Man Food - Beer Can Chicken

There were about two weeks before Nick started his new job that he had a lot of free time and he did A LOT of cooking.  I asked for him to make a favorite of his that his family often made when we lived at home.

Beer Can Chicken, of course, a man meal for sure.

What you will need:
1 12oz can of Budwesier
1 whole chicken (we used a 5 lb bird)
1/2 pound of bacon
any dry chicken rub (we used applewood bacon rub)

The directions are as follows, dictated my Nicky and typed by me.  Turn the grill medium heat or you can bake in the oven at 400. Rinse the chicken down with water and pat dry. Generously get the dry rub in between the skin and the chick breasts. PAUSE, drink 1 quarter of the can of beer.  Make sure the mouth of the can is open as much as possible and put about a tablespoon of the dry rub into the beer can.  For more flavor put some of the dry rub inside the chicken as well. Place the can in a round deep a two inch deep pan (think brownie pan).  Stuff the bacon into the neck opening of the chicken (ew, told you it was man food, however VERY worth it).  Place the chicken upright on the can like the picture below.  We baked it in the oven for about an hour and a half.  The pictures do not do it justice.  This dish is INCREDIBLE flavorful.  The beer gravy in the pan is indescribable. Nick found me eating with a spoon like soup, just saying.

This is the perfect dinner for a nice fall football Sunday!

The Food Network Is Getting To Nicky

Nick has the luxury of being home a lot before starting a new job. The Food Network is just running his afternoons. On one particular afternoon last week I get a phone call saying "I'm making mashed potatoes, maybe two kinds." Ok, cowboy slow down one second.  How about one tonight and save the other kind for a diff night, I suggested. Ok yes, sure. So he decided on parsnip mashed potatoes, now to a main dish.  We headed to the grocery store on empty stomachs, which is always a mistake but we handled it well. Pork chops.  This was the first time we were buying pork chops since we moved to Miami over a year ago, which is laughable since pork is so prominent in Cuban food, oops.

We used a mild spice rub on the pork chops consisting of garlic powder, pepper, chili powder, a tiny bit of cayenne pepper and the best part, brown sugar.  Nick cooked those on the grill on medium/high heat for about 7 minutes on each side.

The parsnip mashed potatoes were easy too! Set the water to boil.  Cut up 5 medium potatoes and 3 parsnips. Let it all soften and MASH! Add about a quarter cup of parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

A Little Hiatus Called Life

Well, all I can say is, I'm back and no I have no quit being the amateur, domestic chef goddess you all are unsure if I am.  Just simply haven't been giving you all the secrets, but this meal... just too good not to share.

Salmon Steaks on the Grill, oh yes I've stepped it up.  We are out of an apartment and into a house so we can grill which is awesome since it is grilling season year round.

Before I get to the recipe, let me tell you that instead of paying $8.99 a pound for salmon steaks and getting a couple, there was a special for $4.99 a pound for an entire salmon. Um, yes please. We chose the smallest one and then, they ask fileted or steaked.  They cut it for me (THANK GOD)! Just for committing to buy an entire salmon I got $4 off - no problem!

Onward, you will need:
4 (or however many you wish) salmon steaks
1 lime
less than a quarter cup of white wine
oregano
salt and pepper
butter
2 fresh basil leaves per steak
olive oil
foil

Turn the grill on medium/high and close it to allow it to heat up.  Lay out the foil, shiny side down and fold up the edges to make a tray. Lightly cover the inside of the foil tray with olive oil.  Lay the steaks on the tray. Squeeze lime juice over the salmon.  Sprinkle the white wine over that.  Season to your liking (salt, pepper, oregano).  I prefer light on the pepper and heavier on the salt and oregano.  On each steak put a little forkful (maybe half teaspoon) of solid butter.  Place your two basil leaves on each steak.

Put the foil tray on the grill and close the grill.  There will be no need to flip the steaks.  Just let them cook for about 10 minutes or until they are pink and solid look not red and see-through.

This was so tender, so delicious, so fast and SO EASY.  We will obviously be having a lot more salmon this week, as we have an entire fish. I highly suggest it though, of course. :)

A Big Slice of Heaven

This is a VERY simple meal but I could not pass up writing about it as more of a suggestion than a how-to.

