Longhorn Beef: Delicious

My wife purchased some Longhorn beef from a friend of hers at work. We received some ground beef and we cooked some Longhorn burgers this evening.
The preparation was very easy for the burgers. A little onion powder, a little garlic powder, some worchestershire sauce, a little salt and some fresh pepper. Each patty weighed in at about 1/2 pound. In short, they were very generous in size. The other thing I noticed was how lean the beef was.
I heated the grill to about 425 degrees and oiled it so that the burgers wouldn't stick. I placed the burgers on the grill and seared both sides. As a reminder, do not press down on the burgers with your spatula.
As for the temperature, I would recommend that you cook until the burger is medium rare. Since we knew the source of the beef and the butcher, cooking it to medium rare is just fine and the burger are perfect and juicy.
For more information on the dietary benefits of Longhorn beef, click here.

Review: Happy Dragon Chinese Bistro in Round Rock, Texas

I have eaten twice at the Happy Dragon Chinese Bistro on Louis Henna and have enjoyed each meal. The lunch specials are very well priced and the quantity and quality of the food is great. For an inexpensive meal, you can't go wrong.
The one thing that I enjoy is the spice of the meal. The cook in the kitchen isn't afraid to make things spicy. In short, he has hot spices and isn't afraid to use them. My friend, Kim Pierson, introduced me to the place and I have enjoyed my meals there.
The wait staff is very friendly and very attentive to the needs of the patrons. That's refreshing. My tea glass didn't get to empty. Nothing upsets me more than an empty glass at a restaurant.
I had the Mongolian Beef today and the Kung Pao the time before. Both spicy. Just the way I like it! The meal was served quickly.
The lunch specials include egg roll, soup, and rice. Not bad at all.
The only things that annoyed me was the music. I didn't care for the choice or volume of the music. Oh, well. I guess when you get older, your taste in music changes to softer and slower.
So, if you are looking for an inexpensive place to eat that is fast and has good Chinese food, I would head to the Happy Dragon Chinese Bistro.

Review: Bush's Fried Chicken

In Cedar Park, we had a Bush's Fried Chicken pop up on 1431 near the Wal-Mart. The chicken is very juicy, but lacks favor. The batter isn't seasoned. So, if you are looking for a basic fried chicken, it is ok. The pieces are fairly large and can easily satisfy a big appetite.
I don't recommend ordering the livers or gizzards. They are over-battered and fried too long. So, they are very dry. Thank goodness for the gravy. If you had to eat them without it, you would choking them down.
The unsweetened tea is good, but nothing to write home about.
In Cedar Park, there is a Popeye's and Bush's, I prefer Bush's over Popeye's. I do like the spicy chicken, but the size of the pieces are seem to be getting smaller. I have noticed the same about Church's. Additionally, there is KFC (I have always preferred the name Kentucky Fried Chicken) and a Golden Chick near us. If I had to make a choice on chicken, I would pick Golden Chick.
The chicken at Golden Chick is alway fresh and the pieces are fairly large.
What drives me to Golden Chick or Bush's is the fried okra. I can't pass up fried okra.
So, if I had to give Bush's a rating, it would be average. Not bad. Not great. Just an average chicken place.

Hayashi Sushi & Grill: Hip Sushi Restaurant

My wife, daughter and I visited a new sushi and grill in Cedar Park, Texas called Hayashi Sushi & Grill this past Sunday. The restaurant is located near the Cinemark Theatre on 1431. When we first arrived, we were greeted by the friendly staff. When we first entered when noticed that the decor is more modern and would be suited for more of hip type clientele. I would define it as Japanese nouveau with the cuisine to match. We were seated in the back of the restaurant at more traditional tables. The ones located near the front are bar stools and tables. We were told that there is a lounge that there are live music events. If you are looking for an Asian fusion type of place, I would recommend this place for the atmosphere. An older crowd would find it a bit uneasy. The furniture looks like it came from Ikea.

We ordered from the menu. My wife ordered the salmon. My daughter ordered the shrimp. I was a little more adventurous and ordered the sushi and sashimi meal. Our waiter was very friendly and took his time to introduce us to the menu. He explained that he was a customer when he visited the restaurant. Because of the atmosphere and food, he decided he wanted to work there.

For the price, the portion sizes were ok. Quality of the ingredients scores high on my meter. The sushi was very fresh. The cuts of the portions were a little poor, but not bad. My wife liked her salmon which was prepared very well. Not dry. My daughter loved the shrimp. I would say, overall, that the visit was pleasing to the palate and not too bad on the wallet.

