So I live in Texas and if there is one thing I love, it’s barbecue.

So when the wife and I went vegan we were faced with a dilemma: how do we get our barbecue fix?

We’ve come with a couple of solutions.

1. Barbecue beans. Yup, these are pretty much baked beans but since we try to limit out intake of sugar, especially the bone-char filtered kind and it’s hard to know which brands of refined sugar use that, we uses dates and honey as sweeteners and various other barbecue sauce ingredients.

2. Grilled food of the Mexican variety was also a big part of our diet we had fajitas at least two or three times a month all year round. As such I wanted to find a vegan version. Portobello mushrooms do nicely marinated just as I would have chicken or beef. They come out succulent and meaty.

3. Marinated Tofu. To be honest I haven’t tried this one. Mike at leafygreen info gave me the idea. He raved about it and I’m looking forward to trying it.

Speaking of leafygreen info…I recently won a Twitter giveaway from the folks at this font of green product information. I need to get pictures of the cornucopia of stuff I received. A short list includes ethletic sandals, an ooba t-shirt, simple eco sneaks, a mophead made of recyceld PET bottles, a hat from save the rainforest, and an awesome Splaff El Presidente wallet.

Oh and there was a ton of naturally sweetened lollipops that my son is working his way through of various brans and flavors. Oh and a journal made of elephant poo.

All in all quite a haul. I had to find homes for the shoes as they were too small for me and too big for my wife.

Check out Leafygreen Info for tons of great product reviews and information on green products of all sorts, tell Mike I sent you. You won’t win anything but at least you’ll be friendly!

That’s it for today, kiddies. Two days until my birthday.

Originally posted on 4-28-2009 on my primary wordpress blog, Buddha’s Brewhouse.

Here’s a few tips and tricks I’ve either come across, or used myself in preparing for Thanksgiving.  Hopefully there’s something in here for first-timers and veterans alike!

1. Do as much as you can ahead of time.

I know this seems like a no-brainer, but there are some things you may not have considered.  Aside from your regulars (dessert, cranberry sauce, etc) try chopping potatoes the night before, and placing them in the pot you plan to boil them in.  Cover the potatoes with water, adding a little bit of salt, then cover the pot, and put it in the fridge.  The salted water will keep the potatoes from oxidizing (turning brown), and you can save yourself about 10-30 minutes of potato prep on Turkey Day.  You can also cook most of the stuffing ingredients the night before (celery, onion, sausage, etc).  Once they’re cooked, put them in the fridge.  Let them warm up to room temperature the next morning, and go on combining them with the bread cubes, chicken stock and other ingredients that would otherwise get mushy sitting overnight.

2. Plan, plan, plan.

Plot out what can be made ahead of time, what needs to go in the oven and what can be cooked on the stove, how long each item takes to cook, as well as what (if anything) can be baked in the same oven as the turkey.  Or, if you live in a temperate area, think about grilling your turkey instead.  Not only is this a hot culinary trend, grilling it will free up your oven all together; just remember to have your meat department either butterfly it, or segment it for you.  If grilling your turkey, check out the link for more info and recipe ideas: http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=grilled+turkey&fnSearchType=site Only cooking a turkey breast this year?  Think about using your toaster oven.  And don’t be shy about asking people to bring things.  If you know you won’t be able to bake fresh rolls, see if someone else can make them, or pick them up on the way over to your house.  Not enough room in your fridge to keep that salad cold?  Have someone else bring it along or, if it’s cold outside, cover and set out on your porch.  The less stress for you, the better!

3. Don’t forget some of the most under-utilized Thanksgiving cooking tools: the microwave and slow cooker.

A couple of companies now make steamer bags, perfect for microwave steaming veggies.  Dice up a vegetable medley and throw in some herbs instead of the usual oven roasting.  I’ve even tossed potatoes in there to soften, then mashed them up with milk and garlic paste afterwards.  My microwave mashed potatoes were done in 10 minutes; much quicker than if I’d had to wait for them to boil.  Also, candied yams can be done in the slow cooker.  Here’s a link to a recipe from RecipeSource.com: http://www.recipesource.com/fgv/vegetables/yams/00/rec0004.html You can transfer the yams to another baking dish, then pop them in the oven while the turkey is resting. You’ll get that nice, browned marshmallow topping and no one will know the difference.  Plus, clean up is a snap when you use a slow cooker liner.

4. Make other people do your dishes.

You’ve served the meal, and everyone is fat and happy.  When the inevitable offer arises to help with the dishes, say yes.  After all, you’ve been cooking for two days at this point.  You deserve to undo that top button, sit back, relax, and let someone else do the dirty work.

Enjoy!!!

1. Calibrate your oven

Your oven’s temperature could be off, causing you to over- or undercook. If you still have it, check your manual for specific instructions on making sure that your oven’s 350 degrees is really 350 degrees.

EHow’s guide “How to Calibrate an Oven” is also good if you ditched your literature.

Use all three racks without rotating.

2. Load up your oven with convection baking

Many people buy a convection oven with holiday cooking in mind, and then forget to use it! If you have true convection or settings that allow multi-rack cooking (the bake and broil element shut off after the preheat), you can put a dish on each rack without having to rotate them.

Just remember to set the temperature 25 degrees below what’s recommended for normal baking.

3. Use convection — in your microwave

If you have a convection microwave, you have a second oven. The 25-degrees-below-normal-bake-temp rule applies here, too.

