5 Cookout Essentials

My 5 most important food items to have at a good cookout.

Man Crates, gifts for men, contacted me to write a post about 5 things I think are essential to have at a cookout. Man crates is trying to make gift buying for men easy.  There are all kinds of categories to please just about anyone.  I think many women would like to receive a "man" crate too.

So I realize the typical time for cookouts is ending with summer but I live in Hawaii so we can cookout year round.  Also I think you can cookout anytime you want you don't need special weather for it although I understand not wanting to be outside in the cold winter...but winter is not here yet so go outside and enjoy it while you can.

When it comes to cookouts I don't think you really need any special equipment but there are some food items that I think everyone likes to see at a cookout.

1.  Beverages

Beer is always the first option for me and most people who consume alcohol but for those who don't I think Sweet Tea is a must.  Growing up in the south we always had sweet tea (brewed in a glass pitcher in the sun) during the summer.  It was always Lipton and had a lot of sugar in it.  Now I choose healthier green tea and less sweetener like this:

Cold Brewed Green Tea

 

2.  Chips and Dip

Everyone loves chips whether tortilla or potato it's always great to have an easy snack while waiting for your burger to cook.  I have many recipes for dips and salsas but this is my favorite:

Loaded Potato Dip

 

3.  Hot Sauce

My husband loves spicy foods and if he could he would add his favorite hot sauce to everything.  We always have Sriracha on hand but this is the family favorite (it's made by friends of ours from TX):

Ass Burn Sauce

4.  Jalapenos

Still on the spicy theme my husband loves jalapenos.  He always likes to add them to his burgers or even hot dogs.  He'll really put them on just about everything.  Whether raw, pickled, diced or sliced he loves them in all forms.  Here is an easy recipe to make your own pickled jalapenos:

Pickled Jalapenos

5.  Cookies

I don't know many people who don't have some kind of sweet tooth and when eating outside it's easier to have a quick hand held dessert like cookies.  These are traditional but my husband's favorite:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Two Cup, Teach Me, Lou Lou Girls, Tickle my Tastebuds, Brag About It, Whimsy Wed, Cook Craft Share, Full Plate, Eat Create, Freedom Fri, Best of the weekend, See ya in the Gumbo, Merry Mon, Tasty Tue

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Nachos

Crispy, crunchy nachos made with tortilla chips, cheese, jalapenos, and leftover prime rib.  A terrific and filling snack while watching the Rose Bowl (and Orange Bowl).

 Again I have to give credit to my husband.  It was my idea to make nachos with some of the leftover prime rib but he is the one who executed it. 

I usually leave the nacho making to my husband he just does it better than I do.  I either put too much or not enough cheese and they are disappointing.  Hubby has nacho making down to an art.  He always gets the perfect amount of cheese on them and a great balance of toppings so that every chip is tasty.  Here are his tips for great nachos.

1. Patience.  Take your time and pay attention to each chip.  You don't want all of the toppings on just a few chips and none on the rest.
2.  Strategically place chips.  Keep the chips spread, rather than in a pile, so they can each get the attention they deserve.
3. Cheese first.  Always put the cheese on top of the chips before adding any other topping.  This helps everything else stick to the chip once the cheese melts.
4. Put toppings on each layer.  There is nothing more disappointing than eating great nachos only to find a bunch of empty chips on the bottom of the stack.
5. Use shredded cheese.  You can use your favorite flavor, but liquid nacho cheese always makes soggy nachos.
6. Cut meat small.  You want a good ratio of chip to meat and other toppings.  Keeping the meat small makes sure that each chip has a good bite of meat and prevents sogginess.

So with all of these tips in mind my husband sets out one layer of chips on a baking pan.  He adds cheese, meat and chopped pickled jalapenos.  The chopped jalapenos are mostly for my benefit because my husband would have no problem with a whole jalapeno ring on each chip.  Then he adds a second layer of chips and toppings.  He bakes this in a 200 degree oven for about 20 minutes to get the meat warm and the bottom layer of cheese melted.  Then broils for a couple of minutes to melt and brown the top layer of cheese.  Then the nachos are served with a side of salsa for dipping.

This basic recipe can be used for any left over meat you may have.  We've made nacho's with pork, chicken, and turkey with similarly delicious results.  You can also go with no meat and they are just fine (the meat makes them more filling, maybe use some beans to get similar results).  I hope you are inspired to make you own nachos.  Enjoy.

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Holiday Gift Idea: Pickled Peppers

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?  I don't know, but I do know that this is a tasty and festive looking gift for any pepper lover.

The smell of white vinegar reminds me of Easter.  I know this sounds strange, but it does.  While I was growing up, my sisters and I dyed eggs almost every Easter.  The kits my parents bought for this usually had these colored tablets that you had to dissolve in white vinegar and then you would dip the eggs in. We would sit around the kitchen table and and spend hours dying our Easter eggs,  being silly, talking, and laughing. We did this for as long as I can remember until we grew up and moved away.  So that's the connection.  Sometimes it is funny what you will be reminded of by a smell.

Anyway, white vinegar is  used in this recipe, I'm not just reminiscing for no reason.   White vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and some spices are boiled and then in go the pepper slices.  I used red and green jalapenos to give it more of a Holiday feel, but you could use any you like.  I'm sure not many people think of pickled peppers as Christmas gifts, but my husband loves all things spicy and goes  through pickled jalapenos like crazy.  So I thought I would try this recipe, after all, we have a many football (bowl) games left and they will be great on nachos.

Ingredients:

I got this idea and recipe from the Food Wishes blog.

10 jalapenos (4 red, 6 green), sliced
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar (add more if you like them sweeter)
1 Tbsp sea  salt (coarse salt)
1/2 tsp oregano
3 cloves garlic, peeled

Bring the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and oregano to a boil then add the pepper rings and garlic.  Turn off the heat and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.  Then pick out the peppers and place them in a jar (I reused an old store bought pickled jalapeno jar, I think it was about 10 or 12 oz, they all fit).  Cover with the brine and refrigerate. This is a quick pickle, and it isn't the type of canning process that will store for ever, but it should last for a few months in the refrigerator (although it won't get the chance in my house).

If there is someone you know who loves peppers, of if you want to bring something different to a holiday party, keep this idea in mind.  It is also a great gift/recipe to make anytime. 

Enjoy.



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