Poached Chicken Breast

Had to teach the Elderly a healthy food item in Bethel one day at the Senior Center. No I didn't get in trouble and had to community service . It's easy to make and I will add a little flair at the end for ya .
1 Pkg Boneless Skinless Thin Sliced Chicken Breast ( No Tenders)
Bunch of Asparagus ( Blanche your Asparagus)
Jar of Whole Pimientos
Old Bay seasoning
Crushed Black Pepper
Saran Wrap

Take a nice large piece of saran wrap and lay flat on cutting board.
Place 1 chicken breast in middle of saran wrap. ( I'll just call it wrap.)
Sprinkle breast with Old Bay and a little Black Pepper
In center of chicken place 3 pieces of blanched asparagus lengthwise along with 3 cut strips of pimiento.
Carefully Roll up the chicken with the asparagus and pimiento inside and wrap the saran tightly around the the chicken. It should look like a tootsie roll log. Wrap it again very tightly withSaran Wrap and tuck the edges down so no water can seep into saran wrap.

You should have 4 to 5 chicken breasts stuffed and wrapped seprately.

Next bring a pot of water to a rapid boil. When boiling place your wrapped chicken breasts into the water for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove chicken from water and carefully unwrap. you should have a nice long poached breast with the veggies.

With sharp knife snip the edge of chicken log off at each end. next cut the chicken about 1 inch up from the end on a bias. Go one inch up again and cut straight . then one inch up again and cut on a bias. You should be able to sit each slice up on a plate so it sort of points up. You know ladies like when you take the top off your lipstick. Geez I know too much don't I. LOL.

For Presentation I like to drizzle Hollandaise sauce over the chicken or even a Bernaise sauce, You can buy the easy pkgs. in the sauce section of your market. It's a just add water thing but they are good . Serve with Cous Cous its a great and healthy grain.

You don't always have to add the above items to the chicken. I have added crabmeat , shrimp, tomato,green bean and even fresh herbs such as Basil. Anything you want.

Note: I keep presenting these recipes at their easiest to prepare for the non cooking person. Ex. you can buy the pkg. at your local market. There will be actual sauce recipes and other unknown items to prepare as this blog continues.

Chicago "Italian Style " Beef

2006 .... Chicago Bears versus the NY Jets. I am there. Out of nowhere people taking pitures and the the Bus "My Tailgate Party. Com" show up. Best tailgate food contest. I Prepared my dish. 2nd place . I think it was because I was wearing my Chicago Bear stuff (yup thats my team), It was a Jet Home Game,the guy who won 1st knew the people doing this thing. However you can go to the web site My Tailgate Party .com go to 2006 AFC season and look for the Jet game . Actually there is a pic of me in that cookbook with my Ladle ( a whole nother story but they do mention it and also I am the one who cooks with the fire on the parking lot black top.)

This dish makes a great sandwich during those so called tail gate parties. Again I use the crockpot for easy easy work.

4-6 lb Beef roast
1 pkg dry Italian Salad Dressing mix( you know the kind where you add the oil and vinegar)
1 pkg of dry Au Jus gravy mix( find this in the spice area)
2 tblsp Italian herb seasoning mix
2 cups of water
1 Jar of pepproncini peppers 9 the whole ones not sliced)
6 Nice Italian Grinder rolls( preferably from a nice bakery. Don't buy the soft mushy ones. You can substitute Portuguese Rolls. You want the outside of the bread to be a bit Crusty)

Put Beef in crock pot . Cut into chunks if needed
Add all remaining ingredients over the beef. Just dump that jar of pepperoncini peppers in even with the juice from the jar and those stems on those peppers.
Like the pulled pork recipe, you can start this anytime but need to cook for the 6-8 hours.
When done , the meat will be very tender and shredded.

Slice a nice Italian grinder roll open and fill with the shredded beef and peppers. Eat just like that or...... Pour some juice from the crock pot into a nice cup and dip your sandwich when ready for a bite . Or..... Do like those in Chicago, Take your sandwich and hold tight w/ a pair of tongs and dip the whole sandwich into the broth. Place on a plate and ATTACK with a Knife and Fork.

I'll stick w/ a Chianti

Pulled BBQ Pork

Well the summertime BBQ keeps coming . Time for the crock pot, usually a winter time piece of kitchen equipment . You can start this recipe in the morning and have when you come home for dinner or it just keeps ya from cooking for that end of summer or anytime party. You can also start this before bedtime and its done in the morning.

