Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken ala My Tasty Treasures

Hello hello hello...

Just posting a link to today's post...

http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/2011/07/honey-mustard-grilled-chicken-ala-my.html

Come take a look at what is inspiring me today!!!

With lots of thanks to Donna at My tasty Treasures!

Did you read yesterday's post???

If not, you might want to.

For a variety of reasons, among them, I hate the name I chose for my blog, I am going to be concentrating on a second blog...

INSPIRED BY eRecipeCards.com

located here...  http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/

On occasion, I will post something original here, but mostly I will be posting recipes that I have found on eRecipeCards.com.

Like today where I found this recipe from Joelen at  the "WHAT's COOKIN, CHICAGO" blog.  


Everything's better with Fritos...


Come see what I mean at...

INSPIRED BY eRecipeCards.com

located here...  http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/

Once again... A change in my life

Have you all heard about eRecipeCards.com???

Just kidding, I am guessing all my regulars have at least visited... If not, read over the few posts that I have made in the last couple months since the website has come live.  Oh, and go over to eRecipeCards.com, register, post your top 100 recipes, make it a daily habit and scream on twitter, facebook, youtube and from out your front door that we exist.

Anyway, I have been having the time of my life!  It is now my job to look at @ 150 food blogs a day!  I always look at any submissions, as well as hunt around for potential new members.  Oddly enough, it's work, but work I love.

Promotion is now what I do (in addition to maintenance, editing, data entry and I take out the garbage and mow the lawn).  I will admit to being a bit (OK,  a LOT) lax in posting lately.  Well, that ends today.  I am returning back to posting daily...

Sort of.

But I will get to that in a second.  back to promotion.

It dawned on me that I have an amazing number of wonderful recipes being submitted daily.  Over a thousand in a month, and the numbers are growing every day.  I have a wonderful collection of recipes in my eRecipeBOX (a convenient storage spot for the recipes that I want to conveniently find again).  It's time I start showing the value of eRecipeCards.com.  Not just as a place to be seen, but also a place to search for recipes and to answer that age old question...

What's for Dinner???

So, here's the change...

I HAVE A NEW BLOG...

It's called "INSPIRED BY eRecipeCards.com"

It's located at http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/

And, it is just what it sounds like...  Everything I am going to post is going to be from recipes I saw on eRecipeCards.com.  More to the point, the recipes will be inspired by the recipes I see.  i rarely make a recipe exactly as I see it, and can not in clear conscience say I will.  In fact, I can pretty much promise that the things I post will be versions of the original recipes.  But that is what makes cooking fun and challenging.

Like this...



It's the first of many (I am going to make a daily commitment until the end of August at least).

I first saw this recipe 6 weeks ago.  It was an early submission to eRecipeCards.com.  I saved it in my ereciepBOX, knowing that I would give it a try.  It was a Mexican version of corn on the cob.  Obviously, I changed that, but I did stay true to the spirit of the recipe.

It also was submitted by one of my all time favorite people, Mary from ONE PERFECT BITE.  It was very fitting that I used one of her recipes as my first post.

Now, I will be back here occasionally.  An original recipe here and there, a recipe from someone that does not submit their recipes to eReciepCards.com (although honestly, just not enough time in the day to do my job and job to too many other blogs... but I whiningly digress...).  A pizza (yes, i plan on finishing the project).

So, take a jump over... let me know what you think.  Comments here, there, emails YearontheGrill@yahoo.com  anyway you like.

If you've been waiting to see if eRecipeCards.com would work... Come take a look.  IT WORKS GREAT.

But also, come over and see what me and Mary came up with...

http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/

Share Our Strength

Join me in support of Yahoo!’s $20,000 commitment to Share our Strength! This is a quick (30-second) way to commend Yahoo! for its partnership with an organization working to end hunger in the America.

To show its appreciation, Yahoo! has committed to donate $20,000 to Share Our Strength on behalf of US, the Foodbuzz community of publishers and readers.

In turn, you have the opportunity to show your support of this partnership by setting Yahoo! as your homepage by clicking on this link. Like what they’re doing? Let them know by changing your homepage!

Here are two things you can do raise awareness about this important cause:

1. Make Yahoo! your homepage now.
2. Share the campaign with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Dirty Florida Golfer SORBET - Almost a Dirty Arnie Sorbet

Oh my... I just love bloggers...


Last week, over at the Mystery Lover's Kitchen, I saw a post on a Porch Swing Sorbet written by their resident ice cream maven... Wendy Lyn Watson.


