This Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza is the perfect appetizer or after school snack. Full of your favorite pepperoni pizza flavors, enjoy this quick and easy dish while tailgating. Similar to a monkey bread, it’s a fun twist on a traditional recipe.

Like pull apart bread, then try my Smoked Garlic and Herb Monkey Bread recipe or make this Grilled Big Mac Loaf for an after school snack.

Ingredient list for the Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza.

• Biscuit Dough: use the refrigerated store bought dough. It’s convenient and easy to use.
• Pizza Sauce: adds moisture to the recipe.
• Mozzarella Cheese: every pizza needs a cheesy topping.
• Parmesan Cheese: adds hints of savory, nutty flavors ideal for any Italian inspired dish.
• Pepperoni Mini’s: provides a savory, meaty flavor to the recipe.
• Red Pepper Flakes: adds heat to spice up the recipe.
• Italian Seasoning: provides traditional Italian pizza flavors from the dried herbs.
• Garlic Powder: adds additional savory flavor to balance the tomato based recipe.

Step 1: How to make Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza?

This Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza is a quick and easy dish to assemble and grill. The steps consist of combining all the ingredients together, grilling or baking and finally enjoying the meal.

To start, pop the refrigerated biscuits packaging and slice each biscuit into quarters. Shape them into small round balls and set aside.

Add these round biscuits into a large mixing bowl and it’s time to add in the pepperoni pizza ingredients.

Add an entire jar of pizza sauce. Do not be shy. Without enough sauce, the final dish will be dense and dry.

Add in 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, mini pepperoni’s, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. With a silicone spoon, mix the pull apart pepperoni pizza ingredients together making sure each biscuit is covered.

Another great alternative to traditional pizza is to make a Grilled Pepperoni Pizza Bread. Same ingredients, different base.

Step 2: Time to grill the Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza.

Preheat the grill to a medium heat around 350 degrees and set for indirect heat. The recipe can be baked in the oven or any other grill at the same temperature as long as it’s set up for indirect heat. You will however, loose any smokey flavors that develop over a charcoal or smoker grill.

Place the entire pull apart pepperoni pizza mixture into a cast iron skillet. Make sure each biscuit dough balls lay flat and are evenly distributed throughout the pan. Sprinkle more pepperoni’s and shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.

Place the filled skillet on the grill and cook for 20-30 minutes. The final product will have beautifully risen dough, perfectly melted cheese and crispy pepperoni pieces.

Remove it from the grill and dig in. Be careful, the pull apart pizza might be hot from the steaming sauce, but the cheese pull should be amazing each time your take a piece. Enjoy!

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More Delicious Bread Recipes To Try:

Chicken & Turkey

Zesty Nacho Chicken Buns

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Spooky Halloween Dip Bowl

Chicken & Turkey

Leftover Turkey Biscuits

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Focaccia Bread

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Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza

This Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza is the perfect appetizer or after school snack. Enjoy this quick and easy dish while tailgating.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword easy pizza bread recipe, grilled pizza bread, pull apart pizza, snack recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 People

Calories 464kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 8 Buttermilk biscuits
• 14 oz Pizza sauce
• 8 oz Shredded mozzarella cheese
• 5 oz Pepperoni Mini's
• 4 oz Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp Red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder

Instructions

• Pop the refrigerated biscuit packaging and slice each biscuit into quarters. Shape them into small round balls.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the shaped biscuit rounds, pizza sauce, 1 cup of pepperonis, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Mix the pull apart pepperoni pizza ingredients together making sure each biscuit is covered.
• Preheat the grill o a medium heat around 350 degrees and set for indirect heat.
• Place the entire pull apart pepperoni pizza mixture into a cast iron skillet. Make sure each biscuit dough balls lay flat and are evenly distributed throughout the pan. Sprinkle the leftover pepperoni's and shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
• Place the pizza skillet on the grill and cook for 20-30 minutes. The final product will have beautifully risen dough, perfectly melted cheese and crispy pepperoni pieces.
• Remove it from the grill and dig in. Enjoy!

Notes

If pepperoni mini’s are not available, use regular sized and slice each in half or quarters. Small pepperoni’s make it easier to eat and coat the biscuits.

Use butter biscuits for more flavor and savoriness.

Don’t be shy on with the pizza sauce.  This recipe needs liquid to keep it moist and tender.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1589mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1100IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 465mg | Iron: 3mg

One of my favorite appetizers are smoked jalapeno poppers. Wanted to give the original recipe a little bit of a twist and made Jalapeno Popper Lumpia instead which were inspired by my BBQ buddy TFTI. You get the crunch from the fried wrappers, heat from the jalapeno and creaminess from the filling. Added a little surprise inside that made this recipe even better! You have to try this!

