tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34188102850963916552024-03-05T22:47:14.459-08:00Kickin It Up In the KitchenCraig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-13231945098449320342009-07-05T14:05:00.000-07:002009-07-05T15:29:05.177-07:00Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie ~ Part I<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HgI9SB6hBfx9E3qmpsyY6SRc0FFwJCKD2NB1nf0NWGrmxsjj6vlw_u_FN_Ragxf7P2jvSr-TjxnYXQd8KmVh_Cy7GG0yagRhmpwe1WiV3NL_dPw-t2dR1Bbg1X1MKBQHSriLFEGJzCU/s1600-h/2009_0630cookies0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HgI9SB6hBfx9E3qmpsyY6SRc0FFwJCKD2NB1nf0NWGrmxsjj6vlw_u_FN_Ragxf7P2jvSr-TjxnYXQd8KmVh_Cy7GG0yagRhmpwe1WiV3NL_dPw-t2dR1Bbg1X1MKBQHSriLFEGJzCU/s200/2009_0630cookies0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355106647425692658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My husband is smart enough to tell me and others that I'm a better cook than his mother except for one glaring exception. He believes his mom makes the best chocolate chip cookies. When I've called him on it, he doesn't even bother to deny it. He just says she follows the toll house recipe and adds double the amount of chocolate chip cookies. Over the years, I've tried different recipes, and while he has liked the results and definitely eaten the results, I could never beat his mom's cookies. So I've been on a quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. After a lot of research and testing (what I do for my family!), I now have narrowed my search to two recipes. The first one is from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CookSmart-Perfect-Recipes-Every-Day/dp/0618091513">CookSmart by Pam Anderson</a> and the second one is from the May & June 2009 issue of <a href="http://cooksillustrated.com/default.asp">Cook's Illustrated</a>. From these sources, I've decided these elements are all part of a perfect chocolate chip recipe:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Excellent Chocolate Chip Quality</span><br />Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chunk morsels seem to be the obvious choice. NOT SO! These are not the chips we remember from childhood. Gone is real vanilla and a strong chocolate flavor, now these chips use vanillin (artificial vanilla) and more sugar and less cacao.<br /><br />When shopping, look at the ingredient list. Chocolate (or cacao) should be the first ingredient. Make sure real vanilla not vanillin is listed. And, finally beware "chocolate flavored" chips. My favorite chips are local (Northern California) chips, Guittard Real Semisweet Chocolate Chips & Ghiradelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate chips.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use Real Unsalted Butter.</span><br /><br />OK, this may be more personal preference. I just think cookies made with butter taste better than margarine and/or shortening. Also butter made cookies have a nice crisp taste. However, it is a trade-off, cookies made with butter spread more and are not as pretty as shortening ones.<br /><br />So, which recipe was better? In my household, the Cook's Illustrated recipe outperformed the CookSmart recipe. The butter/sugar technique in Cook's Illustrated gave the cookies a nutty toffee flavor without nuts. However, there were definitely elements of the CookSmart recipe I liked better. So stay tune for my hybrid recipe. Until then, here's the Cook's Illustrated version. Let me know what you think, or let me know if you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe I can try out.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: Go straight to the recipe </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://cooksillustrated.com/recipes/login.asp?docid=19364">source</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. You do need to be a Cook's Illustrated subscriber, but they offer a free 14 day trial membership.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">My Version of Cook's Illustrated's Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies</span><br /><blockquote>1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />1/2 tsp. baking soda<br />14 tbsps. unsalted butter<br />1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar<br />1 tsp. salt<br />2 tsps. vanilla extract (NOT ARTIFICIAL)<br />1 large egg<br />1 large egg yolk<br />1 1/4 cups semiseet chocolate chips<br />3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)</blockquote><ul><li>Adjust oven rack tomiddle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour & baking soda together in med. bowl; set aside.</li><li>Brown 10 tablespoons of butter in skillet until dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Put in heatproof mixing bowl and add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir until butter completelymelted.</li><li>Add both sugars, salt & vanilla to bowl with butter and mix well. Add egg & yolk and whisk until smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat 2 more times until mixture is smooth & .shiny.<br /></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUCPilXfijMAwNwIiekitNj3mj51lu0tvhmVCC_BATHOQy1dNDMNQolL7OKCqMIi4u2tgkcAwQW-3Hrzomma138b7UA7oB_WkZg_otraSOjIX_FlXdFPFUQ_ONmiqy3dUcsvRYzri2iw/s1600-h/2009_0630cookies0008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUCPilXfijMAwNwIiekitNj3mj51lu0tvhmVCC_BATHOQy1dNDMNQolL7OKCqMIi4u2tgkcAwQW-3Hrzomma138b7UA7oB_WkZg_otraSOjIX_FlXdFPFUQ_ONmiqy3dUcsvRYzri2iw/s200/2009_0630cookies0008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355103047410348338" border="0" /></a><br />Sugar/butter mixture after first whisking.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDWznZfs5ah5tojv5SpARhnAKqsvOc_MFV4dUqf4uJC5vkjmMOdVx8xSHOSCdKyNnmIUwKfGMe2nZMk1iw2w1HezLlZR23MbCJEEcswJrkrZgepFHZa4nYx8WEO-m5hPe02k9xJz8O8w/s1600-h/2009_0630cookies0013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDWznZfs5ah5tojv5SpARhnAKqsvOc_MFV4dUqf4uJC5vkjmMOdVx8xSHOSCdKyNnmIUwKfGMe2nZMk1iw2w1HezLlZR23MbCJEEcswJrkrZgepFHZa4nYx8WEO-m5hPe02k9xJz8O8w/s200/2009_0630cookies0013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355104169954811602" border="0" /></a>Sugar/butter mixture after final whisking. What a difference! I'm convinced this is why my family preferred this recipe.