Why go out? - Chicken...uh, Surprise!

So here's one I came up with when I had no idea what I wanted to do for dinner. It was the woman and I, and we had a friend stopping by to assist us in devouring some groceries. So, I stared into the fridge and pantry back and forth for about 20 minutes, and here's what we got:

Protein and Breading Process:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
• All Purpose flour (to dredge chicken in)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh ground sea salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 medium white onion, diced finely
• 2 lemons, zested
• Juice of 3 lemons
• Salt & pepper to taste

After you've pounded the will to live out of your chicken breasts, set them aside. Place your flour in a bowl/plate and add in your seasonings to flavor it. Next, coat the chicken in your flour mixture and set aside...again.

Take a large skillet and add your butter and oil to it. Turn the stove on to medium high until it's hot enough to fry your chicken. Brown your chicken breasts in the pan until they are about 2/3 done (about 1-2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. If they are very thin, about 1 minutes per side should do).

Guess what now? Yep...set the chicken aside on a few sheets of paper towel (to drain the oil). In the same pan, saute' your garlic and onion to 'sweat' it (you may need to add more butter). Next, add in your rosemary, thyme, lemon zest and juice. Continue to simmer the sauce on medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes.

You may choose to add some of the flour from your dredge to thicken the sauce (optional). Place the chicken back in the pan and finish cooking on low heat (5-6 minutes) to absorb the sauce.

Plate your chicken and pour the remaining sauce over the chicken prior to serving. Add salt & pepper as needed, and dish it out. Enjoy.

All in all, I was kind of proud of this dish. I served it with a salad and some side pasta I cooked with garlic, olive oil and Parmesan. It made for a light yet satisfying dinner.

And with a da(m)n good meal like that....why go out?

Why Go Out? - Garlic Lime Wings

In the mood for wings, but sick of the same old 'hot sauce and butter' combo? Not to worry. Here's a tasty sauce I invented when I was doing a cookout for some friends. Here's what you'll need:

• Juice of 6 fresh limes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp. honey (yes, the stuff in the bear is fine)
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Chicken wings (flats & drumettes; 20-30)

Combine all of the ingredients in a large sealable tupperware (or, mix completely in a large bowl and transfer to a large sealable freezer bag). Set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Get your grill on, cook them dead chickens, and promptly toss them in the sauce; serve immediately. Enjoy.


Now, if you want to fry the wings, that's up to you. I can't vouch for the oil and sauce mixture as I haven't tried it yet. This is almost a 'healthier' wing, if you will. It's definitely different, and I know your friends will love them. Mine did (of course, mine tend to placate me, so they may have been full of crap.)


Still, with food this da(m)n good....why go out?

Why Go Out? - The 'Boagie'

Ok, so this is a new type of review I'll entitle 'Why go out?'. Basically, it's going to be some tried and true recipes I've either created or made with stuff I had around the house, and I'll share them here with you. The great thing about most of these I've concocted is that you can tweak and/or improve upon as you see fit.

The first one I want to tempt you with is The Boagie. This beefy badass is a 1/2 lb. of full on flavor, and it's up to you how good it really is. Here's what you'll need for the basics (I'll list the ingredients for my first run of it - makes 2 servings):

• 1 lb. ground beef (80/20 is preferred)
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 fresh hoagie rolls (found in your local grocery store bakery; ususally a 4 pack)
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. seasoned salt
• 4 slices of American cheese (Kraft or what have you)
• 3 tbsp. low sodium Dale's Steak Seasoning
• Ketchup/mustard/mayo for taste (optional)

Slice your rolls length wise and spread open. Toast in the oven (or on your grill) until just warmed and/or the edges are slightly crispy. place 2 slices of cheese immediately in the roll, side by side, covering the base of the bun. Set aside.

Dice the onion into small cube-like chunks. In a large skillet/pan, brown the ground beef and onion together (no need to add oil or butter; the fat of the meat will lubricate the pan). Add in your garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir in to cover the meat. Once it is browned, drizzle over your Dale's and stir until completely mixed.

DO NOT DRAIN THE FAT. Instead, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the meat and place directly onto the bun. The heat of the beef and onions will melt the cheese from the inside. Add your condiments as necessary. Enjoy.

