Traegerized Chili Egg Bake

I have a 3000 square foot house with ONE 24-inch oven. Who designs a house that large with a 24-inch oven? Well someone in 1963 did. Ugh.

The night before Easter I prepared all of my dishes. I am the kind of entertainer who gets everything ready in advance so I can relax for the actual event. On our menu for Easter Brunch was Creme Brule French toast,  a Chili Egg Bake, fruit and bacon. I Traegered the bacon the day before and got the rest of the dishes ready that night.
Easter morning I turned on the oven and began to put the dishes in and realized there was no way all four casserole dishes were going to fit in the oven. What was I going to do?
My Traeger. Would it work? Maybe. I took the chance.

Here is the finished product. It came out perfect. In fact, the egg bake I put in my oven had to be left in the oven longer because it just wasn't baking fast enough.
I was concerned that the eggs may be a bit too smokey for some of my guests, but everyone agreed it was good. It must have been because the egg bake I put in the oven was almost untouched (thus my lunch for the next three days).
I usually put only a few of my dishes onto the Traeger because I worry about the possibility of smoke damage, but my Emile Henry did just fine.

Here is the recipe so you can try it yourself.


Good luck.

Green Chili Bake
Heat oven or Traeger to 350
12 eggs (beat)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir in:
4 cups grated cheese (I used cheddar, but you can use one of preference)
3 cups cottage cheese
2 4 ounce cans chopped green chiles
Place in greased 9x13 baking dish for 35-40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

I was given this recipe by a co-worker, Mrs. Bailey

McDickey Breakfast Sandwich

The Dickeys are not breakfast eaters. Let me clarify, we don't like to eat right after we wake up. My sister likes to tease us about getting up as late as possible. Yep, Mr.Dickey's is out the door in twenty minutes and I can do it in forty (it would be less if I didn't have to feed the dogs and chickens).
I do eat breakfast, but not until third or fourth period (roughly 9:15-10:30). My breakfasts need to be portable and something I can grab as I head out the door.

Enter the McDickey breakfast sandwich.

I make the egg part of the sandwich on Sunday night using my favorite Demarle mold.

I lllllooooovvvvveeeeee Demarle products. I could go on and on about the reasons why, but I don't want you to think I am a sales rep. I should be, but I'm not.  If you don't own any Demarle you should at least go to a party sometime. It isn't cheap, but it is well worth the money.

This mold is the perfect size to fit on an English muffin. I place two eggs in each cavity, break the yolk and add a bit of salt and pepper. I usually make a few without yolks for myself.

Next I bake it for twenty minutes at 350 degrees.

After they cool down I pop them out and put them in a container in the fridge. The night before I take a slice of cheese, a sausage patty (sometimes I use Morning Star) and an English muffin to create a delicious grab and go sandwich.

At work all I have to do is pop it in the microwave for a minute and I'm good to go. The only problem? My students begging me for some. Mmmmmm.....
The best thing is I have virtually no nasty egg pan/dish to clean. Demarle is cool like that.

Demarle Devotion

About six years ago my husband asked me to go to a party a co-worker was having. He had no idea what they were selling, but he wanted me to go because she had been a huge support to him his first year of teaching. Ugh. I hate in home in home sale parties, but I went. It changed my life...sort of.
Demarle originated in France. It is best known for Silipats,  made famous via Martha Stewart. They are also well known in the restaurant industry. This flexible bakeware is made from silicone, fiberglass, and I dont know what else. I do known it is magic.
Over the years I have picked up an assortment of pieces. Demarle isn't cheap. The average piece is $40-$60. My friends know I am cheap (insert chuckles here), but when it comes to Demarle I will fork out some money...it is that good.

Photo from Pintrest.

The basic premise is Demarle is non stick. No spray, no flour, nothing needed. It was originally designed for baking, but it can be used for so much more. Here is a list of how I use mine:

Cooking casseroles     Roasting veggies     Basic baking     Meatloaf     Roasting meat
Chocolate/cheese molded bowls     Grilled cheese sandwiches (I can make six at a time)
Cookies     Pizza      Egg McMuffins(see below)    Freezing soups/leftovers in individual serving sizes
Fancy ice cubes     Jello molds     Brownies w/ a cavity for frosting/fillings



This list could go on and on. The great thing is cleaning is as simple as soap and water. There is no scrubbing. I am a lazy cook so this is essential. Did I mention it is easy to store as well? I can fit twelve pieces in one drawer...no joke. We go to the beach several times throughout the year and tend to cook gourmet meals there because we have the time. I can slip this stuff in a bag and it takes up no space.

Alright do I sell this stuff? Nope. I could since I believe in it that much, but alas I just don't need anymore on my plate. However, I am hosting a party on the 15th. Friends will come, eat, drink and perhaps buy.   I have my eye on a few new pieces and with the holidays coming up I am sure it will be used. You can check it out at www.demarleathome.com.



This photo is from Pintrest, however this is one of my favorite molds.



