Grill Safe Out There!

Memorial Day has come and gone, it's getting hot out there, and that means all around the country, people will be pulling out their grills and cooking outdoors.

Most of those are safe uses, but on average there are over 16,000 ER visits each year due to grilling injuries, including 8200 thermal burns.  That's a lot of injuries!

I got a recent set of safety tips from Larry Merritt of the Chicago Fire Department, courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association. (http://www.nfpa.org )so I thought I'd share.

 I have to admit, I do grill on my deck (as do half of Chicagoans, I'm sure) I'm going to be extra careful this year!

  General grilling tips:

• Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors and never on porches 
• The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches. 
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area. 
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill. 
• Never leave your grill unattended. 

  Before you use your propane grill:

• Check the major connection points between the gas (propane) tank hose and the regulator and cylinder, and where the hose connects to the burners. Tighten if loose. 
• Check the gas (propane) tank hose for the potential (gas) leaks. To do that, apply a light soap and water solution to the hose using a brush or spray bottle. Turn the propane tank on. If there is a gas leak, the propane will release bubbles around the hose (big enough to see). If there are no bubbles, your grill is safe to use. If there are bubbles, turn off the tank and check connections, then have your grill serviced by a professional before using it again. If the leak doesn’t stop, call the fire department immediately. 

  When your propane grill is on:

• As you are cooking, if you smell gas, turn off the gas tank and burners. If the leak stops immediately, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again. If the smell continues, move away from the grill and call the fire department immediately. Do not move the grill. 

Charcoal grill safety tips:

• There are several ways to get the charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow you to start the charcoal using newspaper as a fuel. 
• If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire. 
• Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources. There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. 
• Be sure to use an extension cord for outdoor use. 
• When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container.

Is your child the next Master Chef Junior?

I got this request from Master Chef Junior, and I had a weird feeling, and a realization that I am not sure how I feel about exploiting children on behalf of reality television. 

Yes, I know, I have a dad blog, and on some level, I'm exploiting my child as well, but I think there are some big differences.  My audience is tiny in comparison, and my son is not really the feature of my blog.  He's of course what made me a dad, and I tell my fair share of embarassing stories and videos about him,  but he's not  the front and center of every post.  Also the potential for failure/ridicule is relatively low. And any money my "production" makes goes directly into feeding my son and keeping him in speedskates.  Can we say the same for Master Chef Jr? 

Nevertheless, people love the show (we watch it too) so I decided I'd pass along the request for MasterChef Junior.  (Please ignore if you like!)

I am pretty sure we won't be attending with my son, but he mostly doesn't like to cook, so we're good.

And who knows, maybe your kid IS the next MasterChef Jr. and will be propelled to fortune and fame.  (If so, I want 10% for the tip!)

Here's the notice that I got from MasterChef Junior Casting:

FOX's #1 Hit show, MasterChef Junior, is now casting Kids who like to cook who have passion, potential and personality. The MasterChef Junior team is going to be in CHICAGO on JAN 13th
If you know any kids who are into cooking send their parents to
www.MasterChefJuniorCasting.com 

These casting calls are a lot of fun and very lighthearted! Everyone leaves feeling like a winner! Plus your kids can try out with friends if they want!

They are looking for kids of all skill levels in the kitchen so don't be discouraged by what you see on TV. MasterChef Junior is all about learning & growing into an amazing cook!

In addition to the open call on January 13 in Chicago, they have other open calls in other cities:

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 16, 2017 9am to 5pm STEWART HOTEL NEW YORK  371 7TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10001

SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 16, 2017 9am to 5pm HYATT REGENCY SAN ANTONIO 123 LOSOYA ST., SAN ANTONIO, TX 78205

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 13, 2018 9am to 5pm SOFITEL CHICAGO 20 E CHESTNUT ST, CHICAGO, IL 60611

ATLANTA - JANUARY 13, 2018 9am to 5pm
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL ATLANTA 75 14TH ST NE, ATLANTA, GA 30309

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 20, 2018 9am to 5pm
W HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 625 HOLLYWOOD BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90028

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 20, 2018 9am to 5pm
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON HOTEL PHILADELPHIA CENTER CITY
237 S BROAD ST, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107

And if for some reason you can't attend the open call, you can still make a video and apply online. For more information and the complete set of rules to follow, visit the URL

http://www.masterchefjuniorcasting.com/how-to-audition

Chicken Fatteh: Recipe

A couple of months ago, I had a great dish at the Lebanese Taberna in Silver Spring MD. Both my wife and I loved it (It was back when she was eating dairy and grains).  Finally got off my butt, and went looking for recipes, and found a great one on Chowhound. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/270971  (that recipe is below)

Picture from Christy's Food Rush

I also found a recipe on a couple of blogger's websites, including this one.  Her pictures are great (as you can see), but I'm using the recipe for Chowhound, because it has more exact numbers on how much stuff to buy.  

For chicken and broth:
1 chicken, whole or quartered
1/2 lemon, cut into quarters
1 Tb ground cinnamon
1 tb salt
2 cups water
1 onion with 3 cloves stuck in it
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 large can chickpeas

 In large dutch oven or stockpot, put chicken lemon quarters, ground cinnamon, and salt. Add water, onion with cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and let cool. strain and skim broth, pour over chickpeas and cook for 15-20 minutes.

To put the dish together:
1 quart plain yogurt (i use labneh or the thick greek yogurt, they work best)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup mints leaves, torn
1 cup pine nuts
3 Tb butter
2 pita breads cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 a pomegranate (if available)

Mix yogurt with garlic and let sit for 15 minutes. Fry pine nuts in 1 tb butter until brown. Set aside.

Fry pita cubes in remaining butter until crisp.
Skin and bone chicken meat. leave in largish chunks.

Put chicken in bottom of serving dish. pour warm broth with chickpeas over it. spoon yogurt mixture on top, and then sprinkle on the pine nuts, pita, mint, and pomegranate. serve in shallow soup bowls.