Tuna & Bean Salad

 For too many reasons to possibly list here, my wife is my hero. However, one of the smaller reasons is her dedication and willingness to only eat salads for work meals. She feels lighter on her feet all day, and says it makes up for our more indulgent meals when she is home. Tuna & Bean salad is just one of the alternatives that we go with when i make here lunch. She has me put it over any variety of mixed crunchy greens & hot pepper rings with some home made dressing.

1 5 oz can Solid Tuna in Water
1 16 oz can Cannellini Beans - drained & rinsed*
2 tbs Olive Oil
2 tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp Dried Parsley
Salt and pepper to taste - A dash of crushed red pepper is great!
1/3 cup each of the following  finely diced

• Cucumber - Seeded - peel optional
• Red Bell Pepper
• Celery
• Carrot
• Purple Onion

I drain the tuna in a mesh strainer over the sink, easier than squeezing the can and spraying myself with tuna juice. Use a large mixing bowl just to make life easy.  Drain & rinse the beans in the strainer as well. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well, but lightly, canned beans smash easy. refridgerate for at least an hour for flavors to come together. This is a very lightly dressed salad. You can certainly add more oil or vinegar to taste when serving, but it hold up best without being drowned.

*Works great with chick peas (garbanzo beans if you prefer) or any other preference like kidney beans.

Enjoy.

Southwest Rice and Beans

In our home, we now call this house Rice, we make it so frequently. Very Tasty! The food police will be knocking on my door for Rule Breaking and using converted (par-cooked) rice again, but it just cooks too beautifully not to use. We usually serve with burritos, but as a standalone it works great with some shrimp tossed in to simmer with the rice or even leftover grilled chicken breast to stretch those budgets.


1- 1 1/2 cups converted rice - y'know that "uncle's" rice or market equivalent
1 3/4 -2 1/2 cups Chicken broth - low sodium store brand if home made is not an option.
*** More rice & stock for more servings- 1 cup of rice is about 4 servings and some leftovers***
1 medium Onion dices fine or Shallot works really well here.
1 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes - DO NOT drain
1 16 oz can Black Beans - DO NOT drain
1 16 oz can  Corn -Drained or 1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen
1-2 Jalapenos cut into thin rings or seeded & diced fine if you want to cut the heat.
2 tbsp Olive Oil

Optional -Shredded Cheese or Pico De Gallo(fresh salsa) to top

Saute the onions and pepper in the olive oil over medium low heat, at least until translucent or fully caramelize for best flavor. Add the rice and toss lightly to to slightly brown. Raise the heat to high, add the stock, beans, tomatoes and corn and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Enjoy !

Beef and Bean Burritos Enchilada Style

One of the family favorites, these burritos are spicy, cheesy, a bit messy and anything else you might want in a great burrito. I know there are some bean haters out there, and they can be omitted, or the bean base can be substituted with a quality can of refried beans. The can of black beans is somewhere between 80¢ and a dollar, vs. double for refried and lower in sodium, fat, and additives as well. We all want to save money, right? The following will make 8-10 burritos with 8" tortillas. I frequently make a day ahead, or freezes well in a food saver or with air removed from a freezer bag. ( I use a straw.) The prep on this before it goes in the oven is about 1 1/2 hours. Well worth the time when you have it

Bean Base

1 16 oz Can Black Beans - drained and rinsed
1 Lime - zested and juiced

Meat Mix

1 1/4 lb Lean Hamburg - Ground Turkey or Chicken work well here also.
1/4 lb Bacon - about 4 thick cut strips diced
1 medium Onion - diced fine
2-3 Chipotle Peppers dice fine or 2-3 tablespoon Chipotle Hot Sauce
1 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained but not squeezed dry or...
1 1/2cup fresh tomato diced fine, seeds and goo removed
2 tbsp Dad's Rub( start with one if not using beans)
2 tbsp Olive oil.
Salt and Pepper to taste.

