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.

Pico de Gallo (Organic)

In Mexican cuisine, Pico de Gallo (Spanish for "rooster's beak") is a fresh uncooked condiment made from chopped tomato, onion, and sometimes chilies (typically jalapeños or Serrano’s). Other ingredients may also be added, such as lemon or lime juice, fresh cilantro (leaf of coriander), cucumber, radish or other fresh firm pulpy fruit such as mango. Pico de Gallo can be used in much the same way as Mexican salsas or Indian chutneys, but since it contains less liquid, it can also be used as a main ingredient in dishes such as tacos and fajitas.

Ingredients
2 Large Tomatoes - Organic

½ - 1 Vidalia Onion (to taste) or, 4-6 medium Green Onions - Organic

3 Cloves Fresh Garlic (minced)

Juice of one lime

½ tsp. Parsley

1 Tbls. EVOO

1-3 Tbls. Chopped fresh Cilantro (half if using Dry Cilantro Spice)

1 Tsp. Fresh ground Sea Salt

½ Tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper

Optional: 1 Fresh Jalapeno peppers (or more to taste)

Directions - Seed and dice tomatoes. Chop onion and mince the jalapeno and garlic. In a glass bowl add the fresh cilantro, salt, pepper, olive oil and lime, mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Best if served the next day.

Artichoke Mozzarella Chicken

Ingredients

2-4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 cup Artichoke Hearts (rinsed, drained and chopped)
¾ cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (can substitute Parmesan)
¾ cup Mayonnaise (NOT the low fat stuff)
1 TBS Garlic Parsley (ground spice)
1 Steamed Red Bell Pepper (sliced or diced)

Preparation and cooking
Preheat Oven OR Big Green Egg to 375 degrees
Mix all ingredients (except the pepper)
Grease cooking pan
Place Breasts in pan and cover with mixture
Back for 35-45 minutes or until juices run.

TAGINE Chicken on the BGE...

Got to use my brand new Emile Henry Tagine (flame approved cookware) tonight!
Ingredients:
2 LARGE Chicken Breasts, 1 Large Red Pepper, 1/2 Large Vidalia Onion, 14oz can Artichoke Hearts (Quartered), 2 Ears Fresh Corn on the Cob, 1 Large Tomato, 8-10 Small Red Potatoes, 2 Cups Chicken Broth, Ground Black Peppercorns, Ground garlic and parsley powder, Parsley, Paprika to Taste.
Preparation:
BGE to about 375 degrees with plat setter legs down on 2 inch fire ring. Chop all ingredients to bite size and layer with chicken in the middle (so it doesn't stick to pan), add seasonings, broth, cover and place on BGE for ONE HOUR. Check after 45 minutes for broth level and to see how chicken is progressing. Keep On Eggin'

Remember PANT-RY RAIDS?

Okay, tonight I didn't even make it to the porch to even look at my BGE Instead I raided the PANTRY to find something to eat; again. However, my onion, ham and tomato were sustainably raised and from the Farmers Market here in Columbia, the POTATOs were from a CAN! Oh my. Seasoned the ham with some southwest chiplote seasoning and the potatos were masked with garlic and parsley. I have to get back to that grill...and remember to thaw things in the morning...

Beef Stew on the Big Green Egg

Tagine Style Beef Stew - Beef and veggies cooked up in a Tagine for a flavorful one dish dinner. Ready from start to finish in 90 minutes (fire up the grill; prepare ingredients and 60 minute cook).

Ingredients5 Carrots - Medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¾ Lb. Top Sirloin cut into larger but bite size pieces
2-3 Medium potatoes peeled and chopped
4-5 oz. Cocktail Onions
5 Stalks of Celery, sliced into bite size pieces
4 Roma Tomatoes cut into 3/8” slices
2 Medium Turnips, cut into bite size pieces
5 oz. Tomato Sauce
15 oz. Beef Broth (low salt variety)2 Tbsp. Ground garlic and parsley
2 Tbsp. Fresh ground parsley
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Preparation and Cooking1. Pour 5 tbsp of EVOO on the bottom of the tagine and begin layering ingredients evenly, starting with carrots then going in the order they appear above (keeps meat from sticking).
2. Sprinkle all of the spices evenly over the top the vegetables (between layers is best)
3. Close your Tagine and the EGG. Cooking time will be about 90 minutes. Check the Tagine about 45 minutes in to assure that you still have liquid (actually it should be boiling around the hour mark). Remove after 60 minutes and let the tagine rest for 10 minutes and then serve.

Meatloaf III - Big Green Egg

BIG GREEN MEATLOAF III
Beef and Jimmy Dean Sausage
This meatloaf recipe has evolved into version III with small adjustments to the ingredients and with the elimination of the foil cooking method and substitutiion of the Le Creuset Loaf Pan.

