This recipe is so easy, it almost does not need an entire post. Good thing they are such a hit, it deserves its own post, however! I have created such a crowd that when I make these, I do it in batches because I have a list of friends who want a bag for themselves. For Holidays and birthdays, I will smoke these and also use my smoker to make my Chex Mix and use treat bags for great gifts. You can use any flavor cheez-its but sticking to original and/or white cheddar or pepper jack is the best!
Let’s talk about the flavor kick! Smoking cheez-its elevates this simple snack to an incredible level. I have made this so many times and have found what works best. To start, I never use the pre-flavored cheez-its like bacon or puffs. The regular, single cheddar flavors work best.
The rub matters! I find that, hands down, a beef or roast rub has the best flavors. Sure! You can make use any rub, but with such heavy cheddar flavor-think burgers or smoked mac n cheese. Those are the spices you want for this recipe.
I used some spices from Sauce Goddess in this last batch and got some amazing feedback. Friends who have had this snack many times before had asked what was different this time. I simply changed the rub to this brand. I started by adding their Steak House seasoning and decided to add a bit of their Roasting Rub as well and the combo was amazing!
Sauce Goddess deserves for you to know more about the brand. You can easily order on Amazon and they also have sauces for those smoked meats and side dishes. Their products have no additives and nothing but recognizable ingredients. No anti-caking ingredients either. Just real herbs and spices.
Smoked Cheez-Its
These are a hit! Serve them as an appetizer or make for gifts!
When you have some quality meat, you need to make sure you are cooking it right because along with lumber and gas, meats are not cheap right now. I started with some sirloin steak from a meat pack I recently ordered from our local meat market. Here is how to smoke sirloin steaks on the Traeger and it is so simple!
The night before or a few hours before, I dry brine the meat. Dry brining is done by adding a decent amount of kosher salt to the meat and setting it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. This will benefit you hugely with moisture.
When you are ready to cook, preheat the Traeger to 225˚ and I used some Hickory pellets, but with steaks, it is your preference. While the smoker preheats I grab the steaks and rub gently with some olive oil then add my favorite rub. This Suckle Busters 1836 Beef Rub is my favorite for steaks and burgers. It is a black pepper, Texas rub.
It will take about an hour to get your steaks up to the right temp. In this recipe I reverse sear. Reverse sear means you give the steaks some high heat AFTER smoking/grilling them. Because we reverse sear, you will want to pull your steaks off of the smoker 10 degrees below your final cook temp desire. I included your final temp suggestions below:
Rare 125˚
Medium Rare 135˚
Medium 145˚-what I cooked to
Medium Well 150˚
Well Done 160˚
Once my steaks got to 135˚ on the smoker (I was aiming for 145 after sear), I took them off and had my sear set-up ready. You will want to have a few things ready to go. I have my cast iron pan (the good ‘ole Lodge pan), a good high heat oil such as Avocado Oil, a large sheet of tin foil set beside the stove, a thermometer and tongs.
Heat the oil in the cast iron until hot. Sear each side of the steak for about 1-2 minutes. I sear one side for 1 minute, flip, insert thermometer and sear second side until it gets that extra 10˚ to finish. Remember, I took the meat off of the smoker at 135˚ and then seared to 145˚ to get a medium steak. I prefer mine more of a medium rare, but this was for the kids and the pink terrifies them -lol!
Once you reach that perfect temperature, you do the last and most important step – rest the meat! This is why you had that sheet of foil ready. As you remove the 1 or 2 steaks you can sear at a time, set in the foil, cover and then I unwrap to add the next few steaks until all of my steaks are seared, in the foil and resting. I fold up the foil tight and let it sit 10+ minutes.
Why is resting your meat so important? Look below – those juices up top only exist because of the rest. Meat needs to rest so the juices can redistribute, otherwise it will just flow away, leaving you with a brown, overcooked piece of meat.
Slice against the grain and enjoy! Low and slow is best, this was an average night dinner so I used 225˚ temp, but you can set your Traeger to 180-190˚ and plan on about 90 minutes or longer on the smoker.
My son chose tater tots and fruit for sides, but perhaps that means nothing to you. I am showing you the true finished dinner, anyhow! FYI – the leftover steaks make great fajitas on night 2!
This post is in partnership with Explore Cuisine. This Edamame Spaghetti recipe is my own
My husband and I are month 2 into a low carb/low calorie diet. The two things I miss most is steak and pasta. The good thing about changing eating habits is that we are doing it together. I have never been so successful on a healthy change prior to having my husband jump on board. We hold each other accountable and at night discuss what we ate during the day, almost in competition form to who kept closest to the new regimen. Then we allow ourselves a cheat night once a week and look forward to our reward.
Both of us have dropped weight and I reached my goal weight this week. I also learned something else and that is how to get real creative in the kitchen. Ever heard of Edamame Spaghetti? It exists and I am so glad I tried it because I don’t have to crave actual pasta anymore.
Explore Cuisine have taken that popular soybean and created a delicious pasta noodle that I personally love better than actual pasta for more than one reason. First, it cooks in about 4 minutes in boiling water so that saves time. Second, it is delicious and that is an understatement.