Wendy has lots of Ice cream chops (lives in Texas... I hear it's going to be hot somewhere around Texas this week).  Wendy is the author of the "Mystery Ala Mode" series.  Murder mysteries centered around a Texas ice cream parlor and the workers in the shop.  Now, doesn't that sound like a "cool" job (groovy and temperature).  I just finished her latest book, "A Parfait Murder" and it was terrific fun summer read.  Felt 10 degrees cooler with every page.


Aside from the fact that I have a natural distrust of Vegetarians, Wendy is winning me over as one of my favorite from the MLK.  I just bought my first ice cream maker ($2 at a garage sale).  So I pay very close attention to her every post.  She also submits her recipes to eRecipecards.com (have I mentioned that site lately???).  Click that button and you can easily find the recipes she has submitted, as well as direct links to her posts on Mystery Lover's Kitchen.


OK, a long way of saying, I was intrigued by her post.  A sorbet is not an ice cream at all.  No cream, no dairy.  It is more frozen juices.  Wendy's post on her Porch Swing Sorbet had iced tea as the main ingredient (with a smidgen of lemon juice.


Well, my wife's favorite drink right now is an Arnold Palmer.  See my post yesterday for the complicated recipe with home made southern sweet tea and fresh made real lemon lemonade. The easy recipe... get some lemonade, get some tea, mix 50.50, sweeten as you like and serve over ice.  When I saw Wendy's recipe, I had in my head to give an ARNOLD PALMER SORBET a try.


OK, back th loving bloggers...


I am new at ice cream, and VERY new at sorbet.  Meaning, i had a few questions.  I made an inquiry on the Mystery Lover's Kitchen page, and fast as you can say, "Bob's your Uncle", Wendy got back with me with a few suggestions.  


One I was very happy to oblige.  Here's the secret to a sorbet... Booze and sugar.  really, booze and sugar helps get a creamy soft sorbet.  Without B&S, you get ice crystals...  basically a big ball of flavored ice.


OK, remembering yesterday's post, you can doctor up an Arnold Palmer by using southern made Sweet Tea (making it a Winnie Palmer (much sweeter than an Arnold Palmer... Winnie is Arnie's wife BTW).  I indeed had Sweet tea (as opposed to sweetened tea... not the same).


But I was encouraged to add booze to the mix (I LOVE Wendy).  A shot of vodka would be normal, but I was out of vodka  (the drink, BTW with a shot of vodka is called a Dirty Arnie).  Another common drink is a dirty Palmer, using a shot of Rum..  A funny thing happened on the way to the liquor cabinet.  I had to move my bottle of Cointreau to get at my bottle rum.


HMMM... It's just too hot to move all those bottles... So Cointreau it is!!!


And besides, doing a little research, I couldn't find a named drink recipe for an Arnold Palmer with a shot of Cointreau, so I get to name it... The Dirty Florida Golfer


But since I ran everything through my ice cream maker, I give you...


The Dirty Florida Golfer Sorbet...

1 1/2 cups Sweet Tea
1/2 cups Sweetened Lemonade
1 shot of Cointreau


Combine, run through an ice cream maker as directed


Mine did need to set up over night in the freezer, but by morning it was a delightful spoonable soft almost creamy consistency.  but certainly something that easily held it;s shape.


I have made a pitcher of Arnold Palmers (my wife's favorite after work drink) just about every week this summer, and certainly during the last few miserable days.  This was a wonderful treat to go with a glass.


Thanks Wendy... and i have plans for a recipe from your latest book that i will be serving very soon.  So expect a review and more glowing accolades to come!








...

Let's Drink to Arnold Palmer !!!

Here's how I had fun in the sun yesterday (we topped 100 degrees)


You are about to learn more than you ever wanted to know about the Arnold Palmer Drink.


The basic Arnold Palmer is simplicity in itself...


Make some Tea
Make some Lemonade
Add ice cubes to a glass
Pour the glass half full with Tea
Top off the glass with Lemonade


Sweeten as you like.


But wait, there's more... How about an Arnold Palmer Cocktail

• If you add a shot of Rum, you have a Dirty Palmer
• If you add a shot of Vodka, you have a Dirty Arnie
• If you add a shot of Cointreau, you have a Dirty Florida Golfer
  This last one I made up... I was out of Vodka and the bottle of Cointreau was calling to my inner inspiration... And I like the name!

But wait, there's more... Sweet Tea makes a different drink...


I made some very strong sun tea using just 4 cups of water and three of the large family size Luzianne tea bags, left in the sun for 3 hours (OK, a little long, but I forgot about it).


