(1) The Butch Bakery Cookbook by David Arrick

This is number one on my list. These are not your ordinary cupcakes. Think Jack Daniels and Bacon. Savory and sweet.

(2)  Crazy for Cake Pops by Molly Bakes

Anyone with a kitchen should try a hand at cake pops. Perfect for desserts and they serve as edible decor for your holiday table.

(3) Mini Pies by Morgan Greenseth and Christy Beaver

Mini pies are the newest trend in desserts. The perfect size for guests who can’t decide between two pies…..Have both!

(4) Betty Crocker Cookbook, 11th Edition

Traditional Recipes with sophisticated and modern updates.

(5) From the Ground Up by James Villas

This cookbook will be your savior in the days in between the “holiday meals” and leftovers.

Have the proper equipment.

True grilling variety requires both a gas and charcoal grill. Gas grills are convenient but limit the “smokability” of grilling. Charcoal grills are needed for lower grilling temperatures and smoking techniques. Always keep your grill clean and always allow it to heat up thoroughly. Always use a hot grill.

Control the fire.

When grilling make three zones of varying heat: hot for initial searing, medium heat for cooking, and a cool zone for resting or and flare-up removal. If your grill flame has a flare-up, remove the meat and place it on the cool zone until the flare-up has tamed. Keep on eye on the fire and the meat to prevent flare-ups and unnecessary disruption of the grilling process.

Know which steak to choose.

Steak textures should be firm to the touch with a light red color. Avoid dark red and graying steaks. Look for tons of marbling, which is what gives the steak its flavor.

Know your meat.

Ribs should always be cooked low and slow. For grilling steaks, low heat is used for extremely thick steaks. Otherwise, your result will be a burnt outside and raw inside. Always sear thinner steaks on high heat and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Beer is a healthy friend.

The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry published a study in 2008 that proved that the malt and hops in beer reduces cancer-causing compounds that result in grilling. Use a dark beer as a marinade for a depth to the flavor dimensions of your steaks.

Over-done is not referring to simple cook time.

Steaks only require salt and pepper. Piling toppings on a well-grilled burger will mask the exquisite flavor of the meat. If you must add a dimension other than a marinade to your skewers, try swapping the bamboo sticks out for rosemary or lemongrass sprigs. Take extra care in using pre-packaged seasonings since they are notorious for their high sodium content.

Don’t lose your flavor.

Resist the temptation to press your meat flat on the grill. Pressing meat results in pressing out all of the flavor and oils, as well as creating flare-ups that will burn the meat. Cutting into a steak to check its doneness loses the juices as well as the flavors. If required, use a thermometer, and get to know the different “feel” of each degree of doneness.

Keep the sauce to a minimum.

Adding sauce is easier than removing it. Put the sauce on the side and allow the meat to be the star of the meal. Never add glazes at the beginning of grilling, this will result in burnt glaze.

Pineapple Salsa

1 pineapple, grilled
1/2 cup pears, chopped
1/4 cup red onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded, chopped
juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Mix together in bowl.

Shrimp Tacos

1 lb shrimp, deveined, peeled, tails removed
1 tsp Favorite Chile Powder (I used Hill Country Chile Powder, Manzanillo is fine)
salt and pepper to taste
6 corn tortillas
1 avocado

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray, add shrimp. Add chile powder and saute 4 minutes or until cooked. Transfer to empty bowl.

Cook corn tortillas according to package instructions. This usually means: heat on a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes each side.

Top tortillas with shrimp and salsa. Avocado on the side.

Easiest Fudgsicle Ice Cream Ever

In package (4 oz) of chocolate pudding

4 cups almond milk ( you can use regular milk too)

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Freeze for 10-15 minutes.  Add to ice cream maker and ice-cream-itize.

Try doing what the other “good” chef’s do:  Make good food!?

I am all for trying different things (ie. the chicken hearts and young goat this past week), but I do draw the line. I don’t draw the line at semen…just the fact that they admit it doesn’t taste good.

Don’t get me wrong….I don’t go shooting semen shots for fun on the weekends, but if it were properly handled…

anything for culinary research and progress.

Too often, restaurants and chefs are doing things “just to be different”. If it taste like duck shit, don’t make a duck shit risotto. Plain and simple. Good food is good food, whether it is buffalo testicles (not half bad) or chicken hearts (deep fried and not beating). If horse semen taste like bland custard, what’s the point.

