We finally have a barbeque joint in Southeastern Utah!!!

Fattboyz Grillin'164 North Grayson Parkway (previously the Peace Tree Cafe)
Blanding, Utah, 84511

(435)678-3777

Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fattboyz-Grillin/135856886470228

When I was planning to move to Utah, one aspect that excited me, hey....all the barbeque places I can visit. Wrong!!! The closest one was two hours away in Durango, Colorado (Serious Texas BBQ - good place too); there used to be one in Cortez, Colorado, only one hour away, but it closed down.

Reed Sampson must have been just as disappointed as I was, fore when he decided to open up a food place, he went barbeque! Thank you Reed!!!

The menu offers a good variety; it's posted on Fattboyz' Facebook page, and we decided to try a few items. Hint, hint Reed, offer a sampler platter on the menu; a little bit of most everything for one price. We'd pay good money for that. So lets get started with the low-down:

Ribs - done on site, meaty, juicy....drool. Nuff' said.

Burgers - meaty, juicy, we loved the charbroiled flavor.

Beef BBQ sandwich - thick, meaty (am I getting redundant?) and just plain ole delicious.

BBQ sauce - hit the Bullseye; nothing wrong with Bullseye, I use it in a pinch, and KC Masterpiece too, but I do wonder if Reed doctors it up a bit...but he won't tell.

That's just the main menu items we tried; now the sides:

Mac n' Cheese - oh yes, it's cheesy and gooey, just the way mac n' cheese should be.

Beans - while they were a nice enhancement to the meat, I found them to be a little plain, but that's me. I would have liked to see them swimming in bbq sauce, diced onions, maybe a little chile pepper thrown in.

Potato salad - good flavor, potatoes were just right; not firm, but not too mushy.

Now I hear tell that the cole slaw is homemade, so next time we stop in, I intend on trying the pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw...is there any other way to eat it?

So, all in all, this place is the bomb diggety, and if you live in the area, or are just visiting, go to Fattboyz Grillin!!!

Oh Reed, in case you want a homemade macaroni salad recipe, check out my "Amish Macaroni Salad" on the Jan 16, 2011 post entitled "A salad isn't a salad...yes it is".

...and here's my recipe for homemade baked lima beans. If you use either or both recipes, just give me credit on your Facebook page, and list a link to this blog...appreciate it.

Baked Lima Beans

Ingredients:
1 (40.5 oz) can Butter beans (lima beans)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, mild
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (16 oz) bottle hickory smoked, brown sugar barbeque sauce
6-8 strips thick cut bacon, roughly chopped

Preparation:
Preheat oven at 350F. Spray a 2 quart casserole with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients; spoon into the casserole dish. Bake for 2 hours.

Serves 8.

Mary Cokenour

Playing with Food.

Have you ever noticed the decorative items on a plate when you have ordered at a Japanese or Chinese restaurant? It’s an art form, and those items are actual foods and edible; a rose made from a radish, a bird made from a carrot, a lotus blossom from an onion. Not only can you eat the items, but it’s fascinating how such delicate art can come from a simple fruit or vegetable.

So, why is it we don’t encourage our children to play with their food, but just the opposite? Parents tell kids, “don’t play with your food, and just eat it”…how boring! A child is probably more willing to eat broccoli if you let him/her build a mountain, on their plate of course, of mashed potatoes, put broccoli trees on it, and then they can pretend to be a giant who eats it down. Telling them to eat it just because it’s good for them, or that people are starving somewhere else, is not an enticement.

Encourage their creativity, and yes, put limits on what they can and cannot do with their food; be a parent and a teacher at the same time. You could have a budding artist on your hands, or the next great chef; but overall, you’ll have a child who will enjoy eating their food, not going “yuck!” One other thing let your child help you in the kitchen; depending on the age, the smallest task would be something big to them.

Here are a few ideas for creating snacks with your children, and you’ll enjoy them too.