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.</li><li>Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Arrange 2 inches apart.</li><li>Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set, 10 to 14 minutes.<br /></li></ul>Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-23753661458456746642009-06-26T13:07:00.000-07:002009-06-26T13:39:47.343-07:00Sundried Tomato Pesto<a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnK3wPvVgmjscBacwhKX8k6Pz_Lxa3dKQX15rHldDNOVrgpPbnJ9mgnqVdZOQp1pqXJYjdqsOrqi7kP13PK1m2k7sRSrykHo2122d2AWXKlGmG1eRck5Eic9JdvDyt2bl8nz-OCzZGjQ/s1600-h/2009_06230023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnK3wPvVgmjscBacwhKX8k6Pz_Lxa3dKQX15rHldDNOVrgpPbnJ9mgnqVdZOQp1pqXJYjdqsOrqi7kP13PK1m2k7sRSrykHo2122d2AWXKlGmG1eRck5Eic9JdvDyt2bl8nz-OCzZGjQ/s200/2009_06230023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351737197700510034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pesto in less than 5 minutes!</span><br /><br />Growing up, pesto was just not something we ate. When we had spaghetti (not pasta), the sauce was strictly tomato with some ground beef mixed in. I don't think I ever had pesto until I was in my 20s. Over the years, I loved eating pesto but always saw it as more of a treat to buy. Compared to regular tomato sauce, it always seemed a bit pricey. Then I discovered, with homegrown basil, Costco and a food processor, pesto can be downright cheap & still delicious! As a matter of fact, with homegrown basil, making pesto becomes downright necessary to use most of the leaves before the plant goes to seed.<br /><br />However, there's more to pesto than the classical version. By accident, I stumbled across a great sundried tomato pesto recipe that taste delicious. I found this recipe from The <a href="http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/fish_prawns.html">Splendid Table for Sundried Tomato and Pecan Pesto </a><a href="http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/fish_prawns.html">with Prawns</a>. Not only did it use the pecans I bought it bulk from Costco, but it also called for oil-packed sundried tomatoes. Thanks to Coscto, a large jar just happened to be in my fridge. With the magic of the food processor, my pesto was ready in less than 5 minutes.<br /><br />Here's the pesto recipe with some modification:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">Sundried Tomato Pesto</span><br /><br /><ul><li>2 gloves of garlic (this was lenty even for garlic lovers like me & my husband)</li><li>1/4 c. pecans</li><li>2 heaping tablespoons of oil-packed sundried tomatoes</li><li>1/2 c. basil</li><li>2 heaping tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese</li><li>1-2 tablespoons of olive oil</li></ul><br />Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until (somewhat) smooth. Add more olive oil if needed.<br /><br />This pesto can be used on chicken, fish, and of course, prawns. It can be easily doubled and the extra frozen.<br /><br />I served it with peeled & deveined jumbo prawns that I had sauteed in a little butter & olive oil (about a tablespoon of each). I mixed the two together and served it over pasta.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-65421119320012982182009-06-21T16:51:00.000-07:002009-06-21T16:51:40.317-07:00Kickin It Up In the Kitchen: BBQ Smoker Over 10 Years Old!<a href="http://kickinitup.blogspot.com/2007/06/bbq-smoker-over-10-years-old.html">Kickin It Up In the Kitchen: BBQ Smoker Over 10 Years Old!</a>Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-39359285384965464902008-08-25T08:30:00.000-07:002008-08-25T08:32:37.195-07:00Going on a Cruise<center><embedsrc="http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/cd/ccc-vacation/show.swf?clickURL=http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/&clickLABEL=MySpace Countdown Clocks&flashLABEL=Countdown Clock Codes&skin=http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/cd/ccc-vacation/skins/11.jpg&text=Mexico%20here%20we%20come%21&untilColor=6724095&textColor=0&datesColor=0&year=2008&month=10&day=29&hour=8&minute=31&second=32&x=6&y=77" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="300" height="200" name="countdown" align="middle" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /><br><small><a href="http://www.countdownclockcodes.com/">MySpace Countdown Clocks</a></small></center>Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-24336927955803169082008-01-15T07:25:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:35:22.420-08:00Sugar High Friday coming Jan. 28th!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJ_GBTZetdZDq-m0RS2buMTHgKYH80MW1eQ4xhbIOhleDD1tUPZw5sZ27e5dAv6Rh9kpOUBMnlwLoZbh2BU-ruWcawynm_eoRe9tOr2j0Pahs0xt4q0nZX6k3C8vpQ9CEfbD1kuPelK4/s1600-h/107-0739_IMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJ_GBTZetdZDq-m0RS2buMTHgKYH80MW1eQ4xhbIOhleDD1tUPZw5sZ27e5dAv6Rh9kpOUBMnlwLoZbh2BU-ruWcawynm_eoRe9tOr2j0Pahs0xt4q0nZX6k3C8vpQ9CEfbD1kuPelK4/s200/107-0739_IMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155726724764370642" border="0" /></a><br />I recently stumbled on Sugar High Friday, a huge food blog event started by The Domestic Goddess. What a great excuse to try something sweet. This month's theme is Baking with Candy. I may submit Holy Cow cake. I adapted this recipe from the Cake Doctor. <span style="font-style: italic;">Please note: my daughter insisted on a Wheel of Wow cake (ala Webkinz), so I only used one layer for my Holy Cow cake. The recipe is written for two layers. The Holy Cow cake is the one on the right.<br /><br /></span><span>Below is the recipe. If you want to make an easier, faster version, omit the evaporated milk and cream cheese. It won't taste as decadent but will still make everyone happy.