Halloween Dinner - Garlic Sausage Gnocchi

Garlic Sausage Gnocchi II is a revision of my original Sausage Gnocchi uses Garlic Sausage and FRESH Organic Tomatoes to create the tomato sauce and adds a touch of Mozzarella cheese. It’s quick and easy and tasty…serves 3-4.
Ingredients
1 Lb. Pkg. Potato Gnocchi
3 Medium Diced Tomatoes
1 – 1 ¼ Lb. Garlic Seasoned Italian Sausage (4 links)
½ chopped large Sweet Onion

Italian seasoning (A strong Tsp each of basil, oregano, cumin)
Water
½ Tsp. Fresh Ground Sea Salt
1 Tsp. Granulated Sugar
1 ½ Tsp. Parsley
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Romano/Parmesan cheese (for topping)

Preparation
1. Fire up the Egg to FULL FLAME on extended ring with Grid.
2. In a 4 Qt. Pot bring lightly salted water to boil for Gnocchi and boil until it all floats, remove and drain, set aside.
3. Dribble a splash of water into the 4 Qt. pot and cook onions until they are transparent.
4. Add the tomatoes and 8 oz. of Tomato Sauce, stir in the spices and bring to boil, stirring frequently.

5. Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes then add Gnocchi to tomato sauce and recover pot.

6. In a Cast Iron Skillet heat EVOO over high heat and the sausage (links rolled into approximately 1 tablespoon in size and cook until browned throughout.

7. Dump the tomato sauce/gnocchi into the skillet and stir constantly. Bring skillet contents to a boil.

8. Add mozzarella cheese and stir until melted the remove from heat and let set for 5 minutes.

9. Dump into a service dish or Paella pan, sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
(Revised 10/24/2010 to remove salt and pepper and adjust cooking time and ingredient adjustments)
Prep Time about 20 minutes, Cook Time: 40-50 minutes; recipe serves 6-8. The leftovers should make for some mean fried Mac and Cheese cakes!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 Lb. Elbow Macaroni
• 6 Tbsp. Salted Butter
• 5 Tbsp. Enriched Flour
• 1 Tbsp. Corn Starch
• 1 ½ Tbsp. powdered Mustard
• ¼+ Tsp. Cayenne
• 4 Cups 2% Organic Milk
• 1-12 Oz. Can Evaporated Milk
• 2 Cups Monterey Jack and Mild Cheddar, shredded
• 1 ½ Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded fine
• ½ + Cup Sweet Onion, finely diced
• ½ + Tsp. Paprika
• 1 ½ Tsp. Kosher Salt
• 12 – 16 oz. Baked ham, diced (not smoked)
TOPPING
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 of cheeses from recipe
DIRECTIONS
1. Fire up the BGE to full flame and grid on the fire ring then bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add macaroni and cook to al dente.
3. While the Pasta is cooking melt 5 Tbsp. butter in separate pot on the grid.
4. Whisk in the flour, cayenne, paprika, salt,, paprika and powdered mustard, stir until slightly browned (keep it moving constantly); simmer for several minutes making sure it is free of lumps.
5. Stir in the milk, evaporated milk and onion. Simmer for ten minutes then stir in 3/4 of the cheese.

6. Fold the diced ham and macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole pan.

7. Top with remaining cheese and Panko bread crumbs.

8. Remove grid and place plate setter legs down (indirect set up). Adjust temperature to 350 degrees. Place a pizza stone on the plate setter and then place casserole pan on stone. Bake for 40 minutes then remove from BGE and rest for TEN (10) minutes before serving.

Ham and/or Pea Variation – Add ½ cup frozen peas; substitute deli sliced ham or eliminate the ham altogether.

Dessert was this great Candy Corn Jello recipe...

ESPN Game Day in COMO...BRB

UM plays #1 Oklahoma tonight here in COMO...so there won't be any Eggin' today at the Hall house...we did attend the ESPN Game Day taping this morning.

The best sign was the Lee Corso Doppleganger and one that said Bob Stoops has Bieber Fever (no pic).

Beer Bum Chicken (Beer Butt Chicken) - Organic

Beer Butt Chicken - SIMPLE

This recipe isn’t any different than any other beer butt recipes; it’s just the one I tried and it worked.

As for those that want to debate the actual benefits or science associated with the use of the beer (or lack thereof); I don’t care one way or the other, it satisfies our taste buds just fine!

