Kabobs!

Chicken Kabobs and Twice Baked with Brocolli...quick and easy dinner while watching the Gators go down to Alabama.

Canned Pizza...(got me out of decorating the house!)

Looks like my arthichoke chicken pizza, and it basically is, it struck my however during making of this pizza that most all of the ingredients are from a can, bag or jar. No grinding of steaks or custom pizza dough for me...toss it together, toss it on the grill and eat it...all in about 20-25 minutes including heating the egg to 600 degrees.

• Pillsbury Pizza Dough (Can)
• Chicken Breast (Can)
• Artichoke hearts (Jar)
• Steamed Red Peppers (Jar)
• Olive Oil (jar)
• Peppercorn, Garlic Salad Dressing (Jar)
• 1.75 cups Mozzarella Cheese (shredded in bag)
• Sliced Green Pepper (fresh)
• .75 cups Parmesan Cheese (shredded in bag)
• Chopped Green Onions (fresh)

The house is all ready for the kids to return for Christmas after their finals.  Can't wait to see them again...maybe A BGE Pizza is in their future too!

Full Nest for Turkey Day...

It was great having the family together in Mizzouri for our first Thanksgiving since leavng Florida.  The turkey above is the result of the recipe posted below...added butter to the skin not listed previously.  Cooked about 2 hours and 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Happy Turkey Day !

Steak and Shrimp

Empty nest all full for the holiday...number one request from the crowd; steak and shrimp on the EGG...Happy Holidays everyone.

...Tilapia on the BGE

Turkey on the Big Green Egg for Beginners or Newbies...

New to Eggin' and your bitter half says NO WAY are we going to ruin a turkey on that 'thing'...try this simple recipe and avoid disaster. There are lots of blogs and sites ready to help you out if you're wondering if the Turkey moves from the oven to the Egg this holiday season! COOK BREAST SIDE DOWN !!!

United Way WINNER !

Well; we did it! Yesterday's recipe post (and this wonderful "supply chain" themed display was selected as the winning Chili Entry at the University Hall United Way Cook Off today (University of Missouri).

Note the syringes filled with Tabasco and Hot sauces and Prescription Oyster Crackers...

Contest Entry (Monday United Way Chili Contest at Work)

Sustainable Flank Steak Stir Fry on the Big Green Egg

Missouri Legacy Beef Flank Steak was the centerpiece of this stir fry meal tonight.  All sustainably raised beef is the best for sure. 

Ingredients

1 lb. Flank Steak (sliced into slightly larger than bite size pieces)

6-8 Medium Green Onions (chopped)

1 12 oz. can of Baby Corn

1 8 oz. can of Sliced Water Chestnuts

2 Medium Green Peppers (sliced into 2" pieces)

1 Medium Orange Pepper (sliced into 2" pieces)

House of Tsang Wok Oil

6-9 oz. (to taste) House of Tsang Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry Sauce

2 Tbs. Minced Garlic

Preparation

1. Fire up the BGE and let it come to full flame while you prepare your ingredients.

2. Drizzle Wok Oil into hot Wok

3. Add Minced Garlic and stir

4. Add Meat and stir-constantly until done

5. Remove meat to rest

6. Dump in Veggies and add more Wox oil around the edges of the pan; stirring constantly until green peppers are 'limp crispy'

7. Add Meat and stir in desired amount of Sauce, bring to temperature, remove and serve over white rice.

Artichoke Mozzarella Chicken

Ingredients

2-4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 cup Artichoke Hearts (rinsed, drained and chopped)
¾ cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (can substitute Parmesan)
¾ cup Mayonnaise (NOT the low fat stuff)
1 TBS Garlic Parsley (ground spice)
1 Steamed Red Bell Pepper (sliced or diced)

Preparation and cooking
Preheat Oven OR Big Green Egg to 375 degrees
Mix all ingredients (except the pepper)
Grease cooking pan
Place Breasts in pan and cover with mixture
Back for 35-45 minutes or until juices run.

Beer Bum Chicken on the BGE

Beer bum chicken is one of the simplest cooks you can make on the Big Green Egg.  One Chicken (Whole Fryer) rubbed with butter and sprinkled with Don Prudomes Poultry Seasoning, 2/3's a can of been in the can tray (designed to hold the chicken).

Heat up the Egg to about 325 degrees and walk away for about 90 minutes.  When the Thigh reaches about 180 degrees you are DONE.                                

       

Chicken and Shrimp Kiao Man (a variation of Thai Wonton Soup)

A variation on a more traditional Kiao Man (Wonton soup); substituting green onions for scallions, Sake for Rice Wine and chicken for pork. The preparation to eating time about one hour and this recipe feeds two Hungry Men as a meal or serves 4 as a Soup or Appetizer

Ingredients

8 cups – Chicken Broth

6 Oz. – Cooked Chicken Breast meat

1 Cup – Chopped Fresh Bok Choy

12 Medium – Cooked, peeled shrimp

20-24 Wonton Wrappers

1 cup – Diced Baby Mushrooms

Note: The next four ingredients are split ½ for Soup and ½ for Wontons

2 TBS – Sake

2 TBS – Soy Sauce

2 Tsp – Brown Sugar

2 Large- Green Onions

2 Tsp. – Fresh Ground Ginger Root

Preparation of the Wontons

1. In a chopper or food processor place the chicken, shrimp and remaining ingredients.
2. Chop fine and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Place one teaspoon of mixture onto a wonton noodle, wet the edges, fold into a triangle, wet edges again and fold one more time.
4. Place wontons in large pot of boiling water and boil until they float to the top.

Preparing the Soup
1. Bring chicken broth to a rolling boil
2. Add ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add Wontons and simmer for 10 more minutes (very low temperature) and serve.

Bluebirds in training...

We built this Bluebird feeder a few days ago and it is designed to allow only bluebirds to enter to get the special worms we put inside it. To get them to use it they have to become familiar with the device. It has two holes in the sides for them to enter when the lid is closed and the glass is placed in the front.


Initially you put the worms in the feeder with the glass and lid removed (or proped open) so they "discover" the worms. Over a couple of weeks, you replace the glass and then eventually close the lid. A couple of days ago the bluebirds discovered the feeder and now we have moved to replacing the glass and next week the lid will close. These birds are known to stay in the area during the winter so when the lid is closed they will be able to enter and exit the box from either side and have worms all winter long.

100,000 hits

Just signed onto my blog tonight and the counter indicates 100,000 hits.  Pretty proud of that...time to get cookin' on the Egg again. 

Bone-In Ribeye - Missouri Legacy Beef on the BGE

Bone-In Ribeye's tonight.  Missouri Legacy Beef special cut...especially great...T-Rex'ed on both sides, closed the cover and finished these 1.5" babies just right.  MLB is hormone free and some of the best beef we are getting our hands on around here.  Wow!

Testing new Blogger Editor Software...

...finally got the PC back from the shopt and now I'm testing the new Editor in Blogger in preparation for getting back to blogging. 

General Tso's Chicken and Shrimp on the Big Green Egg

Dinner tonight was General Tso's...tonight we

added a little shrimp with the chicken and some

extra veggies (snap peas).  Computer is still in

the shop and is taking forever to get back so

posting from the phone is still our only real option.

Keep On Eggin'   We'll be back soon at 1005

The full meal deal on the bge

Tonights veggies

Doin some spatchcock chicken too. Trying to post from my phone too!

...Thanks for asking!

Good evening visitors to my BGE Blog and thank you for the many comments I had failed to moderate. Yes, I'm fine, I spent the past month traveling back and forth to Ohio until my father passed and that took me out of the weekend cooking mode.

Also, my home PC died; totally as did my wife;s laptop so we are working from a little netbook which makes blogging, posting pictures, and composing blogs literally impossible. So, I'm still taking pictures, and I'm back to cooking but active posting may have to wait for awhile. So, hang in there friends and fans alike, another couple of weeks and hopefully I'll have the PC back and start cooking regularly again.

Big T

Free Range Hamburgers...(oh the Irony!)

Started off with some full-on Missouri Legacy Hormone-Free, range feed ground beef. Mixed in some Country Bob's Original Sauce and a half a sweet onion (minced) and tossed them on the HOT grill...

...and then I added on a few ounces of highly processed full on not good for you Velveeta. But OH SO GOOD! Okay, I can't get enough of that Missouri Legacy Beef (in ANY cut) but you just can't do green every single minute of every day. Used up the garlic bread from last nights stir fry as buns and added a few ears of corn, topped off with some locally brewed Root Beer.

"Pre" Big Green Egg I suppose?

Heritage Days in Columbia...life was simple in many respects in those days. Doesn't look like this guy has any stress does it?

Flat Iron Stir Fry in the WOK on the BGE

This meal was prepared from TOTALLY sustainable, organic ingredients with the exception of the sweet and sour sauce and wok oil. All veggies and meat were chemical free.

Missouri Legacy Beef Flat Iron Steaks...thought we would try something different so we pulled out the veggies and the Wok and cooked up some great stir fry.

Used about 2 ounces of Wok Oil and added about 14 ozs. of Flat Iron Steak sliced into stir fry size pieces.

Added 1 orange and 2 green bell peppers. 7 green onions, 5 sliced fresh cloves of garlic and fresh sliced white mushrooms. Added House of Tsang Sweet and Sour Sauce (1/2 bottle) and stir fried for about 5 minutes, removed and plated it up for eats. Added some garlic italian bread.

AMAZING ! Next time I might add some brocolli and/or some sliced water chestnuts. Keep on Eggin',

Labor Day General Tso's on the WOK

Labor day fare...found some chicken breasts for .99 cents a pound so I snapped them up and came home to see what was in the cookbook I had not prepared for awhile.

General Tso's it is...fresh brocolli and water chestnuts steamed on the wok (BGE AT FULL T REX) in a bamboo steamer. 5 minute rice on the stove. Cook the chicken in fresh minced garlic and green onions (canola oil), mix in the steamed veggies and the General Tsos and stir for one minute, remove and serve with french bread and a Coors Lite.

Pre-Labor Day Ribeyes...T REX Style of course!

Inlaws in town...cooked up some nice Ribeyes with Dizzy Pig's Cow Lick, sweet corn, my texas toast corn salad, baked beans and french bread.

Spatchcock Chicken Dinner Fixin's

Tonight's cook, spatchcock chicken marinated and injected with Mojo, baby peas in butter, fresh sweet corn on the cob (best of the season), french bread and jalapenos with fresh mozzarella. Time to crack open a few of our grillin' cookbooks and find something interesting to grill and get out of this cooking rut, chicken, steak, chicken, steak, pork tenderloin, steak, chicken...

Short Ribs - Modified Kansas City Style

After receiving some assistance from the EggheadForum gang (on how to trim the ribs) I set out to cook up some short ribs.

The finished product was scrumptious...used that Country Bob's Original Sauce again and I'm thinking I am hooked.

Used some Beer Mustard from the Farmers Market and Bad Byron's Butt Rub. Probably won't use the mustard again because it created too much of a crust for our tastes. The taste was great however.

The temp I cooked was 3 hours at 250 degrees (dome) with a foil tent. Essentially the ribs were DONE in that time period so I skipped the Steeping with apple juice and brown sugar (ALSO BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF APPLE JUICE..).

Basted them up with the BBQ sauce for 15-20 minutes, pulled them off the grill and served.

...cracked the tile but saved the Pizza !

