What I had in my fridg Yummy AP Creamy Fish sauce

Trying to cook with a torn ACL as well as other thing destroyed in my knee has become a challenge. The biggest challenge is getting to the store to buy what I need. So I made some fish tacos last night and tossed together what I had in the fridge. Try it, not too bad in combination with the "what I had in the fridg ingredients salsa"

AP Creamy Fish sauce
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Fat Free plain yogurt
1/2 cup Hellman's Mayo
1 lime juiced
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoon fresh dill weed
1-1/2 teaspoon cilantro leaf/Coriander leaf
2 green onion thin sliced
1 package of Splenda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

All ingredients mixed in a bowl and serve cold

I would of like to add capers (minced) but was out. But all in all this was not a bad sauce.

Note: This was not a bad sauce in combination with the fish tacos (made with Grouper, thin sliced green cabbage served on a multi-grain tortilla and a side of cucumber and lime wedge). Plus I had also made a "what I had in my Fridg Salsa" that also topped with the Fish sauce.

What I had in my fridge Salsa
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:

one can diced tomato
1/4 cup diced jalapenos
1/2 + a bit cup Tender Cactus (Nopalitos)
1 lime juiced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaf
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
couple shakes of coarse ground pepper
pinch of sea salt
one green onion

all ingredients "pulsed in my blender/mixer" to keep them slightly chunky.

Cooking on the fly with a torn ACL will be interesting to say the least. But I will have to get used to it.


Enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

Taste of Chicago 2010

I have decided to go to the Taste of Chicago 2010 this year.

Dates/Location: June 25th - July 4th in or around Grant Park.

I am going not to just go to the Taste of Chicago, but more of research and inspiration to open my own Restaurant in Denver, CO. The next big step but something that has always been in my future. More to come on this topic along with some idea for my concept and dishes.



Ryan M. Greer

Escargot Bourguignon w/ Truffle Oil Infused Portabella Mushrooms

Escargot Bourguignon w/ Truffle Oil Infused Portabella Mushrooms
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:
14 - 16 oz of Periwinkle/Escargot meat
1/2 cup Minced Portabella Mushrooms
1 oz of White Truffle Oil
Tbsp. Minced Shallots
Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1/4 cup Fresh Minced Parsley
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/8 tsp. White Pepper
1/4 cup Pinot Noir or white wine
1/2 cup of Softened Sweet unsalted European Butter or regular unsalted Butter

Preparation & Cooking:
Mince Portabella and place in a sealable container with all above ingredients except Butter for one hour. Cover and place in refrigerator. After One hour fold in softened Butter.

Preheat oven to 425.
I like to cook this dish in a mini muffin pan. (But if you prefer to stuff shells for presentation that can be fun) The mini muffin pan version is perfect for bit size portions. Place meat in the bottom of each mini muffin pan section and cover meat with about a 3/4 tsp of mix. Cook for 10 minutes and serve.

Serve with some crusty bread or some toast points.

enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

It is Fall & lets eat some bread

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Nut Bread
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Soda
1-1/2 tsp Sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup shortening (Lard good for the winter...mmm, mmm...)
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 (16 oz) can of pumpkin
2/3 cup Water
2/3 chopped pecans or walnuts

Prep & Baking:
Combine 1st 6 ingredients; set aside. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one is added. Add Pumpkin and mix well. Then add dry ingredients to creamed mixture (alternate with water, Mix well) Add Pecans or Walnuts.

Spoon into two greased and floured 9x5x3" loaf pans; Bake @ 300degrees for 1-1/2 hours.



Enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

Hot stuff & BBQ Sauce

I ate wings last night at a local restaurant (not naming) and while eating them I thought, “these are just hot, no flavor, just hot” So this made me what to blog a bit about “Hot Stuff” and “BBQ sauce”. Again we are just hitting fall season, football season and plenty of grilling weather left before it is way to cold to step onto the porch and fire up that grill. These are 2 recipes that where my Grandma Greer’s that I have modified slightly. “Hot Stuff” is that perfect thing to add to food: baste, marinade or shake on to any meal. “Hot stuff” is for that friend that is always complaining, “it’s just not hot enough!” The 2nd recipe is just a great BBQ sauce to add to chicken or ribs.

Hot Stuff
By: Ryan M. Greer & Grandma Greer

Ingredients:
2 bottles ketchup
2 Lemons
3T. Sugar
1T. Sea Salt
1T. Pepper
2 bottles of Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 small can pineapple juice
2oz Dry mustard (Colman’s Mustard)
1oz Cayenne pepper
½ Gal of white vinegar
½ bottle of Tabasco sauce (about 2-3oz)

Prep:
Mix all ingredients in a pot and let simmer for 2hours on med-low heat
Put in bottles and seal, this does not need to be refrigerated after sealed but to be safe toss it in the refrigerator.



BBQ Sauce
By: Ryan M. Greer & Grandma Greer

Ingredients:
2 bottles ketchup
2 lemons
2 T. sugar (I like brown for this sauce)
1 T. sea salt
1oz of cayenne pepper
2 bottles of Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 small can of pineapple juice
½ jar of mustard (around 6oz)

Prep:
Let simmer on med-low temp, do not boil for about 15-20 minutes.


Enjoy,

Ryan M.Greer

Kentucky Grilled Chicken & no it is not from KFC

I keep seeing Kentucky Grilled Chicken ads from KFC on television all the time. So I had a thought, “Stop eating out and make your own!” This is a super simple recipe that you can make at home. Winter is just around the corner but we have just hit Football season, and the grills are still cranking out smoke. If you like heat with your meat then this is a perfect solution for that.

Kentucky Gilled Chicken:
By: Ryan M. Greer, Mom & Grandma Greer

Ingredients:
1 c. Cider Vinegar
½ c. Vegetable oil or Canola Oil
5 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 tsp. Hot pepper sauce (of your choice)
2 tsp. Sea salt
10 bone-in chicken breast halves 10oz each

Prep:
Bowl – mix 1st 5 ingredients together – mix well
Pour – 1c. Marinade into a large resalable plastic bag – then add the chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate for 4 hours, turn the bag (flip) every hour.
Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade for basting later.
*Before grilling chicken lubricate grill rack with a towel and oil before staring the grill*
Drain and discard marinade from chicken that is marinating in the bag.
Place chicken bone side down over indirect medium heat for 20minutes
Turn chicken 20-30 minutes longer or till juices run clear (start basting chicken when it has reached 155 degrees) then baste chicken occasionally with reserve marinade.
Pull and serve chicken when it has reached an internal temp of at least 165 degrees.

Tip:
If you want real flavor then cook this over a charcoal grill and add some Hickory chips to it. If you add hickory chips pre-soak them an hour before putting them on the grill. I make little balls of hickory (about a ½ cup of hickory) and wrap them in foil and poke a few holes in them to release the smoke. Place them right in your charcoal.

Yields: 10 servings


Enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

Tip

Food Tip #3 Poaching Eggs:

Add a few drops of vinegar to the water that eggs are about to be poached in. The eggs will hold together and the whites will not separated in the water.