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Grilled Pork Chops

One of the most common questions I get asked when doing recipe demos, is "how to you get your pork so juicy and tender." My response is always the same, don't over cook it. I was raised that pork must be cooked well done. This resulted in a dry, leathery end product, that needs a chainsaw to cut, and tastes like shoe leather. Several years ago the government lowered the recommended internal temperature for pork to 145 degrees followed by a three minute rest time. For pork chops we all want those beautiful grill marks that give the meat that great charred taste. To get the marks you need high heat, but you don't want to cook at a high temperature. You will dry out the chops. I cook on both sides of my grill, high heat to seal and char the meat then low indirect heat to finish the cooking. Start on the hot side preheated to about 425 degrees to get the perfect grill marks, then move to the other side, with the burner turned off, and let the indirect heat from the h

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiano

I am proud of my wife. She has been losing weight and staying on a strict diet. On our recent vacation, she decide to splurge and order her favorite eggplant parmigiana. What she was served was a greasy dish of sauce and cheese over a tiny piece of eggplant. This is my version of a healthier version featuring grilled eggplant instead of fried. Ingredients: 1 medium size eggplant 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small sweet onion diced 1 clove garlic minced 1/2 teaspoon oregano seasoning 1/4 cup coarse chopped basil plus a few leaves for topping 3 medium to large tomatoes diced 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping Preheat you grill to about 375 to 400 degrees. Begin by preparing the eggplant. Peel and cut the eggplant in 1/2 inch thick pieces. Lay the pieces out flat on a paper towel and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 15 minutes, then turn the slices over and repeat the process. This will help remove the bitter

Roast Turkey Breast

Fall is just around the corner, and soon leaves will be falling, temperatures will drop, and the nights will be getting longer. That is everywhere, except here in Florida. We will have longer nights, but nothing else changes. It will still in the 90's and leaves don't fall until spring. No matter where you are, it will be Thanksgiving before you know it.With the holiday, comes that all time favorite, TURKEY. My wife and I love turkey and eat it all year.  But for those of you who wait for Thanksgiving, here is a great recipe. I covered this before in the hot turkey sandwich recipe, but this gives more detail for creating the perfect slices of turkey. Since most holidays here are spent with a few friends who have no family in the area, I normally roast a breast. Ingredients 1 6 to 8 pound turkey breast. 1 medium onion 3 stalks of celery 2 to 3 medium carrots (or a handful of baby carrots) 1 clove of garlic 1 stick of unsalted butter. 2 cups no salt added chicken st

Grille Sesame Ginger Chicken

We have been trying to eat healthier, and have chicken a few times a week. After a while, it does get boring. This is a quick, delicious recipe that will spice up mundane chicken. The key to juicy, moist, grilled chicken is to cook low and slow. When you rush and try grilling on a high heat, you end up with dry, tough chicken.  Ingredients: 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger pinch roasted garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt Begin by making a marinade. Mix all the ingredients is a small bowl. Cover the chicken breasts with the mixture. Allow to rest for 20 minutes, while preheating your grill to about 400 degrees. Place chicken on the grill and lower the temperature to the grill's lowest setting. Mine drops down to about 325 degrees. Grill breasts for 10 minutes a side, then check with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees for chicken. When the temperature is met, remove from the grill and allow about

Scrambled Eggs

I was talking to my friend Erica at the Crumby Kitchen blog, about the most searched recipes on Google. A lot of the searches were for very basic recipes. Mention scrambled eggs, and you will get a hundred different ideas, most of them with a strong opinion. You should add milk or cream, never add milk or cream, high heat or low heat, everyone has their own ideas. This is my version, which has been enjoyed by many. The first step is choosing a pan. I use two different types in my kitchen, cast iron and stainless steel. Both produce excellent results. With a well seasoned cast iron pan, the key is to preheat it. I place mine in the oven and preheat at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes. Cast iron is a poor conductor of heat, but an excellent retainer of heat. Once preheated the cooking surface stays warm for a long time. CAUTION should be used when removing the pan from the oven. Remember it is 325 degrees hot and will cause serious burns without using a pot holder or handle

Grilled Peaches

Peach season is coming to an end, but you can still find some delicious fruit at the store. This recipe is perfect for any slightly firm peaches. Fresh off the grill, this dessert gives you the flavor of a homemade cobbler, without the crust. Ingredients: 2 large peaches cubed 1 tablespoon cane syrup 1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoons molasses 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon pinch of salt Begin by soaking bamboo skewers in water for a half an hour. This keeps the bamboo from burning. Skewer the peach cubes. Combine all the above ingredients and brush glaze over peach cubes. Lightly spray all sides with cooking spray. Place on a preheated  350 degree grill. Grill about 5 minutes each side, or until grill marks appear.  Remove from heat, allow to cool, and enjoy. For a more savory dessert, drizzle lightly with balsamic glaze after grilling.

Pressure Pot Italian Beef

It's hurricane season here in Florida, that means eating down the freezer so you have limited loss during an extended power outage. While at work the other day, I was in the meat department where one of my co-workers was putting together ready- to- cook, slow cooker Italian beef. A search of the freezer revealed a chuck roast perfect for creating some delicious beef sandwiches. Growing up outside Pittsburgh, I have eaten my fair share of Italian beef sandwiches, and everyone had a different recipe. Here is my version. Ingredients: 1 two pound chuck roast 2 cups low sodium beef broth 1-8 ounce can no salt added tomato sauce 2 packages Herb-Ox no salt beef broth 1/2 cup mild banana peppers 1/4 cup of banana pepper juice 4 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon onion powder 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning I didn't have time to defrost the roast, so this is the perfect job for the electric pressure cooker. Combine all the ingredients in the cooker pot, close the lid a