Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Grilled Whole Chicken

This Honey Orange Smoked Roasted Chicken Recipe is one of my personal favorites. It has everything I love, sweet, salty, savory, and smoked.

I made a simple honey butter infusion with Grand Marnier, and infused it underneath the skin with a steam. That way, while the chicken is roasting on the grill and  buttery orange flavor steaming the inside while smoke chips are crisping the skin with outstanding flavor!


The thing I  usually hate about cooking poultry is that the inside often gets dry......

 I found a Turbo Roaster on the clearance rack 70 % off and decided to give it a try. This is a unique device that cuts down on cooking time:  I can roast a chicken or cook a turkey in half the time. Plus, the birds are really tender and delicious which I love!The skin gets dark, even brittle in some places, locking in the juicy goodness....



I roasted the chicken in my 9 by 13 pan with a grated top. Then I added water to the pan to steam .This way it can go from the grill to the stove top for quick gravy making. The Turbo Roaster consists of a small jar with an attached metal tube.  I filled the jar with chicken broth 2 T. butter, 1/2 cup Grand Marnier, and 1 tsp. honey. Then  inserted the tube end into the stuffing in the bird . The heat from the grill causes the liquid to continuously steam the inside of your chicken or turkey, such that the bird cooks both from the inside and out.
This reduces your cooking time while insuring that the meat stays tender and moist. You can cook a chicken in about 45 minutes. . .a 24 pound turkey takes only 2 hours!
 



The combination of the succulent smoked steamed chicken , smothered in sweet buttery gravy with a hint of orange , tastes like a cherished childhood memory. I could eat this every week and never get tired of it.



Now off to steam some fresh sweet corn...




Saturday, July 12, 2014

Wax dipped Flowers

With all of my beautiful roses blooming, I wanted to find a way of preserving them for Christmas tree decorating this year. I know you are suppose to use parraffin wax, but I only had soy wax on hand.

Who wouldn't want to preserve this beauty in time for never ending enjoyment.....
I used a small mini crock pot on low, you can also use a double boiler. Just make sure the wax does not exceed  150 degrees or you will cook your flowers. And this is the only time double dipping is encouraged!!!

 




The only flower I found does not work is the hydrangea..it turned brown,
Please keep in mind you can use any candle wax(old half burned pillars and votives), those scentsy wax things that lose their scent, or any paraffin from the hardware store, it's all good.Have fun, experiment!