Smoked Pork Butt and Chicken Quarters

   

Dry BBQ Rubs

A Rub is a mixture of herbs and spices that are rubbed onto a piece of meat before it is cooked or smoked.

Dry rubs add a wonderful flavor to meats or poultry and allow the spices to slowly blend with the meat.  These are perfect for slow-grilling or smoking meats.

Mesquite Rub

1 1/2 TB Chipotle Flavor Concentrate 
1 TB Light Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Celery Seed
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 TB Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
1/4 tsp Salt
4 drops Mesquite Smoke Flavor

Combine all ingredients, blend well and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Toss meats, vegetables or seafood with the rub, rubbing both sides before grilling or roasting.

Oriental Dry Rub

1 cup Chinese 5-Spice Seasoning
1/2 cup Mesquite Rub (recipe above)
1/3 cup Kosher Salt
1/4 cup Crushed Red Pepper

Blend all ingredients well. Great rub for chicken, pork or seafood.

Caribbean BBQ Dry Rub

1/2 cup Caribbean Seasoning Blend
1/2 Mesquite Rub (recipe above)
1 TB Thyme
1/3 cup Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Crushed Red Pepper

Blend well. Works very well with pork.

Southwestern BBQ Dry Rub

1 cup Mesquite Rub (recipe above)
1/2 cup Chili Powder
1/2 cup Dry Minced Onion
1/2 cup Dry Minced Garlic
1/2 cup Ground Cumin
1 TB Dry Mustard

Blend ingredients well. This rub works well on almost any meat and is delicious on veggies and salmon.

Grilled Tomatoes with Basil

These are a favorite with my family.  Thick sliced tomatoes with a few leaves of fresh basil are topped with mozzarella cheese and grilled until browned and bubbly.  Dried basil may be substituted, but fresh is sooo much better.  Enjoy!

1 Large Firm Tomato
3 -4 Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped or whole
Mozzarella Cheese, grated or thinly sliced
Olive Oil

Using a 16" - 18" piece of foil, fold foil in half to create a "tray" for tomatoes. Fold up the sides and crimp corners and place foil on a cookie sheet. Pour a thin layer of olive oil into tray to coat evenly, and place tomatoes in olive oil. Place basil leaves on tomato slices and top with cheese. 

Slide foil tray off of cookie sheet and onto the upper grill shelf. Grill 8 - 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Buffalo-Style Baked Swai Fish and Chips

This is a spicy new twist to use with Swai, regular Catfish or it's even tasty on grilled salmon.  This is the same sauce we use for Buffalo Chicken Wings.

To Make the Buffalo Sauce

3/4 stick Salted Butter

3/4 cup Franks Red Hot Original Sauce
1 TB Red Pepper Flakes
3 TB Garlic Powder
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
1 TB White Vinegar

Melt butter in saucepan then add red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat and stir until you get a roux consistency. Add Franks Red Hot sauce and vinegar and heat to a low simmer. Continue to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes on low heat.

To Prepare the Fish Fillets
1 1/2 pounds Catfish Fillets
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup Flour
3/4 cup Cornmeal
2 tsp Seasoned Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Canola Oil, for frying

Place catfish fillets on a plate, pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Mix well and pour onto a large plate.

In a deep skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of canola oil until hot.

Using 2 shallow bowls, place the buttermilk in one bowl and the flour mixture in the other. Dip the pieces of catfish in the buttermilk then in the flour/cornmeal mixture and toss to coat. Gently place the fillets into the heated oil and fry the fish, in batches, about 3 - 4 minutes per side until evenly cooked through, turning only once. Transfer the catfish to a paper-towel lined plate and let drain briefly.

Place a fillet on the serving plate and use a pastry brush to apply a layer of the Buffalo Sauce to the top. If you prefer, use a thin layer of sauce and serve with a small dish of sauce on the side.

Serve with waffle-cut fries or cole claw and celery sticks.  Enjoy!

Easy Irish Soda Bread

Baking a loaf of Irish Soda Bread is total culinary therapy!  The smell of fresh bread baking and the texture of that first bite are heavenly.  This recipe is a great way to teach kids about their Irish heritage and their ancestors, while also teaching them the art of breadmaking.  If you like raisins or caraway seeds in your Soda Bread add them to the dough along with the buttermilk.