Now, this isn't a very complex dish....or is it? What I love about this is it's simple to make, and oh so delicious (especially when that thin layer of fat soaks into the bottom of the bread and acts as a sort of coagulent for all the ingredients...mmm....fat....).

However, as I chowed down, I realized something: This could get ugly. And by 'ugly', I mean 'very upscale and creative'. Maybe some thinly shaved chicken breast next time, with sauteed spinach and crumbled feta. Or a chipolte ranch sauce to drizzle over my bacon crumbled steak slices. Fresh basil anyone? The possibilities are endless, so have fun with this one.

I mean, with food this da(m)n good....why go out?

Red’s Backwoods’ BBQ

Price: Affordable
Atmosphere: 2 out of 5
Quality of Service: 4 out of 5
Food Overall: 4 out of 5

Bar-Be-Que. It’s a word synonymous with ‘America’. People have been BBQ’ing forever, and many have made it an art form. A messy, sugary-spicy art to be certain, but it takes some skill (and lots of patience) to slow cook that meat to perfection.

And down at Red’s Backwoods’ BBQ, they are painting a masterpiece. The décor is very ‘BBQ-y’; wood, benches, tables. Nothing extraordinary. And the service is good; polite staff and timely. But really, we’re here to discuss that succulent meat and sides, not a chair or server.

First thing you should know is that every day of the week, Red’s is offering up an ‘All U Can Eat’ section. This means all you want of whatever is on special for that day, PLUS limitless side dishes (Monday’s are recommended, as it is ‘Customer’s Choice’).

Prices for that deal run between 13.99-18.99 per person, which considering what you get (and if you’re a healthy eater), that’s a steal. Regardless if you choose to gorge yourself on the aforementioned deal, their entire menu of smoky treats is well worth the visit.

Chicken, turkey, beef and pork; it’s all a paved road to the land where flavor was invented. They have six different sauces to choose from, and in my opinion, only about two of them are worthwhile. However, it’s the delectable smoke goodness and perfect pink coloring throughout the meats that make it so succulent.

And the sides are rockin’ as well. Corn muffins, sweet potato wedges dusted with cinnamon sugar, broccoli sautéed in garlic, baked beans with chunks of pork fat, tangy coleslaw…each one just begging to be consumed by a worthy patron.

Really, there’s not much more to say. Red’s is like a really good movie you just saw: You want to tell the world about its awesomeness, but you only tell them enough about it to whet their appetites, because it would be a great injustice to spoil the ending. So I stop here. Go try Red’s. And tell the others.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n Good Food.

Red’s Backwoods BBQ

Palmetto Square
1345 W. Palmetto Park
Road Boca Raton, FL 33486
Phone: 561-417-0797
Fax: 561-417-0795

http://redsbackwoodsbbq.com/

Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Cuisine

Price: Bring Some Money
Atmosphere: 3 out of 5
Quality of Service: 4 out of 5
Food Overall: 5 out of 5

I'll admit it: I'm a cartoon junkie. One of my 'must-see's? Looney Tunes. Speedy Gonzales, in particular. I thought he was such a cocky little character. He'd run up, freak out Sylvester or Daffy, then POOF! Gone. For those of you NOT 25 or older, Speedy Gonzales was a Mexican mouse who had this huge sombrero and ran like 90,000 miles an hour.

Which brings me to my next subject: Damn good Mexican food. And like that animated rodent, you really should zip on over to Uncle Julio's in Mizner Park. This is some of the best Mexican food I have ever eaten, and it’s because of the unique flavor the dishes have that make it a must try.

First, let’s talk about the Mexican restaurant staple: Chips and Salsa. Every table gets it when you sit down, and it’s an endless supply. UJ practices this philosophy just like everyone else, but they throw a curve ball into the works: Their salsa’s grill-roasted.

You know how you bite into a vegetable and say, ‘Hmm, this tastes steamed’ or ‘this was done in a pot’? Well, one dip into their homemade salsa and you’ll definitely think to yourself (or out loud, as I did) ‘Wow! The veggies in this taste like they’ve been flame roasted!’

And they have. The tomatoes and peppers are diced into fine and tiny chunks, and you can see the char on each piece from the grill. But the taste. Oh, that sweet, succulent flavor of fresh produce with that sweetness only hand-picked tomatoes can bring, and that back-bite of the jalapeños once you’ve taken it all in. It’s a journey to the homeland for sure. Well, at least a weekend in Cancun.

