Getting Lucky In the Kitchen

The Peach has dropped the countdown is over. Let’s get the New Year off to a phenomenal start by gathering friends and family together for a delicious day of foods chock - full of good fortune.

After you have rocked all night with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson ringing in the New Year on the Peach Drop main stage, nothing says New Year’s Day like Food Football and Fun! Whether you tune in for the Wisconsin Badgers versus the TCU Horned Frogs in the Rose Bowl or the Florida Gators taking on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Outback Bowl, create the perfect kick-off to 2011 with food your fans will think came from heaven.

Gain riches, love and an abundance of good fortune throughout the year with quick simple and delicious foods guaranteed to be true crowd pleasing creations.

The game plan – let’s get lucky in the kitchen with foods proven to bring great fortune.

Long lived traditions include recipes created within the following categories: Greens, Pork, Fish, Legumes, Noodles and round Cakes. Top that off with a fortunateness fruity beverage and true luck is certain.

Cooked Greens – kale, cabbage, collard greens and chard are consumed for their resemblance of folded money. The more you eat the larger your fortune for next year.

Create delicious creamed collard greens with garlic, onions, whipping cream and butter.

Lentils – Packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and amino acids these legumes are thought to resemble coins also equaling good fortune. They plump up as they cook symbolizing growing wealth. Whip up a simple lentil side dish with bacon, chorizo, mashed garlic, onion and rice.

Noodles – Long noodles represent longevity. Eat them slowly so that you don’t break them and risk a shortened life. Prepare a pot of noodle soup with bok choy, red bell peppers, sesame seeds, peanuts and Ramen noodles.

Pork – As pigs root for food they keep their feet planted and push their snouts forward signifying progress, future wealth and prosperity. Grill a delicious beer brined chile rubbed pork tenderloin using Atlanta’s own Red Brick Brown Ale, brown sugar, honey, ancho chiles, salt and pepper.

Fish – Fish represent moving forward and symbolize abundance as they swim in schools.

Create a simple delicately flavored sesame crusted Ahi Tuna appetizer that will also bring you an abundance of raving reviews.

Round Cakes or Breads – The emphasis on these baked goods is placed on the round or ring shaped items. This signifies that the old year is complete. Bake a delicious chocolate raspberry Bundt cake or if your are not up for the challenge, pick up a variety of Dukin’ Donuts to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth cravings.

Make a toast to New Year’s Day with a Pomegranate Prosecco Cocktail. Pomegranates are associated with abundance, fertility and marriage. Now that’s a great way to start the year off on the right foot!

Keep in mind that in addition to all the lucky foods, there are also a few to avoid. Lobsters should not be eaten as they move backwards and this could lead to setbacks. Chicken should also be kept off the menu as chickens scratch backwards, which could cause regret or one to dwell in the past.

One last New Years Day tradition to remember – Don’t clean your plate! Leaving a bit of food on your plate is believed to ensure a year of plenty ahead.

Happy New Year and remember Peace Love Food!

Made with Love

Made with Love - Holiday gifts from your kitchen

We have been hearing it since St. Patty’s Day “Only 283 shopping days left until Christmas”….and counting. As we head into the home stretch this season and the hustle and the bustle of holiday shopping has taken its toll on your wallet and your sanity, whip up a few easy and affordable homemade treats from your kitchen.

Herbal Vinegars & Butters are quick, simple and delicious. Take a visit to the Cobb International Farmers Market where you will find an endless variety of fresh herbs to use as your infusing agents. Select a variety of glass jars and bottles that you can personalize with colorful ribbons and handmade gift tags at Cost Plus World Market. Unleash your creativity by selecting flavor combinations that you know appeal to each individual recipient. Once you have completed your culinary creations, head on over to Great Harvest Bread Company and select one of their freshly baked breads to compliment the flavorful gifts from your kitchen.

As you take the time to remember the true spirit of the season, have fun with food and flavor in your kitchen, creating gifts for friends and family truly made with love.

Peace Love Food!

To Make the Vinegars – Use a good quality white, red or cider vinegar. Lightly bruise the herbs first to allow them to give off their flavors.

Place the herbs in clean jars or decorative bottles.  Gently heat the vinegar, but don't boil it.  Let it cool down, and pour the warm Vinegar over the herbs in the jars.  Place the jars in a dark place, such as a cabinet or shelf away from bright windows. The vinegars can be used in 2 weeks and will last for up to 1 year.

A few herb combinations to try:

White Wine Vinegar goes well with Chive, Dill, Savory, Sage, Basil, Lavender Sprigs or Flowers, Fennel, Parsley, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, Garlic

Red Wine Vinegar goes well with Basil, Garlic, Oregano, and Thyme.

