A Fat Daddy

Hardware review.....

2010-03-29T18:50:00.002-05:00

OK, time for a "hardware" review...

Since I moved out of my parent's house almost 20 years ago I've been burning through gas grills (pun intended) about every 2 to 3 years. I have to admit that many of these died young because of their price point. They were what I call, Holiday Grills. They're used for the SuperBowl, the 4th of July and Memorial Day, give or take a holiday. And, if they're used as such, and properly cleaned, maintained and stored they will last a decent amount if time. But, for the past 10 years, at least, I've been purchasing higher end models -- the most recent was even dubbed "commercial". I refer to this level as Summer Grills -- they're used frequently all summer long and not so much past the Fall. And yet, I still found myself watching these units crumble long before they really should. So, what's the problem? IMO -- much like my take on Crock Pots -- they're not meant to be used daily. Or weekly , for that matter. Well folks, I grill, on average, about 3 times a week. Easy. And I think that the repeated and long term heating literally destroys them. That and the humidity (I've lived in FL and TX with a 2 year stop in meatchikin). And frankly, that kills me. A grill can't stand the heat? Really? Yes. Really. Sad, but true.

Well, anyway my most recent "commercial" unit died right before Christmas. I didn't run right out and and replace it, Instead I just used my trusty Weber Kettle (coal) until I could find the right gas grill for me (a heavy user -- both in # of uses and body weight....). I talked with my dad about it because as a kid, I remember having a kick ass in-ground number that lasted what seemed like forever -- or at least util my dad lost his grilling touch and I took over. He couldn't remember the name but he said that the home builder was offering steep discounts on them through some sort of partnership. He said the grill "bowl" (which is what completely disintegrated on my last grill) was made of cast aluminum. So I started my search there and think I located the manfacturer....

Modern Home Products

After tons of research I felt that this was probably THE BEST gas grill in my price range not including building my own out of brick, which I STRONGLY considered.

In mid-January I took delivery of this model:

"Our Most Popular Model".
642 square inches of total cooking area • 40,000 BTU rated per-hour input
5/16" 2-piece stainless steel cooking grid • Stainless steel swing-away warming rack
High profile lid to handle all rotisserie functions, accommodating large cuts of meats and big Tom turkeys

It's mounted on a post in the ground, natural gas and included their SearMagic grates.

These grates kick ass as you can use one side for traditional grilling and easily obtain those fancy grill marks everyone likes to see. Or, you can flip them over for a more skillet type surface -- good for shrimp, veggies, fish, etc.

So far I am UBER impressed. Everything I cook is coming out better (taking into consideration recipe changes). And I love the fact that it has those "briquettes" under the grates. These make a HUGE difference IMO as they deflect and disperse the heat, prevent flare ups AND kick back some awesome grill smoke (less than coal but more than most gas grills). Couple this with the fact that almost the entire grill is covered under a LIFETIME WARRANTY and I challenge someone to find a better gas grill for the price. Seriously.

I give this grill a huge thumb up!

Quote of the Day

2009-09-21T07:17:00.001-05:00

"Health food makes me sick."

-- Calvin Trillin

Grilled "Mojo" Chicken (shorcut method)

2009-09-20T20:41:00.015-05:00

Grilled "Mojo" Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Beans

-SHORT CUT METHOD-

This is, by my wife's own admission, one of her favorite dishes.

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts (boneless skinless or split breasts -- your choice)
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Kosher Salt
Onion Powder
Goya Criollo
Mahatma Yellow Rice (mix)
Goya Black Bean Soup

This is an excellent meal when you want to eat healthy but are limited on time.

Place the chicken breasts in your Tupperware Marinade container. What, you still don't have one?! Oy vey! GO GET ONE....I'll wait.

Ok....now, pour just enough Mojo Criollo in the container to come half way up the side of the chicken. If you're using skin on split breasts, place them skin side down/bone side up.

Cover and place in fridge for no more than 2-4 hours. This stuff, IMO, is strong and works fast.

When ready to cook, heat your grill to medium-high. I left mine for about 20 minutes on medium-high and the thermometer read 450. So I am guessing the grates for 650 or so.

Before placing the chicken on the grill dust one side ("smooth side" for boneless, skin side for split breasts) lightly the onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper).