4 cups All-Purpose Flour
4 TB White Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 TB Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Margarine, softened
1 cup Buttermilk
1 Egg
1/4 cup Butter, melted
1/4 cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly.

Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk and brush lightly onto loaf. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If desired, continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes for a golden top crust.

Pizza Crust

The next time you want a delicious pizza with toppings just the way you like them, make pizza at home. This recipe makes a large crust (15" x 10") plus about 6 breadsticks, or 2 large round crusts.

Top the crusts with your favorite toppings, your choice of spices and cheeses and enjoy pizza night at home.

1 1/2 cups Water
1 1/2 tsp Salt
3 TB Olive Oil
1 tsp  Garlic Powder
1 tsp  Dried Oregano
4 1/2 cups Bread Machine Flour
3 tsp  Bread Machine Yeast
1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce or you choice of sauce
Garlic Powder for the Crust

Optional Spices - Oregano, Basil, Chili Flakes
Meats - Pepperoni, Ham, Cooked Sausage, etc
Vegetables - Onions, Green Peppers, Black Olives, Sliced Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes, etc

Combine ingredients in your bread machine as outlined in your manual, using a french dough or regular dough setting.

Using a 15" x 10" cookie sheet (or 2 round pizza pans), coat the baking pan lightly with olive oil, coating the pan all the way to the edges.

When dough is finished, place 2/3 of the dough onto the coated cookie sheet and spread dough evenly on the baking pan. (The remaining 1/3 can be shaped into breadsticks and cooked on a separate sheet.) For 2 round pizzas split the dough in half.

Dust the edges of the pizza dough with garlic powder and lightly over the surface of the crust.

Bake at the crusts at 425 degrees for about 8 - 10 minutes until crust is lightly browned, but not completely cooked. Remove from oven and evenly coat surface with tomato sauce. Add seasonings to taste. Next add any meat or vegetable toppings, followed by grated cheese **.  Return pizza to oven and bake for 7 - 10 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

** For a delicious flavor, use grated Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses plus a little grated Cheddar.

Chicken Pesto Pizza

For a last minute dinner, our Chicken Pesto Pizza turned out really good.  We used store-bought (gasp!) Publix Pizza Dough, and I was totally impressed with the flavor and texture.  We will definitely use this again!

After smoothing out the dough with a little olive oil under the crust, we dusted the crust with garlic powder and baked for about 8 minutes, then removed from the oven.

Next added Buitoni Pesto with Basil, another store-bought find that saved a lot of time since my Basil is growing so slow this year. I followed that with a layer of grilled garlic chicken and grated Parmesan cheese, grated Mozzerella cheese and just a sprinkle of cheddar and baked for another 8 - 10 minutes, until the crust was brown and the bottom of the crust was crispy.

I would have loved to add some sun-dried tomatoes to this pizza, but in our gourmet-food-deprived college town, there were none to be found. Boo. Next time for sure!

Swai Chowder

This new soup creation was so yummy!  The clam juice and milk broth base are complimented by a seared fillet of Swai, then served over and around a scoop of creamy mashed potatoes. Delicious!

   

1 TB  Olive Oil
2 TB  Minced Garlic
1 tsp  Minced Onion
2 TB  Butter
4  Swai or Catfish fillets, cut in half (so you have 8 square pieces)
2  Bottles Clam Juice
6 - 7  Potatoes
1  can Minced Clams, undrained
6  Thick Cut Bacon Slices, cut into 1" pieces
2 tsp  Old Bay Seasoning
2 tsp  Salt
Ground Black Pepper, to taste
2 cups  Milk

In a large deep pot, heat oil and add the minced garlic and onion. Heat until slightly browned, then add the butter and melt over medium heat.  When the mixture begins to sizzle, add the fillets in a single layer. Brown for 3 minutes, turn and cook about 3 minutes longer or until both sides are seared. This will allow the fish to have a slightly crisp texture and it will absorb some of the garlic flavor.

In a second skillet, brown the bacon then drain the bacon pieces on a paper towel. Set aside.

Slice the potatoes and boil in a pot of water until slices are fork tender.  Drain the potatoes and mash, adding buter, milk and seasonings, if desired.

Now that the fish is slightly browned, add the clam juice, clams, milk, bacon pieces and seasonings to the pot.  The fish will gently poach in this liquid.  Do not boil!  When the soup begins to steam (but NOT boil), gently move the fish until it is opaque and flakes slightly with a fork.

