day 40 = mom's brisket recommendation

sarah:
my mom made this brisket for the holidays and highly recommended it. i had bought a kosher brisket at costco and needed to cook it before it went bad. luckily this is a really easy recipe, but the problem is it calls for a 4lb brisket and mine was only 1.2lbs. i didn't realize you needed to adjust the time as much as you did so i overcooked it a little. overall though, it was very tasty!

1. preheat oven to 350

2. mix together in a bowl:

• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp salt (if using a kosher brisket, reduce this amount)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 bay leaf, crushed

3. in a roasting pan:

• put a 4lb brisket
• rub all over with spice rub
• add hot peppers, optional
• roast for 1 hour, uncovered

4. reduce oven heat to 275:

• add 1 1/2 cups beef stock and water until there is 1/2 in the pan
• cover tightly with foil
• cook for 3 hours, until fork tender

*for my 1.2lb brisket i cut down the rub ingredients to 1/3 and you only need about 1hr cooking time per each lb (this is where i went wrong). i would cover with foil after about 1/2 hour and check about 30-45 mins later. make sure to cook at 300 instead of 350 for the first 1/2 hour.

the other key here is not to look under the foil once you cover it. make sure it's tight so the heat does not escape.

charley:

well i am sure sarah mentioned that the meat was a little over cooked which made it a bit chewy, but it was full of flavor.  i have said it before and i will say it again, i like things with a little heat and this worked out wonderfully.  i could have eaten the whole thing, but sarah kept me from doing so!

enjoy!

day 39 = hotter than hot fresh salmon

my apologies! we haven't posted in a while and that's really because i have spent the last 3 weeks as a juror and it was a very trying experience. instead of cooking, we just ate out to make life simpler. we're back though!

sarah:
lately, charley has been doing most of the fish cooking (see day 3 and day 25 for how we typically make salmon). this is soooo easy and we discovered how to make it after realizing it's a go-to favorite of ours at costco. here's how i made it today:

- preheat oven to 450 degrees

- line a baking sheet with foil

- lay salmon in center of baking sheet

- surround salmon with mini-peppers* and red jalapeno peppers

- sprinkle salmon with spices:

      - alaea salt (i bought it at Hepps Salt Barrel)

      - chipotle pepper (i bought it at Penzeys)

      - smoked paprika

      - turmeric
      - oriental mustard powder

      - parsley flakes

- drizzle hot pepper olive oil over top*

- throw a few mini-hot peppers on top of fish*

- bake for 14 mins

*while at this trial, i visited a farmers market during lunch and picked up a branch of mini-hot peppers (i've never seen anything like it). the farmer that sold it to me said he smashes them, chops them up, and mixes with cilantro and tomatoes. he then uses the paste to marinate chicken with or as a spread on meats. charley took them off the vines and put them in a drinking glass with olive oil. this way they release more heat and we have hot pepper olive oil! i highly recommend. here's what it looked like:

charley:
i have to say i enjoy spicy things, but these peppers hit you with a lot of heat! The salmon was very good and actually complimented the hit of the peppers because it cooled this off.  i typically can handle the heat of peppers, but these i could only finish a few.  I am looking forward to these over the next few days!


enjoy!

day 33 = dinner for sarah

sarah:
i had to make dinner for myself tonight. so i went to the store totally unsure of what to buy, and decided i'd make something out of what i could find on sale. ribs and cauliflower it is! the beef ribs were $1.99/lb and the cauliflower was $1.00/lb. done. then i felt i needed some heat so i bought serrano peppers. here's what i did:

make the ribs:
1) turn the oven to 350
2) trim the beef ribs to get rid of the excess fat
3) sprinkle any combo of spices all over the ribs. i did 3 kinds:
        i. montreal steak seasoning, alaea salt & pepper
        ii. spanish paprika, alaea salt & pepper
        iii. curry powder, red pepper flakes, alaea salt & pepper
4) put in oven and cook for 1 hr
5) pull ribs out and baste with bbq sauce (i use jack daniels original)
6) return to oven and cook for another 1/2 hr

make the cauliflower:
1) heat a good amount of extra-virgin olive oil in a 4qt dutch oven on med heat
2) add chopped garlic and let infuse -- make sure it does not burn
3) add a chopped serrano pepper, stir
4) when the garlic is starting to turn color, add 1/4 large onion
5) add turmeric, oriental mustard, ground ginger, cumin, alaea salt & pepper
6) stir real good and let cook for about 7 mins
7) add cauliflower florets and 1/2 cup water, bring to boil
8) once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and let sit until ribs are ready!