Make good food, people, and leave the shock factor to another area of life…preferable one that isn’t consumed by mouth.

I wonder if there is an age requirement for the horse semen?  And is it chilled or warm?

The arrival of the fall and winter holiday season can bring lots of fun, food and feasting. But if food isn’t handled or prepared properly, food poisoning can result, and festivity can quickly turn into calamity. Food poisoning is caused by toxins, created by bacteria, which in most cases are undetectable by sight, smell or taste. Millions of people are affected by food poisoning each year.

It is important to practice safe food handling and preparation methods throughout the year, but the hectic holidays can present even more possibilities for food poisoning at home: larger-than-usual meals often are being prepared; new recipes and cooking techniques may be tried; buffets may be set out for guests; large amounts of leftovers may remain for additional meals; food may be transported from one home to another, etc.

Of special concern this time of year is the increased risk of food poisoning associated with the popular custom of stuffing turkeys prior to cooking, a practice not recommend by food safety experts. With the potential for food poisoning increased during the holidays, it is especially important to remember safe food handling and preparation practices. Here are a few tips:

Thaw turkey in the refrigerator, not on the counter top

Room temperature encourages the growth of bacteria, so defrost your turkey in the refrigerator rather than on the counter top. Allow one day of defrosting for each five pounds of turkey weight. You can safely refrigerate the thawed turkey another day or two, but don’t let the juices drip on other foods. To reduce defrosting time, wrap the bird in a waterproof plastic bag and submerge it in cold water. Cold water slows the bacterial growth that may occur in the thawed outer portions while the inner areas are still thawing. Change the water every 30 minutes.

Cook the stuffing separate from the turkey

Stuffing placed inside an uncooked turkey is susceptible to bacterial growth, and it is especially ill-advised to stuff an uncooked turkey before storing it in the refrigerator. Stuffing cooked inside a turkey may not get hot enough for any dangerous bacteria in it to be killed, even if the turkey itself is completely cooked and has reached the recommended internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The tighter the turkey is stuffed the greater the risk, because the center is even more insulated during cooking from the bacteria-killing heat. If cooked long enough to kill the bacteria in the stuffing, the turkey will probably be drier than most people like. So cook the stuffing separate from the turkey. To increase flavor, use chicken broth instead of water in the stuffing recipe. Adding more onions or celery will increase the moisture content. Cover the dish for half the cooking time, then uncover it for browning.

Don’t interrupt the cooking process

Interrupting the cooking process or cooking a turkey in stages promotes the growth of bacteria. This is because the turkey may have been heated enough to activate bacteria but not enough to kill them. So, once you’ve started cooking the turkey, continue the cooking process through completion. An unstuffed whole turkey should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees. A stuffed whole turkey should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees, with the stuffing reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Carve the turkey into serving slices before refrigerating

Cooked, whole, stuffed turkeys don’t store safely in the refrigerator. Remove the stuffing from a turkey cooked in advance and refrigerate it immediately. Allow the turkey juices to settle for 20 to 30 minutes, then carve the bird into serving slices, place them in shallow containers, cover and refrigerate. When it’s time to serve, reheat the slices and the stuffing in a conventional or microwave oven to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make sure cooking temperatures are high enough to kill bacteria

The temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit are the most dangerous for bacterial growth. Bacteria grow best, and some produce heat-resistant toxins, in this temperature range. Cooking a turkey at an oven temperature lower than 325 degrees is unsafe because it lets the bird and the stuffing remain in the danger zone too long. A meat thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the thigh next to the body but not touching the bone, is the best way to assure proper cooking to at least 180 degrees. Stuffing should be heated to at least 165 degrees.

Take extra care with holiday buffets

Be sure you have enough room in your refrigerator for the perishable foods you plan to serve at holiday buffets. Servings are best kept small and replenished directly from the refrigerator or stove. The longer food is kept out, especially beyond two hours, the greater the risk of food poisoning even if hot trays or chaffing dishes are used. Refrigerate perishables, especially the turkey and other meat and poultry products, as soon as possible after your guests have finished eating.

Careful storage of leftovers minimizes food poisoning

Reheated leftover turkey and stuffing shouldn’t be kept out to serve for more than two hours before being refrigerated or frozen. Perishable foods left at room temperature for longer than two hours are susceptible to bacteria that can multiply to dangerous levels and cause food poisoning. Leftover turkey can be safely refrigerated for three to four days, but stuffing and gravy should be used within a day or two. To speed up the cooling process, slice leftovers into serving sizes and store them in several small or shallow, covered containers.

