Chicken, Chicken, Chicken, Wings!

For Christmas I got a subscription to Food Network Magazine.  I also got Anne Burrell's How to Cook Like a Rockstar.  And I am having a blast.  I haven't cooked anything from Anne yet (she is hands down my favorite chef on the Food Network Channel), but I am looking forward to making something this weekend.

Like the movie Julie & Julia, I'd like to cook every recipe in her book just to see if I can.  She also gives great tips and tricks on techniques that I'm looking forward to reading.

So far here are some of the recipes I've made.

Roast Chicken with Apricot Stuffing

Roast Chicken with Apricot Stuffing with Roasted Carrots and Peas and mashed potatoes (my own).  I didn't make gravy with it, but I feel like I could have with all the delicious drippings in the bottom of my roaster pan.  If I made it again, I would.  I also was unable to find fresh marjoram, but used dry.  Since I'm not sure what the difference was, I didn't notice any, and it was fantastic.  The stuffing is something I might try at thanksgiving.  I really liked the sweetness the apricots added to it.  It also had no butter in it and yet was so moist and delicious.  The peas and carrots had a more spicy, savory spice mixture on them and went really well with the sweetness of the chicken.  And the spice rub I put under the skin... holy moley, that was good.

My chicken also came out a bit browner than the picture, but I blame my oven that can't seem to find a temperature to settle on, and I'm certain the temperature in the oven does not match the one I've set on the dial.

Chicken Wings:

This month in the magazine are 50 different kinds of chicken wings to make for your superbowl party.  Last weekend, in order to enjoy our 49ers victory properly, I made Chinese Barbecue Wings and Blackened Wings for a nice sweet/spicy duo.

Chinese Barbecue Wings:

Chinese Barbecue Wings

Spread 3 pounds chicken wings (split at the joints, tips removed) on 2 oiled rimmed baking sheets and roast at 425 degrees until very crisp, about 45 minutes.
Heat 1/2 cup minced scallions (I put mine in the food processor) , 1/3 cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons each butter, honey and grated ginger, and 3/4 teaspoon sesame oil.  Toss with the wings.

I brought my sauce mixture to a boil just to make sure it was all combined.  These wings were out of this world.  Some of the best wings I've ever had.  I like this sauce recipe for regular old chicken, and just throw it on some rice.  Two thumbs up, 4 stars, all that jazz.

Blackened Wings:
These wings are grilled and they get a nice char on them which really enhances the blackened flavor.

Grilled Blackened Wings

Toss 3 pounds chicken wings (split at the joints, tips removed) with 1 1/2 teaspoons each Cajun seasoning (I used World Market's Cajun seasoning mix that I got for Christmas from my MIL, Debbie.  Had a really nice heat to it), paprika, cayenne, dried oregano and thyme, kosher salt and pepper.
Grill over medium heat, turning, until cooked through 15 to 20 minutes.  I let them cook about 8-10 minutes on each side and moved them around my uneven cooking grill according to how cooked they got in the first part.

The great part about these wings is that they are really nice and spicy without making you need to chug down your beer to put the fire out.

Cola-Glazed Wings:
Since my 49ers are playing Atlanta in Atlanta, I thought it only appropriate to make Cola-Glazed wings for the birthplace of Coca-Cola.  These wings are also grilled, so you can use the same directions for grilling a the Blackened Wings.

Boil 1 can cola, 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons pureed chipotles in adobo sauce until reduced to 1 cup.  Toss the wings in vegetable oil and grill, brushing with the cola sauce in the last 5 minutes.

I'll let you know how that goes.
And accompanying our Cola wings will be Roasted wings with Taco Mac sauce, another Atlanta original.  I can only hope the 49ers destroy Atlanta as I will be destroying these wings.

They've also got a great collection of recipes for easy, quick dinners under 500 calories.  We've tried one so far, but I'd like to get a few more reviews in before I write them up for you.