Rice Cake Snack Pizzas

Ingredients:

24 large rice cakes (plain or butter flavored)
1 container whipped cream cheese
1 jar smooth peanut butter
1 jar marshmallow fluff
1 squeeze bottle caramel sauce
1 can pineapple rings; drain juice
1 bag shredded coconut
1 box raisins
1 bag shredded carrots
4 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into ¼” slices
1 bag miniature chocolate chips

Preparation:

Carrot Cake Pizza

Spread 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter on rice cake. Cover with alternating rows of shredded carrot and raisins

Hawaiian Pizza
Spread 2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese on rice cake. Place a pineapple ring on top, fill the hole in the center with shredded coconut.

Elvis Pizza
Spread 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter on rice cake. Starting ¼” from edge of rice cake, place banana slices in a circular pattern till the center is reached.

Ooey Gooey Pizza
Spread 2 Tbsp marshmallow fluff on rice cake. Sprinkle on chocolate chips and drizzle on caramel sauce.

Notes: The “Hawaiian”, “Carrot Cake” and “Elvis” pizzas are a great afternoon snack. When an after school event, sports practice or game, or music lessons, etc is scheduled; these become a great pick-me-up for children; or adults.

The “Ooey Gooey” pizza is an easy dessert or party treat.

Mary Cokenour
September 9, 1996

The Ultimate Italian Snack (Appetizer)

When you want to nosh, what kind of appetizer or snack would you have? Basic home snacks could be anything from crackers with a topping, veggies and dip, even cookies or a cupcake. If you're out at a restaurant, you might see on the menu: cheese sticks, nachos, tequitos, deep fried veggies, chicken fingers. Been there, done that, lets have something very different, romantic(hey, it's Italian), yummy and it's healthy (I know, I know, bad word, especially around kids, but not this snack!) It's Bruschetta, and while it might be a little difficult to pronounce the first time; you won't forget after you've had it.

Bruschetta (Italian pronunciation: [brus-ket-a]; American pronunciation: [bu-shetta], ignoring the “c” altogether ) is an appetizer from central Italy whose origin seems to date back to the 15th century, but possibly even older than that. It was a way to use stale bread by toasting or grilling it, then enhancing the flavor by rubbing with garlic and topping with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Variations may include toppings of spicy red pepper, tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, and/or cheese; the most popular recipe outside of Italy involves basil, fresh tomato, garlic and onion or mozzarella. Brushchetta can be served as an appetizer, or simply enjoyed as a snack.

Bruschetta (Italian Style)

Ingredients:

loaf of Italian bread, preferably day old, cut into ½” slices
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt

Preparation:

Grill both sides of the sliced bread; or place under a broiler for 1 minute, flip slices, place under broiler for another minute. Cut the cloves of garlic in half and rub cut sides over one side of bread; drizzle olive oil, sprinkle on salt.

Bruschetta Con Pomodori (Grilled Bread with Tomatoes)

Ingredients:

half loaf of Italian bread, cut into ½ “slices
1 Tbsp minced garlic
4 Tbsp olive oil
6 Roma (plum) tomatoes cut into ¼” pieces
1/8 tsp each of salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

Grill both sides of the sliced bread; or place under a broiler for 1 minute, flip slices, place under broiler for another minute. Smear one side of each slice with minced garlic.

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, tomatoes, salt, black pepper, basil and vinegar. Top garlic side of each slice of bread with mixture.

Makes 6 servings.

Note:
1 – Shaved parmesan cheese can be placed on top of mixture.

2 – Thin slices of mozzarella can be placed on top of mixture; place under broiler for a minute to allow cheese to melt.

Mary Cokenour
September 1997
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This recipe was published in Taste of Home Magazine, September 2007 issue. I had sent it to them way back in 1997, and then suddenly they contacted me in 2007 to say that they were going to publish it. Imagine my surprise!