Now back to the Egg sMcMuffins. Demarle makes a dish (not sure what else to call it) that has eight circle shapes. On Sunday night  I take a dozen eggs and put two in each cavity. I often put only egg whites in a few and leave out the yolks. I crack the yolks, add a bit of salt and pepper and bake them at 350  for twenty minutes. After they cool I put them in a container for the week.
In the morning I pop one out put it on an English muffin ( they fit perfectly), place a sausage patty or bacon (also made on Sunday on a Demarle product), a slice of cheese and place into a bag. My husband and I take them to work where we warm them up and eat them. Delicious. My students try to buy them off of me, but alas I can't share my food :-).

Traegerized Bacon

I had several questions and comments about bacon and my Traeger. I am not lying when I say this is the best bacon ever. If you really want to go big buy butcher bacon, you know the thick kind that has the perfect amount of fat? Opps, had to wipe off my keyboard from the drool. I don't get to the butcher as often as I like (and I can't afford to buy from there all the time) and cheap pre packaged bacon comes out awesome as well. Let's just say you can't go wrong with bacon. Traegers have a way of making even the cheapest mean good.

Butcher Bacon

 Cheap Bacon

*Google images for the pictures.

Now I firmly believe a Traeger is way safer than any other grill/smoker etc., because it does not have a direct flame. When I used gas I cringed every time I hit the ignite button because I was scared something would happen. It doesn't help that my brother is a fire fighter and tells me all kinds of stories about BBQ fires. Guess what he uses to grill? Yep. A Traeger. In fact, his station buys a pallet of pellets every summer to split up amongst themselves because most of them own Traegers. The station even has one. I am pretty sure they are the outdoor cooking implement of choice when it comes to this group.
Anyway, you can put bacon directly on the grate of your Traeger. This is how I used to do it. The only problem with it is sometimes if falls through to the cover dealy thing below. If you ask me that is a waste of bacon. HOWEVER, I am no longer a fan of this because I have had a fire on my Traeger. I'm not going to lie it was scary.
I knew I needed to clean my Traeger. The fire box was most likely full of ashes, the grill grate had a lot of build up on it and the chimney was pretty gunky too. I figured bacon can make a mess so I would do the bacon THEN clean it really well. It was a hotter than Hades that day at 104 degrees and while I can't prove it I think this played a part in the fire.
I placed the bacon directly on the grate. This was cheap bacon and full of fat. The smoker was on high and the temp was around 475. The next thing I knew I had fire coming out my smoke stack. Because my grill was covered in gunk it quickly caught fire as well. Luckily I had a ton of baking soda on hand and I was able to put it out quickly. My Traeger was cleaned thoroughly and is no worse for the wear. It was scary and I don't want it to happen again which is why I now put my bacon on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil. This is pretty simple to clean in that you simply wait for the grease to harden and throw away the tin foil. I admit I liked it better when the grease ran into my bucket...now that was easy!

The bottom line is you can grill bacon directly on your Traeger. I would make sure your grill is clean and that you don't walk away from it. As with any outdoor cooking always be prepared with a fire extinguisher, baking soda, etc. Just ask the firemen they will tell you the same.

Steps to Perfect Traeger Bacon

1. Fire up your grill to high. A good temp is 350 or more.
2. Place your bacon on the grill or on a tin foil lined cookie sheet.
3. Shut the lid and wait for 15 minutes. Check progress after ten minutes. It is important to note opening and closing your lid messes up your temperature so you want to avoid doing it as much as possible.
4. Pull your bacon when it is to your liking.You know how some people love wiggly bacon? Some like it crispy?  I can't give you exact times because conditions vary with weather as well as thickness of bacon, etc.

Once your bacon is finished serve it up. Here is a list of what I do with my bacon.

BLTs     Crumbled up for salads     Put it in baggies and pull out for breakfast sandwiches     Just eat it    
Taking it camping (so much easier than trying to do it in the wild)     For pizza      For hamburgers
Dipped in chocolate (yep I said it)     Added to any sandwich    

Summer Steak Salad

Salad greens (I like Romaine)
Grated cheddar cheese
Dice Tomatoes
Traegerized bacon cut in pieces
Chopped red onions (I put these on the side since some people don't eat em')
Steak cut into bite sized pieces (Traegerized of course)
Ranch dressing (I use Greg's available at Costco)

I serve this with bread or rolls and that is it. Simple summer salad. We could eat it almost every day. You can use chicken too, but we tend to be big red meat eaters around my house.

Just Me and My Traeger

Four years ago I was drug to a fight at my sister's friend's house. That sounds bad doesn't it? By fight I mean a boxing match or UFC fight of some kind. I am not into these types of things, but my husband is and I recall it was a Saturday night and we had nothing better to do. There was food and drinks and the kids were running around the neighborhood so I was able to relax and chat with the women folk. I walked out on the deck and there was a couple of guys grilling on a weird looking contraption. I started asking questions. It was a Traeger. They had an assortment of meats they were grilling and I watched with interest. I was more interested in trying the meat.
The telling moment came when I tasted the chicken. D.Licious. I was a chicken burner. No matter what I did my chicken always came out a little burnt or at the very least with char marks. This chicken was tender, juicy and amazing. My life changed at that moment.
A week later I purchased a Traeger. They aren't cheap. I got a good deal for $500.