Tomato Basal Mozzarella Pizza

Ingredients

1 Canned Thin Crust Pillsbury Pizza Dough

3-4 Tbs. Light Parmesan Peppercorn Ranch Dressing

5 Roma tomatoes

1/2 lb. ball of fresh Mozzarella

6-7 fresh Basal leaves

2/3 large fresh garlic bulb

Preparation

• Fire up the BGE to about 600 degrees, plate setter legs down, pizza stone on the plate setter (must get hot before cooking pizza)
• Spread dough out to about 15 inches
• Spread thin coat of EVOO on crust
• Distribute evenly the dressing
• Slice 3/16" tomato slices
• Cut Mozzarella into Juliane size pieces and layer with tomatoes
• Chop Basel and spread evenly
• Mince garlic and spread evenly
• Cook for 10 minutes at 600 degrees on parchment paper
• Remove, serve, eat...and wish you had more!!!

Keep On Eggin'

POP...HOLY CRACKED TILE BATMAN!

Fired up the BGE for pizza, ran it up to 600 degrees and EXACTLY 10 minutes into the cook...POP. The tile under my egg expoded. My heart sank for just a minute because I thought I had lost my egg. On the way to Menards to get a new cement stone to replace this tile so we can cook up some ribs tomorrow night. Keep On Eggin'

Fair Food

Attended the Missouri State Fair Saturday...it was just 'slightly crowded' as indicated by the picture on the midway. Also, fair food...what can I say, the grease says it all. We ate the rest of the food before I could get a picture.

Corn and Texas Toast Salad - Organic Veggies

Dinner Salad with some Flair
(Okay, I am copying by taste and trial a salad I had at a local restaurant...but it WAS THAT GOOD!)
1/2 head Organic Lettuce -Chilled and chopped with knife (you want finer than hand torn)
1 Med-Large Organic Tomato (or a small Big Boy), Chopped
2 (or more) Green Onions (organic)
3 Oz. Parmesan Cheese, Shredded
3 Oz. Garlic Ranch Dressing (not organic)
3 Oz. Texas toast croutons (not organic)
1 Ear Sweet Corn (sliced off the husk of course) (organic)

Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients

Fresh Jalapenos, Onion and Chive Cream Cheese , Bacon, Options: Mozzarella Cheese

Preparation
Slice Jalapenos lengthwise (in half) and remove the seeds and membrane with a spoon.
Dollop some cream cheese in the jalapeno half and wrap with 1/3 to 1/2 of a strip of bacon, secure with toothpicks.

Cooking
Bake on Direct Heat for 15 minutes or until Bacon appears done.
Serve immediately and start cooking something else for dinner!!! Ha.

KEEP ON EGGIN'

Ranch Chicken Artichoke Pizza

Pillsbury Dough, Olive Oil, Garlic Ranch Dressing, Artichoke Hearts, Roma Tomatoes, Shredded Parmesan Cheese, Mozzarella (Shredded) Cheese, Chopped Chicken Breast. Optional: Garlic.

Place on parchment paper, fire up the BGE with platesetter and pizza stone to 500 degrees, let stone get hot, plop on the pizza for 13 minutes and you are done.

Pork Tenderloin and Black Bean Salsa

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce on Pork Tenderloin cutlets...nothing more to add...rubbed the tenderloin with Lysanders Pork Rub as a marinade.

Black Bean Salsa

1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed.

1 10 oz. can Pineapple tidbits, drained and rinsed.

1/2 Green Pepper chopped.

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup Newman's Own Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

1/2 tsp. Cumin

Mix and serve

Country Bob's on the Big Green Egg

I don't do a lot of 'low and slow' but after picking up a couple of bottles of The Original COUNTRY BOB's All Purpose Sauce
it was time to find a good slab of baby backs and give it a try.

The only words that my wife and I can think of to describe the experience was 'delicious.' The ribs were cooked to perfection in a modified Kansas City style (which fits now that we are living in Missouri) and finished with about 40 minutes of basting with Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce.

Top it off with some locally grown sustainable sweet corn and home made potato salad, a couple of jalapenos and some green onions and the dinner was complete. The sauce is slightly sweet with maybe a slight hint of smoke and the balance of spices used made the perfect compliment to this piece of pork. The cook for this rack was approximately a 2-1-.5 at a dome temperature of about 280 degrees. Put them on about 2:30 and served them up right about 6:10 pm.

Next up...getting my hands on some of Country Bob's Spicy Sauce and Seasoning Salt...I'm not seeing any downside to trying those products next. This was truly a wonderful experience to one grillin' nut that likes cooking T Rex and One Dish style that doesn't do much low and slow at all; but may now be a convert. Keep On Eggin'

Spatchcock Chicken and Emile Henry

Grilled up a couple of bone-in chicken breasts spatchcock style (and marinated for two days in Mojo) with a couple of jalapeno poppers or abt's and some farm fresh sweet corn...boiled up in my new Emile Henry pot...fresh from Home Goods (purchased for about 20 cents on the dollar). Keep On Eggin.

TAGINE Chicken on the BGE...

Got to use my brand new Emile Henry Tagine (flame approved cookware) tonight!

Ingredients:

2 LARGE Chicken Breasts, 1 Large Red Pepper, 1/2 Large Vidalia Onion, 14oz can Artichoke Hearts (Quartered), 2 Ears Fresh Corn on the Cob, 1 Large Tomato, 8-10 Small Red Potatoes, 2 Cups Chicken Broth, Ground Black Peppercorns, Ground garlic and parsley powder, Parsley, Paprika to Taste.

Preparation:

BGE to about 375 degrees with plat setter legs down on 2 inch fire ring. Chop all ingredients to bite size and layer with chicken in the middle (so it doesn't stick to pan), add seasonings, broth, cover and place on BGE for ONE HOUR. Check after 45 minutes for broth level and to see how chicken is progressing. Keep On Eggin'

Dinner for TWO...at Last!

Seven Months is a LONG TIME...Welcome Home. Of course, first order of business was to fire up the Big Green Egg, toss on some Bush Grillin' Beans with a heavy dollop of Beer Mustard and about a half a large Vidalia onion, chopped. Marinated the Ribeyes with Dizzy Pig's Cow Lick (there goes another free plug; got to stop that...)

The Wallflowers

Columbia offers a LOT of opportunities for entertainment...tonight it was a FREE concert with the Wallflowers...outstanding.

Whats Up with Google Blogspot???

Seems like I cannot get my text and pictures to manipulate properly (move them around, reposition etc)...not hearing back from google customer service but my blog is beginning to look like a mess.

Anyone out there with the solution? We used to be able to reshape pictures and drag them into position in your text to make things look good. I really don't want to have to resort to using pure HTML to fix this...HELP!

Starting Lump Charcoal in the Big Green Egg

It seems like no matter what forum I view there is constant debate about the best method of starting lump in the Big Green Egg. I've seen everything from paper towels soaked in EVOO to literally FULL ON weed burners and everything in between.

From my perspective it's about planning a patience; if you want instant TREX then maybe you need a weed burner...if you just want to light your BGE, walk away and go prepare items for cooking, then these "Fire Starters" are perfect. I've used them the past year after trying just about every other method (Mapp Gas included) and I found that placed appropriately, one or two of these in a big bowl of lump will light and allow you to get to ANY temp in just a few minutes, of course BGE damper controlling required.

In the stores, they run about $3 for 6, however on the internet you can find them fot about $3.60 for 24. As long as I can buy these things...I'm using nothing else personally. My two cents...and KEEP ON EGGIN'

Ribeye, Fresh Sweet Corn and a Special Salad

Nothing extra special about cooking another fabulous Sam's Club Ribeye with Dizzy Pig COW LICK...T REX STYLE; however the farm fresh insecticide free Sweet Corn was maybe the best I have ever tasted. The key to this meal however was the salad...while it doesn't look special the combination of ingredients made for a truly special dish.

Ingredients
Fresh Lettuce, Shredded Parmesan, CORN, Yes CORN off the Cob, Texas Toast Croutons
Garlic Ranch Dressing, 1/2 medium tomato (Serves ONE)

Rock Bridge

Rock Bridge in Columbia just off the Devils Ice Box trail...there is some amazing hiking around here!

Welcome FOODIES and FOODISTA GANG!

;

College Bound!

One Last Graduation Celebration for our Maggie Mae...can't believe she is moving to College in less than a month!

Mid Mo Fireworks via YouTube

Attended the fireworks show in Columbia, MO last night. Sat under the umbrella for 2 hours; determined to stick it out only to find out that the fireworks were about 45% to my left and a surprise to about 99% of those facing the stadium like I was...so the photos and camera shots have street light interference. Also, they shot them off into a low hanging cloud cover so the big ones disappeared into the clouds...the show must go on I guess.

July 4th Party for One on the Big Green Egg

There was NO WAY that a July 4th Holiday was going to pass by MY Big Green Egg without SOMETHING being cooked on it! So regardless that the family is spread all over the Northern Hemisphere...out I set this morning for for organic sweet corn, Strip Steak and Asparagus.
Broke out the EMILE HENRY 'FULL FLAME' pot my sweety just sent me for my Birthday and boiled up the water for the corn while the coals got up to T-Rex for the steak. I had previously frozen the asparagus and the thawing process breaks it down enough to allow you to boil it in EVOO and Minced Garlic...add a few slices of French Bread, some organic Green Onions and some SUPER Japalenos and you are done.

Oh yes, I used Dizzy Pig's COW LICK rub which has now taken over as my favorite rub after a year of being loyal to Bad Byron's Butt Rub...of which I will still use for MANY other cooks. Have a great FOURTH OF JULY !!!

AUSTIN POWERS TONIGHT AT DEJA VU

STEVE HIRST - Going with a gang from work tonight to see Steve do his Auston Powers routine....can't wait!

Chicken Heart Pizza

Fathers Day Pizza on the BGE for ONE!...Wifey still in Florida for 40 more days. This is not so dissimilar than my chicken amorosa pizza other than the ingredients and preparation are simpler and faster. This was fathers day so I was NOT going to cook chicken, roast peppers, and all that junk just so I could enjoy a pizza that ended up JUST as good as the longer method!

Ingredients

1 can-Pillsbury Pizza Dough

1.5 cups-Canned Pre-Cooked Chicken Breast

EVOO

3 Tbsp. Garlic Ranch Dressing (substituted for tomato sauce)

5 medium Green Onions Diced

2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic

2 Small Organic Tomatoes slice paper thin

1 Whole Roasted Red Pepper (from a Jar or Can)

1 12 oz Can-Artichoke Hearts (quartered)

2 Cups-Mozzarella Cheese Shredded

2/3 Cup-Parmesan Cheese Shredded

Preparation

Hey, anyone can layer a pizza right? So layer away to your taste. However, you MUST preheat the BGE to 525 degrees, with the Plate Setter Legs DOWN, and the Pizza Stone MUST BE PREHEATED.

Place your pizza on Parchment paper and slide it on the grill and close the lid for 13 minutes BEFORE YOU LOOK. Pick up the edge of the pizza dough and it should be done...if not apply the appropriate logic to the time you need to continue, probably less than 3 minutes.

Columbia Farmers Market Needs Your Support

View the video above from The Farmers Market Pavilion website to see their vision for the future of the Columbia Farmers Market and its community. Their goal is to build a permanent home for the Market that will local family farmers and small businesses while providing better access to fresh food and educational opportunities to the Columbia community. Check out their website to learn more about the project, its benefits, and its goals. Also you can visit Columbia Farmers Market website to find information on this seasons activities. Its a great Saturday morning stop, don't miss out!

Remember PANT-RY RAIDS?