Crab Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 cans (6 ounces each) lump crabmeat, drained
1 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
8 slices Italian bread (1/2 inch thick)

Preparation:
In a large skillet, saute shallots and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until tender. Add the crab, tomatoes, basil and oregano; cook and stir for 5-6 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the heat.

Brush both sides of each slice of bread with remaining oil. In another large skillet, toast bread for 1-2 minutes on each side. Cut each slice in half; top with crab mixture.

Makes16 appetizers.


Mary Cokenour
September 1997

To measure or not to measure.

When working with a recipe, I like to first make it using particular ingredients, and see how it comes out. Then I try the dish again, but this time trying different ingredients; maybe chicken instead of beef, or peanut butter instead of vanilla. Usually I end up with a complete recipe that allows for this or that, depending on the mood of the person making the dish.

With baking, that is a little more difficult, mainly because baking is more of a precise science. With cooking, you can use measuring devices, or just your hands and eyes; that's the way I enjoy doing it. However, with baking, if you put too much or too little, you could end with a mess. For me, not being able to "eyeball" amounts sort of takes the adventure out of a recipe; but I would rather end up with a delicious dessert, so I bite the bullet and use measuring cups and spoons.

Also, when substituting ingredients in baked goods, you have to make sure that one can be equally measured out for another. The thickness and flavor of peanut butter won't equal the same measure called for when using vanilla extract; one is more solid, the other liquidy. So, don't be surprised if trial and error takes a major role when experimenting with ingredients.

One successful substitution I have found is to use ricotta cheese instead of mascarpone. Sure, you can always make a faux mascarpone (see recipe on Feb 8, 2011 blog post called "I don't miss the East coast, just the food"), but using whole milk ricotta will give you the texture you need, and measure out in just the correct portions. You'll understand what I mean by this when I tell you about a wonderful Italian dessert called Cannoli, and a pie that can be also made.

Cannoli

A single cannoli is called a cannolo, meaning “tube,” and this Sicilian dessert was created more than 1,000 years ago. It is a tube-shaped pastry, open-ended on each side, that is quickly fried, cooled and then filled with lightly sweetened ricotta, or mascarpone cheese. Bakers often add additions to cannoli filling like pieces of citron, tiny chocolate chips, or candied cherries at either end of the pastry. Less commonly pistachios may be chopped and used in cannoli filling. In Sicily, cannoli filling might be flavored with Marsala wine, vanilla extract or rosewater. In the US, vanilla extract is used most, but you can find the occasional Marsala wine flavored cannoli in very traditional Italian bakeries or restaurants. Whole cannoli are often decadently sprinkled with powdered sugar. The average size is 4 inches long by 1 inch wide, but they can be made larger or smaller, depending on whether they are being served as a whole dessert item (one average or large), or part of a buffet (smaller version).

Cannoli Pie
Ingredients:
4 cups ricotta or mascarpone cheese
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup roasted pistachio nuts
1/3 cup golden raisins or diced candied fruits
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate mini-chips
1 ½ cups whipped cream
1 ( 9 oz) deep dish graham cracker or crushed chocolate cookie pie crust
¼ cup bittersweet chocolate shavings

Preparation:
In a large bowl, cream together the cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth; stir in nuts, fruit and mini-chips.

Gently fold in the whipped cream; spoon mixture into pie crust, creating a mound. With the bottom of a metal spoon, quickly dab and pull up at the top of the filling to create peaks. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the top. Refrigerate overnight.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour
September 15, 1996

My brain is on idle today.

That's right, no great thoughts or ideas bouncing off the walls of my cranium. A day where I seem to be content with my life, my surroundings, and I have nothing to truly think about. These kind of days are rare, and when they come around I, at first, feel a bit lost. Me, the one that is always doing something, today has nothing to do that can't wait for another day. Laundry...done. Meals cooked...done. Mail sorted, bills paid, papers filed...done. Snow shoveled; that is Roy's job, so I don't care. Staring out the window and daydreaming; Ha!!! I've been doing that almost all day, and liking it.

