Tormented Kitchen

Oh my goodness. I forgot to post about rib cook off!  Yes, we went. We went more than one day, mind you. We are connoisseurs of ribs. It seemed like they spaced out the rib booths further from each other than in years past. That made walking around much easier.  We also took advantage of the free bus rides from the Legends mall to the downtown Sparks bus station. We got ribs from the vendors directly and then also one night we went into the Rib Village for the smorgasbord. The kids now love ribs and devoured them faster than me! We noted that few of the rib-smokers had whole suckling pigs roasting away. They were about $175 a pig. We wandered through the vendor booths and the food providers. The kids played in the water fountain in front of the theater and enjoyed a few carnival rides, day and night. We ate a little of everything. Fried zucchini, onion rings, fried peaches, funnel cake, cream puffs, ice cream bars, ribs, ribs, ribs, and washed it down w...

This meal has been floating in my mind's eye for a while now. To see it finally come together, it was really a sense of accomplishment. This picture just does not do it justice. The colors were beautiful. The flavors really complimented each other, some sweet, some tangy, some savory. Excellent combination! Back in the early summer, I was on a grilling kick. I think it's a seasonal thing for me.  I wanted a grilled pork chop, but it's easy to go wrong on the grill. Sometimes it's hard to judge how hot to get the grill, how long to let the meat cook, and if you've hit it right or ruined it. The first time I made this, I tried two layers of bacon and basting the chops with apple juice. So it was OK. Just OK. As you know, for me just OK is never good enough. So back to the kitchen and lots of brainstorming and testing. I figured brining was the next logical step. I wanted a warm apple topping. Then, this came together. It was really good. I think I just had to w...

I've been going to the Nugget Rib Cookoff for years. The first time was way back in the early 90's, when I was a teenager. I missed a few years, but the past 8-9 years or so, my husband has made sure that we go. Dear readers, you know we love meat. We would starve as vegans. This cookoff was no different than past ones.  We went a couple different times, ate both from the Rib Village and stood in lines. We feel that gives us a fair representation. Sometimes, ribs hot off the grill are just so different from the Rib Village pans of ribs. You still get the flavor, but the fresh hot smokiness can get lost from getting wrapped and piled in a pan. A few of the entry booths have local restaurants so we already knew what to expect from them. Kinder's, Famous Dave's, BJ's Nevada BBQ. We know you guys very well, very well indeed. We went Friday night to the Rib Village. We were at the table right next to John Ascuaga himself. You know you're doing ...

I haven't been cooking very much lately.  I want to, but things come up.  It's summertime.  There are yard projects to do and after work is the perfect time. The heat isn't so stifling, the breeze comes up, the kids play on the playground , and we can actually get things done.  In honor of summertime, we have been regularly grilling.  Lots of grilling, and it's mostly beef. Tri-tip is one of those cuts of beef that you have to have a knack for cooking.  There are certain cuts of beef that you can just toss on the grill and they are always fine.  Tri-tip needs a bit of finesse to really turn out well. You can season it with pretty much anything, but it's the grill technique that will make a difference. You really have to grill over medium-hot coals or fire.  If the heat is too low, the meat dries out and gets tough. If it's too hot, the outside gets charred and the inside stays raw.  We have found if you aim for medium done, th...

I decided it was time I posted a new recipe for beef. Being summertime, it was the perfect environment for grilling. Instead of boring you with how to grill a steak, I went for making fajitas. Fajitas are basically whatever you want on top of grilled meat rolled in a tortilla. I especially associate sauteed peppers with fajitas so I made those too. Mom made up some rice to accompany it all. Ingredients 1 1/2 lb flank steak 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3-4 Tablespoons olive oil Guacamole Sauteed bell peppers (see below) 6-8 flour tortillas sour cream salsa refried beans and rice shredded cheese Method for the Steak 1. Combine cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 2. Sprinkle half of the spice mix over the flank steak. Drizzle about half of the olive oil on top and rub it into the meat. You want the spices and oil to evenly coa...