Grill Roasted Ham and an Award

First off, Lynette from Netts Nook gave me this award. If you have not been to her blog you really need to go. She has daily themes for her posts and they are great! I love her movie reviews. She has a little of everything over there so head on over and check out her blog. Lynette, congrats on receiving the award and thank you so much for passing it on to me.

I would like to give the award to Sallie and Julia of My Sister's Kitchen. Its a blog run by two sisters who love to cook. I have several of their recipes on my to make list. They have a recipe for chewy cinnamon cookies that are to die for!
Also I am giving the award to Heidi at Tried and True cooking with Heidi. She posts kid friendly meals and includes how much the recipe cost her to make. I've loved everything I've tried from her blog. One of our favorite recipes from her is the Little Cheddar Meat Loaves.
Goodness the smell of this ham cooking was unbelievable. Sorry the picture does not contain much meat as I totally forgot to take a picture until we had eaten almost all of the ham. The meat was very tender, which says a lot since most ham I make is pretty dry and tough, and the charred outside was delightful to eat. The recipe is pretty simple and easy to make with most of the time done in waiting for it to cook. All three boys ate the ham up and asked for seconds. The original recipe called for more paprika and some cayenne pepper but I wanted a little more sweet rub for mine so I changed it.

Grill Roasted Ham
adapted from Cooks Country April/May 2009

1 4-5 lb cured bone-in ham preferably shank end, skin removed and fat trimmed to 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger

Score ham at 1 inch intervals in crosshatch pattern. Combine sugar, paprika, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and sugar in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over ham. Transfer to a V-rack and let stand at room temperature 1 1/2 hours. Thread ham with two metal skewers on both sides of the bone.

Heat all burners on high for 15 minutes, then leave primary burner on high and turn off the other burner. For charcoal grill, open bottom vent on grill. Light 100 coals; when covered with fine gray ash, spread over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place and heat, covered, with lid vent half open, for 5 minutes. Scrape cooking grate. Arrange v-rack over cooler side of grill. Cook ham covered, until meat registers 100 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours.

Turn all burners to low. For charcoal grill, light about 25 coals. When coals are covered with a fine gray ash, remove grill grate and scatter over top of spent coals. Replace grill grate and position v-rack directly over coals. Grill ham until lightly charred on all sides, about 30 minutes, turning ham every 5 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes. Carve and serve.

May Crossroads Food Coop

1 pkg. mushrooms
8 bananas
2 cantaloupe
6 apples
1 bunch radishes
3 zucchini
1 bunch asparagus
1 bag of white potatos
4 artichokes
Stone Ground's Artisan Wheat Loaf
16 oz. Rice
4 lbs bacon
2 Stoneground’s 1/2 dozen 6” Hoagie Rolls
Total cost for me: $26.70

To order click here.

Here are a few links to ways to use some of the above items:
Hasselback Potatoes
Augratin Potatoes
Greek Potatoes
Easy Baked Beans
Bacon Apple Cider Biscuits
Meatloaf
Banana Cream Pie
Delightful Banana Cake
Burnt Butter with Zucchini Pasta

Jucy Lucy Burger

These were some mighty tasty burgers. I had trouble getting a picture of the burger with the cheese inside of it as for some reason it was runny and once I cut the burger it ran right out. Worth a try at least once but I really don't see us making these on a regular basis mainly because the kids and Don are mighty picky when it comes to burgers.

Jucy Lucy Burger
From Cooks Country September 2007
Straight from the grill, the cheesy center of the Jucy Lucy will be molten hot. Be sure to let the burgers rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

2 slices hearty white sandwich bread , torn into rough pieces
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
1 slice deli American cheese (1/2-inch-thick), cut into quarters
1. Using potato masher, mash bread, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in large bowl until smooth. Add beef and gently knead until well combined.
2. Divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Mold each portion of meat around 1 piece of cheese. Transfer patties to plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
3. Grill burgers over medium fire until well browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.
STOVETOP JUCY LUCY BURGERS Prepare Grilled Jucy Lucy Burgers through step 2. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add patties and cook until well browned, about 6 minutes. Flip burgers, cover skillet, and continue cooking until well-done, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

Chicken Spiedies

This was one of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever made myself. It was so tasty and just plain good. A nice bonus being it takes only minutes to throw together with a small marinade time and then cooking the chicken. One thing I would do different is add some thin sliced red onions, tomato slices, and either some arugula or spinach. Also toast the bun, it really needed to be toasted, and if you like lots of sauce you'll want to double the sauce recipe.

