What's for dinner?

[TNbourbon]

Doing a lot more cooking for myself these days, now that I have an outdoor grill, a patio, and a larger, more serviceable kitchen. I've always been a decent cook, just haven't had a decent cooking location for quite a few years. I'm working my way back into it.

Tonight, I prepared a 1-1/2-inch ribeye (marinaded in Red Hood pale ale and generic seasoned salt) Tuscan style -- braised in the skillet on the cooktop, then baked at broiling temperature (550 degrees -- but not with the broiler going) several minutes per side. I topped it for about 60 seconds with some American cheese and thin slices of store-brand deli ham (prosciutto would have been nice, but too much expense for 'dinner for one').The thickness precluded cooking (without blackening the outside) much beyond medium rare, but I found the edges of the 22-ouncer perfect, and I set the thicker, middle half aside for a leftovers lunch tomorrow or Saturday. Dining alone, I kept it pretty simple, simmering a can of pork-and-beans, and buttering some bread along with about a half-bottle of inexpensive-but-well-valued 2005 Delicato California shiraz.

All in all, I enjoyed it enough that it inspired an after-dinner pour of 2008 Eagle Rare 17yo, which I'm enjoying in a 10-oz. brandy snifter. The woody sweetness is about perfect.

Please follow up here with home-cooked fixin's, to give me ideas -- of both what I can and can't do!:skep:

[BourbonJoe]

Dang, you're enjoying good things down there in Dixie. Made me hungry.

Joe :usflag:

[camduncan]

A couple of nights ago, Jen & I cooked up some home made pizza. We cheated and used Pita Bread as the base, then added Onion Marmalade instead of sauce, and topped it with shaved butternut pumpkin and slices of haloumi cheese. They went into a hot oven for 10-15 minutes and were finished with a handfull of rocket on top of each pizza as theuy came out of the oven.

I drank a bourbon and coke with the pizza (Jen had water), and we both finished off the meal with a generous pour of some White Liqueur Muscat.

[ILLfarmboy]

Beef, beans and bourbon.

I cooked some beef short ribs in the crock-pot with some sweat Baby Ray' BBQ sauce, then tonight I added a can of chili beans and a splash of ORVW 10 year 107.

Its just about ready. Its nice and thick and the meat is fall apart tender. Its sort of a mild mostly meat chili with a BBQ and bourbony edge.

[T47]

I am grilling up some Copper River Salmon. Personally I cannot tell the difference between Copper River and other Sockeye but I love Salmon so its all good. Going to grill some corn as well.

:toast:

[Lost Pollito]

Another cold and rainy summer day in chicago. Tonight I will be making Baked Bacon Mac and Cheese. 4 to 5 different cheeses, some pasta, eggs, butter, a secret ingredient, and some bacon. Soul/ comfort food.

[wadewood]

I am grilling up some Copper River Salmon. Personally I cannot tell the difference between Copper River and other Sockeye but I love Salmon so its all good. Going to grill some corn as well.

:toast:

[TNbourbon]

Confessions: I don't care for Papa John's commercial pizza, because it's too sweet for my tastes. And Cam and Jen's marmalade and pumpkin pizza harken it to mind.

Nor do I care for salmon, so Todd and Wade's Copper River reminiscences about it aren't going to make me run out and buy some.

However, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate and value their contributions here, because I DO: the preparations and executions put ideas in my head toward applying to things I DO enjoy, and I can adapt their experimentations and recommendations to my own uses.

So, keep it coming, folks -- this is EXACTLY what I'm seeking with this thread...

[callmeox]

Buy a smoker and make some ribs like I made today:

http://mypict.me/show.php?id=3PXZ

http://mypict.me/show.php?id=3Q0A

Basic Kansas City rub, 5 hours at about 240 degrees over charcoal and a few chunks of applewood, baste with apple juice when you lift the lid to check for tenderness.

Add in a simple cabbage slaw with a bunch of chopped cilantro tossed in for aroma and baked beans and you're eating like a king.

[kickert]

My wife and I made pita pizzas. The pita bread was homemade (and excellent on its own) then we crafted a variety of different pies - mostly with local products. We had BBQ Chicken, Veggie, Pepper (all sorts of peppers), Meat lovers. It was excellent, easy to make, and a blast to cook together.

[Virus_Of_Life]

I am grilling up some Copper River Salmon. Personally I cannot tell the difference between Copper River and other Sockeye but I love Salmon so its all good. Going to grill some corn as well.

I think most Sockeye that is sold is wild which is likely the reason you cannot tell the difference. Put it next to a piece of farm raised salmon and I bet you could!

I purchased some Copper River salmon here in Houston at Costco last week. I was surprised to see this down here and did miss this from my from Seattle days. Grilled it on a cedar plank with some Tom Douglas Etta's salmon rub (brown sugar base with assorted spices). Super easy to cook this way.

The Copper River salmon are intense in red color from the krill on which they feed. I think it does taste different or at least compared to the artificially colored farm raised salmon that is usually available here. What back yesterday to Costco and no more available.

I'm making a batch of Coconut Ceviche right now for a wedding shower Trina & I are attending tomorrow. Every time I make this for a group, I get bombarded with recipe requests. I don't usually go by direct recipes, but this one I finally wrote this one down. Attached.

Wade, I can tell the difference too, it's not even comparable to the Farm Raised Atlantic Salmon that are sold everywhere. I personally have sworn off all farm raised salmon after reading it is the highest in pollutants of all fish. Pretty much full of enough uh, well, farm raised stuff to offset the positives of eating fish.

