Griff's Caribbean Grilled Tilapia

Back in the spring, I sent this one out in my newsletter as my recipe-ot-the-week. I got so many raves about it that I thought I ought to add it to my blog, especially since it's still grilling season. This is a recipe that is really easy to put together and is extremely healthy to boot. It's great for your summer patio party--unique with a tropical flair!

Ingredients:

4 fresh or thawed tilapia fillets (or another white fish)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
2 tsp. McCormick® Caribbean Jerk Seasoning
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 (8 oz.) can sliced pineapple, in its own juice

Instructions:

Mix the olive oil, wine and parsley marinate the fish in the mixture for about an hour. Place the fish on hot grill (preferably a charcoal grill--and don't forget to oil the grill, or spray with some PAM®). Sprinkle fish with half of the Caribbean jerk seasoning and half of the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple. With a basting brush, brush some of the oil marinade on the pieces offish. Place the pineapple slices on grill as well. Turn fish over, sprinkle with rest of seasonings and add pineapple juice and oil marinade as on first side. Flip the pineapple slices as well--serve the fish with pineapple slices. This dish tastes great topped with Griff's Caribbean Mango Salsa (see below).

Griff's Caribbean Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

2/3 cup chopped mango
2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice
4 rounded tsp. jalapeno peppers (with most of the seeds and membrane removed), very finely chopped
4 rounded tsp. finely chopped red onions
2 rounded tsp. finely chopped red bell peppers (with most of seeds and membrane removed)
2 rounded tsp. finely chopped green bell peppers (with most of seeds and membrane removed)
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. Lawry's® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate for an hour or more before serving.

Do you like Caribbean and Jamaican cooking? (Or would you like to try it?) Learn the tricks that Caribbean and Jamaican pros use every day to make soups, seafoods, meats, jerk food, and even vegetarian dishes. This kind of food is wonderfully tangy, unique, and "health friendly." Here are two great and inexpensive, instantly downloadable resources:

Click Here for Caribbean Recipes!

Click Here for Jamaican Recipes!

Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking

The thing I like most about the instantly downloadable ebook, Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking, is that it is authentic. Here is the author’s story:

“I'm Nicholas Zhou. I love Chinese food since I was born. I began to learn cooking Chinese food from my mom when I was 9. I was able to know the difference between ginger and garlic and how to use a pancake turner.

“When I was 12, I began to help my aunt in the kitchen (this was how I paid for my school clothes and supplies). My aunt was a very famous chef in town. Actually she was like the local chief chef and was invited to cook for all the major events, feasts and wedding parties held in town. She taught me everything about cooking - selecting ingredients, balancing nutrition, 6 key techniques in Chinese cooking, 8 Chinese cooking styles and even table etiquette.

“I still remember one day when I was 15. ‘Hui (my nick name), I don't have anything to teach you any more,’ my aunt said after a graduation feast. I guess that's when I graduated from Chinese cooking school.

“In the past 10 years, I never stopped learning cooking. I always bring my favorite Joyce Chen wok with me whenever I move to.

“But I never thought of coming up with a cookbook until February 3rd, 1997 - my aunt passed away because of cancer. I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to her face to face because I was going to college far away from hometown. I was thinking of doing something for her. Nothing is better than writing a cookbook.

“After one and a half years of work, I came up with the Chinese version cookbook in
1998 and got it published with a national publisher. About 560,000 copies have been sold since then.

“In 2000, my friend suggested me to translate my cookbook into English and bring it to all people around the world who love Chinese food. In order to let this book be suitable for most people, I visited all the major Chinese restaurants here in Ohio and studied hundreds of restaurant menus. I talked to scores of doctors about healthy eating and nutrition. I subscribed to several major health publications and read health news regularly. After two years of research, I came up with my English version e-cookbook Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking.”

For more details: Click Here!

Griff's American Grilled Beer Burgers

Talk about a Recipe that is American through and through! Here is an all-American burger recipe I put together recently. Be extra patriotic and use an American brew for this recipe!

Ingredients:

1.5 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves minced garlic
1 12 oz. bottle beer
4 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. McCormick® Grill Mates® Roasted Garlic Montreal Steak® seasoning
1 tsp. Lawry's® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
2 tbsp. butter
1.5 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. Louisiana hot pepper sauce
1 tsp. yellow mustard
7 or 8 hamburger buns

Instructions:

The burgers:

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the ground beef, the egg, 1 clove of minced garlic, 3 tsp. of the brown sugar, the chili powder, and two tbsp. of the beer. Make into patties (makes seven or eight small patties). On a well-oiled grill, grill the burgers, sprinkling the Montreal Steak® seasoning and the seasoned pepper on each side of burgers while grilling. Serve on toasted hamburger buns and top with beer braised onion sauce (below).

