Southwest Crusted Flank Steak Salad

Flank steak is a great choice for summer grilling! The rub really gives the steak an authentic southwestern flare that’s easy to prepare. Flank steak is lean so be sure not to overcook the steak and remember to slice it thinly against the grain. I like to pile it high on a crisp salad. Go wild in the produce department and enjoy building a salad with fresh ingredients from summer’s bounty!

Get started with about a nice 1 pound flank steak. Unwrap and set steak on a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap the entire steak.

In a small bowl combine the following ingredients and mix well with your fingers.

Southwest Rub

1tablespoon of Chili Powder

1 teaspoon of each

Sea salt

Paprika

Thyme Dried

Ground Cinnamon

Garlic Powder

Brown Sugar

½ teaspoon of each

Ground cayenne pepper

Ground Coriander

Ground Ginger

Ground White Pepper

One Teaspoon of Brown Sugar

Once you have you rub ready. Stray both sides of steak with 100% olive oil cooking spray just to coat and season steak generously on both sides. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for up to 6 or more hours.

Grill steak over medium high heat (gas) for 10 minutes on each side.

Once steak is done allow it rest for 10- 15 minutes before slicing. Slice steak thinly and pile high on a bed of fresh assorted lettuce. Garnish with crumbled Blue Cheese and an awesome dressing! Enjoy summer and feed yourself well!

Dynamite Chipotle Chicken Wings

Grilling season is up and running! After a few request I have written some recipes that are healthier and super easy to do! A reoccurring theme when lowering salt, fat, and sugar, is offering big bold flavor that satisfy craving pallets that demand an enjoyable and rewarding dining experience.
This is a recipe for the troops! I started with 36 large meaty chicken wings. Rinse wings and pat dry. Place wings in your largest mixing bowl. I used 2 types of salt free seasoning for combined flavor. 3-4 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle and 2 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash Table Blend sprinkled generously over chicken. Then squeeze the juice of 2 lemons over wings, and add ¼ cup of olive oil. Toss thoroughly to coat and store in large zip storage bags. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours. Overnight works great!
Grill wings over charcoal or gas until tips are charred and meat is cook! Serve as a finger food with veggies and grilled fruit!

Sweet Banana Walnut Bread

This is a really tasty snack bread that pairs really good with a good cup of coffee. Really ripe bananas keep moisture locked in. Most recipes call for 3 bananas, but this recipes uses 4 well ripened bananas.
You will need:
4 Ripe Bananas
2 large brown eggs
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 stick of unsalted softened butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp. of baking soda
2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. of sea salt
1 cup of walnut pieces

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat to 375 degrees.
2. Cream together egg, sugar, butter and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Mash bananas and fold into butter mixture.
4. Stir in dry ingredients just until moist. Fold in nuts.
5. Spray desired baking dish with non-stick baking spray.

I baked this bread in a fluted flat bottom cake pan for 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick to ensure doneness. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn onto serving plate.
Happy Easter! Feed yourself well!

Apple Chipotle BBQ Sauce HOMEMADE!

Now that we have entered grilling season, its time to fire up your outdoor kitchens! This recipe is easy and delicious! Good food takes time, so be sure to start this one when you've got the time to reduce and concentrate robust natural flavors. This past Friday we tasted this sauce with ribs, chicken and salmon to rave reviews. Here's the recipe.

you will need:
48 oz of Tomato Puree
2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
6 cups of GOOD natural or organic apple juice
3 canned Chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce (finely minced)
1/4 cup of minced shallot
6 slices of diced bacon
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
2 tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tbs. of Montreal steak seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

In a 4 quart sauce pot brown bacon until crispy. Add shallots and continue to cook until vegetables are tender. Add tomato puree and apple sauce. Cook over medium heat. Add 4 cup of apple juice and chipotle peppers. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 4 hour very slowly, then add 2 more cups of apple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, and seasoning. Continue to simmer for at least 6 more hours. The longer this sauce simmers the richer the taste. By the time the sauce is ready it should have reduced by half. To quote a taster, " this sauce is good enough to eat on bread alone". Enjoy the sauce and feed yourself well!

New WINE Find!