<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cakemixdoctor.com/recipes/what_kind/cakes/holy_cow_cake.php">Holy Cow Cake</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> from </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cakemixdoctor.com/cakemixblog/index.php">The Cake Doctor</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span> Serves: 20<br />Preparation Time: 5 to 7 minutes<br />Baking Time: 35 to 38 minutes<br />Assembly Time: 10 minutes<br /><br /><b>Cake</b> <p>Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan<br />1 package (18.25 ounces) plain devil's food cake mix<br />1 1/3 cups water<br />1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean, or sunflower<br />3 large eggs<br /><br /><b>Topping</b><br /><br />1 jar (8 ounces) caramel topping<br />1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk<br />4 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounces each), crushed<br />1 container (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed<br />1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature<br /> </p> <p>1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Set the pan aside.<br /><br />2. Place the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.<br /><br />3. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 35 to 38 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Immediately poke holes in the top of the cake with a drinking straw or chopstick.<br /><br />4. Prepare the topping. Place the caramel topping and sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spoon this mixture over the warm cake so that it can seep down into the holes. Measure out half of the crushed candy bars and sprinkle the pieces over the cake.<br /><br />5. Place the whipped topping and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and combined, 1 minute. Spread the mixture over the top of the candy. Sprinkle the remaining candy pieces on top. </p> <p>6. Place the pan, uncovered, in the refrigerator to chill the cake for about 20 minutes before cutting it into squares and serving.<br /><br /><i>Store this cake, covered in waxed paper, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.</i></p><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-18978202652992267192008-01-15T06:42:00.000-08:002008-01-15T07:04:49.395-08:00Tailgate ChiliElise at <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/about.php">Simply Recipes</a> has posted some great sounding <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/006265chili_recipes.php">chili recipes</a>. I can't wait to try one this weekend. Here's my favorite chili recipe that I make for Daytona 500 (my husband's Super Bowl :-)). The original version was from a Emeril Live recipe. He recommends opening individual bags of fritos and putting a scoop right into the bag. I tried this before and people got a kick out of it. Usually I serve in the more traditional bowl.<br /><br />I like to make it the day before in the crockpot. Then I just reheat it the day of the party, either in a crockpot or stockpot. I either add the masa slurry the day I make it or the day I heat it up.<br /><br /><span class="bodytext"><span style="font-weight: bold;">My Version of Emeril's Chili</span><br /><br />2 tablespoons vegetable oil<br />2 cups chopped onions<br />Salt<br />Cayenne<br />2 pounds beef bottom round, cut into 1/2-inch cubes<br />1 tablespoon chili powder<br />2 teaspoons ground cumin<br />Crushed red pepper<br />2 teaspoons dried oregano<br />2 tablespoons chopped garlic<br />3 cups crushed tomatoes<br />1/2 cup tomato paste<br />1 1/2 cups beef stock<br />2 cups canned dark red kidney beans<br />3 tablespoons masa<br />1 bag Frito Chips or any tortilla chip<br />grated Monterey Jack cheese<br />sour cream<br />1 small jar of jalapenos<br /><br /></span><span class="bodytext">n a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to wilt. Season with salt and cayenne. Stir in the beef , chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, and oregano. Brown the meat for 5 to 6 minutes. Place meat and vegetables into crockpot. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, and beans. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. During the last 30 minutes turn crockpot to high and add the masa slurry. To make the masa slurry, stir the masa with a little liquid from the stockpot to make a paste. Slowly stir in the masa slurry and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Reseason with salt and cayenne. Place a handful of the chips in each shallow bowl. Spoon the chili over the chips. Garnish with the grated cheese, sour cream and jalapenos.<br /><br /><br /></span>Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-21991917088625617382008-01-14T11:24:00.000-08:002008-01-14T11:42:21.808-08:00Foreman Grill and Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Z4838N7BL._SS500_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Z4838N7BL._SS500_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Last fall my daughter's school sold Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough. It has 3 dozen delicious individual frozen cookies in each tub. The cookies are great to have on hand for last minute play dates, visitors, etc. You can take out as many as you want and bake them. The problem is I hate heating the oven up for just a few cookies. So today I experimented with my George Foreman Grill. And, it worked! The grill is the Next Generation model with removable plates. I put the baking plate on the bottom and the the steak plate on top. <br /><br />I tried baking both cranberry oatmeal and double chocolate chunk and both turned it fine. The top was a little browner than when cooked in the oven but the taste was still great. Plus, it only took 10 minutes to bake, versus 18 minutes in the oven.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grilled Otis Spunkmeyer Cookies</span><br /><br />Preheat grill to medium.<br />Place frozen cookies on baking tray<br />Close top gently<br />Bake for 10 minutes<br />Remove cookies and let cool for 5 minutes.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Note: Cookies will be soft but will firm up when cooled.</span><br /><br />Enjoy!Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-36933769771896552562008-01-13T08:22:00.000-08:002008-01-13T08:29:08.670-08:00Every Day with Rachel Ray -EVEN BETTER DEALThis Monday, Jan. 14, <a href="bestdealmagazines.com">Bestdealmagazines.com</a> has Every Day with Rachel Ray magazine subscription for only $4.29! That's only 43 cents an issue. Plus if you go through ebates.com, you will get a 10% rebate. It's only 42 cents but those rebates add up.