Category: MISC

TAILGATING TIME 2.0

IT’S OFFICIAL – FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE!
We have decided to make a change this year in the way Tailgating Time will work. Instead of a new linky for each week we will be using the same linky to keep all the great recipes in one place. This will provide easy access to the recipes and create one big awesome recipe index collection. There is no limit to how many you add – of course we hope you will add a new recipe each and every week! Tailgating Time will generally be posted each week on Sundays at noon.

It doesn’t matter if you are a football fan or not, great party food is always a good thing. Bring over your grilled goods, chips and dips, appetizers, chili and chowders, cocktails, or any recipes that would be great for the football party buffet!

If any of you would like to host along with us you can click –> get the InLinkz code to add the linky to your blog too. You can post it once in awhile or every week during football season, that’s up to you. The only thing we ask is that you leave a comment here to let us know you are co-hosting, and that you visit and comment on as many of the participants as you can. 
 
 We can’t wait to see what you will bring to the party. Let the games begin. Whoo-hoo!

REALITY CHECK

A few years ago I was a girl scout leader and became quite fond of many of the girls.  During the course of the program we found that many of the girls were using the “MY SPACE” site without permission from their parents and misrepresenting themselves on that site.  We discussed the jeopardy of this type of behavior (loss of scholarships, jobs, employers and even disapproving family and friends) MANY times with the girls. We did get through to many of the girls, but unfortunately a few continued with their behavior and it has even slid over onto facebook now. 
When I received the following email post from Dear ABBY, I knew I needed to reach out at least one more time as many of the girls still read my blog.  HEED THIS ADVICE GIRLS! It’s your future – make it bright!
NAUGHTY PAST POSTED ONLINE JEOPARDIZES STUDENT’S FUTURE
DEAR ABBY: A former student asked me to write a character reference to help her land a teaching job abroad. I agreed, since I thought highly of her potential as a teacher and scholar, and her level of character. However, after she was placed in the classroom, the ministry of education of the nation where she was to teach discovered some inappropriate posting on her social networking site.

Because I had written the recommendation, they contacted me asking if they had a problem and provided me with copies of what they had found. Her posting detailed a history of forging fake IDs to buy alcohol while underage, numerous episodes of binge drinking in high school and college, her marijuana use and several exhibitionistic stunts and sexual activities that I won’t mention. I was shocked. None of this matched the person I thought I knew.

When I tried to contact her to let her know she had been discovered, she rebuffed my inquiries and cut off all contact! Her parents’ response was denial and to “kill the messenger.” I have been left with the problem of how to respond to the ministry’s questions.

Ordinarily I would not want my signature associated with someone with those behaviors and attitudes, but this young woman is in legal jeopardy abroad. I still don’t know if what she wrote is true, but I find it highly problematic that she would portray herself as she did.

This situation has so shaken my trust in the character and judgment of the 20-something crowd that I’m now reluctant to write recommendations for any of my students. What do you think I should have done? I’m concerned that too many of these young people, however intelligent, lack integrity, character, judgment and common sense. — HEARTBROKEN TEACHER, OAKLAND, CALIF.

DEAR HEARTBROKEN: You responded appropriately by trying to contact your former student and her parents. If the information on that social networking site is an accurate reflection of her behavior, she could get herself in real trouble if the country she’s in is one with conservative social views.

It is intelligent of you to think twice about giving references to students in the future. It’s important that you be careful because there could be liability for you if you knew anything about her antics when you wrote her recommendation. If you are wondering how to respond to the ministry of education, what you need to convey is that you had no knowledge of any social networking sites or postings related to her, and that you were basing your recommendations on your personal interactions with her.

Let this be a lesson to all young people who are using social networking sites. Employers are doing background checks and you will be discovered. Any past communications you have on the Internet are there to stay.

This has been a hot topic in the media. But I’m interested to know what you, my readers, both young and old, think about this. You teach me more than I teach you, and this subject is one of great importance.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

WE ALL NEED TO BELIEVE IN MIRACLES whether the email story is true or not…

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet.

She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment.

Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

And what do you want?’ the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,’ he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

‘Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,’ Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone.

‘He’s really, really sick….and I want to buy a miracle.’

‘I beg your pardon?’ said the pharmacist.

‘His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?’

‘We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help you,’ the pharmacist said, softening a little.

‘Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.’

The pharmacist’s brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, ‘What kind of a miracle does your brother need?’

I don’t know,’ Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my money.’

‘How much do you have?’ asked the man from Chicago.

‘One dollar and eleven cents,’ Tess answered barely audible. ‘And it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.’

‘Well, what a coincidence,’ smiled the man. ‘A dollar and eleven cents—the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.’

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said ‘Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet

  your parents. Let’s see if I have the miracle you need.’

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place..

‘That surgery,’ her Mom whispered. ‘was a real miracle.. I wonder how much it would have cost?’

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a  miracle cost…one dollar and eleven cents…plus the faith of a little child.

In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law.

Fire Day Friday: Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce

I am extremely excited about co-hosting Fire Day Friday with Chris from Nibble Me This!  My name is Jenn from Jenn’s Food Journey and I love to grill….uhmmm, wait… I mean I LOVE to grill…so when Chris asked if I would co-host with him, I was not only honored but ecstatic!!!  A place where I can talk about food being cooked over fire…HEAVEN!!  So I’ll be here every other Friday and if you get lonely and want to come see me between those days, come check out Jenn’s Food Journey, you’ll never know what you might find!  And thanks again to Chris and this amazing community of bloggers on Our Krazy Kitchen!

