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Quick and Easy Meal Ideas: “Nights Off” at Home with Less Stress and Less Mess

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Freezer Meals for Nights Off

I love cooking. I mean… LOVE LOVE cooking. Everything about it. In fact, most of the time I don’t even mind the time and effort it takes to clean everything up. I figure it’s a great opportunity to use up a few of the calories I just consumed.

Yesterday, my husband and I were out of town most of the day and went to a local restaurant for supper (more about restaurants in a minute!) when we got back in town. Last night, it hit me… I missed my kitchen time!

Having said all of that, however, I find that some nights (usually once… sometimes twice a week), I just want everything to be as simple and easy as possible. I don’t want to be in the kitchen for 30 minutes to an hour making the meal, followed by another 30 cleaning it up. I want food on the table fast and dishes that can either be tossed or washed in record time. Basically, my comfortable chair in the den is calling me and I want as few obstacles as possible before I answer the call!

I call these my “nights off” because instead of the normal, full-fledge, photo-worthy meals I make, I either pull something out of the freezer I had made and frozen previously or I pull out something ready to roll, pretty much as is.

Everyone needs nights or days off, right? Can anyone who works 5 days a week imagine not having a day off?! No way. Having days or nights off keeps you sane, keeps you rested, and most definitely keeps you from burning out.

Reasons for Eating Home More and Eating Out Less

I have nothing against eating out on occasion. I mean, let’s face it, it can be fun. Letting someone else do all the work while you sit and let them bring it to you… sweet luxury!

However, eating at home is almost always healthier – especially if you have food allergies, are on a special diet, or have any of the many diseases that can be greatly effected by the wrong food. Even trace amounts of the enemy foods build up and can be very bad for you.

Add to this the fact that we are in a pandemic AND coming up on cold and flu season (not to mention all the bugs that show up as soon as the weather cools) – even the biggest fan of dining out has to admit – you are safer at home.

I honestly hate to say  it, but my experience lately is that many restaurants are “going down.” I don’t know if they’re having trouble getting or keeping good help or if cooking is a dying art but, just in the last year, four of my five favorite restaurants (two locally-owned and two chain restaurants) have gotten so bad I don’t care if I ever go back. The one of the five that’s still as good as ever is a local authentic Mexican restaurant.

Stay strong, guys, stay strong!

Another reason to keep your pantry, refrigerator, and even freezer stocked is that (as this global pandemic has taught us) you just never know what lies ahead. It’s always better to be able to take care of yourself and your family without having to count on others. You never know when their doors will close.

(Continued Below…)

 

Tips for Nights Off Meals (As Many Times a Week as You Want Them!)Frozen Meals

You may be like me and actually love to cook, but simply are human and want a night off every now and then. Or, you may be like one of my daughters who had (literally, y’all) rather go to the dentist than cook! Whichever group you fall into, the following tips and ideas will, hopefully, help you as much as they do me.

  • When you make soup, chili, or casseroles, make a little extra to freeze for a future meal. I have perfected this routine to where I always have at least two soups and one chili in the freezer and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Amazon has countless sizes and shapes of freezing containers (link to Amazon) – you’ll want to find a set with different sizes. This has been such a wonderful system for me. Soups and chili, in particular, taste like they were made that day.
  • Don’t think the freezer has to have just food you’ve made! As you can see from the sample pictures here, I’m a huge fan of Amy’s frozen meals, as well as her burritos. While I keep them on hand, primarily, for my lunches while my husband is at work, I have often fixed them for both of us on one of my luxurious “nights off.” The burritos are excellent with rice, a salad, eggs, or (simpler, still) tortilla chips and salsa. The frozen meals are even easier because the only dishes you mess up are your forks and glasses! Frozen pizzas, corndogs, fries (top with a can of heated canned chili and cheese and call it a meal)… the choices are limitless. Just be sure to always have your “night off” section of your freezer locked and loaded.
  • My favorite night off meal is actually one of my husband’s favorite meals – bacon, eggs, and a few vegetables cooked in the same pan (broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers… whatever combo you like). The one pan strategy helps with clean up considerably and, let’s face it, it doesn’t get any simpler than bacon and eggs.
  •  Oatmeal or grits is another filling, warm, comforting, and delicious meal. I could eat either of these all by themselves, but my husband loves a couple of fried eggs with his.
  • Never, ever underestimate soup and sandwiches – they’re filling, healthy, and most definitely perfect for your night off.
  • When possible, keep salad makings on hand and your favorite salad dressing ready to pour. Simply adding chicken, beef, boiled eggs, or bacon to a great salad makes a healthy meal.
  • Have you seen those little packets of instant potatoes? They cook in less time than it takes to brush your teeth and, frankly, taste darn good. They come in lots of flavors and varieties and are outstanding. Keep plenty of these on hands for accompanying deli chicken or soup or chili from the freezer. Soup and chili, both are great served over these guys.

