What's for Dinner ~ Saturday May 12th

[Lucinda]

♥

[Phentex]

1. The men are cooking...

I asked for pork chops.

What are you having?

[Cairycat]

2. Beer can chicken

with a spicy rub. I've never tried it before so it will be interesting to see how it turns out.

Of course, only crappy Amurkan beer comes in cans, so we're trying (my son's) idea of pouring some good beer (Sam Adams lager) into a clean pop can and setting the chicken on that.

[NJCher]

3. had to look that up

I didn't know about beer can chicken, but there's an about.com slideshow showing the technique.

The one thing that bothers me about it is the idea of having a can with printing on it in my chicken. They do say that some people use Mason jars. I'd be afraid stuff from the imprinting on the can would get into my chicken.

So am I correct in surmising that the reason for this technique is that the heat from the barbecue gets the mixture in the can hot enough that it permeates inside the chicken, thus giving it additional flavor?


Cher

[Cairycat]

4. Yes, the point is to keep the chicken moist and flavorful

I'm assuming.

I hadn't thought about the printing getting into the chicken. I do have lots of Mason jars, and they would be much easier to pour the Sam Adams into, so yeah, I think I'll try that.

[EFerrari]

5. I wouldn't use glass, it might break.

Maybe, wrap the can in foil?

The idea is also not to have the bottom of the chicken turn out soggy from sitting in fat while it cooks. I thought this was for oven cooking. For BBQ, I don't see why brining wouldn't work just as well.

[pinto]

6. Rigatoni w/meat sauce, steamed kale, salad and garlic bread.

[livetohike]

7. Bean burritos, corn on the cob and

an avocado - tomato salad .

[freshwest]

15. Sounds very good!

[GoCubsGo]

8. I'm grilling tonight.

Steak, peppers and mushrooms. I might make some rice on the side.

[grasswire]

9. angus steak and bleu cheese salad

Pan fry the steak to rare, let it rest, slice it thin against the grain. Toss romaine, slivered red onion, sliced avocado, bleu cheese crumbles, cherry tomatoes with some bleu cheese dressing or vinaigrette, top with sliced steak, cracked pepper on top. Serve with some good bread -- toasted sourdough is good. I have 12 oz New York choice steak with good marbling for two modest portions. Should be good. Beautiful day here -- sunny with lots of boats on the water.

[Jazzgirl]

10. Spicy baked chicken drummies.

I had a taste for real spicy so they are. Also fried potatoes with onions and an Argula salad with my favorite Paul Marston dressing.

[NJCher]

11. Me, too

Thanks for the comments upthread about the beer can chicken and that's a good idea about the Mason jar and wrapping it in foil.

I ran into a special at Whole Foods on chicken legs, so I bought some. I have a recipe I really like: coat them with mustard, then dredge in panko.

This time, however, I added a little honey and some cayenne to the mustard mixture. Then I added chopped cashews to the panko mixture. They're in the oven now.

Grasswire, you are drivin' me nuts today with your good food ideas. I wanna' come to your house!! Ay yi yi, going to copy that post for a future menu.




Cher

[Cairycat]

12. Beer can chicken report

Husband says "it's the chicken equivalent of arm roast" (pot roast is his very favorite meal). It was tender and moist, even the breast.

But - it's a job, getting it on the grill, and then getting the can out when it's done. We ended up setting the chicken on the pop can 3/4s filled with the Sam Adams lager on a foil pie plate. It still wanted to slump over, so we propped it with potatoes. I should have done enough potatoes for everybody - they made a tasty, easy side dish. But in trying to figure all this out, my poor son singed his arms pretty well.

To get the chicken off, we put chicken and can on the plate. My son pulled up on the chicken with tongs, and I put on my dish washing gloves and held onto the can. I didn't put foil on it, maybe should have. It wasn't too difficult to get off that way but maybe should have sprayed it with Pam first.

Chicken this way is very tasty, and whole chickens go on sale often enough to make it a cheap dish. Plus, if you don't have a hungry husband and two hungry teenage boys devouring nearly all of the chicken, you could have enough for sandwiches or a second meal. I may look for a reasonably-priced vertical roaster thingy, that would make it easier.

Here is the rub recipe I used:
2 T smoked paprika
2 T salt
2 T onion powder
1 T cayenne
1 T ground cumin
2 t dried thyme
2 t dried oregano
2 t black pepper
2 t garlic powder

Wash and dry a 4 pound chicken. Rub the chicken and cavity with vegetable oil, then pat on rub. Pour out 1/4 of beer in can and set chicken on can. Grill over medium high heat until thermometer reaches 165, a hour to an hour and a half. Let chicken rest 10 minutes, covered with foil, before serving.

[cbayer]

13. As usual, we are eating out a lot while temporarily in 'merica, but last night I cooked

for my father's 82nd birthday.

I made a pork loin roast with a honey/mustard/sage crust. Baked it with carrots, parsnips and pears and served with a marsala cream sauce. Also had stuffed mushrooms.

And the final touch, you ask? Flaming bananas foster to which we sang happy birthday.

Great meal all the way around!

[freshwest]

16. Not used to cooking fruit with vegetables, but that's great. The cream sauce, too.

[freshwest]

14. Penne wheat pasta, spinach carrots and bits of salmon, a gifted meal.

Allegedly 210 calories and not bad at all for a frozen dinner, I think, although I'm not into seafood much.

Was planning to go for dinner tomorrow with kid who's unable to make it. Instead, surprised me with a delivery of a dozen roses in a vase from a floral company.

Seeing that made the little meal taste great. A couple of friends dropped by so I have to say that lIfe is beautiful this evening.

Hope all the mothers will have a great day tomorrow.

[fizzgig]

17. two bowls of cereal so far

debating between a third and a pb&j. i had a long day and didn't eat much until now, i'm starved.

[Lugnut]

18. Leftover meatballs.

Meatballs are good when they're freshly fried minus sauce or leftover in sauce.

[eridani]

19. Tostadas

I usually make 4 homemade corn tortillas, 2 nights with one each for DH and myself. Since my nepphew is in town, I made three and cut up the 4th one for chips. I got two ripe avocados for guacamole, used Costco salsa, and nonfat yogurt instead of sour cream.

The beans are from my refried freezer stash, also a 1/4 lb frozen beef patty, crumbled and fried with onions and salsa. Romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes and shredded cheddar toppings also.