Yesterday afternoon I enjoyed a fantastic glass of wine. I really prefer dry whites, but I was pleasantly surprised by Seven Daughters White Wine. This is a true definition of a blend. My first nose full brought to mine early strawberries where the stem end is still very green, and then notes of melon which where pointed out by the wine selector came into play like the first bite of Honeydew. After a solid taste, bright citrusy grapefruit burst on the scene. This was a taste of spring.

I would pair this wine with spicy Chipotle Honey Glazed Grilled Shrimp Garnished with lots of Lime Zest!!

Over the next seven days I will be traveling the Western Caribbean and reporting back of tropical food trends! Remember to feed yourself well!

Check out 7 daughters! http://www.7daughters.com/

Seafood Fridays

BASA WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAF
Makes 8 servings
You will need;
3 to 4 fresh or frozen banana leaves thawed and cut into 5- to 6-inch squares
8 (6 ounces each) Basa fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Red Pepper Sauce
¼ cup of Olive oil
1 (8-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the red pepper sauce, place the peppers, garlic, and oregano in a blender.
Puree while adding the olive oil in a steady stream. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or a bowl and set aside.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Blanch the banana leaves by plunging them into the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and immediately submerge in ice water for 1 minute. Drain. Lay with the smooth side of the leaves up on a baking sheet lightly grease with olive oil.
2. Place each fillet skin side up on a banana leaf and season with salt and pepper. Fold each corner of the leaf over as if you were wrapping a gift. Flip the package over gently so that the seam side is down.
3. Place the fish in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut a slit across the top of the banana leaf, and drizzle or spoon the red pepper sauce over the fish. Serve hot.

Experiencing Roasted Lamb

Lamb is definitely an acquired taste. I have enjoyed it since childhood. It seemed that only my father and I would partake in such delicacies that were off the menu beaten path. Traditionally lamb is paired With lots of garlic and garnished with Mint Jelly. That's really not my first choice. Although I complete agree that garlic is a must, I like a diverse medley of herbs, spices and aromatics. If you are a lamb novice I suggest a boneless cut. The bone intensifies lamb's robust earthiness which can overwhelm beginner taste buds. Pros go with the bone in version of the same roast.

Start with a 2-2 1/2 pound boneless domestic leg of lamb. With new processing methods it is common to find the cut in CryoVac packaging to insure freshness. Drain package and pat roast dry with paper towels and set aside.

I like to use an oil based rub combining extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, fresh cracked pepper, sea salt, and lots of lemon zest. To 1/2 cup of oil, 2 tablespoons of garlic, thyme, and zest, marry nicely to 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper each.

Place roast in a large zip storage bag and spoon in marinade. Remove air and zip closed. Shake, rock, toss, and rub until the mixture completely coats the entire roast. Now it's time to refrigerate and let the marinade do it's work. I think it taste best anywhere between 6 and 12 hours.

Now since you have the bone removed, you can stuff it with a variety of goodies from asparagus and carrot sticks to rice dressing it's up to you. Tonight I am going to roll it closed and truss it with kitchen twine.
I like to roast meats on a rack in a 9x13 baking dish. I start with a hot oven around 425 degrees.
It is a good idea to tent the roast with a piece of aluminum foil to avoid over browning. after 30 minutes of cooking reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue cooking for 30 more minute. I like to to remove foil and continue cooking until meat has started to brown. Check for doneness with an instant read thermometer and remove lamb from the oven at 145 degree. As we discussed in previous blog allow the roast to rest for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before carving. Your lamb should be medium and rosy blush in the center. This dish is savory and succulent...delicious.

Eggplant Parmesan

This morning I received some suggestions on doing some vegetarian recipes. I totally enjoy just about every vegetable that is out there. I am a huge fan of fresh farmer's market locally grown produce. One of my nephews loves my eggplant Parmesan. The only secret to this dish is that everything is fresh. Thyme, Oregano and Basil flavor homemade Tomato Concasse, (Peeled, diced, and seeded Roma tomatoes slow simmered to a sauce and seasoned with sea salt) that is spooned over Eggplant rounds that have been breaded in fresh whole wheat bread crumbs and layered with a ricotta cheese mixture of egg and grated Parmesan cheese. Shredded Parmesan tops each sauced tower and and is baked until golden brown and bubbly. This is served best with a salad of seasonal crisp veggies, like cucumbers, red onions, and and radishes. A sweet mustard vinaigrette finishes things off nicely. I rarely measure anything in this dish. I like to do it to taste. I will post the steps and photo later tonight. This is going to be dinner!