Place chicken on grill skin side down for split breasts and "smooth" side down for boneless breasts.

Close the lid and walk away. No peeking...besides, you have rice and beans to get ready.

Warm the Goya Black Bean soup on the lowest setting to avoid scorching it. (heating in microwave is OK but usually results in splatter and uneven warming)

Follow the directions on the rice. Use the half-way point (1o minutes) as your queue to flip the chicken. If you're following directions you haven't peaked yet.

When the rice is done remove from heat and place aside to rest for about 5 minutes or so. Use this time to go remove the chicken from the grill and place on a serving platter.

Serve with tortillas/bollios/Cuban Bread and a green salad.

Note -- if you're cooking bone in split breasts you're cooking time may be longer than 20 minutes, adjust accordingly -- maybe start the rice 5 or 10 minutes after your chicken has been on the grill.

PRODUCT IMAGES:

Quote of the day

2009-09-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

"If God had intended us to follow recipes, He wouldn’t have given us grandmothers."

-- Linda Henley

Daddy was out sick ya'll

2009-09-13T22:32:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone...I was sick last week (no it wasn't anything I ate -- LOL!).

I am feeling better now though and should be back in business.

Sorry for not posting any last week!

Check back this week though.

Later,

J

Quote of the Day

2009-09-08T07:34:00.000-05:00

"I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food."

-- Erma Bombeck

Quote of the Day

2009-09-06T08:02:00.001-05:00

"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat."

-- Uknown

Quote of the Day

2009-09-05T08:03:00.002-05:00

"It isn't so much what's on the table that matters, as what's on the chairs."

-- W. S. Gilbert

PS -- For what it's worth, this quote is one of my favorites. It's what I believe.

Quote of the Day

2009-09-04T15:40:00.000-05:00

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world"

-- J. R. R. Tolkien

Quote of the Day

2009-09-03T07:37:00.000-05:00

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients."

-- Julia Child

Quote of the Day

2009-09-02T12:14:00.000-05:00

"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four; unless there are three other people. "

-- Orson Welles

Quote of the Day

2009-09-01T14:45:00.001-05:00

"The two biggest sellers in bookstores are the cookbooks and the diet books. The cookbooks tell you how to prepare the food and the diet books tell you how not to eat any of it."

-- Andy Rooney

Italian Chicken and Brown Rice

2009-08-31T20:16:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick post about a family favorite. This meal is delicious and simple. Your family will love it, I promise. (PS -- THANKS MOM! I LOVE YOU!)

I'm sure you've probably had Baked Italian Chicken before and you might even have your own recipe, but this a good one too. Try it.

Ingredients
Chicken Breasts (we use boneless skinless but in all honesty the bone in breasts ARE tastier)
FRESH Garlic
Butter
Italian Bread Crumbs
Grated Parmesean Cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 (355 or 360 if you will also be making the rice in the same oven)
2. Use a meat mallet to slightly tenderize the chicken. You don't want them paper thin here. What you're really looking for is uniform thickness.
3. Mince a couple of cloves (or more to your taste/liking) of fresh garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Let the garlice get hot but not "sizzling" or burning.
4. Add a stick of butter to the pan and leave over medium heat for a few minutes after the butter has completely melted. We want the butter to really take in some of the garlic flavor.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and place on a trivet.
6. Setup your breading station with the butter garlic on the left, the bread crumbs in the middle and your roasting pan on the right. (I place my bread crumbs in a pie plate and I use my overn's broiling pan to bake them on; I like that the heat is able to be underneath the chicken too)
7. I eyeball my breading mixture. I pour in enough breadcrumbs to come half way up the pan and then I stir in maybe 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. The cheese is optional and is to taste. I usually have to repeat the step one time in order to cover 3 or 4 pieces --this will depend on the quantity of chicken and the size of your pan.
8. Dip both sides of the chicken in the garlic butter and move to the bread crumbs.
9. Coat both sides of the chicken with the crumb/cheese mixture. I press down firmly on both sides to be sure that the crumbs adhere nicely.
10. Remove the chicken from the crumbs and LIGHTLY shake of excess. LIGHTLY PLEASE.
11. Place chicken on greased roasting pan. The "greasing" is only to aid in cleanup. The chicken shouldn't stick without it. But I strongly suggest it.
12. You should have some garlic butter left. If so, use a spoon to drizzle it on the top of the chicken.