And that’s just the free stuff. Refreshing margaritas help cool you down from the salsa heat, and the selective menu is all about over-the-top flavors. The Combo Enchiladas (chicken, beef and cheese) gives you several different sauces to choose from, with a cumin-spiked pinto bean and rice side dish.

The carne asada is thick, juicy, and brings that lime/garlic 1-2 punch that you should expect from a steak with such a sexy name. the pork ribs are smoky (remember, that grill theme runs throughout every dish, just at varying degrees) and fall off the bone and come with the previously mentioned rice.

Oh yeah, one more thing about the ribs: It comes with a side dish of FAJITAS. Not some ‘Here’s a small tortilla with a chunk of beef. Try it and order it next time!’ No. This is a full order or fajitas, INCLUDED as a side with your already filling meal. You get to choose chicken, beef or shrimp, and it comes with three large shells and all the fixin’s (cheese, sour cream, guac, lettuce).

And dessert? Aye aye aye. UJ is dishing up several Mexican classics, including a sugared empanada stuffed with everything from chocolate to cinnamon apples, to the weekly special (I had the pineapple version…very unique).

The atmosphere is perfect to sit outside if it’s a nice day/night. You can watch all the nice expensive cars roll by and people shopping up and down the well maintained Mizner. The inside is typical Mexi-faire: Posters of famous actors, clay pots, burro statues. The staff is courteous, but if they get busy, don’t be in a rush. It may be a while before you see your waiter again.

This place is a new favorite of mine, and I highly suggest you go down there and check it out. After all, it’s just Da(m)n Good Food.

Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Cuisine
449 Plaza Real
Boca Raton, FL 33432
(561) 300-3530
http://www.unclejulios.com/

Authentic Brooklyn Pizza

Price: Cheap

Atmosphere: 1 out of 5

Quality of Service: 3 out of 5

Food Overall: 2 out of 5

So the missus and I decided to try out this new pizza joint, right next door to one of our favorite BBQ spots (Red’s Backwoods…review to come later). We had a Groupon for it, so it never hurts to try something new. Especially since I’m here to provide you folks with the low down on the up-and-up.

However, this is probably one you don’t need to rush out and try. We went fairly simple the first go ‘round: House Salad and a large pie. The salad was your every day iceberg and typical veggies (cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, onions…you know) with your typical creamy Italian. Nothing special.

I will say it was a decent size (we got the large for two), but that’s like saying, “Yeah. It’s just Vanilla, but it’s two gallons of it.” For the pizza, we ordered ½ with eggplant and ½ with prosciutto.  The first thing my fiancée said was: “This isn’t New York pizza. If it was, I could pick it up and fold it. This is floppy.”

As she’s from NY, I tend to trust her judgment.  But, body’s not everything when it comes to a slice, so I dig in. The cheese is gooey enough, and the prosciutto is salty, but not overly flavorful. The body itself is indeed soggy; perhaps too thin. But the sauce is my issue here.

It’s sweet.  And not that ‘Hmm…it has a unique sweetness to it’ sweet. This was ‘I bought a jar of Prego on the way in to work and served it to paying customers’ sweet. It tasted store bought, and in case you couldn’t figure it out, that’s never good at a place that claims authenticity.

It was cheap enough (huge salad and large pie with two toppings, plus drinks, and we didn’t even use our full 24.00 Groupon), but again, I refer you to the ‘Vanilla’ comment above. The atmosphere isn’t worth mentioning either; simply some booths, tables; a small TV in the corner…a touch dingy.

But after all that, was it terrible? No. It was ok. I didn’t spit it out or hate it. That being said, would I drive out of my way to go again? No. But if I was in the area, and craved pizza (and Red’s was closed), would I pop in for a slice and a Coke? Maybe.  The service was good and the wife did state the eggplant was cooked nicely.

It’s food, for sure. Just not Da(m)n Good Food.

Authentic Brooklyn Pizza

1365 W Palmetto Park Road

Boca Raton, Fl 33486

(561) 342-1915

http://mypizza.com/restaurant/menu/399-authentic-brooklyn-pizza?gclid=CN7l9Y3A3agCFcPt7QodjjiocQ