8-10 8" Flour Tortillas
1/2 lb at least of shredded cheese like cheddar or a good pepper jack. Shred a block,  better taste, $ave
Enchilada Sauce
Pico de Gallo or Salsa-Fresh is best or a good market brand

Burrito Assembly Line

Pulse beans, lime zest and juice in a food processor -same method to saute with bacon and onions for home made refried beans side dish. Slowly render the bacon in a wide, deep skillet until it is just under crisp over a low heat in the olive oil. Be patient, this can take a few minutes. Add the onions, continuing to saute slowly. I will usually fully caramelize the onions before i turn up the heat to medium high and add the beef and the Dad's Rub. Breakup the beef with your spoon, but really let it brown, don't mix too often.  That char is your friend and your flavor. Mix in the bean base and the tomatoes. Turn down the heat and let simmer for at least twenty minutes to thicken and bring flavors together.

While meat mix is cooling to a manageable temp, pre heat oven to 350 and heat tortillas wrapped together in aluminum foil for ten minutes. this makes them much more manageable without tearing. I "cut" the cooled meat mix into quarters in the pan and then half again to portion. Drop a couple of heaping tablespoons of cheese into the burrito, then spoon the mix on top. I fold the bottom over, then the sides, and then roll over the top. Place with the last folded  side down to keep them closed  into a baking pan or casserole dish lined with cooking spry to make removal easier. Spoon enchilada sauce and more cheese over the top. If just rolled, heat in the oven covered in foil for at least 15 minutes. If from the fridge, pre-made, I will heat for 45 minutes. I like to add my cheese when they come out of the oven actually, it tends to melt off completely and stick to the pan otherwise. Top with Pico and serve. We usually serve with my spin on Southwest Rice & Beans

Enjoy !

Dad's Rub

Dad's Rub is just my own little spice blend that i use for grilling and sauces and all sorts of other places.

It is simply

- 2 parts Chili Powder- the "Hot" Mexican on the market shelves usually isn't too spicy.

1 part each

- Black Pepper

- Cayenne Pepper

- Paprika

- Cumin
- Garlic Powder

- Dry Mustard Powder

Please note there is no salt in this rub. I prefer to salt to taste

Enchilada Sauce

Burritos with Enchilada -ready for Oven

A ouple of years ago when i was planning on burritos for dinner, the market was out of the canned stuff one day, and thank goodness. it forced me to make my own which is far superior, and a lot less expensive. A 29 oz can of Puree is only about $1.50, half the cost of the "Authentic" sauce.

1 29 oz can Tomato Puree
3+ tbsp Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Onion finely diced
1 tbsp Dad's Rub
2-3 Chipotle Peppers finely diced
   or 2-3 tbsp Chipotle Hot Sauce
1+ tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp Olive oil
Small dash of ground cinnamon, and/or allspice, Very Easy to overpower.

Burritos w Enchilada Sauce Topped with Pico Served w Rice

Saute the onion in the olive oil.over medium low heat. The longer you let it go toward fully caramelized, the more delicious it gets. If you have the time, take the onions all the way. Except peppers or hot sauce, add everything else and whisk together, continuing medium low heat to simmer. Add the peppers or hot sauce 1 at a time to control heat. You may like your saucece more tart or more sweet as well, which explains the "+" You can always add to your preference. Simmer a few minutes to bring the flavors together.

Dad's Rub is just my own little spice blend that i use for grilling and sauces and all sorts of other places.

It is simply

2 parts Chili Powder- the "Hot" Mexican on the market shelves usually isn't too spicy.

1 part each

- Black Pepper

-Cayenne Pepper

-Paprika

-Cumin
-Garlic Powder

-Dry Mustard Powder

Please note there is no salt in this rub. I prefer to salt to taste

BBQ or Barbecue Chicken Wings

Unless you're just one of those chicken haters, everyone else has their favorite variety of chicken wings. Whether you like to Buffalo, sweet and spicy, Asian sticky, orange sesame or in this case, barbecue, at some point you can't get enough of those chicken wings. For me, on the bone, slow grilled with a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce is the way to go.

