MEMORIAL WEEKEND RIBS!

Hope everyone is having a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend. My celebration began Saturday with a day at the lake with my sisters and brothers-in-law. Our captain introduced us to his special southern ribs and boy howdy were they ever good. They were so tender there was no meat left on the bone and they simply fell off into your mouth!

His secret, well, don’t tell him I shared it with you:

Begin by salting and peppering the ribs. Then sprinkle generously with garlic powder. Cover all that with McCormick’s Grill Mates® Pork Rub.

Lay those babies on a very hot grill and sear them on each side. Don’t leave them on any longer than it takes to blacken each side. Remove them and place in an aluminum turkey roasting pan. Pour in water up to about half way on the stack of ribs and turn the heat on your grill down to a simmering temperature. Leave them on the grill for about 2 to 2.5 hours. There is no need to turn them because the steam will cook them through.

Continue to party all the time the ribs are simmering and then remove the pan of ribs, cover with foil and let them sit for another hour or so. Continue partying…

When everyone is ready to eat, take the ribs out of the pan and put them back on a hot grill and baste them generously with your favorite BBQ sauce! You may want to place extra on the table.

Place enough fresh corn-on-the-cob in a plastic bag with a little water into the microwave and cook for about 10 minutes or until done to taste.

Open a fresh can of good ol’ pork 'n' beans, butter and salt the corn, place on a table and stand back. If you stay in the way you may get trampled or stabbed with a fork!

Happy Memorial Day!

T-BONE STEAK & SWEET POTATO

My wife and I celebrated my 60th birthday tonight with steak, pork chops, and sweet potatoes. We spent the evening on the screened porch watching the baby geese trains (daddy, babies, and momma playing follow the leader) slowly making their way around the lake. Very peaceful evening and I would not have wanted to be anywhere else in the world.

My wife turns 60 Sunday, so the party will continue on the houseboat with our family all weekend. Tomorrow we will treat ourselves to seafood at Bonefish!

The T-Bone was smothered in Cajun blackened seasoning and the sweet potato was covered in butter and brown sugar. My wife baked her chops in the oven very slowly, but my steak was the best!

I enjoyed a couple of Bass Ale's while toking an Ashton. What more could a guy ask for on his birthday?

Thank ye Lord!

ROASTED GARLIC SHRIMP PASTA

In a large pot, cook your favorite pasta in well salted water with a drop of olive oil, drain and set aside. This pot will be used to mix the following ingredients.

Remove the tails from a bag of either frozen or fresh medium sized shrimp or rinse thoroughly. Set aside.

PREPARE THE VEGETABLES
- Chop up half a large onion (small pieces)
- Chop up half a yellow and half an orange bell pepper (medium strips)
- Chop up several dried tomatoes and dried red peppers (small strips)

In a large skillet bring olive oil and minced garlic to a sizzle over high heat. Dump in the dried tomatoes and peppers. Sprinkle the mixture with hot sauce, crushed red pepper, salt, and crushed black pepper. Cook until the dried ingredients soften.


Dump in the shrimp and cook until they are either cooked or heated through. Then dump the raw vegetables on top of the shrimp and cook until tender enough to eat – do not over cook.

When cooked dump back into the pot with the pasta, salt once again to taste and either squeeze in fresh parsley.

Pour a jar of Cheesy Ragu’ Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce.

Mix over low heat until all the ingredients are hot.

Tonight’s libation was Glenlivet over ice! It was a birthday present to myself – Happy 60th!

IT’S STRAWBERRY TIME IN TENNESSEE

Made a road trip to Dayton, Tennessee last week and brought back fresh strawberries that were straight out of the field. As a matter of fact, you could see the illegal…I mean migrant workers working in the field across the highway. Can’t get much fresher!

The Crust

- Crush 3 dozen Vanilla wafers
- Add ½ cup chopped pecans
- Blend with ½ stick margarine or butter
- Form in a glass pie plate (suitable for the oven) with spoon
- Bake 30 minutes @ 300F

The Filling

- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons strawberry gelatin

Combine first 3 ingredients and boil until clear and thick, then add gelatin.

Cool the mixture then add 4 cups of fresh strawberries (sample a few while you work).

Finally, pour everything into the crust/shell and chill in the refrigerator. Serve with a heaping spoon of Cool Whip!

Ummmmy!

CHICKEN FAJITAS

Begin by cutting up the vegetables:
- Two of either a orange, yellow, or red bell pepper
- Two to three medium sweet onions and place them in a bowl.

