Potluck Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

Potluck Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

This isn't a recipe per se, it's a survival tip!

This is my go to dish for the potluck at work.

Tis the season! It's the season of shopping, family, parties and lots of extra activities. It's also the

season of potlucks! Now if you're running short on time, here's a slam dunk way to participate in a potluck without spending too much time preparing a dish.

  I've got a 6qt oval crockpot, pretty much any one will do. Buy some pre-cooked frozen meatballs - for the latest one I grabbed two 2# bags of frozen meatballs. Each bag had approximately 64 1/2 oz bite size meatballs, flame broiled - I believe that adds some flavor and an 18 oz bottle of BBQ sauce. The beauty of this is that I can grab my crockpot, the bag(s) of frozen meatballs, and BBQ sauce all fit inside the crockpot along with a serving spoon. Don't forget the serving spoon!

 When I get to work, I layer the meatballs and BBQ sauce in the crockpot. I'll put an ounce or so of hot water in the BBQ sauce bottle and rinse it out into the crockpot, giving me some extra moisture for thawing and cooking. I turn the crockpot on low. I stir them every 45 to 60 min - when lunch time rolls around, the meatballs are heated through and are ready to go! And the nice part is that they usually get completely eaten and I don't have to deal with transporting leftovers! 

 

Easy Thai Curry Brussels Sprouts

Easy Thai Curry Brussels Sprouts

Are you looking for a way to create Thai food at home? Impress your friends, family, and visiting dignitaries - not to mention your taste buds, by preparing this simple yet tasty dis at home.

Easy Thai Curry Brussels Sprouts is simple and quick to prepare and the results are very

Easy Thai Curry Brussels Sprouts

impressive. Those that are familiar with Thai food will be impressed with your cooking skills and those that are not familiar with Thai food will find themselves liking it!

1 Can Coconut Milk
1 pound Brussels Sprouts (stem cut, cut in half length-wise, loose and discolored leaves discarded)
8 or so Mushrooms quartered
1/2 medium Onion sliced
Thai Curry Paste (Green, Yellow, or Red)

Into a deep skillet or pot, empty the can of coconut milk. Heat the coconut milk over a medium high heat. Dissolve teaspoons of Thai Curry Paste into the coconut milk until the curry mixture tastes slightly stronger than you typically prefer. I typically start with 2 to 3 teaspoons of Thai Curry Paste. Add the Brussels Sprouts, onion slices and mushrooms to the curry mixture. Bring the mixture to a slow boil, stir until the Brussels Sprouts reach the tenderness you prefer. Serve in a bowl.

For taste Sake
Typically Green Thai Curry is on the sweeter and milder side, Yellow Thai Curry is medium spicy and Red Thai Curry can be spicy hot. BUT since you are preparing this dish, you are in control. Extra Green paste can make the dish spicy, and holding back on the Red Curry Paste can give you milder results.    

BBQ Grilled Sweet Potatoes

BBQ Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Imagine a warm slice of sweet potato with appealing grill marks, a slight crust,

BBQ Grilled Sweet Potatoes

giving way to moist fluffy potato. The sweet taste of sweet potato with a slight tang of mustard on your tongue.

Impress your friends and family with this simple recipe that makes an excellent addition to any BBQ.

Take one or more Sweet Potatoes or Yams, pealed and then sliced 1/4" to 3/8" thick. Place the potato slices in a microwavable bowl, cover them with water then microwave them on high for approximately 10 min. Drain the water off and lay the slices out on a cutting board or any flat surface. I prepare a mixture of 1 part mustard and 1 part Cooking oil. If you don't like mustard you can use straight cooking oil. The mustard does add a bit of tang to the potatoes. Remember that mustard typically has vinegar in it and vinegar and oil don't mix well so you do need to use a wisk or fork and give the mixture a good whippin'! Brush one side of the potato, place it oiled side down on a preheated grill over a medium heat. Then brush the other side of the potato with your oil mixture.