Next, I made a "simple Syrup"
5 Cups Sugar added to 3 Cups Water
Slowly bring to boil, add slices of one lemon and a spig of mint
Remove from heat, allow to cool and strain


I added 2 cups of Simple Sugar to the STRONG Tea


And if you have ever had real Southern Sweet Tea (The house wine of the South), you know that there is no comparing a glass of fresh brewed sweet tea compared to a glass of Northern sweetened tea.  It's just a different drink.


OK, stay with me, that is actually too much simple syrup for the tea.  BUT I also made real fresh lemonade...


Juice of 6 lemons (1 Cup)
3 Cups Water
1 cup of the Simple Sugar
Mix well
Add slices from 1 lemon
Allow to rest for 2 hours while the oils from the lemon rind infuse into the L-ade


And now, finally here's what I did...


I filled a glass with ice
filled half the glass with Sweet tea
Filled the rest of the way up with Lemonade
Mixed and enjoyed!


This in fact is not an Arnold Palmer drink.  When made with Souther Sweet tea in place of Northern Sweetened tea it is called a Winnie Palmer (named for Arnie's wife)


That's about enough...


Come back tomorrow to see something amazing (food-wise) I made with this!

So that's what I did to beat the heat...


What are you serving that's cool and refreshing...


Come over to eRecipeCards.com and share your ideas.  It's easy to post and just as easy to surf around and find some equally amazing cool ideas...


Bet you'll be inspired too!


And you will find this recipe and more on eRecipecards.com!

...

SHARE OUR STRENGTH

Join me in support of Yahoo!’s $20,000 commitment to Share our Strength! This is a quick (30-second) way to commend Yahoo! for its partnership with an organization working to end hunger in the America.

To show its appreciation, Yahoo! has committed to donate $20,000 to Share Our Strength on behalf of US, the Foodbuzz community of publishers and readers.

In turn, you have the opportunity to show your support of this partnership by setting Yahoo! as your homepage by clicking on this link. Like what they’re doing? Let them know by changing your homepage!

Here are two things you can do raise awareness about this important cause:

1. Make Yahoo! your homepage now.
2. Share the campaign with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

SHARE OUR STRENGTH

Join me in support of Yahoo!’s $20,000 commitment to Share our Strength! This is a quick (30-second) way to commend Yahoo! for its partnership with an organization working to end hunger in the America.

To show its appreciation, Yahoo! has committed to donate $20,000 to Share Our Strength on behalf of US, the Foodbuzz community of publishers and readers.

In turn, you have the opportunity to show your support of this partnership by setting Yahoo! as your homepage by clicking on this link. Like what they’re doing? Let them know by changing your homepage!

Here are two things you can do raise awareness about this important cause:

1. Make Yahoo! your homepage now.
2. Share the campaign with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

Thanks for your support! 

Rustic Rosemary Bread

The only thing better than the smell of fresh made bread from the oven is fresh made Herb Bread from the oven.

And the only thing worse than a recently reformed non-smoker is a first year gardener showing off the spoils of his herbs in container garden...

They say things like, "no need for those plug in air fresheners, i just move a pot of Rosemary into a room and it fils the air with such a delightful scent".

And, "cooking with fresh onion chives has really added a new layer of flavors to just about any savory dish".


People get so bored... Until they taste the spoils of the container garden...

Here's what I did...


Makes one 2-pound loaf or 2 1 pound loafs
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100º F)
1 tablespoons granulated yeast
1  tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
4 cups all-purpose white flour (no need to sift)
2 1/2 TBS Sugar
1/3 cup fresh herbs (I used Rosemary and onion chives)

Extra 1/4 cup Flour  to aid in kneading
A brush of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
a pinch of Sea Salt