So today's post is going to be very short, for I have daydreaming to do. I will, however, leave you with a recipe that will give you plenty of time to do some daydreaming of your own. Enjoy!

Chicken and Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (10 ¾ oz) each of cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp each ground black pepper and onion powder
1 bag ( 16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
3 chicken breasts halves, cut into bite size pieces (chicken has been previously cooked via browning in a pan, or grilling)
1 bag (16 oz) medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 bag ( 8 oz) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup plain dried bread crumbs

Preparation:

Preheat oven at 400 F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except bread crumbs. Spread mixture in a 2 ½ - 3 quart casserole dish; sprinkle bread crumbs over top of mixture.

Bake for 30-35 minutes; top will be slightly browned and mixture bubbling.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour
Oct 20, 2008

Snowing once again, so time to make something new.

Just as all the snow, from our last storm, was almost a memory, Monticello woke up to another batch of white covering the landscape, and our cars, and our lawns, and our...well, you get the picture. Snow here is unusual looking when compared to what I'm used to. It doesn't land as big fluffy flakes, but as tiny pellets, much like you would see in a stuffed toy. It's quite beautiful overall.

While Roy was outside shoveling the driveway, I started on breakfast; the big question being, "what to make?" Now I had attended an event and brought home some extra food, baked potatoes being one of the items. Trying to eat reheated baked potatoes is nasty; the cold has hardened the starch in the potato, and it's just nasty. However, by cutting up the potato, frying it with additional ingredients, you end up with something very tasty. So this is what I did:

Take two medium baked potatoes which have already cooled and cut them up into 1/2 inch cubes. In a 12 inch saute' pan (or skillet with curved sides), melt 2 Tbsp butter, add the potatoes and let them start to brown on high heat. Take one half of a small onion, dice it up and add to the potatoes with another 2 Tbsp of butter. Season with a dash each of salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle a 1/2 cup of shredded Swiss cheese evenly.

While the potatoes were browning, whisk together 6 eggs, 1/4 cup half n' half, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 dashes of hot sauce. Pour over the potatoes, making sure the eggs cover evenly to the edges of the pan. Now leave it alone for 5 minutes. Cover with a plate and flip it over, so the contents of the pan simply drop onto the plate. Put the pan back onto the heat, slide the egg/potato "pie" back into the pan, and let cook another 3 minutes.

Slide it back onto your plate and you have just made a frittata. Take a sharp knife and cut it into 8 wedges, just like you would to a pie.

Next time you have extra ingredients around and think you can't do a thing with them; think again and make a frittata. Here's a little information on the frittata and another recipe.

Frittata

Frittata is an egg dish similar to an omelet or a crustless quiche, containing ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta, and can be flavored with herbs. A frittata can be baked, but in mainly made in a skillet. When started on a stove top the frittata can be finished off in an oven, under a broiler, or flipped and finished in the pan.

Frittata preparation differs from omelet preparation in that the eggs are beaten with water, milk or cream to incorporate more air where the eggs for omelets are less airy. The additional air in the frittata mixture allows for a deeper filling and a fluffier result. Additional ingredients are added to the pan after the egg mixture, and before the eggs are fully cooked.

A frittata is usually divided into slices, and while it can be served as a meal by itself, a salad or other side dish can be added.

Frittata with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Tarragon

Ingredients:

6 eggs
3 Tbsp half n’ half
2 Tbsp butter
½ lb asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
1 tsp fresh tarragon (used dried if fresh not available)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation:

In small bowl, whisk together eggs and half n’ half; set aside.
In 10” skillet, on medium heat, melt butter and sauté asparagus, about 5 minutes; remove to another small bowl. In same skillet, pour in egg mixture and let eggs cook for about 5 minutes; do not stir. Distribute the asparagus, cheese, tarragon, salt and pepper evenly throughout the partially cooked eggs; let cook another 5 minutes.