The beer-braised onion sauce:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan (avoid getting too hot). Add the onions and the remaining clove of minced garlic and sauté for 5-10 minutes. Add half of the remaining beer, and the soy sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tsp. brown sugar, and yellow mustard. Cook until the beer has been well absorbed into the onions and the onions are slightly brown. Add the rest of the beer and simmer for awhile.

I use beer in many of the recipes I develop because it enhances the flavors of a recipe and adds layers of flavor. Award winning brewmaster Mike Snyder has written an excellent eBook offering 36 recipes, all using beer. Breakfast recipes, soup & chili recipes, dinner recipes, bread & sides, desserts... It's all there! Everything from baked french toast to cream of potato soup to turkey stir-fry to banana pudding. While specifying the quantity of beer in each recipe, Mike has purposely excluded brand names and styles of beer, allowing the cook complete flexibility to use his or her own flavor variations and to experiment. Purchase this eBook for only $4.95 from the following link:
Beer Inside A collection of food recipes containing beer. Instant ebook download.

101 Tasty Chicken Recipes

I’ve always loved chicken, and I have come up with some pretty good chicken recipes (for example, see my Cajun Bourbon grilled chicken recipe on my June 9 post). I like the health benefits of poultry, and I like how versatile chicken is for use in dishes of virtually every ethnicity and every region of the good old U.S.A. However, something I have never really ever thought about is just how many different chicken recipes there are!

There is an amazing new cookbook, an instantly downloadable ebook, called, "101 Tasty Chicken Recipes." It covers nearly every chicken recipe you will ever need to know so that you can make new and exciting chicken dishes for yourself, your friends and your family! Here is the list:

1. Chicken Breast
2. Fried Chicken
3. Baked Chicken
4. Chicken soup
5. Chicken Salad
6. Chicken Crockpot
7. Easy Chicken Recipe
8. Chicken Parmesan
9. Chicken Marsala
10. Chicken Pot Pie
11. Chicken and Dumplings
12. Chicken and Rice
13. Chicken Casserole
14. Chicken Noodle Soup
15. Chicken Curry
16. Chicken Wings
17. Chicken Enchilada
18. Chicken Cordon Bleu
19. Low Fat Chicken
20. Lemon Chicken
21. Chicken Stir Fry
22. Chicken Spaghetti
23. Chicken Alfredo
24. Chicken Cacciatore
25. Chicken Pakora
26. Orange Chicken
27. Chicken Tortilla Soup
28. Teriyaki Chicken
29. Roast Chicken
30. Sesame Chicken
31. Chicken Pasta
32. Kentucky Fried Chicken
33. Chicken Thighs
34. Barbecue Chicken
35. Bourbon Chicken
36. White Chicken Chili
37. Healthy Chicken Recipe
38. Rotisserie Chicken
39. Slow Cooker Chicken
40. Sweet and Sour Chicken
41. Grilled Chicken
42. Chicken Kiev
43. Chicken Burger
44. Chicken Quesadillas
45. Chicken Chili
46. Chicken Stew
47. Chicken and Broccoli
48. Feta Stuffed Chicken Breast
49. Whole chicken
50. Chicken Fajitas
51. Italian Chicken
52. Moroccan Chicken
53. Chicken Salad Sandwich
54. Tender Chicken
55. Oven Fried Chicken
56. General Tso's Chicken
57. Baked Chicken Breast
58. Chicken Piccata
59. Southern Fried Chicken
60. Jerk Chicken
61. Stuffed Chicken
62. Chicken Fried Rice
63. Chicken Leg
64. Chicken Divan
65. Homemade Chicken Soup (with noodles)
66. Chicken a la King
67. Low Carb Chicken
68. Steamed Chicken
69. Quick Chicken
70. Butter Chicken
71. Cashew Chicken
72. Chicken Marinade
73. Chicken and Noodles
74. Chicken Fingers
75. Ground Chicken
76. Chicken cutlet
77. Mexican chicken
78. Pineapple Chicken
79. Chicken and Mushrooms
80. Tomato Chicken
81. Chicken Francaise
82. Leftover Chicken
83. Chinese Chicken
84. Deep Fried Chicken (in Beer Batter)
85. Tandoori Chicken
86. Chicken Strips
87. King Ranch Chicken
88. Chicken Tetrazzini
89. Garlic Chicken (with Lemon)
90. Mango Chicken
91. Coronation chicken
92. Chicken Tikka
93. Chicken Korma
94. Chicken Risotto
95. Chicken Chasseur
96. Chicken Lasagna
97. Chicken Chow Mein
98. Balti Chicken
99. Chicken Liver Pate
100. Chicken Madras
101. Chicken and Cream Soup

This comprehensive recipe ebook costs only $7 and it comes with some great bonuses! Check it out at:
Click Here!