Okay, tonight I didn't even make it to the porch to even look at my BGE Instead I raided the PANTRY to find something to eat; again. However, my onion, ham and tomato were sustainably raised and from the Farmers Market here in Columbia, the POTATOs were from a CAN! Oh my. Seasoned the ham with some southwest chiplote seasoning and the potatos were masked with garlic and parsley. I have to get back to that grill...and remember to thaw things in the morning...

HyVee Ribeye and Cow Lick on the BGE

Okay, tonight's meal has only ONE sustainably grown item on it, the asparagus (thank you to the Columbia, MO Farmers Market); but hey, eating sustainably costs more!

I took the advice of my staff at the office and went to the meat counter at HyVee. They had convinced me that HV "has the BEST MEAT IN TOWN..." so how could I resist. So off to the market I went on Saturday for some veggies and then a quick stop by HV to pick out a steak. This 1.25" ribeye ($7.99 for 12 oz.) took my eye and I left with visions of fat dripping into my BGE.

Running low on lump I stopped by River Mist Spa and picked up a bag of lump and a bottle of Cow Lick Steak Rub by Dizzy pig. Came home, rubbed the pig into the meat and put it away for a few hours.

The results were very satisfying; having just polished off that steak I have to admit, that was ONE GREAT RIBEYE...and the Cow Lick may now be in my top two rubs along with my standard Bad Byron's.

Steamed the asparagus with minced garlic but again tonight I did some preparation in the kitchen (sac religious I know) by using my electric steamer instead of my wok and bamboo steamer...hey I was hungry! These pics come from my new Nikon D90 and I'm still working on using the settings so take it easy on the photo critiques...and...Keep On 'Eggin!

Discovered Rocheport, Missouri today!

Time standing still, antique and craft stores galore, state park, Katy Trail train stop. Great bike shop and photo ops galore. http://www.rocheport.com/

What You Got in the Pantry Spaghetti on the Big Green Egg

Spaghetti on the EGG; What was I thinking? I was thinkin'..I'm hungry, short on disposable income for the weekend, tired of eating out twice a day and I have a Big Green Egg collecting DUST on the back porch.




So, I looked around and discovered that I didn't have everything I need to make any multi course meal of any consequence but I DID have some ground beef and vermicelli...so "Pantry Spaghetti" was born.


This isn't your Italian Grandmothers SAUCE, but it cooked up just fine and was actually quite tasty...beats Ragu by a Missouri Mile.


Ingredients



1.25 lb. Ground Beef - Missouri Legacy Beef (sustainable)
1 Box Wheat Vermicelli (just short of angel hair)
1 Medium Vidalia Onion
2 tsp. Red Peppers
1 tsp. Fresh Ground 4 Seed Pepper
1 LARGE Tsp. Minced Garlic in Olive Oil
Olive Oil (for your frying pan)
1 small pint of Cherry Tomatoes
2 Cans Tomato Sauce
1 tsp Garlic Powder with Parsley (comes in a jar premixed)
2 tsp Chili Sauce (could have used more)
2 Bay leaves
Parmesan Romano Cheese (grated for plating)

Preparation and Cooking

1. Fire up the Egg...to T REX status
2. Oil up the pan you are going to brown your beef.
3. Mince the onion, red pepper and garlic.
4. Toss 2/3'rds of the onion mix into the pan and add the beef, start Grilling...
5. Heat water for Spaghetti (If I had a XL I would do this on the egg...I had to use the stove and I just HATE IT when I can't do the entire meal on the BGE)
6. Mix Tomato sauce, bay leaves, Garlic powder and parsley, Black Pepper, Remaining onions, chili sauce.
7. Place sauce in medium iron pot and place on Egg, bring to boil and reduce heat while ground beef finishes.
8. Add browned beef to sauce, reduce heat (close down the egg) and simmer for desired time (if you are hungry about 15 minutes...if you want to add more flavor go for 30 or more.
9. Remove and plate on top of spaghetti and top with Parmesan Romano cheese, ENJOY!
10. Some Italian or French bread would have been nice, but that would have required planning...and this was a 'what you got in the pantry' meal.

Pictures are my first from my new Nikon D90; still learning where the buttons are on this thing!

Cell Phones are NO replacement for a Camera!

Okay, I cooked two of the finest Missouri Legacy Beef Ribeyes imaginable...and where is my camera? Florida. Okay, I admit, I have a little mad money file set up to fix that new camera bug but I did grab the cell phone and took a chance.





The result? A really poor picture of a great pair of steaks...corn on the cob, fresh steamed asparagus, some off the deli counter green onion egg potato salad (tastes like regular potato salad) and some Grape Soda...


We didn't spoil these bad boys...just some light ground garlic and parsley, some fresh ground sea salt and a fresh ground 4 pepper combination...seared at about 700 degrees on both sides, set off to rest for 15 minutes and back on the grill for another 2 minutes per side...medium rare at it's finest.


Then it was off to the Gym for a couple light games of racquetball with my son and a few laps in the pool...got to maintain that 45 Pound loss I have going you know. Keep On Eggin'!

Spatchcock flop and St Louis Cardinals

My son D is visiting this weekend and I cooked up some spatchock chicken (bone in chicken breasts with rib meat). They were HUGE and took forever to cook...I guess I am rusty using the egg just once ever few days, I ended up slicing them open to even get them to cook through...that was frustrating althought they eneded up just fine overall...they were NOT picture worthy however.

The thing that IS picture worthy was our trip to the Kansas City Royals St. Louis Cardinals baseball game at BUSCH STADIUM on Sunday and then our walk under the St. Louis Arch (just before getting ran off by the rain).

Tonight we're doing some legacy beef ribeyes...you can bet I'll get them done right...and hopefully they will be picture worthy. Keep On 'Eggin!

End Of Year Ballet - Fabulous!

Well, what can I say...my daughters end of year ballet performance was a wonderful experience. While I won't have pictures or DVD of the peformance for a few weeks, we did manage to get a great family shot after the performance.

Tonight is PROM...so if we can corral the kids in one location the 'plan' is to get some pictures...first however we have to get the kids to decide exactly where we are going to meet and at what time; you know what it's like dealing with those arrangements I am sure. Keep on Eggin in the meantime.

Sunfest 2009

What a weekend. Our Son's band Wait For Green was featured on the Coors Light Stage Saturday night at Sunfest in West Palm Beach. It was almost sureal to see him on stage playing drums at such a huge venue.

Of course it's their dream to hit the big times and who knows. It was a huge moment for them and a real rush to ol' proud papa here. Look them up on myspace/waitforgreen or on youtube.com search wait for green for some videos...and keep on eggin' (Hoping to get in some cooking this week some night, I'm having BGE withdrawal).

Legacy Beef Tenderloin MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH!

Cookin' for One:
Cooking on a Large Big Green Egg for one is not tough, but it does seem like a little overkill, especially in the Lump Charcoal department. However after 3 months without having ANY BGE I just need to shut up and COOK! Maybe there is a mini BGE in my future???? If Santa is listenihng.

Tonights Dinner:
After a day of reading stuff for work, a quick trip to the Earth Day festival downtown and two naps, count them TWO naps, I thought I should get busy and think about supper. Tonight I cooked up some fresh asparagus (organic) and a .3 oz Beef Tenderloin from Missouri Legacy Beef I picked up at the Farmers Market here in Columbia Saturday morning. After first arriving and seeing the NO DOGS ALLOWED sign I almost turned around (I had both my dogs with me). After walking them around for a half hour I put them in the car and jogged to the market to get a steak, a cherry pie and the asparagus (and yes, it was cool and the windows were down about 6 inches).

Preparation and cooking:

1. Bring Tenderloin to Room Temperature and rub on BAD BYRON's BUTT RUB...let marinate while you fire up the Big Green Egg and bring it up to T Rex temperatures.

2. Washed up the asparagus, trimmed the butt ends and sprayed the bamboo steamer with olive oil (keeps bamboo from taking on the smell of the food you cook).
3. Sprayed the asparagus and coated it with garlic and parsley (ground).
4. Fired up the egg and brought three (3) cups of water to a boil and placed the steamer on the wok for 15 minutes.
5. Wrapped my twice baked potato (store bought and NOT organic, ha) in foil and placed it on the second layer of the bamboo steamer.
6. Removed the steamer and seared the Tenderloin on both sides (about 1 minute and 30 seconds a side) and removed it for 10 minutes.
7. Finished the steaming of the asparagus for another 10 minutes then plopped the tenderloin back on the t rex hot grill for 2 minutes a side and DONE!

KEEP ON EGGIN'

Blog With The Wind

I set up a blogspot for my wife Jenny last night...she has been wanting to try out blogging for awhile now so I put one up at Blog With The Wind (or) http://www.gwtwjen.blogspot.com

Check it out and maybe it will jumpstart her posting...in the meantime, keep on Eggin'

Twitter, Social Networking the new Network?

I'm all a TWITTER...follow me at 'thebtls' on Twitter...not sure what it's all about but I'm in and watching for awhile to see what all the hype is about.

Missour Legacy Beef on the Big Green Egg

I visited Columbia's Farmers Market this morning and picked up a great looking RibEye. So having just cooked it up for tonights dinner I wanted to share pictures of what was a very wonderful experience.



I also blew the dust off of the wok and cooked up a few pieces of shrimp coated in a flour and Don Prudommes Seafood Seasoning for an appetizer.

Have to admit that I cheated on the potato with the microwave, but hey, I was eating and preparing alone so no one was watching...

Keep on 'Eggin!

I'm BAAAAAACK....

First night in Missouri with the house all set up and the BGE fired up for some Ribeyes and twice baked potatoes and a salad...had to promise my wife at least one meal before she returns to Florida tomorrow. Keep On Eggin'

The EGG HAS ARRIVED !!

Mark time...April 8th, in the year of our Lord 2009 the specialty company arrived today and uncrated my BGE! One of 264 boxes my wife and I are currently unpacking. She arrived in tact and if I have my way I am going to fire it up Thursday night to celebrate our move...and them my wife returns to Florida until my daughter graduates. I hope to start posting some pics and stuff again real soon. Go Mizzou!

Wine Cellar and Bistro in Columbia is DEVINE!

Okay, I know you are looking for BGE recipies...but remember, my egg hasn't moved to Missouri yet...however the day is nearing!

In the meantime I've been trying out a lot of the restaurants in town and one that I have been to three times now is The Wine Cellar and Bistro on Cherry Street, downtown Columbia. They have a seasonal menu that changes four times a year and right now they have a penne pasta dish to DIE for as well as a great wine selection.

Now the good news...the movers will deliver a special crate just for the BGE and in just a little more than a week it will be sitting on my back porch here in Columbia and "I'm BAAAACK!" Can't wait, although I see that lump has increased about 25% in cost, this eating out and microwave cooking is getting old so keep checking in and KEEP ON EGGIN'

Columbia's BGE Dealer

Long time no post...but hey the Egg is in Florida so there is not much to talk about right? I attended the local home show this morning and walla! A huge display of Big Green Eggs!!! I met Michael Smith of Rivermist Spas . Just looking at those grills made my mouth water...when he found out I was sans egg, he said."that has to be worse than a drug addict without drugs" and he is right. Can't wait to start cooking again. For now...keep on 'Eggin.

General Tso: Just who is this guy anyway?

Paraphrased from AOL: New York Times reporter Jennifer Lee traveled the world to crack the case of the fortune cookie's cryptic origins, hunt for the infamous General Tso, and track chop suey back to its creator. Turned out, many of the answers were closer to home than she'd ever imagined. The author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food serves up her favorite Chinese food facts, myths and mysteries.

