Sautéed Mushrooms

Sautéed Mushrooms with Steak and Loaded Mashed Potatoes

It's no secret I like to grill. Steaks, chicken, pork, seafood, vegetables, it doesn't matter. I just like the flavor. But I think that one of the things that is often overlooked, is what goes down on the plate next to what you just perfectly grilled! I like to do some simple sauté mushrooms as a side when I grill.

The Recipe

The Ingredients:

• 1 Package of Mushrooms - Washed and Quartered
• 1 Shallot - Diced
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• Red or White Wine (Optional)

The Method:

Shallots, Garlic, and Mushrooms Ready for the Pan

Remember when I said this was simple? In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms, shallot, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the vegetables around occasionally. When the mushrooms are evenly brown, no more than 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and it's time to eat!

To add a little more flavor, add some red or white wine. The mushrooms will absorb the flavor and have a little but more pop!

Happy Eating!

Weekly Favorites 05/20/18 to 05/26/18

This week's batch of favorite food and restaurant articles features summer and summer flavors!


Whatever Happened to Sun-Dried Tomatoes? - via Taste Cooking

Sun Dried Tomatoes
Photo Credit Taste Cooking/Antonis Achilleos

Personally, I love sun-dried tomoatoes. I like them in sandwiches, pizza, salads, you name it. But I do know, that are quite a few folks out there who don't care for them. What's your take on them?

Game Changing Grill Hacks
Photo Credit Delish.com

10 Game-Changing Barbecue Hacks You Need in Your Life This Summer - via Delish.com

With Memorial Day just around the corner, summer is officially here. Barbecues will be a regular occurrence. I even saw that our neighborhood pool is opening next week! This barbecue hacks will you up your game on and around the grill!

Reverse Seared New York Strip

Reverse seared New York Strip!

One of my favorite meals is steak night! Last Saturday night was a rainy, Houston night, so what could be better than a steak and a movie at home? A creature of habit, I usually cook a steak the steak the same way each time. The same seasoning, the same sides, the same method. A good steak doesn't come cheap, so why take a chance and risk getting it wrong?




I have been hearing a lot about the "reverse sear method," when it comes to grilling meats, especially steaks. I decided to take a leap of faith with the two New York Strips I had picked up and try it out. I'm not sure that I'll ever go back. The cooking time is a little longer, but well worth the wait. The color is consistent throughout and melts like butter.

Grill the steak over indirect heat.

Conventional wisdom would tell you that a good sear when a piece of meat first lands on the grill will lock the juices in. The reverse sear does the same thing, but better. Since the meat is not over direct heat, the juices don't ever have a chance to cook out, making for a more tender, juicier steak.




Enough of me talking about it, let's cook!




The Recipe:

• 2 New York Strips
• Steak Seasoning (Cavender's has always been my go to)

Prepare a charcoal grill. For tips on setting up your grill visit here. The fire should be built on one side of the grill, so that the steak can cook over indirect heat.

Grill the steak of indirect heat

Season the steak and let sit out at room temperature. This will allow the steak to cook more evenly. 

Finish the steak over the fire.

The idea of the "reverse sear method" is to cook the steak before it goes over the flame, leaving it to sear at the very end. Place the seasoned steak on the grill, opposite from the fire. I cooked my steak 6 to 7 minutes per side over indirect heat, before searing it about a minute per side over the fire. This still allowed for a nice medium rare dark pink color that was consistent throughout. This steak was delicious and I cannot wait to repeat the experience!

Happy eating!

6 Fall Grilling Recipes You Have to Try

I always talk about how happy they are that "grilling season" is here. When does it go away? The cold weather shouldn't serve as a deterrent. After, there is a fire to keep you warm while you cook!



6 Fall Grilling Recipes You Have to Try:



'via Blog this'

6 Fall Grilling Recipes You Have to Try

I love grilling in the fall. Those peaches go great on the grill. I used to do a balsamic glazed pork chop that is very similar to the one in here too.





6 Fall Grilling Recipes You Have to Try:



'via Blog this'

Avocado Chile Burger with Crispy Onion Straws

Hatch Green Chile Burger

This recipe goes back to my days as the Houston Barbecue Examiner. In honor of Hatch Green Chile Month we used hatch green chiles instead of the serranos and jalapenos. I'll post both recipes below.


The Original Recipe:

• 2 pounds ground beef 
• 3 serrano peppers, seeded and minced 
• 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk 
• peanut oil

Combine ground beef with peppers, garlic, salt and pepper and divide into four equal patties. For a more southwestern flavor, add 1 teaspoon of ancho chile powder. The secret to a good, juicy burger is to get a good sear, so make sure the grill is hot. To reach desired doneness without burning, it may be necessary to move the patties away from the heat after both sides have been seared.

