Marsala Pork Medallions

I love chicken marsala, so when I can find another dish that uses similar ingredients, I have to try it.  This is a simple recipe that produces a wonderful sauce that is perfect with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp.  olive oil
3 Tbsps. unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, finely diced
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ cup dry Marsala cooking wine
1 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsps. heavy cream
2 Tbsps. chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Trim the tenderloin of silver skin and excess fat. Cut the tenderloin into  1" thick medallions.  Season each medallion with salt and black pepper.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbs. of the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. When the butter is melted, add half of the meat and sear until nicely browned, 2 to 3 min. Flip and cook the other side until the meat is well browned, about another 2 min. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

Melt the remaining 2 Tbs. butter in the pan. Add the shallotsand sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and sauté until all of the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden, about 3-5 min. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt, sprinkle with the flour, and add the Marsala. Allow the Marsala to cook until almost completely evaporated, add the chicken broth and reduce by half. Stir in the cream and parsley.  Add the pork medallions back into the pan and any accumulated juices, and cook, until preferred level of doneness. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

Honey Roasted Peanuts

I decided to try to make my own honey roasted peanuts this weekend.  I don't eat peanuts very often, but when I do, I don't like to eat them plain.  This added just enough sweetness to make a nice snack.  You will find that this recipe adds a little salt to the mix, which gives them a sweet and salty taste.  You can leave out the salt if you prefer.

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Ingredients
2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 to 2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt


Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.   In a saucepan, combine butter, honey, vanilla, and 1 tsp. salt;  heat over medium low heat, stirring well.  Stir in peanuts, then pour them out into a single layer in the baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes; After the 1st 5 minutes check them & stir every few minutes until peanuts are golden brown.

Remove from oven, stir to break up clumps, and let cool slightly.  Sprinkle on remaining salt and sugar and toss to coat.  Cool completely and break peanuts apart if necessary.

Grilled Flank Steak

This is a quick and easy Flank Steak recipe, that I like to pair with a fresh Chimichurri Sauce.  You can cook this under a broiler if it's cold or wet outside, or if you just don't feel like firing up the grill.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 flank steak, 1 ½-2 lbs
4 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a small bowl, combine lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sugar.  Add salt and pepper if desired.  Marinate steak for 30 minutes or longer.

Preheat grill.  Remove the meat from the marinade and dry with paper towels. Grill the steak for 1 to 2 minutes per side over direct heat, then move to a cooler section of the grill and continue to cook until desired internal temperature is reached.  Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer (125°F for rare, 130-135°F for medium rare, and 135-140°F for medium). 

Allow steak to rest for 5 minutes, then slice across the grain into thin strips to serve.

Bacon Jerky

Yes, I know, the first rule of making jerky is to choose a lean cut of meat.  Bacon definitely does not match the type of meat that would be appropriate for jerky, so feel free to call this something other than jerky. Think of it as less of a chewy jerky and more like a really crispy piece of bacon that holds together when you bite into it.  I'll admit I was very skeptical at first but how can you go wrong with bacon??

Note:  I chose a regular cut of bacon which allowed me to complete the entire process in about 6 hrs.  If you choose a thick-cut bacon you will need to cook it for a longer period of time.   I used a small amount of Memphis Dust Rub on the bacon but you could also just use brown sugar if you don't have any rub on hand.  You can also apply the rub/sugar at the beginning if you wish.

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Ingredients
1 package bacon
2 Tbsps. of Memphis Dust Rub or brown sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 225°F.  Cut bacon strips in half and place in a single layer on a rack set into a sheet pan.  Place bacon in oven and cook for approximately 2 ½-3 hours, turning bacon half way through the cooking process and blotting as needed to remove grease.  Remove bacon from oven and drain off all fat.

Preheat smoker to 165°F (you can use a dehydrator for this step or continue to cook in the oven). Sprinkle a small amount of the rub or brown sugar on each side of the bacon and place bacon into the smoker.  Cook for another 3 hours.  The bacon should be nice and crispy

Vanilla Ice Cream

I made this recipe at the prompting of my youngest, who made a request for some homemade vanilla ice cream.  Homemade ice cream is so much better than store bought and this is a great recipe.  You can easily adapt it to almost any flavor and this recipe makes the perfect amount for a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker.