Your chicken should now look similar to this...

13. Place chicken in 350 degree overn and bake for 1 hour.
Here's what it will look like (this is a crappy picture, taken with my Blackberry -- I think I will start using our "REAL" camera...)

(Not your Momma's) "Brown Rice"

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 Cups Uncle Bens converted (not minute) rice. I specify this brand because we've tried numerous varities of "white" rice and from a texture standpoint this one works the best. So please try it this way first and THEN try your favorite brand.

1 can French Onion soup

1 can Beef Consomme soup (DO NOT USE BEEF BROTH!)

3 tablespoons butter

1 small can baby mushrooms drained (OPTIONAL)

Directions

1. Pour the uncooked rice into a glass "loaf pan". ( I say glass because it's what my mom used and so it's what I use. But I guess aluminum would work)

2. Pour the consomme over the rice.

3. Shake the can of French Onion soup -- to distribute the onions -- open and pour over the rice.

4. Slice the butter into 3 single tablespoon and "float" on top of the pan. (If you're adding the mushrooms do so before the butter)

Your pan should look something like this...

5. Place in oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

Voila!
ENJOY!

And until next time...

FAT DADDY OUT!

Quote of the Day

2009-08-31T07:44:00.001-05:00

"I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate."

-- Julia Child

Tortas Las Llardas

2009-08-28T13:30:00.001-05:00

I've been wanting to try Tortas. (What's a Tortas? I think Wikipedia explains it better than I ever could -- so click here. And don't feel dumb, no one in my lunch bunch knew either).

Anyway, I've seen various Tortas "shops" around town and spoken with some friends about them. They all said, they're really good. So, when the lunch bunch ate at Pho' Binh the other day I was reminded that there's a Tortas shop right next door. Tortas Las Llardas to be exact. So on Friday I convinced 6 of my coworkers to join me. Most were a little nervous on the way there. I eased their minds and informed them that if they just couldn't try it they could walk next door to Pho Binh.

Anyway, when we arrived it was at the early part of the lunch hour so it wasn't very busy. However, when 7 gringos walk into a "real" Mexican restaraunt you garner attention from everyone inside. Not knowing what to do we all walked up to the counter. It was like one of those scenes in a movie where they ask for volunteers to step up and everyone but one person takes a step BACK. I was the "last man standing". We're all staring at a menu hanging on the wall, written mostly in Spanish with some English translations underneath. The waitress approached me and asked us to have a seat -- if we were eating it there. We were and so she and another employee helped put 2 tables together for us. She passed around smaller versions of the menu to everyone and mentioned "the special" -- A Tortas, chips and a drink for $5.95. She left us alone to order and we pondered the menu. And we pondered and ponderd and ponderd, In my opinion there were numerous combinations which sounded delicious. It was really hard to decide. So one of my friends as which was the most popular -- The Original.... go figure!

With the exception of 2 people, we all got something different. And while the original sounded delicious, I chose La Iztapalapa (that's a mouthful -- literally AND figuratively). Hey...I am A Fat Daddy -- no need to become A Fatter Daddy..and besides...who wants to eat Frank?! LOL!

After placing our orders she brought our chips and drinks. And I'd say we waited about 15 minutes for the Tortas's to be made. They were all delivered at the same time, hot and fresh. They're served pressed (panini style) on a bolio or small french style loaf with fresh accompaniments. In addition to the ingredient listed on the menu above mine had fresh Haas avacado, shredded lettuce and tomato (which I asked to be left off but it wasn't). The waitress also brough us some pickled jalapeno rings and a thick chipotle sauce. I added some "japs" to mine but not the sauce -- I did taste it though. It was hot, but not too hot. But I found it very smokey.

With the exception of 2 of us I think everyone enjoyed their Tortas. I know I did. I will return and my boss said the same thing. And his boss, who also came, told me it was a pleasant surprise. I would have to agree. And for the price, it really can't be beat.

