Labor Day...Fast And Easy Barbecue Chicken

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Having just returned from a tough trip, the last thing on my mind is cooking for a large group of people.  Moreover, it is supposed to pour on Labor Day as we are projected to receive quite a bit of rain from a tropical storm coming in from the South.

This chicken caught my eye as I was browsing through the Fine Cooking website.  It looks perfect for the iffy situation this weekend.  I do not like to grill boneless and skinless pieces of meat as I find they usually come out on the dry side.  Instead, remove the skin after cooking if you want.  To me, it is the best part.

Serve with coleslaw on the side and the blackberry cobbler featured on the country blog. 

Ingredients

6 Tbs. dark brown sugar

1 Tbs. chili powder

2 tsp. dry mustard

Kosher salt

8 chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry (original recipe calls for boneless and skinless)

3/4 cup tomato ketchup

1/4 cup low-salt soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. Chipotle Tabasco or other chipotle hot sauce; more to taste

Directions 

Heat a gas grill to between medium and medium high. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbs. of the brown sugar with the chili powder, dry mustard, and 1 Tbs. salt. Spread the chicken thighs on a large baking sheet and rub the spice mix all over them.

In a small saucepan, whisk the remaining 4 Tbs. brown sugar with the ketchup, soy sauce, cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard; bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and blend the flavors. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed. Stir in the Chipotle Tabasco, adding more to taste.

Spread the chicken thighs out on the grill, cover, and cook on the first side until they turn a deep reddish brown and begin to blacken in places (they'll also shrink and plump up), 4 to 5 minutes (rotate the thighs once 90 degrees on each side for the most even cooking). Flip the thighs and continue to cook on the second side until they're firm, deeply colored, and slightly blackened in places, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a brush, dab a generous amount of sauce over the top of the chicken, cook for 1 minute, flip, slather the other side with sauce, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the heat. Arrange on a platter and serve with any remaining sauce.

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine.

End of Summer Peach Crumb Pie

Pin It Every year I do the same thing...come peach season I can't resist buying a big box of peaches and when I come home, pandemonium! I always think they will ripen in sequential pairs, but of course this isn't going to happen. Last night we had them marinaded in Prosecco, this morning I had some for breakfast, and tomorrow I will cheat, as they are not white peaches, and make a bastard Bellini. That still isn't going to cut it, so today I decided to make a pie, an easy pie. What makes it easy is the ready made pie shell and the crumb topping...no flour to mess with!

This pie should satisfy everybody. It's relatively tart on the inside ( I hate gooey over sweet fillings) but I went to town on the crumble. The result, the best I've had so far, seriously. Don't worry about the high temperature in the beginning and check on the pie after 20 minutes. If the edges are getting too dark, cover them with tin foil and return to oven. I have a gadget that you put over just the edges, and its great.



Ingredients

9- inch prebaked pie shell according to package directions
(I use Mrs. Smith's)

FILLING:

4 c. peeled and sliced peaches

1/4 - 1/2 c. sugar*

1/4 c. plain flour

2 tbsp. lemon juice


Combine all ingredients. Mix gently. Pour into a prebaked 9-inch pie shell


TOPPING:

1/2 c. cold butter

3/4 c. plain flour

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. regular sugar


Instructions


Cut up butter in about 8 pieces. Process butter, sugar and flour until crumbly in a food processor (pulse about 5 times). You want the mixture crumbly not mushy! Spread over pie filling in small crumbles. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 30 minutes more. You might need to cover the edges about 10 minutes before pie is done. Serve warm.

*Cooks Note I've given you a range depending on the fruit and how sweet or tart you like your filling. I used 1/4 cup in mine.

Ted's Babyback Ribs

Pin It If there is something I'm very proud of is having two children who are great cooks! My daughter Christina is the baker and her cookies are legendary not only in our family, but also with friends and neighbors. My son Ted, on the other hand, is the grill master. He used to be the burrito king but ever since he moved to Georgia he's developed into a great griller.

Last Christmas he got a smoker from his grandmother in law and since then, no one can touch him. About a couple of months ago, when I visited the family in Atlanta, he served me some of the best ribs I have ever had... no question!

Under his guidance and without a smoker I served these about a month ago and they were outstanding. If you don't have a smoker, he recommends cooking them in beer in a 250 degree oven sealed for about two hours. He makes his own rub (of course!) I had Emeril make mine. The barbecue sauce is all mine!

I am posting this early so you can start planning ahead for your Labor Day Weekend which is a week from tomorrow.

Ingredients

2 Slabs Pork Baby Back Ribs

1 can light beer

2 TB. Emeril's Rub for Pork

Barbecue Sauce (Recipe follows)


The night before you cook them, rub spice mixture over the ribs. I used Emeril's because it was the only good one I could find at the store I went to, but others will do too. Seal in tin foil paper and place in fridge. Before you cook then, open tin foil and pour 1 small can light beer. Reseal tight and place in the oven at 250 degrees for 2 hrs. Remove from the oven bring to room temperature and set aside until ready to grill. Remove from tin foil and place in a medium hot grill. Cook each side for 10 minutes. Brush barbecue sauce on one side and cook an additional 10 minutes. Do the same for the other side. You will be cooking a total of 40 minutes..10 mins. each side without sauce, 10 mins. each side with sauce. Let rest for 10 minutes. You can serve with leftover barbecue sauce on the side.


Barbecue Sauce

Makes 3 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in mustard powder and red-pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds.

Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire, vinegar, molasses, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

I usually serve ribs with my potato salad and sliced tomatoes with balsamic and fresh basil. An Australian Shiraz or Argentinian Malbec goes well with it.

Labor Day...The Menu

Pin It Well, it's here, the last weekend of the Summer. Fall is in the air, even in Miami!

For us here in Florida it is really a non event, but I remember how much I used to hate it when I lived in New England. Even though the beautiful Fall season is just around the corner, Labor Day and September always mean the end of grilling, weekends at the beach, dinner on the patio, gardening and all the outdoor things we like to do. And if you are a kid, yucks, back to school time. Here in Florida, it is a time for hurricanes, boarding up and stocking up. Hopefully, it will be a quiet season just like the last two. No, Labor Day is definitely not worth the extra day off.

For this holiday, the main dish is Baby Back Ribs. For the sides I suggest a couple of salads already posted, and for dessert, well it's got to be peaches, so take your pick!

Don't despair, Fall is around the corner and apple season is about to begin. You can have a drink on that!

Here are some of the recipes I suggest you consider for this holiday:


Labor Day Menu & Suggestions


The Perfect Bloody Mary

Fiesta Salsa & Tortilla Chips

Irresistible Clam Dip

Ted's Baby Back Ribs

My Mother's Potato Salad

Bobby Flay's Cole Slaw

Tomatoes with Balsamic Olive Oil & Basil

Corn on the Cob

Peach Blueberry Crumble

Peach Crumb Pie

Peaches & Raspberries & Blueberries in Prosecco

Amaretti Cookies


The Baby Back ribs will be up Monday 8/24 after 3:00 am for subscribers and the Peach Crumb Pie on Wednesday 26th.