Grilled Pork Butt and Savory Grits

I was feeling like a little southern food this Memorial Day instead of just plain old burgers and dogs. I decided to grill a pork butt long and slow on my gas grill all I did was dry rubbed it with a combo of adobo, cumim, paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, 1 packet of sazon, brown sugar, salt and pepper. I just eyeball the amounts according to how big my piece of meat is. You can rub it with anything you like, to your own taste, play around you can't make a mistake. I scored the skin and grill on 250-300 for 8-10 hours (the butt weighted 6lbs).

Next I made a savory grits casserole, I cooked one cup of grits in 4 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup of light cream and a tablespoon of butter. Make sure to add plenty of salt and pepper or they will be bland, then I added:

1 cup diced roasted poblano peppers

1 seeded tomato diced

2 green onions sliced

3 strips of cooked bacon diced

2 cups grated muenster cheese

mix all except the cheese (let it cool down a bit before you add the cheese) place in a casserole and bake at 350 about 40-45 min. You can add more shredded cheese to the top right at the end if you like.

I also made a Carolina vinegar based BBQ sauce:

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup of red wine vinegar (I didn't have any cider vinegar on hand)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons hot pepper flakes 

1-2 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Trapey's Red Devil)

salt and pepper

Just bring to a quick boil.

* You can use any kind of cheese in the grits it you want a sharper taste.

** Make sure to taste as you go for example I added more brown sugar to the BBQ sauce because of my vinegar substitution.

*** And I really mean it the grits need lots of salt...taste, taste, taste!!

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Italian Ham Pie AKA Apizzagain

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Italian Ham Pie AKA Apizzagain: Traditional savory pie made at Easter time to mark the end of lent and fasting. It takes more time than skill but well worth the effort. F...

Italian Ham Pie AKA Apizzagain

Traditional savory pie made at Easter time to mark the end of lent and fasting. It takes more time than skill but well worth the effort. First you make a pepper crust.
for the crust:
2 cups of flour
2 eggs
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and lots of fresh cracked black pepper
add water as needed
knead until smooth, wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rest

Next make the filling, I used:
2lbs proscuttini (Italian black pepper crusted ham)
1 stick pepperoni
1 stick sopprasade
1 fresh Italian basket cheese
1 fresh mozzarella ball
1 cup grated parmesane
10-12 eggs
lots of fresh chopped parsley

now is where all the work come, dice all the meats and cheeses as small as you can toss in a large bowl, next beat the eggs and add the parmesane and parsley mix into the meat and cheese mix well. Now grease a casserole well roll out the dough and line the casserole, add the meat and cheese mixture now you can either put a top crust or make a lattice top. Bake around 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until set that will depend on how large it is a knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
*only add enough egg mixture to coat the meat and cheese
** place casserole on cookie sheet with sides because the egg is sure to leak out every time this will save you from scrubbing burnt egg off the bottom of your oven
***chill overnight this is meant to be eaten cold

Carla's Kitchen Capers: A Gringa Makes Chiles Rellenos

Carla's Kitchen Capers: A Gringa Makes Chiles Rellenos: I love chiles rellenos!! On the rare occasion when I can find poblano's in my grocery store I make them. It took me 4 or 5 times to get it j...

A Gringa Makes Chiles Rellenos

I love chiles rellenos!! On the rare occasion when I can find poblano's in my grocery store I make them. It took me 4 or 5 times to get it just right and I must say my salsa mexicana is yummy, but my amigos will be the judge of that.

for the salsa:

1 4 oz can of tomato sauce

4 oz of water

1 chipolte in adobo diced

1/4 white onion diced

2 cloves of garlic smashed and peeled

1/4 tsp each of oregano and cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

heat the oil in a frying pan add onion and garlic and cook about 5 min (be careful not to burn the garlic it will become bitter), add the rest of the ingredients and simmer about 1/2 hour.

for the poblano's:

Put the chile's on the burner of a gas stove, under the broiler or on a out door grill and char the skin until black all over, place in a plastic or paper bag and steam about 5 minutes being careful not to let them get to soft. Now peel the skin off and make a small slit in the side and remove the seeds. Stuff with a chunk of cheese big enough to fill the pocket I used fresh mozzarella tonight but you can really stuff it with any cheese you like. Close with a toothpick and make the frying batter.
for the batter I used:
3 eggs  separated
1/4 cup of flour
salt and pepper

first whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, then place the flour in a dish mix in the salt and pepper and dredge the stuffed poblano's. Next fold in the flour and eggs yolks into the whipped egg whites. In a frying pan heat about 1/2 inch of oil, coat the peppers with the egg white batter and fry lightly, drain and place into the salsa and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve with mexican rice and refried beans for the perfect authentic Mexican dinner.

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pizza Night The Possibilities Are Endless

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pizza Night The Possibilities Are Endless: Making pizza at home is easier than you think, store bought dough and the possibilities are endless... I love to make pizza at home, it co...

Pizza Night The Possibilities Are Endless

Making pizza at home is easier than you think, store bought dough and the possibilities are endless... I love to make pizza at home, it costs 1/4 of the price of take out and you can customize it to you own specific taste. You can make your own dough from scratch that would be awesome, but store bought from your favorite pizza joint or super market would be more than acceptable. The key is to let it come to room temperature so it's easier to stretch. A super hot oven, like 500 degrees, or slightly lower in a convection oven and your golden. The topping are a tongue's palate go wild, different strokes for different tongues.... Tonight I made (on the left) tomato, pepperoni and jack for hubb's, bacon, green onion and brie for me.
*think out of the box, you will surprise yourself
**invite friends for a make your own pizza night, put out lots of toppings and let them bring their own beer, super fun party!!!!