Start with a rack or four of pork Back Ribs.
Sauce:
I used non-hickory smoked factory processed sugary ketchup based crappy sauces for this recipe - it's quick, painless and really easy.
I start with 12 ounces of sauce, add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, and 3 tblsp of hot horseradish. Mix together and enjoy. (The horseradish, balsamic and sugar in the sauce provide a nice carameliztion on the meat)
I have a fairly large four burner barbecue, so I can generally get 3 or 4 racks on the grill and still be able to cook off-heat. If you can't do that, then heat your ribs in a roasting pan in the oven at 225 for about two hours.
I leave my ribs off heat (the burner (s) on med-low) on the Q for about 45 minutes, then turn them for another 45 minutes.
I then paint or rub my sauce on the up side, and turn to cook another 45 minutes off-heat. While there, paint the other side as well. No rib has ever been accused of having too much sauce on it!
After the third 45 minutes, it's cooking time. turn on all your burners, leave lid open, and cook the ribs on the heat. You have to attend to this part, becasue the sauce will burn quickly. I like to re-coat the ribs after each turn, until the ribs have about 4 or 5 layers of sauce grilled onto them and a little char to boot!
Cut the ribs into single or double boned ribs and serve.
Yummmmmmmmy
Super Duper Salad
This is soooo basic it’s sickening, BUT it’s sooo good that your guests will think you actually know what you are doing.
We have a massive old wooden butter bowl, so this looks overwhelming in stature, but it works
Take a good bunch of fresh greens (your choice – but I prefer Mescalin Mix) – I will add that I haven’t got a clue on the amount here – just figure on one small handful for every guest – plus two extra handfuls
Grape tomatoes (if they are not the small super sweets – then slice them in half)
Dried cranberries – Take fresh cranberries and leave them on the railing of your deck for a month – make sure the raccoons don’t get at them – Or purchase them in a bag at your local grocer – you make that call!
1/3 cup roasted or toasted pine nuts – in a frying pan at high heat, launch the plain pine nuts, and keep tossing the nuts over the high heat, about one minute of tossing – Voila – Toasted pine nuts – and you said it couldn’t be done!
Substitute candied slivered almonds instead – add a teaspoon of butter to a fry pan heated over medium high heat, toss in 1/3 cup of white granulated good stuff (sugar), mix until smoothly blended together, add almonds and toss – keep tossing until the coating is sticking to almonds and the colour is brown.
1/3 cup of crumbled blue cheese (Feta works too)
You can also add cucumbers if you wish
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil – I use a nice extra virgin – but most any olive oil will work
2 teaspoons Dijon (Dijon IS mustard so stop calling it Dijon mustard – you wouldn’t call Champagne, that Champagne Sparkling Wine would you?)
2 teaspoons Raspberry vinegar
1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar (Use white balsamic if on hand)
1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries – pureed in your blender
one large clove of garlic, sliced in half
Whisk the Dijon and Olive Oil together until nicely blended, slowly add the raspberry and balsamic vinegar while whisking the oil mixture, the three teaspoons should take almost one minute to add. Once the mixture is well mixed (when you stop whisking, the oil should no longer separate from the rest – or at least only a little separation should occur) add the raspberry puree to the mixture and stir until fully infused.
Place the dressing into a bottle, and add the two halves of the sliced garlic into the jar. Let sit – there is enough dressing here for two or three or sometimes four salads, the US and Canadian food guide will most likely tell you that this product can sit refrigerated for up to 48 hours – I will tell you that I have had it after two weeks without problem – it’s oil content will preserve virtually everything here – Enjoy!
We have a massive old wooden butter bowl, so this looks overwhelming in stature, but it works
Take a good bunch of fresh greens (your choice – but I prefer Mescalin Mix) – I will add that I haven’t got a clue on the amount here – just figure on one small handful for every guest – plus two extra handfuls
Grape tomatoes (if they are not the small super sweets – then slice them in half)
Dried cranberries – Take fresh cranberries and leave them on the railing of your deck for a month – make sure the raccoons don’t get at them – Or purchase them in a bag at your local grocer – you make that call!
1/3 cup roasted or toasted pine nuts – in a frying pan at high heat, launch the plain pine nuts, and keep tossing the nuts over the high heat, about one minute of tossing – Voila – Toasted pine nuts – and you said it couldn’t be done!
