Slow Cooker Asian Lime Chicken

I love spicey Asian food and I love chicken. This recipe is the best of both worlds and easy to boot.

2# skinless chicken thighs (can substitute breasts)
1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbls. lime juice (Fresh if possible)
5 garlic cloves, peeled but whole
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
3 diced Roma tomatoes
1 small can water chestnuts, drained
1-2 small Asian chili peppers or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (To taste for heat)

Dredge chicken in flour and place in bottom of crock pot at low temp.

Combine other ingredients and add to crock pot. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours depending on crock pot or until meat peels from bone. If sauce is not thick enough, add a cornatrch slurry. Serve over rice with butter-sauteed snow peas and carrots. Enough to make a Thai prince's mouth water.

Serves 4 (Unless you really love it)

Cajun Blackened Tilapia with Black Beans and Corn

  I lived for two years way down at the mouth of the Mississippi River and travelled to New Orleans as often as I could to eat at K. Paul's, Galatoires, Emeril's Delmonico, Brennan's and even some of the little dives few people hear about. One thing was common to all - the food was Cajun. That doesn't just mean spicy and hot. Cajun cooking layers seasonings so that they produce different levels of flavor. Blackening is another favorite of mine. Here the seasonings are seared deep into the food. Try this favorite dish of mine and see what you think.


                                                     Cajun Blackening Seasoning

2 tsps. smoked paprika
4 tsps. dried thyme
2 tsps. onion powder
2 tsps. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (Can be reduced to cut heat)
2 tsps. salt
2 tsps. black pepper

Mix and store in a sealed container for longer shelf life.

4 pieces Tilapia, fresh or frozen. If frozen, thaw and pat dry. Rub blackening mix onto one side of fish. Heat butter or oil in med-high skillet until smoking. Sear fish 2-3 minutes on each side. As a good side, I recommend black beans. canned are fine but ad a little salt, pepper, and cumin to liven them up. Another great side is corn. Add butter, 1/4 tsp.dried oregano, fine diced red peppers, 2-3 slices of fine diced jalapeno s/p to taste. Fried potatoes or rice are an excellent starch.

Blackening seasoning can also be rubbed onto steaks or chicken before grilling. Eat and enjoy!

Savory Meatloaf with Basil Mashers

Good comfort food is quick and easy. This recipe is a slight twist on traditional meatloaf and mash potatoes.

                                                                Savory Meatloaf
 
2 stalks celery, diced
1 med white onion, diced
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp dried oregano
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1# ground beef, 80/20
1# Italian sausage, mild or hot
s/p

Saute onion and celery for 5 minutes until soft. Let cool. Mix sausage, ground beef, and remaining ingredients, including onion and celery, thoroughly and pat into a loaf. Place on sheet pan or baking pan and place in a 375 degree preheated oven.  Bake 50-55 minutes until done. Save drippings.

                                                                  Pan Brown Gravy

Place drippings in same pan used for onion and celery. Heat, add 3 tbl. spoons flour. Cook until light brown, then add 2 cups beef stock or water. Reduce until thick. Add s/p.

                                                                 
                                                                  Basil Mashers

2# Yukon gold potatoes, do not peel
2 cups fresh basil
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 stick butter
1/2 cup Asiago cheese
s/p

In a large pot, add potatoes and bring to a boil.  Cook 20-30 minutes until fork breaks potatoes easily. In a separate pan, heat heavy cream and basil mixture. Reduce by 1/3. (Boils over easily, so watch!) Puree in a blender or food processor.
Mash potatoes but leave chunky. Add basil cream and butter. Mix until creamy with chunks. Add Asiago and then S/P to taste.

Slice meatloaf with side of potatoes and ladle gravy over both. Mmm! Good!

Teriyaki Chicken with Rice

As a former professional chef, I have accumulated many recipes over the years. I have decided to share some of these easy recipes with you. Even an amateur can create delicious, appetizing meals.

