Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Drunk Chircken

You like the title there? The key to making drunk chicken is to drink a beer or two or six while ou are making it lol!
If you haven't made drunk or beer butt chicken yet you must do it at once! You can get a nifty beer can holder at Walmart I believe really cheap and it holds the chicken up better. I will give you the basics on what to do. Pick a beer or even soda, pour half of it out. I then add liquid smoke to the remaining liquid to make it sorta feel grilled. By the way you can grill them this way but it's like 5 degrees outside. I rinse the chicken and pat dry then stuff it's butt full of herbs, I used rosemary and Italian seasoning. Then put the beer can in the stand and slide the chicken onto the can. Then using your finger or knife slide down the breast and back and separate the skin from the meat but leave skin on. Then pour a little lemon juice down in there along with whatever seasonings you can get in there. Turn the oven on 375 and remove bottom rack. Cook 1 hr 45 minutes to 2 hours or until done and meat thermometer reads whatever its supposed to for cooked chicken. I never use one, sorry!
 


Just call me Bubba Gump

 
Random uses of shrimp:
 
I know my pictures suck, I gotta work on that but usually the hubby is in the other room whining how starving he is so I have to hurry. I don't know how these other bloggers manage to photo their every step while cooking but I am assuming they have some help and I do not.
 
First random use of shrimp for an appetizer. I took Italian bread already seasoned and sliced that comes from Walmart and loaded it up on the one side you will see I made pizza bites and the other is shrimp, black bean, ranch, cheese and cilantro.
Simple. Sautee the shrimp with some cooking spray toss on some garlic, lemon juice and chili powder, add black beans cook until shrimp is done, then sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Put some ranch dressing on the bread first,  (I used light) then add the shrimp mixture. Next time I will add more ingredients to the shrimp mixture like onion, peppers, even rotel. Then sprinkle with shredded cheese of your choice and broil in the oven at like 400 until bread is crispy and cheese is melted. Keep a very good eye on it!
 
 



This is the start of scampi, didn't get a picture after all was quite done. Just put your butter in get it melty, add minced garlic sautee a bit then add shrimp and any other seasonings. When shrimp is getting close to being done sprinkle with a little flour, not a lot, stir very well. Add lemon juice and white wine until desired taste and consistency and boil up just enough to reduce liquid a little and remove immediately from heat.

I am so mad this picture was blurry because this meal was AWESOME! The shrimp was made with Asian (sesame, ginger, soy and teriyaki) flair and then the veggies I did tempura. I then took won ton pieces and cut them into strips and lightly fried them. It was oh so yummy.

 
 

Roasted Parmesan Shrimp and Zucchini with noodles smothered in Italian Dressing.
 

 
 



I love to make home made taco salads because they are so filling and healthy. I bake the tortillas with one those special tortilla pans then sometimes I fill them with southwest style shrimp and toppings, or chicken, or beef, or shredded pork. Whatever I have on hand.


After reading that Shrimp is high in cholesterol I had to cut back, I seriously ate shrimp like 3 times a week but I will be adding more shrimp recipes to this along the way as I continue to experiment with them.
Cucumber and crab appetizer with spicy mayo
 
 
 
 

I made these for no special occasion other than just wanting to try something cool. I saw a recipe on Facebook that gave me this idea. The idea was to cut chunks of cucumber and then use a melon baller to core out the middle then stuff it with a spicy cheesy crab mixture. Even though that sounds fantastic I wanted it to be more like sushi and if you have ever had a cucumber roll you know how good they are but are hard to make. These are super easy.

As usual I don't have measurements just eyeballed it but I will at least give ingredients used:

One really long English cucumber. (It's perfect in circumference and less seedy)
Imitation crab
Thinly sliced carrot pieces
Thinly sliced yellow and red bell pepper
Avocado
Black Sesame seeds

Spicy Mayo:

Miracle Whip (less fat)
Sriracha
Paprika

Dipping or Drizzling Sauce:

Sesame Oil
Soy Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
Ginger/Garlic crushed (I get the stuff in the jar, much easier)

So I think the picture is pretty self explanatory on how to make it. Just melon ball as close to the bottom and sides of the cucumber as you can and stuff them with whatever combinations you want. I wasn't as fond of the bell pepper as my husband was but you already know what you like so have fun with it. I wish had a more Japanese style looking plate and dipping bowl for better presentation but I do the best with what I have :-)

Friday, August 9, 2013

Spicy chicken, rice, black bean soup

So I made some cornish hens last night. I got some big ones and stuffed their butts with fresh cut lime wedges, fresh cilantro and minced garlic. I seasoned the skin with a chipotle rub from pampered chef along with paprika, chili powder and ground cayenne pepper. I roasted at 425 for 20 minutes then covered with foil for another 40 minutes and let sit to rest. We munched on it a bit but I had leftovers so I decided today to make a soup out of the meat. Since the hens were cooked in southwest spices I needed a soup to reflect that essence.

It turned out sooooo good..and was so easy to make.


I winged this so I do not have measurements of ingredients. Making soup outta leftovers is a creative process and not exact science. I have mad soups off of some else's recipe and I never end up adding what they do because our tastes are different.

After I picked off all the meat I sliced and diced some onions, celery, carrots, and corn off the cob. I sauteed that in a little olive oil in a dutch oven then added 2/3 cup of uncooked basmati rice, I use basmati for every recipe because it's my favorite.

