Barbecue For Real

2011-09-18T18:16:00.011-04:00

Buttermilk Bread (or Pizza) Dough

Buttermilk is one of my favorite baking ingredients. So I figured, why not try using it in a bread/pizza dough? This is still a yeast-leavened dough, so some minor procedure adjustments had to be made.

The Ingredients

* 3 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer unbleached), plus more for dusting/kneading
* 1 cup buttermilk. Use store-bought buttermilk, or make your own; recipe follows.
* 2 Tablespoons water
* 2 Tablespoons melted butter, margarine, or extra-virgin olive oil (DEFINITELY use the olive oil if this is meant to be pizza dough)

* 1/3 packet of active dry yeast
* 1 Tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt

(Make your own buttermilk: add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup. Add whole milk to bring the total volume up to 1 cup. Stir with a fork to combine, and allow mixture to sit, covered, at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Mixture will curdle and thicken. This is normal!)

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Use a wire whisk to combine.

In a small bowl or cup, combine the yeast, water, sugar, and about 1 teaspoon of flour. Use a fork to blend well.

Next, add the melted butter or oil to the flour (I'm using melted butter). Do not stir it in.

Next, add the buttermilk; using a rubber spatula, stir to combine.

When most of the moisture has been absorbed, add the yeast mixture.

Use your rubber spatula to combine everything as thoroughly as possible.

Dust your kneading surface with flour, and dump the dough onto the surface. You'll have what we baker-types call a "shaggy mass".

Knead the dough--adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking--until it comes together and is smooth, elastic, and shiny; at least 10 minutes' worth of vigorous kneading. Roll the dough into a tight, smooth ball, about the size of a softball.

Spray the inside of your mixing bowl (the same one you used to make the dough) with non-stick spray, or coat it with vegetable oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl, and roll it/flip it around, so it's coated with oil. (Note: do not spray the dough directly with cooking spray. The alcohol in the propellant can kill the yeast)

Cover the bowl with a towel, and leave it somewhere to rise, undisturbed (at room temperature) for at least 2 hours, up to 4 hours.

When the dough has doubled in volume, dump it out of the bowl onto your work surface. There will probably not be any need for more dusting flour, but have some nearby, just in case.

Knead the dough, turning frequently, to break down air bubbles, and work the moisture back into the dough. Knead vigorously for about 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a tight ball...you should end up with a very smooth ball.

Put the dough back into the mixing bowl (no need for oil this time), and tuck plastic wrap all over and around the dough. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours; the dough will rise a little bit more, but the cold will keep the yeast from getting too aggressive.

Remove the dough from the fridge, and dump it onto your work surface. Roll the dough into a roughly cylindrical shape.

Cut the dough into 2 (approximately) equal portions. Each portion will make one 10-to-12 inch pizza. Or, you can cut it even further, and bake it into bread or rolls:

Wrap the dough you're not immediately using very tightly in plastic. You can store it in the fridge for 4 or 5 days; if you need to store it longer, it will freeze nicely for a couple of months.

2011-09-11T17:13:00.002-04:00

Sam's Birthday Cake!

Sam's birthday is September 12th, and I decided to try something new...my first-ever ice cream cake. What can I say...she's worth it!

I started working on it on Thursday, the 8th; I knew there were steps involved.

First, I had to bake some cake. I made a pretty basic white chiffon cake--flour, sugar, egg whites, milk, and vegetable oil. I kicked them up a bit with some lemon zest and freshly-ground ginger. Two layers, about 7 inches in diameter.

The following day, I lined one of those same cake pans with plastic, and filled it with strawberry ice cream (Sam's favorite). I put it back into the freezer, to allow it to get thoroughly hardened.

Next, the frosting. I wanted to keep it basic, so I made a cream cheese frosting, with confectioners sugar, Greek yogurt, and a little more lemon zest. I also added a teaspoon or so of strawberry jam, to give it a faint pink color.

I trimmed the cake layers, making sure they were perfectly flat (they weren't, but so what?). I layered the ice cream between the cake layers, and applied a crumb coat of my frosting. The cake then went back into the freezer for a couple of hours, to allow the crumb coat to solidify.
The crumb-coated cake:

I decorated the cake with "Gummi" strawberries, and strawberry-flavored Jelly Belly jelly beans. The little rabbit on top is actually a garden decoration--he's made of ceramic!

The finished product:

Happy birthday, Sam. I love you!

2011-08-17T19:52:00.007-04:00

Grillin' Pizza!

Yeah, yeah...sorry. I have a life, and I can't be doing this blog thing every day.
The Good News is, I've been working with pizza, on the grill, and the results have been spectacular!
I've essentially perfected the method; the details (toppings, sauces) are really kind of secondary. Freshly-made pizza, and no firing up the oven!

The Dough
A very basic yeast-leavened bread dough, and the procedure is exactly like making bread:

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup water, at room temperature
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon more for brushing
* 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

The Toppings

Any type of sauce, shredded/grated cheese, and other toppings you like. Remember, it's pizza, so anything goes!

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.

In a measuring cup, combine the water with the sugar; when sugar is dissolved, add the yeast; whisk to combine. Allow the water/yeast/sugar mixture to rest for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the olive oil to the flour/salt; immediately pour in the water/yeast mixture (by now, it should be foamy). Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture together. When the mixture takes on a "shaggy" consistency, turn it out onto a floured kneading surface. Knead for at least 10 minutes., adding bench flour as necessary. When done, roll dough into a smooth ball, and place in a lightly-oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and place bowl in refrigerator for AT LEAST 3 hours to allow it to rise; overnight would be even better.

After dough has risen, "punch down" the dough, and divide it into halves (again, standard bread-making procedure). Wrap one half tightly with plastic wrap (refrigerate for later use). Roll the remaining half into a tight ball, then flatten the dough into a circle (or whatever shape you like), using a rolling pin or your hands. The dough should be about 1/4-inch thick throughout.

Place the dough onto a foil-lined baking sheet, and use a fork to "dock" the dough all over. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil, and place the baking sheet in the freezer. Leave the dough in the freezer for at least one hour.

When ready to grill: light your grill (high heat), and thoroughly clean your grill-grates using a wire brush. Allow the grill to warm up, then flip the dough (oiled-side down) onto the grill. Immediately turn grill temperature to low, and allow dough to cook for 4 minutes.

After 4 minutes, brush the top of the dough with olive oil. Now you'll want to flip the dough. If you're not fortunate enough to have a pizza peel, you can use 2 metal spatulas, or (if you're very bold) your fingers. Use as quick & smooth a motion as you can; the most important thing is DON'T DROP THE DOUGH. Once the dough is flipped, you can "finesse" it so it's centered properly on the grill.

Immediately add your sauce, toppings, and cheese (I recommended adding the cheese last). Close the grill cover, and allow to cook for 5 minutes (no peeking). After 5 minutes, check that the cheese has melted, at least partially. If necessary, close the lid for another 3 minutes, then check again.

When the cheese has begun to melt well, close the lid and turn off the grill--you don't want to char the bottom of the crust. Leave the pizza inside the grill (lid closed) for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Slide the pizza onto your baking sheet, for easy carrying. Slice and enjoy!

2011-04-12T18:50:00.006-04:00

Made these for my fiancée and I, for our New Year's Day brunch.
A little on the messy side (dough is REALLY sticky), but worth the effort!
I love you, Sam!