6 to 8 lb Boneless pork Shoulder or Picnic Shoulder
2 Bottles BBQ sauce. I use a store bought Hickory Smoked style brand .(See Easy)
2 Medium sized onions sliced

Place sliced onions in bottom on crock pot
Place Pork on top of onions . You can cut pork into 3-4 pieces to help it fit.
Pour BBQ sauce into the pot. Fill 1/2 of each bottle of BBQ Sauce w/ water and swish around to get the BBQ sauce that didn't come out and pour all of that into the crock pot.
Turn on High for about 6-8 hrs.

The pork should become very tender and shred apart very easily in the crock pot. Use a pair of metal tongs to sort of make that happen mixing the onions in with pork as well.

I like to grab the shredded Pork and onion mixture right from the crock pot and put on a nice Hamburger roll topped with some cole slaw. Heaven!

Where is my Dark and Stormy Cocktail (Gosling Black Seal Rum w/ Ginger Beer) Ginger Beer is a non alcoholic soda . Goslings isn't lol

BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs

Ahh summertimes last month for some , and nothing better than some BBQ Ribs. I really enjoy Baby Back Pork Ribs. Easy to find in your supermarket as the whole rack . Don't buy the pieces. Buy the Rack. Usually about a $12.79 price for the whole rack. St. Louis style Ribs tend to be wider. Thats why I choose the less wide Baby Backs. Ready to Go? Ok :4

4 Whole racks of Baby Back Ribs
1 Package of celery
3 Vidalia Onions or any other kind of onion
3 Whole Carrots
4 cups of water
3 Tablesp of Beef stock( I prefer the wet Paste style but you can use 4 cubes of beef bouillon)
SB's Dry Rub (see earlier recipe on this site)

First Rub the ribs with a generous amt. of the dry rub. Rub the Front and Back thoroughly.

In deep large baking pan, line bottom of pan with:
Stalk of celery cut into chunks
Onions peeled , halved then quartered
Carrots cut into chunks
4 cups of water and the 3 tblsp's of beef stock

Place the rubbed baby back ribs(meat side up) over the veggies carefully . Try not to let the ribs subermerge under the water and don't stack the ribs up . Try to place each one next to each other. I know you may have to sort of layer them to fit the pan. Thats ok. On the layering part try to make the rib bones face out so you can grab it with a pair of tongs.

Cover with foil and place in 475 degree Oven for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 300 and then bake for another 2 1/2 hour OR until you can gently pull a rib bone out of the meat cleanly. That rib bone should pull out very easily and with no meat on it . Oh they are done BUT....

Taking a pair of Loooooong metal tongs ( about as long as the racks of ribs) try to slide under each rack to lift out of pan to place on a long piece of foil(again a bit longer than the rack). Do this to each one . Be careful not to break up the rack. I usually place these ribs in the fridge after about an hour of cooling to really chill. This process tightens the meat up around the bones to become a solid rack again and become firm.

When very firm, two things, you can cut up the rib into 4pieces ( about 4 rib bones each) or you can just cut the whole rack in half (2 pieces about 6 to 8 rib bones each).

Fire up your Grill and Brush the Ribs with your favorite BBQ Sauce. Grill those Babys and get ready to eat. The meat still stays very tender after grilling. The meat is fall off the bone except your pulling it off the bone with your teeth or cutting with a knife.

Please note: You can take all those vegetables left over and about a cup of the juice( try to avoid the oils from the pork) in the pan and throw into a food processor. Blend it real good . Add about 2 to 3 teaspoons of brown sugar, 1 tblsp of molasses and about 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar. Add to the food processor and blend everything together well. This also can be used as a BBQ sauce to brush on your ribs before grilling.

Oh I am drinking an Ice cold light Beer but if it is wine ... a Big Bold Explosive Old Vine Red Zinfandel ( Not The Pink Stuff thats a White Zinfandel)

Salsa

I know we all have salsa from a jar, but once you have this, you will never go back! It's extremely delicious, just packed full of flavor. Tastes so fresh and healthy! It's also the winner of many a salsa competition in California for my cousin Wendy! My mouth waters just typing it up!

10 pounds of tomatoes, blanched and skinned.
2 large onions... diced
1 green bell pepper... diced
10-15 jalapenos, seeded and deveined... diced
3-4 Habaneros, seeded and deveined... diced
1 bunch cilantro/coriander, chopped
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 Tbs salt
1 1/2 Tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Chop the Onions, Peppers and tomatoes in a food processor. Pulse enough to make them the right consistency.... to your taste... do you like your salsa kind of chunky? ... or a bit finer..... You'll find what you like once you try it! I prefer it kind of finely chopped.