Cider Vinegar is enhanced by Orange Peel Spirals, Raspberries, and Lavender Blossoms. 

To Make the Butters – Soften 1 stick of butter. Put the softened butter in a bowl and using a wooden spoon or hand mixer, beat until soft and creamy. Add flavorings and seasonings and blend well. Place the flavored butter in jars with a tight lid.

Parsley Butter: Add 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve over meat, fish, chicken or vegetables.

Herb Butter: Prepare as above but use tarragon, chives or cilantro to replace the parsley. Use to top meat, fish, chicken or vegetables or in soups and sauces.

Sweet Orange Butter:  Add 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar, 1 tablespoon grated orange zest and juice. Use for muffins, pancakes and breakfast breads.

The Feast Is Over

The Feast Is Over….Now What?

You have been planning your Thanksgiving adventures for months. The menu, the shopping, the table décor and more importantly, how will we ever keep all your guests fed and entertained once the Feast is over? By Friday you are exhausted and cannot imagine more time in the kitchen let alone trying to please all your guests. Creating some fun with flavorful leftover food is quick simple and delicious. Don’t let your leftovers go to waste. Thanksgiving is a day of feasting so let the feasting continue!

Each year a good majority of us that take on the major adventure (and I do mean MAJOR) of hosting Thanksgiving at our homes many of us are doing this for the very first time. The excitement, the energy and the fear of the unknown often leads us to purchase and then cook an over abundance of food. Part of the Thanksgiving Feast tradition is indeed the leftovers themselves. Often with too many cooks in the kitchen we find ourselves overwhelmed by the leftovers. Nothing beats a great turkey sandwich but with a little bit of creativity you can take your leftovers to a whole new crowd pleasing level.

Let’s talk Turkey! Take that beautiful bird and with a bit love shred the meat and create turkey and white bean chili with diced tomatoes and onions, garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper and you might as well toss in the leftover corn!

Potatoes aren’t just for dinner! Take those mashed potatoes and create delicious potato pancakes for breakfast with crispy chopped bacon, green onions and cheddar cheese. Sauté them up with butter and your day is off to a great start!

Pie Oh My! Take that leftover pumpkin pie and with a bit of magic create rich and flavorful pumpkin pie parfaits with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce topped off with whipped cream and the always leftover cranberry sauce!

You’re Stuffed!  Take that leftover stuffing and create a simple and delicious stuffed meatloaf. Prepare your favorite meatloaf recipe and place half of the meatloaf mix, in a baking dish, add your stuffing and top it off with the remaining meatloaf mix and your leftover gravy!

Leftover Out of Towner’s! Nothing speaks tradition more than gathering together to celebrate everything we are thankful for each year. However after a few days lounging around the house, cleaning up after everyone and trying to keep everyone happy, even the best host needs a bit of relief. In and around Smyrna-Vinings, offer your guests many options to get out of the house and out of your hair for a few hours!

Kid Fun! Send the kids over to KangaZoom to burn off some of their energy and resolve the age old question of “What can we do for fun?” KangaZoom is a 12,000 square-foot, safe, indoor play center featuring bouncing inflatables, giant slides, obstacle courses!

Football! Nothing says Thanksgiving like lying on the couch watching all the great football games. Send your grid iron fans over to McCray’s West Village Tavern; Laseter’s Tavern or Padriac’s to catch all the action on their big screens!

Outdoor Adventure! Take advantage of the beautiful outdoors with a family adventure on the Silver Comet Trail. Just head on over to Smyrna Bicycles to rent bikes by the hour and make sure they all wear a helmet!

If you find yourself asking what to do with the leftover beer and wine….well that’s a whole other adventure we can explore together!

Peace Love Food!

La Caja China

The lucky man that I am I received a Caja China (roasting box) for our anniversary from @yellowbandchef. Tonight we christened the box. Started out with 20lbs of beef ribs and 10lbs on pork ribs along with 2 whole chickens. I thought I would be able to put all in the box but sadly no, it was just too much. The prep was easy enough pull the silver off the ribs trim the fat add the rub (homemade of course) let the meat sit for a bit and then in the box they go.

As I stated earlier there was too much meat for the box. I did my best to get it all in but to no avail I only did one of the two chickens and I cooked it on the grill.

I tweeted my progress as things were happening and there are photos attached to the tweets. You can find me @sirjrotten

The breakdown:

The pork ribs (3 racks) were rub down with a red rub (sugar based)
The beef ribs were rubbed with a Roasted Herb and Garlic Crust. Note here the beef ribs were prepared earlier in the day and allowed to sit for 3 hours.
The chicken was a Perdue Roaster and was rubbed with a garlic peppercorn rub.