I highly recommend making some wings for your super bowl party, and since there are 50 in this little book, I'm happy to share any of the following recipes that sound interesting:

Fried Wings: Classic Buffalo Buffalo Supreme Five-Alarm Jalepeno-Cheddar Spicy Moroccan Vietnamese Buttermilk-Battered Cajun Buttermilk Chili-Ranch Old Bay Italian Breaded Chicken Parmesan Ancho-Peach Beer-Battered Soy-Honey Sesame-Pecan Falafel Chipotle Kimch Curry-Chutney Basic Boneless

Roasted Wings: Steakhouse Rosemary-Lemon Horseradish-Crusted Maple-Bacon Sweet Mango Barbecue Teriyaki-Orange Honey Mustard-Pretzel Ginger-Scallion Thai Chili Taco-Spiced Bacon-Taco Mole Jamaican Lemon-Garlic Aioli Pesto Pizza Fra Diavolo Garlic-Chorizo Popcorn

Grilled Wings: Hawaiian Carolina-Style Tequila-Lime Thai Peanut Tandoori

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better

I don't remember if it was Chili's or Applebee's (because honestly, who can tell the difference between the two), but I remember watching TV and seeing a commercial for Bruschetta Chicken and thinking, wow that looks good.  And my next thought was, hey, I can make that!

When Aaron and I began our weight loss journey, which happened to coincide with having a child and realizing that going out to eat all the time was pretty ridiculous, one of the things we gave up was going out to dinner unless it was worth going out for.  That pretty much meant that we needed to go out for dinner for things that we couldn't get at home or things that were really good.  Woodstock's Pizza, for one.  Chinese food, Sushi, those kinds of things.  But we didn't want mediocre, so we have our favorites and once a week or so we hit those restaurants.

One of the things that helped me realize how much I love too cook is finding things I like and making them myself.  So after watching this commercial, I decided to do just that.

Bruschetta is delicious   It's great on little toasts as an appetizer, or in this recipe just slap it on some grilled chicken, add pasta, and enjoy!

I never did get a chance to try that Bruschetta Chicken that I saw on the TV, but this has become a really tasty and healthy favorite in my house.

Bruschetta Chicken

Bruschetta Chicken with Penne Pasta and grilled Squash

2 boneless, skinnless chicken breasts
4 oz. whole grain spaghetti
2-3 cups bruschetta (recipe follows)

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper then place on grill (I like my George Foreman for this for easy clean up, but the grill outside works too!).  Cook the spaghetti and divide into two servings.  Should be approximately 4.25 oz of cooked spaghetti.  Slice chicken and place on pasta.  Divide Bruschetta in half and spoon it on.  You can really have as much of the Bruschetta as you like.  Enjoy!

My homemade Bruschetta with Basil from my garden!

Bruschetta:
4-6 Whole Roma Tomatoes
1/2 cup of Fresh Basil (or so)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher salt (or so)
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

Dice the tomatoes, chop the basil and throw it with all the other ingredients in a bowl together.  For best results let it marinate for a few hours before serving the chicken.  The measurements are approximate because I am really bad about measuring, so play around with it and just make sure it tastes good!

I really like this recipe for a light dinner.  The biggest things to watch for is not to serve yourself too much pasta!  One serving is 2 oz of uncooked pasta and most of the time, that is enough.  Serve a nice salad or steamed broccoli on the side.  If you're grilling outside, corn, squash, zucchini, or anything else grillable can go on right with your chicken!

I have a few more copycat recipes coming.  One is Lean Cuisine's Chili Lime Chicken and the other one is their Ranchero Braised Beef.  Don't be afraid of copying, they say that it is the sincerest form of flattery.  Plus you can save money and tons of calories by making it at home!

My favorite thing about the Central Coast or Tri-tip: Why it's so fanatastically delicious

From Wikipedia: "The tri-tip is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin primal cut".

Before I arrived on the Central Coast, I had never heard of "tri-tip".  To be honest though, before I moved out of my mom's house, I wasn't all that familiar with cuts of meat besides what they served at Longhorn's.  And even then I rarely got past the Prime Rib.