A Traeger is a wood pellet smoker/grill. You put pellets into the hopper (at the left), plug in your machine (it takes electricity), switch it to high and hit on. The temperature can get up to 450 (maybe a bit higher) and down to about 150. This allows you to slowly smoke your meat or to grill it. Since there is no direct flame meat never gets burnt.

I have smoked/grilled the most amazing turkeys on this baby. Ribs, pulled pork, carne asada, Fillet Mignon, whole chickens, salmon and any other meat you can think of. All of them come out perfect. They make me look like I am an amazing griller. When we first bought the Traeger I kept my gas grill because I thought I might use it. It sat an entire summer untouched. I gave it away that fall and never looked back.

One of my favorite things to grill on my Traeger is bacon. The grease rolls into the waste bucket and my house doesn't smell like a breakfast joint. The bacon turns out crispy and delicious. I like to grill up a big batch and save it in the fridge for sandwiches, burgers and salads.

(Google Images)

I also like to make "wood fired" pizza. All you need is a Papa Murphy's Pizza and you can make it swanky on the Traeger.

(Google Images)

I also have a cast iron pot I grill my veggies, especially onions, in. Another favorite is potatoes. Lets put it this way you can't go wrong with this a Traeger. A friend of mine even smokes cheese and chocolate. I have yet to try this, but I will someday.

Maintenance on the Traeger is much like any other grill. You keep the grate clean and empty the grease bucket occasionally. Every eight hours or so you have to vacuum out the ashes. This takes about ten minutes and isn't a big deal. It is important to do because if you don't do it your machine will stop firing the pellets and your won't have any heat. This happened to me once in the middle of the night while I was smoking pulled pork for a big party. Ugh. I also will do a major cleaning job about every six months. This is a little more daunting, but is no different than a regular BBQ. I have had mine for four years (it could be five) and it is still going strong with no issues.

I use my Traeger year round. It came with a nice cover, but to be honest I rarely put it on. Father's Day is coming up and I know a lot of Dads who grill and smoke (meat that is). I am not getting paid to say this, but if it is in your budget you might think about it. I mean it might be his "toy", but you will enjoy it too.

Last night I grilled prime rib for my Mom's birthday. Wow. It rivaled our favorite steak house. My friends and family will tell you I like to pick apart my meals and am too critical. I honestly can say I would not have done anything different to last night's meal.  I am only sad there were no leftovers.

A Dog By Any Other Name

I don't brag about my cooking too often, but I have to admit my Dickey Dogs are doggone good. Dickey Dogs? Well I didn't come up with that name (any of my friends remember who did?). Wiener wraps, pigs in a blanket, whatever you choose, but at my house we call them Dickey Dogs because our last name is Dickey and we like alliteration (ahem, my blog title, my kid's names, my dogs).
Anyway, these babies are great for a crowd and aren't hard to make. I make them in the fall a lot for Halloween and Harvest parties and for big football games.
I remember eating these back in elementary school. I had not had one for ages. One day my friend asked me if I wanted to go eat lunch at her grandmas. Of course, I love grandmas. I went and she served wiener wraps. My mouth watered, I was in heaven. Grandma gave me the recipe and I have been making them ever since. Her dogs are still better, but then again she has had years of practice on me.

Here is the recipe:

1 Package yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/3 Cup warm water (105-120 degrees)
6 Cups flour
4 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Teaspoons salt
1 2/3 Cups Milk

Steps-

1. Place yeast, sugar and water in measuring cup for five minutes to activate.
2. Put flour, butter, salt and milk in KitchenAid (you can use a Cuisinart or other mixer too) with a dough hook and mix.
3. Mix for a few minutes.
4. Let the dough rise for about 90 minutes.
5. Take out a chunk of dough and flatten out.
6. Place a dog in on the dough and wrap that baby up.
7. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe will make about 12 large sized wraps. It all depends on how much dough you use on your dogs AND how much raw dough your kids eat before you finish.

Here are some pictures:

Dough flattened out. Do you see my Demarle (aka Silipat)? I love their products. They do in home sales and I really should sell it, but I'm not into that kind of thing. Maybe I should blog about that one day.

Mmmm. Good.

A final word of dogs. You get what you pay for here. These babies work best when I get the good dogs. I suggest Nathan's, but they aren't cheap. When I know I am going to be making a lot of them I will go to Cash and Carry (our restaurant supply store) and buy a case. If we are feeding a bunch of kids I will go with whatever is on sale, but they really aren't as good as Nathans. I often will make an "adult" batch and a "kids" batch. By the way the dough can also be used for rolls or bread. Here is my Ode to Nathans. We visited there last summer.