Some Food Randoms

This cooking web blog thing is new to me. It is starting as a way to share my love of cooking. I have bigger plans for it though...


I currently take pictures with my Crackberry because I always have it with me.

Aside from maybe taking the plate of food outside and sitting it atop my backyard grill for better lighting, I don’t stage my food. When I take a picture, someone is about to chow down on said food...usually it is me!

That may change when I get a Fancy Nancy camera.

All of the pictures are mine unless otherwise noted.

I give credit where credit is due. If I don’t remember where or who I get a recipe from I note it.

I have not had any professional training unless you count the training I had in my family’s kitchens or my own trial and error. Those teachings are priceless!

My sometimes sous cook is my cute 8 year old daughter “Babe”.

Luckily I have a healthy cooking self esteem, because she is very honest when telling me if something tastes good or bad....VERY. “I’m not trying to hurt your feelings but.....”

Cooking gadgets, pans, pots, utensils, glasses, etc....bring me Anita Baker JOY!

Lemons are my favorite fruit to cook with. It is versatile and can brighten savory or sweet dishes!

I am a self proclaimed bacon whore. I don’t care much for pork chops and I don’t like ham...but bacon can have its way with me “anytime, anywhere, anyhow”....in moderation of course.

I’d rather have a small portion of something I really want instead of a larger portion of something slated as “healthy version” (i.e. butter over margarine)

I don’t cook with lard or solid cooking oils or margarine.

I am using up all of my non-organic foods and replacing them with all organic....it is expensive as heck. I have done it in shifts to lessen the financial sticker shock.

If I had enough backyard space, I would grow my own vegetables...even though I have a brown thumb.

I hate when people shorten the word vegetable to “veggies”....*shrug*

I am planning my first at home entertaining event for Spring...go me!

Bourbon Pecan Pie

If I had to pick a favorite holiday pie it would be pecan or maybe a sweet potato. Growing up in Mississippi, I have shelled and eaten my weight in “puck-cuns”. Back in the day days before Thanksgiving we would shell the heck out of some pecans to ensure we got A FEW pies outta Mudear! Before store prepared crusts were all the rage, Mudear would make homemade crusts for all of her pies! Flaky crusts sweet Delta (type of syrup) syrupy custard goodness and FRESH pecans….yes ma’am!


Well I found a recipe that is a kicked up version of my family’s pecan pie…add likka (liquor for you fancy folk). A few tablespoons of bourbon and you will never go back to regular pecan pie again!!

 

A couple of notes:

I use a store bought crust, it just saves a tone of time
I use a cup of whole pecans and ¼ cup pecan pieces
I have used dark and light corn syrup

Happy Cooking!

 

Bourbon Pecan Pie
Adapted from www.cooks.com

What You Will Need:

•  ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp bourbon (I used Southern Comfort)
• 1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell
• 1 ¼ cup pecans

 

What To Do:

• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
• In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, stir butter, sugar and corn syrup. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly.
• Add eggs, vanilla, salt and bourbon to mixture and stir well
• Add pecans and pour filing into unbaked pie shell.
• Bake for 50 minutes . Be careful not to over bake.

Coffee Marinated Skirt

 

"Coffee? On steak? You know you're supposed to DRINK coffee?"

Those were the snarky comments from my sometimes sous cook, Babe.  She is 8 and recently, effectively learned sarcasm....yeah she thinks she is hilarious.  Alas I had the last laugh when she couldn't get enough of this tender tasty goodness.

You know how you read an ingredient list and they seem like they may go together but youre just not sure until you begin putting it all together?  This is that kind of recipe. Coffee and balsamic vinegar?  Nope! But when you add the brown sugar and garlic and salt and pepper, the smell alone will entice you to continue!

 

I have used flank steak and skirt steak with this marinade.  I have marinated for five hours and up to 24 hours. I am going to try it on a slab of ribs next!!! Depending on the size of the steak you should be able to place in a large plastic resealable bag to marinate.

 

Happy Cooking!

 

 

Coffee Marinated Steak

Adapted from http://www.eatingwell.com/

 

What You Will Need:

 

• 3 Tbsp strong brewed coffee
• 1 Tbsp each balsamic vinegar, olive oil and brown sugar
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb flank steak, trimmed of fat

 

What To Do:

•  Whisk all ingredients except steak.
• Place steak in large plastic bag (or large glass dish)
• Pour marinade all over steak. Make sure marinade coats the entire steak
• Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours
• Spray non stick spray on skillet or grill pan
• Heat skillet or grill pan on high
• Remove steak from marinade. Discard marinade.
• Place steak on skillet or grill pan and grill 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare
• Transfer to cutting board and let steak rest for five minutes before cutting.
• Slice thinly across the grain and serve.

Food and Wine

This is my first issue of Food and Wine Mag.  I purchased the subscription from Amazo.n when they were having all of these crazy magazine sales.  So far it is just OK...

Juicy Roast Chicken

Nothing brings the boys to the yard family to the table faster than my roasted chicken. It smells up the house in all kinds of deliciousness. Roasted chicken smells like a big momma hug...eh, that made sense in my head!

 

When I entertain folks at the crib for the first time, roasted chicken is my go to dish. I keep the spices simple, salt pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika olive oil. Yessir! The great thing about roasting an entire bird is that you can switch up the spices, add fresh herbs under the skin, stuff citrus in the cavity...it is versatile! Also if there are any leftovers, chicken sandwiches, soups, or chicken salad. Slow and low that is the tempo when cooking a whole bird in my opinion!  Keep in mind you will have to adjust your cook time to the size bird you buy. These instructions are for a small chicken NOT a roasting hen.

Happy Cooking

 

Juicy Roast Chicken
 
What You Will Need:

• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika to taste
• 3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil (or whatever cooking oil you have on hand)
• 5-7lb Chicken

What To Do:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix spices and olive oil. You should make enough to cover the entire bird really well. Set aside.
• Rinse chicken and pat dry. Don’t forget to remove the innards!
• Gently lift the skin from the breast and rub some of the mixture directly on the breast meat.
• Rub remaining mixture all over the chicken.
• Roast on a sheet pan for 1 to 1.5 hours or until juices run clear
• Be sure to let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after you remove it from the oven so all of the juices can redistribute!

Variations:
Place crushed garlic under the skin
Instead of olive oil use unsalted butter
Place fresh herbs underneath the skin
Place lemons and/or limes and/or oranges in the cavity for a different flavor
Hope you enjoy!