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Here are some of my personal favorites. You're welcome to submit your own recipes to this site. We'll choose one new recipe submission each month, favoring those which employ "Old Texican" and/or "Chef Mike's" gourmet seasonings. If we publish your recipe, we'll send you a free sample of one of our seasonings. I reckon that's fair.

CHILE
BBQ BOSTON BUTT ROAST
STEAK - Spicy Bleu Cheese Sauce
STEAK - Cilantro Butter Topping
SALSA FRESCA
SONORAN FIRE ROASTED SALSA
RABBIT FRICASSEE
GRILLED PORTABELLO MUSHROOM
SEARED AHI WITH WASABI
GRILLED PINEAPPLE & GARLIC TERIYAKI CHICKEN
VEAL, PORK, OR VENISON TOURNEDOS
ROSEMARY GRILLED AND BASTED POTATOES
ROSEMARY KEBABS
GRILLED GARLIC SALMON TERITAKI
SALMON, FLOUNDER, SOLE, POMPANO, TROUT
BALSAMIC GLAZED TUNA
MAPLE GLAZED GRILLED OR ROASTED SALMON
HEALTHY PEPPERED CHICKEN & SHRIMP JAMBALAYA
CHICKEN WITH CURRIED MARMALADE-MUSTARD GLAZE
HEALTHY FAJITAS
HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE

CHILE

Servings: 6-8 Time: 5 Hrs

Now when you say CHILE, it's real easy to get yourself in a whole lot of trouble. Chile as a dish was originally a pork dish originating in Mexico... and the authentic version is delicious. But as chile moved north into Texas cattle country, chile as we know it today became identified with beef. Other parts of the country have changed it to suit all kinds of tastes (we won't go there), but real honest to goodness chile has a certain simplicity, and yet the flavors can be very complex.

Here's my easy version:

2 pounds flank steak, top round, sirloin, skirt steak.
2 large Texas Sweet Onions, diced
1 16 ounce jar of Texas style salsa (medium)
2 16 ounce cans chopped tomatoes
1 8 ounce can tomato paste (optional)
12 cloves peeled garlic
4 tablespoons chile powder
(You choose the heat. I use mild, so I can use more -
I can always spike it later)
1 tablespoon
OLD TEXICAN TRAIL DUST GRIIL RUB & SEASONING
3 tablespoons
OLD TEXICAN RED RIVER SALSA & CHILE BLEND
1 can Ortega Chiles
2 beers any brand
2 tablespoons olive oil

Dice the onions in med. 1/4 inch pieces, and then dice the garlic. You can do it by hand, but I use one of those salsa maker chopper gadgets you may have seen at fairs and shows. Our store sells 'em. And they work miracles. Hand chop the beef into small 1/2 inch strips, then rub liberally with OLD TEXICAN TRAIL DUST. In a deep stock pot, with a small amount of olive oil, heated on med-high, stir in beef with the onions and garlic and brown together, stirring. If the beef has been cut in the right size, it'll all cook well together. After browning, add the tomatoes, salsa, chile powder, salsa, Ortegas, and beer. stirring slowly but constantly. Then blend in RED RIVER SALSA & CHILE SEASONING. Stir until hot to taste, then cut heat down to simmer, and cover. Stir every few minutes. This pot needs to simmer for several hours. If thicker consistency is desired after several hours, add 1 can tomato paste. (You may also add Masa Flour, a fine ground corn flour, but I don't.) Simmer several additional hours, stirring every few minutes. This makes about a half gallon of chile. (Want FLAMING CHILE? INSTEAD OF TRAIL DUST, RUB THE MEAT WITH TRES DIABLOS INSTEAD! BUT USE RUBBER GLOVES! And then use TRES DIABLOS with the Chile Powder.) Serve with topping of diced raw Texas sweet onions and shredded cheddar, and a side of homemade jalapeno cornbread. Oh yes, you can have that other beer right about now. Now if you want to make this with ground beef and beans, remember that's called "ground beef & beans"... not chile. A special "thank you" to my friend Charlie from just outside of Austin for that clarification for anyone who didn't already know.