What are Lumpia?

Lumpia are deep fried spring rolls. A traditional Filipino recipe, these rolls are made of paper thin wrappers filled with a mixture of pork and vegetables. Usually served as an appetizer with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce.

What are jalapeno poppers?

Traditional jalapeno poppers are pitted half sliced jalapenos stuffed with a cheesy filling all wrapped in bacon. Grilled or fried, these little bites are perfect as appetizers especially for tailgating.

I have made different versions of a jalapeno popper over the years. Take a look at my Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken Breast, Jalapeno Popper Dip and Jalapeno Popper Hashbrowns. From stuffing to wrapping, there are a lot of fun ways to experiment with this dish. You can also use sweet peppers instead, if you’re sensitive to heat.

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Ingredient list for Jalapeno Popper Lumpia

• Jalapenos: this small hot pepper is the perfect vessel for the savory cream cheese filling. Thick skin gives the nice bite to the snack along with some heat.
• Cream Cheese: the smooth texture of a cream cheese is the perfect soft filling for a crunchy pepper. Helps sooth the heat from the pepper and adds flavor to the recipe.
• Pulled Pork: this is an optional filling. Great way to use up leftover BBQ pulled pork.
• Spring Roll Sheets: these thin rice paper wrappers are ideal for deep frying. A delicate bite, these sheets add crunch without overpowering the recipe.
• Peanut Oil: a high temperature point of this oil allows allows you to fry food quickly resulting in a crispy coating with very little oil absorption.

Step 1: Make the jalapeno popper filling.

For this recipe, I had leftover pulled pork that I decided to include in the filling. If you want a vegetarian option, exclude the meat from the recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, add a block of room temperature cream cheese, shredded cheese, bbq sauce, a handful of the pulled pork and season with Dad’s All Purpose rub for flavor. Make sure to mix the ingredients together.

Slice the jalapeno peppers in half and remove the seeds. Most of the heat is in the seeds and membrane so this way you get the jalapeno flavor without too much heat. This will become the vessel for the stuffing.

Add a generous spoonful of the cheesy stuffing into each half and close the pepper.

Step 2: How to fold a Jalapeno PopperLumpia

The paper thin spring roll wrappers are perfect for frying. Durable enough to wrap without tearing, and thin enough for the perfect translucent and crispy finish.

1. Place the wrapper on a flat surface and fold one edge.
2. Place the stuffed jalapeno popper on the folded end.
3. Wrap the right side of the wrapper over the stuffed jalapeno popper.
4. Pull the bottom piece of the wrapper on top of the jalapeno popper and roll the remaining close.

The jalapeno popper lumpia should look like a stuffed spring roll.

Step 3: How to deep fry the jalapeno popper lumpia

This is the perfect dish to make at home on the stove top, deep fryer or air fryer. However, in true GWD fashion, I made this recipe on the grill.

Preheat the grill to a high heat. In a cast iron skillet add 1 cup of peanut oil and allow it to heat up to 350 degrees.  The temperature is very important.  If it fluctuates or goes down, you risk getting soft and greasy lumpia.

Gently place the jalapeno popper lumpia in the hot oil and let it fry for 3-4 minutes per side until all sides are golden brown.

Rest them on a wire rack to cool off and drain the oil. Enjoy!

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Similar easy grilled side dish recipes:

Side Dish

Smoked Mac and Cheese

Side Dish

Garlic Bread

Side Dish

Balsamic Tomato Salad

Side Dish

Cheesy Dinner Muffins

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Jalapeno Popper Lumpia

This jalapeno popper lumpia recipe give you crunch from the deep fried wrappers, heat from the jalapeno and creaminess from the filling.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 731kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 4 Large jalapenos
• 4 Spring roll sheets
• 1 cup Peanut oil
• 1 block Cream cheese
• 1 cup Shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
• 1 cup Shredded pulled pork (optional)
• 1 tbsp Dad's All Purpose rub

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, add a block of room temperature cream cheese, shredded cheese, bbq sauce, pulled pork and season with Dad's All Purpose rub for flavor. Make sure to mix the ingredients together.
• Slice the jalapeno peppers in half and remove the seeds.
• Add a generous spoonful of the cheesy filling into each half and close the peppers.
• Place the wrapper on a flat surface and fold one edge. Place the stuffed jalapeno on the folded end and wrap the right side of the wrapper over.
• Next, pull the bottom piece of the wrapper on top of the jalapeno popper and roll the the remaining close. The jalapeno popper lumpia should look like a stuffed spring roll.
• Preheat the grill to a high heat. In a cast iron skillet add 1 cup of peanut oil and allow it to heat up to 350 degrees. 
• Gently place the jalapeno popper lumpia in the hot oil and let it cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Flip them over and continue to cook until all sides are golden brown.
• Rest them over a wire rack to cool them off and drain the oil. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Jalapenos:

• When purchasing jalapenos, select medium sized peppers.  If too big, they are not easy to eat, too small, they are not east to stuff.
• Remove all the seeds on the side to manage heat levels.

