PAN-ROASTED PORTERHOUSE STEAKS WITH BLUE CHEESE BUTTER

Porterhouse steaks are the same as T-Bone steaks, only larger, and that is because there is a larger portion of the tenderloin. Porterhouse is known as the "King of the T-Bones".
To test steaks for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer.
Rare - 125-130 F
Medium-rare - 130-140 F
Medium - 140-150 F
Medium-well - 150-155 F

Blue Cheese Butter
4 T unsalted butter, softened
3 T crumbled blue cheese
1 clove garlic, pressed 

Take steaks out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, mash the butter, blue cheese, and garlic with a fork.
Place on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a thick log of about 2 to 3 inches.
Place in refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to harden slightly while cooking steaks.

2 Porterhouse steaks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T avocado oil
2 T unsalted butter
2 T fresh rosemary, leaves chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper.
Place a large cast-iron skillet on the stove over high heat.
Add the avocado oil and butter.
Place steaks in pan and let sear for 2 minutes. 
Turn over and let sear for another 2 minutes.

Sprinkle in the rosemary leave and place skillet with steaks in the oven and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, depending upon how rare you like your steaks.

Bring out of the oven and add a pat of the Blue Cheese Butter to each steak and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

DELMONICO POTATOES

Delmonico Potatoes originated in the famous Delmonico Hotel restaurant in lower Manhattan, New York City, in the mid 19th century. I serve these potatoes with pan roasted Porterhouse steaks and sautéed mushrooms.

5 medium size Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

1 T avocado oil

½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T unsalted butter

1 T avocado oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ t grated nutmeg

½ cup chicken stock or broth

¼ cup half-and-half

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a food processor, fitted with a coarse grater, grate the potatoes.

In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the tablespoon of oil until soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add the garlic and sauté another minute. 

Spoon into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet add the two tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of avocado oil. Cook the potatoes over medium heat for about 10 minutes until a little golden.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Add the onion and garlic mixture to the potatoes and mix through. 

Add the nutmeg and chicken stock and cook another couple of minutes. 

Add the half-and-half and half of the grated cheese and mix through.

Pour into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. 

Serves 4 to 6

BOURBON FRONT PORCH LEMONADE

Summertime and the livin' is easy. Having a cocktail on the front porch is such a southern tradition.

2 bunches fresh mint leave, plus 2 sprigs for garnish
4 oz Kentucky bourbon
6 oz lemonade (I used Simply Lemonade)
Juice of ½ lemon

2 oz ginger simple syrup

Lemon slices, for garnish

Ginger Simple Syrup
1 cup peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Place ginger, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until reduced by half and slightly thickened.
Strain into a small pitcher or glass and let cool.

Place mint leaves in a cocktail shaker or small pitcher.
Muddle the leaves for a few seconds.
Fill container halfway with ice.
Add bourbon, lemonade, lemon juice, and 2 ounces of the ginger simple syrup.

Strain into two cocktail glasses with ice and garnish each drink with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint.

Serves 2

PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES

When you have an abundance of green tomatoes in your garden near the end of the growing season, it's time to make pickled green tomatoes.

4 quart-size wide mouth canning jars

6 cups filtered water or spring water
½ cup pickling salt or canning salt
16 to 20 small to medium size green tomatoes
20 to 24 green cherry tomatoes
1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
8 fresh bay leaves, thoroughly rinsed (provides tannins for crunchy tomatoes)
1 T yellow mustard seeds, per jar
2 t dehydrated minced onions, per jar
1 t coriander seeds, per jar
1 t black peppercorns, per jar
1 t dill seeds, per jar
½ t red pepper flakes, per jar (optional)

Sterilize the canning jars by immersing them in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove from the boiling water and place upside down on a clean dry tea towel.

In a saucepan, bring the 6 cups of water to a boil. 
Add the salt and mix until the salt is fully dissolved.
Allow cooling to room temperature.

Rinse tomatoes under cold running water and then place them in a colander.
Remove stem end from tomatoes and cut the larger tomatoes in half or quarters.
Cut off any imperfections and place in a large bowl.
Using a large sewing needle, pierce a few of holes in the bottom of the cherry tomatoes and place in the bowl.

Equally, pack tomatoes into each canning jar. 
Add equal amounts of onion to each jar.
Add 1 clove garlic to each jar.
Add 2 bay leaves per jar and follow with the spices.

Pour the cool brine evenly over the tomatoes.
Cover loosely with the canning lids and seals and place the jars on a baking sheet or pizza pan.

Place in a cool, dark place 5 to 7 days. A perfect place is in your pantry.
Take the lids off everyday, after 3 days, to check for the progress of your fermentation.
It should develop a pleasant, lightly sour scent and fizz when opened.

