Sweet Baby Rays Deviled Eggs

Well before I started on the last blog post, I made lunches again at 3 AM. More deviled eggs for my hubby. If anyone has thought on how I could sleep past 3 AM, i am all ears.

My husband and son love Sweet Baby Rays ™ Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce so why not add a little to deviled eggs to give them a little zip.

Sweet Baby Rays Deviled Eggs
adapted from Food Network Magazine April 2011

2 hard-boiled eggs
2 tsp reduced fat mayonnaise
1 tsp yellow mustard, 
a dash of Road Kill Garlic ™ Garlic habanero Hot Sauce 
1 1/2 tsp Sweet Baby Rays ™ Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper 
Sliced scallions for garnish
Paprika, for garnish

Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks to a small bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce and barbecue sauce. Mix well to combine. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture; top with sliced scallions and paprika. Serve.

Chicken Wings Like A Rock Star

My husband and I enjoy going to food and wine events. Every time we go there is always a little tidbit we pick up. A couple weeks ago we attend the Lancaster Food & Wine Festival in PA. Although the event itself was quite a disappointment, we discovered Blackwoods Signature Sauces. A wonderful line of wing sauces. But that was not all ....... Does anyone remember the band A Flock of Seagulls from the early 80's?  
If you do, did you know that their second lead guitarist, Eddie Berner was a chef from the US who trained in Phili? He apparently had a reality cooking show on The Comcast Network and now provides transport and catering services from his Rockin Road Grill bus. 
I can't say I was ever a big Flock of Seagulls fan, but it is always interesting to hear about where people are now ..... you don't usually hear the positive stories.

So for dinner last night we made chicken wings with Blackwoods Signature ™ Garlic Parmesan Sauce.

Blackwoods Garlic Parmesan Wings
adapted from Taste Episode #TS4741

Chicken wings

Blackwoods Signature ™ Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and preheat oil in an electric skillet to 375 degrees. 
Cut each wing into its three components: drumette, flat and wing tips. Reserve wing-tips for stock. 
In batches, fry drumettes and flats in the hot canola oil for 8 minutes. Transfer to a tray with paper towels and let drain. 
Toss in garlic parmesan sauce and place on a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the wings are crisped.

The Challenge - Can I make Baked Buffalo Wings that Taste as Good as Fried ?

I was up to the challenge. Took out the trusty fryolator and loaded it up with canola oil. To prevent the sauce from making the difference I used Texas Pete's Chicken Wing Sauce.

The next step was to prep the chicken wings.

Remove the wing tips from 6 lbs of chicken wings set them aside for stock. Using a knife separate the wings at the joint.

Place a 6-quart saucepan, with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Place half of the wings in the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay out the wings on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator to dry, about 1 hour. This is the start to the baked wings.

Meanwhile mix together the coating for the fried wings.

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients is a resealable bag and mix well. Coat a few pieces of chicken at a time in the flour mixture and place on a lines baking pan. Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until ready to cook.

For the baked wings:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the paper towels on the pan and replace with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven, about 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook 20 to 30 more minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

For the fried wings:

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.  Cook the wings into the hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown. Remove the wings from the oil to a paper towel to drain.

Put the wings one type of at a time in a large bowl. Add wing sauce and coat well. Keeping the baked seapared from the fried, place the coated wings on baking sheets and return to the oven until the sauce dries onto the wings. Serve with Blue cheese or Ranch dressing.

And the verdicts is .........

 

Baked just can not compare to fried!

Time to Mix It Up a Little -- Grilled Monterey Jack & Corn Quesadilla

I needed to try a new quesadilla and adapted this from Gourmet Magazine - 2/05

We are still trying to eat healthier, regardless of some of my outrageously fattening recipes .... everything in moderation right???? ..... Well I found a new multigrain tortilla made by Maria and Ricardo's which was awesome with this recipe. They were on sale at Big Y at 3 / $5 which is much lower than the advertised rate.
Grilled Monterey Jack & Corn Quesadilla
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
4 (8-inch) multi-grain tortillas
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Stir together cheese, corn, mayonnaise, scallions, cilantro, and chiles in a small bowl. Lightly brush 1 tortilla with some of oil. Turn tortilla over and spread 1/2 cup filling over half, then fold other half over to form a half-moon. Assemble 3 more quesadillas in same manner. Heat lightly oiled grill pan over moderate heat until hot, then cook quesadillas, 2 at a time, turning over once, until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes total per batch. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half.

