Camarones Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons paprika, preferably smoked
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppe
kosher salt
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
1/2 cup dry red win
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
14.5-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
1 1/4 pounds peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
8 small whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
Sliced avocado, chipotle-flavored hot sauce, and crumbled queso fresco (fresh white Mexican cheese, available in many supermarkets) or Feta, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the cilantro, wine, capers, and tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and lime juice to the tomato mixture and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with the tortillas, avocado, hot sauce, queso fresco, cilantro, and lime wedges, if desired.

Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

11/2  Pounds ground beef

1       Cup seasoned panko bread crumbs

3/4    Cup whole milk

2       Large eggs, beaten

         Kosher salt and black pepper

4       Cups marinara sauce (32 ounces)

12     Ounces spaghetti, broken in half

3       Sprigs basil, plus leaves for garnishing

8       Ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

         Green salad, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the beef, panko, milk, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and mix well. Form the mixture into 18 meatballs.
2. Whisk the marinara sauce and 1 cup water in a 2½-quart baking dish until well blended. Add the spaghetti and stir to evenly coat in the sauce; arrange in an even layer. Add the meatballs and basil sprigs on top. Cover and bake, gently stirring once or twice, until the pasta and meatballs are cooked through, 50 to 60 minutes.
3. Top with the cheese and broil, uncovered, 6 inches from the heat until the cheese melts and some meatballs are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Garnish with the basil leaves and serve with the salad.
4. 
   

Chicken with Tomatoes & Olives

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 chicken pieces (4 thighs, 4 drumsticks)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 lemon cut into wedges
• 3/4 cup green olives with pimentos

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Heat butter and olive oil together in a large oven proof skillet over medium heat until butter melts. 
3. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Cook chicken just until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Set aside. 
4. Reserve 2 tablespoons pan juices. Add onion and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir in oregano. Return chicken to the pan. Scatter lemon around chicken. 
5. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, add olives. 
6. Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Cook chicken uncovered for 10 - 15 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve.

Enjoy!

Cajun Popcorn Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1 (10 ounce, about 40-50 per bag) package of frozen small peeled and deveined prawns, thawed according to package directions
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2- 3/4 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/3-2/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 1/3-2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• oil for frying
• kosher salt

Instructions:

1. In a bowl combine shrimp, cajun seasoning and olive oil. Stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. When you are ready to start cooking, heat 1/2 inch of oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Place the flour in one bowl. Place the egg in a second bowl. In the third bowl combine the plain and panko bread crumbs.
4. First dredge the shrimp in the flour, shake off any excess. Dip the floured shrimp into the egg and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture. Repeat until all shrimp are coated.
5. Drop a few bread crumbs in the oil to see if its hot enough, if it sizzles, it is. Fry the shrimp in batches for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Be careful not to over crowd the pan. Transfer finished shrimp to paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve hot.

I serve these with Crispy Oven Fries and of course a side of cocktail sauce. Enjoy!

Crispy Oven Fries

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of russet potatoes (about 5 potatoes); can be peeled or unpeeled the decision is yours; sliced into 1/2 inch strips
• 4 cups of water for boiling
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of seasoning salt (I like Johnny's)
• Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a pot big enough to hold the water and the sliced potatoes, add water and potatoes; bring the potatoes to a boil; once the water starts boiling add the salt; cook until the potatoes are 3/4 of the way done, about 4 minutes. You should be able to insert the tips of a fork, but it should be a little tough to remove it. (Note: If you are unsure, it is better to under cook the fries at this point, otherwise they may get too soft)
3. Remove from heat and strain, place under running cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking process. Strain. Place on a paper towel and pat dry.
4. In a bowl big enough to fit the fries, add the fries, olive oil and seasoning salt. Gently stir to combine.
5. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and lay the fries out in a single layer. Place in the oven; cook for 15 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes, remove from the oven and turn the fries. Return to oven for 10 more minutes.
7. After 10 minutes broil for 5 minutes. You can broil for longer depending on how crispy you like your fries.

