Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Smoked Turkey

by Randy Shannon   –   WTVB

It’s a mouthful to say, and a savory mouthful to eat.  Smoked turkey, stuffed with cheddar and jalapenos, wrapped in bacon and smoked to perfection!

Jalapeno and cheddar stuffed turkey

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Turkey tenderloins, or cutlets
  • 1 jalapeno, diced
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • thin cut bacon
  • your favorite rub ( or mine )

Take the tenderloins and flatten them slightly with a meat mallet.  Then prepare the brine.  Poultry has a tendency to dry out in the smoker, so a brine is always a good idea.  I only needed about 4 cups total, so here is the brine I used.

  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Serrano pepper sauce (which I get at  Oneida Market )

Mix together and pour into a resealable bag.  Add the turkey tenderloins, seal the bag and place back in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

When ready to prepare, get your smoker up to temp (240°).  Take the tenderloins out of the brine and rinse well with cold water to remove any excess salt.  Pat dry with paper towel and place on a sheet of wax paper.

Add a layer of rub to both sides of the turkey.  For ease of wrapping, I place two pieces of bacon in an X pattern under the turkey.  Sprinkle the jalapenos on one half of the turkey, then cover with the cheddar cheese.  Fold the turkey over on itself and wrap tightly with the bacon, using toothpicks to hold it in place if necessary.  Add another layer of rub to the outside of the bacon wrapped turkey.

Place in the smoker on full smoke for approximately 2 hours, or until the turkey has reached a safe eating temp of 165°.  I used mesquite wood in my smoker and made sure the water basin was full.  For a little variation, I filled it with some wheat beer I had on hand.

**Full disclosure: My daughter was complaining that it was taking too long, so I smoked it for an hour, then finished it on the grill for about 10 minutes.  I thought it might crisp up the bacon… it did not.

Let the meat sit for 15-20 minutes and serve.

Jersey Freshcipes Crab Dip Stuffed Jalapenos Wrapped in Bacon

Crab Stuffed Jalapenos

6 Jersey Fresh jalapenos
8 ounces of cream cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp of onion powder
dash of parsley
old bay, to taste
3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. or 1 cup of lump crab meat
lemon juice, to taste
12 pieces of thick cut, uncured, applewood smoked bacon

    1. Slice off the top of the jalapeno leaving the stem area intact and dig out seeds. NOTE: protect skin by wearing plastic gloves or avoid touching the seeds with your hands.
    1. Create filling by mixing together cream cheese, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, parsley, old bay, cheese, lemon juice and crab in a large mixing bowl.
    1. Roll crab dip into a log shape and place it into the jalapeno peppers
    1. Spiral one slice of bacon around each stuffed jalapeno finishing at the thin end of the jalapeno, secure with toothpick if needed.
    1. Cook at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.
    1. Broil on high for an additional 5-8 minutes to crisp up.

Recipe submitted by Caitlin Scharff of Cait Straight Up Cooking

Tex-Mex Chicken

By    –   Bangor Daily News

Tex Mex Chicken with Jalapenos

Cumin, chili powder, onions, garlic, green chilies or jalapenos, all on something, topped with cheese makes it Tex-Mex, it seems. Tex-Mex bananas anyone? Or how about chicken instead? Now we are talking.

Quite a while ago, reader Josephine Belknap sent along a grand collection of Tex-Mex recipes. Every once in a while, when I feel bored with my cooking, I thumb through them, and have shared some with you already. The Tex-Mex Chicken with Chiles and Cheese appealed this time and I made it for supper to general household approbation.

Josephine had noted on the recipe that she likes to use chicken thighs in this recipe, but breasts work, too, and that is what I used. Boneless is better, and whether or not you leave the skin on is up to you. Mine were skinless and I thought the corn and peppers in this dish provided enough moisture that skins didn’t seem necessary. Speaking of peppers, I seldom have jalapenos on hand, so I used a small can of chopped green chilies. To add just a bit of heat, I sprinkled in some red pepper flakes. The corn, homegrown, came out of the freezer but before too long (next week) it will come out of the garden here.