Spicy Sweet Meatballs

This is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made. Quick and easy but still very tasty.

Spicy Sweet Meatballs

1 can jellied cranberry sauce 

1 bottle of chili sauce

Frozen pre-cooked meatballs (I used Martha Stewart's Chicken Lemongrass because they were in the freezer)

Add the cranberry sauce and chili sauce to a sauce pan. Heat until the cranberry sauce melts. Add the meatballs, cover and simmer until the meatballs are heated through. Can it get any easier?

Garlic Squid Over Linguine

I thought I broke my husband of the idea that everything has to have meat in it. I thought this meal tasted great. He only ate it because he was hungry. Tell me what you think ....

6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/2 pound linguine
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb calamari, cleaned, cut into think rings and tentacles halfed

1 1/2 tsp Emeril's Original Essence

1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup fish stock*
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Cook the pasta according to package directions in boiling water to which 2 of the sliced garlic cloves have been added.
In a bowl, season the squid with the Emeril's Original Essence.

In a saute pan, heat the remaining  oil, Add the remaining sliced garlic, scallions, red pepper flakes, and salt
and cook, stirring, until fragrant and soft. Add the squid, stock, and lemon juice and stir well. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until the squid are tender and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. (They will turn an opaque white color.) Remove from the heat,stir in the butter, and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Add the pasta to the saute pan and toss to warm through and combine. Add the parsley; toss to combine.
Divide among bowls, top with the cheese and serve immediately.

*I do not use a lot of seafood stock and I do not usually buy whole fish so I do not have the makings of good stock. I like to use Penzeys Seafood Base and Seasoning. You add 1 tsp of base to 1 cup of warm water and voila!

Dinner with Friends .... Lamb, Asparagus with Prosciutto Chips, Rice Pilaf with Carrots and Rosemary Tomato Parmesan Bread

A while ago I placed an order with Omaha Steaks and 2.5 boneless seasoned leg of lamb for an absurdly inexpensive price. With Warren traveling as much as he has, I was reluctant to cook it because Nick and I would be eat lamb all week. With friends coming over for dinner tonight, it seemed like the perfect time. I still get to play with making all of the sides.

For appetizers we had Mini Crab Cakes with Three Dipping Sauces along with 
Cucumber Rounds with Herbed Tuna Filling 

1 6-ounce cans tuna in water, well drained
1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 Tbsp dried shallots

3 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 English hothouse cucumber
Flake tuna into a medium bowl. Mix all ingredients except cucumbers. Seaso to taste with salt ad freshly ground pepper.
Cut the cucumber into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Using melon baller, scoop out some seeds in center of each round, being careful not too scoop through bottom. Spoon tuna onto cucumber rounds.
Debi & Mike brought Mike's infamous stuffed mushrooms 

Napa Cabbage Salad with Apples and Caraway Seeds                
1 tsp caraway seeds

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar 

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 medium napa cabbage cored and cut into bite-size pieces
2 apples, cored and thinly sliced (1 red and 1 green)
In a small skillet, toast the caraway seeds until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes; remove from skillet and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and oil until dressing is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, apples, and caraway seeds. Add dressing to taste, and toss to combine. Serve. Asparagus With Prosciutto Chips
1 1/2  ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350° F. Lay the prosciutto on a baking sheet. Bake until crisped, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool. 
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness. Pat dry. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl. 

Toss the asparagus with the oil, salt, and pepper and toss. Break the prosciutto into pieces and sprinkle on top.

Rice Pilaf with Carrots and Fresh Basil
1 1/2 Tbsp butter

1 c finely chopped onions
1 c very small carrot cubes (about 1/4 inch pieces)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 c long grain white rice
1 small rosemary sprig
2 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c chopped green onions
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
Melt butter in heavy pot. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Sauté until carrots are slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Sir in rice and rosemary sprigs. Add broth; bring to boil. Add rice.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 16-18 minutes. Mix in green onions and 1/4 c basil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with additional chopped basil., if desired

Rosemary Tomato Parmesan Bread  

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, snipped 

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix

Add all ingredients except tomatoes to bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Use white bread setting. Add the tomatoes after the first knead or when the beeper goes off for the fruit and nut setting.

Dessert was also supplied by Debi & Mike. Extra warm chocolaty brownies topped with Dulce le Leche ice cream. Yum!