BBQ Drumettes

I prefer the drummette version of the wing, since it has the meaty portion there. I use a homemade rub for the my wings.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon  sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed
2 packages(about 12) chicken drummettes

Preparation:
lace first five ingredients in a large zip lock bag and shake vigorously to mix contents. Place drummettes in the bag and shake to cover doing one drummette at a time. Place drummettes on baking sheet that you have lightly sprayed with oil. Cook in 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. Using previous post for BBQ sauce, mop each drummette with sauce and cook 15 minutes more, turning drummettes every 5 minutes and repeat mopping with sauce.

Serve warm with ranch dressing, if desired.          

   

Pasta and Variations on a Theme

Most toddlers and children like pasta. My own son lived on ravioli for about 3 years, and now my daughter's twins eat pasta almost every day. It can be made with just butter, some Parmesan cheese melted on top or a light red sauce like marinara. The problem is, how do you balance the carbs with vegetables and protein. Enter,veggie pasta. Each 2-ounce serving provides a one half cup of vegetables and 7 grams of protein.The pasta typically has spinach, carrot, broccoli, and tomatoes in it. Cook it up and season with butter or margarine and serve as a finger food for toddlers. If you add slices of ripe sweet melon and a yogurt drink and you have a nutritious meal that your kids will eat. As children grow and their tastes become more sophisticated, you can add chunks of sauteed chicken or other lean meats. What they won't eat is Basil pesto. What a shame. Most adults love it. Below is my recipe for basil pesto. I serve it with sauteed chicken, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and sliced asparagus over farfalle.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil, packed tightly
3 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pie nuts
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Add all ingredients into your food processor and blend on on high for 1 or 2 minutes until creamy. Add to cooked pasta and toss until it is medium green in color. Add your cooked protein and vegetables and serve.                    
                  

New Years Ham for Good Luck

There is an old European custom that says everyone should eat pork on New Years Day for good luck in the coming year. Some of the traditions include having sauerkraut and black eyed peas with the pork. Since some of my family members won't eat sauerkraut and no one will eat black eyed peas, we settle for  a one third of a lucky year and just have ham. I always use a shank portion of ham, with no water added. The spiral sliced and honey glazed are all the rage, but they must be eaten cold. I don't like putting a cold ham on the table, so I prepare and glaze my ham myself. I use maple syrup, orange juice, and cinnamon on mine. I don't "spiral slice," but use a technique that a neighbor told me about. From the outer rind, cut towards the bone making the cut as deep as possible. Do this three times and then cut your slices from each third by following the already outlined sections.This results are great and you can get more slices from your ham.

Ingredients: 
One 10 to 12 pound ham, Shank portion
1 cup water
1 1/2  cup real maple syrup
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ham in roaster pan, add 1 cup of water and cover  tightly with aluminum foil. Cook in oven for 3 hours. Mix together syrup,orange juice and cinnamon. After 3 hours, remove foil and baste with maple syrup mixture. Cook in oven uncovered for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Spicy Pasta

This is my go to dish when I have not defrosted anything. It is simple to make and I always get rave reviews.This dish contains Prosciutto. If you get Open Nature brand, it only contains pork and sea salt and only pork raised without antibiotics.

Ingredients: 
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic,minced
4 oz package of Open Nature prosciutto diced
1 14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp crushed red  pepper
8 oz of fettuccine cooked al dente
4 oz grated  Parmesan cheese

Preparation: 
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until golden. Add prosciutto and cook until browned. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Cook for about ten minutes. Serve over pasta with the cheese.

Tip: Vary the crushed red pepper to taste. One teaspoon is very spicy. Start with a smaller amount and work your way up.You can always supply extra crushed red pepper at the table