Our friends over at TexasBBQRub.com had some fantastic recipes in their newsletter, and they’ve given us permission to post them here on our Texas Pepper Jelly blog!   Their newsletter’s presentation couldn’t be beat, so here are the recipes, straight from TexasBBQRUB!  (Thanks a million, guys!)

(They’re giving their readers some Texas Pepper Jelly!  Go sign up NOW!)  Tomorrow is the last day to take advantage of this offer!  DO IT NOW!!!!!

Glazed Smoked Ham

This is a great way to take one of those ready to eat store bought cooked hams and make a really special ham for the Easter dinner. The combination of Texas BBQ Rub and either honey or Texas Pepper Jelly (www.texaspepperjelly.com) makes this one a special treat. By the way you can cook this great meal for about $25 and feed the family and not have to fight all of the crowds at the restaurants on Easter Sunday.

What you will need:

1 cup of honey

¼ cup of Texas BBQ Rub

1 cup of pineapple juice

6 oz of Coke or Dr Pepper soda (do not use the diet versions)

Optional – 4 oz of Texas Pepper Jelly www.texaspepperjelly.com (my choice is Pineapple Habanero for the ham)

Preparation for this ham is so easy.

For the Smoker

Prepare your smoker and get your fire hot. Total cooking time will be approximately 4 1/2 hours at 200 to 220 degrees.

Place the ham in an aluminum pan so it can sit in it while it is cooking. Take the store bought ready to eat ham and score the ham with a cris-cross pattern down into the ham about 1 inch. (If you are using one of the spiral cut hams you can skip this cutting of the ham.)  Mix together the 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice, ½ cup of honey, and 1/8 of a cup of Texas BBQ Rub and pour over the top of the ham. Place the ham on the smoker uncovered and cook for about 3 hours. After 3 hours, pour the 6 oz of Coke or Dr. Pepper over the ham and cover the ham in foil and cook for another hour to 1½ hours.

For the final glaze, mix ½ cup of pineapple juice 1/8 cup of Texas BBQ Rub, ½ cup of honey and pour over the ham for the last hour of the cook.

As an alternate for the final glaze you can use 4 oz of Texas Pepper Jelly over the top of the ham and cook for 1 hour. You can also use the Texas Pepper Jelly on the table as a sauce to put directly on the ham for those that want to really take the ham to the next level. Just put a tablespoon on your plate and dip the bite size pieces of ham directly into the jelly for a great taste addition.

If you are smoking the ham the day before and just want to heat it up for Easter Sunday you can prepare the ham up to the last glaze part of the recipe and the next morning you can take the ham out of the refrigerator, place in the oven at 225 degrees and heat the ham for about 2 to 3 hours. During this time add the final glaze and you will have the ham ready when you are ready to eat.

In the Oven

You can do this same ham in the oven and the only thing you will be missing is the smoke flavor added by the smoking process but this is some great ham. If you would like to add some smoke flavor to the oven cooked ham you can do so by adding about ¼ cup of liquid smoke to the first mix and this will add some smoke flavor to the ham. Not as good as cooking on the smoker but it will work if you are cooking this in the oven.

Exclusive Bonus Offer for our Subscribers – Complimentary Jar of Texas Pepper Jelly with your order

If you don’t have any Texas BBQ Rub or Texas Pepper Jelly we have a great deal for you. Order two bags of any of our national prize winning rubs and we will send you a complimentary jar of Texas Pepper Jelly’s national prize winning Pineapple Habanero jelly at no additional costs to you. We will even pay the shipping for the jelly.  This is a savings of about $10 we are going to save you. But you will need to order between now and Tuesday, March 31^st to take advantage of this offer. I recommend you ship it Priority Mail or use the money savings feature of Flat Rate Box Priority shipping. Get it right now at www.texasbbqrub.com/shopping.html as time is running short to order in time for the special Easter dinner ham.  To ensure that you get your complimentary jar of Texas Pepper Jelly please write the word “Jelly” in the comment box on the order form so we can include the jelly in your order.

Bill’s Surprise Potatoes

Nothing goes better with a great smoked ham like Bill’s Surprise Potatoes. This recipe was developed by me while cooking at the Houston Rodeo BBQ Cookoff a few years ago and has been served to thousands of people and they are just blown away with this potato dish. It is easy to do and will be great with your ham, brisket, pulled pork or whatever you are cooking this Easter. I am going to give you the recipe for a full aluminum-serving pan of potatoes so if you want to cook a half-pan then cut the recipe down to half these amounts.