Next, add about 1 cup of the mashed potatoes to the soup and stir gently as it becomes a more chowder-like thickness.  Lower the heat and keep warm.

Using medium sized soup bowls, add about 1/2 cup mashed potatoes to the center of each bowl.  Ladle the chowder around the potatoes and include 1 or 2 pieces of fish.  Top with a sprinkle of green onions and serve.

Serves about 6.

Sarah's Super Bowl Nachos

Dinner for Super Bowl Sunday was all about building the perfect nachos.  It's so much fun to watch kids decorate and construct the perfect blend of toppings and then they get to eat it!  After heating some nacho cheese in the crock pot, and making a quick batch of taco ground beef, we had bowls of guacamole, green onions, black olives, tomatoes and sour cream ready to go. 

NuWave Oven Baked Chicken

This is my first experiment with my NuWave oven.  The chicken came out moist and juicy on the inside and crispy on the inside. I have to admit, I wasn't too sure if I would like the results that this oven promised, but now I am convinced!  Besides, it was kinda fun watching this cook..lol

     

1  Whole Chicken (I used about a 5 lb)
Seasoned Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Remove the giblets and rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry.  Season the chicken generously with seasoned salt and pepper and place chicken breast side down in the NuWave oven.  (I used a piece of heavy-duty foil on the bottom pan to catch any drippings and cleanup was a snap.)  Set the timer for the correct amount of time for the size of bird you are cooking (this was about 1 hour 15 minutes), and press start. About halfway thru the cooking time you will need to turn the chicken over to allow for the best overall browning. Although this sounds like a hassle, it was really easy using a serving fork and a set of tongs. Just flip the bird over and hit start again.

Egg Rolls

The best thing about making your own egg rolls is you can control the ingredients.  Using fresh cooked shrimp and fresh vegetables the flavor is so much better than you get from the local Chinese take-out place.  This recipe can be changed in many ways. Try using chicken or pork instead of shrimp, add Thai chilies or red pepper flakes for more heat or even add bean sprouts.  The possibilities are endless!  These egg rolls go great with Hot and Soup Soup.

1 TB  Peanut Oil
1 tsp  Grated Ginger
2  Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1  Green Onion, sliced thinly
1  Small Carrot, shredded
1  cup Green Cabbage, finely chopped
2  cups  Green Cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons
3 TB  Soy Sauce
1 TB  Sugar
1 tsp  Sesame Oil
8  Large Egg Roll Wrappers
10  Medium Shrimp, cooked, cooled and minced
Canola Oil

In a large skillet, heat the oil.  Add ginger, garlic and green onion and saute 3 minutes.  Add the carrot and cabbage mixture to the skillet, stir and saute 2 minutes.  Add the soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, stir to combine and heat until the cabbage just begins to soften.  Add the shrimp and cook 2 minutes longer, then remove skillet from heat.

Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes, so it is cool enough to work with.  Place an egg roll wrapper on a cutting board in a diamond shape and spoon about 3 tablespoons of the filling into the center.  Dab a little cold water around the edges of the wrapper, fold up the bottom corner, then the sides, then roll to seal.   Add another dab of water, if needed, to seal the edges, but not too much or the rolls will be soggy.

Using a heavy skillet, over medium-high heat add 1/4 inch of canola oil.  When the oil is hot, carefully add the egg rolls in a single layer, leaving space between the egg rolls.  Cook 4 minutes or until golden on the bottom, then turn, repeating as necessary to brown on all sides.  Remove egg rolls from pan when browned and place on paper towels to drain.  Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Egg Roll Sauce

1/4 cup  Soy Sauce
1/4 cup  Rice Vinegar
2 TB  Honey
1 tsp  Sesame Oil
1/4 tsp  Red Pepper Flakes

Combine in a bowl and serve.  To adjust the flavor, add a bit more honey for more sweetness or more red pepper flakes if you like more spice.

How Do You Cook a Standing Rib (Prime Rib) Roast?

Serving a Prime Rib Roast to your guests may seem overwhelming, but it is actually a very simple meal. When buying the roast, allow 1 rib per 2 people, so a 3-rib roast will serve 6 people and a 4-rib will serve 8. Don't buy smaller than the 3-rib roast for best results. 

