Super Easy Chorizo Tacos – The Perfect Food

Who doesn’t like tacos? Just about everyone, right? Tacos are the perfect food. Think about it – all the major food groups are found in a taco. Fruit (tomatoes and avocados), vegetable (lettuce), grain (taco shell – okay, that might be a stretch, but work with me here), dairy (cheese and sour cream) and protein (filling) – yep – it’s all there. There are chicken tacos, beef tacos, fish tacos, shrimp tacos – even bean tacos. Just about anything folded into a warm corn shell can be called “taco”.  (Hey, I’ve even seen Ice Cream Tacos – like a drumstick, only the “stick” is shaped like a taco shell). One of my all time favorites are Chorizo Tacos.

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Tropical Cocktails by the Pitcher

Have you ever noticed that nearly all “tropical” cocktails have a common ingredient – rum. Be it Coconut Rum, or Light Rum or Dark Rum – there’s a bottle of rum in there somewhere. It makes sense since rum is made from molasses (a byproduct of sugarcane harvests) that is mixed with cane juice and allowed to ferment.

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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad with Spam

Whenever I tell people I’m making a Hawaiian Macaroni Salad with spaghetti and spam, I always see that same puzzled expression on their faces, usually followed by a very slow, unsure “okay.” I will admit, it is a little different and yet it is usually a big hit. You will always have those hold outs who refuse to see cold spaghetti noodles as anything else except cold spaghetti noodles, not very appealing. The Spam isn’t so much a part of the dish itself as it is a decorative garnish.

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Slow Roasted Kahlua Pig without the Pit

downloadYears ago, some friends opened a restaurant called “The Teriyaki Hut”. My friends were from Hawaii. Naturally their menu included some island favorites such as Kahlua Pig. I loved the stuff – it was about as close as you can get to the pit-roasted pig without roasted an entire pig beneath a bed of banana leaves and hot coals. I first fell in love with Kahlua Pig at a luau in Maui and then again in Moorea. Traditionally, a pig is roasted for as much as twelve hours in an underground oven called a imu. A fire made from mesquite wood is build in the pit. Rocks are placed in the pit to retain the heat long after the flames of wood has burned down. Once the rocks are heated, the pit is lined in banana leaves, just as the meat is wrapped in the same leaves. Wet burlap buries everything in the ground, allowing the smoke to circulate while the leaves help keep everything moist. While this dish is a tourist favorite at luaus throughout Hawaii and the South Pacific, it is no less delicious and well worth a taste.

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Memorial Day – A Simple Backyard Barbecue

Oh my goodness, where has the time gone?  Next weekend is Memorial Day – the unofficial “official” start of the grilling season! It’s time to get busy. I’ve got menus to prepare, recipes to try out. Love it when the creative juices start to flow.

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Memorial Day Menu – A Feast for a Crowd

If you want to go all out this Memorial Day and put on a spread that is out of this world – have I got some ideas to share with you!

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Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with a Smokey Orange Sauce 

Now that the summer sizzle has arrived in full-force, we’ll be cooking outdoors whenever possible – even if that means a lot of burgers and dogs for quick, after work suppers.  And let’s not forget the awesome Street Fair Sausage – one of the biggest reasons we go to all these little fairs in the first place. Street Fair Sausage is a post and a story for another day. Whenever possible, we will be doing our weekend cooking outdoors as well. I’m looking forward to some childhood treasures such as my Dad’s awesome Kabobs or Mom’s Filipino Barbecue, but then those too a subject for another day. Right now I want to chat up a “new” family favorite . . .

Today it’s all about grilled chicken and smokey goodness. This Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with a Smokey Orange Sauce was first published in Taste of Home back in 1993. It is an award-winning recipe. While I did not mess with the ingredients; I have modified the rubbing instructions to take full advantage of the flavors, giving the meat a more thorough saturation.

When it came time to grill the chicken, Hubby tossed the instructions right out the window. The instructions said to grill the chicken uncovered for 20 minutes, turn, baste and grill 30 minutes longer. He shook his head and I could tell his gut told him differently. I’ve always been a firm believer in following your instincts. So I let Hubby do his thing. His technique rendered a piece of chicken that was moist and rosy with deep smokey goodness right down to the bone.

Overall the spice rub did not make the chicken spicy as in “hot” – it’s spicy as in a lot of flavorful. Some of the best chicken I’ve ever tasted. Just be sure to have plenty of big napkins – it’s messy. Good and messy – just the way barbecue should be!

Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with a Smokey Orange Sauce 
Ingredients – Chicken
1 Package Chicken Legs (6 Legs)
1 Package Chicken Thighs (6 Thighs)

Rinse chicken well and pat dry. Set chicken aside on a wire rack to “air dry” while the rub is made.

Rub the chicken with the rub both under and over the skin. Allow the rub to really flavor the meat of the chicken.

Gently pull skin back on legs and work rub directly onto meat. Pull skin back over legs, rub skin.

