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Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs

6/29/2016

18 Comments

 
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.
All Photographs by Len Boccassini
        There are no two ways about it, we are a family on-the-go. Karen and I are both lovers of the great outdoors, and during the more temperate summer months here in the northeast, we are continuously planning family outings that revolve around some of our favorite activities like swimming, rafting, hiking, and camping. Even the family pooch - "Pippi" - isn't safe from our lust for adventure and she is rarely left behind.

       By the same token, we are hopeless foodies who take our next meal quite seriously, and very little gets in the way of our menu planning. That's why on a recent camping trip, I thought it a wonderful opportunity to highlight "baby back ribs" as a meal option and take the mystery and fear out of their preparation once and for all.

       We all love to grill, but for some reason ribs always seem to be the most intimidating of all our meat choices. This is something I understand completely. But I also think our collective aversion to cooking ribs on the grill has a lot to do with the internet and an overabundance of techniques that claim to be the only way to do it properly. Just enter "grilling ribs" into your favorite search engine and you'll see exactly what I mean; you'll get nothing short of thousands of "do this" and "don't do that" tips that do little more than leave you wondering why you ever considered ribs as an option in the first place.

     Well, I'm here to tell you, "it ain't so bad." And to prove it, I'm going to show you how easy it is to get deliciously tender ribs anytime, anywhere. In fact, I'm going to leave my home grill behind, as well as my comfort zone, and do it while in the midst of a family camping trip in an open fire pit by creating something of a makeshift smoker.

Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
       The first thing you'll want to do is pick up some quality ribs. What we put into our bodies is as important to us as a family as the fun were immerse ourselves in all summer long. For this particular application, we've chosen Smithfield® Extra Tender Fresh Pork Back Ribs. We decided upon this product because Smithfield® ribs are hand-trimmed and contain no-added hormones or steroids; something that really matters to us. And all the better, they continuously result tender, juicy ribs that make our task as "grillers" that much easier!

      Prep for the ribs is minimal. While in camp, I mixed up my favorite rub recipe (as shown below), and after cutting each rack in two, rubbed both sides generously. I then wrapped them tightly and placed them in the cooler. After an hour or so, I removed them and allowed the packages to come up to room temperature while I attended to my grill (about 20 minutes). That is all the prep these delicious ribs will need.

    One of my greatest joys while outdoors is attending to the campfire and preparing a meal that feels anything but "picnic-like". Sure, nobody likes a burger, frankfurter or Smore over an open fire more than I do, but few things satisfy me like creating a gourmet meal from the most primitive of implements.

     Arriving at our camp sight, I sized up the fire pit, which for my purposes was actually quite nice. Though it needed to be cleaned of debris and listed gently to one side, it contained a steel ring about 20-inches in diameter which would act as the perfect barbecuing instrument for my madness. So as Karen, Janelle, and Pippi set off on a short hike, I got down to business...

Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
        The first thing I did after cleaning out the fire pit, was add a layer of brick along the bottom of the pit. I did this because I decided I would cook the ribs over charcoal briquettes and the brick would create a great surface to hold in the heat and radiate it outward. (as shown below)
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
        The next task was to place a disposable pie plate filled with water in the center of the fire pit on top of the brick. Then, I spread the charcoal briquettes in a relatively even circle around the plate. Lighting the charcoal, I allowed it to come up to heat. (as shown in the photos below)
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
       In order to add as much flavor as possible to the ribs - as well as to aid in the smoking process - I decided to use Mesquite Smoking Chips. They're easy to use; all you do is soak them in water the night before you plan to use them and then spread them over the hot coals when ready. Once that's done, on goes the circular grill rack. (as shown in photos below)
Note: When placed on hot coals, the wood chips will emit an extraordinary amount of smoke. That's exactly what you want.

Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
        As the coals reach the perfect temperature, I set the ribs, top side down, in the center of the grill - directly above the drip plate. This placement essentially cooks them indirectly, away from any flare-ups. (as shown below)
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
        The next step was to take some wide aluminum foil and completely cover the entire pit; for all intents and purposes, creating a makeshift smoker. Don't try to seal up every nook and cranny - they'll be plenty of heat and smoke within to get the job done. Now, it's just a matter of letting the charcoal and wood chips work their magic. Leave it untouched for one hour no matter how irresistible the urge to peek beneath. (as shown below)
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
      After an hour, peel back the foil and flip the ribs. Again, tent with foil and let them continue to cook another half hour or so. (as shown below)
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
Karen and Pippi can smell what's coming!
         After 30 minutes, the ribs should be ready - tender and succulent, they will fall away from the bone with a crispy, delicious bark that will leave you licking your fingers with every bite!
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
        So you see, if I can prepare delicious baby back ribs this easily over a campfire, why can't you can make them on your grill in your own back yard? The answer is - "YOU CAN!" All you need is a good rub, the patience to let the charcoal and wood chips work their magic and a great product like Smithfield® Extra Tender Back Ribs. Now get grillin' and don't forget to enter the Smithfield® Hog Wild Throwdown for your chance to win one of two Ford F-150s. See details and link below!
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
For the past two years, Smithfield® has partnered with brand ambassadors, celebrity grillers Moe Cason and Tuffy Stone, who share their excitement for Smithfield® quality of meat, Walmart, and the ease with which ribs can be cooked! Please click on this link to enter the Smithfield® Hog Wild Throwdown!
Smokey & Tender Campfire Baby Back Ribs #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias #ad
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18 Comments

Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana is Best with "Fresh from the Farm" Goodness

6/29/2016

5 Comments

 
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad

Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad
All photographs by Len Boccassini
       I absolutely love to cook. It's something I've always fully-immersed myself in - absorbing a multitude of tips and techniques by those more masterful than myself and putting them to good use in my own kitchen to create flavorful dishes for my family and friends. And if there's just one belief I taken away from my years in the kitchen, it's that you are only as good as the ingredients you use. That's why I opt for the freshest vegetables and produce whenever and wherever possible. In my opinion, farm fresh can never be underestimated.

     Even so, cooking each night for a family on the go can sometimes present more than a few challenges, particularly when confronted by the time constrictions of modern-day life. Yes, utilizing farm fresh ingredients in my family's meals is of the utmost importance to me, but there are those times when I need to pull dinner off within 30 or so minutes without sacrificing any flavor or wholesome goodness. In those situations, I confess that I have a short list of "go to" items that save me time without sacrificing any of the "fresh". And that is why I was particularly excited to try the newest product line now carried by the Walmart chain of retailers - Prego® Farmers' Market sauces.

     I learned the sauces come in three varieties - Classic Marinara, Tomato and Basil, and Roasted Garlic. The thing that drew me to this product is that they are made with produce you'd typically find at your local farmers' market; ingredients like vine-ripened tomatoes, garlic and basil that are picked at the peak of freshness. And just like in my own homemade sauce, there's similarly olive oil, black pepper and oregano put to delicious use!

Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad
Prego® Farmers' Market sauces are made with quality ingredients picked at the peak of freshness, and are a new product carried by the Walmart chain of retailers.
         I decided to give Prego® Farmers' Market sauces a test run with my Roasted Garlic Shrimp Parmigiana and see what my family thought. Locating the sauce was easy - right there in the Pasta & Tomato Sauce aisle of my local Walmart retailer. I grabbed two jars, one Classic Marinara and one Roasted Garlic; opting to for the latter later to implement in my dish.
          As I made my way home, I also stopped in at my local farmer's market to pick up the remaining items I would need to make the meal:

  • 1 lb fresh jumbo shrimp (20-25)
  • 2 tomatoes on the vine
  • 2 farm fresh eggs
  • 1 bulb garlic
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs
  • fresh basil
  • Parmigiana Reggiano
  • fresh mozzarella
Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad
           I began the dish by prepping the veggies - a chiffonade of about 8-10 basil leaves, thinly slicing the tomatoes, and slicing a single garlic clove into paper thin sections.
Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad
          After cleaning and de-veining the shrimp, I removed all of the shell except for the tail. This would make life far easier when I began breading them. I utilized three medium bowls and in the them placed one cup of flour, 2 beaten eggs, and 2 cups of bread crumbs, respectively. Holding the shrimp by their tails, I first dredged each in flour, then a quick dip in the egg, and finally, a roll in the bread crumbs. After heating some oil in a skillet over medium heat, I fried each shrimp to a golden brown and placed them on paper towels to drain. (as shown below)
Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad
         When I had finished frying the shrimp, I began preparing 12 ounces of my favorite spaghetti. While it cooked, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, I heated a small amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a #8 cast-iron pan (I chose this because I love the rustic presentation it offers) and cooked the slivers of garlic just until they softened.

        After removing the garlic from heat, I took a cup of the Prego® Farmers' Market Roasted Garlic sauce and ladled it into the bottom of the cast-iron pan, spreading it evenly. Draining the pasta, I mixed it with just a wee bit more than one half of the remaining sauce. When well-mixed, I poured the pasta into the cast-iron pan.

       The next step was to firmly press one half of the cooked shrimp (about 10) into the pasta, I covered it with the remaining sauce. Atop that, I spread the fresh tomatoes I sliced earlier, followed by hearty slices of fresh mozzarella. I topped that with the chiffonade of basil and a tablespoon or two of grated Parmigiana Reggiano. A sprinkle of cracked black pepper and I was almost there.
Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad
            The last thing I did was top it off with the remaining shrimp. Into the 350º oven it went for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese was nicely melted. (As shown above)

        I have to say the end result was more than I imagined it would be. The simple, farm fresh ingredients used in Prego® Farmers' Market sauces were immediately recognizable in its amazingly clean flavor profile. More importantly, my family loved it and I knew they were getting something good.

