I served with with mushrooms sauted in garlic butter, parsley butter potatoes and corn-on-the-cob.

Do you need instructions on how to best cook Corn-on-the-Cob?

Check it out here:

How to Cook Corn on the Cob

Grilled Beer Steak Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of lager beer
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of molasses
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 – (1 inch thick preferably) marinating steaks

In case you don't know this about me - I almost religiously get all recipe ingredients ready before starting to mix and cook. I find that it actually makes cooking easier and faster - and you won't forget an ingredients!

Directions:

Whisk together beer, soy sauce, molasses, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl

1. Whisk together beer, soy sauce, molasses, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl

Beer, Soy sauce,Molasses,Garlic,Salt and Pepper - that is all there is to this marinade!

Place steaks in a resealable food storage bag

I used heavy ziplock freezer bags with double closure - just to make sure the marinade stayed in the bag!

Add marinade and mix well

Marinade in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

It was amazing how good the steaks look after marinating - rich in colour to say the least.

Grill steaks on a covered grill over high heat for about 8-10 minutes on each side or to desire degree of doneness.

We cooked the steaks on a hot grill for 8 minutes on each side - we like medium/rare steaks, and they were done to perfection!

The steaks were as good as they look - and sooo tender!

Grilled Beer Steak, served with garlic mushrooms, parsley butter potatoes and fresh corn on the cob - now that's what I call a great dinner!

Enjoy!

Hope you have enjoyed this recipe – please send in your comments, suggestions, experiences and pictures if you can! You input is always welcomed and very much appreciated

The beer I used is another brand from our local Brick Brewing Company - I like to support local businesses. The recipe calls for lager beer, so I chose Red Baron brand.

I used Red Baron lager, brewed by our local Brick Brewery, Waterloo,Ontario

Grilled Pork Chops with Lager-Infused Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Lager beer
• 1/3 cup of maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons of molasses
• 1 teaspoon of Mexican style hot chili powder
• 3-4 (ideal is about 1 inch thick) centre cut pork chops
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine lager, maple syrup, molasses, chili powder and pork chops in a resealable food storage bag and refrigerate for about 2 hours, turning occasionally.

As usual, I like to put all ingredients needed together before starting to cook or bake.

Mix ingredients for the marinade together - it is easier to transfer into the resealable storage bag and put the pork chops in.

Put pork chops into the resealable food storage bag - close it making sure that it sealed properly, turn a few times and put into your refrigerator for couple of hours.

2.  Next – get your grill nice and hot and after your pork chops finished marinating, get ready to cook them!

3. Lightly oil the grill, remove chops from the marinade and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Place on the grill, directly over heat source.

5. Grill about 7 minutes per side or until chops are well marked (if you want to use meat thermometer to check, the temperature should show 150F.

Get your nicely marinated pork chops on a grill, directly over heat source

Grill for about 7 minutes on each side - to check if they are cooked well, you can use meat thermometer and get the inside temperature to 150F

And they are done! Check out the grill marks and for sure - you will love the aroma!

Serve with Lager-Infused Sauce:

Lager-Infused Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of Lager
• 1/3 cup of ketchup
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon of molasses
• 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon of Mexican style hot chili powder

Directions:

1. Combine lager, ketchup, syrup, onion, molasses, vinegar and chili powder in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 10-12 minutes or until thickened.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small pan and simmer for about 10-12 minutes, until thickened.

Ooops - don';t forget the onions - I almost did!

This is what the sauce looks like when done - and it really tastes awesome!

I served the chops with Broccoli Cheddar rice and our favourite cucumber salad – great dinner!

I served the chops with broccoli cheddar rice and cucumber salad - and it was a treat!

Hope you will enjoy this recipe and let me know how it turned out for you – your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

Start with a very easy to make Caesar Salad, add the thickest, juiciest, biggest T-Bone sSeak, grilled to perfection, serve with it Baked Potatoes with a special twist to the usual recipe, try a little change for Corn on the Cob and finish your favourite guy off with an incredible Triple Citrus Cheesecake. Now that spells S-A-T-I-S-F-A-C-T-I-O-N in my book!