Some people think certain foods are only “acceptable” for breakfast or lunch and wouldn’t consider them for supper. They’re nuts! Breakfast suppers are downright addictive and traditional “lunch” suppers are right there with them.

I have seen some people schedule these types of nights and call them things like “cheat nights” or “lazy nights” – and scheduling them is certainly an option. For me, personally, however – I never know quite when the “My chair is calling me and I don’t want to be on my feet another minute!” mood is going to hit until it does… so, I simply have my options on stand by.

One final word about restaurants…

I actually put this post together because of something that I experienced last night at what was once a favorite chain restaurant. I ordered the grilled catfish as I normally do (along with greens and pinto beans). I took a bite of the catfish from the end… all seemed normal… ate some of the greens and beans… then picked up my fork and knife and tried to cut into the catfish. It would not cut… it was completely undercooked. I literally could not cut through it.

Undercooked meats can host a whole world of trouble for a person – salmonella, food poisoning… and if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of either of these, you know how horribly sick they make you. I am very, very lucky that I only took a small bite of this fish that was all but flopping around on my plate.

Now I know for certain that, in the future, whenever I order meat, I will never again assume that restaurant cooks use food thermometers as I do in my own kitchen. I’ll also cut into the middle of the meat before even thinking about taking a bite.

As I said before, I don’t know why it is but a lot of restaurants are, collectively, getting worse. You just can’t be too careful – certainly not when it comes to your health!

Stay safe and stay well!

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Amy's Burritos

Chili Tips of the Trade and a Kitchen Tool You Absolutely MUST Have

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Chili with Fixings

Chili with the Fixin’s!

It’s that time of year again… Chili season!… and personally I couldn’t be happier. I love cool weather, crock-pot meals, homemade soup, and chili.

The more chili, the better.

The only problem one can run into, though, when you frequently make, serve, and eat chili is (if you aren’t careful) it’s easy to fall into a rut. I guess that’s true with any meal you make frequently, but in my experience, chili is the trickiest rut trap.

Below are some ideas I’ve accumulated over the years of being a raging chili fanatic. They’ll keep thing lively, tasty, and colorful while keeping you (and your chili bowl) out of a dreaded rut.

Meat Chopper Tool

Meat Chopper Tool Getting the Meat Chili-Ready

Chili Tips and Ideas

  1.  If you have chili as often as I do (especially during chili season), consider mixing up your recipe and/or ingredients fairly regularly – even if it’s ingredients you’ve ALWAYS used, try replacing it with something new OR simply add a new ingredient. Celery, bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, red pepper flakes, finely shredded carrot… mix and match. Basically, have fun and get creative.
  2. Change up your seasoning mix or spices. My personal favorite chili seasoning mix (and the one I use probably 75 percent of the time) is Carroll Shelby’s (link to the mix on Amazon, but they’re in most all stores) but ever so often, I’ll simply use a combination of my own spices or I’ll use a gluten-free packet of seasoning I find in the store. Each gives its own unique flavor to your chili.
  3. When browning your ground beef (I prefer using ground angus or chuck but will basically use whatever I have on hand!), use an inexpensive meat chopper (link to the one I use on Amazon). The one pictured above the Chili Tips is the one I use for soups and chilis and wouldn’t take anything for it! What makes this tool so perfect for chili (and soup for that matter)? My cooking philosophy has always been, “The more flavor combinations that fit on a spoon or fork, the better.” The smaller the meat…. and the smaller the vegetables… the more flavors will fit on your spoon. Simple as that.
  4. Don’t use water… use beef broth! Another one of my cooking philosophies is, “Water dilutes flavor… broths add flavor.” I use chicken broth (chicken chili, rice, boiling vegetables..) and beef broth almost daily, so we pretty much keep them stockpiled in the pantry. When making your chili, beef broth (or veggie broth when making vegetarian chili) is much better to use than plain old, flavor-diluting water.
  5. Have you ever set up a “taco bar” – complete with little dishes of tomatoes, cheese, onions, etc? Setting up a “Chili Bar” is every bit as fun and helpful. This way, everyone gets to add whatever floats their particular chili boat. Some ideas I love are: Fritos, freshly shredded cheddar (freshly shredded looks better than store bought, which looks like toy food), onions, green onion, scallions, sautéed onion, jalapenos, pickled jalapenos, rice, pasta noodles, diced chiles, red pepper flakes, sour cream, cornbread croutons (more about them in a minute)…. the options are almost endless. Corn dogs are also a fun, often unexpected item to include on a chili bar.
  6. Speaking of sour cream – I love it on chili all the time, but especially if it’s a little too spicy for my overly sensitive taste buds. Sour cream cools it down. A lot of people swear by adding a little peanut butter to their chili but, frankly…. well, I’d rather swear at it than by it!
  7. Using leftover chili for chili dogs is one of our favorite things to do. While warming the leftover chili, I use the meat chopper (link to the one I use on Amazon) mentioned above to give it more of a chili dog topping look. Sounds nuts, but, trust me, it’s darn good. Just be sure not to overdo it – you don’t want it looking like cat food pate.
  8. Using leftover chili is also perfect for chili burgers – simply top your burger with the chili (using the same technique for the chili dogs).
  9. Chili freezes very well – just warm it up with a little beef broth and it tastes freshly made.
  10. Cornbread croutons: Making cornbread, then cutting it into small squares is excellent on chili (especially if you add jalapenos to the cornbread). I also like to make fried cornbread (in the shapes of pancakes) and simply put them into the bottom of the bowl before adding the chili. Of course, you could always simply use regular cornbread to dip into your chili. The combination of chili and cornbread is outstanding – which is another reason corndogs are a perfect dinner guest for chili night.


