Whiskey Marinade for Beef, Chicken or Pork

I use this on pork loin chops and it yields a very flavorful and juicy pork chop.

1/2 cup whiskey
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour over meat and seal tightly and give a shake or two to coat meat.
Place meat in refrigerator, let marinate at least 3 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Cook meat on grill.

Original recipe from food dot com

~ Farmgirl

Pin It

Hearty Macaroni Salad

This salad speaks summertime to my family. Very refreshing and packed full of flavor. You can't stop at one serving.

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
4 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons sugar

In a bowl, combine macaroni, celery, onion, peppers, carrots and cucumber.

In another bowl, combine the dressing ingredients until blended. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Yield 8 servings.

~Farmgirl

Pin It

Beer-Brined Chicken

I had some friends come in from Virginia this weekend and not just any recipe would do for grilling chicken for them. I had to break out one of the best I have learned to make. This is one of my favorite go-to recipes when making chicken on the the grill. The chicken comes out so tender and pretty juicy. I made it this time with chicken breasts (wont be as juicy as the thighs) but its great with thigh meat also.

It's great severed up with many different sides. This time I paired it with corn on the cob and a nice hearty salad and my friend had brought up a carrot cake with walnuts and pineapple. It was so so delish. I'm still trying to figure out how she knew that I LOVED carrot cake.

Brine:
2 cups water
1/4 cup kosher (coarse) salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 (12 oz) bottles beer, chilled
2 cut-up whole chickens (3 to 31/2 lbs each) (for this recipe I used 6 lbs of chicken breasts)

Barbecue Rub:
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil (for brushing on chicken while on the grill)

In a 6 to 8 quart noncorrosive (stainless steel, enamel-coated or plastic or  large ziploc bag) container or stockpot, mix water, kosher salt and brown sugar, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in beer ( it will foam some). Add chicken. Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Line 15x10 inch pan with sides with paper towel. Remove chicken from brine; rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Place chicken in pan. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix all rub ingredients except oil; set aside.

Heat gas or charcoal grill for indirect cooking. Brush oil over chicken; sprinkle rub mixture over chicken.For two burner gas grill, heat one burner to medium; place chicken on unheated side. For one- burner gas grill, place chicken on grill over low heat. For charcoal grill, move medium coals to edge of firebox; place chicken over drip pan. Cover grill; cook 15 minutes.

Turn chicken over; cover grill and cook 20 to 30 minutes longer, turning occasionally, until juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut to bone (170 degrees for breasts; 180 degrees for thighs and drumsticks).

Makes 8 servings

Note: The picture above I dredged my chicken in the rub. I like it the rub on pretty thick. So if your like me you may want to make double or triple rub.

Pin It

Oh my my, Strawberry Pie

There's nothing like celebrating the "unofficial" first day of summer with strawberry pie. So when I saw how quick and easy this recipe was I had to try it. It was gobbled up so fast that I didn't get a serving photoed. I'm thinking I will have to make another and make it soon. 

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

3 oz box strawberry Jell-o

2 cups sliced strawberries

Pre-baked 10" pie shell (click here for recipe)

Line bottom of pie shell with the sliced strawberries. 

Combine cornstarch, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened (this happens really quick). Add the Jell-o and stir until dissolved. Pour over the strawberries and refrigerate until set.

Serve with whipped cream.

~ Farmgirl

Pin It

Hot Dog Sauce

There's nothing I like better at a good ole cookout besides a hot dog with sauce and onions. (Shh, sometimes I like it piled high with slaw too.) It can't be any ole sauce either, it has to be homemade. The store bought just don't do it for me; maybe its because I'm totally spoiled or something. So any how I'm on a mission to find the best sauce this season. I make mine from scratch all the time and I have never wrote down the recipe; its always been a dash of this, a pinch of that and so on. So come along with me on my journey to find the ULTIMATE hot dog sauce out there. By the way, if you have a sauce I must try please email it to me.

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef, chuck (for this recipe I used ground turkey, was out of beef)
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup water

Directions:

Brown beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain fat; cool mixture slightly. Place in a food processor; pulse until mixture is finely crumbled, about 5 or 6 pulses. Return meat  to skillet; stir in garlic. Cook for 3 minutes.

Mix in ketchup and barbecue sauce. Stir in the chili powder, mustard, pepper, salt, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, and water. Cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season sauce with additional salt, if necessary.

Makes 3 cups

Come on give it a try

~ Farm Girl

Recipe source allrecipes.com

Pin It