Grilling and Smoking Chicken

SPRING IS HERE!
Time to get the grill out!

By Aaron Ralston

Chicken is one of my favorite meats to cook. It is low in fat, high in protein, and if

cooked correctly, it will definitely be a crowd pleaser. There are many different
recipes for grilling and smoking chicken, and I have included my two favorite
recipes below. I am known as The Smoker King, and I am the author and
Webmaster of “Outdoor Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs,” so you can bet
that my favorite way to cook chicken is outdoors, on a grill or smoker.

The first recipe is one that I use when I cook chicken fajitas. The marinade gives a
tequila-lime twist to the chicken, which is great for Mexican-type dishes. The
second recipe is my take on the famous beer can chicken recipe. Through my
experience, I have found that placing the chicken on a beer can throne while it is
smoking produces a juicy, tender bird. Smoking chicken is one of my favorite ways
to cook chicken, and after you have tried this recipe, I believe that you will really like
smoking chicken too.

Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

4-Chicken Breasts

2-Cups of Margarita Mix (I prefer Mr. and Mrs. T's)

1/2-Cup Vinegar

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1-Tbsp Onion Powder

1-Tbsp Garlic Powder

1-Tbsp Cajun Seasoning

Lemon Pepper

Option for a kicked up version: Add one shot of Tequila

Recipe:

1. Trim chicken breasts to remove fat

2. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound the each chicken breast until they
are about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.

3. Mix all ingredients into a bowl just big enough to hold the chicken breasts while
they are completely covered in the marinade.

4. Add chicken breasts, and refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour. The longer they stay in
the marinade, the more Tequila lime taste they will have.

5. Season both sides of the chicken with Lemon Pepper before grilling.

6. Grill over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes per side. Times may vary
depending on heat, just make sure that the meat is white throughout the breast,
and the juices run clear.

This is a great recipe for chicken fajitas.

Here is my recipe for Cajun smoked, beer-can chicken.

Injection Ingredients:

1. A 3 or 4 pound chicken

2. 1/2 cup melted butter (room temperature)

3. 2 tablespoons of Tony Chachere's seasoning (more for a spicier chicken)

4. 1-teaspoon garlic powder

5. 1/2 cup vinegar

Rub Ingredients:

1. Olive oil

2. Tony Chachere's seasoning.

Mop Ingredients:

1. Apple Cider

2. A Spray Bottle

Other:

1. A beer of your choice (1/2 full)

2. 3 cloves of garlic

3. About 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic

Directions:

1. Whisk all injection ingredients together.

2. Using a kitchen syringe, inject the liquid into various spots on the chicken. Try to
be even as possible, injecting about 1/2 of the mixture into the breasts, and the
other 1/2 throughout the rest of the chicken.

3. Rub the chicken down with olive oil, and apply an even layer of Tony's to the bird.

4. Drink half of the beer, widen the opening at the top of the can, then put the garlic
and onion in the can.

5. Place the bird on the can. It should sit up by itself.

6. Preheat your smoker to about 250 F degrees. I use hickory for chicken, charcoal
works well too.

7. Put the chicken on the smoker and spray the chicken with the apple cider about
every 30 minutes.

8. Smoke the chicken for 3-4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest
meat reaches 180 F Degrees.

I hope you enjoy both recipes as much as I do. You can find many more at my
website listed below.

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of Outdoor
Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs at
http://www.thesmokerking.com. Check out thesmokerking.com today to learn
many great barbeque and cooking recipes and techniques.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aaron_Ralston
http://EzineArticles.com/?Grilling-and-Smoking-Chicken&id=123189

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The Recipes of Easter

By Dyfed Lloyd Evans

Easter is the most important of the Christian festivals and celebrates the resurrection of Christ, tough many pagan elements have become part of the celebration and these aspects are often celebrated by Christians and non-Crhistians alike. Indeed, the name 'Easter' itself in English derives from Ester, Eastre or Eostre the name of the putative Germanic goddess of the Dawn.

Traditionally on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter Sunday hot cross buns are eaten. Below is a classic recipe for these yeast-based cakes:

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

For the Buns:

2 tsp dried yeast

40g caster sugar

360ml warm milk

750g plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp ground cinnamon

50g butter, melted

2 tbsp olive oi(

1 egg

50g caster sugar

280g sultanas

50g candied peel

For the Crosses:

80g plain flour(80ml water

For the Glaze:

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp gelatine

2 tbsp water

Place the yeast, sugar and milk in a large bowl and set aside for 5 minutes (the mixture should begin to foam). Once the yeast mixture is ready add flour, spices, butter, oil, egg, extra sugar and dried fruit then mix to combine. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes or until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover then set in a warm spot for at least 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Divide into 12 balls of equal size and place these on a greased baking sheet. Cover and put in a warm position until doubled in size.
Pre-heat your oven to 200°C and mix together the flour and water for the crosses. Place in a piping bag and pipe crosses on the buns. Place in an the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch. Meanwhile place the sugar, gelatin and water in a saucepan and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes or until gelatin has dissolved. Brush the still-warm buns with glaze.

