My bad ass chicken recipe

This recipe really doesn't have a name. This was just something that I made up when I was living in Virginia Beach. I think my roommate Kris was my kitchen test dummy at the time. I think I got the idea from Chicken Cordon Bleu but it is really nothing like it. I apologies for not giving you a hard ingredients list but there is really no defined amounts. I will tell you what you need and how to do it. From there it is simple enough but pretty labor intensive. It is probably one of my girlfriends favorite dishes of mine but I rarely make it because of the amount of work involved.There is also a lot of room for improvisation in this recipe. Please read the entire recipe before you begin, it will help determine what you need to do  So, without further adieu...

My bad ass chicken recipe

Ingredients 
- Chicken breasts, filleted and pounded flat (you can also use chicken cutlets)
- Crumbled feta cheese (Crumbled blue will also work0
- Baby spinach
- Fresh Garlic, pressed, to taste
- Bacon (thick or thin cut depending on cooking method)
- Stuffing (optional depending on cooking method)*
- Bamboo skewers

Method: Preparation

Take the chicken fillets or cutlets and pound them flat, if they seem to be to thick to work with. Do not pound them so flat that they have holes in them or you will have problems later. I find that an empty beer bottle seems to do the trick.

Put a layer of spinach leaves on the chicken.

Put some crumbled cheese and pressed garlic in the center of the chicken. You want just enough that you can roll the chicken up without it leaking out all over the place. Make sure you tuck the ends of the chicken so as to create a cheese and spinach filled chicken roll-up.

Take the skewers and use them to hold the chicken shut, it should take about 3 - 4 per chicken. Trim the skewers so that there is only about 1/2 an inch sticking out on each side.

Take the bacon and wrap tightly around the chicken. Don't wrap so tightly that you rip the bacon or squeeze the stuff out.

Set chicken aside and move on to the next one, until they are all wrapped up nice and neat, like so:

Method: Cooking

There are two cooking methods that I have used for this dish, grilling and baking.

Grilling:
I originally cooked this on the grill. I used a medium low heat and put the chicken as far away from the flame as I could, because as the fat in the bacon renders you will get some vicious flare ups. Try to abate the flames as best as you can but keep in mind that the bacon serves two purposes in this cooking method. First as bacon cooks it will tighten up on the chicken, sealing in the juices and melting cheese. Second, and the reason why you want thicker bacon, it protects if from the flames. Cook the chicken until you get a 165 internal temperature.

When it is done cooking, pull it off the grill and let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Either remove the skewers or warn your diners that they are there (this is very important when grilling as the ends tend to burn off). The bacon can either be eaten or discarded. It should be rather charred and crispy on the outside but still tasty....

(I will add pictures when I get them for this method)

Baking: 
I have adapted a second cooking method for this dish, baking. To bake the chicken I use a 375 degree oven. I take the chicken and put it in a Pyrex dish full of stuffing. For this method thinner bacon is better as it will crisp up in the oven quicker than thicker bacon will. Cooking time is around 45 minutes but varies depending on the size of the chicken rolls (cook to an internal temperature of 165). At about the half way point I flip the chicken, for even cooking. When done, remove from the oven and let rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove skewers or warn diners that they are there.

*A note on stuffing. I often cheat with stuffing and will make boxed stuffing, unless i have the time to make my own. I have found Bell's Stuffing to be one of the few commercially available stuffing's that does not have High Fructose Corn Syrup in it. I am not sure why stuffing needs HFCS in it but I don't want it. That crap is everywhere and I try my best to avoid it. Also when making boxed stuffing I like adding sauteed onions and some diced up crispy apples (granny smith, honeycrisp, pink ladys etc...). I also replace the water with beer or chicken broth. When baking it uncovered like I am in this recipe I tend to add a touch more water than what is called for.

Sorry for being so wordy but this is my baby and I wanted to treat her right. If you have any questions about it, please ask in the comments and I will try my best to answer them.

Here is the finished product from last night with some Bell's Stuffing and some steamed Asparagus with pressed garlic thrown in the steamer bag.

Bon Appétit

Sour Cream Replacement

I started eating Greek yogurt about a year or two ago, I guess when it really started showing up on the shelves in the supermarket. If you are unfamiliar, it is a thicker yogurt with more protein than normal yogurt (I do not consider candy bar yogurt like Yoplait yogurt to be real yogurt). Sometime after I started eating this stuff my girlfriend and I were in the market and a thought came to my mind, "I bet you could replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt...". So we decided to give it a day in court.