Cream Cheese:

• Use plain cream cheese and season with your favorite BBQ seasoning
• Dice up an extra jalapeno and add to the mixture
• Use a flavored cream cheese or cheese dip for extra flavor.

Peanut Oil:

• Best oil for deep frying because of the high temperature point.  
• Wait until the oil reaches 350 degrees F. If you put the jalapeno poppers in too soon, the wrappers will soak up the oil and not get crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 731kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 638mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 1mg

This simple corn fritters recipe is a great snack, brunch recipe or side dish to your BBQ feast.  I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not meat.  This is such a delicious recipe and one that can accompany any bbq recipe I have ever shared. Sweet and savory, anyone can make this!

If you love corn, you have to check out my hearty cornbread cowboy casserole.

Step 1: Cook the bacon.

The secret ingredient in this recipe is bacon. It adds a crunchy texture and flavor. Now, if you are making this for a vegetarian, simple skip this step and start on the corn fritter batter.

For best results, cook the bacon on the same surface you will cook the fritters on. You can use the bacon grease as the base. For this cook, I used my griddle, but this recipe can be replicated on a regular grill or stove top using a cast iron skillet or pan.

Preheat the grill to a medium heat and add in a few strips of bacon. Flip the bacon half way through to get an even cook throughout. Remove and set a side. Spread the bacon grease on the griddle and leave for later use.

Step 2: Make the corn fritter batter.

With just a few ingredients, this recipe can be done in under 10 minutes max. Fast and easy without compromising flavor.  Can’t beat that!

One of the ingredients to consider is what type of corn you will use.

• Corn on the cob. This is the best way but takes the most time. The corn kernels are roasted and crunchy. Great texture and flavor for corn fritters.

• Frozen corn kernels. This is what I used in the recipe. Kernels are fresh and crunchy. Perfect texture for fritters.

• Canned corn. The is the least expensive option. However, keep in mind the kernels are not as crunchy, leaving the fritters more mushy than the other options

In a mixing bowl, chopped pieces of bacon, add corn kernels, flour, egg, sour cream, cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, diced jalapeno, lime zest and freshly squeezed lime juice, Dad’s Taco Seasoning and Dad’s All Purpose rub. For an additional kick, I added some hot sauce. Mix the ingredients together.  If you feel the batter is too dry, add a little bit of water or add more flour if the batter is too liquidy.

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Step 3: How to make Spicy Garlic Ranch sauce.

I’ll be honest, this spicy garlic ranch sauce is good for a lot more than the corn fritters. Use it as a burger condiment or dipping sauce. It’s so good, you can have it on anything.

Ingredients are simple. In a bottle, combine ranch dressing, garlic paste and your choice of hot sauce. Shake the ingredients together and you are done.

Step 4: Grill up some corn fritters.

I decided to make my corn fritters on my griddle.  However, a stove top or even grill will do the job just as well.

Preheat the cooking surface to a medium heat.  Spread the bacon grease evenly on the surface and add a scoop of the corn fritter batter on the flat top. Gently press down on the batter to flatten the fritters into a pancake.

Cook the fritters 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.

Remove them off the grill, drizzle with the spicy garlic ranch sauce and enjoy!

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Corn Fritters

This simple corn fritters recipe is a great snack, brunch recipe or side dish to your BBQ feast. Sweet and savory, anyone can make this!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword corn fritters, corn, corn recipe, grilled corn, fritter recipe griddle recipe,, grilling recipes, breakfast recipes, brunch recipes, grillin with dad recipes, vegetarian recipe, brunch recipe, corn recipe, grilled corn, fritter recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 475kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 4 strips Bacon
• 12 oz Corn kernels (frozen bag)
• 8 oz Cream cheese block (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup Flour (All Purpose)
• 1/2 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup Sour cream
• 2 Jalapeno
• 1 Egg
• 1 Lime
• 1 tbsp Dad's Taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp Dad's All Purpose rub
• 1 tbsp Hot sauce