Substitute candied slivered almonds instead – add a teaspoon of butter to a fry pan heated over medium high heat, toss in 1/3 cup of white granulated good stuff (sugar), mix until smoothly blended together, add almonds and toss – keep tossing until the coating is sticking to almonds and the colour is brown.
1/3 cup of crumbled blue cheese (Feta works too)
You can also add cucumbers if you wish
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil – I use a nice extra virgin – but most any olive oil will work
2 teaspoons Dijon (Dijon IS mustard so stop calling it Dijon mustard – you wouldn’t call Champagne, that Champagne Sparkling Wine would you?)
2 teaspoons Raspberry vinegar
1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar (Use white balsamic if on hand)
1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries – pureed in your blender
one large clove of garlic, sliced in half
Whisk the Dijon and Olive Oil together until nicely blended, slowly add the raspberry and balsamic vinegar while whisking the oil mixture, the three teaspoons should take almost one minute to add. Once the mixture is well mixed (when you stop whisking, the oil should no longer separate from the rest – or at least only a little separation should occur) add the raspberry puree to the mixture and stir until fully infused.
Place the dressing into a bottle, and add the two halves of the sliced garlic into the jar. Let sit – there is enough dressing here for two or three or sometimes four salads, the US and Canadian food guide will most likely tell you that this product can sit refrigerated for up to 48 hours – I will tell you that I have had it after two weeks without problem – it’s oil content will preserve virtually everything here – Enjoy!
Don't Let your Meat Loaf Blandly
I almost forgot to post this recipe,
Another one of my faves, and more simple than drinking a beer in the hot hot sun!
2lbs Lean Ground beef
1/4 cup of bread crumbs (I use plain no-name unbranded local grocery store - cause I'm cheap)
1 Large Egg
1/3 cup Neal Brother’s Medium Corn Salsa®
Mix the above ingredients together – if mixture is too liquidy add more bread crumbs – but the mixture should be a little “wetter” than the original ground meat was.
Place in ceramic baking dish in the shape of a log – the meat should not come within a inch of the sides of the dish – more space is always better.
Bake uncovered at 375 for 75-85 minutes until done,
Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, slice into slices about ¾ of an inch thick and serve topped with more salsa….mmmmm mmmmmm good
I serve this with a baked potato, with butter and sour cream and I usually have really wicked dreams that night when I sleep!
For something a little different, use extra lean beef and cover the raw meatloaf with 5 rashers of bacon!
Another one of my faves, and more simple than drinking a beer in the hot hot sun!
2lbs Lean Ground beef
1/4 cup of bread crumbs (I use plain no-name unbranded local grocery store - cause I'm cheap)
1 Large Egg
1/3 cup Neal Brother’s Medium Corn Salsa®
Mix the above ingredients together – if mixture is too liquidy add more bread crumbs – but the mixture should be a little “wetter” than the original ground meat was.
Place in ceramic baking dish in the shape of a log – the meat should not come within a inch of the sides of the dish – more space is always better.
Bake uncovered at 375 for 75-85 minutes until done,
Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, slice into slices about ¾ of an inch thick and serve topped with more salsa….mmmmm mmmmmm good
I serve this with a baked potato, with butter and sour cream and I usually have really wicked dreams that night when I sleep!
For something a little different, use extra lean beef and cover the raw meatloaf with 5 rashers of bacon!
Renaming in my honour
My Fave fingies have been renamed:
I have to give Rachel Ray from Food Tv the credit for this one.
I use:
About 2 kg of Chicken thighs – boneless skinless or deboned and deskinned – your choice!
Prepare a bowl of flour (about ½ cup)
Prepare a bowl of egg (about 3 or 4 eggs)
Prepare a bowl of:
4 cups of corn flakes,
3 tbsps or brown sugar
2 tbsps of Allspice
Toss all these ingredients into a food processor and mix until bread crumb-like consistency
When that is done you should have about 1 ½ cup of breading
Cut chicken into manageable sizes (chicken fingers)
Dredge chicken through flour, then coat with egg, then dredge in breading mixture
Place breaded pieces onto baking sheet, and when all chicken is done, throw into the over at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove sheet and flip all the pieces, and cook another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is done
Serve with a nice spicey dip (Hot Chili Thai Garlic sauce is a good start), some carrots, cucumbers and a beer for the grown ups!