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Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
⅔ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 large egg yolks
1 Vanilla bean

Directions
In a medium sauce pan, add cream, milk, sugar, and salt until sugar. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape down the sides. Add seeds and pod to the sauce pan. Simmer over medium low heat  until the sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes.   Do not let mixture boil.  Remove pot from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Add the yolks into the sauce pot with the remaining cream. Return pot to low heat and cook until mixture reaches at least 160° and is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool the mixture to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately, or place in freezer for an hour or two for a firmer texture.

Bruschetta Chicken

Bruschetta is one of our favorite appetizers so this chicken dish has quickly become a favorite for my husband and I.  The toppings add a nice fresh touch and the crispy chicken provides a nice contrast.  I brown the chicken in a skillet before baking on a rack to help ensure a nice crisp crust but you can just bake it if you prefer.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
⅓  cup flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup dry Italian bread crumbs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Topping
1½ cups tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsps. fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients (tomatoes, garlic, oil, cheese, basil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper). Set aside while you prepare and cook the chicken.

Preheat oven to 375°F.   Place a rack on a half baking sheet of jelly roll pan and set aside.

Place flour and eggs in their own shallow bowls.  In a third shallow bowl, mix together bread crumbs and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.    Place chicken breasts between pieces of plastic wrap and pound them until they are all equal in thickness.  Dip each chicken breast in the flour, then in the eggs, and then in the bread crumb/cheese mixture.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Brown the chicken breasts on both sides (2-3 minutes per side).  Place chicken breasts on the prepared baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the insides or no longer pink and registers at 165°F.

To serve, spoon some of the fresh tomato mixture on each chicken breast.

Rolled Meatloaf

Meatloaf can get boring after a while but this recipe is not of the boring variety.  I use it as a way to sneak some veggies into my kids' meals and they love it because it has cheese in it.  This recipe also includes a sauce that replaces the ketchup found on top of a lot of recipes and gives it an updated flavor.  If your family is not fond of peppers and onions, I have found that you can easily leave those off one side of the meatloaf and make everyone happy!

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Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cups bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsps. dried parsley
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1 ½ lbs.. lean ground beef (hamburger)
½ lbs. Italian sausage, casings removed and discarded
Salt and black pepper to taste

Filling Ingredients
1 cup diced onions
½ cup diced peppers
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4-6 slices Havarti cheese
8oz fresh or frozen chopped spinach

Sauce Ingredients
½ cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsps. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. white vinegar

In a large frying pan, sauté onions and peppers in oil until softened.  Set aside to cool. In a large saucepan, bring several cups of water to a boil.  Add the spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes; drain thoroughly.   Set aside to cool.  In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and whisk to blend.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, gently combine eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.  Crumble beef and sausage over the top and mix well. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of a baking sheet.  Place meat mixture on the plastic wrap and form into approximately a 8" x 12" rectangle.  With the longer end facing you, layer the Filling Ingredients on the bottom ⅔'s of the meat, starting with the Havarti cheese slices, onions and peppers, and spinach.

With the long side still facing you, grasp the edge of the plastic wrap closest to you and roll up, jelly-roll style, removing the plastic wrap as you roll. Once meat loaf is rolled up, seal the ends and press down slightly to seal lengthwise seam. Cover with the sauce recipe (you may choose to reserve some to add during cooking).

Bake at 350°F for approximately 60-70 minutes or until the center of the meat loaf registers 160°F (do not overcook). Remove from oven and let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pulled Pork Nachos

This is a super easy and quick dish that you can use as an appetizer, meal, or snack.  Add your favorite Nacho toppings and enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups  shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
1 (14-ounce) bag tortilla chips
4 cups pulled pork
½ cup BBQ sauce
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups crumbled Cotija cheese
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
¼ cup green onions, chopped


Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread about half of the tortilla chips on the baking sheet in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the chips and add half of the topping ingredients (reserving any cold toppings that you don't want heated). Repeat with the remaining chips, cheese, and remaining toppings. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with any cold toppings that were not heated. Serve immediately.

BBQ Pulled Pork Egg Rolls

I was recently on a mission to find some innovative new ways to use leftover pulled pork when the idea of pulled pork egg rolls hit me.  Searching the internet you will find several variations of recipes for these egg rolls so I decided to try two different versions:  one with slaw and one with cheese. 

