce
1½ T. honey
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. smoked paprika
1 ¼ tsp. garlic powder
3-4 baked, breaded chicken tenderloins, chopped into ½ inch pieces
2 T. hot sauce for sauce
11 T. honey for sauce
Pinch garlic powder for sauce
Sliced dill pickles
Green onions, thinly sliced
Add cream cheese and buttermilk to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave for another minute, stirring again. Microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth and creamy.
Add hot sauce, honey, cayenne pepper, paprika and garlic powder, and beat until evenly combined.
Transfer mixture to a serving dish and spread into a thick even layer. Top with chopped crispy chicken.
In a small bowl, whisk together hot sauce, honey, and garlic powder. Pour evenly over the chicken. Top with pickles and green onions, if desired. Serve with crackers, chips, or vegetables.
KOREAN BBQ RIBS
Sam Finn
Dallas, TX
2nd Place – International Cuisine
Ingredients:
Marinade:
1-3 tsp. Gochujang
½ c. soy sauce
½ c. water
¼ c. rice wine
2 T. sesame oil
4 T. honey
2 T. brown sugar, use regular sugar if unavailable
3 T. minced garlic (8 or 9 plump cloves)
2 T. finely grated ginger
½ med. onion, grated
½ med sweet apple, grated
½ tsp. black pepper
1 full slab St. Louis ribs or 2 slabs baby back ribs
Cut ribs into 2 pieces for easier handling, then rinse and drain. Coat ribs evenly with marinade and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 325° (300° for convection). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange ribs meat side down. Bake for 2 hours, then remove foil and check for tenderness.
Finish on a grill, basting frequently, or broil until caramelized.