But all that's behind me.  I have finally become a real Central Coaster (at least by my standards) because I can cook a tri-tip.

Our friend Michael was the one that cooked the first tri-tip for me besides what I've had at a restaurant. I remember thinking that if I could make one as good as he did, I would really feel like I belong.  Tri-tip, when done right, is tender, flavorful and just downright delicious.  It is the key ingredient to Santa Maria Style Barbecue, where they slow cook it just like in the south.  If you're from the south, have been to the south, or have heard of barbecue, you know that it's not the same as grilling.  Grilling is throwing some stuff on a grill to get those nice char marks.  Grilling can be anything from chicken to steak, vegetables, sweet potato, or even corn  (leave it in the husk and grill it, it is fantastic!).

Barbecue on the other hand is a learned skill.  It involves just the right cut of meat, rubs, sauces, mop sauces and sloooooow cooking.  I personally have never barbecued, but I'll get around to it eventually.

Trimmed Tri-tip

So back to the tri-tip.  When you buy a tri-tip you can get it trimmed or untrimmed.  Getting it trimmed is nice, but more expensive and its not all that hard to trim it yourself.  Trimming it involves cutting the layer of fat off of one side of the meat.  When you trim it yourself you can decide how much of that fat you want.  If you don't care you can leave it all on there and let the fat get nice and crispy and let it drip into your meat to keep it moist and tender.  However, it can lead to flare-ups on your grill so keep an eye on it.  I typically trim off as much of the fat as I can see.

The next step is to marinate it.  You can just put a rub on it if you want, but I like when it soaks up all the flavors after a nice soak in a juicy bath.

I've got a couple different recipes for you to try out.

Spicy Tri-tip Marinade:

3 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp unpacked brown sugar
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

I typically make this recipe for a 2-3lb tri-tip.  If you've got a bigger piece of meat, then you'll obviously need to make more.  Let it marinate at least overnight, but the longer you let it sit, the more flavor you'll get.  The marinade makes a nice sauce to baste your tri-tip in while its on the grill, just be careful about letting that sugar burn.

Pappy's collection of seasonings.

Sweet Tri-tip Marinade
Pappy's Choice Seasoning
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
juice from 2 limes

Cover that tri-tip in the Pappy's.  I mean cover it from end to end, on the sides, the top, the bottom, everywhere.  Make sure it is smothered in it.  Then put it in your marinating vessel (I use a ziploc bag).  Add the sauces and the lime.  I left this out for 1 hour at room temperature and it was just as tender and delicious as can be.  Using this recipe made the best tri-tip I have ever tasted.

If you're not in the mood to cook tri-tip, or just passing through, I recommend Firestone Grill in San Luis Obispo or Main Street Grill in Cambria.  I believe they are where I had my first tri-tip sandwiches on the Central Coast.  They give you a whole bunch of meat on a roll.  No fancy sauces, no vegetables, nothing to tarnish the delicousness that is tri-tip.  Most restaurants on the central coast have some kind of tri-tip on the menu.  Even SLO Pasty company has a tri-tip pasty!  Bet you won't find that in Wales.

My mom and sister said they can now find tri-tip cuts in their local grocery store in GA, so if you can't find it there, ask your butcher and I bet he can cut one. Then marinate it, grill it, and savor it.  It will be almost as good as vacationing here on the Central Coast!

Peaches, Mangoes, and Berries, Oh My!

Oh Summer, how I love thee. Thy bountiful harvests overload my refrigerator with delicious fruit.

Ok, enough of the old English, but the sentiment is the same. Summer has the best fruit. I was addicted to mangos for quite a while and ate two or three a day. At first I had to learn how to cut them because the pit is just about impossible to get out. You basically have to cut the meat away from the pit as closely as you can. Kind of like a peach. Here's a web page with step by step instructions. Mangoes are a great addition to fruit salad, smoothies and salsa. Next time I grill a steak, Bobby Flay has an amazing Mango Chimichurri salsa I can't wait to try.

