Griff's Boston Honey-Mustard Cod

The very first colonial industry in America was groundfishing; that is, catching fish that swim close to the bottom. In fact for over 400 years, groundfishing has been a prominent part of both the economy and the culture of New England. Bottom-dwellers caught by groundfishing include cod, haddock, redfish and flounder.

Here is a tasty and easy to fix cod recipe that has some really interesting layers of flavor. Other whitefish may be substituted for cod.

Ingredients:

4 cod fillets (approximately 6 oz. each)
1 cup honey mustard salad dressing
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed potato chips
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with no-sick spray. In a bowl or deep dish, marinate the fish filets in the honey mustard dressing. In another bowl, thoroughly mix the shredded cheese and the crushed potato chips together. Place the marinated fish on the baking sheet and sprinkle the pepper and garlic powder on top of fillets. Then top with the cheese/chip mixture. Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

“New England has a harsh climate, a barren soil, a rough and stormy coast, and yet we love it, even with a love passing that of dwellers in more favored regions."
--Henry Cabot Lodge

Griff's Chip-Chopped Ham Sandwiches

I lived in Pittsburgh for 10 years and a favorite lunch and picnic food in Western Pennsylvania is "chip-chopped" ham a.k.a. "Pittsburgh style" ham. Chopped ham is a mixture of ham chunks, trimmings and seasonings, ground together and pressed into loaves. We can get it at the grocery store deli here in Arizona, so I assume it is available in many places. Chip-chopped ham is ham that is sliced razor thin on a commercial meat slicer at the deli. Isaly's in Pittsburgh made chip-chopped ham famous.

Chip-chopped ham is most often prepared with a BBQ sauce type mixture, often including Pepsi or Coca-Cola, and served on sandwich rolls or hamburger buns. After being away from Pittsburgh for almost 30 years, I decided it was high time to cook up some chipped-chopped ham sandwiches. It took a bit of time for the lady at the grocery store deli to slice the meat so thin, but this is what gives chip-chopped ham its unique character. Here's my recipe...

Ingredients:

2 lb. chip-chopped ham
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 cup Coca-Cola
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
12 (approx.) hamburger buns or sandwich rolls

Instructions:

In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the garlic, chopped onion and bell pepper (being careful not to overcook. Add the chip-chopped ham and cook slowly, stirring often until the pieces of ham are well separated and the onions and peppers are thoroughly mixed in with the ham. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve on your favorite sandwich rolls or hamburger buns. Makes about 10 to 14 servings.

Griff's Creole Stuffed Bell Peppers

Those of you who have received my recipes for any length of time know that I love to cook from scratch. I even mix my own spice mixes and meat rubs, instead of buying the pre-mixed ones (I save a lot of money doing that, too!). However, there is another side of me that likes to put together something once in awhile that is quick and easy. Yes, sometimes I like to put together a "Rachael Ray" type meal--something that has layers and layers of flavor, but does not require hours and hours of prep time. Awhile back I thought it would be great to substitute Zatarain's® jambalaya mix for plain white rice in a stuffed pepper recipe. This idea developed it into what I would have to say is one of the best recipes I've ever come up with! Here it is:

Ingredients:

8 to 10 green bell peppers
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. ground sausage (mild Italian is good)
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 (8 oz.) package Zatarain's® New Orleans Style Jambalaya Mix
1 cup ketchup
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. Louisiana hot pepper sauce
1/4 tsp. celery salt

Instructions:

Cut the tops off the green peppers and remove seeds and membranes from peppers. Chop from the edges of the tops of the peppers until you have 1 cup of chopped pepper. In a large saucepan or skillet, heat the canola oil. Add the sausage and ground beef and break up thoroughly while browning (and mix together well). When the meat is fairly well browned, add the chopped pepper, onion and celery. Keep stirring over medium heat until veggies start to become tender. Add 2.5 cups of water and the Zatarain's® jambalaya mix. Keep stirring. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand. Refrigerate this mixture a few hours before stuffing peppers. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set the peppers in large casserole and/or a deep baking dish (or dishes). With a spoon, fill each pepper with the jambalaya mixture. Pack down the mixture pretty well and fill so that mixture is level
with the top edge of each pepper. (Depending on the size of the bell peppers, the mixture should fill 8 to 10 peppers.) In a 2-cup measuring cup or a bowl, thoroughly mix the ketchup, the tomato sauce, the pepper sauce and the celery salt. Scoop this mixture equally over the top of the mixture in the peppers. Cover (aluminum foil makes a fine cover) and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. These peppers taste great served with a side salad and French rolls!