4. Think beyond popcorn

Many microwaves come with a sensor you can use to automatically adjust cooking power and temperature based on the amount of moisture in the food. Try it on meat, potatoes and vegetables to save time and ensure a perfect dish. Again, check your manual for instructions of how to use your model’s specific features.

Allow 24 hours for an icemaker to refill.

5. Make extra ice

Empty out your icemaker bin into a large, plastic bag and keep it in the freezer 24 hours before your guests arrive. By the time they do, you’ll have a bin full of ice and a cheap refill once that’s gone.

6. Turn on the oven light

The temptation to open the oven and check on your goodies is high, but the temperature won’t be if you do. The oven temperature can drop 25 degrees in just seconds, increasing cooking times and wasting energy. So keep that door shut, already!

7. Remember that meat probe? How ’bout that warming drawer?

Hopefully just reading this jogs the memory of that stuff you have but never remember to use. Many ranges now come with metal probes to stick into a turkey or ham to monitor the temperature, which should hit 180 degrees.

(Note: The probes usually come packaged next to the manual, so they’re probably waiting for you in that same junk drawer filing system where you left them.)

And, are you sure that drawer under the oven you use to store pots is only for storage? Some range models include warming drawers, which work great to keep early bird guests’ dishes ready while you finish up the bird.

8. Match pots and pans to burners

Having a tiny pot on a large burner wastes energy and a big post on a tiny burner slows cooking time. Cook smart on the stovetop to shorten cooking times and save energy/money.

For those who "only know how to grill" comes a way to contribute to holiday cooking. (Ha!)

9. Fire up the grill

Grilled turkey tastes great and frees up your oven for everything else. Get creative and use your grill for potatoes, biscuits and pie — and I can vouch for the deliciousness of pie made on the grill.

(Bonus tip: We all know those who don’t cook, but only grill. Now there’s no excuse to not help!)

10. Adjust your refrigerator’s shelves

Remember that shelves can be moved up and down to fit tall items like 2-liter bottles and frozen turkeys. And consider making a short shelf for platters that can’t be stacked. That way you won’t be wasting all that space above the trays.

I’d love to hear more tips if you have them. I just really like the number 10.

*Nearly 4 out of 10 say they use their oven only once a week or less throughout the year, according to a poll of about 1,100 Angie’s List members.

DAJTNVKMETZH

I’ve been feeling a little blue lately.

After making the blue cheese souffle, I wanted to find another recipe for the pungent cheese.  With a crisp Fall day on hand, and several pumpkins beckoning, I decided to throw some pumpkin slices on the grill.  I marinated the pumpkin slices with ginger, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then tossed them on the grill.  A few grill marks later, I combined the hot gourds with blue cheese and the salad regulars, for a real American salad.

Indeed, pumpkins are one of the continent’s oldest crops, having been first cultivated thousands of years ago by Native American tribes.  During the colonial era, the tribes routinely prepared pumpkin, yielding pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin porridge, pumpkin stew, and even pumpkin jerky.  Christopher Columbus must have sampled some of the pancakes, because he returned to Italy with pumpkin seeds.

Columbus was not the only European excited by pumpkin.  Peter Kalm, a Swede on vacation in 18th Century America, noted finding “pumpkins of several kinds, oblong, round, flat or compressed, crook-necked, small, etc.”  Most often, Kalm found the pumpkins were halved, the seeds removed, and then roasted and served with butter “while they are warm.”

And pumpkin was hardly the only thing on the menu; the Native Americans grew dozens of other squash.  “Squash” itself is derived from “askutasquash,” a Narragansett word for “green thing eaten raw.”  Though you shouldn’t take that advice: almost all squash must be cooked before being eaten.  “All squash” is not limited to the three of four varieties you might find in the vegetable aisle.

One side of the winter squash family includes acorn, buttercups, butternuts, cheese, golden dumplings, kabochas, pumpkins, and turbans.  This side of the family is the fun-loving, sturdy side of the squash family, known for its orange fleshes and strong flavors.  This side of the family works well in raviolis and soups, and it’s worth trying a kabocha tart or butternut squash bread.  Of all the varieties, butternut is probably the most well-known, and deservedly so; it yields the most meat per pound.  Cheese squash, with sweetness packed tight, is also good for the sweeter things in life.

The other side of the winter squash family is more reserved and cautious.  The carnivals, delicatas, dumplings, and spaghettis are still squash, but carry a lighter and more subtle demeanor.  Their smaller size and less distinctive taste makes them more suited for side dishes.  They prefer to be sliced, tossed with oil, and roasted until they caramelize.  Anything more elaborate and festive is best left to their more adventuresome cousins.

As the Thanksgiving Holiday approaches, I thought I’d honor the spirit of the Harvest with a

Grilled Pumpkin Salad

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
YIELD: Serves 4

WHAT TO GRAB:
GRILLED PUMPKINS
1 pie pumpkin
2 tablespoons olive oil or pumpkin seed oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger

SALAD:
Fresh aragula or baby spinach
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup toasted pecans
4 roma tomatoes, sliced
Homemade vinaigrette (recipe here)

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat the grill to about 400 degrees.  Once ready, lightly brush the grills with olive oil.

2.  Slice the pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds.  Lay the pumpkins flat on a cutting board.  Working from the top to the bottom, cut the pumpkin into slices about 3/4-inch thick.  Don’t peel the skin until after the pumpkin slices have cooked – it will be much easier that way.  In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin slices with the oil, salt, pepper, and ginger.  Mix until the slices are well-coated.

3.  Place the pumpkin slices on the grill, and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes with the grill covered.  Turn the slices over, and grill for another 3 or 4 minutes, still covered.  You want the slices cooked through, but not fully browned.