make the peppers:
1) heat a good amount of extra-virgin olive oil in a pan on med heat
2) add chopped garlic and let infuse -- make sure it does not burn
3) add whole serrano peppers
4) add garlic powder and sea salt
5) let sit (do not stir) on low heat until on side begins to char
6) flip over and repeat on other side until ribs are ready!


well, i love peppers cooked in this way, but these were really hot! so hot in fact i am leaving them aside to chop up into smaller pieces for a later meal. the cauliflower also took on some of the intense heat, but it was fantastic! i couldn't believe how much i liked it. ribs are always a favorite of mine* -- and so easy!!

*my favorite way of making ribs is using chinese-five-spice, but these were descent also. i think i liked the curry powder ones the best.

in case you are wondering, i picked up the alaea (clay) salt at a local farmers market. it is supposed to keep the juices in your food. it's red so it also adds a little unique touch. have a look:

enjoy!

day 31 = "killer" chicken

sarah:
so last night we decided to use up some of the leftovers. we bought chicken, had corn and asparagus leftover from costco, and had a lot of leftover "killer shrimp" sauce (i forgot to bring it to our friends house). here's what we did:

1) we marinated chunks of white meat chicken in the killer shrimp sauce for a few hours

2) i pulled out the chicken and put them on skewers

3) i put the killer shrimp sauce on the stove and boiled it for 30 mins to concentrate the flavors
      (you'll notice it's much more dense than day 29) so we could dunk the chicken, bread, and
      vegetables into it

4) i sprinkled the last of the "sixteen-spice rub" that i used on day 2, day 3, day 9, day 12...
     all over the chicken

5) i put some olive oil, balsamic vinegar (shhh... don't tell charley), oregano, basil, red pepper   
       flakes, salt and pepper on the asparagus

6) handed it all to charley to grill

7) ate dinner!

it was really good. the best part was i accidentally left a piece of chicken in the sauce while i boiled it. it came out fantastic! so very tender and extremely full of flavor. i am going to make that again for sure!


charley:
at first i thought we should have cooked this on the stove because we could pour the sauce all over the chicken while it cooked, but again sarah had it right by grilling.  i was able to enjoy half last night and the remainder today for lunch.  it will go to the top of my dinner list (still have the dessert on top overall) along with the meatballs!

enjoy!

day 29 (part II) - killer shrimp soup

sarah:
there is a restaurant in marina del rey, ca called Killer Shrimp that closed down and has just reopened a few years later. we went to eat there twice now and the wait was over 45 mins so hopefully it will stay around now that it's back!

it's fantastic. they only serve one item: shrimp, 3 ways: with french bread, with pasta, or with rice. the shrimp come in a huge serving bowl filled with this wonderful sauce. peels remain on the shrimp so it gets a little messy, but you must give in and use your fingers. my favorite way to eat is dipping the french bread in the sauce... this is my best attempt to recreate the dish from memory, but i can't wait to go eat there and see if it's even close. it's also in my cookbook if you want more great food finds!

the total cost today (without the spices which i bought the last time we made this dish) was: $24.36. we are going to take the leftover broth to our friend's bbq tomorrow so people can enjoy the sauce!

• 2 quarts chicken broth (64oz)
• 2 tablespoons rosemary
• 5 cloves garlic, minced (use more if you like)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup clam juice
• 1/2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 pounds shrimp, with tails and shells
• 1 (1 pound) loaf French bread

1. pour broth into a large pot, and mix in rosemary, garlic, pepper, celery seed, fennel seed, thyme, red pepper flakes, clam juice, tomato paste, and butter. bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
2. stir wine into the soup, and continue to simmer and occasionally stir 2 hours. if you have time, put the soup in the refrigerator and let sit overnight. the next day, put back on the stove and heat for 1/2 hr to hr. (i liked it better this way, but charley found no difference in taste when served immediately)
3. just before serving, stir in shrimp. cook for 3 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque. serve with bread for soaking up all the yummy broth.

charley:
when sarah first said this wasn't as good as last time and didn't have a lot of flavor i wasn't sure what she was tasting.  in fact, i liked this more then last time because she added more heat then she did previously.  i like spicy food so this worked great for me.  i only wish there would have been more shrimp!

enjoy!

day 27 = i'm all set to watch Hell's Kitchen!