Five Star Indian Recipes

Here are the best Indian recipes compiled by award winning five-star chefs of India! Five Star Indian Recipes is a collection of over 1000 delicious Indian recipes, beautifully arranged, and covering every kind of Indian cooking. This instantly downloadable ebook gives you detailed step-by-step instructions, showing you how the Indian chefs prepare their mouth watering presentations. For all the details:
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Griff's American Grilled Ribs

Here is a recipe I created after doing a lot of research. I wanted to produce ribs which were tender, with a great dry rub and a tangy barbeque sauce. I wanted layer upon layer of flavor. I wanted an outdoor barbeque flavor, but something I could do in the oven and just finish on the grill. I put it to the test, and it passed with flying colors! This recipe will require a bit more work than many of my recipes, because there are three separate things going on: the dry rub, the braising liquid and the barbeque sauce. But you won't need a fancy smoker--just your oven and a grill (preferably a charcoal grill). And you can even skip the grill part if you want and just finish them in the oven. I think you'll be pleased with the fruit of your labor!

Ingredients:

3 slabs (or about 8.5 lb.) pork back (or baby back) ribs
5 tbsp. Griff's American Dry Rub (see below)
1 (12 oz.) bottle beer
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
6 tbsp. brown sugar
1 batch Griff's American Lemon BBQ Sauce (see below)

Instructions:

Place each slab of ribs on its own sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil (shiny side down). Make sure there is enough foil in each sheet to completely wrap around each slab. Sprinkle each slab on both sides with Griff's American Dry Rub (about 1 tbsp. per slab). Rub into the meat and wrap the foil over top of meat and fold the end pieces of foil over the top of each slab. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.

In a medium bowl, mix the beer, the soy sauce, the brown sugar and the mixed garlic together well. This will be the braising liquid. Cover and refrigerate until using. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put the braising liquid into a microwaveable dish and heat in microwave oven on high for one minute. Take one of the slabs out of the refrigerator and place (while still wrapped in foil) on yet another large piece of foil (large enough to completely wrap around the slab). Make sure the foil that covers the slab is crimped tight on the top, and open up an end. Pour 1/3 of your braising liquid in the end, and holding that end up a bit, gently rock and turn the slab so that the braising liquid swishes all around it. (I learned that trick from Alton Brown!) Fold the end back up over the top of the slab. Fold the second sheet of foil up over the slab like you did with the first to assure that there will be no leaks. Repeat the procedure with the other slabs. Place the slabs directly on oven rack and braise for 3 hours.

Now you can prepare Griff's American Lemon BBQ Sauce according to the instructions below. If you're using a charcoal grill to finish (and I hope you are), get the fire going about a half hour before the three hours of braising is finished. Remove the ribs from the oven and let stand a few minutes. Then with gloves to protect your hands from heat, remove the slabs from the foil and place on hot grill. Sprinkle the top of each slab with about 1 tsp. of Griff's American Dry Rub. With a basting brush, paint on a generous amount of the lemon bbq sauce. Grill for only a few minutes until the surface of the ribs get a bit crispy and the edges darken. Flip and repeat the dry rub, bbq sauce and grilling procedure. Remove from grill, put on platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to stand at room temperature about 10 minutes before eating. Serves from four to six.

Griff's American Dry Rub

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. Lawry's® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1 tsp. rubbed sage
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Mix these ingredients together in a small bowl. Save in an empty spice container and rub and/or sprinkle on anything you grill!

Griff's American Lemon BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce

Instructions:

Mix these ingredients together in a small saucepan and slowly bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens a bit. Remove from heat and let stand.