Celebrate Independence Day with a Great Steak!

To celebrate Independence Day (and it is is a day we should celebrate!), many of you will be grilling in the back yard or patio with your family and/or friends. Here is a recipe for a steak rub I came up with recently. These spices enhance a good steak with layers of flavor, but do not overpower the fine flavor of the steak.

Griff's American Steak Dry Rub

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
Canola oil (see instructions)

Instructions:

With a brush, baste steak with enough canola oil to cover all surfaces of steaks. Rub in, liberally, as much of the above mixture as it takes to distribute evenly to all cuts of steak. Grill steaks (preferably on charcoal grill) on both sides until done.

This rub has many potential applications. I was grilling some burgers last night and decided to baste each side with oil an sprinkle the steak rub while grilling. Tasted great!

Speaking of the American backyard grilling experience--Here are some excellent ebooks that reveal some All-American BBQ secrets:

Professional Barbecue Recipes! Competition style ribs, butts, chicken, and beef brisket...
Click Here!

This is what you need to know to have the best BBQ in town... Secret's in the Sauce! And we will tell you what that is.
Click Here!

Want to cook up BBQ so tasty your guests beg for seconds and talk about it for weeks? "Amazing Secret Finally Revealed by Retired Kentucky Restaurant Owner Eliminates All Guesswork... And Makes Cooking Up 'Practically Addictive' Barbecue Simple!"
Click Here!

Griff's American Cajun Potato Salad

Do you have some Griff's American Creole Seasoning Mix left over from your Griff's Cajun Bourbon Grilled Chicken? If not, just scroll down two posts to get the recipe for this seasoning mix to use in this great potato salad I just put together.

Ingredients:

6 medium to large russet potatoes, peeled
7 hard–boiled eggs
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup mayonnaise
4 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper (with most of seeds and membrane removed), finely chopped
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. dried parsley leaves
2 tsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (Scroll down two posts to my Cajun Bourbon Grilled Chicken recipe to get my recipe for this seasoning mix.)
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1/2 tsp. Louisiana hot pepper sauce

Instructions:

Boil potatoes in water until done. When cool enough cut the potatoes into 3/4” cubes. Boil eggs in water until done. Remove shells from eggs and dice. In a large bowl, blend the potatoes, eggs and all other ingredients together by stirring gently with large spoon. Refrigerate before serving.

Living on a Dime

Recipes are just part of the great Living On A Dime E-Book Extravaganza that teaches you how to make the most of what you have in many areas of life. This set includes ebooks on money management, grocery savings, recipes and activities for kids, holidays, menu planning, quick dinners & much, much more! 11 ebooks in all, all instantly downloadable. The whole set is only $35! Plus you get some great extra bonuses--is it any wonder that this is one of best selling products on the internet? For more details: Click Here!

Griff's Cajun Bourbon Grilled Chicken

I just put this simple recipe together and tested it over Memorial Day weekend. Talk about layer upon layer of flavor! The brown sugar and bourbon marinade gives the meat sweetness and full flavor from within. The Creole spices provide a nice tangy surface.

While you can use pre-mixed Cajun or Creole spice blends as a substitute for my mix (described below the chicken recipe), it would be well worth your while to mix from my instructions (or tweak it a little if you'd like). In I'm Just Here for the Food, Alton Brown describes how he bought a jar of spice mix with a full color photo of a celebrity chef on the label. At the same time he bought all of the individual ingredients that were listed in the chef's mix. He put together his own blend of the raw ingredients and, using a pharmacy scale, discovered that the markup on the chef's mixture was about 500%! It will take a little time to mix these, but if you do, you'll have plenty left over for when you make jambalaya, gumbo, blackened fish or chicken, etc. Here's the recipe for the chicken...

Ingredients:

4 to 6 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
2 to 3 tbsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (see below)

Instructions:

Combine the bourbon the brown sugar, the Worcester sauce, the soy sauce, the minced garlic and 1/4 cup of the canola oil in a deep dish and mix well with a spoon. Add the chicken and cover. Refrigerate for four hours. Pour off and discard the marinade and place the chicken breasts on a well oiled, hot grill. When grilling each side, brush on oil (from the remaining 1/4 cup of canola oil) and sprinkle on Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (see below). Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Griff's American Creole Seasoning Mix

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp. dried basil leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

Instructions:

Mix together in a roomy plastic food storage container, put the lid on and shake everything together real well. (For best results, use fresh spices!)

