J is for Jicama and Jalapenos

Just keep swimming just keep swimming just keep swimming.....

This week was a little busy for the Mrs and me. She had two weddings to direct (two brides to deal with) and as for me, the bakery was under staffed. After running around the kitchen at work, I just did not have the time to plan a meal, let alone the energy to cook in my kitchen. There was only time for a prayer to Jesus, another cup of Joe, and I hate to say it, Junk food. Since I couldn't get jazzed up to cook, we ordered a pizza and called it a night.

Jicama (hee-kuh-muh)

After some sleep I got back in the kitchen. In an effort to get my creative cooking juices flowing again, I decided to try an ingredient for this week that not only have I not worked with before, but I have never even tasted it.
Jicama, pronounced (hee-kuh-muh) is also sometimes called a Mexican turnip, pronounced (mek-si-kuh n  tur-nip).  It was an interesting flavor, but I still had no idea what to do with it.

 "Bobby Flay, Help!" I cried 

"Try this Jim," he said and gave me a pat on the back.

"Thanks Bobby," I said as we shook hands before he left.

Jicama and Watermelon Salad from Chef Bobby Flay

Speaking of Food Network stars, my Aunt Paula* came to visit Alabama the other day y'all.She was just down the road from me. She and Al Roker were delivering food and other items to an organization call Community Kitchens. Community Kitchens has always provided meals to people in need, but they have been working overtime to help those affected by the tornadoes that came through our state. Paula came to deliver TWO trucks of Smithfield Hams to the director of  Community Kitchens.Click here to view the whole story. It will just make you love her more. A friend of mine got to help out with the delivery of the hams, hang out with Paula Deen's food stylist, and meet Paula herself.

 Jealous, I'm not jealous.... okay maybe a I'm a little jealous.

*We are not really related. Whenever I cook a recipe of her's and someone asks me where I got it, I say "Oh, it is my Aunt Paula's." Then I'll copy it down on a notecard for them and at the bottom say it is from Paula Deen, love and best dishes.

Paula is just so funny to me. I always love it when she goes on the Today Show, things like this happen.

Jalapeno Pork Skewers(hah-luh-peyn-yoh   pawrk   skyoo-er)

•  4 pork chops
• 3T honey
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2T Worcestershire sauce
• 1T black pepper
• 1t salt
• 3 jalapenos
• 3 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese**
• 6 slices of Smithfield Hickory Smoked bacon**
• 1 onion, chopped

Pound the pork chops to be 1/2" thick. (I just put them in a ziplock bag and went to town with a rolling pin.) Cut the pounded chops into strips, 3/4" wide by 3" long. Whisk honey, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, black pepper, and salt together. Pour the mixture over the pork strips and allow them to marinate for two hours in the refrigerator.
Note: You will use the marinade again in another step, don't throw it out.

Next cut the jalapenos into coins.
If you do not want the extreme heat that a jalapeno can have, you can take down the intensity by removing the seeds and the center membrane of the pepper

Next cut the bacon strips in half to make 12 strips.

Now you are ready to assemble your skewers. Sandwich the cream cheese around the jalapeno and wrap the pork strip around the jalapeno.Wrap a piece of bacon around the pork and skewer it to hold it together

 

 In a large skillet, brown the skewer on both sides. (about 90 seconds per side)

 Place the chopped onion in a large casserole dish and place the skewers on top. Pour the marinade over the skewers and onions. Cook the skewers for 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

**This is a Paula Deen approved ingredient.

I hope that you enjoy friends! As Paula says, love and best dishes from my kitchen to yours.

-J

I is for Ice pt.II

If you make too much Ice, you could have an Iceberg. With Iceberg Lettuce, you can have an impromptu dinner party.

The Mrs was on the phone with our good friend Emma and we found out she didn't have dinner plans. I told her I had a head of lettuce and a few ideas, did she want to come over for dinner. She said yes, so while Emma and the Mrs took Zoey for a walk I tried my best to make something good for dinner.

Here's what happened.

Iceberg Lettuce Wraps

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup of canola oil
• 2T butter
• 1t chili pepper
• 1t cumin
• 1/2t cayenne pepper
• 1/4t cinnamon
• 1 1/2t salt
• 1 1/2t black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2/3 cup red onion, finely diced

Core the head of lettuce. Carefully separate the leaves, wash, and set on paper towels to dry.

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter on medium high heat. Combine all of the spices in a small bowl and rub the mixture onto the chicken breasts. Brown both sides of the chicken (~4 min. per side) Turn the heat down to medium low, and add in the minced garlic. As the chicken cooks, spoon a little bit of the oil and garlic over the breast every few minutes.
While the chicken is cooking chop your vegetables: avocados, tomatoes, and red onion, and place them in a large bowl.

When the chicken is cooked, let it rest for 2 minutes and then chop it in large chunks. Stir in the chicken into the vegetables.

Spoon the chicken and veggies in your lettuce leaf, and roll it up tightly.And then you eat it!

I hope you injoy!

-J

I is for Ice

Infinite possibilities

Ice

• 4 cups of cold water*
• 2 ice trays
• 1 freezer
  

Carefully measure 4 cups of water exactly.
Pour water into your ice trays deliberately but not forcefully. If you are too timid with your pour, water will run down the side of the measuring cup, making a mess. If you are too forceful with your pour, the water will bounce off the bottom of the tray and on to the counter, again, making a mess.

With your ice trays full of cold water, carefully transport them to the freezer. Stack your trays and close the freezer door. Allow the ice to set completely (~4-5 hours)






When your ice is set, you can use your ice. To loosen ice out of the tray, grab the sides of the tray and twist in opposite directions.**

Serve immediately.


You can serve Ice by itself, it is sometimes a nice crunchy snack, or it can be used as an ingredient itself. For example: traditionally ice is used as a cooling agent in beverages such as lemonade, Iced tea, and Ice water (pictured).





*If your water is hot or even warm, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours to make it cold. Depending on how hot or warm your water is will determine how long it will need to stay in the refrigerator.

**Sometimes during this step, small shards of ice tend to shoot off of the ice tray and it is an eye hazard. Goggles are a good idea, remember - safety first.

Okay seriously, I did my research for this one just like I did for the other letters. Do you want to know what the most popular item? Iguana. If you think that I am going to cook an iguana you are mistaken, and if you think that I, let alone the Mrs, is going to eat an iguana you have lost your m-I-n-d.

Ice.
Ice.
Ice......
.....maybe there is something I could do with this.

Stay tuned.

-J