OVERALL RATING - 4
FOOD QUALITY - 4
FOOD TEMP - 5
DRINK SELECTION - 3
CLEANLINESS - 4
RETURNABILITY - 5
ORDER ACCURACY - 4
TOTAL: $6.44 plus tip

And by the way, on the way to the cars. Someone in the group asked "So what does Tortas Las Llardas mean?" And I replied...well, it means "Sandwiches (tortas) for the fat ass (lard ass)...of course!" HA! Seriously though...what does Llardas mean? Is it a name? If any of you out there now comment, please! Babel Fish comes up empty....

Until next time....Fat Daddy out!

Quote of the day

2009-08-28T09:30:00.000-05:00

"I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead. Not sick, not wounded, dead."

-- Woody Allen.

Steak and Grilled Cheesey Potatoes

2009-08-26T21:00:00.002-05:00

So the other day a guy stopped by the house. He was with Texas Prime Cuts a meat distributor. He was trying to start a route in our area. I would compare them, at least on the surface with Omaha steaks. Because he informed me that the meat was guaranteed for a year and that they would refund the money or replace any item which we felt was not up to standard (tough, dry, poor taste, etc) and becasue the price seemed right, $159.00, I went ahead ang bought the steak variety pack. It contained:

6-8 oz. Center Cut Rib Eye
9-5 oz. Bacon-Wrapped Tenderloin
8-6 oz. New York Strip
18-5.3 oz. Chop Sirloin
10-4.5 oz. Filets with Pepper
4-14 oz. Kansas City Strip

So, tonight we tried the Kansas City Strips, with grilled cheesey potatoes and green peas.

For the steaks I marinated them in worcestershire sauce and Uncle Chris's gourmet steak seasoning (my personal favorite for grilled beef). I started them on a blazing hot grill and turned the heat down to medium high when I placed them on the grill. Close the lid and don't peak for 7 and a half minutes. After the first 7 and a half minutes open the lid and turn the steaks 45 degrees, but leaving them on the same side -- this will create nice "grill marks". Hey, we eat with our eyes too. Cook another 7 and half minutes and then flip the steaks over and turn the grill to low. Leave on the grill for at least 10 minutes (I leave my wife's on for 15 -- well done -- and I move mine to the warming rack because I like mine with just a little pink inside.) Remove from the grill and place on your plate "pretty side" up.

The steaks were delicious. Tender, juicy and really great beef flavor. My wife and daughters shared one and both of the little ones ended up asking for me. And as good as it was Fat Daddy shared ya'll!

But the hit of the night were the grilled cheesey potatoes (recipe follows). Even though I didn't have the green pepper and onion, EVERYONE wanted more! We'll just have to wait until next time! Which I am guessing won't be long. :-)

Grilled Cheesey Potatoes

Ingredients

Idaho potatoes (any size). Get enough for about a half a potato per person
Bell Pepper (any color -- sliced thin)
Yellow Onion (sliced thin)
Heavy Duty foil
Butter (cut into small pads)
Seasoned Salt
Onion powder
Black Pepper
Spray Oil
Your Favorite Shredded Cheese

Directions

Slice the potatoes into uniform rounds (just a lil thicker than potato chips) . I use a mandolin slicer and I suggest that you all get one. They're especially handy (and fast) when uniform slices are required for cooking time. Place a large piece of heavy duty foil (please use heavy duty when grilling -- it won't fall apart on you) on your counter and place place several tablespoons of butter in the center leaving at least of couple of inches clearance all the way around the foil. Place the bell pepper and onion on top of the butter and the potatoes on top of the onions and peppers maintaining the empty space around the foil -- it's ok if they overlap. Dust lightly with the pepper, garlic, seasoned salt and onion powder. Spray the "empty edge of the foil with "spray oil". (I know, you're all thinking PAM. But I use a resusable aerosol pump. It's "green", cheaper and let's me decide what kind of oil to use.). Fold the edges of the foil up and crimp to seal. Fold the ends up and seal. Your technique isn't critical here, but you want to avoid multiple layers of foil as this will increase cooking time. Place on a hot grill, butter side down. Close lid and cook for about 10 or 15 minutes on medium to medium hight heat. Flip over carefully. Cook on bottom rack for 10 more minutes. Then move to your grill's warming rack, flipping one more time. Cook them here for 10 more minutes. Remove from grill carefully. Once back in the kitchen carefully open the foil and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top. Loosely close the foil so the heat and steam can melt the cheese. It should only take a few minutes...during this time you can set the table and open your beeer! Enjoy!