Marinade - at least 4 hours, overnight for max flavor

For  4-5 lbs chicken wings, about 16 pieces, tips cut off, flats & drums NOT separated

2 12 oz beers -good ol' American light beer works great

1 Lime - zest & juice

3-4 Jalapenos sliced w seeds, or seeded & diced for heat control

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

Or 1 tbsp Dad's Rub in place of Black Pepper & Garlic for extra pop.
Barbecue Sauce - Homemade or favorite store brand (try mine it's really good)

Start with nice clean grill grates, lightly rubbed with oil to prevent sticking, Pre-heat grill on high. I like to fire it up to about 400 degrees if you have a temp gauge on your grill. Reduce heat to medium low, place wings "skin" side up, cover grill and DON"T TOUCH for 15 minutes unless you get a fire flare up. For charcoal grills, don't have the grate set too low on the coals. Flip after fifteen minutes and put first light coat of barbecue sauce on the side that just cooked. If your grill is like mine, you may be switching wings around from hot spots so they cook evenly. Drop cover & let go for another fifteen minutes. Flip & sauce the just cooked side, cover & grill for 10 more minutes. Last flip & BBQ Sauce, another 5 minute should do.

Enjoy.

Sausage & Potato Casserole

You may want to cut back the ingredients if you don't like leftovers or have small family, i'm all for anything that gives a meal or two the next day also. This is a super simple prep and like all casseroles, too easy to cook. Oh, and it tastes great too.

1 1/2 lb Sausage -sliced in rings or 1/2 moons for bigger & firmer links, mix up your favorite varieties
2 lbs Potatoes, bite size, sliced thin - baby potatoes work great here, no peeling
1 medium onion, diced fine - about 3/4 cup
1/2 Bell Pepper, diced fine - about 3/4 cup - I love the red or orange for best flavor
4 tbsp dried Parsley or  a good handful of fresh if on hand.
Salt & Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees while prepping, this is fast. Most varieties of sausage slice best if half frozen, especially ground turkey. I have made this with sweet and hot Italian, Bratwurst, Kielbasa including the baloney brand turkey kielbasa, Linguica, Portuguese Chourico, Andouille, Chicken Apple, and Mango Jalapeno Chicken sausages. Each type can bring a dramatically different flavor, don't be scared. The one in the picture is the most frequent, 1 lb Hot Turkey Italian style, 1/2 lb Turkey kielbasa. Those two are my son's favorites, and as fussy as he is, if he likes it, that's what i'm cooking.

Toss the ingredients in a large bowl, and spread evenly into a large lightly oiled casserole baking dish. Cook in the oven for at least an hour, tossing to brown evenly after 1/2 hour & then twenty minutes. My son loves his with a good dose of ketchup of course.

Enjoy.

Penne & Broccoli with Pesto Cream Sauce

NOT your normal thick Alfredo Sauce at all. My wife and mother in law actually prefer thinner sauces, while i am always a fan of the cheesy goo. Dad wouldn't be Dad without the family, so I love to cook to their preferences.


1 lb Penne or other medium tube pasta, love the Barilla enriched
1 qt Heavy Cream
1 cup Grated Parmesan or Romano -Break the Rules, use the cheap stuff
4 cups Broccoli Crowns, fresh, cut off stem into big bite pieces
2 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 cup pesto, homemade or store brand (classic basil & garlic)
2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a deep 12 inch skillet, saute the broccoli in olive oil over medium heat for a 2-3 minutes.Salt and pepper to taste here. Raise heat to medium high and add the chicken stock to steam the broccoli for just a couple minutes if you like it firm, as do i.

 Remove the broccoli to a bowl, leaving the stock in the pan, reducing heat to simmer, reducing stock by about half to concentrate the flavor. Whisk in the pesto and add the cream. My family loves a lot of sauce, mainly to soak up with bread. Use at least 2 1/2 cups of cream if you think the quart is too much. Let the cream heat up a bit before adding the grated cheese. If your budget allow the "good" cheese, by all means use it. Quite honestly, i would go broke if i only bought the $15-$20 per pound good stuff to keep up with our grated cheese consumption.