Once you get the technique down it is really easy to change this recipe to suit your tastes. I've used simple kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. I also made cajun fries by substituting 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning for the seasoning salt. Enjoy!

Chef John's Spicy Ham Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter 

6 ounces smoked ham, diced 

1 red bell pepper, finely diced 

1/2 cup finely diced celery 

4 green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated 

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning 

3 tablespoons flour

3 1/2 cups cold chicken broth 

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

1 pound small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 

1 pinch salt, or to taste

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions:

1.Melt butter over medium heat in a deep frying pan. Stir in diced ham and cook until lightly browned about 5 minutes.

2.Stir in red bell pepper, celery, white portions of green onion, jalapeno pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Cajun seasoning and cook for 1 minute.

3.Stir in flour; cook and stir until flour is no longer gritty about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce; increase heat to medium-high. Simmer until vegetables are soft and liquid is reduced and thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.

4.Stir in shrimp; cook and stir until shrimp are cooked through 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Garnish with green parts of green onions.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Pan Gravy

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Ingredients:

• 8 chicken drumsticks
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons seasoning salt (I like Johnny's)
• canola oil for frying

Gravy Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons reserved pan drippings
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups fat free milk
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine chicken, buttermilk, onions and garlic in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to warm setting.
3. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium heat.
4. Transfer chicken to a colander to strain buttermilk.
5. In a bowl combine flour and seasoning salt. Dredge chicken so that it is completely coated. Shake off excess flour.
6. Once the oil reaches 325 degrees fry the chicken pieces until golden brown about 10-12 minutes per-side or until the chicken is cooked through. (Note: If you do not have a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil simply sprinkle some flour in the oil, if it sizzles the oil is ready.)
7. Transfer to a cooling rack on top of a cooking sheet. Place in the oven to keep warm while you prepare the gravy.
8. Reserve 3 tablespoons of chicken pan drippings.
9. In the same pan that you fried the chicken in, whisk together the pan drippings and flour. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups of milk. Add seasoning salt and pepper. Cook until gravy thickens, stirring constantly. Add more milk if desired.
10. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve alongside gravy.

My accompaniments of choice were Creamy Mashed Potatoes and sauteed green beans. Be on the look out for the recipe for the beans. Enjoy!

Deep Fried Pickles

Ingredients:

• 15-20 round pickle slices
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 1/2 cup flour, divided
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• kosher salt
• oil for frying, such as canola or vegetable

Instructions:

1. Lay pickle slices on a paper towel and pat dry.
2. In bowl whisk together egg, milk, a couple drops of hot sauce, Worcestershire and 1/4 cup flour.
3. In another bowl mix together remaining 1/4 cup flour, panko bread crumbs, garlic powder and ground pepper.
4. Dip a dried pickle into batter then dredge into panko mixture to coat completely. Transfer to a plate, repeat with remaining pickles. Allow to sit while the oil heats.
5. Heat 1 inch of oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, sprinkle in a pinch of flour. If it sizzles the oil is hot enough. Fry pickles in batches until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve immediately.

This snack would not be complete without Creamy Ranch Dip so be sure to whip up a batch and enjoy! Enjoy!

Cajun Fried Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken party wings (or chicken wings with tips trimmed)
• 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
2. In a bowl combine Cajun seasoning, olive oil, and honey. Toss chicken in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
3. In a resealable plastic bag combine cornstarch, flour and seasoning salt. Place marinated chicken in the bag and shake to coat. Place coated chicken on a plate and let set for 15 minutes.
4. While chicken is setting, heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy duty pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees begin frying chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 5 - 7 minutes.
5. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Allow cooling slightly. Serve.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Kielbasa Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried elbow macaroni
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 (7 ounce) blocks Blarney Castle Cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound kielbasa, cut into bite-size pieces
• salt to taste

