A Perfect Day for Grilling + The Death of My (almost) Famous Chicken

I woke up with the thought of making Enchiladas for dinner, but as the day progressed, it warmed up and I decided grilling would be much more fun.  I cleaned my chicken and marinaded it in my top secret special ingredient, Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Marinade.  Minutes before I began, I found out that one of my local grocery stores was running a special on Lawry’s Marinades, making them $1 ea, when they normally sell for almost $4 ea.  In a hurry, I made sure the chicken was bathing in Baja Chipotle so I could rush to the store and clean them out of it.

At the end of last year, I bought some of the Baja Chipotle marinade on clearance at Target.  I figured hoped that Target was the only store getting rid of it.  Unfortunately, I was wrong.  It appears that my favorite marinade has been discontinued.  My grilled chicken will NEVER be the same again.  I’m devastated….you know how I feel.  We all have that special ingredient or favorite cooking accoutrement that we use to give our meals that special ummph.  What am I going to do?!?!?  I’m so devastated that I had to send Lawry’s an e-mail about this.  I can’t believe this is happening.

I normally make my famous grilled chicken by seasoning to taste and letting in marinade in the Baja Chipotle for as long as possible.  Once the grill is smokin’ hot, I throw several pieces on the grill, turning frequently and basting with the marinade.  Once it’s finished, I take it off the grill, let the juices rest, then serve hot.  It’s a hit!  All the years I’ve made this chicken, no one really knew what the secret ingredient was.  All people know is that they couldn’t duplicate it, nor could they eat just one piece.

Since I only had one bottle of the marinade left, I intended to get another at the sale, but that was a bust.  I had to resort to using some barbecue sauce to baste as I have this thing where it’s a must that I baste my meats on the grill.  It looked delicious, but when I tasted it, I was disappointed, upset, angry, and hurt.  How could Lawry’s do this to me?

The chicken was great, cause I’m an excellent cook and I rarely make anything that’s less than tasty :0), but it wasn’t what it should have been!  Lucikly, the potato salad and baked macaroni & cheese saved the meal from being a complete disaster.  We were supposed to have some cabbage too, but I couldn’t bear cooking anything else after the Lawry’s disappointment/disaster/fiasco.

As devastated as I am, I’m now on the lookout for a new ultra secret ingredient to make my grilled chicken famous again.  I’m covered for my next grilling session or two because I found a six pack of Baja Chipotle Marinade on Amazon for a reasonable price.  In my wildest dreams, Lawry’s would wake up and fire that person who thought it was wise to discontinue my chicken’s favorite sidekick, but until then, I need something new to get my chicken kickin’ again.  Anyone have any ideas?

Tried and True: Baked Garlic Prawns

UPDATE:    I made this last weekend and I have to say, I have never been so impressed with one of my culinary creations.  This recipe was perfect!  My almost two year old, that normally despises shrimp, ate more of this than I did.  It was easily doubled and EVERYONE enjoyed this.  I will definitely make it again.  Move over Red Lobster, here I come.

I do have to admit, my creation didn’t look as good as Barb’s over at Life in the Foothills (where I happily stole this recipe from), but it tasted D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!  I thought I had Panko bread crumbs, but it turned out I didn’t, so I used regular Italian Bread Crumbs that I had on hand.  I do want to try this again with Panko.  However, anyway you make it, it will be great, so hurry, gather the ingredients and make this mouth watering delicacy.

P.S. Barb suggests having a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc with dinner.  I think it’s a must :o)

 

Juicing My Way to Health: Cuisinart Compact Juice Maker (Review) + The Big Book of Juices (Review)

7 years ago, I had my first juicing experience.  I’m not sure how it came about, but I remember being pregnant with my second child.  Eating was difficult.  There wasn’t much that sounded appealing or appetizing.  Juicing helped me consume healthy food without all the “drama” surrounding food.  After my son was born, I sold my juicer on ebay.  For years, I kicked myself, but refused to invest in another.