Fresh Fruit Scones

Ingredients:

= 2 cups all-purpose flour

= 1/3 cup granulated sugar

= 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, FROZEN

= 1/2 cup sour cream, buttermilk, or plain (unflavored) yogurt

= 1 egg, at room temperature

= 1 teaspoon baking powder

= 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

= 1/2 teaspoon salt

= 1/2 cup diced, fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, apples, etc). Diced fruit should be laid out on paper towels and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes prior to mixing scones, to allow fruit to dry slightly

= additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour, for dusting

Place oven rack in lower/middle of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Use whisk to combine.

Using a cheese grater, shred frozen butter into flour mixture; use fingertips to work butter into flour. If necessary, work in stages so that butter remains frozen. Mixture should resemble coarse meal (small, granular clumps) when finished. Gently fold in diced fruit.

In another bowl, whisk together sour cream (or buttermilk or yogurt) and egg.

Using a fork, stir egg mixture into flour mixture. When mixture become thick, use hands to thoroughly combine. Mixture will be very sticky!

Flour a smooth work surface, and roll dough out into a circle, about 8 inches in diameter, and about 3/4" thick. Cut dough into approximately 8 equal-sized triangles (or into whatever shape you like).

Place scones on a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until scones are slightly puffed and light, golden brown.

Serve with butter or jelly/preserves.

2010-03-27T18:28:00.005-04:00

Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

Yep, I've been baking again!

This time, I've (only very slightly) modified a recipe I got from my friend Claire. The slight modification is the inclusion of hazelnut-flavored instant coffee.

(The Dry Ingredients)

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 3/4 cup cocoa powder

* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg (optional)

(The Wet Ingredients)

* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

* 1 cup white sugar

* 1 cup brown sugar

* 2 eggs

* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

(The Rest)

* about 48 chocolate-coated candies, such as Rolos or miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to use (but do NOT freeze). Also, remember to remove all wrapping/paper from the candies!

* 2 tablespoons white sugar, plus 1 teaspoon hazelnut-flavored instant coffee crystals, combined. Set aside until later.

Combine dry ingredients in bowl, and whisk to blend thoroughly.

In another large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly combined.

Add dry mixture to wet mixture; use a spatula to fold ingredients together. When dry ingredients have moistened, beat until mixture is smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Portion dough into 1-tablespoon portions (it's best to use a small scoop for this, to ensure uniformity). Wrap each portion of dough around one of the small candies, making sure to thoroughly surround the candy. Next, roll each dough ball around in the sugar/instant coffee mixture.

Place cookies on baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 for about 7 to 10 minutes. When done baking, allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before removing.

2010-03-01T23:53:00.006-05:00

Grilled Chicken Wings with Spicy/Garlicky Barbecue Sauce

Since it's officially March---and therefore officially Spring---I decided to whip up some grilled chicken wings.

Basically, I used about a pound and a half of chicken wing segments---the wings are cut into "drumette" and "flat" portions, and the wing tips are removed. I steamed the wings for about 25 minutes, so they're thoroughly cooked. I wrapped them up and stowed them away in the fridge for a couple of hours (I wasn't ready to eat just yet).

For the sauce, I used a mixture of my barbecue sauce (any BBQ sauce will do), and my favorite hot pepper sauce---one half-cup of each. I also melted 3 tablespoons of butter, to which I added 2 teaspoons of finely-minced garlic (about 2 cloves). I whisked everything together, and my Spicy/Garlicky Barbecue Sauce was ready.

When I decided it was dinnertime, I threw the wings onto a medium-hot grill, which I'd thoroughly coated with non-stick spray. I grilled them for a total of about 20 minutes, flipping them every 5 minutes or so

In a large bowl, I tossed the cooked wings in the sauce until everything was thoroughly coated.

In the Classic "Buffalo" style, I served them with celery and some bleu cheese dressing.

2010-02-20T10:24:00.004-05:00

Yep, I've been baking again. Here's a slight modification on a popular cookie recipe:

Dark Chocolate-White Chocolate Chip Cookies

(the wet ingredients)

*1 cup butter (2 sticks)
*3/4 cup granulated sugar
*3/4 cup dark brown sugar
*2 eggs
*2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
*zest of 1 medium-sized orange, grated**

(the dry ingredients)

*2 cups all-purpose flour
*2/3 cup cocoa powder
*3/4 teaspoon baking soda
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 12-ounce package of good-quality white chocolate chips (I like Nestlés)
*(optional--1/2 cup chopped nuts)

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Use a wire whisk to thoroughly blend.

In a separate bowl, combine butter and sugars. Beat (medium speed) until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add eggs, vanilla and orange zest to butter mixture; beat (medium speed) until everything is combined.

Add dry mixture to wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold mixture several times, until dry ingredients are moistened. Then beat (medium-high speed) to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Add white chocolate chips (and nuts, if desired) and beat (medium speed) until everything is thoroughly combined. Cover dough with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour, to allow dough to firm up.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet (dough balls are about 1 ounce each). Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies are just set.

Transfer baking sheet from oven to cooling rack; allow cookies to cool on sheet for about 5 minutes. Remove cookies from sheet to cooling rack, and allow cookies to cool on rack for at least an additional 5 minutes.

(**the zest is technically optional, but I wouldn't omit it)

Makes about 4 dozen.

2009-08-24T18:22:00.005-04:00

Herbs, Herbs, Herbs!

As usual, I have an abundance of fresh herbs, particularly sage. Fortunately, sage is one of the best herbs when it comes to drying.

(Note the dried cayenne and serrano peppers dangling there, too)==========>

Parsley is another herb that seems to grow and grow, and I really hate to let any of it go to waste.

I rinse it, then hang it from the cabinets above the sink; the water drains naturally, and the parsley remains intact. It only takes a week or so for it to dry out completely.

2009-08-12T23:45:00.010-04:00

Stuff you Never Knew you could Grill

Add cucumbers to the list! Cukes are great raw, with nothing added to them. But you can grill cucumbers, and use the grilled cukes in a variety of ways.

First, you peel the cuke. Split it lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop the seeds out.

Leave the cucumber halves intact at this point. Put the halves into a sealable plastic bag, and add about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. "Squish" the bag around to thoroughly coat the cucumber, being careful not to break the cucumber.

Grill the cucumber halves over medium-high heat, for about 5 minutes per side, until you've achieved grill marks.

Remove from grill, and allow to cool. At this point you could eat them as-is, add them to other grilled vegetables, or use them in any number of recipes.

2009-08-12T21:09:00.009-04:00

Budweiser Barbecue Sauce

A word about a new product line, just recently available in my neighborhood: Budweiser Barbecue Sauces.

There are three varieties of BBQ sauce avaialable: Honey variety, Smoked variety, and the "regular" stuff. I chose to try the "regular" and work from there. Let me tell you, it's extremely delicious stuff!

If you know me at all, you know I don't endorse, suggest, or prefer any commercial brand of ANYTHING. But in the case of Budweiser Barbecue Sauce, I'm willing to go out on a limb. It's one of the best (store-bought) sauces I've ever tried, and I'm not the only one who thinks so:

http://www.bbqreport.com/archives/barbecue/2006/06/24/budweiser-barbecue-sauce

It tastes like something I'd make myself. That says a lot!