Finally, Top Secret Original BBQ Sauce Recipe is Revealed in Texas!

Debbie "BBQ" Beaston's secret family recipe for the best BBQ sauce in texas has been revealed! Debbie shares the history:

"Barbecueing began in the late 1800's during cattle drives out West. While on the trail, there wasn't much to eat and what they did get, was usually the lower quality cuts of beef.

"The cattle Barons of the times were more concerned about profits then feeding their hands and thus, the cowhands were fed the disposable cuts of beef. The main choice for this was Brisket, which is very tough, stringy piece of meat.

"However, the cowboys learned that if you left this brisket to cook for a long period of time (5-7 hours) at a very low temperature that what was once a disposable cut of beef became a tasty treat. During this time, the cooks began to experiment with sauces to put on the barbecue beef, thus even making a more tasty piece of beef.

"Some cooks became revered for their their barbecue sauces and were the first to be hired onto a cattle drive, thus enticing the better cowhands to join up. You can imagine how secret they kept their recipe, it was not even unheard of for the cook to mix the ingredients at night so the cowhands couldn't see what went into the sauce.

"It is THESE sauces that have made Texas famous for barbecue. And it is the BEST of these sauces that my family has been guarding for decades."

Debbie maintains that for guaranteed success with any BBQ, the secret is in the sauce. She has now revealed her family's secret recipe. Here is a review of Debbie's sauce by Bobette Williams, of Anchorage, Alaska:

"You were right, this recipe is ABSOLUTELY the best recipe for barbecue sauce in existence! I know 'cause I have tried them all! I just wanted to thank you for making it available..."

Debbie provides a lot of helpful BBQ and grilling techniques for FREE on her website, plus, of course, she bids you to purchase her family's original BBQ sauce recipe for a very low price. It is instantly downloadable and includes some great free bonuses! To go to Debbie's website:
Click Here!

Remembering with Gratitude...

As Memorial Day approaches, I am ever more conscious of the freedom we have in our great nation. I am aware that I can enjoy cooking and so many other things in life because of those who,throughout the generations, have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in military service to this nation. Our freedom is currently being protected by our men and women in uniform--many of whom are presently in harm's way. We in the United States of America have so much to be thankful for: God has blessed this nation so greatly!

Did you know that SPAM® luncheon meat played a crucial role in the effort of the Allied forces to liberate Europe during World War II? Hormel Foods provided 15 million cans of SPAM® (invented in 1937 by Jay Hormel) to the troops each week, and SPAM® quickly became a regular part of their diet. Here is a SPAM® based stew that I developed from a recipe that was said to have been used in the galley of a U.S. Navy ship during WWII.

Griff's American Navy Stew

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic
1 cup green bell pepper (with membrane & seeds removed), diced
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 12 oz. can SPAM®, cubed
1 15.5 oz. can Trappy’s® navy beans flavored with slab bacon (or great northern beans)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup water

Instructions:

In a large pan or pot, melt butter over low heat. Add the cubed SPAM® and heat at low temperature for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the garlic, bell peeper, onion, and celery and sauté until tender, but do not brown. Then add all other ingredients. Slowly bring to boil, cover and turn down heat and simmer for an hour or until potatoes are tender. Tastes great with fresh rolls and butter!

Caribbean Cooking Tips

Your loved ones will rave about your cooking and beg for more when you discover how to master and prepare over 300 of the best Caribbean recipes! These are recipes that have been served in restaurants throughout the world--yet they can easily be prepared by anyone--even a novice!

Patrick Foster was born in the Caribbean and frequently travels to Jamaica, the Bahamas, and other islands. He has eaten foods throughout the Caribbean and recognizes authentic flavors. He now lives in sunny South Florida and wants to share his recipes with you! Patrick is motivated by the fact that when we eat out at restaurants, we are often disappointed. Did we get a generous portion of our favorite food? Was it too salty? Was it spicy enough? Was the steak under or over cooked?

Now you can take control and cook foods exactly to your liking and satisfaction! Caribbean cooking can be fun and it can be prepared by anyone! This ebook downloads instantly to your computer and costs only $19.95! Patrick guarantees 100% satisfaction by offering a full refund within 60 days of purchase. Payments are easily accepted by credit card and PayPal. For more details and to order:
Click Here!

Griff's American Cabbage Goulash

Up for something refreshingly different, something healthful, something easy to cook, yet with layer upon layer of flavor? Try Griff's Cabbage American Goulash.

