The Sense of Taste

The name's RJ, and I Believe... Food tastes best when shared with Good Company A Mixing Pot of Tasty Dishes and Wonderful Recipes! I dont know why I dont just drop out of college and go to cooking school. Here I shall post the various recipes and cooking ideas I find interesting or think up! I made these dishes myself in my kitchen and then took a photo of it for your drooling pleasure =) If you have a recipe or thought you'd like me to try or your own you'd like me to showcase, feel free to submit them and I'll see what I can do =) Please try these at Home!

[thesenseoftaste]

Bacon Blanketed Turkey 

20 lbs turkey

1lbs butter

2 Fresh herb variety packs (rosemary, thyme, sage, extra)

2 lbs thick sliced bacon

2 medium onions

5 cloves of garlic

1-2 shots brandy or beer ( any preference)

 2 pears

2 apples

 Salt and pepper for seasoning

Butter paste/rub Combine in a strong blender or food processor room temperature butter, 1/2 lbs chopped (raw) bacon, 1 chopped onion, brandy/beer, salt and pepper and one whole pack of variety herbs until it becomes a smooth paste like consistency. Pour into a storage bowl or container

Preheat oven to 400F. Turkey  Starting from the cavity lift the skin gentle to separate and open the space between the skin and breast meat. Next make a small incision on each leg and open the space between the skin and meat. In this open space add apply the butter paste generously saving only just enough to coat the outer skin. This will infuse deep flavored into the meat as well as keep it moist.

Chop onion, apples, and pears and with second herb variety pack stuff the turkey. Tie up the legs.

Bacon Blanket With the remaining bacon you will make an interwoven weaving design. Start laying one piece at the top of turkey between the legs horizontally. Then lay a second piece at one end of that strip vertically. Now lay another piece horizontally but start under the vertical piece. Now lay a vertically piece over the first horizontal piece and then under the second horizontal piece. Continue this pattern until turkey is fully covered. 

(Refer to picture for this step. Bacon shrinks when cooked so place then tightly together so as to not create gaps) Bake on 400F for about 30 minutes and then reduce heat to about 375F for the remaining time, about 4-5 hours total or until finished. Enjoy!

[thesenseoftaste]

Are these your own recipe?

I watch a lot of food network and own a couple cookbooks. For the most part, I find a recipe or see something on the tele, and try to recreate it.Once I get the basics down, I make the recipe entirely my own by tweaking it to my own liking.So you can say I am inspired by other recipes and I make my own from them.

[thesenseoftaste]

Fettuccine Alfredo 

My lovely friend Lisa requested this. A bit of logistics, there are numerous ways to make an Alfredo Sauce, I use a 2 cheese recipe that I played with and really enjoy. Find one that suits you and go with it. Or use mine =)  

for my recipe,It is imperative that you use a low-medium under boiling heat, Too hot and you burn cheese, it curdles,and does not emulsify = doesnt blend right making that nice creamy texture. And keep stirring, dont go away. Keep stirring until completely blended.

Sauce: 

3 tbs Butter

6 oz Parmesan Cheese - Shredded 

6 oz Romano Cheese - Shredded

1 pint Heavy Cream

1/2 Diced Sweet Onion

3 Gloves of Garlic - Diced

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

Chicken:

2 Breasts Seasoning with Salt, Pepper, and Italian Seasoning

Pasta:

Fettuccine - Duh! (1 Packet should be lovely)

Boil the Pasta until al dente. 

In a sauce, over low medium heat, let butter melt, but not burn. Add in the garlic and onions to the butter. Mix around. Add Heavy cream, and let it get to heat. When the mixture is warm, add in the cheeses. And stirr constantly. Dont leave, just stir, for the like the next 10-15 minutes. Stir, stir stir. You should have probably boiled the pasta before this step. Once sauce has fully blended and become creamy, take off heat, add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and stir occasionally. 

Heat a pan, splash in some oil, and sear the chicken breasts on both sides until browned, then let cook through on medium. Slice into your preferred cuts to add to your pasta.

