Summer Veggie Pasta Salad

Cook pasta per box instructions.  As you can see I added all my favorite veggies, chopped and seeded cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, peas, red onion, carrots and green pepper.  I steamed the veggies (except tomatoes, green pepper, onion and cucumbers) and cooled before adding to pasta.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

I used my Cuisinart Smart Stick to blend the dressing until smooth.

1. Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, salt, and black pepper together in a glass jar with a lid. Replace lid on the jar and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined.

Basil Lime Marinade

I love Basil!  Enough said...

After I mixed up the marinade below I wanted to drink it.. the smell was absolutely the fantastic if you love Basil..and Lime of course..

1      Cup             Basil Leaves Packed
1      Sprig           Fresh Rosemary
1/2   Cup             Lime Juice (or the juice of two limes and the zest of one lime)
1/2   Cup             Oil (either Olive or Vegetable or combination)
2      Each            Shallots (or 1/8 cup diced fresh green onions with some of the green tops added)
2-3   Each            Cloves Garlic
1      Teaspoon     Salt (to taste)
1      Teaspoon     Lemon Pepper
1-2   Teaspoons   Hot sauce
1-2   Teaspoons   Dijon Mustard

I used my Cuisinart Smart Stick to blend all the ingredients until smooth, you can also use your food processor to blend.

I had 4 pounds of chicken thighs that I placed in a gallon zip lock bag and add the marinade, make sure all the chicken pieces are coated well.   Place in refrigerator for a least an hour.  Turn frequently.

Grill or bake chicken until done.  Length of time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.

Meat and Poultry Temperature Guide-Food Network

Chicken & Turkey
                                                    USDA Safe Minimum (degrees)

Whole                                                      165 

Parts                                                        165

Stuffed                                                     165

Ground                                                     165

Buffa Cue Chicken Wings with Sticky Honey Sauce

We tried this recipe on Friday... Excellent.  We did not use the hot sauce mop.  The wings were even better the second day.  Spices had a chance to really soak into the meat.

Get a wet towel ready... you're going to need it!

 Home made Sticky Honey Sauce

 Marinade wings for at least 4 hours.  I have tons of fresh chives available so I added to the recipe.

 Do Not Wash off Marinade before grilling.

BBQ University Buffa Cue Wings

For the wings and marinade:
16 whole chicken wings (about 3-1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the mop sauce:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
1/2 cup Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce

For serving:
Maytag Blue Cheese Sauce (see step 6)
4 ribs celery, rinsed and cut into thirds lengthwise, then cut crosswise into roughly 3-inch sticks

Step 1: Rinse the chicken wings under cold running water and blot them dry with paper towels. Cut the tips off the wings and discard them (or leave the tips on if you don’t mind munching a morsel that’s mostly skin and bones). Cut each wing into 2 pieces through the joint.

Step 2: Make the marinade: Whisk together the hot sauce, lemon juice, oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large nonreactive mixing bowl. Stir in the wing pieces and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning the wings several times so that they marinate evenly.

Step 3: Make the mop sauce: Just before setting up the grill, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir in the hot sauce.

Step 4: Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center, preheat the grill to medium, then toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.

Step 5: When ready to cook, drain the marinade off the wings and discard the marinade. Brush and oil the grill grate. Place the wings in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat, and cover the grill. Cook the wings until the skin is crisp and golden brown and the meat is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, start basting the wings with some of the mop sauce.

Step 6: Transfer the grilled wings to a shallow bowl or platter and pour the remaining mop sauce over them. Serve with Maytag Blue Cheese Sauce and celery for dipping and of course plenty of paper napkins and cold beer.

Sticky Honey BBQ Sauce

Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
3/4 cup honey
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp chili powder (or Tabasco sauce)
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Whisk to combine.
Bring to a low boil and reduce to a simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes for a thin sauce, 1 hour for a thicker sauce.
Store in the fridge.

Notes
To can this you need the following: Water Bath Canner Canning Set Pint Jars with lids and rings 1. PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside. 2. LADLE hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight. 3. PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Marinated Pork Tenderloins

Last weekend I went to the big city of St. Louis to help my mom (87 yrs young) prepare a family Father's day celebration for my stepfather (91 yrs. young).  Mom had a beef brisket in the oven by the time I arrived. She also had pork tenderloins on the menu.  She told me about a pre marinaded pork tenderloin she had purchased and how much they loved it.  The pork she had for this dinner did not have marinade.  This was the first recipe we looked at and she loved it.  Just by chance I had brought rosemary, lemon thyme and chives from my herb garden and she had the garlic in her garden.

We mixed it all up and let it marinate over night.  

Everyone loved "the pork", it was tender and juicy.

Sorry no pictures.

Marinated Pork Tenderloins

From Food Network

Ingredients
1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herb-marinated-pork-tenderloins-recipe.html?oc=linkback

GREEK YOGURT PARMESAN BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS

Below is the basic recipe for Baked Parmesan Chicken  I added a few things to give it some "life".

I had about 12 Chicken Tenders that I placed in a sprayed baking dish.

5 oz. of Greek yogurt

1/2 cup (generous) grated Parmesan Cheese

1 teaspoon Blackened Seasoning

1/8 teaspoon Hot Shot (McCormick Black and Red Pepper Mix)

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and spread on top of chicken in the baking dish.