Easy Caesar Salad

Easy Caesar Salad

You cannot go wrong serving Caesar Salad anytime – especially as a prelude to a juicy steak! I love making my Caesar salad from scratch and the one advantage I have is that we live petty much in farmer’s country with easy access to just picked and deliciously fresh romaine lettuce. The other thing I demand on doing is making my own dressing with lots of garlic – to me, the right Caesar salad is the one you can smell from at least 20 feet away. And I can also tell you a little secret that an old Italian friend of mine told me: put croutons into your Caesar bowl (did you know you need to have a wooden bowl designated for this?) and pour your dressing over them. Then add lettuce in portions which you sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and gently toss with your hands. Repeat until you have added all your lettuce, then sprinkle generously over the top, add bacon pieces (freshly made of course) and you are ready to serve!

Grilled T-Bone Steak

Grilled T-Bone Steak

You can’t get away from this one – I believe every guy should get the biggest, juiciest, tenderest T-Bone steak you can find! That truly is tradition – and adding freshly grilled or sauteed mushrooms to it is a must in our household (sometime I even add onions and saute them with mushroom with s little bit of either barbecue or soy sauce in the mixture)

Easy Baked Potatoes

Easy Baked Potatoes

These baked potatoes will take you less than 30 minutes to prepare and the secret here is not only cheddar cheese, but a touch of Dijon mustard – just give the potato a little bit more of what we call – a kick!

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the Cob

There are so many ways to prepare corn on the cob – you don’t just have to throw it into a ot of boiling water (but if you do, try adding a little sugar to the water – it will give your corn a nice sweet taste) First – find out what to look for when you are choosing your corn and than consider making it a Pepper Corn of Mexican Mayo variation. You will be pleasantly surprised at the result!

Triple Citrus Cheesecake

Triple Citrus Cheesecake

Some guys like their desserts sweet, sweet, sweet – and others do prefer tart, citrus taste. Well – this triple citrus cheesecake has the mixture of those tastes – the combination of lemon, lime and orange results in a beautiful citrus taste and this cheesecake is incredibly light – they will come for seconds without a doubt!

Have you decided what you  going to make for that special dad in your life this Father’s Day yet ? I know that  there are guys who love a bit of gourmet touch to their dinner – so if that is what you are planning, you can find complete menu with recipe on this site. Just check out Complete Father’s Day Menu – it’s is looking pretty comlex, but believe me, all the recipes are easy and fully tested to succeed. You will treat you special guy to salad first – and Seven Layer Salad is almost a meal in itself, so make sure he doesn’t have a huge plate of it – there is a whole lot more to come! Appetizer would be the next item on the menu and I highly recommend Chili Barbecue Shrimp. This recipe is fast and easy for sure and the result is delicious shrimp with a bit of kick to it – just the way men like it! And what would that special Father’s Day dinner be without a nice, big, juicy steak? The one and only – T-Bone Steak, grilled to perfection. And of course – there has to be something to go with it – try French Fries with Mustard Mayonnaise and Steamed Green Beans - you can’t go wrong here.

I am pretty sure you will have to give dad a little break at this point of the feast – but be ready to serve dessert shortly. Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake will not be refused! You will probably need to add a cup of freshly made coffee and then just watch that smile of satisfaction on dad’s face!

Have a wonderful Father’s Day celebration and please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

It’s grilling season and I know that most of you have been waiting patiently to be able to cook outside. It is usually meats  that most cook on the grill, and I think it is important to have a little refresher on how to best buy, store and cook different meats.

Tips on Buying the Meat

It is important to buy meat wisely, know how to store it and how to cook various cuts of meat for optimum results.

Recognize quality – Meat should be firm, velvety and fine grained with streaks of fat through it.

Beef – Outside fat is creamy white and firm, the meat is uniform rich red colour, varying from light red to dark red.