So, Just Who Is General Tso? General Tso's chicken is a dish that is all but unknown in China. If you go to General Tso's hometown in Hunan Province, almost nobody, even those hundreds of his family members still there, know of the dish. So who was General Tso and why are we eating his chicken? General Tso, also known as Zuo Zongtang, was a famous Qing-dynasty military hero who played a large role in quashing the Taiping Rebellion, which was sparked by a Chinese man who thought he was the son of God, and thus the younger brother of Jesus Christ. About 20 million people died in the Taiping Rebellion, which still makes it the largest civil war in world history.

General Tso played a large role in keeping China together. The recipe we now recognize as General Tso's chicken was actually introduced in New York City in the early 1970s by a Chinese chef who had moved here from Taiwan as part of the Hunan cuisine revolution. It became a runaway hit in part because the dish resonated with the American palate: it was chicken, it was fried, it was sweet, and a bit spicy. So while in America, General Tso is like Colonel Sanders and is known for chicken and not war, in China, he's known for war and not chicken.

Missin' my Eggin in Columbia...

MIZZOU UPDATE

Hey gang, I made it to Columbia just in time for a 20 below wind chill day...oh my. Still waiting on cable TV and internet hook ups...it's worse than dealing with the government frankly. Doing a lot of home searching, etc. Just figured out one of my neighbors (I am surrounded by college kids in my duplex) has a unsecure wireless internet connection so I am tagging along until I get my own hook up. No BGE updates on this end...don't have the egg at hand for now.

ONE LAST SUPPER...

Some RIBEYES and WOK SHRIMP...

...and then it's store the BGE and Happy Trails to MIZZOU!

Cook ONE of TWO remaining in Florida

Wifey requested some tenderloin cutlets and my infamous antipasto veggie dish tonight. Tomorrow night my daughter wants me to cook steaks and shrimp on the BGE for the family (and her boyfriend) ...then it's off to MIZZOU...

Happy New Year - Keep On Eggin'

Hope everyone is having a happy new '09...leaving for Columbia, Missouri and a new job on the 10th...so my "Eggin' " will have to be 'in-spirit' for the next few months or so unless I make it back to town from time to time. HNY to one and all Keep On Eggin'

Happy New Year Pizza

With just a week to go before I close up the Egg for a few months and my move to Missouri I cooked up a couple of pizzas, including our favorite combination of Roma Tomatoes, Garlic Ranch dressing, 2.5 cups of Mozzsrella, 2 large chicken breasts pre-cooked in minced garlic, a dozen or so artichoke hearts and about 3 sliced (pre-roasted from a jar) Red Peppers...Oh My!

Have a Merry Big Green Egg Christmas

I will be moving to Missouri in January without my beloved Egg...so posts may slow down for a few months....but Keep On Eggin'...I'll be back occasionally.

Perfect Pizza Set Up on the Big Green Egg

This is the perfect set up for Pizza on a Large Big Green Egg. Platesetter on the fire ring with legs UP...Grid on the Platesetter legs and the Pizza Stone on the Grid. I have been using parchment paper under regular crust Pillsbury dough and they cook for 10-12 minutes PERFECT across the entire crust...starting with EVOO on the dough and then your favorite ingredients. Give it a try and Keep on Eggin'.

Pork Tenderloin on the Big Green Egg

Pork Tenderloins
Lysanders Pork Rub
Baby Spinach (shredded)
Green Onions (shredded)

Spiral cut the tenderloins, add the spinach and green onion, tie with butcher's string and grill at 400 degrees dome temp. or use open flame with a grid raised about 2" (additional fire ring).

Asparagus in EVOO with Minced Garlic on the grid until the oil boils and remove to steep.

Sugar Plum Fairy - Florida Arts and Dance Nutcracker 2008

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll216/THEBTLS/DSC09601.jpg

Proud Papa Moment - Our Sugar Plum

Our Daughter Megan danced for the 12th and final year in the Florida Arts and Dance Nutcracker last night (actually 6 performances this week). I don't have any pictures from the performances, but she was the Sugar Plum featured dancer...I posted below a still shot of her and Mom and me as well as a copy of the advertisement we placed in the playbill.

Sous-Vide - Worth the effort and risk?

Sous-vide (pronounced /su ˈvid/),[1] French for "under vacuum",[1] is a method of cooking that is intended to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period of time at relatively low temperatures. Food is cooked for a long time, sometimes well over 24 hours. Unlike cooking in a slow cooker, sous-vide cooking uses airtight plastic bags placed in hot water well below boiling point (usually around 60°C or 140°F).
The method was developed by Georges Pralus in the mid-1970s for the Restaurant Troisgros (of Pierre and Michel Troigros) in Roanne, France. He discovered that when cooking foie gras in this manner it kept its original appearance, did not lose excess amounts of fat and had better texture.[2] Another pioneer in the science of sous-vide is Bruno Goussault, who further researched the effects of temperature on various foods and became well-known for training top chefs in the method. As Chief Scientist of Cuisine Solutions, Goussault thoroughly developed the parameters of cooking times and temperatures for different foods.[3] The sous-vide method is used in several gourmet restaurants under Thomas Keller, Jesse Mallgren, Paul Bocuse, Joël Robuchon, Charlie Trotter, and other chefs. Amtrak has used this method of cooking in the dining cars of its long-distance trains, and recently began using the method on its Acela Express trains. Non-professional cooks are also beginning to use vacuum cooking.
Clostridium botulinum bacteria can grow in food in the absence of oxygen and produce the deadly botulinum toxin, so sous-vide cooking must be performed under carefully controlled conditions to avoid botulism poisoning.[4] To help with food safety and taste, relatively expensive water-bath machines (thermal immersion circulators) are used to circulate precisely heated water. Differences of even one degree can affect the finished product.
In the USA and other English speaking countries, the technique of vacuum packaging may be known as Cryovacking[5]
Source: Wikipedia

Prime Rib and Tomato Basal Mozzarella Salad

Tonight's cook was quick and simple, Prime Ribs with Fresh Ground Sea Salt and Fresh Ground 4 kernel pepper and a Tomato Basal Mozzarella salad.

Tenderloins and Friends

Tonight we had some good friends over for some tenderloin, wok shrimp and antipasto grilled veggies.

They dropped off a prime piece of tenderloin yesterday and I marinated it in Andy's Beef Rub after cutting it into 'dippin' or 'skewer' sized pieces.

The wok shrimp was my flour and Bad Byron's Butt Rub in Oil with garlic and onion (posted here earlier) as was the antipasto veggies with the EVOO-Balsamic-Garlic-Chili Sauce Pour Over sauce (also posted here earlier).


Pictured here is the set up from this morning...

I good time was had by all especially at dessert where the sham tarts were served with strawberries and real whipping cream...suppose I can do those sham tarts on the Big Green Egg????? May have to try that soon.




The Finished Shrimp and Tenderloins...

Home Grown Organic Bibb Lettuce

Home grown in home-made compost...no chemicals, no pesticides, rainwater only...disappeared too fast for me to get a picture after we wilted the lettuce and added some ham and potatoes...oh my.

Organic Free Range Chicken Broth

Walking through BJ's yesterday I noticed they had added a small organic section to one of their isles. The item that caught my eye however was a six-pack carton of Organic Free Range Chicken Broth.

I use a LOT of chicken broth in my TAGINE cooking especially, since I often can't find (or sometimes afford) free range meat and vegetables it't nice to have a product that I use literally every week be organic.

Certified USDA Organic the 32 oz. aseptic reclosable packaging I can't wait to 'pour it on' as it were.

What makes it organic...the broth is made from "grain fed chickens, raised without hormones or antibiotics in an environment where they can roam freely." It is a gluten free product.

This product will probably get it's first test in my new MINI TAGINE I just picked up at Sir LaTable this week. The companies website is http://www.pacificfoods.com - Keep On Eggin'

WICKED - The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West - Gregory Maguire (The Wicked Series)

I never imagined that I would get to the point in my life where I actually wrote or posted blog comments about a book. I am a outdoor grilling enthusiast...not a book critic.

Background: When I turned 40 I determined that I probably had not read more than 3 or 4 books since college...so I decided to read one book per week for the rest of my life. It went well the first year when I read over 55 books. In the subsequent years (13 of them) I've actually done pretty well reading over 300 books since that time, but it still runs in streaks.

You avid readers know what I mean, you find a good book and stay up till 3 a.m. reading it. Then you go for 10 days without another minute to pick up a book, so I'm averaging about a book every two weeks, not bad I guess.

What happens to me is that I find a author that I like and I read every book they have published, sometimes with few other authors in-between. However, I also have a habit of starting as many as 3 or 4 books at the same time and finishing them all about the same time as well.


It keeps me interested in the longer books like those thousand page biography's (of which I like but take me months to read). Most recently I stumbled across a display of Gregory Maguire A Lion Among Men books at my local book store. I picked up a copy and found out that apparently I had missed a 10 year (or more) series of books called THE WICKED SERIES...of which I was holding the latest (3rd) book in the series. Short of reading materials,


I picked up the first book A Day in the Life of the Wicked Witch of the West. About six hours later I was on Amazon ordering the second and third books in the series...the rest is history.


As a non-trained literary critic, I may hack this up but the first book is essentially the tale of Elphaba from birth to death...the first two thirds of the book tells the story of her life and the final third tells a story that is recognizable to all of us as the story of The Wizard of Oz...at least a very close resemblance...it's less fairly tale and more lifelike in details but in the end, the witch dies and Dorothy goes home...and openings are left all over the place for sequels...thus the series.


Clearly I am no critic and to give out details would spoil the series...however I find myself having completed the third book in about a week after reading the first and now I am almost finished with some of this other books Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and Mirror, Mirror.


I highly recommend this series and if I ever decide to talk books again, maybe I will get into the characters and details...for now, I'm just promoting reading and to include this special series of books into your library if you haven't already.

Cascadian Farm Organic Granola

Okay, I have to admit, I've tried about every Granola available, and the two things (make that three) that have always disappointed me have been the fact that they are tasteless, dry and clumpy.

After two bowls of Cascadian Farm Organic GRANOLA (dark chocolate almond) I have to admit I may start eating GRANOLA for breakfast again (my wife actually eats it for dinner sometimes).

Okay, the samples I received HAVE to be fresh, but this GRANOLA is hard to describe, it is actually not 'dry'-while 'moist' may be the wrong term to use, the GRANOLA doesn't clump or stay clumped when you add milk (ORGANIC 2 % BTW).

The flavor mixture is probably what really put me over the top, I know a lot of GRANOLA has almonds, but that little touch of Dark Chocolate pushes this GRANOLA to the top of the list for all of the brands I have tried.

The GRANOLA is made up of Organic whole grain oats, wheat and barley, crisp rice, almonds and dark chocolate; with no artificial flavors or preservatives. Their foods are grown Organic with no synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

With 14 g of whole grain per serving this is a great source of whole grains but at 250 Calories per 1/4 cup serving (w/1/2 cup skim milk) you probably aren't going to use this as a diet breakfast if you are counting total calories as a 1/4 cup fits into the palm of your hand. It is however very low in fat.

For the sustainable fans the box is 100% Recycled Paperboard and the company supports the community even further by participating in the Box Tops for Education program.

A variety of products are available and you can find out more about these and other products on http://www.cascadianfarm.com/ or by calling 1-800-624-4123 C.T. zone).

Buy it and try it...you won't be sorry. Their website even has a store locator.

This is a independent opinion made at the request of the organization for NO compensation (other than the sample products).

