Succulent and Beautiful BBQ Beer-Can Chicken

Original recipe adapted and modified from Cook's Illustrated
Photos from Cook's Illustrated

We have done a lot of beer-can chickens in our day, but when I saw the techniques that the Cook's Illustrated Test Kitchen used, I was converted. Using these techniques have substantially improved the appearance and flavor of our chickens. Read all the way through the recipe and the additional info before you start. You are gonna be really glad you tried this!

TIPS:

• Bank the coals in the grill on either side of a disposable aluminum pan. The coals will cook the chicken evenly and the pan will catch dripping fat from the chicken.
• Open the top of the can wide open with a church key to allow the greatest amount of steam to escape. The normal hole is far too small.
• Lance the chicken’s skin with a skewer to make holes from which rendering fat can escape.
• Rub the chicken liberally with a spice rub on top of and underneath the skin.
• Coat the chicken with a sweet-tart glaze towards the end of cooking to improve the chicken’s flavor and color. If applied too early, the glaze will burn.
  

Makes 2 chickens, serving 4 to 6

Look for chickens that weigh between 3 and 3 1/2 pounds; if they are significantly larger, you may have trouble fitting the lid on the grill.

Spice Rub

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

4 tablespoons Creole seasoning

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Glaze

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons beer

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Beer and Chicken

2 (12-ounce) cans beer

4 crumbled bay leaves

2 whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds each), patted dry

4 cups mesquite wood chips

1. For the spice rub: Mix brown sugar, Creole seasoning, and black pepper in bowl.

2. For the glaze: Stir brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, beer, and hot sauce together in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon spice rub.

3. For the rest: Measure out 1 cup beer from each can; take 2 tablespoons from measured beer and add to ketchup glaze. Prepare beer cans as shown in photo 1, and add 2 crumbled bay leaves to each can.

4. Prepare chickens as shown in photos 2 through 4.

5. Soak wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals, set cooking grate in place, cover, and let grill heat up 5 minutes.

6. Place chickens (on cans) on center of grate, using drumsticks to stabilize them. Cover and grill until skin is well browned and very crisp, 40 to 60 minutes. Brush with ketchup glaze and grill, covered, until thigh meat registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes longer. Wearing oven mitts or using wad of paper towels, transfer chickens (still on cans) from grill to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Hold base of can with oven mitt or wad of paper towels, insert tongs into neck cavity of chicken, and pull chicken off can. Carve and serve.

Flavor That's More Than Skin Deep

From its crisp, spiced skin to moist meat, beer-can chicken is flavored through and through. Here's how to get the ultimate beer-can chicken experience from your grill.

1. Use a church key can opener to punch holes in the top of the can; this will allow the maximum amount of steam to escape.

2. Loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs of the chicken by sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat.

3. Massage the spice mixture on the skin, under the skin, and inside the cavity.

4. Using a skewer, poke the skin all over to render as much fat as possible.

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Another great recipe from the Thermador contest. This is the winner from Alabama.

Submitted By: Trish Waller

These cinnamon rolls are the product of a tried and true, family recipe. The Wallers generously share the bounty of their culinary skills with their friends and family in the form of these sweet, gooey confections.

Yield: 12 buns

The baking tradition is an important one in the state of Arkansas. This recipe is a perfect example: It belonged to Trish's grandmother, who gave it to Trish's mom, who gave it to Trish. These rolls are wonderful for breakfast, for brunch, or as an anytime treat.

Dough
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 ¼-ounce packages dry yeast
⅓ cup warm water
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
4 cups all purpose flour

Filling
1 cup (firmly packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) butter

Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
2 ounces cream cheese, chilled
1 tablespoon whole milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For dough: Melt butter in heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Add milk, sugar, and salt and bring just to simmer. Pour into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with dough hook. Cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast over ⅓ cup warm water in small bowl. Stir to dissolve.

