Tasty Tuesday

It is Tuesday, the sun is shining, the birds are singing - aah!!!! Do you know what that means? No more cooking in the oven, the grill rules once again! I love fish, but do not like cooking it in the oven very much - my preferred method is in a pouch on the grill! It is so easy and delicious! Enjoy!



Halibut: Grilled in Foil
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

* 8 Halibut fillets (4 oz each)
* Salt and pepper
* 8 sprigs fresh thyme
* 2 lemons, sliced into 16 thin slices, seeds removed
* 8 fresh bay leaves

Equipment Needed:

* Aluminum foil (8 sheets)
* Non-stick spray
* Grill

Directions:

1.) Preheat grill on high for 10 minutes.
2.) Spray 4 pieces of foil w/ non-stick spray & place 1 fillet in center.
3.) Season fish with salt and pepper.
4.) Top each fillet with 2 thyme sprigs, 4 lemon slices, and 2 bay leaves.
5.) Layer another fillet on top, making a "sandwich."
6.) Season with salt and pepper.
7.) Cover with other piece of foil.
8.) Crimp edges to form tightly sealed packet.
9.) Reduce grill heat to medium.
10.) Grill uncovered, 8-10 min, or until internal temp reaches 130°.
11.) Carefully poke holes in foil packet avoiding steam.
12.) Let rest at least 2 minutes before serving.

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mangia Monday!

Hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Mine was busy, busy! Whoever thought of holding soccer games, for 7 year-olds at 7:30 AM on a Saturday is CRAZY! As excited as my son was for his first game, as soon as we woke him up the whining began!! Then, on top of that it was bitter cold, raining and the wind was fierce. All in all, it was an exciting game! (which they won btw)

Today I have a great side salad recipe to share with you. It is great to add to your menu when you are grilling, because you can cook it right on your grill - no extra pan in the kitchen!

Enjoy!


Sweet Pepper Salad

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

* 6 medium assorted sweet (bell) peppers, seeds removed, cut in 1/4" strips
* 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
* 1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
* Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment Needed:

* 1 sheet (about 2 ft) of reynolds wrap non-stick grill foil

Directions:

1.) Preheat grill on high for 10 min.
2.) Toss peppers with olive oil in large bowl.
3.) Place foil on grill.
4.) Arrange peppers on foil and grill 10-12 min, until tender.
5.) Remove from grill.
6.) Toss with vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper


Bell Pepper FYI:

Peppers, both sweet and hot, originated in Central and South America. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, commercial bell peppers were first produced in the southern United States in 1925.

Peppers can be used in a variety of recipes and can be cooked a myriad of ways, such as: barbecuing, baking, steaming, stir-frying . They are even delicious eaten raw as snacks or in salads. Because of their versatility, peppers are a favorite of vegetarians and vegans.

Peppers come from the Capsicum family which can be split into two main categories - sweet bell peppers and the spicy chillies, such as jalapenos. The difference arises from the presence of capsaicin in chillies but not in sweet bell peppers.

Sweet bell peppers are also known as capsicums, sweet peppers or bell peppers.

You cannot differentiate the sweet bell peppers varieties when they are young because they are all green. As they ripen, they'll change color. Depending on the stage of ripeness and their variety, their colors range from orange, yellow, red, purple, brown, black, ivory or green, and so do their sweetness.

Green bell peppers remain green throughout the ripening process. Thus, you may find it challenging to differentiate the other bell peppers from the green variety before they ripen.

All peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C. Green bell peppers contain as much as two times of vitamin C as oranges while red or yellow peppers have three or four times the daily value of vitamin C.

Besides being loaded with vitamin C, bell peppers also provide vitamin B6, phytochemicals such as lycopene and beta-carotene, folate, potassium and plenty of fiber. Chili peppers contain an additional substance, called capsaicin which also has many health benefits.


Silly Joke of the Day:

What do you call a sleepwalking nun?
........ A Roamin' Catholic


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!

Hello! I hope you are doing well! Now that grilling season is upon us I am pulling out my arsenal of favorites! The following meal is sure to satisfy any palate! Enjoy!

"Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good."
-Alice May Brock



Jerk Pork Tenderloin w/ Apple-Onion Relish & Sweet Pepper Salad

Serves: 6

Pork Tenderloin:

Ingredients:

* 2 Whole pork tenderloins (about 1 Lb. each)
* 1/2 cup Jerk Seasoning (I use Tropical Pepper Co.)