Quote of the Day

2009-08-22T08:27:00.002-05:00

HAM AND EGGS - A day's work for a chicken; A lifetime commitment for a pig.

OMGTGFC!

2009-08-21T20:49:00.007-05:00

OH MY GOSH THAT'S GOOD FRIED CHICKEN!

So I've been craving Fried Chicken....like really good fried chicken...for like 3 weeks. So, with us watching our $ and on a tight budget and since it's much easier to eat at home with 5 year old and a 2 year old I decided to make it myself.

I reached for a recipe I had tried once before. Alton Brown's recipe found here. The last time that I made this recipe it didn't come out right. And for one simple reason...I didn't FOLLOW THE RECIPE! Now, I am not suggesting that you cannot embelish on a recipe, but I think you should try it verbatim the first time around. Without doing so you don't have any idea where to take it. So this time around, even though it was technically the second time I made it, I followed the directions to a T (so I see no need to post them here). However, here's a link to the Food Network video.

I will say that used the Tupperware Marinader I spoke of earlier this month to soak the chick in the buttermilk. See...I told you that you need to get one of those!

Anyway...this time the chicken came out PERFECTLY! Well, almost. The 2 breasts had a dark/burned patch on the skin side. This was because when I placed them in the pan I SET the timer but I didn't START the timer! DOH!

The season blend that Alton suggests (2 parts Kosher salt, 2 parts Paprika, 2 parts Garlic Powder, 1 part Cayenne) is delicious! But note: I read some complaints on the FN site's reviews that the chicken was too salty. I have a theory here. If you were to use table salt I think this would be the case. The reason is that table salt is much finer. There's more surface area. So make sure to use Kosher salt.

Anyway, we all liked it and agreed that we will make it again, but probably use "tenders" -- they're more kid (and mom) friendly. But my oldest daughter, whom I think is part chicken, ESPECIALLY loved it! She ate an entire leg by herself and had the greasy fingers and cheeks to prove it. I know, I know...where are the pictures Fat Daddy?! Cut me a little slack....I am new to this. But I'll get better. I promise.

On the side I served homemade mashed potatoes. Now, I've probably made home made mashed taters a dozen times if I have made them once so I don't really NEED a recipe. But I figured since I was already at FOOD NETWORK'S web site I would take a peak at a very basic one...mostly for proportions.

I selected this RECIPE from the Food Network's test kitchens and "How to Boil Water". I didn't follow this recipe to a T. But I used it as a guide. I had smaller potatoes, from a 5 lb bag, so I guessed at was was about 2 lbs. Instead of smashing the garlic, I pressed directly into the water. Otherwise, I cooked the potatoes as directed with Kosher salted water. When they were done (the OMGTGFC was on a rack, still warm) I drained them and returned them to the hot pot. I cut the milk to 1/2 a cup, cut the butter to 1/2 a cup and added the remainder of a small (8 oz) sour cream that was leftover from a previous meal - I would guess there was 4 oz left. I added black pepper and kosher salt and mashed them by hand.

4 words describe the results. WE. ALL. HAD. SECONDS! OMG...they were SO good. Probably the best I'd ever made. Creamy, not lumpy, smooth, seasoned perfectly with just a hint of the fesh garlic from the boil. Really, they were pefect.

To complete the meal...canned green beans. Hey...don't laugh, when your hand making fried chicken and mashed taters on a FRIDAY night AFTER work you're allowed to cut at least one corner. And hey...at least we HAD a green vegetable this time. LOL!

Until next time...

Fat Daddy.....out.

Shells and Meatballs

2009-08-19T20:05:00.004-05:00

Tonight's dinner wasn't really blog worthy other than the fact that I was able to share a good meal with my wife and kids.

Medium Shells
HEB Tomato Basil Sauce
Meatballs
Green Salad
Garlic Texas Toast

An basic and easy mid-week meal.

Although I will say that HEB's jarred pasta sauces (not Hill Country Fare) are VERY good. And economical too.

