Homemade Breakfast Sausage

My Venture into Sausage
Pork and I go way back. You know my thunder thighs? They're mostly ham. My blossoming belly? That's primarily bacon. And my roomy patootie? Now that's from all kinds of sausage from all four corners of this planet. Kielbasa, Spanish chorizo, andouille, mortadella, landjager, hot links, bratwurst, bangers, genoa salami, pepperoni, bologna, American hot dogs, snags and lap cheong – I love 'em all! However, good 'ol American breakfast sausage is still one of my favorites.

We all have preferences when it comes to sausage. I don't like sausage that's overly spiced with sage nor overly sweetened with maple. The spices I add to my sausage augment the flavor of the pork but do not overpower it. There is an Amish community about 45 minutes away from where I live called Yoder and they sell their own meats – including some great sausages of different varieties. They have mastered the art of sausage making and their sausage will beat mine any day.

Why make your own sausage? First, it's fast. It takes five minutes to mix up a batch of this sausage. Second, you can make it a LOT cheaper than you can buy it in the store. Third, you can control the fat, sodium, sugar, and nitrate content as well as the kinds of spices and herbs you add so as to better suit your health goals and flavor palate.

Be sure to read the notes at the end of the recipe below. I give several pointers on making your own bulk sausage – even an ultra-lean alternative preparation. You can use this sausage to make patties, sausage gravy, scrapple, facial masks, or anything else you might use bulk sausage in.

I wonder how the pictures turned out. I took two pictures and the batteries in my camera died so I'm recharging them right now as I'm writing this. I took the time to make some homemade biscuits to go with the sausage and I don't want to have to go to all of the effort of setting up a second series of shots when the camera batteries are recharged. If the above picture looks crappy, you'll know why! Sometime, I'll have to post my recipes for my Old Weigh Station Biscuits and Sausage Gravy. Both are very yummy. I'm still really busy at work so that will have to wait for another time.

You want to know a secret? Guess what kind of sausage is my favorite? Vegetarian sausage. YES...vegetarian sausage! I'm big enough to have my own postal code and you'd never believe I liked vegetarian sausage. Love it!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy today's post. You have to give it a try some time since it is so quick and easy-to-make. Enjoy – and happy sausage making!

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Homemade Breakfast Sausage
(Printable Version)

1 tsp table salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp ground marjoram
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp red pepper (optional)
2 tsp water
1 lb ground pork or ground turkey

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the ground pork or turkey. Whisk until the spices are moistened. Add the ground pork or turkey and stir until thoroughly combined (I use my hands). If you have time, cover the sausage and refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld. If you don't, the sausage will still taste great.

To cook, form the sausage into patties (or crumble if making sausage gravy). Cook over medium heat until the sausage has nicely browned on both sides.

Notes:
1) I love this with ground turkey! I prefer ground turkey with a mixture of white and dark meat so the cooked sausage isn't so dry.
2) Buying ground pork from the grocery store is a big time-saver. However, it can sometimes be hit or miss. Commercially ground pork averages about 70% lean meat. Ground pork can come from various parts of the pig so you really never know what you're getting. If you have a grinder or food processor (or a nice butcher!), grind your own pork so you know what cuts are going into the sausage.
3) For an ULTRA low-fat version: Buy some pork tenderloin on sale and trim off all of the fat. I cut it into 1" cubes (1 lb of pork after trimming) and freeze it in single layer on a sheet pan for about 20 minutes or so. The outside should be firm but the inside should be pliable. While the pork is freezing, combine the other ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Sometimes, I substitute vegetable oil for the water (shhhhh!) when using this method so it is not as dry. Transfer the pork to a food processor and dump the herb mixture on top. Whiz the pork (scraping down the bowl as necessary) until it is as finely/coarsely ground as you like. Pork tenderloin is similar to a boneless, skinless chicken breast in fat content so this preparation is great for someone who wants pork sausage on a low-fat diet. As with many other ground, low-fat proteins, this ultra low-fat version can get a little dry and spongy when cooked. The flavor is great if you don't mind a drier sausage with a slightly spongy texture. It's not my favorite way to make it but I offer this as a very healthful alternative.
4) I, personally, like the clean taste of white sugar in sausage. Feel free to substitute brown sugar or maple syrup if that's your thing.

Breakfast Enchiladas

My Venture into Breakfast Food
I could eat breakfast foods at every meal. By far, breakfast is my FAVORITE meal of the day. Bacon. Eggs. Sausage. Hashbrowns. Pancakes. No wonder my thighs rub together when I'm walking down the hall. Today's recipe can be made full-flavored (which is the nice way of saying "fattening") or it can be made more figure-friendly. I certainly love the high octane version but the lighter alternative is actually quite tasty as well.

