Barbecue Picnic Chicken

 Fourth of July is a week or two...It's that time again...Here is a recipe that will make you King of the Grill.

INGREDIENTS:

2 garlic cloves, minced 

2 teaspoons butter 

1 cup ketchup 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar 

1/4 cup chili sauce 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

1 tablespoon celery seed 

1 tablespoon prepared mustard 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 dashes hot pepper sauce 

2 broiler/fryer chickens (3-1/2 to 4 pounds each), cut up.

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Add the next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; set aside. 

Then ,On a lightly greased grill rack, grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Baste with sauce. Grill 15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reaches 170°, basting and turning several times.

Don't Sweat The Technique-

This sauce is best when made a day or two in advance, giving the flavors time to come together. 

If you don't have chili sauce on hand, you can use 1/4 cup extra ketchup or 1/4 cup cocktail sauce. 

Try this cool-guy move if you don't have a basting brush: Tie a few sprigs of rosemary or another hearty herb together with twine, then baste with it.

Got it?  Okay ENJOY!

Keith's Summer Macaroni Salad

 This is a Pasta Salad you will take to every Summer Potluck, provided you do that sort of thing.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pasta Salad 

3/4 lb. elbow pasta, cooked 

 2 stalks celery, chopped 

 1 red bell pepper, chopped 

 1/2 c. black olives, sliced 

 1 medium carrot, shredded 

 Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish 

 For the Dressing 

1 c. mayonnaise 

 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar 

 1 tsp. granulated sugar 

 Kosher salt 

 Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine elbows, celery, bell pepper, olives, and carrots. 

Make dressing: 

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar. 

Season with salt and pepper and stir until combined. 

Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss. 

Garnish with parsley before serving.

ENJOY!

Salsa Chicken

 

Hey Guys and Gals,This is a go-to recipe when you know you'll  be having n extremely busy day. Most folks I know  loves salsa, Especially in the summer time, so here is this great recipe for something to throw into a slow cooker and simmer on low. It is best served over rice or noodles, and then you can top it with tortilla chips and sour cream.. Check it out!

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each) 

1 jar (16 ounces) salsa 

1-3/4 cups frozen corn, thawed 

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained 

1 can (15 ounces) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained 

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained 

1 teaspoon sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

 Optional: Hot cooked rice, cubed avocado, chopped fresh tomato, sliced green onions and lime wedges.

DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken in a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with salsa, corn, beans, diced tomatoes and chiles, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook, covered, on low until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, 3-4 hours. 

If desired, serve with optional ingredients.

That's it...Easy Peazy!  ENJOY!

Roast Leg Of Lamb

 Believe it or Not..This Is French Cuisine. Roast lamb with lots of garlic is a very French thing. Traditionally it would have been a leg of mutton, slow-cooked for several hours. This recipe has more of a modern twist and the lavender adds a taste of Provence, a region famous for its lavender fields. You do need to marinate the lamb the day before cooking. Once roasted, the juices make the most wonderful sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 kg leg of lamb 

1 garlic bulb, unpeeled and halved horizontally

 8 lavender sprigs, flower heads only 

150 ml olive oil

 6 garlic cloves, peeled and halved 

2 shallots, unpeeled and halved 

1 pinch sea salt 

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Put the lamb in a cling film-lined roasting tin that fits in the fridge and season with black pepper (don't season with salt now, as it draws the blood out of the lamb. Salt is always added just before cooking meat).

 Add the garlic bulb and 6 heads of the lavender and pour 90ml/3fl oz/generous 1/3 cup of the oil over the top. Rub the seasoning in thoroughly, then wrap the lamb in the cling film and leave in the fridge overnight.

 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Unwrap the lamb, put it back in the roasting tin with the garlic bulb and dab it with kitchen towel. Pierce it several times with a sharp knife and push a halved garlic clove inside each opening. Add the shallots to the pan, pour the remaining oil over the top, season with salt and pepper and then roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour until golden brown on the outside but still pink and moist inside. Remove the lamb from the tin and wrap it in foil to keep warm. 

Pour 100ml/3.5fl oz/scant 1/2 cup water in the roasting tin to deglaze, then return to the oven and cook for 3-4 minutes until reduced. This will gather all the flavours from the caramelization of the meat and give you the concentrated juice you need.

 Unwrap the lamb. You will find some juice has also gathered in the foil – add it to the juice in the roasting tin, stir and set aside. Slice the lamb, then drizzle it with the juice, sprinkle with the remaining lavender flowers and serve with sautéed potatoes.

There you have it...Enjoy!