Preparation and Cooking Directions

1. Preheat BGE to 400 degrees with raised grid (2” extra)
2. Soften butter in microwave and spread over entire surface of chicken

3. Apply Paul Prudhommes Poultry Magic on the outside surfaces.

4. Using your favorite beer can chicken cooking device set it up and add the ½ can of beer

5. Place Chicken on the holder then place on Gird and insert meat thermometer into thickest part of the thigh

6. Let cook until the temperature reaches 180 degrees (somewhere around one hour)

7. Remove and let rest (watch that can and rack, it will be HOT!), slice and serve.

 

Organic/Sustainable Beef Tri-Tip (multiple tips version 3)

The ingredients for this cook have been adjusted to allow for adequate marinade to cover three Tri-Tips (5 pounds) versus the version previously shared for 2-2.5 Lb Tri-tip. The picture here is of just one 2.5 Lb. Tri-tip cooked medium rare.  This beef comes from Missouri Legacy Beef in Salsbury, MO. 
     The nice thing about cooking multiple tips is that you can cook them to different temperatures to please a larger audience (even thought the low side of medium rare is where this meat is best.
     The story behind Tri Tip Beef (a.k.a. Triangle Roast): This cut of meat is limited in availability because there is only one per side of beef. Therefore it is typically ground into hamburger or cut into cubes and sold as soup meat. This often over looked piece of meat is not only relatively inexpensive but also very flavorful and has become a favorite amongst the few in the know. The tri-tip roast or steak (also called a triangle roast) is the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds of meat that sits at the bottom of the sirloin. It has great flavor and tends to be much lower in fat than most cuts of beef i.e., it's a good lean cut of beef.
     The thing to remember is that lean also means it will dry out faster so it is recommended that you prepare with a good marinade &/or Rub. Particularly good flavors for tri-tip are Southwestern or Asian. Because tri-tip is lean, be careful not to overcook it, particularly when preparing the full roast. Medium is as far as you should go with this cut. Use a meat thermometer to monitor often during cooking. If you are used to grilling other cuts, this one can throw some grillers off by appearing underdone when it is ready to serve and by the amount it ‘swells’ when cooked.
Santa Maria/Grilled Soy Lime Style – This simple tri tip recipe utilizes a hybrid marinade that is loosely based on a combination of spices picked up from two different recipes.
Ingredients
• 5 Lb’s of Tri-tip roast (sustainably raised/organic)
• Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends – Meat Magic
Seasoning Marinade:
• 4 teaspoons freshly ground 4-color pepper
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 Tbls. Garlic powder
• 3 Tbls. Sea Salt (fresh ground)
• 2 ½ Cups Apple Juice (100% pure juice)
• ½ Cup Soy Sauce (low sodium)
• 1 ½ Tbls. Lime Juice
• 2 Tbls. Red Pepper Flakes
• 2-4Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 ½ Tsp. Fresh Ground Ginger Root
• 6 Tbls. (Local organic) Honey
Basting Sauce:
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (or EVOO) (add garlic powder if you can’t find garlic infused oil)
Preparation and cooking
1. Mix together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the tri tip in a 1 gallon freezer bag. Place in refrigerator for 4-8 hours turning occasionally; overnight will result in the best outcome however.
2. Whisk basting sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside for basting.
3. Lightly oil your cooking grid
4. Set up BGE for Indirect cooking (plate setter) fire up BGE to T-Rex.
5. Remove tri tip from Marinade and pat dry. Rub each side with Paul Prudhomme’s Meat Magic then place the tri-tip into the BGE and cook to an internal temperature of 130 degrees (approximately 35 minutes) for medium rare, basting at least once each side during the cook.
6. Remove tri-tip from the BGE, cover it with foil and let it rest 15 minutes; to serve cut into 1/4" slices against the grain.2
1 Paraphrased from Beef Tri-Tip, One of the best cuts you are probably not buying, By Derrick Riches, About.com Guide 2 this recipe is adapted loosely from Foodnetwork.com’s website; titled “Santa Maria Style BBQ”

Pork and Hominy Stew

A tasty twist on beef stew this pork stew uses some different peppers and hominy instead of some of the more traditional stew ingredients like potatoes, etc.  Serve with warm corn bread or spoon over steamed rice with dinner rolls. We used organic meat and veggies where available.
Ingredients

•1 Tbls plus 2 Tsp Chili Powder
•1 Tsp Sea Salt
•½ Tsp ground Black Pepper

•2 ½ Lbs. Boneless Pork (Shoulder, Butt, Roast, Boneless Spare Ribs) cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
•4 Slices, Bacon, cooked and chopped
•1 Large Sweet Onion, thinly sliced
•1 Cup Diced Ham (not smoked)
•2 Medium Carrots, peeled, chopped/sliced
•6 large garlic cloves, chopped
•2-3 Anaheim Peppers, seeded, cut into 2 x 1/4-inch strips (or sub your favorite, Jalapenos, poblano chilies,*)
•2 Cups, drained canned White Hominy (or Yellow)
•1 Cup canned Diced Tomatoes in juice
•1 Cup Beer
•1 Cup Chicken Broth (low sodium)
•1 Tsp. dried Marjoram
•¼ Cup chopped fresh Cilantro