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Griff's "Killianized" Steak

I've been grilling just about every week during the summer as the grocery stores have been running some excellent sales on rib eye and some other cuts. I've really become fond of steaks marinated with beer as one of the marinade ingredients. Different kinds of beer add some truly interesting layers of flavor to steaks on the grill. Here is a recent number I put together using George Killian's® Irish Red beer...

Ingredients:

4 rib eye steaks
1 (12 oz.) bottle George Killian's® Irish Red beer
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

Instructions:

Tenderize steaks by piercing repeatedly with a fork. Combine all other ingredients in a a large measuring cup and mix thoroughly with a spoon. Place steaks in a large food storage bag placed in a large bowl. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal and refrigerate for at least two hours, turning the steaks several times. Grill steaks to preference.

Competition BBQ Secrets

Bill Anderson's Chatham Artillary BBQ Team team recently took 1st place in chicken, 2nd place in ribs, and 2nd place in pork in the Barnsville, GA BBQ & Blues Festival (a FBA sanctioned event). They also were the Reserve Grand Champion (2nd place overall), winning a total of 4 trophies and $1300 in prize money.

Bill has put together the recipes and techniques he competes with into a best-selling ebook, Competition BBQ Secrets. I purchased a copy of this last year and I use it as a reference book. Bill says, "What we don't give you is a bunch of useless barbecue sauce and rub recipes that are in other books just to make the book 'look' bigger. Don't get me wrong... we do give you exact details on the barbecue recipes we use for chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket. These are the exact barbecue recipes we use in the contests. Why would we give you 50 pages of untested sauce, rub, and marinade recipes and let you pick which "loser" to use in a contest? Our barbecue recipes are 'tried and true.' One book we bought wasted the whole first chapter on the definition of 'barbecue' and where the word barbecue originated from. If you want a history lesson, do not buy our book! Your time is valuable and we're not going to waste it with a whole lot of useless 'filler' to create a book with a lot of useless pages. This is done by others to make it 'seem' like your are getting your money's worth. We provide all you need to know in a short but sweet 62 pages." For more details on the instantly downloadable ebook, Competition BBQ Secrets...
Click Here!

Griff's Lean Louisiana Scrambled Eggs

I'm pleased to announce that since last August, I've lost 30 lbs. and have managed to keep it off. Nothing crazy, I just work out with a reasonable exercise program three to five times a week and watch the calories during the week, cutting myself some slack on the weekends. A good breakfast is essential to a healthy diet and here is one of my favorite breakfasts. I created this recipe to turn Egg Beaters into something I could really look forward to in the morning. I use a milder Louisiana hot sauce--if you use a really hot sauce, like Tabasco sauce, you'll want to use less! This actually a double serving, but I eat it all without a guilty conscience, because the whole thing is only 100 calories!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or the equivalent)
1 tsp. canola oil
2 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
1/8 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1/8 tsp. celery salt

Instructions:

In a measuring cup, pour the Egg Beaters to the 1/2 cup mark. Add the hot sauce, the seasoned pepper and the celery salt and mix thoroughly with a spoon. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-hot temperature. When the oil is nice and hot, add the egg mixture and scramble with a spoon to desired consistency.

By the way, concerning my diet, I have found authentic Chinese cooking to be of great help because so much of it is low-fat and low-carb, but it is not low on taste and filling you up! Here's a great resource from a Chinese master chef with over 40 years experience:
Click Here!

Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria

Do you dream of a heavenly slice of New York style pizza--with golden brown crust baked to perfection, crisp outside, chewy inside--topped with a secret blend of zesty tomato sauce, brimming with flavorful melted cheeses and your favorite toppings? Don't head for New York City--Get a copy of Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria. You'll get an instantly downloadable ebook, PLUS a one hour and 20 minute DVD video demonstration that covers everything in the book! By learning the secrets of the best pizzerias, the best pizzeria in town will be your own kitchen. Are you saying, "my kitchen?" Yes, you can outshine your favorite pizzeria in your own home kitchen with to-die-for pizzas any day of the week. Your spouse, children, and friends will take one bite and know they're in Pizza Heaven. For more details:
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Joey Chestnut Remains Top Dog at Nathan's; Griff's Coney Island Sauce

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July, celebrating the independence of this great nation, the Unites States of America. I thank the Lord for the great principles of freedom our nation was founded on!