2009-08-08T17:48:00.016-04:00

Sesame Grilled Tuna with Honey-Garlic Glaze

Ingredients

* 1 tuna loin steak per person, about 1/2 to 2/3 pound each

* 1 tablespoon soy sauce

* 1 tablespoon honey

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (don't use olive oil)

* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

* 2 teaspoons lemon juice

* 1 large clove fresh garlic, minced (or 2 small cloves)

* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)

* a few grinds of black pepper

* about 1/2 cup sesame seeds

* (optional) a few drops of sesame seed oil

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except tuna and sesame seeds. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready for use.

When ready to grill, heat your grill to medium-high.

Dump the 1/2 cup sesame seeds into a shallow pan (I used a pie pan). Dry the tuna steak/s on a paper towel, then press each side of the steak into the sesame seeds.

Grill the steak/s for 3 to 4 minutes per side (this can vary a bit, depending on the thickness of the tuna, the temperature of your grill, etc.)

I like to go for medium-rare to medium doneness

Remove the tuna from the grill, and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes, so the juices can redistribute. You could cover it loosely in aluminum foil, or do what I do: stow it away in the microwave oven.

To serve, use addtional soy sauce for dipping, if desired.

2009-08-08T01:58:00.007-04:00

Lentil Chili...a Work in Progress

Last night, I had a hankering for chili-dogs. I had no chili in the house, and the only beans I had on hand were dried black beans. Dried beans weren't much help, because I wanted to eat TODAY.

I remembered the dried lentils I had in my cupboard, so I simmered some in a little water, combined with a splash of beer, a bay leaf, and crushed garlic. After about 15 minutes, the lentils had softened to the point where they were usable.

I drained the lentils, then returned them to the pot with some tomato sauce (made from my own tomatoes, thank you very much), some finely-diced jalapenos (also from my garden), some store-bought chili powder, and a little extra cumin.

I threw in some other stuff---a crushed, dried chipotle pepper, some butter, some fresh garlic, and salt & pepper---and let the whole works simmer for about 20 minutes (uncovered), until it thickened.

It was absolutely awesome as a hot dog topping, and with a little work, I bet it could work as a "whole meal in a bowl". I'll have to write things down, step-by-step, and get back to you with the recipe.

2009-07-24T20:20:00.019-04:00

Spicy Guava-Glazed Pork

I found a cut of pork called an eye round, presumably from the middle/back of the hog.

I've never used it before, but it seems to have the same characteristics as a loin fillet...high surface-to-mass ratio, and low fat content. So I knew I'd have to brine or marinate it (I chose to brine) to retain flavor and moisture.

(The Brine): 1 quart water
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (cider vinegar will work, too)
about 10 fresh sage leaves, torn
2 cloves fresh garlic, whole, skin on

Mix ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Add the pork, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 12 hours/overnight. When done, remove pork to a plate or platter until ready to grill.

(The Glaze): 1 1/2 cups guava nectar (I used Guava/Pineapple nectar)
2 small (or 1 large) yellow banana peppers
2 jalapeno peppers
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon Bourbon (optional)
1 small, dried Chipotle pepper (optional)
1 large bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme, bundled with cotton string (image--->)

1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 to 4 fresh sage leaves
salt & pepper to taste

(The Method): finely mince the fresh peppers and the garlic. Combine all ingredients, except for the sage, in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and allow to simmer until the mixture becomes thick, like a syrup (45 minutes to 1 hour). When mixture has reduced, finely mince sage and add to saucepan; simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and allow mixture to cool.

(The Grilling): Spray grill liberally with non-stick spray, then preheat grill to medium-high.
Throw the pork onto the grill, and cook for about 10 minutes (all times are approximate), until grill-marks are achieved. Using metal tongs, turn the pork over, and grill for an additional 6 to 10 minutes

The "target" temperature is about 155 degrees...

...at which point, "carryover" will make sure your pork is fully cooked.

When the pork is up to temperature, reduce grill heat and brush on glaze

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn pork over and brush other side with glaze. Allow to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, then remove to plate or platter. Allow the pork to rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

2009-07-23T21:28:00.005-04:00

Garden Update!!

Things are coming along nicely in the garden.

I finally broke down and purchased a digital camera, and I've been going kind of nuts playing with it!

2009-05-22T20:00:00.019-04:00

Asian-Style Grilled Hot Wings

Hoo-boy, here we go! I've been working on this for a few hours, but I think I may have nailed it:

Asian-Style Grilled Hot Wings

The chicken:

about 2 pounds of chicken wings, or about 2 pounds of assorted chicken pieces, cut up

The rest:

1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
1/4 cup chili-garlic sauce (I recommend Sriracha)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 to 3 jalapeno peppers (or other hot peppers of your choice), minced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Pre-cook chicken, either by steaming or poaching. If steaming, bring water to a boil and steam chicken for 15-20 minutes. If poaching, cover chicken in cold water, add 1 tablespoon salt, one whole clove of garlic (intact), and and one or two bay leaves. Bring gradually to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes. When chicken is done, remove to a plate or platter lined with paper towel. Allow chicken to cool, then wrap and store in refrigerator until ready for grilling.

The Sauce:

In a small (at least 1 quart) saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the minced jalapeno, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant.

Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the barbecue sauce, chili-garlic sauce, and remaining butter. Allow the buter to melt, then stir to combine. Cover sauce, and allow to cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir sauce again, cover, and remove from heat.

Spray your grill with a liberal amount of non-stick spray, or use a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to coat your grill. Heat the grill to medium-high, and arrange chicken pieces evenly. Cook for about 5 minutes, and flip chicken pieces. Cook another 5 minutes, and check for crispness/grill marks on the skin. If desired, cook chicken pieces for another 2 to 3 minutes per side, if you like extra-crispy skin. Remove chicken from grill to a food-storage container with a snap-on lid, or to a large mixing bowl.

Pour sauce over chicken; snap lid onto container, and gently turn and toss to evenly coat chicken in sauce. If you're using a mixing bowl, carefully toss chicken to coat, or use a rubber spatula to gently fold chicken into sauce.

Plate up and serve!

2009-05-22T18:09:00.004-04:00

SPRING SPRING SPRING!

Hi everybody!

Yep, it's Springtime once again. Today, I (almost) finished putting in my garden---there are still a few items (like my favorite, Brussels sprouts) that I haven't been able to get yet. But I have put down assorted peppers (jalapenos, orange bells, and yellow wax, to name a few), some tomatoes, some cukes, some zucchini, and assorted herbs. My thyme, sage and Greek oregano all came back this year, and so did a couple of strawberry plants---I have about a dozen strawberries nearly ready-to-eat. Some new pics of the garden will be coming shortly.

Moments from now, I'll be grilling some par-cooked chicken wings (got a good deal on the wings this afternoon). I'm going to do a barbecue-based, Buffalo style sauce....we'll see how that goes.

2009-01-15T13:51:00.005-05:00

Bacon-N-Eggs Cookies

Happy New Year, everybody! With the Central Pennsylvania weather being so cold, I have NO problem turning on the oven. Frequently.

