Plans for the Smoker

We have company arriving tomorrow for the holiday weekend. I am planning to give our electric smoker a work out. I hit the grocery today and picked up baby back ribs, a couple of whole chickens and some sausage. The plans are for a couple of cold salads and some homemade barbecue beans to go along with it all. There's already a big watermelon in the spare refrigerator. I think I'll make my husband put on a tuxedo shirt and serve me cocktails while I supervise the cooking. There's got to be some perks for me in this somewhere!

Please Remind Me

Would someone please remind me why I live in Florida? I thought I was here because I like the weather and detest all things cold. But it seems like I live here for the purpose of running a bed and breakfast. I'm considering putting in a revolving door to replace the front one. People come in and out so much it might make things easier....OK, whine over.

Coffee Love

I love coffee, I have for years. At least out of all of the things I could be addicted to it is pretty harmless. Every time I bring home a new kind of coffee maker my husband gives me a look, but that's another story. I tell him I could be addicted to buying jewelry so he should count himself lucky. I don't really have than many coffee makers. I have a Gaggia espresso machine, a Senseo, a couple of French presses and a stove top espresso pot. I think there's room for more, don't you?

Ugh, Hurricanes

Hurricanes are a fact of life living in Florida. I don't sweat them too much. We make sure the home insurance is paid and the shutters are in good shape and try to forget about it. But I hear that there is already one brewing off the coast of Mexico. Things don't usually start hopping until later in the summer, this is pretty early for a hurricane. I have my fingers crossed that this is not a sign of a bad season to come.

A Tradition Revived

My husband's daughter was here this weekend and we revived an old tradition. When she and her siblings were small he would make crepes for them for breakfast on special occasions. He had mentioned it to me before so to surprise him I gathered all the supplies including an electric crepe pan. He was so excited when I showed him. He made a big batch Sunday morning and his daughter loved it. I think there will be a lot of crepes made around here from now on.

I Get So Confused

I get very confused when it comes to computer hardware. At least I think it is computer hardware that I am talking about. I even get confused between hardware and software. Bad, huh? My desktop is ill and I took it to my local geek. He started trying to tell me something about the ddr2 and how I needed to do something. All I know is that my eyes started glazing over and I gave him my usual "just fix it" line. I don't know why he even tries to explain these things to me anymore.

Pork Chops with Balsamic Vinegar Recipe

I spent the morning helping my mother sort through her options for Medicare supplement insurance. There are so many insurance companies, it can be confusing trying to find the policy that is right for her. I hope we made the right decision.

My husband asked for pork chops tonight so I pulled out an old favorite recipe. The balsamic vinegar adds a great flavor boost.

Pork Chops with Balsamic Vinegar

2 T. olive oil
4 pork chops
2 T. tomato paste
1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup water
Parmesan cheese for topping

Heat oil in large skillet and brown pork chops. Remove. Add the onion and garlic and saute until just tender. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, seasoning, salt and pepper and water. Stir to mix and add pork chops back in. Cover and turn down to simmer. Cook until the pork chops are tender, adding more water if necessary. This will take approximately 30 to 60 minutes depending on thickness of the chops. Remove the chops, and stir the balsamic vinegar into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chops and top with Parmesan cheese.

Don't Forget the Balsamic Vinegar

I know foods go in and out of style. Balsamic vinegar was hot in the 90's but you don't hear much about it now. That's a shame. It is a delicious addition to many dishes. Just be sure you are buying an authentic one from Italy and not a poor imitation made elsewhere.

There's nothing better for an appetizer than a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad topped with torn basil and drizzled with a good balsamic vinegar. Or try crusty French bread dipped in a little olive oil, sea salt and balsamic vinegar.

It makes a great marinade for any meat. It adds zest to vegetable. Stir it into a pasta dish at the last minute. There's not much you can't put it on. Try it with some fresh strawberries and confectioners sugar for dessert. You'll be surprised at how good balsamic vinegar is.

Grouper with Jalapeno Tequila Sauce - Recipe

Grouper is my favorite fish and grouper with jalapeno tequila sauce is one of my favorite ways to cook it. Fishing season is getting into full swing here in Florida and my husband likes to fish. There is nothing better than freshly caught fish from the gulf. He is going tomorrow so let's hope he brings some home! I'll be spending the day shopping for Grohe faucets for our potential kitchen redo.

Grouper with Jalapeno Tequila Sauce - Recipe

2 generous grouper fillets
garlic salt
onion salt
pepper
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds discarded
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
2 T. tequila
1/2 c. cream
1 T. salsa

Preheat oven to 400. Season fillets with the garlic and onion salts and pepper. Preheat heavy oven proof skillet, add 1 T. of the oil. Place fillets in skillet. Lightly brown one side then turn. Put skillet into oven and bake about 15 minutes, until it flakes.