Place everything in a stock pot, bring to boil, turn heat down, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Pour hot salsa into jars, seal and process jars in a stock pot 2 inches under water for 35 minutes.

This recipe yields 8 to 9 pint jars! If it's not tomato season, or you just aren't motivated to blanch and peel 10 pounds of tomatoes you can use 5 x28 oz cans of chopped tomatoes.

Simon & Garfunkel Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Whole Roasting Chicken
1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 bunch of fresk rosemary
1 bunch of fresh sage
1 bunch of fresh thyme

Was sitting on my back porch years ago thinking about how to prepare my chicken for dinner . I was drinking some wine and listening to Best of Simon and Garfunkel. When Scarborough Fair came on I knew how to prepare this bird. Yes it's either Simon and Garfunkel Chicken or Scarborough Fair Chicken. You decide. Do you know the song?
First salt and pepper the cavity of the Bird
Next take all the Herbs and stuff inside that cavity. Make sure that bird is stuffed . You can even tie the drumsticks together so nothing falls out.
Place Bird in Baking Pan. Brush lightly with olive oil.
Place in 375 oven for about 1 and a half hours( It's ok if you need the lil pop up timer in the bird). If the skin of the bird is getting too brown and crispy cover with some foil.

I like to surround the Chicken with cut up Red Potatos after they have been tossed in a little olive oil and seasoned with a little salt and pepper as it is being prepared for the oven.

When Chicken and Potatos are done cooking, leave the herbs inside the bird and Carve away. I usually don't eat the herbs . I do however finish my White Bordeaux w/ dinner.

SB'S BBQ RUB

Invented on my own and let me tell ya , have one a few first prize rib contests with this rub. It not only can be used for Baby Back Pork Ribs but can also be used with Chicken, Beef and Lamb. I even sold the Baby back ribs in a Fish Market many years ago as a whim and lo and behold we were selling 15 to 20 racks a day cooked and ready to go. This is the rub recipe and it includes my secret spice:
Just pour all of these spices in a nice size freezer bag and save what you don't use .
1/4 cup Pepper Supreme( This tends to be a mixture of course ground different colored pepper)
1/2 cup Paprika
3 tbl sp of Garlic Powder not Garlic Salt
3 tbl sp of Kosher Salt
And the Secret ....... 1/3 rd cup of ground mustard ( I do prefer Colemans)
Shake all Ingredients well in the freezer bag.
When adding the spices to the meat , sprinkle by hand liberally over the meat and then rub it into the meat very well. Any of those spices fall off the meat into the pan? Scoop up and rub right back into the meat. I like to let the meat sit overnight but it is ready to be used now. How does he cook the ribs ? I will tell ya in another recipe. This rub is great for Grilling , Baking , Sauteeing and even adding to bread crumbs or batter for Fried Chicken. Not so good with seafood

Shrimp , Avocado and Cucumber Salsa

1 can of baby shrimp or 1/2 lb of steamed baby shrimp(tail removed)
1 lrge Avocado peeled and diced
1 Cucumber peeled,seeded(seeds removed) and diced
1 Jar Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Directions: Mix all ingredients together and chill about 1 hour
Serve with Tortilla Scoops
Friends wouldn't tell me the recipe but wasn't to hard to figure this one out. Add a little Chopped cilantro for some extra flavor and to get spicy fresh add some diced Jalapeno. If you know how to make your own fresh salsa the fresh flavors make this an even better Summer time salsa. Oh forget the Corona and drink Presidente!

Falafel for Scott! :)

Ingredients: 2 cans of chickpeas (drained), 1 chopped onion, 1/3 cup parsley, 1/3 cup coriander leaves, 3 chopped cloves of garlic, 1/4 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, allspice, 1 tsp salt, 3 TBS water.

Put everything except the water into the food processor. Add the water and process until it is a kind of gritty paste. You may need to scrape down the sides of the food processor quite a bit (less if you double the recipe!).

Chill for an hour. Shape into patties.

fry until brown and crispy or bake in an oven preheated to 400 f. I shallow fried them, but I think baked would be better.

Serve with tabouli, flat bread and hummus, tzatzaki or baba ganoush.