Cabbage belongs to the Cruciferae family of vegetables along with broccoli, collards, kale and Brussels sprouts. Cabbage is sturdy, abundant, nutritious, and inexpensive--and thus is a staple throughout the world. It stores well and is so widely cultivated that it is available at all times of the year, but it's at its best during the late fall and winter months.

Of course, Griff's American Goulash bears little resemblance to Hungarian Goulash or most strains of American Goulash--but it sure tastes great! It's tangy and robust--here's how to make it:

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground pork sausage (I use mild Italian)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (with most of seeds and membrane removed)
1 14.4 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. paprika
1.5 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. red crushed pepper
4 cups chopped cabbage

Instructions:

In a kettle, brown the sausage. When sausage is almost browned, add the fresh veggies and continue to brown, stirring often. When sausage is thoroughly browned, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, and spices and cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the cabbage and simmer for 20-25 minutes (or until cabbage is tender but not over-cooked). Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Griff's American Buffalo Burgers

Tens of millions of American Bison (which we usually refer to as buffalo) were awaiting the European settlers who traveled across America's Great Plains in the early 1800's. But among these settlers were trappers and traders, who thrived from the uncontrolled selling of meat and hides. And they weren't the only ones killing off the American Bison. Train companies made a business out of providing tourists the chance to shoot buffalo from the windows of their coaches. These shooters slaughtered innumerable bison, only pausing to reload upon running out of ammunition. The corpses of these animals were just left out on the plain. They even had buffalo shooting contests. It is said that one person set a record by killing 120 bison in only 40 minutes. (Do the math--that's 3 per minute!) "Buffalo" Bill Cody is reported to have killed more than 4,000 buffalo in just two years. What a great contrast this is with how the Native Americans had conserved, for centuries, this great resource by hunting only for food and making use of the entire animal.

However there is good news. Through the responsible efforts of many Americans, the American Buffalo is coming back. When I was a boy visiting my grandparents in South Dakota, I enjoyed driving through the plains and seeing hundreds of these majestic animals. I also remember my parents eating a buffalo dinner at the restaurant at Mount Rushmore. (I had chicken or something--the idea of eating buffalo seemed too strange to me!)

So what could possibly be more American than an American buffalo? Maybe an American buffalo burger! Ground buffalo meat is appearing more and more in grocery stores. Mixing butter in with the meat might seem a bit odd, but it adds a little fat, helping to bring the flavor out, and it keeps the burger from becoming too dry, as buffalo meat is very lean. (By the way, its leanness makes buffalo meat a great choice for a healthy meal!)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground buffalo meat
3 tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper (with most of seeds and membrane removed)
2 tbsp. finely chopped green onion
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or just ground black pepper)
4 tsp. ketchup
2 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. yellow mustard

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, heat the butter just enough to melt it. In a large mixing bowl, blend well all ingredients, including the melted butter, and make into four or five patties. Cover the burgers and refrigerate for about an hour. Fire up the grill, spray grill with some PAM® (or rub some vegetable oil on it) and grill the burgers on both sides just like you would grill hamburgers--that’s it--all the seasonings are already in the burgers! If you do not wish to grill, just oil a pan and fry.

Griff’s Grilled Half-Moon Mediterranean Burgers

Last weekend was warm and sunny here in the hills of northern central Arizona (in contrast to what's been going on out east!), so I figured it was time to fire up the old grill. I wanted to do something a little different than the usual Arizona grilling experience, so here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground lamb
1 lb. ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2.5 tsp. dried oregano leaves
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried mint
1 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or ground black pepper)
10 pieces pita bread

Instructions:

Mix ingredients together well in a mixing bowl. Form into small patties (should make about 10 patties). Then, cut each patty down the center, making 2 half-moon shapes, so that when you serve on the pita bread (folded over), the shape of the burger conforms to the pita bread. Grill the patties on a well-oiled grill. Baste each side or patties with olive oil while grilling and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper if desired. Warm the pita bread in an oven or microwave before serving. Place two of the half-moon patties on each piece of pita bread and fold the pita bread over. Tastes great with fresh onion slices and fresh tomato slices added—and, or course, Griff’s Mediterranean Cucumber Dressing (see recipe below).

Griff's Mediterranean Cucumber Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried mint

Instructions:
Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book

Albert Grande, "the pizza man," says: "You will discover how to have fun, save tons of money, and make Pizza!" Albert's eBook (which includes 5 bonuses and sells for only $11.97) walks you through the process by which you will make amazing pizza even if you don't know how to make dough. Albert's recipe for dough is superb and easy, but if you don't want to make dough, he'll even tell you where to get it.