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-85689972231543560512008-01-08T11:53:00.001-08:002008-11-12T23:35:22.574-08:00Sierra Mist Ham<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyaAf90VYSvh29gWMZLmpbvB6YCsf5oymzjV4FmD0a7IFb7pZ7fMfaiCNGztblDADs2a0Yb2C9FDYqol0sd3CkUjyrzZTh1Mp4eYeI5-mLbVOz2MJ0fEFfOs85qmghAZV5OQCV4wu_SY/s1600-h/ham.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyaAf90VYSvh29gWMZLmpbvB6YCsf5oymzjV4FmD0a7IFb7pZ7fMfaiCNGztblDADs2a0Yb2C9FDYqol0sd3CkUjyrzZTh1Mp4eYeI5-mLbVOz2MJ0fEFfOs85qmghAZV5OQCV4wu_SY/s320/ham.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153196542350427842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sometimes the easiest recipes turn out the most delicious. I found this smoked ham for only 99 cents a pound. Since this was the cheapest ham at Safeway, I was nervous about how moist it would turn out. Sierra Mist to the rescue! I adapted a 7-Up recipe that I had on hand. Luckily ham turned out wonderfully!<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1 - 8-10 lb ham<br />1 - liter of Sierra Mist<br />1/2 box of brown sugar<br />1 can of sliced pineapples (optional)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ham in roasting pan. Pat brown sugar all over ham. Use toothpicks to place pineapple on top. Pour Sierra Mist into roasting pan. Place in oven. Cook for 20 minutes per pound. Baste every 1/2 hour or so.<br /><br />Remove and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy. Don't forget to save the ham bone for soup or beans!Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-60063140495849847012008-01-04T07:37:00.001-08:002008-11-12T23:35:22.671-08:00Comfort Food Cook-Off 2008<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://gardenofeatingblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/announcing-2008-comfort-food-cook-off.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7evfkS9ujdDWutWA9fXN3ft_KKSoGvLGZ_RSBYwpUpJZ0h_cjCbzCvlwbi1yP6s-st9JT-YEzn5f9yc1ZdtfE1R38afl74oW5E6jk3i1v8uMEXe8Yd8rKGLWopqjC05lwvmGHdj9O_E/s320/cookoff200.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151646299674740402" border="0" /></a><br />This looks like fun.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-45441920145080195072007-12-29T18:46:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:35:22.929-08:00Leapin' Lemons!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLVaf0DnbfmfRsJFcUL1pVzb1UUjf1O9ti2dgyCnyzvr0uFevKSw9Y8bo5z2qeKV2C-p1PAAEEHfA3xwjQbhLVsFGTe73c8IyMcHMT4afBYEwGVu17Y8nSB20OYiPISB-GrE0RR0UfNs/s1600-h/cookies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLVaf0DnbfmfRsJFcUL1pVzb1UUjf1O9ti2dgyCnyzvr0uFevKSw9Y8bo5z2qeKV2C-p1PAAEEHfA3xwjQbhLVsFGTe73c8IyMcHMT4afBYEwGVu17Y8nSB20OYiPISB-GrE0RR0UfNs/s320/cookies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151290989915244162" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">When we moved to our new home 7 years ago, I told our landscaper that I loved lemons and roses. Much to my husband's dismay, they planted over a dozen rose bushes and two lemon trees in our small backyard. This means weekends in January are busy spent pruning back bushes and trees that have taken over our backyard. Of course, on the positive side, we have plenty of pretty roses to look at in the summer and we are overwhelmed with lemons in December/January.<br /><br />Looking for something different, I stumbled on this tasty recipe from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ei/0,1976,FOOD_9958,00.html">Everyday Italian</a>, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_71448,00.html">Lemon Ricotta Cookies.</a><br /><br /></span><span class="bodytext" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cookies:</span><br />2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />1 teaspoon baking powder<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />1 stick unsalted butter, softened<br />2 cups sugar<br />2 eggs<br />1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese<br />3 tablespoons lemon juice<br />1 lemon, zested <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Glaze:</span><br />1 1/2 cups powdered sugar<br />3 tablespoons lemon juice<br />1 lemon, zested</p></span><span class="bodytext" style="font-family:verdana;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cookies: </span><br />In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. </p><p>In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients. </p><p>Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. </p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Glaze:</span><br />Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container</p><br />I made these for the holidays and they were a nice change from traditional Christmas cookies. The ricotta makes them very moist. They are almost a cross between a ake and a cookie. </span><strong></strong><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span>Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-2718983423154759552007-12-24T08:29:00.000-08:002007-12-24T08:36:52.646-08:00Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine - GREAT DEALFor months now I've been debating whether or not to subscribe to Rachael Ray's magazine. Instead of subscribing a periodically sneak a copy into my grocery cart and try not to watch the cashier ring it up at full cover price. Today I finally subscribed for only $5.32 for 10 issues. And, yes, the $5.32 is not a typo.<br /><br />Here's the great deal I found:<br /><br />- Go to <a href="www.bestdealmagazines.com">www.bestdealmagazines.com</a><br />- Click on Deal of the Day<br />- Add Every Day to your cart<br />- At checkout, use SANTASALE18 in the promotion code box<br /><br />The price will probably go up after today, but will still beat the cover price! also, if you go through ebates.com, you will get a 6% rebate.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-57075094248066471142007-06-07T09:44:00.000-07:002009-06-21T16:49:05.415-07:00BBQ Smoker Over 10 Years Old!