The goal of microwaving the potato slices are to partially cook the potato - not completely cook it through. A thoroughly cooked potato is going to need some extra care on the grill - you'll probably need a spatula to turn them. Partially cooked potatoes should be able to be handled with tongs. The oil mix will keep the potatoes from sticking to the grill. With some practice, you can achieve perfect grill marks. The combination of heat and oil coating will give the potato slices a slight crust and they'll be soft and moist inside.

My local Farmer's Market carries Japanese Sweet Potatoes which can grow relatively large when

Japanese Sweet Potato

compared to most sweet potatoes and yams. Cutting a smaller sweet potato diagonally or length-wise will give you larger slices which are easier to handle. You can also use regular potatoes in this recipe, the waxier type (red, yellow Yukon etc.) work best.

Emulsified Green Chili Salsa

Green Chili Salsa

Salsa Verde - An Emulsified Green Chili Salsa
This recipe came from my attempts to make a Salsa Verde that I found at Dos Coyotes Border Cafe their Green Chili Salsa is one of my favorites. While I still don't think I 'Nailed it' I do believe I've made some batches that were better! This recipe will give you a fresh, light, exotic green salsa with a hint of heat.  As with most of my recipes, I strive to give you the basic building blocks of the recipe, so that you can make it your own my changing it. This recipe will give you a fresh tasting, rather exotic salsa with just a hint of heat.

Green Chili Salsa

Salsa Verde Ingredients:

2 Poblano or Pasilla Peppers - these are large fat mild Chili Peppers
2 Jalapeno Peppers - these are  small smooth skinned hotter Chili Peppers
1/2 Large onion
1/2 cup Canola or other vegetable Oil
1 Bunch Cilantro leaves stripped from the stems

A Chili by any other name? There's lots of confusion concerning the names of Chilis: Poblano, Ancho, Pasilla. Here's a picture of the ones I use http://www.worldcrops.org/images/content/Poblano_peppers_in_S._Deerfield_-_550.JPG

Roast the Peppers and onion, I like to separate the layers of the onion

Green Chili Salsa

Once the pepper's skins have been scorched - place them in a closed plastic container to steam and cool down. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the tops, skin and seeds.

Place the oil in the blender and either add each ingredient separately between bursts of blending, or turn on the blender and add the Onion, Peppers (I cut them into strips), and cilantro.

Serve it with traditional Tortilla Chips, Crackers, as a vegetable dip, and as a topping for your favorite Mexican dish.

For Taste Sake

Green Chili Salsa

It's the emulsification of the oil and the moisture in the peppers and onions that gives the salsa it's unique color

The oil does add to the flavor, so experiment with different oils.

Add Salt and pepper to taste

When adding salt to this recipe, remember to take into account the amount of salt that may already be present on the chips that you're serving it with - be sure to taste it with a chip and not just with your finger

Roasting the onion releases the gas that gives onions their 'bite', so if you like the bite of raw onion, don't roast the onion.

Roasted tomatillos add great flavor - cut them in half or quarters and roast them with the Chili Peppers and onion - you'll have to add extra jalapenos to keep the tomatillos from diluting the heat.

You can also throw a raw garlic clove or two in the blender with the other ingredients to step up the flavor.

Serve it with traditional Tortilla Chips, Crackers, as a vegetable dip, and as a topping for your favorite Mexican dish.

If you have a really good blender, you don't have to strip the cilantro leaves from the stems - the blender will pulverize the stems.

The Chili Peppers can be roasted on a BBQ grill, on a gas stove burner, gas or electric oven broiler, turn them often until the skin has been scorched and blistered

How to Make Kiwi Jam

Kiwi Jam

Kiwi Jam

Kiwi Jam is one of my favorite jams. This sweet chunky spread is wonderful on toast, waffles, and pancakes. I've had people make thumb print cookies with it, pour it over ice cream (hot or cold) and even top a pork roast with it.

 Kiwis typically ripen in the fall. I'm fortunate to live in an area where Kiwis are grown so I can buy 'seconds' at a Farmer's market to make my Jam. 'Seconds' are the imperfect ones that don't make it to the store - typically they're doubles or triples - the ugly ones - looks don't matter, because we're going to make Kiwi Jam.