I will admit that the hardest part of making these was rolling them.  That took some practice but by the end, I had the hang of it.  There were 20 wrappers in my package so I made all 20 and froze about half of them to enjoy another time.  These were a hit!

BTW, the recipes below say to mix the pork and BBQ sauce before assembling. I decided to add the BBQ as I was making them so I could try out different sauces.

Note: If you would prefer these can be baked.  Place egg rolls on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray.  Lightly brush tops with olive oil and bake egg rolls at 400°F until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.

Variation 1: With Slaw

This recipe is based on Neely's BBQ Pulled Pork Egg Rolls

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups pulled pork
1-2 cups BBQ sauce of your choosing
2 cups Cole Slaw
1 package Egg Roll Wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
Oil for Frying


Directions:
In a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough peanut oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 350°F. Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine pulled pork and your desired quantity of BBQ sauce (save some for dipping) and mix well. 


Unwrap the egg roll wrappers. Brush the edges with the egg wash and set them on your work surface with the triangle edges pointing towards you. Divide some of the pork among the lower third of the wrappers. Top the pork evenly with the coleslaw. Fold the bottom portion of the wrapper over the filling. Fold both the edges inwards and roll the wrapper up completely. Press on the open flaps to firmly secure the rolls, then set them aside, seam side down.

Add the egg rolls, in batches, to the deep-fryer and fry, flipping with tongs, until they are crisp and golden brown. Remove them from deep-fryer and let drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Transfer the rolls to a serving platter and serve with BBQ for dipping.

Variation 2: With Cheese

This recipe is based on Cheesy BBQ Pulled Pork Egg Rolls

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups pulled pork
1-2 cups BBQ sauce of your choosing
2 cups shredded cheese
1 package Egg Roll Wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
Oil for frying


Directions:

In a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough peanut oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 350°F. Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine pulled pork and your desired quantity of BBQ sauce (save some for dipping)  and mix well.

On a clean surface, place an egg roll wrapper with one corner facing you. With a brush, dip in the egg wash and brush just the outer edges of the wrapper. Place roughly 2 tbsps. cheese at the bottom of the wrapper followed by ¼ cup pulled pork. Take the corner facing you and place over the pulled pork.
Roll once and fold the sides in and continue to roll. Repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers.

Add the egg rolls, in batches, to the deep-fryer and fry, flipping with tongs, until they are crisp and golden brown. Remove them from deep-fryer and let drain on a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Transfer the rolls to a serving platter and serve with BBQ for dipping.

White Chicken Enchiladas

One of my favorite dishes to make in the winter is White Chicken Chili, so when I saw this recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website I knew I had to try it.  Of course I did alter it a bit by making a few small changes so be sure to check her version if you prefer more peppers and corn tortillas.  This is the perfect dish to use leftover smoked rotisserie chicken that you may have on hand.

In my eagerness to try this dish I forgot to take a picture once it came out of the oven.  That means this pre-bake picture will have to do for now.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
2 cups chicken broth
3 tbsps. cooking oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cans (4 oz ea) diced green chilies
1 tbsp. cumin
2 tsps paprika
½ cup heavy cream
2 tsps butter
2 tbsps. flour
1 cup sour cream
2 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican Blend cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
10 flour tortillas

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Chicken Mixture
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for about a minute. Add chicken, 1 can of green chilies, cumin, and 1 tsp. paprika. Stir to blend. Add ½ cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to come to a boil for a few minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

Cheese Sauce
In a separate large skillet, melt butter then sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute, then add 1 ½ cups chicken broth. Whisk to combine and cook for another minute or two. Add the other can of green chilies. Reduce heat, and stir in sour cream and 1 tsp. paprika. Add 1 ½ cups grated cheese and stir to melt.  Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble enchiladas,  spoon chicken mixture using a slotted spoon into tortillas one by one, add cheese to each, and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9" x 13" baking dish.

Pour cheese mixture over the assembled tortillas, and top with extra cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve.

