Banana Lime Fizz

Heyyy folks...It's the weekend baby!!! and here is a nice sparkling and healthy drink that's sure to be a brunch favorite... The Banana Lime Fizz..
This sparkling brunch beverage combines frozen limeade, bananas, and heavenly apricot nectar to make a snappy drink your guests won't soon forget.


INGREDIENTS:

1 can(s) (6-ounces) frozen limeade concentrate

2 large bananas, cut up

1 can(s) (12-ounces) apricot nectar


3 cup(s) seltzer, chilled


DIRECTIONS:

1.In blender at high speed or in food processor with knife blade attached.

2. Blend frozen limeade concentrate, bananas, and apricot nectar until smooth.

3. Pour mixture into large pitcher; with spoon, stir in seltzer. See, very simple.

Enjoy!

Tea Smoked Roast Chicken

Here I am finding yet another way to fix the chicken or the "yardbird" as I have heard some of my older friends lovingly refer to it! First things first,Smoking the birds quickly over anise-scented tea makes them wonderfully fragrant. If you prefer to cook one chicken instead of two, smoke it in a wok or a pot rather than a roasting pan.

INGREDIENTS:

Brined Chicken
2 quart(s) water
6 clove(s) garlic, smashed
5 dried red chiles
4 star anise pods
3 tablespoon(s) honey
1 (2-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
Zest of 1 small orange or tangerine, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
1 (1-inch piece) cinnamon stick
1 cup(s) soy sauce
1 small yellow onion, quartered
1 tablespoon(s) sugar
2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, wing tips removed

Tea-Smoking Mixture
1/2 cup(s) jasmine rice
1/4 cup(s) sugar
2 tablespoon(s) sugar, combined with above sugar
1/4 cup(s) loose black tea
2 tablespoon(s) loose black tea, combined with above tea
6 star anise pods, broken into pieces
4 dried red chiles, broken into pieces
Vegetable oil, for rubbing
1 teaspoon(s) Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
Salt

Scallion-Ginger Sauce
6 scallions, white and pale green parts only, minced
3 tablespoon(s) finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil
Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.Prepare the brined chicken: In a pot, combine the water, garlic, chiles, star anise, honey, ginger, orange zest, cinnamon, soy sauce, onion, and sugar. Simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Let cool.

2.Set 2 large oven roasting bags or other sturdy bags in a roasting pan just large enough to hold the chickens. Set the chickens in the bags and pour in the brine. Turn the chickens to coat them completely with brine. Turn the chickens breast side down and tie the bags. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

3.Prepare the smoking mixture: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the rice, sugar, tea, star anise, and chiles. Remove the chickens from the roasting pan. Line the pan with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Scatter the tea mixture on the foil and set a rack in the pan. Remove the chickens from the brine and pat dry. Transfer the chickens to the rack, breast side up; be sure they do not touch the side of the pan. Tent heavy-duty foil over the chickens and seal all around the edge of the pan. Seal overlapping pieces of foil with tape.

4.Set the roasting pan over high heat and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 3 minutes. Uncover the chickens and let rest for 10 minutes.

5.Transfer the chickens to a rimmed baking sheet, breast side up. Rub the chickens with vegetable oil, sprinkle with the Sichuan peppercorns, and season lightly with salt. Roast in the upper third of the oven for 35 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and continue to roast for about 35 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thighs registers 165 degrees F. Transfer the chickens to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

6.Make the scallion-ginger sauce: In a bowl, combine the scallions, ginger, and oil and season with salt. Carve the chickens and serve with the sauce.

Serve this with a nice Red Wine-

Enjoy!

Salad Compost!

As the temperatures get warmer...You may find that it is healthier to eat a salad...Here is a unique recipe for a diffrent type of salad...

INGREDIENTS:

Salad-

1 small French bread stick

2 clove(s) garlic, crushed

1/4 cup(s) olive oil

6 strip(s) thin-sliced bacon

5 ounce(s) mesclun

6 medium plum tomatoes, sliced thinly

4 hard-boiled eggs, halved len1 small French bread stick

2 clove(s) garlic, crushed

1/4 cup(s) olive oil

6 strip(s) thin-sliced bacon

5 ounce(s) mesclun

6 medium plum tomatoes, sliced thinly

4 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthways.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup(s) red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard

1/3 cup(s) extra virgin olive oil


DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat broiler. Combine garlic and oil.

2.Cut bread into 1/2-inch slices. Brush both sides with combined garlic oil; toast under preheated broiler.

3.Cook bacon in large frying pan until crisp; drain on absorbent paper.

4.Meanwhile, place ingredients for red wine vinaigrette in screw-top jar; shake well.

