Awesome food find......Buffalo Chicken Rub!!

So, we were in Williams-Sonoma (big shock there!) and we came across yet another grilling rub. As everyone knows, I love grilling rubs and I love spicy food. BINGO....this is like a match made in heaven. The rub itself isn't like traditional buffalo wing sauce meaning, it has a little heat but not so spicy that your mouth is on fire for like 3 days. We used it on boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Following the instructions, we rubbed a decent amount on the chicken then mixed 4 tablespoons of melted butter with 2 tablespoons of the rub to brush on the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking. The result......OMG!!! The chicken was juicy with a little buttery-spicy kick to it. We served it with super-sweet corn on the cob and light sour cream for dipping. It was fantastic!


Give it a try!!
$10.00 for 3 oz. container
Williams-Sonoma

Ginger and her tennis ball...

I was cleaning out the back of my truck the other day and I found a bag of brand new tennis balls. I took the balls out of my truck and put them in the garage. I can't even remember why I had a bag of tennis balls to begin with. But anywho....later that night, Billy came home and we were getting ready to grill in the back yard. Ginger was out with us, as usual since outside on the deck is her favorite place to be second to the chair in the den under the skylight. We were tossing Ginger's football around and she was chasing after it and I remembered that I had the tennis balls in the garage. I asked Billy if she would even play with a tennis ball and he said yes. So I grabbed one from the bag and threw it to Ginger who thought that this was the greatest thing ever. She happily ran back and forth with it, smiling and shaking her butt (remember, she is a boxer with no tail). I don't remember the exact details about what happened after that, all I know is the ball ended up inside and very soon after...under the entertainment center. Ginger had forgotten about it in the days that past until Saturday night at about midnight. Billy and I were watching TV and Ginger started pawing at the space under the entertainment center. Billy and I looked at each other and he says "It must be her ball". She tried for a few minutes more then gave up laying down in front of the entertainment center, head down, staring at the ball. About an hour had gone by and Ginger suddenly got up and started crying as if she had to go out. We both knew that she didn't since she had been out already not too long ago. Again, we looked at each other and I said "Is that for the ball again?" Billy replied "It has to be". So I got up, got down on my hands and knees and retrieved the tennis ball for Ginger. What she did next just shocked me. She didn't push it with her nose and run after it, she didn't chew it, she didn't give it to me or Billy to throw it.......she left it where I had placed it on the rug and just laid down on her side next to it. I always find it funny when she does things like that. It is almost like the ball was her long lost companion who she just wanted to lay beside and spend some quality time with.


XOXO
Ginger and her tennis ball
7.23.2011

Cream Cheese Cake

Cream Cheese Cake

4 - 8oz. packages cream cheese, very soft
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups sour cream
6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and beat again until smooth and creamy. Add the 1 1/2 cups of sugar and almond extract, stir to combine. Bake in a 9x13-inch pan for 35 to 40 minutes, until center is set. Cool for 20 minutes. Then mix sour cream, 6 tablespoons sugar and vanilla by hand. Pour onto cake and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Butter Cake

I just realized that I have been slacking in the desserts department. I am not a big dessert person and I am not a fan of baking..lol...especially from scratch but this cake is so good! Well, anything with butter is so good....LOL!

Butter Cake

For the cake -
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter milk
1 cup soft butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

For the sauce -
3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake ingredients and beat for 3 minutes until smooth and well combined. Bake in a greased 10-inch Bundt pan for 60 to 70 minutes. Prepare the sauce immediately after taking the cake out of the oven. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter and vanilla. Cook over low heat until butter melts making sure you do not boil the mixture. Prick cake 10 to 12 times with a knife. Pour the hot butter sauce over the cake. Cook completely before removing cake from pan.

We grow them to smell them...not to use!

This past Sunday, I was at my parents house. On their deck, they have huge flower pots filled with different herbs...3 or 4 different kinds of basil and rosemary. So I asked my mom if she ever grilled on top of fresh rosemary. She replies "No. We don't use the rosemary to cook". Which then sparked my curiosity to ask about the basil. Again...she said no. Ummm...okay....so then why do you grow it? Their answer - "We grow them to smell them...not to use!". SERIOUSLY??? Ugh...family!