Beat yeast mixture and eggs into milk mixture. Mix in potato flakes. Beat in flour 1 cup at a time. Transfer dough to floured work surface and knead until smooth. Transfer dough to oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with damp cloth and let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1½ hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For filling: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Melt butter in heavy small saucepan. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 4x9-inch rectangle about 1 inch thick. Brush dough generously with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar
mixture. Beginning at 1 long end, roll up dough jelly-roll style. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Arrange on baking sheets. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes.

Brush roll tops with remaining melted butter. Bake until cooked through and slightly golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

For frosting: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients until smooth. Drizzle rolls with frosting just before serving.

J.T. Handy's Heavy Tomato-Based Barbecue Sauce

Summerville, South Carolina's Pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana.

½ gallon ketchup

2 ½ cups apple cider vinegar

1 ½ cups Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ cups water

2 cups sugar

4 cups dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup yellow mustard

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons black pepper

Combine the ketchup, cider vinegar, Worcestershire and water. Bring to a simmer to assist in dissolving the sugars. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the mixture. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over low heat. Let cool and hold for service at room temperature. Or, the sauce can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated to use later.

J.T.'s All-Purpose Barbecue Dry Rub

Summerville, South Carolina BBQ pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana. Use raw Louisiana cane sugar if you have it!

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup Turbinado sugar (cane sugar)

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Kosher salt

½ cup sweet paprika

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and sift to incorporate the spices completely.

J.T.'s All-Purpose Barbecue Dry Rub

South Carolina barbecue pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana. Use raw Louisiana cane sugar if you have it!

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup Turbinado sugar (cane sugar)

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Kosher salt

½ cup sweet paprika

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and sift to incorporate the spices completely.

J.T.'s Basic Barbecue Injection Mix

Summerville, South Carolina's BBQ pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana.

¾ cup apple juice

½ cup water

¼ cup Kosher salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Combine the ingredients well to make sure the salt dissolves. Inject liberally into the meat and let rest before putting on the pit.

Gulf Coast Shrimp with Sweet Tomato Relish

Gulf Coast Shrimp with Sweet Tomato Relish is an installment in a series of recipe winners from Thermador


Helen Conwell

This young-at-heart 83-year old, a former anesthesiologist, discovered a dish called Shrimp de Jonghe while completing her medical residency in Chicago. Her fond memories of that crusty, buttery, garlic-infused specialty, combined with easy access to her home state's succulent shrimp, served as inspiration for this savory Southern entree.

Shrimp from the Gulf Coast are renowned for their delectability. According to Helen, shrimp seem more typical of Alabama than cotton bales or magnolias in the moonlight. Here, they're paired with a tomato relish sweetened with local cane syrup or molasses in a dish inspired by Shrimp de Jonghe, a specialty she ate in Chicago during the forties.

Relish
11/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (white part only)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon cane syrup or light molasses
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt

Shrimp

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from white bread
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt
1/2 cup dry Sherry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sliced green onions (green part only)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
Additional sliced green onions (green part only; optional)

For relish: Combine first 5 ingredients in non-metal bowl. Season with salt. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use.

For shrimp: Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and sauté until they begin to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add chili powder. Season to taste with salt.

Melt remaining 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in Sherry and next 6 ingredients. Add shrimp and turn to coat. Transfer shrimp mixture to shallow 2-quart casserole dish or 13x9-inch baking dish, arranging shrimp in single layer, overlapping slightly if necessary. Spread breadcrumb mixture over shrimp. Bake until shrimp are pink and crumbs are golden, about 30 minutes. Garnish with additional sliced green onions if desired. Serve immediately with relish.

Muddy River Mocha Bars

Efforts like this are worth repeating...

Story and recipe courtesy of Lorie

A few years ago, the good people at Thermador Ovens sponsored a contest whereby entrants sent in their best recipes themed to fit their state. I created these bars for that contest and they are a spin-off of the classic Mississippi Mud Cake. I won for Mississippi and had my recipe printed in their cookbook, Taste of America, which is a beautiful cookbook, by the way.