Spicy Garlic Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Ranch dressing
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Hot sauce

Instructions

• Cook bacon strips on the griddle and roughly chop them up. Leave the grease for later use.
• In a mixing bowl, add chopped bacon, corn, flour, egg, cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, diced jalapenos, lime zest and freshly squeezed lime juice, Dad's Taco seasoning and All Purpose rub. For an additional kick, I added hot sauce. Mix the ingredients together. 
• In a bottle, combine ranch dressing, garlic paste and your choice of hot sauce. Shake the ingredients together.
• Add a scoop of corn fritter batter on the greased up griddle. Gently press down on the batter to flatten the fritters into a pancake.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
• Remove the corn fritters from the griddle and finish with the spicy garlic ranch sauce. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1031mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 348mg | Iron: 2mg

This corn salad is the perfect side dish to your next BBQ party. Closely resembling elotes street corn flavors, this recipe is savory, spicy, fresh from the cilantro and well corny. It’s fast and easy to make with only a few ingredients. Let’s get started.  

Step 1: Grill the corn.

For this recipe, I decided to use peeled corn on the cob . It’s more convenient and takes less time to make.

If you have fresh corn still wrapped in leaves, start by peeling the leafy layers down but do not pull them completely off.  Clean it nicely by removing the looser leaves and thin hairs. 

Next, drizzle some olive oil on the corn and make sure to cover all sides. Season with Dad’s Taco seasoning and pull the leaves back over the corn and twist the tips. Otherwise, just set the corn to the side while the grill gets hot.

Preheat the grill to 350 degrees and set it for indirect heat.  Place the seasoned corn cobs on the grill and let them cook for about 30-45 minutes until they are fork soft.

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Step 2: Make the corn salad mixture.

The secret sauce to this corn salad is in the mayo mixture. With a few simple ingredients, you can transform corn into a mouthwatering side dish.

First start by removing the corn kernels. Next in a blender add in mayo, sour cream, chipotles in adobo sauce, freshly squeezed lime juice, lime zest, and Dad’s Taco seasoning. Blend the ingredients together and pour it over the corn kernels. Add in some freshly chopped cilantro, cotija cheese. Mix all the ingredients together. Taste test the corn salad along the way to make sure it has enough seasoning or lemon zest to your liking. Enjoy!

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Tailgating

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Corn Salad

This corn salad is the perfect side dish to your next BBQ party. It's savory, spicy, fresh from the cilantro and well corny.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword corn salad, elotes recipe, spicy corn salad, mexican corn recipe, corn, side dish, summer side dish, grilling side dish, dinner side dish, bbq side dish, grilling recipes, grilling with dad recipes, summer grilling side dish recipes, bbq side dish recipes,

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 People

Calories 255kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 4 Corn on the cob
• 1 Lime
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dad's Taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup Mayo
• 1/2 cup Sour cream
• 1/2 can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 7oz can
• 2 tbsp Cotija cheese
• Handful of cilantro

Instructions

• Start by drizzling some olive oil on the corn and make sure to cover all sides. Season with Dad's Taco seasoning.
• Preheat the grill to 350 degrees and set it for indirect heat. 
• Place the seasoned corn cobs on the grill and let them cook for about 30-45 minutes until they are fork soft.
• Remove the corn kernels into a bowl.
• In a blender add in mayo, sour cream, chipotles in adobo sauce, freshly squeezed lime juice, lime zest, and Dad's Taco seasoning. Blend the ingredients together and pour it over the corn kernels.
• Add in some freshly chopped cilantro, cotija cheese. Mix all the ingredients together. Enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 0.5mg

In my house, Mac and Cheese is a very popular dish amongst my kids, but it’s always been the boxed version.  Growing up, it wasn’t something my parents ever made, so I decided to test a ton of recipes and cheese variations until I came up with what I think is the perfect mac and cheese dish.  Creamy, savory, cheesy and smokey.  Made on the grill this is the ultimate smoked mac and cheese.

Trust me when I say this was the best mac and cheese recipe I have ever made and ate. For more nostalgic homemade recipes, try my elevated adult grilled cheese sandwich or juicy smoked meatloaf for those childhood meals.

Ingredient list for the best smoked mac and cheese

• Cheese : Select cheese types that are have a good melting ability. These cheese types are usually softer in touch like a mozzarella, cheddar or jack cheese’s. The cheese will give a nice balance of flavors.

