Author: Nate Elston

By Posted on Posted in Fishing Tales No Comments

the 2010 pier fishing season that is.  Tonight marked my first journey out to the Grand Haven pier, where, more than likely I will waste spend countless hours this year trying to catch some illusive fish or another, mostly just enjoying the fresh air and sounds of the lake.  Typical excursions to the pier are more about clearing the mind than actually catching fish, tonight was an exception to that rule.  With the ice off the lake and the pier I tried my hand at steelhead and brown trout and came out with a brown trout, first of my life in fact, an exception to the rule.  Using some skein I had harvested from a female salmon catch last year, on a #8 plain shank hook with a couple of split shots on some 6# line turned out to be money and yielded a nice fish.

Brown Trout

Tomorrow this tough, I mean really tough, skinned almost too pretty to clean fish will meet some alder wood smoke at about 190°F for a couple hours and hopefully serve as a delicious reminder to the excitement of landing him tonight.  Check back tomorrow for an update on the smoked fish.

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By Posted on Posted in Misc Food, Smoked Goodness, What's for dinner No Comments

Alright, lavish might be a bit of a stretch but incredible or mightily tasty left overs would suffice.  It all started at lunch today, which I do not have a picture of and for that I ashamed.  However, it began it lunch with a spinach salad topped with cranberries, croutons, Saturday’s smoked chicken, and last weeks Balsamic and Rosemary Vinaigrette.  It was incredible my mouth is still watering now, the balsamic rosemary vinaigrette nicely complimented they smoked chicken and the cranberries were a nice contrast to the rest of the flavor in the salad.   Yes, my mouth is watering which it shouldn’t be.  If lunch was the appetizer, dinner was dessert and the main course, another leftover miracle.

Dinner consisted of Lowfat Chicken Enchiladas made with some of Saturday’s smoked chicken leftovers.  These thing were incredible the first time we made them, and as such I was anticipating greatness once again.  I was no disappointed, I am anxious for the leftover enchiladas I will be eating for the next day.

Smoked chicken enchiladas gracing my plate

I can’t wait for tomorrow leftovers will be in lunch box and in vogue.  At least to me.  Had any incredible leftover adventures lately?  Tell me about em.

Note: Even though its not technically a recipe this one still gets a rating.

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By Posted on Posted in Misc Food, Smoked Goodness No Comments

Another day, another way to eat chicken, this one a little bit more involved.  Like the turkey breast I had cooked last year I stated off with my standard brine and added some black peppercorns, sage and basil.  I also use garlic cloves in place of garlic powder and I chopped up a couple of onion and added them to the brine.  After an afternoon of hunting and a thorough rub down with cajun spice to throw this bird on the smoker.

Chicken on the smoker

It took about four hours over a combination of hickory, apple and cherry wood to finish out bird.  Although we did baste this bird it probably would have been just fine without, it was the moistest chicken I have ever had.

Carving a Smoked Chicken

Not only was the chicken moist but it was also full of flavor and possibly by far the best chicken I have ever eaten.  We will be eating chicken again this way and next time we might go for more of a barbecued type of thing, just to branch out.  Oh yeah the potatoes were smoked too and not half bad.

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By Posted on Posted in Recipes, What's for dinner No Comments

Well another day of chicken and another recipe this one in the box for the long haul.  The chicken we ate wasn’t really that incredible, just a rub and roast with a balsamic chicken and fish rub.  That said the chicken wasn’t half bad, although I am starting to develop a beef with Tyson boneless skinless chicken breasts.  What made for a great recipe was the balsamic and rosemary vinaigrette, I drizzled (or maybe smothered) over my spinach and chicken salad.  It was incredible a burst of garlic at first and then later a balsamic tang, all encompassed with a ting of rosemary.  It was incredible and will be the next time I eat it as well, which will probably be everyday until its gone.

Balsamic Rosemary Vinaigrette with a Spinach Salad

This might be the easy dressing I have ever made out side of a straight vinegar or oil drizzle on a salad this might take the cake as the easiest.

Ingredients
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp fresh rosemary (I substituted 1 tsp dried whole rosemary)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 clove garlic

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  That’s all.  Will store in the refrigerator for a couple weeks is stored in a sealed container.

That’s it and out came this incredibly creamy and delicious dressing.  Sometimes simpler is better.  This would also be delicious with salmon or pork on the same salad.

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By Posted on Posted in Recipes, What's for dinner No Comments

Cooking chicken is like walking into a Jelly Belly store, you know there is potential but there are so many different choices you are not sure which one will lead you astray and that is the direction I feared I was headed tonight when I was making this chicken.  After making the wet rub, for lack of a better term, I took a taste and it was well not good.  Hoping for the best I pushed onward.  Much to my surprise the resulting chicken was not half bad, in fact I may make it again.

Now that is some good looking chicken.  Even the simplest of recipes can yield a complex result on occasion.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp melted margarine
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Grease a glass baking dish.  Wash chicken under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.  Set aside.  In a bowl combine all ingredients besides chicken and mix until uniform.  Spread mixture over entire surface of chicken, rubbing into the meat.  Bake for about 35-40 minutes until done.

While not my favorite chicken recipe of late, I mean its no Curried Chicken, this wasn’t half bad and we may make it again at a later date?

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