Parmesan Panko Topping Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook noodles 7 minutes. During the last 3 minutes add in broccoli. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop cooking. 
3. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk. When milk starts steaming, mix in cheese. Continue cooking until cheese melts. Whisk in Dijon, garlic, and pepper. Fold in noodles, broccoli, and kielbasa. Season to taste with salt. 
4. Pour casserole into a 2-quart casserole dish. 
5. In a bowl combine, panko, parmesan, olive oil and garlic powder. 
6. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over the top of the casserole. 
7. If cooking right away, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake until the edges are bubbly about 20 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil for 1 minute or until top is brown. Serve. 
8. If not cooking right away, allow casserole to cool then place in the refrigerator uncovered. Once it has cooled completely, cover until ready to cook. When ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook 30 - 35 minutes or until the edges are bubbly. Turn on broiler and broil for 1 minute or until top is brown. Serve.

Enjoy!

Beer Brined Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 (12 ounce) can light beer
• 4 cups cool water
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 8 sprigs fresh dill
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed slightly
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 8 chicken pieces (4 chicken thighs and 4 chicken drumsticks)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Set oven to 200 degrees. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and set aside. 
2. Whisk together beer, water, salt and brown sugar until sugar and water dissolve. Add in fresh dill, crushed garlic and black peppercorns. 
3. Place chicken in an resealable plastic bag. Pour brine over the top and seal. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but not more than 4. 
4. Remove chicken from brine. Rinse and pat dry. 
5. Place flour, garlic powder, salt, dried dill and black pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Place.chicken in flour and shake to coat. Shake off excess, transfer to a plate and allow to set for 15 minutes. 
6. Heat 1 inch oil in a large heavy bottom skillet to 350 degrees. Place 4 pieces of chicken in oil, cover and cook for 7 minutes. Turn, cover and cook for an additional 7 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove lid and cook for 2 more minutes or until golden brown. Transfer chicken to prepared cooling rack and place in warm oven while you cook the remaining chicken. 
7. After the second batch is finished, transfer all chicken to a serving platter, sprinkle with a little more kosher salt. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Glazed Fried Chicken With Old Bay And Cayenne

Ingredients:

SERVINGS: 8

Chicken

• 9.5 ounces kosher salt (1 cupMorton or 1⅔ cups Diamond Crystal)
• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¾ cup hot sauce (preferably Crystal)
• 2 3½–4-pound chickens, cut into 8 pieces (legs and thighs separated, breasts halved), backbone and wing tips removed
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 3 cups buttermilk

Glaze And Assembly

• ¾ cup lard
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
• Vegetable oil (for frying; about 4 quarts)

Preparation:

Chicken

• Heat salt, brown sugar, and 4 cups water in a large pot over medium, whisking, until salt and sugar dissolve, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in hot sauce and 8 cups ice water. Add chicken to brine, cover, and chill 4 hours.
• Combine 2 cups flour and 3 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning in a shallow baking dish and toss with your fingers to evenly distribute seasoning. Place buttermilk in a medium bowl. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
• Working one at a time, dip 8 pieces of chicken in buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off, then coat in flour mixture, packing all around chicken and pressing firmly into cracks and crevices; shake off excess. Place chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Discard flour mixture, which will be wet at this point, and repeat process with remaining flour, Old Bay, buttermilk, and chicken; place on another wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, 12–24 hours.

Glaze And Assembly

• Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Heat lard, Old Bay, paprika, and cayenne in a small saucepan over low, stirring, until lard is melted, about 3 minutes. Set glaze aside.
• Pour oil into a large pot fitted with deep-fry thermometer to come halfway up the sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 325°. Working in 4 batches, fry chicken, turning often with tongs and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 165° for dark meat and 160° for white meat, 10–12 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken back to wire racks and let rest 5 minutes. Brush lightly with glaze (reheat glaze, if needed) and let cool. Store on racks at room temperature up to 3 hours ahead.