How a Captain Named Rodney Can Make Your Chicken Extraordinary….

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One of the things I often preach on the food blog (as well as in person, of course, but most of you will miss that rousing “in person” performance) is this:

If you want to be an extra special cook (and who would want to settle for okay when they can be extra special??), you need to get creative and step out of the ordinary. This means trying new kitchen tools and gadgets, cooking your favorite foods in new, exciting ways, and trying new sauces, seasonings, and ingredients. Not only is it a creative way to approach cooking… it’s a delicious way to approach life.

While there’ll be times you try something that makes you whisper to your cat, “That never happened,” other times you find something that’ll become a kitchen staple – something you’d no sooner allow yourself to run out of than you would salt and pepper. Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Glaze (Amazon link) has been such a staple in our kitchen for many years.

It is OUTSTANDING. Sorry for yelling, but it is that extraordinary. Captain Rodney’s makes several seasonings, sauces, and glazes (click here to see their entire collection on Amazon).

The “set” pictured on the left is one I have my eye on – you get two bottles (which last quite a while, as only a little bit is necessary for the “rock your world” flavor) and a silicone basting brush. I’m a sucker for a basting brush.

How I Use Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Glaze (sorry to keep using the full name, but I want to differentiate because there are several):

  1. This glaze is delicious when you add a little to cooked, hot rice. It takes it to the next level.
  2. I love to pour a little on top of a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. Buttery Ritz or Ritz-type crackers are the best for this.
  3. Hamburgers – A little Captain Rodney’s on a burger with sauteed onions is out of this world good.
  4. It’s wonderful on pork chops. It just takes a little to get that wonderful, “I’ll never let myself run out of this stuff” flavor.
  5. Chicken. Chicken. Chicken. Chicken. Chicken.
  6. Chicken.

Continued Below…

Captain Rodney's Original Boucan Pepper Glaze

Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Pepper Glaze

My favorite way to cook chicken is as follows:

I take chicken tenders, salt and pepper them, then marinate them in Italian Dressing (bottled or the kind you make with a mix) and a little honey. I try to let them marinate in the fridge in this mixture for at least 3 hours.

I heat my iron skillet on medium-high and add a mixture of butter and olive oil (the olive oil keeps the butter from getting too brown). Don’t use too much butter/olive oil – you want enough for the tenders to sizzle but you don’t want to drown them. When the skillet is hot, I cook each side for about 4 minutes (always use a meat thermometer when cooking chicken – you want 165 F).

When I put them on the serving platter, I go ahead and add a little Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Glaze (Amazon link). Makes them feel good about themselves and makes the tenders disappear off of said platter likety split.

Skillet Chicken Tenders with Captain Rodney's Glaze

Winco Hamburger Smasher and Turner: Perfect for Diner-Style Burgers

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Winco Hamburger Smasher and Turner

I love burgers. There, I said it. I love them more than words can even say. In fact, I wouldn’t spend too much time searching for words because that would be time taken away from eating burgers.

My favorite way to fix burgers is “diner-style,” just a food blogger cool way of saying, “burgers that are smashed into an iron skillet.”

