Men in Aprons

All good things ...

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:56:55 -0600

The year 2008 brought to myself and my family some hard times financially and socially. Almost overnight, changes in my employment and home life brought with it a halt to the posts that I had once churned out en mass. Though I tried many times to resurrect myself to the work I once did here, I could not find the energy or motivation to return.

In many ways, this weblog accomplished goals set out many years ago. At one time I set myself apart from other food sites and blogs. But over the years, MIA has become drowned in a sea of mediocre sites, recipe databases that offer no insight or personality, and a hellish host of ad-driven drivel.

It is said that all good things must come to an end. I only half-believe that. I believe that all good things morph into others as time moves on.

Call it a hiatus; call it a sabbatical, but do not call it done. Though this is the last post here, there is a voice that is telling me I'm not finished. Men in Aprons had another version way before this domain name, so I believe that this is not over.

I would like to thank everyone who had a part here. My wife for putting up with my incessant cooking and writing, my father for the last few months of comment cleaning, the host of advertisers and product pushers, and yes even you, the trollish assholes who never stopped trying to bring me down by leaving your comments.

With a heavy heart and a sigh of relief, I bring to a close this incarnation of Men in Aprons.

meninaprons@gmail.com

Braised Chipotle Pork Chops

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:11:11 -0600

So tender, you don't need a knife.

Ingredients

4 thin pork chops
6 TBSP Oil
1/2 cup flour for dredging
1 large white onion, sliced thin
3 canned chipotle chiles, diced + 1 TBSP adobo sauce
3 cloves garlic, bashed
1/2 cup beef broth
8 oz. tomato sauce
salt & pepper
Dash celery salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the oil. When the oil is smoking hot, season the chops with salt and pepper then dredge lightly in flour. Add the chops to the hot oil and brown on both sides. Remove from skillet.

Reduce heat to medium and brown the onions and garlic. You may need to add more oil here to keep them loose. When the onions are soft and caramelly (it's a technical term), add the chipotles, adobo, celery salt, totmato sauce and broth. Bring to a simmer and return the chops to the pan, pushing them down in the mixture.

Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from pan and server. The chops should be fork tender.

Everybody Grills!

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:33:03 -0600

I was honored this year when I was approached by Creative Homeowner Publishing to submit some recipes for Char-Broil's Everybody Grills!
. Gladly I submitted iron skillet blackberry cobbler, grilled pineapple spears, and my maple glazed grilled wings. But I was not expecting such a beautiful product to arrive on my doorstep one day.

Out in stores now is Everybody Grills, the all-grilling cookbook from Char-Broil and Creative Homeowner. Penned by Barry "CB" Martin and edited by Lisa Khan, this thing is the end all be all of grilling cookbooks. Sporting full color photos of each dish on every page, it is nothing short of a tome of simple recipes and mouth-watering pictures.

Everybody Grills comes through in every way for my cookbook requirements. It is easy to read, has photos of the food, and the recipes are easy to make.

Aside from the decadent quality of the food and the full color quality of the book, the thing that sets it apart from others is that many of the recipes were submitted by regular dudes such as myself, so you get that sense that these recipes can be done by anyone at home. Everyday grilling for the everday dude.

Admittedly, I'm a bit biased towards this book, since my name appears in the book a few times, but after a few months of thought I feel justified in my review. It may be one of the better grilling books out there. It is a great coffee table cookbook, but practical as well. The recipes are laid out logically, and the type is set perfectly. Additionally, they are easy to follow and you really get a feeling that YOU TOO could make gorgeous food like this.

Everybody Grills is available online at Amazon.com, through Creative Homeowner and at Lowe's Home Improvement Stores.

Hatch Chile Baked Mac & Cheese

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 06:54:25 -0600

It's Hatch Chile pepper time again. And you know what, this recipe beat the hell out of any broccoli and cheese casserole. If you live in the south, most likely you can get Hatch chiles this time of year in your grocery store. If you cannot, just substitute a couple of jalapenos or a poblano pepper.

Ingredients:

8 oz (uncooked) elbow macaroni
1 cup Queso Asadero cheese, shredded
1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded
4 TBSP flour
4 TBSP butter
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
2 cups milk
2 large hatch green chiles, stemmed & seeded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Puree the chile peppers in a food processor until almost unrecognizable. You may need to drizzle a bit of oil into the mixture to get the puree moving.