New York Strip Bites and Organic Shrimp on the WOK

Quick and dirty...lite the fire, get it t-rex hot, drop on the NYS bite sized pieces (preseason), dump some Vegetable oil in the WOK, add minced garlic and green onions and when hot, drop in the preseason shrimp (a combination of Louisiana Shrimp Mix and Bad Byron's Butt Rub, shook up in a bag about an hour before the cook. It all finishes in about 4-5 minutes.

Cascadian Farm Organic Granola Bars

After days of gluttony associated with the Thanksgiving holiday I thought it would be nice to post something sustainable and organic for a change...

Today I received a package from Cascadian Farm Organic products...having not had breakfast, I opened the box of Peanut Pretzel Granola Bars (I often have some kind of a bar for breakfast as I run out the door).

Expecting something dry and unexciting like many 'organic' products I was pleasently surprised with a moist and very tasty granola bar.

These bars (Certified USDA Organic) are made of Rolled Oats with peanuts and pretzels dipped in rich chocolate flavored coating.

A box contaings 5 individual wrapped 1.2 oz. (35 g) bars. I would describe them as a product that pleases both the sweet and salty urges that

you often have (you know, when you want to eat chocolate and potatoe chips at the same time in massive quantities).

This organic bar is produced from products grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers and contains no artificial flavors or preservatives.

Even the box is made from 100% recycled paperboard; and if that wasn't enough they also participate in the Boxtops for Education program...it's like they thought of everything. Unfortunately I haven't found these products in my local Florida Markets yet but I'm going to start asking for them.

The bars are 160 calories (60 from fat) with 180 mg Sodium. A variety of products are available and you can find out more about these and other products on http://www.cascadianfarm.com/ or by calling 1-800-624-4123 C.T. zone).

This review was provided without compensation or relationship with this company. This is frankly just really good stuff! Watch for a review of their cereal product soon.

Big Green Egg Thanksgiving Turkey

BGE heated up to 350 degrees with platesetter legs UP and Pie Pan between the disposable drip pan and the platesetter (keeps from scorching the juice). Place turkey on a V-Rack.

I used 36 ounces of chicken broth an onion, celery and carrots (broth for basting). After one hour, baste often...when temp hits remove.

This was a 13.8 Lb. Bird and it took exactly 3 hours.

Happy TurkeyDay!

Chicken Amorosa Artichoke Heart Pizza III

This is yet another slight variation of my favoriate Pizza on the Big Green Egg which is as close to brick oven pizza as you can get without the brick oven.

This recipe features chicken breast and the wonderful sweet taste of Amorosa tomatoes, Artichoke Hearts and thin sliced GREEN ONIONS

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts – Boneless, Skinless Pre-cooked in Garlic Cloves
1 Pillsbury Regular pizza crust
1.5 Cups Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded
¾ Cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
6 Medium Green Onions
2 Whole Red Peppers (pre cooked)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 Tbs. Garlic Ranch Salad Dressing
6 cloves Garlic, sliced thin (or minced in EVOO from a Jar

Preparation and Cooking Directions
1) Remove Grill and let your Big Green Egg go ‘Tex Rex’ for 10-15 minutes.
2) Insert Plate-Setter LEGS UP
3) Install Grate and place Pizza Stone on NOW.
4) Dice Chicken breasts into ½” pieces and brown in Olive Oil and garlic until done (juices will be running) on a shallow sauce pan on the grate, remove and set aside.

5) Close dome and start to stabilize temperature to around 500 degrees.
6) Slice VERY thin all vegetables and set aside (use a ceramic slicer to get them paper thin)
7) Place Crust on a piece of Parchment Paper
8) Rub Olive Oil on crust then spread Sauce evenly
9) Add ½ of the Mozzarella Cheese
10) Layer on the remaining vegetables and cover with the Parmesan
11) Top with the red peppers and remaining Mozzarella cheese.
12) Place in Big Green Egg, Close Cover and cook for 18-2O minutes and DO NOT PEEK!

Picture Perfect Pizza Crust in the Big Green Egg

I know there are as many different pizza cooking methods and options as there are people grilling pizzas; however I was having trouble with 'consistency' and saw this particular set up on someone elses post on EggHeadForum.com, tried it twice and had the best two crusts yet...So, this one works for me and after cooking about 40 pizzas, this set up seems to have produced the MOST perfect crusts to date.

If you are having trouble with your crusts not being done in the middle...give it a whirl.

The recipe for this particular pizza includes:

1 Package Boboli Pizza Sauce

1 thin crust Pillsbury Pizza Dough (traditional)

1/2 small can of sliced Mushrooms

3 medium Roma Tomatoes sliced very thin

1/2 medium White Onion sliced paper thin and chopped

2 red peppers (roasted from a jar) chopped

1 Fresh Green Pepper sliced thin

3/4 Lb. Italian Sausage (pre-grilled in the kitchen; sac religious I know)

2 cups Mozzarella cheese (shredded)

1/2 cup Colby Jack cheese (shredded)

5 Garlic Cloves (diced and cooked up with the sausage)

Pork Tenderloin Roast (STEAK) Dinner

This dinner serves four and cooks up much quicker than if you made the roast whole with no loss of flavor or juiciness.

Ingredients
1 Each – 1.8-2.0 Lb Pork Tenderloin Roast
1 12 oz. bottle of Marinade - Chef Pascal’s BALSAMIC TARRAGON AND ROASTED GSARLIC SAUCE (use your favorite)
16 oz. can Steamed Tomatoes
16 oz. can Black Eyed Peas
3 medium/large Green Onions
Fresh ground Salt and Pepper
4 Baked Potatoes
1 loaf - Italian sandwich Bread and Butter

Directions
1. Slice roast into ¾ to 1” steaks and place in 9 x 9 pan
2. Pour over marinade and stick a fork in each steak ¾ times, flip the steaks and place in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours.
3. Fire up the BGE to full flame 910-15 minutes.
4. Place Beans, Onions and Tomatoes into a iron pot and place on flames, bring to boil and remove, cover and let steep.
5. Place steaks directly on grid. Cook until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees or higher for dryer and well done, flipping one time.
6. Remove and let set for 5 minutes and serve with baked potatoes, green onions, beans and tomatoes, bread and jalapeno peppers.

General Tso's using the Bamboo Steamer and WOK

Ingredients

2 bags Boil in bag rice

1 Head Fresh Broccoli

4 each Chicken Thighs – Boned

1-2 each Boneless, skinless Chicken Breast

1 strong cup General TSOS IRON CHEF SAUCE

1 cup Snap Peas

8 large cloves Diced Fresh Garlic

6 Diced Green Onions

1 Small Can Water Chestnuts

1/2 cup Corn Oil (sac religious; I didn’t use EVOO!)

Preparation Directions

1. Boil rice and set aside

2. Separate and steam broccoli, peas and water chestnuts until done (15 minutes) (You can use your Wok and a Bamboo steamer for this on the BGE)

3. Trim meat off of thighs into bite size pieces and set aside

4. Cut Chicken Breast into bite size pieces and mix with thighs

Cooking Directions

Fire up the Big Green Egg to full flame and place Wok on Grid at fire ring level and add water. Place bamboo steamer on wok with vegetables, water will boil and vegetables will be steamed and done in 15 minutes.

Remove wok and dump water, add 1/2 cup of oil. When oil is hot add the diced garlic and green onions and stir while dumping in the chicken. Stir until done (5-8 Minutes).

Dump on the Iron Chef Sauce and stir while adding broccoli, water chestnuts and snap peas. Stir for 3-5 minutes then remove from heat and serve over rice.

32 Pound Hemingway Cat !

32 pounds and growing...and healthy according to the vet....hemingway paws too! His name is Scoop (get it?)

Two Inch Sirloin in Two Minutes on the Big Green Egg

In this instant gratification world we live in even this die-hard grilling enthusiast wants a microwave fast dinner sometimes. Well tonight was just one of those nights...and it started this morning when I pulled out this huge 2" thick sirloin and started to marinate it...STOP yells my wife, cut that thing into bite size cutlets and lets do some dipping sauces and veggies and it will cook up fast and easy...so, a little garlic pepper, fresh ground salt and a T-Rex fire in the BGE ; add a plate of asparagus with minced garlic and EVOO cooking to one side and just minutes later we were dipping medium rare sirloin into a variety of sauces (after the meat rested of course for the true beef connoisseurs).

Schwann Man Special

Who says you have to create everything from scratch...hey, don't you get busy some nights and still want to cook up something on the BGE? Tonights dinner was crusted tilapia and asparagus in EVOO with Garlic on the BGE...defrosted and grilled to perfection and delicious! Thanks Schwann Man!

Grilled Antipasto and Griddled Chicken

This recipe for two is easily modified for multiples by adding extra peppers. Quick and tasty and can be used as an appetizer, salad or side dish; Shown here with Griddle Grilled Chicken Breasts.

Ingredients

2 Red Bell Peppers (Precooked and skins removed-From a JAR!)

2 Green Bell Pepper

1 Orange Bell Pepper (Optional)

1 Whole Sweet/White/Vadalia Onion (whatever is in season)

2-4 oz Sun-Dried Tomatoes (marinated)

10-12 Marinated quarters-Artichoke Hearts (8-10 marinated quarters)

5 Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

6 Garlic Cloves (minced or 2 Tbs of pre-minced)

2-3 Tsp Chili Sauce (minimum)

3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Fresh Ground Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Preparation Directions

1. Drizzle EVOO in bottom of Terracotta Cooking Dish

2. Slice Green and Orange peppers into 8ths and again in halves (bite size pieces) and place in Terracotta Cooking Dish.

3. Dice Onions, julianne the Sun-Dried tomatoes, Split the artichoke hearts, and cut the pre-cooked red peppers into bite sized pieces. Place in dish and mix up by hand.

4. Drizzle EVOO over ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce

Mince garlic cloves and place in small mixing bowl, add EVOO, Chili Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt and pepper (Fresh Ground) to taste; Whisk and set aside.

Cooking Directions

1. Heat up BGE to 500 degrees (open flame works just fine)

2. Place Terracotta Dish on grid and grill for 15 minutes (approximately). The EVOO will actually come to a slight boil; remove from grill and cover with towel for 5 minutes and uncover.

3. Pour on Sauce, mix and serve immediately (or serve without sauce and add to taste).

Chicken - This is pretty self explainatory...place on Griddle, cook, flip, cook, remove and serve. This was a no spice cook with some gratted parmesean added at the last minute.

Arthchoke Pizza (again) and Punkin' Seeds

Tonights Dinner (chicken artichoke pizza) while we wait for the pumpkin seeds to dry so we can season and bake them for snacks tomorrow night.

240 Lb. Jack O' Lantern

Hey, I've lost 30 pounds since I purchased my BGE, do it isn't impossible to diet and eat like a king at the same time using your BGE...besides, since I haven't been cooking too much in the past few weeks, I thought the 240# JOL tag line would get some of you to click and look. Back to the Grill this weekend however...menu planning in the works. Happy Eggin' on this Halloween Day!

We had 333 Trick Or Treaters tonight!

Spatchcock Chicken Breast on Big Green Egg

It's been a while since I've even opened the lid on the BGE but last night I couldn't stand it any longer...so I marinated some bone in Breasts in MOJO and tossed some Asparagus in EVOO and fresh minced garlic and grilled up some dinner...nothing special, injected the breasts...quick and easy. Sorry about the picture quality...time to trade in my glasses and turn on the auto focus.