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

Ahh 97 degree heat, just out of the pool and tonight I was craving Pasta with a White Clam Sauce. It's a pretty easy recipe but it takes a little patience and the need to want to make this. As for the pasta I went with Linguini. Not a big Angel Hair guy but sometimes I will use Campanelle(sort of looks like that old chip snack Bugles),. As for the clams I didn't have the time to go and dig them myself so I went with a pint of chopped clams from a lil fish market. I do however like to use the canned whole baby clams too. Whatever is easier for you or at your supermarket. To begin start to boil the water for your pasta. Take a nice saute pan and add 1 tablespoon of butter and three tblsp of extra virgin olive oil. Don't turn the heat on yet. Next chop 2 cloves of garlic. By this I mean two pieces attached to garlic.To chop, an easy way is to peel the cloves , place on a cutting board and then take your cutting knife and with the blade turned sideways press down on top of clove to squash it. After that start chopping it up. Even easier is grabbing that jar of the already chopped garlic that you used for the scallop dish and use a teaspoon then add to the butter and olive oil. Chop some fresh curly parsley , about a tablespoon and add also to the saute pan. Turn stove onto medium high and begin to saute . Watch your garlic and do not over cook it . Stir it stir it stir it! after about 2 -3 minutes add the clams with the juice if fresh. If canned ,strain the clams, add them and about a 1/4 cup of bottled clam juice. Stir stir stir. Add your pasta to the boiling water ! Now the extra special stuff.... lower the clam sauce and then add 1 small can of sliced black olives (strained) and 1 or 2 fresh chopped plum tomatos. I split the tomato first and remove the seeds before I chop it up to add to the clam sauce . Oh stir stir stir. Drain your pasta . Put your portion on a bowl like plate and top with the clam sauce using a slotted spoon first then add some of that juice. Top with grated or shredded parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper to your liking. Enjoy. Oh don't forget a nice glass of Pinot Grigio.

Sauteed Scallops over mixed greens

Well let's see if this works . It may not be for everyone but for me it was just fine . By some nice Large Fresh Sea Scallops about 6 to 8. Make sure you rinse them carefully . In a small sauce pan use about 2 Tablesp olive oil and and a little slice of butter and heat together under low heat. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh monced garlic. I mince my own but you can buy it already chopped in a jar too.Toss the garlic in with butter/oil mixture and sautee for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat a tad and toss in Scallops some fresh cracked black pepper and a little Herbs de Provance . The Herbs you can find in the spice section of your grocery store . Usually comes in a glass jar. Ya know one of those old fashioned Mkcormick kind with that cheesy green lid . Sautee for abot 3 to 4 minutes . I dont like my scallops to be over cooked. Place your scallops on top of Mixed field greens with some red kidney beans ,green beans and some fresh corn kernals tossed into the mixed greens . I usually throw just a splask of olive oil and Balsamic vinegar over the salad mixture before adding the scallops on top. Enjoy. Oh a nice Viognier wine goes good. Oh this meal was made for me by me. Soooo if you need to feed a Hubby,Wife ,Boyfriend , Girlfriend or having some friends over you may need to up the cooking process a little and buy more wine .

My apologies

Lest we forget. STBI makes you act in funny ways, Hence my note of dinner the other nite. It is a bit tough to figure some of these computer things out like I used too but I shall , like I did. LOL Stacey The Falafel looks great . I couldn't find the recipe on this blog . Is there a certain area we have to go to ? Somehow I will learn to take a pic of my food and or me to really help liven up this new and exciting recipe extavaganza. Get ready I sort of been saving about 100 recipes over the years from my cooking for my own cookbook but now I have some help to see if any of my creations fit yours and everyone elses needs and desires. Most recipes are easy ,affordable and interesting. Hopefully once a week there will be something . I can't wait for some of all your recipes. Oh andd by the way , feel free to add some of your own ingredients and/or ideas to some of the recipes I write . Oh and do not tell me about sugar ,salt, unhealthy or otherwise . A bit sick and tired of hearing from Michelle , Barry and the other storytellers. Fix my country not my food. LOL

on Katie's behalf!

This is Katie's pasta that provoked lots of conversation on Facebook and the birth of this blog!

The pasta appears to be cooked to perfection and the fresh produce in the sauce looks divine.

Thanks for sharing Katie. Can't wait for your next post!

I'll get us started

Whilst I don't think I'm the biggest foodie in the group, I'll get us started... Katie, et al you should just be able to log in with your email and then post....

Last night I continued with my middle eastern theme due to the abundances of certain produce in my garden/grove! Unfortunately for me, my boys cannot resist picking a ripe lemon so I often end up with HUNDREDS in peak season.

So, last night it was falafel, which used up lots
\ of parsley, homemade hummus and an eggplant salad. The falafel was delish! I chose to panfry rather than deepfry but would like to try baking next time.