One of America's Favorites - New England Boiled Dinner

New England boiled dinner is the basis of a traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef or a smoked "picnic ham" shoulder, with cabbage and added vegetable items, often including potato, rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, white turnip, and onion. With a beef roast, this meal is often known simply as corned beef and cabbage. A similar Newfoundland dish is called a Jiggs dinner.

New England boiled dinner is a traditional meal on St. Patrick's Day. Ireland produced a significant

New England Boiled Dinner

amount of the corned beef in the Atlantic trade from local cattle and salt imported from the Iberian Peninsula and southwestern France. Coastal cities, such as Dublin, Belfast, and Cork, created vast beef curing and packing industries, with Cork producing half of Ireland's annual beef exports in 1668. Most of the people of Ireland during this period consumed little of the meat produced, in either fresh or salted form, due to its prohibitive cost. In the colonies the product was looked upon with disdain due to its association with poverty and slavery.

Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish-American immigrants in the late 19th century. Corned beef and cabbage is the Irish-American variant of the original Irish dish of bacon and cabbage.

A "picnic ham" shoulder consists of the cured and smoked primal pork shoulder, which is cut from the lower portion of a hog's foreleg still containing the arm and shank bones. The meat is then boiled with root vegetables for several hours or until it is tender. The resulting meat does not taste similar to a traditional ham.

Corned beef is prepared before the actual cooking of the meal by seasoning a cut of beef with salt (large grains of salt were known as corns) and spices and the natural meat juices. This meat is then placed whole, like a rump or pot roast into a crock pot, which in olden times was a ceramic pot over a fire, filled with cabbage and carrots, and, when available, red potatoes. However, after Luther Burbank's alteration of potatoes, the potatoes were chopped when placed in the pot. Rutabaga or turnips are also common ingredients. This meal can be left in a crock pot all day but must be kept in the naturally humid environment of cooking meat. Corned beef and cabbage is often served as a whole meal.

Smoked shoulder is an exceptionally salty cut of meat. Two different methods of preparation are commonly used to decrease the amount of salt in the meat. In the first method, the meat is placed in a pot and soaked in a refrigerated cold water bath for one day prior to cooking. During the soak, the water is changed several times. The pot of meat and water is then boiled on the stovetop until the meat is tender. In the second method, the meat is placed in cold water and brought to a boil. The boiling water is then poured off, replaced with fresh cold water, and the ham is brought to a boil again. This process can be repeated several times, as deemed appropriate by the chef, before the meat is allowed to cook. A combination of both methods is also acceptable. This is a very easy meal to cook, as the salt and flavor of the meat require no additional seasonings. The ham generally must boil for several hours until it is ready to eat. The vegetables are placed in the pot and boiled with the meat; however, some chefs prefer to place them in the ham's water after the meat has been removed to avoid overcooking.

Common condiments include horseradish, mustard, and cider vinegar.

Fried Crappie w/ Baked Potato, Green Beans, and Whole Grain Bread

Today's Menu: Fried Crappie w/ Baked Potato, Green Beans, and Whole Grain Bread



I just got my yearly supply of Lake Okeechobee Crappie, or as they call them there Specks, and the first

bags last week and just couldn't wait no longer to break that second bag out! So easy to fry up and so delicious. Dinner tonight; Fried Crappie w/ Red Potatoes, green Beans, and Whole Grain Bread.




I  seasoned them with Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper. I then rolled each fillet in Italian Bread Crumbs. I lightly fried them in Canola Oil about 3 minutes per side, golden brown. the taste of Crappie is just incredible! I could eat these at every meal. To go with the Crappie I had a Baked Potato that I seasoned with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn and topped with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Del Monte Cut Green Beans and Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Bread. For dessert a bowl of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Del Monte No Sugar Added Sliced Peaches.

Surf (Scallops) and Turf ( 5oz Buffalo Sirloin) w/ Sauteed Mushrooms, Baked Potato...

Today's Menu: Surf (Scallops) and Turf (5 oz Buffalo Sirloin) w/ Sauteed Mushrooms, Baked Potato, and baked Garlic Knot Bread

I had no clue on what to have for dinner tonight, even considered going out for dinner. When I get those urges I just go on line and to the restaurants web site and look at all the calories, carbs, and fat that's in their food and that pretty much squashes that urge to eat out! So I hit some current cooking magazines I had and came across a Scallop dish that looked and sounded too good to pass, Basil - Lime Scallops. With the Scallops I added a Wild Idea Petite 5 oz. Buffalo Sirloin. I had tonight's dinner, Surf (Scallops) and Turf (5 oz Buffalo Sirloin) w/ Sauteed Mushrooms, Baked Potato, and baked Garlic Knot Bread! After eating I'm very glad I stayed home and cooked instead of going out!



To make the Basil - Lime Scallops you'll need; 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Basil, 1 Teaspoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce, 1 Teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Clove Garlic, minced, 1/8 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, and 8 Jumbo Sea Scallops. I had purchased the Scallops last week at Kroger and had them in the freezer. To prepare them start off by whisking Basil, Lime Juice, Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes in a shallow bowl until smooth and well blended. Add Scallops; turn to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Cook Scallops 3 minutes per side or until desired doneness is reached. There are 2 Scallops a serving. You can Garnish with Lime Wedges (Optional). If you need an easy and delicious Scallop recipe you have one here! The marinade is perfect for Scallops, i think it might go good with Shrimp also. There are 92 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 5 carbs per serving, 2 Scallops. The recipe is at the end of the post.



To go along with the Scallops I had a Wild Idea  Buffalo 5 oz. Petite Sirloin Steak, Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms, a Baked Potato, and baked Garlic Knot Bread. As always, as of late, I used a Wild Idea Buffalo as my choice of Bison Steak. I used a 5 oz. Petite Buffalo Sirloin that I seasoned with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn. I pan fried it in Canola Oil, about 4 minutes per side to medium rare. As usual the Buffalo came out sweet, juicy, and just flat out delicious! Thank you Wild Idea! I topped it with some Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms. I also had a Baked Potato and Baked Garlic Knot Bread which is from the Walmart Bakery. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Chocolate Swirl Frozen Yogurt.


 


Basil - Lime Scallops


Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Basil
1 Teaspoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/8 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
8 Jumbo Sea Scallops


Directions:


1. Whisk Basil, Lime Juice, Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes in a shallow bowl until smooth and well blended. Add Scallops; turn to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minute.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Cook Scallops 3 minutes per side or until desired doneness is reached.

3. 2 Scallops a serving. Garnish with Lime Wedges (Optional).

Grilled Bison Sirloin & Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Baked Potato, Boiled Carrots and...

Dinner Tonight: Grilled Bison Sirloin & Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Baked Potato, Boiled Mini Carrots, and Whole Grain Bread




Beautiful outside today so I fired the grill up! I grilled a Bison Sirloin. As I've said in past posts when preparing Bison you have to keep a close eye on it as it gets done really quick. I grilled each side 4 minutes and it came out a perfect medium rare, tender and juicy! I topped it with some Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms that I seasoned with Sea Salt, Ground Smoked Cumin, and Parsley. For side dishes I had a Baked Potato, Boiled Mini Carrots, and Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. Later for dessert a bowl of Breyer's carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream topped with some warmed Cinnamon Apple Slices.