BBQ BOSTON BUTT ROAST

Servings: 6-8 Time: 2½-3 Hrs

This is one of the most delicious, yet feared cuts of meat in the BBQ world.

It's the favorite at our house and you don't need a big smoker rig to do it right. First, the Boston Butt is the top shoulder of the hog, and one of the most flavorful cuts. (This is where the term "Eatin' High on the Hog" came from.) It's usually got a big fat layer on top, which we may have to partially trim. Not all however. We want that top fat layer to baste the meat as it cooks. Any good smoker will do, but we use a Cameron's Stovetop Smoker, the same type used by the very best chef's worldwide, also mentioned in Grady Spears' best seller "A Cowboy in the Kitchen" and featured in Chile Pepper Magazine.

1 Boston Butt Roast - 3 -5 pounds.
OLD TEXICAN XXX-HOT ORIGINAL RECIPE
(Chef's Choice)
SWEET FIRE (Sweet & Very HOT - optional)
TRES DIABLOS (Only for the brave - optional)
Apple Juice in a spray bottle.
Favorite BBQ Sauce.
Smoker or Grill/Smoker
Large Stock Pot

You can use OLD TEXICAN ORIGINAL XXX HOT SEASONING AND RUB, SWEET FIRE, OR TRES DIABLOS, depending on how much heat and sweet you want. I use OLD TEXICAN ORIGINAL RECIPE (our biggest award winner). I still use disposable rubber gloves with this blend! Rub all over the meat liberally and massage well into the fibers. Do not marinade. In a deep pot with a little (a few tablespoons) hot olive oil, SEAR the meat on all sides. Prepare the Burton smoker and place meat on rack, fat side up, cover, over medium heat and allow to smoke for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Now, on a traditional rig it may well be double the time. But the Burton Smoker is fast. I still use it outside on a portable gas stove, or the side burner on my barbecue grill. If it's too big for the cover on the smoker to close, I use a foil cover. Allow to set a bit after smoking and then very carefully, with double tongs, transfer the Boston Butt to your grill for some final crusting and basting with your favorite sauce. Be ready for flare-ups. Now you can go from smoker to table, but I like that final 10 -20 minute period on the grill, to define that outside crust layering on top of the original seared crust. At 170 degrees, internal temp., you can slice it and serve, at 185-190, you can shred it. Call our store for more information on the Burton Stove Top Smoker, or click to the store link below. If you have a traditional rig, just let nature take its course, figuring up to six hours, depending on size. You may want to spritz, or spray, apple juice over the surface for an additional caramelization layer. Some folks like to keep the sauce on the side for dipping. Others will baste it on. I'll baste with sauce only at the very end, to build that crust, or bark a little, then use the sauce as a side sauce at the table. Now I do not go for putting BBQ sauce on at the beginning. That's a grilling and BBQing mistake. After placing on serving plate, allow to stand about 15 - 20 minutes before slicing or shredding.

STEAK with Spicy Bleu Cheese Sauce

Servings: 2-4 Time: 45 Min

Your tastebuds will thank you.

Ribeye or Fillet Mignon Steaks
OLD TEXICAN TRAIL DUST GRILL SEASONING & RUB
Olive oil
1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup crumbled Bleu Cheese
1/3 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce

Heat Grill. For indoor grilling, consider a smokeless STOVETOP GRILL. Rub Trail Dust Seasoning into steaks and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Rub Trail Dust in once again, and then brush lightly with a little olive oil. Bunch steaks. (That is using both hands around a steak, press in or "bunch" it - the result will be a plumper steak.) Place carefully on the grill, still bunching the steak. Repeat for additional steaks. While steaks are grilling, make sauce. Combine Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and bleu cheese in a blender, processor, or bowl with a wand mixer. Mix. Pour into a bowl or cup, and wait until steaks are ready to serve. At serving, microwave sauce and ladle over steaks on hot plates. Serve at once.