Directions:

1.) Coat pork tenderloins thoroughly with Jerk Seasoning (wear gloves).
2.) Marinate 2-4 hours in refrigerator.
3.) Preheat grill on high for 10 min.
4.) Clean grill with wire brush.
5.) Using a soft cloth, coat grill lightly with vegetable oil.
6.) Sear pork on grill until it changes color 1/4 way up from bottom, 3-4 min.
7.) Turn and sear all sides, 3-4 min longer.
8.) Reduce heat to medium and close lid.
9.) Cook to 145 degrees, 10-12 min. (Check by inserting digital thermometer halfway into thickest part of tenderloins).
10.) Remove from grill and let stand 5 min.
11.) Temperature will continue to rise and reach target internal temperature of 150 degrees.


"There is no love sincerer than the love of food."
-George Bernard Shaw


Apple-Onion Relish

Ingredients:

* 1 Medium mayan sweet onion, peeled
* 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup all natural, chunky applesauce
* Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment Needed: Aluminum foil

Directions:

1.) Preheat grill on medium-high for 10 min.
2.) Brush onion with basting oil; wrap loosely in foil, creasing edges to seal.
3.) Place onion on grill, close lid, and grill 15 min.
4.) Turn and grill 15 min longer.
5.) Remove from heat.
6.) Carefully open foil to avoid steam and cool.
7.) Dice onion and combine with applesauce in medium-size bowl.
8.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.


"It's the company, not the cooking, that makes a meal."
-Kirby Larson


Sweet Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

* 6 medium assorted sweet peppers, seeds removed, cut into 1/4" strips
* 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 tsp parsley, finely minced
* 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
* Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment Needed: 1 sheet (about 2 ft.) Reynolds non-stick grill foil

Directions:

1.) Preheat grill on high for 10 min.
2.) Toss peppers with basting oil in large bowl.
3.) Place foil on grill.
4.) Arrange peppers on foil and grill 10-12 min, until tender.
5.) Remove from grill.
6.) Toss with vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.


Bad Joke of the day:

What do you call a stolen yam?
A hot potato.

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!

"I yam what I yam and tha's all what I yam."
-Popeye the Sailor


Hello! I hope everyone is doing well and having great week so far! Here in CNY the weather has been amazing - you could not ask for better! I have used the grill several times already, how exciting! Today I have another recipe for the grill to share, Enjoy!

I forgot to take pictures of my yams - so I do not have a photo of the finished product, sorry!

"I think, therefore I Yam."
-Ratbert


Grilled Yams

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

* 4 medium yams, scrubbed and patted dry
* 2 chile peppers
* 6 scallions
* 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
* Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

1.) Preheat grill on medium-high.
2.) Clean grill with wire brush.
3.) Using a soft cloth, coat grill grate lightly with vegetable oil.
4.) Wrap each yam in aluminum foil.
5.) Grill yams, covered until tender, turning occasionally (30-40 min).
6.) Grill peppers until blistered, about 10 min.
7.) Peel, seed and finely chop the peppers.
8.) Brush scallions with olive oil and grill about 8 min, until tender.
9.) Finely chop scallions.
10.) Combine scallions with peppers.
11.) Unwrap foil partially when yams are cooked.
12.) Slit yams and fluff with fork.
13.) Add 2 Tbsp monterey jack cheese and 1/4 of grilled chopped peppers and scallions to each yam.
14.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15.) Re wrap yams and grill another 5 minutes to melt cheese.
16.) Serve immediately.


Sweet Potato or Yam? The Confusion:

What’s in a name? When it comes to the yam, there is a bit of confusion. What is sold in the United States as “yams” are really a variety of sweet potato, grown in the south. A true yam is a starchy edible root, and is generally imported from the Caribbean. It is rough and scaly and very low in beta carotene.

“Yams,” as the industry and general public perceives them, are actually Sweet Potatoes. They have a vivid orange color, a soft, moist consistency when cooked, and tend to be sweeter. Some other varieties of sweet potatoes are lighter skinned and have a firmer, drier texture when cooked. Sweet Potatoes are smooth, and have skins that can vary in color, depending on the variety.