You'll notice in the recipe below, there are quite a few ingredients. Although it is not difficult to make, you would not normally make this for a normal weekday breakfast unless you like getting up at 5:00 a.m. This would be perfect for Sunday brunch, Christmas morning, or even a Saturday night card game with the guys. I tried to incorporate several short-cuts to help everything come together faster (although I don't normally use those short-cuts when I make it myself).

I was not sure if this recipe would be "blog worthy" so I made it, took quick pictures, and drove to my mother's house with the breakfast enchiladas in-hand. My mother loathes sausage so I assumed she would hate this recipe. My teenage nephew and middle-aged sister were also visiting so it was a good chance to get input from different people. Would they like this concept? Would they think it was too spicy? Would they think it was too heavy? Would they run screaming from the house and vomit uncontrollably in my mother's front yard…again? To my surprise, they all loved it! It's always hard to please people when it comes to spiciness level. Mom thought it was just a hair too spicy for her (she thinks water is spicy). My sister, who also doesn't like spicy food, thought it could be spicier. My nephew thought it was perfect. They all agreed it would be blog worthy and cannot wait for me to make these breakfast enchiladas for them again.

You'll have to forgive my uninspired pictures. I baked the enchiladas at my place because I hate cooking at my mother's house. I normally would have plated a couple of enchiladas and made them pretty for you all but that would have taken too long and they would have gotten cold before I got to my mother's house. So, I opted to take the easy way out and photograph them while they were still in the dish. It's not as pretty this way and you don't get a sense of what they look like but my mother comes first! You know, Mother's Day IS coming up and Mother's Day is not so much a DAY in my family as it is a SEASON.

These breakfast enchiladas are meaty and creamy on the inside. They're very filling. The cheese sauce on top is to-die-for. Very cheesilicious! I hope you enjoy my latest creation. Enjoy – and happy eating!

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Breakfast Enchiladas
(Printable Version)

Filling:
1 TBSP oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz breakfast sausage or chorizo
1 1/4 c cooked cubed potatoes or hashbrowns (I use Simply Potatoes® from the refrigerated section of
my grocery store)
Scrambled Eggs (recipe follows)
1 2-oz jar chopped pimentos, drained
1 4.5-oz can green chiles, drained
4 oz (1 cup) freshly grated cheese such as sharp cheddar, monterrey jack, or pepper jack (or a
combination of cheeses)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Scrambled Eggs:
1 TBSP butter
5 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Chipotle Cheese Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (3/4 tsp table salt)
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBSP adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce (plus 1 minced chipotle pepper if you are living on the wild side)
8 oz (2 cups) freshly grated sharp cheddar, monterrey jack, or pepper jack (or a combination of cheeses)

Other Ingredients:
8 fajita-size flour tortillas (about 6")
4 oz (1 cup) freshly grated cheese such as sharp cheddar, monterrey jack, or pepper jack for topping
Optional garnishes such as finely diced red bell pepper, chopped tomatoes, chopped scallions, or chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 TBSP oil. When hot, add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the sausage and cook until brown – breaking the sausage into small pieces as it cooks. Add the cooked potatoes and heat for 2 minutes to warm the potatoes through. Drain off any excess oil and transfer the sausage to a medium bowl. Set the mixture aside to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.

To make the Chipotle Cheese Sauce, heat a sauce pan over medium heat with the butter. When the butter has melted and the foaming has subsided, add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, whisking often. Slowing add in the milk while whisking the sauce. Add the salt, pepper, adobo sauce, and whisk in. Heat the sauce until it barely simmers then very lightly simmer for 2 minutes longer. Turn the heat to low. Add the cheese in small amounts, whisking between each addition. Whisk until the cheese has completed melted and the sauce is smooth.

While the sauce is heating, scramble the eggs. To scramble the eggs, heat a skillet over medium heat with the butter (I use the same skillet I cook the sausage in). Once the butter has melted and the foaming has subsided, add the beaten eggs and some salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs until they are firm. Transfer the eggs to the bowl with the sausage mixture.

To the sausage and egg mixture, add the remaining filling ingredients including the cilantro (if using), pimentos, green chiles, and 4 ounces of cheese. Stir to combine. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed. Gently fold in 1 cup of the Chipotle Cheese Sauce.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the filling into the center of a tortilla. Roll it up and place it seam-side down into a 9x13" dish that has been coated with cooking spray. You should place the enchilada lengthwise in the dish so that you can get 2 enchiladas in each row running the length of the dish. Repeat with the rest of the filling. You may have a little of the filling leftover. If so, refrigerate it and use it for leftovers. Pour the remaining cheese sauce all over the enchiladas – making sure they are completely coated with the sauce. Top with 1 cup of cheese and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Garnish with chopped red bell pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, and/or scallions.

NOTES:
1) With 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce (and no chipotles), you will have a subtle background kick in the sauce. My sister, who doesn't like spicy food, says it could be spicier. My mother thought it was spicy but not too much. My teenage nephew didn' t think it was spicy. If you are very sensitive to spicy things, I recommend decreasing the amount of adobo sauce. If you really want a kick, throw in a minced chipotle.
2) To lighten the recipe, use 2% cheddar, 2% milk, fat-free tortillas, and reduced-fat sausage. You could also use egg whites instead of whole eggs.