• Velveeta cheese: velveeta cheese makes the sauce creamy and silky smooth.
• Milk: helps melt the cheese into a creamy sauce. Whole milk is recommended of the fattiness.
• Half and Half: adds a richer, creamier texture to the cheese sauce compared to using plain milk alone.
• Noodles: Smaller elbow or mini shells are most common shapes used in macaroni and cheese.
• Butter: makes the roux and helps thicken the sauce. Unsalted butter helps manage salt levels in the recipes.

Step 1: What cheese varieties to use in a homemade mac and cheese

Like I said, I have tried many recipes and tested a ton of cheese mixtures.  I found that the more traditional flavors worked best.  I like cheeses like gouda and fontina, but for me personally, I did not like them in my mix.  That’s not to say you shouldn’t include them.  That’s just my preference. 

This recipe requires a lot of shredding.  Try to avoid buying the prepackaged shredded cheeses.  They have anti-caking powder on them which will make the cheese sauce grainy.  A fresh block of cheese is best.

For my smoked mac and cheese recipe I used mild cheddar, mozzarella and monterey jack cheeses.  Start with shredding each into a big bowl.  Next, cube up 4 oz of mozzarella cheese and a whole block of velveeta cheese.  YES, THAT’S RIGHT VELVEETA!  There are a lot of people against this cheese, but I have tried many recipes excluding it and they are all grainy.  The purpose of velveeta is to help make the cheese mixture super creamy.  It’s not for the flavor.  Trust me on this. 

I use velveeta in a lot of my cheese sauces from Grilled Beer Cheese Hotdogs to Grilled Philly Cheesesteaks.

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Step 2: Best recipe for a creamy mac and cheese sauce.

Before we can made the smoked mac and cheese sauce, you need to cook the noodles. Add 4-6 cups of water into a sauce pan, wait for the water to boil, add the box of noodles and cook for 6 minutes.  They will be al dente, but will soften later on the grill once mixed in with the sauce.

Once drained, pour them into a large foil pan or baking dish.  Add in milk and a handful of the shredded cheese.  Season with Dad’s All Purpose rub and mix it together.  This will help the noodles from sticking together and season the base.

The most important part of making the mac and cheese sauce is to melt the cheese over low heat.  This will help prevent the cheese from separating and help with the smooth and creamy consistency.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt half a stick of unsalted butter.  Next, add a tablespoon of flour and mix it in. Whisk it together until fully incorporated.  Add in milk and half and half and cook for 1-2 minutes.  

It’s finally time for the cheese.  Start by adding the velveeta cubes first.  Whisk together until fully melted.  Start adding the shredded cheese a handful of the time.  Whisk until melted and repeat this process until you have used up all but a handful of the cheese.  

Check out my Smoked Cheesesteak Dip for more cheesy goodness.

Step 3: How to smoke mac and cheese.

Preheat the grill to 375 degrees and set for indirect heat.  Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and add in the mozzarella cubes.  Slowly and carefully mix it all together.  Top with the left over shredded cheese and season with Dad’s All Purpose rub. 

Place it on the grill uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted over the top and created a nice crust. Scoop out the smoked mac and cheese, serve and enjoy!

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Other Side Dish Recipes to Consider:

Side Dish

Sweet Jalapeno Butter Corn

Side Dish

Smoked Jalapeno Cheese Dip

Side Dish

Garlic and Herb Monkey Bread

Side Dish

Pickled Jalapenos

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Smoked Mac and Cheese

Creamy, savory, cheesy and smokey.  Made on the big green egg, this is the ultimate smoked mac and cheese recipe.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword griling recipes, grillin with dad recipes, grilling with dad recipes, thanksgiving side dish recipes, thanksgiving recipes,, Smoked mac and cheese, mac and cheese recipe, homemade mac and cheese, griling recipe, comfort food, recipe ideas

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 People

Calories 736kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 16 oz Elbow noodles
• 1/2 stick Unsalted butter
• 16 oz Velveeta cheese block
• 8 oz Mild cheddar cheese block
• 8 oz Mozarella cheese block
• 4 oz Monterey Jack cheese block
• 1 cup Whole Milk for the noodles
• 1 cup Whole Milk for the cheese sauce
• 1.5 cups Half and Half
• 1.5 tbsp Dad's All Purpose rub

Instructions

• Into a bowl, shred 8oz of mild cheddar cheese, 4oz of mozzarella cheese and 4oz of monterey jack cheese.
• Seperately, cube up 4oz of mozzarella cheese and 16oz of velveeta cheese.
• Cook noodles for 6 minutes leaving them al dente. Drain and pour them into a large foil pan of baking dish.  Add in milk and a handful of the shredded cheese. Season with all purpose rub. Mix together and set aside.
• In a saucepan over low heat, melt half a stick of unsalted butter.  Next, add a tablespoon of flour and mix it in. Whisk it together until fully incorporated.  Add in milk and half and half and cook for 1-2 minutes.  
• Add velveeta cubes first.  Whisk together until fully melted.  Start adding the shredded cheese a handful of the time.  Whisk until melted and repeat this process until you have used up all but a handful of the cheese.  
• Preheat the grill to 375 degrees and set for indirect heat. 
• Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and add in the mozzarella cubes.  Slowly and carefully mix it all together.  Top with the left over shredded cheese and season with all purpose rub.
• Place it on the grill uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted over the top and created a nice crust.

