Midwest Grill'n Recipes

Pizza Shrimp Skewers: The Backyard App You Didn’t Know You Needed

6/3/2025

Ever looked at a slice of pizza and thought, “This needs more shrimp and fire?”
Yeah. Us too.

Introducing Pizza Shrimp Skewers—a flavor fusion so bold it skips the crust and goes straight to the grill. Perfect as an appetizer, game-day snack, or a meal when you’re done pretending you weren’t going to eat all of them.

They’re easy. They’re saucy. And they’re loaded with Awesome Shrimp—literally.

🦐 Ingredients:

Awesome Shrimp – peeled, cleaned, and ready to rock
String Cheese – cut into chunks (a Midwest delicacy, don't @ us)
Pepperoni – sliced or halved
Green Olives – pitted, preferably salty little monsters
Balsamic Vinaigrette – for zing
Spicy BBQ Sauce – for heat (use Mad Dog & Merrill® Spicy BBQ Sauce, of course)

🔥 Grilling Instructions:

Grill Shrimp First:
Toss the shrimp on a HOT grill and sear for 2 minutes per side—get those gorgeous grill marks and a bit of char.
(We recommend using a Pit Boss Grill—because of course we do.)
Build the Skewers:
Once shrimp are grilled, thread onto skewers with chunks of string cheese, slices of pepperoni, and green olives. Alternate however your heart desires—we’re not here to limit your skewer creativity.

3. Baste & Blaze:
Brush generously with balsamic vinaigrette and Spicy BBQ Sauce.
Set them back on the grill for just a minute to warm the cheese and crisp the edges.
Serve hot and don’t blink—these disappear fast.

Sponsor Highlights:

🦐 Awesome Shrimp – the name says it all
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – fire up the flavor
🧂 Wisconsin State Agricultural Tourism Association – bringing the best to your backyard
🧀 Rebex Cutlery – slicing cheese, not fingers
🍖 Mad Dog & Merrill® Spicy BBQ Sauce – the bold bite on every skewer

Final Thoughts:
These skewers are smoky, cheesy, salty, spicy, and sweet all in one bite. Basically, they’re the grilled version of "Why choose?"
Make a tray for the crew—or make a tray for yourself. Either way, this one’s going in the Great Grilled Party Food Hall of Fame

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Potato Salad Dressing: The Creamy, Tangy Kick That Brings It All Together

6/3/2025

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You grilled the potatoes. You mixed the radishes, celery, and eggs. Now it’s time to pull it all together with the one thing that makes good potato salad legendary: the dressing.
This isn’t your store-bought, one-note mayo. This is a creamy, tangy, herb-packed, backyard-tested blend of zesty brilliance. It’s the finishing touch that makes your Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad go from “nice” to “is there more of this?

🥄 Ingredients:

2 cups Miracle Whip – yes, we said Miracle Whip. Trust the tang.

1 container Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt – for creamy balance and bonus protein
4 tablespoons Sugar – sweet contrast to that smoky grill flavor
White Vinegar – just enough to get your taste buds dancing (about 2–3 tbsp or to taste)
¼ cup Basil – fresh if you can, dried if you must
2 tablespoons Grilling Magic Seasoning – our signature blend (you know where to get it)
2 tablespoons Garlic Pepper – flavor that smacks

Mix everything together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the vinegar/sugar levels to hit that perfect tangy-sweet note.

Toss It Right:

Add to your Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad just before serving
Gently fold to coat without smashing the goods
Serve warm, room temp, or chilled—it’s a winner at any temp
Optional: garnish with fresh herbs or extra cracked pepper for flair

Sponsor Support:

🥔 Wisconsin Potatoes – the foundation of greatness
🌿 Grilling Magic – flavor in every shake
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – grilling those taters to perfection
🌱 Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association – connecting great grilling to great growing

Final Thoughts:
If a good salad dressing brings harmony, this one brings a full-blown backyard concert. Creamy, zingy, herb-packed, and grill-ready—this is how Mad Dog & Merrill® do potato salad dressing.

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Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad: A Midwest Classic with a Smoky Twist

6/3/2025

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You can’t host a true backyard bash without a solid potato salad—and this one’s got firepower.

We took two of Wisconsin’s finest spuds, tossed them on the grill, and loaded them up with everything that makes a Midwestern side dish sing: eggs, crunch, flavor, and a whole lotta love. If you’ve only ever had potato salad from a plastic tub, prepare to rethink your life.

🥔 What You’ll Need:

2 lbs Baby Red Potatoes – washed, oiled, grilled, and cubed
2 lbs Wisconsin Gold Potatoes – same treatment: grill first, cube second

2 cups Boiled Eggs, cubed – the more yolk the better
2 cups Chopped Radish – for that crisp little kick
2 cups Celery, chopped – it’s not potato salad without it
1 cup Diced Onion – adds bite, crunch, and flavor depth

Toss it all into a large mixing bowl. Add your dressing (we’re working on that recipe next!). Mix gently but thoroughly.

Pro tip: Don’t mash it into oblivion. We want chunks, not mash.

Grill First, Mix Second
Grilling the potatoes brings a smoky, crispy edge that sets this recipe apart from every mayo-drenched party bowl you’ve ever avoided.
Use a Pit Boss Grill (as always!) for maximum char and control.

🔥 Oiled potatoes + direct heat = caramelized, crispy magic
🔥 Let them cool slightly before cubing so they hold shape
🔥 Mix when warm to help the flavors mingle

Sponsor Love:

🥔 Wisconsin Potatoes – because flavor starts in the soil
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – for that perfect potato char
🔪 Rebex Cutlery – cutting clean, every time
🌱 Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association – supporting farm-fresh ingredients from root to radish

Coming Next: The Potato Salad Dressing That Brings It All Together
We’ve got the mix. We’ve got the method.
Now we just need the magic glue: that creamy, tangy, slightly smoky dressing that holds it all together.