I hadn't made these bars in a while and I was dying to use my new 9-inch square spring form pan that I won in a contest recently. It worked perfectly. Once the metal rim was removed, I could cut the bars with ease.

Let me give you a warning. These are seriously rich bars. I can only eat four at a time.

Bottom Layer

Non stick cooking spray

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup warm water

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

3 large eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Middle Layer

2 (7-ounce) jars marshmallow cream

1-1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies

Top Layer

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Cocoa powder for dusting top

Bottom Layer

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate chips and butter over low heat until melted, stirring often; set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Place the warm water in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon coffee granules and stir until dissolved. Add eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt to the coffee mixture and whisk until smooth. Blend in the cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour, mixing well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until puffed at edges and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Middle Layer

1. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, stir together the marshmallow cream and crushed cookies. Drop by spoonfuls over warm bottom layer.

Top Layer

1. Place the milk in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon coffee granules and stir to dissolve. Stir in butter and cocoa. Increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla. Stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour warm frosting over marshmallow layer, spreading evenly. Refrigerate for at least two hours before cutting into bars.

Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. I was out, so I buttered it instead. This is my new pan. I'm about to break it in.

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan, stirring often. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Dissolve 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules in a 1/4 cup of warm water.

Whisk in 3 eggs, 1 cup of light brown sugar, the vanilla, and the salt.

Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture.

Whisk in the flour...

...and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until puffed around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the marshmallow cream and crushed cookies. Yes, it is a little hard to do because it is so sticky, but it is worth it.

While the base is warm, drop the marshmallow mixture on top by spoonfuls, then lightly spread. The recipe doesn't call for it, but I would refrigerate it at this point to set the marshmallow cream before adding the chocolate frosting. I didn't do it this time, though.

Place the whole milk and 1 tablespoon of coffee granules in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until dissolved.

Add the butter and cocoa powder and bring to a boil, stirring often.

Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the vanilla and the powdered sugar.

Waste no time stirring in the pecans. This frosting sets up quick. If it gets too thick, stir over low heat for a few seconds longer.

Mine did get too thick because I was taking extra time to take pictures. When I poured it on the marshmallow base, I got more of a swirl effect. No problem though...

...because the next step is to dust it with cocoa powder.

Chill for at lease 2 hours. Cut into bars. They are sticky. You might want to spray your knife with nonstick cooking spray first.

I store these in the refrigerator because the marshmallow cream can get oozy at room temperature.

For die-hard chocolate-coffee lovers only.

Shrimp and Grits

Recipe Source: http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/709045-shrimp-n-grits

I adore Shrimp and Grits! This lovely recipe is one more added to the collection of Shrimp and Grits recipes found in the Seafood section.

1/2 pounds shrimp (peeled & deveined)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Johnny’s Garlic Season
1/2 teaspoon Spice Island Smokey Mesquite Season
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
Black pepper
2 servings instant grits

Melt the butter into olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. When the butter is ready, add the shrimp and spices. Cook the shrimp just until they turn pink. While the shrimp is cooking keep stirring them into the sauce to get an even coating. When the shrimp are ready, spoon them over the grits and enjoy with a side salad or some fruit.

Charleston Poppy Seed Cake

Remember to keep poppy seeds refrigerated, as they go rancid quickly. Always smell for off odors before adding poppy seeds to anything.

Makes 10 servings

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

1/3 cup poppy seeds

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup dry sherry

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour.

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. Batter should look well combined and thickened and the poppy seeds should be well distributed. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula.

Bake cake until it's golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and sides are pulling away from pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place it on wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack, then invert it onto another rack so that the cake is right side up. Allow the cake to cool completely, 30 minutes or more.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Recipe courtesy of Kittencal

I would suggest to start with about 2 tablespoons of hot sauce and add in more to taste, I use Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce you may use your own favorite, I would also highly recommend using grilled chicken breasts I find that it really adds to the flavor, use a good quality bottled or homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing for this, I have made this both with bottled and homemade dressing the homemade is much better…

if desired you may marinate the cooked chicken cubes in the hot sauce overnight and mix in the melted butter just before using for the pizza…you will love this and your family and friends will love you for making it!