Cook the macaroni according to package directions to al dente tenderness.

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the flour, salt, & pepper and whisk until bubbly. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk until smooth. Bring the mixture to just under a simmer and begin slowly adding the cheese a handful at a time until all cheese is melted. Finally, add the chile pureeto the mixture.

Pour the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Then transfer the entire mixture to a medium baking dish. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Braised Shortribs in Molasses/Balsamic sauce

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:13:42 -0600

I apologize in advance for the crudeness of this photo and others to come. The Men in Aprons' official camera is dead and I'm having to attempt food photography with a camera phone. YACK! The following recipe contains the perfect amount of food for two people, awesome for a date night if you are so inclined. Serve these shortribs over a bed of creamy polenta with Gruyere cheese.

Ingredients:

1 pound beef shortribs (about 4-5)
1/2 cup flour for dredging mixed with pinch of salt & pepper
5 TBSP vegetable oil
1 cup each chopped onion, celery, carrot
1/4 cup molasses
2 TBSP tomato paste
1 pinch fresh rosemary
1 Tsp. dried thyme
2 cups beef stock
1/4 Tsp. Liquid smoke
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large oven-proof pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Dredge the ribs in the flour and shake off excess. Brown them into the hot oil for a couple of minutes per side, being careful not to burn. Remove the ribs to a plate when all are browned.

Reduce heat to medium and add the carrots, celery, and onion to the remaining oil. Saute for a few minutes until soft. Add the molasses, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and liquid smoke. Combine thoroughly and bring back to a simmer. Return the ribs to the pot and cover with foil or a lid. Put in the oven for 2 hours to braise.

Remove the ribs from the pot to a plate to rest. The meat should be fall-off-the-bone tender. Remove the used vegetables and herbs, but keep that dark and lovely sauce in the pot. You might have to strain the solids through a sieve.

Bring the sauce to simmer on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Let simmer for a few minutes to reduce. Taste and season with salt if the flavor is too flat.

Serve the ribs and top with the sauce.

Dr Pepper Sauced Boneless Wings

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 19:57:37 -0600

Boneless buffalo wings are pretty much just chicken nuggets covered in sauce. But I don't care about that. The taste good anyway! I was inspired to make this recipe after eating at a local chicken wing joint the wife last weekend. It turned out very nice and I highly recommend it. :)

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into nugget sized pieces
3/4 cup flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp. pepper
1/4 Tsp. garlic powder
1 can Dr. pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 Tsp. Tabasco sauce
2 TBSP butter
Oil for frying

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss the chicken in the flour mixture, coating completely. Put the coated chicken in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This will help the coating adhere to the chicken during frying.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the can of Dr. Pepper to a boil, reduce heat and simmer briskly until reduced to about 1/8th the amount. Add the brown sugar, ketchup, Tabasco and butter and simmer until a nice thick sauce. Set aside.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and fry in the oil until golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. when all chicken is cooked, toss in the sauce until completely coated.

Serve and enjoy.

Hot Chops

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:36:33 -0600

Since we've been spending a bit more time being choosy at the store, I have made it a mission to grab some less expensive cuts of meat from the store and try to make something great from them. These were four pork chops, bone-in, and there about $2.75 altogether. They were slightly thin, and a little bit fatty, but I had a idea that turned out great. HOT CHOP!

Ingredients:

3-4 thin cut pork chops
1 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP chili powder
3-5 TBSP thai chili sauce
Drizzle of olive oil

Mix together the brown sugar and chili powder in a bowl then liberally rub all over the chops. After that, rub on the chili sauce and olive oil to coat them well.

Grill the chops over medium-high direct heat for about 2-3 minutes per side (depending on the thickness). And watch out ... they are spicy! :)

Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:00:52 -0600

I wish I had pictures of these tenderloins that I smoked on Friday. Unfortunately, my in laws are like the wolves coming after the pig pen and I was unable to power up the camera before the pork was gone.

You know, I think that pork tenderloin and turkey breast are the most often overlooked items on most BBQ restuarants menus. For instance, there is a really great chain of BBQ joints here in central Texas called "Rudy's Country Store and BBQ." They make some of the best smoked tenderloin I've ever had. But the general public is too consumed with brisket and sausage to care about the lowly tenderloin. If you have the means, I highly recommend smoking one of your own. It only takes about 3 hours and only requires a simple peppery rub.

