For our Meaningful Meals in this issue of #Get a Grip newsletter, I want to share our July 4th menu, recipes, and a holiday conversation starter. “If you were going to create a new holiday, what would it be and how would people celebrate it?” 1. Andrew’s Smoked Brisket Ingredients: Whole brisket with fat cap still on, if you can find it 24 hr salt/sugar brine in the fridge 1/2 cup of salt 1/3 cup sugar per gallon of water Dry rub: ¼ part salt, 1/2 part pepper, ¼ combo of smoked paprika…
I don’t know about you, but I am struggling some days to get out the door for school in time. I like to give the boys a substantial breakfast, but let’s get real… some days, I just can’t get it together. Smoothie to the rescue! I used to joke that the only “green” food my boys would eat is mint chip ice cream. One of my tricks to have the boys drink a green smoothie is to load a smoothie with dark colored berries to hide the spinach greens. That and…
One of my kitchen staples that I always have on hand in my refrigerator is pesto sauce. I use it as a marinade, pasta sauce, on sandwiches or to top off an omelet. Keep the pesto in an airtight container so the pesto doesn’t turn dark green. This recipe is one of my favorites from Natalie Morales’s cookbook, “At Home With Natalie”. Easy Pesto Ingredients: 2 cups fresh basil leaves 3 tablespoons pine nuts 2 garlic cloves 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese Salt to taste…
These glazed lemon cookies are my boy’s most requested cookies. They also happen to be the ones I bring most often for parties in the summer or during the holidays. For the true lemon lovers, these cookies don’t disappoint. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart. The trick is not to overcook them. (Lemon hockey pucks are not in high demand.) The dough comes together easily and freezes well. I have also made them with lime or orange zest, but have to say the lemon is the true winner. Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2…
I love this Slow and Low Dry Rub Chicken recipe from The Smitten Kitchen website. This recipe never fails to please big groups of adults or kids (especially starving teenage boys). I am forever grateful for the BBQ gurus in my life, but I prefer not to deal with coals, smoker chips and finicky temperatures for hours on end. I celebrate hands off, foil wrapped, dry rubbed chicken for 2-3 hours, (with little cleanup, I might add) and be done with it. This recipe is just as easy to do 4-5 pieces of chicken for a family dinner…