Then I took the 2/3 measuring cup and filled it with water twice rather than try to figure out what cup doubles it. It's a little hard to do math when you got the burners going.
So I also had frozen chicken broth in the freezer probably 1 1/2 cup-2cups worth. I thawed it in the microwave and added that. Bring to boil, turn down heat cover and simmer 10 minutes or until rice is cooked. Then add chicken, beans of your choice (I used black), cilantro, garlic poweder, sea salt, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and I used chipotle, oh and almost forgot a good 2-3 tbsps on Franks Red Hot sauce. I really use it a lot because we like things with a little kick and Franks isn't that hot, it's just right and has the perfect flavor to compliment anything.

I simmered all that about 10 more minutes then removed from heat let it sit so the flavors marry and it can cool for another 10 minutes. Then garnish with whatever you want, a little guacamole, sour cream or greek yogurt, shredded cheese, tortilla chips or whatever floats your boat.

Variations of meat for this recipe could be hamburger, stew meat or beef brisket. You could even sub in potatoes instead of rice. Make sure to freeze your leftovers in handy quart size freezer bags in individual servings for easy heat up lunches.


Sunday, August 4, 2013

Sorry for the language on this, but I cracked UP over this, so true!!!


Thursday, August 1, 2013

Curry chicken with okra and rice

Every once in a while I get a hankering for Indian or Middle Eastern Cuisine. I had to make up some curry chicken with okra, rice with chick peas and fried pita bread with a cucumber relish on the side.




Ok so the awesome thing about making indian/middle eastern cuisine is that you can use so many variations, vegetables and meat. In place of chicken you could use stir fry beef meat, lamb, pork (although forbidden meat in Islamic communities) or seafood such as white fish, shrimp or scallops. It would all taste good. Since I had chicken and it's cheap that's what I opted for.  The rice recipes can vary too which I will explore more later as I go but for now will stick to the recipe I used. I did burn the oil some which is why the rice is brown. I told you I will let you know when I screw something up!
The bread is just pita bread you can find in any store toasted with butter and seasonings in the pan and cut into triangles. The salad mixture in the bowl on the side is actually straight up from an Iraqi recipe. I will include that as well, it's super easy but packs a punch in taste and even better when you get a little scoop on your fork along with the rice and curry mixture.

Recipe:

Skin and bone on chicken breast
Tbsp Hot Madra Curry powder found in Walmart
Tsp Turmeric also found in walmart
1 tbsp minced garlic
2-3 Tbsp Tikka Masala paste found in Kroger international aisle
1 cup garbonzo beans aka chick peas found in most stores
1 cup basmati rice
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup sliced fresh okra
1 small tomato diced or half can diced tomatoes
2-3 tbsp. oil

For Cucumber relish:

1 cucumber diced
1 small tomato diced
1/2 small onion diced finely
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Ground black pepper

Pita Bread
Butter
Garlic
Oregano
Parsley

Turn oven to 325 degrees. Prepare chicken cutting off skin. Rub with dry Curry and Turmeric and get a cast iron skillet hot with a little oil maybe a tbsp. Sear both sides of chicken about 2 minutes per side, then remove from heat, cover with foil and place in the oven about 40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes just in case it's done depending on thickness and then again at 40 and so on. Let cool on cutting board.  Shred chicken into chunks when cool enough to handle. 

While chicken is baking get rice prepared. Follow instructions on packet or my variation is to heat a little oil and put in diced onions and a little minced garlic, then I add the rice and chick peas and let them brown just a bit in the pan then add my water. Most basmati rice recipes call for about 20 minutes cooked covered and let stand 5 minutes.

While rice and chicken are cooking prepare the Cucumber Relish by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and place in the fridge.

Get a large skillet and heat another Tbsp oil. Toss in the garlic, onions and okra and let cook about a minute then toss in the tomatoes.  Next put in your chicken and the tikka masala paste and simmer about 5 minutes until okra is slightly soft. Set aside.

Next heat a skillet and cut the pita bread in triangles and spread with butter and seasonings and brown on both sides. 

That's it! Pretty easy!




Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Hobo Soup

So one lazy sunday all I had in the fridge was some vegetables and hamburger meat so I decided it was a hobo soup kind of day. I love making hobo dinner packets when camping and the soup is also really awesome, surely hobo's would only wish they could eat this good!

Don't tell anyone, but it's also low calorie too, might get some sour faces over that one :-O


RECIPE:

1 lb of lean ground beef
1 small onion diced
2-3 medium russet or red potatoes diced
1-2 carrots sliced (not thin or they will be mushy)
4-5? cups of water (told ya I don't measure nuthin)
2 beef bouillon cubes or replace and water and cubes with beef broth in a can
1 small can tomato sauce
Franks Red Hot (I eat that shi%* on everything)
2 Bay leaves
Sea Salt
Ground black pepper
Oregano
Parsely
Chili Powder
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder

You have to experiment with spices and season to your own liking as you go, start with a little then add from there but also remember the flavors take time to blend and marry so give it some time before you start dumping more in.

Brown the hamburger until slightly pink then add the onion and slightly cook. Dump in water or broth and all of the seasonings along with tomato sauce and Franks Red Hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then let simmer covered for 30 minutes. If you want to reduce the liquid some uncover while simmering.  I like to serve with a hearty bread for dipping on the side.