Smokeshow Cookout 2010 Round 2 – Authentic Slow Smoked BBQ
Now that I have covered the prep part of Smokeshow 2010, It’s on to the delicious part of the Smokeshow – slow smoking and the finished product.
My day started at 7:30 AM, now that’s dedication right?
Smokeshow Cookout 2010 Round 1 – Prep time
Smokeshow 2010 was a great success!
This year I think it’s safe to say that all the food was substantially better minus one thing…the ribs (almost a complete disappointing failure). More on that later.
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
This is the third time I made this beast of a pizza and it always proves to be a crowd pleaser, and feeds a lot of people. This time the fillings I used were hot & sweet sausage, caramelized onions, mushrooms, red & green peppers, sautéed garlic and of course sauce and mozzarella cheese.
One of the first things you will need a well seasoned 10” cast iron skillet, deep dish pizza pan, or some other heavy pan. I used my cast iron skillet because it holds the heat so well.
Prosciutto, Goat Cheese, & Arugula Pizza
I present you with the one of the most disfigured yet delicious pizzas ever. This thing fought me to the end in terms of getting from a dough ball to plate, mostly due to the fact that I did not have a pizza peel. I implore you to buy a pizza peel if you are trying to make pizza on a pizza stone!
Watermelon, Feta Cheese, & Mint Salad
So I’m sitting in bed, under 2 blankets, next to my window, cold from the New England weather, and trying to enjoy some quality Food Network programming while I dig through some old pictures. Thankfully, I stumbled across a few that make me think of summer and all its warm sunny goodness. The recipe I found would be a watermelon, mint, and feta cheese salad. Even though this turned out to be a FAULURE, it still looks tasty right?
Tin Foil Pouch Chicken & Veggies
How to Make Moist Chicken Breast the Easy Way
I haven’t stopped cooking in the last few weeks, that’s for sure. I’ve had some failures along the way including my prosciutto rolls stuffed with roast asparagus, mozzarella, and herb filling. I thought it was going to be a flavor bomb but it turned out to be lacking texture and just plain BLAH. I’m definitely going to tackle that one again.
Homemade Baileys Cream
I completely forgot that I took pictures for this back in December and was about to make it again until I stumbled across a missing memory card. I love making my own Baileys; it’s delicious, cheaper* and for some reason seems to shock people when you say you made your own Baileys Cream.
Anthony’s Garden & Classic Bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato Sandwich
So I lied, I wish I could take credit for this garden oasis but all credit must go to Big Joe, my dad. He has been going at the garden thing ever since I can remember. It was always a struggle between “Those damn raccoons, deer, rabbit, opossum, squirrel, etc.” eating everything, but he finally perfected his strategy and during the last 5 years his garden has produced some of the most amazing tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, and green peppers to name just a handful. 2 years ago we must have gotten a crazy batch of zucchini seeds because one grew to be at least four feet long – no joke.
Clamming On The Long Island Sound
Clamming – Rake, Clean, Shuck, EAT & Repeat
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of going clamming on the Long Island Sound with some of my closest friends on Melissa’s boat. I’d tell you the location of our clamming spot but this honey hole definitely needs to be kept as secret as possible.
Caribbean Exploration Part 2
So, here is part 2 of my Carribean Cruise – Long overdue.
Everything on the islands was AMAZING. Except for one dish that turned out to be quite unappetizing – Mofongo. After coming home and doing a little research it seems that this Mofongo was indeed prepared in a traditional manner. This consists of taking fried green plantains and mashing them together with seasonings such as garlic, olive oil, and bacon.
Caribbean Exploration Part 1
Hello again!
I’m back from my amazing vacation in the Caribbean and I have lots of mouth watering food to share with you. Thankfully my quest for the elusive fried fish sandwich was fulfilled along my insatiable appetite for EVERYTHING.
Our itinerary was 2 days at sea, San Juan, St. Thomas (traveled to St. John too), Dominican Republic, Haiti, and then 2 days at sea.
Summer Soups, Part Uno: Chilled Carrot Ginger w Chive Sour Cream
So, big first last week, I signed up to take my first cooking class at a local grocey store called Healthy Living. They have this awesome room set up in the back where they host different classes every week equipped with brand new stoves, kitchen gadgets, etc. and even cameras that show up close what the teacher is doing from all angles.
Continue Reading →
Fresh, Grilled, & Tasty Lime-Cilantro-Chicken Tacos!
Lime Cilantro Chicken Tacos
For me, nothing tastes quite like summer as much as fresh cilantro.
Whether it’s mixed into a homemade salsa, thrown into a black bean salad, or just sprinkled on top of any dish. I am always looking for new and creative ways to use it in my recipes, especially outdoor summer BBQ style!
I have made a similar recipe for fish tacos using grilled tilapia but chicken is something you’d be more likely to have on hand, and proves how versatile recipes can be.
Sweet and Savory Stuffed Chicken
The first time I whipped this little number up was while I think I was supposed to be studying. Food distraction = the best justification for procrastination. This dish requires a few components that you need to address separately but it is still very simple to do. Honestly, the hardest part of this dish proved to be finding the aisle with jelly – no joke, it took a good 10 minutes.
Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Spinach, Ricotta & Pancetta
Spinach, Ricotta, & Pancetta Stuffed Mushrooms
Ahh yes…time for the vegetarian’s steak; Portobello mushrooms!
The filling consisted of sautéed spinach, ricotta, and some seasoning. I then stuffed the caps and topped with a little extra spinach followed by some crispy pancetta that I rendered the fat out of.
Grilled Eggplant & Goat Cheese Rolls
So, with Memorial Day being the unofficial grilling holiday for people nationwide, I found this would be an appropriate time to share my number one favorite recipe for any summer BBQ. Now I know Anthony’s got the meat lovers needs covered, so this recipe is for all you vegetarians out there BUT should not be shunned by fans of the Smokeshow either! It can be loved by us all.
Prosciutto, Asparagus, & Fresh Mozzarella Ravioli
This was my first shot at making pasta and I decided to go big and make some ravioli. I wanted to stay away from the typical fillings so I came up with this recipe. What led me to choose these ingredients was that I know asparagus wrapped in prosciutto is a delicious combo, so why not throw it in a ravioli and add some cheese?
First Summer Sangria! White Wine Style
What better to celebrate the beginning of summer?
Now, traditionally, Sangria is made with a red wine, but I have tried white wine versions as well and this particular batch is one of my favorites I have made so far.
Grilled Sesame Cedar Plank Salmon
First recipe at GroundUpGourmet!
What you’ll need:
1 fillet of Salmon
1.5 tbsp. Sesame oil
1/2 tbsp Cilantro
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder