I'm here to tell you folks- If I can do this YOU can do this too!  I'm not a baker.  But this simple semi-homemade recipe has never failed me.  

Here's what you'll need:
 box cake mix
pineapple rings
maraschino cherries
butter
eggs
and brown sugar (not pictured)

I use my cast iron skillet but I've also used Pyrex in the past and it works just as well.  
When selecting a cake mix you can use pineapple cake mix if you can find it but in my little town where the selection is limited I didn't have that option.  A butter or yellow cake mix works just fine.  

You will want the juice from the pineapple so open the can and save the juice.  It should come close to one cup.

Mix the cake mix according to package directions but instead of using water you will use the pineapple juice.

Over low heat melt half of a stick of butter in the baking dish or skillet.  Then sprinkle 1/4 cup of brown sugar in pan.

Place pineapple rings in the pan and finely chop the remaining rings to sprinkle around the rest of the pan.    Remove stems from cherries and pat dry.  Place cherries in the pineapple rings. 

Gently fold the batter into the pan making sure you do not move the fruit in the bottom of the pan.

Bake according to package directions.

This smell is so amazing when it's cooking!  After you take it from the oven you need to let it cool for about 45 minutes.  I like for it to be cool enough to handle with my bare hands but warm enough for the goo on the bottom of the pan to release easily.  

How easy was that?!!!  

Barbeque doesn't get any easier than this!  They were both delicious and I'll tell you at the end of the blog which one was our favorite.  


Sandwich #1 Barbeque Pork Sliders

This recipe is so simple.  I'd never used ground pork by itself before and my instincts to add another type of ground meat was strong- but I resisted- and I'm so glad I did.  
I wasn't sure if the ground pork would be lean or if it would shrink when cooked.  As you can see from the following pictures it was very lean and grilled beautifully!  

Once you move the patties to a rack for indirect cooking you can brush the surface with barbeque sauce. Notice in the photo the size of the patties.  The meat was lean and did not shrink in size once cooked.  

Serve with dollar buns.  I like to brush mine with some softened butter and broil them before serving.  I also added some Jalepeno Cilantro Slaw to the sliders!  

For this sandwich we used the thin cut chops. It's economical, cooks pretty fast, and is the perfect size for a sandwich. 

For seasoning we used the same barbeque spices- Head Country and generously seasoned both sides of the chops.

The same cooking method was used.  About 6-8 minutes per side on direct heat and then moved to indirect heat and brushed with barbeque sauce.  

I really think they should pass a law that says all buns used for sandwiches should be brushed with butter and broiled.  This has to be one of my very favorite things on Earth.  There is nothing better than butter that's been broiled.  PERIOD.   
Just don't walk away during the broiling process because it can go quickly from Heaven to disaster if it burns. 

I should have showcased sandwich #2 a little better but by the time it was done I was starving and couldn't wait to eat! Momma was hungry!!!!    

We really liked both sandwiches.  They were both very easy to make, they were both economical, and lean. 
Our personal favorite was the sliders.  I think just because we'd never had them before.  They were moist, easy to handle, and extremely tasty!   

If you've spent much time around me at all you know that this is one of my favorite foods.  I'd bet that we order take out from Rib Crib once a week and there's only one thing I order.  The Bar-B-Rito.  You can get your choice of meat inside of it: Roasted chicken, pulled pork, or chopped brisket.  

This last week I bought a pork roast to make in the crock pot and from the beginning I knew  I'd have either freeze some of the cooked meat or eat lots of leftovers as it was a little too big for just two empty-nesters.    I'm not usually a big fan of leftovers unless it was out-of-this-world good or I can repurpose it and have something totally different than the first meal.  An example of this is one of my favorite repurposed meals. Use leftover meatloaf as a pizza topping.  
Making the pork roast was SUPER easy.  I generously seasoned it with Head Country BBQ seasoning and about halfway through cooking I added a bottle of Head Country BBQ sauce. 
The meat was fork tender with great flavor. 

Now.. fast forward a couple of days...  and my repurposed meal is a Rib Crib inspired Bar-B-Rito.  Here's what you'll need:

The barbeque meat of your choice (if you don't have leftover you can buy pre-cooked barbeque at the grocery store).
1 large can of Ranch Style Beans
Large Jalepeno cheddar tortillas
Onion
Shredded cheddar cheese
And condiments: BBQ Sauce, Salsa, and Sour cream

In an effort to be as authentic as possible I caramelized my onions.  It's not hard at all.  Just give an onion a rough chop. Add to a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of butter.  Toss to coat and then lower the temperature of the burner, cover the pot and leave for 15-20 to sweat the onions.  Uncover, and add a teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of salt and bring the heat back up to medium while stirring. The onions should brown but not become crispy.  

I also put the Ranch Style Beans in a pot and heated them slowly over low heat letting them reduce slightly and the sauce become slightly more thick.  
I also reheated the barbeque meat so that the internal heat of the burrito would be pretty consistent.  I didn't want to have to "cook" anything once it was rolled.  Just warm it up!

Now listen to me.... don't be wimpy when adding the cheese.  This looks like a lot of cheese but in fact it's the perfect amount. Did I measure it? No.  But you can do this.  When you add some to the tortilla.. just look at it and say to yourself "Is this enough?" and if you think "yes" then add some more.  Your taste buds will love you.

Now add your beans, barbeque meat, your caramelized onions, and MORE CHEESE!!  :D

The next part is important:  At Rib Crib they give you barbeque sauce, salsa, and sour cream to use as condiments.  I love to use them all.  It sounds like a questionable combination, I know... but trust me.  It works.   
And if you eat one of these you'll know that when I say I love you more than a giant Bar-B-Rito... that is a whooooooole lotta love and is of the highest regard.  

And P.S.
I do love ya'll more than a giant Bar-B-Rito