Tomato and Ricotta Pizza

1/2 jar of homemade sauce from Laurenzo's
1/2 cup (or more) of ricotta
1 tomato
oregano
1lb of dough

I highly suggest using a pizza stone.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Put the pizza stone in the oven as it preheats and let the dough rise.  Thinly slice the tomato. When the dough is risen, take out the pizza stone and sprinkle it with flour.  Be careful, it will be hot!  Carefully stretch the dough and put it on the stone.  Spread the sauce on the dough and evenly distribute the tomato.  Generously sprinkle with oregano.  Add as much ricotta as you'd like and bake for about 10 minutes.  Excuse the color of the photo, it was delicious and I definitely added more ricotta on top.

Summer, Summer, Summertimeeee!

I was craving something with a fresh taste, so I decided to use the fresh cilantro I just bought from Laurenzo's.  Then I knew I had to use corn on the cob.  So to good old faithful Google I went.  In my searches I realize I have no had pasta in WEEKS... done.  Asparagus Cilantro Pasta, from Women's Running Magazine, original recipe by Katy Brown, was EXACTLY what I was looking for.  As usual I altered the recipe a tad, mainly because I was unprepared but regardless this is exactly what I was looking for.

Asparagus Cilantro Pasta
1 lb (or less) of pasta
2-3 tomatoes
1/2 lb. asparagus
2 ears of corn
1/4 cup of cilantro (or more)
olive oil
cumin
salt
pepper

Boil two pots of water, one for the corn and one for the pasta.  Cut up the asparagus and saute it on low in a little (very little) bit of olive oil.  You want the asparagus to be kind of firm still. Cut up the tomatoes, squeeze the juice if half the lime, and salt and pepper it.  Cut up some (not all) of the cilantro.  Take the corn out of the water to let it cool so you can cut it from the cob.  As the pasta softens, add the bowl of tomatoes to the pan of asparagus and lightly sprinkle with a couple shakes of cumin. Cut the corn off the cob and  toss it all together.  Add the rest of the cilantro and the lime juice on top and salt and pepper to taste.  PERFECT for the first day of summer!

Feeding EVERYONE!

My apologies for the little hiatus.  We moved in with my brother.  Nick is gone for a couple weeks.  I got to go home to NY.  I am starting a new job.  Becky is moving, so we are trying to teach her new dishes to cook so I cook up in Fort Lauderdale occasionally.  Blah, blah, blah, excuses, excuses, I know.  All that matters is I am back and I have some recipes stacked up to share.

We will start today with Chili-Rubbed Basa (or whatever white fish) with asparagus.

2 fillets
1/4 cup of chili powder or less
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
half a lemon
olive oil

Combine the spices on a plate.  Cover the frying pan with a very little amount of olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.  Heat the oil on a little above medium.  Cover each entire fillet with the spice combo.  While cooking for a couple minutes on each side squeeze lemon over the fillets.  While all this was going on with boiled the asparagus.

Hopefully my little Becky will use this recipe and cook for her boo!

Sorry for no pics but I am SURE I will be making it again really soon!!

Feeding Rachie - Birthday Dinner

My mom was in town for the 6 days before my birthday so we went out to dinner A LOT.  Italian at Anthony's Runway in Fort Lauderdale, Seafood at Joe's Stone Crab, casual Asian fusion at American Noodle, WE MADE OUR ROUNDS.  Needless to say, come Tuesday I was still full from THURSDAY, and we decided I would pick a meal and Nick was cooking for me!!  I chose Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa.  Then, in the last seconds of the meal being complete, I found a recipe for Cilantro-Lime salad dressing.  So, so, so pleased.

For the Chicken:
3 tablespoons of minced cilantro
1 lime (all the juice)
1 1/2 olive oil
2 large chicken breasts
salt

For the salsa:
1 chopped tomato (medium sized or a large plum tomato)
1 quarter of an onion minced
1 small lime (all the juice again)
1 avocado
salt
pepper

Combine the cilantro, olive oil, and lime juice.  Marinate the chicken in it while you prepare the salsa.  Chop the onion and tomato.  Cut the avocado.  Combine, squeeze the lime and salt and pepper to taste.  Put the chicken and marinade into the pan.  Lightly salt the chicken. 

As it cooked, I looked for a recipe and made the it. 

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing
2 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons  of olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey
1/4 cup cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a blender and press the button!

At the very last second with the chicken,  I put the salsa in the pan with it for 1 minute.  Optional, no big deal, ENJOY!!  Oh yea, I also sprinkled feta over the whole meal! YUM!!