Does the title just make you want to reach through your screen and have a bite? Well when I made this the other day on the freshly cleaned BBQ grill, I could not wait to sink my teeth into it. I was craving pork on the barbie topped with a rich sauce and coleslaw. It is such a dirty sandwich but ohhhhh so good.

I used to be intimidated by cooking full pork loins as opposed to little chops but really in retrospect there is nothing to be scared of. They cook very quickly, easily and are always tender. Can you beat that? Now I know I have cooked a fair amount of pork in my time on zesty but this sandwich stacks right up there with the apricot pork pasta, apple mustard chops, rosemary mustard chops.

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Monday is here again!  I hope you had a great weekend.  Mine was great minus all the cleaning we did to prepare for the open house on Sunday but oh well, things you have to do.

The weather was really cold all weekend, very very cold.  Other than scooting out for groceries and some other necessities such as chocolate covered almonds and licorice babies, the traveling was pretty much kept to a minimum.

This quick sandwich I am sharing today is a super simple staple at the zesty house.  It takes a total of 9 minutes to make which in my mind is pretty awesome.  I find the hardest thing to do is cook when you are beyond hungry.  The next time you are in that situation - this sandwich is your answer!

For grilling in the winter I use my Hamilton Beach Indoor Grill.  It is simple and easy to clean which, for me, are keys to an essential kitchen gadget.

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Happy Wednesday!  I am going to throw out a little twist - no recipe today, instead, I’m going to do a product review.  Not to worry though, I think that this product is pretty darn cool.

I was contacted by Leslie Haywood, the creator of Grill Charms, and she was really upset that she missed the Zesty Holiday Gift Guide.  Since it’s a great product, I don’t mind writing a small plug for her.

Leslie LOVES all things food, wine and friends.  During a dinner party that she hosted in her Charleston SC home, she had a very spicy “light bulb moment” that has since led to her inventing, manufacturing and now marketing the perfect holiday gift for the gourmet.

Leslie adds that if you order by the 20th, she will make sure it arrives anywhere in the US by Christmas Eve.

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Do we really need a reason or excuse to make chicken wings? For me… The answer is No.

However football season is back in full swing and what better food to be munching on while watching all the action is some spicy chicken wings. This recipe is nothing fancy but the process of combining the dry ingredients and then adding the oil to make a paste allows a nice crust to form on the wings while cooking. If you have a some people over and need another munchie on the menu… you could always try some knock out chicken nachos.

Ingredients

• 1 (5 lbs) bag Chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon Cayenne
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon Onion powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Rinse Chicken and pat dry.
2. If wings are whole, cut off and discard pointed tip and halve wings at the main joint
3. In food processor or blender, combine all remaining ingredients, EXCEPT oil.
4. Process until well blended.
5. With machine on, slowly add in oil and process until a thick paste forms.
6. In a large bowl, combine wings and paste.
7. Toss until wings are well coated.
8. Cover and refrigerate over night.
9. Broil or grill wings until nicely browned outside and cooked through.
10. Serve warm or at room temp.

One of my favorite parts of this chicken wing dish is the dipping sauce. The blue cheese dip goes very well and is a nice balance with the heat of the chicken wing.

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces blue cheese
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Pour into a decorative bowl.

Well as most of you know by now - I like to keep things simple when it comes to food. The odd time I go all “chef like” and kick it up a notch but most times I tend to stay pretty regular and simple. Last night was no exception. I was sitting at the office wondering what to make for supper - debated some roasted salmon, some olde fashion spaghetti and then a thought rolled in my head from a commercial iI heard on the radio. Two for One Sirloins at Sobeys!

That was all my little brain needed - as I packed up may bag and headed home, all I could think of was sizzling steak on the barbecue. Some other thoughts creeped along side as I wondered what I could make with the steak. Being on PEI, and being somewhat of a meat and potatoes boy one side dish was pretty easy… potatoes.  Too add a little more health to the meal I thought lets steam a little cauliflower and broccoli.  When cooking vegetables - I pretty much always follow the technique for perfectly cooked vegetables as the results speak for themselves.

So I quickly made my way home with two delicious pieces of sirloin steak.  I say hi to the family and then march out to fire up the barbecue.  I turn the barbecue on to high heat to warm up the grill and prepare the meat to sizzle. 

Preparation

Getting back to the simple things in life - I just take olive oil and rub a small amount on both sides of the meat and then follow it up  with some fresh black ground pepper.  I do not salt the meat as it tends to tense up the meat and extract the natural juices ( which we do not want to do )

• Bring Steaks Out of the Cold: Have steaks at room temperature before grilling.
• Check the Oil: Lightly oil the grilling rack before putting steaks on (it keeps meat from sticking and cracking while keeping the natural juices in).
• Get the Grill Hot: Preheat grill to 600 to 800 degrees F and keep it at this temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before putting steaks on.
• Avoid the Flip-Flop: Only flip once after five minutes of grilling.
• Ditch the Fork: Use tongs or a spatula (A fork allows juices to spill out).
• Don’t Perform Surgery with a Serrated Knife: To see if steak is finished, press on it with the palm of your hand. It will feel spongy when rare, have some resistance when cooked to medium and be firm when well done.
• Rare: Squeeze the pad at the base of your thumb. It should feel spongy and feel very little resistance.
• Medium: Press on the middle of the palm of your outstretched hand. It should feel firm.
• Well Done: Squeeze the base of your small finger. It should feel firm with no give.
• Give it a rest. After grilling, give the steak a rest for a couple of minutes to let the juices redistribute before cutting into it. A drizzle of olive oil or a pat of butter gives the steak a handsome sheen and spectacular flavor and finish.

While the steaks are resting i grab the potatoes , add some butter and spoon up some fresh vegetables and relax with the family and enjoy an old classic summer meal.