The Sentinel

Turn up the heat and flavor for the big game with tasty BBQ

StatePoint - Hosting a Big Game watch party? By following the playbook of BBQ experts, you’ll have your friends and family cheering for your game day spread.

“The trick to achieving tasty BBQ is real smoke flavor. And, to get real smoke flavor, you need quality, natural hardwoods, with or without a pellet grill,” says Levi Strayer of Bear Mountain BBQ, “Start grilling with pellets, and everyone will immediately taste the difference—it’s a game changer.”

With that philosophy in mind, Bear Mountain BBQ ambassador Jennifer Danella is sharing two BBQ winning recipes. Both incorporate the brand’s premium pellets to bring unbeatable flavor to the table.

Jennifer Danella/StatePoint Media

Sweet Heat Barbeque Wild Turkey Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless, skinless turkey or chicken breast, approximately 2 pounds, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon loosely-packed light brown sugar

• 1 package center-cut bacon, cut in half

• Sliced green onions

• Ranch dressing

• Chef’s Choice or Butcher’s Blend Bear Mountain BBQ Pellets

• 1/2 cup sweet barbecue sauce

• 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Place 1-inch turkey pieces into a medium size bowl. Sprinkle chili powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic salt, black pepper and brown sugar over top. Mix well.

4. Wrap half a slice of bacon around each turkey piece. Secure with a toothpick and place them onto the parchment paper.

5. Place the baking sheet into your preheated grill and bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce and garlic in a small bowl. Brush the turkey pieces halfway through cooking. Brush another layer of sauce five minutes before the cook time is over. Cook until the turkey pieces reach 165 degrees F.

6. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

Beer Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese grated

• 1/2 cup gruyere cheese grated

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1/2 of a 1-ounce Hidden Valley Ranch Packet

• 2 tablespoons green onions chopped.

• 1/4 cup German lager beer

• 2 tablespoons baking soda

• 1 can biscuits

• 1 large egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing biscuits

• 12-inch cast iron skillet

• Bear Mountain BBQ’s Chef’s Choice Blend pellets

Directions:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 350 degrees F.

2. In large bowl, combine 1 cup cheddar, gruyere, cream cheese, Dijon mustard, Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning, beer and 1 tablespoon green onions. Mix evenly.

3. Cut biscuits in half. Roll each half into a ball, then slice an X across top.

4. Boil 2 cups water in medium saucepan. Once boiling, add baking soda and mix immediately.

5. Add biscuits to grill in batches and cook until puffy, approximately 1 minute. Remove and transfer to skillet, forming ring along inside edge.

6. Brush biscuits with egg wash. Sprinkle with salt.

7. Transfer dip to center of skillet. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar.

8. Smoke until biscuits are golden and dip is bubbly, 30-35 minutes.

9. Garnish with remaining green onions. Serve!

As you make your Game Day preparations, head to Walmart, which is carrying a new collection of Bear Mountain’s grilling and smoking pellets. The five exclusive flavors -- Smoky Apple Whiskey, Maple Bourbon Pecan, Chef’s Choice, Butcher’s Blend and Chophouse Blend -- add unrivaled flavor to all grilling and smoking occasions. The collection can also be found online at Walmart.com. For recipe ideas and techniques for adding smoke flavor to your food using any grill, visit bearmountainbbq.com.

To bring your A-game to the Big Game, level up your hosting with mouthwatering BBQ treats.

Romance scams are on the rise, the elderly are particularly more vulnerable

Photo: Asad Photo Maldives/PEXELS

StatePoint - They say, “you can’t buy love,” but scammers have figured out a way to exploit it for profit.

Romance scams are at an all-time high and, while victims cross all demographics, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that elders are increasingly targeted. Why? Because they often have retirement savings at their disposal and may be more be isolated and less tech savvy.

Jonathan Hammond /Pixabay

“Romance scammers often manipulate emotions to gain trust,” says Mark Kwapiszeski, head of enterprise fraud for PNC. “Those who fall victim end up putting feelings above logic. This can create embarrassment and, as a result, these crimes are less likely to be reported.”

Scammers will create convincing profiles on dating and social media apps, reaching out to their target feigning familiarity or attraction. Things move quickly, but there is always a reason they can’t meet on video or in person. They may claim to have a reason that requires them to be overseas or out of reach. They tell their target everything they want to hear, and the hook is set.

Suddenly, a crisis arises that they insist they need help financial help with to mitigate. Or maybe they need finances to set up a new life together. They ask for the money, but would prefer it be sent in a form like cryptocurrency or gift card where there is little chance of the victim ever recovering it.

Such scams are highly effective. In 2022 alone, romance scams resulted in $1.3 billion lost, more than double the money lost in the previous year, according to the FTC.

To add insult to injury, scammers may convince their target to send them revealing photos they will later use to extort them. They may even play the long game and build trust over time, then convince their target to invest with them, without the victim ever getting any return.

“A romance scammer can invest a long time in cultivating trust, which makes these scams particularly nefarious,” Kwapiszeski says.

To protect against potential romance scams, follow these tips:

• Before sending money or sharing financial information, consult a friend or family member. Simply talking to someone not involved in the situation is often enough to identify red flags.

• Trust your gut. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• Beware of “love bombing,” when a person lavishes you with excessive flattery, affection and praise early in the relationship to manipulate your emotions.

• Be wary of strangers reaching out on social media.

• If you like someone, ask for a quick video chat. If they refuse or make up outlandish excuses, that’s a red flag.

• Stay alert to photos or biographical details that don’t match up with what someone’s told you.

• Use image and name-reverse searches to validate the identity of people you meet online.

• Never send intimate photos to strangers or invest without doing your due diligence.

• Confide in family and friends if you grow suspicious.

Elders have lost homes, emptied out retirement accounts and risked lifetime savings for a love interest that never truly existed. Once the shock abates and the money is gone, the shame sets in and some have even resorted to self-harm instead of admitting to being defrauded in this way. If a loved one falls victim to a romance scam, it’s important to respond with empathy.

If you believe you or someone you love has been a victim of fraud, PNC Bank’s web resources, as part of its Security and Privacy Center (pnc.com), can help. After taking immediate measures to protect yourself, block the scammer on all accounts, change your passwords, and report the incident to the FTC and FBI.

The best line of defense against romance scams is awareness. Understanding common tactics can help you stay protected.