Smoked Pulled Pork

It's Labor Day, so it's the perfect this to fire up the smoker and enjoy some pulled pork.  This is a very straightforward recipe that most important ingredient is perhaps patience for the cook.  Anticipate about 1 ½ hours of cooking time per pound of meat.  Throughout the smoking process I spritz the meat with apple juice in a small spray bottle, but you can also use a mop of your choice if you wish.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 pork butt or shoulder
⅓ cup Memphis Dust Rub

Directions
If desired, trim most of the fat from the meat, but not all. Sometimes I will leave more fat on a large chunk of meat to allow it to self-baste. Generously coat the meat with the rub, cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in the fridge overnight if you have time.

When you're ready to smoke the meat, remove from fridge and allow to sit at room temperature while you prep the smoker. Heat smoker to 225° and allow the temperature to stabilize. Place meat on smoker and allow to smoke until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 195°, optimally between 200°-205°. Spritz with apple juice hourly as it cooks.


 When desired tenderness is reached, remove from the smoker and allow meat to rest before pulling.

Easy Coleslaw

For me, coleslaw is one of those necessary side dishes anytime pulled pork is served.  Whether you eat it on your sandwich or have it on the side, this recipe is quick and easy.

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Ingredients
1 (14 oz) package precut cabbage mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

Directions 
To make dressing, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together to mix thoroughly. Place cabbage in a large bowl.   Pour dressing over cabbage and stir to coat.

Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce

This is not your traditional BBQ sauce.  Eastern NC sauce is vinegar-based and in its pure form has no tomato in it.  There's not too much to making this sauce, but it brings a unique flavor to pulled pork.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
¾ cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
½  tsp Tabasco sauce
¼  tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt (to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 10 minutes.  Cool and store in a jar with a tight lid or squirt sauce bottle.

Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

Tomorrow is Labor Day and that usually means one thing.  It's time to fire up the smoker and celebrate the end of summer.  Tomorrow I will be smoking a pork shoulder for pulled pork and being from South Carolina, that means there is also a need for Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce.  Given that my family does not share my love for mustard-based sauces, you will find that this recipe does not make a large volume of sauce.  If you need more you can easily double the recipe.

Note:  This sauce is best made the day before you plan to serve so that the flavors have time to meld.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
6 Tbsps. prepared yellow mustard
¼  cup honey
2 Tbsps. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½  tsp. hot sauce

Directions
In a small sauce pan, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Heat over low heat and allow to simmer about 10 minutes. Cool and store in a jar with a lid or a sauce squirt bottle.

Beef with Broccoli

Some days or more hectic than others and hectic days for me mandate a quick and easy meal.  Stir fry is a good example and one of my favorite stir fry dishes is Beef with Broccoli.  I like the following recipe because the sauce only has 3 ingredients but it brings lots of flavor to the dish.  My local Sprouts market sells precut lean stir fry beef which is perfect in this dish.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound flank or other lean steak, sliced against the grain
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼  cup low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
1 pound fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. minced ginger

Sauce
¼  cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions
Place beef in a Ziploc bag, sprinkle with cornstarch and add the soy sauce. Seal the bag and press it around in your hands to coat meat with marinade. Let the meat rest on the counter for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add beef strips (Unless you have a large pan you may choose to cook beef in two batches). Cook 1-2 minutes. The beef should be barely cooked through and very tender. Transfer meat to a dish and cover to keep warm.

Empty skillet, return to stove and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the broccoli. Toss to coat and then add water; cover. Reduce the heat to medium and steam broccoli for 2 minutes. Uncover, push broccoli one side and add garlic and ginger.  Cook for about a minute.  Add beef back into pan and stir to combine. Add sauce and stir once again. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1-2 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Serve.

Old Fashioned Candied Pecans

Earlier this week my husband brought home a small bag of honey roasted pecans.  I have had honey roasted peanuts before, but not pecans.  They were wonderful and I immediately set out in search of a recipe to duplicate those little treasures.  While this recipe does not include honey, it produced the closest results of the two recipes I tried.  Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups pecan halves
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 225° F. Lightly grease a half sheet pan.