4.  Cut the pumpkin slices in half and remove the skin.

5.  To make the salad, toss the aragula or baby spinach on a plate.  Place the pumpkin slices on top of the greens.  Add the blue cheese, pecans, tomatoes, and top with the dressing.  Serve!

 Here is where we have some fun with Beer and Food. I love this part. I like to shake things up and try different pairings that most people don’t try, or may not think would work. When it comes to Thanksgiving foods there are some things to consider right off the bat. A good majority of the foods are very earthy in flavor so there are a lot of options out there to experiment with. I love the way Belgian beers work with the types of food that are being served. The Yeasty qualities of a lot of them work in such a fashion that it is a no brainer to pair them. I almost always suggest, like I said previously in part 1 a Quad such as Rochefort 10 or St. Bernardus Abt. 12, or Urthel Samaranth Quadrium. They are rich and bold beers that go great with the traditional Bird, stuffing, Potatoes, Squash, etc. Those aren’t the only Belgian beers that go with the meal though. Unibroue Maudite, Tripple Karmalite, and Gulden Drak are also favorites of mine for this meal. Without going too much in depth they are strong Belgian Ales that have flavors that lend themselves to the traditional meal especially the Bird itself. They bring out the earthiness in the sage and the sweetness in the turkey.

  That being said if you consider all of the flavors involved, they run from sweet to tart as well. The one thing I tell everyone when pairing with beer is that sometimes you need to let go of preconceived notions about pairing. A lot of you go into this meal, like I used to do as well and say “well hoppy beers are out, too much earthy food going on….not going to pair well.”  This is not true. Being a hop-head, I had to try and find a way to incorporate a good IPA or something hoppy into the meal. If you take a logical look an IPA is a great choice as well. It is very complimentary to everyone’s favorite  side dish cranberry sauce(yes, even the one shaped like a can that someone HAS to have at the meal or they call you a communist and ask you why you would bother making cranberry sauce from scratch when Wal-Mart sells it for 2 dollars a case). You also get a lot of contrasting flavors in the sweet and earthy dishes offered. Playing by the rules in pairing is for people who have basically never tried a different way to do anything. I am not like that, I always test the boundaries of rules to se what happens, and sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s bad.

Since I am a beer dork……here is what I decided to do I came up with “flights” for Thanksgiving to make it a little fun for everyone. I like to mix it up a bit with styles but I like doing a bit of themed pairings as well. One way is to go with a singular Brewery. You can do a favorite or go local if you have access to a local brewery. There is no order of what is a better pairing compared to another, these are just some that I came up with that work well.I will add to this in the next day or 2 so you can go out and have fun for the Big Holiday!

There’s a reason that one of my dogs is not-always fondly called “Barbecue Head.” During fragrant 45-minute outdoor chicken roasts, she routinely used to peer up the air vent on my old Weber grill, hoping for the occasional dollop of sauce that might slide its way down the side of the kettle and land on her tongue.

More often than not, the sauce hit the top of the animal’s head, right above her eyes. And that is why we have always kept a wet towel next to the grill.

Yesterday, we moved into uncharted territory with both of my two dogs, when my blossoming skill at slowly roasting meats in my new barrel drum resulted in a kind of canine insanity.

Trying to get a leg up on a Texas-themed Thanksgiving, I had spent the day feeding Mesquite chunks to a 200-degree barrel full of pork shoulders and beef ribs. The idea was to cook the meat, cool it, freeze it, and painlessly reheat it on the Big Day.

Despite the fact that winter finally has arrived in Southern California, and it was a rather chilly day, both Red Dog and Lola spent it alertly parked on the cold, shaded patio near the smoker.

As the ribs slowly browned, they melted off a phenomenal amount of grease, which trickled down to a release spout where I had not placed a catch-cup, because none of my previous efforts have required this kind of mess-preventing measure.

Shortly before dusk, I emerged from the kitchen for one of my hourly checks on the smoker temperature. There I was greeted by two dogs that looked like someone had poured candle wax on top of and down the sides of their heads.

There was so much cold, congealed fat on their craniums that all I would have had to do to fashion both of them with striking Mohawk hairdos was just start working the fur to the center of their heads with my two hands.

This god-awful mess apparently was created by the two beasts working in tandem, taking turns lapping at the dripping grease, none of which made it to the shelf below the spout on the drum.

Normally, these dogs sparkle. They clean themselves like cats, and almost never receive baths, the latter of which always have been provided by a veterinary assistant on those rare occasions when the dogs are boarded for a weekend or so.

Not so this Saturday. With the sun and the air temperature rapidly plunging, my little nuclear family grabbed bottles of Dawn Detergent – it’s what animal experts use to clean oil-slicked birds – and armfuls of garage towels. After snapping on a pair of latex gloves, I began squeezing off the hardened fat, and then scrubbing Lola down while my husband kept her gripped on a leash and used a washcloth to block sensitive ears and eyes from soapy liquid.

My son really had the worst job. For about 45 minutes straight, he had to methodically cross the backyard and march in and out of the kitchen, filling up and delivering warm gallon buckets of water, like “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”

This story does not end with large damp dogs still smelling of smoke and old mohair sweaters.

Before all of us ran inside to change into dry, warm clothing, my husband suspended a Styrofoam cup below the barbecue barrel, to trap grease that might still be dripping.