We got some good baking potatoes and some low fat (or no fat) yogurt and threw it on our baked potatoes. It was good. The consistency was very similar to sour cream and the taste was very similar as well. The only real difference was that it was just a touch sweeter. So I got to thinking about ways to hide that sweetness without blowing the health benefits of yogurt over sour cream. The Greeks have this stuff called Tzatziki sauce that is a blend of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, dill and some other stuff but it inspired me.

The next time we had baked potatoes I tried adding some pressed garlic. I swear, my garlic press can solve almost any kitchen problem (another shameless plug for Zyliss garlic presses). I think I may have overdone it by adding 4 cloves to one small container of yogurt but the results were awesome. My girlfriend and I have played around with the amount of garlic and have found 1 - 2 cloves per small container to be good. We have also substituted this in every recipe that calls for sour cream with success (tacos, burritos, baked potatoes etc...). We have even passed it off on unsuspecting people as sour cream and they never knew the difference until we told them.

I have my suspicion that if you were to add your favorite herb combination the results would be the same as garlic. I don't mind the hint of sweetness it has when used plain but if you want to cover hide it then try some oregano, basil or dill. Play around with it and see what you can come up with. I am not saying that replacing sour cream is the solution to a healthier diet but it is a small step you can take and more than likely you will never know the difference.

Ingredients:

6oz of Greek Yogurt ( I like Chobani)
1-2 cloves of garlic pressed

Mix garlic into the yogurt. Cover and chill until you are ready to use

I thought I would include the nutritional breakdown for the yogurt versus sour cream just for your viewing.

Versus  Light Sour cream (which I think tastes icky)

 

Ingredients: Grade A cultured cream, skim milk, vitamin A palmitate
2 Tbsp = about 1 oz
So multiply these values by 6 to see how it compares to the yogurt... and how many of us only use the recommended serving size of sour cream on our baked potatoes?



Just a side note to all of this... I used Daisey Sour Cream for the analysis. They only put nutritional info up for the light sour cream. The full strength stuff only had an ingredients list...  

Pork Carnitas

If done right this stuff melts in your mouth. I have never done this so this will be an experiment. I kind of searched all over to get an idea of what to do and decided to wing it from there. I am sure that I will have to refine it a few times before I nail it but here goes.

Ingredients:

Dry Rub:

1 T Chili powder
1 T Salt
1 T Cumin
1 T Garlic Powder

Everything else:

4lb Pork Shoulder - Boneless will be easier to work with but bone in will give you better flavor
1 C chopped onion
2 Bay leaves
4 Cloves of garlic - peeled and whole (more if you like garlic)
1 t Paprika
1 t Oregano
1 t Cumin
1 Cinnamon stick
Chicken broth
Olive oil

Method:

Mix the dry rub ingredients together and rub into pork shoulder. Put in a container, wrap and chill. I would let it marinate at least over night but up to 3 days.

Put the bay leaves and other spices, except the garlic, in the bottom of the stock pot or a slow cooker.

Put a little bit of olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold the roast. Turn the heat up to medium. Cook the onions in the skillet until they start to turn translucent. Remove from skillet and put into either a large stock pot or slow cooker.

Throw the roast into the skillet and brown on all sides.

Put the roast into the stock pot/slow cooker. Cover the roast 3/4 of the way with chicken stock and add the garlic.

Cook covered over low heat for 6 - 8 hours.

When the roast is done remove it from the stock pot and reserve 2 cups of liquid. Let the pork rest for 15 minutes. Shred the pork with two forks, removing any large chunks of fat. If you are making this ahead of time you can put the shredded pork in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Put the shredded pork in a baking dish with enough of the reserved liquid to get it moist. Heat under a broiler until the pork starts to get crisp. Then serve.

Serve with corn tortillas, sour cream *, guacamole, diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped jalapenos, salsa... pretty much what ever you desire. The rule of thumb is to keep it simple. You are not trying to make an overstuffed burrito, instead you are making little hand sized tacos.

* About a year a go I stopped using sour cream and replaced it with yogurt. Hear me out before you freak out. The plain Greek yogurt has the same consistency as sour cream it is just a touch sweeter. I like to add some pressed garlic to the yogurt and let it chill for a few hours to allow the garlic and yogurt to mingle. If you don't tell people they are eating yogurt instead of sour cream they will never know.

**One other note. Out of all of the recipes I saw the one thing that was constant was the use of pork shoulder. The butcher recommended the rump roast but I stuck with the shoulder. It turned out pretty good for about half the price of a rump.... 