Another great summer fruit is peaches. There aren't many things better than sinking your teeth into a sweet, juicy, perfectly ripe peach. I learned recently that freestone peaches are the ones that separate easily from the stone in the middle. They can be a little more expensive, but they do make eating easier. White peaches are known to be sweeter, but they are also more delicate than yellow peaches and are also typically pricier than the yellow peach. I saw this Grilled Peach Salad and have put it on my to-do list. However, my favorite way to eat peaches is in Peach Crisp. Throw a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and that, to me, epitomizes summer.

Peach Crisp

6 small-medium peaches, sliced
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 375. Spread peaches evenly in 8x8 pan. In medium bowl combine remaining ingredients until well mixed. Sprinkle over peaches. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve over ice cream.

The great thing about this recipe is there is almost no such thing as too many peaches. For a great fall or winter treat, or if peaches are too darned expensive, granny smith apples are a great substitute.

And last, but not least, the strawberry. Living in the strawberry capital of the world has spoiled me with fresh, local, sweet strawberries nearly year round. Right now you can buy three overflowing pints at the San Luis Obispo farmer's market for $4. It is a little ludicrous. Aaron eats them on his cereal in the morning, but I just eat them straight out of the container on the way home. I like it when you can still taste the day's sunshine on them. I don't really have a recipe for strawberries because they are basically perfect for eating all by themselves. I do enjoy them in a nice crepe with some bitter chocolate sauce, mmmm.

I would be interested in hearing some strawberry and other summer fruit recipes. We might as well eat them as much as possible in as many ways as possible before summer ends!

The Perfect Pork Chop (plus Macaroni & Cheese)

  Ahh the pork chop.  I reference once again my mom who pretty much taught me everything I know up to this point about cooking.  She somehow bakes pork chops perfectly.  Dipped in egg and then covered in her perfectly seasoned breadcrumbs, they always come out juicy and delicious, or at least that's how I remember it.

  Well, I've tried baking.  I'm so worried about undercooking, that I cook my pork chops to death.  Most people would rather repair their shoes with them than eat them for dinner, but my darling husband never complains.

  But I have found a secret.  The grill.  Oh yes, that wonderful outdoor cooking machine that means no dishes can also make the perfect pork chop.  I don't think my picture fully shows the perfect sear I got on each side.  Nor does it show the succulent juiciness of the meat inside.  This pork chop, shown above, actually got a "Oh my god, that's good" from my otherwise reserved husband.  Yes, its really that good.

  The other secret to my recent grilling success is a little box of spice mix called Pappy's.  It works on all meat.  If you can grill it, it works.  My next experiment with this magic dust is my grilled squash tonight.

  My delicious pork chop is accompanied by a new experience for us, swiss chard.  A lot like spinach, its a leafy green with a slightly bitter flavor.  I used Bobby Flay's Wilted Swiss Chard with Raisins recipe and added some toasted almonds on top for a little crunch.  The sweetness of the raisins really balanced the swiss chard and it has become one of my favorite greens.

  Our other side is my lower calorie version of my mom's Macaroni & Cheese.  It's not "low" calorie, just lower than normal.  When I joined Weight Watchers there was a few things I knew I'd never be able to give up.  I had to find a plan that let me eat certain things and still lose weight.  My mom's Mac & Cheese is one of those things.

Mom's Macaroni & Cheese (with a lower calorie makeover)

2 c uncooked whole wheat pasta

1/4 c. butter

1 small onion (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 c. non-fat or skim milk

1 c. fat free half and half

8 oz. sharp cheddar 2% milk

1 c whole wheat bread crumbs

Cook pasta and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan and add onions, salt, and pepper and cook until onions are tender.  Add flour and whisk.  Cook on medium-low until bubbly.  

Remove from heat and add milk and half & half.  Return to medium heat and stir continuously until boiling.  Continue stirring and boil for 1 min.  Should be thick and creamy.  Remove from heat and add cheese one handful at a time.

Add macaroni and sauce to a casserole dish and cover with breadcrumbs.  Make sure you get all the way to the edges!  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 min.  Let it cool for 5-10 min to set.