A bit later, a friend came by to claim a pork shoulder that I had been promising to him all summer. His timing was superb. An insta-read meat thermometer had just clocked the smallest roast at a perfect 185. As my friend and I discussed the merits of the barbecue sauce I had simmering in the kitchen, I caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye. Red Dog had slithered silently out of the dog door, after which she had gently removed the Styrofoam drip cup with her teeth. As I slowly turned around, I saw her happily begin to lick the grease that had begun to drop onto the shelf below.

Thanks to my Dad, I grew up on grilled turkey from the old-school charcoal barbecue. When it came time to make it on my own, Dad taught me to do it his way and I never looked back (especially once I realized the beauty of having the oven free for everything else). 

Before the turkey even hits the grill, it gets brined overnight. Brining a turkey leaves it plump, seasoned, and ready for hours of cooking without fear of drying out. There are a million recipes out there for brining. Pick one you like and go with it. Once my bird is brined, patted dry, and prepared – I head to the grill.    

I use a large chimney to light the coals. Once lit, I divide the coals in half and push them to opposite sides of the grill basin. I pour a can of beer into a disposable 9×5-inch aluminum bread pan and place it in the center of the grill basin, between the coals. Next, while standing away from the coals, I spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray. Then, I lower the grill in place, with the handles positioned over the coals. I place the turkey on the grill, breast side down, and put the lid on it (with all vents open).

As heat builds inside the grill, the beer in the pan begins to evaporate, basting and tenderizing the bird. Every hour, I add 6-9 fresh briquettes on each side of the grill. After the first hour of cooking, I turn the turkey over and finish cooking it breast side up. If any part of the turkey turns dark, I cover it with foil. Once the internal temperature, measured in the thickest part of the thigh, has reached 175 degrees, it’s time to take the turkey off the grill. I usually estimate 11-13 minutes grilling time per pound. Allow the turkey to rest for a good 20-30 minutes before carving.

Every time I taste our turkey, I delight in its grilled goodness, give thanks for the nourishment, and call Dad to tell him how thankful I am for all the things he’s taught me. Happy Thanksgiving!

(Photo Credit: (Jean-Paul Aussenard, Wireimage.com)

Recently actor Brian White(Stomp the Yard/ I Can Do Bad All By Myself) posted a recipe on his myspace blog.  This may work out well while stalling guests as you strive to finish the rest of the Turkey Dinner or work out well while watching the game.

Current mood: Hungry

Ingredients:

½ cup teriyaki sauce
1 cup oyster sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons garlic powder
¼ cup gin
2 dashes liquid smoke flavoring
½ cup white sugar
1½ pounds chicken wings, separated at joints, tips discarded.
¼ cup honey

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix the teriyaki sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, gin, liquid smoke and sugar. Place the chicken wings in the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat the grill for LOW heat.

3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange chicken on the grill and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken wings on one side for 20 minute, then turn and brush with HONEY. Continue grilling 25 minutes or until juices run clear.

This past weekend, I invited a couple friends from college to make the 45 minute trip from Middlebury to Burlington for dinner at my house. They said that Wednesday worked great, but that they would have to find a car. They asked around, and come Wednesday afternoon, I hadn’t heard anything final. So I didn’t end up making a trip to the grocery store. At about 5 o’clock I got the final word that three of them were coming up after going for a short run. They would arrive around 7:00. I thought for a second that I might be in trouble, until I looked in the fridge. Working with a butcher leaves me with an abundance of meat products, so the proteins would not be a problem. I had two NY Strip steaks, three and a half chicken breasts, two house made veal and apple bratwursts, a half pound of shrimp, and two very fresh-looking whole mackerel.

The easy solution to me seemed to be the grill. I readied the meats for the grill, seasoning the steaks with salt and pepper, and the chicken with a dry rub consisting of salt, cayenne, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, and paprika. I cleaned up the shrimp, gutted the mackerel, and seasoned them with salt and pepper as well. Everything was ready for the grill, but I was still unsure about what else we would be eating. I looked around and found the kitchen staples: onions, garlic, and carrots. I also had bought a couple of fairly large leaks earlier that day.

So I started with chopping up a few strips of local applewood smoked bacon. I rendered the fat out of these in the pan, and removed the crispy bacon pieces. I diced up the onions and garlic. I sliced the carrots into thin rounds, and chopped up the leaks pretty finely so that they would become tender relatively quickly. I started sweating the onions, garlic, and carrots in the bacon fat and a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Shortly after, the leaks entered the pan as well along with a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme. I seasoned as I went along, and threw some fettuccine in a pot of boiling water because I knew a group of cross country runners would need it…

The pasta was cooking and before I knew it, the sautee of the vegetables had turned into a braise (through the addition of about 2/3 of a bottle of a local Oktoberfest) with aspirations of turning into a hearty “condimento” for the pasta. While the alcohol cooked off, the pasta finished cooking. Well, I drained it just shy of being done as I wanted it to finish cooking in the sauce. The vegetables were now nice and tender, and the alcohol had cooked out of the beer. I added a tablespoon or two of honey, a handful of grated parmegiano reggiano, some salt and pepper, then added the fettuccine. I turned the pasta around in the pan, covering each strand with the beer, honey, cheese, and vegetables. After a minute, I removed everything to a large bowl, drizzled a few tablespoons of olive oil over the top, and the dish was finished.

My friends, realizing I had not used a recipe, decided they would fittingly name the dish "beer noodles"

While all of this was happening, I had filled the grill with a variety of meats. The chicken came off just cooked through and juicy. One steak I took off at medium rare, and the second I let cook a bit longer than i would have par the request of a guest. The bratwurst had started to release some of its juices into the grill, causing some excellent flare-ups to occur. They came off with the smaller chicken breast and the medium rare steak.

