2008 February | AverageJoeCooking.com

Month: February, 2008

Candied Salmon

February 13, 2008 | Fish, Recipes | By: Average Joe

This recipe will be the first one that I use that some one else has created. And they have created an awesome recipe at that. Below I will show how I made the recipe, and also any modifications that I made to it. You can check out the original recipe for candied salmon by going to AllRecipes.com. Now I am always nervous trying out a new recipe, but this one came out so tasty and good that I can not wait to make it again. I hope salmon is on sale next week! I sort of cut this recipe in half cause it seemed like there was quite a bit of onion being used and that just seemed like way to much. But after eating it I can see how you would want to have alot of onions with this one.

Ingredients • 1/4 cup of butter • 1 clove of garlic, minced • 2 (8 ounce) salmon fillets • 1 large sweet onion • 1/2 cup of white vinegar • 1/2 cup of brown sugar Items used to make this recipe • Garlic Press • Toaster Oven • Skillet • Knife • Measuring Cups • Aluminum Foil • Baking Sheet
Recipe
1. First off I cleaned the onion and then chop it up into small pieces like shown. Then placed the onions in the skillet along with the vinegar and brown sugar. 2. Cook the onions for about 15 minutes at medium heat until they are good and caramelized. 3. While your onions are cooking preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. Place your salmon fillets on the baking sheet.
4. In another small skillet melt the butter with the garlic. 5. Now take the melted garlic butter and spread that over the top of your salmon fillets. Next pour the caramelized onions onto your salmon fillets. It will now look like the picture to the right. 6. Place the salmon into the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. You can also check to make sure the internal temperature of the salmon has reached 140 degrees to insure it is cooked properly or that it is flakes with a fork.
Here is the finished product on the plate with some steamed green beans. This was probably the best salmon I have ever had. I would recommend that every one tries this recipe. My wife and I are looking forward to the next time we get a chance to make it. Enjoy!

Comments: 2

Baby Back Ribs – Indirect Grilling Method

February 7, 2008 | Grilling, Pork, Recipes | By: Average Joe

Baby Back Ribs - Plated and ready to eat! Do you like eating ribs when you go out to eat, but hate paying the money for them? Well you can make them at home just as tasty and save a few bucks as well. Making ribs is not that difficult. This is my 4th attempt at making ribs at home and I have got it down to a science. Each time I make them they get more and more tender. This time they were better than any restaurant ribs I have ever had.

For this recipe, I cooked on a gas grill using the indirect grilling technique, but you could also use a charcoal grill or if you would like to step up to the next level check out my article on Smoked Baby Back Ribs using the 2-1-1 method.

Any one that has a grill can make ribs! You just need a little bit of time and patience!

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Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork baby back ribs or 2 racks

• 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Kansas City Style Rib Rub

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup paprika

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon cayenne

Items used to make this recipe

• Serving Platter

• Gas Grill

• Tongs

• Knife

• Paper towels

Recipe

1. Remove the ribs from the packaging. Wash each rack of ribs off and then you will need to peel off the membrane from the bone side or the back of the ribs. This can be done by using a knife to get under the membrane and then take a paper towel to get a good grip on the membrane and then peel it off.

2. Cut your racks of ribs in half. Leave about 6 to 8 ribs for each one.

3. Next, combine all of the ingredients for your rub and mix them together well. You will probably have extra so use an air tight bottle to save the rub mix for the next time you make ribs.

4. Now, take the rub mix and sprinkle it over the ribs and rub it in with your fingers. That’s it your ribs are prepared. Not to bad so far. Now let your ribs sit out and get to room temperature which should take about 20 to 30 minutes.

5. While your ribs are sitting, preheat the grill and set it up for indirect grilling. You want your grill to be at medium low heat or 250 degrees. With a gas grill this is very simple. Just turn on one side of the grill. For a charcoal grill move all of your charcoal to one side of the grill so you have the other side not over direct heat.

6. Now you are ready to put your ribs on the grill. Just put them onto the side of the grill that is not turned on. Like shown in the picture. Be sure to rotate your ribs every so often.

Baby Back Ribs - On the grill with indirect heat

7. The ribs will take about 2 to 3 hours to get done. You will know they are done when the meat pulls back from the bone about a half inch or so. This is demonstrated in the picture to the right. You can see that the rack in the middle has started to pull back quite a bit so those are definitely ready to go.

8. During the last 15 minutes of cooking is when you’re able to baste the ribs with your barbecue sauce of choice.

9. After the 15 minutes, pull them off the grill and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool down.

Now your fingers better be ready to get sticky! Enjoy your homemade ribs.

These ribs were awesome this time. I can’t wait to make them again in my new smoker!

Baby Back Ribs - Plated and ready to eat!

How about some Smoked Baby Back Ribs!