Notes

• Use velveeta cheese.  It’s used to help make the cheese sauce creamy. I know it’s not a fan favorite, but trust me you need it will make a huge difference in the texture.

• Melt cheese over low heat to avoid it from separating.

• Undercook the macaroni. It will continue to soften once mixed in the cheesey goodness.

Nutrition

Calories: 736kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1402mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1577IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 912mg | Iron: 1mg

Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!

If you are not a baker like me, but enjoy dinner rolls, you must try these cheesy dinner muffins.  In just a few simple steps, serve up some buttery, savory and herby buns. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, this are the perfect side dish.

Step 1: Prep the toppings

Store bought butter biscuits are perfect for this cheesy dinner muffin recipe.  If you do prefer to make your own dough, use a flaky butter biscuit recipe.

Remove the biscuits from the package and roll each slice into a ball.

In a bowl, melt 1.5 sticks of unsalted butter and season with Dad’s Steak seasoning.  The buttery, herby notes are the perfect touch to add flavor to the biscuits. 

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In another bowl, add a shredded Italian cheese blend and mix in finely chopped parsley.  I used a 3 cheese blend of shredded parmesan, romano and asiago.  Feel free to use flavors you prefer here.  A simple parmesan will do just fine too.

Next, take each biscuit ball and dip it into the seasoned butter first.  Then transfer it to the bowl of cheese are roll it around making sure to cover all around.

Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and place the coated biscuit balls into the individual spots. 

Step 2: Grill cheesy dinner muffins

Heat up the grill to 375 degrees.  Place the filled muffin pan on indirect heat for 15 minutes. Once the cheesy dinner muffins are golden brown in color, remove them from the grill.  Serve and enjoy!

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Cheesy Dinner Muffins

Savory, herby and soft, serve up some cheesy dinner muffins this Thanksgiving holiday.  Simple ingredients with simple steps.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesy dinner muffins, dinner rolls recipe, pillsbury biscuits, thanksgiving side dish recipe, dinner side dish recipe, dinner biscuit, grilling recipes, grillin with dad recipes, grilling with dad recipes.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8 People

Calories 430kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 1 can Pillsbury butter biscuit
• 1 1/2 stick Unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp Dad's Steak seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups Shredded Italian cheese blend (parmesan, romano, asiago)
• 1/2 cup Finely chopped parsley

Instructions

• Remove biscuits from the package and roll each slice into a ball.
• In a bowl, melt 1.5 sticks of unsalted butter and season with Dad's Steak seasoning.
• In another bowl, add a shredded Italian cheese blend and mix in finely chopped parsley. 
• Take each biscuit ball and dip it into the seasoned butter first.  Then transfer it to the bowl of cheese and roll it around making sure to cover all around. 
• Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and place the coated biscuit balls into the individual spots.
• Preheat up the grill to 375 degrees.
• Place the filled muffin pan on indirect heat for 15 minutes. Once the cheesy dinner muffins are golden brown in color, remove it from the grill. 

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 531IU | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg

Be sure to visit the Recipes page for other tasty ideas.

As many of us are getting back into a routine, pizza bread is a cheap, fast and delicious weeknight dinner.  Add as many toppings as you like or keep it simple with a plain cheese.  The choice is yours.  

Step 1: The secret is garlic butter.

This homemade garlic butter adds a delicious layer of flavor to what would otherwise be plain tomato and cheese.

In a mixing bowl, add 1 stick of room temperature butter, minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.  Using a fork, smash the butter and mix it in with the the remaining ingredients until everything is well blended. 

Step 2: Time to grill up the pizza bread

Preheat the pizza oven or regular oven to 450 degrees.  Slice an entire french bread down the middle and spread the garlic butter on both halves.  Slide them into the oven allowing the butter to melt and crisp up the bread. This will take 2-3 minutes tops.

Next, spread some pizza sauce, add cheese and any other toppings that you would like.  For raw meats, make sure to cook separately before placing onto the loafs.  