Over the holidays, I started to get a little sick of the standard, sweet-and-gooey baked goods that everybody gave and received. So I baked several batches of my Bacon-N-Eggs cookies to give away to friends and family. Let me warn you: they're NOT your typical cookie.

=2 to 4 slices slab bacon (or 3 to 4 slices thin bacon)
=2 cups all-purpose flour
=1 cup (about 4 ounces by weight) shredded cheddar
=1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
=1 whole egg
=2 teaspoons baking powder
=1 egg yolk
=2 tablespoons heavy cream
=1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
=1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or more, to taste)
=small pinch salt

Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, until quite crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain and cool. When bacon is cooled, crumble into small bits.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cheddar, butter, whole egg, baking powder, salt, pepper and heavy cream. Beat until just combined. At this point, if you're using an electric mixer, the motor will begin to strain. Add the bacon pieces to the bowl, and using your hands, knead the dough until everything is well-incorporated.

Roll the dough into a log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap log in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, to allow dough to firm up.

When the dough is firm, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg yolk with Worcestershire. Cut dough into disks, between 1/4 and 3/8 inch thick, and arrange on a cookie sheet lined with parchment (or greased). Brush tops of cookies with egg yolk/Worcestershire mixture. Bake for 7 minutes, then rotate cookie sheet 180 degrees and bake an additional 8 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes before removing.

2008-11-20T18:25:00.005-05:00

That Time of the Year

Yep, it's getting to be that time of the year. The snow is beginning to fall, and most of my garden plants have disintegrated into dust. But the Brussels sprouts are still hanging in there!

Simply put, I like my sprouts simply prepared. All I've done here is toss them in a bit of olive oil, and brown them in a (very) hot cast-iron skillet. Another favorite method: I'll toss them with some prepared Italian salad dressing, and stick them under the broiler.

2008-11-08T18:43:00.000-05:00

Here's something I've previously posted on my old 'blog. It's certainly worth posting again here.

The Ten Commandments of Perfect Grilling
by Steven Raichlen

1. BE ORGANIZED. Have everything you need for grilling - the food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings and equipment - on hand and at grillside before you start grilling.
2. GAUGE YOUR FUEL. There's nothing worse than running out of charcoal or gas in the middle of grilling. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals 3 inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you're planning to cook. (A 22 1/2-inch grill needs one chimney's worth of coals.) When cooking on a gas grill, make sure the tank is at least one-third full.
3. PREHEAT THE GRILL TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE. Remember: Grilling is a high heat cooking method, in order to achieve the seared crust, charcoal flavor and handsome grill marks associated with masterpiece grillmanship, you must cook over a high heat. How high? At least 500 degrees F. Although I detail this elsewhere, it is worth repeating: When using charcoal, let it burn until it is covered with a thin coat of gray ash. Hold your hand about 6 inches above the grate. After 3 seconds, the force of the heat should force you to snatch your hand away. When using a gas grill, preheat to high (at least 500 degrees F.); this takes 10 to 15 minutes. When indirect grilling, preheat the grill to 350 F degrees.
4. KEEP IT CLEAN. There's nothing less appetizing than grilling on dirty old burnt bits of food stuck to the grate. Besides, the food will stick to a dirty grate. Clean the grate twice: once after you've preheated the grill and again when you've finished cooking. The first cleaning will remove any bits of food you may have missed after your last grilling session. Use the edge of a metal spatula to scrape off large bits of food, a stiff wire brush to finish scrubbing the grate.
5. KEEP IT LUBRICATED. Oil the grate just before placing the food on top, if necessary (some foods don't require that the grates be oiled). Spray it with oil (away from the flame), use a folded paper towel soaked in oil, or rub it with a piece of fatty bacon, beef fat or chicken skin.
6. TURN, DON'T STAB. The proper way to turn meat on a grill is with tongs or a spatula. Never stab the meat with a carving fork - unless you want to drain the flavor-rich juices onto the coals.
7. KNOW WHEN TO BASTE. Oil-and-vinegar, citrus, and yogurt based bastes and marinades can be brushed on the meat throughout the cooking time. (If you baste with a marinade that you used for raw meat or seafood, do not apply it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.) When using a sugar-based barbecue sauce, apply it towards the end of the cooking time. The sugar in these sauces burns easily and should not be exposed to prolonged heat.
8. KEEP IT COVERED. When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, such as a whole chicken, leg of lamb or prime rib, use the indirect method of grilling or barbecuing. Keep the grill tightly covered and resist the temptation to peek. Every time you lift the lid, you add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.
9. GIVE IT A REST. Beef, steak, chicken - almost anything you grill - will taste better if you let it stand on the cutting board for a few minutes before serving. This allows the meat juices, which have been driven to the center of a roast or steak by the searing heat, to return to the surface. The result is a juicier, tastier piece of meat.
10. NEVER DESERT YOUR POST. Grilling is an easy cooking method, but it demands constant attention. Once you put something on the grill (especially when using the direct method), stay with it until it's cooked. This is not the time to answer the phone, make the salad dressing or mix up a batch of your famous mojitos. Above all, have fun. Remember that grilling isn't brain surgery. And that's the gospel!

2008-10-31T15:27:00.002-04:00

In honor of the season---and the fact that I've got half a dozen jumbo cans of pumpkin---I decided to bake yesterday. These cookies are very moist and cake-like, without being annoyingly sweet.

John’s Pumpkin-Oatmeal Cookies

 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, at room temperature
 1 cup brown sugar, packed
 1 cup granulated (white) sugar
 1 cup prepared pumpkin/pumpkin puree
 1 large egg
 2 cups all-purpose flour
 1 1/3 cups rolled oats
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
 ¾ teaspoon baking soda
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
 ½ teaspoon salt
 ¾ cup dried cherries (or raisins)
 ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
 2 tablespoons bourbon or other whiskey

In a small bowl, soak the cherries in the bourbon, along with enough water to cover. Set aside for at least 20 minutes, or as long as a few hours.

Cream together the butter and sugars until thoroughly mixed. Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla; mix until thoroughly combined.

Drain the liquid from the cherries; discard liquid. Blot cherries dry with paper towel.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Gradually add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients, in 3 or 4 installments, stirring with a rubber spatula. When ingredients are just combined, fold in the pine nuts and cherries. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and store dough in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 15-17 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

2008-10-30T18:39:00.007-04:00

Back again!

Getting back to actual barbecue (chili is good stuff, but it ain't barbecue): I haven't posted a recipe for pulled pork, one of my all-time favorites. Mostly that's because I make it differently every time. This time, though, I went ahead and recorded everything I did. It's a wee bit time consuming, but you've never tasted anything like it.

John's Apple-Flavored Shredded Pork

--2 1/2 to 3 pounds pork butt roast
--1 (14.5 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
--1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
--1/4 cup white wine
--3 tablespoons tomato paste
--1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
--3 to 4 assorted peppers (hot or sweet), seeded and coarsely chopped
--2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
--1 to 2 dried chipotle peppers, or 3 to 4 canned chipotle peppers
--1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
--1 tablespoon whiskey
--1/2 teaspoon dried basil
--1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
--1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
--1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
--1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
--salt, to taste

--2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, for coating meat

If using dried chipotles, soak them in the white wine for at least 20 minutes, until softened. Finely chop chipotles, reserving wine used for soaking.

