I'm so ashamed.....
I'm just screwing with you. But in all seriousness, you might want to have your boyfriend open that beer so you don't break a nail.
What's your favorite summer recipe?
- Thread starter stateofmind
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I'm just screwing with you. But in all seriousness, you might want to have your boyfriend open that beer so you don't break a nail.
Cut me some slack, man...I've lived in iowa city for 10 years and my wife works at the hippie food store, I'm bound to pick up some of that stuff.
Besides, the good dinner quite possibly played a role in getting me laid last night...and before you say it, yes...by my wife.
Chicken Burgers
Ground Chicken - you can mix them with anything you like. We mix them with Mushrooms, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, 1/2 cup of Breadcrumbs. Also put some season salt in the burger and then put more on both sides. Have put ranch seasoning in it too which is very good, but ranch gives me headaches sometimes, so don't use it anymore. But if you like ranch and it doesn't make you sick, add it too.
You can cook them on the grill on George Foreman grill. My wife likes to make a Sun-Dried Tomato mayo with it which is pretty good. Great for leftovers too.
Ground Chicken - you can mix them with anything you like. We mix them with Mushrooms, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, 1/2 cup of Breadcrumbs. Also put some season salt in the burger and then put more on both sides. Have put ranch seasoning in it too which is very good, but ranch gives me headaches sometimes, so don't use it anymore. But if you like ranch and it doesn't make you sick, add it too.
You can cook them on the grill on George Foreman grill. My wife likes to make a Sun-Dried Tomato mayo with it which is pretty good. Great for leftovers too.
For a healtier option, I like turkey burgers. We like to mix in various things like onions, peppers, etc. Throw some panko crumbs in there for texture. Pretty solid.
Just FYI, I make ranch dressing and dip without using the pre-packaged mix. Just tons of dill weed, plus, garlic powder, onion powder, usually some chives, and a little paprika. So, if you like those flavors, you might try adding them in as the herbs/spices...should avoid the headaches which are probably caused by something else in the mix. Same deal to make dressing and veggie dip.
Buy an electric smoker. My husband has both both types, but the electric one is the regularly used version because you can literally just put the stuff in and walk away. He puts it out in our driveway, plugs it in in the garage. We have our office at home too, and it really works out well.
He smokes whole chickens...those make GREAT chicken salad, chicken tacos or quesadillas...and it is super-cheap. The chicken tacos, we make with black beans, fresh sweet corn, the chicken, a little taco seasoning/salsa/guac, and jack cheese.
Also, that smoker makes "no fail" ribs. Rub with a good seasoning mix, put them on for 5 hours at 250 (sauce and wrap about 3 hours through if you want).
A pork shoulder takes longer (about 7-8 hours, IIRC). He uses that for sandwiches (topped with slaw of course); and a great rice and salsa verde concoction.
Just something to think about since you are home during the day. You can fill up the smoker and have enough meat for many lunches and meals.
He smokes whole chickens...those make GREAT chicken salad, chicken tacos or quesadillas...and it is super-cheap. The chicken tacos, we make with black beans, fresh sweet corn, the chicken, a little taco seasoning/salsa/guac, and jack cheese.
Also, that smoker makes "no fail" ribs. Rub with a good seasoning mix, put them on for 5 hours at 250 (sauce and wrap about 3 hours through if you want).
A pork shoulder takes longer (about 7-8 hours, IIRC). He uses that for sandwiches (topped with slaw of course); and a great rice and salsa verde concoction.
Just something to think about since you are home during the day. You can fill up the smoker and have enough meat for many lunches and meals.
Pellet grills/smokers are also set and forget, as long as the pellet hopper is full
Difference between electric smokers and pellet grills is that the electric ones use electric for the heat, the smoke is only for flavor, the pellet grills use only wood pellets for both. Not going to bash electric smokers, since I have no experience, but my pellet grill is awesome, I use it about every weekend (would be more if I had more time to myself during the week).
Mine is a Traeger, but Yoder Smokers is a brand I've seen too, and next on my list if I need to replace the Traeger.
Oh crap, thats what I was forgetting for the recipe, half the time Im like I swear this was a little less crunchy, geesh how could I forget the milk!!
Oh crap, thats what I was forgetting for the recipe, half the time Im like I swear this was a little less crunchy, geesh how could I forget the milk!!
Once I drunkedly did water instead of milk. It accomplished what it needed to, but wasn't nearly as satisfying.
I do have a Masterbuilt electric smoker. In fact I'm using it this weekend in a little competition on Saturday at church. You're right about smoking the whole chicken. I made the best chicken salad from the leftovers. Amazing. I may even do that for the competition. The issue with this is that my wife isn't that keen on smoked foods. Really sucks because I love to experiment with it.
Regarding the pellet comments. I bought those pellets from Fareway this last time to experiment. Is there a probblem with using those pellets in an electric smoker? I've done a couple things with them and haven't noticed an issue.
Do your pellets look like this?:
I ask because I've never seen them at Fareway, might have to check. As to whether it'd be a problem, I'm not an expert on electric smokers, never had one (went from charcoal to propane to pellets), but as I understand them, there's 2 types: The one that has the pan over the heating element that you just put chips or whatever in, I think you might be okay. The ones like the bradley smoker that use the pucks...you might have issues with, I'm not sure how the smoke generator works in those. I think masterbuilt are the first type.....but again, I'm not an expert on electrics.
What is it with you hawkeyes and telling people to suck it? A bit homoerotic, I'd say....
http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63810