Before we found  the HANDY as HECK Winco Burger Turner above (or as I call it, my smasher), it was a headache to smash the burgers into the skillet. I’d try to get my spatulas to go along with the plan, but they just weren’t built for it. You should’ve seen me, holding the spatula in one hand and placing a mug on top of the spatula with the other hand. The spatula took a beating, the mug felt anxious, and the cats laughed. Embarrassing.

This crazy cool and inexpensive little tool has made life a lot easier. It’s also perfect for the grill – gets the burgers nice and flat. This makes them cook quicker and, in my opinion, makes them tastier.

Product Description from Amazon

  • Stainless steel construction
  • Wooden handle
  • Winco products range from tabletop to kitchen utensils to food preparation supplies
  • Winco products are used by all foodservice and hospitality industry experts worldwide

See Winco Burger Turner for more information!


Avoiding the Food Rut: Tasteful Ways to Keep Your Meals as Colorful as You Are

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One of my favorite “secrets” of great cooking isn’t really much of a secret… it’s far too simple to qualify as a secret. It’s simply this – Keep things interesting and keep things flavorful.

I know how easy it is to fall into a cooking rut but food and meals are far too important to slip into such a rut. You want your loved ones to both enjoy your meals and to remember them – after they’ve walked away from the table.  Which is why it’s a shame that any of us (and, let’s be honest, we’ve all been in the rut before – whether we set up camp or crawled immediately back out, none of us can say we haven’t laid eyes on the tasteless food rut!)

Below are just a few quick ideas to help you avoid the culinary pit of misery (nothing dilly dilly about it):

  1. Try new international cuisines. You could make one night of the week the one where you try new recipes – they might just become your favorites. When I home-schooled our three daughters, We’d “eat” our way through whatever country we were studying at the time. Friday nights were chosen to try different favorite ingredients and recipes from the region of the moment.  We often, understandably “Americanize” many cuisines of the world – but if you delve into the ingredients used IN these countries and the favorite foods of their people, you’ll uncover a whole new world of flavor. Literally. Find recipes online or check Amazon for regional cookbooks. Mark Bittman has a wonderful cookbook appropriately titled “The Best Recipes in the World” and it would be an IDEAL place to start.
  2. Try new sauces and seasonings. When my husband and I visited a favorite restaurant, I tried a sauce they had on the table (it’s the Cajun Power Garlic Sauce pictured to the left). It was so wonderful I checked Amazon then and there for it. Fortunately I found it right off the bat, tossed it into my cart, and had my own bottle on its way to my house before we even left the restaurant. Ahhh, technology.  I also recently came across a new favorite seasoning (Cavender’s Greek Seasoning) and I’ve been putting it on everything from Greek Fries to pork. Spend a little more time in the grocery store than usual – really look around (yes, beyond the salt, pepper, and garlic powder!). Try new seasonings, spices, herbs, produce, sauces, etc. It’s delicious fun AND it’ll make you a better cook.
  3. Watch the Food Network and Cooking Channel for inspiration. Okay, before going any further, I have to get this off of my chest: I miss the Food Network of old! I miss Emeril, Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals, Good Eats, and Mexican Made Easy. Thank goodness for Farmhouse Rules and The Pioneer Woman – they’re two of the only actual “cooking shows” left. Everything these days is some sort of a competition or contest… and every contestant seems to speak in questions! Yes, I am the sort of nut that notices things like that – but, check them out. They do. “I’m going to make a roast? And it will have onions? And carrots? I love carrots?”  I honestly can’t even watch these shows, I spend more time arguing with them (Stop ending everything as a question! You either know or you don’t!) than is healthy. Sigh. Anyway, I miss actual cooking shows that are entertaining. However, if you can find Pioneer Woman and Farmhouse Rules (or elusive reruns of others), watch them for entertainment and inspiration. You can also find endless cooking videos online, of course. You can get a lot of ideas as well as good old-fashioned know how from watching others.

Quick and Easy Greek Fries

Greek Fries

If You Don’t Like Ghee, It’s Only Because You Haven’t Had the BEST Ghee: Ancient Organics

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.Ancient Organics Ghee

Ancient Organics Ghee

I have a couple of confessions to make.

  1. When I first tried ghee, I thought it was horrifyingly bad. So bad that I was certain I’d never touch it again.
  2. I am a complete and total Ghee addict.

So how did I get from bullet point number 1 to bullet point number 2? I tried a different ghee!