Veal – Outside fat is creamy white or tinged with pink. Young veal is greyish pink and older veal is pinkish brown.

Lamb – Outside fat is creamy white or slightly pink in colour. Mutton is more brittle and white in colour. The meat varies from a light pink to dark pink and in mutton from light to dark red.

Pork – Outside fat should be firm and white and there should be a good proportion of lean to fat. The meat varies from greyish pink to deep rose colour.

Tips on Storing Meat

Remove store wrappings and wipe with damp cloth. Place on a shallow plate and cover loosely with waxed paper. Store in refrigerator.  Cured meats can be left in store wrappings.

Approximate storage time in refrigerator:

Roasts – 2-3 days

Steak and chops – 2-3 days

Ground meat – 1-2 days

Liver, heart, kidney, etc. – 1 day

Cured, smoked meats – 1 week

Sausages – 1-2 days

Wieners – 2-3 days

Cooked meats – 3-4 days

Tips on Cooking Meats

Tender cuts – Suitable for roasting, pan frying and broiling

Less tender cuts – Suitable for pot roasting, braising and stewing

How to roast: Roast meats in moderate oven (325F) .Place roast, fat side up on a rack in an uncovered roasting pan in centre of oven. Insert meat thermometer in the centre of the meatiest part of roast so that the tip is not touching bone or fat. Base occasionally during roasting. Season halfway through cooking. Roast to desired stage of doneness or until meat thermometer registers required internal temperature. Let roast stand for at least 10 minutes to make carving easier. Make gravy from drippings in pan.

Timetable for Roasting Meats at 325 F: – Minutes per pound

Beef – Rare – 20 – 25 minutes (thermometer temperature – 130 – 140 F)

Medium – 25 – 30 minutes (Thermometer temperature – 140 – 150 F)

Well – 35 – 40 minutes (Thermometer temperature – 150 – 170 F)

Veal – Well done – 35 – 40 minutes (Thermometer temperature – 180 F)

Lamb – Well done – 30 -35 minutes (Thermometer temperature -180 F)

Pork – Well done – 40 – 50 minutes (Thermometer temperature – 185 F)

Cured meats – Well done – 25 – 40 minutes (Thermometer temperature – 170 F)

How to pan fry (or pan broil): Use a heavy frying pan and add small amount of fat. Snip fat edges of meat to prevent curling. Brown meat on both sides, over medium heat, cooking to desired doneness. Do not cover pan unless indicated in the recipe you are using and do not prick meat. Season only after browning, using salt and pepper. If youa re cooking fat meat, do not add fat. Pour off excess fat that accumulates in the pan.

How to broil: Direction will vary with the type of broiler used, thickness, kind of meat and degree of doneness desired. Preheat broiler and leave door slightly opened. Place meat on cold rack of broiler pan – distance form the broiler should be about 3-5 inches. Broil meat on one side until browned, season and do the other side.

How to Pot Rast: Brown meat well on all sides in hot fat in a heavy pan or Dutch oven pot. Season with salt and pepper.  Cool pot slightly and slide a rack under the meat. Add a small amount of water or soup stock  – about 3-4 tablespoons. Cover and cook over low heat on top of stove or in moderate oven (325F) until tender and well done. Allow 30 -35 minutes per pound for bone-in meats, and 40 – 45 minutes for boneless meats. Add vegetables if desired, during the last hour of cooking. Uncover oven cooked roast last half hour of cooking for better browning. Use pan juices to make gravy.

How to Braise: Score or pound the meat to break down coarse fibers.  Season and flour meat and brown in fat in heavy frying pan. Add liquid, cover and cook slowly over low heat in a moderate oven (325 F) until tender and well done.

How to Stew: Trim off excess fat and gristle. Cut meat into 1”cubes. Flour meat and brown in hot fat in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Add seasonings and enough water or stock to half cover the meat, stir well. Cover tightly and simmer meat slowly until it is tender. Add vegetables about 30 minutes before the meat is done. For a thicker stew, add flour mixed with a little water.