STEAK with Cilantro Butter Topping

Servings: 2-4 Time: 30 Min

Another steak topping choice is cilantro butter. Your tastebuds will thank you again.

Ribeye or Fillet Mignon Steaks
OLD TEXICAN TRAIL DUST GRILL SEASONING & RUB
Olive oil
1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup crumbled Bleu Cheese
1/3 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 hour prior to meal, soften butter (do not melt) and fold in fresh finely chopped cilantro. Place in plastic wrap and roll a "fat cigar" as round as possible. Freeze and then cut 1/2 inch slices, imediately placing one on each steak. Serve immediately.

SALSA FRESCA

Servings: 4 Time: 30 Min

Great at any party!

1/2 medium onion
2 cloves peeled garlic
1/2 jalapeno chile for milder, 1 whole chile for med-hot
1 serrano chile for med-hot
8 med. Roma tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
1/2 ripe red bell pepper
1/4 lime juice
1 teaspoon or more to taste, OLD TEXICAN RED RIVER
SALSA & CHILE BLEND

You can chop in all by hand, many do. My wife is an expert with the processor pulse switch. That's okay too. But I love that little hand processor Salsa maker. Ours is the K2000 with all kinds of attachments. In any case, chop the garlic and chiles as fine as possible. then chop everything else according to your taste. When all is chopped and blended, add a liberal amount of RED RIVER SALSA & CHILE BLEND.

SONORAN FIRE ROASTED SALSA

Servings: 4 Time: 30 Min
TIME: 30 MINUTES BY HAND - 5 MINUTES WITH A PROCESSOR OR SALSA MAKER

Same as Salsa Fresca above, but the onions, tomatoes, chiles and bell peppers, even the garlic (in foil) all go on the grill at once.

1/2 medium onion
2 cloves peeled garlic
1/2 jalapeno chile for milder, 1 whole chile for med-hot
1 serrano chile for med-hot
8 med. Roma tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
1/2 ripe red bell pepper
1/4 lime juice
1 teaspoon or more to taste, OLD TEXICAN RED RIVER
SALSA & CHILE BLEND

Roast everything. No need to peel. Just blend it all, adding cilantro, seasoning and lime juice. Wait 'till you taste it! Food processor or salsa maker (K-2000, Quick Chopper, etc.) is necessary.

RABBIT FRICASSEE

Servings: 6-8 Time: 1½-2 hr

(Now, for you less adventurous folks, you can do this one with Chicken as well.)

1 4 pound rabbit, cut into pieces
½ cup flour
1 cup butter
1 can low salt chicken stock
1 tablespoon vinegar
About 6 minced garlic cloves
1 large minced onion
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons Chef Mike’s New Orleans Style Chef’s
Blend Seasoning

Mix flour and spice blend in a plastic bag, and the pieces of rabbit, one at a time, close bag and shake until covered, repeating until all the rabbit is covered. Melt the butter in a deep skillet, and fry rabbit until golden brown. Add the garlic and onion, and stock, cover and reduce heat to simmer, cook for about one hour. Remove meat. Add a bit of flour and whisk in to thicken sauce, turning up the heat to brown the sauce into a light roux. Add meat back in and serve over long grain white rice. Give a dash of Chef Mike’s New Orleans Style Chef Blend Seasoning at the finish.

GRILLED PORTABELLO MUSHROOM, with remoulade sauce

An appetizer or light main course for two. The Portabello is the steak of mushrooms, indeed it tastes very much like a steak.

2-4 large whole Portabello mushrooms. Trim stems.

Marinate for ½ - 1 hour with “Easy Classic Steak Marinate.”

EASY CLASSIC STEAK MARINATE

½ cup quality Italian salad dressing, such as Newman’s or Bernstein’s (preferably a brand that uses real flavorings, olive oil, spices, and Balsamic vinegar).
½ cup dry red wine (NOT COOKING WINE –YECCCCH!- A WINE THAT WOU WOULD SERVE).

Mix. Taste. Add salt, pepper, and garlic to your taste, and if desired.

Why a salad dressing? Because this will have all the ingredients I’d have to put together one at a time. And the effect will be the same. Tutto bene.