So, where did this confusion come from? Several decades ago when orange flesh sweet potatoes were introduced into the southern United States, producers and shippers wanted to differentiate them from the more traditional white flesh types. The African word "nyami" referring to a starchy, edible root, was adopted in its' English form, "yam".

Yams, in the United States are actually sweet potatoes with a moist texture and orange flesh. Although the names are used interchangeably, the US Department of Agriculture requires that the label "yam" always be accompanied by "sweet potato."


Nutritional Information:

1.) U.S. Council of Nutrition ranks the sweet potato as #1 for health and nutrition, ahead of broccoli, spinach and carrots.
2.) Sweet potatoes have very high levels of beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A, an anti-oxidant that may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
3.) Sweet potatoes have virtually no fat, cholesterol or sodium and are a good source of potassium that help prevent heart disease and stroke.
4.) Sweet potatoes are recommended for diabetics when white potato consumption is more restricted.
5.) Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin B6, calcium, iron and fiber.


Historical Facts about the Sweet Potato:

1.) Sweet potatoes were grown in Peru as early as 750 BC.
2.) Native Americans were growing sweet potatoes when Columbus arrived in 1492.
3.) George Washington grew sweet potatoes on his farm at Mount Vernon, Virginia.
4.) During WWI, when the supply of wheat flour was short, the USDA utilized sweet potato flour to stretch wheat flour in all baked goods.


U.S. Sweet Potato Consumption:

• In 2007 per capita was 4.6 pounds.
• In 2004 per capita consumption was 4.2 pounds
• In 1943 per capita consumption was 21.7 pounds.

(Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission www.sweetpotato.org)


Joke(s) of the Day:

* How do you describe an angry potato?
Boiling Mad.
* Why didn't the mother potato want her daughter to marry the newscaster?
Because he was a commontater.
* Why wouldn't the reporter leave the mashed potatoes alone?
He desperately wanted a scoop.
* What do you say to an angry 300-pound baked potato?
Anything, just butter him up.
* What does a British potato say when it thinks something is wonderful?
It's mashing!


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mangia Monday!

“Grilling, broiling, barbecuing - whatever you want to call it - is an art, not just a matter of building a pyre and throwing on a piece of meat as a sacrifice to the gods of the stomach.”
-James Beard


Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I had a great time with my family, but now I am ready to get back to a "normal" routine! It is supposed to be another lovely week in my neck of the woods - so nice in fact, that I think grilling is definitely in order!


"It is better to have grilled and lost (the hot dogs) than never to have grilled at all."
-Ed Levine


Enjoy this recipe for the grill!



Grilled Flank Steak w/ Avocado Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

* 1 cup mild salsa (use your favorite)
* 1-2 limes, juiced (3-4 Tbs)
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1/2 large red onion, cut into thin strips
* 1/2 can black beans, rinsed well
* 2 avocados, halved, peeled, pit removed & sliced (soak in lemon juice for 15")
* 1 Tbsp lemon juice (plus more for soaking avocados)
* 1 bag french blend salad mix (ie: dole)
* 2 medium tomatoes, diced
* 1 Lb. flank steak
* Salt and Pepper
* 3 Tbsp Olive oil
* Corn bread

Directions:

Salad Dressing:

1.) Combine salsa, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl.
2.) Puree with blender, then set aside.

Avocado Salad:

1.) Combine onions, beans, avocados, lemon juice and salad mix in a large bowl.
2.) Toss gently with dressing.
3.) Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Meat:

1.) Preheat grill on high for 10 min.
2.) Clean grill with wire brush.
3.) Using soft cloth, coat grill grate lightly with vegetable oil.
4.) Season both sides of meat with salt and pepper.
5.) Drizzle both sides of meat with olive oil.
6.) Sear meat until bottom 1/4 of meat has changed color, about 2-4 min.
7.) Turn and sear other side.
8.) Reduce heat to medium and close lid.
9.) Cook meat to desired temperature.
10.) Remove from grill, and slice on angle against grain.
11.) Divide Avocado Salad equally among four plates.
12.) Place sliced meat on top of salad and serve with corn bread.


"Grilling takes the formality out of entertaining. Everyone wants to get involved."
-Bobby Flay


Joke of the Day:
"Knock knock"
"Who's there?"
"Grill"
"Grill who?"
"Grill of my dreams, I love ya'"


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Thursday!