                                             Stir Fry Teriyaki Chicken with Rice

2 chicken breasts - cubed
15-20 Snow peas
2 carrots - thin slice on a bias
White or crimini mushrooms - depending on size, half or quarter
1/4 head purple cabbage - cut into 1" pieces
8 ribs Nappa Cabbage - shred leaf, slice stems
1 can water chestnuts- drained
1 stalk broccoli - cut into small florets
4 stalks celery - sliced

1/4 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Cornstarch slurry (Cornstarch and water)
White pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
Five Spice - 1/4 teaspoon

Add 2 teaspoons oil to saute pan (Or Wok) over med heat. Add chicken. Saute until almost done (5-6 minutes). Add carrots, water chestnuts, mushrooms, purple cabbage and cook 2-3 minutes. Add remainder of vegetables. Season with Five Spice and whiter pepper. Add teriyaki sauce and soy sauce. Toss ingredients in pan to mix thoroughly. Reduce liquid by half. Add chicken stock. When boiling, add cornstarch slurry slowly while stirring until sauce begins to thicken and remove from heat. Serve over white or brown rice. 1 cup rice per serving. Makes 4 servings.

Oh the Horror!

Why is horror easier to write than science fiction or fantasy? Some may disagree with my premise, but as a writer of all three genres, I find horror is easier because we write what we fear in order to exorcise those demons within us. Everyone has fears or phobias. I ran across this list of phobias.

http://phobialist.com/

I’m sure there are more, including a fear of lists of phobias. From this list, how many do you have? I’m afraid to tell you how many I identified with. (Is this another phobia?) Some people are afraid of the dark or of thunderstorms or of writing. (Oh the horror!)

Science fiction requires some scientific basis for the facts proposed. The more esoteric the subject, the more difficult it is to explain to the reader without it becoming a textbook. Science fiction that has no rules is fantasy, not science fiction. There are some truly great science fiction writers out there – David Brin, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov – whose works are intelligent and entertaining. Fantasy needs rules as well, though they can be completely arbitrary as long as they are consistent throughout the book, such as rules of magic a la Harry Potter. It requires a lot of research and planning to pen a successful fantasy or sci-fi novel.  

Horror, on the other hand, allows the writer to dig deep into his/her psyche and dredge up fears and emotions that frighten both the writer and the reader, utilizing emotions and moods m ore than facts and figures. Often horror writing is cathartic. As Stephen King said, “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” He should know. He has single-handedly made Maine a place to avoid. (Him and Jessica Fletcher of Murder She Wrote). God knows we see enough real-life horrors every day on the news or in the headlines. Why should we seek more morbid succor in horror novels?

Novels such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein have frightened and intrigued readers for centuries, as well as spawned complete subgenres of writing. Their longevity and universal appeal are their themes of life after death. People fear death and the unknown that follows. They also fear the manner of their deaths. Most would rather die of old age in their own comfortable beds. A few talk about going out in a blaze of glory, but given the opportunity, few choose this method. Reading about gruesome deaths both repels and attracts us. We ask ourselves what we would do in similar circumstances. Would we cope with death or the threat of death as well as our hero or heroine? Would we look into Death’s eye and spit in it or close our eyes and cower?

“[Horror fiction] shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory, and that every moment we teeter on chaos and oblivion.”― Clive Barker

Reading or watching horror fulfills a fundamental need, the desire to witness death from afar. Our history screams at us with the grisly reminders of our mortality – the Black Plague, volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, the Spanish Flu, any war. We need only pick up a history book. Why then the horror novel?

Horror novels fill a void in our soul, a gap in our racial memory that forces us to seek out such literature, as one desires candy for a sweet tooth. We yearn to be frightened, to be reminded of our own mortality. Whether deadly creatures, supernatural forces, serial killers or alien hordes, it seems the more frightening the better. Right now, vampires and zombies are hot topics. Next year, who knows? Maybe deadly accountants rampaging toddlers.

I see the horror novel sustaining this trend into the future, certainly as long as new writers, such as Jonathan Maberry, Tim Lebbon, Weston Ochse and John Passarelli are around. I aspire to be among their ranks. I want to scare the crap out of you and fulfill your darkest wishes.