That ceviche sounds interesting, I love ceviche. Planning an oyster bbq with some friends later this summer so maybe I'll surprise them with that, it'd be a good appetizer to go with the summer beer and tequila already on the menu.

Confessions: I don't care for Papa John's commercial pizza, because it's too sweet for my tastes. And Cam and Jen's marmalade and pumpkin pizza harken it to mind.

Nor do I care for salmon, so Todd and Wade's Copper River reminiscences about it aren't going to make me run out and buy some.

However, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate and value their contributions here, because I DO: the preparations and executions put ideas in my head toward applying to things I DO enjoy, and I can adapt their experimentations and recommendations to my own uses.

So, keep it coming, folks -- this is EXACTLY what I'm seeking with this thread...

Tim I doubt you'd find Copper River Salmon that far east, but if you did I bet it'd be very expensive, I'd be curious to know if it does make that far east. When I lived in SoCal it was almost $30/pound. It is good, but not worth that.

I'll post the recipe and exact method we use for the oysters after the fact, but basically just throw them on the bbq until they pop open. We are going to use two sauces for dipping/slathering after cooked, one butter and garlic the other tomato based but both will incorporate tequila. Tequila!

[T47]

When I lived in SoCal it was almost $30/pound

$9/pound at Safeway! It had been in the $20's which was still to high for us.

Tonight is Pasta Gorgonzola and chicken pan fried chicken cutlets. My son has come home from college, having graduated with Degrees in History and International Studies. I guess we are eating good celebrating his moving home. Now if he can figure out what to do with the rest of his life...my wife keeps cooking like this he won't leave!

:toast:

[camduncan]

Last night was nothing fancy, but it was definately tasty Perfectly pan fried pork fillets on a bed of creamy mashed sweet potato, drizzled with a honey mustard sauce and a side of greens. :yum:

[gr8erdane]

Even though it's the middle of June I made a pot of chile. My new renter and fellow SB.com member DowntownD roasted some pablano chiles and sweet onions which added a new dimension to my normally easy to fix but satisfying fare. My chile is thick so I spoon it up with round tortilla chips rather than utinsels. And yes I use beans so PFFFFFFT to you guys who think that's a no-no. I use both chile hot beans and Ranch Style beans with jalapeno slices but just a can of each with two pounds of ground chuck to add a little vegetable matter. I made enough that I will be able to eat off it for several days. Anyone in the Longmont area stear clear of the green cloud...

[fishnbowljoe]

It's always bothered me that people think chili is made with meat. Chili is just made with BEANS ! Chili Con Carne is chili with meat! :hot: Now that we've got that straightened out, enjoy! Joe

PS. Check it out for yourselves if you don't believe me. Carne comes from the Latin word carnis. Carne is spanish. Both mean meat. Chili Con Carne. Chili with meat!

[wadewood]

Even though it's the middle of June I made a pot of chile. My new renter and fellow SB.com member DowntownD roasted some pablano chiles and sweet onions which added a new dimension to my normally easy to fix but satisfying fare. My chile is thick so I spoon it up with round tortilla chips rather than utinsels. And yes I use beans so PFFFFFFT to you guys who think that's a no-no. I use both chile hot beans and Ranch Style beans with jalapeno slices but just a can of each with two pounds of ground chuck to add a little vegetable matter. I made enough that I will be able to eat off it for several days. Anyone in the Longmont area stear clear of the green cloud...

Dane I'm sure whatever you cooked was good, but it was stew and not chili. Chili should never have ground anything and of course never ever beans.

[TNbourbon]

Last night was nothing fancy, but it was definately tasty Perfectly pan fried pork fillets on a bed of creamy mashed sweet potato, drizzled with a honey mustard sauce and a side of greens. :yum:

Now THAT makes up for the pumpkin pizza, Cam! (Actually, I WILL steal the idea of using pitas for crust -- I'll just top them differently.)

In fact, just the other evening I had some beer-basted, pan-roasted (sauteed, then oven-baked), inch-thick pork chops that got out of the oven just late enough that the beer marinade accidentally became an almost-glaze, and was perfect!

[gr8erdane]

Wade, I don't tell you how to make cocoanut ceviche and you don't tell me how to make MY chile OK? I don't live in Texas and therefor am not subject to the Rules of the Republic. BTW, before you moved back to Houston had ANYONE there ever heard of, let alone tasted, ceviche? Besides Randy of course cuz he's travelled out of God's Country.:slappin:

[Josh]

Tonight I grilled up two NY Strip steaks (over charcoal of course) that had been marinaded in 1/4 cup OC 8, 2 Tbs worchestershire sauce, 2 tsp malt vinegar, 1 tbs Santa Cruz steak seasoning, pinch of sea salt, large pinch of black pepper.

Before I threw it on the grill, I put some hickory chips that had been soaking in OC 8 (trying to get rid of it) on the coals and nearly lost the hair on my arms. Then when it was time to flip, I basted the steaks with some of the leftover bourbon and nearly lost my eyebrows.

Not an exploding oven, but close.

[TNbourbon]

Tonight I grilled up two NY Strip steaks (over charcoal of course) that had been marinaded in 1/4 cup OC 8, 2 Tbs worchestershire sauce, 2 tsp malt vinegar, 1 tbs Santa Cruz steak seasoning, pinch of sea salt, large pinch of black pepper.

Before I threw it on the grill, I put some hickory chips that had been soaking in OC 8 (trying to get rid of it) on the coals and nearly lost the hair on my arms. Then when it was time to flip, I basted the steaks with some of the leftover bourbon and nearly lost my eyebrows.

Not an exploding oven, but close.

My grill is propane, alas, but I inherited it with the house. Otherwise, you are very close to my preparation.

Sounds very good!