I understand that there is one located in Georgetown. From the pictures that I have seen of the decor, it looks more traditional and less hip which would be more in line with my tastes. I will give it a try later on. Stay tuned to my blog for the review.

For your convenience, I have added the link to their website. Click here.

Momiji Hibachi & Sushi: A Hidden Treasure

I highly recommend Momiji Hibachi & Sushi for a couple of reasons. The first is the service. The staff is very knowledgeable of the menu and the food choices. My wife and I were greeted warmly and in a very friendly manner. The cashier asked if it was our first time there. When we answered that it was, he took the opportunity to explain the menu and make suggestions. For example, he discussed the hibachi section and provided us with options. After we had placed our food order, the wait staff brought out our food quickly and explained the different sauces to us. The great thing is that you can actual watch the chef prepare your meal. If I had remembered to bring my Flip camcorder, I would have filmed it. The ingredients were very fresh. The beef was very lean. We had order the steamed rice with our meal and it was perfectly cooked. The vegetables were done perfectly. Cooked, but still retained the crispness. We had the Miso soup and it was delicious and served piping hot. We also had the Gyoza (Pan-Fried Dumplings). Delicious as well. Full of meat and balanced perfectly with spices. There are a few things that may cause a person to rethink the visit. The first is the ordering process. There is an ordering counter. So, if you are expecting to order at the table, you will be waiting for a while. There is a TV there and the music is a little loud. It does remind you of a fast food place. I think that if they changed it a bit, it would be great. When I have lunch, I like watching the news and listening to music. At night, I would suggest turning off the TV and using softer music. Just a suggestion. Aside from that, my wife and I will be returning for the sushi. Check out their website for the menu. You find it is very complete and has a great selection. We walked by the sushi case and saw that the seafood was very fresh and were quality cuts. Try the Mango Ice Cream for dessert. It is wonderful and is a great finish to an excellent meal.
Pros: Quality ingredients, friendly staff, great menu choices
Cons: Ambiance (choice of music and volume)

Church Potluck on 9/14

When I have time to cook, I do enjoy it. As I begin my preparation for the church potluck, I think about all of the times I have prepared meals. To me, it is a wonderful moment in the kitchen. The reward is seeing the smiling faces when they enjoy a great meal.
I will be preparing the following items for the potluck. As my salad course, I will be preparing an Oriental cole slaw and a fresh fruit salad. My main course will be a chilled shrimp salad and a Chinese Chicken Chop Chop salad. As my sides, I will prepare a chilled sauteed green bean salad oriental style and a macaroni salad. For my dessert course, I will preparing a fruit cocktail cake.
I will be adding the recipes shortly. I just need to get back to the kitchen to continue my preparation for tomorrow's cooking.

Omaha Steaks!

When I want to impress my guests, I order the best meat and seafood from a premier source. You can't go wrong with Omaha Steaks. I have cooked pork chops, steaks, seafood and a host of other items that they offer. Each time, my guests say the same thing.

OH MAN! What a meal!

I have created a web page of some of my favorites at some great prices.

Click here for the best steaks, seafood and meats around.

Cooking Salmon Saturday Night!

My wife loves salmon. So, when I find it on sale, it is a special night for cooking. Salmon is a fatty fish and stands up very well on the grill. When I say fatty, I'm talking about the good fat, the omega-3 fatty acid.
There are a number of ways to cook salmon on the grill. There is direct grilling. When I do that, I leave the skin on so I can easily flip it. Another method is plank cooking. I enjoy that if I want to add a smoky taste to the salmon. I use cedar planks especially created for this. Don't buy just any cedar for this. If you go to a home improvement store, you will find cedar, but it has been treated for outdoor use. DO NOT BUY IT! It is not for cooking. Another favorite method of cooking is pouch cooking. It is a very good method for cooking salmon and it guarantees a moist salmon.
When you grill salmon, I recommend having the salmon cut into steaks. Alton Brown, one of my absolute favorite chefs, has an episode of "Good Eats" which shows you exactly how to make a salmon steak. I have included a link to the video for your convenience. The actual segment is about 5 minutes into the video. Click here for the link. Once you get your grill up to temperature and oil the grates, you are ready.
As for cooking a fillet, I recommend flesh side down first to give your salmon great grill marks and then flip over to the skin. Yes, I said, "Skin." I recommend that you leave the skin on the fish for a couple of reasons. The first is that most of the omega-3 fatty acids are near the skin. In fact, it is in the layer between the skin and the fleshy part of the fish. The second is when you cook fillets with the skin with the flesh side down first, when you flip the fillet, you are now cooking the oil into the meat. That's right. The fat is begin pushed up into the meat due to the heat. The third reason is that the skin keeps everything intact. You don't want your salmon falling apart.
What about seasoning? I am a purist when it comes to seasoning. A little salt, pepper, maybe some dill. My wife likes her salmon with lemon pepper. That's why I buy a whole fillet. I cut it to sizes for my wife and myself.
Safety tip. Before you cook, check for bones. Small bones called pin bones are sometimes messed. Just use a small pair of CLEAN needle nose pliers or a hemostat (you can buy them at tackle stores and most culinary stores). Pull them out and you are done.
As for sides, I prefer to saute some green beans in REAL butter with garlic and server with grilled new potatoes.
As I always say, no matter how, what or when you cook, it's all good.

