Dinner with the family...

We had my husband's brother, his wife, and their kids over for dinner last night. We all had a great time - nothing like good food and great company! :o) We've enjoyed this meal a few times this summer, so I figured I should just go ahead and post it. Please give them try and let us know how you like them! Happy eating...

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

1 quart buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon pepper
6 chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lb. total)
6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 3/4 lb. total)

In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin, and pepper. Rinse chicken thighs and drumsticks and pat dry. Trim off excess fat. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day (see notes). Lift chicken from brine; discard brine. Wipe excess from chicken with paper towels. Lay chicken pieces on a barbecue grill over medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 4 to 5 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning frequently, until browned on both sides and no longer pink at the bone (cut to test), 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Serves: 6

NOTES: Brine the chicken up to 1 day before grilling; grill up to 1 day before serving (chill airtight). Transport in brine when grilling on-site. Keep the meat well chilled in an ice chest until ready to serve or grill. *We used all drumsticks. **We also found that it's important to keep the skin on - you can always pull it off afterwards, if your chicken gets too dark.

Red Skinned Potato Salad

2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
6 eggs
1 pound bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 cups mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.
Serves: 12



We also had a pot of pinto beans with homemade salsa on top, my cheddar beer bread, and even some mac-n-cheese for the kids who didn't like potato salad.

Hot Fudge Ice Cream Bar Dessert

16 oz. chocolate syrup
3/4 cup peanut butter
19 ice cream sandwiches
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup salted peanuts

Pour the chocolate syrup into a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave 2 minutes on high. Do not allow to boil. Stir peanut butter into hot chocolate until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with a layer of ice cream sandwiches. Spread half the whipped topping over the sandwiches. Spoon half the chocolate mixture over that. Top with half the peanuts. Repeat layers. Freeze until firm, 1 hour. Cut into squares to serve.
yield: 18 servings

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Texas Red Gold...

Have you ever seen this bottle in your local grocery store? If not, they also sell it in gourmet shops and online! This Chipotle Sauce is a Big-Time favorite down here in Texas!!! One way we all love to eat it is over a block of cream cheese and we use crackers to dig in with. This appetizer is always found at baby showers, bunko, or any other reason we all gather together. If you're interested in trying other recipes with this bottle of goodness - go to www.roastedraspberry.com


My Sister-in-Law has very picky eaters in her house and she says they all LOVE this recipe! Thanks Kim for sharing it with us! I can't wait to try it!!!! yummmm....

Raspberry Chipotle Glazed Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloin
4 Tbs. Cajun rub
1/2 Cup of raspberry chipotle sauce
2 Tbs. of grapeseed oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season pork tenderloin with Cajun rub. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. During the last ten minutes, add the glaze on top of the tenderloin. Enjoy!

*** My Sister-in-law found that they like to use the thinner chops, instead of the tenderloin, because they hold the flavor the best. They get the large family pack. Since they are so thin, they tend to eat more! If you choose to use this same method - then bake the same but take out after 20 minutes!

prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

It's a "Good Thing"...

Thanks Martha for this great recipe! Supper tonight was wonderful! The beer flavors this dish perfectly! All the kiddos loved it - and that's also a "good thing"!!!


Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

4 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer or 1 1/2 cups water
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges.

Serves: 6

(Serve this brightly colored, layered tortilla pie with salsa and sour cream on the side. You can even assemble the pie ahead of time, then bake it just before serving.)

Who would have thought....

that ham would be so good on the grill!!!! We were a little nervous with all that horseradish, but it was awesome!!! We are big-time ham lovers in our house, so this really hit the spot. Not having to heat up the whole house for an entire day was an added bonus. If your short on time - you have to give this recipe a try!


Ham Slices on the Grill

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup prepared horseradish
2 slices ham steaks

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, lemon juice and prepared horseradish. Heat the brown sugar mixture in the microwave on high heat 1 minute, or until warm. Score both sides of ham slices. Place on the prepared grill. Baste continuously with the brown sugar mixture while grilling. Grill 6 to 8 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.