Hope this was helpful to you – please send in your comments, suggestions ands experiences – your input is always welcomed and much appreciated

Homemade Pizza on the Grill is gaining popularity, and for a good reason. It’s quick & easy, and it’s the best pizza you’ve ever eaten! It sounds frightening and intimidating at first – what happens if the dough slips through the grate?- but once you’ve done it a few times, it’s a piece of cake…or rather – a great slice of pizza!

Here’s what you are going to need and a quick how-to for making homemade grilled pizza.

First you need a grill! Gas grill is great, but you can certainly use charcoal or a wood-fired grill too.

No need for the pizza stone! The only pan you’ll need is the one to carry your pizza dough to the grill on, but you could just as well do double-duty by using a cutting board instead eliminating the need for any pans.

Tools – Stainless tongs, metal spatula, large knife, aluminum foil, spoons for toppings, Ziploc bags and containers for toppings, wine, beer, cocktails!

Pizza Dough – Spend the time to make your own, or you can buy really good pizza dough from your local bakery or supermarket. You can use regular white dough or try this with whole wheat dough!

You really don’t need any formal recipes, you’re the pizza chef, and whatever you have a craving for should go on your next pizza! Most people just wing it, choosing seasonal ingredients and toppings, or as their tastes dictate.

Pizza Sauce - Traditional red pizza sauce, pesto, Alfredo sauce, maple chipotle sauce, refried beans, and salsa – anything goes here. Use your imagination when building your pizza. Consider theme pizzas, like Mexican, Italian, Greek, All-Meat, Veggie, etc. The sauce should match your toppings.

Toppings - Again, be creative. Use what you like, but consider the sauce you’re topping. The different seasons will often dictate what you use on your pizza. Spring asparagus is great on a pizza topped with pesto! Summer offers an abundance of fresh veggies from the Farmers’ Market.

How to Grill your Pizza

Bring ALL your things to the grill now. Once you start, the process goes rather quickly, so you need to be organized before you even turn on the grill! You don’t want to be running back and forth for tools and/or ingredients.

Your secret to good looking grilled pizza – Aluminum Foil

This is the secret to good looking grilled pizzas. You have to be able to transfer the flimsy dough from your workspace to the grill. If you are grilling 2 pizzas, cut off 2 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. “Roll” one pizza at a time on a cornmeal dusted piece of foil. Once they’re flat, you can stack them one on top of each other with foil between each pizza. This method makes it so much easier to transfer and flip the dough on the hot grill in one piece. After all, it’s not just about good taste; it’s also about the awesome presentation!

How Hot Does the Grill Need to Be?

Hot – Hot – Hot! Crank up that grill! Assuming you’re using a gas grill, light it and preheat on high for about 10-15 minutes. If you’re using charcoal, no problem! Just make sure to give it enough time to get those coals white hot. This is important – your grill has to be hotter than hell before you throw your pizza on it – Don’t be scared! The dough won’t fall through the grates as long as it’s searingly HOT!

How to Grill Your Pizza

Leaving the pizza dough on the foil, open the grill and in one swift motion, flip the dough upside down on the grill, foil and all, trying to keep it all in one piece. Then quickly peel off the foil, adjust the dough if you have to and close the top. Leave it in there for about 3 minutes. The experts say not to peek, but every grill is different, and we peek each time just in case one edge is browning faster than the other. Those nice grill marks on the bottom are great, but make sure it doesn’t burn! Use the tongs to move the dough around. Just be sure to leave it on the grill for at least 2 minutes before moving otherwise it will tear.

When you’re happy with the way it looks, remove the dough from the grill and transfer to cutting board, grilled side up. This is the side you’ll be “decorating”.

Add sauce, toppings, cheese and sprinkle with seasonings.

Turn one of the two grill burners off. Place pizza back on the grill, cover and grill for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and bottom is browned and cooked through. If the bottom starts to cook faster than you expected, turn the pizza around or move it to another spot.