Pre-heat the grill. Either use water in the ring or the marinate itself. Place marinated mushrooms on the grill. Allow to sear approx. FIVE MINUTES each side. Cover if you wish. Serve immediately on hot appetizer plate, with heated remoulade sauce ladled around and/or over as desired.

REMOULADE SAUCE

1 cup mayonnaise (low fat ok)
1 egg (hard boiled and finely chopped)
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. anchovy paste
2 tsp. small capers
1 tsp. chopped tarragon leaves
1 tsp. minced garlic

Add mayonnaise to mixing bowl, stir in egg. Stir in remaining ingredients, stirring until anchovy paste disappears. Heat for approx. 30 seconds to 1 minute in microwave, but not too hot! Just warmed.

Garnish the dish with a few parsley sprigs.

You can also try a Knorr-Swiss Bernaise sauce, or Peppercorn Brown Sauce. Or even plain, with a little cracked pepper and Kosher salt. Better still, try my own Old Texican Trail Dust Grill Rub & Seasoning, or my Chef Mike’s New Orleans blend…Excellent! (The other night, we grilled sliced red onion & slivered garlic with the mushrooms).

SEARED AHI WITH WASABI

Appetizer & great for parties or special occasions. Prepare a wasabi & sour cream sauce. I prefer using plain yogurt as a sour cream substitute as it contains less than half the calories. For you folks who don’t know, wasabi is that Japanese green horseradish/hot mustard paste used with sushi that gives a tremendous tingling all the way to the back of our heads. Wow. But used sparingly, it has a remarkable flavor, especially with seafood.

½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
wasabi powder to taste (this will have a kick no matter what)
fresh cilantro garnish
lemon wedge if desired
1 6-8 once AHI TUNA fillet, cut as thick as possible. Should be fresh for best taste.

Sear on both sides. Total time should be about ten minutes. The restaurant method for this recipe is to sear both sides well but leave the flesh reddish-raw in the middle. When ready to serve, shift immediately to cutting board and thin slice with a long carving knife, much the same as a flank steak or London broil. Fan out the slices on a warm plate, with a dallop of our dipping sauce at the center bottom of the dish. Garnish & serve. Wait for the oohs and aahhs.

This is a simple dish, but beautiful in its presentation and just as delicious.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE & GARLIC TERIYAKI CHICKEN

I prefer to use boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs, but this can be used with wings and drumsticks as well. I also like a lot of garlic. Use a store-bought teriyaki sauce, or teriyaki marinade (remember I try to cook the easy way) of your choice. Then sliver some garlic, as needed, and pierce the chicken. Plug the garlic spears into the chicken and then marinate overnight in the teriyaki sauce. Prior to grilling, cut a fresh ripe pineapple into good-sized grilling chunks, or use canned chunks, and marinate separately in teriyaki sauce.

You may want to treat the grill with PAM or a light vegetable oil rubbing, since teriyaki sauce has sugars that may stick.

Load up the marinated chicken on the hot grill. You may use the sauce from the pineapple marinate, diluted with either water or pineapple juice, in the drip-ring. Place pineapple chunks on grill after the meat has been turned. If desired you may toss on some whole garlic cloves to grill with the chicken and pineapple. About twenty minutes, less on boneless and skinless breasts. Serve over rice.

VEAL, PORK, OR VENISON TOURNEDOS, with port wine and raspberry sauce

Medallions cut from the tenderloin and served with a sauce that we first will use as an overnight marinade. You may use this recipe with other cuts as well. Also, because of the unique tastes of the three meats here, I’ve chosen to use a stronger wine, a fortified wine, whose sugars and rich flavors will go beyond a simple table red. And the higher alcohol in port will do much to tenderize the meat, especially the venison. P.S. Venison, if prepared properly, tastes wonderful.