Sprinkle olive oil over the mixture, add a package of McCormick’s Fajitas Seasoning Mix over the vegetables and set aside.

Rinse off about 10 or 12 frozen Tyson chicken tenderloins and place in a hot skillet of olive oil, garlic, and your favorite hot sauce (I used Ring of Fire http://www.gourmetmikes.com/rinoffirorha.html). Lightly salt and pepper the tenderloins – flipping them as one side browns to lightly season the other. Remember the fajita seasoning is salty so don’t over do it.

When both sides are blackened, remove from the skillet and cut into ¼” strips. Dump the cooked chicken back into the hot skillet and dump the vegetable mixture on top of the chicken. On medium hot heat cook the mixture until the vegetables are limp and hot.

Serve on flour or corn fajita wraps prepared with sour cream and shredded Mexican cheese. For added flavor, add a spoon of Harry & David’s Pepper and Onion Sauce (http://www.harryanddavid.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?category_sel=275&superitem=13707). This sauce is wonderfully sweet!

Oh yeah, I forgot, embellish yourself with a Flying Dog “Old Scratch” and a Bass Ale while enjoying the opportunity to cook something great. Enjoy!

SCALLOPS IN VODKA SAUCE

- Boil your favorite pasta, drain, and set aside (salt liberally)
- Cut up one Vidalia onion
- Cut dried red peppers and dried tomatoes into thin strips
- If you like you can grill a rib-eye steak on the grill or substitute shrimp, but if you use the steak, rub it in your favorite steak rub and let it sit for about 30 minutes – when it’s cooked cut into small strips and cut away the fat and set aside

In the same large boiler that you cooked the pasta in, heat olive oil and garlic pieces. When hot, drop in the
- onions
- dried peppers and tomatoes and
- mushrooms

Add
- salt
- crushed black peppers
- crushed red peppers
- cayenne pepper, and
- dried parsley

When this mixture is very hot, add in 1 lb. of bay scallops and the grilled rib-eye steak. When the scallops and steak are hot enough to eat, jump in the cooked pasta and mix thoroughly. (Stir in about half a block of a small block of Velvetta cheese for added texture and flavor.) When the pasta is heated again enough to eat, dump in a jar of vodka sauce and mix.

Slap butter and garlic powder on your favorite bread and brown in a 550 degree oven set to broil.

Serve (salad optional).

Tonight’s libation was Jefferson’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey “Small Batch” (I only had a small batch) and Diet Coke (you have to cut somewhere)!

SWEET PORK TENDERLOIN

- Cut a port tenderloin into ½ inch slices
- Cut up a large onion into 1/8 inch slices
- Cut up a large apple into 1/8 inch slices
- Start about 4 cups of brown rice boiling according to directions.

In a large skillet bring a large pat of butter to a sizzle and add the onion and apple slices. Sprinkle the mixture with about 2 tablespoons of sugar and heat on high until soft.

In a bowl large enough to hold the tenderloin, mix the meat slices with
- olive oil
- minced garlic
- salt
- pepper

Mix in the bowl until all slices are thoroughly coated.

Add the meat to the onion and apple slices and spread out over the skillet. Pour about ½ cup of apple cider over the meat and onion/apples slices. Boil the mixture on high and turn the slices every 5 minutes. Soon the cider will cook off and the slices will begin to blacken. When both sides are browned or blackened sufficiently for your personal taste, turn off the heat under the skillet.

Serve with about 4 to 6 slices of tenderloin, mixed with the onion/apple mixture, with brown rice and cranberry sauce. Yummy!

Oh yeah, tonight’s beverage of choice was Wild Turkey and Diet Coke. One caution, don’t make the mistake of taking a gulp of the drink before adding the Diet Coke – strong!

Until next time!

HAMBURGER STEAK STIR FRY

My wife is eating fewer carbs these days, so tonight I fired up the grill and cooked hamburger steaks (about ½ lb. each). Even though I could not have the bun, I could at least enjoy a burger over a nice grill. I usually season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on each side. I let them cook undisturbed on high on one side while I indulged in a short Macanudo and a Flying Dog “Old Scratch” beer, and watched from high above on the deck as my dog sniffed her way all around the backyard.

I reduced the heat slightly and flipped the burger patties and went inside and cut up the raw vegetables:

- Half a large sweet onion
- Half a yellow and orange bell pepper (red would have been nice too)
- About 12 small to medium flowers of broccoli (bite size)
- About 24 small carrots cut in half
- About 10 thick slices of portabella mushrooms cut in half

After checking the grill quickly, I moved the nearly done patties to the top rack and reduced the heat by cutting off the left and right burners and turning the center to low.