As a side note -- a little over a year ago we were hard core Kroger shoppers. HEB approached us to participate in some market research. They wanted to find out why we preferred Kroger over HEB. During the final phase we "had to" shop at HEB. It was during this time that we became HEB fans. In doing so we learned, from the employee who was working with us, that HEB really and truly takes pride in their store label (HEB or Central Market) items. I'd have to say that so far we agree 100%.

Pho Binh

2009-08-19T12:48:00.011-05:00

Today I had planned on eating last night's leftovers for lunch but two of my co-workers had other plans. They wanted to "get out of the office"....so I tagged along. And I didn't have to PAY! HA! Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?

It wasn't until we were in route that I learned we were headed to the "Noodle House" -- which I later found is really named "Pho Bin".

Now I've never been here before and I am not a huge Asian food fan but I'll try ALMOST anyhing once. The restaraunt is located in a strip mall on Mangum, just off HWY 290 in Houston. It's very small and the grill (which I failed to take a photo of) takes center stage. We were greeted promptly by our waitress and took our drink orders. By the time she returned all 5 of my coworkers were ready to order! UH OH! I was still looking at the menu trying to decipher what was what. I asked the waitress a few questions (you will notice that my posts will quite frequently include this tip. It's because I truly believe that since they want your repeat business they will give you an honest answer) and finally decided on the "G11".

The G11 really amounts to a Vietnamese grilled chicken sandwhich. Although, when I ordered it with chicken the waitress asked if I also wanted egg. Sure, I said...we can change the name of the sandwhich to the BEFORE AND AFTER.....buh duh bump.

Our food was served quickly as most everyone had some form of the grilled chicken with noodles or rice. Everyone's selection looked good.

As for mine...

..seen above after I took a bite...it was very good. It was, strips of grilled chicken, shredded carrots, cucumber, fresh jalapenos, a fried egg and parsley. Lots and lots of parsely. Too much parsley for my taste, so I removed most of it. The french bread it was served on was perfect -- crunchy on the outside and soft and light on the inside. And it was the prefect lunch sandwhich size. A few bites in I started to miss not having a side item. I like sides. Chips, salad, fruit....something. So I ordered a side of rice. It was very good rice...Jasmine I think, steamed and slightly sticky. It was not the healthiest side but it tasted good.

The chicken, and other meats, are grilled out in the open on 2 REAL FLAME grills (not a flat top "griddle") and are basted with some sort of sauce while cooking. This combination gives the chicken a nice taste and great charred bits. It was really good chicken that would stand up quite nicely on a plate with no accompaniments.

All in all it was a very nice experience, especially for my first trip to a Vietnamese restaraunt.

OVERALL RATING - 4
FOOD QUALITY - 4
FOOD TEMP - 4
DRINK SELECTION - 3
CLEANLINESS - 3
RETURNABILITY - 3
ORDER ACCURACY - 5
TOTAL: FREE! Thanks Brent!!!!

CFS with BEP

2009-08-19T08:52:00.003-05:00

That's Chicken Fried Steak with Black-eyed peas.....

So last night I made homemeade CFS and BEPs.

For the CFS I used "pre-tenderized" CFS portions from the fresh meat counter ay my local HEB. There were four in my pack, which was perfect for my family. I soaked them overnight in low fat Buttermilk in a Tupperware marinade container.

If you do ANY amount of marinading at home I STRONGLY suggest picking one of these up. It seals tight, is big enough for plenty of meat and saves the environment by reducing the amount of plastic bags you use and throw away. (Thank you honey for mine!!!)

Anyway...back to the recipe. I pulled the steaks from the Buttermilk and seasoned lightly with Kosher Salt, Black Pepper and my favorite beef shake...Uncle Chris' Gourmet Steak Seasoning (works great on burgers too) and then dredged them in flour. I then repeated this process, dipping them back in the buttermilk and dredging them a second time in the flour. I cooked these in a heavy frying pan with about 1/2 cup or so of cottonseed oil and tried to maintain the temp between 325 and 350 (this is tricky on my glass-top stove -- GOSH I can't wait to switch to natural gas!). I flipped them only once, at the first sign of moisture seeping from the top. I probably could have waited another minute or so because when we cut the steaks some of the breading fell off. As I understand it, letting as much moisture out of the top helps the breading to "stick". Since my pan could only fit 2 steaks at a time I placed the first 2 in the oven while the second two cooked. Just before they finished I made some cream gravy...although I took a short cut and made cream gravy from a mix (Pioneer brand).

