Woo Hoo!!!

I sent my chili recipe to several sites (Allrecipes -Pepper fool) and I guess they didn't like it because it has not been posted.

Maybe because it has beans in it, (true chili is not suppose to) or maybe because they just don't know a good recipe when they see one.


I also sent it to MomsMenu. and THEY posted it!

Woo Hoo!!!
Thanks Mom.

It's posted under soups and stews.

So to Allrecipes and Pepper fool - " nah nah na nah nah"

Vicky and Steve and some others will tell you Macdaddy's Chili is one of the best. ( I am not tooting my own horn, I have been working on this recipe for close to 10 yrs. )

So check it out at www.momsmenu.com (under soup & stews)

You can say " Hey I know that guy"

On another note: I'll give you one guess where the ribs are. (Hint: not in the smoker)
Yup, still in the freezer.

And" why is that?" you may ask, because it is - RAINING!!!!!!!

Only on the weekend, sigh...

Got to say Thanks to Billy for coming to the house and helping me out yesterday, I owe you one.

Henry sent me some great bbq pictures of some Boston butt's he has done.
If I can I will try to post some of them here ( I don't know if this site will let me) if not I will post them on my web page when I get it up and running. They look great!!

Macdaddy

A message from Henry

My friend Henry sent me this message, and I thought I would share it with my readers.

Macdaddy.


"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of this world.

"If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy."

And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.

"Also ..... "If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ..... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.

"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.

"If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death ... you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.

If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you are unique to all those in doubt and despair.

"If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

Attn.: Acknowledge Dept.: Thank You Lord!

"Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with."

-- Henry - North of Sulphur, Louisiana
"Comments from a Pilgrim in the QUE"
For "Some" of my thoughts, which are updated daily, visit:http://mydatastor.blogspot.com/

Sausage Pinwheels

This is a recipe that my wife makes and everybody seems to like.
We got this from a friend.

So now I'll turn the key board over to her so she can post the recipe. ( It's easier that way!)

Sausage Pinwheels

1 lb bulk sausage (mild or hot - whichever you prefer)
1 lg pkg cream cheese
crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Set the cream cheese out at room temperature (it's easier to mix with the sausage). Brown the sausage and drain thoroughly (with paper towels).

Combine the cream cheese and the sausage in a mixing bowl. Mix together with your hands (it's much easier than using a spoon).

Separate the crescent rolls along the perforations onto a cookie sheet. Take each 'roll' and cut it diagonally to make 2 separate triangles.

Using a spoon, place some of the sausage and cream cheese mixture onto each triangle. Use as much or as little as you like. Maybe a 'dollop' size. Fold the edges of the triangle to the center so that it looks like a child's pinwheel. (I'm not too sure these actually look like pinwheels but I didn't come up with the recipe.)

Bake at 375 for the amount of time that the crescent roll pkg states. Usually 9-11 minutes.

One pkg of the 8 count crescent rolls makes 16 pinwheels. The mixture would probably make up to 50 pinwheels, depending on how much you put on each triangle.

These are great appetizers. I made them for the family Christmas party and for our daughter's birthday party and they disappeared in minutes!

Enjoy!!!

Mrs. Macdaddy

Barbecue Rum Ribs

I was surfing the Web and found this recipe on www.briansbelly.com It's a good site about beer and food. I'll try this some time.

Macdaddy


Barbecue Rum Ribs
by Infamous Famous Belly Mark Higgins

Original Recipe by Larry Willrath

Barbecue Rum Ribs are three words that are as good separately as they are together. Check it out!

Ingredients:

4 pounds of spare ribs
1/4 cup of ketchup
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1/4 cup of dark rum
2 cloves of crushed garlic (use a garlic press or just smash 'em with the side of a big knife on a cutting board)
1 cup of brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of chili sauce
1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce
and a dash of pepper

Get the ribs cooking before you start making the marinade.
Wrap them in a double thickness of aluminum foil and bake them in the oven for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

Now make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl.
Relax and have yourself a drink from the bottle of rum... I hope it was quality stuff.


After 1 1/2 hours remove the ribs from the oven, unwrap them and drain the drippings.
If possible place the ribs in a shallow baking dish , pour your marinade over them and let them sit at room temperature for an hour.

Now, depending on what kind of mood your in you can either bake the ribs at 350 degrees for 30 minutes while basting with the marinade, or grill them for 30 minutes on low to medium heat while turning and basting.