Servings 6

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (can use one more if your chicken breasts are very small)

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 (2-ounce) bottle hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce)

1 (8-ounce) bottle ranch or blue cheese salad dressing (I strongly suggest to use homemade)

1 (16-inch) prepared pizza crust (pre-baked for about 8 minutes)

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or to taste

8 slices bacon, cooked and diced

chopped green onion

Instructions:

In a bowl toss the chicken cubes with hot sauce and melted butter; mix well to combine.

Spread the ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing on top of the pre-baked pizza crust (you do not have to use the whole bottle) then top with the chicken mixture.

Top with the mozzarella cheese then sprinkle with the chopped bacon.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven (bottom oven rack) for about 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Chuy's Mexican Restaurant - Selma Location

We have been wanting to try the Chuy’s Selma location for a while now because every time we pass it on IH-35 and Loop 1604 in San Antonio, TX the parking lot would be brimming. We figured this place has gotta be really good.

Well, we finally got there and had to wait 20 minutes for a table…good sign, our expectations were high. We don’t mind waiting for a table at a restaurant when the reward is a fine meal. When entering you immediately see the flour tortillas being heated on the plancha…another good sign. I couldn’t wait to taste those lovelies.

Atmosphere is a tribute to Elvis and is Austin funky (we like that). The ceiling was covered with hub caps and the walls adorned many oil paintings of cars.

The time from placing our order to delivery was a tad long, but not bad.

Our meal was served and we were very surprised that the food was simply average…absolutely nothing special. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t anything special at all. Even the flour tortillas were average. We have had much better Mexican food in San Antonio and never had to wait 20 minutes for a table at 1 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon.

We had a with four different orders on the table and none of us could figure out why this place is so popular. Do we have a higher standard? Were our expectations too high? I don’t know, but I do know we won’t wait in line at Chuy’s again for average Mexican food.

Grilled Spinach And Feta Turkey Burgers

Recipe courtesy of Kittencal

These are at their best when cooked on the outdoor grill but they are great oven-broiled also, plan ahead there is a 4 hour chilling time to blend the flavors the longer the better!

Notes from our test kitchen; for best flavor and texture it is recommended to use half white and dark meat, don’t omit the shredded carrot that’s the secret ingredient to keep the burgers moist and juicy

Yield 8 burgers

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey (if possible use a mixture of white and dark meat)

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup finely grated carrot (do not squeeze out the moisture from the shredded carrot)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and hand-squeezed dry (for a less stronger spinach flavor cook firstly according to package directions, rinse under cold water then hand-squeeze dry)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

seasoned salt (to be sprinkled on the patties while grilling)

Instructions

In a large bowl using clean hands mix all ingredients (except the seasoned salt) together gently until just combined.

Shape into 8 patties.

Place the patties onto a plate/s.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours (the longer the better!)

Grill over medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes seasoning the burgers on both sides with the seasoned salt while grilling

Crunchy Napa Cabbage Salad

Last evening we had dinner at DeAnne and Cullen Coltrane's home. Cullen is my husband Ray's brother. DeAnne's Mother and Father are visiting from Seattle. We are delighted to have spent last evening visiting with them...they are such great folks.

DeAnne served BBQ Brisket, this lovely Napa cabbage salad, and topped it off with Strawberry Shortcake. I was so taken with the salad that I just had to post the recipe DeAnne so generously offered up. This is a great summertime salad, it's easy, and the components can be made ahead of time.