Strain the pasta when done, and add to the sauce. Toss around until Sauce coats all pasta. 

Serve on a plate, or platter, and add chicken.

Enjoy! 

*Garlic Bread goes great with this! and So does shrimp. 

[thesenseoftaste]

Chicken Soup

I find the best part of whole chicken dinners or even turkey is the making of soup with the leftover cuts and bones. This takes a bit of time, but it tastes amazing.

1 Leftover Whole Chicken (The bones and leftover meat) - Cube the meat

1 Sweet Onion - Diced

3 Carrots - Sliced 

3 Celery - Sliced

4 Gloves of Ginger - Minced

2 Tbs Italian Seasoning

2 Tps Chicken Bouillon

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tbs Pepper

1/2 Stock Pot of Water

1 package Wide Egg Pasta Noodles

Boil the leftover chicken bones and cubed leftover chicken meat for about an hour. This creates a nice chicken broth, and softens the meat. Remove the bones from the broth and make sure to get them all. 

In a separate pot boil the pasta noodles until firm yet soft. 

Add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning ,bouillon, onions, and garlic to the broth. Let boil for another 5 minutes and stir.

Add in the Carrots and Celery, and let soften.

Once noodles are done, wash them to stop the cooking process, and then add them into the soup.  

*If the soup tastes a bit bland based on these measurements posted, add more bouillon, salt and pepper. It all depends on the stock pot you use and how much water is in it etc.  

You can add a bit of rice into the soup when serving to make it a heartier meal. Otherwise 

Enjoy!

[thesenseoftaste]

Sweet and Smokey Ribs ! I was playing with making a sweet yet smokey glaze, so thats the focus.

1-2 Slabs of Back Ribs

Your favorite Rib Spice Combo - I used my own blend, but Pappy's Seasoning works just fine

1 Cup Maple Syrup or Molasses (I only had Syrup)

1/4 Cup Honey

1/2 Brandy

2 Tbs Brown Sugar

2 Tbs Worchestershire Sauce 

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Pepper

1 drop liquid smoke

Glaze:

In saucepan, combine syrup, honey, brown sugar, brandy, worchestershire, salt, pepper, and liquid smoke (1 drop goes a long way). Bring to a boil, stir to blend, and then lower heat to med-low for mixture to simmer and reduce into a thicker syrupy glaze texture.

Ribs:

Liberally season your ribs both sides with your seasoning blend.

Grill/Smoker:

Preheat your grill to about 250-300F, and use your preferred smoking technique (Use your smoker, or make the woodchip foil burrito  as used in the Smoked Shoulder Recipe). You need to use a low heat or else the sugars in the glaze will burn and scorch your meat if a flareup happens. The hot smoke helps to cook the glaze on the meat without the flareups. 

Place ribs on the grill, and let cook for about 10 minutes. Liberally apply glaze, leaving 1/2 the glaze remaining. Let cook and smoke over low heat for 25 minutes. Apply the rest of the glaze, and let cook for another 10 minutes. 

Enjoy!

[thesenseoftaste]

Green Bean Salad

My Aunt showed me this one. This is a light, fresh, and healthy dish that could be used as an appetizer, or eaten as a light meal or snack.

1 package fresh Green Beans

1/2 Onion - Minced

3 Garlic cloves - minced

Chopped Walnuts - Toasted

3 tbs Olive oil

2 tbs Rice Vinegar

Salt

Pepper

* Optional: 1 tomato - finely diced

Add green beans into boiling water for 4 minutes, then place beans into ice bath (bowl filled with ice water) - this is referred to as "blanching". Place beans on a towel to let dry or use a salad spinner to remove the water. Toss beans with onions, garlic, walnuts and *tomato.

In a tupperware container, combine olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Seal with lead and shake vigorously, forming the vinaigrette. 

Dress Green Bean salad with vinaigrette and serve.

Enjoy!

[thesenseoftaste]

So....