Remove to cutting board, slice and serve with ice cold beer or a nice glass of Chianti!

Hope you have enjoyed this information and will enjoy your grilled pizza! Please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is welcomed and much appreciated

Grilled Sirloin Steak:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons of wine vinegar
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 1 top sirloin grilling steak, 2 inches thick

Directions:

1. In large shallow dish, whisk together rosemary, oil, vinegar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
2. Trim fat around edge of steak to 1/8 inch thickness.
3. Slash fat just through to flesh at 1-inch intervals.
4. Add to marinade, turning to coat; marinate for 20 minutes.

You can make the marinade ahead and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Ribeye Steak with Ginger Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of rice or cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, mashed
• 4 rib eye steaks (about 6 oz. each)

Ginger Butter:

• 1/3 cup of minced fresh coriander, parsley or green onion
• 1/4 cup of butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons of grated ginger root
• 1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1. In small bowl, stir together coriander, butter, ginger and hot pepper sauce until smooth.
2. Spoon onto plastic wrap, shape into log and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm.
3. To make this ahead, refrigerate or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
4. In large shallow glass dish, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce oil and garlic.
5. Add steaks, turning to coat; marinate for 20 minutes.
6. Reserving marinade, place steak on greased grill over medium-high heat, brush generously with marinade.
7. Close lid and grill until desired doneness – about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
8. Transfer to warm plates, tent with foil and let stand 3-5 minutes.
9. Slice butter into rounds and place on steaks.

Grilled T-Bone Steaks

1. Depending on size, choose number of steaks to satisfy number of people you will serving.
2. Choose steaks that are about 1-1/2 inches thick.
3. Sprinkle both sides of the steaks with smoked sea salt and coarsely ground pepper.
4. Place on the grill over medium-high heat; close lid a grill, turning once for about 15 minutes for medium-rare or check for desired doneness.
5. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil and let stand for about 5 minutes, before cutting or serving.
6. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.

Old Fashioned Grilled Country Ribs

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. of bone-in country-style pork ribs
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup of canola oil
• 1 cup of ketchup
• 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of hot pepper sauce
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons of prepared mustard

Directions:

1. Place ribs in a greased 13 x 9 inches baking pan.
2. Cover and bake at 325F for at least 2 hours- until no longer pink.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until tender.
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
6. Drain ribs.
7. Grill, covered, over indirect low heat for 45 minutes.
8. Baste with barbecue sauce. Grill 15 minutes longer or until meat is tender, turning and basting frequently.

These are the very basic old time favourites – if there is a recipe you are looking for, search my website or contact me wioth your request!

We all love those special treats offered at late summer and fall country fairs. These are delicious treats you can eat by hand  – that is when you are outdoors! Whether you are in your own backyard, your patio or sitting on the porch of your cottage, you will enjoyed these recipes!

Menu:

• Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy
• Red Cabbage Salad
• Sweet and Sour Pickles
• Spicy Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Green Tomato and Apple Hand Pies

Fried Chicken:

Making fried chicken for entertaining can be a bit of a problem, since it is best when fried at the last minute. You can precooked your chicken and then quickly fry it – that means you will only need about 10 minutes to start serving it!

Ingredients:

• 6 whole cloves
• 4 stalks of parsley
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 hot pepper, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1-1/2 tablespoon of cider or wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 3-4 lbs. of chicken pieces
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon of each black pepper and thyme, crumbled
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1-1/2 cups of bread crumbs
• 6 cups of vegetable oil

Directions:

