Succulant Smoked Salmon and There is a Winner in Pay It Forward!!

It is Saturday afternoon and I am busy preparing for a day of "family" birthday celebrations. In my family we usually lump birthdays together and have a big day of celebration. Of course, the day is all about the food and the cake.

Today's celebration is a "little" special because we are adding a new teenager to the mix.

Jake's (my nephew) birthday is very special for two reasons. The number one reason is obvious, he is now a teenager! The number two reason is that thirteen years ago Jake entered the world weighing barely two pounds. Jake was a preemie. It is hard to believe now that he had such a shaky start, because he is growing like a weed grows in my garden, FAST!!

Of course, I have to mention Nick, my now ten year old nephew.

Nick now lives each day in the double digits (10) has he likes to say. Nick is the sweetest and smartest ten year old boy that I know. Ok, I know he is my nephew and I might be a little partial to him!

Thanks to my brother-in-law, I have a freezer of fresh wild caught Salmon!

Rob just got back from a very successful Alaskan fishing trip which brings me to my Smoked Salmon.

I am taking a big platter of homemade smoked salmon to the birthday celebration.

Word of warning!! This smoked salmon is fresh with rich smoked flavor. You will need a charcoal grill to to get that rich smokey flavor.

Gin's Smoked Salmon

1 salmon fillet, 2 to 3 pounds

2 cups rum

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup Chardonnay Oak Smoked Sea Salt

1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

(1) Rinse salmon and pat dry. Put salmon in baking dish and cover with rum. Let marinate in rum for 45 minutes. Drain salmon and pat dry. (2) Mix brown sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl. This is your cure. Put salmon in baking dish and cover salmon with cure. Cover with plastic wrap and put in to refrigerator for 4 hours. (3) Soak 3 cups of your favorite wood chips in water for 1 hour. (4) Prepare charcoal grill for indirect heat. (5) Rinse the cure off the salmon with cold water and blot dry. Brush your grill grate with oil and place salmon in the center of grate. Add drained wood chips to hot coals and cover grill. (6) Smoked Salmon for approximately 20 minutes or until it flakes easily. (7) Cool and ENJOY!

I served the Smoked Salmon on a big platter with capers, red onion, chopped hard boiled egg, cucumbers, lemons and pumpernickel bread! Delicious! This salmon will save for three to four days in the refrigerator, so you can enjoy it with your morning bagels if you so do choose.

On to Pay It Forward. I put every body's name in a hat and picked a winner the old fashion way. I wish I could show you the process, but once again I have a dead camera battery! (So AGGRAVATING!) DRUM ROLL PLEASE. . . . . . . THE WINNER IS. . . . . KIM FROM the Ungourmet!! Kim has a great blog and if you haven't had a chance to check it out, head there now! Kim drop me an email with your address and I will send a package your way.

Have a great week!!

The Tangy Grilled Lime Turkey Burger and the Review of "Cult" Condiment #2

A wise man recently asked me, "Is there anyway you can shorten your blog posts?"

"Hmmm. . . let me give it a try," I replied.

What moves this delectable moist grilled Turkey Burger out of the mainstream is Patak's hot Lime Relish.

This is "Cult" condiment review #2. Refer here to information on "Cult" condiments.

This is probably one of the most unique relishes that has ever graced my palate. There is enough zip in this relish to satisfy your "spice" tooth and then some. The lime gives it a fresh tang second to nothing I have ever tasted. A little goes a long way. I see the uses for this relish has unlimited when fueled by your culinary creativity.

Tangy Grilled Lime Turkey Burger

1 lb fresh ground turkey

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

1 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Patak's Hot Lime Relish

1 egg

2 cups Panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

(1) Combine all ingredients for burger except turkey in a food processor. Add Turkey and gently form into five small thick patties. (2) Spray burgers with cooking spray and grill four to five minutes on each side. (3) Serve on homemade buns with lettuce, fresh tomatoes and a slight dab of Kewpie Mayonnaise. (4) ENJOY!!!

In closing this "short" blog post, Patak's Lime Relish is definitely worth a try. It is worth the search to add to your pantry.

PS I now ask the wise man "How is this for a "short" blog post?"

The Best Ever LOW FAT Crispy Crunchy Boneless Chicken Wings

I was so lucky at the Super Bowl party that I went to on Sunday! First, I won just a "little" bit of money, and second my friend Danielle made these healthy boneless chicken wings that were lip-smacking yummy. I stood and intently watched Danielle make these. I studied her brilliant technique and watched her gloriously pull them out of the oven. I watched the guests devour these boneless chicken wings, one-by-one, until there were none left. Then, I went home and whipped up a batch of my own. I did deviate from Danielle's recipe just a bit, but I can never leave a recipe well enough alone. Mine are just a little bit more spicy, with a little flavor kick from buttermilk dressing mix and McCormick's Worcestershire Pepper. These low fat boneless chicken wings are a sure fire way to outsmart their high fat counterparts in the arena of taste.

Crusty Crunchy Boneless Chicken Wings

1 package boneless chicken tenderloins

3/4 cup flour

2 eggs, mixed

2 packages buttermilk dressing mix

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups corn flakes, smashed

generous sprinkling of McCormick's Worcestershire pepper

cooking spray

preheated oven, 400 degrees

(1) Mix flour with buttermilk dressing mix. (2) Mix eggs and cayenne pepper. (3) Smash corn flakes and put on plate. (4) Dredge chicken in flour, dip in egg, and roll in corn flakes. (5) Place chicken on a non-stick pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. (6) Spray tops of chicken and pepper generously and turn and repeat. ( 7) Cook 15 minutes and flip and cook until golden brown.

These wings are crispy and crunchy. You can serve them as an appetizer. You can make a meal out of them while serving them with a big bowl of chili. You can stack them on a french bread roll with melted cheese, for a sandwich that is out of this world. You can pack them in school lunches, or eat them for a late night snack. I am always thinking ahead to warmer days, they would make great picnic food! My honey pie (who could be nick-named picky pie) loved these boneless chicken wings. They really can be eaten guilt free, which appeals to a guy that is watching his cholesterol. I end this post with a question for you to ponder: Which came first, the chicken wing or the boneless chicken wing?