Serves 10-12

GREENS
1 large head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

CRUNCHIES
4 Tablespoons butter
2 packages ramen noodles, broken into small pieces (discard seasoning packets)
1/2 cup sesame seeds
4 ounces sliced almonds

DRESSING
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce

1. Combine Greens and store in refrigerator.
2. Melt butter in saucepan and saute ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and cool completely. Store in refrigerator in airtight container.
3. Combine vegetable oil, white vinegar, white sugar, and soy sauce and whisk well. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Shake well before using.
4. Combine Greens, Crunchies, and Dressing just before serving.

Drunken Flank Steak

Recipe, photo, and commentary courtesy of Cook's Country

It's grilling season, so I wanted to share some great info from a great source. Cook's Country Test Kitchen explains a few techniques on how to make the perfect flank steak with great, bold flavor. One can change the this recipe easily to make killer fajitas meat. Use tequila for the liquor, substitute 2 tablespoons lime juice for the ginger, and sprinkle with fajita seasoning before grilling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A popular preparation at some restaurants and with backyard barbecuers, the idea is to get steaks “drunk” in a potent marinade of bold ingredients—typically soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, and of course, liquor—before grilling. We tried several recipes, but the flavor was all over the place—some steaks were barely tipsy while others had us picking a designated driver. Was there a happy medium? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Loose-grained steaks, like the flank steak in this recipe, are able to absorb more marinade, and thus more flavor, than tight-grained steaks. Scoring the surface of the meat with shallow slashes allows the marinade to penetrate into the steak without compromising the interior color or texture.
• Strongly flavored liquors, such as dark rum and brandy, were heavy and overpowering in the marinade. Tasters preferred the cleaner flavors of light rum and tequila. The soy sauce in the marinade not only adds intense flavor, but also keeps meat moist during cooking due to its salt content.
• The marinade’s sugar content (from the alcohol and the brown sugar) encourages a crust to form on the steak when it’s grilled. Patting the steak dry before cooking also facilitates the formation of the crust.
• Since the flavor of the marinade is dulled a little during cooking, refresh the flavor by drizzling a bit of reserved marinade over the rested and sliced cooked steak just before serving.

STEP BY STEP

Perfect Drunken Steak

Here are three important techniques to ensure boldly flavored steak every time.

1. Using a sharp knife, lightly score both sides of the steak at 1 1/2-inch intervals. This allows the marinade to flavor the meat more deeply.

2. The marinade’s sugar content (from the alcohol and the brown sugar) encourages a crust to form on the steak when it’s grilled.

3. Patting the steak dry before cooking further facilitates the formation of the crust.

Drunken Steak

Serves 4

Other thin steaks with a loose grain, such as skirt or steak tips, can be substituted for the flank steak. Avoid dark or spiced rum here—its intense flavor will overwhelm the steak. If using a gas grill, grill the steak covered for maximum heat output.

1	cup light rum
1/2	cup soy sauce
1	tablespoon dark brown sugar
1	tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1	garlic clove , minced
1	scallion , minced
1	flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds), scored on both sides at 1 1/2-inch intervals

1. Whisk rum, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in bowl until sugar dissolves. Transfer 1/4 cup rum mixture to small bowl and stir in scallion; set aside. Place remaining marinade and steak in gallon-size zipper-lock bag. Press air out of bag, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

2. Remove steak from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade. Grill steak over hot fire until well browned and cooked to desired doneness, 4 to 7 minutes per side.

3. Transfer steak to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Slice thinly on bias and against grain. Drizzle with reserved rum mixture. Serve.

Creamy Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Recipe courtesy of Kittencal

Servings 9-12

Ingredients:

CRUST:

2-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

FILLING:

2 (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (can use the juice of 1 whole lemon mixed with bottled to make 1/2 cup)

2-4 drops yellow food coloring

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease an 11 x 7-inch baking pan.

For the crust; in a bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs with pecans and sugar.

Add in melted butter; mix to combine (set aside about 1/2 cup).

Add in yellow food coloring until you have reached desired shade of yellow.

