Root Beer Baked Beans

This weekend, Sams club was giving out free cookbook for giving them your email address. So many good recipes in this cookbook and this was one! We decided to make a pulled pork for dinner, so my mom wanted to try the Root Beer Baked Beans to go along with it. We plan on saving some for Easter too (we will have to make Easter easy this year, because the hubby and I are moving Easter weekend!!). These are so tasty! My recipe is slightly different from the cookbook, so I will post what I made. Root Beer Baked Beans 1 medium onion diced 5 strips of bacon diced (I used cooked peppered bacon pieces- I think Hormel is the brand) 2 cans baked beans (28 oz each)- I used Bush's Honey baked beans and Maple Cured Bacon baked beans 3/4 cup root beer 1/3 cup barbeque sauce 1/2 tsp mustard powder 1. In large deep skillet, saute onion (if using raw bacon cook with onion until bacon is crisp). If using cooked bacon pieces, add after onion has softened and cook until bacon is fragrant and heated through. 2. Add cans of baked beans, root beer, barbeque sauce and mustard powder. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until slightly thicekend. You can serve at this point or put in an oven proof dish and continue heating in the oven. I served after heating on the stove.

BBQ ribs and grilled veggie couscous salad

For Memorial Day we decided to do the typical grilling. We wanted something more than just burgers and hot dogs. So we settled on ribs. I wanted a side that was something not typical, and since the grill was going to be fired up, I decided to grill up some veggies and add them to couscous. So good!

BBQ Ribs

Slab of ribs
Seasonings of choice
BBQ sauce of choice

1. Put ribs in pot and cover with water. Add desired seasonings to water. Bring water to a boil, reduce to medium heat, and boil ribs for 20 minutes with lid on.

2. Meanwhile, preheat grill (not too hot though). When ribs are finished boiling, baste them with desired BBQ sauce and place on bottom rack of grill. Turn every 5 min and baste with more sauce. Cook until sauce has thickened to and you start to see char marks (about 10-15 minutes).


Grilled veggie couscous salad

1 green pepper
1 red onion
1 zuchinni
1 yellow squash
1 tomato
(any other veggies you might like- I tried eggplant and I didn't like it at all)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 box of couscous (any flavor you like- I used whole wheat olive oil and garlic)

1. Prepare couscous according to directions on box and set aside in a serving dish.

2. Dice tomato and set aside- tomato will not be grilled

3. Cut veggies in big enough pieces so they will not fall through grates of grill (I sliced squash and zuchinni long ways and the onions into big rings)

4. Brush grilling veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with salt/pepper and any other desired seasonings.

5. Grill veggies until char marks and to desired tenderness

6. After veggies are cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces and add to couscous.

7. Add tomatoes, stir to combine and enjoy!

So tasty!