In an earlier article, I wrote about my Stuffed Cabbage recipe. Recently, I decided to try cooking it a bit different, and that was in a crockpot. All of the same ingredients are required, the preparation however is a bit different.

Prepare your crockpot by putting some pieces of cabbage leaves on the bottom of the crockpot. Put one layer of your stuffed cabbage rolls, then add a thin layer of your crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle a little bit of the chopped onion (lately I have been using shallots instead), and then start a new layer.

The last layer should end with the remaining crushed tomatoes and onion. I have also found that splashing a little merlot on top of all of this adds a little extra flavor to stuffed cabbages.

Back when I was in college, I tried cooking a little stir-fry cooking. After years of other cares, I forgot all about it. Recently I have gotten back into it and have nearly punched myself in the noggin for forgetting about this!

There really is no need to explain to you ingredient by ingredient on how to cook stir-fry. If you enjoy vegetables with meat, then your own recipe will suffice. I will get you started on my general technique.

The three things you must know about stir-fry are preparation, preparation, preparation. This method of cooking is fast paced and must be tended to constantly. You will not have time to chop an onion when your recipe is cooking. Before hand, make sure everything that needs to be prepared before you cook is ready. Vegetables should be cut into large chunks, not minced, except for garlic.

I usually pick up two different types of peppers to start with, for example, a green and a yellow. These flavors go well with stir-fry.

Myself, I like white onions better than yellow, but that is a taste issue. Whether it is yellow or white, get a large onion.

You can use one clove, or fifty cloves of garlic. It depends on your taste.

Snow peas in opinion are a must for any stir-fry. I think it is because it is the only dish I enjoy them in.

Fresh – (More…)

There is no denying that the Kings Feast from your rotisserie is a standing rib roast. About 3-4 times a year I splurge and get a standing rib roast from my butcher. This is not a cheap cut of meat. The last roast I bought was $29.95 for five pounds. This was enough to serve a little more than 3 steaks. This is the prime rib of the cattle and as far as I am concerned, it must be cooked on a rotisserie. I use the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie, and am limited to no more than a 6 pound roast, otherwise it will burn it. Five pounds works just fine for our family of four.

If possible, have your butcher remove the chine bone, it will make it much easier to carve.

Fat is a GOOD thing in a standing rib roast! The more marbling the better.

The only necessary spice here is a good coarse salt. The recipe below includes the spices I use.

Ingredients

1 5-6 pound standing rib roast.
2.12 oz of seasalt (buy the kind with a built in grinder).
Garlic and Herb seasoning.
Onion powder.

Preparation

In a very large bowl or container, grind half of the salt in the grinder into the bowl.

Add about a 1/4 of the container of Garlic and Herb seasoning.

Add about 2 tablespoons of onion power.

Mix all the spices together.

Take the roast and grind it into – (More…)

If you have a home rotisserie one of the best things you can cook in it is a whole chicken. I use the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie to cook chicken and as far as I am concerned, whole chicken should never be cooked on anything but a rotisserie.

If your rotisserie has a temperature control, then you can use this recipe on any size chicken, otherwise you should keep the size of the chicken between 3-4 pounds.

Never stuff a rotisserie chicken, it just doesn’t cook in a manner conducive for a stuffed bird.

This recipe I found a while back and adapted to my tastes. It creates a slightly spicy but delicious flavor that might actually get you addicted to chicken.

You can cook this in the oven normally too.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salt.
1 tablespoon paprika.
1/4 tablespoon crushed cayenne pepper.
1 tablespoon onion powder.
1 teaspoon ground thyme.
1/4 tablespoon white pepper.
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Preparation

Mix all of the spices together well. I usually use a small tupperware container and shake it up.

Remove the giblets from the chicken and wash chicken with water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Rub some of the mix inside the bird, and then rub the rest all over the chicken. Rub it in there good. I place the chicken in a large bowl and rub the seasonings into it.

Place the chicken into the rotisserie and cook as per the units instructions, – (More…)

Lobster is a wonderful seafood delight that comes primarily from Maine. Sure, you can get it elsewhere, but Maine lobster is the standard. The larger the lobster is, the tougher the meat will be. I recommend a 1 1/2 pound lobster per serving.

The biggest problem with eating lobster is not finding the right ones, it is how it is prepared. There is nothing worse than eating a boiled lobster! Lobster must not be boiled! I am not sure how I can emphasize it any more. If you want soggy, mushy lobster with no flavor, boil it, otherwise follow my method.

Ingredients

Lobster.
Water.

Preparation

In a very large sauce pot, add water until the water is about 2 inches deep. Insert a metal colander or strainer so lobster will not be immersed into the water. Bring to a boil while you prepare the lobster.

Myself, I am not a big roe fan. Roe is a pretty name for lobster guts. I always clean the lobster before I cook it. If you like to eat lobster guts, by all means, leave them in.