For the Black-eyed peas I followed Paula Dean's recipe on Foodnetwork.com. I made no significant changes to her recipe other than adding 2 more slices of bacon and I used a "Tex-Mex" style tomatoes. I also, after reading several of the reviews, let them cook for about 4 hours at a much lower temp (barely a simmer).

I served this with some white rice on the side. I know, I know...no green veggies. Sorry Mom!

How was it? The steak was very flavorful -- the best I have produced. I think the only improvements could have been made on the breading adhesion and the thinness of the steaks. I think placing the steaks in a warm oven is a bad idea. I think it actually creates steam between the met and breading causing it to fall off. Next time I will simply place on a wire rack on paper lined pan and set on the back of the stove. As far as the thin-ness is concered, I intended to pound them softly with the flat side a meat mallet before soaking in the buttermilk but I forgot.

The black-eyed peas were tasty though not something to write home about. Not knowing EXACTLY how long to cook them I probably let them go a little too long as I like a slightly firmer pea. But they were good and I will probably make them again. I think I can halve the amount of peas and water but still use a whole can of tomatoes.

Overall the meal was a success. I think. I've got the leftovers with me for lunch. We'll see if soaking overnight in the broth enhances the pea's taste.

Quote of the day....

2009-08-19T08:51:00.001-05:00

"When the waitress asked if I wanted my pizza cut into four or eight slices, I said, 'Four. I don’t think I can eat eight.'" -- Yogi Berra

Floyd's Cajun Seafood and Texas Steakhouse

2009-08-16T22:00:00.002-05:00

So on Saturday I spent the better part of the day perfoming maintenance on both of our cars. So, needless to say I was too tired too cook. :-)

We decided to go to Floyd's Cajun Seafood and Texas Steakhouse, a place we've driven by numerous times yet always forget about when we decide to go out to eat.

We visited the Pearland/Friendswood location which I see is not even listed on their website yet. When we first pulled in we thought it might have been more of a bar with food instead of a restaraunt with a bar. So I went in and scoped the place out before unstrapping the little ones from the car and dragging them in. It was both a restaraunt and a bar so I went back out and grabbed the family.

We were early for dinner so the place wasn't very busy. But I did notice that it was very clean and very nicely decorated. We were seated quickly and our waitress took our drink order almost immediately.

The menu is very expansive...almost too much for my wife. But even I bounced back and forth between about 3 different items. Eventually we decided on the following:

The kids shared a FISH BITES kids meal. This was 5 or 6 large chunks of fresh catfish lighted breaded in cornmeal and fried served on top of a mound of fries that could serve a family! My 5 year old loved the fish! The fries...well....DUH!

My wife, who admittedly, wasn't very hungry ordered the red beans and rice. She said it was "cold" -- not cold like fridge cold, but not hot. She said it had decent flavor but she wouldn't order it again. She also had a piece or two of the girls catfish.

I went with the half and half combo (fried shrimp and crab fingers). Again, this dish was served on a MOUND of fries. Yay! (they were fresh and seemed hand cut). This combo came with several (I forgot to count them) butterflied fried shrimp that were lightly breaded in a spicy breading - Cajun like -- DUH. The crab fingers, Blue Crab claws, were also lightly breaded and fried and THEY. WERE. DELICIOUS! The shrimp were par for Texas -- good but not spectacular. The crab fingers were a nice change of pace. Something new. My wife and I also shared a side of Dirty Rice. It was good, nice flavor but not overly spicy.

The dinner menu was a little higher priced than we'd like to pay (BUDGET! BUDGET! BUDGET!) but not so over priced that we won't return. The lunch menu seemed more wallet friendly. I'd say we will more than likely return.

OVERALL RATING - 4
FOOD QUALITY - 4
FOOD TEMP - 3.4
DRINK SELECTION - 5
CLEANLINESS - 5
RETURNABILITY - 5
ORDER ACCURACY - 5

TOTAL: $30 something...

