Here's a quick meal that is sure to be a hit with your kids!  Our boys always fight over who gets the drumsticks.  3 boys.  2 chicken legs.  It's a fight waiting to happen.  SO....buy a whole package of chicken legs (affectionately called drumsticks in our family) and you'll have plenty to go around.  I'm not sure if this can be called a "recipe" because it's just too easy.  If anything, dad taught me a better way to cook meat and usually it requires a couple of steps.  Give it a try and I hope you enjoy!  

It was an amazing day when the phone rang.  It was a newsperson from KAAL Channel 6.  They wanted to hear more about the Grillin' Magic story and about dad's legacy.  I was at work but thrilled to get the call.  I told him about dad and how Grillin' Magic was his invention over 20 years ago.  They loved hearing about our family.  He then asked if Bob and I could be ready for an interview in about an hour.  HA!  I wanted to say no because it seemed so rushed but then I heard my mouth say..."Sure!  I'll head home and we will be ready for you!"  I got out some bottles, labels and spices and got to work.  Bob grilled some chicken, knowing that dad would have wanted us to grill a pork chop, for the newscaster.  We ended up having about a 45 minute interview where we were able to share all about our wonderful parents and the legacy dad left for our family.  Not only a legacy of Grill Seasoning, but most importantly the legacy of loving and caring for people.  You can watch our special segment of "Made in the Midwest" here.  

The next day we did our first expo in Southern, MN at Mayo High School.  It was such a joy to watch our boys tell people about Grillin' Magic and ask if they would like a sample.  Their smiles were beaming with pride.  2 families came through and explained that they came to the expo especially to buy a bottle of the special family recipe seasoning they saw on the news.  Very fun!

We want to take this opportunity to share how proud we are of our mom, Cathy Jo.  She has worked so hard to get moved into her new home and take care of all that goes into downsizing.  It is an emotional journey.  She is excited to head to Florida and Virginia to spend some much deserved time with family.  

Stay tuned in to the Grillin' Magic website as grilling season arrives.  We know that Grillin' Magic is really an all purpose seasoning...however...the magic comes alive in the summer time!  We'll be sharing recipes and pics like crazy.  If you don't have your own bottle of Grillin' Magic yet, don't wait!  Order yours today by clicking here.  

Hey all you Grillin' Magic users out there!  

Super Bowl weekend is upon us!  The Falcons take on the Patriots.  I bet you all are surprised that I know that.  :-)  Actually, I had to google it.  HA!  Sorry to all of our Wisconsin and Pennsylvania family that were rooting for the Packers and the Stealers.  It just wasn't meant to be this year.   

When I hear the words Super Bowl I don't think about football.  I think about FOOD.  We're still not sure who were having over to watch the game but there will be food.  That is a given. Here's a little glimpse at what I'm planning for the spread.  

Recipe 1 - Wings
I know a lot of people who like their wings a lot of different ways.  Some like them slimy with all kinds of sauce.  Not me.  I like mine a little more done.  I won't say dry...but thats kinda what I mean.  I like to do these with a couple steps.  It takes a little longer but it is well worth it.  Step 1:  I lay foil down on a baking sheet and sprinkle a little olive oil on the unfrozen wings and then liberally coat with Grillin' Magic.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  We have a convection oven and really like how that cooks.  Bake the wings for about 35minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the skin is getting a bit golden.  I like to do this step ahead of time to save on prep the day of the party.  Step 2:  Turn on that grill!  Yeah, I know it is cold in Minnesota, but we shovel off the deck and get it done.  Brush on a nice coat of your favorite bbq sauce and grill until wings are heated through and sauce has become a little bit blackened.  Grill marks are a good thing!  Finish off with a quick sprinkle of Grillin' Magic at the end and you are ready to go.

Recipe 2 - Mini Sliders on a Stick
Anything you can eat on a stick is a good thing!  This Super Bowl were gonna try these mini sliders that are held together with a toothpick.  That's the stick.  :-)  Before you work with the meat you will want to et your veggies and cheese ready.  You'll need:
Small sections of lettuce
Small squares of sharp cheddar cheese
Cherry Tomatoes
Possibly a slice of red onion or a pickle slice (my kids would say no to this)
Have these ready with the toothpicks nearby to assemble as soon as your mini burgers are ready.  
Basically, you'll mix up the meat mixture that will resemble a little bit of a meatball mixture.  1lb of good quality hamburger, 1/4cup bread crumbs or panko, one egg and a liberal shaking of Grillin' Magic.  Mix together and form golf ball size balls that flatten out to the size of a silver dollar.  Instead of doing these on the grill (because sometimes they fall through the cracks) were going to do these stove top.  Pan fry until they are at the desired "pinkness" in the middle.  For my husband, you'd barely cook them.  For me, you'd make sure they had a little black on the outside.  Because they are mini - they don't take long at all to cook.
Assembly goes in the same order you'd put them on a burger.  Burger, Cheese, Lettuce, Pickle, Tomato.  The goal is to fit the whole bite in your mouth at the same time.   OH YEAH!

I'm going to have a special ketchup dip with them as well.  Check out this recipe for fry sauce.  I would add a little bit of Grillin' Magic to the sauce as well.  But...that's just me.  

Recipe 3- Steak Bites
There is about the most simple appetizer ever.  But...there's something great about steak on a appetizer buffet.  Basically, it's like steak and garlic butter all cooked together.  You'll need a few good quality sirloin steaks with the fat trimmed off.  Cut them into 1 inch squares.  Coat these little babies in some flour and a generous amount of Grillin' Magic.  These are also cooked on the stovetop.  Add enough butter to the pan to completley cover the bottom of your pan and add a bit of fresh minced garlic to the butter.  "Saute" your steak bites until they are nicely browned on the outside and still a bit pink in the middle.  Serve with your favorite steak sauce and some sauted onions on the side.  P.S - These are toothpick items as well so make sure that you have plenty.  

Ok...there you have it.  No pictures yet.  I'll post my after pictures on our facebook and instagram.  So be on the lookout Sunday night.  Post your favorite GM appetizer recipes in the comments!

P.S - We had a very cool opportunity to be interviewed by our local news this week.  We will be featured on KAAL this Friday night.  We'll post the link.  We're excited for Rochester to learn all about how Grillin' Magic made it to Southern Minnesota.