1 pound venison, veal, or pork tenderloin medallions, cut ½ - 1 inch thick.
2 cups of a good tawny Port wine. Take a sip to make sure it’s drinkable. (That’s the excuse I use). By this time you might have about a cup and a half, which is fine.
1 container, frozen raspberries in syrup. Thaw and puree in a processor or blender. (Afterwards, if so inclined, you may wish to run this puree through a sieve to extract the seeds, which is what a chef would do. Otherwise, puree as fine as possible.)
4 tbsp. Old Texican Trail Dust Grill Rub.

Mix all of the ingredients, pour into a large zip-lock plastic freezer bag, place medallions inside, seal airtight and place in a shallow bowl, turning a few times during the total marinating. Make sure you marinate for about 2 hours, plenty of time for the wine, sugars, and spices, to flavor and tenderize (and some may want to go overnight with game meats…your call).

For this meal I will use a small saucepan, rubbed lightly with oil or sprayed with PAM, and two stove-top grills. If you only have one grill, then get a saute’ pan or skillet ready.

Get the grill hot. In the ring I would recommend water only, since we’ve got so much flavor coming from the marinade. While the grill is heating a few minutes, pour the marinade from the bag into the saucepan. Now that the #1 grill is hot, place the medallions on the grill and sear.
As we grill, bring the wine and raspberry marinade to a full boil in the saucepan. Then, for a thickening, a few pinches of arrowroot. (Arrowroot acts a lot like corn or potato starch but does not get as thick. Also, it maintains translucence in a sauce.) Be warned that any starch may clump. I like to use a small amount of hot water and whisk it in before adding to my sauce, and whisk the entire sauce until absorbed and thickening begins. Flip the medallions when searing on the bottom side is obvious. (Be watchful not to overcook, slightly rare in the middle on venison is desired. Thoroughly but not overdone on the pork tenderloin, and medium on the veal.)

On another grill, this one sprayed or rubbed, I’ll grill some young asparagus spears with whole cloves of garlic. If you don’t have another grill, use a saute’ pan or skillet.

Place the medallions on a hot plate, with garlic and asparagus spears as a side dish. Pour wonderfully thickened raspberry & port wine sauce over the meat. Serve.

ROSEMARY GRILLED AND BASTED POTATOES

For this recipe, we use our ovens and a simple baking dish. But first, par-boil about two pounds of new red potatoes, after making sure they’ve been well scrubbed and washed. Place about a tbsp. salt and I like a little white pepper in the water as well. Lower the heat and cook about ten minutes or until the potatoes are soft all the way through. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, after which time they can be refrigerated for several days prior to serving.

BASTING MIXTURE:

1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4tbsp. Chef Mike’s Tuscany Chef’s Blend
Mix all ingredients well
20-24 woody/firm rosemary sprigs, 3 – 4 inches long

When ready to roast & serve, bring potatoes out and let warm to room temperature. Okay to nuke ‘em lightly in the microwave if you’re in a hurry. Pierce each potato with a firm rosemary sprig.

Place potatoes on a lightly oiled or sprayed baking dish, or cookie tray. Brush on basting mixture, each potato, until mixture is used up. In the oven, middle rack at a preheated 350 degrees, for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Great compliment to any grilled, broiled, or roasted meats.

ROSEMARY KEBABS, with lamb, chicken, or beef

A delicious twist on simple kebabs is to pierce the meat cubes and vegetables with a skewer to create a hole, but then carefully drive a firm rosemary sprig all the way through and taste the difference as the rosemary flavor cooks from the inside-out. Figure about 10-20 minutes. On red meats, try the classic marinade listed earlier before grilling. Seafood kebabs are easy and fast as well. Dust with Chef Mike’s Tuscany Chef’s blend.

GRILLED GARLIC SALMON TERITAKI

Like the chicken teriyaki, use salmon and cook almost the same. Marinate first with minced garlic and teriyaki sauce, and I often use a few drops of liquid smoke or ¼ cup of hickory or mesquite flavored BBQ sauce in the mix as well. Add 3-4 minced garlic cloves and marinate for about ½-1 hour before grilling. On Salmon and all fish fillets, marinate skin side up and cook skin side down, if the skin is still on. Figure 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness of larger cuts, but DO NOT OVER COOK!