First of three plates of meat to come off the grill

The meat was all charred and delicious. I served the chicken with a homemade barbecue sauce I had in the fridge. The mackerel was flaky and flavorful; full of bones, but I didn’t mind eating around them. The pasta was excellent, with the crispy bacon bits served in a bowl on the side. My friends slowly but surely made their way through the absurdly large bowl of past, and by the time my parents were home, it was gone. The “beer noodles” definitely held the malty flavor of the beer, and this was complimented well by the sweetness of the honey and the fruitiness of the olive oil. An equally successful dish may have evolved from a local hard cider braise (holding the honey might be necessary in this case).

At the end of the night, we had each eaten beyond our heart’s content. My mother, returning from a trip the New York City for work, was very grateful to see empty space in the fridge. I guess I need to find ways to get friends over to the house more for dinner. It certainly helps diminish the ever growing stock of meat that we have, thanks to my work with Frank the butcher at Healthy Living Market.

Autumn has arrived in South Florida (not that the weather is any indication!), and it’s time to plan your Thanksgiving menu… Michael shares a killer leg of lamb recipe with a cranberry twist. Whether grilled or roasted in the oven, this recipe does require some chopping, but is really easy to make and hard to screw up. Plus, it’ll be done way before the turkey so your little gobblers can get to work A.S.A.P! Click here to jump to the recipe.

A lot has changed since I was a kid. Today, apparently, it’s a tragic embarrassment to have your mom call across the street that it’s time to come in from playing street hockey to eat your dinner. I’ve been instructed to text my son that his dinner is ready. Apparently, he’ll still be able to claim me as his mother if I follow such instructions. Otherwise, there’s a good chance that I’ll be sent into exile.

Not so when I was 12 going on 13. In those days the only texts I knew about were the books in my school bag and I certainly didn’t take those outside to play or want to spend any extra time with them!

One way to get attention from the ball hockey players, basket shooters or skateboarders on the street is to grill something delicious that gets them coming to you. But grilling in cool weather presents some challenges you don’t face in summer time. So, in order to produce smoke signals that create enticing foods night after crisp, autumn night, follow these cooler weather grilling tips (not be confused with my winter grilling tips.

• Cook even small foods covered to retain heat
• Likewise, don’t leave the lid open too long when turning or basting food
• Increase the setting by one notch if the air is 10 degrees Celsius or more cooler than room temperature
• If cooking over indirect heat, rotate the food more frequently than usual.
• Bring larger foods (such as roasts and whole chickens) to room temperature before grilling in cold weather
• Take foods inside as soon as they are cooked so that they don’t cool down too quickly

This  Grilled Honey Spiced Eggplant (pictured above) is perfect for autumn grilling.

Day 64 on the Maersk Arkansas

The weather was perfect, 83 deg with no humidity and a brisk breeze. The beers were ice cold, the grill and women were hot, just another fall day in the Persian gulf on the Maersk Arkansas. The girls just finished oiling down and the conga line was snaking its way around the fantail of the ship. OK… before someone reports us to the Coast Guard understand I am kidding about the beer and women but you must admit it sounded nice. And since there was no beer or oil drenched vixens you can assume the conga line is nonexistent as well.

So where was I…oh the grill was hot and the Steward Doug was tossing 2″ thick steaks on the grill to a sizzle I had not heard since arriving in September. Every sailor looks forward to grill day, maybe because its reminds us of being home gathered around a grill with friends and family. This grill had been dormant for my two months onboard and the last steward even had the audacity to put on the menu one day “Grilled BBQ Chicken on the Fantail” then proceeded to toss BBQ Sauce lathered chicken into the oven, who does that. The result was something that looked and tasted like a overbaked hamster. Well I have no idea what baked hamster taste like but it can’t be good and either was this. I was laughed at for stepping outside with my camera looking for grilled chicken, as the grill sat quiet and lonely. I was so naive to actually think he was going to put in such an effort. Out here at sea (much like in prison) meals are very important and help break of the monotony.

Unlike prison we normally don’t have to worry about getting shanked by a shipmate in the galley, although on my last ship two sailors were sent home for fighting. Believe me it wasn’t much of a fight and more like “Smackdown 2009 “. This sailor laid all 350lbs of himself into this man’s eye which resulted in a 3 minute nap on hard steel, no recollection of what happened and massive swelling. Ok I got a little off track, but seriously this man had hands that look like anvils. Anyway if the food is bad it makes a 120 day trip feel even longer.

The man that holds your culinary fate in his hands is the Chief Steward. He is head of the steward department and sets the menu and does the baking among other things. He has a chief cook that works under his direction who obviously has direct hand in how your food is going to taste as well. Have a ship with a bad cook and steward, you can guarantee the can opener is going to get heavy work opening tuna after you dump your slop into the trash. Before Doug arrived crewmembers were already telling me how much better the food was about to get when he got onboard. There was talk of fresh made breads, cinnamon buns, cookies and donuts….wait, fresh made donuts on a ship (more on this later)?

Doug at the office, don't talk to this man about a cubicle.