Here's the recipe:

2 large or 3 small to medium eggplant
3-4 cups of fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (seasoned to taste with salt and pepper)
16 oz of ricotta cheese
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs for cheese mixture and 2 for egg wash
8-10 Roma or plum tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1/4 cup of minced basil
2 tbs. of fresh thyme leaves
1 tbs. of minced oregano
Olive oil for sauteing
2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Simmer tomatoes in a sauce pot over medium low heat with herbs. Salt to taste.
2. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Lay on a sheet pan and sprinkle lightly with salt.
whisk 2 eggs with 1/2 cup of water in a bowl and set aside.
3. Warm a large skillet over medium heat with a couple of spoons of olive oil.
4. Dip eggplant slice, one at a time in egg wash and coat with bread crumbs. Pan fry slices on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
5. In a bowl combine ricotta and Parmesan with 2 remaining eggs.
6. In a baking dish lightly coat the bottom with sauce. Place a single layer of cooked eggplant rounds along the bottom.
7. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture over rounds and top with and additional slice of eggplant. Once pan is full, spoon sauce to cover and bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Garnish with a sprinkling of dried Italian herbs. Serve immediately. Feed yourself well!

Turkey Burger taste test results

WOW!! The taste test went fantastic. Two burgers reign supreme in over all taste, texture and moistness. All I can say is that Oprah has a strong pallet for robust, rich and savory flavor. The Mar-A-Lago Turkey Burger delivers big spice from the Chipotle Hot Sauce and is uniquely married to a medley of fruits and vegetables to create a one of a kind presentation to your taste buds! Kudos all around! Next, the Spicy Turkey Burger from Epicurious is equally as dynamic. Remarkably a pinnacle of flavor is reached much like the Mar-A-Lago burger primarily from the Chipotle Hot Sauce. Unlike Oprah's favorite, this burger requires far less ingredients and is supported by the addition of cumin and shallots. BRAVO. This was the over all BEST EVER TURKEY BURGER. Honorable mention goes to Kraft for their addition of fresh basil and BBQ sauce. Who knew they were friends. And Sadly we come to last place held by Rachel Ray's Salsa Verde Turkey Burger. This burger was just plain tired. It lacked flavor and interest. I heard a simple quote today that perfectly describes this recipe. "Preparing a meal in 20 minutes isn't cooking, its rushing." Slow down Rachel! We need to feel good about what we serve.

The best thing about food is there are no rules! Whether it's raisins or radishes you never know what your going to get until you mix them up! Have fun, and feed yourself well.

Turkey Burger Recipe Line Up

OK Epicureans here are the recipes that I will be testing In our quest for a fantastic Turkey Burger. The links will take you right to recipe. This is a great way to clean out the pantry and the fridge of any remnant ingredients from past dishes.

Epicurious has a Spicy Turkey Burger for fans of "kicked up cuisine".
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Turkey-Burgers-109795

OOOOPPPRRAAHHH TURkey BUUURRRGGEERRRR! ROFL. Let's see if Chutney is really the secret.
http://www.oprah.com/recipe/food/recipessandwiches/20080516_tows_turkeyburger

And Kraft always delivery with quick and easy.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/sarah-steves-turkey-burgers-94326.aspx

And finally Rachel Ray's Salsa Verde Turkey Burger. No EVOO or garbage bowl needed to see if this burger ranks YUMMO!
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/hamburger-recipes/salsa-verde-turkey-burger/article.html

OK this is the line up. I have some friends coming by this week and we are ready to taste and report back to the "board of directors" on the best turkey burger out there!

Have fun and report back on your favorite Turkey Burger! Feed yourself well!