SALMON, FLOUNDER, SOLE, POMPANO, TROUT, baked in foil pouch with lump crabmeat

At several fine restaurants, Sydney’s in Atlanta (unfortunately no longer in business) and world famous Antoine’s of New Orleans, I was lucky enough to sample fish fillets, cooked in either a foil or paper bag/pouch and stuffed with crabmeat and seasonings. The results are stunning. Here’s a simple version. Emeril Lagasse has a great twist on this recipe in one of his books also.

If the fish is a thin cut fillet, stuffing is not possible, so place the seasoned crabmeat on top of the fillet and close the foil around it. If the fillet is thick enough, carefully cut a pocket in the middle and stuff, as well as placing the crabmeat on top, then closing the pouch. And third, you could take two thin fillets, one on the bottom, stuffing between, and on fillet on top.

Use about a 12-16 inch length of foil for each fillet.

2 fillets, skin and bones removed.
2 tbsp. olive oil/1 tbsp. olive oil for each fillet foil sheet.
or use Pam olive oil spray. Okay, even butter!
2 tbsp. finely diced shallots
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
8 ounces lump crabmeat (or split 50/50 with cooked bay shrimp)
4 ounce can of diced mushrooms, stems/pieces ok (optional)
2 tsp. small capers
2 tbsp. Grated Parmesan cheese
Juice from ¼ medium lemon
3 ounces dry white table wine
3tsp. Chef Mike’s New Orleans Style Chef’s Blend

On the foil sheets, lightly sprinkle or spray olive oil, but no need to oil close to the edges. Mix crabmeat with capers, shallots, garlic, cheese and lemon juice, and a splash of wine. Rub fillets with herb & pepper combination on both sides. Stuff fillets and/or place a small mound of crabmeat mixture on top. Carefully place fillets in the center of each foil sheet. Split remainder of white wine, about an ounce for each fillet, in each pouch for moisture. Draw up the sides of the foil and crimp shut, allowing a small amount of room for the steam inside.

Place on a flat sheet pan and bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the fillets. When you open the foil bags, there will be steam.
While the dish is baking, prepare grilled summer squash and zucchini slices or julienne strips on the grill, seasoned to taste. Also nice is a side dish of rice pilaf. Use caution transferring from pouch to plate. If you use parchment paper, just put that on the plate, and let your guests ooh and ah when opening it themselves. If you’d like to try this twist, try adding your vegetables in the bag, on the bottom and let all the flavors cook together!

BALSAMIC GLAZED TUNA

Spray the grill with Pam olive oil spray, for a hint of nice flavor.

1 ¼ tsp. coarse black pepper
¼ tsp. salt
4 (6 ounce) tuna steaks (about ¾ inch thick)
¼ cup fat-free lower sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 tsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
½ tsp. cornstarch
¼ cup diagonally sliced green onions

Get the grill hot. Sprinkle pepper and salt over fish and place on grill. Cook 3 to 5 minutes each side, until medium rare or desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat and keep warm.

In a small pan, combine broth, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and cornstarch, mixing well. Bring to a boil, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon glaze over fish and top with cut green onions.

MAPLE GLAZED GRILLED OR ROASTED SALMON (can also be used with Trout)

¼ cup grated peeled fresh ginger
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup maple syrup
1 (2-2 ½ pound) Salmon Fillet (If using stove-top grill you may have to cut to fit)
6 shallots halved lengthwise
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. maple syrup
chopped fresh parsley about 2 tbsp.

Combine first three ingredients in bottom of a large platter for marinating fish. Marinate fish skin side up in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Remove fish from marinade, pat dry with paper towel, set aside.

Spray the grill with Pam and pre heat. Place shallots and fish on grill, the fish skin side down, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Brush fish with 1 tbsp. maple syrup and cover. Let grill for about ten minutes under cover. Then brush once more with 1 tbsp. maple syrup. If fish is not quite done, allow to grill for a few more minutes but do not overcook. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving. This recipe can serve four.