Ingredients and Recommended Brands (where available)

2 LB Ground Chuck
10 oz. Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage (medium)
1 ½ cup Diced White Onion
6-7 Garlic Cloves
½ cup Roasted Red Pepper (diced)
2 Tbs Olive Oil
3 Tbs Light Sour Cream
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 cup Shredded Mild Colby & Monterey Jack
3 Large Egg Yolks
½ cup Minced Parsley (Fresh if you have it)
2 tsp Bad Byron’s Butt Rub
½ tsp Ground Cumin
Big Pinch Fresh Ground Salt
Big Pinch BGE Garlic Pepper
15 Town House Crackers (crushed) – (or substitute Italian Bread Crumbs)

Preparation and Cooking Directions
1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned;
2. Add Red Pepper and sauté until soft.
3. Season with Salt and Pepper and cool
4. Mixed Cooked Vegetables with other ingredients.
5. Pack into 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan(Le Creuset or something similar)
6. Chill for 4 hours minimum
7. Preheat BGE to 350 degrees and stabilize with plate rack in place.
8. Turn Loaf out onto foil and place in shallow pan or wire v-rack
9. Put meatloaf on the BGE (indirect-use plate rack0
10. Cook until the meatloaf’s internal temperature is 155-1600 (approximately 1 ½ hours)
11. Remove from BGE and let cool 15 minutes before slicing

WOK GRILLED SHRIMP

Quick and tasty recipe for Big Green Egg Grilled (or WOK actually) Shrimp….serve with those juicy steaks you have resting to the side waiting for their final cooking cycle; Serves 2 as a light appetizer.

Ingredients
½ lb Medium - White Shrimp peeled and de-veined (approximately 10 pieces)
1 Tbs Bad Byron’s Butt Rub
½ cup All Purpose Flour
½ cup Corn Oil
3 cloves Diced Garlic
Sea Salt (to taste)
3 Tbs Green Onion
1 Tbs Butter
1 Tbs Citrus Flavored Vodka
1 tsp Chopped Parsley (for garnishing at serving time)

Preparation Directions
1. Rinse Shrimp well under cold water
2. Place flour on a large plate
3. Mix in Butt Rub and salt
4. Coat each shrimp well with the flower and shake to remove excess

Cooking Directions
Heat up the BGE to 375 degrees (at the grate); Place WOK or Grill Pan on BGE and pour in oil. Add the shrimp and fry, turning once.

Remove from heat and pour off excess oil (note shrimp should be slightly undercooked at this point); Add on Tbs of oil back to the pan and add the garlic, rub and salt and cook until the garlic is a very light golden color.
Add the shrimp and the green onions, butter and vodka, mix well until the butter is all melted and remove from the heat

Big Green Egg MEATLOAF II

No one should ever be completely satisfied with any original recipe. Always look for new spice combinations and other improvements. In Meatloaf Version II the recipe changes up the combination of meats, turned up the temp just a touch, added a few crackers and introduced Bad Byron’s Butt Rub to replace the Chipolte spice in the original recipe all combining for an interesting change up.
Ingredients and Recommended Brands (where available)
2 LB Ground Chuck
10 oz.Medium Spicy Italian Sausage, Coarse Ground
1 ½ cup Diced White Onion
4-5 Garlic Cloves
½ cup Diced Red Pepper
2 Tbs Olive Oil
3 Tbs Light Sour Cream
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 cup Shredded Mild Colby & Monterey Jack
3 Large Egg Yolks
½ cup Minced Parsley
1 tsp Bad Byron’s Butt Rub
½ tsp Ground Cumin
Big Pinch - Fresh Ground Salt
Big Pinch - BGE Garlic Pepper
10 Town House Crackers (crushed up)

Preparation DirectionsSauté onion and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned;
Add Red Pepper and sauté until soft.
Season with Salt and Pepper
Cool
Mixed Cooked Vegetables with other ingredients.
Pack into 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan lined with foil
Chill for 4 hours minimum

Cooking Directions
Preheat BGE to 300-330 degrees and stabilize heat with plate rack in place.
Turn Loaf out onto foil and place in shallow pan or wire v-rack
Put meatloaf on the BGE (indirect-use plate rack and drip pan)
Cook until the loaf’s internal temperature is 155-1600 (approximately 1-1 ½ hours)
Remove from BGE and let cool 15 minutes before slicing

Recommended Side Dishes and DesertsGarlic Mashed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob and Green Onions and of course - Roasted Marshmallows for Desert over hot coals. And never forget to have a few pickled whole jalapenos on the side with every meal!

Baked Breaded Tilapia

This recipe will take less time to cook than it does to heat up the Big Green Egg, but it will be worth the effort (as is EVERY BGE experience). Works with ANY white fish probably, we just eat Tilapia in our home.

Ingredients Recommended
4-6 Tilapia Filets Depends on how hungry you are!
½ Cup Breadcrumbs
¼ tsp Garlic Pepper Big Green Egg Brand
½ tsp Sea Salt Fresh Ground
1 Tbs Lemon Juice Fresh Squeezed Lemon
¼ cup Light Mayonnaise
¼ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese Kraft
1/8 cup Parsley Fresh chopped or flakes if you must!
Wax Paper
Shallow Pan (round or square) Sized to fit the BGE
Optional - Byron's Butt Rub replaces all the above including the breadcrumbs

Preparation DirectionsUse FRESH tilapia from the butcher shop
Using a non-stick vegetable spray (cooking spray) lightly spray a shallow pan (round or square)
Mix all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl
Rub the ingredients on one side of tilapia filets
Combine bread crumbs and parsley and spread on Wax Paper
Press Tilapia in crumbs and place in cooking pan, crumb side up
.

Cooking Directions
Preheat and stabilize the Big Green Egg to 450 degrees.
Place tilapia in the pan with crumb side up.
Place on BGE and cook approximately 10-15 minutes or until bread crumbs brown (time depends on thickness of tilapia filets)

Recommended Side Dishes and DesertsLemon Juice to top Tilapia
Four-Cheese Rice
Fries or Potato Wedges