For Easter Sunday itself, lamb is the traditional meat for the main meal and below is a recipe for a Greek-inspired version:

Easter Greek Lamb

Ingredients

2.5kg leg of lamb, boned

240ml olive oil

120ml red wine vinegar

2 tbsp garlic, minced

80g finely-chopped parsley

80g finely-chopped dill

4 tbsp dried oregano

black pepper, to taste

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, dill, oregano, and pepper. Butterfly the lamb (ie open out and lay flat) and pepper generously on both sides. Cut some slits in the meat then marinate the lamb for 2 to 24 hours in the vinegar mixture in a fridge. Drain the marinade from the lamb then place in a shallow roasting dish and cook in an oven pre-heated to 220°C for about 45 minutes. Allow the lamb rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

In Devon and Cornwall Saffron Cakes are traditionally served on Easter Sunday. Here is a recipe for a classic saffron cake:

Easter Sunday Saffron Cake

Ingredients

225g margarine or butter

450g plain flour

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/4 tsp saffron strands

175g sultanas

65ml cold water

240g currants

175g sugar

2 eggs

50g mixed candied peel

small amount of milk

pinch of salt

Soak the saffron in salted cold water overnight to extract the maximum flavor.

Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin, making sure greaseproof paper stands above the top of the tin.

Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda and rub in the margarine or butter then mix in the candied peel, currants, sugar and sultanas. Stir in the strained saffron water and beaten eggs, then add enough milk to form a dropping consistency. Beat the batter well and turn into the baking tin. Place in an oven pre-heated to 180° and bake for one and a half to two hours. The cake is ready if a warm skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven at this point and leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This is only a taste of the various foods consumed over the four days of the Easter festival. There is much more to learn about the foods and practices of Easter.

Dyfed Lloyd Evans is the creator of the Celtnet Recipes site with thousands of recipes from all over the world You can find more Easter recipes on this Easter Recipes page. He also runs the Celtnet Articles site where you can add your own recipes and articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dyfed_Lloyd_Evans
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Recipes-of-Easter&id=984677

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Some Irish Recipes to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

By Niall Cinneide

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th, and it is a “day for wearing green” and other Irish traditions. Even though the patron saint St. Patrick was not born in Ireland, everything that is Green (which symbolizes spring and the prospering of the crops), fun and Irish can be worn or used to celebrate this holiday. And it is a holiday for all ages. Here are some entertaining ideas to use on St. Patrick’s Day.

A few drops of green food coloring goes into anything you might want green, even a mug of draft beer. Anything made with Irish cream or Irish whiskey has the Irish spirit, too.

Authentic Corned beef and cabbage

Corned beef brisket, about 4 lbs.

1 juice orange
18-20 whole cloves
1 tsp. whole yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. whole coriander

Put corned beef brisket into large pot for cooking. Take cloves and insert them, then sprinkle remaining spices on. Cover brisket with water, bring to boil, then simmer for 3 hours or until tender.

3 lbs. small potatoes, peeled
2 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 medium head cabbage

About 40 minutes before beef is finished, boil a large pot of water and cook potatoes and carrots. Add cabbage about 10 minutes before you're ready to serve as it doesn't need to cook long. Drain vegetables.

Arrange meat and vegetables on a platter and serve with your favorite mustards.

St. Patrick Day Cookie Pops (for the kids to make)

Box of Vanilla Wafers

Box of Popsicle sticks

Vanilla or chocolate frosting; or Peanut butter

Various decorations – chocolate chips, icing packs, assorted green candies, green sugar sprinkles, ju ju bees, sprinkles, etc.

Spread out ½ of the vanilla wafers, with the flat sides up on the plate. Take the vanilla, chocolate icing, or peanut butter and spread across flat surface. Next, take a Popsicle stick and lay it down with the end in the middle of the cookie. Top with another vanilla wafer to make a sandwich.

Now the kids can get creative! Turn the cookie pop into a green shamrock; apply vanilla icing and draw with green icing pack; make a pot of gold with candies; anything you want! They make a great treat for the kids to take to school!

Easy Hot Whiskey Punch (for the adults) Serves 1

1 measure of whiskey
2 teaspoons white sugar
4-6 cloves
2 slices fresh lemon
7 oz. boiling water

Put whiskey, sugar cloves and lemon slices into a strong glass. 2. Pour on the boiling water until the sugar has dissolved. 3. Sip contentedly by a blazing fire.