1. Mix the dry ingredients with the herbs first.  I like to do the mixing stage in a gallon size ziplock bag.  I mix my bread in a Kitchenaid Mixer.  I have also been successful mixing in a food processor.  During my time on the island, when I didn't have any kitchen appliances, I did the mixing by hand..
2. Add the water and mix well.  Be sure the water is warm, but not too hot.  Anything above 110 degrees will kill the yeast before it gets a chance to do it's magic.
3. Now it's time to knead the bread.  Keep the extra flour handy, as the dough at this stage is very wet.  Knead for at least 10 minutes.  You will need to add flour to get to a sticky, but not too sticky phase.  With experience, you can feel and see the bread become hydrated.  That is when the ingredients mix completely, and it is ready for a rest.  I "knead" in the Kitchenaid at a medium-low setting for about 5 minutes.  I do the last few minutes by hand to get the feel of the right consistency.  Ready to add more flour if needed, or more water (in 1/2 teaspoon increments) if needed.
4. Modern Bread makers call it proofing, old timers call it rising.  But whatever you want to call it, form the dough into a ball, coat with a bit of Olive Oil so the outside does not dry out, cover with a towel and let it rise for 2 to 3 hours.  The dough will double in size in that time .
5. And now, it's time to punch the dough down,  and orm the loaf
6. Punching the dough is exactly what it sounds like.  The yeast releases gases.  That is why the dough doubles in size.  When you take a punch at the dough, the gases are released.  The dough returns to it's original size.  If you are dividing the dough, use a knife to cut the dough, instead of tearing.
7. You can make a round inverted bowl shape, or ia loaf size.  A little kneading is fine (it's just fun to knead), but no more than a minute or two.
8. If you press the dough out to a circle, even thickness, and roll it up, it forms a nice submarine shape.
9. Brush a little Oil on the outside of the bread and sprinkle a bit of coarse cut Sea Salt on the top.
10. Take a VERY sharp knife and cut slits onto the bread 
11. I bake the bread (350 degrees) using a remote read thermometer, with the prob inserted into the center of the bread.  The bread is done when it reaches an internal temp of 190 degrees.  If you cook by time, it takes about 25 minutes if you are baking a loaf (long, thinner, like a submarine), or about 30 minutes if you are baking a bowl shape.
12. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting (this also evens out the cooking internally so the final loaf has no underdone dough spots).

Come see some terrific ideas for bread. There have been LOTS of submissions, just perfect for the HOT DAYS ahead!

You can find this recipe on eRecipeCards.com.  


And if you think you want to try this again in a few weeks, you can easily store the recipe in an electronic recipe box you set up, you control and only you see.  It's a great feature that lets you store all those amazing recipes you see on the internet.

...

Strawberry Jam

I had a batch of strawberries that were about to go bad.  I have been all about trying my best not to throw food away, so what to do...

 What to do????

Making jam is just so easy.  And fast and in small batches (like trying to use up a bit of fruit before it goes south on ya) and a tasty treat!

I made this during the time it took me to do the dishes from the night before...

Here's what I did...

I ended up with about 2 cups of strawberries, diced to about the size of quarters and sliced into @1/4 inch thick.

Popped those in a small sautee pan over medium heat.  

I added 1/3rd of a cup of sugar and did that TV chef thing of flipping them to coat.  If you are afraid of sugary strawberries on the floor, buy a dog or stir with a silicone spatula or spoon.

As this heats, you will see liquid start to appear!  Like Magic!  But, I had a plan (more on that later) and wanted a thin jam, something pourable.  So I added ... 1/4 cup of Cointreau!  Yeah, that orange flavored liqueur!

Simmer this for about 10-15 minutes, until the juice starts to reduce.

Pop it all in a blender, mini chopper or food processor and pulse only a few times.  You want it thick, with bits of fruit floating.

Like this!

Makes one heck of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich for lunch...

And when your hard working wife gets home from her inconvenient day job on one of those 95 degree summer days...

Ice cream and a topping of fresh made strawberry Jam is almost as good as sending roses to work.

Come see some terrific ideas for summer treatsy. There have been LOTS of submissions, just perfect for the HOT DAYS ahead!

You can find this recipe on eRecipeCards.com.  


And if you think you want to try this again in a few weeks, you can easily store the recipe in an electronic recipe box you set up, you control and only you see.  It's a great feature that lets you store all those amazing recipes you see on the internet.

Peach Ice Cream

Talk about your DOG DAYS OF SUMMER...


Sigh...


It's hot, just too dang hot!


So let's make ice cream.

And here's an odd product endorsement.  In actuality, it's a hobby endorsement.  I am cheap.  Really cheap.  So cheap that my wife and I enjoy garage sale-ing as a hobby.  Sometimes it's just a driveway full of other people's useless crap.


Sometimes it's a brand new in the box RIVAL GOURMET CREAMERY brand new (young married couple selling their wedding gifts).


So, for $2, I now own a table top ice cram maker.  Why not, could be fun and I have certainly spent $2 in worse ways.


This is my first attempt and I LOVE IT!  No mess, not much fuss and really smooth, delicious ice cream!


And now, my mind is racing with the possibilities.  Only slight drawback is this is small, only makes about a quart.  But that's ok, my fat ass doesn't need too much of this treat hanging around.  Would interfere with my rice cake intake.


But i digress...


Here's what I did...


First, I Caramelized some peach bits...