HEALTHY PEPPERED CHICKEN & SHRIMP JAMBALAYA

(Okay, this isn’t for the grill...but it’s fast, fun and tastes great.)

1 tsbp. Olive oil
1 pound skinned, boneless chicken breast or turkey, diced
½ pound turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 ½ cups finely chopped onion (Do you own a Quick Chopper yet?)
½ cup diced green bell pepper
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 ½ cups uncooked long grain white rice (brown is ok as well)
2 tablespoons Chef Mike’s New Orleans Style Chef’s
Blend Seasoning
1 cup water
2 (16 ounce) cans fat free low sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
½ pound medium peeled, deveined shrimp
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce (MORE IF YOU LIKE IT HOTTER, which we do.)
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot with cover nearby over med. heat. Add chicken, onion, peppers and saute’ 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add rice and stir constantly, saute’ 2 minutes, add thyme, black pepper, red pepper, saute’ 1 minute. Add water, tomatoes, and broth and bring it all to a full boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low-medium and simmer 15 minutes. Add shrimp and hot sauce, cover and cook 5-10 more minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley. Serves 4-6.

CHICKEN WITH CURRIED MARMALADE-MUSTARD GLAZE (OK WITH DUCK!)

Glaze:

1 cup Dijon Mustard
½ cup Orange Marmalade
½ cup any commercial/gourmet pepper jelly
¼ cup honey
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Stir together all items and simmer, cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool and place in a sealed container – okay to ref. for between 1 and 2 weeks - Microwave to room temp. before using.

2 pounds cut chicken for grilling, breasts, thighs, leg quarters, wings “drummettes” all work well.
In a bowl or pan, coat the chicken with one quarter to half the glaze. Allow to marinate, turning once or twice, and in refrigerator, for about an hour. Get grill hot. Lightly salt chicken to taste. Arrange chicken on hot grill, meaty side down, and cook, covered, for about 10 – 15 minutes. Flip when well browned and brush on glaze once more. Cover and cook about 5 – 10 minutes more. (Remember boneless breasts will cook faster and we prefer to use skinless chicken as well.)

HEALTHY FAJITAS

½ pound of boneless turkey breast, or chicken breast, cut into strips.
1 medium sweet onion, quartered and separated into strips
1 med. red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 med. green bell pepper cut into strips
Cut fresh garlic as desired
Liberally dash in Old Texican Red River seasoning blend (to taste)
Sour cream/plain yogurt
Guacamole dip
Pico de gallo (diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, squeeze of lime, diced chile pepper if desired)
Flour or corn tortillas (heated)

Mix seasonings with the turkey strips. Spray grill with pan or very lightly oil. When the grill is hot, place turkey strips on grill. About half way through the grilling, add pepper & onion. Grill until done, figuring about 10-12 minutes. Serve with Guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo, and with hot tortillas. Serves 2-4. Fast and easy. Cover optional. You can also use beef strips, or a combination of seafood with this recipe. It all works!!!

Personal note: I personally love using my New Orleans Style Chef’s Blend with all seafood on the stovetop grill! And here’s another trick with that blend: When you fry and use flour for dredging, mix the seasoning right into the flour for amazing Southern flavor! Either grilled or fried, it’s fast and easy to get great flavor with Chef Mike’s and Old Texican seasonings and rubs.

HABANERO LIME CHEESECAKE

This recipe was sent by Virginia Jensen, and it is fantastic!

Crust:

1½ cups wheat meal biscuits (or about 26 graham cracker squares) ground to crumbs
Pinch Salt
1/3 cup melted butter

Mix crumbs and salt together, add butter, stir to mix well and then set aside ¼ for topping. Press the rest into the bottom and sides of a well greased spring-form 9 inch pan.

Filling:

3 habanero peppers
1 cup sugar
24 ounces cream cheese (HEY, DID I EVER SAY THIS WAS A DIET RECIPE!?!?!)
Pinch Salt
4 Eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lime, zested
2 limes, juiced
1 lime sliced thinly for garnish
1 whole habanero for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Position top rack in the center of oven. Place a baking pan on the rack below this. Boil a medium sauce pan of water.