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR7VEIErFQg3f4PKocicynKr0aAsu-F9Nk84QZzXpiRw27igdWwyq_L6hucuFhxkKUEn4dWSiN5TApl87dCt0_BuwiiRbZ6HLBDlScKHht4vSM-i5ra1tiw_36B2TR5lCBrtoREf_i40/s1600-h/DSC00010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR7VEIErFQg3f4PKocicynKr0aAsu-F9Nk84QZzXpiRw27igdWwyq_L6hucuFhxkKUEn4dWSiN5TApl87dCt0_BuwiiRbZ6HLBDlScKHht4vSM-i5ra1tiw_36B2TR5lCBrtoREf_i40/s320/DSC00010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073371667052444962" border="0" /></a><br />The other day Craig and I were talking about BBQ smokers and realized ours was over 10 years old. Here is a picture of Craig with my Dad on the day they put it together. I get a kick out of seeing Craig with a mustache :-).<br /><br />Today is Father's Day. Craig is smoking the ribs in a much older looking smoker. While we miss Dad, we are happy for the many wonderful memories, including eating bbq and drinking beer and wine with him.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-23928176574307245712007-05-30T06:54:00.001-07:002008-11-12T23:35:23.442-08:00Be a pepper. Drink Dr. Pepper ~ or marinade with itDr. Pepper Ribs was the first recipe we tried using our smoker. Just like good BBQ, Dr. Pepper combines <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv_Zql61vSIAYoV20b7wYRR-h1RUbijhAfGwz1Vhg6M3gBWhbSOME2JFXapTnnKitrI3FVpJoNWLkGMj29KmXHNCPhAvYfuyb3vNS8fPUAlUvuq6P7sAJu30-oGKd1ZGyGWhjOJOiF48/s1600-h/106-0674_IMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv_Zql61vSIAYoV20b7wYRR-h1RUbijhAfGwz1Vhg6M3gBWhbSOME2JFXapTnnKitrI3FVpJoNWLkGMj29KmXHNCPhAvYfuyb3vNS8fPUAlUvuq6P7sAJu30-oGKd1ZGyGWhjOJOiF48/s200/106-0674_IMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070352116855412002" border="0" /></a>peppery with sweet. It's a great marinade, use 3 cups in this recipe and drink the rest of the liter over ice. It also makes a great sauce that is good on grilled chicken too!<br /><br />Country-style ribs are a good economical cut. If you don't want to pay for traditional ribs, you can find country-style ribs for as little as $1 per pound. They usually have plenty of meat and very little bone. Costco also has delicious boneless ones.<br /><br />This recipe is from <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780316513012&itm=1">Where There's Smoke There's Flavor</a>. I've changed a few things, for example, the recipe causes for parboiling the ribs. This is unneccesary step. Also, if I double the recipe, I double the amount of Dr. Pepper I use to marinade the ribs. It's not necessary to double the sauce. It already makes plenty for 2 batches of ribs and you can still use leftovers for chicken later in the week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dr. Pepper Ribs</span><br /><br />3 to 4 lbs country-style pork ribs<br />3 cups Dr Pepper, divided<br />3 cups catsup<br />1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar<br />6 tbsps. chili powder<br />4 tbsps. ground black pepper<br />2 tbsps. dry mustard<br />1 tbsp. ground cinnamon<br /><br />Marinate ribs in Dr. Pepper overnight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P-33oQyr8zM9Ni-o564GsBMXOnPqPBoKOk8Gv53ZzmzfCPGIJK-RnEKZxvOmvP0wn7zn3U268gq0K5zM9GJ1plXYJfE9B_Np62xuhRfmEbBX8fY5GaXZ-gC5SXs5pjeeY_UnK8AhviU/s1600-h/106-0671_IMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P-33oQyr8zM9Ni-o564GsBMXOnPqPBoKOk8Gv53ZzmzfCPGIJK-RnEKZxvOmvP0wn7zn3U268gq0K5zM9GJ1plXYJfE9B_Np62xuhRfmEbBX8fY5GaXZ-gC5SXs5pjeeY_UnK8AhviU/s200/106-0671_IMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070352112560444690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />About 61/2 hours before dinner, start the smoker and take the ribs out of the refrigerator. Once the coals are ready, add well-soaked hickory to the coals. Set a pan filled with hot water in the smoker (below the grate). Smoke the ribs at about 220 degrees F. for 3 hours. Add coals and wood every 30 minutes or so to keep the temperature constant.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: We start wi</span><span style="font-style: italic;">th a chimney lighter full of coal and depending on weather add 8-10 coals and 1 -2 pieces of wood every half hour or so.<br /><br /></span>While the ribs are smoking, prepare the sauce. Pour remaining ingredients into blender or food processor. Mix until smooth and well-blended. You do not need to cook it until after ribs are basted with it. After the last basting of ribs, simmer in sauce pan over low heat until thickened.<br /><br />After 3 hours, turn the ribs, slather them with sauce and continue cooking for another 3 hours. Turn ribs every 30 minutes and slather them with sauce. Before removing ribs, make sure they have reached the internal temperature of 160 to 170 degrees F.<br /><br />Serve the ribs with the Dr. Pepper sauce for dipping.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-65585018938607989852007-05-29T14:11:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:35:24.054-08:00Southwestern SlawSunday we had some of our favorite relatives over for BBQ and watching the Coca-Cola 600. Since, I wanted to spend time with the newest member of the family, 2-month old Michael, I kept to easy recipes. One recipe I tried for the first time was from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ek/text/0,2763,FOOD_25716_44765,00.html">Ellie Krieger of Healthy Appetite</a> on the Food Channel. She has very simple, uncomplicated recipes. Plus, she's great at taking a traditional recipe and making it healthier. Click <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35946,00.html">here</a> to see her recipe. The nice thing about it is it's not too mayonnaisie for me or vinegary forCraig. Here's my quick version of her southwestern slaw recipe:<br /><br />1 - 10 oz bag of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage)<br />1 - jicama sliced into thin matchsticks<br />1 - thinly sliced red onion<br />1/2 cup buttermilk<br />1/4 cup yogurt (can substitute mayonnaise)<br />1 tbs. fresh lime juice<br />1/2 tsp. cumin<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />In a large bowl toss together vegetables. In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk, yogurt, lime, cumin, salt and pepper. Add mix to large bowl and mix well. Can be used immediately or refrigerated for future.