Chicken Spiedies
from Cooks Country June/July 2009 issue

1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/2 pounds
6 6 inch sub rolls, slit partially open lengthwise

Combine oil, garlic, basil, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in a large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons oil mixture to separate bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice; refrigerate. Sauce can be refrigerated, covered for 2 days.

Prick chicken breasts all over with fork, cut into 1 1/4 inch chunks, and transfer to bowl with remaining oil mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto six 12 inch metal skewers. Grill chicken over hot fire, covered and turning frequently, until lightly charred and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to sub rolls or bread, remove skewers, and drizzle with mayonnaise mixture.

Pasta Salad Vinaigrette

This is a little different than other pasta salads I make but it was very tasty. It was quick and easy to make. I found the recipe in the Food Section of the Deseret News paper. The article was about food for a picnic basket and this would make a great addition to a picnic basket. No ingredients that need to be kept cold to keep from spoiling. I recommend using veggies with more color to give it a nice look. I used what I had on hand so not so much color in my salad.


8 ounces rotini or other pasta
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons McCormick seasoned pepper blend (or freshly ground pepper)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
2 cups bite-size vegetables, such as bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, celery, cucumber, carrots, zucchini or broccoli

Cook pasta as directed on package. Rinse under cold water; drain well.

Mix oil, vinegar and seasonings in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Toss pasta and vegetables in large bowl. Add dressing; toss gently. Cover.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss lightly before serving.

Quick Pork Chops

I love having simple recipes that can be made in a flash on crazy days. I try to keep thin cut boneless pork chops on hand in the freezer for just those sort of days. Course in the picture above I have thin but bone in pork chops and they work too. I can pull the pork chops out of the freezer in the morning and it takes about 15 minutes at most to cook the thin cut chops. Serving is easy as I usually will pull out some frozen veggies to cook while the pork is cooking. And you can also serve these chops on a roll with a condiment, lettuce, and tomatoes for a sandwich and a salad. The spices you use can totally change the flavor of the chops to fit your mood for the day.

6 thin cut boneless pork chops
McCormick Grill Mates seasoning blend I prefer the Garlic and Onion Medley seasoning
vegetable oil

Pour about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat until it reaches the shimmering point over medium high heat. Sprinkle, liberally, the seasoning blend over the pork chops. Place pork chops in the frying pan and cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown, flip and cook until cooked through and golden brown about another 5 minutes. Serve.

Hasselback Potatoes

I am in love with these potatoes. I am already plotting ways to make these gems again. They were flavorful, buttery, and garlicky, my type of food. They were very easy to make and most of the time involved in making these potatoes was in the cooking time. The recipe comes from a new blog I discovered called Sweet Basil.

Hasselback Potatoes
recipe from Oh Sweet Basil

6 Medium Size Potatoes
2 - 3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 TB Butter
Sea Salt, I used French Grey Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper



Preheat the oven to 425. Put the potato on a chopping board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, making thin slices.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Crockpot Salisbury Steak

Here are a few beef suggestions for the upcoming holiday along with a few sides:
Tin Foil Dinners
Beef and Vegetable Kabobs
Grilled London Broil
Cool Cucumber Salad
Cucumber, Tomato, Onion Salad

Now on to today's recipe. I am not a huge fan of using my crock pot these days. I find I can make most dishes taste better on the stove or in the oven but there are days when I find I still use it. We were going to be gone all day and I did not want to spend money on take out or a dinner out I went with a crock pot meal. Overall this recipe was pretty good. Next time though I'd cook the patties a little longer on the stove top because inside the patties the meat was a little pink and I just can't stomach pink meat. I really liked the gravy that was made with the meat. Also for a little tip on the mashed potatoes, I prepped the potatoes for cooking then placed them in a foil packet that I made and stuck it on top of the cooking dish in the crock pot while we were gone. I was then able to make mashed potatoes from the cooked potatoes in my packet in just a matter of minutes.