Slide the frittata onto a plate, cover with another plate and flip over; slide it back into the skillet and let cook another 3 minutes. Slide frittata onto clean serving platter, cut into wedges, either 4 or 6, to serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Yo Chicago, pass me a pizza.

In my January 21, 2011 post, I introduced you all to New York style pizza. I had said I would, at a later date, write about Chicago style and here it is. Chicago Pizza is a deep dish pan pizza, but not what you think you know it is. The dough is made differently from regular pizza dough; thicker and moister to keep from drying out and burning during baking. The assembly of the pizza itself is also different, with the cheese on the bottom, additional ingredients in the center, and a tomato mixture on top.

Pizza places, like Pizza Hut and Old Chicago, use basic dough and the assembly is the same as a standard pizza: dough, sauce, cheese, toppings (if any). If you want the authentic Chicago style, then you want to go to Pizzeria Uno (http://www.unos.com/) or Lou Malnati’s (http://www.loumalnatis.com/). No locations near your area, Lou Malnati makes it possible to order online and have pizza, and many other goodies, delivered to your front door (http://www.tastesofchicago.com/). Then again, my sister-in-law, Julie, is currently living in Chicago; and it would be so nice if she’d send us a few pies…hint, hint Julie; Roy and I are having cravings for pizza.

Now if you’re a daring type, like me, then you’ll take on the challenge of making this type of pizza yourself. Because the dough is thicker and moister than regular pizza dough, it’s best to use a stand mixer and a dough hook attachment for the kneading part of the preparation.

Here’s the basic information, so have fun:

Pizza Dough for Chicago Style Pizza
This type of pizza dough is thicker; it cooks in a deep dish pan and would burn if it was thinner like New York style pizza dough. However, the exposed dough, not covered with sauce, cheese and other ingredients, comes out crispy and light. This dough is best made using a stand mixer and the dough hook attachment due to the thickness and moistness of the dough.

Basic Dough
2 packages rapid rise dry yeast
2 cups warm water (about 110F)
½ cup vegetable oil
4 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup cornmeal
5 ½ cups all purpose flour

Preparation:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. When fully dissolved, add in the oils, cornmeal and half of the flour; mix for 10 minutes. Attach the dough hook, add in the other half of the flour and set on medium speed. The dough will be ready when it pulls easily from the sides of the bowl. Place the dough onto a floured board, cover with a large bowl; let it rise till it doubles in size. Punch the dough down, cover; let it rise again. Punch it down a second time; time to make the pizza.

The thickness of the dough will depend on the size of the deep dish pan being used; ¼” for a 10” pan; 1/8” for a 15” pan. Lightly coat the pan with olive oil; place dough in center of pan and push out evenly to edges, then up the sides of the pan to the top rim.

Basic Filling - for 10” deep dish pan
½ lb each sliced provolone and mozzarella cheeses
1 (10 ½ oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp minced garlic
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp each dried oregano, basil
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

AssemblyCover the dough with alternating slices of provolone and mozzarella cheeses. In a medium size bowl, mix together crushed and diced tomatoes, herbs, garlic and salt; spread mixture evenly over cheese slices. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over tomato mixture.

The pizza will be baked in a preheated 475F oven for 35-40 minutes; the exposed crust will be a golden brown; the tomato mixture will be bubbly.

Additional Ingredients
These can be added on top of the cheese slices, before the tomato mixture goes on top; in any combination; the choices are numerous.

1 lb of ground Italian sausage (mild or hot) or seasoned ground beef – the meat is uncooked; cooking the meat before using will toughen it.

1 cup sliced vegetables: onion, bell peppers, hot peppers, mushrooms, olives

1 cup pepperoni slices or thinly sliced prosciutto


Mary Cokenour
February 18, 2011