When Doug walked up the gangway he brought with him 20 years of restaurant experience and a Johnson and Wales Culinary School degree to back it up. Living in Thailand fulltime he only makes it back to the States about 14 days a year, tending to a harem is apparently very time consuming. Food quality has definitely improved and the steaks were on point (will let the pictures do the talking). Since his arrival I have had to double my workouts to offset the gluttony that has been taking place. A new chief cook has recently joined and these two definatly make a good team. I once again have something to write about and take pictures of since I am not allowed to lay my infidel feet on the precious soil of the “Kingdom”. We head to Umm Qasr, Iraq next and unless they have kabob delivery to the ship you can assume I will not be posting about any of the local cuisine.

- TORIANO FREDERICKS

Maersk Arkansas working cargo at Shuwaikh, Kuwait.

I had leftover chicken breast, tuna, and random vegetables. So I made kebabs. Here are them raw:

[100% organic, wild Yellowfin Tuna]

Ingredients:

• Red bell pepper
• Red onion
• Yellow zucchini squash
• Green zucchini
• Chicken breast
• Yellowfin/ahi tuna

Tim and I drove to Litchfield, CT yesterday to pick up our dry-aged and butchered half steer.  The steer is from White Flower Farm and was beautifully butchered by Litchfield Locker and Processing.  We luckily picked up exactly the right amount of beef to fill our freezer to the gills.

In total, we’ll have purchased 200 pounds of beef.  We’ll be keeping 50 pounds and distributing the rest to friends and family who went in on this adventure with us.  Tim and I will be making deliveries on Sunday and again on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

To give you a sense of what you get with 200 pounds of beef, here is a list of what we have picked up and what we think is remaining:

Last night, Tim grilled two giant bone-in rib eyes.  They were delicious!  So flavorful!  And, Angus really enjoyed the bone.  I made twice-baked potatoes to accompany the steaks.  A delicious dinner!

This morning, Tim enjoyed steak and eggs.  I pan fried half of a flap steak for Tim’s lumberjack breakfast.  Flap steak comes from the flank and is similar to hanger steak.

Tonight I will be making the Barefoot Contessa’s pot roast recipe using a chuck roast.  Should be a good meal for a very rainy Saturday!



A feature story about men “meating” for a new kind of home party was in the Arizona Republic recently. Click here to read the article.

These are home parties for men, started by a couple of guys in their twenties from Minnesota and Wisconsin, Nicke Beste and Kevin Carlow. You can visit their website at  http://mancaveworldwide.com. Says Beste, “It’s a good excuse to hang out with the guys, drink a few beers, eat some brats and, most importantly, learn some new techniques about grilling.” It’s a Tupperware party for men!

They sell beer, meat, grilling products, marinades, poker playing items and apparel. Who wouldn’t want this studly T-shirt with the Man Laws printed on the back? Here are a couple …

• Grilling, regardless of weather, is always the first choice for cooking.
• A man is permitted to build his “Man Cave” in anyway he wishes. However NO “Man Cave” shall ever include: A fridge incapable of holding a case of beer, “Fat Free” potato chips, and any variation of the color pink.

And, ladies, they do sell a few Gifts for Her like an Intimate Night Kit comprised of rose “pedals” (someone over there needs a dictionary to go with their spell-checker) and massage oil. Obviously, a lot of deep thought went into this category!

I’m sure every guy out there has been waiting with beer-bated breath to be a Man Cave Advisor and Host a “Meating.” Wouldn’t it be fun to be a fly on the wall …

I’ve mentioned on Sac Foodies before that I am a big fan of the beer can chicken grilling method. However, when I was at my dad’s house a few weeks ago, he showed me his fancy new vertical chicken roaster pan for the grill. I was skeptical at first – after all, he was the one who sold me on the beer can chicken method long ago and now were we changing things?  But, I have to say that when I saw how easy it was to cook both veggies and chicken on the grill using one simple pan, I was sold.

Below the chicken we put chopped up red potatoes, lemon slices and onion, all tossed with olive oil and fresh herbs and allowed the chicken and veggies to cook on the grill for about an hour. How good does the finished product look?

By Liz Conant

In the suburbs of Annandale, in a dull, nondescript brick building, is a bustling attraction.  Until recently, it was only identified by giant posters of grilled meats, vegetables, and Korean writing.  So if you couldn’t read it, then you could only hope that the saliva-inducing images led you to Honey Pig Gooldaegee.  Literally translated, it means Oink Pig.

That’s cute.  Unless you’re a pig.

As you walk through the entrance, be prepared to be greeted by loud Korean pop music, and the smell of grilling meat.  It’s a flurry of activity–crowded, noisy, bustling with servers wielding tongs and scissors.  Don’t bring your baby here. Trust me.

Sit down as plates of banchan whirl before your eyes.  You can snack on these complementary “small appetizers” as they fire up the grill.  They’re a little different each time; wilted spinach, potato salad, spicy kimchi, dried cuttlefish, seaweed salad, spicy tofu.

I recommend the Spicy Pork Bellies–enormous slices of bacon that look like what Jack’s giant had for breakfast.  Fee-fi-fo-fum! I smell the blood of Sam Gyup Sal!

After your server deftly cooks the meat, she’ll cut it into bite-size pieces to accompany your rice and steamed eggs–a light, airy soufflé garnished with scallions and paprika.  Or take a crisp leaf of lettuce, fill it with meat, rice, spicy sauce, and now you’re eating like the natives do.

Ever try Soju?  It’s a distilled alcohol made from rice.  It tastes and looks like vodka, but lighter and sweeter.  You can either sip it from a shot glass, or add a shot to your beer.  I like Cass or Hite Beer.

Before their write-up in Washingtonian’s Cheap Eats edition, very few non-Koreans knew about this place.  Now they’ve got an influx of new customers, and a new sign in English to show the way.