When I first served it my husband was a bit skeptical as if we were cheating on our diet. It is so much like spaghetti but I handed him the box to read and we felt so good about our meal that night because it fits right in with how we are eating. We can have pasta again and not wait until our cheat night run to Italian restaurants.
This Edamame Spaghetti recipe was literally thrown together with leftovers in my kitchen. We are moving next week and living in transition until the home build is complete so I have to use up what we have in the fridge and freezer. It turned out delicious. The house LOVED it. Edamame is loaded with plant-based protein (25 grams per serving), fiber and iron. Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame Spaghetti is made from 100% organic ingredients and is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher. Let’s get to the recipe!
I had some green peppers I needed to use up so that is what I added to my recipe. It is nice to have a crunch with this dish so you can use any bell pepper and even some pine nuts or zucchini. I just sauted my peppers in some coconut oil and garlic until cooked down a bit.
Tip: When cooking down spinach remember that spinach holds a lot of water. I used fresh spinach and rinsed. Then I drain and blot as much water out as possible. Cook down in olive oil. It just takes a moment or two so don’t overcook. Then I drizzle with some lemon juice and take it from the pan and lay it out on a paper towel lined cookie sheet and cool a tad before grabbing more paper towels to absorb the water still remaining in the cooked spinach.
The picture above is the final step. Put all of your cooked ingredients back together in a large pan or wok. I have cooked chicken breast, cooked spinach and sauted green peppers and minced garlic. Add the cooked and drained Edamame Spaghetti noodles and toss. Drizzle more lemon as you toss. Plate it and top with grated parmesan cheese.
It’s not always easy to find time to cook for your family. But you don’t want to resort to take out and fast food orders, either. It’s smart to find a few simple recipes that you and your children love — and that you can add to your weekly rotation. This way, you won’t have to stress when dinner time rolls around once again. Take a look at these easy dinner recipes.
This American-Thai dish works as a perfect option for nights when you only have 30 minutes to spare. It includes proteins, vegetables and starches to create a dinner that your whole family will enjoy. You can incorporate any meat or meat alternative that you like, such as tofu, chicken or shrimp. The sauce comes together easily, so you should be able to prepare and eat without any trouble.
The best part about pad thai is that you can use virtually any vegetable. If you have leftover carrots or broccoli, you can toss those into your dish, as well.
Are you ready for warm and hearty plates? The cold weather always feels more bearable when you make soup. This corn chowder should be on your list. It uses corn, potatoes and onions as key ingredients. The recipe calls for chives and bacon as toppings. You’ll be able to make your corn chowder more quickly if you prepare your ingredients beforehand. Plus, you’ll have leftovers for days.
If you need more protein in your soup, you can always add chopped ham or shredded chicken.
A fancy meal doesn’t have to take hours. This lobster and steak linguine would be terrific for a family celebration, as it’s decadent and delicious. You’ll only need a few components to make your meal, so you probably won’t need to buy much other than your meats. It’s best to serve such a dish with a side salad, bread rolls or another option that doesn’t overpower your tastebuds. You don’t want to miss any flavors.
Here’s a second soup option for those chilly evenings. This tomato soup requires three ingredients, so you’ll be able to eat quickly. Additionally, you can make enough for multiple meals. As a result, you have a dish to take to work tomorrow. It’s never a bad idea to make some grilled cheese sandwiches to complete your plate. If you have fresh tomatoes, you can use those rather than canned.
Your slow cooker will always be a useful tool. This Texas pulled pork tastes delicious by itself, but you can make sandwiches, too. You’ll simply add your meat, spices and liquids to your crockpot. Then, you can enjoy your roast around six hours later. What’s easier than that? You could cook your pulled pork on low for 10 to 12 hours if you won’t be home all day. Serve your pulled pork with coleslaw.
Remember that Texas-style pulled pork differs from other versions. You may prefer a Carolina or Memphis approach instead, but it’s always fun to try something new.
You can never fail when you make a casserole. These dishes are made for families, so you’ll be able to fill everyone’s bellies. Plus, you only need four ingredients! The recipe doesn’t call for any peppers or chiles, but you can add those to make your enchiladas spicier. Feel free to use a protein other than chicken, as well. Be sure that you have sour cream, red salsa and other toppings for your meal.
An enchilada pairs well with chips and queso, so you may want to make that as a side if you have time.
There are many reasons why people love a certain Swedish furniture store. But if you don’t have an IKEA nearby, you’ve likely never had their famous meatballs. These yummy meatballs boast a totally different flavor than their Italian counterparts. They’re made with a savory beef broth gravy rather than a marinara sauce. This dinner tastes best with steamed rice, egg noodles or roasted potatoes.
There’s a reason why many people love salmon. It’s not only tasty, but it’s easy to season and cook. This honey sriracha take is both sweet and spicy. Plus, you should be able to make it in less than 30 minutes. You’ll need a salmon fillet for each person, but it’s simple to scale your ingredients to feed a crowd. A side like pasta salad or green beans would tie everything together.
Try These Easy Dinner Recipes for a Fast Weeknight Feast
It’s key to have specific recipes accessible for nights when you need a simple meal. These ideas are a delicious place to start! Try them this week so that you can find a new favorite.