Surviving the Holidays as a Writer

  Writing is not a spectator sport, at least not for me. I can’t write while my wife reads over my shoulder. It makes me nervous. The holidays are a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate the season. Often this entails reacquainting yourself with people you haven’t seen in months or years. In the case of family or relatives, you’re often quickly reminded why it’s been months or years. A crowded house makes writing difficult but for some reason suggesting they stay in the local Motel 8 seems offensive to them. How can you continue to rack up the word count or finish the final edit to your novel while the house overflows with Christmas joy, the aroma of cinnamon cookies fresh out of the oven and the screams of playing children?

  I’m lucky in a way. My wife visits her family in Michigan for twelve days each Christmas, leaving me alone except for two cats and the television. Both are distractions but I can handle them most of the time. When a cat wakes me up at four in the morning, it’s a good time to write. Don’t get me wrong. I miss my wife, but Michigan in the winter – Give me a break. I lived in Pennsylvania for four years and Chicago for two. I like seeing my snow up on the peaks of the Catalina Mountains while it’s 65 down in Tucson. Shoveling snow and mukluks are no longer in my vocabulary. I’m basically a hermit by nature. Crowds make me nervous. There might be zombie lurking somewhere among them. In Arizona, you can carry your gun but they still frown on chainsaws and Samurai swords.

  If you can’t lock yourself away from friends and family for a few hours, you can always mentally mull over what you want to write while politely smiling and nodding abstractly, letting the others carry on the conversation. Or you can complain of chronic bowel problems and sneak your laptop into the bathroom as often as possible. Both have their limitations.

  You can explain that you’re self-employed and don’t get the holidays off. Unlike them, you have to make a living, however meager, and just have to finish the next chapter. You can explain that deadlines are like the five o’clock whistle and you don’t want to miss it, or like the Midnight Madness sale at Macy’s. If you’re late, all kinds of bad things happen.

  The next best thing is having your cat bounce on your chest at four a.m., howling like a banshee wanting breakfast. Get up, feed the cat, sneak out your laptop and type away. When your guests arise and ask, “What’s for breakfast?” tell them you haven’t seen I Hop’s menu yet but you’re sure it’s tasty.

  Remember, writing is a trade not a hobby. If you want a hobby, take up knitting. You can knit and talk at the same time.

  Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year!

How Serendipitous

Sometimes things just fall into your lap from the sky. If it is blue ice or bird crap, not so nice. If it's a book deal - hot damn! Two serendipitous occasions lately have given me pause for thought in my writing career.

First, at a seemingly innocuous signing at a local Tucson book store, I met a woman wearing a Tucson Festival of Books t-shirt. For those that don't know the TFB is held each year at the U of A campus and draws thousands of writers of all genres for lectures, signings, book stalls, etc. We talked about the TFB for a while and she left. Later, I was at another signing with several authors and she was the moderator. A few weeks later, she e-mailed me and asked me if I wanted to join some other local authors in sharing a table at TFB. Very cool!

Second, I sold a vampire horror novel, Blood Lust, to Severed Press. That in itself is good, but later they asked me if I would be interested in working on a three-book zombie series. I informed them I had a stand alone zombie novel, Ice Station Zombies, set in Antarctica and Australia, where Severed Press is headquartered. They bought it sight unseen and still sent a contract for the 3-book Judgment Day series. Five books for one. Who'da thunk?

Luck only comes to the well prepared. I had the books and the ideas at hand to pitch. Preparation is okay but means nothing if the opportunity does not come along. I could have waited and tried to sell the other books somewhere else, maybe a larger publisher, but having the novels out there in the public eye not only helps with sales, it primes the pump for future novel, future publishers. Publishers like a writer who has a proven track record, even with small press and there is only one way to get one.

Unlike lightning, serendipity can strike twice in the same spot. I'm hoping the old 'good things happen in threes' adage is true. I'm watching out for that phone call or letter from ACE or TOR.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!