Cook a Standing Rib (Prime Rib) Roast using a Searing Method

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast should stand at room temperature for 1 to 1 1/2 hours if possible. In foil lined baking pan place roast rib side down. Season generously with Kosher salt and fresh black pepper. For extra flavor, rub roast with a cut fresh garlic clove before seasoning. Insert meat thermometer in center of roast without touching the bone. Do not cover and do not add liquid.

Roast, uncovered 25 minutes, then reduce heat to 300F. (To bring the temperature down quickly, leave oven down open slightly for a few minutes.) Continue roasting to desired doneness. The roast will continue to cook slightly after removing from the oven, so be careful not to overcook.

Transfer roast to a platter and let rest for 5 - 10 mintues. To carve, use a long, thin and very sharp knife to cut the roast away from the bones. Slice roast into steaks. The inside cuts will be most rare and end cuts will be more medium to well.  Serve with Au Jus and Horseradish Sauce.

A Twist on Texas-Style Chili - No Beans, No Tomatoes

This is our version of classic Texas-style chili with a combination of both beef and pork, but no beans or tomatoes.  Due to a tomato allergy in the family, we have discovered that you can create an awesome pot of chili, full of spice and flavor, without a single tomato product.  This can be served over spaghetti or on its own. A handful of sharp cheddar cheese or chopped onion makes a great final touch. Enjoy!

   

3 to 3 1/2 pounds Beef Chuck or similar cut, cubed to 1/2 inch (we used bottom round for this batch)
1 pound  Pork Sausage
1 large  Onion, chopped
1/4 cup  Chopped Garlic
2 tsp  Kosher Salt
1 tsp  Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 TB  Garlic Powder
1 TB  Onion Powder
3 TB  Ground Cumin
1 TB  Mexican Oregano
1/3 cup  Chili Powder
4 cups  Beef Broth
1 cup  Red Wine (or water, but the wine will tenderize a cheaper cut of meat and add great flavor)
2 - 3 TB  Yellow Cornmeal, optional

In a large soup pot, brown off the pork sausage and drain.  Add the onions and garlic to the sausage and saute for about 5 minutes until onions are softened, but not browned.
Add the beef, salt and pepper and cook uncovered, stirring often, until meat is not longer pink, about 10 - 15 minutes.
When meat is browned, add the remaining ingredients, except the cornmeal.  Bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours, adding additional water if the chili becomes too dry.
Taste to adjust the seasonings, and cook 30 minutes longer, until the meat is very tender.
If you like your chili thicker, sprinkle a few tablespoons of cornmeal into the chili, stirring constantly.  Simmer 5 - 10 minutes longer and serve.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a yummy soup for a cold weeknight dinner.  The prep time is only about 20 minutes using precooked chicken. The combination of chicken, chilies, black beans and spices create a filling but healthy soup.  

Just a side health note on black beans, which are sometimes called turtle beans, these little treasures are high in everything your body needs: folate, protein, fiber, magnesium and B1.  Black beans are also high in the antioxidant anthocyanins, which is also found in cranberries and grapes. 

3 cups  Chicken, cooked and diced or shredded

1 15 oz can  Diced Tomatoes

1 4.5 oz can  Diced Green Chilies

1  Green Pepper, diced

1  Red Pepper, diced

1 TB  Olive Oil

1  Large Onion, diced

4  Garlic Cloves, minced

1 TB  Chili Powder

1/2 tsp  Paprika

1 tsp  Garlic Powder

1 tsp  Onion Powder

1/2 tsp  Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 tsp  Dried Oregano

1 1/2 tsp  Ground Cumin

1 1/2 tsp  Kosher Salt

1 1/2 tsp  Freshly Ground Black Pepper

4 cups  Chicken Broth

12 oz  Frozen Corn

1 15 oz can  Black Beans, rinsed and drained

Optional Garnish Items

Grated Mexican Cheese

Sour Cream

Guacamole

Flour or Whole Wheat Tortilla Shells, cut into strips and baked lightly

Lime Wedges

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and peppers and saute for about 5 minutes, or until softened.  Add shredded chicken and all of the dry spices.  Stir to combine.  Add the chicken stock and simmer 5 minutes over low heat.

Next add corn and black beans, reduce heat to low and simmer partly covered for 45 minutes.

If using tortilla shells, cut tortillas with a pizza cutter into strips.  Place on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for 10 minutes or until crispy.

Ladle soup into bowls, add toppings of cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips or a squeeze of lime juice if desired.