I made Spanish rice to go with the chicken, but if you wanted to, you could roll the chicken and vegetables up in a flour tortilla, enchilada style.

This dish came together pretty quickly – about a half-hour’s time. It tasted like something that took longer to cook.

Tex-Mex Chicken
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut into two to three strips
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 small can of green chilies or a medium jalapeno finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
  1. Toss together the flour, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
  2. Dredge the chicken strips in the spiced flour mix and shake off excess.
  3. Put the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat, and brown the chicken lightly on both sides, then set aside.
  4. Add the onion, garlic, chilies or jalapeno to the skillet and cook until the onion is softened. Add the oregano and corn, and heat through about three minutes.
  5. Put the chicken back in the skillet to rewarm.
  6. Grate cheese over the top and put under a broiler to brown lightly.

Nigel Slater’s sticky rice with courgettes and pickles recipe

A Japanese-style dish that’s quick and easy

Savoury hit: sticky rice with courgettes and pickles. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin for the Observer

The recipe

Wash 180g of sushi rice in a bowl filled with warm water, then pour off the water and repeat. Tip the rice into a medium-sized saucepan, pour in 300ml of water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat so that the water is simmering, add half a teaspoon of salt, then cover the saucepan with a lid and leave to cook for 15 minutes.

Wash and trim 150g of small courgettes, then, using a vegetable peeler, remove slices of each courgette in long, thin shavings. Toss them in a little sesame oil and season lightly with salt. Roughly chop 75g of assorted Japanese pickled vegetables. Shred 20g of pickled ginger. Roughly chop a handful of basil and coriander leaves.

When the rice is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and leave it to rest for 5 minutes, still covered by its lid. Then remove the lid and gently fold the chopped pickles, basil, coriander and raw courgettes into the rice with a fork. Stir in a tablespoon of dried seaweed flakes, a tablespoon of rice vinegar and season to taste. Serves 2.

The trick

If the rice has stuck to the bottom of the pan during cooking, empty out the rice, then pour a little water in to the pan, bring it to the boil and leave it for a minute or two. The rice will then be easy to remove from the pan.

The twist

The shavings of courgettes soften in the residual heat of the cooked rice. You could stir in a few other good ingredients instead. Try chopped tomatoes marinated briefly in olive oil and basil, French beans, lightly cooked and cut into short lengths, or, better still, thin batons of cucumber tossed in a little rice-wine vinegar and a few nigella seeds.

Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater

Learn how to make pickles with these recipes from Boxx Berry Farm

BY    –   The Northern Light

Homemade pickles look great in the pantry!

If you’re looking for something to do this summer, dust off that old set of mason jars in your garage and start pickling. Here are a few recipes to get you started:

Cucumber Chips

Lasts up to one year in the fridge.

You’ll need one gallon of sliced cucumbers, two thinly sliced onions, four cups of white vinegar, a half cup of salt, four cups of sugar, one and a half teaspoons of turmeric and one and a half teaspoons of mustard seed.

Once you’ve made the brine, simply stir it and pour over the cucumbers. Be sure not to boil the cucumbers or brine for this recipe.

Ella’s Dill Pickles

You’ll need 10 pounds of cucumbers, one quart of white vinegar, two quarts of water and two thirds of a cup of plain salt.

To make, wash each cucumber with a brush and pack into a set of jars with a hefty dose of dill and garlic. In a covered kettle, boil the brine mixture for 15 minutes and then pour it into the jars and seal. The recipe yields about seven quarts.

Sweet Gherkin Pickles

You’ll need one cup of salt, two quarts of water, six pints of cucumbers, one tablespoon of alum, one and a half tablespoons of mixed pickling spices, five cups of sugar and five cups of white vinegar.

Pour boiling salt and water mixture over cucumbers in an enamel or stainless steel container; cover with a plate. Let the combination sit for one week.