As someone who has to eat gluten-free, I read a lot of Paleo articles, use Paleo cookbooks, and stalk the Paleo crowd on social media. While I don’t follow the Paleo diet exclusively, I do incorporate it into my cooking and eating.  Paleo cooking uses A LOT of ghee, so I figured it’d be worthwhile to simply try a different brand rather than completely throw ghee out the back door (something that my store-bought ghee had me tempted to do).

My husband ordered a jar of Ancient Organics Ghee on Amazon and, as soon as it came, we tested it out.

What a difference a label makes! Seriously, I cannot even begin to figure out how Ancient Organics Ghee gets it so deliciously right when other ghees get it so frightfully wrong.

Maybe the description below will give us a little insight…

Product Description from Ancient Organic’s Amazon Page:

Ancient Organics Ghee is a premium cooking oil celebrated for its taste, nutritional benefits, and medicinal qualities—it is unlike any other ghee on the market today. Our Ghee is hand-crafted over an open flame and made in small batches, ensuring you will always get the freshest Ghee. With an uncompromised commitment to quality and an obsessive attention to detail, we guarantee you won’t find a more pure, better tasting Ghee. Ghee is the complete distillation of butter— the end result of a long, slow, careful clarification process that removes all the moisture, lactose and casein, making it completely shelf stable AND a perfect choice for people who are lactose intolerant. The difference between Ghee and clarified butter lies in their flavor and shelf stability: Ghee is superior on both counts Ayurveda recognizes ghee as an essential part of a balanced diet and is considered to be the very best oil one can eat. It has been used for centuries as a digestive and elimination aid, for energy, sexual vitality, skin and eye health, as a lubricant for the joints and for alkalizing the blood. Comprised of full spectrum short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids, Ghee contains Omega 3 and Omega 9 essential fatty acids along with vitamins A, D, E and K. Our Ghee is one of the highest natural sources of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) because we use only the highest quality organic butter of pastured cows. Our golden Ghee has a delicious caramelized and nutty taste that will enhance the flavor of any culinary creation. It has one of the highest flash points (485ºF) and it is simply the best choice for high temperature cooking. Substitute our Ghee for olive oil, butter or vegetable oil in or on anything from soups, potatoes, rice and vegetables, with eggs, pancakes, oatmeal, smoothies or popcorn—the possibilities are truly endless. Try it—you will love it!

What is Ghee?

Ghee is a healthy alternative to cooking – far better than vegetable oil. Ayurveda, the ancient medical science of India, recognizes Ghee as a very important part of a healthy diet. It also considers ghee to be the best fat one can eat.

Ghee is as easy to implement in your cooking and eating as it gets. Use it in place of olive oil, vegetable oil, or butter. Ancient Organics Ghee is so delicious we even have an after-dinner routine we’ve followed for over a year. We spread a little ghee on a small square of dark chocolate, then sprinkle Pink Himalayan Salt on top.

It is outrageously delicious. Trust me.

Eggs fried in ghee are also out of this world good.  The high-temperature quality of ghee performs beautifully in sautes and stir fries.

I’ve even added a little ghee to soups and oatmeal and found that it gives a rich flavor that brings out the best in every other flavor.

Heck, it even takes popcorn up a couple of notches. Last summer I popped some popcorn for an afternoon baseball game. Instead of melting butter, which I’ve done for popcorn for 112 years, I reached for the ghee and melted a tablespoon of it. OMG. I have not used butter for popcorn since.

But here’s the thing – it has got to be Ancient Organics Ghee. Has. Got. To. Be. The rest I’ve tried are nowhere near as good. I can’t explain it but I can darn sure taste it.  This particular brand occasionally runs out on Amazon (which tells you all you need to know about how great it is). Before we learned to stock up, we’d every now and then find “not available” or “In stock on… (insert later date)” on the Amazon page. This led to the need to order other brands and/or experiment with store-bought ghee.

Seriously – they don’t even taste like the same thing!

I hope you’ll try as soon as you can. You’re going to love it. If one size is temporarily sold out, buy the other size. If you get a “In stock on..” message, throw it in your cart and wait!

Yes, it’s costlier than some other ghees, but it is infinitely worth it.

Ancient Organics Ghee

Infographic: 15 Easy Ways to Make Food Taste Better

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The infographic below (from British friends of the food blog… hence yoghurt instead of yogurt!) includes some great tips for making your food taste even better. I love these tips – several of which I personally swear by.

