5 Years of BBQ Waiting...

Mini history of the life of cookin' Katie....

Bless my mom, but she'll be one of the first to admit she wasn't and isn't the world's best cook, and also being a single mom for a bit when I was young, not a lot of money, so I grew up on my sister and I's favorite dinner of tater tots, scrambled eggs, spaghetti and cheese, spaghetti-o's, etc. 

Then my mom met and married my step dad Gary, who could easily pass as a gourmet chef tasting his food without anyone knowing he has never step foot in a culinary class (just pure talent!).  Being 4 when they married, I still demanded wanted my tater tots and waffles for dinner instead of Gary's delicious risotto and let's just say... we butted heads and not get into the knitty gritty any further. 

2006 Thanksgiving Preparation with my step-dad, Gary

Fast forward to Katie at 15 when I became obsessed with started watching Food Network with him...  I LOVED Rachel Ray's 30-Minute Meals especially cause' I (...yes...) found her hilarious, but her recipes were so simple and quick that I started cookin' meals, even ones she made on the air that night they looked so good, even if it it required a hop to the grocery store to get missing ingredients! I learned pretty much all of what I know from him helping and we really bonded over cooking throughout those years, and I continued to get better and just loved cooking, even if it didn't turn out so great...  

Confession: I have an EVOO shirt from the Rachel Ray line I got back in high school... What can I say? 

Year 2008, Katie (why am I speaking in third person?!) turns vegetarian and while it's a slight bummer to Gary cause' I used to love cooking (with his guidance) spiced rack of lamb or glazed ribs when company was over to "show off" my improving skills... My cookin' skills from those years are handier now more than ever (... and healthier!)

2005: Cooking with my step sister Christine (the other cookin' kid of the family, although she'd beat me in a heartbeat in a cooking competition!) on our family skiing trip to Colorado!

Anyhow, Gary made the best  smoked & shredded chicken with various homemade BBQ sauces (and pulled-pork as well) that I didn't find myself missing all that much until...

I spent and hosted an work cookout completely surrounded by delicious smelling's of BBQ sauce smothered over a much-remembered smoked shredded chicken and topped with a creamy slaw and I was droolin' looking at people's plates all-day-long....

I was on a mission to make a veggie version of this classic (and I do have a de-LISH homemade BBQ sauce recipe), but this craving was so strong + I wasn't sure how it'd turn out, so I just started with the basics to see how satisfying a craving vegetarians may find themselves facing (hello all hail the Chik'n Salad saving recipe!) and WILL be going back to remake this and pull out all-the-stops... fresh slaw, homemade BBQ, you-name it!

....but for starter's, here somethin' to get ya' goin' and it DEFINITELY satisfied my tummy :)

Shredded BBQ Chik'n Sandwiches

Serves 1

Recipe brought to you by Katie's Latest Craving

In the line up!

- 1 Naked Chik'n Cutlet

- Salt and pepper

- Nonstick spray

- 2-3 Tablespoon BBQ sauce

- Dashes of hot sauce

- 1 burger bun

Coaches Orders! 

1. Let cutlet thaw for about 10 minutes, then spray with olive oil nonstick spray and season with salt and pepper.  

2. Sautee in skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes, 5 minutes on each side until browned.  Place in an oven at 300 degrees and cook for another 5 minutes.  

3. Get a small bowl and a shredder (although these cutlets can probably be shredded mostly by hand or with a fork) and let the chik'n cutlets cool until you can handle them. 

4. Shred the cutlets to your desired consistency, whether really shredded or more chunky (if you want more chunky, I'd suggest using your hands or a knife)

5. Add shredded chik'n to the bowl and then add your favorite BBQ sauce and some dashes of hot sauce if you want to kick up the spice a bit and stir it all up so all the chik'n is soaked in the sauce!

Like I said, this became a desperate craving come Sunday, since we had all main ingredients on hand and I was way to hungry to hop to the store, I forwent some for-the-future very necessary ingredients (i.e. homemade BBQ cause' I like mine with a kick and some slaw to top off the sandwich for a cool crunch), but first bite into this sandwich and I truly didn't care... I was in food heaven my friends!

Slather more BBQ on top of the chicken, top on your bone and sink your mouth into this delicious, BBQ with a spice shredded Chik'n sandwich in a pinch. The chik'n was oozing with delicious BBQ sauce + you had the cold BBQ sauce topping onto the warm BBQ smothered shredded Chik'n and it's melt in your mouth goodness.

Served with some leftover potato salad and veggie baked beans for the Saturday cookout TRULY rounded out this meal (FTW)

SUMMER. VEGETARIAN. FEAST.

Another big THANK YOU to Quorn for providing a solution to my unstoppable need to satisfy cravings, especially ones you've been waiting 5 years for!... like my Chik'n Salad recipe ;)

PS: Enter their giveaway now for a chance to win the Chik'n Cutlets and make this mouth watering dish for free! http://a.pgtb.me/L04xg7 

.... And no worries, a re-creation with all the fixin's was in the works the minute I devoured this thing... and then wished I hadn't been so timid/skeptical and made more!

Lesson learned, folks.... Lesson learned.

**Disclaimer: I do not receive endorsements or payment from Quorn, I just sincerely love their products and find them to be a good vegetarian substitute to share with fellow vegetarians or readers looking to cut down on meat.

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