Like a famous potato chip maker, I bet you can’t have just one!
These are officially now known as "Buck Balls"....mmmm mmmm good!
I have to give Rachel Ray from Food Tv the credit for this one.
I use:
About 2 kg of Chicken thighs – boneless skinless or deboned and deskinned – your choice!
Prepare a bowl of flour (about ½ cup)
Prepare a bowl of egg (about 3 or 4 eggs)
Prepare a bowl of:
4 cups of corn flakes,
3 tbsps or brown sugar
2 tbsps of Allspice
Toss all these ingredients into a food processor and mix until bread crumb-like consistency
When that is done you should have about 1 ½ cup of breading
Cut chicken into manageable sizes (chicken fingers)
Dredge chicken through flour, then coat with egg, then dredge in breading mixture
Place breaded pieces onto baking sheet, and when all chicken is done, throw into the over at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove sheet and flip all the pieces, and cook another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is done
Serve with a nice spicey dip (Hot Chili Thai Garlic sauce is a good start), some carrots, cucumbers and a beer for the grown ups!
Like a famous potato chip maker, I bet you can’t have just one!
buck's burgs
Uncle Buck burgers
There’s little or no skill involved in creating a hamburger – Only personal choice. Some people love their own burgers because they add this, that or the other to it.
I love my burgers which are far healthier than almost all store bought frozen contraptions – yet still moist enough to be called a juicy burger. The key to my burgers is no onions and no garlic - for one the kids will love them, and two you won't taste them when you burp four days later!
3 lbs Lean Ground Beef (Extra Lean is too lean, Medium is not lean enough – Mama bear prefers lean please)
3 tbsp Ketchup – Heinz or the other keinz
3 tbsp Dijon (Would you like some Grey Poupon)
11 dashes of worchestshire sauce (Lea & Perrins – accept no substitute)
2 tablespoons are finely chopped fresh basil
1 egg
1/4 cup of bread crumbs (more if mixture is too soggy)
Mix all the above ingredients together in large bowl until the blob of red meat is no longer wet to the feel – it should have the same texture as the meat prior to adding all the crap to it. Add more bread crumbs if needed.
Take a piece of meat (unpacked – about the size of a baseball) roll it in your palms until the perfect ball, and the flatten the burger, use your fingers to repair the edge to look perfect. Press the middle of the burger so that it’s roughly half the width of the rest of the patty – this prevents the burgers from puffing up into a baseball.
Grill the burgs on a nice hot barbecue grill - These burgers (ketchup and Mustard) will get great grill marks, so impress your friends and do a nice criss cross grill design! Toss onto your favorite bun, add some lettuce, tomatoes, Heinz 57, a big kosher pickle, and whatever else Jimmy has at his buffet!
There’s little or no skill involved in creating a hamburger – Only personal choice. Some people love their own burgers because they add this, that or the other to it.
I love my burgers which are far healthier than almost all store bought frozen contraptions – yet still moist enough to be called a juicy burger. The key to my burgers is no onions and no garlic - for one the kids will love them, and two you won't taste them when you burp four days later!
3 lbs Lean Ground Beef (Extra Lean is too lean, Medium is not lean enough – Mama bear prefers lean please)
3 tbsp Ketchup – Heinz or the other keinz
3 tbsp Dijon (Would you like some Grey Poupon)
11 dashes of worchestshire sauce (Lea & Perrins – accept no substitute)
2 tablespoons are finely chopped fresh basil
1 egg
1/4 cup of bread crumbs (more if mixture is too soggy)
Mix all the above ingredients together in large bowl until the blob of red meat is no longer wet to the feel – it should have the same texture as the meat prior to adding all the crap to it. Add more bread crumbs if needed.
Take a piece of meat (unpacked – about the size of a baseball) roll it in your palms until the perfect ball, and the flatten the burger, use your fingers to repair the edge to look perfect. Press the middle of the burger so that it’s roughly half the width of the rest of the patty – this prevents the burgers from puffing up into a baseball.
Grill the burgs on a nice hot barbecue grill - These burgers (ketchup and Mustard) will get great grill marks, so impress your friends and do a nice criss cross grill design! Toss onto your favorite bun, add some lettuce, tomatoes, Heinz 57, a big kosher pickle, and whatever else Jimmy has at his buffet!
Thai Basil CocoChicken
One of my faves of all time....