When I add the cheese, that is when i turn on the water for the pasta. About 20 minutes total time on my stove to boil the salted water and cook the pasta to a firm Al Dente. This allows the pesto cream sauce to thicken a bit, it's not soup after all. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Serve with fresh crusty bread or your favorite garlic bread.

Cooking for Cubs - It's Not Just Hot Dogs

 The greatest benefit of working from home is is always being close to the family and being able to make time for their interests. My son's favorite activity is Scouting, which is all the camping, wood projects, pinewood derbies, great community service events and so much more than anyone could fit into a calendar. Wherever there are large dgroups of children, there must be food.

     As much as I love to cook, with Scouting I am involved in many other aspects and we frequently call upon the parents and other groups of fine volunteers to keep us fed. As often as we safely can, we involve the boys too. Many of their advancements rely upon knowing how to plan a meal, budget the plan, go shopping and execute the meal with their family or in their den. The pack runs on food, no matter how you look at it.

     The most frequent menu offering is Cub Scout Sirloin, aka hot dogs. We boil, grill, fry, campfire cook hot dogs. Scout parents are the Ninjas of the hot dog cooking world. Nutriton aside, the dogs are fast, easy and affordable.

     Beyond the dogs, our annual Blue and Gold Banquet features a fine meatball and pasta dinner prepared at the Bristol Train of Artillery, one of those spectacular volunteer groups I was telling you about. I have already told you about feeding the Elks and the reason I joined is because of the awesome spring breakfast fundraiser that they put on for us. All you can eat french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. In the dens we've cooked mini pizzas in mini ovens, shared our favorite sandwiches and at least try to help teach the boys about fruits and vegetables, giving them plenty of exercise regardless of the meal.

     The highlights of any Scout year are the camping trips. If you think we're living on cold cuts out of coolers, no no no. Of course, there will be hot dogs, but we really step it up around dinner time. the boys and their parents all prepare their own foil dinners. These are delicacies of burgers or chicken (boy's choices) with potatoes and veggies wrapped in cabbage and foil, cooked over charcoals. The cabbage really keeps everything from burning and is quite tasty on its own. Some parents have stepped up the foil dinners with steak tips and seafood too. These dinners are followed with the tastiest dessert in the world, stuffed bananas. The bananas are sliced down the middle in their skins, and stuffed with chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts, wrapped in foil and grilled on those same charcoals. Oh My Oh My!

     No camping trip would be complete without loads of snacks. Cub snacks include GORP, Good Old Raisins and Peanuts, or any blend of custom trail mix including home made granola, raisins, pretzels, mini bread sticks etc. At night, we have a parent leader who makes ovens out of cardboard and tinfoil to make pizzas on the campfire. Incredible! That same leader made eggs in a nest of ham and cheese in muffin tins for breakfast while i tried to keep up with the home fries. I'm sure that i'm forgetting something, so please send me a comment to remind me.

     If you think that your boy would enjoy any of this kind of fun, our Recruting Rally for Pack 6 Bristol is Tuesday @ 6:00 pm At St. Mary's Church or visit www.beascout.org

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Hot Shrimp Stir Fry over Wild Rice Pilaf

     This is one of my more recent recipes. I have dabbled in stir fries over the years, usually dumping some new brand of Asian condiment stir fry sauce over some over sauteed veggies, with everything tasting like it came out of whichever bottle I used.  I finally woke up and just peeled it back to the basics and had yummy success that is worth sharing. The Sriracha adds the heat factor, but there is a milder version in the Asian food aisle. The wild rice pilaf is just a healthier and tastier option to the regular white rice. A bit more expensive, but a lot more yum factor. This makes three very healthy adult portions.