Crockpot Salisbury Steak
adapated from Mommy's Kitchen

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs or Cracker Crumbs
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
1 Egg
Small Onion Sliced
1 Can Condensed Beef Broth
1 – 4oz Can Sliced Mushrooms (Drained)
2 T. Cornstarch
2T Water
1 - Packet Brown Gravy Mix

Mix First 5 ingredients together and shape into ovals about ¾ inches thick. Cook patties in a skillet turning once until brown. Add onion mushroom and beef broth heat to boiling. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove patties to the crockpot. Heat mixture until boiling. Mix water and cornstarch together to make a paste. Add to boiling mixture with a wire whisk and whisk until gravy begins to thicken. Add 1 packet of brown or mushroom gravy prepared according to package directions and add to the beef broth gravy. I added the gravy to the top of my patties in the crockpot, placed my potato packet on the very top and cooked on low for 8 hours.

Texas Sheet Cake

Today I am linking you to a few pork recipes for the upcoming holiday along with a few sides for the pork.
Chicago Style Barbecued Ribs
Lexington Style Pulled Pork
South Carolina Pulled Pork
Barbecued Pasta Salad
Coleslaw
Easy Baked Beans


I've never had this cake before, that I know of, but I have to say this was pretty darn good. It almost tasty like a really good brownie. The kids loved helping me make this cake and it was simple enough to let them help. The original recipe calls for chopped pecans but we don't like them so we left them out. This cake did not last long in our house it was too good to let sit in the pan for long. This cake is full of chocolate flavor and the icing forms a gooey layer near the cake. Give this cake a try, you won't be disappointed.

Texas Sheet Cake
adapted slightly from the Cook's Country Cookbook.

Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 18 by 13 inch rimmed baking sheet. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla together.
Melt the chocolate, oil, water, cocoa, and butter together in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly whisk in the flour mixture until combined. Whisk in the egg mixture until combined.
Give the batter a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is thoroughly combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking sheet, smooth the top, and gently tap the sheet on the work surface to settle the batter. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Icing
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

During the cake's last few minutes of baking, cook the butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Off heat, whisk in the confectioners' suga and vanilla until combined.
Spread the warm icing evenly over the hot cake. Let the cake cool in the pan to room temperature, about one hour, then refrigerate until the icing is set, about one hour longer, before serving.

Cowboy Beans

Memorial Day is coming this weekend so for the next few days I thought I'd share some of our favorite get together foods. Today I am going to share a few chicken recipes and one or two sides for those chicken recipes.
Cornell Chicken
Huli Huli Chicken
Manti Chicken
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Spaghetti Salad
Three Bean Salad
French Potato Salad


We love beans in our house. They are a cheap source of protein plus there are numerous ways to make them. I prefer to buy dry beans because I find that canned beans are mushy and very salty. To make dry beans a little more convenient to use I make a big batch of them and then freeze them without seasonings to make them just as easy to use as canned beans. These beans were very tasty and could be made with or without the added meat. They were spicy without being overly spicy, a perfect blend of flavors. I added grated colby jack cheese and freshly chopped onions at serving time.


Cowboy Beans
adapted from the Texas Cowboy Cookbook

1 pound dried pinto beans, sorted and soaked overnight
1 pound ground chorizo (optional), cooked until browned
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
salt
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Add everything to crockpot and just barely cover with water. Cook on high 4-6 hours. There are two ways to serve this as a soupy dish or as a drier dish where you drain the cooking liquid. I prefer it without the cooking liquid.