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin
2 TBSP black pepper
1 Tsp. salt
1/4 Tsp. onion powder

Mix the spices together and rub liberally all over the tenderloin. The idea is to get a really good coat of black pepper over every inch of the tenderloin.

Cook over indirect heat at about 225 degrees with plenty of smoke for about three hours or until the internal temperature reaches around 160 degrees.

Slice and serve.

Unholy Chicken

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:32:20 -0600

Cheese, chicken, peppers, bacon. All together in one gloriously unholy combination. Did you hear that sound? Pfizer just made money on me.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-5 slices of bacon, raw
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 jalapeno pepper, minced

Either butterfly the chicken breasts or pound them flat between two pieces of plastic wrap. Marinate them overnight in the marinade of your choice. For this recipe, bold and savory marinades work the best.

In a small skillet, saute the onion, pepper, and garlic until soft. Set aside to cool.

load each chicken breast with half the onion, pepper, and cheese, being careful not overfill. Roll up the chicken and wrap a couple of slices of bacon around it. Secure with toothpicks. This process is messy, but worth it.

Grill over medium-low heat, turning often until done. Be warned, this may cause flare-ups and burnt cheese. You must tend the grill constantly for this, else you'll be sorry.

Coca-Cola gets it right with new blog

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:12:07 -0600

For the past month, coke has been publishing a blog under the title "Coca-Cola conversations." The writer is Phil Mooney, a Coca-Cola historian/archivist. I am pleasantly surprised with this blog, and I hope that it continues for a long time to come. Personally, I don't get into the cola wars nor do I really enjoy the mystique behind the Coca-Cola formula and history.

However, I recognize that there is a history there and many people are into Coke lore and Coke collectibles. After checking out the blog, I am pleasantly surprised. It is a wonderful blend of current advertising (including Superbowl ads), historical information, and collectible information.

Not only that, but there is a fantastic BBQ sauce recipe with Coke. Very nice stuff.

In a the sea of teenage angst blogs and MySpace, Coke and Phil Mooney get it right with this blog and I hope to see it continue over time.

The Language of Food: Slurry

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:56:20 -0600

This is one of my all time favorite cooking words: slurry. It sounds kind of gross, but it means so much to gravy, sauce, and stew. You can thicken anything with a proper slurry, and it's not hard to make.

In Austrailia, Slurry is a slang term for a promiscuous woman. But on this side of the Pacific, slurry is basically a suspension of solid particles in a liquid. Such a bland definition for such a beautiful and powerful culinary tool. Wikipedia has about 13 definitions for slurry, none of which really have anything to do with sauces and gravy. And there's also this very disturbing definition that will make your stomach churn if you have ever eaten anything in nugget form.

Slurry is not on any official culinary list of terms because most professional chefs prefer not to thicken sauces or stews with a slurry. Most pros use a roux or a bechamel sauce as a base to make thick sauces. The problem is that we are not professional chefs, and sometimes our soups, stews, or gravies are thinner than we would like.

So one of the easiest ways to thicken a stew or gravy is to use a slurry. There are a few different ways to make a slurry, but most of them involve corn starch. I use corn starch over flour because it dissolves faster in water and the starches bloom faster under heat then the flour. My ratio of starch to liquid is this: 1 tsp. starch per 1 cup liquid for large amounts like stews or soups. For sauces or gravy, I will reduce the liquid to 1/2 cup per 1 tsp. of starch.

For a savory sauce or stew, whisk corn starch into beef stock or broth. For a creamy sauce, use milk. You can even use water in a pinch, but water just doesn't bring any flavor to the table. After the starch is dissolved, pour as much as you need into the dish. Stir briskly as the dish heats and it will thicken up quickly.

Oatmeal Crunch Cookies

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:19:51 -0600

I had a vision of this cookie in a dream the other night. It was like "What if someone baked cookies with CEREAL in them? I mean, there's oatmeal cookies. That's cereal." So I made batch of oatmeal cookies and substituted in a cup of Honey Bunches of Oats. This is the perfect combination of chewy and crunchy.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 Tsp. baking powder
1/2 Tsp. baking soda
1.5 cups flour
pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose oats
1 cup Honey Bunches of Oats cereal.
1/4 Tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed through. Add the flour in small amounts until all of it is mixed in. Turn off the mixer and add the oats and cereal by hand and stir with a spatula.