Went grocery shopping last evening (Wed evening as its now 12ish AM Thursday) I have the makings for a healthy and tasty green bean salad! Should be up for lunch ... which for me is around 3 lol 

[thesenseoftaste]

Smoked Pork Roast

*A Smoker/Grill is required

1 Pork Shoulder Roast

1 Cup Apple Juice

1/2 Cup Sherry

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

1 Yellow Onion - Diced

3 Cloves Garlic - Minced

1 Tbs Worchestershire Sauce

1 Tbs Minced Ginger

1 Tbs Salt

1 Tbs Pepper

2 Tbs Brown Sugar

Smoke Box or Foil and Woodchips (your preference) *

In a marinading container combine Apple Juice, Soy Sauce, Sherry, Worchestershire Sauce, Ginger, Garlic, Onion, Salt, Pepper, Brown Sugar. Stir well until salt/sugar dissolves. Add in pork shoulder.

Cover and let meat marinade 2-4 hours in fridge.

Start your grill ( I used a charcoal grill). Keep heat around 200F-250F.   

* To prepare woodchips for smoke, I made a wrapped wet woodchips that had soaked for 30min. with foil, forming a foil burrito. Seal the ends. Puncture 3 holes on one side and put the opposite side straight onto the charcoal/on-top of burners under the grill rack. 

Put pork shoulder onto grill, and let smoke for about 2-4 hours, basting with marinade every 30 minutes or so to keep moist and flavorful (I let mine go for 2 1/2 hours, family got hungry !) . Avoid flareups, removing meat from the heat until flames die down or move meat to cooler side of grill.

Enjoy! 

*It's all about low and slow method here. Make sure to keep vents open and air well circulating throughout the grill. The smoke needs to be constantly moving otherwise the meat will get a saturated bitter smoke taste. I cooked this on a particularly windy say so that helped keep the air moving.

Also if you need more smoke, prepare a second foil woodchip burrito to add to the flames.

[thesenseoftaste]

My take on Korean BBQ

- You Will need a marinade basin or big ziplock bag and a grill indoor or outdoor

Thin Sliced Steaks - or Your preferred cut 

1 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Sweetened Apple Sauce (or a Puree'd Apple/Pear)*

1/2 tbs Ginger - Minced

6 cloves of Garlic - Minced

3 Green Onions - Finely Chopped

1 tbs Ground Black Pepper

1 tps Salt 

Combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, apple sauce, garlic, onions, pepper and salt into marinade container. Stir until well blended. Place meat into container. Seal lock or use plastic wrap to cover and marinade in the fridge for about 2-3 hours. 

Heat grill to about 400F, and grill meats until reddish browned. Enjoy! *A puree'd pear is most preferred, but I substituted apple sauce. You can also add toasted sesame seed oil to the marinade but I to opted out.

*We ate this with rice and vegetables.

[thesenseoftaste]

White Wine Cream Sauce w/ Pasta 

1 Cup Milk

1/2 White Wine (your preference)

4 tbs Butter

1 tbs All-purpose Flour

1 1/2 tps Italian Seasoning

1/2 tps Salt

1/2 tps Pepper

2-3 Cloves of Garlic - Minced

1 Tomato - Diced

Basil/or Cilantro - for Garnish

1 Package of your choice Pasta 

Boil water for Pasta. Add salt to water for flavoring. Add pasta and let cook to al dente (firm noodle, but not hard and not too soft)

In a sauce pan bring to a simmer milk, butter, wine, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add Flour to thicken. ( I sifted my flour through a handheld-sieve to avoid clumps)

Stir occasional and let reduce for about 5-10 minutes.  

Put pasta on plate, drizzle the sauce over it. Drop on the diced tomatoes and cilantro/basil. Enjoy!

*Optional: This version is vegetarian, but you can add chopped grilled chicken or shrimp.

( I used leftover spaghetti noodle I had lying in the fridge, as well as cilantro since I was out of basil and I wanted a green element)