Hello, come on in and stay awhile!

Get ready for another installment of Tasty Thursdays!!


I don't know about you, but when the warm weather arrives I just want to grill, grill, grill!

Turning on the oven or using the microwave just does not work for me!

How about you, what do you eat in the warm months of the year?

Since I love to grill I have decided to share some easy recipes for the grill!

Enjoy!


#1: Grilled "New England" Seafood Bake


Ingredients:

Serves 4

* 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
* 1 small garlic clove, minced
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 8 ounces red new potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
* 1 pound skinless cod fillet, cut into four
equal pieces (any firm whitefish will work)
* 8 ounces frozen uncooked medium shrimp (peeled and deveined), thawed
* 2 ears corn, quartered
* 1 lemon, thinly sliced
* 2 hard rolls, halved


Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium. In a small bowl, combine butter, dill, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Fold four 14-inch squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil in half, forming 4 rectangles. Assemble packets: On one half of each of four folded pieces of heavy-duty foil, dividing ingredients evenly, arrange potatoes in a single layer; top with cod, then shrimp. Place 2 pieces of corn on the side. Season with salt and pepper. Add a dollop of the butter mixtures and two lemon slices. Fold foil over ingredients, and crimp edges tightly to seal.

3. Place packets on grill, with potato layer on the bottom. Cook, rotating (but not flipping) packets occasionally, until fish is just cooked through and potatoes are tender, 12 to 14 minutes.

4. Remove from grill. Slit packets open, and transfer contents to serving bowls. Garnish with dill sprigs; serve with rolls.



The way you cut your meat reflects the way you live.
-Confucius



#2: Lemon-Garlic lamb Kabobs


Ingredients:

Serves 4

*1 1/2 pounds leg of lamb, well-trimmed and cut into 20 equal cubes (about 1 inch each)
*8 thin lemon wedges
*1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grill
*2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
*4 garlic cloves, minced
*Coarse salt and ground pepper
*Feta Dipping Sauce
*Fresh parsley sprigs, for serving (optional)


Directions:

1. Heat grill to high. Assemble 4 long skewers, alternating 5 lamb cubes with 2 lemon wedges on each. Arrange skewers in a nonmetallic dish.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Pour marinade over skewers; turn to coat. Let stand at least 5 minutes (or cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally). Season with salt and pepper.

3. Lightly oil grates. Place skewers on grill; cover grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until grill marks are visible and meat is cooked to desired doneness, 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve with sauce, and garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.




#3: Grilled Corn Disks



Enjoy sweet summer corn in a new way - as an hors d'oeuvre for a casual party.

Directions:

1. Cut ears of corn into rounds about 1 inch thick, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

2. Cook on a medium-hot grill, cut sides down, about 2 minutes per side.



#4: Grilled Peaches



Ingredients:

Serves 4

*4 peaches
*2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter


Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium-low.

2. Halve and pit peaches; brush both sides with butter.

3. Place peaches on grill; cover grill, and cook until charred and softened, 4 to 5 minutes per side.


Helpful Hints:

* Choose fruit with a fragrant aroma and flesh that yields a bit when pressed gently.
* If a peach has cuts or tan spots, or if it's rock-hard or mushy, don't buy it.
* Color has more to do with variety than ripeness.


Welcome to the Church of the Holy Cabbage. Lettuce pray.
-Author Unknown


Happy grilling everyone!



Go Ahead and Indulge!

Salivation Sunday!

Hello!

I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!

It has been wonderful here in CNY!
I have been able to work in my gardens,
play outdoors with my boys and cook on the grill!

Today I am having a Salivation Sunday!

Salivate (-vāt′)

transitive verb salivated -·vat′ed, salivating -·vat′·ing

To produce an excessive flow of saliva in

Etymology: < L salivatus, pp. of salivare, salivate

intransitive verb

to secrete saliva

Related Forms:

salivation sal′i·va′·tion noun

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.


I know, I know - I usually make you salivate many other days of the week,
but what can be better than good food, cooked over a flame?

Even foods you may not care for taste better cooked on the grill!

Chicken, Hot dogs Hamburgs, Steaks - they are so passe'!

I am talking about GOURMET GRILLING!


Now, first things first! Before you can grill- well, you need one!