Nathan's of Coney Island is a great American institution and so is Nathan's annual July 4th hot dog eating contest, ever since Nathan's opened in 1916. As you may know, in yesterday's 93rd annual contest, six-time Japanese champion Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi and defending American champion Joey Chestnut, were tied with 59 hot dogs eaten after the new ten-minute time limit, but Chesnut held onto the title by winning a five-dog "eat off". It looks like the mustard colored Nathan's championship belt stays in the good old USA, at least for another year!

Though formerly an Island, Coney Island is a peninsula located in south Brooklyn, NYC. Famous for its beach on the Atlantic, Coney Island once hosted a major resort. It was also well known for its amusement parks, and of course, for Nathan's. The area reached its zenith of popularity in the early 1900’s.

A “Coney Island hot dog” is widely understood to be a hot dog with “Coney sauce” (This sauce is not used in the contest mentioned above), usually a kind of chili without beans. In reality, Coney sauce did not originate on Coney Island but is thought to have been invented in Michigan. Here is a recipe I developed a couple of years ago, taking what seemed to me to be the best of the ingredients from a number of Coney sauce recipes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tsp. paprika (Hungarian paprika preferred)
2 tsp. chili powder

Instructions:

Sauté the onions and garlic, add the ground beef, cook until brown, drain off excess grease. Combine all of the other ingredients and mix well. Add mixture to the ground beef mixture. Stir well and heat. Let simmer for at least an hour.

Copy Cat Cookbook: The Best of the Best Restaurant Recipes!

"My husband and I went to Red Lobster mainly for the cheddar biscuits and clam chowder. Since I bought your book, we've been able to cook both of these at home, whenever we want." That's what Jessica had to say from Clearwater Beach, Florida. The Secrets behind the recipes of Red Lobster and many other great restaurants are the subject of the instantly downloadable ebook entitled Copy Cat Cookbook. Here is a list of the Red Lobster recipes:

Red Lobster Bisquick Rolls (Cut Down)
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Red Lobster Brushetta
Red lobsters' Bahama Mama drink
Red Lobster Boston Tea
Red Lobster Deep-Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies
Red Lobster Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon
Red Lobster Fried Shrimp
Red Lobster Grouper Siciliano
Red Lobster Grouper Summer Seviche
Red Lobster Oriental Scallop Salad
Red Lobster Rock Shrimp Creole
Red Lobster Seafood Chili
Red Lobster Shrimp Quiche
Red Lobster Shrimp Salad
Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
Red Lobster`s Crab Au Gratin
Red Lobster`s Lobster Chops
Red Lobster`s Roasted Maine Lobster with Crabmeat Stuffing
Red Lobster`s Sesame Ginger Seared Salmon with Asian Vegetables and Noodles
Red Lobster Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp with Piña Colada Sauce
Red Lobster Shrimp Diablo
Red Lobster Mussels Marinara
Red Lobster Broiled Dill Salmon
Red Lobster Citrus Couscous
Red Lobster Country Fried Flounder
Red Lobster Crab Alfredo
Red Lobster's Perfect Potato
Red Lobster Pina Colada Dipping Sauce
Red Lobster Sauce
Red Lobster Caesar Dressing w/Variations
Red Lobster Caesar Salad Dressing
Red Lobster Cajun Seasoning
Red Lobster Barbecue Sauce
Red Lobster Creamy Caesar Dressing
Red Lobster's Easy Cheesecake

Then there are recipes from Applebee's, Chili's , T.G.I. Friday's, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse and Starbucks: 332 in all! But then you get, as a bonus, Copy Cat Cookbook #2, with 424 recipes featuring many restaurants, including Ruby Tuesday's, Popeye's, Bob Evan's, Cracker Barrel, Cheesecake Factory, and the list goes on and on. Plus 3 additional bonuses: All for only $32.95! For all the details:
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Cheez Whiz, Senator Kerry! Griff's Philly Cheesesteak

Should you ever visit Philadelphia and go to Pat's or Geno's for an authentic Philly cheesesteak, please don't repeat the horrific blunder that Senator John Kerry did on August 11, 2003, while campaigning for the 2004 presidential race: Do Not ask for Swiss cheese!

