Rib Rub Update

In a previous post of mine (http://brownbits.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/baby-gotz-back-baby-back-ribs-that-is/) I gave the recipe of a rub I use on my ribs.  Since then, I have gotten hooked on a rub seasoning by a local BBQ joint here in MN (that is now a nationwide chain) called Famous Dave’s.  I use this seasoning along with brown sugar and garlic powder.  Rub on ribs, cover in foil and let them sit over night.   I then proceed with my original way of slow cooking them, then tossing on the grill right before dinner with some BBQ sauce as described in my original post.  Hope you can find this product in your local grocery store – it’s a goodin!  If not, you can order online on this site along with other products they carry -http://www.famousbbq.com/index.html.  Enjoy!

Fast Fajitas

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo and I was very excited that we had nice weather and no snow like we did on Uno de Mayo…ugh.  Need I say we’ve had a very crappy spring here in Minnesota.  I pulled the ol grill out and fired up some chicken fajitas.  My new purchase of a grilling basket came in very handy cooking this fast and easy meal.

Chicken Fajitas

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced

Marinade

1 packet of Goya Sazon seasoning

Juice from 1 lime or 2 tbsp. bottled lime juice

1 tbsp. jarred crushed garlic or 2 cloves finely minced

1 tbsp. Canola oil

Salt & pepper

Sliced bell peppers and onions

Mix all marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag, add chicken and marinate 30 min to a couple of hours.

Over high heat on grill, place grill basket, spray with cooking spray and add onions/peppers.  Grill until they start to get color.  Remove.  Add chicken and grill until cooked thru, re-add onion and peppers.  Cook for a minute or two.  Removed and serve w/ tortillas, sour cream, fresh cilantro, cheese, guacamole, salsa and any other accoutrements you like. Enjoy!

Homemade is Better

I wanted to make chicken enchiladas for dinner last night.  I looked at the nutritional info on a can of enchilada sauce.  High in sodium.  I’m getting old…I need to watch my sodium intake.  I made my own.  It was quick and easy and oh so tasty.  I’m also trying to eat better and used these low-carb tortillas.  They are really soft-no need to dip in the sauce or oil.  My entire meal took me about 1 hour beginning to end and let me tell ya…we ate well, with leftovers to beat!  Enjoy!

Enchilada Sauce

1/8 cup canola oil

1 large shallot finely diced

1/8 cup chili powder

2 tbsp. cumin

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. jarred minced garlic or 1 large garlic clove minced w/ a little salt to create paste

2 tbsp. tomato paste (used from tube-keep in my fridge at all time – really handy)

15 oz. can organic tomato sauce

¾ can of water

Heat oil in sauce pan on medium heat.  Add shallots and cook until they start turning opaque.  Add spices, garlic and tomato paste cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly.  Mixture will become a paste.  Whisk in tomato sauce and water.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas (Makes 6)

2-3 cups of shredded cooked chicken

Shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Enchilada sauce

Low-carb tortillas

In a casserole dish, spread some enchilada sauce on bottom.  Mix some of the enchilada sauce in w/ the cheese and chicken to coat.  Lay tortilla on flat surface, add ½ cup of chicken mixture to middle and roll up burrito style.  Lay seam side down in casserole dish.  Repeat, then cover w/ sauce and more shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes until cheese starts to brown.

I served with a brown rice/black bean side and a cilantro, jalapeño pepper coleslaw.  Yum!

Babka!!

Babka - traditional Polish bread that is made for holidays.  As Easter nears, even though it stills feels like Christmas here in (insert sarcasm here) balmy Minnesota, it is time to make this delicious “sweet” bread.  It’s is a versatile dough that can be made and altered into many variations.  My favorites are orange sweet rolls, a nut and honey roll or just into plain clover leaf dinner rolls.  I have known people to add citron or raisins to it, make it into a poppy-seed roll or just into a bundt cake topped with a sweet glaze or maybe even some rum.  For Easter I’ve seen it braided w/ hard-boiled eggs inserted in it or shaped into a cross.  It is always included in the basket of food that is taken to the church to be blessed on Holy Saturday, another Polish Easter tradition.  Here’s the recipe – please note it is a “sticky” dough, so adding more flour will make it dense and not light and fluffy as it should be.  Wesołego Alleluja!  Enjoy!

2 cups scalded milk

12 tbsp. butter flavored Crisco

Melt the shortening into the milk and cool.

In a large bowl, mix ½ cup sugar, 4 eggs and 1 tsp. salt.  Mix really well.  Grate in one orange or lemon rind.  Add in the cooled milk mixture.

In 1 cup of very warm water, add 1 tsp. sugar and 3 packets of dry yeast.  Once that foams up and the yeast is activated, fold into the mixture.

