Dinner With Daddy

Recently I’ve decided to expand on my culinary techniques in that I’ve decided to start smoking meat.   No, it isn’t a new drug craze, I mean I’m going to start cooking meat in a smoker.   Of course when I told my “literal” wife and children that for practice I was going to start smoking a meat a day they got great joy from it.   “Dad is going to start smoking meat!”, “A meat a day is good Dad, keep the dose low to start!”, and my favorite from my wife when I said I was starting with pork butt, “Just say no to ‘crack’!”                 Comedian family aside, I did indeed start with a pork butt.   I don’t have a smoker yet but I do have a gas grill.   Now I know that smoking on a gas grill is not optimal, but you have to use what you have and this is how I did it.   I took a small chafing dish aluminum pan and poke several holes in the bottom.   After soaking my wood chips...

The family and I just returned from a much needed trip to Universal Studios Orlando. I began writing a review of the entire trip the other night but when the post was approaching 2000 words, and not being halfway through the trip, I decided that maybe a series of posts would be better. I have decided that the best place to start would be where we stayed. I will follow up with all of the different aspects of the trip including the parks, transportation, flights and of course, food.   We booked a Universal Studios Harry Potter Package through Universal Studios . We chose Universals' new value hotel, Cabana Bay Beach Resort because, well quite frankly, it was the least expensive. Our package included 5 nights' hotel accommodations, 2 day park to park passes with the 3 rd day free, early admission into the parks for Harry Potter, and two Harry Potter themed breakfasts. The total for our family of six in a Tower suite at Cabana Bay: $2808, which included vacation insuranc...

A few months ago my children asked me if I could make Chicken L'Orange for dinner. I know that L'orange is usually Duck, but I'm an adventurous type so why not. Tonight was Chicken L'Orange night and quite frankly, I can't believe how simple it was. Oh and by the way, they all loved it!   Chicken L'Orange Ingredients: 4 Bone In Split Chicken Breasts 1 12 oz can Orange juice Concentrate ¼ Cup Honey 3-4 Tbsp. Olive Oil Salt and Pepper Zest of 1 Orange   Directions: Pre-heat oven to 375° In a small saute´ pan, thaw OJ Concentrate over medium heat. Whisk in honey, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, set aside. In a large skillet heat Olive Oil over high heat, Salt and Pepper chicken Breast and place in oil skin down. I like to place a heavy pan (Cast Iron if you have one) on top of the chicken to aid in the crisping of the skin. Cook 4-5 minutes on skin side, remove to baking dish skin side up. Brush libe...

         I am a Type 2 diabetic.   I “control” my diabetes, for the time being at least, with oral medications.   For the last year or so my physician has wanted to begin treating me with insulin because my hemoglobin A1C, or more commonly, A1C, has been elevated.  The A1C is a blood test which gives the average blood sugar level over a three month period, and an optimum level A1C for a Type 2 diabetic is 6.5 or lower.  Mine as of this month at least, is 9.8.   Clearly not optimal.                 Diet plays a huge role in controlling diabetes.   I have not always been a healthy eater, but over the last several years I have prided myself on healthy eating.   I do most of the cooking in my house and I use very little, if any processed foods.   I make my own pasta sauce.   I make my own seasonings and rubs so the...

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Serves 3-4 Time: 40 minutes; 10 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking About 180 calories per mushroom     1 Medium Onion, chopped 4 Cloves Garlic, minced 1 Medium Tomato, chopped 1 Small Zucchini, diced small ¼” 1 lb Ground Turkey ¼ cup Italian Bread Crumbs, divided ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese 6 Lg Portobello Mushrooms 3 TBS Olive Oil     Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, brown turkey, drain and set aside.     In another skillet sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato and zucchini and sautee another 3 or 4 minutes until zucchini begins to become translucent.   Add feta cheese and bread crumbs and stir, reserve 2 or 3 tablespoons of the bread crumbs on the side. Incorporate the turkey with the vegetables and mix well. Remove stem and ribs from mushrooms with a spoon and place mushrooms on a foiled baking sheet. Scoop equal ...

                Let me begin with a definition, courtesy of Google search: Sneakerhead A sneakerhead is a person who collects, trades or admires sneakers as a form of hobby. A sneakerhead may also be highly experienced in distinguishing between real and fake replica sneakers.   Now I’ll try to explain. My delicate flower Cheddar Buns is starting her freshman year of High School.    My oldest son, Sourdough, is now a senior in High School.   Being the experienced High Schooler, he is often giving my daughter, as well as the younger boys advice and information he believes will be useful to them when they enter the hallowed halls of our local High School.                 Last night at dinner the topic of discussion was social groups found in the school.   Many, actually most, of which I can say...

Everyone knows that kids see everything.  Everyone also knows that kids say the darndest things, usually referring to something they have observed or heard.  Well let me tell you a secret, My kids are no different.      My Beautiful Wife, who has graduated College, raised four lovely children and can perform logistical miracles with a school calendar, has yet to perfect the eating technique which will allow her to complete a full week of dinners without getting something on her shirt.  Fortunately, she has enough children to keep track of her every missed morsel.      Recently, while enjoying a dinner of something particularly messy, or food at least, My Beautiful Wife was once again surprised to find that some morsel had found its way onto her shirt.  Sticky Buns, my youngest, without looking up from his plate said, " It isn't dinner until Mom spills food on her shirt ."      So to answer that age old qu...