Drop dough by the spoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute then transfer to a wire rack.

Sensual, Sexy Spaghetti

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:39:38 -0600

To answer the question "What is the sexiest, most sensual thing you've ever eaten?" I definitely know the answer to that one. And one of these days, mark my words, I will do this at home with my own cheese wheel.

In 2000, TheWife and I found ourselves sitting in an Italian restaurant inside of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was strange, considering we were no where near Italy. Actually, if we were in Italy, it would have just been called "restaurant." But this restaurant seemed very authentic Sicilian. Very Godfather, complete with hairy, sweaty men standing on guard and slapping the bus boy around very hard.

We ordered the pasta parmigiana as part of our 4-course meal, but we were not prepared for what came to our table. The waiter rolled up a cart containing a hot plate with marinara sauce, a bowl of pasta, and a giant wheel of Parmiagia Reggiano cheese that was hollowed out like a bowl in the center. He dumped the hot marinara into the center of the wheel and began stirring it around and scraping down the sides, bringing more and more of that delicious cheese into the sauce. Finally, the waiter added the pasta and then served us.

It was the sexiest and most sensual marinara I have ever tasted.

I could not find a suitable photo of this being done, except for this picture on Flickr.

All of that being said, leave me a comment telling me the sexiest food you've ever eaten.

Chicken Pot Pie

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 08:22:26 -0600

I really wanted to title this recipe "Chicken Pot Pie without a bag of disgusting frozen vegetables" or "Chicken Pot Pie minus broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans." A more representative name would be "Chicken Pot Pie With Real, Actual Flavor." You see, Campbell's has a large cookbook with all kinds of home style dishes involving at least 1 can of their condensed soup. Unfortunately, the recipes are devoid of flair and flavor. In keeping with the "easy" nature of the recipe, I've left the soup and baking mix, but I have added some ingredients to boost the flavor.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 Tsp. dried thyme
1 can cream of chicken soup
1.5 cups baking mix
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom and sides of a shallow oval baking dish.

In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, and sautee for about 5 minutes. Add the corn, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the soup until the mixture is uniform. Remove from heat.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together the baking mix, egg, and milk. Pour the batter over the top of the chicken mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and set.

Book Review: The Swedish Table

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:59:13 -0600

Helene Henderson’s face is not plastered all over this beautiful cookbook, and with good reason. It’s not that she is bucking the celebrity chef cult of personality like Bobby Flay or Rachael Ray would have you invest in. Rather, she hides her identity because of the simple idea of credibility. Would you believe a cookbook about traditional Swedish cooking written by a black person?

In the American cookbook market, it would not be prudent to call a cookbook Swedish and have a black person’s face on the cover. She could be the greatest cook of Swedish food, born and raised in Stockholm, but reality holds no sway. It is only perception that drives people to buy this book or that. Reality means nothing, only perception.

All of that is really not beside the point, but Henderson does point out the fact that she grew up a black person in the blue-eyed blond world of Sweden. Learning the tricks of the trade from her Swedish grandmother, she took her heritage to New York and Hollywood and eventually became the Swedish caterer to the stars, serving the likes of Barbara Streisand, John Travolta, and Kiefer Sutherland.

What the Swedish Table offers the reader is a beautifully short and to-the-point cookbook that does not disappoint at any turn. The food is relatively simple and definitely beautiful. It’s a mixture of traditional home style Swedish faire with a slight flare of fine dining.

Each recipe is titled in English with the Swedish name underneath. Aside from a small description of each dish, that’s about as far as Henderson goes to explain the idea of the Swedish side to the table. And that is about all we need. Since the bulk of American kitchens will not have this book, a brief touch of the cuisine and its heritage is all we need to enjoy these simple yet elegant foods.

The Swedish Table is my kind of cookbook. It’s short, less than 150 recipes, laid out simply with easy to follow instructions. There’s plenty of white space and the type is easy to read. Since this isn’t a true full-color book like Giada’s or Rachael Ray’s, the publisher gets around this by binding in a handful of full-color plates in the center of the book, illustrating some of the more beautiful of Henderson’s dishes.

The Swedish Table is a niche cookbook, and it may not be the best bet for someone just wanting a nice teaching cookbook. This is a book for the home chef who has everything. Its simplicity and beauty make for a nice addition to the cookbook library.