A couple nights earlier I fixed my infamous Antipasto Arthichoke veggie on the grill and a top sirloin...rubbed with Bad Byrons Butt Rub...nothing special but some really good eating.

Artichoke Chicken Pizza on the Big Green Egg II

My wife was working tonight so I thought I would surprise her with a artichoke chicken pizza...used a Pillsbury Classic dough that cooked up very nice (for the first time). The basic recipe remains the same as previous posts but is listed here so you don't have to dive any deeper. Happy Eggin'

Pizza with a twist, no traditional sauce, artichoke hearts and chicken breast; all combined with two cheeses, some garlic & herb ranch dressing, garlic, garlic and garlic.

Ingredients
ü 12-18 Amarosa tomatoes sliced thin (or substitute 4 Roma tomatoes) to taste for quantity, you want to cover 80% of the top of the pizza surface.
ü 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
ü 1 ½ cups Artichoke hearts sliced
ü 1 ½ cup fresh Baby Spinach leaves (chopped) (OPTIONAL)
ü 2 cups fresh Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
ü ½ cup fresh Parmesan (shredded)
ü 1/3 cup Garlic and Herb Ranch Dressing (at least)
ü 12-14” Pizza Dough
ü 6-8 cloves, Garlic (minced)
ü Your favorite Pizza Dough (Fresh Publix, etc)

Preparation
1. Preheat the BGE to 550 Degrees and stabilize (this will require the plate setter with Legs UP to assure even cooking)
2. Pre-cook 98% done the chicken breasts with the garlic
3. Mix the ranch dressing and parmesan cheese (or save cheese and spread on top, you choose)
4. Roll out the dough and add ingredients in order; Ranch sauce mix, chicken, spinach, artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly; remove and serve.

Big Green Egg Large Table Modification

I decided that I liked the idea of being able to move the table around (when it rains, or we have company, etc.

The unit (table, accessories and BGE) are so big and heavy that my original wheel install had a lot of strain on it so I modified it today. Now it rolls like a roller skate; my table has 'dualies"

BGE Veggie Mix to die for...

This recipe for two is easily modified for multiples by adding extra peppers. Quick and tasty and can be used as an appetizer, salad or side dish; shown here with Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts and Baked Potatoes. Published earlier as a antipasto salad, I have modified the preparation just a little and contents due to market conditions...

Ingredients - Recommended
3 Red Bell Peppers (pre cooked and canned or in a jar)
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Orange Bell Pepper (optional)

1 Medium Onion, diced
2 -3 oz Sun-Dried Tomatoes (marinated - Store bought)
2-3 Artichoke Hearts (8-10 marinated quarters - Store bought)
5 - 8 Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
8 Garlic Cloves (minced)
2 Tsp Chili Sauce (minimum)
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Garlic Salt and Pepper

Preparation Directions

Peppers - Slice peppers into bite size pieces, Place in bowl and set aside
Julianne the Sun-Dried tomatoes and set aside, Quarter the artichoke hearts and repeat

Sauce - Mince 6-8 garlic cloves and place half in small mixing bowl. Add EVOO, Chili Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt and pepper (Fresh Ground) to taste. Whisk and set aside to pour over veggies later.

Cooking Directions
Heat up BGE to 400-500 degrees (any strong open flame works just fine)
Pour EVOO into bottom of terracotta cooking dish (cover the bottom lightly). Place peppers, arthchoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, onions, salt and pepper and stir...pour over a healthy serving of EVOO and take it to the grill.
Grill for 15 - 20 minutes and don’t worry about the EVOO boiling...

Remove from grill and place in bowl and cover with towel for 5 minutes (optional)
Pour on Sauce, mix and serve immediately

Super Peel a MUST tool for PIZZA ON THE BIG GREEN EGG

Get just ONE, count them, ONE pizza crust stuck on your peel, the countertop or the pizza stone and you will run straight to the internet and order one of these Super Peels...I'm going to make a pizza just so I can try this out and I'm not even hungry, Ha.

WOK Chicken and Broccoli on the Big Green Egg

This recipe is a ALL BREAST variation on my original General Tso's Wok Chicken. Serves 3-4 and is quick, easy, fun to prepare and tasty. If you enjoy Chinese, Chicken and Broccoli you’ll love this one and from start to finish you are only obligating about 30 minutes tops!

Ingredients
2 bags
Boil in bag rice
1 Head
Fresh Broccoli
2 1/2 Large Chicken Breasts, Boneless
4 Green Onions, Diced
1 strong cup Iron Chef Sauce – General TSOS
1 cup Snap Peas
6-8 large cloves Diced Fresh Garlic
1 Small Can Water Chestnuts - Sliced
1/3 cup EVOO

Preparation Directions
1. Boil rice and set aside
2. Cut Chicken Breast into bite size pieces and set aside

Cooking Directions

Fire up the Big Green Egg to full flame (T-REX HOT 500 degrees minimum)
Place Wok on Grid at fire ring level and add Water
Place Bamboo Steamer on Wok (two layers, one with brocolli and one with snap peas and water chestnuts.
Steam for 20 minutes and remove
Dump off water and add EVOO; when oil is hot add the chicken and stir for 30 seconds
Mix in the garlic and green onions and stir until the chicken is cooked completely 5-8 minutes
Dump on Iron Chef sauce and stir continuously
Add broccoli, water chestnuts and snap peas and stir for 3 minutes
Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.

Beef Stew on the Big Green Egg

Tagine Style Beef Stew - Beef and veggies cooked up in a Tagine for a flavorful one dish dinner. Ready from start to finish in 90 minutes (fire up the grill; prepare ingredients and 60 minute cook).


Ingredients
5 Carrots - Medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¾ Lb. Top Sirloin cut into larger but bite size pieces
2-3 Medium potatoes peeled and chopped
4-5 oz. Cocktail Onions
5 Stalks of Celery, sliced into bite size pieces
4 Roma Tomatoes cut into 3/8” slices
2 Medium Turnips, cut into bite size pieces
5 oz. Tomato Sauce
15 oz. Beef Broth (low salt variety)2 Tbsp. Ground garlic and parsley
2 Tbsp. Fresh ground parsley
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Preparation and Cooking
1. Pour 5 tbsp of EVOO on the bottom of the tagine and begin layering ingredients evenly, starting with carrots then going in the order they appear above (keeps meat from sticking).
2. Sprinkle all of the spices evenly over the top the vegetables (between layers is best)
3. Close your Tagine and the EGG. Cooking time will be about 90 minutes. Check the Tagine about 45 minutes in to assure that you still have liquid (actually it should be boiling around the hour mark). Remove after 60 minutes and let the tagine rest for 10 minutes and then serve.

Cherry Pie - Big Green Egg Style

My second of three cooks today...meatloaf, pie and then a pizza for my daughter...

Ingredients

1 - Freezer Style Pie Crust (9 inch)

2 cans – 16 oz. Pitted Red Tart Cherries, Drained

1 1/3 cups – Sugar1/3 cup – All Purpose Flour

¼ tsp. – Almond Extract2 Tbsp. – Butter (unsalted)

Preparation

1. Preheat BGE to 425 degrees and stabilize (insert plate setter)

2. Prepare pastry.

3. Mix sugar and flour then stir in cherries.

4. Turn into pastry lined 9 inch pyrex pie plate; sprinkle with almond extract and dot with butter cubes.

5. Cover edges of pie with 2-3 inch strips of aluminum foil (prevents excessive browning).

6. Bake until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, approximately 40 minutes.

Meatloaf III - Big Green Egg

BIG GREEN MEATLOAF III
Beef and Jimmy Dean Sausage

This meatloaf recipe has evolved into version III with small adjustments to the ingredients and with the elimination of the foil cooking method and substitutiion of the Le Creuset Loaf Pan.

Ingredients and Recommended Brands (where available)

2 LB Ground Chuck
10 oz. Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage (medium)
1 ½ cup Diced White Onion
6-7 Garlic Cloves
½ cup Roasted Red Pepper (diced)
2 Tbs Olive Oil
3 Tbs Light Sour Cream
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 cup Shredded Mild Colby & Monterey Jack
3 Large Egg Yolks
½ cup Minced Parsley (Fresh if you have it)
2 tsp Bad Byron’s Butt Rub
½ tsp Ground Cumin
Big Pinch Fresh Ground Salt
Big Pinch BGE Garlic Pepper
15 Town House Crackers (crushed) – (or substitute Italian Bread Crumbs)

Preparation and Cooking Directions
1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned;
2. Add Red Pepper and sauté until soft.
3. Season with Salt and Pepper and cool
4. Mixed Cooked Vegetables with other ingredients.
5. Pack into 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan(Le Creuset or something similar)
6. Chill for 4 hours minimum
7. Preheat BGE to 350 degrees and stabilize with plate rack in place.
8. Turn Loaf out onto foil and place in shallow pan or wire v-rack
9. Put meatloaf on the BGE (indirect-use plate rack0
10. Cook until the meatloaf’s internal temperature is 155-1600 (approximately 1 ½ hours)
11. Remove from BGE and let cool 15 minutes before slicing

Spare Ribs - Big Green Egg Style 3-1-WD

This is a Spare Rib three (3) step cook 3-1-WD (When ever they are Done) based on 4 half-slabs using a modified Kansas City style (no honey and all indirect)

Ingredients
2 Slabs – Spare Ribs
Bad Byron’s Butt Rub
Brown Sugar
Barbeque Sauce (pick a favorite)
EVOO (optional)
100% Apple Juice

Preparation
a. Fire up BGE and Pre-Heat to 250 degrees, Insert Plate setter, drip pan, grate and rib rack
b. Stabilize temperature while you prepare the ribs

First Cook (3 hours)
a. Cut slabs in half and remove membrane using a paper towel

b. Drizzle on some extra virgin olive oil and rub (optional)
c. Sprinkle on Bad Byron’s Butt Rub (to taste) and press into ribs d. Add ribs to rib rack and close lid and Cook at 250 degrees for 3 hours; remove from Rack to rest

Steeping (1 hour)

a. Tear off 4 pieces of foil large enough to wrap the half slabs and stack.
b. Sprinkle brown sugar equal to length of rib
c. Form a basket with the first piece of foil
d. Drizzle about a half cup of Apple Juice onto the rib and wrap it lightly like a package and set aside for next round of cooking
e. Repeat for each slab
f. Place steeping packets on the grate and close lid.
g. Cook for 60 minutes (you CAN look to make sure apple juice has not all evaporated but be very careful because of the hot juices

h. Remove and unwrap ribs

Final Barbeque (WD = Whenever the are Done!) - Place Ribs directly on Grate and smother with Barbeque sauce, Flip and repeat the cook 15 minutes and repeat, cooking time can vary considerably; many recipes call for at least an hour. Let rest and serve.

Tropical Storm FAY gettin' in the way

No Eggin' in this weather...the porch is an inch deep in water...go away Fay!

Big Green Cherry Cobbler

I suspect that many people will recognize this recipe as some version of their own Boy Scout skillet or campfire cobbler; I use bisquick instead of flour but prefer to just say “may I have more sir?” regardless of the actual mix of ingredients…umm good!

Ingredients
1 - 15 Oz. Can of Pitted, Red Tart Cherries in Water
1 – Stick Unsalted Butter
1 cup - Bisquick
1 cup - Sugar
1 cup - Milk (Organic Reduced Fat)

Preparation
1. Preheat the BGE to 375 Degrees and stabilize (this will require the plate setter with Legs Down. To assure even cooking add the pizza stone under the baking dish as well)
2. Melt butter and pour in 9 x 9 inch baking dish.
3. Mix the Bisquick, Sugar and Milk and pour into baking dish.
4. Open Fruit and pour on top of the contents in the baking dish.
5. Bake 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly (if the heat creeps up to 400 degrees, just shut down the bottom vent and let it ride).