Basil plant from my mom's deck...


4 different kinds of basil....


The basil and rosemary I took because apparently I am the only one who uses it!

Beer Ketchup

I am not a big mustard person...as a matter of fact, I can't stand the stuff. But I could literally put ketchup on anything! I have found BBQ Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup, Green Ketchup....which is a nice alternative to the plain stuff. This recipe for Beer Ketchup is great on burgers and hot dogs.

Beer Ketchup

3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup beer
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Priceless.....

Mariana
July 9, 2011

Things that make you go hmmmm...

I am kind of curious as to why Legal Seafoods Double Stuffed Baked Shrimp is my No. 1 blog post of all time.

Spicy Honey Chicken Thighs

Spicy Honey Chicken Thighs

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Preheat broiler.
Combine garlic powder, chili powder, salt, cumin, paprika and ground red pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl and toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven and brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

Taking Billy's picture is never an easy task.....

Take 1 we tried to take ourselves...


Take 2 we asked Elizabeth to take...


Okay...I'll hold his eyes open...


Ahhh forget it! Good enough!!


Billy, me and Tara
July 9, 2011
XOXO

Apple Fritters

Apple Fritters

1 large apple such as Fuji, peeled, cored and grated
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vegetable oil for frying

Add the egg whites to a large bowl and set aside. Add the yolks to a medium bowl and whisk until light. Stir in the grated apples. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and combine well.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the apple mixture.
Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a hot skillet. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons into the hot oil. Cook for about 1 minute, turn, and cook the other side for an additional. The fritters should be golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or caramel topping.

Footnotes - To keep the fritters from getting soggy, cook them on high heat and do not over-crowd the skillet.

Again..peas are the Devil.....

So the other day I got an email from someone asking why I never post recipes using peas. Besides the fact that I was unaware that there was a huge demand for pea recipes...I simply don't like peas. I don't buy them. I don't cook with them and I most certainly don't eat them.
But the question did make me think. So I looked back and found a few recipes that I thought sounded interesting...but for the most part, the blog is filled with recipes of food that I like. But then again, it is my blog...LOL! And I did say that it was a collection of my favorite recipes. So unfortunately, there will not be an huge wave of pea, bean, liver, radish, lettuce or beet recipes gracing the pages of my blog anytime soon. I'm sorry everyone...LOL!

XOXO

Your food is only as good as what you put in it....

More times than I can count, I have heard people say - "Oh, I made such & such last night for dinner and it didn't come out right". My response is almost always - "Well, what did you use?".
I often write "good-quality" before I list an ingredient for a reason. If a recipe calls for grated Parmesan cheese and you use 4C or Progresso in that glass jar, yeah, your dish isn't going to taste right. The quality of the ingredients makes all the difference in the world in how your food will taste in the end.
Here is my list of 5 ingredients you should never skimpy on the quality of -

1. Cheese - grated, shredded, sliced..very important! Cheese is funny...use cheap cheddar, your recipe will come out oily. Use cheap Parmesan, your recipe will come out stale tasting or too salty. Honestly, it is cheaper to buy a block of cheese and grate or shred it yourself. Plus you know that you are getting fresh cheese and not something that has been sitting on the shelf for almost a year. Another option for grated cheese, go to your local specialty store (Italian deli) and buy it there. Usually they grate them right in front of you. Plus, you only have to buy as much as you need.

2. Olive oil - Me personally, I only use Greek olive oil and I get it at a store called Titan Foods in Astoria. Oil, no matter what is expensive. But the better quality ones do have a better taste...there is no question about that.

3. Garlic - Why garlic you ask? While jarred chopped or minced garlic may save you time and save your fingers from smelling like garlic for the next 3 days, it is a fact that it makes your food taste bitter. You are much better off buying fresh garlic and chopping it yourself.

4. Cheese - Yeah...I said it before and I will say it again because it is SO IMPORTANT!!!!! I seriously can't stress this enough!