i sat down to watch Hell's Kitchen (i love gordon ramsay!), but something didn't quite feel right. it's the kind of show you need to sit back and have some popcorn with to enjoy all the action. the thing is though, gordon has a bit of a bite (in a good way) so you need to kick-it-up a notch. here's my concoction:

- put popcorn kernels in the microwave and cook on high until there are a few seconds
  between the pops (start with 3 mins on your cook time and stop when necessary)

- melt 2 tbsp butter and drizzle over top

- sprinkle with: cayenne pepper, chinese five spice, salt and pepper

it seems odd, i know, but trust me --- it's fantastic!

enjoy!

day 25 = sleepy salmon part II

sarah:
costco salmon is our go-to favorite. charley made this the other day --- soooo simple and so delicious. here's what he did:

- preheat oven to 400 degrees
- put foil on a cookie sheet
- place salmon in the center
- sprinkle with: garlic powder, chipotle powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
- place mini red, yellow, and orange peppers (from costco) around salmon
- cook for 15 mins

we buy all our spices now from penzy's. i highly recommend!

charley:
i begin to wonder who is the better cook between the two of us because this came out awesome! (all kidding aside, sarah is the better cook), but this was excellent.  the heat and texture of the fish was wonderful.  the peppers just add to the flavor and are a must have for this dish!

if you want to check out sleepy salmon part I, see day 3...

enjoy!

day 22 = bourbon bbq chicken with sixteen spice rub

sarah:

we're trying to use up everything in the house so the meals the next few days will be very interesting...

we were watching the food network and bobby flay's throwdown! came on again. we like the country captain chicken from the day 20 so i thought i'd try something else from his cookbook. we had chicken breasts in the freezer so i defrosted those and got started with the recipe. since i didn't have all the ingredients, here's what i did:

buttermilk marinade:

• 1 quart (4 cups) buttermilk or 4 cups milk + 4 tbsp lemon juice**
• a few drops tobasco sauce (in our case, a bunch)

sixteen-spice rub:

• see the recipe included in day 2's bbq at home. don't let it scare you and it lasts forever. i am still using it up!

barbecue sauce:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• a few dried chili's, chopped in 1/2 so you get the seeds
• 1/2 cup bourbon, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked spanish paprika
• 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

**if you don't have buttermilk on-hand, put 4 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl and add 4 cups milk overtop. let sit for 5 mins and you'll have your own buttermilk!

1) two hours to two days ahead:

marinate the chicken in the buttermilk and tabasco to tenderize the chicken.

2) make the rub:

whisk all the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl.

3) start the grill:

heat the grill to medium heat. best to cook the chicken "low and slow" to maintain the flavor.

4) make the bbq sauce:

heat oil over medium-high heat in saucepan. add garlic and cook for 1 minute. add the dried chili. stir in 1/2 cup of the bourbon and cook until reduced. add the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. season with salt and pepper, to taste. pour into a bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of bourbon and allow to cool at room temperature. the sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.

5) finish the chicken:
brush the chicken with the 1/4 cup of oil and season on both sides with the spice rub. season with salt and pepper, to taste. grill the chicken slowly, with the lid closed, until golden brown on both sides and fat has rendered. begin brushing the chicken liberally with the bbq sauce during the last 10 minutes of grilling.

arrange on a serving platter and serve.

this is fantastic! i really liked the flavors and it was a great way to use up the spice rub, the chicken, and a bunch of old condiments. last time we made chicken i salted it before putting it in the refrigerator and it came out so juicy and tender. this time i marinated it in buttermilk (but only for 2 hours) and it also came out juicy. so i think either is a good option, but i prefer the salted method. regardless, this seasoning and sauce is really flavorful!

charley:

at first i was a little hesitant on the BBQ sauce as i was looking forward to the chicken with the spices on it.  the pieces of chicken we were cooking were enormous and i wasn't sure how long to cook them without over cooking or under cooking.  i typically put the grill on medium heat and cook on each side for 7 minutes a piece.  to add to the complication, sarah likes charred pieces on the skin so the heat needs to be just right.  i left them on the grill for 10 minutes each side and after i grilled both sides i was going to add the BBQ sauce on for the last turn.  when i went out for the BBQ sauce i noticed the chicken was very charred, which worried me that they may be over cooked.  i turned the heat to low and added the sauce for a final 5 minutes.  after bringing the chicken in i could see sarah was happy with the condition, but i was a little worried that they would be dry.  after she took her picture i grabbed a piece and cut in.... perfect piece of chicken and to my surprise the BBQ sauce was great.  good spice and just enough sweetness.  it was great!