OPERATION: Turkey Burger

I am the first to admit how much I enjoy a big beefy flame kissed hamburger. I am a loyalist to fresh off the grill as well. Recently, I have been really enjoying Turkey Burgers. So I am going to trial and error some recipes from my own to Oprah's Favorite. This should take a few days. I will be collecting product and recipes. If any of you out there have an awesome Turkey Burger recipe, email it to me at tchef41@gmail.com.

Some of the key attributes that I will be looking for are, juiciness, texture, and "turkey" taste. We can also take a look at compliments and condiments. which cheese fits which burger and does turkey bacon stand up and deliver. Tomorrow morning I will post the recipes that go under the microscope. If you have tried any of the past recipes, or you would like to see something particular I am always open to questions, comments, and great thoughts about food. Shoot me an email! Happy eats, and feed yourself well!

Day 5 - Shutterbugs Click away!

Now that we have all 5 recipes posted go back over the last four blogs. Some recipes may not require a trip to the market, while others may need to be printed and tapped to the dash board as to not forget any special ingredients. The most important ingredient is to have fun! Get together with friends and family and have fun in the kitchen, it is the heart of the home. Get creative wtih your pictures, There are no rules! Share with everyone! The email address for all contest pictures is tchef41@gmail.com . It would be great to get all pictures in by January 31St.
I am excited to see everyone's creations! Here the last recipe for 5 recipes in 5 days! Feed yourself well!

Chili Garlic Fish Sandwiches
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Makes 4 Sandwiches

You will need:
4 Tilapia fillets
½ cup of Seasoned Flour
2 -3 tbs. of canola oil
4 French rolls, split
Shredded lettuce
Thin slices of tomatoes

Spread:
1 cup of Mayonnaise (Lite and reduce Fat Mayo works great here.)
2 tbs. of chili garlic sauce
1 tbs. of fresh lime sauce

1. Combine Mayo, chili garlic sauce, and lime juice and set aside.
2. Dust fillets with flour and pan sauté in oil until golden brown and drain.
3. Spread Chili garlic mayo on rolls and add shredded lettuce, tomato and fish filets.
Serve with oven baked fries.

Day 4 - The home stretch, let's steak it up!

I am really excited to see some of the creative pictures everyone is taking to show of thier culinary skills. On the menu today is Flank Steak. This steak can easily be ruined by over cooking. Set yourself up for success by preparing a nice salad, and roasted potatoes in advance. That way you can focus on your steak. Be sure that you slice steak against the grain, like you are carving a brisket. Otherwise you may never chew through it! This is a lean cut, so it is low in fat and high in protein. Have fun in the kitchen, and feed yourself well!

Pan-Seared Flank Steak

2 tsp. SALT
1 Tbsp. COARSE GROUND PEPPER
1 Tbsp. GRANULATED GARLIC
2 Tbsp. OLIVE OIL
1 to 1 1/2 pounds NATURAL FLANK STEAK
(8 oz.) sliced CRIMINI MUSHROOMS
2 cups PEARL ONIONS, thawed
1/2 cup RED WINE
1/2 cup BEEF BROTH
1 Tbsp. WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
1/2 tsp. of BROWN SUGAR

1. Combine seasoning and olive oil in a bowl. Generously season both sides of steak with mixture and set aside.
2. Pan sear steak on both sides in a non stick skillet over medium high heat for 10 - 12 minutes on each side. Remove steak from pan and set aside. Cover loosely with foil.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms and onions to pan and sauté until onions and mushrooms start to brown.
4. Add wine, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Simmer to reduce.
5. While sauce is simmering. Slice flank steak thinly against the grain of the meat.
6. Place steak on serving platter and pour sauce over steak.

Day 3 - Best Recipe Photo Contest! Who's cooking?

Yesterday was all about the sweet tooth, today is all about your inner Chef! This recipe is an exercise in developing complex flavor. The contest started Monday the 19Th, so check out those recipes today! A tip for today is that when you are cooking fish, do it in a hot oven. 425-450 degrees works best. Cook fish for 5 minutes per each inch of thickness. Bake fish uncovered until it flakes apart with a fork. Enjoy, and feed yourself well!