Crispy Onion Straws

In one bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. In a second bowl combine breadcrumbs, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the egg and milk. Dust the onions in the flour and wash in the egg mixture, and then cover with breadcrumbs. Transfer the onions to a pot with about an inch of hot peanut oil. Remove the onions to a paper towel once they have become golden brown.

Assemble the burgers in Kaiser rolls, topping the grilled patties with sliced avocado and crispy onion straws.

The New Recipe:

• 2 pounds ground beef 
• 2 hatch green chilies, seeded and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk 
• peanut oil
• Ranch dressing

Hatch Green Chile Burgers on the Grill

Combine ground beef with chilies, garlic, salt and pepper and divide into four equal patties. Put the patties on the grill to cook. Make sure the grill is hot to seal in the flavor. I'll end up moving the patties around to make sure they all get cooked evenly. 

In one bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. In a second bowl combine breadcrumbs, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the egg and milk. Dust the onions in the flour and wash in the egg mixture, and then cover with breadcrumbs. Transfer the onions to a pot with about an inch of hot peanut oil. Remove the onions to a paper towel once they have become golden brown.

Assemble the burgers in Kaiser rolls, topping the grilled patties with sliced avocado and crispy onion straws. Finish with some ranch dressing. 

Grilling Mistakes | POPSUGAR Food

Some really great advice here. If you're following these rules/guidelines, you're definitely missing out on what your grilled food could be - and it's not just barbecue!



Grilling Mistakes | POPSUGAR Food:



'via Blog this'

Charcoal: Briquettes vs Lump

There are many ways to barbecue. Grills come in all varieties from a fancy custom rig to portable folding beach grill. Of course the grill you choose depends on a variety of criteria: space, cost, and application.

Once the grill is chosen, and probably assembled, the next thing to consider is how you light your grill. If the grill is gas powered then it is a simple process. But if you are going charcoal, it can be a bit more complicated. The go to is simple lighter fluid. While I do still use it at times, I don't like it and I don't recommend it. It always seems to leave a lighter fluid flavor behind. I've seen people spend time to light charcoal with a blow torch, but it always seems to take a lot of time.

The best method I've ever found is the chimney starter. In my house there are always ads and coupons lying around waiting to be crumpled up in balls. It is also somewhat satisfying to use bills, they're on auto pay anyway, and junk mail.  This is the most natural way to light the grill there is.

I've recently made the switch from charcoal briquettes to lump charcoal. It is one of the best culinary decisions I've made in a long time.

With briquettes,  there was always a flavor I was trying to mask with smoke from various types of wood. Now, with the oak lump charcoal, the smoke is there and the undesirable flavor is gone. If you're on the fence or looking to try something new, I strongly recommend that you make you switch to lump charcoal.

9 Things You Should Never Do When Grilling

Most of you know I love to grill. This article has some really great tips for what not to do to get you grilling in the right direction.



9 Things You Should Never Do When Grilling:



'via Blog this'

BBQ Chicken

Time to dust off the blog. I haven't been keeping up with it the past few years. Things are a little bit different for me now than they were at my last post. I have a new kitchen to play with, but I also have 2 little boys to play with, Oliver and Wes. They keep me pretty busy, but I am finding new inspiration from them every day, and I love watching them grow and learn new things.

The other day it was beautiful outside and decided to grill something. We settled on BBQ Chicken.

For this recipe gather the following:

• A Grill - preferably a charcoal grill
• Charcoal and wood - I prefer lump charcoal vs briquettes. I like to mix in different flavors with the wood I use. I've been really in to pecan, oak, apple, and cherry woods. I typically soak the wood in a bucket of water to provide more smoke. It also helps control the heat.
• Chicken - This time I used some boneless, skinless chicken thighs. That's what was available in the fridge, but I prefer skin on, bone in chicken. I typically grill a mix of pieces. 
• Sauce
• BBQ Rub

Both the sauce and BBQ rub are preferential. Pick what you like. I'm not using anything that can't be found in any local grocery store.

Get the grill going while the chicken is prepped. I use a chimney starter to light the charcoal; never use lighter fluid. Get the grill to around 350 degrees.

Apply a generous amount of the BBQ rub to the chicken and set it on the grill away from the heat. Once the bottom and sides start to change color, flip the chicken to the other side. This is usually 20 to 30 minutes per side.

With both sides cooked, use a brush or mop to apply some sauce generously to the chicken. Let it sit a few minutes and flip. Add sauce to the other side. Let it sit a few minutes and the chicken is done.

A few things to try with the chicken is some smoked sausage or an onion. I'll add the onion as soon as I put the chicken on and let the smoke do it's work. If I'm adding sausage to the mix, I'll add it after I flip the chicken the first time. Sausage is typically precooked and just needs to be reheated.

BBQ chicken pairs well with a lot of different foods. Coleslaw, potato salad, corn, the list goes on and on. I made some pinto beans, mac and cheese, and cornbread to go along with mine.