5 Guys!

2009-08-15T22:00:00.004-05:00

So for months, or perhaps even longer, I've been teased by the glory that is 5 Guys. I've heard about it from out if state friends and via other bloggers/message boards. But for some unknown dumb reason I never bothered to check out their website. Well late last week I did so and learned that low and behold the Houston area has been blessed with 10, COUNT THEM -- 10, locations.

What? How can these be? I've not heard or seen a SINGLE advertisement. Albeit, none of them are exactly, NEAR me -- the closest is over 20 miles away. Well anyway, once I learned that 5 Guys was indeed in the Houston area I planned my attack...err...visit.

Several of my co-workers and I go out to eat every Friday..we're a kind of lunch bunch if you will. So, for this week I selected 5 Guys (Voss and San Felipe) for the lunch bunch to visit. There were 7 of us in all and none of us had ever been to a 5 Guys. We were all caught a little off guard with the ordering process. All of the burgers come with a whole host of toppings with even more available as FREE options (designated with *)

Mayo -Relish* - Onions* - Lettuce - Pickles - Tomatoes - Grilled Onions - Grilled Mushrooms Ketchup - Mustard - Jalapeno Peppers* - Green Peppers - A-1 Sauce* - Bar-B-Q Sauce* - Hot Sauce*

We got their slightly before the lunch rush and were able to order promptly. I don't think there was a duplicate burger among the seven of us. Everyone had different toppings. One of my co-workers even elected to go with the "little" burger which is a single patty -- SISSY! We sat down and barely had time to crack the shell open on a couple of the complimentary roasted peanuts before they called our numbers.

The burgers were fresh, hot and juicy and cooked perfectly. The roll was very fresh, so much so in fact that my boss was unable to contain his burger within it's soft and fluffy confines. ROOKIE! The toppings were adequate and were also fresh. This was a throwback burger -- classic American Burger very diner like. But...the fries....OH THE FRIES! They have 2 types, 5 Guys and Cajun. I asked the cashier which ones to go with and she suggested the Cajun. (As an aside, when you're torn between one or more items on a menu don't be afraid to ask the server for their suggestion - most feel honored that you ask and rarely steer you wrong). Anyway, back to the fries -- they were hot and abundant (5 Guys serves all food in brown paper bags. They place the burger on the bottom and fries, if you order any, go in a foam cup on top of the burger. When we opened our bag we couldn't see the burgers, only fries. YES! It seems they top the cups of fries off after they're in the bag. Awesome! ). My handcut Cajun fries were crisp and spicy. I think they were dusted with a mix similar to Tony Chachere's . YUM! The only thing I regret is not tasting a regular, 5 Guys fry first. Between the Hot Sauce on my burger and the cajun seasoning on my fries my taste buds were a little busy.

Before we left, the cashier stopped by our table and asked how everything was. She realized we were first timers and wanted to make sure we'd be back. I really liked that.

Overall I think it was a great experience. We will definitely return.

Thanks 5 Guys!

What I had:
1 - Cheeseburger with ketchup, mayo, mustard, hot sauce, lettuce, grilled onions, pickles and jalapenos
1 - Regular Cajun Fries
1 - Coke Zero (lol!)
Total $10 something.....

OVERALL RATING - 4.5
FOOD QUALITY - 4
FOOD TEMP - 5
DRINK SELECTION - 5
CLEANLINESS - 5
RETURNABILITY - 3 (none close to home)
ORDER ACCURACY - 5

What's a Fat Daddy?

2009-08-14T22:06:00.001-05:00

I am a fat Daddy. Yes, in the physical sense. I LOVE FOOD. I love to try new foods, I love to search for and try new places to eat. I love to try new recipes. And I love to share my love of food with others. But I am also methphorically fat. You see, I am married to a wonderful wife and I have two beautiful and amazing daughters and I love to cook for them.

So why the blog? Well partly because some friends and family have suggested I start a food blog and partly because I want to share my love of food with others.

So what can you expect to find here?

Restaraunt reviews (mostly from the Greater Houston area)
Kitchen tool/appliance reviews
Kitchen/cooking/dining tips
Recipes (family and otherwise/tweaked)
Food stories and experiences
Humor

So. I hope that answers the basic questions and I hope you check back often.

In the words of Wolfgang Puck..."LIVE, LOVE and EAT!"