Wing Wednesdays: Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauced Wings

As you all know, I love all things vinegar based. That definitely includes my BBQ choices. While in the grocery store, I noticed this vinegar based sauce from Heinz.

Let's cook some wings!

2 lbs. chicken wings, separated and tips removed (discard tips or freeze and add to the next batch of stock you make)

Garlic Salt

4 - 6 ounces Heinz Carolina Vinegar Style BBQ Sauce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Lightly season the wings with garlic salt. Place on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. 

Using a silicone brush, completely cover the wings with a liberal layer of sauce. Return to oven for 5 - 7 minutes or until the sauce glazes on the wings.  Serve immediately.

Baked Salmon Burgers

I took a few shortcuts to get this Monday night meal on the table in a hurry! You have to admit though, it looks delicious, right? Guess what? It was delicious and on the table in 30 minutes! That equals winning in my book. Don't forget that salmon is also an excellent source of Omega 3s. Next time you're planning on serving burgers to your family, consider salmon burgers as an option. 

4 -frozen wild caught Alaskan Salmon burgers

Old Bay Seasoning

Leafy lettuce

Tartar Sauce

Thinly sliced red onions

Thinly sliced tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Liberally season the burgers with Old Bay Seasoning. Place on baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and turn the burgers over and season the other side with Old Bay.

Return to oven for another 12 - 15 minutes or until internal temperature is 145 degrees F.  Serve on toasted buns with lettuce, tartar sauce, red onions, and tomatoes.

While the burgers were baking, I used the same baking sheet to roast some good ol' Ore Ida Steak Fries, seasoned with Old Bay as well.  For a Monday night, which had followed a very hectic Monday workday, this was a great meal.

Veal Scaloppine with Saffron Cream Sauce

Everyone needs a showstopper dish to bring out to show off a little for family and friends. This dish has a few expensive ingredients, but this dish is entirely worth it for those special occasion meals.

Prepare and assemble all ingredients before you begin to cook. The veal cooks extremely fast, and you need to be ready to get the remainder of the ingredients into the pan.

1 lb. veal scaloppine (about 12 slices)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 T. unsalted butter, or more as needed

3 T. olive oil, or more as needed

12 oz. white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

2 large shallots, finely chopped

1 cup low sodium beef broth

3/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 t. crumbled saffron threads

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

4 lemon wedges

Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper. Melt 1/2 T. of the butter with 2 t. of the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over high heat. Working in 3 batches, and the veal and saute until just cooked through and golden, about 45 seconds per side. Transfer the veal to a platter and tent with foil to keep it warm. Repeat with the remaining veal, adding more butter and oil to the pan as necessary.

Melt 1 T. of the butter and 1 T. of the oil in the same pan, over high heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 8 minutes.

Add the broth, wine, and saffron, and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add the peas and return the sauce to a simmer. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Return the veal to the sauce and let heat through. Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta. Don't forget to serve lemon wedges on the side.

Adapted from Giada's Family Dinners.

Wing Wednesdays: Cilantro Lime Wings

It's that time again! Time to try a new flavor of chicken wings. While shopping recently, I came across a new seasoning blend:  Tone's Cilantro Lime. I purchased it thinking at the time that I would use it on steaks for fajitas or tacos. But what better time to try it out than for Wing Wednesday?

2 lbs. chicken wings, separated and end tips discarded

olive oil

1 - 2 T. Tone's Cilantro Lime Seasoning Blend.

2 - 3 T. unsalted butter

1 - 2 T. fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, add wings and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to completely coat the wings. Sprinkle on the seasoning blend and toss to coat.

Spread the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Add additional seasoning blend on any of the wings that might have missed a spot here or there.

Bake for 30 - 45 minutes or until wings reach an internal temperature of 166 degrees F.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in lime juice and carefully spoon over chicken wings. Serve immediately with additional lime wedges.