1. in large pot, bring 8 cups of water, cloves, parsley, celery, onion, carrot, hot pepper, vinegar and 1-1/2 teaspoon of salt to boil; add chicken pieces.
2. Return to boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is tender when pierced with a fork – 25-30 minutes.
3. Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces to a plate and let cool.
4. Boil cooking liquid until reduced by about one third. strain and skim fat, reserving 3 cups for gravy
5. In a bowl, beat eggs, cream, pepper, thyme and remaining salt and whisk in flour until smooth.
6. Place bread crumbs on a plate
7. Pat chicken pieces dry, then dip in egg mixture and coat with crumbs.
8. Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
9. In a large pan, heat up oil over medium-high heat
10. Fry chicken pieces in batches turning once until browned – about 4 minutes.
11. Drain on paper towels
12. Serve with cream gravy is desired

Cream Gravy

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoon of bacon drippings or vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup of flour
• 3 cups of reserved stock
• 1/3 cup of whipping or light cream
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In saucepan, heat drippings over medium heat, cook flour until golden brown – about 3 minutes
2. Slowly whisk in stock and bring to boil, stirring constantly
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring until thickened – about 10 minutes
4. stir in milk or cream and return to boil
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Red Cabbage Salad:

Red cabbage makes an excellent coleslaw – the colour and intense flavor makes this salad a very special dish. You can salt the red cabbage before making the salad – it is tougher than green cabbage.

Ingredients:

• 1 small head of red cabbage, shredded
• 1-1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Half of red onion, sliced very thin
• 2 large red apples, julienned
• 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds
• 1/3 cup of cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 6 slices of cooked bacon, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss toss cabbage with salt and let stand, tossing occasionally until softened – about 2 hours.
2. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible
3. Toss with onion, apples and caraway seeds
4. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, oil, sugar and generous 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
5. Mix well and toss with bacon

Sweet and Sour Pickles

These refreshing pickles are easy to make and will be a hit with you family and friends

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb. of pickling cucumbers
• 4 carrots
• 4 inch piece of radish
• 2 fresh or dried hot peppers
• 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 tablespoons of mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 1-1/2 cups of cider vinegar
• 1-3/4 cups of granulated sugar
• 8 teaspoons of salt

Directions:

1. Quarter cucumbers lengthwise
2. Peel carrots and halve crosswise, then quarter legthwise
3. Peel radish and cut lengthwise
4. Pack two 4-cup jars with cucumbers, carrots and radish, add 1 hot pepper and 4 cloves of garlic to each jar
5. In saucepan, toast mustard and coriander seeds, peppercorns and cloves over medium heat until fragrant and mustard seeds begin to pop – about 2-3 minutes
6. Add vinegar and 1 cup of water
7. Bring to boil; add sugar and salt, stirring until dissolved
8. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes
9. Pour enough into jars to cover vegetables
10. let cool and refrigerate for at least 3 days before serving or leave in your fridge for up to 4 weeks

Spicy Grilled Corn on the Cob:

This a quick, easy and delicious recipe -  precooked corn grilled with tasty barbecue sauce will be a hit!

Ingredients:

• Husked, steamed or boiled corn cobs
• Vegetable Oil

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons of chili powder
• 1-12/ tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons of packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon of ketchup
• 1-1/2 tablespoon of cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Mix together chili powder and 3 tablespoons of water – make a paste. Let stand for 10 minutes
2. In a small saucepan, heat chili paste, oil, garlic and cumin until fragrant – 2-3 minutes
3. Stir in sugar, soy sauce, kwtchup, vinegar and 1/3 cup of water – bring to boil
4. Reduce heat and simmer on low until very thick – about 10 minutes
5. Let cool
6. Lightly brush corn cobs with oil; grill over medium heat until lightly charred and heated through – then brush over with sauce
7. Return to grill and cook, turning it for about 1 minute

Green Tomato and Apple Hand Pies

You would not believe just how well green tomatoes taste when combined with apples. If you think the apples are a bit tart, increase sugar when making the filling!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of cold, unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup of cold lard or shortening, cubed
• 1 egg
• Ice water
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons of coarse brown sugar

Filling:

• 1/4 cup of butter
• 3 cups of chopped green tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 6 apples
• 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