Note: If you are using a sweetened pie filling from a can you can cut back the amount of sugar you use by ¼ cup. If you prefer to use TWO cans of Cherries, use a 9 x 13 pan and change nothing else (cooking time may need to decrease by 5 minutes)

Kudos to DEEPSOUTH on the EggheadForum for the basic recipe recommendation that I subsequently modified with more butter, more sugar and bisquick but hey, he got me jump started.

Artichoke Chicken Pizza on the Big Green Egg

Pizza with a twist, no traditional sauce, artichoke hearts and chicken breast; all combined with two cheeses, some garlic & herb ranch dressing, garlic, garlic and garlic.

Ingredients
10-12 Amorosa tomatoes sliced thin (or substitute 3-4 Roma tomatoes) to taste for quantity, you want to cover 80% of the top of the pizza surface.
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 ½ cups Artichoke hearts sliced
1 ½ cup fresh Baby Spinach leaves (chopped)
2 cups fresh Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
½ cup fresh Parmesan (shredded)
1/3 cup Garlic and Herb Ranch Dressing
12-14” Pizza Dough
6 cloves, Garlic (minced)
Fresh Pizza Dough (Fresh Publix, etc)

Preparation
1. Preheat the BGE to 600 (or Oven to 400) Degrees and stabilize (this will require the plate setter with Legs UP to assure even cooking)
2. Pre-cook 98% done the chicken breasts with the garlic
3. Mix the ranch dressing and parmesan cheese
4. Roll out the dough and pre-bake for a minimum of 6 minutes
5. Remove from Egg (or Oven) and add ingredients in order; Ranch sauce mix, chicken, spinach, artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.
6. Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly; remove and serve.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions

There couldn't be easier or quicker way to cook up some JUICY and VERY TASTY pork tenderloin. Slice into 1" medallions, marinated in some MOJO, heat up the BGE to about 400 degrees and drop them on, turning once (about 5 minutes a side); Tender, juicy and quick no hassle main dish.

Fart Bread Pizza (Beanie-Weenie actually) on the Big Green Egg

Ingredients
1 Pizza Dough (see earlier recipe or use your favoriate dough)
1 16 oz Can-Bushes ‘Grilling Beans”
1 Medium Onion (diced)
2 Small Tomatoes (diced)
1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ Cup Mozzarella Cheese
¼ Cup Cheddar Cheese
3 Hot Dogs (sliced very thin)

Preparation
1. Prepare dough and ingredients
2. Preheat BGE to 500-600 degrees and insert plate setter and insert Pizza dough
3. When temp stabilized place pizza dough on the stone for 5 minutes (lid closed).
4. Open the lid and flip the dough.
5. Put on gloves and start layering on the ingredients
EVOO, Beans and Juice (juice serves as the paste), Cheese layer, Hot Dogs, Onion, Tomato, Cheese Layer, Close the lid and go away for 14-18 minutes.

Big Green Egg Large Table Project - Reengineered

When I built my table originally (some of you may rember my posts on the 30 hour build) some fine forum member asked a question about the size of the casters I had selected. I gave them some excuse about not moving it much, blah blah...well, whomever that was, you were right...I twisted off one of the caster wheels two days ago trying to move the table in a hurry as the lightening was striking in the back yard...thus the modification project today.

Also, a few people had asked me to see more pictures of the extra shelf I had hung from the bottom of my original table build and I had never gotten aroudn to that so here are a few extra pictures of my table (also on my blog) of the removable end, the roll out drawers and the handing extra shelf.

$50 Lump for the Big Green Egg?

From time to time people discuss finding different types of lump or where they found lump charcoal on sale etc. (on the various forums); well it has been my experience that a bag of Big Green Egg Lump costs me an average of about $50 a bag.

Sound High?

Well the problem is that every time I enter the Grill One store to buy a bag of lump I end up purchasing another new TOY for my Egg...how about you? This time it was a griddle I just couldn't leave without...

What ever happened to good Ol' Salt and Peppa?

I decided to organize the spices we have acquired since becoming addicted to Big Green Egg grilling and I was amazed.

Actually I couldn't even find the regular black pepper and regular old salt shakers...we now have Kosher Salt and Garlic Pepper, seasoned salts of a half dozen varieties and of course peppercorns and Sea Salt for fresh grinding...where does the madness end?

...and this doesn't even include the sauce and marinade rack in the pantry...and all the new dishes and toys we use to cook on the Egg...Oh My!

Balsamic Grilled Pork Chops on the Big Green Egg

Balsamic Grilled Pork Chops
Serves 2 or more, depending on the meat selection you make. This recipes marinade is good for Chops or tenderloins (whole) or medallions.

Ingredients
 2 Pork Chops – MINIMUM of 1.25” (or substitute whole tenderloins or tenderloins cut into ½” medallions)
 1 Cup EVOO
 ¼ Cup Basil (chopped fresh if you have it)
 ½ Cup Parsley (chopped fresh if you have it)
 5 Large Garlic Cloves (minced)
 1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar (to taste and size of meat portions)

Preparation
1. Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour over Chops in a shallow square pan or substitute a 1 gallon freezer bag and mix/shake.
2. Place in refrigerator for 4 hours minimum and turn occasionally.
3. Remove chops from marinade and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (discard remaining marinade).
4. While the chops are coming up to room temperature fire up the Big Green Egg and bring to a stabilized temperature of about 350 degrees.
5. Place chops directly on the grill for approximately 6 minutes per side (lid down and no peeking).
6. When internal temperature reaches 150 degrees remove from grill and let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Cucumber Radish Spinach Salad (organic)

A decent alternative to the standard bib lettuce or romaine salads we eat every weekend. This Serves 2 or more depending on the quantities you throw together and how much organic produce you can afford.

Ingredients and preparation
1 Cucumber, peeled and sliced lengthwise (paper thin down to seed center) (organic)
8-10 Radishes, sliced paper thin (organic)
1 - 12 oz. bag Baby Spinach leaves, whole (not organic, sorry)
Green Pepper, Paper Thin (organic)
Fresh ground salt and pepper
Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour over your favorite salad dressing and serve. May be prepared in advance and chilled.

"Kind of" Greek Pizza on the Big Green Egg

Using my Brick Oven Pizza Dough recipe we took an idea from a published magazine and modified it just a little to make this Greek with a modification pizza prepared right on top of the BGE while it’s hot!!

Ingredients

½ recipe - Brick Oven Pizza Dough

1 ½ cups Mozzarella cheese (Shredded)

2 boneless chicken breasts

12 artichoke heart quarters (drained and coarse chopped)

1 roasted red pepper (from a jar is just fine and a lot faster)

5 garlic cloves (sliced)

1 oz. pizza sauce (this is where the Greek theme goes away)

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil (for crust)

10 black olives sliced (by not using Kalamata olives the Greek theme is just about dead all together now)

1 ½ dried oregano (you can use fresh if you can afford it)

½ tsp. fresh ground peppercorns

Feta cheese to taste (a maximum of 1 cup)

Preparation

1. Preheat BGE to 500 degrees and stabilize; Pre-cook Chicken breasts (chopped into bite sized pieces (with chopped garlic) on stove or BGE.

2. Mix all ingredients (except the chicken and the cheese) in a mixing bowl and set aside.

3. Roll out dough (the original recipe calls for placing dough on the grid directly for 2-3 minutes and flipping, NOT) and place on preheated BGE pizza stone; and yes, you are preparing this pizza right on top of the cooker.

4. Let the dough heat up (lid closed) for about 5 minutes, open the lid and flip the dough with your pizza peel then add the olive oil and the thinnest possible layer of pizza sauce imaginable.

5. Layer on the ingredients and cover with mozzarella cheese, close the cover and don’t come back for 15 minutes.

Big Green Egg Pizza Dough - Brick Oven Style

Recipe makes two (2) 14 inch pizza dough’s for your Big Green Egg and can be frozen for use later as well.

Ingredients
2 Cups of warm water (100-100 degrees-hotter and the yeast will fail)
2 envelopes of active yeast (1/4 ounce packages)
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
5 cups All-Purpose unbleached white flour
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1½ tsp thyme
½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
½ cup EVOO

Preparation
1. Stir together yeast and 2 cups warm water & let sit for 5 minutes
2. Stir into Mixing Bowl, the yeast water, 3 cups of white flour, 1 cup of wheat flour, the salt, and thyme sugar and parmesan cheese.
3. Mix with Pastry Beaters on low and make sure to scrape sides of bowl as necessary.
4. Mix to a still dough consistency and then place dough into large mixing bowl (greased well and with a tablespoon of EVOO on the bottom).
5. Roll the dough in the EVOO to coat the outside, cover with a kitchen towel and place in a 80 degree room for 45 minutes.
6. After 45 minutes you can punch down the dough (should have risen to double the original size) and roll out onto a lightly floured table top and kneed in another ¼ cup (if needed) of flour. (NOTE: If your are going to freeze the dough do not turn out and kneed until you are going to USE the dough, go directly to separating and freezing)
7. Divide into (2) two dough balls and roll out into about a 14” surface and prepare for cooking.

One Dish Tagine Style Chicken on the Big Green Egg

Chicken and veggies on the Big Green Egg; cooked using the Tagine at 400 degrees for 60 minutes...to perfection.

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts

2 medium tomatoes

5 medium carrots

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

(FORGOT THE ONION !!)

2 potatoes

Seasoned Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Paprika (to taste)

Parsley (to taste)
EVOO

1.5 Cups Chicken Broth

Capers (to taste)

Preparation

Slice potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and peppers and layer on top of chicken. EVOO in bottom of Tagine, spice to taste cover and cook. You have an amazingly flavorful one dish meal; 90 minutes from lighting the lump to the table top (let rest for 10 minutes before serving). DO NOT PEEK DURING COOKING!

Big Green Egg Table Project NEVER ENDS!

Okay, you all know by now (if you own a BGE that is) that this is an obsession. You cannot have too many toys to support your BGE and since I had one last piece of Cedar lying around after making the handles for my BGE and my new Spatula; I could not just let it sit there.




So I got out my grinder and ground off the spring handle on the BGE ash tool and made this modification last night...

...again, you all know that you cannot have too many toys for your BGE.

...can you have TOO MUCH cookware for your Big Green Egg?

(NOT) My last trip to Sur La Table ended up costing me a few bucks...however the BARGAIN I did get was this terracotta cooking pan (good for cooks on open flames)...the recipe is the same ol' Antipasto I've posted before...but the cookware...for $10, was OUTSTANDING; nothing stuck, the Veggies steamed up really nice, cleaned up with a sponge.

Big Green Egg Accessories

I had some Cedar Left from my BGE Handle Project (see below)...and I couldn't just let it sit there so I went to Target and purchased a spatula, removed the handle, bent it (so it accommodates the lower grid setting on the BGE) and started whittling away. I split and grooved one half for a perfect fit, welded them together and the final sanded and coated with 8 +coats of hand wiped poly. That was today's project...now it's time to cook some dinner!

Mini Pizza on the Big Green Egg

Whipped up a couple of 7" pizzas tonight; One Tomato-Basal Mozzarella, and one garbage (everything I had). Flipped one (the garbage) completely upside down off the edge of the pizza peel to start things off. However I somehow managed to snap it right back over (and you actually can't hardly tell(be nice)). One Mistake I made however was putting the plate-setter "legs up" for the first time ever. That made the crust cook too quickly...a tip for some of you out there...but by chance they turned out perfect but by the forbidden "peaking early" method only...otherwise it would have been a disaster. Legs Down!