5. Herbs - Now, herbs are tricky because there are certain recipes where dried works better than fresh. For example, your slow cooker. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with dried herbs, I use them all the time. But there are things that I make where fresh herbs just rock the taste. Another cool thing...and I actually learned this from my husband, you can grill vegetables right on top of fresh herbs, like rosemary.

Bottom line, you can't expect your recipes to be at their best when you use "less-than" ingredients to make them. Oh and in case you forgot....USE FRESH CHEESE!!!! LOL!!

Happy 1st Birthday Miss Mariana!

June was so action-packed that I slacked and never posted that Mariana turned a year old on June 23rd! Happy Birthday Boo-boo's!! XOXO

Another awesome food find....Artichoke Garlic Pizza Sauce

Oh Williams-Sonoma...how do I love thee?
So this is my newest awesome food find from...you guessed it - Williams-Sonoma! Anyone who knows me knows that I am not crazy about pizza, especially New Jersey pizza (Hey..I grew up in New York!!). I think it's because I am very picky about tomato sauce which is why I like this so much. It is amazing on grilled pizza with fresh mozzarella. You can also spread it on sandwiches or toss with hot pasta.
It's a little on the expensive side at $11.50 a jar but you can get 3 pizzas out of 1 jar. Give it a whirl....you won't be disappointed!

King Crab Legs with Butter and Breadcrumbs

King Crab Legs with Butter and Breadcrumbs

1 to 1 1/2 pounds of King crab legs, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

Turn the oven on broil with the oven rack set 6-inches away from the heat.
In a small bowl combine the breadcrumbs, salt and grated cheese. Split the legs lengthwise with a serrated knife and brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Broil them for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown and piping hot.
If the crab legs turn golden brown before they become piping hot, place a tented foil over them and transfer them to a lower oven rack. Let them cook for a few minutes. Serve immediately.

Joey & Danny turn 5!

July 9, 2011
XOXO

Lobster Cream Pasta

Lobster Cream Pasta

4 - 6 oz. lobster tails
1/2 lb. pasta, cooked (spaghetti, ziti, bowties or medium shells)
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 shallots, sliced thin
1/2 cup sliced white or portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
1 - 12 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Remove lobster meat from tails and cut into chunks.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the shallots, garlic and mushrooms until the shallots are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add lobster meat and saute for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and continue to let simmer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper and serve over the pasta.

Marinated NY Strip Steak with Grilled Scallions

Marinated NY Strip Steak with Grilled Scallions

4 - 1-inch thick New York strip steaks - 8 to 10 oz. each, trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
10 large scallions, bulbs split in half lengthwise

Sprinkle the steaks with 1-1/4 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.

In a medium bowl, mix 4 tablespoons oil with the soy sauce, 3 teaspoons thyme, the Worcestershire, mustard, vinegar, and garlic. Put the steaks in a large bowl and coat them with the soy sauce mixture. Cover the bowl and marinate the steaks in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

For a gas grill, light the front burner to medium-high and the back burner(s) to medium-low. For a charcoal grill, light a medium fire (about 300°F to 350°F) with two-thirds of the coals banked to one side. Clean and oil the grill grates. While the grill heats, set the steaks out at room temperature. Toss the scallions with the remaining tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Set the steaks over the hotter part of the fire and the scallions over the cooler zone. Cook, covered, until the scallions brown, about 3 minutes, and the steaks have good grill marks and easily release from the grate, about 4 minutes. Flip both the scallions and steaks. Cook the steaks until desired doneness. Grill the scallions until browned and softened, about 5 more minutes.

Transfer the steaks to dinner plates, top with the remaining teaspoon thyme, and serve with the scallions.

Chicken with Lemon-Leek Linguine

Chicken with Lemon-Leek Linguine

6 oz. linguine
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, divided
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 leek, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain; keep warm. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge chicken in flour, shaking to remove excess. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, leek and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté 4 minutes. Add broth and lemon juice; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add pasta to leek mixture and toss well to combine. Serve chicken over pasta mixture. Sprinkle with parsley.