Dining Out Gulf Coast: Mr. G's Smoke House and Seafood Grill, Mexico Beach, FL

During our recent trip to the Gulf Coast last month, we were anxious to try some more of the tacos offered at Mr. G's Smoke House and Seafood Grill, 2904 U.S. Highway 98, Mexico Beach, FL 32456. 

The menu has many options with very clever names!  

I tried The Californian -- Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna served on a bed of fresh cabbage, pineapple mandarin drizzle, topped with guacamole salsa, cilantro, and lime.  The tuna was perfectly cooked, the cabbage was fresh and crunchy, and the condiments were delish.  This a very large taco!  No skimping on the filling at all.

Next up is the Bay Shrimp, tender local bay shrimp grilled to perfection, served on a bed of fresh cabbage with a pineapple mandarin drizzle topped with cilantro and lime.

 And last, but certainly not least, the South of the Border -- crispy fried whitefish fillet served on tequila chili lime sauce, fresh cabbage, cilantro, and lime spritz.

The pictures aren't the best and for that, I apologize. These were snapped while seating under a beach umbrella directly on the beach and we couldn't wait to dig in for our lunch!  

If you're ever passing through Mexico Beach, or are lucky enough to stay there for a few days, please check out Mr. G's.  You'll be very happy.  Each of these tacos was seasoned properly, cooked to perfection, and the toppings were fresh and tasty.

Italian Chicken Tenders with Pesto over Five Cheese Tortellini

This dish is an excellent choice for busy weeknights because you can go the traditional route to make it or use lots of shortcuts. If you don't have the time to make pesto yourself, by all means, you can use a jarred pesto. I picked up a package of refrigerated five cheese tortellini which cooked in about 4 minutes.

The chicken tenders were seasoned with Italian bread crumbs and then baked.  If you're so inclined to make your own pesto, here's a link to my recipe.

1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken tenders

1/2 cup flour

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

1 egg whisked with 1 T. water

1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1 cup pesto

1 lb. fresh tortellini

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a shallow plate, mix together flour, salt, and pepper.

In a second shallow plate, add beaten egg/water.

In a third shallow plate, add Italian breadcrumbs.

Place one chicken tender into the flour mixture and turn to coat both sides with flour. Then dip into egg wash to cover with sides, and gently place in Italian breadcrumbs. Press into the breadcrumbs until both sides are completely covered.

Place in baking dish and repeat with remaining chicken tenders.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

During the last 5 - 6 minutes of baking, prepare the refrigerated tortellini according to package directions.

Drain pasta and place a serving size onto your plate. Top with a few tablespoons of pesto.  Top the pasta with chicken tenders and spoon a little more pesto on top.  You can also add grated parmesan if you'd like.

Oven Baked Panko Crusted Chicken Tenders

If you and your family love crunchy chicken tenders, but don't like the added calories from fried foods (or worse from fast food restaurants), try this quick and easy homemade version.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders

1/2 cup flour

2 t. dry Ranch dressing mix

1 egg, slightly beaten with 1 T. water

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a shallow plate, mix together flour and Ranch dressing mix.

In a second shallow plate, add beaten egg/water.

In a third shallow plate, add Panko.

Place one chicken tender into the flour mixture and turn to coat both sides with flour. Then dip into egg wash to cover with sides, and gently place in Panko crumbs. Press into the Panko until both sides are completely covered.

Place in baking dish and repeat with remaining chicken tenders.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

I hope you enjoy these as well as we did!

Dining Out Gulf Coast: Cuvee 30A, Inlet Beach, FL

While on the Gulf Coast, we had the distinct pleasure of dining at Tim Creehan's Cuvee 30A. From the moment we entered the restaurant until we left everything was perfect.  We dined outside, the atmosphere was divine, the service was excellent, and the food choices were incredible.

We dined outdoors but had a drink at the beautiful bar before going to our table.

I enjoyed a Lemon Drop Martini served in a stainless steel martini glass. This one stayed COLD!

We were offered a tour of the wine room and learned a LOT of interesting things about a variety of wines. Very impressive selections here!