My own non-Korean experience has been that they are hopeful and polite when they ask me to order.  When they realize I don’t understand them, they look annoyed.  That’s where my boyfriend comes in.  He speaks Korean, but he’s Italian.  Boy, do they get confused.

The best thing about Honey Pig Gooldaegee is that it’s open 24 hours.  Now I’m “gool-gool-ing” with delight!

The sweetness from the kebabs goes well with  the thick, smokey flavor of the Oktoberfest. After standing in front of hot grill, nothing is better than a cool beer. I chose a Josephsbrau Oktoberfest Lager I recently picked up from Trader Joes (a fantastic grocery store; find the nearest one here)

It didn’t get the best reviews from others, but it worked well for this meal… and it was $5.99$ for a six pack…

Sweet Pineapple Teriyaki Kebabs

Feeds three people

Soak some wooden skewers (cheap and easy to find in most grocery stores)

Cut one pepper, I used a red this time, you decide which you want

Carton of white mushrooms (whole, not sliced)

Carton of grape tomatoes

One Pineapple, cubed (fresh is great, but canned works)

Cut three chicken breast into cubes (about the size of a dollar coin)

The marinade

In a large bowl, or heavy duty Ziploc bag add…

One part pineapple juice, one part teriyaki (switch up the proportions however you see fit, I suggest starting with this)

The pineapple juice has an enzyme in it called papain, and it tenderizes the meat,

Put chicken in container, making sure the meat is completely covered.

Marinate for one hour

You may also add, sesame seed oil, ginger, or brown sugar, diced jalapeños

Put the veggies and meat on the skewers and throw them on the grill (make sure you spray the grill with some oil, kebabs tend to stick) Medium heat for 15 on each side. Watch to make sure they don’t burn, and check the chicken before serving (juices should run clear)!

Dry rubs are a way to add different flavors to any barbeque meal. Jen and I use them for a variety of purposes, including giving meat and veggies a kick! A dry rub combines with the juices that are drawn from the meat and essentially acts like a dry marinade.

I personally like rubs in most situations over marinades.  Both a marinade and a rub are used to act as a flavoring agent.  I like how a rub imparts a more concentrated flavor and kind of forms a spice crust on the meat, as neither a rub nor a marinade tend to penetrate the meats surface significantly.

Dry rubs usually work better for bigger or fattier meats such as brisket, skin on chicken etc; though rubs are delicious on all cuts of meat. Another idea is to use both a marinade and a rub on meats:  try marinating the meat or using a brine and then use a dry rub when you are grilling.

I have found that most dry rubs contain some common key ingredients (and usually the amounts are similar to what I have listed).  Then I compiled a list of other common ingredients and typical amounts used so that you could mix and match to make your own unique rub!

Dry Rub Staple Ingredients:
Coarse Salt – 3 tablespoons
Coarse Black Pepper – 3 tablespoons
Paprika – 4 tablespoons
Brown Sugar – 3 tablespoons

Other Optional Dry Rub Ingredients:
Garlic Powder – 1 tablespoon
Cayenne Pepper – 1 teaspoon up to 1 tablespoon, depending on the heat you want
Mustard Powder – 1 to 2 teaspoons
Dried Thyme – 1 tablespoon
Chili Powder – 2 tablespoons
Celery Seed – 1 to 2 teaspoons
Ground Cumin – up to 2 teaspoons
Onion Powder – 1 tablespoon
Dried Oregano – 1 to 2 tablespoons
Onion Flakes – 1 tablespoon
Dried Basil – 1 teaspoon up to 1 tablespoon
Dried Sage – 1 tablespoon
Dried Rosemary – 1 tablespoon

It is fun experimenting with different flavors.  Try any other herbs and spices and different amounts to give your barbecue a blast of flavor.

Whether you call it Prime Rib, Standing Rib Roast, or a bone-in Ribeye Roast this is one recipe that is full of flavorful nuances.

INGREDIENTS
1 Prime Rib Roast (4-6 lbs.)
1 Bowl of Teriyamic Marinade (see recipe)
1 Large Ziploc Bag (at least 1 gallon)
1 Very Shallow Disposable Aluminum Cake Pan (for grill), or Roasting Pan & Rack (for oven)

RECIPE

Take well-trimmed roast and place into large zip lock plastic bag, pour marinade evenly over meat, and refrigerate overnight. Be sure to turn the bag over at least once halfway though the process to ensure even marinating (I also like getting some marinate time on the sides of the roast, as well).
HINT: Place marinating bag on a plate, just in case it springs a leak. Unless you like cleaning marinade out of the nooks and crannies of your fridge … yes, this was learned the hard way!

Once fully marinated, it’s time to get cooking. This can be done in the oven (325°) with a roasting pan and rack. But, a real Caveman likes to do this on the grill! Place cake pan centered under BBQ grill, then light. (NOTE: If using charcoal, first light coals and allow to grey-out. Then spread coals evenly around perimeter of grill, leaving a hole in the middle of grill, and place cake pan in hole.) This is important in order to avoid flame-ups!

If using gas grill, turn off middle burner.  Place roast on grill, BONE DOWN, centered over cake pan.  Save remaining marinade for liberal basting every 20 minutes during the first hour of cooking.  Cover grill and try to keep hood temperature around 300°.  Should be done in about 90 minutes for a 4 pound roast (longer if cooking bigger roast).

When done, place roast on serving plate and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

The meat should be tender, juicy and full of incredible flavor. This time, we served it with Rice Pilaf, fresh steamed Broccoli, and an Iceberg Wedge Salad.