For the Stir Fry

1 lb Shrimp - i go with e-z peel, tails & shells off, prefer 16-20/lb count, no less than 21-25/lb
1 Red bell Pepper diced about 3/4 inch
1 large Onion - large rough dice about 3/4 inch
2 large Celery Stalk - bias cut same size
2 Whole Carrots Bias Cut about half size
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce - low sodium if available
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Sriracha - Asian hot chili sauce, add more after tasting if desired
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder or more to taste, or preferably a couple of cloves fresh minced garlic
1 tbsp Corn Starch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
2-3 tbsp Oil - Peanut works nice for hi temp if no allergies

     In Large Skillet or Wok, pre-heat the oil on medium high. Dump all the veggies EXCEPT  garlic at once into the pan, stirring frequently. Season with salt & pepper, remembering the soy will ad saltiness as well. They should be quick seared & heated through in about 5-10 minutes. I like them still very firm and crisp and the shrimp & sauce will add some more cooking time. Add the garlic just before adding the shrimp to center, hottest part of pan to sear. 2- 3 minute, tossing occasionally. Add the soy,honey & hot sauce, stirring to bring together. If not thick enough, add small amounts of the corn starch slurry until desired thickness

For the Rice

1 4-5oz Package Wild Rice depending on brand - I have not tried the Pecan Flavored
3 tbsp Carrot fine diced
3 tbsp Celery fine diced
6 tbsp Onion fine diced
2 1/2 cups stock low sodium, any variety is nice
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the veggies in a tablespoon of oil. Add the rice and stock and bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer for an hour and 10 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper about halfway thru the cooking time. the packages i have bought recommend 45-50 minutes, never seems done enough to me, the husk is softened enough. Perhaps i simmer to low or don't know how to appreciate an overly firm rice. Taste along the way for your preference.

Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

     Still following up on the Elks Dinner, i was asked a couple of times "What's in the Chicken Salad?" No trade secrets, i'm here to share. Nothing out of the ordinary, just my own little twist. because of the two day cookathon, these are eyeball measurements to taste. I am cutting back to family proportions also, but feel free to triple for your next big meal.

2 Grilled Chicken Breast halves - about 1 pound - diced to your preferred chunkiness
Mayonnaise - about a half cup
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Small Celery Stalk - finely diced - about 3 tbsp
1 heaping tbsp Sweet Pickle Relish
1 tsp black pepper
Dash of Salt
Dash of Celery Salt

     Unlike the my Cole Slaw, i put the chicken in the bowl first before i mix in the dressing. That way i can control the wetness by mixing in the mayonnaise slowly. Some folks like it drowned, but not me. I want to taste the chicken. I put a link in the ingredients to my chicken marinade for grilling, or if you can get your hands on some Portuguese Pimenta Moida, just mix the pepper spread with beer, black pepper and garlic powder for another tasty twist, no need to add salt with the Pimenta Moida.

Serve on top of salad or your favorite crust role.

Cole Slaw

     One of my favorite all time sides, my slaw is pretty basic, but as usual, you can tweak it easily to your own tastes. I have been trying to deconstruct my recipes as i write them for the site so i can give fairly accurate measurements, but this last slaw was made in the heat of battle while prepping the Elks Dinner, so the measurements, except for the bag of slaw, are eyeballed. The Elks dinner was actually double this amount, and i still came up short for servings next to/on top of the pulled pork, luckily i had other sides.

1 24 oz bag Cole Slaw mix - green & red cabbage, shredded carrots
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 tbsp Yellow Mustard
2 tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp Parsley Flakes - dry
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic powder
dash of Salt
Dash of Celery Salt

     Whisk everything together in a mixing bowl before adding the cabbage mix. If you have fresh heads of cabbage on hand, by all means it add to it. Taste the dressing before adding the cabbage. You might like some extra mustard or maybe some Dijon (Funky Pinkish brown Warning Here!) I'm a vinegar nut, so i definitely use another dash of vinegar.
     When the dressing is to your liking, more pepper here, less garlic next time etc., fold in the shredded cabbage mix from the bottom of the bow to blend well. Full flavor takes at least an hour or so in the fridge to really marry the flavors and let everything do its job.

Pulled Pork

 I've been talking about it for a couple of days now, so finally here is my recipe for pulled pork. WARNING, Rule Breaking in Progress. Unlike tradition classic "real" pulled pork, this is not smoked. I simply don't have a smoker and while slow grilling works very well, this oven or slow cooker method is great on a nasty winter day when you just gotta have some pulled pork.