enjoy!

day 20 = country captain chicken

sarah:
i tried to create a meal yesterday as a treat for charley, but made a few critical mistakes:

1. we bought the cheapest chicken i could find and it was really tough. lately i've been buying kosher chicken and you really can taste a difference. for the extra $2 i would highly recommend the better tasting chicken for this dish.
2. i really wanted to surprise him with boston creme pie cupcakes (his favorite dessert). i got all the way to the "cream" step and, as my arm was about to fall off from the whisking, a familiar smell came into my kitchen. it was that moment that i remembered i had made this recipe for him in the not so distant past and we did not like it. needless to say, i have no memory, and i gave up for the night. if i can get inspired, i'll finish them up this evening and post them for you to see... hopefully i just had a bad day the last time and it tastes better tonight!

for the chicken recipe, it is out of "bobby flay's throwdown!" cookbook.  this cookbook is fantastic because it gives you both bobby flay's recipe and the opponent recipe and let's you know who won the throwdown. in case you haven't checked it out for yourself, it is a great show on the food network.

i picked this recipe because it intrigued me. i've never heard of "country captain chicken" and it resembled chicken cacciatore with an indian flare so i was immediately intrigued. i used baby carrots which didn't seem to cook in the allotted time so i would recommend you let it simmer longer than the recipe states or cut your carrots in smaller pieces. check the recipe out here foodtv.com.


charley:
i have found that i am a fan of anything prepared with curry and this dish was no exception.  i really enjoyed the meal except for the chicken.  the chicken we decided to go with just wasn't any good.  the carrots were a little tough, but in the end i still loved them.  this was a very flavorful dish and i would recommend it!

enjoy!

day 17 = using up the freezer chicken wings

sarah:

i am a little behind on this week.  we've had a lot to do so we did not get a chance to make our usual costco trip. knowing i had no energy to go to the store, we opened the freezer and had a few packages of chicken wings remaining from our last costco run. i highly recommend picking them up because they are pre-packaged for you into 5 wings per package which is just perfect for one person. then we sprinkle each with a bunch of seasonings (mainly from our trips to penzys).

charley did these wings. he used the leftover 16 spice rub from bobby flay's recipe i made on day 2. it was good, but usually we make 2-4 differently spiced wings and this time there was only one type so it got a little boring by the end. i highly recommend you make this rub through for regular bbq chicken. that was excellent.

charley:
it has now been a few days since we had the chicken wings so i am going solely off memory.  since i can still recall them that has to be a good sign and yes they were very good.  we do chicken wings often, but we change the way there seasoned each time.  as for this batch, the seasoning was very tasty.  it was the right amount of spice, sweet and smokey flavors and it was hard not to eat sarah's wings also.  i would recommend this rub for anyone.

enjoy!

day 2 = bbq at home

wow, i've actually kept this going for 2 days! i got home tonight knowing i have a fridge full of Costco purchases (more than should ever be bought for 2 people) and no plan of attack. it's a good thing i have this blog going because it forced me to look through one of my cookbooks. i knew i had chicken in the fridge which needed to be used. a little while ago i read you should salt meats and poultry before you stick them in the fridge to improve the flavor.  i tried this on sunday so figured it needed to be used up 2 days later (the results were spectacular... i highly recommend!). ok, so chicken it is. now, what to do with it? luckily, i have a cookbook from Bobby Flay all about grilling. perfect!

now it was a matter of choosing the recipe. knowing i was not getting back in the car to go to the store, i needed a recipe with ingredients i had at home. have i ever mentioned i am a little obsessed with cookbooks? well, i've made a few recipes overtime and each one seems to use another new spice. luckily then, i had most of the 16 spices in his "Sixteen-Spice-Rubbed Chicken Breast with Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce". charley hates vinegar so it was a little risky, but i thought i go for it. surprisingly, it didn't take very long to put together (i skipped one of the spices because i didn't have it, but who's telling). it actually was spectacular! if you are a descendant of my grandfather, you lick every bone in sight. i've had my share of cleaning chicken bones, but this was probably the best ever! and charley even liked the sauce! 

to top it all off i added some corn (again from Costco) and a cobb salad. it turned out to be a great evening! ---- ok, i can't get all the credit, charley grilled the chicken to perfection (he wanted me to add that plug :)

since it has a lot of ingredients, check it out for yourself at the following and let me know how it goes!: BBQ Chicken Rub 

enjoy!