The ribs were placed on the box for an hour ribs side up then flipped. An additional 45 minutes in the box and the meat was done. The chicken was butterflied and cooked on the large Webber with indirect heat. The chicken was placed ribs down for an hour flipped and finished for 30 minutes.

Ok ok I know there are those that will say that 1hr 45mins is not enough time to cook ribs. I was in agreement with that train of thought until I roasted the ribs in the Caja China. The end product was a fall off the bone ribs. I did fail the mention that after the ribs were flipped I add the sauce (again homemade)

All in all I was amazed at how well the Caja China worked and I feel confident that when I cook the whole pig in two weeks that it too will be fall off the bone good.

Till next time Ciao

Sir J Rotten

Road to Recovery

I finally got to ride my bicycle again. This past Wednesday marked the twelfth week since my surgery. To give you a quick update I am doing excellent I mean I am really doing well. I am able to bend down and tie my shoes (which was something I was not able to do just a few short weeks ago). I am living pain free and no limp both of these things are Huge! I had been living in so much pain and discomfort it was not even funny. Now that has all changed.

I did my first ride since March 4th this past Thursday and I will admit that it was hard. I knew that I was going to lose some form, but my god I did not think that I would have lost as much as I did. The ride started innocently enough. Everyone thought that my first ride was not going to until this coming Tuesday. I purposely parked away from the other riders quietly got ready and came around in my kit ready to ride to everyone's amazement. I was asked if the doctor knew I was riding and more importantly if yellowbandchef knew.

I decided that I would call the ride and was promptly told that the ride was already called. I had to use my Director Sportif right and stated since I am the director the ride was being called by me. The ride I selected was laps in and around Capital City and Silver Lake until I had enough and then the group could what they wanted. My ride lasted for 16 1/2 miles and took 1hr 26 mins to complete. At the end of the ride my legs were jello. It was harder than I thought it would be but it felt great to be back. I am planning to ride tomorrow. The long road to get back has started and I am Ready.

Ciao

Sir Johnny Rotten

Bicycles Bicycles Bicycles

Well we made it! After an eight hour flight we had landed in Amsterdam for the beginning of Euro Tour 2010. When we landed here in AMS the pilot stated that we would be landing on the outer runway. Well we did and it was like landing at DFW. Thirty minutes from the time landed to the time it took to get to the gate. Not complaining here I am just glad to be here.

It was a short trip to the Hilton in a very clean taxi with a polite driver. The cost was 50 euros. A quick snack and then off for a power nap. The power is the best thing you can do once you are here. I have found that the power should not be more than three hours.

I have discovered that the bicycle is king around here. It seems that everyone rides a bicycle here. I have seen men in suits, women in dresses and everything in between. For the most part the bicycle of choice appears to be what I know as "The Amsterdam". This is a bicycle that is a steel frame bike that is a step-through for the ladies and a top tube for the men. There many versions of this bike as well. There is the baby carrier which can be place at front (generally there is a windshield there as well), in back or both. There is the carry all bike which is a bike that has a wooden box built at the front. The bike has been elongated to accommodate the box. The bike is still only two wheels. I have seen this bike with and without covers both solid and soft. When walking around the city it is very important that stays out of the bike lanes for they are the king of the road.

We will be exploring more and more so until then Ciao

Sir J Rotten

The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown

A father is defined as:

a. A male person whose sperm unites with an egg, resulting in the conception of a child.

b. A man who adopts a child.

c. A man who raises a child.

This year I am celebrating my 23^rd Father’s Day. In contrast my father is celebrating his 51^st. I still remember the day that turned me from a mere child to a father. The birth of my first child and my second child are days that I will always remember. I remember the moment that the doctor handed me my child right then and there I went from being a kid to becoming my father. I knew what this child was going be able to do, when they had to be home from a date, how they would do in school, and how I would love him unconditionally.

What does it mean to be a father? I am sure that there are many thoughts on what it means to be a father. For me it means that I am responsible for the heath and well being of my children until they have reached a point in their lives that they can survive on their own. So far I have discovered that even when they are 23 and 21it has still not ended. As a father it not just the heath and well being of the children that you must do but also you must teach them the skills to survive. It is important to remember that children are adults that need training and as a parent it your job to make sure that they become a respectable member of society.

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever. ~Author Unknown

We all learn from our parents and as children we marveled at what they can do. As adults we see the role that they play. Some of us may not know our parents, some may loathe them and some may want to be them when we grow up. I took many things from my parents and have passed it on to my children. There many things that I did not take and my children have no idea they even exist.

On this Fathers Day I plan to do a little internal reflection on how I am as a father and spend some time with the ones I love. Happy Fathers Day.

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. ~Clarence Budington Kelland

Ciao,

Sir J Rotten