Old Fashion Potato Salad (GF)

Old Fashion Potato Salad (GF)

(6-8 servings)

 

Ingredients:

½ cup Mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Yellow Mustard

½ tsp. Celery Seed

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

1½ lb. Baking Potatoes, boiled, cooled, peeled & cubed

2 large Fresh Eggs, hard-boiled, peeled & chopped

1 small Vidalia Onion, diced

2 stalks, Celery, chopped

3 medium Radishes, halved & thinly sliced

1/3 cup Dill Pickle Relish

as needed Paprika (garnish)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, celery seed, salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Prep all the other ingredients.  When ready add to the mayonnaise mixture and mix carefully.  Put in appropriate serving bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours to overnight before serving.  Sprinkle with paprika just before serving.

Note:               You can change up some of the ingredients to meet your own flavor profile.  You may want to try green onions instead of Vidalia onions.  Some people like to add chopped green olives too.  Use your imagination and enjoy.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Grilled Pork Chops in Soy Sauce Marinade (GF)

Grilled Pork Chops in Soy Sauce Marinade (GF)

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

4 (6-8 oz.) Bone-in Pork Chops

¼ cup Gluten-Free Soy Sauce

3 tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice

2 tbsp. Sugar

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 tbsp. Cider Vinegar

3 tsp. Fresh Grated Ginger

¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients after the pork chops.  Place the chops in a 9x13 baking dish and drizzle 2 tbsp. of marinade over them.  Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes remembering to turn the chops several times.  While chops are marinating, put remaining marinade in a small sauce pan and heat to a boil.  Reduce mixture to about ¼ cup which should take a few minutes.  Set aside.  Pat chops dry with a paper towel before placing on your grill.  Using medium heat, grill about 3-4 minutes per side or until they are still slightly pink (145 degrees).  Grill with lid down and let rest 5 minutes before serving.  Place chops on a platter and drizzle remaining marinade over them and serve.

Note:               You could try this marinade with chicken as well.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Gluten-Free Summer Meals.

Summer is the time for picnics, family reunions and backyard grilling.  This doesn't have to be dreadful times for people needing a gluten-free diet.  There are many dishes that are traditional type summer fare.

In first thinking of the grill (Charcoal or Gas) most meats and fish/seafood are gluten-free.  You have to watch out for hot dogs and all kinds of sausages but many brands are gluten-free.  Just check the labels or call the company to confirm one way or the other.  Most labels now have a phone number on them for help.

Another area of the meat grilling to watch is marinades and sauces that you may use.  Again, if using bottled marinades and sauces, check the label or call the company.  If you are making your own, then confirm that your ingredients to be used are gluten-free.  An example for everyone is "Soy Sauce" and you can find it with and without gluten.  Kikkoman makes both kinds.  Just be sure the label says "Gluten-Free" and for Kikkoman it is in big print.

Grilling fruits and vegetables is mostly gluten-free.  It depends on if you do anything to them with sauces or marinades.  You can even do pizza on the grill by using a gluten-free crust.

Your standard side dishes such as potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans and even pasta salad are easily made gluten-free.  It's all about watching what you put in the recipe.

After thinking about it a bit, it is probably easier to have picnics or grill out in the backyard than going to a restaurant to eat.  It just takes a little planning ahead to have a fun time during the summer.

This week I'm posting a recipe for "Grilled Pork Chops in Soy Sauce Marinade (GF)" on Wednesday.  Then a recipe for "Old Fashioned Potato Salad" on Thursday.  I hope you try them and give me some feedback.  Please enjoy the rest of the summer and "Happy Cooking" until next week.

Grilled Lobster

Grilled Lobster

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

4 1 ½ lb. Whole Fresh Lobster (see note)

½ lb. (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, divided

2 medium Fresh Lemons, divided

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, melt half of the butter and squeeze the juice from one lemon into it.  Use this mixture to baste the lobster while it grills.  In another small pan melt the remaining butter to have ready to use during the meal.  Cook the lobster over moderate heat during and basting until done.  Start with the claw arms as they will take longer (12-15 minutes) and the bodies only take 7-8 minutes.  The shells will turn bright red as they cook.  Remove skewers and place all the lobster on a large platter and serve with remaining melted butter and lemon wedges from the second lemon.