Big Green Egg Table Upgrade II

I looked at the picture of the handle I posted yesterday and realized how bad it was...here is a better representation of what it really looks like.

Keep On Eggin'!

One Grid Meal - II

One Grid, One Meal on the BGE tonight...again.

Steamed Broccoli, Black Eyed Peas and Steamed Tomatoes, 1.25" Pork Chops (tenderloin on) grilled direct with Bad Byron's Butt Rub.

Big Green Egg Table Upgrade

Just finished my Cedar Handle for the Large Green Egg. I've been putting off this project for awhile but decided to get off my back side and do something special for myself.

One Grid, One Mission...cook entire meal on Big Green Egg!

One Grid, One Mission...cook our entire meal without using the Kitchen (did that rhyme?).

Split Breast Chicken injected and mariniated with MOJO and cooked along side our Antipasto (not grilled this time but simmered in EVOO in the pan) and some baked beans with Onions and Mustard.

Parmesan Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Sauce

Ingredients
1 Lemon (for zest and juice)
4-5 sprigs of Parsley
1 cup Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)-Note ANY crispy breadcrumbs will work
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground sage
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
2 egg whites
2 tsp Cornstarch
2 Pork Tenderloins
1 ½ cups reduced fat organic milk
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 packet garlic/herb sauce mix (1.5 oz)

Preparation and Cooking
1. Preheat BGE to 425 degrees with plate-setter installed.
2. Use Zester to prepare 1 tbsp of lemon zest (no white pith) and place in shallow bowl.
3. Squeeze lemon juice into second shallow bowl.
4. Chop parsley and add to lemon zest and stir in Panko (bread crumbs), parmesan cheese, salt, ground pepper and ground sage until well blended.
5. Add egg whites and cornstarch to lemon juice; beat vigorously with fork until blended.
6. Dip tenderloins into egg mixture and roll in bread crumb mixture; Press firmly and spread evenly.
7. Place in shallow baking pan (9x9, 10x10,10x13) and let tenderloins stand for 5-10 minutes and then cook at 425 degrees until pork internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (30 minutes).
8. During last ten minutes of cook prepare your sauce. Chop fresh sage (if available or use t tablespoon of ground) and set aside.
9. Place in small saucepan, milk, butter and dry garlic herb sauce then bring to boil and Wisk until blended.
10. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in sage then cook for 3 more minutes; stir continuously. Slice pork and serve with sauce.

Kilroy is HERE!

Pork Loin (Hungry Man Single Serving) Tagine Style

Single Serving (Hungry Man Size) of Pork Loin and vegetables stewed up in a Tagine for a flavorful one dish dinner. Ready from start to finish in 90 minutes (fire up the grill; prepare ingredients and 60 minute cook).

Ingredients
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise

1 10 oz. Pork Loin butter flied
Lysanders Pork Rub (to taste)
2 Medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large green bell pepper, cut in chunks

6 green onions, sliced in ½ inch pieces
2 small tomatoes sliced thin
Large handful of Baby Spinach
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Garlic Pepper and Garlic Salt (to taste)
8 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 cup of Chicken Broth

Preparation and Cooking
1. Rub Pork Loin and set aside.
2. Pour 5 tbsp of EVOO on the bottom of the tagine and begin layering ingredients evenly, starting with carrots then going in order they are written in the ingredients list above. The carrots must be on the bottom and the chicken pieces should be on top of the carrots, not touching the bottom of the tagine.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the top the vegetables and then drizzle the remaining olive oil all over.
4. Close your tagine and cook until your vegetables are tender; on indirect heat (use a plate setter and stabilized Egg at 350 degrees). Check the tagine about 30 minutes in to assure that you still have liquid so the vegetables won’t burn. Remove after 60 minutes and let the tagine rest for 10 minutes and then serve.

p.s. Don't drop your Tagine...

...they don't bounce! This is becoming a habit...I recommend using TWO hands when picking up a hot conical shaped item...duh.

Thank god for JB Weld!

So just what IS a Tagine?

According to Wickipedia a "tajine or tagine is a type of dish found in the North African cuisines of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, which is named after the special pot in which it is cooked. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts; a base unit which is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving."1

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagine

Tagine Chicken & Veggies

Chicken and vegetable stewed up in a Tagine for a flavorful one dish dinner. Ready from start to finish in 90 minutes (fire up the grill, prepare ingredients and 60 minute cook).

Ingredients
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
2-3 Boneless Chicken Breasts (or any ½ Chicken, split or pieces)
2 Medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/4" thick rounds
1 large green bell pepper, cut in chunks
1 medium vidalia onion, sliced in ¼ “ rounds
2 medium tomatoes, sliced in ¼ “ rounds
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 tsps ginger
½ tsp fresh ground pepper and Sea Salt (to taste)
2 tsps paprikaHandful of pitted chopped-minced black olives
10 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 cup of Chicken Broth (or Substitute 1cup of water and ½ cube or 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder)

Preparation and Cooking
1. Pour 5 tbsp of EVOO on the bottom of the tagine and begin layering ingredients evenly, starting with carrots then going in order they are written in the ingredients list above. The carrots must be on the bottom and the chicken pieces should be on top of the carrots, not touching the bottom of the tagine.
2. Sprinkle all of the spices evenly over the top the vegetables. Spread your minced olives on top and then drizzle the olive oil allover.
3. Close your tagine and cook until your vegetables are tender; on indirect heat (approximately 330 degrees) on the BGE.
4. Cooking time will be about 60 minutes. Check the tagine about 30 minutes in to assure that you still have liquid so the vegetables won’t burn. Remove after 60 minutes and let the tagine rest for 10 minutes and then serve.

Louisiana Shrimp Fry

Another Wok fried shrimp meal variation. Louisiana Shrimp Fry Batter lightly sprinkled with Bad Byron's Butt Rub and fried on the Wok over high heat on the Big Green Egg.

Wok prepared on High Heat with a fairly healthy pour of Canola Oil, heated to temp.

Dump in 1 diced green onion and 6-7 diced Garlic Cloves...drop in the shrimp, turn once and serve.

Bamboo Steamer on the Big Green Egg

In my quest to cook ALL THINGS BGE and to NEVER use our Kitchen Stove or Oven again, I fired up the BGE to about 600 Degrees with an open flame and tried my new Bamboo Steamer.


With the Wok as the vessel I place water in it until it was about a 1/2" from the edge of the bottom ring of the Bamboo Steamer.

I placed two layers of Steamer full of Broccoli and Water Chestnuts, capped it with the Lid and came back about 15 minutes later to the MOST PERFECT STEAMED BROCCOLI I HAVE EVER ATE. I moved the steamer to the side and prepared some General Tsos's Chicken in the wok, added the veggies and ... well it's all gone!

I guess I'm setting the electric steamer out to the Good Will collection box in the morning!

BLOODY MARY RIBEYE

This recipe combines two of my favorite things, Steak and Bloody Mary’s. The sauce is sufficient for 4-6 steaks but the cook demonstrated here is two Ribeyes.

Ingredients - Recommended
2-4 Ribeye Steaks (or Delmonico)

Marinade

2 Tbsp Lite Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp EVOO
6 Minced Garlic Cloves
Garlic Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Bloody Mary Sauce
2 lb Ripe Tomatoes
½ cup Vidalia Onions (or sweet)
3 Green Onions (or scallions)
1 tsp Cilantro
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Lime Juice (fresh)
½ cup Beef Broth (or consume)
4 Tbsp Vodka (high end)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preparation
Marinade-Mix ingredients, coat steaks, cover and chill, turn steaks once (chill a minimum of 2 hours).

Bloody Mary Sauce-Boil water and pour over tomatoes; let set for 30 seconds, drain and peal skins from Tomatoes. Quarter tomatoes and place in food processor. Place all ingredients and chop fine. If tomatoes were not ripe enough add tomato puree

Cooking
1. Remove steaks from refrigerator an hour before cooking to get to room temperature
2. Preheat BGE to 500 degrees (open flame); Remove steaks from marinade and discard remaining
3. Place Ribeyes on direct grate for 90 seconds on each side and remove, let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Place sauce in pot and simmer on grill for 5 minutes, remove from heat and keep warm.
5. Place steaks on grill for 3-6 minutes per side (depends on thickness and your taste for Rare, Medium, etc.); Remove from grill and plate, drizzle healthy serving of Bloody Mary Sauce and Serve.

Recommended Side Dishes-Corn on the cob, Garlic Mashed, French Bread, Asparagus spears

Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe for two is easily modified for multiples by adding extra chicken breasts. This is a quick cook on high heat with minimal basting and turning.

Ingredients - Recommended
2 large Boneless Chicken Breasts
6 medium Garlic Cloves
½ stick Butter –Unsalted
½ ball Mozzarella (fresh)
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Mrs. Dash – Chicken Seasoning

Preparation Directions
1. Slice Chicken Breasts lengthwise (split not separated).
2. Mince Garlic

3. Slice Mozzarella (amount to taste) thin 4. Stuff Mozzarella into Breasts and fold over
5. Coat Breasts in EVOO
6. Sprinkle on Mrs. Dash Chicken Seasoning (to taste)
7. Generously sprinkle on minced garlic and press down and then repeat on the opposite side.

Basting Sauce
Melt butter and add 3 minced garlic cloves and stir, set aside

Cooking Directions
1. Preheat BGE to 500 degrees (open flame)

2. Place chicken on Open Flame for 3-4 minutes (open lid) and turn
3. Baste with butter and garlic sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes and turn
4. Baste again with butter and garlic sauce and cook till done without turning
5. Remove and serve immediately.

Recommended Side Dishes, Garnishes and Deserts
Grilled Antipasto salad (see recipe on this blog), Green Onions and Jalapenos, Baguette and Butter

Grilled Antipasto Salad

This recipe for two is easily modified for multiples by adding extra peppers. Quick and tasty and can be used as an appetizer, salad or side dish; Shown here with Stuffed Mozzarella Grilled Chicken Breasts and Baked Potatoes.

Ingredients - Recommended
2 Red Bell Peppers
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Orange Bell Pepper
2 oz Sun-Dried Tomatoes (marinated)
2-3 Artichoke Hearts (8-10 marinated quarters)
5 Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
2 Tsp Chili Sauce (minimum)
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Preparation Directions
Peppers
Slice peppers into 8ths and again in halves (bite size pieces), Place in bowl and set aside. Julianne the Sun-Dried tomatoes and set aside. Quarter the artichoke hearts and repeat (8ths) and set aside.

Sauce
Mince three garlic cloves and place in small mixing bowl, add EVOO, Chili Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt and pepper (Fresh Ground) to taste
Whisk and set aside.

Cooking Directions
1. Heat up BGE to 500 degrees (open flame works just fine)
2. Place peppers directly on grill (recommend you use a grill topper or vegetable basket)
4. Grill for 15 minutes and don’t worry about the pepper skins getting black
4. Remove from grill and place in bowl and cover with towel for 5 minutes
5, Uncover and remove all blackened skins by pinching them and they will slide right off (or if you prefer you can leave on the toasted skins)
6. Add the artichoke hearts (do not drain) and the Sun-Dried Tomatoes (do not drain) and place in pepper bowl

7. Pour on Sauce, mix and serve immediately

A View from the EGG - ZEROSCAPING Phase I

This is the view (looking out from my BGE) of our new arbor