Bake for 6 minutes then remove and cool slightly.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed beat the cream cheese until fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add in condensed milk and sour cream; beat until smooth and combined, then beat in the lemon juice and zest until blended.

Pour over the crust in the baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup reserved crumb mixture over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until just set (this should not take more that 30 minutes to bake).

Cool until almost room temperature then refrigerate for at least 5 hours before serving.

Asian Chicken Skewers with Hot and Sour Mango Dip

Yield: 4 servings

1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins

Marinade:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBLS ground cumin
2 tsps chili powder
2 tsps paprika
2 tsps brown sugar
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup lite coconut milk

Hot and Sour Mango Dip:
1 tsp olive oil
4 scallions, minced
1 tsp minced jalapeno pepper
1 can (11.3 oz) mango nectar
1 TBLS brown sugar
¼ tsp allspice
1 TBLS lime juice
½ tsp kosher salt
2 TBLS chopped cilantro
3 TBLS chopped mint

Instructions

In large bowl, combine minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and lite coconut milk. Stir well to blend. Add chicken tenderloins, toss to coat, and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Prepare gas or charcoal grill.

In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add scallions and jalapeno; sauté until barely translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mango nectar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, allspice, lime juice and ½ teaspoon kosher salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer sauce about 20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half. Cool; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and mint. Set aside.

Thread one piece of chicken tenderloin onto a wooden skewer that has been soaked in water. Repeat until all pieces are threaded. Place on grill and cook about 3 – 4 minutes per side, turning once, until cooked through. Serve skewered chicken with Hot and Sour Mango Dip.

Boursin Style Cheese - Homemade and Simple

Yield: 20 ounces

16 Ozs Cream Cheese, at room temperature
4 Ozs Butter, at room temperature
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 Tsp Dried Dill
1/4 Tsp Dried Basil, 1/4" dice
1/4 Tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 Tsp Marjoram
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
2 Clove Garlic, lightly crushed

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor until smooth.
2. Refrigerate at least four hours before serving.

Guacamole

3 Avocados, very ripe
2 Tablespoons white onion, finely minced
1 10-ounce can of tomatoes with chilies (Rotel is a good one)
1 medium tomato, chopped coarsely
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional to control heat level)
1/4 Cup packed, cilantro leaves, finely minced
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 Teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea Salt

Mash the avocados leaving some chunks. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Garnish with a sprig of Cilantro.

Chipotle Crab Enchiladas

Serves 4

Yield: 8 Enchiladas

FILLING

2 cups sour cream thinned with a little milk

¼ cup milk

Sea salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

3/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 pound lump crabmeat

2 canned chipotle chilies en adobo, julienned

Freshly ground black pepper

ENCHILADAS

¼ cup safflower or canola oil for frying

8 6-inch corn tortillas, store-bought

½ cup Monterey jack cheese, grated

Garnish

3 tablespoons cilantro, minced

12 green onions

8 fresh green and red jalapeno chiles for making chile “flowers”, optional

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Stir together the sour cream and milk in a small mixing bowl. Lightly salt and set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan or deep skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and green onion, and cook for about 2 minutes, until the onions are softened.
4. Carefully check crabmeat for shells and discard. Add the crabmeat, chipotle strips, and 1 cup of the thinned sour cream, reserving the rest to use as topping. Lower the heat and continue cooking for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pepper to taste. This can be made to this point in advance and reheated before proceeding.
5. Heat about 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and place one tortilla into the hot oil. Cook first side for 8-10 seconds, turn over and cook second side about 5 seconds. You just want these to soften, so do not overcook. Dab with paper towels and set aside. Cook remaining tortillas, adding oil as necessary.
6. Place an equal portion of the crab mixture across the center of the tortilla (like a hot dog). Roll each up into cigar shape and place into baking dish right up against each other. Choose an appropriate size baking dish or pan as to not have any room left after all eight are lined up.
7. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped cilantro.

NOTE: Mexican Rice and Guacamole are excellent sides.