Stuffed Bell Peppers on the Grill

Twice now Stuffed Peppers has been on my weekly dinner menu. Twice now, I have decided to make something different with the ground beef because I did not want to turn the oven on and heat up the house for an hour. To solve this problem, I decided to try to make the peppers on the grill. I thought 350 on the grill is the same as 350 in the oven, right? Right!

So I prepared these babies wrapped them up in foil and cooked them indirectly on the grill. It takes about the same time 45 minutes or so but I’m not heating up the house! And you can really get creative if you add some mesquite or hickory wood in a little foil bowl or in a little foil wrapping, and add a whole other flavor to the mix (Note to self, try that next time).

Stuffed Peppers

1 1/2-2lbs lb. ground beef (or a mixture of beef and pork, heck even try turkey)

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup minute rice

1 egg, scrambled

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 bell peppers (green are my favorite)

Topping:

1/2 ketchup

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon sriracha (or any hot or chili sauce)

Mix the ground beef, ketchup, rice, egg and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.

Wash the peppers, then cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the stems, seeds and veins.

Stuff the peppers evenly with the meat mixture.

In a separate bowl mix the ketchup  , Worcestershire, soy sauce and chili sauce together. Pour the sauce over the top of the meat.

Wrap the peppers in foil and heat the grill to 350 degrees. Turn off one burner in the middle of your grill and place the peppers over that burner so that the flame is not directly under the peppers. Keep the grill temperature at 350 and cook the peppers for about 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature measures 160 degrees.

This is what it looks like when you open the foil and they are done…YUM!

That is it! Not so bad right?

~Enjoy~

Amanda

Easy 5-step Baby Back Ribs

RIB FAIRY DUST (Just for those guys out there…)
3T. Kosher Salt
3T black pepper
2T brown sugar
1T paprika
2T garlic powder
1T onion powder
2t. mustard powder
dash of cayenne (or more if you like the heat)

While these ribs do take a couple hours to cook, they are simple and do not require much attention or preparation.

1.  Pull off the membrane from underneath each rack of ribs and cut each rack in half.

2.   Coat the ribs evenly with the spice rub, making sure to get both sides.

(At this point you can place the ribs in a glass baking dish cover the ribs and allow them to sit overnight. Or you can move on to the next step.)

3.  Wrap each rack in foil.

(place one piece of foil on the bottom and one on top. Crunch the sides together, leaving room for any steam to move around in the packet.)

4.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours @ 325 degrees.

(Place the ribs in a glass baking dish or on a baking sheet so any drips are not caught by the bottom of your oven)

5.  Once your ribs are done, remove them from the foil.  Finish directly on the grill until both sides are crisp and the rub starts to sizzle.

(If you like barbecue sauce on your ribs, add the sauce during this step. With the grill on med-low, add sauce to the top side of your ribs, close the lid and cook for a 2-3 minutes. Turn and coat the bottom half of your ribs, close the lid and cook a few minutes more. Repeat this step until you have a good layer of caramelized barbecue sauce on your ribs. (2 or 3 times).)

Some people par boil their ribs, but here my opinion why to avoid this method…boiling meat pulls the flavor out of the meat and into the water. Boiling  meat is for making rich Stocks, not to barbecue meat – would you boil a great Ribeye? Remember, tender meat comes from meat that is cooked low and slow over indirect heat, not from the boiling process. Have you ever cooked anything too long in the crock pot and found it was dried out although liquid was in the pot? Yep liquid can dry out meat. It also pulls the flavor from your meat, that is why most roasts call for wine, tomato sauce, or stock to add flavor to the meat while cooking low and slow.

However, If you insist on the boil method, I can attest that ribs do come out tasty, but think how much tastier they could be cooked in their own juices? 

-Enjoy

Amanda

Fish Tacos

My 4 year old daughter loves fish tacos, when I told her I was making fish tacos she said “YUUUUM.”  Usually when you see fish tacos in the restaurants they are made with Mahi-Mahi. So out I went to find US caught Mahi at the stores, because that is what the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guide says to get, instead of imported Mahi (btw if you have an iPhone, there is an App for the Seafood Watch guide! Get it and use it).

SIDE NOTE: What I have noticed while using this guide there are some general rules you can remember and follow when choosing fish if you don’t have a guide with you. 

1. Non-imported fish and if you can find out,
2. Fish that is “troll, pole-and-line gear” caught, (if you can find out).
3. Sick with wild-caught fish rather than farmed fish. Apparently there are environmental concerns related to farming some fish, plus wild fish are usually healthier for you.

Also of note, which you might already know. the higher up on the food chain the fish, the higher levels of mercury the fish will likely have: swordfish, shark, rock cod (is really shark), sturgeon, Rockfish (buyer beware: Rockfish is marketed as red snapper or Pacific snapper – there are no snappers on the US West Coast, per the Seafood Watch guide, so if it’s marked as Pacific – it’s rockfish and high in mercury and PCBs). Eat with caution.