Chicken-Barley Soup with Veggies

2 tsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup minced Onion
1 1/2 tsp Garlic, minced
1 pound Boneless / Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp Dried Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
3 14 1/2-ounce cans Chicken Broth (or low-sodium version)
2/3 Quick-Cooking Barley
1/2 cup Frozen Corn
1/2 cup Frozen Peas
1 TB chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Green Onions Chopped

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes, until browned on all sides, stirring frequently. Toss in thyme and bay leaves and stir to coat chicken.

Add broth and barley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until barley is tender. Stir in corn and peas and simmer 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Before serving, sprinkle some chopped green onions on the soup.  Serves 4.

Note: This is a very versatile recipe. Instead of peas you can use a peas and carrots blend or you could eliminate the chicken and add extra veggies for a vegetarian soup. The barley will add a nutty flavor to the soup and is a great source of healthy good-for-you carbs.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The birthday cake request this year from our youngest was for Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  This is one of my favorite cakes to make because it looks amazing and is super easy to make.  Enjoy!

  

1 box  Pineapple Cake Mix
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup  Brown Sugar
1 20 oz can  Pineapple Rings, drained
Maraschino Cherries for Garnish (about 6 cherries, sliced in half)

On the stovetop, using a large stainless skillet, melt the butter and add brown sugar, heating over low heat until blended and smooth.  Remove from heat.

Place about 6 - 7 pineapple rings in an even layer on the bottom of the skillet.  Place a cherry, sliced side up, inside of each ring.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions and pour batter over the pineapple rings.

Place skillet in oven and bake about 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Allow to cool 15 minutes. Using a small knife, carefully loosen the cake from the edges, if needed, and invert cake onto a serving tray (a round pizza pan works great for this).  Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Rosemary Chicken

I found this recipe in Food Network magazine and could not wait to try it.  I did adjust the recipe (as usual) so we can get 5 servings out of it and being that we live in tiny-town...there were no cremini mushrooms in sight, so I had to settle for portobellos. 

The flavor of the garlic and lemon on the potatoes was wonderful, but I think next time I would leave out the mushrooms. (It might have better flavor with the creminis though.)  I served this with oven-roasted Garlic Asparagus, and all of the flavors blended really well. Very easy dinner for such an amazing taste.

8  Small Red Potatoes, halved
2  sprigs of Fresh Rosemary (actually had this in the garden)
2  cloves Garlic, smashed
1 tsp  Red Pepper Flakes
Juice of 2 Lemons (save the squeezed halves)
3 TB  Olive Oil
5  Skin-On and Bone-In Chicken Breasts
10 oz  Portobello Mushrooms (or creminis, if you can find them)

Preheat oven to 450.  Cover potatoes with water in medium saucepan, add 1/2 tsp salt and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes;  drain and set aside.
On a cutting board combine rosemary leaves from 1 spring, garlic, 2 tsp kosher salt and the red pepper flakes.  Mince well to combine. 
Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add the juice of 1 lemon plus 2 TB  olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, skin-side down.  Cover and cook about 12 - 15 minutes until the skin side browns.  Turn the chicken and add the mushrooms and potatoes to the skillet and drizzle with the juice of the remaining lemon.  Add the rosemary springs and the squeezed lemon halves to the skillet.  Place the skillet in the oven and roast uncovered until the chicken is cooked thru and the skin is crisp about 25 - 30 minutes.

Salsa Verde Chicken Salad

We grow our own green chilies and use them to make homemade "chili sauce". Green chilies, a little vinegar, and salt and pepper make a delicious, but simple chili sauce. I recently found a new product called Salsa Verde from Pace. Made with tomatillos and jalapenos, this sauce adds a tasty kick to chicken salad. (Even better, this salsa packs a lot of flavor with only 15 calories in 2 tablespoons.) Serve with Fruit Kabobs.

6 (4 oz) Chicken Breasts, cooked and diced into small bite-sized pieces
4 Eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1/4 cup Salsa Verde ( I love the Pace brand)
1/4 cup Light Miracle Whip (can also use fat-free or regular)
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and adjust salt and pepper to taste. You might like to add more salsa for more spice. Spoon onto whole wheat buns for a light and tasty dinner.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1 pound Beef Boneless Sirloin or Round Steak, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dash White Pepper
1 pound Broccoli, cut into flowerets (about 4 cups)
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
6 cloves Garlic, pressed
1 tsp Ginger Root, finely chopped
1 (8 oz) can Sliced Bamboo Shoots, drained

Toss beef with salt and pepper, and a dash of white pepper.