Either way, they taste frikin' awsome!

Oyster Fritters Cajun Style

This looks good!!!
Enjoy.

Macdaddy




*Oyster Fritters Cajun-Style

Book: Louisiana
Chapter: Oysters

Serves: 4

48 oysters with liquor -- note: (I think this is suppose to be liquid, Willard had something else on his mind when he was typing out this recipe (G)
6 beaten eggs
4 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco
2 cups flour
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup cooking oil


Melt the butter over medium heat

Sauté the oysters in the melted butter for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the pan & quarter the oysters.

Mix all other ingredients in bowl, including the oyster liquid.

Control the thickness of the fritter batter by the amount of oyster liquid that you add.

Mix in the oysters.

Drop a tablespoon full of the batter into the pre-heated oil and fry until golden brown.

Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

I'm glad Willard sent me these recipes. I am happy to share them with you - they are great!!!

Enjoy!
Macdaddy


Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Book: Louisiana
Chapter: One Dish-Misc

Serves: 4

1/2 pound small kidney beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large chopped onions
1/2 chopped bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 stalk chopped celery
3 cups chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon sage
1 1/2 teaspoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon Tony’s
2 bay leaves
1 pound smoked sausages or andouille, sliced into thin wheels
1 ham hocks
1/4 pound salt pork


In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.

Fry sausage until browned

Transfer beans to a large pot with 6 cups chicken stock.

Stir cooked vegetables, sausage, and salt pork into beans.

Season with - bay leaves - cayenne pepper – thyme – sage - parsley, and Tony's.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Mash some beans against the side of the pot and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve beans over white rice.

Mushroom and Sausage Pie

Here is another great recipe from Willard in Louisiana.
It is cold here in Tennessee and windy too.

This would be a great indoor dish for days like today.

Enjoy.
Macdaddy



*Mushroom and Sausage Pie

Book: Louisiana
Chapter: One Dish-Misc

Serves: 6

1 frozen pie crust 9-inch unbaked pastry shell
1 pound pork sausages or bulk pork sausage
1 pound mushrooms small, whole fresh, cleaned
1/2 cup parsley minced fresh
2 eggs
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1/4 teaspoon salt


Crumble sausage in large skillet and add mushrooms.

Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until mushrooms and meat are lightly browned and all liquid from mushrooms has evaporated.

Drain off any excess grease.

Stir in parsley.

Beat eggs with half-and-half and Parmesan cheese; blend in mushroom mixture and salt.
Pour into unbaked pastry shell.

Arrange mushrooms so that any stems are turned down in liquid.

Bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is well browned and filling is set.

Let pie stand about 10 minutes before cutting.

Made some Chili

Made some chili last night because it's way too cold to cook outside.

Nope the ribs are still in the freezer. Sigh...

Ever tried to type with a 80 lb. dog wanting your hands complete attention? Believe me it's hard to type and pet a dog at the same time to try and keep her from slobbering all over the key board. (she is my shadow, where I am she is)

The temperature outside is like 15 degrees with winds out of the north.

They don't make enough whiskey to keep me warm in this kind of weather.

I ain't no Polar Bear neither.

Macdaddy

Happy Birthday Robyn

Today is our daughter's birthday.

She is 3 yrs. old today.

So I have to do the dad thing and say "Happy Birthday Robyn"

When this child came into our lives she changed us forever.

God gave us a gift in this little girl that will never be wasted.

She shows us what love is all about.

"Happy Birthday" my little one.

May God hold your hand forever in his loving embrace.

Macdaddy

Direct and Indirect cooking

Wet Weekend continued:

Ok where was I?

Go back to wet weekend and read that, then come back here.

I'll wait for you...

Back already? I left off talking about wood and pre heating your grill. For ribs if I use my Holland grill - ribs are done in a hour an a half. This grill cooks at 325 to 350. That's ok, but a little hot for ribs. That's why Henry calls them an outdoor oven. Very true, but very consistent as far as temperature and time. Even in cold weather.

My smoker is what I use for ribs. I pre heat it to about 300, I do this to get the heat up because the door will be open while I'm putting the ribs on the shelves and some heat will be lost.

I soak 2 chunk's of Pecan wood in water for over an hour, taking them out as I pre heat.

The smoker came with a chip box - I took that out and put a 10 in. Cast iron skillet in its place.