Note:               Have lobsters split in half head to tail or do it yourself using a large sharp knife.  Remove the claw arms and set aside.  Put a skewer through each lobster half from the head to the tail to keep them straight while grilling.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Maine Lobster Rolls

Maine Lobster Rolls

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. Cooked Lobster meat, tail & claw meat (see note)

¼ cup Mayonnaise

½ cup Shredded Lettuce (optional)

4 New England-style Hot Dog Buns (see note)

to taste Salt & Black Pepper (optional)

Directions:

Take hot dog buns and butter both sides and grill/toast.  Slice bun from top to bottom not going all the way through if not already pre-sliced.  Spread mayonnaise on inside of buns.  Divide lettuce between the 4 buns and top with equal amounts of lobster meat.  Season with salt and pepper if desired and eat.

Note:               If you can’t buy fresh cooked lobster meat, use 3-1¼ pound live whole lobsters.  In a large pot of boiling water, plunge lobsters head first into water.  Cook until 10 minutes.  They will turn red while cooking.  Use tongs to remove and place in an ice bath to cool.  Twist the bodies from the tails and set tails aside.  Remove the claw arms and set with tails.  The remaining body can be set aside for other use.  Using a knife or scissors, cut along bottom of tail, remove tail meat and place in a medium bowl.  Repeat with remaining tails.  Crack the claws and knuckles with a nut cracker and remove meat to the bowl.  Take lobster meat and cut into 1 inch pieces and return to bowl.

Note:               New England-style hot dog buns come unsliced or pre-sliced top to bottom.  They are more of a standup type bun compared to the horizontal sliced hot dog buns traditional for backyard hot dogs.

Note:               You will find “Lobster Roll” recipes that add celery and combine the lobster meat, mayonnaise, celery and some seasoning.  These however are not “true” Maine products.  They don’t like all the filler others put in lobster rolls.  To them a lobster roll is all about the lobster.  Many don’t even use the lettuce in this recipe.  You will also find them served with butter instead of the mayonnaise.  That’s an option that most Maine establishments offer customers.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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How to Enjoy Lobster!

I took a little road trip in June to the state of Maine looking for my first "Maine Lobster Roll" and recommend you give it a try too.  We explored the coast from Kittery to Kennebunkport, Maine eating fresh lobster, seafood and fish.  Never had a bad meal of Maine dishes and thoroughly enjoyed the ocean.

We ate lobster rolls, whole live lobster, lobster bisque, clams, oysters and haddock.  A few of the restaurants to try include Capt'n Hooks in Wells, MN, Jake's Seafood in Moody, MN and Fox's Lobster House at Nubble Lighthouse.  Most of the restaurants we checked out had both indoor and outdoor seating.  They all offered only local fresh fish and seafood.  One place offered an authentic "New England Lobster Bake" with all the trimmings.

In York, MN, we spent half a day at the "Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School" which offered daily cooking classes and you get to eat the meal  at the end of class.  You could also watch their production of Stonewall products from various viewing areas and shop at their store.  There was a restaurant too.

For those of you who will try whole lobster sometime, I have the following etiquette on how to approach it.  Start your experience by twisting off the claws.  Then crack the claw with a nutcracker, remove meat and eat.  Being sure to dip the meal in hot melted butter before eating it.  After the claws are done, move the tail.  You remove the tail by grasping the tail in one hand and the body in the other.  Then arching the back until it cracks, pull the tail away from the body.  Now bend back the flippers and break them off the tail.  Insert a lobster fork where the flippers were and push the tail meat out.  Cut into bite size pieces, dip in butter and eat.  Unhinge the back (Tomale-a delicacy to many lobster eaters) and eat it or pass on it, your choice.  It turns green when boiled.  Open the body by cracking it sideways and pick out any meat here.  The meat is good in this section too.  Lastly, remove the small claws and suck the meat out one at a time.  To be good at this one needs to practice.  What an excuse to eat more lobster.

This week's recipes include a "Maine Lobster Roll" on Wednesday and "Grilled Lobster" in Thursday.  I know these a not everyday menu items for you to cook but find that special occasion and give them a try.  "Happy Cooking" until next week.

I'm Back (had a few problems)

Sorry that I haven't been on since my June 4th post but there have been a few issues for me.  I won't go into details but my damaged computer is back, fixed and running.  Several other items are corrected too and I was on food finding trip during part of the time.  More on that another day.

I'll be back to my usual Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday posts starting this Tuesday, July 7th.  The topic will be my trip to the shoreline of the state of Maine in the good old USA.  I went looking for lobster eats and found some great places.  I'll have a couple of recipes too.  One will be for the famous "Lobster Rolls" of Maine and the other for "Grilled Lobster" since we're in the summer grilling season.

So until next Tuesday, "Happy Cooking" and take this time to check out one of the more than 400 recipes here on my blog site.  Thanks.