Back inside I added olive oil and garlic (naturally) to a large skillet and turned the heat up to 8, and opened a second Old Scratch.

Once the garlic begins to dance, I dump in all the cut up ingredients and mix them thoroughly in the hot oil and minced garlic. Then I sprinkle the veggies with salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red peppers. Add crushed red pepper to the “spicy” flavor you like. Once over is plenty hot, but a second pass will kick it up to my level!

When the veggies and mushrooms are limp and hot throughout, turn the heat off (leaving skillet over the eye) and go get the steaks.

Serve as shown unless you just have to add carbs to it – either way – it is very satisfying!

See ya next time.

CHEESY KIELBASA

Cut up a polish, turkey, or beef kielbasa sausage by cutting the link down the full length and then across making bite size pieces and set aside.

Cut up a large sweet onion in to thick bite sized pieces and set aside.

Cut about 7 or 8 ¼” thick patties from a medium block of Velveeta cheese and set aside.

Mix about ¼ cup of Heinz 57 Sauce and ¼ cup of honey in a measuring cup and set aside.

Open 2 cans of sliced whole potatoes, drain, and set aside.

Open a large jar of sliced mushrooms and set aside.

Place a small iron skillet with about ¼ cup of vegetable oil in the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 450.

While the skillet is heating, mix about 1 cup of self-rising cornmeal, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 table spoon of sugar in a bowl. Add 1 egg and enough milk to make a thick mixture. Remove the skillet from the oven when it is pre-heated (use a pot holder…its hot!) and pour the hot oil into the cornmeal mixture and stir.

Pour the mixture into the hot skillet and pot it back in the oven for 20 minutes.

Open your favorite beer (Old Scratch by Flying Dog was my choice) and pour into a frosty mug. Set the mug down near the stove top.

In a large skillet (one that has a fully covering lid) heat what? Olive oil and garlic! That’s right! Also drop in about 1 table spoon of your hottest hot sauce and stir. Once the oil and garlic is sizzling, pop in the kielbasa and brown. Once the sausage is the color you want, dump in the Heinz 57 and honey mixture. Stir until the meat is fully glazed.

Dump in the onion and stir until the onion begins to get limp – then dump in the mushrooms!

If you haven’t had a good drink before this point, have on now!

Dump in the potatoes and stir the mixture until thoroughly heated.

Now evenly space the cheese slices around the top of the heated mixture, turn off the stove eye and cover. Do not remove the top until you’re ready to serve.

By now the oven timer should be sounding. Remove the cornbread (you could have done muffins as I did, but a “pone” has a much moister texture) and holding the handle with an oven mitt, run a knife around the edge to loosen the bread. You should be able to flip the pone over so you can cut from the bottom side. Cut into squares or wedges – your preference.

Now serve out a portion (equal amounts of meat, potatoes, onions, etc.). It is your call on whether to mix the cheese throughout the mixture or to serve the melted patties on top of the meat and potatoes. Either way, eventually the cheese will find its way throughout the dish.

You can serve with coleslaw or green beans and, of course, the cornbread.

Have the last of the beer – you deserve it – you’ve worked hard.

Next time!

CHICKEN-VEGGIE MEDLEY

Well, I know you all wanted to know what I fixed for "supper" tonight:

As usual, start with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a large wooden spoon of garlic in a hot skillet! I love garlic!

· Season 8 chicken strips with fresh ground pepper and cayenne pepper
· Fry to a golden brown and then salt – remove, cut into julienne strips and set aside
· Chop up one fresh squash, half of yellow and half orange or red pepper, large stalk of broccoli, large portion of a head of cauliflower, and a whole medium sized onion
· Pour chopped pieces into the same skillet, adding small amount of olive oil if needed
· Stir mixture in the hot oil and season the vegetables with salt and fresh ground pepper
· Turn the heat off as soon as the vegetables begin to soften – leave them between crunchy and done
· Add the cooked chicken to the top of the steaming veggies

Wait for the chicken to re-gain heat from the steam and then serve. No other side disk is necessary if you are going for low-carb.

I forgot to mention the Flying Dog "In Heat Wheat" I had during the cooking process - good too!

Enjoy.

SURF AND TURF RECIPE

Well, retiring we haven't had to break open the beanie weenies nor the dog food. We still have enough money left to eat pretty well from time-to-time.