An old friend brought juicing back to the forefront of my mind.  For $50 something, I got a Cuisinart Compact Juicer.  I couldn’t wait to make juice. So after a trip to the grocery store today, I made some juice…it was great!  My children wanted some as well, so I let them pick the fruits and/or veggies. 

I picked up a copy of The Big Book of Juices by Natalie Savona.  I looked all over for this book and most places were OOS (out of stock) online for new copies OR the used copies being sold were priced outrageously.  Barnes and Noble lists the book for just under $12 + tax, but sadly they were OOS for shipping too.  I opted to do a store hold so I could pick it up today.  Buying it in-store cost me $20 + tax.

The high demand of this book is what drew me to it.  I even paid for it without taking one look at it.  I’m glad I got it.  The book boasts several simple juice/smoothie recipes.  The best part is that it rates each recipe on Energy, Detox, Immunity, Digestion, and Skin.  The beginning of the book starts out by describing juicing and smoothie making plus the differences between the two.  The author then lists several fruits and veggies + the benefits of them.

Now, I have to tell you that when I began today’s juicing session, I mixed several fruits and veggies randomly.  I was satisfied with all three juices that I made.  BUT, one reason why I love the Big Book of Juices is because of the simplicity of a lot of the recipes.  For example, one recipe includes just carrots and apples.  Another includes Apples and Oranges while a different recipe uses Apples and Guavas.  Many times, I think “the more the merrier”, but this book makes me feel as if “less is more”.  I believe it is a must-have, go-to book for anyone wondering about juicing or just beginning.  It’s great for those that already juice because of the ratings for each juice.

The Cuisinart Compact Juicer is awesome.  My only pet peeve is that it is compact.  Once I began going hard at juicing, I had to stop several times to empty the pulp and the 16oz juice container.  I should have thought my juicer decision through thoroughly before choosing a model.  With six people total in my household, a compact juicer may not be my best bet.  Other than that, the Cuisinart Compact Juicer is priced right at just about $100 most places.  Sam’s Club carries it for about $75.

What’s for Dinner? Fried Fish and Cabbage

Since I picked up some cabbage on sale, I knew an upcoming dinner would have to include it.  With the holidays quickly approaching, I decided we would have fried fish and cabbage.  Even though I’m on a quest to healthier eating, I gave into friend fish rather than baked or broiled since it’s what my kids like best.

I used Tony Chachere’s Cajun Fish Fry mix.  I never know whether I can trust these pre-made mixes to season my food to my liking.  Knowing how bland I find some marinades and pre-made mixes, I lightly seasoned my Tilapia after rinsing it and patting it dry.  Following the directions on the box, I mixed one cup of milk and one egg.  I emptied the mix into a ziplock bag and let my oil heat while I arranged everything.  An organized kitchen is something I MUST have while cooking.

Once the fish was ready to cook, I chopped the cabbage.  I put a few tablespoons of Olive Oil into the pan.  Once it was heated, I added the cabbage and covered it, stirring occasionally.

I fried the tilapia fillets in batches of three.  They were laid to drain over brown paper bags.  Paper towels can do the same job, but there’s something about brown paper bags that keeps fried foods crispy.  Once the cabbage began to wilt (maybe 10 mins or so), I added a cup of water, seasoned it with seasoned salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.  I covered and let it cook while stirring occasionally.

The fish was delicious as was the cabbage.  While my cabbage normally comes out spicy (from the black pepper and sometimes I used crushed red pepper), it didn’t this time.  It was good, but I like it better when it’s spicy.

 

 

My New Found Friend: Cuisinart Classic Waffle Maker (Review)

At the insistence of my eldest son, I finally broke down and bought a waffle maker.  I hate having a different small appliance for each and every thing, however I am hoping it will inspire him to cook more.