<br /><br />Hope you enjoy it!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sideways note:</span> This was the first time I used jicama. At the grocery store I had to ask for help finding it. Apparently it doesn't come in thin white slices :-). I did get a little embarrassed when I realized I was standing right in front of it! So, others can be spared embarrassment, here's a picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1bL7A3iKg3QI2vOueZsYJpT62IGVuBeCt2mRm6enLOqHeFXADg56VpPLZnEVhr8q0pqpLqU3lNPkkc_6IQfiBHy1wKSSTeOmFVSsA6KwYP86HJhcPrA-jgshnTVZR-GS8wB4HQhIxI4/s1600-h/jicama.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1bL7A3iKg3QI2vOueZsYJpT62IGVuBeCt2mRm6enLOqHeFXADg56VpPLZnEVhr8q0pqpLqU3lNPkkc_6IQfiBHy1wKSSTeOmFVSsA6KwYP86HJhcPrA-jgshnTVZR-GS8wB4HQhIxI4/s200/jicama.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070102605025318130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Great description of jicama can be found at <a href="http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/ferray_fiszer/jicama.htm">www.sallys-place.com</a>. All I did was peel it then cut it. I've eaten jicama before and love the crispness and sweetness of it. Now that I know where it is in the produce section, I'll be sure to buy it more often.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-19767992501285731862007-05-24T17:12:00.000-07:002007-05-26T06:52:12.754-07:00Easy Baked Beans with Crispy BaconPut away the catsup, mustard, brown sugar, assorted cans of baked beans. Here's a recipe that takes alot less time but gets just as many raves as the crockpot version with 10 different ingredients that cooks all day.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Rachael Ray's Baked Beans with Crispy Bacon</span><br />6 slices bacon, chopped<br />1 cup plain bread crumbs<br />4 scallions, thinly sliced<br />Coarse black pepper<br />2 (15-ounce) cans prepared barbecued baked beans, about 4 cups<br /><br />In a medium skillet over medium high heat, brown bacon but do not fully crisp the pieces. Remove the skillet from heat and toss bread crumbs in the pan with the bacon and drippings. Add scallions to the bread crumbs and bacon and season the mixture with cracked black pepper, to taste.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.<br /><br />Add 2 cans of barbecued beans or extra spicy beans to a shallow casserole dish. Top with bacon and bread crumb mixture and place in oven. Bake 15 minutes or until top is crispy and beans are bubbly.<br /><br />Yield: 6 servings<br />Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes<br />Cooking time: 15 minutes<br />Ease of preparation: easyCraig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-5590957239237243082007-05-24T10:13:00.001-07:002007-05-24T10:18:15.617-07:00Memorial Day = BBQ<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/ernaehrung/food-smiley-002.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/ernaehrung/food-smiley-002.gif" alt="" border="0"></a><br />Time to get out the grills and the smokers, Memorial Day is one of the biggest BBQ days of the year. We have our menu already planned:<br /><br />* Dr. Pepper BBQ Ribs<br />* Grilled Corn on the Cob<br />* Rachael Ray's Baked Beans<br />* Sweet Potato Salad<br /><br />Stay posted for pictures!Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-39388497502501792802007-05-23T11:49:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:35:24.202-08:00Toogood Winery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaXj_ytkJ7R3zo6LLq-XyRsWhldhjWbqqZJ-N_MRTyELIiQtVyEPaov3mzTULUErUF15PGbuFUQTMAZ8s-upW8-q7derj3VKr4kxjpVJFEI4tO3_wFV6Fi-v1-JCHh-1JR3TUhd6qK9Q/s1600-h/toogood+zin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaXj_ytkJ7R3zo6LLq-XyRsWhldhjWbqqZJ-N_MRTyELIiQtVyEPaov3mzTULUErUF15PGbuFUQTMAZ8s-upW8-q7derj3VKr4kxjpVJFEI4tO3_wFV6Fi-v1-JCHh-1JR3TUhd6qK9Q/s200/toogood+zin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067831409139324130" border="0" /></a><br />For the kielbasa recipe below, I opened up a bottle of <a href="http://toogoodwinery.com/">Toogood Winery</a> 2003 Zinfandel. The best part of using wine in a recipe is you get to drink the rest of the bottle!!<br /><br />Toogood Winery is a great boutique winery nestled in the Sierra Foothills. The wines are very drinkable and the winery itself provides a fresh, innovative, fun approach to wine drinking. <br /><br />The 2003 is drinkable now. Very fruity.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-32679126332740154862007-05-23T11:02:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:35:24.287-08:00Kielbasa and Cabbage RecipeOccasionally I go shopping with recipes in mind. More often, I go armed with a list of items that are at "rock-bottom prices" per the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.grocerygame.com">grocery game</a>. Then when I get home I have a kitchen full of food with not a clear idea of what to do with it. This week Fresh Express coleslaw mix was on sale wfor $1 a bag and kielbasa was buy one, get one free. After searching the internet, I cobbled together a couple of recipes and came up with this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB6kQKgP8kCXK450fPY8SbVEaXwr2hj8jhjt1pKM3xOd4gyXU79LXIHiUm2sYk4TOPk2Hu6P17J70rEBYcdQisWu2VdG0v6b6-51xMZ5URaGKRcdtFE2NY98WTbpmcYRiDeGb2Bp8zJ4/s1600-h/kielbasa+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpB6kQKgP8kCXK450fPY8SbVEaXwr2hj8jhjt1pKM3xOd4gyXU79LXIHiUm2sYk4TOPk2Hu6P17J70rEBYcdQisWu2VdG0v6b6-51xMZ5URaGKRcdtFE2NY98WTbpmcYRiDeGb2Bp8zJ4/s200/kielbasa+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067826585891050706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">Not Quite Coleslaw & Sausage</span><br />Serves 2-3 people<br />Prep. Time: 10 min.<br />Cooking Time: 10 min.<br /><br />1 med. onion<br />1 lb. kielbasa sausage (sliced in 1-inch pieces)<br />1 tbsp. butter<br />1 cup chicken stock<br />10 oz. coleslaw mix (in produce section, shredded red & green cabbage and carrots)<br />splash of red wine<br />dash of red pepper flakes (1 packet from Round Table Pizza works :-))<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Saute the onion in butter until just tender. Brown sausage with onion. Add chicken stock and coleslaw mix. Cover and cook on med. heat for about 10 minutes. Add a splash of red wine, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-66673829097846934402007-05-23T07:31:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:35:24.381-08:00The Internet is cooking!