Below are a few quick tips from my own kitchen:

  1. When making a dish with multiple food components (stew, soup, salad…), chop the individual foods as small as possible. Sure, it’s more work (unless you use a food processor) but each bite will provide more flavor. After all, the more foods that can fit on a spoon or fork at once, the greater the flavor punch.
  2.  Ground Chuck simply tastes better than ground beef. There is no getting around it.
  3. In addition to Kosher salt and black pepper, a few seasonings I keep on hand at all times (as in I’m apt to run out of just about anything before I ever run out of them) are: Cumin, Montana Mex Chile Salt (as well as their Sweet Seasoning Blend), Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Pink Himalayan Salt, Seasoned Salt, and McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning. Experiment with seasonings – go bold! Just do so a little at a time, because you can always add more, you can’t add less.
  4. Use herbs often and use herbs generously. I love growing my own herbs – even though there is a Battle Royale between me and raccoons – and they’re winning. Good thing they’re so darn cute! Rosemary, chives, parsley, and cilantro are my favorites but Basil and Oregano are fast-becoming members of the “in crowd.” Add parsley to scrambled eggs, cilantro to any and all Mexican-inspired dishes, rosemary to soups, and chives to everything else. Well, almost. Chives snipped onto fresh from the oven baked potatoes make all the cares of the world slip away.
Courtesy of: Quid Corner


Baked Potatoes with a Salty Crust Make PERFECT Loaded Baked Potatoes

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Loaded Salt Crusted Baked Potato
Loaded Baked Potato (Salt-Crusted)
True Story: I love baked potatoes so much you’d think I invented them. In fact, I love ALL potatoes so much you’d think I founded the beautiful state of Idaho.

I wish I had founded Idaho – what a cool story to tell your grandkids.

Potatoes are the very reason I lasted all of 2 hours when testing the waters of the Paleo diet. It just kind of hit me, “No potatoes? No way. I’m out.” Never looked back.

Salt Crusted Baked Potatoes
Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes
While I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, I have to say that if you aren’t baking your potatoes in the oven, you’re short-changing yourself. Can you nuke them in a microwave? Yes. If you put enough butter and sour cream on top, are they passable? Absolutely. However, a baked potato straight from the oven is next level.

I can understand the argument of not wanting to heat up your kitchen. I can also see nuking them if time is an issue. If (at 4:30) you decide you want a baked potato with supper (at 5:00), you don’t have a choice… unless, of course, it’s the world’s skinniest and smallest potato – then you might have a shot.

See: Perfect Baked Potatoes in the Oven

Again, at the risk of ruffling feathers (What’s with me today? Girl, hands off people’s feathers.), if you wrap your potatoes in foil, you are actually “steaming” them more than you are “baking” them. If you prefer them that particular way – go for it! However, next time, try baking them (without wrapping them in foil blankets) and see what you think about the texture of a truly baked potato.

Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes

While a good old-fashioned baked potato (without a “salty’ attitude) is all kinds of delicious, adding a salty crust somehow makes it extraordinary. It looks fancy and high-brow  too, which never turns me off.

The following recipe (below the beauty on the St. Louis Cardinals red plate) is for “Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes with Kosher Salt.” This version of a salt-crusted potato calls for an all-over salty crust (trust me, it does not taste too salty – you just wouldn’t want to add any more to the top – unless you’re one of those rare birds that don’t eat the potato skin, that is). If you still (even after my multiple pleadings) think this is too much salt, simply only salt one part of the potato.

* Whispers in your ear: “It will not be too salty.”

I often use another means of coating the potato with salt which involves coarse Kosher salt (I use Morton Coarse Kosher Salt)- and trust me, it looks gorgeous. You don’t add as much salt to a sea salt-crusted baked potato. In fact, when making baked potatoes with coarse sea salt, I don’t rub them in the salt, I simply pat it on – pushing in very lightly.

Loaded Salt Crusted Baked Potato
When turning your baked potatoes into Loaded Baked Potatoes, the following toppings are, in my book, the way to go:

  • Real butter – always, always, always use real butter (in just about everything actually, but especially with a baked potato.. it wouldn’t deserve any less).
  • Sour Cream.
  • Shredded Cheddar (Gouda is also out of this world).
  • BACON. BAAAAY-CON! If you know you’re having baked potatoes for supper, make extra bacon at breakfast. Otherwise, just fry some up while the potatoes are cooking.
  • Chives or chopped green onions.
  • Sauteed mushrooms are also great on loaded baked potatoes. Saute’ sliced mushrooms in a little butter and add them with the other ingredients.
  • Briefly sauteed broccoli (in butter) is also great on a really cheesy baked potato.