While shopping on Amazon, there were several waffle maker options and I decided to buy the Cuisinart Classic Waffle Maker.  Maybe it was the name or maybe it was the adjustable browning level, either way, it would be a nice addition to my kitchen. About $30 + tax and two business days later, my precious waffle maker had arrived.  The next morning, I rushed to open it and make the best waffles ever.

It was a disaster.

The first waffle was stuck to the upper and bottom portions of the waffle maker.  What the hell did I do wrong? Waffle making is not rocket science! After another ugly looking waffle, I went back to the directions.  I finally found where the instruction booklet suggests seasoning the waffle maker before first use.  I was appalled that it wasn’t under instructions for use, but off to the side.

My Pam cooking spray spared me the embarrassment of anymore ugly looking waffles.  I still have two more pet peeves: Even on the highest browning setting, the waffles are awfully light and not really crisp at all.  According to the instruction booklet, darker waffles are crispier.  This is not the case. Next, I had to use Pam each and every time I made a waffle.  What’s the point of non-stick?  I wouldn’t be so peeved if the directions clearly told me to use oil/spray with each waffle.  Instead, the note next to the directions says I need to season the waffle maker as if it is a cast iron skillet.

Overall, I like my waffle maker.  It comes with a limited 3yr. warranty which is more than most appliances, small or large, carry.  The indicator light shows when the appliance is ready to use, cooking, and finished cooking.  Once I got the hang of it, the waffles came out pretty good.  I made chocolate chip pancakes to break my baby in (pancake mix + chocolate chips).  Now I’m looking forward to banana pancakes, or maybe we’ll try the fruit pancakes from the Cuisinart Recipe Booklet.

Salmon Patties (Croquettes) Revisited

I felt like having Salmon Patties for lunch today, but didn’t feel like eating anything heavy.  My quest for healthy eating is a continual one.  I have to admit, it’s not as easy to keep up with as I thought.  That’s mainly because sometimes I find myself busy and away from home all day.  The easiest thing to do is pick up something while I’m out.  I don’t beat myself up for it, but I would like to be more consistent.  And, since I had planned on going to the gym after eating lunch, I knew I had to have a light meal.

What I came up with may sound weird, but it worked!  My first taste tester was my picky sister.  She dismisses food at the first sight of something visually displeasing or anything that smells funny (to her of course,lol)!  The heavenly aroma is what attracted her to my creation.

Quinoa Salmon Patties

Canned salmon in water

Minced Zucchini

Diced Onion

Diced Bell Pepper

Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Basil

Cooked Quinoa

Flour

Eggs

Mix all ingredients (with the exception of the last two to taste).  Add in enough egg and flour to act as a binder.  If you don’t, the patties will fall apart.  Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Form hamburger like patties and fry till desired crispiness on each side.  Serve hot.

These babies were full of flavor and filling!  After several hours, I was still satisfied.  I never felt that lazy, must take a nap full, but I was no longer hungry and absolutely happy!

 

Oh, I must add that the kids (ages 3 and 13) enjoyed them too!

Chili With Quinoa

It’s what for dinner (tonight) lol!

While cruising around AllRecipes, I found a recipe for chili using quinoa (pronounced keen-wa).  I decided that I’d make it for dinner for three reasons: I love chili, it’s cheap, and it uses quinoa.

This particular recipes includes zucchini, cilantro, and jalapeno.  I didn’t have any of it so I opted to make chili the way I normally make it (albeit I did include the corn).   Ground turkey was substituted for ground beef because I believe it is healthier. I decided that I wouldn’t add the quinoa to the pot as I didn’t want it to soak up the liquid.  I have some sort of aversion to adding noodles, rice, quinoa, etc. to the pot for that very reason.  The last thing I did was include a couple tablespoons of horseradish sauce because I like strong flavors and had it on hand.

My end result was a delicious pot of chili that is kid approved!  Yummy!  How do you incorporate healthy alternatives into food and still make it kid approved?