3 days after Kerry's faux pas, Don Russell wrote in a post on PhillyNews.com: "Now I suppose in some corners of the world, Swiss is a perfectly acceptable sandwich ingredient. Switzerland, maybe. But in Philadelphia, ordering Swiss on a cheesesteak is like rooting for Dallas at an Eagles game. It isn't just politically incorrect; it could get you a poke in the nose."

This brings me to my recipe for this week's post: My version of the Philly cheesesteak. And while I'm sure that there are Philadelphians who will find fault with my methods, I do know this: My version of the Philly cheesteak tastes great!

Ingredients:

1 lb. breakfast/sandwich steak, sliced thin
2 large or 4 small submarine sandwich rolls
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup onion, cut into strips
1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. Lawry's® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup Cheese Whiz 

Instructions:

In a skillet, heat butter over low-medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and minced garlic and saute until tender. In another skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the meat and sprinkle on the salt, seasoned pepper and garlic powder. Turn meat often until thoroughly cooked. Spread Cheez Whiz on both halves of each roll, add meat and top with the veggies.

Now, at the risk of being a bit like the Senator and offending the Philly cheesesteak purist, I'm going to suggest how you can give this Philadelphia treat an Arizona kick: Add a chopped jalapeno pepper to the mixture of bell peppers and onions that you saute. Awesome!

5-Star Secret Recipes

Ron Douglas, author of America's Most Wanted Recipes, now has another offering--only this ebook does not provide the recipes of the most popular restaurant chains and franchises, but is sometheing completely different. 5-Star Secret Recipes reveals the secrets behind the dishes of the very best chefs of the 5-Star rated restaurants of the world! And the really great thing about this book is that you don't need to be an experienced cook to prepare these recipes and you can do it all right in your own home on a frugal budget!

Ron explains: "How would you like to experience the finest food this world has to offer? What if you could step inside the shoes of the ultra wealthy and enjoy the amazing dining experiences which they take for granted? Wouldn't it be great to get a taste of 'the good life'--the elusive 'American Dream'--and do it all at home, for a fraction of the cost? What a novel idea I thought to myself. If only I could enable the average person on Main Street to experience the world’s finest cuisine without financial strain. If only I could provide a step-by-step blueprint for the home cook to prepare meals like the top chefs from 5-Star rated restaurants around the world. Well, that's exactly what we did with 5-Star Secret Recipes." 5-Star Secret Recipes is an instantly downloadable ebook. The cost is only $29.97 and it comes with 4 great bonuses! For more details:
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Griff's Chuck Steak Dijon

Beef chuck 7-bone steak was on sale for 99 cents last week! ("7-bone steak" does not contain 7 bones, but refers to the shape of the bone, which resembles the number "7.") Chuck steak is tougher than the higher priced cuts and it has a stronger flavor--therefore it is a great candidate for some types of marinade you might never use on a T-bone or ribeye. Here's what I did...

Ingredients:

4 to 5 lb. beef chuck 7-bone steak
3/4 cup dry, white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 tsp. Lawry's® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder

Instructions:

Cut the steaks into pieces no wider than about 6" and tenderize by piercing them with a fork or tenderizing instrument. Place the steaks in a re-sealable plastic bag set in a large bowl. In medium size bowl, combine all of the other ingredients to make your marinade. Pour the marinade into the bag that the steaks are in and refrigerate the bowl containing the bag of steaks for two to four hours, turning the bag over occassionally. Drain the steaks and discard the marinade. Grill the steaks (preferably on a charcoal grill), covered, until meat is thoroughly cooked. Serves 6 to 8.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

We remember with gratitude those who, throughout the generations, have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, securing our freedom through military victory!

Griff's Stout-Brined Pork Loin Chops

Here is yet another great recipe using Guinness extra stout, this time as a component of a brine solution. I put this together last weekend and it got rave reviews from all. Use more or less spices as desired--delete the cayenne pepper altogether if want less spiciness and more of the subtle Guinness tones.