        My Roasted Garlic Shrimp Parmigiana turned out delicious and as the photos reveal, the rustic presentation was elegant enough to serve guests on a special occasion. Best yet, nobody would ever guess it took me less than an hour to prepare from start to finish! I guess in retrospect, I now have another "go to" item whenever I'm pressed for time and need to whip dinner up in a hurry without sacrificing flavor or freshness. Picked at peak is a very good thing!

Roasted Garlic & Basil Shrimp Parmigiana #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias #ad
5 Comments

Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip

6/23/2016

6 Comments

 
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad

Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad
        Ty Dillon is having one heck of a year and we're just loving it! Fourteen races into the season and Dillon is sitting comfortably in third place while compiling nine top-10 finishes along with five top-5's in stock car racing's second-tier series. The kid is hot, and as Summer heats up, we expect him to get even hotter as he makes a solid case for advancing to a full-time ride in the sport's top series.

        As you can probably tell, Race Day is a big thing in our home. We're fortunate that on most weekends from February through November, there's a race to get excited about and cheer on our favorite driver. We're also fortunate in the sense that as over-the-top “foodies”, it gives us a regular opportunity to devise a menu of delicious goodies that are not only delectable, but fun to prepare as part of our usual Race Day theme.

        For our most recent Race Day, we prepared yet another duo of zesty appetizers to help get us to Victory Lane - "Race Day Pigs-in-a-Jalopy" and "Pit Road Buffalo Dip"! Though delicious, both lean a bit to the “spicy” side of the spectrum, which is something we love. But that doesn't mean it always loves us.

       I must say we don't eat like this often. After all, race days are special and I admit, we tend to go a little overboard. It's typically a day we throw caution to the wind and make food fun again. It's a day of indulgence or shall I say, “over-indulgence”. And when that happens, an unexpected bout of heartburn can quickly turn a great day miserable. Been there, done that.
Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad
           I've mentioned in the past that Karen tends to be a bit more sensitive to spicy foods than I. This used to be something of an issue, but not anymore. Now she finds Nexium 24HR to be her Race Day winner. One pill a day is her simple solution for frequent heartburn and keeps her hitting on all cylinders lap after lap. Since it is easily found on the shelves of our local Walmart retailer, it's a product we always keep on hand and one she feels allows her to enjoy her day long after the checkered flag has waved.

           So on with our Race Day appetizers – "Start Your Engines!"
Nexium 24HR, the new #1 selling frequent heartburn brand*. All day, all night frequent heartburn protection. May take 1 to 4 days for full effect. Use as directed for 14 days to treat frequent heartburn. Do not take for more than 14 days or more often than every 4 months unless directed by a doctor. Not for immediate relief.
Click here to get your Nexium 24HR Coupon and special promotional offers!
Nexium 24HR, the new #1 selling frequent heartburn brand*" *Based on IRI sales data 52 weeks ending 11/1/15 among OTC brands.

#RaceDayRelief Recipe #1
Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy

Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad
INGREDIENTS:
  • 12 miniature franks
  • 3 Jalapeno Peppers
  • 12 small slices of Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 small can sliced black olives
  • Crescent dough
  • Salt & Pepper
PREPARATION:
1. Begin by slicing cheddar into sections approximately 1/8" thick. Then, quarter jalapenos lengthwise and remove seeds. (As shown below)

Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad
2. Roll out the crescent dough and upon on widest side place: one slice of cheese followed by one quarter jalapeno and finally, one miniature frank. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. (As shown below)
Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad
3. Tightly wrap crescent roll dough around cheese, jalapeno, and frank. (As shown below)
Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad
4. Take sliced olives as press into dough. (As shown below) At this point, you can really get fancy and shape each one into little jalopies. When done, simply pop into a 375º oven for fifteen minutes until golden brown. Once cooled, you can even go as far as decorating each car with side stripes or numbers in mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce or hot sauce!
Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad

#RaceDayRelief Recipe #2
Pit Road Buffalo Dip

Race Day Cheddar Jalapeno Pigs-in-a-Jalopy & Pit Road Buffalo Dip #RaceDayRelief #CollectiveBias #ad
INGREDIENTS:
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp)
  • 1 large chicken breast, shredded
  • 1 cup Buffalo hot sauce
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
PREPARATION:
  1. Allow cream cheese to soften. Once softened, spread across bottom of medium casserole dish.
  2. Cook chicken breast in pan or oven. Once cooked, shred.
  3. In a skillet over medium heat, combine chicken, butter and buffalo hot sauce and simmer for approximately five minutes. Pour chicken mixture over cream cheese and top with Mozzarella cheese.
  4. Cook in pre-heated 350º oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
We'd love it if you'd share with us some of your sporting event recipes, swap ideas or relate any of your personal experiences with Nexium 24HR and how it may help you with Race Day Relief!
*Based on IRI sales data 52 weeks ending 11/1/15 among OTC brands.
6 Comments
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