This menu was a wonderful (if I do say so myself) surf and turf fettuccine. If you are interested, and I promise it's delicious, here are the particulars:

· Grill a nice rib-eye steak (you can eat the juicy fatty parts with a Killian while you work if you like) and cut into small thin bite-size strips and set aside. Season the steak as you would to eat it alone. I used salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
· Cut 4 to 6 scallops into ½” bite-sized pieces (I used pre-cooked).
· Cut 3 or 4 large shrimp into ½” bite-sized pieces (I used pre-cooked) and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (a dash on one side, or do both if you prefer more spicy taste) and set aside.
· Cook shell pasta for the recommended 12 minutes in water with a little salt and teaspoon of cooking oil (keeps it from sticking). When done, drain and set aside.
· Heat a jar of mushroom fettuccine sauce with a small jar of cooked mushrooms.
· In a large skillet on high heat, cook onions, fresh garlic, and dried red tomatoes (4 or 5 large pieces) until the onions begin to soften.
· Add in the seafood and cook until the water from the seafood cooks off. Just before this happens, add in the steak pieces.
· As soon as the skillet ingredients are thoroughly heated, pour into the pasta.
· Stir in the fettuccine sauce and mix thoroughly.
· Serve and stand by for the compliments.

Just before your taste buds think they can stand no more, you’ll hit a dried tomato and they’ll swoon from the great sweet taste.

Enjoy.

SEAFOOD MEDLEY

Begin by baking a large potato (around 45 minutes on 425). While that is happening chop up one of your favorite color bell peppers (yellow was my choice tonight), half a large onion, some sun-dried tomatoes, and about a cup of mushrooms and set aside.

When the potato is done, leave in the oven and turn heat down to 375 and pop in about 4 crescent rolls for 11 to 13 minutes.

Cut 6 large shrimp and 6 large scallops in half and season with salt, pepper, and McCormick's Crushed Red Pepper. If the shrimp and scallops are fresh, put them in the following first for about 3 or 4 minutes per side. If the shrimp is pre-cooked or thawed, place in after the second step below.

· Heat large skillet and olive oil and generous scoop of diced garlic.
· Place the chopped bell pepper, onion, dried tomatoes, and mushrooms in the center of the skillet
· Place the shrimp and scallops around the outer edge of the skillet
· Cook up the moisture that comes from the shrimp and scallops and then toss and mix the vegetables with the seafood. Be careful to leave the vegetables somewhat firm!

Serve the cooked mixture with half the baked potato and 2 of the crescent rolls.

A garden salad is optional, but the above is plenty of food for two – with some left over!

Oh yes, you must have a Blue Moon, in a frosted mug, on the side as you cook.

See ya.

SHRIMP ALFREDO

DAMN THE CARBS!

· Cook bow-tie pasta for 12 minutes, drain, add small amount of olive oil and set aside
· On low heat prepare one jar of Bertolli 4 cheese alfredo sauce and set aside
· On high heat, sauté half a large onion, raw mushrooms, dried tomatoes, and fresh garlic in olive oil, cyan pepper, salt, and course ground pepper.
· Drop in about 18 de-veined and halved large to medium raw shrimp when onions begin to soften
· Sprinkle shrimp with lemon juice and cook until they turn orange/pink (about 6 minutes or less)
· Pour mixture into the drained pasta
· Immediately add the alfredo sauce and mix thoroughly

Serve in bowl.

Serve with your choice of bread (preferably with hard crust for dipping) and a saucer of olive oil mixed with salt and course pepper.

Serve with a nice white wine of choice (we only had Tennessee Valley muscadine, a little sweet, but enjoyable.

See ya.

STIR FRY CHICKEN

I love the sweet taste of something cooked with pineapple:

• Cook 3 cups of toasted almond rice pilaf using olive oil instead of butter (about 20 to 22 minutes) - set aside.
• Heat 4 to 6 tablespoons of olive oil, crushed garlic, and hot sauce.
• Add three raw chicken cubed breast, salt and pepper, and brown.
• Add:
  half of one red bell pepper
  half of one yellow or orange bell pepper
  handful of Julianne carrots
  half red onion
  handful of raw sweet snap peas
  about 10 stalks of raw baby asparagus
• Pour in about 3/4 cup of stir fry sauce and boil about 5 minutes
• Pour in one small can of pineapple wedges including juice and cook for about 10 more minutes or until green vegetables are to your liking.

Serve in bowl over rice or in a place with the rice on the side. It's great!