Serves four
4 chicken breasts - boneless skinless - or deboned and deskinned if you prefer – slice and chop breasts into small pieces or slices (picture dice and or a gerkin for size reference)
1 red onion – medium (tennis ball sized) – chopped or sliced (how do you prefer the texture?)
1 red pepper - chopped or sliced (how do you prefer the texture?)
1 other colour sweet pepper ( I have an aversion to green – and prefer yellow or orange) - chopped or sliced (how do you prefer….getting the picture here?)
1 can coconut milk
2-4 hot thai chili peppers – I usually slice and dice one – and taste a little of the skin to judge the heat – use seeds and skins
3-4 cloves of garlic – finely chopped or pressed mercilessly through your garlic press
1 really decent sized bunch of Thai basil – chopped
3 tbsps Fish sauce
1 ½ tbsp white sugar
Seems like a lot of ingredients, but it isn’t –
First in a pre-heated wok (high high heat) add about 2 tbsps of oil (I prefer Canola – but any vegetable oil works) toss in the chicken and cook while wokking and wolling for about 4-5 minutes until the chicken is done and starting to brown.
Remove chicken to a bowl
Add one more tbsp of oil (if the original is gone – otherwise use the tbsp still in the wok and add the onion and sweet peppers, along with the garlic and chilis
Stir and cook for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables start to brown
While veggies are sizzling away in the wok – mix the fish sauce and sugar together into a syrupy-like stinking mess of goo. Add the fish sauce/sugar mixture to the veggies, stir and allow the fish sauce to boil. Boil the liquid to about half it’s original 60-90 seconds. Re-add the chicken, mix and add the coconut milk, and basil
Bring all this to a boil and serve over a nice bowl of Jasmine Rice
Serves four
4 chicken breasts - boneless skinless - or deboned and deskinned if you prefer – slice and chop breasts into small pieces or slices (picture dice and or a gerkin for size reference)
1 red onion – medium (tennis ball sized) – chopped or sliced (how do you prefer the texture?)
1 red pepper - chopped or sliced (how do you prefer the texture?)
1 other colour sweet pepper ( I have an aversion to green – and prefer yellow or orange) - chopped or sliced (how do you prefer….getting the picture here?)
1 can coconut milk
2-4 hot thai chili peppers – I usually slice and dice one – and taste a little of the skin to judge the heat – use seeds and skins
3-4 cloves of garlic – finely chopped or pressed mercilessly through your garlic press
1 really decent sized bunch of Thai basil – chopped
3 tbsps Fish sauce
1 ½ tbsp white sugar
Seems like a lot of ingredients, but it isn’t –
First in a pre-heated wok (high high heat) add about 2 tbsps of oil (I prefer Canola – but any vegetable oil works) toss in the chicken and cook while wokking and wolling for about 4-5 minutes until the chicken is done and starting to brown.
Remove chicken to a bowl
Add one more tbsp of oil (if the original is gone – otherwise use the tbsp still in the wok and add the onion and sweet peppers, along with the garlic and chilis
Stir and cook for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables start to brown
While veggies are sizzling away in the wok – mix the fish sauce and sugar together into a syrupy-like stinking mess of goo. Add the fish sauce/sugar mixture to the veggies, stir and allow the fish sauce to boil. Boil the liquid to about half it’s original 60-90 seconds. Re-add the chicken, mix and add the coconut milk, and basil
Bring all this to a boil and serve over a nice bowl of Jasmine Rice
Garlicky Garlic bread
This ain't rocket science, but someone asked for it!!!!
One loaf parisienne bread (thin baguette)
one stick (1/4 lb) butter
10 no wait 15 cloves of garlic
Soften butter (use microwave if needed) until easily stirred - not liquidy though
Chop as many cloves of garlic as you want – I like two to three per human - into fine pieces
Blend butter and garlic together
Let garlic butter stand at room temperature for one hour (or more)
Slice baguette lengthwise, spread garlic butter on bread (be liberal because people expect you to be!)wrap baguette in foil and place in oven for 15-20 minutes at 300 degrees
Remove and cut into pieces, serve and for the love of God - Don't kiss anyone who eats this!
(some may want to add parmasean cheese and broil at this time also – I always answer – Let them eat cake!)