Fluffy Key Lime Pie

Hey Folks , For a taste of paradise, try this no-bake Key lime pie recipe. It's low in fat, sugar and fuss. It truly is the best Key lime pie recipe ever! —

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup boiling water 

1 package (0.3 ounce) sugar-free lime gelatin 

2 cartons (6 ounces each) Key lime yogurt 

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed 

1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust (9 inches)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, add boiling water to gelatin; stir 2 minutes to completely dissolve. 

Whisk in yogurt. 

Fold in whipped topping. 

Pour into crust.

 Refrigerate, covered, until set, about 2 hours.

Another cool  Summer Non-bake meal.

ENJOY!

Creamy Pineapple Pie

 Hey Folks here is an easy No Bake summer recipe!  

According to Sharon Bickett of Chester, South Carolina : "Creamy pineapple pie is a light and refreshing dessert that's quick to make and impressive to serve. This is one of our favorite ways to complete a summer meal."

Check it out-

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk 

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained 

1/4 cup lemon juice 

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed 

1 graham cracker crust (9 inches) 

Optional: Chopped toasted macadamia nuts and additional crushed pineapple

DIRECTIONS:

Combine milk, pineapple and lemon juice; fold in whipped topping. Pour into prepared crust. Refrigerate until serving. If desired, serve with toasted macadamia nuts and additional crushed pineapple.

That's it!  Keep Cool Fools... ENJOY!

Pecan Pie Cookies

 Never heard of these before I found the recipe...but they look good don't they? Check out the easy recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup shortening 

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1 large egg temperature 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

FILLING: 

1 cup finely chopped pecans 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream Frosting of choice, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. 

Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 1/2-in.-deep indentation in the center of each ball. Combine filling ingredients; spoon into indentations. 

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. 

If desired, top with frosting.

ENJOY!

Chicken Parmesan (Amazing and Tender)

 Hey Guys and Gals..

This Parmesan Chicken Recipe is one of my all time favorite meals. I love all things Italian.

 This comes out incredibly juicy, tender and perfectly crisp on the outside. It truly is the BEST chicken parmesan! 

You take thin cut chicken breast and bread them in a mixture of parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs. Next I pan fry them until golden brown then top them with marinara and mozzarella cheese. Broil to melt the cheese than serve! 

What I love most about this garlic parmesan chicken is that it stays crispy and does not get soggy! This recipe starts with a three step breading process. Flour, egg, parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. To keep the chicken extra juicy I use skinless boneless chicken breast and cut them in half. I pound them out to a 1/2 inch thickness. This helps the chicken to cook evenly as well as shortening the cooking time. Fast quick cooking = more tender chicken..

Check out the Recipe-

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken Breast: Make sure to pound these out really thin! I would  cut the chicken breast in half length wise then pound them out. 

Olive Oil: Helps to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan and helps it get golden brown and crispy on the outside. All Purpose Flour: Gives the egg something to stick to. 

Eggs: Help to keep the breading onto the chicken. 

Panko Breadcrumbs: The panko breadcrumbs gives the breading a light and airy texture. I recommend using panko over regular breadcrumbs. It makes the breading a lot crunchier! 

Parmesan Cheese: 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese is added to the breading! When testing this recipe I kept adding more and more parmesan cheese to the breading. I felt it added some much needed salt and added so much flavor. Breading: Flour, Egg, Panko Breadcrumbs and

  Parmesan Cheese Mozzarella Cheese: I prefer to use fresh sliced mozzarella cheese over shredded prepackaged mozzarella. Pre shredded cheese contains additives that keep it from melting properly.

 Tomato Sauce: Use your favorite tomato sauce recipe or try my slow cooker tomato sauce! Basil: Is a must for topping this chicken parm!

DIRECTIONS:

Slice chicken in half: Start by cutting chicken in half horizontally. Pound each piece until 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bread chicken: Add flour to a shallow dish, set aside. Add egg to a shallow bowl and whisk, set aside. Add breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese to a shallow bowl and mix to combine. Starting with the flour and ending with breadcrumbs, dip the chicken into the flour, egg and Parmesan breadcrumbs. The best way to bread the chicken is to keep one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry. This helps from getting the dreaded breading hands. 

Pan fry chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken two at a time to the skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden grown and cooked all the way through.

Broil: Place chicken in a pan or sheet tray and top with mozzarella cheese. Broil on high until melted and bubbly.

Serve: Immediately with tomato sauce on top and a sprinkle of basil for serving!

DON'T SWEAT THE TECHNIQUE:

What To Serve with this dish-

Serve with a big plate of pasta and extra tomato sauce on the side

 Zucchini Noodles for a low carb option Pasta with Garlic and Oil Egg Noodles

 Mashed Potatoes 

Pasta Carbonara 

Garlic Bread 

Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts 

Olive Garden Copycat Salad

ENJOY!