Prep Time = 10 minutes
Cook Time = Approx. 90 minutes for a 4 pound roast
Serves 4-6

©2009 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This recipe originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.wordpress.com authored by Caveman. This recipe may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

It was a lovely weekend, temps up to nearly 60 degrees and blue skies that did not stop. It was actually the moon that awakened me in the early hours of the morning. Our upstairs deck was so bright it looked almost like the sun was shining. Stars are out and it’s 40 degrees (it’s been in the 20’s lately at night) so it may be warm again tomorrow.

We spent the weekend looking for a car, again. Tech support for Jim’s parents, who upgraded to a Mac this weekend and while set-up has its glitches, once they get going their son’s tech support will be minimal. Margie had fits with both her old PC and internet service and has now changed both for the better.

With the balmy weather we cooked out both nights over the weekend. NY Strips from our door-to-door organic vendor on Saturday with sliced tomatoes (olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper), corn and baked potatoes. Last night I made baby back ribs mainly inside with a basic dry rub, then grilled with BBQ sauce for five minutes. That was served with salad and scalloped potatoes. Yum.

Now we have to turn our sights to pot roasts and winter meals. Also the first Thanksgiving I’ll ever cook alone (a lonely thought but one that may include plans for interesting soups and sandwiches afterwards). Years ago I read of Frank Sinatra’s recipe for chicken and sausage. I made it once but it called for 1 cup of olive oil for a dish that served four. Even 20 years ago I didn’t do that. New ideas are needed. As Jim can’t eat fish, any focus on chicken and pork is better than too much beef.

Tonight we’ve got the heat on. It’s finally warm down here at my desk with the vent at my feet. It’s time for slippers and a cardigan. I can’t turn on the fire because it’ll suck the heat out of the bedroom and Jim will freeze.

Trifle. I’ve made four in my lifetime. One many years ago, one last year for a surprise concert for Nanny, and two in the past week. Now I’ve another to make this week and am ready for the challenge. I made up a recipe the other day to bring to some of the guys at Jim’s work. Three layers. I found a cranberry-pecan bread from the delivery folks a couple of weeks ago and immediately froze it. Then I figured… cranberries. The only thing I didn’t do was brush the bread with liqueur (for this I would have used Grand Marnier) because many are Mormon.

So I layered a trifle bowl (under $15 at Bed, Bath and Beyone or even Sur La Table) with thinly-sliced bread, using whole slices then cutting to fit. I made cranberry sauce of 2# fresh cranberries, juice and zest from one orange and 3/4 cup sugar. I made whipped cream and added 1/4 c sugar to 3c cream plus orange zest and 1T fresh orange juice at the end. Add fresh berries to the top and some orange rind.

Layer the bread (as indicated), 1/3 of the cranberry mixture and 1/3 of the whipped cream, repeat two times and finish with berries and orange segments or zest or both. I used whatever berries I could find: raspberries; blackberries; and a few pomegranate seeds I had leftover from the last trifle. It still helps to brush the bread with a syrup of sorts, even orange juice for this one.

This week I’m going back to a version of Tyler Florence’s lemon-berry trifle (find it on www.foodnetwork.com) with store-bought pound cake and lemon curd. The blueberries are gone now, but I’ll make do. Hey, have a great week! Dee

Fall weather makes me crave spicy foods!

I found a wonderful recipe for Baha Mexican grilled chipotle chicken.

The chipotles give the chicken a smoky and  “call the fire department” fiery flavor that makes this anything but a ho hum grilled chicken dish.

I use a  4 lb chicken, but the original recipe calls for 3 small chickens.  I prefer more heat–if you do not, use more chicken.

The avocado adds coolness to balance it out, so be sure to make the salsa to go with.

You can cut up the chicken and serve it in a tortilla with the avocado salsa, or simply serve it as is–I ate it both ways.

We served our chicken with the avocado salsa, homemade pinto beans, and Spanish rice.

I really love this chicken!  It was nice and moist.  This will probably become part of my weekly menu.

First you let it marinate in the sauce for hours (at least 2, but better overnight)

Chipotle Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa

(Greatly) Adapted from “!Baja! Cooking on the Edge” by Deborah  M.  Schneider

SERVES 6

7 oz can chipotles in adobo
2 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1- 4 lb chicken, quartered

Avocado Salsa
3 ripe Haas avocados  pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt
1 juice of one lime
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
3 fresh cilantro stems, stemmed and chopped  (I did not use)

In a food processor, puree the chipotles, garlic, oil, and salt. Wipe the chicken pieces with paper towels. Thoroughly coat the pieces on all sides with a layer of the chipotle paste.
Place in a non-reactive baking dish or in re-sealable bags and refrigerate for 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
Heat the grill to medium. With the lid open, grill the chicken on both sides until well marked – about 7 minutes per side. Turn the heat to low, close the lid, and cook the chicken, skin side up, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees. (Alternatively, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.).
NOTE: we place a drip pan under the chicken to prevent flare-ups–we learned the hard way.
Serve with tortillas and salsa.
Avocado Salsa: Place the avocados in a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and lime juice; mix gently with the onion and cilantro (don’t mash; it should look diced).
Note: this salsa should be served within 3 hours. To help it keep its color, press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the avocado and refrigerate until needed.

ANGELNINA’S  NOTE: Original recipe calls for 3 small chickens, cut into halves or quarters.  I prefer it with one 4 lb chicken.  Obviously this adds to the heat, so if you don’t want it too spicy, use more chicken.