I also make Pomegranate Jelly. Both Pomegranates and Kiwi ripen in the Fall, the Green Kiwi Jam and Red Pomegranate Jelly make a wonderful Christmas pair to give as gifts.

Ingredients:

3 Cups peeled & cut up Kiwi
5 cups sugar
3 drops green food coloring
1 pat of butter (eyeball it)
1 pkg dry pectin

Makes a little over 5 - 8oz Jars

Directions;

Add Kiwi, Pectin & butter to pan on med/high heat - stir often and bring to a good boil,
add 3 drops food coloring to sugar - add sugar, stirring into boiling kiwi mixture - stir & bring to boil for 2 minutes. Once it's brought to a boil take pan off heat and let cool for 3-5 minutes. Allowing the jam to cool will thicken the jam, which keeps the chunks of fruit from floating to the top of the jar. Ladle the hot jam into the jars to within 1/4" of the lip - this is known as head space.

Canning Instructions:

There are a few tools you may want to buy, some places sell them as a kit
Wide mouth funnel
Lid lifter (stick with magnet on end) lift hot lids out of water
Jar lifter (lower & lift jars in & out of hot water) the straight plastic parts are the handles - the curved pieces fit around the jar
there's a clear stick that may come in the kit for knocking bubbles out of pickle jars - you don't need it for Jelly/Jam)
Timer - or a watch

I start with 3 pans:
1 REALLY big deep one with enough water to cover the jars with at least 1" of water (be mindful not to put so much water that it would overflow if you add 6 full jars to it, bring to a boil then turn the heat down to just under a boil.
1 large shallow frying pan with about 1" of water - put 6 empty jars and the flat lids in it and put on med/low heat don't boil - the sealing compound on the lid could get damaged if you boil it.
1 3 or 4 quat or so pot for making the jelly.

Follow the directions above to make the Kiwi Jam.Once you've allowed the completed Jam to cool for 5 minutes and thicken, ladle the hot jam into the jars within 1/4" of the lip try to ladle an even amount of juice and fruit into each jar. Use a napkin with the corner wet from your boiling water to wipe the mouth rim of the jar (to remove any jelly that might keep it from sealing properly). Using your lid lifter, retrieve a flat lid from the heated water and place the lid on the jar, then screw on the ring band - only lightly  finger tight. Set the jar aside and fill another until you've put all the Jam into your jars. Any leftover jam can be put in the refrigerator and eaten soon, or if you're going to make another batch of Kiwi Jam immediately, put the jam in a clean canning jar and place that jar in your warming pan, ready to be filled with the hot jam from your next batch.

Place all jars in the big pot of water, it's best if you have some sort of rack for the jars to sit on, I've heard that some folks place a towel in the bottom, the jars are tempered which makes them strong but brittle, so there is the posability that they could crack if they bounce on the bottom of the pot - you could risk it if you cn't find a suitable rack - I use a round cookie cooling rack. Jars stay in the water bath for 10 minutes. With Lids on finger tight the hot water forces air out and creates a vacuum when it cools.

Place hot jars on a towel, or a wooden or plastic cutting board - NOT cold Tile, Granite or Marble counters! (again to prevent risk of jars cracking when hot meets cold). As they cool - you may hear 'pop' - that's the jars sealing. The next day check to see that jars sealed properly -the flat lid should be concave (sucked down). Pushing on the lid should make no movement - if lid pops up & down with finger pushing - you can just refrigerate and eat soon or remove lid, clean lid and jar rim, replace lid & band ring and try putting in waterbath for 10 minutes.

Store the filled jars in a cool dark place. They will typically keep for up to two years.