Sprinkle a generous amount of Panko (seasoned or not) bread crumbs and course dried oregano.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.  To get a crisp crust on the top, put baking dish under the broiler for a few minutes.  Until you get your desired crust color.

Melt in Your Mouth Baked Chicken
INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 5 ounce container 0% plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine yogurt, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
Spread over chicken breasts. Bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and topping is browned. Serve immediately.

Cheddar Cheese and Chive Bread

Found this recipe yesterday..with all the rain we've been having my chives are growing like crazy, this was the perfect way to use a bunch!  I have been trying lots of different herb/cheese yeast breads this year, this recipe is one of the top two favorites.  I used my stand mixer with the bread hook which worked great.  I did not have a Silpain non-stick baking mat so the crust appears to be softer.  Next time I make this I will bake the bread in my cast iron dutch oven to make the bread "crustier".

Recipe from HipFoodieMom

Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
35 mins
Total time
55 mins

Please note the RISING TIME for the dough. First rise: 2 hours. Second rise: 30 minutes. This recipe makes 2 loaves.
Author: Hip Foodie Mom
Recipe type: Bread
Serves: 10-12

Ingredients
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk (+ more if needed)
1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2½ teaspoons)
4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (I highly recommend using bread flour)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick) + more for greasing
2 large eggs
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup fresh chives, finely chopped
egg yolk for egg wash

Instructions
In a small saucepan, heat ¾ cup of the milk until warm to the touch but not hot (about 105°F to 115°F on an instant-read thermometer). Transfer the warm milk to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the active dry yeast on top. Set aside for about 10-15 minutes to activate the yeast.
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together into a large bowl; set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Let the butter cool, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the eggs and beat together. Using your electric mixer, stir the egg mixture into the yeast mixture until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix on low speed. (At this point, if you feel like the dough is too dry, you can add a ¼ cup milk. You want the dough to be somewhat sticky). When well combined, gently fold in the cheddar cheese and chives. You can do this with your mixer or by hand.
Remove your dough from the mixer and turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead the dough for about 2-3 minutes only.
Grease a glass bowl with butter and place the dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. You can also coat the plastic wrap with butter (on the side that faces the dough if desired. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Prepare a parchment lined baking sheet or use your Silpain non-stick baking mat for breads on a baking sheet. After the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and set it aside. Remove the dough from the bowl and set on a lightly floured work surface. It will deflate a little but that is fine. Using a knife or dough scraper, divide the dough into 2 pieces and shape into loaves with your hands. Place both dough loaves on the prepared baking sheet and cover with a towel or with the same plastic wrap from earlier. Set aside again and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
When ready to bake, in a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk and remaining 1 tablespoon milk. With a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg wash over the dough and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Salmon Patties (croquette)

Below is the basic recipe I used for my patties.  The changes/additions are as follows.

I did not have: 

Old Bay Seasoning..

I did not have fresh parsley

I did not have fresh lemon zest

and I did not use the extra water.

I did have:

Fresh Chives and Green Onion tops finely chopped (I used finely chopped onion as well) and 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped.

I did have 3 tablespoons of Mayonnaise

I also added 2 eggs instead of 1

I also had one sleeve of Ritz Crackers

I also used a generous 1/2 teaspoon of "Spice Time" Blackened Seasoning

Salmon Patties

Ingredients

1 (14.75 ounce) can of pink or red salmon, undrained
1/3 cup of finely minced onion
1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional
1/4 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning, or to taste, optional
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest
15 saltine crackers, crushed fine
1 large egg, beaten
1/8 cup of water
1/2 cup of canola or vegetable oil

Instructions

Use a fork to gently break apart the salmon, leaving some small chunks. Add the onion, pepper, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, parsley and lemon zest; gently toss. Reserve and slice lemon. Add the cracker crumbs, egg and water. Shape into 4 to 6 patties.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat oil and carefully add the patties, cooking until browned; use a fish turner or wide spatula to carefully turn and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Cook's Notes: Serve as patties with mashed or fried potatoes potatoes and creamed peas, a mixed garden salad and a fresh tomato pasta side, or serve with green beans, lima beans and a good condiment like Comeback sauce, Remoulade, Cajun mayonnaise, horseradish sauce, or ketchup, or serve on your favorite sandwich or dinner rolls if you prefer. The skin and bones of canned salmon are generally edible, however you can remove them if you prefer, or purchase it without. I use Chicken of the Sea Red Salmon Traditional Style Sockeye and leave the bones in. If you don't have fresh lemon, add a tiny squirt of yellow mustard.

Tip: If you have the time, place the patties in the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.

To Bake: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with oil or spray with non-stick spray. Place patties on top, dab with oil and bake in a 400 degree F preheated oven, turning once, for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. May also scoop about 1/3 cup into lightly greased or sprayed muffin tins.

Variations: Substitute fresh cooked salmon, or an equal amount of well drained tuna, mackerel, cooked shrimp or fish, freshly cooked, canned or leftover meats, ham or chicken, or simply cooked, mashed potatoes. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, they also make an excellent binder for fluffier croquettes, or you may also substitute bread crumbs, flour or cornmeal for the saltines. If you like, you may coat the patties with bread crumbs, panko, flour or cornmeal.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com