Easy Peazy Shrimp pasta
Easy Peazy Shrimp pasta
9 Roma Tomatoes (Chopped and seeded)
4 tbsp fresh chopped basil
4 cloves garlic (crushed or sliced)
16 Tiger Shrimp (substitute Scallops if desired)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Pre-heat (non-Teflon) frying pan to medium-high heat, add olive oil and tomatoes and stir and sauté until tomatoes break-down into sauce.
Add garlic and Shrimps, stir, as shrimps turn pink, lower heat to simmer and add basil. Stir for another minute – and immediately pour over cooked spaghetti.
I serve this with Parmesan cheese – and my Garlicky Garlic bread and no one gets a cold in the four counties that surround me!
9 Roma Tomatoes (Chopped and seeded)
4 tbsp fresh chopped basil
4 cloves garlic (crushed or sliced)
16 Tiger Shrimp (substitute Scallops if desired)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Pre-heat (non-Teflon) frying pan to medium-high heat, add olive oil and tomatoes and stir and sauté until tomatoes break-down into sauce.
Add garlic and Shrimps, stir, as shrimps turn pink, lower heat to simmer and add basil. Stir for another minute – and immediately pour over cooked spaghetti.
I serve this with Parmesan cheese – and my Garlicky Garlic bread and no one gets a cold in the four counties that surround me!
Q'ed Vidalia Onions
Vidalia Balsamic Onions
Here's about the easiest recipe I can share, AND it's a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
- Brother Petey gave me this recipe about 10 years ago, but he's a lot older and seems to have forgotten, claiming as recently as last year that he's never known this recipe - At any rate their were no brain surgeons hurt in the development of the following recipe!
1 large Sweet Onion (per two - three people) - I prefer Vidalia but anything similar will work
Balsamic Vinegar
Place onion on cutting board with root ends facing outward. Leave skins untouched, cut onion in half. Trim root ends a little to allow onion to stand on it’s end (it doesn’t need to stand perfectly – in fact I rarely cut the ends at all). With face of onion towards you, slice an X into the rings of the onion (don’t cut through the outer skins) Pour enough balsamic vinegar over the open face of the onion to cover (the area with the X cut out with be darker as it is absorbing the vinegar) – Don’t be shy with vinegar!
Pre-heat barbecue to medium or medium high heat (whatever temperature you are going to start you steaks at!) Place onions root side down on grill (I put them towards the back corner to keep them out of the way), close grill. Cook onions for 15 minutes or thereabouts skin down (skins will burn off) then flip to face side down for about 5-10 minutes to get top cooked. Remove, and cover on plate under foil for about 5 minutes (this allows you to concentrate on that great rib-eye on the Q!).
When steak is done and you are letting it rest, take onion and quarter each of the halves, removing and discarding any skins, and inedible root area. Serve onions on steak or as a side with steak – I guarantee that someone in the crowd will ask you how you did your onions!!!!
Here's about the easiest recipe I can share, AND it's a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
- Brother Petey gave me this recipe about 10 years ago, but he's a lot older and seems to have forgotten, claiming as recently as last year that he's never known this recipe - At any rate their were no brain surgeons hurt in the development of the following recipe!
1 large Sweet Onion (per two - three people) - I prefer Vidalia but anything similar will work
Balsamic Vinegar
Place onion on cutting board with root ends facing outward. Leave skins untouched, cut onion in half. Trim root ends a little to allow onion to stand on it’s end (it doesn’t need to stand perfectly – in fact I rarely cut the ends at all). With face of onion towards you, slice an X into the rings of the onion (don’t cut through the outer skins) Pour enough balsamic vinegar over the open face of the onion to cover (the area with the X cut out with be darker as it is absorbing the vinegar) – Don’t be shy with vinegar!
Pre-heat barbecue to medium or medium high heat (whatever temperature you are going to start you steaks at!) Place onions root side down on grill (I put them towards the back corner to keep them out of the way), close grill. Cook onions for 15 minutes or thereabouts skin down (skins will burn off) then flip to face side down for about 5-10 minutes to get top cooked. Remove, and cover on plate under foil for about 5 minutes (this allows you to concentrate on that great rib-eye on the Q!).
When steak is done and you are letting it rest, take onion and quarter each of the halves, removing and discarding any skins, and inedible root area. Serve onions on steak or as a side with steak – I guarantee that someone in the crowd will ask you how you did your onions!!!!
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