Place the loaded pizza bread back into the oven allowing the cheese to melt over the top.  Remove after 3 minutes, slice and enjoy!

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Pizza Bread

As many of us are getting back into a routine, pizza bread is a cheap, fast and delicious weeknight dinner. 

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword grilling with dad recipes, grilling recipes, grillin with dad recipes, dinner recipes., pizza bread, homemade pizza, after school snack, easy snack, fast and easy dinner

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 666kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

Garlic Butter Ingredients

• 1 stick Unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp Minced garlic
• 2 tbsp Grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

Pizza Bread Ingredients

• 1 French bread
• 1/4 cup Pizza sauce
• 2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Garlic butter: in a mixing bowl, add 1 stick of room temperature butter, minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.  Using a fork, smash the butter and mix until everything is well blended. 
• Preheat the pizza oven or regular oven to 450 degrees. 
• Slice an entire french bread down the middle and spread garlic butter on both halves.  Place in the over for the butter to melt and crisp up the bread. This will take 2-3 minutes.
• Add pizza sauce, cheese and any other toppings that you would like. For raw meats, make sure to cook separately before placing onto the loafs.  
• Place the loaded pizza bread back into the oven allowing the cheese to melt over the top.  Remove after 3 minutes, slice and enjoy

Nutrition

Calories: 666kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1074mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1194IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 393mg | Iron: 5mg

Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!

I’m a grilling guy not a baker.  But let me tell you, this Focaccia bread recipe is so easy, even I can make it!  And it is amazing!  The soft, herby bread is the perfect side dish to any of my grilling recipes.  With a little patience and time, this will make you a baker too!

Step 1: Get the dough ready.

The ingredients for a focaccia are very simple as for any bread recipe.  All you need is active yeast, water , salt, flour, honey and extra virgin olive oil.  Herbs are optional if you want more flavor in your bread.

The process of making focaccia bread takes about 24 hours, so patience and planning are key.  Best to prep the night before, allowing the dough to rise. Start by adding water, salt, yeast, honey and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.  Mix ingredients together until the salt is dissolved.  Add in flour and mix until you get a dough like constancy with all the water being absorbed into the flour.  I recommend using a wooden spoon for mixing as the dough will be very sticky.  

Cover with a kitchen cloth and leave in room temperature for 10 minutes.  Next, pull the dough up and fold over itself. Cover up again, and let it sit for another 10 minutes.  Repeat this process 1 more time.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.

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Step 2: Next day prep.

After 12 or more hours in the fridge, remove the raised dough and place into a 9 x 13 greased up pan.  For the grease I used olive oil.  Covered bottom and walls with it. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and let it sit in room temperature for 2 hours.

After the sitting phase, the dough should have spread evenly throughout the pan.  Drizzle the top with olive oil, season with salt and gently press down with just your fingers.  You will notice air bubbles forming.  Leave them, that’s what you want.  That ensures the dough is nice and airy.

If you chose to use herbs, this is the perfect time to add them in before the bake.  I used sliced green olives and fresh rosemary.

Step 3: Let’s bake some Focaccia bread.

I used my Gozney for the bake, but a regular oven will work just as well. Preheat the grill or oven to 450 degrees.  Place the baking pan with the dough in it and let it bake for 20 minutes.  Once you notice tan or darker brown colors over the top, it’s time to remove the Focaccia bread.

Let it cool down, slice and enjoy by itself or with your favorite meal.  Enjoy!

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Focaccia Bread

This Focaccia bread recipe is so easy, even I can make it!  The soft, herby bread is the perfect side dish to any of my grilling recipes. 

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Keyword baking on the grill, focaccia bread, focaccia recipe, bread recipe, baking, bread baking, how to make focaccia bread, grilling recipes, grillin with dad recipes, grilling with dad recipes.

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 People

Calories 249kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 500 g Bread flour
• 420 ml Warm water
• 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Active dry yeast
• 1 tsp Honey
• Herbs of choice

Instructions

• Start with adding water, salt, yeast, honey and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. 
• Mix ingredients together until the salt is dissolved.  Add in flour and mix until you get a dough like constancy with all the water being absorbed into the flour. 
• Cover with a kitchen cloth and leave in room temperature for 10 minutes.  Next, pull the dough up and fold over itself. Cover up again, and let it sit for another 10 minutes.  Repeat this process 1 more time.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.
• After 12 or more hours in the fridge, remove the raised dough and place into a 9 x 13 greased up pan.  Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and let it sit in room temperature for 2 hours.
• Drizzle the top with olive oil, season with salt and gently press down with just your fingers.  You will notice air bubbles forming.  Leave them, that's what you want. 
• If you chose to use herbs, this is the perfect time to add them in before the bake.
• Preheat the grill or oven to 450 degrees.  Place the baking pan with the dough init and let it bake for 20 minutes.  Once you notice tan or darker brown colors over the top, it's time to remove the Focaccia bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!