Heat your outdoor grill to medium heat. Rub the pork thoroughly with the olive oil. Grill the pork, turning every 7 to 9 minutes, to create a good sear and pronounced grill marks.

Place all ingredients except the pork into a large pot or Dutch oven. Over medium-high heat, bring liquid to a boil. Place the pork on top of the other ingredients, and bring the liquid back to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

When done, carefully remove the pork from the pot. After allowing the pork to cool briefly, use a pair of forks to shred the pork thoroughly. Be sure to remove and discard any bones. Return the shredded pork to the pot, and increase heat to medium-high. When the liquid boils, reduce heat slightly (do NOT cover pot) and allow to simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, to thicken the sauce.

Serve on sub rolls, topped with cole slaw, if desired.

2008-10-24T11:34:00.006-04:00

With the chilly weather setting in, I figured, what could be more appropriate than...chili?

This is a stove top recipe that I've been working on for a few years. In it's current incarnation, there's a nice balance between vegetation and meat.

John's Black Bean Chili

--1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks

--3/4 pound bulk Italian sausage, hot or sweet

--2 tablespoons olive oil

--3 1/2 cups black beans, pre-soaked (or two 15-ounce cans black beans)

--1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, along with can juices

--2 tablespoons tomato paste

--1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

--1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

--3 cups (total) assorted peppers, coarsely chopped. May include jalapenos, Hungarian wax, habaneros, Italian frying peppers, etc. It all depends on what you have on hand, and how much heat you like!

--2 to 3 dried chipotle peppers

--1/2 cup white wine

--3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

--1 beef bouillon cube

--2 tablespoons chili powder

--1 teaspoon salt

--1 teaspoon ground cumin

--1 teaspoon dried oregano

--1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or more, to taste)

--1/2 teaspoon paprika

--1/2 teaspoon dried basil

--a few dashes Worcestershire (about 1 teaspoon)

In a small bowl, soak the dried chipotle in the white wine.

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and when oil is hot, crumble the sausage into the pot. Allow the sausage to brown for about 1 minute, stirring often. Add the beef chuck, and stir to evenly brown. If desired, drain excess grease (I don't bother with this step).

Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and onions, and stir to combine. Remove the chipotle peppers from the wine, and chop the chipotles into a fine dice. Add chipotles to the pot. Strain and add the wine to the pot. Add ALL remaining ingredients, except for the bell pepper and the assorted peppers. Stir to thoroughly combine. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add the red bell and assorted peppers. Stir to combine, and taste chili; if necessary, adjust salt and/or black pepper. Cover, and allow to simmer over low heat for an additional 2 hours.

Serve chili in bowls, topped with shredded cheese, crumbled crackers, sour cream or whatever you like.

For the "assorted peppers", I used a combination of Italian frying peppers, wax peppers, cowhorns and jalapenos. I wanted a little background heat, but I didn't want it to be "5-Alarm" chili.

As with any chili, promptly refrigerate or freeze and uneaten portions. It improves with age!

2008-09-29T15:34:00.011-04:00

Chipotle Bacon Cornbread

The other day, I posted a recipe for Mole Chicken, and I promised I'd eventually post my recipe for Chipotle Bacon Cornbread. Here you go! I use a 10-inch cast-iron skillet to cook the bacon, and I use the same skillet to bake the cornbread in. If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, a 9-by-13 inch baking pan will work.

=3 thick slices of bacon, uncooked

=1 cup stone-ground cornmeal (yellow or white)

=1 cup all-purpose flour

=2 teaspoons baking powder

=1/2 teaspoon baking soda

=1/2 teaspoon table salt

=2 eggs

=1 cup buttermilk**

=1/3 cup whole milk

=2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

=2 to 3 dried chipotles, rehydrated in warm water

=(*optional: up to 1 cup shredded semi-soft cheese, such as cheddar or provolone)

In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat, turning often, until crisp. Remove bacon, and reserve about 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pat the chipotles dry. Remove stems and seeds, and finely mince the chipotles, almost into a paste.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Add the eggs to the dry ingredients, and stir just to combine. Add the buttermilk, milk, and chipotles; stir just to combine. Add the melted butter (and the shredded cheese, if you're using it), and quickly fold everything together.

Swirl the bacon fat around the inside of the pan, to evenly coat. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes---the top will be golden brown, and the edges of the cornbread will begin to pull away from the pan.

Allow the cornbread to cool, in the pan, on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. If using cast-iron, put a dinner plate upside-down onto the pan and carefully "flip" the cornbread out.

(**a word about buttermilk: you can make a very satisfactory substitute out of regular milk, along with some lemon juice. In a measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then add enough whole milk to bring the total volume to 1 cup. Stir briefly, then wait about 10 minutes. Use as directed in any recipe calling for buttermilk)

2008-09-25T15:17:00.006-04:00

I decided to try something a little different with chicken, and as I raided my pantry, I ran across a jar of green mole.

Basically, mole is a sauce made of peppers, ground seeds (often pumpkin seeds), oil, cracker crumbs, spices, and other ingredients. It's quite common in Latin/Mexican cooking, and I happen to like it a whole lot! You can find it in most any supermarket, in the ethnic foods aisle.

Grilled Mole Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1/3 cup green mole sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth or stock

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper (or more, to taste)

(Special Equipment: 6 to 8 barbecue skewers)

In a large (1 gallon) plastic zipper bag, combine all ingredients. Squish the bag around to really coat the chicken with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or as long as 3 hours. Squish the bag every 30 minutes to redistribute ingredients.

If you're using wooden/bamboo skewers, you'll want to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. After the chicken has marinated, thread chicken strips onto skewers (about 3 to 4 strips per skewer). Place skewers over medium-high heat, cook for 12-15 minutes, or until done, turning once halfway through cooking.

I served mine as a sort of chef's salad, with chopped Romaine lettuce and sliced New York cheddar, dressed with a simple vinaigrette. Alongside, I served some of my Chipotle Bacon Cornbread (recipe will follow shortly).

2008-09-25T15:10:00.002-04:00

Oswald

Just because I know you're dying to meet him, here's Oswald, the mascot of my back yard. He's a pretty unassuming guy; mostly he just hangs out under the grill (a very popular place, evidently) and eats the bugs that float or crawl by.

2008-08-25T13:05:00.001-04:00

I thought you'd like to meet Roxy. She's the puppy of our next-door neighbor's dog, and she recently came to our house for a visit. She likes to hang out under the grill---apparently, she knows where the action is.

2008-08-25T12:34:00.006-04:00

I've mentioned that we're up to our knees in tomatoes; we have several varieties, including Romas (plum tomatoes), Yellow Pears, and cherry tomatoes. We can only eat so many fresh in salads and such, so I came up with a quick and easy Roasted Tomato Sauce recipe.

Roasted Tomato Sauce (about 4 servings; total cook time 60 minutes)

1 Pound assorted, ripe tomatoes, washed and thoroughly dried

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

about 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a heavy, oven-proof pan (I use a 10-inch cast iron skillet) with aluminum foil. Add about 1 tablespoom olive oil, and spread it around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Add the tomatoes to the pan, allowing them to stack up on each other if necessary. Drizzle remaining olive oil over tomatoes, and toss to coat.

Roast tomatoes for 20 minutes; remove pan from oven, and gently stir to redistribute tomatoes and oil. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes, then remove and stir again. Return to the oven, and immediately lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Cook for another 20 minutes, to allow much of the moisture to evaporate.