Irish Scones

1/2 cup butter
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk

Note: You can add raisins, dates or other dried fruits, if desired.

Makes about 18 scones.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, combine butter and flour until crumbly. Add baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat egg and milk. Mix into dry ingredients to make a dough. Turn onto floured surface and roll to one-inch thickness. With a cookie cutter or the bottom of a drinking glass, cut dough into 2-inch rounds. Place on greased cookie sheet, about one inch apart and bake for 15 minutes.

When serving your Irish creations don’t forget an Irish toast to bless the meal!

Niall Cinneide loves entertainig and celebrating St Patrick's Day. He publishes views, information and news about St Patricks Day at St Patricks Information.

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright http://www.Your-Holiday.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Niall_Cinneide
http://EzineArticles.com/?Some-Irish-Recipes-to-Celebrate-St.-Patricks-Day&id=149493

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WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

Well, I have been taking it for 4 days and the biggest difference is I do not eat as much as before. It curbs my appetite because I take it before lunch and dinner. I noticed that I have more energy than before. So I want to share this information with you so you can decide if you want to try it.

XANGO WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

by Dr. Michael Vincent, N.D.

Mix the following to make your Xango Cocktail:

• 2 ounces of XanGo Juice.
• 2 ounces of Kefir (flavor of choice)
• 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (heat to liquidize)

If you are looking to lose 50 pounds or less, drink this 2x a day. If you are looking to lose more than 50 pounds, take an additional ounce of Xango juice and an additional ounce of Kefir, and take 3x a day.

For breakfast, eat watery fruits such as watermelon, cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, etc.

Drink your Xango Cocktail right before eating a sensible lunch.

Drink your Xango Cocktail right before eating a sensible dinner.

You can actually eat nearly anything you choose and still lose weight when drinking the Xango Cocktail. However, the healthier you eat, and by doing exercise, you will see results faster.

IMPORTANT: You must drink half your weight in ounces of water each and every day. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you would need at least 100 ounces or 12.5 cups of water each day.

IMPORTANT: Weigh yourself in the morning before trying this system. Weigh yourself once a week on the same day and around the same time.

Note: www.kefir.com - to find where you can buy Kefir

GNC - where you can buy the virgin coconut oil

Email me if you want to join me in this journey. Let us share our results, motivate and inspire each other. If you know anyone who has a weight loss story using this cocktail, please ask them to contact me, I would like to interview them.

Good luck,

To purchase Xango go to http://loniver.natureswellnesssecret.com/

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Healthy Smoothie Recipes to Help Curb Your Sweet Tooth

By J. Spann

I confess. I am a confirmed smoothie junkie. What's more, I am actually proud of it.

When I began experimenting with truly healthy smoothie recipes a few years ago, I noticed that
my near obsessive desire for sweets began to subside. And my energy level began to soar.

Now, I actually prefer the taste of a freshly-made smoothie to that of a sugar-filled milkshake or malt any day. The key to curbing those refined sugar cravings is to feed your body an abundance of vitamins and minerals, along with several servings of naturally sweet foods daily.

Yes, kicking the sugar habit will take commitment. And a little work. But it's definitely doable.
Here are a few healthy smoothie recipes to help you get started:

GINGER TROPICAL SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 banana

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root; peeled

1/2 cup crushed ice

Add all ingredients to blender and process until smooth.
Serves 1

Ginger is a powerful root that helps to soothe the stomach. I have used it myself many times to help keep nausea at bay. Some experts also claim that ginger can help to ease the symptoms of arthritis.

HAWAIIAN SMOOTHIE

1 cup cubed peeled pineapple

2 cups cubed ripe mango; peeled

1 ripe banana peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp. extra-virgin coconut oil

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Serves 2

Bananas are very high in plant protein. They are a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2 and niacin. Yogurt is a calcium-rich food that boosts the digestive system.

MELON MADNESS SMOOTHIE

2 cups seeded and chopped watermelon

1 1/2 cups seeded and chopped honeydew melon

1 1/2 cups ripe papaya

1 cup guava nectar

1 cup ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses.

Makes 2 - 3 servings

Watermelon is rich in provitamin A, potassium and zinc, which some experts say helps combat impotence. Papayas are a good source of both beta carotene and vitamin C.

Want more healthy smoothie recipes? Visit http://www.anti-aging-nutrition-and-fitness.com/healthy-smoothie-recipes.html today.

For information on how natural foods nutrition can help you to achieve your fitness goals visit http://www.anti-aging-nutrition-and-fitness.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Spann
http://EzineArticles.com/?Healthy-Smoothie-Recipes-to-Help-Curb-Your-Sweet-Tooth&id=892424

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