Inspiring People to Cook Again
My Slow Cooker Crock Pot Chicken Corn Chowder is one of the best stick-to-your-ribs soups that I make. The best part of this recipe is that everything gets tossed in the slow cooker and the crock pot does all the work. I know many of […]
Most of us are trying to cut back on calories and eat healthy to keep off those extra pounds, but don’t want to give up foods we love. I have the perfect solution. How about a great tasting, lower calorie meatloaf that the whole family […]
Other than the holidays, summertime is my favorite time to be with family. Most of my extended family and friends live in New Jersey and all of them love to cook. This year, I decided to start snapping up recipes from everyone’s houses while we vacationed in New Jersey, most of my friends got new houses from Homes for sale in Burlington as well so I’m exited to go there but I´m not going to do the same thing, I´m going to build my new one with these plans for building your own home. This year we are planning on going camping many times, so I already started to look for tactical flashlight list so I’m prepared.
One of the most culinary stops on my Summer tour is what we call “Camp Reo.” My cousin Anthony (“AJ”) Reo is a wonderful example of an Italian Jersey boy who loves his family and his garden and his Sunday pasta.
Camp Reo’s all about the pool, the home made wine, cold beer, fresh produce from the garden and way too many cooks in the kitchen to prepare 10 different courses. The new terrariums for kids will allow your children to start their own garden and have fun at the same time, it´ll be a great way for them to get into gardening. Although the food changes with each visit, the event seems to always be the same. Family and friends show up from all over New Jersey in waves from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 to gobble up the latest appetizers coming out onto the deck and out to the pool.
All the while, we shared stories of “what Grandma used to make” and endless rounds of bocce, bean bag toss and all sorts of games in the pool and some video games like CSGO, by using resources and site as mycsgoboosting.com/resources/ for helping us.
On Sunday, we enjoyed homemade mozzarella, london broil, pulled pork, fresh salads from the garden, pasta salads, grilled chicken, (too) many bottles of homemade cabernet, Merlot and cabernet franc and pastries that you just can’t get in Florida.
On Monday, when the crowd cleared, I had a chance to explore the garden with my cousin Anthony to harvest some giant zucchini squash, fresh spices and tomatoes to make stuffed zucchini squash and jalapeno shrimp scampi. Anthony grows squash, tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, beans, basil, lettuce, arugula, broccoli, raspberries, strawberries and even pears.
What really makes me happy, as a big believer in the power of food to bring family together, is that Anthony and his son A.J., often cook together and A.J. has learned to make the most delicious homemade mozzarella cheese and our dinner on Monday night, a stuffed zucchini. We pulled some giant zucchini squash from the garden and they stuffed it with a delicious mix of lean ground turkey with garlic and their own special mix of spices, including some spicy sausage and on some of them, feta cheese.
Unlike my recipe, AJ takes all of the meat out of the zucchini and cooks it before mixing it with the meat mixture and then places it into the zucchini shells. They broil for just a few minutes and the result is amazing. Check out my recipe for Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini Squash, which I’ll be updating soon with some of AJ’s tricks. We also enjoyed a great summer tomato salad and you can find my recipe here for Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad.
Be on the looking for more information, photos and recipes from my trip. Next stop is at the home of my friends Sherife and Rudy for some Hot Italian Pepper Cream sauce and other delicious foods in my old hometown, since we got One Sure Insurance for our car we are trying to go to as many places as we can. Until then, here are some more photos from Camp Reo.
Trifles are made with ingredients like cake, cream, fruit or pudding and layered in a glass bowl. Here is just one of several simple and easy recipes. This one has loaf cake, pudding, berries and cream. Add your own ideas, ingredients or flavors to make […]
Fresh fish is one of the healthiest things you can eat. Try this fresh fish recipe for a healthy, tasty and fast alternative to your regular routine. You can put all of your own favorite vegetables and your favorite fish right into a foil pouch […]
This Beer Can Chicken recipe is so easy and so delicious. If you’re in the mood for barbeque, all you need is a 4 pound chicken, a beer and some of your favorite spices. Fire up the grill and in about an hour and a half you’ll have barbecued chicken falling off the bone. Paula Dean calls this beer in the rear chicken but by any name this is the tastiest barbecued (BBQ) chicken around. Just a few minutes of preparation and then you can take the next hour off while it cooks!
Watch my Beer Can Chicken recipe video to see how easy it is to make. I actually floated in my pool while I cooked my chicken! The recipe, photos and other details are below the video. Enjoy!
Beer Can Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), washed dried and giblets removed
1 (12 ounce) can of beer
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons seasoned salt or dry rub of your choice
2 oranges, sliced in half and one half sliced into quarters
Instructions
Preheat your grill to medium heat. Rub the chicken with olive oil. Then sprinkle the rub or seasoned salt all over the bird, including the cavity.
Open the can of beer and discard half of it. Place the garlic cloves inside of the can. Place the chicken on top of can by holding the chicken up and press the can into the cavity. Stick one quarter of the orange in the top of the bird.
Balance the chicken on the beer can and place on the grill over indirect medium heat. Cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours until thermometer reads 165°F and juice of chicken runs clear when poked.
Place orange slices flesh side down directly on grill, cover and grill for about 3-5minutes.
Remove chicken and oranges from grill and let chicken rest on the beer can for about 10-15 minutes before attempting to remove the can and carve the bird. Before serving, squeeze two of the orange halves on top of the chicken and serve the others on the side.
Make sure the bird is not placed over direct heat on the grill. Turn on one side of the grill and place the bird on the opposite side.
Tips:
If using a charcoal grill push coals to one side and cook the bird on the other, or push the coals to both sides and cook the bird in the center.
Be sure to let the chicken cool for at least 10-15 minutes before trying to remove the can of beer. BBQ tongs will make this job easier.
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This recipe appeared on Betty Crocker’s Daily Dish. For the original post on Betty Crocker, visit my recipe at this link: http://www.bettycrocker.com/tips/tipslibrary/cooking-tips/grilled-beer-can-chicken
Spanish Shrimp Paella is a simple dish that you can easily make at home for a dinner or a party. This is also a great recipe for a quick meal if you need to whip something up after work because you can make it in […]
Pillsbury Grands Flaky Supreme CINNABON Cinnamon Rolls make this Valentines’ treat so easy and delicious. I like to use the Grands because it makes 5 great big cinnamon heart buns. I also like the cream cheese icing that comes with the CINNABON rolls. If you […]