What you will need:

1 full size aluminum-serving pan – this will serve about 30 to 35 people

10 pounds of whole potatoes (I have used Idaho’s, russets, and others)

1 family size can (27oz) of cream of mushroom soup

1 family size can (27oz) of cream of chicken soup

2 cups of sour cream

1 cup of diced green onion

¼ cup of diced jalapenos (optional)

½ cup of Texas BBQ Rub

¼ cup of paprika

3 cups of shredded cheese (use cheddar or a blend of Monterey jack and cheddar)

¼ cup of granulated garlic (use this to your flavor liking)

Alt. Ingredient – your choice of chopped meat (brisket, butt, sausage)

First cut the potatoes in half (this will speed up the cooking time) and I leave the skin on the potatoes. In a large pot, boil the potatoes. Cooking time on the potatoes is about 30 to 45 minutes. When the potatoes are done, drain off the water and pour them into the serving pan. While the potatoes are still hot, crumble the potatoes into pieces. Add both cans of soup, the sour cream, Texas BBQ Rub, the granulated garlic, onions, and jalapenos and mix into the potatoes. Now add about ½ of the cheese and mix that into the potato mix. Spread this out in the pan and top with a large portion of cheese and then sprinkle with the paprika. Cover with aluminum foil and you can heat this in the oven at 225 degrees for about 1 to 1 1/2  hours (till all the cheese melts) or I stick mine on the pit and melt the cheese on the pit. Note: it is best to work with the potatoes when they are hot but you need to wear some thick heat protective gloves (like the ones we sell on our site).

If you would like to make it a total meal in itself add about 3 cups of chopped meat to the mix and you have a total meal. The kids and grown ups love this stuff. They will go thru it quickly so make plenty to have the next day.

Again if you want to save yourself about $10 and try some Texas Pepper Jelly we are going to send you a complimentary jar of the award winning Pineapple Habanero Texas Pepper Jelly with each 2 bag purchase of our rub from now until Tuesday, March 31st. That is only a few days from now. We anticipate a lot of people taking advantage of this, so don’t delay. Order right now and enjoy this for the Easter weekend. Again you can order at www.texasbbqrub.com/shopping.html

Feel better about yourself and forget the woes of the economy by going out to the BBQ pit and doing some cooking. There is nothing like the feeling you get by simply going outside and putting something on the BBQ pit. The flavors of the smoke are just so relaxing and good for your mental health. Forget the economy and cook something that makes the whole family feel great.

My family really likes to have what they call “skillet” for dinner.  This particular recipe for Texas Raspberry Chipotle Salsa Skillet is one of their favorites!  It’ll be one of YOUR family’s favorites, too!

Texas Raspberry Chipotle Salsa Skillet

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green or red pepper (I use both)
1 cup water
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 16-oz jar Texas Raspberry Chipotle Salsa
1 16-oz can baked beans
1 8-oz package rotini pasta – uncooked
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

Brown the ground beef with the onion and peppers in a large skillet over high heat.  Drain THOROUGHLY.  Stir in water, tomato sauce, Raspberry Chipotle Salsa, and beans, and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta; reduce to medium-low heat.  Simmer for 12-15 minutes, until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese and let stand for five minutes until cheese melts and sauce thickens.

Serve with a nice tossed green salad.

When you call your family to supper, stand back.  They’ll love this one!

I love meat loaf.

I know it’s not exactly “gourmet” food, but there are few things I’d rather see on my table on a cold, rainy evening than a steaming pan of meat loaf.

I like to experiment with meat loaf recipes, too.  This one is my family’s favorite.

Molten Meat Loaf

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 pound lean sausage

2 eggs

1 “log” of saltines, crushed

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup Texas Passion Pepper Jelly

1/4 cup Texas Gourmet Habanero Salsa

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

dash black pepper

Do not add any salt; the crackers were salty enough!

Mix everything together in a big bowl.  Use your hands; a spoon isn’t good enough.

Pat mixture in a casserole dish.  A deep-dish pie pan works well, too.  Cover top of mixture with more Habanera Salsa.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.  Let the edges burn a little; my son likes that the best!

Remove from oven and let it set for about a half hour.  Meat loaf slices better if it’s allowed to rest.

When I fix Molten Meat Loaf, I always throw a few foil-wrapped potatoes and a pan of baked beans in the oven with it.  They all need the same length of time, and the main elements of your supper will be done at the same time!

Add a nice tossed salad, and you’ve got a fantastic cold-weather supper.

Molten meat loaf makes delicious sandwiches the next day, if you HAVE any leftovers.  Good luck with that; we seldom have leftover meat loaf in my house.

Now that Spring is here, outdoor grilling time can’t be far away!

To make your burgers, steaks, chicken, K-bobs, fish, and any other kind of meat you’ll be putting on your grill this season even better than last year’s, sprinkle some Texas Barbecue Rub Grilling Magic on each piece of meat as it cooks.

The difference is unbelievable.  Your family and guests will keep coming back with their plates held up like Oliver Twist’s, begging for more!

Texas Barbecue Rub Grilling Magic has a long shelf life, even after you’ve opened and used it.  You don’t soak the meat in the jar, so what’s left over hasn’t absorbed any potential bacteria.  Just put the lid back on and save what’s left (if there is anything left!) for next time!  It doesn’t have to be refrigerated.

Texas Barbecue Rub Grilling Magic is easy to use, especially if you’re working with a BIG slab of meat!  Just shake it on the meat and rub it in with your hands.    Some people prefer to just shake the rubs on the meat lightly, but I prefer rubbing it in with my hands.  But then, I’m a REAL cook. 

Texas Barbecue Rub Grilling Magic is a lot better for you than salt!!!!!!!!  It does things salt can’t do, too, like make your grilled meat taste better than you ever dreamed possible.