Preparation
1.Mix 1 tablespoon chili powder, salt, and pepper in bowl. Rub spice mixture all over pork. Sauté bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Working in batches, add pork to drippings in pot and sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to bowl.
2.Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, ham, carrot, and garlic to pot; cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits. Add chilies; stir 1 minute. Stir in hominy, tomatoes with juices, beer, broth, marjoram, pork, and remaining 2 teaspoons chili powder and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until pork is very tender, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill bacon. Cool stew slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
3.Simmer stew uncovered until liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Optional: Season with salt and pepper.
4.Transfer to bowl.
5.Sprinkle with reserved bacon and cilantro.
*These fresh green chilies, often called pasillas, are available at Latin American markets and also at some supermarkets.

Big Green Egg Large Table (Winterizing)

Had a hour to kill this morning before we leave for the MIZZOU game against Colorado so I decided it would be a good time to clean the BGE table and winterize it with a new coat of stain. 
   I realized that while many people have named their Eggs' (mine is still sans name) I don't recall anyone naming their tables, so I coined the name 'The Chuck-Wagon' today...all I need is a small dinner bell and a conestoga cover and and hitch, ha. (I am looking for a small dinner bell!)
     It sits under a porch roof and under a cover (when I am not too lazy to cover it) but you know we'll cook on it rain, shine or snow, so keeping it up to par is key.  Anyone remember when I first joined the forum and posted my 30 hour table build (start to finish and first use)? Its out there in my earlier (2008) blogs...ADHD carpentry at it's best, Ha!

Give Your Wok A Facial!

I cook with my wok about once a week. I never use soap and over the past year, there was some build up that wasn't necessary to maintaining the seasoning. I followed this article and my wok remains well seasoned and 90% of the build up is gone and that wonderful carbon steel patina is still present. 

Clear up your wok’s complexion with a well-deserved facial "“This is a teenage wok,” declared Grace Young, glancing up from the mottled surface of the pan cradled in her hands. The wok’s splotchy complexion — not the shiny cast iron of infancy or the mocha-colored sheen of adulthood — sent a clear message: A “facial” was needed. Fast.   “This wok is at the awkward stage. It’s adolescent,” said Young, author of the new cookbook “Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge” (Simon & Schuster, $35). “A wok facial will rejuvenate it.”



     Helping a wok achieve the proper hue is important to her because a well-seasoned wok makes for tastier food. You use fewer tablespoons of oil; food sticks less frequently. And a wok with a satiny patina looks so, so sexy. Young is so insistent on the benefits of a properly seasoned wok that she braves airport security to fly around the country with her own wok in her carry-on luggage.
     The self-styled “Wok Doctor” is always willing to take time to help others get their neglected, rusty or food-stained woks in shape with a simple, quick treatment that oils and seasons the pan for cooking.  “So many people seem to have a wok like that,” she said. “They bought it eons ago, and when they dig it out from the closet, they discover it’s a little sticky, rusty, and they assume it’s beyond repair. A carbon-steel wok cannot be destroyed. It will last a lifetime.” 
     A wok facial will do more than make your pan look good.  “You will be inspired to stir-fry,” Young predicted. And, as she pointed out, the more you use your wok, the more quickly that sought-after patina develops.  “Keep cooking, you’ll reach the promised land,” she added.  Here’s how author and Chinese food expert Young gives a wok facial:
     Place the wok on a burner over high heat. The wok is hot enough when a bead of water vaporizes in one or two seconds. (Sometimes, the water bead doesn’t disappear but bounces around inside the pan. Instead, hold your open palm several inches above the bottom of the pan. When your skin begins to feel hot, the pan is ready.)  Remove pan from the heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Don’t worry about exact proportions, but keep the salt-oil ratio at roughly 2 to 1.
     Wad several paper towels together to create a thick pad that will protect your fingers from the hot wok metal. Use the paper towel pad to gently “massage” the oil and salt into the wok’s surface, taking care to rub the pan’s entire interior with the salt-oil mixture. Depending on how dirty or rusty your wok is, the salt grains and pad of paper towels will darken as you go.
     Wipe the wok clean; rinse with hot water. Young uses a sponge with a textured surface (Scotch-Brite is her favorite type) to remove any salt crystals sticking to the wok.  Place cleaned wok on a stove burner set at low heat. Leave wok there for one to two minutes to make sure the pan is completely dry. Cool before storing."