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXqZaDgJz7HNB2x2SOxtZKiw0lZehFdAnAKQRHSmLYc3_r7lI9BtuawcWs3JwJynGGUTFsaDuyVKpcNT-qrP0xzeMY-foMSJVUNiHNe4zSdVRa6HFQwAvqtb-k-Jlw7c5gdjzX2lp3zQ/s1600-h/kristy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXqZaDgJz7HNB2x2SOxtZKiw0lZehFdAnAKQRHSmLYc3_r7lI9BtuawcWs3JwJynGGUTFsaDuyVKpcNT-qrP0xzeMY-foMSJVUNiHNe4zSdVRa6HFQwAvqtb-k-Jlw7c5gdjzX2lp3zQ/s200/kristy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067767491436025010" border="0" /></a><br />Today's Taste section of the Sacramento Bee featured <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/taste/story/189876.html">food blogging</a>. There are over 48,000 food bloggers in the United States. It's fun to be part of a community 4x larger than my hometown! The article also features writers of 3 of my favorite Sacramento blogsites, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.cakegrrlscakery.blogspot.com">Cakegrrl</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/vanillagarlic.blogspot.com">Vanilla Garlic</a> and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.everythingrachaelray.com">Everything Rachel Ray</a>. All three sites are warm, funny and friendly. The adorable picture on the left is of Kristy, also known as Cakegrrl. <br /><br /><br /><br />What a great community to be part of!Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-77917980587025652842007-05-22T13:26:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:35:24.527-08:00Chili with Smoked Brisket<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKRZ5WN5gc83iooNc8Mmn-6yBaKulwfDjJCpNtBmqy16U6eEkPwFm4ZXabCHQ4J_YsSbzKXuw36DMJVjG5ccL6lPJni2kgCLV5atC86hEkMiE8T4JICvTSxaa53qClh7FB08P0xhRawE/s1600-h/beans.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKRZ5WN5gc83iooNc8Mmn-6yBaKulwfDjJCpNtBmqy16U6eEkPwFm4ZXabCHQ4J_YsSbzKXuw36DMJVjG5ccL6lPJni2kgCLV5atC86hEkMiE8T4JICvTSxaa53qClh7FB08P0xhRawE/s320/beans.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067487171805516962" border="0" /></a><br />A 4-lb <a href="http://kickinitup.blogspot.com/2007/05/and-finally-bbq.html">brisket</a> for 2 people can last quite awhile. After 2 meals and 2 lunches, it was time for something new. Craig discovered this great recipe for <a href="http://bbqinstitute.com/chili.htm">chili beans</a> on the <a href="http://bbqinstitute.com/">BBQ Institute</a> website. We love chili. We have had good chili, we have had great chili, we have had outstanding chili, but none compare to the incredible flavor of this chili. The smokiness and spice from the brisket add a wonderful depth of flavor.<br /><br />Of course, the best part, was it was a great team effort on both Craig's and my part :-). Next time, we plan on saving a little more brisket to add to the chili.<br /><br /><blockquote> <p><span style="font-size:180%;"><b>Craig & Malinda's Chili</b></span></p>2 cups dry pinto beans<br />2 large onions<br />6 cloves garlic<br />1 cup chicken stock (Canned works fine)<br />1 to 2 cups water depending on how soupy you like your chili<br />1 Tablespoon cumin<br />1/4 cup dark chili powder<br />1 Tablespoon ground black pepper<br />1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt<br />1 teaspoon oregano<br />1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce<br />1/2 to 1 teaspoon Chipotle powder (smoke and heat) or cayenne (just heat)<br />1/2 Tablespoon paprika<br />1 small can green chiles (drained and diced)<br />2-15oz can tomato sauce<br />1 to 2 pounds seasoned left over BBQ smoked beef brisket<br />Adjust salt and seasoning to taste with Kosher Salt<ul><li> <br /></li></ul> <p align="left"><b>Step 1. </b>In an 8 quart oven-safe pot (with lid) add 2 cups of pinto beans to 8 cups of hot water and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Let stand for 4 hours covered, adding water as needed to keep beans covered in water. Drain off water. (Or soak overnight for less work)<br /></p> <p align="left"><b>Step 2. </b>Preheat oven to 350ºf. Sauté 2 large minced onions and 4 to 8 cloves of minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat, stirring constantly until the onion is translucent. Add one 15oz can of tomato sauce to deglaze the pan and pour on top of drained beans. Add rest of ingredients (except for brisket), stir, cover, and bake for 2 hours.</p> <p align="left"><b>Step 3. </b>Add brisket and cook for half hour or more at lowest heat, stirring occasionally. Test for seasoning, adjust and enjoy. Garnish with grated cheese, diced onions, and sour cream. Serve with your favorite cornbread.</p> </blockquote>Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-55302679846533865072007-05-17T12:51:00.000-07:002007-05-17T13:33:27.426-07:00Fish Tacos QuickWhat do you do if you have a lb. of white fish that needs to be used that night and less than 30 minutes to prepare it, cook it and eat? Knowing that I also had some corn tortillas in the fridge, I googled "fish taco recipe" and one of the first sites listed was a great local Sacramento blog, <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/">Simply Recipes</a>. Elise has written up a simple and easily adaptable <a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000520fish_tacos.php">recipe</a> for fish tacos. <br /><br />Using her recipe as a guide, I threw together my own version in less than 10 minutes. Ate quickly and was only 5 minutes late for setting up a book fair at my daughter's school. THANK YOU ELISE and Simply Recipes!!!!<br /><br />This is what I did:<br /><br />You will need:<br /><br /> 1 lb. tilipia (or any white fish)<br /> olive oil<br /> corn tortillas<br /> garlic salt (optional)<br /> salsa<br /><br />Soak the fish in cold water for about a minute. Heat up 2 pans, one for the tortillas and one for the fish. Add about 1 tbsp. to each pan.<br /><br />Remove fish from water and pat dry. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Cook in pan until almost translucent (less than 1 minutes for thin slices, more for thicker). Turn and cook for about another minute. <br /><br />Heat up tortillas in other pan. About 15-20 seconds per side. Oil is option but does add good flavor to store bought tortillas (I learned that from Simply Recipes :-)) and since my tortillas were getting a bit old, the oil helped greatly.<br /><br />Assemble at table with any salsa. I just used a jar of Pace I had in my stockpile.<br /><br />Next time I'll add coleslaw.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-73850074278977842852007-05-16T11:36:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:35:24.721-08:00And Finally . . . BBQ!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2ZU-J9Bt8Jurg_QI5V_fBbQzuxTQhM4k_CNL5DN4xzvjUZxJFkvt_WNuSM9x6o-rZpPoRdtWVt23xpdwhUyvPZ451dsu0MUwI7WMekEkgK47s6onWjbJWMUzUCqpyTG-yOlsxO2LaPM/s1600-h/106-0657_IMG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2ZU-J9Bt8Jurg_QI5V_fBbQzuxTQhM4k_CNL5DN4xzvjUZxJFkvt_WNuSM9x6o-rZpPoRdtWVt23xpdwhUyvPZ451dsu0MUwI7WMekEkgK47s6onWjbJWMUzUCqpyTG-yOlsxO2LaPM/s200/106-0657_IMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065229569491014802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On Sunday, we finally were able to enjoy our bbq dinner. The brisket was fork-tender. Notice the great smoke ring. The Boarding House Macaroni Salad and the beans complemented the brisket perfectly.<br /><br />The macaroni salad is perfect for a large crowd (we had lots of leftovers). It's simple to make, flavorful and inexpensive. I made it directly from Smoke & Spice cookbook. However, I did omit the pimientos. <br /><br />Boarding House Macaroni Salad<br />Source: Smoke & Spice; by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, (c) 1994.<br />Serves 6 to 8<br /><br />1 pound Macaroni *<br />6 ounces To 8 oz mild or medium -<br />Cheddar cheese -- cubed small<br />1 1/2 cups Baby peas -- fresh or frozen<br />1 medium Green bell pepper -- chopped<br />1 medium Onion -- chopped<br />2/3 cup Sweet pickle relish<br />1/4 cup Mayonnaise<br />1/4 cup Plain yogurt<br />1/4 cup Chopped pimientos<br />White pepper to taste<br /><br />* Preferably small elbows or shells, cooked and drained.<br /><br />In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients.<br /><br />Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour to develop the flavors. The salad keeps well for several days.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-7578536863392205082007-05-13T08:29:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:35:24.988-08:00Happy BBQ MONTH!In honor of B<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2wnZaRPYS8HXQx5d5M_HwvhX3PYNXOTXGd9nAU06Tu_6AlOYOqHYI7NXVcn7sXcH35FPgjKAL0cUUn-BEaSjmwsZFnDtVmH6ZyF9VYTV65UkdbYaP9lawo2oh2Y1eW3kxb99gmGFWR4/s1600-h/106-0648_IMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2wnZaRPYS8HXQx5d5M_HwvhX3PYNXOTXGd9nAU06Tu_6AlOYOqHYI7NXVcn7sXcH35FPgjKAL0cUUn-BEaSjmwsZFnDtVmH6ZyF9VYTV65UkdbYaP9lawo2oh2Y1eW3kxb99gmGFWR4/s200/106-0648_IMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064069986391254210" border="0" /></a>BQ month, we decided to bbq our first brisket of the season. We dug out our well-used 10-year old copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Spice-Cooking-Real-Barbecue/dp/1558322620/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-8968325-0468750?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179070814&sr=8-1">Smoke and Spice</a> and decided to make the tried and true Braggin-Rights Brisket recipe with the recommended side dishes of Boarding House Macaroni Salad and Cowpoke Beans. We went to the store the day before and picked out the perfect piece of meat. Friday night I made the rub and vigorously massaged the meat with it. Saturday morning, around 11:00, we placed this wonderful meat on the bbq.<br /><br />At a little over 4 lbs, smoking for 1 - 1/2 hours a pound, we figured dinner would be around 6:00. Around 12:00, the internal temperature was around 150 degrees. We only needed it to get to 190. Dinner might be early. Soon the meat was at 160 degrees, and there it pretty much stayed.<br /><br />6:30 p.m. came and went with our brisket at around 160 degrees. Around 7:30, we ordered pizza and at 10:00 p.m. We finally took this off the grill:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTi7jH5cIkX5r8IFO47cBSGKvbTU8EZhFqELxr80W8uXJiOuw8GMRNJaiwY7IL73VybQqcTIgzEIHfoEyyH6Lon_2wSUymsyLhldvaLtgGKY7Sc8b8qtXC_GWUK-9Sy-5m4v__-Rb8uIQ/s1600-h/106-0655_IMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTi7jH5cIkX5r8IFO47cBSGKvbTU8EZhFqELxr80W8uXJiOuw8GMRNJaiwY7IL73VybQqcTIgzEIHfoEyyH6Lon_2wSUymsyLhldvaLtgGKY7Sc8b8qtXC_GWUK-9Sy-5m4v__-Rb8uIQ/s200/106-0655_IMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064072228364182738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />]<br /><br /><br /><br />We wrapped it up in tin foil, put it in the cooler and went to bed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedTpj1FFhHgTtA0iKXbOBFNvL76C_pK0rWndFyM5jUPQfpWDPVkLIiDgR44uYqeibRUqptoX87Povm1ue7HyE9_d3V7t10a28t6ri69f5Wk2AL24ZdE4CyyQcrPw8tJQwjAVDWNzlXVU/s1600-h/106-0656_IMG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedTpj1FFhHgTtA0iKXbOBFNvL76C_pK0rWndFyM5jUPQfpWDPVkLIiDgR44uYqeibRUqptoX87Povm1ue7HyE9_d3V7t10a28t6ri69f5Wk2AL24ZdE4CyyQcrPw8tJQwjAVDWNzlXVU/s200/106-0656_IMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064072748055225570" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />So, my next post will be about my wonderful Mother's Day BBQ Dinner.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3418810285096391655.post-13978515365084203142007-05-07T13:31:00.000-07:002007-05-07T13:41:47.621-07:00Diet 7UP Taste TestThanks to <a href="http://cakegrrlscakery.blogspot.com/">cakegrrl</a>, I just found out about a great deal from 7 UP. Go <a href="http://7up.com/Diet/Registration/KitRegistration.aspx">here</a> now and receive a Taste Test kit. It is limited, so go soon. The nice thing is if you are too late for the kit, they will still send you a coupon for 2 free liters of 7UP.Craig & Malindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431033973147161273noreply@blogger.com0