Garlic bread is a must have in my house.  While store bought frozen options are pretty good, nothing beats the homemade version.  It’s fresh, garlicky, cheesy and crunchy.  It’s the perfect side dish to any meal.  Of course, I made it on the grill, but the oven will work just as well.

Start with making garlic butter.

The key ingredient to a garlic bread is the garlic butter.  If you’ve been following me, you know of the garlic confit I made.  This will be a crucial ingredient for the butter.

To get started, place a block of room temperature unsalted butter in a mixing bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the garlic gloves and some oil from the confit.  Add crushed peppers, Italian seasoning and some freshly shredded parmesan cheese.  Mix the ingredients together and set in the fridge for a few minutes to harden.

Dad’s Seasonings

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Keep the garlic bread ingredients simple

The great part about this recipe is the customization. You can change up the bread type or cheese flavors and amounts depending on your preference.

To assemble your garlic bread, start with a baguette as your bread base and slice it across.  The reason I chose a french baguette is because of it’s size and thinness.

Spread a generous layer of the homemade garlic butter and cover with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese.

Time to grill the garlic bread

For this cook, I used my pizza oven, but a regular grill or oven will work just as well.  Heat it up 400 degrees.  Cook the bread for about 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and get brown spots around.

Before serving, sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley and enjoy this deliciously garlicky, crunchy homemade garlic bread.

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Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is a must have in my house.  While store bought frozen options are pretty good, nothing beats the homemade version.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword garlic bread, garlic butter, bread on grill, grilling recipes, grillin with dad recipes, grilling with dad recipes.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 People

Calories 275kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 1 French baguette
• 1 cup Shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup Grated parmesan

Garlic Butter

• 1 block Unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp Garlic cloves from the homemade confit
• 1/2 tbsp Crushed red peppers
• 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup Shredded parmesan

Instructions

Garlic Butter Instructions

• Place a block of room temperature unsalted butter in a mixing bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the garlic gloves and some oil from the confit.  Add crushed peppers, Italian seasoning and some freshly shredded parmesan cheese and mix it all together.
• Place the soft butter mixture into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to harden.

Assemble and Cook Garlic Bread

• Slice the baguette across in half and spread a generous layer of the homemade garlic butter on both slices.
• Cover with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese.
• Heat up the grill or oven to 400 degrees and cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and get small brown spots throughout.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 801mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 347IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 398mg | Iron: 2mg

Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!

If you like garlic as much as I do, you have to try to make this homemade garlic confit.  It’s garlicky, soft, oily and herby.  It’s the perfect ingredient for pretty much everything and anything! Make homemade garlic and herb butter, add it to a sauce or salad, or just eat it plain on a fresh slice of bread.  The options are endless, the taste is perfection and best of all, it’s easy to make.  Let me show you how.

Keep garlic confit ingredients simple

To get started, I highly recommend purchasing peeled garlic gloves unless you do not mind sitting for hours peeling them by hand.

In a deep heat safe dish, pour in the peeled garlic cloves.  Add some fresh rosemary steams and sage leaves and submerge everything in extra virgin olive oil.

Dad’s Seasonings

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Time to get the grill going.

Preheat the grill or oven to 250 degrees and set it for indirect heat. Cook the garlic confit for about 2 hours or until the garlic cloves are soft.

Transfer the cooked garlic along with the oil and herbs into a mason jar, close tightly and store in the refrigerator.  This will preserve the freshness for weeks or even months. Enjoy!

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Garlic Confit

If you like garlic as much as I do, you have to try to make this homemade garlic confit.  It’s garlicky, soft, oily and herby.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword garlic confit, homemade garlic, confit recipe, garlic, grilling with dad recipes, grillin with dad recipes.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 10 People

Calories 927kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

• 1 lb Peeled garlic cloves
• Fresh rosemary
• Fresh sage
• 4 1/2 cups Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• In a deep heat safe dish, pour in the peeled garlic cloves.  Add some fresh rosemary steams and sage leaves and submerge everything in olive oil.  
• Preheat the grill or oven to 250 degrees and set it for indirect heat.
• Cook the garlic confit for about 2 hours or until the garlic cloves are soft.
• Transfer the garlic along with the oil and herbs into a mason jar, close tightly and store in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 927kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 97g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 71g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1mg

Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!