Now on to our table and a new drink selection. I requested Prosecco, but our lovely and knowledgeable serve Sarah, encouraged me to try an Aperol Spritz. This is now my Cocktail of Summer!

This refreshing cocktail is simply made with just a few ingredients but definitely packs in the flavor with a combination of prosecco, Aperol, and soda water. Doesn't that look delicious?

Sarah prepared an oil/vinegar seasoning blend for bread dipping right at the table.

We informed Sarah at the beginning of the meal that we were in no hurry and wanted to take our time enjoying every moment of this amazing experience. She never made us feel rushed and made wonderful suggestions at every stage of the meal.

Now....on to appetizers!

As soon as Sweet Harold spied escargot on the appetizer menu, he was sold. His remarks included, "so tender," "buttery with lots of garlic," "so delicious."  I think that says it all!

Y'all know if Fried Green Tomatoes are anywhere to be found, they will be on my plate. Look at this gorgeous presentation. Fried green tomatoes layered with warm Brie, topped with crawfish tails and then covered with a Crystal hot sauce and butter sauce.  Could it possibly be any better than that?? Sarah noted it was one of their most popular appetizers and I know why. I would never have thought to add Brie to this mix, but it was so ooey gooey and tempered the hot sauce. I could have made a meal on these.

We had reviewed the online menu carefully a few days before. We were positive on what our dinner choices would be. Then.....Sarah told us the night's specials. So much for making our choices ahead of time. When she said the phrase "King Crab Hollandaise," I didn't care what it was served with, I knew I wanted to try that combination. My serving was a very generously sized portion of snapper over perfectly sautéed spinach then topped with a rich and creamy King Crab Hollandaise and meunière sauces. This is one of those dishes you'll think back on fondly.

I regret that I did not place a dime or a quarter next to this 24 oz. cowboy rib for size reference. This was definitely a Flintstone size steak.  Sweet Harold was up for the challenge and ordered this beauty cooked to medium rare. He chose bacon braised green beans and garlic mashed potatoes as his sides. Yes, in case you're wondering, he ate every bite. The steak was perfectly cooked and the sides were well seasoned and served hot! One of my pet peeves are side dishes served lukewarm.

He does look happy!

I know you will find it hard to believe, but we chose to enjoy dessert as well. How could you enjoy a meal like this and not at least attempt dessert?

How about a Godiva Chocolate Martini? This one is made with Stoli Vodka, Godiva White and Dark Chocolate Liqueur with cream topped with chocolate shavings. So deliciously decadent!

And now on to the dessert sampler platter!

White chocolate banana cream pie
Valrhona Chocolate Crepes
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Berries
Key West Lime Pie with whipped cream
Chocolate Sin Cake (flourless chocolate cake with High Road Vanilla Ice Cream with chocolate balsamic and fresh berries
Corleone (High Road Vanilla Ice Cream, rolled in white and dark chocolate ice cream, almonds, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with honey)

This meal definitely rates as one of the Top Five meals we've ever enjoyed. From the moment we were greeted at the hostess station until we were almost rolled to the car, we loved every minute spent at Cuvee 30A.  I hope if you're ever visiting Inlet Beach, Florida, you will spend an evening there as well.

Wing Wednesday: Hickory Smoked

I've been wanting to smoke chicken wings in the smoker for some time now. When we had the smoker all fired up for Memorial Day cooking, I knew the time was right.

I mixed up a seasoning blend that was just the right amount for 2 pounds of wings. If you like your wings with a lot of heat or lots of dry rub, adjust accordingly.

2 t. salt

1 t. paprika

1 t. granulated garlic

1 t. onion powder

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. chili powder

1 t. freshly ground black pepper. 

2 lbs. chicken wings

Season wings with the seasoning blend and place in smoker using hickory chips. Let wings smoke at 250 degrees F. for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Serve immediately with your favorite BBQ sauce or Ranch Dressing on the side.