Now this is where is can get wild, and difficult. You may want to do this outside over the grill flame, or roast with a gas lighter or small torch. Place three habaneros on skewer and roast. Then, wear rubber gloves to peel, then mash with a little sugar until a paste. (Yeah, right. Have you ever gotten habanero chile on your hands and touched any part of your body!?) OR, try Chef Mike’s easy way: Forget the fresh habs and use a little dry habanero powder (we sell it here!) about half a teaspoon, more or less depending on your audience.

Cream the cream cheese, add the sugar, salt, beat in the eggs 1 at a time, add the cream and blend. Beat in the zest, and lime juice. Sprinkle in the Habanero powder and beat until well mixed. Pour into crust, gently tapping the pan to level the filling. Sprinkle the remainder filling on top. Now pour the boiling water into that baking pan on the lower rack carefully. Place the cheesecake on the rack above. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until the cheesecake pulls away from the edges of the pan. Carefully remove from oven and let stand about 20 minutes.

Wrap and keep in refrigerator overnight or if in a hurry you may place in the freezer for 2 – 3 hours. Garnish as desired. Prep Time: About 30 minutes. Cook Time: About 1 hour

Yield: 8 – 16 servings, depending on heat tolerance.

Specialty Gourmet Cookware

Call 877-211-5536 for information on the Burton/Athena Stove Top Smoker, the Quick Chopper K-2000 & Kitchen Miracle, our commercial quality Chef Cuisine indoor smokeless Stovetop Grill, and for other unique specialty gourmet products, visit our new retail store.

“My mother’s menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it.”
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How to BBQ on a Weber!

Please click on the
photo to enlarge

Adapted from an article in the Portland, ME Times Record. The Moose and Lobster Preservation Society, winners of "Best Ribs in New England" at the KCBS sanctioned Pig and Pepper 1996 competition in Carlisle, MA, describe their technique for slow-cooking ribs on a Weber kettle style grill.

Buy one or more whole racks of ribs (end-on or "St. Louis Style" -- ask your butcher) and coat lightly with olive or vegetable oil using your hand or a brush. Sprinkle lots of "rub" on both sides and ends, patting and slapping it firmly into place. Surface of meat should be completely covered with a layer of rub. Wrap each rib in two layers of plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours.

Bank a small amount of coals on one side of the grill and let smoker warm up for 20-30 minutes. Stick a meat thermometer in the top or side of the grill (you may need to drill a hole), and work the fire to stabilize the temperature around 200-300 degrees. Hotter fires will significantly shorten cooking times and not allow slow-cooking of the meat.

Soak hickory, mesquite, cherry, apple or other wood chips in a bowl of water for 20 minutes or more, and sprinkle small amounts on the coals every 20-30 minutes or as often as desired.

Optional: Partially fill a small disposable aluminum pan with water and place at the bottom of the Weber or partially over the coals. Fill as necessary during the cooking process.

Place ribs away from the heat source, on the side opposite the banked coals. If you have two or more racks of ribs, use a 'rib rack' purchased at your local hardware store for $10 to help stand the rib racks on their side next to each other. Place rib racks thick side up/bone-end down, so the small ends stay moist.

That's it! Sit back for 4 to 6 hours, watch the smoke rise, and drink your favorite beverage. Don't forget to add soaked wood chips every so often, and keep the water pan half full. You may want to turn the meat in-place to give each rib end or side equal time nearest the heat source. If you're curious whether the ribs are done, try cutting one off and eating it (cook's privilege). The meat should be pink around the edges (called a 'smoke ring'), pull cleanly from the bone and taste nice and smoky.

Before serving or for the last 10 minutes of cooking, lightly brush each rack with your homemade barbecue sauce. Cut between each rib, brush again with sauce if desired, and serve. Make sure you save a few ribs for yourself -- they'll go quickly! You're now a real, slow cookin', wood smokin' barbecue chef.

John 3:16

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