Mexican Pork Riblets

Mexican Pork Riblets

This is my all time favorite Pork dish. Tender fall of the bone pork, slow cooked in a flavorful Mexican sauce. This dish can be made with any cut of pork. I think it's best with riblets.
This can be served as a main dish or as an appetizer. If you choose to make it with boneless Pork, then this makes a wonderful taco or burrito filling.
There's a great deal of talk about peasant food - cheap, common food often raised to gourmet level. 'Riblets' are pork rib timings. When a rack of pork ribs are trimmed, especially when trimmed for Santa Fe style there's not much else that can be done with those trimmings, it's too much trouble to separate the meat from the bone, often the riblets are thrown away. Some places will sell them. Many people, myself included, think the flavor of the meat closest to the bone is better.

The Recipe is simple and the results are outstanding.
3 to 5 pounds or so pork cut into 1" cubes, riblets should be cut into pieces - cut between the bone
3 - 7.75 oz. Cans of El Pato Mexican Tomato Sauce
1 or 2 Tbsp ground Cumin spice
1 Medium to Large Onion sliced

Place the pork, onion, sauce and cumin in a Crock Pot, stir so that everything is coated in sauce. Cover and put on low for a minimum of 5 hours. When the meat can easily be pulled apart or pulled off the bone, they're done. You can turn the heat down to warm until it's time to eat.

I commonly will prepare everything in the removable crock, and put it in the refrigerator over night. In the morning, just before leaving for work, I'll put the crock in the holder and set it on low. Nine or so hours later, when I arrive home, the house smells delicious! It only takes a few minutes to prepare a side dish, and sit down to a delicious dinner.

If you're in a hurry - you can put everything into a large pot, add some broth (Chicken or Vegetable) or even water to thin out the sauce, turn the stove to medium high and stir ever 5 to 7 minutes until tender.

For Taste Sake
This can be served with the traditional refried beans and rice.
Another good alternative I enjoy them with is whole wheat angel hair pasta. This is one of the few dishes that is hearty enough to not get overpowered by the whole wheat pasta. Regular pasta is also a good side dish.

For children and those faint of heart you can control the heat by using only tomato sauce, or 2 cans tomato sauce to one El Pato, or 1 can tomato sauce to 2 El Pato. You can further increase the heat by adding chipotle peppers either finely minced or blended in.

You can also experiment with the amount of cumin you add to the dish, for those who really like the flavors of Mexican cuisine - you can easily add another tablespoon or two.

Just a note to be aware of the bones in this dish, when cooking for long periods of time the bones can begin to disintegrate, so chew carefully.

Summer Pasta Vegetable Salad

Summer Pasta Vegetable Salad - a tasty mix of Pasta and vegetables dressed in a wonderful herb vinaigrette dressing. I love 'lightening up' a pasta salad with vegetables and combining this with my favorite herb dressing.

 1 lb Pasta (screws, bow tie, shells etc.) cooked in salted water
1 Cup Broccoli tops cut into small pieces
1 Cup Cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, cut into chunks
1 Cup Mushroom sliced
1 Cup Carrot Shredded
1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained
1/2 cup Onion rough chopped
1/2 Cup Sliced Radishes

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta to the water until cooked. Drain the pasta and run cold water over it to stop the cooking process. While the pasta is cooking, make good use of your time by cutting up the vegetables.
Mix the cold pasta and vegetables, I like to put about 1/4 cup dressing on the salad to keep the pasta from sticking together, then add the remainder of the dressing to the salad just before serving and toss.

Dressing
This dressing is equally at home on a green salad as it is on a pasta salad. It can be quickly made and used immediately, but comes to full flavor if left to sit overnight. It can also be used as a marinade for Chicken, Beef, Pork, and Sea Food.

3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp dried Sweet Basil

1 tsp dried Dill Weed

1 tsp water

1 tsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Honey

1/2 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper

1 large or 4 small cloves of Garlic, pressed

Combine all ingredients, shake well before using.

For Taste Sake
 The Onions can be Red, Green, Shallot
Additional items to add:
   Olives (Green or Black)
   Tomatoes Grape, sweet 100's or sliced
   Beans Kidney, Cannellini, Butter
   Sweet Bell Peppers