Turn thighs skin-side-down. Work rub directly onto meat. Lift skin, continue to work rub onto meat, then rub into skin.

Ingredients – The Rub
2 tablespoons onion powder
4 teaspoons salt or salt substitute
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, mix spice rub ingredients; reserve 1 tablespoon spice rub for sauce.

Place the rubbed chicken back onto the rack and let rest, soaking in the rub. While the chicken is resting, prep the grill.

Once the coals are heating in the chimney, make the Smokey Orange Sauce. (Recipe follows).

Ingredients – The Smokey Orange Sauce
2 cups ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Stir in the reserved spice rub; taste and adjust as needed.

Set sauce aside until ready to baste.

To Grill the Chicken: Grill chicken skin-side-down both covered and uncovered over medium heat in intervals of 5 minutes for a combined cooking time of about 20 minutes. This allows smoke to build up in the grill while keeping fire flare-ups under control. After chicken has been grilling about 20 minutes, turn chicken; baste with sauce. Continue to grill chicken both covered and uncovered for about 30 minutes longer, basting frequently with the sauce. Grill chicken until the juices run clear when pierced.

Turn chicken, baste underside grill for about 10 minutes more. Remove chicken from grill. Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent and let rest about 5 minutes for juices to settle.

Serve and enjoy. This dish goes well with corn on the cob and wedged potatoes.

Note from Hubby: Grill times may vary depending upon grill temperature. Keep an eye on the chicken and adjust accordingly. 

 

Double the Yum with Double Decker Tostadas

What could be better than one tostada? A double-decker, of course! These yummy tostadas are a favorite in our house. I promise, they’ll become a favorite in your house, too. They are as much fun to make as they are to eat. Imagine the crunch of not one but two tostada shells layered with beans, spicy meats, cheese sauce and an endless assortment of beautiful toppings. Yum! As a tostada, it’s a complete meal. Served on small corn chip rounds, these can be transformed into bite size fun perfect for your next Mexican inspired affair.

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Fresh Fruit with Whipped Cream Zabaglione

What is Zabaglione? It is a foamy, custard-like mixture of egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine served hot or chilled as a dessert. Often Zabaglione is served over fruits or cakes. The very first time we ate this wonderful dish, it was actually prepared table-side in a private dining room by a Five-Star Chef using his grandmother’s recipe. I never was able to get the recipe from him – but this comes close. His was without the added whipped cream, staying true to its custard roots. This variation utilizes heavy cream, creating a whipped topping rather than a true custard. If it is the custard variety you seek, simply omit the heavy cream.

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Colorful Spicy Lemon-Garlic Shrimp Linguine

This recipe was inspired by a recipe I found a while at Menu Musings of a Modern American Mom (http://menumusings.blogspot.com/2011/08/spicy-garlic-shrimp.html). Don’t you just love the title of her blog?

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Spicy Shrimp Skewers

I’ve been searching my recipes for anything grill worthy, preparing for yet another awesome grilling season ahead. When I came across a clipping from allrecipes.com; I knew I had to share. The ingredients reminded me of another favorite around here, Filipino Barbecue – an awesome skewered dish for another day. It was the familiar use of garlic and banana ketchup that struck a chord in me. I would even be willing to bet these barbecued dishes would be terrific served together.

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San Francisco Pork Chops

My favorite city in the world is San Francisco. I’m not big on cities in general, but if I had to pick just one place, it would be San Francisco. The first time I heard the lyrics “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear a flower in your hair” was on a school bus, driving through the Haight. Beautiful flower children stopped our bus, handing out flowers and beads while the radio played the 1967 hit by Scott McKenzie.

I have always had fond memories of San Francisco. Fog horns and big ocean liners. The cry of sea gulls. Waves crashing against jagged rocks. A long time ago, the City by the Bay stole my heart and it’s a love that has never faded.

As a teenager, and into my early twenties, I loved to head to the city. Walk along Fisherman’s Wharf (back then, pier 39 with all its tourist traps did not exist), pick up a warm loaf of fresh sourdough bread, jug of wine and steamed crab. Build a fire on the beach near Ghirardelli Square just to keep warm (the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco – famous words NOT uttered by Mark Twain), sip the wine, eat the bread and suck down the crab meat. Life was so simple.

I remember many moons ago, Hubby and I had a romantic Valentine’s Day Weekend in San Francisco. We stayed in one of those old luxury hotels in Nob Hill. Our suite was spacious and charming, with views of the city that never seemed to end. We had a fire escape just outside our sitting room window. I climbed out onto the landing and sat for the longest time, eyes closed, listening to the rhythm of the city. The clanging and banging and sirens seemed a strangely beautiful symphony to my ears. Hubby thought I was nuts. All he could hear was the noise of a city and not the rhythm of its beating heart. To my ears it was a symphony.

It’s no surprise that San Francisco Pork Chops have a heavy Asian influence. San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese communities outside of Asia. Since May is a celebration of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, it is only fitting to share this wonderful dish.