This works really well, easy to deal with, easy to remove when hot, and easy to add more wood if needed.

Once everything is back up to heat (220 to 230) the ribs are in ( bone side down) I add a chunk of pecan and watch my temperature, I try to keep it in this range - no lower than 220 and no higher than 235.

At this temperature it will take 4 hrs. to cook. The chunk's will smoke for about an hour and a half - which is good. I put pork and beans or baked beans on the top shelf for about 3 hrs. they get that smoke and I tell you smack your momma they are good.

Now I cook them 2 hrs. Naked ( this meaning not covered)

Then for 1 hr. Wrapped in double foil - at this point the ribs get rotated - what was on top goes to the bottom - bottom to the top- and so on.

After 1 hr. they are unwrapped - sprayed with apple juice - rotated again - and cooked naked for 1 more hr.

After this hr. the temperature is lowered to 200 and the ribs are sauced a couple of times and removed after 20 mins. Let them sit for a tad ( we just stick them in the microwave to sit)

Now for a grill you want to cook them with indirect heat , to do this you must have 2 burners.

Or if you use charcoal it must be spread to 1 side. Indirect cooking means away from the heat source, whatever that source may be.

Pre heat your grill ( light it up and turn it to the lowest setting ) close the top - see what your temperature gauge settles in to. You can get an oven gauge and place it on your grill grate and see what the indirect side temperature is.

Just remember not to get it to hot. It should take about 3 hrs. any quicker than that and they will be tough ( hard to pull apart) You want tender almost fall off the bone ribs.

Anybody can cook - but you must love to cook and be willing to wait to make great BBQ

Low and slow...

I will share my BBQ sauce recipe with you in the next post.

Macdaddy

Chandler's Flamin' Chili

Fabulous Slow-Cooker Recipe


This recipe was sent to me by my sister in law Lynn. "Thanks Mishy"



Chandler's Flamin' Chili: Todd Chandler, a Web site production supervisor in New York, serves this favorite recipe every Super Bowl Sunday.

He suggests letting guests add chili pepper to their own portions upon serving, so they can control the level of heat.


Ingredients:


16 oz. red kidney beans
16 oz. black beans
28 oz. canned stewed tomatoes (Mexican style, if available)
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
2 green peppers, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
1 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 hot chili pepper sliced and seeded (optional)
1 lb. flank steak
1 lb. spicy Italian sausage
2 tsp. to 2 tbsp. chili powder to taste
1 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Red onion, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, tortillas and tortilla chips for garnish


Step 1: Strain beans in a colander and rinse well; pour into slow cooker.

Add stewed tomatoes, tomato paste and water; mix gently.

Add peppers, onions, garlic and chili pepper; stir ingredients until mixed well.

Step 2: Grill the flank steak for just 2 to 3 minutes on each side; steak should still be just browned.

Note: (The flank steak can be marinated 6 to 8 hours ahead of time in a mixture of 2 to 3 tbsp. of low-fat Italian dressing, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and 2 tsp. cayenne pepper.)

Step 3: Slice steak into thin strips 1/4 inch thick. Grill sausage for just a few minutes on either side, then cut into 1- to 2-inch sections.

Step 4: Put both sausage and steak into slow cooker.

Step 5: Add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir contents until mixed well.

Step 6: Turn slow cooker on Low and cook for 8 hours; if possible stir every hour or two.

Step 7: Serve with chopped red onion, sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese.

Step 8: Warm tortillas also offer another fun option to make "chili-burritos," or serve with tortilla chips and use the chili as a dip.

Makes 12 to 15 servings.



I'll get back to talking about how I cook my ribs in the next post.

Macdaddy

Wet Weekend

I said in my last post that I had some ribs to fix when ever the weather cooperates.

Well so far it hasn't.

It has rained pretty much off and on since last weekend. (no outside cooking at all)

Sigh...

We got a Black Lab this week from a lady that was helping a rescue shelter hold her until she found a good home.

She found one, we will give her all the love she deserves.
Her name is Sweetie and she is 3 yrs. old.
She's a big black teddy bear.


Since I can't cook any ribs, that don't mean we can't talk about them.
This is how I fix mine.

Ribs can be done on a grill, on a off set cooker, in a cabinet smoker, in a WSM, (Weber smokey mountain) or a Brinkman... and even in the oven.