1. In food processor, pulse flour and salt.
2. Pulse in butter and lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.
3. Pulse in egg
4. Add 1/2 cup of ice water, mixing until dough holds together when pressed, adding a little more water if necessary
5. Press into a ball and then flatten into disc.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days

Filling:

1. In a skillet, heat half of the butter over medium heat
2. Fry tomatoes and slat until almost tender – 8-10 minutes
3. Scrape into a large bowl
4. Peel and core apples and cut them into about 3/4 inch chunks to make about 5 cups
5. Add remaining butter and sugar to skillet, cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved
6. Add apples, stir well and cook until almost tender – 6-8 minutes
7. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water, stir into apple mixture and cook until thickened
8. Transfer to bowl with tomatoes and mix well – let cool
9. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg
10. Roll out pastry to scant 1/4 inch thick
11. Cut out ten 7-inch rounds, rerolling scraps once.
12. Divide filling almong rounds (you will need about 1/3 cup of filling for each pie)
13. Fold over pastry to make half-moons, moisten edges with water and crimp well with a fork
14. Mix egg yolk with a bit of water and brush over top of pies.
15. Cut vents in each pie
16. Bake on bottom rack at 375F  until golden – about 25 minutes

Hope these recipes will be helpful to you and you will have a wonderful weekend! Please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds of pork spareribs
• Water to cover meat
• 4 teaspoons of pickling spices
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1-1/4 cups of brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons of dry mustard
• 1/2 cup of ketchup
• 1/2 cup of cola (not diet)

Directions:

1. With a sharp knife, separate the rack of spareribs into individual ribs.
2. Arrange in the crockpot.
3. Combine pickling spices, salt, and water.
4. Pour liquid over ribs.
5. Cook until ribs are tender, but meat not separating from the bones, about 6 hours on low setting.
6. Remove ribs from crock-pot, discarding liquid, and arrange in a shallow baking pan.
7. Combine brown sugar and dry mustard, mixing thoroughly.
8. Sprinkle evenly over ribs.
9. Cover pan and refrigerate for 12 hours.
10. Combine ketchup and cola, mixing until smooth.
11. Brush evenly over ribs.
12. Finish ribs on the grill or under the broiler, watching carefully for flare-ups, until browned and warmed through.

For more great recipes using leftovers, check out:

Great Leftover Recipes

Hope you have enjoyed this recipe – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated

Soothe a Jellyfish Sting Fast:

Steadily pour a can of cola overr the affected area. The high acid of the beverage will help to deactivate unfired nematocysts (stingers left by the tentacles) That will prevent further injection of venom into the skin and reduce the severity of symptoms until youa re able to seek medical treatment.

Clean corrosion From Car Battery Terminals:

Harsh cold weather can rust  car battery posts, pouring a can of cola over the terminals will ensure that your car starts right up. After you pour the cola over terminals, let it sit for about 15 minutes, then scrub with a wire brush. To finish, wipe leftover residue with a damp paper towel and tighten the battery cable ends.The fizzing bubbles and acid work together to eat away at the corrosion.

Remove Bloodstains From Clothing:

It is best to do this before the stains set in – pour a generous amount of cola over the spot and let sit for about 5 minutes, then launder as usual. The carbonic acid seeps into the fabric fibres and loosens blood particles so they easily dissolve in the wash.

Pest Proof Your Garden:

Use leftover cola to deter snail and slugs from your garden. Fill wide, shallow jar lids with the cola and place them strategically around your plants. The creepy crawly creatures will be attracted to the sugary scent. And once they slitther into the lid for a sip, the acid content of the cola will poison them.

Keep Drains Running Smoothly:

When you get a drain cleaner from the store, you are not only paying a good dollar for it, it is also containing chemicals (sulfuric acid and lye) that can wear and damage old pipes. A safer, more cost-effective way to reduce clogs is to pour a 2 litre bottle of cola down your drain and let it sit for about an hour. Then run hot water for about 1 minute to flush and repeat this process once a month, As the cola travels through the pipes, the combination of effervescence and phosphoric acid in the it scrubs the residue to prevent blockages.