Comments: 5

Rice Cooker – Cuisinart CRC-800 8-Cup Rice Cooker

February 7, 2008 | Product Reviews | By: Average Joe

For several years, I have tried to make good rice, but failed miserably almost every time. I always wondered how to make better rice and if it was ever possible for me to do. I tried the conventional approach of making it in either a skillet or in a pot with a lid. A few years back, I put the Cuisinart CRC-800 8-Cup Rice Cooker on our wedding registry. Fortunately, for my new wife and me, a good friend of ours purchased it for our wedding present. Boy what a great present it has been. Now I enjoy making rice with this no hassle rice cooker.

After taking the rice cooker out of the box, I must say, I wasn’t to impressed with it. It didn’t seem to great a first site. I was expecting more buttons to play with. It only had one switch to push down and a couple of lights. I am a bit of a technology geek, so I am used to having tons of the settings to play with. I was searching all over the place for an on/off button or some other settings. Turns out, you don’t need anything else with this rice cooker, just one switch. It is very simple! You just plug it in, add your rice and water, and push down the switch You will see a cooking light come on. After about 15 or 20 minutes, I haven’t actually timed it yet the switch pops up and the warm light turns on. Just like that, your rice is done! You just have to wait 5 to 10 minutes and you will be enjoying perfect rice with your meal. How great is that? Now I make rice on a weekly basis instead of attempting to make it a few times a year.

This rice cooker is also able to steam food as well. I have only used that feature once though. I steamed some chicken and made rice at the same time. They both came out pretty good. I am mainly interested in cooking rice in this. So I would recommend if you are interested in only making rice to go with a different model and perhaps it would be a bit cheaper.

In conclusion I would definitely purchase this rice cooker. It does exactly what it is supposed to do. Make excellent rice each and every time. It takes me a minute or two to make tasty rice and the clean up is equally easy with the nonstick coating on the cooking pot. So if you enjoy eatting rice but don’t know how to make it to well this is the rice cooker for you.

Click here to purchase the Cuisinart CRC-800 8-Cup Rice Cooker

Comments: 1

Red Pepper Rice

February 4, 2008 | Recipes, Side Dishes | By: Average Joe

OK I am all about easy recipes to get the site kicked off. Here is my recipe for Red Pepper Rice. Now I love to eat rice, but I was never able to cook it well until I got a rice cooker. In this recipe I am going to use a rice cooker but you could certainly make it the traditional way with on your stove top with a pot. If you like to eat rice but have never been good at making it, I would highly recommend purchasing a rice cooker. It will make your life easier.

Ingredients • 2 cups of rice • 4 cups of water • 1 Red Pepper • 1 Garlic Clove • 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil Items used to make this recipe • Rice Cooker • Garlic Press • Knife • Cutting Board
Recipe
1. Chop up your red pepper into small pieces and place that into the rice cooker. 2. Pour in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the rice cooker and use the garlic press to put in your garlic. 3. Now plug in your rice cooker and push the switch done to the cook setting. Place the lid onto the rice cooker and wait for the peppers to get soft. 4. Once the red peppers have softened. Place the two cups of rice into the cooker and the 4 cups of water and place the lid onto the rice cooker. Push down the cook button and you are all set.
OK once the rice cooker has finished the lights will switch to warm. Just wait about 5 minutes and you rice is ready to serve. Perfect every time. I made this rice with my Baked Tilapia. I think they complement each other very well. Enjoy!

Comments: -

Baked Tilapia

February 4, 2008 | Fish, Recipes | By: Average Joe

Tilapia is one of my favorite fishes to eat. This is the recipe I use most often when I bake tilapia. This baked tilapia recipe is very easy to make, with only a few ingredients. Plus it is good for you!

Ingredients • 4 Tilapia Filets • 2 Garlic Cloves • Old Bay Seasoning • Butter Items used to make this recipe • Baking Sheet • Garlic Press (optional) • Aluminum Foil
Recipe
1. Get out your baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. 2. Take your tilapia and place them onto the foil like pictured on the right.
3. Now spread some butter onto each tilapia filet as shown. 4. Next put your garlic into the garlic press and squeeze it through. Spread some garlic onto each tilapia filet. 5. Finally sprinkle some Old Bay seasoning onto each tilapia filet. 6. Get some more foil and place it over the fish and make like a little pouch for the fish to be in. This sort of steams them and keeps them moist. 7. Now place the tilapia into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
After the 15 minutes are up, remove the fish from the oven. Generally, you can tell if tilapia is ready to eat if it has turned all white and is flaky. Furthermore, you can use a meat thermometer to make sure they have arrived at the proper temperature, which is 140 to 150 degress.
I served up the baked tilapia with a Red Pepper rice creation that I like to make. This was a great, fast dinner to make and it was very tasty. Enjoy!