Baked Salmon with Cabernet Butter

Ingredients

1 cup full-bodied dry red wine such as Côtes du Rhône
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (3 to 4)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds of salmon filet with skin removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup of minced parsley for garnish

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
Combine wine, shallots, juice, vinegar, tomato paste, and bay leaf in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan and boil over moderately high heat until mixture is thick and jam-like and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a small bowl set in a bowl of ice and cold water and stir until cold to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove from ice water and stir in zest, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper with a rubber spatula until incorporated.

Pat fish dry, then brush both sides with oil (2 tablespoons total) and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bake fish in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees. Remove fish from oven and place on serving platter. Dollop wine butter oven hot fish and sprinkle with lots of minced parsley.

Serve with Saffron Rice and Steamed Vegetable Medley.

Day 2 - Best Recipe Photo Contest! Inauguration Celebration!

Be sure to check out the contest posted on Monday, January 19, This is recipe 2! Enjoy this historic Tuesday...feed yourself well!

OBAMA Chocolate Dream Cake

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 25- 30 minutes
Pre-heat oven to 350ºF


1 box (18.25 oz.) Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 box (3.9 oz.) Jell-O Brand Instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding
1 can (12 oz.) Cream Soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 brown eggs

Filling
1 container (24.3 oz.) Philadelphia Ready-To-Eat Chocolate Dream Cheesecake Filling

Topping
1 container (12 oz.) Cool Whip Extra Creamy
Whipped Topping

Spray three 8-9 inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl combine cake mix, instant pudding, soft drink, oil and brown eggs. Mix for 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Divide and pour equal amounts of batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Insert toothpick into center to test for doneness.

Allow cakes to cool. Once cooled spread ½ of cheesecake filling over 1 layer. Top with another layer and repeat step.

After adding final layer frost with thawed Cool Whip Topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Day 1 - Ready. Set. COOK!

Today I wanted to do something different. I have written so many recipes that I am going to post 5 recipes in 5 days. Just the recipe, no story or life lessons, just some of my very favorite dishes. I would like to challenge you to prepare any one of the recipes, take a picture of it and email it to me. The best picture will be posted on the recipe. This should be a lot of fun. Please share this with your friends and family. Let's get things started. Here is the first dish. How about I sweeten the pot with a cool Prize to the best overall Picture!!!

Chicken with Creole Mustard Crust

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Pre heat oven to 450 degrees

You will need:
4 Boneless, skinless, Chicken Breast (Seasoned with Salt and Pepper)
½ cup of Creole Mustard
¼ cup of mayonnaise
2-3 green onions, sliced
1 shallot minced
1 cup of fresh wheat bread crumbs (about 3 slices)
3 tbs. of olive oil

In a skillet on medium high heat, brown chicken in olive oil. Once chicken is browned place on baking sheet. In pan dripping s, add shallots and bread crumbs, toast for one minute then remove from heat.

Spoon mustard over chicken and top with bread crumbs. Bake chicken for 15 minutes until done.

Good luck! And feed yourself well.

Email pictures to tchef41@gmail.com

Crab and Cornbread Stuffed Peppers

I had some really good TexMex cuisine last night at a local restaurant called "Chuy's". They really did a great job at getting the spanish rice right. One of the highlights of the restaurant is that they have a great selection of sauces that you can pick from to kick up your burrito! My taste buds are still reeling for some flavors from south of the border, so I started to dig around my hard drive for a dish that is easy and tasty. Crab and Cronbread Stuffed Peppers popped up! I created this recipe last summer and paired it with grilled chicken fajita salad. Now to switch things up I think this recipe would go nicely with Green Chile Stew or Carne Quisada. They also can be done using Jalapeno peppers halves for entertaining. Here is a list of items you need and instructions to crank these peppers out.
5 poblano peppers
10 oz of lump crab meat
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cup of milk
2 6 oz packets of Mexican Style Corn Bread Mix
½ cup of shredded Mexican blend cheese
Aluminum Foil
In a bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Add Corn bread mix and mix enough just to moisten. Set aside.
Slice peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs.
On a non stick baking sheet, crumple foil to make a cradle for each pepper half. They need to lay flat for baking.
Add 2 tablespoons of crab meat to each pepper shell. Then spoon corn bread batter over crab meat. Sprinkle tops with shredded cheese and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

Alvaro's Awesome Chicken Sticks!