Braised Short Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons canola oil
2. 6 flanken-style short ribs with bones, cut 2 inches thick (about 4 pounds); see Note
3. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 1 large onion, finely chopped
5. 2 carrots, sliced
6. 3 celery ribs, sliced
7. 3 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
8. One 750-milliliter bottle dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
9. 4 thyme sprigs
10. 3 cups chicken stock

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Add them to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and crusty, about 18 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a shallow baking dish in a single layer.
2. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the skillet and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Add the wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the hot marinade over the ribs and let cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the ribs once.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Transfer the ribs and marinade to a large, enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and cook in the lower third of the oven for 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender but not falling apart. Uncover and braise for 45 minutes longer, turning the ribs once or twice, until the sauce is reduced by about half and the meat is very tender.
4. Transfer the meat to a clean shallow baking dish, discarding the bones as they fall off. Strain the sauce into a heatproof measuring cup and skim off as much fat as possible. Pour the sauce over the meat; there should be about 2 cups.
5. Preheat the broiler. Broil the meat, turning once or twice, until glazed and sizzling, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to plates, spoon the sauce on top and serve.

MAKE AHEAD

The braised short ribs can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

NOTES

Flanken-style short ribs (short ribs cut across the bones instead of parallel to them) can be ordered at butcher shops.

SERVE WITH

Mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or crusty bread.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Robust Spanish red.

Sticky Barbecued Beef Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 large celery rib, finely chopped
3. 1 carrot, finely chopped
4. 1 small onion, finely chopped
5. 3 ancho chiles—stemmed, seeded and cut into small pieces
6. 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
7. 1 cup ketchup
8. 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
9. 1/4 cup molasses
10. 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
11. 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
12. Salt
13. Rack of 6 ribs, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the celery, carrot and onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the anchos and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the stock, ketchup, vinegar, molasses, sugar and dry mustard and simmer over moderate heat until the barbecue sauce is reduced to about 3 cups, about 30 minutes.
2.  Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the sauce to the saucepan and simmer until thickened and reduced to 23/4 cups, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt.
3.  Light a grill. Cut in between the bones to separate the rack into individual ribs. Grill the ribs over moderate heat, turning, until crusty and sizzling, about 10 minutes. Brush generously with the barbecue sauce and grill, turning, until deeply glazed, about 5 minutes longer. Serve the ribs, passing the extra sauce on the side.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

These ribs go well with Cabernet, but their sweet-spicy sauce works better with more affordable bottlings that have less tannin and more up-front fruit.

Grilled Root Beer Pork Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

1. Four 12-ounce bottles root beer
2. 1 cup Asian fish sauce
3. 1 head of garlic, cloves crushed
4. 1/4 cup black peppercorns, cracked
5. 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
6. 16 cups ice
7. 2 large racks of pork spare ribs (about 5 pounds each)
8. 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
9. 2 tablespoons finely ground long pepper (see Note) or black pepper
10. 1/4 cup fresh lime juice plus lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring 2 bottles of the root beer to a boil with the fish sauce, garlic, cracked black peppercorns and shallots. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 25 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large roasting pan and add the ice. Add the rib racks, cover and refrigerate overnight.
2.  Preheat the oven to 325°. Remove the ribs from the marinade and scrape off most of the solids. Transfer the ribs to a large rimmed baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake for about 2 hours, until the meat is very tender but not falling off the bones.
3.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2 bottles of root beer with the vanilla bean and seeds and long pepper and boil over moderately high heat until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 25 minutes. Add the lime juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Discard the vanilla bean.
4.  Light a grill. Grill the ribs over high heat until richly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the racks to a carving board and cut in between the ribs. Serve the ribs with lime wedges, passing the root beer sauce at the table.

NOTES

Long pepper, a fragrant relative of black pepper from Indonesia, can be found at specialty food stores and online at salt traders.com.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Robust Australian Shiraz.