One more tip from the potato fiend: Save any leftover baked potatoes for the next day. Leftover potatoes is main reason I only prepare (as in cut open and butter it to distraction) potatoes as they go right onto the plate. Others are left untouched on the stove. The following morning, a leftover baked potato can be warmed and topped with butter, a fried egg, and bacon for a fantastic breakfast or brunch. If several are leftover, scoop out the flesh and mash it with a little butter and sour cream. Fill the potato skin with the mixture, top with shredded cheddar and bake at 350 degrees until warm all the way through. Top as desired (bacon, green onions or chives, black pepper….)

One more idea and I promise I’m through – Sloppy Joes on an open baked potato. Trust me.

Okay, the potato fanatic is through.

For today…


Keli’s Teriyaki Sauces: Don’t Even Think of Going Into Grilling Season Without Them

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Keli's Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauces
Keli’s Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauces and Chicken

For some people, grilling season never officially ends – but for most of us, the weather dictates a clear-cut beginning and ending for the delicious season. Now that the weather has warmed up here in Kentucky, we’ve fired up our grill and are reaping the yummy rewards.

The first thing we usually grill is hamburgers and hot dogs, but this year chicken had Opening Day Honors. We used Keli’s  Hawaiian Luau Teriyaki on some of the chicken and Keli’s Ginger Garlic Teriyaki on the rest. Both of these Teriyaki sauces are gluten-free and both are out of this world delicious.

The reason I wanted to try both at once was simple – I couldn’t decide.  I did the “fingertip taste test” and couldn’t decide which to go with…. so they were both invited to lunch.

After sampling the chicken, we still couldn’t decide – they are very different in flavor, but are both simply out of this world delicious. So we’re going with a tie. In fact, when you buy your first bottle of Keli’s, I’d strongly suggest buying BOTH of these flavors.

Ironically, before I even read that Keli’s sauces originated in Polynesia, I immediately identified the Polynesian flavor. Foodies know the taste of Polynesia when they taste it!

Grilled Chicken with Keli's Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce

Grilled Chicken with Keli’s Sauces

To use either sauce on your chicken – simply baste during the last 5 minutes of grilling. You can serve the chicken over rice or cut it up and throw it into a fantastic salad. I’ve actually enjoyed it both ways – if you go the way of a salad, know this – honey mustard dressing is AMAZING with the flavors of either of these.

Keli's Sauces

About Keli’s Sauces

Taste the flavor of the Islands with the tasty ginger garlic Teriyaki from Keli’s Sauces! Whether you’re looking to boost your BBQ seasoning, craft a gourmet meal, or get the perfect present for Mom and Dad, this bold brand has got your back. Geared towards gluten-free products? Keli’s Sauces whips up gluten-free, vegan sauces with no MSG or preservatives so you can serve up hot, Hawaiian or BBQ classics for friends and family!

Originated in the Islands of Polynesia, Keli’s Sauces was a recipe passed down from generation to generation. Before settling down to their regular jobs, Jim and Terry Morrisey travelled to the Marshall Islands. With no radio, television, or phone service, they made close friends with the people on the island, particularly to one Hawaiian family whose daughter was in Terry’s Kindergarten class. During their time in the Islands, they shared a lot of meals and fell in love with the island inspired flavors and sauces. In 1989 Penny, one of the Hawaiian family’s children from the island of Molokai, took an adventure to meet Jim and Terry on the mainland working at their small deli on the Oregon Coast. Together, the dynamic duo created a recipe for the delicious sweet ginger Teriyaki that the islands are famous for. Encouraging them to market these savory sauces, Penny helped them design the very first label. Forever indebted to Penny, Terry named the company “IPO,” which is Penny’s middle name and means “Sweetheart” in Hawaiian. Penny named the sauce “Keli,” which is Terry in Hawaiian.

Keli's Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauces

A few ways Keli’s Sauces separate themselves from the rest:

  • Gluten-free
  • Vegan
  • Amazing flavor
  • No MSG
  • No preservatives
  • Low sodium
  • Low fat

Find great recipes on Keli’s website – there are recipes for chicken, ham, tofu, vegetables, sausage, shrimp, beef, fish, and even salad. Learn more about all of Keli’s sauces at https://shop.trykelis.com.

Keli’s Sauces are also on Amazon (see below). Click through any to find even more sizes and flavors.


Tantalising Tips for Impromptu BBQs

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Spring and summer bring ample opportunities for impromptu entertaining, and there’s nothing quite like an impromptu BBQ. Spring bank holidays are made for them. So long as the weather isn’t a complete wash-out, the first BBQs of the year can go ahead in all but the most turbulent of conditions.

If you have a multi-functional kitchen space to retreat to if the weather turns then all the better. BBQ food tastes just as good eating inside as it does eating in the great outdoors.