Remove scum from the top daily. Drain the brine and thoroughly rinse the cucumbers. Cover them with boiling water and let stand for 24 hours before draining.

Next, place spices wrapped in a cheesecloth bag, sugar and vinegar to a large pot and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and let stand for 24 hours.

Drain the syrup in a pot and bring it back to a boil. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers once again. Repeat the process over the next four days.

Pack the pickles in hot jars and be sure to leave about a quarter inch of headspace.

Remove the spice bag and heat the syrup to a boil and pour it over the pickles, leaving a half inch of head space. Process the pints in a 15-minute boiling water bath.

Recipes courtesy of Boxx Berry Farm, located at 6211 Northwest Road in Ferndale, CA.

Recipe: Jalapeño Harissa

Photo: Paul Stephen /San Antonio Express-News Jalapeño harissa is a perfect partner to grilled meats.

Makes 1 pint, 1 tablespoon per serving

Instructions: Blacken the skins of the dulce mediterraneo chiles over a flame or under a broiler. A large, ripe red bell pepper may be substituted. Place the roasted chiles in a plastic bag, twist the top and let peppers sweat for about 20 minutes.

Cut the tops off the jalapeños and add to a blender. Heat a small nonstick skillet over a medium flame. Add cumin, caraway and coriander seeds and toast until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Coarsely grind seeds in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and add spices to blender. Add whole garlic cloves to hot pan and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, and add to blender. Remove dulce mediterraneo peppers from bag, peel charred skin away and remove seeds. Add roasted peppers, tomato paste, salt and olive oil to blender.

Blend until sauce is fairly thick with just a bit of texture remaining. Transfer to a pint jar and pour a thin layer of olive oil on top. Will keep refrigerated for months if thin oil layer is reapplied after each use.

Per serving: 18 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 59 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar, 0 g protein

QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS WITH JAPALEÑO CREAM SAUCE [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

By Rene Barker   –   One Green Planet

Stuffed Peppers with Jalapeno Cream Sauce

If you enjoy recipes like this, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App, it’s available for bothAndroid and iPhone and has free and paid versions. The app is loaded with thousands of allergy-friendly & vegan recipes/cooking tips, has hundreds of search filters and features like bookmarking, meal plans and more! The app shows you how having diet/health/food preferences can be full of delicious abundance rather than restrictions! 

Get ready for some meal prep heaven with these stuffed peppers. Not only are these healthy, they are packed full of flavor and spice – there’s nothing boring about these. The star of the show is the jalapeño cream sauce. Creamy and spicy, what more could you want from the world? Aside from the tasty sauce, they’re packed with beans, corn, spicy tomatoes, and of course, quinoa. A healthy and filling combo.

SERVES

6

COOK TIME

50

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE JALAPEÑO CREAM SAUCE:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 red onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 jalapeño, roughly chopped
  • 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro
  • 1/4-1/2 cup water

FOR THE STUFFED PEPPERS:

  • 3 large bell peppers, cut in half and deseeded
  • 1/2 cup jalapeño cream sauce and more for topping
  • 1 14.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilis

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE JALAPEÑO CREAM SAUCE:

  1. Place a pan on the stove over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Sauté until onions begins to soften (approximately 5-7 minutes), stirring regularly.
  2. Add jalapeño and cream cheese to the pan and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until cream cheese is softened and everything is combined.
  3. Add the contents of the pan to a blender with cilantro and 1/4 cup of water. Pulse until combined. Add additional water if needed and taste to adjust seasoning.
  4. Pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

TO MAKE THE PEPPERS:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour a couple tablespoons of water into the bottom of a baking dish.
  2. Add all of the ingredients (except for the peppers) into a large bowl and stir to combine. Taste filling and adjust seasoning as needed.
  3. Fill each pepper with filling mixture and place in the baking dish. Cover with foil and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until peppers are tender.
  4. Remove from the oven and top with jalapeño cream sauce and cilantro.

