Dirty Rice from the Dirty South!

You know I love Southern Cuisine....And it's Friday and nothing would set my table off better than some dirty rice...Nawlins style....

INGREDIENTS:


* 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice

* 1 pound ground pork

* 1/2 cup finely chopped onions

* 2 finely chopped garlic cloves

* 1/2 pound chicken gizzards, finely chopped

* 1/2 pound beef livers, finely chopped

* 2 finely chopped green onions

* 1/2 finely chopped green pepper

* 1/2 cup finely chopped celery

* 1 tablespoon parsley flakes

* Salt and pepper to taste


Cookware and Utensils:

* 1 large heavy or cast iron skillet

* 1 small mixing bowl

* 1 medium food storage container

* 1 measuring spoon


DIRECTIONS:


As always the key to good cooking is to always be prepared and to use quality ingredients.

1. Cook rice according to package direction, until almost done. Drain rice well and set aside.

2. In heavy skillet, over medium-high heat, stir and cook ground pork until browned. Add onions, garlic, chicken gizzards and livers to browned pork and stir and cook for about 6 minutes.

3. Next, add the remaining ingredients consisting of green onions, green peppers, celery, parsley and drained rice to skillet. Continue to stir and cook over medium-high heat until rice is thoroughly cooked.

This dirty rice can be served as the main dish or as a side item. I'm sure you will enjoy this Nawlins Style Dirty Rice Recipe.


Corn on the cobb-

Okra-

Cornbreaad-

and Ice Tea to wash it down-

go well with this....enjoy!

Crock Pot Pork Roast

I know I wrote about a Crock Pot Pork Roast with apples and sauerkraut back on April 11,2011, but I don't think the photo I used made it look as appealing and as appetizing as the current photo above.  This however is not that recipe...

It is a more straight forward recipe that I hope you'll enjoy...

INGREDIENTS:


pork tenderloin

1 tablespoon bacon fat or vegetable oil

1 large onion

3 to 6 garlic cloves, sliced

3 russet potatoes

3 large carrots

1 cup vegetable broth


DIRECTIONS:

First prepare your pork tenderloin for cooking, by seasoning it with salt and pepper.

In a medium skillet, heat bacon fat over medium heat. Add pork tenderloin and brown to desired color.

While the meat is browning go ahead and cut up your potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic.

In a lightly greased crock pot, place your browned tenderloin, next add ingredients in the following order: onions, garlic, potatoes and carrots. Pour broth over the meat and vegetables before cooking.

Cover crock pot with a lid, set heat to the lowest setting and cook for 6 to 8 hour. Do not stir the dish while the pot roast is cooking.

Enjoy!

The King Of Cheese Steaks

History & Recipe for Philadelphia Cheese Steaks

Note: I originally ran this in my other blog...."Keith's Space "on November 10th 2008..Just thought I'd run it again for the readers of this blog:



A few days ago, this man (who I can't name here for legal reasons) who runs a steak and hoagie shop in West Philly that I patronize, told me that his great-grandfather was the "King of Cheese Steaks." A strange boast, but okay, if he wants to say that... It's fine with me... It's not like I haven't heard it before.

I have always come into his establishment around lunch time or on a Saturday afternoon and have ordered my personal favorite, a cheese steak hoagie. He uses that thick Italian bread, slathers mayonnaise across the top, spreads lettuce across it, drapes freshly cut tomatoes, raw onions, and pickles across it, and then adds the chopped-up steak with Cheese Whiz melted on it to the mix. If you live in this area, you'll find that this is the norm for most of these type establishments.

While I was sitting there waiting, the man's great-grandson (who is about my age) confided to me that his great-grandfather actually invented what has become a Philadelphia staple... the steak sandwich. Of course, I thought... he must be kidding. You can go to any neighborhood in North, South, or West Philadelphia, Roxborough, Manayunk, Mt Airy, or Germantown and find a neighborhood steak and hoagie shop... they will tell you the same thing useless they are Asian, Greek, or Black (because then, they know that you know they are lying).

If you venture to South Street, you'll find places like GENO's, Jim's Steaks, and Pat Oliveri's House of Steaks that will brag that they make the best cheese steaks in Philadelphia and their owner is the true"King of Cheese Steaks". This is all debatable. So, I asked this guy to tell me the story of how his great-grandfather invented the steak sandwich and this is what he said.

He told me that his great-grandfather, an Italian immigrant, had a hot dog stand down near the docks, which is now known as "Penn's Landing". Several other men had hot dog stands down there, competing for the dollars of the longshoremen, bricklayers, etc. His great-grandfather needed something to give his stand an edge over the other hot dog stands so, he brought some steaks with him one day, cut them up a little bit, and tossed them on his grill. He cooked the chopped up steak and tossed it onto a hoagie roll. The smell of the steak brought some curious customers over to his hot dog stand and voila! The steak sandwich was born! A little later, he melted some sharp cheese, added that to his steak sandwich and thus, the cheese steak was born.

Of course, this is a preposterous story and very much like the one Pat Oliveri III (of Pat's House of Steaks) told me once. Needless to say, I think I believe Pat Oliveri. I don't believe that this guy's great-grandfather invented the cheese steak but, I do believe that "somebody" probably invented the cheese steak the way the told it and the story just got passed around and embellished over time. Like the fish story about the fish that got away, the fish gets bigger each time the story is retold.

Don't get me wrong... it's a great story to hear while you're munching on a cheese steak, some french fries, and drinking a Coke. Of course, these are all of the things that you're not supposed to be eating because, unlike when you were 17 years old and reed thin, you're not reed thin now and the weight will stay on you and make you ashamed to look at yourself in the mirror sometimes. (At age 17, I was 6' 1+1/2" and 146 pounds... today, I'm about 215 pounds.)
Anyway, I asked the man who was telling me this story why his great-grandfather didn't go and get a patent? Why is the family still working in the three steak shops that they owned and, more importantly, why they all weren't swimming in dough right about now? Then, he told me another preposterous story about how his great-grandfather was basically swindled out of his "invention" by the owner of one of the steak shops I mentioned above. Not Likely.