So I went against the rules and purchased Peru Mahi – next time I will head to Whole Foods to get Mahi from the US (or you can choose another white fish such as, cod, halibut (Pacific, not California) or shrimp even.

(Serving 6 Tacos)

1 lb fish with skin on or shrimp

2 limes, juiced

1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsley chopped

1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced rounds

1t. paprika

1t. cumin

S & P

Spicy Jalapeno Coleslaw (see below)

6 corn tortillas (or flour if you prefer)

Garnishes:

sliced avocado

cilantro

cotija cheese

lime wedges

In a plastic seal bag or shallow glass dish, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Then add the fish and marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat your grill. this is why I said skin-on it’s easier to cook on the grill so the fish doesn’t fall apart.  Flesh side down, cook the fish for 3 minutes with the grill covered.  Then finish the fish off on the skin side for about 3-5 minutes with grill covered. Cut the fish into 1 inch pieces.

While the fish is finishing up heat the tortillas on the grill.

 

 Spicy Jalapeno Coleslaw

1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 c. Jalapeno aioli

1T. McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning

S & P

Toss all ingredients together and let sit in the fridge while marinating and cooking the fish. Enough time to allow the slaw to, as Emeril would say, “get happy.”

Assembly:

Top tortilla with slaw, fish, and your favorite garnishes. Squeeze a lime over the entire taco and EAT!

Meatloaf Burger

By request I have made a burger version of my meatloaf, just for my Shawnee.  It’s really yum!

2lbs ground beef (ground chuck is good because it has some fat, which is good for tender juicy burgers)

1/2c. bread crumbs

1/2 packet of onion soup mix

1T Worchestershire sauce

1T ketchup

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 egg

salt and pepper

sauteed red onion

avocado (optional)

Toss first 7 ingredients together, don’t mash it all together just toss it so everything is incorporated throughout. Once it’s incorporated, beat the egg in a bowl then incorporate into the meat. Work the meat just a little. The more you handle the meat the tougher it will be so handle it minimally.

Form into patties and generously sprinkle salt and pepper on each side of the patties.  Grill on medium-high heat until cooked to your liking.

Sauteed Red Onions

Thinly slice a red onion. On medium-low heat, melt butter in a saucepan, add onions and cook stirring occasionally until the onions caramelize. salt and pepper at the end.

Serve burger on a toasted ciabatta roll with mayonnaise, ketchup, and sauteed onions. MMMMMMM….good! It’s like a cozy winter meal, fit for a hot summer weekenight!

3-Pepper Tri Tip

This rub recipe is nice and spicy with a hint of brown sugar for sweetness and it helps form a nice crust on the tri tip on the grill. This recipe is my go-to recipe when I have friends and family over. A signature summer dish in my opinion.

I serve the tri tip with corn and black bean salad and some good garlic or bread toasted on the grill.

3-Pepper Rub:

2T. black pepper
1/2T. cayenne
1/2 T. white pepper
1 1/2 T. kosher salt
1 T. brown sugar
1/2 T. oregano

Mix all ingredients in a jar that can be sealed in a pantry. Rub a tri tip roast on both sides with the rub. Allow the tri tip to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking on the grill.

Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the steak. Cook until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 145 (medium-rare) or 160 (medium).

Allow the roast to sit for about 20-30 minutes before slicing.

Grill It!

I love that we have hit the grilling season! No oven or stove necessary! Keeping the heat outside and the house cool along with a meal with little fuss and so MUCH flavor!

THE BASICS: A cut of meat (chicken, pork, fish, beef, lamb) grilled with a grilled veggie or salad and some fresh fruit. While you have the grill going, add a little more for easy no extra effort lunch or dinner the next day.

Grilled Sausage and Veggies

Here is an example of a simple meal I made last night… Sausage with Grilled Veggies

1pkg of your favorite Sausage
1 bunch of asparagus
1 bunch of green onion
2 medium zucchini
1/2 lemon, for juicing
1T olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Clean your veggies and then prepare. For the asparagus I just snap the bottoms off and the green onion I cut off the root end. For the zucchini cut the top stem part off, then slice down the middle. Then slice the sides in half again, making wedges.

Toss the veggies with olive oil and salt and pepper.

I like to put a piece of foil down on the grill to protect veggies from the direct flame, they will brown the same…

Heat your grill to about medium for the veggies and low for the sausages (you want the inside to cook and the outside to NOT burn, although I like some good browning on sausages).