Heat a little over an inch of water in a saucepan and place broccoli in the boiling water; heat to boiling. Cover and cook 2 minutes to blanch the broccoli. The broccoli should be bright green. Immediately rinse with cold water; drain and set aside.

In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix cornstarch and soy sauce, then stir in sesame oil and broth.

In a wok or skillet, heat your oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and ginger root and stir for a few seconds. Quickly add bamboo shoots, then stir in the beef and broccoli and cook until beef is done.

Last, add the cornstarch mixture; cooking and stirring for about 30 seconds or until thickened.  Serve on top of brown or white rice or noodles.

This is a really great wok. Easy to use and easy to clean up.

Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise

When you were little and your parents told you fish was brain food, they were right! Recent studies show that people who eat fish at least once a week have a lowered risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.  This is a delicious high-protein meal packed with healthy veggies and a light dressing.

1 lb fresh Tuna Steaks, cut 1 inch thick
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1⁄3 cup White Wine Vinegar
2 TB Drained Capers
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Dijon-Style Mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 lb Small Red Potatoes
8 oz Green Beans, trimmed
1/2 cup Red Onion, cut into wedges (1 medium onion)
2 small heads Boston or Bibb (butter) lettuce, rinsed and cored
8 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
3 Hard-Booked organic eggs
1/3 cup Niçoise Olives or Pitted Kalamata Olives

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Set fish aside.

Prepare Caper Vinaigrette: In a screw-top jar combine olive oil, vinegar, drained capers, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Cover and shake well. Remove 1⁄3 cup to use as marinade. Cover remaining vinaigrette and set aside.

Place fish in a shallow dish; drizzle with the 1⁄3 cup vinaigrette. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, peel a strip around the center of each potato; place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add green beans; simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more or until potatoes and beans are tender. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Set aside.

Drain fish, reserving marinade. For a charcoal grill, grill fish on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, carefully turning and brushing with marinade halfway through grilling. If desired, place onion wedges and cooked potatoes on grill for the last half of grill time. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Discard any remaining marinade.

Using 2 forks, flake the tuna into pieces. Cut eggs into halves. Line a serving platter or individual plates with lettuce leaves. Arrange fish, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, onion, eggs and olives on lettuce. Drizzle with remaining Caper Vinaigrette.

Makes 4 servings.

Pumpkin Pie Shake

15 oz  Canned Pumpkin - 1 can (not pie mix)
1/4 cup  Raw Cashews
1/4 cup  Low-Fat Milk, (or Vanilla Soy Milk)
2 TB  Maple Syrup
1/4 cup  Chai Tea Concentrate
2 TB  Milk Creamer (or Soy)
2  Dashes Cinnamon
2  Dashes Nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 cups ice (or for a treat, coconut water ice cubes)
Optional: 1/2  Frozen Banana, Pinch of Flax Seed Oil/Meal for added nutrition

Add all your ingredients, except the ice, to the blender.

Blend on high until smooth. The pumpkin will make this smoothie thick, so be patient while blending. Add a bit more milk if needed.

Keep blending and slowly add in the ice. Make sure it blends icy-smooth! Again, if you need to add a bit more liquid, do it gradually. You can always do a taste test before pouring and modify as needed to suit your own tastes.

If desired, for extra flavor and nutrition, add a few extra cashews.  Pour into glasses, and sprinkle with cinnamon on top. Makes 2 - 3 servings.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Many people only use Pumpkin in the fall months and they are missing out on a delicious and healthy treat. Pumpkin can be used in smoothies, breads, soups or these yummy pancakes. While very low in calories, Pumpkin is rich in potassium, magnesium and iron plus the antioxidant beta-carotene.

1 1/2 cups  Milk
1 cup  Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
2 TB  Vegetable Oil
2 cups  Flour
3 TB  Brown Sugar
2 tsp  Baking Powder
1 tsp  Baking Soda
1 tsp  Ground Allspice
1 tsp  Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp  Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp  Salt
Oil, as needed, for grilling pancakes

In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, and oil. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a separate bowl. Then stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.


Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve with warm maple syrup.