Add, one cupful at a time 5 – 6 cups of all-purpose flour.   Mix/knead with hands until the dough freely comes off your hands – probably a good 10 minutes.  This will be your arm workout for the day.  Or if using a stand mixture, have it mix for 7 minutes with paddle attachment.

Place in a large greased bowl in a warm place, covered to rise.  Once it has doubled in size, punch it down and let it rise again.  Once it has risen, use the dough as you wish.  I have it pictured here as clover leaf dinner rolls or a honey-nut roll.

Once you have it in pans, let it rise, brush with an egg wash before baking.  Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes depending on how you are using it.

Just like dat…

I don’t have much to say here except YUM!  I tried this recipe from Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman on Food Network) and it is absolutely fabulous.  I have an idea where the bacon fat goes, but I pretend it just diappears.  Enjoy my friends!

Holiday Bacon Appetizers

2012 Ree Drummond, All Rights Reserved

Prep Time:  20 min

Cook Time:  2 hr 0 min

Level:  Easy

Serves:  36 crackers

Ingredients

• 1 sleeve country club-style crackers
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 pound thinly sliced bacon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Lay the crackers face up on a large rack over a baking sheet (or broiler pan). Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the grated Parmesan onto each cracker. Cut the package of bacon in half (or cut pieces individually) and carefully, so the cheese doesn’t fall off, wrap each cheese covered cracker with one half piece of bacon, completely covering the cracker. It should fit snugly around the cracker, but not be pulled too taut. Place the bacon-wrapped crackers onto the rack. Place the baking sheet in the oven for about 2 hours. Serve immediately or at room temperature!

Notes

Cook’s Note: Can also use brown sugar or blue cheese instead of Parmesan!

A Cure for PMS?!

Ok, maybe not a cure, but it sure helps!  My daughter is submitting this recipe for me to post.  She made this “PMS Bark” this weekend and you wouldn’t know it, but it is easy and wonderful.  The adult version is to be served w/ a glass of red vino.

PMS Bark

Preheat oven to 350°

What you’ll need:

Saltine crackers

½ stick butter

Enough sugar to make a paste with the melted butter

Chocolate chips

Wax paper

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.  Place a dozen or so saltines on the cookie sheet.  Melt the butter in the pan on the stovetop.  Add in sugar until it forms a paste.  Spread this paste on the saltines.   Place the sheet of saltines in the pre-heated oven just until the butter/sugar mixture starts to bubble up.  Remove cookie sheet and spread chocolate chips on the saltines.  Once they start to melt then spread evenly or chaotically over the saltine depending on how fast you need these.  Place saltines in freezer to harden.  Once hardened, put in a Ziploc and store in a cool place.  Consume as needed. Butter, salt, sweet and chocolate – what could be better?! Enjoy!

Seriously? Spam?

Ok – who has never had Spam in their lifetime?  Being a product of two survivors of the Great Depression and WWII vets, I was very familiar with Spam.  Sliced relatively thin, but not too thin, it was fried up and served as an accompaniment to our breakfast eggs instead of bacon.  It also made a quick sammich on those too busy to cook, got 6 loads of hay to put up days.   Today, it is my secret ingredient to fried rice.  I learned from a good friend during my USAF days in Nebraska, how it really makes a difference in the dish.  Over the holiday season, we made the mistake of taking our daughter to Benihanas.  She’s now hooked on the rice.  I have to admit that their rice is uber-delicious and lately, I’ve been on a quest to replicate it.    Not exactly like Benihanas’ rice, but pretty darn good…

Amy’s Fried Rice

1 can of Lite Spam, diced into small cubes*

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 medium carrots, finely diced

¼ sweet bell pepper, finely diced

2 green onions finely chopped

3 cups cooked and cooled Brown Minute Rice (or leftover regular white rice)

½ stick of butter

2 tbsp. Soy sauce

1-2 cloves of garlic finely minced.

Toasted Sesame seeds

Canola or vegetable oil to sauté with

Place butter, soy sauce and garlic in a microwave safe dish and microwave until butter melts and set aside.

In a large sauté pan, fry Spam to a golden brown.  Remove and drain on paper towels.

Add a little canola oil to pan and fry onion until golden and then add in sweet bell peppers and carrots.  Sauté until they just soften.  Add Spam back and heat thru.  Add rice and fry to also heat thru.  Pour in butter mixture and mix thoroughly. Fry for a minute or so continually mixing.  Mix in green onions, sprinkle with Sesame seeds and serve!

*I also made this with chicken.  I marinated two diced boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a soy sauce/sugar mixture for about 20 minutes.  Then sautéed until cooked through.  Removed from pan and then added back at the end.  This was really good too!  Feel free to add other stuff you might like, scrambled egg, diced water chestnuts, sliced mushrooms, etc.

Enjoy!