Lime-Glazed Chicken

6 half chicken breasts (or three whole)
salt and pepper
oil or cooking spray
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon chives, minced
1/2 teaspoon dill weed

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté chicken in oil or cooking spray approximately 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken to heated serving platter and keep warm. To pan, add lime juice and broth; cook over low heat until bubbling. Add butter, chives, and dill weed; heat until boiling. Spoon sauce over chicken.

Sarah and Jason

Chatham Artillery Punch

from The Shrimp Factory, Savannah, Georgia. This makes enough for a large party!

1 1/2 gallon Catawba
2 1/2 pound brown sugar
1/2 gallon rum
1 1/2 quart gin
1 1/2 quart brandy
1 1/2 quart rye whiskey
1/2 pint Benedictine
1 1/2 gallon strong tea
juice from 1 1/2 dozen oranges
juice from 1 1/2 dozen lemons
1 bottle Maraschino cherries
case of champagne

Make stock with all of above ingredients except champagne 36-48 hours before serving. Just before serving, add the champagne. Adjust proportions accordingly if you are having a smaller do.

Jason

Anchiote-rubbed Roast Pork Loin

Achiote-rubbed Roast Pork Loin

1 (3 ½ to 4-pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
¼ cup Achiote Rub
2 large beets, quartered
1 large sweet onion, cut into ½ inch thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
2 avocados sliced
¾ cup Mamey Coulis

Rub pork loin with achiote rub. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.

Place pork in a large roasting pan, arrange beets and onion around pork. Drizzle beets and onion with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 425 for 1 hour or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of pork registers 155. Remove from oven; let stand 10 to 15 minutes or until thermometer registers 160º.

Toss roasted vegetables with sherry vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt. Slice pork roast into thick slices. Arrange pork over vegetables and sliced avocado, drizzle with mamey coulis.


Achiote Rub

2 tablespoons ground annatto
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.


Mamey Coulis

(if mamey is unavailable, substitute mango)

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped mamey (mango)
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
¾ cup water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon salt

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat until hot. Saute mamey, onion, and garlic 5 minutes. Add water, wine, and bay leaf, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until tender. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Pour mixture into a food processor or blender, cover, and process until smooth. Pour through a wire mesh strainer into a bowl, stir in lime juice and salt.

Coastal Living, April 2007

Sazon Goya makes a combination of coriander and annato if plain annato cannot be found.

Jason

Black Magic Cake

1¾ cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 Hershey cocoa
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong black coffee
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/2 vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, coffee, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Batter will be thin. Pour into greased and floured 13x9x2 pan or two 9" cake pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes for oblong pan or 30-35 minutes for cake pans.

Jackie & Jason

Bourbon or Rum Balls

2 1/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup bourbon (or rum)
3 Tablespoons cocoa
2 Tablespoons white corn syrup
1 cup confectioner's sugar

Combine wafer crumbs and pecans. Put remaining ingredients in a bowl and beat. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll balls in powdered sugar or finely chopped nuts. Makes 40-48.

Sarah & Jason

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 cups cooked chicken, diced or chopped
4-8 oz Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce
12-18 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 bunch of celery, washed and cut into sticks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, dressing, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Adjust amounts of hot sauce and/or cream cheese to make the dip mild, medium, or hot! Pour mixture into a greased baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

Sarah & Jason

Southern Cheese Grits

1 cup stone-ground grits
4 cups boiling water
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 stick of butter
2 tsp garlic powder
hot sauce to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir grits slowly into salted boiling water. Skim any chaff. Return to boiling; reduce heat, cover and cook slowly, stirring occasionally until thick and cooked through, about 18-20 min. Slowly stir cheese, butter, garlic powder and hot sauce into cooked grits. Pour mixture into a lightly buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 4-6.

Jason

Pasta Sauce with Capers

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-4 cloves garlic, pressed
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 large can diced tomatoes or 4-5 medium to large fresh tomatoes, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 small jar of capers
1 tbsp Kalamata olive paste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Pasta of choice
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in skillet. Add onion & garlic, sauté until onions are soft (about 5 min). Add tomatoes & basil, simmer about 1 hour. Stir in capers & olive paste. Serve over pasta with fresh parmesan cheese.

Sarah & Jason