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless pork loin chops about 1 " thick (about 5 chops)
1.5 cups Guinness Extra Stout
1.5 cups water
3 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. black pepper (coarse grind)
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Place the chops in a resealable plastic bag set in a large bowl. In a large bowl, combine the stout, the water, the molasses and the brown sugar. Stir until salt dissolves. Pour the brine over the chops, seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally. While meat is marinating, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl or container, mixing well. Drain the chops and discard the brine. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the pepper mixture over both sides of chops and rub into meat with fingers. Grill the meat (preferably on a charcoal grill), covered, until meat is thoroughly cooked. Serves approximately 5.

Announcing: My New eBook Store!

I am real excited about my new ebook store, All Your eBooks. At All Your eBooks you can browse and find ebooks that you can download instantly on just about any subject, plus instructional videos and unique software products! For example, are you interested in recipes and cookbooks? Just enter the word recipes in the search field in the middle of the site and check out all the selections that appear: just about all of the products I have reviewed on this site and in my weekly newsletter! Hobbies, Investing, Real Estate, Employment, Health, Fitness, Publishing, Education, Marriage, Relationships, Music, Home Improvement... The list goes on and on... Literally thousands of digital products! Browse and enjoy! To go directly to this ebook store:
Click Here!

You Might Be a Redneck If...

You might be a redneck if...
...your seafood platter looks like this!

I couldn't resist posting this photo taken by my friend Dennis from Prescott, Arizona, of the lunch he made today. Thanks for the photo and the humor, Dennis!

Griff's Irish Lamb Stew and Champ

Here is something to else to do with that Guiness extra stout: Use it as one of the ingredients in this authentic Irish lamb stew. So what the heck, you might be asking, is “champ”? Champ (or in some areas the dish is called “poundies”) is an Irish mashed potato dish that includes chopped green onions. It is served piled high with a well in the center full of melted butter. The dish is eaten from the edge with each bite dipped in the melted butter. It is often eaten as a side dish for lamb stew. I have based my recipes for this lamb stew and champ on genuine Irish recipes. If you feel you must, you can substitute beef round steak for the lamb.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. canola oil
2.5 lb. lamb (shoulder or stewing meat), cut off of bone, trimmed of fat and cubed
1 bottle (12 oz.) Guinness extra stout
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
16 oz. fresh white mushrooms, stems removed and halved
1.5 cup diced onion
1.5 cup sliced celery
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Instructions:

In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil and then add the lamb. Brown the lamb meat well and then add the stout, the tomato sauce, the beef broth, the salt, the pepper, the thyme, the celery and the onions. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until lamb and vegetables are tender. Add the flour to the milk and mix thoroughly. Blend into stew and bring the stew back to a low boil. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring until stew is thickened. Tastes great with a piece of sheepherder bread (to soak up some of the gravy) and a side of champ (see recipe below). Serves 4 to 6.

Champ

Ingredients:

2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed (but not peeled) and diced
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons of butter (and plenty of extra butter as a condiment)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

Instructions:

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Simmer the milk and onions for about 5 minutes. Strain the potatoes and mash thoroughly and add the 2 tablespoons of butter, the salt, the seasoned pepper and the milk and onion mixture. In an individual dish or bowl for each serving, pile the potatoes high, place a scoop of butter in the center to melt. Eat the champ from the outside, dipping each spoonful in the well of butter in the center. Serves 4 to 6.

Cafe by the River

Nothing goes better with fine food than fine art, in my humble opinion. I love the fresh, loose approach of the young and popular artist, Didier Lourenco. Didier Lourenco was born in 1968 in Barcelona. When he was nineteen years old, Didier went to work in his father's print studio. where he learned the art of lithography. Taking over a small corner of the studio, he set up his own "mini-studio," painting on paper and canvas. Visiting artists would view his work with excitement, and Didier was excited about the opportunity to learn from these artists. This was his art education. The above 38x36" print, Cafe by the River, sells for $64.99. Just click on the link below and enter 10287344A in the search field. A vast selection of work by Lourenco is available at:
Buy artwork by Didier Lourenco at Art.com

Griff's Shanghai Pepper Steak

The photo above is of Shanghai, China, in the 1920's. It took me a couple of times to perfect what I have come to call "Griff's Shanghai Pepper Steak," with the right ingredients, but I believe I've got it down now! This is excellent and easy to prepare--and lean and healthy too! If you don't like things so spicy, just cut the amounts of the black pepper and the crushed red pepper in half.