To remove the roe, turn the lobster on its back. Take a long knife and push the point of the knife right into the lobsters mouth. Then using that as leverage, push the rest of the knife right down the middle of the lobster in – (More…)

Every man should have his own chili recipe. The Super bowl, World Series, NHL Playoffs, etc., are all prime time chili moments! I usually only make my chili in the fall and winter months because it is a very spicy dish, and can warm you right up on those cold days.

There is a long standing fight between whether ground beef should be allowed in chili. Many people use steak, and I have even seen some who use poultry such as chicken or turkey. I was brought up with ground beef in my chili. Have you ever tried to put chili on a hot-dog that is full of chunks of sirloin? It doesn’t work!

There is also those out there who refuse to put beans in there chili. As far as I am concerned, a chili without beans is nothing but spicy spaghetti sauce!

My chili recipe has been evolving now for over 10 years and changes slightly every year. I am not a fan of the five alarm chili that burns your taste buds off before you can even sense the flavor. My technique I can only call “creeper heat”. The faster you eat it, the hotter it is, the slower you eat it, just the opposite. I find it better to first experience the flavor before you experience the heat. If you follow my recipe, this is what should – (More…)

Few things have I cooked that have changed so many minds than Raspberry Duck. Most people in this country have never even tried duck, much less a raspberry flavored one.

Duck can be hard to find in some places, where I live, the local supermarket chain carries full size birds and also duck quarters. If you cannot find it anywhere, you will probably either have to ask a local butcher to order you one, or try to find one online.

Try to get the largest bird you can find, which can be a challenge. If you can find one that is 6 pounds, you are doing great!

Duck is a very greasy bird, so place a rack underneath the duck while you are cooking it. An even better way to cook it is on a rotisserie such as the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie that I use.

Ingredients

1 4-6 pound duck.
Salt.
Pepper.
Onion powder.
Paprika.

5 cloves of garlic, minced.
1 cup of seedless raspberry jam.
4 cups of chicken stock.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
1 cup of red wine. I usually use a cabernet sauvignon.

Preparation

Remove the giblets from the turkey. I always throw these out, but if you have some special thing to do with them, be my guest.

Salt the inside and outside of the bird and sprinkle with pepper to – (More…)

Just about any time of year is great for barbecued chicken. The only real way to have barbecued chicken is on the grill. I could write pages and pages on which is better, gas or coals, but I at least will not get into that argument. Myself, I use gas unless I have a lot of stuff to cook on the grill and am having guests. In my opinion, gas is more practical, where coal is messy and time consuming but allows you to control the flavor more and in the end can bring out a better taste in meats.

When I am just cooking for the family, I use the gas grill so I will base this recipe on that type of cooking, but if you use coal, the technique is similar.

The most challenging food to cook on the grill in my opinion is chicken. Chicken is one meat that you do not want to eat rare in any form. Cooking it on a grill and ensuring it is done is a challenge but once perfected is a skill not many posses.

Chicken contains a lot of fat, and cooking it over a flame leads to many flare-ups and burnt meat. The technique I use tries to combat that a little while not sacrificing taste. I boil the chicken until it is about 60% done – (More…)

Every March 17th St. Patrick’s day rolls around and corned beef and cabbage is served all over the world. In my house, it is served year round! This is an easy food to cook, but takes time. Myself, I always use the slow cook method. Generally I cook it in a large crockpot. I have also cooked it in the CrockPot BBQ Pit which works wonderful. Either way the recipe is the same.

When you go to the store to select the brisket, try to find a large one between 3 1/2 to 5 pounds. Personally I think the Angus beef is the best when it comes to corned beef.

I use the real small potatoes you find in the supermarket such as boiling potatoes, huckleberry, etc..

Ingredients

1 large corned beef brisket 3 1/2 – 5 pounds.
10 large carrots skinned.
15 small potatoes.
1 small head of cabbage cut into wedges.
1 1/2 cups of cold water

Preparation

In your crockpot, lay the carrots on the bottom of the pot. You may have to break them in half to get them to fit.

Open the brisket out of the package and make sure you get the spice pack out.

Empty the brisket AND all the juice into the – (More…)

Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian dishes. Every person who I have ever met who makes lasagna has a different way to prepare it. Some boil the noodles, some do not, some use this cheese, some use that cheese. For myself, every dish of lasagna I make, I try to do a bit different.

As with most Italian dishes, the sauce is the most important ingredient. I have already discussed how to make a basic Italian sauce here. The only modification from this would be to add meat. When you make the sauce, add a pound of hot italian sausage links, removed from the skin, to the garlic after you let it cook for 2 minutes. Let the sausage cook for about 5 minutes, then add the onions and keep stirring and cutting the sausage breaking it up into the smallest pieces you can. You will need more tomato sauce than the tomato sauce recipe, so add another can of crushed tomatoes to the recipe and up the basil a teaspoon.

The second most important ingredient is the cheese. The cheese will define your lasagna with your own unique flavor. Just about any cheese can be used, but try to avoid over processed cheese. My favorite cheese for lasagna is fontina. It may – (More…)