The Beach Sandwich

 Let's give a hand to the French...

he best beach/hiking/picnic sandwich is jambon-beurre (ham-butter). It’s just baguette, butter, and ham, and it is perfect. Eating food outside amongst the sand and sea (or trees and squirrels) is a decidedly summery way to dine. Sandwiches were made for such meals—after all, they were designed to be eaten while the eater is doing something else. That something else was originally gambling, but outdoorspeople can take advantage of the sandwich’s portability while hiking through a forest, sitting in some grass, or lounging on the beach. All sandwiches can be enjoyed this way, but the jambon-beurre is by far your best option.

The Jambon-Beurre is the perfect beach sandwich 

Incredible flavor aside—and we’ll get to that in a moment—this sandwich is a structural marvel engineered to travel well, keep its form, and never, ever get soggy. Both filling ingredients (ham and butter) are hydrophobic (water repelling), so there’s simply no water for your bread to absorb. This lack of water also translates into extreme packability; thanks to the high fat content and low water content, this sandwich will stay edible—no, delightful!—in a warm beach bag or backpack for the entire day.

It is also incredibly easy to make. I love a muffaletta (or similar pressed sandwich), which is similarly unlikely to sog, but those have so many ingredients and have to be pressed overnight. The jambon-beurre is easier, breezier, and can be slapped together right before you run out the door.

Unlike the muffaletta and its cousins, the jambon-buerre doesn’t contain any little bits—no shredded lettuce, no olive tapenade, no slippery pickles. Nothing to slide out, fall out, or go splat on your sunscreened lap.

This sandwich is also as delicious as it is practical. The combination of salty pork and creamy butter is very French and decadent—and the French are quite good at decadence. Using two incredibly flavorful, rich ingredients means you only need the two—they work together to create a salty, meaty, creamy bite that miraculously doesn’t feel too heavy. 

 Since there are so few ingredients, purchasing high-quality bread, butter, and ham makes sense: Get a fresh baguette with a nice caramel color and a crust that crackles slightly when you squeeze it, and grab a butter with flavor. You can use  Kerry gold, but the sandwich you see above was made with duck frosting because it’s what I had at room temp. The Kerrygold is better, if I’m being honest, so pick a pure butter instead of a compound. 

 For the ham, I like the dry-cured stuff (prosciutto, speck, jamon iberico, and country ham all work beautifully), though Parisian style, wet-cured ham is traditional. For best results, keep the flavors simple and avoid honey ham and the like. 

 Slice the baguette horizontally (keeping it whole or cutting into smaller segments if needed), then spread a thick layer of butter on each side before piling on thinly-sliced ham. Close it up, wrap it, take it out, and eat it up. Do not add cheese (you’ve already got creamy butter), and do not add vegetables. The beauty of this sandwich lies in its simplicity. Embrace it, and you will be rewarded with the perfect outdoor meal.

ENJOY!

SZECHUAN STIR-FRY

 

This stir-fry goes quickly once you begin cooking. So if you can, I’d try to prep most of your ingredients before you begin to cook. 

Here’s the how-to:

 Prepare your Szechuan Sauce: Whisk everything together in a bowl until combined. 

Stir-fry your protein: Heat your oil in a large sauté pan or wok over high heat, and sauté your protein (in my case, steak) until cooked and tender. Transfer to a clean plate, and set aside. 

Stir-fry your veggies: Add a bit more oil to the hot pan, and sauté your veggies until cooked yet still slightly crisp. (I don’t like my veggies to be too mushy in a stir-fry.) 

Combine it all: Add the cooked protein and sauce to the veggie mixture, and toss briefly to combine. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Then remove from heat and…

Serve! With rice, toppings, or whatever sounds good to you. Or, if you want to use this for make-ahead meal prep for the week ahead, transfer the stir-fry to sealed containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

INGREDIENTS;

2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other high-heat oil), divided

 1 pound flank steak, thinly-sliced 

1 medium white onion, peeled and thinly sliced 

1 large red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced 

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 

1 batch Szechuan Sauce optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions,

toasted sesame seeds, 

extra crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS: 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large sauté pan over high heat.

 Add steak and sauté for 4-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until cooked through. Transfer steak to a clean plate and set aside.

 Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until cooked by still slightly crispy. (I don’t like my veggies to be too soft in a stir-fry.) Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute, or until fragrant.

 Reduce heat to medium. Add the steak and Szechuan sauce to the veggies, and toss to combine for about 30 seconds, or until the sauce thickens up. 

Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice or noodles, sprinkled with your desired toppings.

ENJOY!  (See Above)