So far, I've used this sauce as a pizza topping, and I've tossed it with pasta. I'll be posting my Grilled Pizza recipe shortly!

2008-08-16T13:51:00.004-04:00

Here's another recipe I originally posted on the old blog, way back in 2005. It looks complicated, but it really isn't...it's just that I use way too many words!

Grilled Tuna with Wasabi Mayonnaise
(serves 2; recipe can easily be multiplied)

(the sauce)

1 tsp wasabi powder
1 tsp water
1 TBS rice vinegar (cider vinegar or white vinegar will do, in a pinch)
2 TBS mayonnaise
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
about 4-5 drops pepper-flavored sesame oil (optional)

(the tuna dressing)

2 yellowfin tuna steaks, about 1/2-pound each
1 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 tsp wasabi powder
another 4-5 drops pepper-flavored sesame oil (optional)

(To make the sauce)

In a small bowl, mix the wasabi powder with the water. Make sure to mix thoroughly, to form a thin paste. In a larger bowl, mix the remaining sauce ingredients, then add the wasabi/water paste. When everything's incorporated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Allow 30 minutes or so for the flavors to blend. After about 30 minutes, light up your grill.

(To make the tuna steaks)

In a small bowl, combine all tuna dressing ingredients (except for the tuna itself). Brush the prepared dressing liberally onto both sides of each tuna steak.

Put the steaks onto a hot grill (medium-low to medium heat), and allow them to took on one side for at least 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, flip the steaks and cook for another 2 minutes. Check for doneness by gently pulling apart the tuna with a fork; it should appear deep red in the center, and a pale beige toward the outside. If the tuna steaks are of high quality, I recommend leaving them a little rare on the inside. If you prefer yours well-done, then allow up to one or two additional minutes. But please don't allow the tuna to dry out!

When done, plate the tuna steaks, and drizzle each one with the wasabi mayonnaise. Serve with a green salad, or some other light fare such as steamed vegetables. Oh, boy...good stuff!

2008-08-12T13:07:00.004-04:00

The other day, I told you I was going to post a recipe for Stuffed Grilled Figs. I then deleted the post, because it was only 2 sentences long---and it was pretty boring, too.

Anyway, here's what I came up with:

Grilled Stuffed Figs
(makes 2 appetizers; recipe can be easily multiplied)

2 fresh figs

2 tablespoons Feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced

about 2 teaspoons honey

fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

Cut an "X" in the top of each fig, cutting down about halfway into the figs. Using your fingers, spread the figs open to form a cavity.

Thoroughly mix together the Feta and the basil; spoon half of mixture into each fig. Grill on medium-high heat (lid closed) until Feta is melted and slight grill marks appear on the figs, 3 to 5 minutes. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon on honey onto each fig, and garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

2008-08-08T13:55:00.008-04:00

Each Friday throughout the summer (starting the week after Memorial Day, and ending in October), there is a Farmers' Market down town. Although I'm not in need of many fruits or vegetables, I try to make it every week. There are plenty of peripheral products, such as crafts, homemade jams and jellies (and fudge!), and even all-natural soaps. I usually end up spending a few dollars every week, usually on Whoopie Pies or some other sweet treat. The image at left is a Whoopie Pie, for those of you who may be unfamiliar.

One of the "anchors" at the Farmers' Market is Moser's Garden Produce. Their farm is located in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania. Their produce and plants are among the best---always fresh and very reasonably priced. I've been buying fresh produce from them for a number of years, but it wasn't until this year that I bought actual plants.

2008-08-08T12:27:00.004-04:00

More Grillin' (and chillin')

Back again.

Last evening, I grilled some of my zucchini. I'm not even going to bother with a recipe, because it was just a procedure, really: I peeled a medium-sized zucchini, and sliced it lengthwise (as pictured). I put it into a shallow plastic food container---you know, the kind you store leftovers in---and unceremoniously dumped in about a quarter-cup of bottled Italian dressing. I let it sort of hang out in the fridge for ninety minutes or so, then grilled it (high heat, about 3 to 4 minutes per side). It really couldn't have been easier, and it tasted fresh and delicious.

What else is new? I've decided to combine my two blogs into one humongous "superblog" (my other blog is located at http://240brick.blogspot.com). Here are some recipes that I'd posted in the past couple of years.

John's Barbecue Sauce
1 (one) 8-ounce can "no salt added" tomato sauce
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup bourbon (I use Jim Beam Black Label)
1 TBS Sriracha (or any favorite chile sauce)
1 TBS balsamic vinegar*
1-2 TBS honey (depending on your sweet tooth)
1/2 tsp smoke liquid (about a capful)
1 TBS garlic powder
anywhere between 2 tsp-3 TBS John's Barbecue Rub* (depending on how much you like it)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
(*for added "zing", substitute 1 TBS vinegar solution from pickled jalapenos for the balsamic vinegar)
In a small saucepan over medium heat, use a whisk to combine the tomato sauce and molasses. When the molasses has thinned-down a bit, REMOVE THE PAN FROM THE STOVE and add the bourbon. Stir for about 30 seconds, then return the pan to the stove.
Add the remaining ingredients, stirring after each addition. [ Add only 1 TBS of honey to begin with; taste the sauce. If you like it even sweeter, add another TBS. ]
Reduce heat to lowest setting, and allow the mixture to simmer (uncovered) very slowly until the volume is reduced by about half (15-30 minutes...keep checking!).
Yields about 1 cup of sauce.

This stuff is thick, sweet, and oh-so-much better than anything you can buy in a plastic bottle.

John's Barbecue Rub
(note: all ingredients are of the "dried" variety)
2 TBS rosemary leaves
1.5 TBS Kosher salt
1 TBS paprika
2 tsp thyme leaves
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper*
1 tsp ground white pepper*
3/4 tsp celery seed
(* the amount of black/white pepper can be adjusted upward, to suit your taste)
Using a mortar & pestle (an electric spice mill will work, too), grind the rosemary leaves and the thyme together with the salt (the salt will aid in the grinding of the herbs). When the mixture resembles fine sand, add the remaining ingredients and continue to grind, to incorporate. There will be a few larger bits of rosemary leaves...this is a good thing!
This recipe produces enough rub to cover 3-6 pounds of meat (depending on how heavy-handed you are). Any leftover amount can be stored indefinitely (covered container) in the fridge.
Originally intended as a rub for pork, but this stuff can be used on chicken or salmon with great results.

2008-08-05T12:46:00.006-04:00

Fresh Veggies!

Yep, it's that time of the year again. In my case, of course, it's the first time ever. I was never much of a gardener before this Spring/Summer, but I was always looking for the freshest ingredients. This year, I sort of lucked into a garden plot---one that my next-door neighbor was no longer using.

So, my friend Scott and I proceeded to till, weed, and nourish the existing plot. We even extended it by about 16 square feet, to accommodate our melon plants. Those things take up SPACE.

In the picture at left, you can see most of the garden, anyway (the picture was taken just a couple of days ago). That big, flat stone is a giant slab of limestone (quite plentiful around here), which we found under an old spruce tree. We've converted it into a headstone, and we're telling people that Jimmy Hoffa is buried underneath. I planted some Solcito zinnias in front of the stone, out of respect for Mr. Hoffa.