AUTHOR & RECIPE DETAILS

photo

Simple ingredients, maximum flavor. My name is Rene and I am the one woman show behind the vegan goodness at This Savory Vegan. My recipes focus on combining simple ingredients to make delicious meals that even meat eaters would drool over. My goal is to show people that eating vegan can be easy, creative and tasty!

News 4 Cooks: Jalapeno Popper Roll

Written By Abby Friedemann   –   KVOA.com

Jalapeno Popper Roll with Tuna

UME at Casino Del Sol Resort: Jalapeno Popper Roll

Jalapenos                                             Each       2 Large

Cream Cheese                                     Oz           0.5

Fresh Tuna                                           Oz           1

Sushi Shrimp                                        Oz           0.5

Nori                                                       Each       1

Eel Sauce                                             Oz           1

Tempura Mix                                         Cup        ½

Soda Water                                           Cup        1/3

Sriracha                                                 To Taste

Cut off the stem of the jalapenos and make a slice from top to bottom lengthwise.

Empty out the interior of the jalapenos.

Chop up the tuna and add sriracha to taste.

Stuff the jalapeno with the tuna, cream cheese and shrimp.

Cut the nori into a long strip, wet one side and wrap it around the jalapeno, keeping the sliced side closed.

Mix the tempura mix with the soda water and dip your prepared jalapeno in the mixture, covering completely.

Immediately drop into the fryer at 350 degrees and cook for about 1 minute and 30 seconds or until crispy.

Slice into 8 pieces, put on plate and drizzle eel sauce on top.

Cook this: Pepperoncini lentil crunch salad will make you reconsider pickle juice

Make extra pepperoncini dressing to pep up any other vegetable dishes you might be eating

By Laura Brehaut   –   National Post

Laura Wright recommends making extra pepperoncini dressing to pep up any other vegetable dishes you might be eating.Laura Wright

Our cookbook of the week is The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons, by Southern Ontario-based writer and photographer Laura Wright. Throughout the week, we’ll feature recipes from the book and an interview with its author.

To try another recipe from the book, check out vanilla corn cake with roasted strawberries and farro and pine nut chard rolls.

You’ll never look at a jar of pickles the same way after trying this recipe. Often overlooked, pickle juice has a lot to offer — just a splash offers acidity and spice. Author Laura Wright employs both pepperoncini peppers and their pickling liquid in the dressing for this fresh, crunchy salad.

“I make that dressing all the time, separate from the salad, to put on whatever I’m eating. It’s really good,” Wright says of the cumin-spiced vinaigrette. Once you’ve made the dressing, the salad comes together with minimal effort: cooked lentils; sliced bell pepper, onion and celery; and chopped flat-leaf parsley.

While you’ve got that jar of pepperoncini peppers open, add a touch of the brine to your Caesar or michelada. Try a splash in potato salad, use it instead of vinegar in gazpacho or add a shot to marinades and store-bought sauces.

PEPPERONCINI LENTIL CRUNCH SALAD
Serves: 6 to 8 | Gluten-free, nut-free and cane sugar-free

Dressing:
4 pepperoncini peppers, stems removed (plus extra for serving)
2 tbsp (30 mL) pepperoncini pickling liquid
1 tbsp (15 mL) white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
½ tsp (2 mL) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (50 mL) virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Salad:
2 cups (500 mL) French or black beluga lentils, rinsed
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
½ cup (125 mL) roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Step 1

Make the dressing: Combine the pepperoncini peppers, pepperoncini pickling liquid, white wine vinegar, garlic, ground cumin, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper in a blender and whiz on high until you have a creamy and smooth mixture. Set aside.

Step 2

Make the salad: Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Drop the lentils into the water with a big pinch of salt, and cook until just tender, about 20 minutes. Rinse the lentils with cold water and transfer them to a large bowl.

Step 3

To the bowl, add the bell peppers, onions, celery and parsley. Season the salad with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

Step 4

Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine once more. Serve the salad immediately to preserve the crunch of the vegetables, with extra pepperoncini peppers on the side.