5.Layer bread and bacon in large bowl with mesclun and tomato, top with egg; drizzle with vinaigrette.

As usual...I would serve this with Ice Tea....Enjoy!

Somehow I get the impression I'm writing about this stuff a little pre-maturely!  I mean,it's only early spring!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

I thought I'd try a little something different tonight...A Jamaican standard !! Jerk Chicken...Here are the easy instructions-

Jamaican Jerk Chicken-

INGREDIENTS:

1- 3 lb Chicken

1 Lime

24 Pimento Beans (Allspice)

2oz Scallion

2 Scotch Bonnet Pepper

5sprigs. Thyme

1/2 whole Nutmeg (Grated)

Salt (Pinch)

2 peg Garlic

1 oz. Paprika (for Color)

1 oz. Oil (optional)

1/2 oz Soy Sauce

1 tbsp. Sugar

Note: If you would like to remove the spicy heat from this season, don’t use the Scotch Bonnet Pepper.

DIRECTIONS:

Put all ingredients in the Electric Blender,except the lime, and turn the selector to puree. Make sure the ingredients are blended well together before removing from Blender.

Cut up chicken 8-ways (Wing, Drumstick, Thigh, and Breast). Wash chicken parts in lime juice and water. Remove meat from lime and water solution and discard.

Next, you pour a little of the jerk season that you just made on the chicken. Rub in the season with your hand (use plastic gloves if you have them). Repeat doing this until all the meat is covered with the season.

(Optional) You can let this sit in the refrigerator overnight or let it sit for a couple of hours. It’s your choice.

Or do as I do.

OVEN

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the seasoned Jerk chicken skin side up on a baking sheet and then place it in the oven.

Bake the chicken for about 35 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and turn the chicken onto the other side. Bake chicken for about 25 minutes more, or until thoroughly cooked.

GAS OR CHARCOAL GRILL

Place your seasoned Jerk chicken on the Grill and monitor the flame so that the temperature stays at or about 350 degrees F. Turn the meat as needed, while keeping the flame low. And if the flame gets too high it will prematurely burn the meat.

This process takes a little time and patience, but it’s worth the effort. The meat will be completely cooked in about 45-minutes.

If not, keep turning until the meat is thoroughly cooked, remove chicken from the Grill and serve with bread, garden salad, baked potatoes, or plain white rice.

OPEN PIT

(This method is definitely for you folks who have a lot of spare time.)

Another thing, do not cut up the chicken. Instead, slice the chicken breast and open the whole chicken wide.

In your back yard or campsite, dig a pit 4 feet long by 21/2 feet wide by 2 feet deep. Taper the long ends of the pit about 45 degrees.

Place the wood in the pit and add your starter fluid or accelerant of choice.

Light the wood and allow the wood to burn to coal. Scatter the coal so that the heat will distribute evenly in the pit.

Place 1/8” steel rods across the pit in a 2” square matrix pattern. Or use the same diamond mesh that’s used in barbecue grills.

Place your seasoned Jerk chicken on the steel matrix; let the chicken cook slowly for about an hour.

Turn chicken on other side, baste if necessary, monitor until chicken is cooked.

(Optional) You can add hickory wood or your other favorite flavored wood to the pit, when making this type of Jerk Chicken.Serve with your favorite food.. Prefferably, rice and peas, like in the photo above..

Enjoy Mon!

Honey Baked Ham

This recipe was borrowed from two of my favorite people...The Neeleys...When I was in Memphis last summer, I had the pleasure of dining at their establishment. Great Food!!! and here is a great recipe for Honey Baked Ham.


Ingredients:

6 pounds bone-in ham

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place ham on a rack in a foil lined roasting pan. Bake the rounded side up for one hour.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix all ingredients together. Stir until it forms a nice thick glaze.

Rub on half of the glaze and bake for 30 minutes more. Flip the ham over and rub on remaining glaze and bake for 1 hour more. Remove from oven and allow the ham to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

As the weather gets a little warmer one's mind turns towards ribs....Okay, well my mind is turning to them and not necessarily ribs cooked on the grill, but rather over cooked...Slowwwww cooker Spare ribs..

INGREDIENTS:

•2 racks spareribs

•1 onion, cut in chunks

•2 cloves garlic, halved

•2 teaspoons salt

•1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

•*****
•Sauce:
•2/3 cup ketchup

•2/3 cup cider vinegar

•1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

•3 tablespoons maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

Put the ribs, onion, garlic, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, combine the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Boil sauce ingredients over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 45 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the ribs to the slow cooker. Add the sauce; cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours.

Serve with: Baked Beans-

Corn on the Cobb:

and sweet tea-

Yeah...I can't wait for summer...can't you tell?   Enjoy!