BBQs are notorious for taking an age to cook. Blackened on the outside, pink undercooked meat on the inside is a turn off for even the most hardy meat eaters. You definitely don’t want salmonella to become your BBQ special.

Nevertheless, BBQs are a really fun and relaxed way of entertaining and they don’t have to take a huge amount of organisation. Here are our top tips and recipes for an impromptu, bank holiday BBQ bonanza – inspired by UK kitchen specialists The Brighton Kitchen Company.

Make the call

You’ve woken up on a bank holiday wondering what to do with yourself. You fancy a lazyish day, but would love to spend time with your friends and family. Organising a meal out might not work. Short notice bookings for large groups on a Bank holiday are hard to come by. Besides, you fancy pottering at home.

Don’t procrastinate. The sun is shining and it’s time to bring out the garden furniture that’s been locked away all winter. Make the call to the nearest and dearest, knock on the neighbour’s door and let the cat out of the bag. The BBQ is coming out and everyone is invited.

Supermarket sweep

After a quick shower, slip into your new spring apparel and make a list. You need to make a trip to the supermarket, but there’s no time to waste. Having a list will keep you focused, save you time and save you money. Here’s a basic list to get you started:

  • Keep it simple. Wine (red and white), beers and Pimms
  • Sparkling water
  • Lemonade
  • Juice
  • Chicken drumsticks and thighs (lots)
  • Fish (mackerel is great for the BBQ)
  • Burgers (only good quality ones will do)
  • Halloumi
  • Peppers
  • Courgettes
  • Red onions
  • Mixed salad
  • Cucumber
  • New potatoes
  • Chives, parsley, thyme, mint (all fresh)
  • Burger buns
  • Sauces (ketchup)
  • Olives
  • Lemons
  • Oranges
  • Strawberries
  • Dips
  • Posh crisps
  • Cream
  • A couple of large frozen pavlovas (yes you need a pudding, but you don’t have time to make your own).
  • A bag of ice (for the Pimms and the beer bucket)

The best chicken seasoning ever

We love this recipe for magic dust and barbecue sauce (pimped up ketchup). It makes barbecue chicken taste fabulous. Rub the magic dust liberally over chicken before cooking. It works for rubbing over anything, including vegetables so making a jar before the spring arrives means you’ll be all ready to make the tastiest BBQ food without any fuss.

The Prep

In no particular order:

  • Boil new potatoes. Drain and while warm, crush slightly. Add knobs of butter and chopped chives
  • Prep a salad
  • Put together some rustic halloumi kebabs
  • Make 2 large jugs of Pimms with lemonade, the obligatory chopped fruits, cucumber and mint leaves, and plenty of ice
  • Before you get distracted with the BBQ, take pavlovas out of freezer to thaw
  • Get your cheats BBQ meat in the oven (see below)

 

The BBQ

Your BBQ should be cleaned and oiled after every use, so hopefully there’ll be no issues for you to uncover it in its gleaming glory. Get your BBQ nice and hot before you use it to burn off any crud.

Cook your halloumi kebabs first and transfer to oven (just in case there are any vegetarians). Burgers are next. When burgers almost done, move to one side and put your cheats chicken on the BBQ (see below). Mackerel can go on last. It won’t take long. When the fish is cooked, sprinkle liberally with chopped herbs and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Cheats BBQ meat

You don’t want to spend hours slaving over the BBQ, so put your chicken pieces rubbed with magic dust onto a tray and cook in the oven. Time it right so they are just cooked, but not browned before you transfer them to the BBQ for finishing off.

Brush chicken pieces with the pimped up ketchup and place on the BBQ. Keep turning and brushing sauce on as required. Just as the sauce turns syrupy and the chicken skin gets crispy you are all ready to serve. Some blackening is OK, but try and keep that to a minimum. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.

Top 3 BBQ tips

  1. Don’t fiddle or poke and definitely don’t squeeze all of the lovely juices out of meat.
  2. Brush sauces on at the end. Marinating meats for the BBQ may seem like a good idea, but if the marinade has a high sugar content it will burn very quickly on a BBQ, leaving the glaze tasting bitter.
  3. Invest in a thermometer. Overcooking is just as sinful as undercooking. You’ll be able to check the exact temperature of meat, making sure meat is cooked through perfectly.

Oven tips

If you need to keep food warm as the BBQ turns out different offerings at different times, transfer barbecued meats to an oven proof dish and cover with foil or greaseproof paper. Pop in the oven at a setting between 140 degrees and 165 degrees Fahrenheit.