Add a little summer to your menu

By 

Jalapenos add some heat to these delicious fish tacos

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) – If you’re planning a picnic or just looking to change things up we are helping you out with great summer eats. This morning, Chef Franco from Geronimo’s Tequila Bar and Shell & Bones Oyster Grill in New Haven stopped by our studio to share his favorite summer recipes.

BLACKENED MAHI MAHI LETTUCE TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE REMOULADE

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Mahi Mahi (cut into 8 Strips)
Blackened seasonings to taste
Salt and Pepper to Taste
I cup thinly sliced cabbage
2 tsp honey or agave nectar
1 tsp White vinegar
¼ cup cilantro chopped
2 Roma tomatoes
½ red onion diced
½ lime juice
1 Jalapeno pepper
1 cup Mayonnaise
2 tsp Chipotle pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp capers (chopped)
Lettuce leaves

PREPARATION:
1. Pico de Gallo: Mix the tomato, red onion, Lime juice, half of the cilantro and jalapeno, season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Chipotle Remoulade: Blend together the mayonnaise, chipotle, paprika, honey and capers until well mixed. Set aside.
3. Sweet slaw: Mixed the cabbage, vinegar, honey and rest of the cilantro. Set aside.
4. Season the Mahi with Blackened seasonings and salt & pepper and sear on a hot pan until cooked, about 4 minutes. Keep turning so each side gets seared.
5. Add two pieces of fish to each of the lettuce shells. Top with the slaw, Pico de Gallo and the Remoulade.

 

BLUEBERRY JALAPENO MARGARITAS

INGREDIENTS:
Lime wedge
¼ cup of sugar or coarse salt
For the jalapeno lime simple syrup
1 cup of water
1/3 cup agave or honey
2 jalapeno, sliced
Juice of ½ lime
For the Margaritas
1 cup fresh local blueberries
½ cup of fresh squeeze lime juice
1 ½ cups silver tequila
Mint leaves for garnish
Lime wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
1. Set your glasses ready in the freezer. Use the lime wedges to wet the rim of the glasses then place sugar or salt on a plate and dip the rim of the glasses in it and all the way around; add crushed ice to the glass. Repeat with 4 glasses. Place in the freezer.
2. Place all the ingredients for the simple syrup in a small sauce pan over medium heat, whisk and let it simmer for 15 min. Let cool.
3. Once slightly cool, remove the slices of jalapeno for garnish then pour the rest of the simple syrup into a high speed blander along with 1 cup of the blueberries. Puree for a least one minute. Strain.
4. Fill a cocktail shaker with the blueberry mixture, lime juice and tequila, along with a couple ice cubes. Cover and shake. Strain Mixture into chilled glasses and garnish with blueberries, candied jalapenos, mint and lime.

MEXICAN STREET CORN (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp cilantro, chopped
6 ears of Corn
1 small clove Garlic
1 lime wedges
½ cup mayonnaise
½ tsp Ancho Chili Powder
1 Cup Cotija Cheese
Fresh Local Corn is grilled to perfection, then topped with garlicky mayo, salty Cotija cheese and sprinkled with ancho chili powder. Squeeze lime on top and enjoy this perfect recipe for Summer!

SCALLOP & SHRIMP COCKTAIL CEVICHE
Makes 8 portions

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups fresh orange juice
1 lb wild shrimp, cleaned
1 lb dried sea scallops
½ cup ketchup
2 tbsp chipotle pepper in adobo
3 tsp olive oil
2 cups diced English cucumber
1 cup diced jicama
1 small ripe avocado, cubed
1/4 cup diced red onions
½ cup chopped cilantro, plus garnish
Salt to taste
Tostadas or tortillas chips, store bought or homemade saltine crackers

PREPARATION:
Bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil and add ¼ cup of the lime juice. Scoop in the shrimp, cover and let water return to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and place in an ice water bath. Repeat the process with the scallops until almost half cooked.