Pork Butt - 3-6 lb in the market 8-10 lb from the box stores
4 tbsp Dad's Rub
4 tbsp Salt
4 tbsp Brown Sugar
   *** for the smaller roast, 3 tbsp each should be enough***
BBQ Sauce
Cole Slaw
1-2 cups Apple Cider
1 Large Onion Sliced into Rings
Sliced Apples - optional
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar - optional
Favorite Crusty Rolls, I love Bulkie Rolls

Dad's Rub

Dad's Rub is just my own little spice blend that i use for grilling and sauces and all sorts of other places.

It is simply

2 parts Chili Powder- the "Hot" Mexican on the market shelves usually isn't too spicy.

1 part each

- Black Pepper

-Cayenne Pepper

-Paprika

-Cumin
-Garlic Powder

-Dry Mustard Powder

Night before, whisk together salt , brown sugar, and Dad's Rub in a bowl large enough to roll your pork butt. Roll the pork and make sure to rub the rub well into the meat, especially all thoss little openings. Wrap in plastic and store in fridge (clean bowl to catch any leakage) overnight.

In either a slow cooker or roasting pan, layer the onions and apples if using and pour enough cider and vinegar to cover about 1 inch from the bottom. Place the pork, fat side up on top of the onion bed.

Because ovens and slow cookers can vary greatly, these times are approximate. Use a meat thermometer to check for 170 degree internal temp on the thickest part of the meat not touching the bone. Slow cooker on low for 5- 6 hours fora 5-6 lb roast, more time may be necessary for larger butts. Oven on 300, roasting pan covered 4-5 hours for 5-6 lb roast, 5-6 hours for 7-8 lb pork butt. Either method, the pork butt is cover and self bastes and steams in the cider.

*** As the fat melts, you may need to remove liquid with either a baster or label as necessary, save liquid***


Remove carefully from the cooker or pan into a bowl big enough to pull apart with two forks. You can discard any excess un-melted fat or slurp on it when nobody is looking. Use some of the remaining liquid or reserve liquid to keep the meat extra moist if desired.Personally, i LOVE the onions and apples left in the pan right on top of my sandwich or on the side. You can discard if your not brave enough.

On the roll, top the pork with BBQ sauce and some slaw. Yum Yum Yum!

Enjoy

Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard or Greekish Dressing

Spinach Salad

     Yesterday i ranted about running around and prepping for the Elks Dinner. Today we made the BBQ sauce, grilled 10 pounds of chicken, marinated in beer and pimento moida. a Portuguese crushed red pepper (Italian varieties are more readily available, but Mom-in-Law makes the pimenta) and made a couple of salad dressings. I will get the pics up from the dinner as soon as I have them available, and I will be assembling the Spinach Salad, Chicken Salad and the Slaw on Thursday so they are fresh for the dinner, but here is the beginning of the menu.

Spinach Salad

1 9oz pkge of Baby Spinach - pre- washed, very nice
Cole slaw mix- Cabbage Blend and Carrots - handfuls to taste
Dried Cranberries - handful to taste
Purple Onion - sliced thin or diced fine
Toasted Sliced Almonds

Toss the ingredients in a large bowl and Voila! You have Salad. Please don't be afraid of the cabbage, adds the crunch you want in salad and fantastic depth of flavor. If you have leftover rawcabbage of any variety, by all means use it. I buy the slaw mix to save some prep time and avoid throwing away unused cabbage.

Greekish Dressing

     I would call it Greek, but am not using a red wine vinegar, apple cider instead, house favorite.

1/2 cup Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/2 cup at a time
1 tsp Red Pepper Flake
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Sugar or tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Oregano

 In a mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together EXCEPT the olive oil, primarily to blend well and dissolve  salt, honey or sugar. Slowly whisk in the Olive Oil 1/2 cup at a time. I really love a strong vinegar note, and it helps to cut back the oil, even olive oil, so i use onlu 1 cup instead of 1 1/2.Can be stored on the counter for several days, but oils may get goopy in the fridge.