While fish is cooking assemble the sauce. Place the other 1 T. oil in small pan or skillet and add the garlic and jalapeno. Saute until tender and add the tequila. Add the cream and cook until it is reduced by half. Stir in the salsa at the last minute. Plate the grouper and top with the sauce.

The Secret to My Meatloaf

I never liked meatloaf when I was a child. It always seemed rather boring to me. Once I started cooking I decided to spice it up and make it interesting. After several tries I decided to try using my grandmother's spicy chili sauce recipe as the topping and I loved it. Give this meatloaf recipe a try and see what you think. Leftover chili sauce is great on hamburgers!

Grandmother's Spicy Chili Sauce

2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients in sauce pan. Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook uncovered until reduced by half. Set aside to cool. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Spicy Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
2 slices of bread torn into crumbs
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1/2 cup chili sauce plus more for topping

Preheat oven to 400. Mix all ingredients together. Form into loaf in baking pan. Top generously with chili sauce. Bake, uncovered, until done, 45 minutes to 1 hr.

If you don't like heat, you can cut down on the cayenne pepper or leave it out of the meatloaf itself. There is enough in the sauce for a little kick. My husband says this meatloaf is so good he needs an appetite suppressant to keep from eating the whole thing. :)

Loving Induction Cooking

I promised to tell you how it is going with my induction cooking trial. I can honestly say I am loving it. Things heat up quickly. Even my husband commented that the tea kettle comes to a boil quicker.

It is an absolute breeze to keep clean, a quick wipe and it's done. Nothing has cooked onto the surface. This was my number one reason for wanting to try induction, I hate cleaning cook tops.

The only draw back was having to buy some new cook ware, mostly pots, as my old ones did not work. I knew this going in. However, I was surprised by a few of the things that did work. An inexpensive wok I had works, as well as a cheap skillet that was in the back of the cabinet.

I would not hesitate to install an induction cook top in my kitchen. If you didn't read the previous post, I purchased the Viking portable cook top to see if I liked it before installing a complete top. Now that I have cooked on it for a couple of week, it is a winner in my book!

Simple Spinach Salad Recipe

My husband loves salads and this spinach salad recipe is a favorite. It is very simple to make so that's another plus. We're having it tonight with some simple grilled chicken. Dinner needs to be quick, we're going out to try and find some glass tile for the kitchen remodel we are planning.

Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges

1 bag of fresh baby spinach leaves
1 (11 oz) can of mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup diced tomatoes or grape tomatoes
approximately 1/4 cup of raspberry vinaigrette (there's lots of good bottled ones)

Place all ingredients into chilled salad bowl and toss well. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Braised Steak with Chipolte Sauce Recipe

There will be a lot of grilling happening this weekend so here's an easy recipe to cook inside for something different. I plan on letting it simmer this afternoon while I read nuphedra reviews.

We like things spicy around here so I prepare a lot of Mexican inspired dishes. I came up with this recipe a few years ago. It is great served over rice with a side of guacamole and fresh tortillas from the Mexican market.

Braised Steak with Chipolte Sauce

1 to 2 pounds round steak, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 15oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 small can tomato sauce
3 canned chipolte chilies, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic
salt and pepper
dash ground cumin
2 T. olive oil

Place oil in preheated skillet. Brown meat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer until meat is tender stirring occasionally, approximately 1 1/2 hrs. You may add a little water if necessary.

Induction Cooking

I have been dying to try induction cooking. If you are not familiar with it, the heat is generated by magnetics. The surface of the appliance does not heat up and you have to use pans that will hold a magnet. It heats up faster than traditional methods. What I like is that you don't have the cooked on foods you get on gas or traditional electric tops.

Now that you know what it is, I bought one! Not a whole cook top, but the Viking portable unit. So far I love it. It is amazing how quickly a pot of water comes to a boil. After almost a week of cooking it is still shiny clean with only a quick wipe. Nothing cooked on to scrub. I will keep you informed as I cook more with it.

Green Chili Stew, a Mexican Recipe

This recipe for green chili stew is simple to make. But if you have been reading this blog for a while you know I like simple. :) I tend to cook it on the stove, but it would be perfect for the crock pot or slow cooker. Once you brown the meat put everything in the slow cooker and cook all day on low.

Green Chili Stew Recipe

2 lbs. lean pork, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
flour for dredging
2 T. oil
3 cans chopped green chilies
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can hominy, drained OR 2 or 3 cubed red potatoes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
water to cover
salt and pepper

Dredge pork in flour, shaking off excess. Heat a dutch oven, add the oil and brown the pork. Add the rest of the ingredients except water. Add just enough water to cover everything. Bring to boil, cover and turn down to a simmer. Cook until the pork is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed. Cook approx 1 and 1/2 to 2 hrs. Garnish with cheese. Also good served over rice.

I'm off to Westgate for a little shopping. I've got to get going so I don't miss happy hour with my hubby later!