Ingredients:

1.25 lb. beef strips (the more tender, the better)
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 cup diced green bell pepper (with most seeds and membrane removed)
1 cup diced red bell pepper (with most seeds and membrane removed)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 tbsp. corn starch
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1.5 cups (dry) Uncle Ben's® Converted® rice and ingredients called for in instructions on box.

Instructions:

Prepare the rice according to the instructions on box. In a large
skillet, heat the oil. Add the meat and heat, stirring often, until
the meat is brown on all sides. Drain off about one half of the
liquid from skillet. Add the fresh veggies and continue to stir
often, until veggies are tender (but don't overcook!). Add the beef
broth, the soy sauce and the rice vinegar and then all of the dry
ingredients except for the corn starch. Continue to stir often. Mix
the cornstarch into the 1/4 cup of cold water and add to skillet,
Continue to stir until gravy thickens. Serve on the rice. Serves
about 6.

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Griff's American Sloppy Joe

Sloppy Joe--American through and through! Here is a recipe I have developed that, in my humble opinion, is the best in the world...

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
2 lb. lean ground beef
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup beer
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder

Instructions:

In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the chopped onion and bell pepper(being careful not to overcook). Add the ground beef and cook slowly, stirring often until beef is cooked thoroughly. Drain off excess grease. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for several hours. When the beer is added, the mixture will seem thin at first, but it will thicken as it simmers--and after all, it is called sloppy Joe! Serve on your favorite hamburger buns. Makes about 8 to 12 servings.

Griff's American Campout Stew

The photo above is of my tent during a Boy Scout "Polar Bear" campout in the 1960's. I sure hope I never have to do anything like that again! However, good camping weather is just around the corner, and here is a stew recipe perfect for the camper. It's easy to prepare and hearty!

Ingredients:

1.25 to 1.5 lb. ground beef
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced onion
2 (15 oz.) cans sliced white potatoes
1 (12 oz.) bottle beer (optional: add a little water or broth as alternative)
1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed tomato soup
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or 4 cloves garlic)
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper.

Instructions:

In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat breaking it up well. Add the bell pepper, celery and onion to the meat and turn down the heat a little. Stir often until vegetables start to become tender. Add all ingredients and slowly bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

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Griff's American Beer-Braised Shrimp

I put this in one of my weekly newsletters awhile back. If you don't receive my FREE recipe-of-the-week, emailed every Tuesday morning, why not sign up at the right hand column of this blog?

Beer gives seafoods and meats some wonderful layers of flavor. For this recipe, use a hearty American lager.

Ingredients:

1 lb. raw shrimp, thawed and peeled
12 oz. beer (lager)
1/4 cup canola oil
6 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. dry, ground mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Instructions:

In a large skillet, heat the oil and the minced garlic for about
two minutes over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, and sprinkle
with all of the dry ingredients. Add 1/2 of the beer and cook for 5
minutes. Turn shrimp and add the lemon juice and the rest of the
beer. Cook until meat is firm. Serves 2 to 4.

My Pizza Sauce Breakthrough!

What a breakthrough! Let me tell you about it. I put together a recipe for a pizza sauce some time ago based upon various recipes I had researched on the internet. It tasted really decent. It involved cooking down some tomato sauce with some spices and a wee bit of brown sugar added. As I was saying, it tasted really decent. However, I get pizza delivered once in awhile from a local pizzeria that does New York Style Pizza and I am always amazed at how light and fresh the sauce tastes. I began to ponder on this and wondered just what it is that I was missing in my recipe.

Since pizzerias are usually pretty secretive about their recipes I decided not to bother trying to find out what they did to get their pizza to taste so good. Instead I went online and surfed for more sauce recipes. Then I stumbled upon a site by Jeff Varasano, who “reverse-engineered” the pizza of Patsy’s Pizza in East Harlem, New York. Reverse engineering is, instead of engineering a product, taking an existing product and breaking it down to find out how it is made so you can replicate it.

