Smoked Queso Dip

 This was SUPER delicious!!!  We were looking for something we could have at a Memorial Day BBQ and this was delicious!!  The smoke flavor was amazing!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 2 lb breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
• 1 (8-oz) bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 2 (10-oz) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
• 1 cup pickled jalapeño slices
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp minced onion flakes
• ½ cup milk or beer
• 3 cups hickory wood chips, soaked for 30 minutes
• 

Instructions:

• Place all ingredients except wood chips in a 9x13-inch disposable aluminum pan.
• Prepare grill. Place charcoal in a charcoal starter and light. When the coals start to turn gray, dump into the grill, placing all the coals to one side. Top the hot coals with some of the wood chips. Place the pan with the dip on the side of the grill without coals. Close grill.
• Cook the queso for 30 to 45 minutes, up to several hours, stirring periodically and adding wood chips to the top of the coals every 20 minutes. Add milk or beer to queso as it cooks to reach the desired consistency.
• Serve the dip with chips and veggie slices.

Notes:

Can use a Big Green Egg or Traeger grill instead of a charcoal grill.

I used Jimmy Dean sausage.

Can substitute ground beef, ground turkey, or chorizo for sausage.

If you are sensitive to heat, use MILD Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles.

Can use fresh onion instead of dried minced onion.

If the dip is too thick, you can add some more milk or beer to thin it out.

I garnished the cooked dip with extra tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro.

Can make the dip in the slow cooker, in the microwave or the stovetop. Add some liquid smoke to the mixture to get that smoky flavor.

Smoked Pizza on the Traeger

 It was the most gorgeous night ever and since there wasn't a pizza farm nearby, I made Rossy get as close as possible :)  Love myself some smoked flatbread!!!

INGREDIENTS

  

• 16 oz pizza dough
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese
• 20 pepperoni slices
• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 bell pepper diced
• 8 oz mushrooms sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Remove your pizza dough from the refrigerator - it will be easiest to work with at room temperature
• Turn Traeger to Smoke - in about five minutes the Traeger will smoke.  Be sure the lid is open for this portion. Be sure your pellet hopper is full.
• Once smoke dissipates, turn temperature dial to 500 degrees F. High heat = crunchy crust!
• Place pizza stone or pan on grill grates while it comes up to temp
• While grill is coming to temp, prepare your pizza toppings

  Gather all toppings and dough on a tray or large cutting board - as you'll be preparing your pizza on the Traeger!
• When the Traeger is up to temperature:

  Sprinkle pan with either olive oil or corn meal

  Start stretching your dough into a circular shape

  Place your stretched pizza dough onto the HOT pizza stone or pan.

  Stretch and push the dough to fill the pizza pan.

  It's really important for your pan to be HOT! This ensures that the bottom of the crust gets super crispy!
• Top the pizza with sauce, cheese and toppings.
• Close lid and grill for 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden brown

  
  
• Remove pizza from Traeger and let rest for five minutes.
• Cut & Serve!

Apple Cider Glazed Pork Chops

Always looking for new recipes so tried this one out and it was delicious!!!  Made this up with some rice and broccoli!!  Easy weeknight meal!! 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs (one package) Bone-in Pork Chops

Rub:

• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Apple Cider Glaze:

• 1 1/2 c. apple cider
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Light your gas or charcoal grill and heat to medium high heat.
2. In a small saucepan, prepare the glaze by combining the apple cider, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. Bring to a simmer. While the cider comes to a simmer, prepare the pork rub. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork. Add the oil to the spice mixture. It will be the consistency of a crumbly paste. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, and then cover the chops on all sides with the spice rub.
3. Put the spice covered pork chops on the heated grill, and thoroughly brush with the cider glaze. Grill for about 6 minutes. Flip the chops and thoroughly brush with the glaze on the other side. Grill for about 2 more minutes, flip and brush again. Repeat this process until the chops cook for 10-12 minutes total, and reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Its okay for pork to have a little pink in the middle.
4. If you're also grilling apples, brush the halved apples with glaze and grill for about 5-6 minutes. No need to flip. Serve along with the chops.