Final Thoughts:
It’s hearty. It’s flavorful. It’s grilled.
This is Wisconsin Potato Salad, Mad Dog & Merrill® style—and it’s about to be the most-requested side dish at every cookout you attend.

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Sausage Brine Recipe: The Secret Weapon for Ultimate Grilled Flavor

6/3/2025

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If you thought our Sausage & Peppers recipe was a flavor bomb, wait ‘til you pour this beauty on top. This Sausage Brine is the secret sauce that turns grilled sausage from "pretty good" to “WHAT DID YOU PUT IN THIS?!”

Bold. Buttery. Saucy. A little boozy. And fully ready for flame.

Let’s stir it up.

🧂 Ingredients:

1 cup Garlic – minced, mashed, or unapologetically chunky
1 glass Red Wine – yes, for the brine. No, not for sipping (okay fine, maybe a little)
¼ cup Basil – fresh if you’ve got it, dried if you must
¼ cup Thyme – because we believe in herb layers
2 tsp Grilling Magic – our signature seasoning blend (available on our site!)
2 tbsp Olive Oil – the classic
Juice of 1 Lemon – to brighten that meat party
1 bottle Hickory BBQ Sauce – thick, rich, and smoky (also available online!)
2 sticks of Butter – yes, you read that right. Butter. Two whole sticks. We don’t do things halfway.

Mix it all together in a big bowl or saucepan and watch it transform into something that could brine a shoe and still taste incredible.

🔥 Grilling Directions:

Pour this glorious brine over your Sausage & Peppers mixture (from our last blog—go read it if you missed it!)
Place everything in a grill-safe pan
Fire up your Pit Boss Grill to 350°F
Grill with the lid down, stirring occasionally as the butter melts, the sauce bubbles, and the aroma turns neighbors into uninvited guests
Cook until sausage is juicy, veggies are tender, and the whole thing is swimming in that rich, smoky, garlicky, herby goodness

🔥 Sponsor Highlights:

Pit Boss Grills – The smoke behind the sizzle
Mad Dog & Merrill® Hickory BBQ Sauce – Because bottled brilliance exists
Grilling Magic Seasoning – The secret weapon in every shake
Wisconsin State Agricultural Tourism Association – Shout-out for supporting flavorful farms and fresh ingredients!

Final Thoughts:
This isn’t just a brine—it’s an experience. It’s the kind of blend that makes sausages sing, peppers dance, and guests ask for seconds before they’ve finished firsts. Try it once, and you’ll never grill sausages naked again. (We mean without brine. Keep your pants on, please.)

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Sausage & Peppers on the Grill: A Spicy, Sizzling Crowd-Pleaser

6/3/2025

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Fire up that Pit Boss, friends—it’s time to make your backyard smell like a tailgate party collided with a pepper patch in the best way possible.

This Sausage & Peppers recipe is one of our go-tos when we’re feeding a hungry crowd, testing the limits of our spice tolerance, or just want to hear someone yell “WHAT SMELLS AMAZING?!” from across the block.
You bring the sausage—we’ll bring the swagger.

What You’ll Need:

2 lbs Spicy Italian Sausage – get ‘em sizzling
2 cups Sweet Yellow Peppers – color + contrast
2 cups Spanish Onions – thick slices for big flavor
2 cups Red Peppers – for that sweet heat balance
4 Green Peppers – because we’re not here to mess around
1 cup Banana Peppers – tangy, spicy, and just enough chaos
1 cup Ripe Green Olives – salty little surprises
1 cup Sliced Pepperoni – yep, double meat. We said what we said.
1 Lemon, squeezed – for a citrus kick that wakes it all up

Mix everything together like a mad scientist of meat and veggies. Pour in a generous splash of our Sausage Brine (recipe here) and get that pan grill-ready.

Grilling Directions:

Preheat your Pit Boss Grill to 350°F
Place your mixed masterpiece in a grill-safe pan
Set it on the grill, lid closed, and let the magic happen
Stir occasionally while you breathe in that glorious steam cloud of spicy perfection
Cook until the sausages are juicy, the veggies are soft, and everything’s swimming in flavor

Sponsor Shout-Outs:
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – The firepower behind every sizzle
🔪 Rebex Cutlery – Slicing peppers like a pro
🌶️ Wisconsin State Agricultural Tourism Association – Bringing the freshest produce to your plate
🥤 Sun Drop – Sip it while you grill it—extra citrus, always welcome

Want to Level It Up?
Serve your Sausage & Peppers over a toasted hoagie roll.
Or spoon it over Wisconsin Potatoes (yes, those potatoes).
Or just eat it straight out of the pan with your best grillin’ fork like a true Midwest warrior.
No judgment. Just flavor.

Sausage Brine Recipe Coming Soon!
We’ll be posting the full brine breakdown in the next blog—stay tuned. Spoiler alert: it’s tangy, savory, and secretly magical.

Final Thoughts:
Whether you’re cooking for the crew, the family, or just yourself on a Saturday (no shame), this recipe brings serious heat, bold flavor, and peak grill master energy. It’s sausage. It’s peppers. It’s sizzling.
It’s Mad Dog & Merrill® Midwest Grill’n

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<<Previous

Pizza Shrimp Skewers: The Backyard App You Didn’t Know You Needed

Potato Salad Dressing: The Creamy, Tangy Kick That Brings It All Together

Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad: A Midwest Classic with a Smoky Twist

Sausage Brine Recipe: The Secret Weapon for Ultimate Grilled Flavor

Sausage & Peppers on the Grill: A Spicy, Sizzling Crowd-Pleaser

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