Winter Snow Fall - Raleigh NC

It has been more than 30 plus years since I can remember this much snow this early in the year. NC was hammered this past week on Christmas Day. I live in the suburbs North of Raleigh and here are some of the pics the wife took around our home.

Annual Christmas Party

The wife and I love to entertain and this weekend is our annual Christmas party. Each year we try to come up with something different for the menu that we feel most of our guests have not tried but one thing we will be serving again is our Mulled Wine. It was a great hit last year.

We like to feature local NC wine from Chatham Hill and the Yadkin Valley region.


More to follow.....

Merry Christmas and God Bless

Here are some pics during setup and of the food:

Just about there with the setup

NC Wines for the heated mulled wine. Always a big hit.

Oatmeal cranberry cookies

Carmel cranberry and pecan popcorn

Boston Butt around the 5th hour on the grill.
The white specs are actually snow.
I use indirect heat with pecan and apple wood.
I smoked it to 135 deg the day before and the slowly brought it
back up to temp the day in a 10Qt electric roaster.

Spicy Margarita

Spicy Tequila:

1 large glass bottle with seal or cap
8 jalapenos (seeded and cut length wise)
1 large bottle white tequila

Combine in the empty bottle the peppers and enough tequila to cover peppers of fill the bottle. Let sit for one to two weeks before use. The longer the better.

Spicy Margarita:

1 oz white tequila
1 oz spicy teguila
1 oz orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Triple Sec
3 oz Jose Cuervo original margarita mix (I normally would use fresh lime juice and simple syrup but this mix is the perfect balance and much easier)
Ice Cubes
Coarse salt, optional
Lime wedge

1. Rub the rim of a rocks glass or margarita glass with the lime wedge and dip in salt.
2. Place tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and ice in the glass and stir.


You can also combine the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and ice in a blender and blend for a frozen margarita.

Dried Garlic

From Dads garden

Chinese Chicken BBQ

2 to 4 Chicken Breast Halves
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup Orange Marmalade
1/4 cup Sweet Chili Sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1 large Onion
Salt & Pepper

----------------
Preheat oven to 375 F
1. Combine the three sauces and heat for 1 minute in microwave then stir thoroughly.
2. Peel and cut onion into 1/8 pieces.
3. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper then - Brown/sear the chicken, about 2 minutes on each side and remove from pan.
4. De-glaze searing pan with red wine and set aside
5. Divide half of the onion and place in bottom of a 9x9 backing dish.
6. Place seared chicken breast on top of the onion.
7. Pour the de-glaze mixture over chicken.
8. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken.
9. Divide the other half of the onion and place on top of the chicken

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes but turn the chicken once half way into the back time making sure to push the top onion pieces into the sauce.

Serve with white rice or other side of choice.