Why does Albert call it "Pizza Therapy"? Perhaps because of testimonies like this one from Maxwell: "The best pizza sauce I ever made. It was a true success. I have a two year old son ... My past dough had not turned out too well, but I wanted us to make the pizza together so it was interactive and special for him. It was, and The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book assisted us in having the best homemade pizza in our house in over 4 years of marriage."

Making pizza is Albert's passion--he's been doing it for over 20 years. He claims that his pizza is "spiritual pizza--right from the heart!" He invites you to join the exclusive club of less than one percent of people who really know how to make pizza. for more details:
Click Here!

Griff's American Garlic Parmesan Spread

Last weekend my wife Sue was cooking some of her fantastic spaghetti and sausage, and I decided I want to concoct something new, but I didn't want to put too much work into it as I was feeling pretty lazy... So I said, "Hey, I'll do the garlic bread!"

I decided that instead of doing the usual--spreading some butter on the bread sprinkling a little minced garlic on it and maybe a little grated cheese--I thought, why not create my own garlic spread? So, I thought for awhile about what ingredients would taste good together in a spread. It turned out to be a real winner. Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:

1 stick (4 oz.) butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Italian dressing (I prefer Good Seasons® that you mix yourself)
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 cup dried, grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried parsley leaves
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, blend all of the ingredients together well. Cut a loaf of Italian or French bread lengthwise in two, or in slices, spread the mixture on the flat surfaces and heat in an oven or toaster oven until the edges of the bread are golden brown. Makes more than enough for a very large loaf of bread. Just refrigerate what's left, and make some garlic bread by the slice for the next couple of days!

The Copy Cat Cookbook

Why spend hours waiting in a restaurant lobby to be seated? Why spend a lot of money each month paying others to cook recipes that you could learn how to cook with ease? Get the Copy Cat Cookbook and cook your favorite recipes from your favorite restaurants for your family and your friends by learning the secret recipes of the very best restaurants!

The highly guarded secrets behind dishes from Red Lobster, Applebee's, Chili's, Olive Garden, T.G.I. Fridays, Outback Steakhouse... in fact, 332 of the most popular recipes! PLUS the sequel, Copy Cat Cookbook #2 with 424 recipes and many more restaurants! PLUS: the Crock Pot Cookbook, Holiday Cookbook, and Cookie Cookbook. I have previously reviewed a product with a similar concept, but the restaurants and recipes in the Copy Cat Cookbook are the very best! An excellent package--instantly downloadable for $19.95. for more details:
Click Here!

Griff's Manhattan Clam Chowder

The name "Manhattan" comes to us from the word Manna-hata, which means "island of many hills" in the language of the Lenape Native Americans. The island had been purchased in 1626 from the Lenape by Peter Minuit, the third director of New Netherland, the territory discovered by the Dutch East India Company. The island was acquired for 60 guilders worth of trade goods, which has historically been translated to about $24, but is said to be about the equivalent of $500-$700 in today's United States currency. The above photo of Manhattan was taken in 1942.

In the late 1800's Manhattan clam chowder was called "Coney Island clam chowder" and sometimes"Fulton Fish Market clam chowder" (named after the Fulton Fish Market established in New York in 1822). The name "Manhattan clam chowder" became popular in the early 1900's. In contrast with New England clam chowder, Manhattan clam chowder is characterized by a transparent broth of a reddish color from one of its most important ingredients: tomatoes!

Here is a delicious recipe for Manhattan clam chowder that I have developed:

Ingredients:

4 6.5 oz. cans minced clams in clam juice
1 medium onion
2 cloves minced garlic
4 medium spuds, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 large stalks celery, chopped
8 slices thick cut bacon, diced
1 10.75 oz. can condensed tomato soup
2 11.5 oz. cans V-8® vegetable juice
3 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1.5 tsp. dried thyme
2 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper
(or ground black pepper)

Instructions:

Fry bacon in an 8 quart kettle. Add the fresh veggies and lightly sauté in the bacon grease for about 10 minutes. Add the canned items (except for clams) and simmer for about 3 hours. Add the clams, including the clam juice, and simmer for ½ hour or until ready to eat. Serves 10 to 14. Just freeze the leftovers and have again!

I love New York!

Starting a Catering Business

Do you like to cook? Do you like people? Would you like to work from your home and be your own boss? Have you ever thought about starting your own catering business? If so, here is a resource that will be very helpful to you.

The Starting a Catering Business Start-Up Guide Kit™ is a step-by-step guide which provides a collection of valuable sound advice and practical guidance for starting your own successful catering business.
You will benefit from this kit if you are ready to take your knowledge and experience of working with food and people and applying it to your own business.