Wrap food properly to prevent freezer burn

If leftover turkey won’t be used within three or four days, or stuffing within one or two, wrap them separately in freezer paper or heavy-duty foil and freeze them. Proper freezing prevents “freezer burn,” the white dried-out patches on the surface of food that make it tough and tasteless. The oldest packages should be used first, so it’s helpful to put a date on them before you freeze them. You can safely freeze turkey, stuffing and gravy for about a month. Frozen turkey and stuffing should be reheated to the proper temperatures before serving, and leftover gravy should be reheated to a rolling boil.

Be especially careful when making homemade eggnog

Laying hens are suspected of transmitting bacteria directly into the interior of eggs before the shells are formed. Eggnog mixtures made from raw eggs should be cooked or microwaved to 160 degrees Fahrenheit or until it thickens enough to coat a spoon, then refrigerated at once. Pasteurized eggs are used in commercial eggnog so no cooking is necessary. Homemade eggnog using egg substitutes is also safe since these frozen commercial products have been pasteurized.

Raw eggs in holiday recipes require special care

The high temperatures required to cook cakes, cookies and candy containing raw eggs are sufficient to kill bacteria. However, the raw eggs in cookie dough may present a hazard, especially to children, the elderly and those with certain health problems, so uncooked cookie dough is not safe to eat. Using egg substitutes and margarine for Hollandaise sauce eliminates the hazard posed by raw eggs and offers the added benefit of no cholesterol. For chocolate mousse, melt the chocolate with the liquid called for in the recipe, add the eggs and heat gently to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Food Safety Tips
For Summer Cookouts and Picnics

Cookouts and picnics are frequent and honored traditions of summer, a time for family and friends to gather, socialize and have fun. But summer outings can be ruined if safe food handling and preparation techniques aren’t observed. Hot summer temperatures can help food-borne bacteria multiply at a rapid pace, spoiling food and causing illness. Outbreaks of food poisoning that caused illness and death in other parts of the country underscore the importance of proper food handling.

When left unrefrigerated, many foods can become contaminated with bacteria that produce the dangerous toxins that cause food poisoning. These bacteria are undetectable by sight, smell or taste and thrive on foods that are left out for very long, especially at warmer, summer temperatures.

Foodborne illness symptoms are much like those of the flu, which include headache, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and fever. These signs may not appear until several hours to several days after eating a contaminated food. Food poisoning can be especially harmful for children, older adults, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses.

Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs should never be eaten raw. These foods should be maintained in a refrigerator at a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and cooked thoroughly before eating. A cooking temperature of 160 degrees is advised. When cooking, use a meat thermometer or follow these tips:

Poultry

Cook it until the meat is white, and don’t eat it if you see blood or pink meat.

Hamburger

Cook it until there are no traces of pink in the center, or blood in the juices.  That being said….gross. Beef jerky is not on my menu. Medium-rare with a good choice of meat is the route in my house. *do not consume undercooked meat, and then come crying to me*

Steaks

Can be safely cooked medium; that’s because harmful bacteria in beef are found on the surface of the steak, not in the interior like in ground meats.

Again, this is what is overcooked suggested.

Rare with a side of ice for me….The Chef likes his medium- rare.  A nicely cooked, medium rare, quality piece of meat will not harm you.  *Again, do not consume undercooked meat, and then come crying to me*

Fish

Cook until it flakes easily and is no longer translucent in the center.

Eggs

Cook eggs and egg dishes thoroughly. Don’t even sample anything containing raw eggs such as uncooked dough and cake batter. *However, if your children whine excessively…….*

Other Tips For Safe Food Handling, Preparation And Storage

Keep foods cold, below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or hot, above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Foods left out between those temperatures for more than two hours should be discarded.

Keep cooked foods separate from raw foods. Cross-contamination of foods could occur if bacteria-harboring raw food comes in contact with cooked foods. Wash hands, utensils, cutting boards and countertops after preparing or handling raw meats.

Avoid interrupted cooking. If you are partially cooking foods indoors to finish cooking on the grill, make sure the food goes directly from the oven to the hot grill. Don’t let the food stand partially cooked for any period of time.