I tried using "light butter" but there was so much water in it that the proportions ended up wrong and my sauce was not quite the right consistency.  We always dice the onions really small because we didn't like getting big chunks.  Also, don't add too many onions or you won't get a nice smooth sauce.  The fat free half & half helps to make a creamier casserole even though you're using that skim milk.

Like I said, not "low" calorie, but "lower" calorie.  We used to eat this as a main dish, but now I like it as a side with a leaner piece of meat.

So to sum up, don't be afraid of that grill!  Yeah, you might have to eat a few charred pieces of meat (that's what sales are for!) or sometimes throw them back on when they aren't quite cooked, but once you get the hang of the grill, Yum!

Turkey: The Other Ground Meat

When was the last time you substituted ground turkey for ground beef?  For most people, its probably never.  Ground turkey can be a great alternative to ground beef, but I like it mixed in with ground beef for meatloaf, burgers, and even meatballs.

Ground turkey is typically lower in fat and calories than ground beef (it totally depends on the quality of the meat).  At my local grocery store there is 93/7 "lean" ground turkey (93% lean/ 7% fat) and also "extra lean" 99/1 ground turkey.  Ground beef also comes in different ratios ranging from the typical 80/20 ground chuck all the way to 95/5 ground sirloin.  The higher the lean percentage, typically the more expensive your meat will be.

The turkey has a nice mellow flavor that, when used alone, lends it self to show off the flavors of whatever is being cooked with it, perhaps a nice sauce, certain spices, a special cheese or condiment.  Some people think ground turkey is tasteless, but I think that it is more of a blank canvas. For a nice spicy turkey burger roast a couple jalepenos and dice them finely to mix in the meat before cooking and add a piece of pepper jack cheese.

One of my favorite uses for ground turkey is to mix it with 90/10 ground beef for meatloaf.  My mom makes the BEST meatloaf.  This isn't really up for discussion as I've tried other's meatloaf.  And my mom's is clearly the best.  Your mom's is probably also the best, but since I haven't had hers, my  mom's reigns supreme. The measurements for the spices are estimates.  Mostly the way my mom measure is "a few shakes" or "a palm full" or something like that.  She just knows how much is perfect.

This is a picture of meatloaf.

My Mother's Best Meatloaf

8 oz Ground Beef
8 oz Ground Turkey
1 large egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Dry Mix
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
2 tsp thyme

Put it all in a bowl and mix with hands.  Don't forget to take your jewelry off.


Hopefully if Mom reads this she can add anything I have forgotten.  I like the mix of the ground beef and turkey because it makes a firmer meatloaf.  A few times when I've made it with just the ground beef, my slices fall apart.  I use basically this same recipe for meatballs, but a little more bread crumbs and a little less milk.   One of the things I love about meatloaf is that you can put just about anything you want in it.  I've seen recipes that have sauteed carrots, onions, and celery.   Maybe try a teriyaki meatloaf by leaving out the oregano and basil and soy sauce instead of worcestershire and some pineapple on top.

If you're concerned about the price, just wait until ground turkey goes on sale.  Everything goes on sale eventually.  You're local warehouse store may also have it at a reasonable price.  Just make sure you're prepared for a lot of meatloaf.

The Return & Grilling Adventures

I've decided to blog again.  Mostly because I like writing and the rest because I love cooking.  I'm going to expand my blog to share some of my favorite recipes and cooking techniques.  I also have a 13-month old and cooking for him is an adventure as well.   My main goal is to share things.  If I can do it, you can do it.  Don't be afraid to try new things with food.  Food can be healthy, fun and delicious.

My sister is a grilling master.  Yes, my sister.  She can grill a piece of beef like nobody else.  Her hamburgers are out of this world.  Since I have no desire to compete with her mad skills, I've taken on the challenge of grilling chicken.  Let's not get this confused with barbecue which will be an entirely different adventure.

I found this great article on how to grill chicken.  Grilling Chicken - Step by step  which helped me to grill some of the most amazing chicken I've had in a while.  Every once in a while I get a craving for a nice piece of grilled chicken with crispy skin and a whole lot of messy barbecue sauce. And man did I come through.  Sadly, I forgot to take pictures.  I will do that for you next time.