Refrigerate after 5 to 7 days.
Allow to ferment for another 2 weeks in the refrigerator before eating.

Tomatoes will keep refrigerated for 2 to 3 months.

P.S. My were perfect after 5 days and then I refrigerated them. 

BRUNETTE, STRAWBERRY BLONDE, & TOWHEAD

Brunette with brown eyes, strawberry blonde with blue eyes, and towhead with green eyes...all from the same parents! We don't look very happy.

APPLEWOOD SMOKED RIBS WITH TENNESSEE BARBECUE SAUCE

I make my BBQ rub, but you can buy one in your supermarket. You can smoke these ribs on a regular small grill. Just be patient.

Lee's Kitchen Hints:  Spare ribs are cut from the belly of the pig where bacon comes from.  

St Louis style ribs are trimmed to a more rectangular shape.

Baby back ribs are cut from the loin section of the pig where pork chops come from.

Tennessee BBQ Sauce

1 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

3 cups ketchup

½ cup molasses

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

3 T unsalted butter

2 T prepared yellow mustard

2 T hot sauce

1 T smoked paprika

2 t garlic powder

2 t onion powder

¼ t hickory liquid smoke
½ t fine ground black pepper
½ t sea salt

¼ cup Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey (optional) 

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.  

Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer 20 minutes.

Ribs

2 to 3 slabs baby back ribs

BBQ Rub

Hickory wood soaked in water for several hours 

½ cup apple juice

If there is silver skin attached to the bone or back side of the ribs. Take a knife and make a small cut under the membrane at the end and pull it off using "kitchen-only" needle-nose pliers or use a paper towel to grip it and pull.

Rub both sides with BBQ Rub. Cover and refrigerate a couple of hours.

Prepare the charcoal grill with about 40 coals on one side of the grill.

Throw some soaked wood chips on top of coals.
Place an oven-proof pan on the bottom of grill next to coals and half fill with apple juice.

Or you can use a smoker and follow the directions.

Place ribs on a rib rack, insides together, on the cool side of the grill, cover with a lid and try to keep the temperature of the grill at 225-250 degrees F by keeping vents mostly closed. You can also just lay ribs flat on the cool side of the grill. Close the lid and let ribs slowly cook for 2 hours.

Pour the apple juice in a clean spray bottle and spray ribs. Close top and after 3 hours, spray the ribs with more apple juice. Spray with apple juice every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours. 

After 5 hours on the grill, generously mop ribs with BBQ Sauce and grill for an additional 30 minutes. 

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest a few minutes.  

Cut between individual ribs and generously spoon on more BBQ sauce.

For a real Southern-Style dinner, serve with:

            Potato Salad or Mac & Cheese

            Cole Slaw

            Corn on the cob
            Corn Bread

            Baked Beans
            Deviled Eggs

SPATCHCOCK GRILLED LIME & TEQUILA CHICKEN

Serve the chicken with your favorite green salad. This could become one of your favorite summer grilled chicken recipes. 

1 whole chicken

Marinade

½ cup tequila

Zest and juice of 3 limes

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2-inch piece of ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, pushed through a garlic press

2 t ancho chile powder (or any flavor of chile power you desire)

1 T avocado oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Lime wedges

Cut the backbone out of chicken and save in a plastic baggie and freeze for making chicken stock.
Cut through the breastbone and then turn chicken skin side up and slightly flatten with your hands.
Cut two slits at the end of each breast and tuck the drumstick end through.
This keeps the chicken from falling apart when turning over on the grill.
This is called spatchcocking.

Put chicken in a large size zippered plastic bag.

Add the marinade ingredients, close bag, squeeze out most of the air, and squish around to completely cover chicken.

Place bag in a large bowl or baking dish, refrigerate and let marinate for about 4 hours.

Turn bag a couple of times to ensure chicken is evenly covered with marinade.

Prepare a barbecue grill with hot coals on one side.

Fold up a sheet of paper towel into a small square.

Pour on or dip in a little avocado oil.

Using tongs, rub the paper towel over the grill grate.

Cook chicken over medium-hot coals for 2 to 3 minutes, skin side down, to get some grill marks and char. Cover with lid to keep the chicken from burning.

Transfer, skin side down, to indirect heat side of the grill, cover with a lid and cook another 20 minutes.

Turn over and cook another 30 minutes, over indirect heat.

Make sure juices run clear and you can test with an instant-read thermometer. 

The temperature should register 165 degrees F.

Place on a platter and add a few sprigs of cilantro and a few lime wedges.

Serves 4

GREAT GRANDPARENTS

Wedding photograph of Virginia Catherine Lyon and 
John Boothe MacDonald

15 July 1873 - date of marriage license, 
Leesburg Courthouse, Leesburg, Virginia