This past weekend, after depleting my bbq , I felt the need to dig more pig. I gathered up two of my favorite things and whipped up a grilled sandwich combo; chocolate and bacon on sourdough.

I like to keep recipes simple and you’ll find this easy to prepare. I used “foodie” ingredients and, depending on your locale, you may or may not encounter difficulty in locating these specific brands. Nonetheless, you should be able to find suitable replacements for this easy-to-make and satisfying diversion.

• Butter two slices of sourdough bread. I used Life in Provence butter with sea salt.

• 1-2 oz. chocolate square. I used Scharffenberger 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate. Next time, I’ll use 70% bittersweet.

• Four slices of cooked bacon. I used Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon, an uncured, thick sliced bacon.

• Put chocolate and bacon on sourdough bread and cook like a grilled cheese sandwich. In order to get a nice melted chocolate, I used a low heat setting.

You could use this sandwich as a cookout dessert or appetizer. Certainly, your guests will revel in the novelty of a chocolate and bacon sandwich. Otherwise, this bad boy makes a great midnight snack.

After spending some time at Hot Sauce Daily, I thought readers of The Lion’s Pit might appreciate this recipe for Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Grilled Jalapenos. If you’ve never had Mexican style chorizo, you don’t know what you’re missing. Give the recipe a try and let Brian know what you think.

Ingredients:

2 cans pitted tart cherries
1 teaspoon cherry brandy (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Amaretto
1 cup pure cane sugar
6 tablespoons all purpose flour (or 3 tbsp of corn starch)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon softened butter
1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 double-crust 9-inch pie pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Drain cherries set aside 1/2 cup cherry juice. Add cherry brandy (optional).

3. Combine sugar, flour and salt.

4. Combine cherry juice, Amaretto, and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients; mix throughly.

5. Add cherries. Mix.

6. Add butter. Set aside for 15 minutes.

7. Pour mixture into pie crust. Cover with second crust. Make two narrow slits in top crust.

8. Put pie on cookie sheet to catch any stray juice. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool.

If you’d like, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of warm pie.

You’ll need:

6 eggs

2cups milk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried mustard

4 slices cubed bread

1 lb. John Daly Pulled Pork

1 cup grated sharp cheddar

Make sure your pulled pork is thawed.

Beat eggs with whisk. Add milk, salt, and dried mustard. In a buttered baking dish, layer the bread, pulled pork and cheese. Pour egg mixture over layers. Refrigerate overnight. Bake @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Italian Style Meatloaf

2 Pounds Lean Ground Beef
1 Pound Ground Pork
1/2 Pound Frozen Spinach, Cooked, Squeezed And Chopped Fine
1/2 Pound Mushrooms, Cleaned And Sliced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Egg, Beaten
2 Cups Soft Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Provolone Cheese, Cut Into 1/4 Inch Dice
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Red Wine
4 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Cooked Ham, Cut Into Dice
2 Tablespoons Oregano
1 Tablespoon Basil
Salt & Pepper

Sauté the mushrooms in the oil until golden. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. mix the remaining ingredients together, then place in two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour, covering with foil if needed the last 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then serve.

Variation: I like to add a coating of prepared tomato sauce during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Amaretto Shrimp

1/2 cup butter
1 medium white onion, finely minced
1 pound large shrimp, butterfly, peeled-tail on
1/2 to 1 cup Amaretto liqueur
1 cup blanched almonds, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
Chopped parsley

Melt butter in skillet until golden brown. Add onions. Sauté until transparent. Add shrimp and stir fry 5 minutes until pink. Add Amaretto, almonds, and salt. Cook 1-1/2 minutes until bubbly. Serve in a scallop shell or ramekin with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

There’s numerous bbq side dishes which add color to the barbeque experience. This recipe adds orange to your palette.

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 (29 oz.) cans Yams cut Sweet Potato in syrup
2/3 cups milk
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 (5 oz.) can crushed pineapple; drained
1 Tbsp. maple syrup

Combine all ingredients and mix well. In a lightly grease casserole dish, spoon mixed ingredients. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Optional Toppings:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 stick butter, melted

Mix all ingredients and place on top of casserole. Follow above instructions.

Marshmallows:
After casserole is done, place marshmallows on top. Broil until marshmallows are browned.