Honey Mustard

1/2 cup Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tbsp Parsley Flakes - Dry
1/2 tsp salt

     Like the Greekish, whisk everything together except the oil, then blend the oil last. Please note the low oil to vinegar ratio here. This dressing is very punch, but extremely tasty, great for using in low volume on a salad, and keeping things fit. This dressing also makes an excellent marinade.

Great Mexican Food in Bristol, RI

     While wifey & i were running all the errands, we finally manged to stop in at Nacho Mamma's in Bristol, RI. They've been open for a while now, year and a half or so, we just haven't got there.... Our Loss! Since we've moved home from Arizona, we are always looking for good Mexican, and while we have found a couple of places, nothing quite as fresh or tasty as Nacho Mamma's. My wife enjoyed shrimp tacos with a great salsa verde and i had to dive into the steak tacos with classic pico, another fine choice, and you can forget about the hard shell - soft shell debate.The owner Mike grills fresh flour tortillas for his tacos, and you really get the best of both worlds. Mike was also telling me that he will only use fresh & that's why there were no fish tacos available, they didn't have what he wanted, up to his standards. We also split a basket of chips & salsa. Is it wrong not to get full blown nachos at a place called Nacho Mamma's? When Mike says hot or extremely hot, he means it. the x-hot was a really great blend do of habanero, mango & "some other stuff." Can't blame him for not giving it all up. Anyway, if you're hungry, in Bristol, (worth the trip from anywhere really) stop in and treat yourself!

Lots to Do

     Today was the boy's first day of fourth grade, so we'll have his favorite meal, spaghetti & meatballs, (recipe links to follow) for dinner tonight. Beyond today, it's my week to cook on Thursdays at the Elks, and a menu for 50 or so servings of pulled pork, homemade slaw, BBQ chicken sandwiches, beanies & weenies, chicken salad and couple of green salad offerings had to be purchased and prepped. For now, just chicken is marinating in pimenta moida, a wet Portuguese crushed red pepper and we'll rub down the pork with a good dose Dad's Rub tomorrow.

     i will be putting up the posts for the pulled pork and slaw soon, both really basic but really yummy.

BBQ Sauce

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Spaghetti Sauce

Dad's Rub

Dad's Rub is just my own little spice blend that i use for grilling and sauces and all sorts of other places.

It is simply

2 parts Chili Powder- the "Hot" Mexican on the market shelves usually isn't too spicy.

1 part each

- Black Pepper

-Cayenne Pepper

-Paprika

-Cumin

-Dry Mustard Powder

Please note there is no salt in this rub. I prefer to salt to taste

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

     I couldn't make up my mind one day between blueberry cheesecake or blueberry muffins...

Dry

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour  

½ tsp salt

4 tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Baking Soda

Twice sifted together in medium bowl

Wet

2 cups Sugar

3 whole Eggs
1/4 cup Milk

1 ½ 8 oz package Cream Cheese room temp

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) Butter (unsalted) room temp

Zest of 2 Lemons

Juice of 2 Lemons - about 1/2 cup

Non Stick Spray or Muffin Liners

1 Pint Fresh Blueberries

Cream sugar, butter and cream cheese in mixer with wisk. Start on low setting, move gradually to med. high.

Add zest and lemon juice, mix on low


Add milk, mix on low

Add 1 egg at a time, start on low setting, and move gradually to med. high.

Low setting on mixer, add sifted dry ingredients slowly, about ½ cup at a time, until completely blended, move gradually up to medium until blended, but do not overblend or muffins will be more like biscuits.

Remove bowl from mixer.

Carefully fold in blueberries.

Fill sprayed or lined muffin tins ¾ full, bake in pre-heated oven 325* for 35-40 minutes for regular muffins or 40-45 minutes for jumbo. Toothpick should pull clean. Tops will be a light golden brown. Oven temps can vary and time may vary slightly.

Recipe makes one dozen jumbo muffins, or 2 dozen regular muffins.