This kit was designed to guide you with the information you will need to start and run a successful catering business. It offers many pointers that even experienced caterers will find useful. In language that is clear, readable and straight to the point, it explains what is required to start the business, determining what to charge, how to attract clients, billing and accounting, managing your cash flow, record keeping, keeping your clients happy, growing your business, plus much, much more!

The kit also includes forms, business letters, and a complete business plan that are all essential to starting a successful catering business. You will have everything you need to get your new business started!

There are some good books out there, but I haven't seen any that are this highly detailed in giving you the needed information on starting a catering business. This Start-Up Kit provides you with concrete no-nonsense information about how to start your catering business from the ground up. For more details:
Click Here!

Griff's African Grilled Tilapia

History records the fish known as "tilapia" as far back as ancient Egypt. Tilapia is believed to be the fish that Jesus used to feed the five-thousand on the Sea of Galilee, and it is doubtless the fish that is the subject of other Bible references; in fact, one of its common names is "St. Peter's Fish."

Native to Africa, tilapia is fairly new to the American market. Through fish farming, it has become an excellent tasting fish. It is mild and delicate, with a wonderful texture. Tilapia is ideal for both baking or grilling. The fish is very healthful, being high in omega 3 fatty acids. In the kitchens and on the streets of countries in Africa, tilapia is commonly seen grilling over a charcoal fire. This recipe is inspired by several authentic African tilapia recipes.

Ingredients:

4 fresh or thawed tilapia fillets
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
Juice of one fresh lemon
2 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup orange bell pepper finely chopped
1/2 tsp. McCormick® crushed red pepper

Instructions:

Mix the olive oil, wine and lemon juice in a baking dish and marinate the tilapia in the mixture for an hour or more. In a small pan, melt the butter and sauté the peppers, onions and garlic—don’t over cook. Put the fish on a grill. (A charcoal grill is best!) It is best to use a grill basket so you can easily flip the fish. Don’t forget to coat the grill or basket with some oil or spray oil, such as PAM®. Carefully brush on some of the marinade on the fish while on the grill, and sprinkle with half of the crushed pepper. Flip fish and repeat. Add the sautéed veggies to the top of fish and serve.

Grilled tilapia tastes great with a side of long grain and wild rice!

Cajun Clark

In my most recent post I gave you my recipe for jambalaya and a bit of history regarding this robust and spicy dish. Speaking of Cajun, let me tell you about an incredible resource entitled Cajun Clark Presents: One Inch from the Top... The Only Way to Cook! In it you'll find Cajun fried turkey and everything you'll ever want or need to know about beef and pork ribs; in fact, check out the hundred or more chicken and pork chop recipes. Cajun Clark includes recipes from his friends in Maine and Ontario, Canada; small game recipes, and soul food recipes... Got a sweet tooth? There are recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, puddings, cobblers, tea cakes and candies... Recipes, recipes, and more recipes--in fact more than 1,100 recipes! And not only recipes, but a lot of great reading; and some dang funny reading! This book is available in a 659 page Adobe Acrobat PDF download for only $19.95. Perhaps we should let Cajun Clark describe his own book:

"Howdy! da ol' mon Caj here with a few words to all you time strapped, stressed out Soccer Moms, CEOs, and other folks that are meeting-yourself-coming-and-going: This is NOT your mother's cookbook, it never was intended to be. Nor is this cookbook for everyone, it never was intended to be. Cajun Clark's Cookbook: One Inch From the Top--or whatever you call it--is for the select few who enjoy something unique, something different. Who enjoy humor, a good 'read,' and over 1,160+ mouthwatering, easy-to-prepare recipes. In other words, if you want to be entertained, this is YOUR cookbook. With that said..."
Click Here for More Details about Cajun Clark's Cookbook!

Griff's Lousiana Creole Jambalaya

Ready for some "jazzy" Louisiana Creole Cookin'? Here's a recipe I have developed for jambalaya. Experiment with different kinds of sausage, and add shrimp if you like!

The Cajuns invented jambalaya around the bayou. Food was scarce there, in contrast to the wealthier part of Louisiana. There were many slaves in Louisiana, and the word "jambalaya" is believed to be a compound of the French word jambon, "ham," and aya, meaning "rice" in African. The primary difference between Cajun and Creole jambalaya is that the Cajun dish does not contain tomatoes or tomato sauce, while Creole jambalaya does.