The secret to good chicken is searing the outside so that you can cook it all the way through without losing all that fantastic juice.  Make sure you preheat your grill and let it get HOT HOT HOT.  Then you can turn down the flames so that the inside of the chicken cooks and the hot grill will sear the outside of your chicken.  If you're cooking different pieces, don't be afraid to move them around and adjust the heat of your grill.  And most of all, make sure your chicken is cooked!  No one wants food poisoning.  Last, but not least, don't be stingy with the BBQ sauce. There is no such thing as too much!  Well, maybe its too much if its rolling on to the burners, but you know what I mean!  Make sure you let your grill get cool enough to sauce both sides and really let that sauce cook into the chicken.

Ok, that's all I've got.  Good luck with your chicken and let me know how it tastes!

The Best Burger I Never Ate

I am a big fan of the Food Network.  There's this show that comes on right about dinner time called The Best Thing I Ever Ate.  Now, usually the places on this show are in big towns.  New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.  But on this one episode of the show, about Hidden Treasures, Cat Cora told of a place that was almost local.  The Hitching Post II in Buellton, CA.  Apparently they take all their weekend, uncooked beef and grind it into burger meat.  Filet Mignon, NY  Strip, all the best cuts into one of the most fantastic hamburgers man has ever created.  Add two strips of thick, crispy bacon and some avacado, and, according to Cat, you have burger perfection. However, they are only available Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, or until supplies last.

As I have mentioned before, Aaron is a huge fan of hamburgers.  So on Monday we decided to head down to Buellton after I got off work (this was already about 1 in the afternoon).  No problem though, its only about an hour and a half, and there is rarely traffic, and I have a new Droid 2 phone for entertainment purposes (ie. Sudoku  <3).  So we head down to Buellton.

If you're a link clicker, you may have noticed The Hitching Post is only open for dinner.  Starting at 5.  So imagine our surprise when we finally show up for these fantastic hamburgers only to have our dreams crushed at 2:30 in the afternoon.  What to do...

If you're not familiar with the Central Coast, let me take a moment to explain the size of these towns.  They are small.  Like, 1 movie theater with 6 screens, 3 grocery stores, and 1 Target (although Atascadero has none) small.  You can drive through the entire town in 10 minutes.  There aren't a lot of choices for wasting a few hours.  Plus, we now hadn't had lunch and it was 2:30.

Luckily, Aaron knew of a place called Jocko's in Nipomo.  We had passed through Nipomo on our way to Buellton and at this point, I was just hungry.  So North we went.

I was reading some reviews online and everyone was raving about Jocko's steaks.  Delicious, "the best on the central coast" and other high praises were the norm, so I had high hopes.  One of my favorite reviews mentioned that "you don't go to Jocko's for the decor" (Although, what restaurants do you go to for the decor?).  It's even funnier when you walk in and see the place with it's 70's cafeteria style chairs and fantastic gingham curtains.

However, once your steak arrives... you're not looking at anything else anyway.  Although I have relatively decent descriptive powers, i took a picture of this steak because I'm not sure how to describe it.  I ordered a (small) steak sandwich expecting sliced steak on a french roll kind of thing. To your right you will see the giant slab of meat on two pieces of french bread that they call their Steak Sandwich.  And by the way, there's a Large one.

The meat is fantastic though.  Tender, flavorful.  I was going to eat just half, but I couldn't stop eating it.  It was the simplest, most delicious steak sandwich I have ever tasted.

On their menus, Jocko's advertises they cook over oak coals out on a barbecue which you can see from one side of the restaurant.  Apparently, they don't cook lunch on those grills (Which are about the size of a twin bed), only dinner.  So I think that means another trip.

All in all, it wasn't a totally fail trip.  No burger, but we did get amazing steak.  And Steak is good too.

Jocko's Steakhouse
125 N Thompson Ave
Nipomo CA, 93444