Combine the egg white and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Fold in the pecans to coat evenly. Combine sugars, salt, and ground cinnamon in a shaker with a lid. Dust the pecans evenly with the sugar mixture. Spread the nuts over the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour.  Every15 minutes remove them from the oven and stir with a spatula to ensure they cook evenly then place them back in the oven and continue cooking until done. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Chimichurri Sauce

This was my first time to make a chimichurri sauce to accompany steaks, but I must admit, we really liked it.  Try this with grilled flank steak or with Grilled Short Ribs if you want something a little different.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup packed fresh parsley, washed and dried
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar


Directions
Place parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and vinegar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time, then pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Grilled Short Ribs

I found this recipe on the Meatwave.com blog earlier this week and had to try it out.  This recipe was somewhat of a stretch for me in that I have cooked braised short ribs a few times but have never thought about grilling them.  I was able to find a good selection of short ribs at the grocery store and decided to give it a try.  It turned out very well, but be very selective when you choose your ribs; it will make all the difference.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

6-8 short ribs approximately 6" long

Salt/Pepper

 

Directions

Cut short ribs into individual ribs (if needed).  Using a sharp knife, remove meat from the bone and trim off any excess hard fat or silver skin. 

 

Preheat grill to medium high heat (For this recipe, I used a traditional gas grill).  Season short rib steaks with salt and pepper. Place steaks on grill and cook, until well seared on all sides.  Once the steaks reach the desired internal temperature transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Thinly slice steaks against the grain and serve.

Just as the original blog suggested, I made a chimichurri sauce to serve with these steaks and it was a nice addition.

 

Easy Mashed Potatoes

In our house, potatoes often appear in some form as a side dish.  Whether it be as Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Traditional Potato Salad, Au Gratin Potatoes, or in this simple and easy recipe for mashed potatoes.  Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1  ½ - 2 lbs. red-skin potatoes, cubed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water.  Add salt to the water and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes tender but still firm (about 15 minutes). Drain.

Add butter to potatoes.  Using a potato masher, mash potatoes and slowly blend in milk until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Southern Creamed Corn

Creamed corn is one of my favorite side dishes, especially when fresh sweet corn is available.  I found some great looking corn at the local market and knew immediately what to make to pair with the Soda Can Chicken I had on the menu.  In today's recipe, I had heavy cream on hand so I used it, but often I opt for milk and use a little cornstarch to thicken if needed.  In the picture the corn looks a little soupy, but it was actually the perfect consistency.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
6-8 ears of sweet corn, husks and silk removed
1 tbsp. butter
⅔ cup water
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Directions
Using a sharp knife, remove kernels from each ear of corn, scraping the cob to remove as much pulp as possible.  (I use a dish with high edges to help catch the juices and pulp that splatter during this process).

In a medium-sized frying pan with lid, melt butter over medium heat.  Add corn and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until corn is tender (approximately 10 to 15 minutes).

Add cream and cook uncovered until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Soda Can Chicken

I must admit, the concept of Beer Can Chicken has always intrigued me, but I have never tried it.  I decided to give it a try after finding a great sale on whole chickens at my local grocery store.  Instead of beer, I turned to my trusty Dr. Pepper to pinch hit in this recipe and it worked great.  The result was a tender and juicy chicken and the rub gave it just enough of a kick to be a perfect combination.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 can Dr. Pepper or other soft drink
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon softened butter

Brine:
2 quarts cold water
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup white sugar

Rub:
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
In a large container, mix the salt and white sugar in the cold water until completely dissolved. Wash the chicken inside and out and place it in the container with the brine. Place the container in the refrigerator for an hour or two, then remove from the brine, wash again, and pat dry with paper towels. 

Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl.

Open the soft drink can and either drink or pour out ½ of the soda. Make two additional holes at the top of the can with can opener, and add a 1 teaspoon of the rub to the can of soda.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside of the chicken. Combine softened butter and ½ tsp rub mix and rub under the skin as far as possible.  Holding the chicken upright, gently lower it onto the can.  I used a rack to make things  a little more sturdy.

Brush the chicken all over with the melted butter, and then apply the remaining rub to the outside of the chicken.

Heat smoker to 325° and allow temperature to stabilize. Place the chicken in the smoker and cook until an instant read thermometer reads 180° in thickest part of the thigh (about 2 hrs).


Once chicken is done, use tongs to carefully remove it from the smoker onto a tray or cutting board.  The can and its contents will be extremely hot. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes, then remove the can and carve.