Boyfriend BBQ Dish

When it comes to summer, our men love to BBQ.  I created this menu to combine the best flavors of sunny days and to share the romantic act of cooking a meal together.  Most of it can be made ahead of time, and the finishing touches done over the BBQ by your man while you either tell him how sexy he looks over the pit or set the table area.  It may be an old-fashioned scene but a lovely one nonetheless.

On the Menu

1st Course - Starters: Home-style Cornbread Muffins & The PERFECT Potato Salad 

2nd Course - Main Dishes: Sweet and Spicy Baby Back Ribs with Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce  & Citrus Grilled Chicken with Bacon Peach BBQ Sauce 

3rd Course - Side Dishes: Parmesan Crusted Corn on the Cob & Baked Beans 

4th Course - Recommended Dessert: Peaches & Ice Cream with Peach Schnapps Compote 

1st Course - Starters:  As always, I like to start a Sexy Dish Dinner with yummy breads and soup and/ or salad.  Click here for my golden Home-style Cornbread Muffins.

The PERFECT Potato Salad Ingredients 4-6 Servings

5-6 red potatoes, washed and cut into 1" cubes

6 cups water

2 celery stalks, ends removed and sliced

1/4 cup red onion, minced

2 cups olive oil mayonnaise

3/4 cup real bacon bits

2 tsp. dill

squeeze of lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

1. Put potatoes and water in a pot large enough to submerge all potatoes (add water if necessary) and bring to a boil.
2. Boil for about 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are softened.
3. Drain and allow potatoes to completely cool.
4. Mix all the other ingredients in with the potatoes.  

2nd Course - Main Dishes:

Sweet and Spicy Baby Back Ribs with Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce Ingredients

1 package of pork baby back ribs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup Dr. Pepper

1/4 cup brown mustard

1 small can Hot chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce

1 tbsp. white wine

3 gloves garlic, minced

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and prepare a baking pan/ sheet by lining with tin foil.
2. In a medium sauce pan, mix all of the ingredients (except for the ribs themselves) over a low heat to blend the flavors together to make a sauce.
3. Brush both sides of the ribs with sauce and lay in baking pan and cover with additional tin foil.
4. Cook in the oven for approximately 50-60 minutes.
5. Remove ribs from oven and finish ribs off by grilling on each side for approximately  10-15 minutes, or until the rib meat pulls away from the bone.
6. While the ribs grill, bring remaining sauce to a boil until sauce thickens to a BBQ sauce/ thin ketchup consistency.
7. Pour remaining BBQ sauce over grilled rib and serve.

Citrus Grilled Chicken with Bacon Peach BBQ Sauce Ingredients

2 cups peach preserves/ jam

2 tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced 

3 chicken breasts

4-6 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled

2 peaches, pitted and halved

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Preheat your grill to medium heat.
2. In a bowl, mix the first six ingredients together.  
3. Prepare chicken breasts by removing any excess fat/ tendon and season with salt and pepper as desired.
4. Grill salt and peppered breasts for approximately 12-15 minutes (almost done/ some pink) or until internal temperature is about 145-150 degrees.
5. Brush both sides of each breast with peach glaze and cook on grill for about 5 minutes each side.  
6. Repeat brushing both sides with peach glaze of each breast and continue cooking until done (about another 6-7 minutes each side or until each breast has an internal temperature of 165 degrees).
7. Place each half of the peaches on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes.
8. Serve chicken breast with grilled beach half and sprinkle the top with bacon crumbles.

3rd Course - Side Dishes: For baked beans, I don't get too fancy, I use a baked beans from a

can.  They taste good, it's quick and it's easy.  Even if you are looking for healthier versions of baked beans, there are several low sugar, no salt added canned options in the markets these days.

Parmesan Crusted Corn on the Cob Ingredients

1-2 ears of corn, shucked and broken in half

2-3 tbsp. of olive oil mayonnaise

3/4 cup Parmesan/ Romano cheese

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1/2 tbsp. chili powder

2-3 pinches of salt and pepper (or to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. On a flat plate, mix Parmesan/ Romano cheese, garlic powder, chili powder and salt and pepper.
3. Brush each cob with mayonnaise and roll in cheese mixture to coat the cob.
4. Repeat with each of the cobs.
5. Place cobs on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 30 minutes or until the cheese becomes a golden crust.