I like to cook the sausage for about 6 minutes before adding veggies – so everything is done about the same time. Cook the sausage turning often to prevent burning the outside about 6 minutes. Now add your veggies. Turn your veggies about every 3 minutes or so, cook everything for another 3-6 minutes. I check the sausage with a meat thermometer and make sure it’s about 180° internal temp.

Remove everything from the grill and squeeze half the lemon over the veggies and finish off with some nice coarse sea salt.

Grilled Sausage and Veggies

This is only one idea, but using the “Basic” idea you can come up with your own simple ideas with your favorite ingredients! Enjoy!

Now for dessert!!!! Berries and Ice Cream

Smoked Ribs

The more I do this the better I’m getting…or should I say the better my Ribs are getting! These were the best by far…check out the smoke ring!

I used my Rib Rub recipe – coat baby back ribs with the rub and allow to sit one hour.

Rib Fairy Dust (Just for those guys out there… 🙂
3T. Kosher Salt
3T brown sugar
3T black pepper
2T paprika
2T garlic powder
2T onion powder
2t. mustard powder
dash of cayenne (or more if you like the heat)

Heat your smoker – I use an electric smoker (there are people out there that will give you crap for using electric, but don’t let them get you down…charcoal is NOT the only way…just keep on smokin’!) I use hickory wood because it’s what I like best. Use whatever wood fits your flavor.

Once the smoker is heated lay your ribs on the racks make sure you put a thermometer in the smoker as close to the midde as you can, if you don’t have one build in on your smoker. Keep your smoker at 225 or as close to that as possible throughout the smoking process.

Add wood chips or chunks about every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours and then once an hour thereafter. It takes about 4 hours for two racks of baby back ribs to cook. (May take less on warmer days) These ribs came out with that right amount of pull from the bone, and not falling off the bone (which is overdone for me).

Serve dry or glaze with barbeque sauce during last hour of smoking.

See another method I used if you don’t have a smoker – thank you Meathead at Amazing Ribs

Barbeque!

Yes barbeque not just grilling (you know who you are!).

I bought a smoker this weekend and something was missing….

Disappointment...

Since I already bought the ribs and I want to eat ribs today I will alter my propane grill. Next weekend we smoke! (My daughter and her Auntie Tara will be able to have some then too…they will be so happy!)

Rub
3T. Kosher Salt
3T brown sugar
3T black pepper
2T paprika
2T garlic powder
2T onion powder
2t. mustard powder
dash of cayenne (or more if you like the heat)

Ribs
1 rack of baby back ribs
covered with rub and placed in fridge overnight or a few hours

SET UP FOR MY PROPANE GRILL:
Hickory is my favorite so I wrapped up some hickory chunks in foil. If I had an aluminum throw away pan I would have used that but instead I just used my roasting pan with the rack placed on top of the pan the opposite way so that I can put water in the pan and keep the ribs above it.

Ribs

Using one burner only, I placed the ribs on the opposite side of the grill of the burner that was turned on. I kept the temp about 220-230 until the ribs are done.

“Done” is an art that I’m still perfecting. Some places say until the meat falls off the bone. That is good and all, but I like the ribs a little “less done” so you have to pull them off with your teeth, but they still come clean off the bone. So about 3-4 hours.

But first you have to decide how you like your ribs…falling off the bone, or slightly less done…then figured out how long it takes in your environment (altitude and temps may change the cooking time) with your equipment.

If you use sauce, after slow cooking the ribs, crank up that heat on your grill. Slather those baby backs with some good sauce and place on grill and cook until the sauce carmelizes.

Barbeque Sauce

I love vinegar-sweet sauce and have played with this recipe a lot. Everytime I make it I seem to alter it maybe a little more. But this is the best version yet.

1/2 white onion (Or 2 shallots)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. beer
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 c. vinegar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1T worchestershire
1T soy sauce
1T hot sauce
1t. mustard powder

Saute onion and garlic in butter for 2 minutes. Add beer next and stir. Add the rest of the ingredients – adding the tomato sauce last. Simmer for 1 hour.

Marinated Skirt Steak

This is a recipe I got while in Sonoma at my FAVORITE winery – Mazzocco. Great wine and great food! This was the place we got to barrel taste and go into their vineyard and get a lesson on how to prune vines. I can’t wait to go back. I bet it’s so beautiful there right now…ahhh good times!

This is so super simple (yes John it really is!)

3 parts soy
3 parts teriyaki
3 parts red wine
1 part pineapple juice
Skirt steaks
(I used one steak and 1/3c soy, teriyaki, and wine and about a 1/4c. juice)

I make it the night before and then flip it once in the morning. Cook it on the grill to your liking – I like Med Rare. about 6 minutes per side. That’s all so easy huh!

Here are a few side ideas:

Grilled Veggie Salad
Roasted Ranch Potatoes

You can also turn this into an appetizer by thinly slicing the meat and placing on top of sliced baguette pieces…YUM YUM.