Just a few days ago my friend Alvaro gave me a great recipe for a really simple and tasty chicken dish. In his words"you just need 3 ingredients!" makes this recipe easy and and fun.
Here are the 3 items; boneless skinless chicken breast, basic yellow mustard, and a 12 oz. can of cola. For about 4 large chicken breast you need about 3/4 cup of mustard. I put the breast in a large zip storage bag with mustard and toss it around to really cover the chicken good. Once they are coated nicely, into a 8x8 glass baking dish they go. Pop the top and pour the cola over the chicken and bake at 350 degree for about 30 minutes or until the juices run clear. Rice pairs up great with this dish.
But where are the sticks you ask?
I really enjoy taking a great recipe and making it versatile. So to jazz this one up I cut the chicken into large cubes add the mustard and put the chunks on skewers alternating the chicken with fresh pineapple wedges. These cook up great in a stove top grill skillet. While the chicken cooks I reduce the cola down to a syrup in a small pot. When the chicken is just about ready to come off the grill, brush the meat and fruit with cola syrup. Sprinkle the skewers with sliced green onions and serve on a bed of coconut rice. Perfect party food!

April's Favorite Chili Dogs

My close friend April loves it when I make Chili Dogs. Today has a nip in the air that makes good weather for something easy and fun. I used to make them with very basic store bought ingredients with out much thought as to whether or not they could possibly be at least a little healthier. Now I prepare them with as many health conscious items as possible. A while ago I started buying All Natural Beef Hot Dogs. These roast really nicely in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. I like roasting vs. nuking or boiling hot dogs. 100% whole grain Hot Dog Rolls are available as well. Toasting them adds another layer of flavor. As for the Chili, I like to use Natural or Organic ground beef, about 2 pounds make a great pot of chili. I like to mix a 1 pound of lean ground to 1 pound of 80/20 for flavor. If "Chili Grind", a coarser, larger grind, is available like one of the pounds to be this grind. It really adds great texture. Fresh organic diced red onions are sauteed and added to the ground beef, add Natural Sea Salt and fresh Cracked Pepper as well to taste. Organic Tomato paste, about 1/2 cup is added and browned with onions and beef. I then add a couple cans of diced organic tomatoes with the juice.
Next is to season with chili powder. I add it in 2 tablespoon increments until it taste like I like it. Allow the pot to simmer. I like to go authentic by adding about 2-4 tablespoons of Masa Harina to the mix. Reducing the heat to a simmer give the dish a chance for all the flavors to develop. Just before serving stir in about 1/4 cup of honey or 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Now I build my Chili Dog with first my toasted roll, then a roasted hot dog. Next I spoon about 1/2 cup of hot chili over everything and top with freshly grated, cheddar cheese. Oven baked sweet potato fries and a small salad round out the meal. These dogs need a knife and fork!

Fried Fish Friday

Yesterday I spent the day thinking about frying fish. Well, the day got away from me and we decided to go to a local seafood restaurant located in north Houston.
First let me start by saying that it definitely different. Captain Tom's Seafood and Oyster Bar Appears to be the front end of a tugboat that is marooned on an asphalt Island.
As you enter the restaurant the seating is open. No waitstaff. No host Stand. The seat are lined around the Bow of the vessel and the center area or "Bar" is where all the action takes place. Beer, cold drinks and oysters are served by a team of shuckers and runners all working in tandem. Located to the rear of the bar is the galley with a symphony of vats, frying everything from French Fries to Frog Legs!
From any seat in the house you call out your orders to a team member at the bar. In less that 10 minutes your being passed a platter of hot freshly fried bounty of the sea. Just call out your drink as well.
Once you have stuffed yourself with Chili Beer and the Seafood Platter make your way to register and repeat your order! Great food, Great Prices, and lots of fun.

I think frying fish is a really easy meal to make outside of the mess. This is where cleaning as you go really helps out. I like to work the process 1 step at a time. Once I've finished frying I can sit down and enjoy meal without a lot of clean up.
Cornmeal, Seasoned Flour, and Batter dipping really create a spectrum of Flavor.
Each Friday I will try to bring out a new seafood recipe or treat myself to a seafood dinner out on the town. Stop by and see what cookin' on Fridays.