Creole Salmon Patties with Fresh Salmon

This is another delicious recipe for salmon patties, but it is made using fresh salmon instead of canned.

2 cups Fresh Salmon, flaked, skin and bones removed
1 cup Saltine Cracker Crumbs
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 -2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning, to taste
1/4 cup Milk

Canola Oil for frying

Begin with the flaked salmon in a large mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients through the Old Bay, putting the milk in last. You want the mixture to be moist as it needs to be a little sticky to form the patties. You can add a splash more milk, if needed. (Do not let the mixture get runny.)  Form mixture into hamburger-sized patties and sprinkle each side of the patties with Old Bay Seasoning, then place the patties on a plate.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to the pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.  Heat briefly, and then add the patties to the pan. Brown about 3 minutes on each side, until golden. (Note: Only flip the patties once during cooking.) Serve immediately with cocktail sauce or a light lemon-dill sauce.

Makes about 5 patties.  Leftovers make great sandwiches!

Low Country Shrimp Boil

Low-Country Boil? Frogmore Stew? Beaufort Stew? Shrimp Boil? The name given to this delicious meal will likely depend on your region, as each area of the country has its own name for this combination meal of seafood, potatoes, corn on the cob and kielbasa.  Regardless of the name you are most familiar with, this hearty meal is a family favorite, and nothing tastes more like summer than a huge pot of boiling seafood.  As a bonus, since this is a fairly messy meal, the kids seem to love it even more.

The main ingredients are adjustable according to your personal preferences. Add a little more shrimp or a little less crab or kielbasa, just add each ingredient to the pot in the same order, so all of the foods are cooked through, and finish cooking at the same time.

This recipe serves 10-12 adults.  Serve with lemon wedges, lots of napkins and a big bowl in the middle of the table so everyone can discard the empty shells.  Enjoy!!

 

 

 

Old Bay Seasoning, to taste ( we use approx. 1/3 cup for a large pot)
1 Whole Lemon
1 TB Tabasco Hot Sauce, more or less to taste
3 - 4 pounds small Red Potatoes, scrubbed, cut in half
3 (16 ounce) packages cooked Kielbasa, cut into 1 inch pieces
8 - 10 ears Fresh Corn, husks and silks removed, ears cut in half
5 pounds King Crab Legs, broken pieces work best (can substitute Snow Crabs, just use what is in season)
5 pounds fresh Shrimp, deveined, peeled or unpeeled

Heat a very large pot of water using an outdoor turkey pot, or over medium-high heat indoors. Add Old Bay and Tabasco to the pot, then squeeze the lemon juice into the pot and then place the whole lemon in the pot and bring to a boil.

Add potatoes and sausage, cook for about 10 minutes. Add the corn and crab; cook for another 5 minutes, then add the shrimp when everything else is almost done, and cook for another 3 - 5 minutes.

Drain off the water and pour the contants into large servings bowls. Be sure to have 2 -3 large empty bowls on the table to discard crab and shrimp shells. Serve with ice cold beer and lots of napkins.

Tarragon Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs are an American favorite for any picnic. There are an endless array of recipes for these tasty little appetizers from basic to fancy and mild to spicy. Try Firecracker Deviled Eggs, Deviled Eggs with Pepper & Horseradish, or Pesto Deviled Eggs for a new twist.

This recipe uses French Tarragon, a delicate herb which has a slightly anise-type flavor. You might also find Russian Tarragon plants which have a more mild flavor.  Many grocery stores now carry fresh herbs in the produce section.

 

Tarragon Deviled Eggs and Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs

 

6-8 Large Eggs (I like the eggs generously filled, so I usually boil one or two extra for extra yolks)

1 tsp finely minced fresh Tarragon, plus a bit more for garnish
1 tsp White Wine Vinegar
3 TB Mayonnaise (regular or low - fat)
2 tsp Dijon Mustard

While eggs are cooling, blend together the tarragon and vinegar. Mix in mayo and Dijon mustard, and let this mixture sit while the eggs are cooling.

When eggs are fully cooled, carefully cut in half lengthwise and remove yolks to a bowl. Mash yolks well with a fork, then mix in tarragon/mustard/mayo mixture. You can fill the eggs with a spoon, or put the mixture in a plastic bag, cut off one small corner, and squeeze the yolk mixture into the egg white halves. Garnish finished eggs with chopped fresh tarragon, if desired.