Texas Barbecue Rub Grilling Magic costs a lot less than many marinades, and goes a lot further, too.

Don’t wait another minute.  Order yourself some Texas Barbecue Rub Grilling Magic right now!

The first day of spring is a good time to tell our readers some great news, and to offer y’all some fantastic freebies!

First of all, you can now get almost any of our yummy Texas Pepper Jellies in both habanero and jalapeno!

AND, if you order this month and spend $25 or more, you get your choice of a free Messermeister Picnic Knife with Sheath (enter coupon code “Knife”) or a free Texas Pepper Jelly eCookbook (enter coupon code “Cookbook”)

You’ll also get a free eCookbook for signing up for our fantastic Texas Pepper Jelly newsletter! It’s full of recipes, ideas, news, and all kinds of interesting and useful information, free in your inbox!

What are you waiting for?  Your taste buds want you to order RIGHT NOW!

People tend to be very picky and possessive about cole slaw, you know.  Sometimes, it’s hard to let yourself discover new and different cole slaw!  For whatever reason, people want their cole slaw to be exactly the same, all the time.  I’ve seen people reject perfectly good cole slaw in restaurants, just because it wasn’t what they were used to!

Well, Texas Pepper Slaw isn’t what anyone is used to; it’s BETTER than what we’ve been used to!  In the magic and  magestical world of cold slaw, Texas Cole Slaw is KING.

Here’s how to make it:

1 bag shredded cabbage

1 shredded apple

1/4 cup shredded onion

2 tbs. cider vinegar

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 jar Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly (other flavors of pepper jelly work, too, but my son likes it best with Pineapple Habanero.)

Mix it all together in a big bowl, cover, and refrigerate until it’s time to eat.

Seriously, this Texas Pepper Slaw is fantastic.  You’ll never go back to plain old creamy slaw again.

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a simple thing, but almost everybody loves them!  They’re easy to whip up, fairly nutritious, and very filling – all in all, a  perfect munchie!

My kids love PB&J, and since we’ve discovered Texas Pepper Jelly, they love to use THAT, instead of plain ol fruit jam, on their sandwiches.  A peanut butter and PEPPER JELLY sandwich is a taste bud delight.  Next time your kids ask for a PB&J, why not give them a real treat and use your favorite Texas Pepper Jelly on it?  PB&PJ!!!

It took my family by surprise the first time, but now?  They don’t want their PB&J made any other way!

PB&PJ:  Could a nutritious munchie BE any simpler?

This awesome fruit salad can be part of the meal, or the dessert!  You can use all fresh fruit, or all canned fruit, or a mix!  In the winter, it’s often easier to use canned fruit, with as much fresh as you can find in the market.  Also, feel free to substitute pretty much any kind of fruit you like!  Berries work nicely with this recipe, too.

Ingredients:

1.  1 can sliced peaches, drained

2.  1 can pineapple chunks, drained

3.  1 small can mandarin oranges, drained

4.  2 bananas, sliced

5.  1 cup green grapes, seedless

6.  1 cup red grapes, seedless

7.  Two apples, peeled and sliced

8.  1 cup miniature marshmallows

9.  1/2 cup maraschino cherries

10.  1 cup Peach Habanero or Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly.

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until served.

We’re huge Crab Dip fans here, but this is the best recipe for crab dip I’ve ever found!  It takes a little longer than the quick and easy recipes I usually love, but this recipe is well worth the wait!

Ingredients:

1 package cream cheese (or Neufchatel)

1 small bunch fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup chopped crabmeat (canned is fine)

1 cup Texas Raspberry Chipotle Salsa

Mix these ingredients together, THOROUGHLY!  Set aside.

Mix together:

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup white wine

1/3 cup grated Parmesian cheese (not the powdery kind!)

1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

2 finely chopped green onions

dash salt, dash pepper

Add second batch of ingredients to first batch and blend well.  Spinach should be slightly wilted now.  Spread into greased baking pan.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.  Let cool JUST enough to bear, and start dipping crackers, breadsticks, pretzels, toast, ANYTHING, into it.

Don’t be shy!  If you don’t get in there soon, there won’t be any left!  This stuff is DELICIOUS!!!!

Don’t be one of those people who serve the same old snacks at every get-together or party!  Give your guests something different, something awesome, something absolutely delicious!  Give them something to talk about!

A little Texas Pepper Jelly over the cream cheese will turn the world’s simplest dip into a work of art: something so delicious, your guests will be talking about it the next day, and the next.

The world’s simplest dip is also one of the world’s tastiest dips, you know.  Just crank it up a notch, and use Texas Pepper jelly instead of sweet jelly or jam, and you’ll give your guests a real treat!  Throw a variety of crackers on the tray, and step back: the stampede will begin shortly.

If you’re dieting, use Neufchatel cheese.  It tastes exactly the same as cream cheese, without the calories!

(Yes, that’s my table, and my tray, and my crackers, and my Neufchatel cheese, and MY PEPPER JELLY.  And, I might add, a good time was had by all, that night. . . .)