I've done something a little different with my jambalaya than you usually see: I make the jambalaya and the tomato sauce as separate units and add the sauce on top as you would add marina to spaghetti. I used to enjoy jambalaya made in this way by an authentic Creole/Cajun chef in our area. I like making it this way because it gives you a chance to separate the tastes of both the Creole and Cajun style jambalaya!

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. butter
5 cloves minced garlic
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1.75 cups green bell pepper (with seeds and membrane removed), chopped
1 cup red bell pepper (with seeds and membrane removed), chopped
1 cup orange bell pepper (with seeds and membrane removed), chopped
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
5 8 0z. cans tomato sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp. paprika
1 lb. skinless & boneless chicken filet, cubed in pieces ranging from between about 1/2" and 1”
1.5 lb. smoked sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/4” or 1/2"pieces
3 cups Uncle Ben’s® Converted® Original long grain white rice
3 14 oz. cans chicken broth
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasoning mix (See recipe for this mix below.)

Instructions:

Mix the fresh veggies all together: that is the chopped onion, celery, green, red, and orange bell peppers, and garlic and separate into two equal piles. In a medium size pot, heat the butter. Then add half of the fresh veggies and sauté until they are soft. Then add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, brown sugar, hot pepper sauce and 1 tbsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (see recipe for this below). Cover and simmer while preparing the rest of the dinner. In a mixing bowl or on a baking sheet, sprinkle the paprika on the the chicken cubes and roll them around in it. Heat canola oil in a large kettle and add the chicken. Heat the chicken until thoroughly cooked and then add the smoked sausage and continue to heat for 5 minutes or so, stirring often. Then add the other half of the veggies. Heat together for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, water and 2 tbsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasonings Mix. Bring to boil. Add rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 or 25 minutes (or until rice is cooked). Serve on plate or in a bowl with the tomato sauce mixture on top, in the same manner you would serve spaghetti and marinara sauce. Makes about 12 hearty servings.

Griff's American Creole Seasoning Mix:

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp. dried basil leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

Instructions:

Mix together in a roomy plastic storage container, put the lid on and shake everything together real well. Great for blackened fish and chicken and a host of Creole and Cajun dishes.

America's Most Wanted Recipes

How would you like to discover the secrets to America's most wanted recipes? America's Most Wanted Recipes, by Ron Douglas is an eBook from which you can "...learn the jealously guarded secrets behind the actual dishes from The Cheesecake Factory, KFC, The Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Hard Rock Cafe... (far too many to list here) and learn how to easily cook them yourself!" You may not consider yourself a good cook--but you can cook killer dishes like the pros do "on demand" from your very own kitchen! Your family and friends will go gaga over your food at your next party or gathereing. Applebee's, Boston Market... The list goes on! With no training you can cook like a chef from detailed instructions with exact amounts of ingredients to use. This eBook, along with 4 FREE bonus gifts, is available for immediate access in PDF format for only $19.97. For more information, or to order:
Click Here for More Details about America's Most Wanted Recipe Secrets!

Griff's Coney Sauce

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 the area reached its zenith of popularity in the early 1900’s.

In 1916, Nathan’s Famous original hot dog stand opened on Coney Island. The annual hot dog eating contest associated with Nathan’s has been held there since its opening, but has only become widely known in recent years.

A “Coney Island hot dog” is widely understood to be a hot dog with “Coney sauce,” 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 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.

Write, Publish and Sell a Cookbook

In my first post on this blog, I mentioned that I am in the process of testing and compiling my own recipes to publish in a cookbook. Recently I was mulling this over and wondered if by some remote chance there is a "how to" resource designed specifically for creating and self-publishing a cookbook. I searched on google and, lo and behold, I came across an audio recording and printed transcript of a 1 hour and 45 minute teleconference seminar entitled Write, Publish and Sell a Cookbook.

The host of the seminar is Willie Crawford, author of Soul Food Recipes, a book I have seen quite often on the internet. Joining Willie is Chef Stephan Block, who wrote and published his own successful cookbook, and internet marketing guru Jack Humphrey, who wrote a cookbook of recipes for canine lovers to prepare for their dogs!

The amount of information is astounding--and essential for the would be author and publisher of books or eBooks. Covered are copyright laws, choosing a theme, finding recipes (for free!), confirming the market, promoting, selling... and the list goes on. I can't believe the amount of useful information that was covered. Specific websites of a number of helpful resources are also provided. For only $19.95 you can instantly download the complete audio, as well as a typed PDF transcript (plus 3 bonus eBooks!). I just listened to the seminar and read the transcript as I listened. All I can say is... Incredible! I think this will turn out to be best investment of a twenty dollar bill I've ever made. Order yours by clicking below:
Click Here!