To the right of the headstone, you can see six Brussels sprout plants, which are quite easily the most massive plants in the garden. To the right of the sprouts: that's my shadow. Off to the left, you can see some of the melon plants; in this view, those are cantaloupes. There are also some honeydews, as you move further to the left.

And yes, that IS a swimming-pool ladder in the center of the garden. To be honest, we ran out of ground spikes, and the ladder provides excellent support for the tomatoes and cucumbers. Aside from melons, cukes, sprouts and tomatoes, we've also got several types of chili peppers, eggplant, peas, and an assortment of herbs. In fact, I just threw in some dill weed tops that had gone to seed; I'm hoping for a late Fall harvest.

At right, you can see one of our growing cantaloupes. Yes, it's in a Styrofoam bowl. We're told that the bowl (with holes punched in the bottom, for drainage) will allow the fruit to mature without bruising or rotting. So far, so good!

2007-06-16T12:19:00.000-04:00

I was eating some grilled salmon steaks the other evening (along with grilled red potatoes and a green salad). I thought to myself, you know, some biscuits would really MAKE this meal.

So I got to fiddling around in the kitchen...I wanted some biscuits quickly. I also wanted something easy. Here's what I came up with:

Quick BBQ Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons mustard (I like the coarse, stone-ground kind)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or butter (or margarine), at room temperature
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water or beer, at room temperature

Combine the mustard, oil, and water/beer in a large bowl. Sift in about 1/4 cup of the flour, and whisk to remove lumps. Then, sift in the remaining flour, the salt, and the baking powder. Stir to thoroughly combine. The mixture should be about as thick as peanut butter.

Using a spatula, spread the mixture (in a roughly rectangular shape) on a large, greased sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. The mixture will be sticky, so you might want to grease the spatula, as well. Spread the mixture out so that it's roughly eight by ten inches, and about 1/2 inch thick.*

Lay the foil sheet onto a pre-heated grill, and close the lid. It should take about 10 minutes for the mixture to begin to rise, and develop a golden-brown crust. Keep checking every few minutes, until the biscuits are done to your liking.

*Alternately, the dough may be spread on the foil, then placed on a baking sheet. Bake (in the oven) at 425 degrees F, for about 15 minutes.

2007-06-03T11:36:00.000-04:00

Last evening, I decided to put to use some tomatillos that I had, left over from other recipes. I've always liked tomatillos thinly sliced, as a sandwich or burger topping; this time, I thought I'd take it a step further, and make an awesome relish.

Tomatillo Relish

-1 large-sized tomatillo (about tennis-ball size), or two smaller ones
-1 jalapeno chili pepper, OR 1 red cherry pepper
-1/2 a medium-sized onion
-1 clove garlic
-1 tsp lemon juice
-1 tsp brown sugar
-1/2 tsp olive oil (approximately)
-1/2 tsp celery seed

-1 TBS fresh cilantro (or parsley), chopped
-salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Start by finely chopping the tomatillo, chili pepper, onion and garlic. A food processor will work, but please don't let the vegetables process into a paste...you want some little chunks in there!

Add the chopped vegetables to a container with a tight-fitting lid. A plastic food-storage container is perfect, as the relish will be stored in it! Add the remaining ingredients, and put the lid onto the container. Shake and swirl the container to thoroughly mix the ingredients. That's it, you're done.

Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before using, to allow the flavors to blend. Immediately before serving, give the container another shake. Use to top hot dogs and burgers, or add it to a sandwich. Makes about 1 cup.

2006-09-17T21:34:00.000-04:00

Hi everybody!

I've made yet more friends, over at Yahoo! and they have been kind enough to contribute some delicious recipes to this blog. I've been a busy, busy guy lately, but I finally got around to posting some of the best ones (and there's more on the way!).

If you like what you see, please feel free to leave a comment, or drop me an email. And if you're so inclined, maybe post a recipe of your own!

2006-09-17T16:43:00.000-04:00

Tex-Mex Chicken Marinade contributed by LADY74 (Yahoo!)

1 tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon crushed chicken buillion cube
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Combine all ingredients with 1/4 cup of olive oil and marinate overnight. Grill the next day.

This recipe has a really good tex-mex flavor.
Really good to make fajitas or just for a change from
regular barbecued chicken.

2006-09-17T16:32:00.000-04:00

CURRIED MUTTON KEBABS contributed by Catz (Yahoo!)

6 mutton chump chops (lamb chops)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, finely chopped

30 ml curry powder (about 2 tablespoons)

10 ml sugar (about 2 teaspoons)

5 ml corn flour (about 1 teaspoon)

60 ml vinegar (about 1/4 cup)

12 rashers streaky bacon

12 prunes, soaked and stoned

MAKES 6 KEBABS
Cut each chop into cubes and season well. Fry the onions in the butter. Add the curry powder, sugar, corn flour and vinegar to make a coating sauce. Cool. Pour over the meat, mix well and leave overnight. Thread the meat on skewers alternately with the bacon and the prunes. Grill, while turning frequently for about 15-20 min (instead of grilling, barbeque!)

2006-09-17T10:17:00.000-04:00

Latin Grilled Halibut with Green Sauce contributed by I Love the Weekends (Yahoo!)

6 small halibut, about 3/4 inch thick (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 jar (16 oz) green salsa (salsa verde) (2 cups)
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ripe olives
Sour cream
Fresh cilantro leaves

Brush fish lightly with oil; sprinkle with seasoned salt.
Grill fish uncovered 4 to 5 inches from medium-high heat about 10 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork.
Mix salsa, avocado and olives. Serve over fish. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro. Enjoy!!

2006-06-04T14:16:00.000-04:00

Here's another recipe of my own. Because it's so popular, Flank Steak can be expensive. Wait for your supermarket to put it on sale, then stock up! It freezes well.

Grilled Flank Steak
1 flank steak, about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup whiskey (I use Jim Beam)
1/4 cup lime juice
1-1/2 teaspoons (about 2 cloves) minced fresh garlic
about 10 whole peppercorns
3 or 4 large bay leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon smoke flavoring (optional)

Combine all the ingredients, except for the flank steak, in a bowl. Mix until everything's well-incorporated.Place the flank steak into a gallon-size "zipper" bag. Pour the marinate mixture into the bag, and zip it shut.Store the bagged steak (use a shallow container, or a roasting pan, in case the bag leaks) in the refrigerator for anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.
After marinating, remove the steak and discard the marinate. If necessary, the steak may be quickly rinsed under cool, running water, to remove any large "bits" of the marinate. Put the flank steak on a large plate or platter, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the steak to rest in a safe place (like a cool oven) for at least 30 minutes, so it'll come to room temperature. After thirty minutes (or longer; there's no rush at this point), light your grill. Grill the flank steak over medium-high heat, for about 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, flip the steak, and grill for another 4 minutes.
At this point, you'll have to determine just how "done" the flank steak is. There's no way to insert a thermometer into a flank steak, so you'll have to use the Touch Method. Simply put, the Touch Method involves pushing against a piece of meat with the tip of your finger. Depending on the texture/resilience of the meat, you can tell the degree of doneness (yes, it does require a little practice. Remember, you can always throw the meat back onto the grill, if necessary, so it's best to err on the side of too rare, rather than too well-done).