Make a Great Barbecue Sauce:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of ketchup with 1 cup of cola and stir until thick. You can double this recipe of you need alrger quantity of sauce. Brush onto meat , grill and that’s that.

Give Compost Bin an Instant Boost:

If you compost pile looks like it could use a boost, you can give it a jump start. To speed up the breakdown, give your bin a doze of 1 litre flat cola every two weeks. If you have a small bin, reduce the cola to just a can. the cola will enhance the compost’s acidity while the sugar in the beverage will increase organic matter of the soil.

Erase Smudges From Sunglasses:

Do you have sunglasses that have lenses covered with dirty fingerprints? You can simply pour a few drops of cola onto a paper napkin or towel and wipe the lenses. The citric acid in the cola loosens dirt and grime for spotless, finger-print feww eyewear. Then just go over the lenses with a clean napkin dampeped with water to remove any residue.

Make Skunk Odor Disappear:

It can happen to anyone – your dog decides to chase a cute looking creature with white striped on its back – and you end up with a problem. You can always use the proven tomato juice, but what if you don’t have it on hand? Pour a can of cola directly onto your dog and massage it into the fur. Keep him outside for about 30 minutes to allow the cola’s acids to break down mercaptan (the odor-causing substance). Then shampoo and rinser as usual. Just one word of caution – use this method on darker coat dogs since cola colouring can be hard to get out of lighter animal fur.

Turn Wilted Grass Green Fast:

This happens all the time – kid’s pool left sitting on the lawn or any other object that will result in grass under it to wilt. To help the grass blades bounce back to life, combine a can of cola, cup of ammonia and 1/4 cup of dish soap in a spray bottle. Shake well to blend the ingredients and then thoroughly spray the faded spot. The high level of carbon dioxide give the lawn much needed food and water. Meanwhile, the ammonia enriches soil with nitrogen to promote speedy plant growth and the dish soap softens the soil to allow the roots to absorb the nutrients.

For detailed information about Coca-Cola, visit:

Coca-Cola Website

I hope you have enjoyed this information – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and much appreciated

First – let me tell you a little about Sverre, since I am hoping he will be a regular contributor to my website.

Ever since he was a kid, Sverre’s had a passion for food. In fact, it’s one of his favorite things to eat. After decades of testing, experimenting, and ruining perfectly good pieces of meat, he’s proud to announce that his barbecue sauce has reached perfection.

When he’s not busy cooking, Sverre specializes in Søkemotoroptimalisering, the Norwegian word for search engine optimization promoting both Norwegian and international clients. If you’re not fluent in Norwegian (which I know I’m not!) – you might want to have a look at the English Version of his website.

Without further ado, here is Sverre’s Great Barbecue Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 glass Dijon mustard (200g)

1 bottle of ketchup (500g)

3-5 cloves minced garlic

6-10 tbs honey (warm, so it’s liquid and easily blends)

2 tbs black pepper

2-3 tea sp. curry powder

2-4 tea sp. chili powder

1 shot Cpt Morgan Spiced rum (4cl)

Directions:

Just mix everything together until uniform  – how much easier can this be?

Cooking is a passion

And here are a few notes Sverre sent in:

• Use on pork and chicken
• Be careful with chili – you don’t want to make it too prominent
• I like it pretty spicy, so I tend to use quite a bit of chili
• You could use cognac, brandy or whiskey, but the rum is 38%, so you need to use a bit less of the others not to have the booze overwhelm the other flavours
• The taste that I like to stand out is the sweetness from the honey, sharpness from mustard, hotness from chili
• This sauce has been constantly evolving for the past decade or so
• I used to have lots of herbs and stuff, but I found that this was a much “cleaner” taste
• I typically serve this with a huge baked potato topped with grated cheese,  sour cream and crisp bacon

Hope you enjoy this sauce as much as I did – I used it on ribs just this past weekend and it was fantastic – thank you Sverre!