San Francisco Style Chops
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 (3/4 inch-thick) boneless pork chops, trimmed
2 teaspoons garlic, minced (from a jar)
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if desired)
3 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
Green Onions for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chops in hot oil, about 3 minutes per side.

While pork chops are browning, whisk beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, and red pepper flakes in a bowl until brown sugar has dissolved.

Once chops have browned on both sides, remove from skillet to a plate, reserving oil in skillet. Cook and stir garlic in reserved drippings until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return pork chops to skillet and pour soy sauce mixture over the chops. Bring sauce to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to low. Simmer chops until tender, 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

Transfer chops to a serving platter and keep warm. Whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth; stir into pan juices and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cut pork chops into 1-inch or so thick slices for serving. Spoon sauce over chops and garnish with green onions just before serving.

Note: I have also made this using thin pork chops. It works equally as well. With the thin pork chops, there is no need to slice the chops before serving. Just plate the chops and spoon on the wonderful glaze.

Clarified Butter – A Must in Every Kitchen

You are seated at your usual table in your favorite seafood restaurant. You order some shellfish – perhaps king crab legs or a sweet lobster tail or even a few grilled prawns to accompany a perfectly grilled steak. The waiter brings you a plate of the succulent, sweet morsels of your choice. Your mouth begins to water. On the plate is a small tin of pure, golden Clarified Butter. The meal is superb!

Clarified Butter isn’t just for dipping shellfish, it goes well with vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus or broccoli. In addition, clarified butter it is an excellent choice of “butter” for pan-frying a nice piece of fish to create such simple entrées as Pacific Dover Sole or to pan-sear succulent sea scallops.

While all butters will burn eventually, clarified butter has a higher heat threshold than whole, creamy butter. Most whole butters will begin to break down and burn at 350 degrees, while clarified butter has a smoking point of 450 degrees. The reason? The water, milk solids and other impurities have been removed, leaving behind only pure butterfat.

Clarifying the butter isn’t difficult. It does require time and a great deal of patience. The process below comes to us from Alton Brown. (My favorite “go to guy” when I want to not only know the hows but the whys behind most cooking application. In my opinion, Alton Brown is the science guy of the culinary world). While there are more rapid methods (such as the microwave method or the cornstarch method) this is the purest method if you are looking to maximize the flavor of your Clarified Butter while retaining most of butterfat. Think of the time as an investment in future culinary delights.

Since clarifying the butter takes time, it is a task best done at least a day in advance, or better yet on a lazy Sunday afternoon to have at the ready whenever the need arises. Clarified Butter, when properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, can kept for up to four months. Each pound of whole butter will yield about 1 1/2 cups of Clarified Butter, or 24 tablespoons. The beauty of Clarified Butter (besides the obvious – to use as a buttery dip for crab, shrimp or lobster) is that the butter will not char as easily when used in sautéing applications.

Clarified Butter
1 1/2 lbs Unsalted Butter

Cut the butter into 1″ pieces. Place the butter in a 2-quart saucepan and set over medium heat. Once the butter has liquefied, decrease the heat to lowest setting then gradually adjust upward as needed to maintain a low boil.

Cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the butter reaches 260 degrees, is clear, and the foam on top is slightly browned yet floating on the top. (The browning will add just a hint of flavor to the finished butterfat). The long cooking process will ensure that all the water content of the butter has evaporated, leaving only the milk solids (at the top) and pure butter oil (below) to contend with. (If the milk solids brown to the point of sinking to the bottom, don’t toss it out and start over again. You have just made Ghee – like Clarified Butter with a high smoking point, but with a deeper nutty flavor).

While many recipes for Clarified Butter tell you to use a ladle to skim the milk solids from the butterfat, this takes time and more patients that most of us possess. An easier technique is to strain the remains of the saucepan through four layers of cheesecloth set over a hand strainer above a heat-proof vessel.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. (A jar with a tight-fitting lid works well). Place the Clarified Butter into the refrigerator until ready to use.

clafified-butter 3

Taco Bell Inspired Crunchy Tacos

Did you know long before there was a Taco Bell, Glen Bell opened a drive-in taco stand in San Bernardino called Bell’s? That was way back in 1954, before the notion of chains and fast food franchises. By 1962, the first Taco Bell Restaurant opened in Downey, California. Two years later, the first franchise opened in Torrance, and three years after that there were 100 Taco Bells throughout southern California. I haven’t a clue when the first Taco Bell opened in my hometown. All I know is that when I was in high school; we could dig change out from under the sofa cushions, fill up on tacos and still have money left over for a tank of gas. Yeah, those were the days.

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Crispy Orange-Beef Stir-Fry

My guys love Asian-Oriental foods. I remember many moons ago, when Kiddo was graduating from Elementary School, we decided to go out to lunch to celebrate. Pick a place – any place I told him. I had even suggested some of the popular pizza joints that his friends were talking about. Kiddo picked our favorite Chinese Restaurant.

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