Hmmm, this story is still suspect... but, still a great story to hear when you're eating and not thinking about health and weight issues. So, who really invented the cheese steak sandwich? Who is really the "King of Cheese Steaks"? I don't know... but, I'd love to thank him/her for a great eating idea.
(Can anyone from the Baltimore-DC area tell me about your famous Pit Beef sandwich? Believe it or not, I actually came close to having one when I attended my cousin's engagement party a few weeks ago but, the food was catered so, I didn't have the pleasure. I'd love to hear about it. Holla back!)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Update: After completing this post, a funny thing happened when I did the image search for a cheese steak... I actually stumbled upon the true history of the cheese steak and it looks like Pat was telling the truth!

Bourbon Street New York Strip Steak

I can't tell you how many different ways there are to fix a truly great New York Strip Steak...If you are ever in New York City...There are several Pubs and Steak Houses that can fix you a strip steak....But would you beileve that this particular recipe comes from Bourbon Street....in Memphis?


INGREDIENTS:

The ingredients as you would guess is not much ,it's simply

2 or however, depending on your guest list size.(6 ounce) boneless New York strip steaks

3 cups bourbon whiskey (I kid you not!)

1 cup dark brown sugar


DIRECTIONS:

1.Gently tenderize steaks with a meat mallet. With a sharp knife, lightly score the meat on one side diagonally. Place steaks in a casserole dish, scored side up, and pour bourbon over them. Rub the brown sugar evenly over each steak. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.

2.Preheat grill to high heat, and lightly oil grate.

3.Place the steaks on the hot grill, with the sugar side down. Let cook until sugar has caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes, then flip steaks, and finish cooking to desired doneness.

Serve with a Baked Potato....(Butter or cream cheese...your choice)

Enjoy!

Bacon, Fennell and Apple Chutney

Here is an easy Dinner Party recipe ...or a impress somebody with your culinary expertise recipe!


INGREDIENTS:


1/2 pound(s) applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 medium fennel bulb, halved, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 thyme sprigs

2 clove(s) garlic, minced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 teaspoon(s) ground fennel seeds

1 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon(s) finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon(s) sugar

1 tablespoon(s) chopped fennel fronds, from bulb

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

30 slice(s) baguette, brushed with olive oil and toasted


DIRECTIONS:

1.Heat a large skillet. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet.

2.Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the diced fennel, thyme, garlic, and apple. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and fennel fronds. Remove the chutney from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and let cool to room temperature. Discard the thyme and serve the chutney with the toasts.

SERVE WITH-  A nice red wine!

Sure to be a hit!

Enjoy!

Linguine with Chicken

Looking for a good dinner meal for Sunday? Here is one.  You know me, you know how much I love good Pasta..



INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (16 ounce) package linguini pasta

1 onion, chopped

1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled

1/2 cup water

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup milk

4 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS:


1.In a large saute pan, heat oil, butter and garlic over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until juices run clear. Remove chicken from pan let cool and slice diagonally into long strips. Reserve oil in pan.

2..Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain.

3.Reheat oil in pan, add onion and saute, stirring often, until onion is soft but still white. Add bullion cube and water; bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for approximately 10 minutes. Stir in cream, milk, green onions and Parmesan cheese.

4.Place pasta in a bowl, layer chicken slices in a decorative pattern over pasta, pour sauce over top of chicken and around pasta. Garnish with parsley or any herbs you desire. Serve immediately.


I would serve this with a nice salad-

and a white wine-

Enjoy!

Eassssy Stromboli

This is a recipe for you if you're just a little tired of pizza and you'd like to try something else that's Italian and fun...What I call, Italian Comfort food....This little ditty is called '"Easy Stromboli." Check it out-


INGREDIENTS:

1 loaf frozen bread dough (thawed)

1 cup sliced ham

1 cup sliced swiss cheese

1 cup pepperoni

Oregano

Tomato and or pasta sauce


Note: You can substitute ham and cheese with steak, chicken or pork...


DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.

2.Roll out thawed dough.

3.Cover with ingredients.

4.Roll up and seal all edges.

5.Set on cookie sheet.

6.Let stand for 20 minutes.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Note:I use an electric knife to cut.

Dip in heated pasta sauce of choice.


Enjoy!

Spicy Pork Ribs

It's Labor Day Weekend...Here is a mouth watering recipe for summer's last unofficial weekend....Spicy Pork Spare Ribs !!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup harissa paste

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 slabs baby back ribs (about 1 1/2 lbs. each)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 bottles (12 oz. each) of beer, any type (Me I prefer Corona)


DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, stir together harissa, lemon juice, and garlic. Set aside.

2. Rinse ribs and pat them dry. Use a dull butter knife to loosen thin papery membrane that runs along underside, then pull it off with your fingers. Rub ribs generously on both sides with salt and pepper, then slather all over with harissa rub. Wrap ribs in plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 8 and up to 24 hours.

3. Set up a charcoal or gas grill for medium indirect heat (300° to 350°; you should be able to hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above the hottest area of grill level only 4 to 5 seconds). Place ribs, bone side down, in cooler part of the grill; close lid. Cook, basting gently with beer on both sides every 10 minutes (keep ribs bone side down), until ribs are tender and cooked through and meat has shrunk back from ends of the bones, 40 to 50 minutes total. Try to keep harissa paste on the ribs while basting. Serve ribs hot, with salad.

Enjoy!