Reproduced from the Columbia Tribune as original published by BILL DALEY Chicago Tribune Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Hey...I remember that; Retro Junk (just for fun)

This has NOTHING to do with Organic Grilling or the Big Green Egg, it's just a awesome website that I fould sometime back that I just had to share with  you.  The toys section is especially cool.  You will find yourself saying, "Hey honey, remember this..." time after time.  (this is NOT a paid advertisement, just fun).

http://www.retrojunk.com/

Spatchcock Chicken Breasts (Indirect) - Organic

Nothing special about tonight's cook, went indirect so I didn't have to watch the coals etc. Played with some thermometers during the cook to compare temps etc.  Marinaded with Parmesan Garlic Salad Dressing using the Food Saver vacuum sealer (I love this device as a sealer but noticed no appreciable difference in marinading with this method) and cooked indirect to 170 degrees, rested and served with Rice and Green Beans.

What is the difference between Stock and Broth?

I saw this question on another forum I participate in and thought it worthy of discussing here on my blog.  So here goes. 

Typically 'stock' contains bones and some trim. Broth, on the other hand, is usually made with pieces of actual meat, and seasonings so it tends to be richer (Obvioiusly in the case of vegetable broth, meat is not required).  

The terms stock and broth have become interchangeable over the years because they are very similar: water simmered with meat and/or bones, and usually some vegetables and aromatic herbs, then strained.

BOTH can be used as a base for soup, stews, sauces and even gravy but there is one distinguishing characteristics between the two; broth is actually a 'finished product' and can be served on it's own.

So, what is the practical description of how to use both? The simple answer is that if your recipe calls for broth or stock you can use either.

You can also find canned or boxed broth at the grocery like the ORGANIC example pictured here!

Should going GREEN require you to advertise for somoene for free?

Should going GREEN include advertising? I'll admit that while cooking on my BGE increases my carbon footprint*** significantly, we do try to be green, organic and sustainable as much as we can.  For example we use all organic beef, chicken and veggies whenever possible.

We also have two car trunks full of those canvas shopping bags (this is part of our attempt to at least act GREEN). Problem is, these bags, while nice, all include HUGE corporate logos and advertising on them.

I converted one of them...I think I may do the rest!  Maybe I should start a line of NON-advertising shopping bags...got any venture capital lying around? 
***For the carbon footprint purists:  Lump Charcoal produces about 13,000 Btu per pound and 7 pounds of carbon dioxide per hour and carbon dioxide is one of two primary types of greenhouse gases associated with this topic.   While us charcoal lovers tend to claim that when the charcoal is burned the carbon dioxide is returned to the atmosphere, closing a carbon neutral cycle, there is a very convincing argument to the contrary too.  Add in the use of propane weed burners or torches for instance to light a BGE and you have to add to that the fact that propane produces about 15,000 Btu per pound and 5.6 pounds of carbon dioxide per hour. Unfortunately propane is a non-reunable source of energy which takes you down yet another path for debate.  The REAL point however of my original post was the humor I saw in bags intended for 'green' use all contain advertising; slight but humor nonetheless, or less, or none.

Chicken (Organic) and Broccoli on the Wok (version 2)

A slight variation on my General Tso's Wok recipe I added baby corn, removed snap peas and used Kikkoman's Stir Fry Sauce (a common brown sauce taste) to change it up a little.  This recipe is an all thigh variation on my original General Tso's Wok Chicken. Serves 3-4 and is quick and easy to prepare.


Ingredients
2 Cups White Rice 
1 Large head Fresh Broccoli
6 Chicken Thighs
6 Green Onions, Diced

1 strong cup Brown Sauce (Kikkoman’s or your favorite)

1 14 Oz. Can Whole Baby Corn

6-8 large cloves Diced Fresh Garlic

1 Small Can Water Chestnuts - Sliced

1/3 cup EVOO

Preparation Directions
1. Boil rice and set aside
2. Cut Chicken Thighs into bite size pieces and set aside

Cooking Directions
•Fire up the Big Green Egg to full flame (T-REX HOT 500 degrees minimum) - Place Wok on Grid at fire ring level and add Water then place Bamboo Steamer on Wok (two layers, one with broccoli and one with baby corn and water chestnuts.
•Steam for until just short of tender and remove, keep covered.
•Dump off water and add EVOO; when oil is hot add the chicken and stir in the garlic and green onions and stir until the chicken is cooked completely 5-8 minutes;
•Dump on brown sauce and stir continuously;

•Add veggies and stir for 3 minutes; remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.