Variant on my bad ass chicken recipe

Well I was really rushed for time tonight and didn't have time to make my "Bad Ass Chicken Recipe" so I made a variant of it. As soon as I get a chance to make it I will post the original but for now this will have to suffice. I have never made this particular variant before so it is kind of an experiment. ;)

I don't really consider this so much of a recipe as it is a method...

Ingredients:

Boneless skinless chicken thighs
Bacon (thin cut)
Your favorite BBQ sauce (mine is Bone Sucking Sauce)

Method:

Take a baking sheet or Pyrex baking pan and cover in aluminum. Put a baking rack in the pan on the aluminum.

Rinse and dry the chicken thighs.

Roll the thighs up and wrap them with a piece or two of bacon, then dip in your favorite BBQ sauce and place on the rack.

Once you have them arranged nice and neat, like so:

Throw them into an oven preheated to 375. Bake for about 40 minutes, turning once and basting. Once the chicken hits an internal temp of 165 it is done.

Serve with rice and a steamed veggie for a simple, easy dinner. Enjoy with your favorite beer.

After making this there are a few alterations that I would make.
1. Given the time I would marinate the chicken in the bone sucking sauce. I think it would enhance the flavor.
2. I should have turned on the broiler on for a few minutes and really crisped that bacon. There is just something about crispy bacon and chicken that is awesome.
3. I think a grill would have been best, with some Bone Sucking Sauce to baste the chicken with as it was cooking.

Passover Lasagna – Not a Myth but a Reality

My Canadian friend has submitted this recipe for Passover. She said something about passover lasagna and I got curious... So now you can enjoy a non traditional Passover meal thanks to Shira.

Passover Lasagna – Not a Myth but a Reality

I am not sure how many individuals who read this celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover, but for those, like me, who are forced into eating what amounts to “stale crackers” for a week, this is for you. Possibly the most aggravating thing about the holiday is giving up some food staples we often take for granted – bread, rice, and pasta. Other than being a great diet for week, it can be a severe pain.

The trick I have learned over the years while banging my head against a wall thousands of times while trying to come up with something other than the ever popular “meat and potatoes,” is to reorient my thinking. Although many of us tend to focus on the things we can’t have (my walk everyday past the donut joint is going to be a killer for a week), you need to focus on what you do have in order to make delicious, appetizing substitutes.

Possibly one of the biggest substitution tricks I have learned when it comes to Passover is making Matzah Lasagna. If you want to be creative, this is just the ticket. It is your garden variety of lasagna but you substitute lasagna noodles with matzah. You will also need to use cottage cheese instead of ricotta unless you can find kosher for Passover ricotta. (As a little science note – a common ingredient in ricotta is grain vinegar, though often called something like “catalyzer” on the ingredient list.)

This is a recipe good for two people but you can increase as need be!

• 2 pieces of matza
• Either jarred tomato sauce (or you can make your own like I like to do and freeze the rest for a post-Passover spaghetti and meatball fest)
• Cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• Shredded mozzarella cheese (as much or little as you like)
• Parmesan cheese
• Optional: Vegetables (I either like to sauté mushrooms or slices of zucchini to layer in my lasagna)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the egg with one cup of cottage cheese and parmesan cheese. In an 8X8 pan, spread a layer of tomato sauce, but keep it thin. Place down your first piece of matzah. On top of the matzah, place another layer of tomato sauce and then a layer of the cottage cheese mixture. If you are adding vegetables, put them on after the cheese mixture is placed. Then put on a thin layer of tomato sauce and cover with the matzah. On top of the matzah, place more sauce as well as your shredded mozzarella. Place the lasagna into the oven and cook until the mozzarella on top becomes brown.

Obviously, you can add more layers if you like, but this is basic.

So for this Passover, I am telling you to be creative with your food and make something new and interesting. The week will go by much faster when you have good food planned!

 

BBQ Pasta Salad

I have finally gotten around to getting this thing up and running. Please comment. I am open to reader submissions. If you know me, let me know and we can figure something out. If you don't know me leave me a comment and we can try and work something out.

This is one of my all time favorite pasta salads. Every time I have made it has been a smashing hit. The original for this came off of the food network. I have modified it fairly heavily so it is now mine. As with any recipe I encourage you to make your own modifications. Play with it and have some fun.  That is what cooking is all about.

BBQ Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Lb fusilli pasta (or what ever kind of pasta you want)
- 2 T apple cider vinegar
- 1 t hot sauce
- 1/2 t chili powder (i always end up using a lot more...)
- 1/8 t garlic powder (i tend to use fresh crushed garlic and a lot of it, I recommend Zyliss garlic presses)*
- Pinch of cayenne (i have big fingers so my pinch is a healthy one)
- 1 C Mayonnaise
- 1/2 C BBQ Sauce (use what ever kind you want but I highly recommend Bone Sucking Sauce)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, sliced thin (can omit if you dislike celery like i do)
- 2 whole scallions, sliced thin
- 8 - 16 oz of pulled pork (pulled chicken works for those of you who don't eat pork)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

FOLLOW the directions on the package of pasta. They put the directions there for a reason, use them. Slightly under cook. That way it will have a nice firmness for the pasta salad.

In a large bowl, mix vinegar, hot sauce, chili powder, garlic, cayenne, mayo and BBQ sauce. Add vegetables to coat. pour BBQ dressing over pasta and mix well. You can then either place pork/chicken on top of the pasta or mix it into the pasta. I prefer to mix it in. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let me stress that last bit. It has mayo in it. That stuff is one of the number one big offenders of food borne illness. Keep it cold until you are ready to serve. It goes great with beer or anything else for that matter.

If by chance there is any left (there shouldn't be), I advise chucking it instead of turning it into leftovers, especially if it has been at room temp for more than an hour or so. I would rather toss something than kill someone. Alternatively you can break out only what you need as you need it and keep the rest refrigerated.

 * More on the Zyliss. I like their presses for a number of reasons. There may be better presses out there but you are going to pay for them. I went on a search for a garlic press not too long ago and what I found was that presses in the same dollar range as the Zyliss were crap. They had shoddy construction, stupid ergonomics or just did a piss poor job. Some of the more expensive ones that I saw really didn't do it for me. I just couldn't justify dropping $50 on a garlic press when there is one out there that is well made and presses the hell out of some garlic for $14. I am not getting a kick back for plugging Zyliss (yet, maybe we can work something out???). I am trying to make it a point to only plug kitchen equipment that 1) I use 2) I think is awesome. Those are my standards.

Greetings

Welcome to my recipe blog. This is not my weekly recipe but more of an establishment of my mission statement. What I would like to do is to post at least one recipe a week of something I have cooked. I want to try and provide as detailed of an ingredients list and instructions as I can. However there will be plenty of times where I will not use an exact amount of something or use an exact technique but I will try and be as descriptive about what I am using or what I am doing as I can. It is cooking, not rocket science so have some fun…

I would also like to bring some of my friends on-board with this project. I know that many of them are no strangers to a kitchen and I think that the knowledge base that could be accumulated here is immense. So looking forward hopefully some of you will want to participate either by recreating what I am doing or by contributing your own recipes. Either way it should be good times.

Another aspect to consider is that I like to be challenged. So please feel free to either comment or contact me in some other way with things you would like me to take a stab at. Really I would like to make this as interactive as I can and as fun as I can. I mean, really there is no point playing in the kitchen if you are not having fun doing it.

A little about myself and cooking: I think my interest in cooking comes from my Grandma Stout and my Grandma Pat. My Grandma Stout was an amazing baker and just all round good cook. My Grandma Pat does fancier and more refined cooking. I can remember helping both of them out in the kitchen when I was younger. I am not sure if I was really helping of if they just put up with me in the kitchen… The other greatest influence was my mom. Of course most people will fiercely defend their moms cooking as the best in the world and that is understandable. My mom aside from being a mighty fine cook also taught me how to make something out of nothing, which is what she often had to work with.

For many of you this is probably the retelling of the abridged version of my life story…. For the rest of you … My formal culinary training consists of being a Navy cook for 7 years. More often than not it was mass production of food like substances more than it was actual cooking. But even in the worst case I still learned many of the basic skills of cooking during my time in the Navy. While I was in I also did a fair amount of cooking at home and really tried to refine those skills (thank you Kris for being a guinea pig). After my time in the Navy I went to school at Johnson & Wales and got a degree in restaurant management. I am pretty sure that the degree is not worth the paper it is printed on but I have it none the less. Now that I have totally divested myself from cooking for a living or for a scholastic endeavor my passion for it has picked back up (the Navy really did a job on ripping the passion for cooking out of me).

Now days I find that I primarily cook for me and my girlfriend. On occasion I will cook a little something something for a party, gathering or get together with friends. This seems to pick up during the summer when I am poolside and have access to a grill. If you have not been to one of my poolside cookouts you have no idea what you are missing…. So cheers! And here is looking forward to posting my first recipe. Not sure if I will be able to get to something this weekend or not as I have a term paper to write but I will hopefully have a chance to make something.