Took one peach, skinned it and diced into quarter sized pieces.
Put them in a small sautee pan, 
added the juice and zest from one lemon.
added 1/2 cup of sugar 
and stirred until well mixed and liquid appears magically (only takes a few minutes, and the liquid doubles).
Allow a slow simmer for about 15 minutes.  the peaches get soft and the liquid turns a caramel colored brown...


Like this...

While I was doing that, I also was making ice cream...


1/2 cup Sugar
dash Salt
1 Egg beaten
1 cup Whipping Cream
2 tsp Vanilla 

• Combine sugar salt and milk in a saucepan, cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until mixture almost boils.  
• Reduce heat to low.  VERY gradually, add a couple of TBS of the hot milk to the beaten egg.  DO NOT add the egg to the milk, add in a separate cold bowl.  You want to mix without the hot milk cooking the egg.  Add a couple more TBS (about half the milk) to the eggy milk.  Keep whisking as you add.  Now, you can add this to the hot milk remaining in the hot pan.  Keep whisking to mix well.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
• remove from heat and refrigerate for at least a couple hours.
• Combine whipping cream, vanilla and chilled mixture, stirring with a wire whisk to combine.
• Pour into the $2 ice cream maker and follow their directions.

Now, there are several ways to combine the fruit and the ice cream.  I took about half of the fruit and added it in during the last minute of the process.  

I have plans for the other half that I will talk about later.

but, in the mean time...

WHOOP DE DOO, this was wonderful.

I laugh in the face of 100 degree days.  I own a table top ice cream maker!

...

Pizza - Cheeseburger in Paradise... really, sing along

Look Close, you know the words, sing along...

Cheeseburger PIZZA

in paradise 

Medium rare with mustard 'be nice 

Heaven on earth with an onion slice

I'm just a cheeseburger 

PIZZA 

in paradise 

I like mine with lettuce and tomato 

Heinz 57 and French fried potatoes 

Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer 

Well good god almighty which way do I steer for my 

Chorus: 

Cheeseburger in 

PIZZA 

paradise (paradise) 

Makin' the best of every virtue and vice 

Worth every damn bit of sacrifice

To get a cheeseburger 

PIZZA 

in paradise 

To be a cheeseburger 

PIZZA 

in paradise 

I'm just a cheeseburger 

PIZZA 

in paradise 

And there you have it... All the song ingredients are here.  And, I must say this is a WONDERFUL pizza.Really and truly does taste hamburger-ish.  The mix with the mustard and pickles is spot on with the hamburger.  I will admit, it started out as a goof, just a pizza challenge when I had a little extra time on my hand, but is now in my regular rotation.  Even planning a party around the idea now.


Highly recommended.


Here's what I did...

While I did indeed enjoy a "cold one" with the finished product, I decided this deserved a BEER BREAD PIZZA CRUST!  It's my goto recipe for a thick Chicago style pizza pie.  I also made this in a cast iron skillet.  The trick to all pizzas is HOT.  I had all my ingredients ready to assemble while I preheated the skillet to 500 degrees.  It lost a lot of heat during the less than 5 minutes it took to assemble the pizza (and I had to be careful to avoid burning my fingers while I spread out the dough, but it did what cast iron is famous for, retain the heat.  Thus, the crust had a crispness that I would not have gotten without a HOT skillet.


For the beer bread pizza dough recipe, go HERE.

Next, a very important step when making any Chicago thick pie, always line the bottom with cheese slices (in this case, provolone).  That helps to keep the crust from getting soggy.

And now, time to start singing the song... I like mine with Lettuce...

French Fried Potatoes


Really, fried some up ahead of time and lined the bottom.

The Hamburger was a no brainer, instead of an onion slice, I caramelized a few onion slices and mixed them with the burger.

I made a fast PIZZA marinara sauce from canned tomatoes.  Click HERE for that recipe.

Heinz 57

and

mustard 'be nice

Big kosher pickle (slices)

And what's a cheeseburger (pizza) without a little white Cheddar Cheese

Do all that quickly and get the cast iron skillet back in the 500 degree oven as quick as possible.  Now, it took about 15 minutes for the dough to cook.  I used my handy dandy instant read temperature probe.  Bread is done at 190 degrees.  Thick Chicago style pizza dough is ready at 190 degrees.

And for presentation purposes, Garnish with a hamburger bun top.


That may be one of the oddest things I have ever written here (and I try my best to write odd things just for fun, hoping one person sees the oddity).  So, let me repeat this...


The garnish is a HAMBURGER BUN!!!

I was in paradise... And yes, deserves a starring role in my PIZZA 2011 Project!!!






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