My favorite grill is available at Frontgate:

Porsche Design X-Series Gas Grill




Product Description:

Developed by the visionaries at Porsche Design Studio, our remarkable Porsche Design X-Series Gas Grill delivers up to 52,000 BTU of highly controllable heat on an expansive 1,120 sq.-in. cooking space for grand-scale entertaining.

This outdoor grill not only looks stunning, it also features high-end, gourmet grilling features such as:

4 ceramic infrared burners
Multifunction LED screen and digital meat thermometer; both powered by the rechargeable battery pack
Crafted of 304 stainless steel
Features the revolutionary Crossray ® cooking system
Smooth-start ignition fires up the grill in an instant
Porcelain-coated cast iron grates enable superior heat retention
Read more features of our X-Series grills
Arrives assembled.


For those of you who think that grill is a little
over the top, I also like this one from Home Depot:


Weber Genesis S-310 Stainless Steel Liquid Propane Gas Grill





Product Description:

So beautiful you'll hesitate to grill on it.
Includes thoughtful touches like heavy-duty casters and an enclosed tank storage area.

Total cooking area: 637 Sq. In.
3 stainless steel burners rated at 42,000 BTU
Electronic Crossover ignition system
Porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grate


Now, on to the food!!

I have decided to share a few of my favorite recipes for the grill!


Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic Vinegar, Feta, and Grilled Baguette




Ingredients:

Serves 8

2 1/2 pounds small eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 cup balsamic vinegar
Vegetable oil, for grill
1 baguette, halved lengthwise
6 ounces feta cheese
Fresh basil, torn, for sprinkling


Directions:

1. Sprinkle eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons salt, place in a colander, and let stand 30 minutes. Wipe off salt and moisture with paper towels.

2. Mix olive oil, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon oil mixture. Place vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook until reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in reserved oil mixture, and let cool.

3. Preheat grill to medium; brush grill with vegetable oil. Brush eggplant slices generously with some remaining oil mixture. Grill eggplant, covered, until slightly charred and tender, about 4 minutes per side.

4. Increase grill temperature to high. Brush baguette with remaining oil mixture, and grill until toasted, about 3 minutes. Cut baguette into pieces in various sizes.

5. Place eggplant, baguette, and feta on a large platter. Drizzle eggplant and feta with some vinegar mixture, then sprinkle torn basil over top. Serve with remaining vinegar mixture.



Emeril's Lemon-Herb Grilled Shrimp




Ingredients:

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds large unpeeled shrimp
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Coarse salt and ground pepper


Directions:

1. Using a pair of kitchen shears or a paring knife, cut through shell along the back of each shrimp. Devein shrimp, leaving shells on.

2. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reserve 6 tablespoons lemon mixture for serving. Place shrimp and remaining lemon mixture in a resealable plastic bag; seal bag and shake to coat shrimp. Refrigerate 1 hour.

3. Heat grill or grill pan to high. Clean and oil grill. Remove shrimp from marinade, wiping off excess. Grill until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve shrimp drizzled with reserved lemon mixture.



Grilled Banana Splits with Hot Fudge and Rum Caramel Sauce




Ingredients:

Serves 6

6 firm-ripe unpeeled bananas, halved lengthwise
6 tablespoons honey
12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) packed light brown sugar
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Hot Fudge Sauce, for serving
Rum Caramel Sauce, for serving
2 cups lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Finely chopped roasted lightly salted peanuts, for serving
6 maraschino cherries, for serving


Directions:

1. Preheat a grill to high, and lightly oil the grill grate.

2. Place the banana halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and drizzle the honey evenly over them. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Place the bananas, cut side up, directly on the grill, arranging them so they are perpendicular to the grill grate. Close the grill cover and cook until the bananas are caramelized around the edges and the fruit is beginning to pull away from the peel, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Carefully transfer the grilled banana halves (still in their skins) to a small baking sheet. Using two small forks or a long, thin spatula, carefully remove the banana halves from their skins and place 2 pieces of banana on each dessert plate. (This is a little tricky because the bananas are now very soft.) Top each banana with 1 or 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with the Hot Fudge Sauce and Rum Caramel Sauce. Top with dollops of whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Garnish each banana split with a maraschino cherry, and serve immediately.



I hope you enjoyed Salivation Sunday!

Now go ahead and grill!!