But great ribs, I mean GREAT ribs are done outside. You can't get that good smoke flavor in the oven (even if you use liquid Smoke) which I don't care for, so I don't use it.

I have done my ribs in the oven and they are good but, not the same as outside ribs.

As you know ribs come in - baby backs and slabs- (St. Louis style are cut from slabs)
I like both, but slabs offer more meat at a good price. So it's up to you.

Prep:

This sometimes involves some work on your part or you can ask your butcher to do it.

Do what?

Remove the membrane on the bone side of the ribs, this must be done to have top notch ribs that you can be proud of ( if it is not removed the ribs will be hard to pull apart and won't cook as good)

So get rid of it, to do it yourself - get a flat cookie sheet pan - place the ribs meat side down - start at the bone and prick it up so you can get a hold of the membrane - after this is done I get a towel to grip it and pull - pull off as much as you can.

Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's a pain in the butt. Believe me it's worth the effort.

Ok, this being done it's time to season the ribs.

There are many good rubs to be bought or made at home.
Most basic rubs are pretty standard.

Bill Arnold of Blues Hog has some great rubs and sauces that he makes. He has many friends in the world of bbq.

Bill is a pit master - cafe owner - pit builder- and rub and sauce maker - just some of the many hats he wears.

Give him a try at WWW.blueshog.com

With the ribs still bone side up - Spread your rub and work it in - then flip and spread the rub on the meat side - again work it in.

Let the ribs sit a few mins. and then place them in a 2 1/2 gal. Zip Lock bag. Place in the fridge over night.

Remove from fridge and let ribs come to room temperature at least 1 hr. to remove the chill of being cold.

Pre heat and wood: I 'm not going to list every method here. I will later on direct and indirect cooking.

Wood: I like Pecan wood for the smoke and flavor that it gives to meat. (pork-steaks-chicken)
Some like Hickory or Oak. I like Pecan. That's about all I use now for the Hollands and the smoker.

Next Up: Pre heat - Direct and indirect cooking (sorry- Sweetie has to go out to do her thing)

Macdaddy

Happy 2005 - Recipe for Creole Seafood Seasoning

Well, I hope everybody's in good shape and good spirits.

The weather has been very calm here in Tennessee. (this week anyway, but that was not the case last week)

I'm glad the Holidays are over. For the past 2 months, I have been bugging my butcher for some Ribs.

Slabs or St. Louis style or Baby Backs, anything." Just get me some Ribs."

You see, Ribs are not a "Traditional Holiday" meat such as Ham or Turkey or Chicken are.

So nobody had any Ribs on order, Period !!!

Until, yesterday...


Woo Hoo!!! "Come to papa my little scrumptious ones. "

I found some slabs. Two packs was all they had - and I would have clobbered somebody with one of the many Turkeys they still had on sale if they even thought about " touching" those Ribs.

Cleaned up the smoker yesterday.

I was going to (the operative word being - was) going to prep them this morning.

Got up this morning and it's been friggin' raining. FRIGGIN' RAINING!!!!!

Still raining at 10 o'clock. " Oh the cruelty of it all"

So now I guess I'll just put them in the freezer.
And look at them with longing eyes and a heavy heart.
Until the weather cooperates.

Next weekend... maybe...(sigh)


Here's one more of the many recipes that Willard sent to me.
He also provides some comments and suggestions.
Enjoy.
Macdaddy



Creole Seafood Seasoning

Book: Louisiana
Chapter: Seasonings


If there is any "magic" to our cooking, it's in seasoning mixes such as this. With this mixture, we try to unmask the depth of flavor in our native seafood, not overpower it. We want every bite to display a full flavor profile, so we liberally sprinkle seasoning on the entire piece of fish. That means both sides. Make a decent-sized batch of this mixture so it will always be handy, then rub it or sprinkle it on the food. Remember, mixtures such as this cost very little to make yourself but quite a lot if you buy them at retail.


1/3 cup table salt
1/4 cup granulated or powdered garlic
1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/3 cup paprika
3 tablespoons granulated or powdered onion


Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a blender, food processor, or mixing bowl, and pour the mixture into a large glass or plastic jar. Seal it so that it's airtight. It will keep indefinitely.


Chef Jamie's Tip:
Cayenne pepper is the main source of heat in this mixture. If you wish, reduce the quantity by as much as half.


Makes about 2 cups.