Lunch with a Friend at the Saltgrass

A friend of mine and I had lunch yesterday at the Saltgrass in Round Rock, Texas. She had the salmon and I had the chopped sirloin steak cooked to medium rare. It was very tasty. The chop was made from Certified Angus Beef® fresh ground steak and topped with sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions & a Cognac Pepper Sauce.
It was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. As my side, I picked the garlic mashed potatoes.

Subscribing to My Blog

You can now subscribe to my blog via RSS. The subscription box is located on the left side of my blog. As I update my site, you will notified of new items added.

Food and Flame Web Store Now Open!

I opened up a web store so that I can highlight cooking products. I'll be adding more products over the coming months. Drop into the store and poke around. You can find the link in my favorites section of my blog or you can click here.
Take care and happy grilling. Remember, simply because the summer is coming to an end doesn't mean you stop grilling, smoking, BBQing or cooking. As long as you are doing what you love, it is all good.

Grillin' Chicken!

I got a great deal on Tyson boneless, skinless chicken breasts at Walmart. Normally, I don't like to buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts due to the expense. I tend to buy whole chickens and cut them up myself or frozen chicken breasts. I can save a lot of money that way. However, when meat goes on sale, you can bet I will take advantage of it.
Well, I decided that I needed to grill some chicken. As I had mentioned before, I like to cook for the week. So, I grilled 9 chicken breasts that can be eaten over a period of a couple of days.
When the chicken breasts are already ready to grill, preparation is reduced to just a quick marinade or dry rub. I use fajita seasoning and it does a great job.
Simply rub the chicken breasts with some vegetable oil and then sprinkle on some fajita seasoning. Set your grill to medium heat and make sure the grill grates are clean. Wait about 15 minutes so that temperature is about 400-450 degrees F. Once there you are ready to grill.
There are a couple of points.

1. Chicken is very lean so you need to cook with oil. It allows the heat to transfer into the meat quickly. Also, without fat, the meat will stick to the grate. If you are watching your fat intake, you can oil up the grate prior to cooking.


2. Let the meat cook for a about 4-5 minutes per side. This will let the meat cook and sear properly. So, when you flip it, you won't be scraping the chicken breasts off the grate and ripping them apart.


3. Remember, chicken breasts need to reach 170 degrees F or until the juices run clear. Very important.


4. Watch the meat. Don't start talking and forget about the meat. Chicken breasts will dry up very quickly.

If you follow these steps, you can enjoy a delicious, moist chicken breast. If you want a juicier and more favorful chicken breast, you can use a brine and it will increase favor. It is all in the planning.

Pork, the Other White Meat

One of the biggest things that people say about pork is that it is dry. In the past, most people cooked the living daylights out of a pork chop or use breadcrumbs. But, if you know what you are doing, then grilling a delicious pork chop is easy.

I look for thick pork chops. Cooking thin pork chops requires you to watch them very closely. The pork chop pictured here is about 1 inch thick. It also has its bone in. By keeping the bone in the chop, it stays moist. As for temperature, I take my chops to about 150 degrees F and use carryover heat to take it to its final temperature of a 160 degrees F. If you overcook, the chop will be dry and tough. Because of modern feeding practices, trichinosis is a no longer a concern. Although trichina is virtually nonexistent in pork, if it were present, it would be killed at 137 degrees F. That is well below the recommended end cooking temperature for pork, which is 160 degrees F. Many outdated cookbooks, commonly found in the home, were written many years ago, when trichinosis was a concern, and will instruct, even warn that pork must be cooked until there is absolutely no pink in the meat (to an internal temperature of 170 degrees to 185 degrees!); or as one popular cookbook put it, “The meat must be white or grayish throughout, without a trace of pink, even in the very center of a large roast.” This is not at all necessary today. Nor is it good.

Seasoning is simple. Salt, pepper and vegetable oil are the only things you need. Yes, simple and easy. Everyone loves them.