Jeff, the founder and CEO of a software company, loved the product from Patsy’s so much that he committed himself to finding out how he could produce a pizza with the same qualities. After six years of research and experimentation, Jeff not only reached his goal, but he has generously shared the details of his work and many tips for putting together an excellent pizza. You can read all about it at:

http://slice.seriouseats.com/jvpizza/

But getting back to the sauce. Jeff said something about pizza sauce that got my attention. He said, “Don't make a sauce. That is, don’t pre-cook the tomatoes. The tomatoes will cook on the pizza. If you cook a sauce first, it will cook again on the pizza, turning it brown and yucky. No need to make a sauce. Look at how overcooked many sauces are. The best places don’t do this.” Jeff also said something about the canned tomatoes he uses: “Always buy whole, peeled tomatoes and crush them yourself.”

I thought long and hard about this and figured that Jeff probably knew what he was talking about! It all seemed to make sense. Now I definitely don’t do everything the way Jeff does, but I have implemented his strategy of crushing whole, peeled tomatoes and, without pre-cooking them, applying them directly on the pizza before before putting it in the oven. The results have been phenomenal! I have discovered what my pizza sauce was missing and how to make my sauce taste as fresh and light as the wonderful New York style pizza that I get delivered. Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

1 14.5 oz. can whole, peeled tomatoes (I like Hunt’s®.)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or ground black pepper)
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. McCormick® crushed red pepper

Instructions:

Mince the garlic. In a bowl, blend the garlic, the tomatoes and all other ingredients and crush the tomatoes by hand. Or, mince the garlic in a food processor and add the tomatoes and all other ingredients and process until tomatoes are crushed (but not pureed). Spread evenly on pizza dough and add your cheese, pepperoni, etc. This will make enough sauce for two 12” pizzas.

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Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce from Ron Douglas

Ron Douglas is a well-known author and researcher of the secrets behind famous restaurant recipes. Here is a new offering from Ron:

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

Procedures:
Heat milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins tosimmer. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat. Place egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion ofthe hot milk and cream mixture. Slowly add egg yolk mixture backinto remaining cream mixture. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering). Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

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Turn Your Love of Food into A Highly Profitable Catering Business

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Griff's American Steak with Shallot Wine Sauce

Here is an easy, but elegant, entree to serve at your dinner party. I grilled these on my kitchen counter a couple of weeks ago on my George Foreman electric grill. The steak tasted great and made a beautiful presentation.

Ingredients:

For the steak:

3 lb. (approx.) New York strip steak
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

For the Sauce:

2 tbsp. butter
4 cloves minced garlic
2/3 cup beef broth
2/3 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. chopped chives

For the Topping:

2 tbsp. chopped chives

Instructions:

The sauce:

In a sauce pan, heat the butter over low heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and chives and sautee until shallots are tender. Then add the broth. the wine and the vinegar. Stir everything together and bring to boil. Then turn down heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

The steak:

Sprinkle half of the ingredients for the steak on each side, while grilling. When steak is cooked to your preference, top with the wine sauce and 2 tbsp. fresh, chopped chives when serving.

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Griff's American Glazed Spiral Ham

I did this one for Christmas day, but I plan to do another one this month too! This is easy, but delicious, with complex, wonderful layers of flavor.

Ingredients:

1 fully cooked spiral cut ham (approx. 9 lb.)
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp. ground, dried mustard
1/4 tsp. ground clove

Instructions:

Put all of the ingredients except the ham into a sauce pan. Slowly bring ingredients to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat immediately. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove all packing materials from ham and place, flat side down, in an open, shallow roasting pan. Do not cover. Bake for about 1/2 hour at 325 degrees F. Remove ham from oven and brush glaze on ham and in between slices. Put ham back in oven and continue to bake at 325 degrees F for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until internal temperature is 140 degrees F. Remove ham from oven and increase temperature to 425 degrees F. Brush ham again with glaze, on top and in between slices. Return ham to oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove, serve, and enjoy!