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Monthly Archives: May 2017
I warned you that with the nice weather this weekend, I would be grilling. Tonight is another grilled dish. Chicken kebabs are so simple and versatile… and perfect when cooking for one. Packed with vegetables of your choice and flavored as you desire, this dish is great for summer dining. Having guests – no problem. This recipe is also easily extensible. And the best part is you can enlist your guests to build their own with the ingredients they like. That is one a way to get the party going. So get out and grill some kebabs… whether you have guests or not! Save Print Chicken Kebabs Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 35 mins Serves: 1  …
Well another month has passed and it is time for a Sunday Picture Post. These are some of the meals I had this month that did not become posts – some are previously made meals, others are experiments, and some are just plain simple fare. I hope these dishes inspire you to make something for yourself. Be creative, be bold, and enjoy! Biscuits and Gravy with 2 Over Easy Eggs Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry over Rice Flakes Pepperoni, Olive and Sweet Pepper Pizza Skillet Macaroni and Cheese Double Cheese Bacon Burger and Chips Beef Fajita Tacos with Pickled Red Onion Paprika Pulled Pork Fried Rice Quick Paella Beef and Bean Burritos Potstickers and Ssamjang Fried Rice Char Siu Pork Tenderloin Enjoy! Save Save…
Today I decided to experiment and grill a roulade. Working with ingredients I had at home, I created this recipe using a butterflied flat iron steak, prosciutto, asparagus, and shredded Italian blend cheese. The meat was marinated in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, minced onions, minced garlic, salt and pepper for an hour before assembly and grilling. For such a seamingly upscale dish, it went together quickly and easily – and it was enjoyed just as quickly and easily! Give this dish a try and impress that special someone with your culinary skills. No one has to know how easy it is… it will be our little secret! Save Print Flat Iron Steak Involtini Prep time: 1 hour 20 mins Cook time…
Let’s kick off the Memorial Day weekend with what I consider to be an interesting martini variant – the Citadelle Germain. This cocktail features the flowery fragrance and herbaceous flavors of Citadelle Gin and St. Germain. The Lillet Blanc is a wonderful supporting player to balance out all the herbaceous sweetness from the other two ingredients. With summer coming on strong (finally!) here in the Pacific Northwest, this cocktail is a perfect pre-dinner sipper; a delicious tipple to enjoy while the sun crests into the West. If you like martini variants, I strongly suggest you give this cocktail a try. You won’t be disappointed. Save Print Citadelle Germain Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients…
Tonight’s dish is the test for my new Loki Smart WiFi Meat Thermometer – a smoked pork shoulder. This dish is one that has many uses – pulled pork for sandwiches, pork fried rice, or even chili verde enchiladas. What would you like to see me make with this dish? I started with brining the meat like I did in this post, except I substituted 1 1/2 teaspoons of Berbere spice blend for the myriad of spices I used earlier. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I plan to spend more time smoking and grilling dishes, so you have been warned! But for now, let’s get busy on this smoked pork shoulder…. The brined pork shoulder has been patted dry, coated…
Today I want to share with you a cool product I recently received from a Kickstarter I supported. The Loki smart WiFi meat thermometer from Loki Products is a great tool for monitoring your roasted, grilled, and smoked dishes. The Loki app allows you to connect to and control the thermometer, freeing you to do other things while your food does it’s thing – like get tasty in a smoker box – which is today’s test. Here are some pictures of the unit and a few links to learn more about this new kitchen tool. Here it is! What’s in the box? Here is what you get… Unpacked and ready to connect! Check out how simple the instructions are! Did you…
Easy, baked donuts? Yes, please! I found this recipe on Jennifer Meyerling’s blog and tweaked it by adding cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. The only challenge is buying a donut baking pan (and waiting patiently for it to arrive). I found mine on Amazon – standard and mini donut sizes. These donuts are perfect for a party because they are so easy to make, so easy to personalize, and let’s face it – so delicious! They are great for satisfying your sweet tooth as well if you cut the recipe into thirds to keep the amount of donuts made to a reasonable number. Wait, is there a reasonable number of donuts? I don’t think so… Either way, you will enjoy this variation…
It looks like warmer weather has finally arrived here in the Pacific Northwest and with it, I am ready to enjoy one of my favorite warm weather cocktails – the Mojito. Originally from Cuba, this cocktail is popular nearly everywhere now. This drink is easier to make than you may think – the basic recipe is lime, mint, simple syrup, rum and club soda. Naturally, I like to make small adjustments as in adding a little bit of lemon when muddling the mint and lime. Depending on your tastes, this drink can be prepared strained or not. Each variation produces subtle differences and I find it delicious either way. Perfect for a summer afternoon or evening, the Mojito is as refreshing or potent as you desire – just…
Tonight I made alcatra – a simple, but incredibly flavorful Portuguese beef stew made with beef shank, onions, some spices and wine. I researched many recipes and decided to go with the extremely simple recipe on the America’s Test Kitchen website, but I plan try a few of the others I found too. Several of those are family recipes from Terceira, an island in the Azores where this dish originated. I am intrigued by the myriad of variations, so watch for new posts in the future. Believe me, this stew would pair nicely with the No Knead Dutch Oven Bread; just imagine enjoying a flavorful beef stew with a delicious crusty bread. Ahhh, simple fare at it’s finest… Now that I have whetted…
The Revolver Tonight’s first cocktail, The Revolver, is a treat… bourbon, coffee liqueur, orange bitters and orange twist. Simple yet refined, this cocktail is an impressive twist on the basic Manhattan recipe. It relies on a spicy ‘rye forward’ bourbon to maximize flavor. The coffee liqueur substitutes for the sweet vermouth and can be any variant available to suit your tastes – Kahlua, Tia Maria, Galliano Ristretto, etc. Tonight I chose Galliano Ristretto, but have used Kahlua as well, which will subtly change the end result. I think this cocktail is a great way to reboot your love of Manhattans… try one and let me know if you agree! Save Print The Revolver Author: Jon Santer Prep time: 5 mins…