Now on to the good stuff!!

I live in Arizona, so I can grill comfortably all year long.  And I do just that.  My favorite thing to grill:  Chicken!  Some people have a hard time grilling chicken, they tend to over cook it out of fear of under cooking it.  The only way to grill good chicken is to practice, practice, practice!  The more you do it, the better you will get at it.  I don’t want to toot my own horn, but sometimes, I even forget to turn on my timer, I just know by the look and feel that it’s done.  I do not recommend that method though, I have come up with shoe leather a time or two also.  One way to perfect it: use a meat thermometer!  They are every grillers/cooks/chefs must have tool.  When cooked properly, chicken should register an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  Though I always take the chicken off just a tad bit before, as it will continue to cook a little after you have taken it off the fire.

ANYWAY…I ramble sometimes, sorry!  The chicken…it was fantastic!  Just a simple little spice mix that just always says “barbecue” to me.  Most people have these spices already on hand, so it’s an inexpensive way to end up with a tasty piece of chicken!  And the sauce, well, I’m a self proclaimed sauce girl (or is it saucy girl, I’m not sure), so I LOVED it.  It has the perfect little tang that compliments the slightly spicy chicken.  This is definitely a must try!

Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce
Spice mix created by Jenn’s Food Journey, Sauce adapted from MyRecipes.com
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the spice mix – 
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
For the sauce – 
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard (you could use Dijon instead)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon horseradish

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the spice mix.  Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken, covering both sides of each piece.  Place on a plate and cover or wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator for 2-4 hours (you could always do it for longer, it can’t hurt one bit!).

In another small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce.  Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees.  Rub grill grates with oil.  Place each piece of chicken directly over the fire and cover the grill.  Let grill for 5-8 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.  Remove from grill; serve with white barbecue sauce.  Enjoy!

CLASSIC GOOD EATS ~ BLOOD ORANGE CHICKEN

BLOOD ORANGE TART CHICKEN

1/4 cup chopped tart dried cherries, diced
1/2 cup white wine
12 chicken thighs, skin on
1 can Kern’s Apricot nectar
3 tablespoons blood orange vinegar
3 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1 large bunch green onions, sliced thin4 tablespoons butter, divided 1 + 3
salt and pepper to taste

  • Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
  • Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet.
  • Brown chicken, salt and peppering generously and to taste until skin is crisp.
  • Drain fat, reserving any crisp bits to add to next step.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet.
  • Saute’ onion and roasted garlic.
  • Add cherry pieces, vinegar, wine and apricot nectar – simmer 20 minutes on low.
  • Spray a large baking dish with PURE.
  • Lay chicken pieces in a single layer side by side.
  • Top with onion mixture.
  • Bake uncovered 30-45 minutes uncovered.
  • Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles.

    PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

    Hello everyone. My name is Liz and I am the new host for Try A New Recipe Tuesday. I am honored to be part of such an awesome group of bloggers. I have my own blog, The Flowering Dogwood, come on over, browse and let me know you stopped by.
    The holidays are over and all I want to do is to NOT make a huge fuss in the kitchen. This meal is easy , with very little effort. My kind of dinner! This is a great meal that you will definitely add to your list of favorites.It is a favorite at our house. Crock pot, few ingredients and great taste. Of course you use your favorite BBQ sauce. Everyone has one!  I serve the pork on buns with baked french fries and coleslaw.
    PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
    1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
    3 pounds boneless pork ribs
    1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
    Directions
    • Pour can of beef broth into slow cooker, and add boneless pork ribs. Cook on High heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. 
    • Remove meat, and shred with two forks. 
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
    • Transfer the shredded pork to a Dutch oven or iron skillet, and stir in barbecue sauce.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through.
    • Serve on warm, toasted buns.

    A fortunate find… Good as new.

    Years and years ago my aunt made me a set of Adam and Eve dolls.  Several years ago she asked to borrow them to make a pattern from.  I never received them back, but dis find them recently while cleaning her craft closet.

    Chocolate Chewies

    Today’s cookie is probably one of the shortest cookie recipes I’ve ever used, but yields an incredibly delicious little bite of heaven!  In fact, the flavor and texture is quite close to a recipe from Bon Appetit which not only has a longer ingredient list but also takes lots of time, something that’s always in short supply around my house.  The cookie is quite light, full of chocolate flavor, and wonderfully chewy.  I made these to send to a fellow blooger, Cassie of a pinch of this and a dash of that, with whom I was paired in a cookie exchange hosted by Steph of stephchows.  I hope you like them, Cassie!

    Chocolate Chewies
    Recipe adapted from Cooking Up a Storm
    3 cups powdered sugar
    1/3 cup cocoa
    2 tablespoons flour
    3 large egg whites
    1-2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped

    Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.
    In a large bowl, whisk powdered sugar, cocoa, and flour together.
    With an electric mixer, beat in the egg whites, one by one on low speed.
    Then, beat batter on high for 2 minutes.
    Fold in pecans.
    Using a small cookie scoop, portion cookie dough onto prepared pan, about 1 1/2″ apart.
    Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
    Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from parchment paper.
    Store in a sealed container.