If you press against a steak, and your finger leaves a dent (in other words, it doesn't spring back), the steak is very rare. If you press the steak and the meat gives easily, but springs back quickly, it's probably rare-to-medium-rare. This is the ideal degree of doneness for a flank steak.
Remove the steak from the grill, and place it on a platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 15-20 minutes before carving. Always slice a flank steak (and most other of the "tough" cuts of meat) at a 90-degree angle to the grain; this helps to further break down the tough fibers, resulting in a very tender, delicious dish.
Serve alongside traditional "picnic fare", such as potato salad, baked beans, or whatever you like. The leftover flank steak (sliced super-thin) also makes an excellent addition to a chef's salad!

2006-06-02T22:48:00.000-04:00

Barbecue Salmon (contributed by Helen Kovac)

ingredients
2 x 160g salmon fillet (about 5 ounces each)
2 medium pink-eye (red) potatoes, boiled or steamed

Stir-fry ingredients
1 carrot, cut into strips
1 stick celery, cut into strips
¼ red capsicum (bell pepper), cut into strips
¼ green capsicum (bell pepper), cut into strips
¼ bunch of leeks, sliced
¼ Spanish onion, chopped
30g (about 1/2 cup) green beans, sliced
2 asparagus spears, cut into pieces
40g (about 1 cup) red cabbage, shredded
Oil, to stir fry

Char marinade
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup peanut oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

method

1: Combine all marinade ingredients, bring to the boil for 4 minutes, then allow to cool (this part can be done up to a week in advance). Cover salmon with approximately 50ml (about 2 to 3 ounces) of the marinade. Before you put the salmon in the marinade, make sure you give the liquid a good stir.

2: Marinate the salmon in the char marinade for 3-5 minutes, then cook on a barbecue grill for 3-5 minutes each side. Stir-fry the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Serve the salmon on the vegetables with boiled potatoes.

Serving Suggestion: add some freshly baked bread and perhaps a green side salad.

note: the metric measurements were part of the original recipe. The U.S. "Standard" conversions (in parentheses) were added later, by me :)

2006-05-31T20:15:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I though it was about time we had a side dish to enjoy with all these meals...

Sour Cream & Dill Potato Salad

About 2 pounds red potatoes, washed and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped celery (about 5 stalks)
1/2 chopped onion (about 1/2 of a medium-sized onion)
1 tablespoon vinegar (preferably cider vinegar)
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 whole cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus 1 tablespoon, for the cooking)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or more, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 1 tablespoon fresh dill weed, chopped)
3/4 cup sour cream (almost 1 full 8-ounce container)

Put the potato cubes into a large pot; fill the pot with enough water to cover potatoes by at least 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Allow to simmer for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

After 8 minutes, check the potatoes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into one of the pieces. There should be some resistance, but the potatoes should NOT fall apart (you want them to remain a little bit crunchy). If the potatoes aren't done yet, continue to simmer them for another 2-3 minutes. When done, drain the potatoes (in a collander or strainer) and rinse with cool water. Leave the potatoes in the collander to drain/cool, about 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes to the bowl of dressing mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir and thoroughly combine. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, to allow the flavors to blend.

Serve cold, with a sprig of fresh dill weed or parsley for garnish. Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish.

2006-05-31T17:03:00.000-04:00

Super Easy BBQ Sauce and Ribs

Sauce:1 bottle of sauce. I use kc masterpiece
1 fresh garlic
3 tsp brown sugar or honey
1 tsp soy sauce (optional)
1/2 small can crushed pineapple, remove juice.

In a bowl mix ingredients together. In a pot, boil the ribs for 15 minutes. Remove and put on baking sheet to cool.
Brush the ribs with the sauce. On a bbq grill, add the ribs and cook for 30-40 minutes, turning frequently and basting with sauce frequently.

If you wish to bake in oven, set oven to 325 degrees. Baste the ribs on the baking sheet with the sauce. Cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes, turning ribs over every 10-15 minutes and basting with sauce.

contributed by Anaheimsportsfan (Yahoo!)

2006-05-31T13:49:00.000-04:00

Here's a recipe of my own. Beef spare ribs are usually pretty inexpensive, and the meat is pretty tough unless you marinate them. This recipe results in ribs that are delicious, and so tender that they practically fall apart!

Buttermilk Beef Ribs

(a rack of beef ribs at the grocery store may weigh anywhere from 3 to 7 or 8 pounds, or more. Adjust as necessary. I use a 4-pound rack of ribs for this recipe. That amount may be easily multiplied. As for the coffee: I just use the leftover coffee from the pot I brewed in the morning!)

4-5 pound rack of beef ribs, cut into "half-racks"
1 pint (16 ounces) buttermilk. Please make sure to use the kind that has "active cultures"
3 TBS dark brown sugar
2 TBS cider vinegar
1/4 cup whiskey (optional)
1 TBS kosher salt
1 tsp whole peppercorns (or use ground pepper)
several cups of brewed coffee, as necessary, cooled to room temperature (de-caf can be used, if desired)

In a blender or processor, combine the buttermilk, brown sugar, vinegar, whiskey, salt and peppercorns. Mix on high speed until the peppercorns are broken up somewhat (maybe 20 seconds).

Place the rib "half-racks" in a high-sided roasting pan, or something similar. It doesn't matter if they overlap each other a little. If desired, a couple of gallon-sized zipper-lock bags can be used instead.

Pour the buttermilk mixture (half of the mixture per bag, if you're using the zip bag method) over the ribs.
Add enough of the coffee to the pan (or bags) to increase the volume of liquid so that the ribs are saturated. Don't worry about completely submerging the ribs in the liquid; that's next to impossible!
If using the pan method, cover the pan with plastic wrap, or foil. The bags can simply be zipped shut. Refrigerate the ribs for anywhere from 3 to 12 hours...overnight would be best. Flip the ribs in the pan every couple of hours (or simply shake the zipper bag).
Use paper towels to dry the ribs, and allow them to rest on a platter until you're ready to grill.
Light the grill, and allow it to come to medium-high heat. Liberally coat the ribs (both sides) with your favorite Rub Mix, or simply salt & pepper.
Grill for about 20-25 minutes, flipping the ribs every 5 minutes or so. If desired, your favorite barbecue sauce can be brushed on during the last 5 minutes.

2006-05-31T13:20:00.000-04:00

My First Contribution!

Looks like we've got things up and running now! Spolaw2001, a friend from over at Yahoo!, has kindly provided us with the recipe for Uncle Joe's BBQ Sauce (and it sounds good, doesn't it!?).

Also, I've added a direct Email Link in the "Links" section (on the left side of the page). That will make it alot easier for folks to send in their recipes.

I'll be back...happy posting!

2006-05-31T12:52:00.000-04:00

Uncle Joe's BBQ Sauce (contributed by Spolaw2001)

1 medium onion, grated or processed in food processor
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 8-oz cans of tomato sauce
1/2 c. vinegar
1/4 c. worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Louisiana hot sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp powdered mustard
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup Heinz catsup
1/2 lemon

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add other ingredients, squeeze in the lemon juice (Uncle Joe threw in the lemon rind~I don't). Simmer about 20 minutes, stirred frequently. Makes about a quart of wonderful sauce~