International Hot and Spicy Food Day

What does hot and spicy mean to you?  Often times, people people think of assorted peppers to add heat to their favorite recipes.  Jalapenos, Habaneros, Pablanos, Serranos, etc.  All good choices and quite popular to use, but there are other ways to add a bit of heat to your creations.

Horseradish was named the 2011 Herb of the year by the International Herb Association.  It has a very unique flavor and texture.  This root has roots back as far as 1500 BC.  Having been commercially produced in the US since about 1860, it makes it one of the first convenience foods produced in the US.

The next time you are looking for a bit of spice to add to a dish, consider adding a spoonful or two to some of your favorites:

• Cole Slaw
• Potato Salad
• Baked Beans
• Deviled Eggs
• Soups
• Meat Loaf
• Hamburgers
• BBQ Sauce
• Steamed Veggies
• Roasts

These are a few things you can add a new flavor to.  Feel free to come up with your own and add your suggestions below!

BBQ Chicken Breasts with Grilled Pineapple

Last night, we had the opportunity to light up the BBQ Grill.  In Illinois, the first few times you can actually stand outside and cook as opposed to lighting the grill and running back inside to avoid frostbite are always the best meals of the season.  Two reasons I find this true are that your anticipation on the taste buds is at a really high level.  Second, you have had all winter to wait to try new things.

Last night was no exception to either of those.  Last October, we met a couple of guys, Steve and Josh, who produce some mighty fine BBQ sauce.  They have a company in Columbia City, Indiana named Masters Hand BBQ, LLC and make a couple of different sauces. 

We got the chance to try their original recipe "A Taste of Heaven" on our chicken breasts.  It was a nice mild sauce that we added very late in the cooking process.  It was thick enough to be brushed on without difficulty of spilling and stayed on the breasts very well.  The flavor was sweet and just the hint of a tang.  Very mile and enjoyable indeed.

We paired it with some grilled pineapple rings and a rice pilaf for a nice light meal.  The pineapple was dusted with cinnamon and applied directly to the grates.  Cooked pineapple has an entirely different flavor.  Try it sometime.

The Weekend Review

This weekend was a busy weekend that did not leave a lot of time for cooking. Friday night I had the opportunity to grill a couple of Turkey Burgers along with a few sliced and seeded red grilling peppers. Even though the peppers were clearly labled mild, some were a bit more than mild. Be careful rubbing your eyes and face after seeding 'mild' peppers.

Saturday was the first indoor craft show of our season. Thank you to the nice folks at Hillside Church in Crown Point, IN. I met some nice folks and had some fun.

Sunday was the Fall Open House at Front Porch Coffee & Gifts in Mokena. Thanks to Catherine and Bonnie for inviting me to share our Loco Cheese Dip and our Candied Jalapenos with their friends and family. If you get out that way stop in and say hi. They are located on the north side of 191st Street just east of LaGrange Road. They are one of a few select stores to carry our products.

A simple summer salad for the backyard parties...

Have you ever been invited to a backyard party and need to come up with a cool summer dish that isn't like all of the others, but you don't have a lot of time to make it?  Here is a simple idea that always gets great reviews for us and is so simple to make.

Ingredients:

Broccoli    1 lb
Cauliflower    1 head
Carrots     1 lb
Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Cut the veggies into bite size pieces and mix with the Chipotle Ranch Dressing.  Toss veggies to coat and chill.  It is about as easy as it gets.  The dish has a lot of color and plenty of flavor. 

Something new in the store...

We are pleased to announce the arrival of 2 new salad dressings to our line. The first is a Red Raspberry Vinaigrette and the second is a Sweet Apple Honey Mustard Dressing. Both will make a nice addition to our line.