Barbecue-Stuffed Corn Muffins

My Venture into Stuffed Corn Muffins
Anybody who regularly reads my blog knows the joy I get from cooking comes from making new recipes. I rarely make a recipe in its original form because I normally have lots of ideas of how I'd like to change it. Every so often, I come across a recipe that I just cannot think of a way to change. Today's recipe is like that.

I found today's recipe on Food Wishes – a video cooking blog that I love to frequent. I think this recipe is innovative and easy and I'm kicking myself in the rear for not having thought of it myself! I made a couple of very small changes to Chef John's recipe but they are hardly worth mentioning. He adds more milk than I do and his filling is drier. He also adds cheese on top (which I wasn't excited about) and he used muffin liners and I didn't.

This recipe is kind of the like the American version of cha shao bao (char siu bao for you Cantonese speakers). Cha shao bao is a Chinese steamed bun that is stuffed with Chinese-style barbecue pork. Very tasty. My backside bears many dimples caused by eating too many cha shao bao over the years.

Do you ever get in one of those moods when you JUST don't want to cook? I'm in one of those moods. That's why I like today's recipe. It can be put together and baked in just minutes. It's painfully simple and it's a great way to use up leftover barbecue meat. If you don't have any leftover barbecue, just go to your favorite BBQ restaurant and pick some up. I hope you like today's recipe as much as I do. Enjoy – and happy stuffing!

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Barbecue-Stuffed Corn Muffins
(Printable Version)

1 egg
1/4 c milk
1/2 c freshly grated cheddar, monterrey jack, or pepper jack cheese
1 8.5-oz box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (or a similar brand)
1/2 to 3/4 c leftover barbecue pork, rib meat, or brisket (cut into small pieces)
Barbecue sauce to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a small bowl, add the leftover barbecue pork, rib meat, or brisket that has been cut into pieces. Add enough barbecue sauce to make the meat nice and wet but not swimming in sauce. Set aside. Butter or spray 6 wells of a muffin tin. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Fold in the cheese and corn muffin mix until the mixture is well combined.

Add approximately 2 tablespoons of batter to each of the six wells (I use a cookie scoop). This should use up half the batter. Spoon about 1 tablespoon or so of the barbecue meat on top of the batter in the wells – making sure to keep the meat from touching the sides of the pan. The meat needs to be somewhat piled up in the center. Evenly add the remaining batter to the top of the meat in the wells. Bake about 13 to 16 minutes or until the muffins have browned on top. Allow the muffins to cool for several minutes before attempting to remove them from the muffin tins. Makes 6.

Ham and Potato Soup

My Venture into Simplicity
Aaaaah. Spring is my favorite season. The days are longer. Flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. Spring has always been a time of renewal and rebirth. I have been getting tired of the look of my blog so, in the spirit of spring, I decided to freshen it up a bit.

You'll notice a new header at the top of my blog. I've also added a navigation bar at the top so you can more easily search for ingredients or recipes by clicking in the search field in the upper-left part of the page. I've made my blog about 20% wider so there is less dead space in the left and right margins and the background color is no longer white but rather a greyish blue. I'm not into "busy" webpages that have a lot of extraneous images and patterns. As with my cooking and recipes, I appreciate simplicity the most.

Today's recipe is so quick and easy-to-make but tastes SO GOOD. Isn't it interesting that the simpliest of ingredients can make the best tasting food? Ham and potato soup is really inexpensive to make. I used leftover ham and the rest of the ingredients I either had on-hand or were very inexpensive to buy. Simple, wholesome, inexpensive, and great-tasting. That's my kind of cooking!

Leave a comment and let me know how you like the new look my blog. Enjoy the Ham and Potato Soup – and enjoy the beauty of spring!

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Ham and Potato Soup
(Printable Version)

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
6 TBSP butter, divided use
1 1/2 bunches scallions (white and light green parts), chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 c diced cooked ham
3 1/2 c water
2 TBSP chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp black pepper
5 TBSP flour
2 c half-n-half
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes: Freshly grated cheddar cheese, scallion tops, and cooked bacon pieces

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of butter. When melted, add the scallions, garlic, and ham. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, water, bouillon, and pepper. Cover and crank up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes are simmering, in a separate saucepan, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the half-n-half. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, cook about 3 minutes, whisking often.

When the potatoes are tender, add the half-n-half mixture to the dutch oven and stir. Allow the mixture to return to a simmer then cook 2 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water. If it is too thin, cook a few minutes longer.

Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with any optional garnishes such as freshly grated cheddar cheese, scallion tops, and cooked bacon pieces.

Asian Candied Bacon

My Venture into Asian-Inspired Candied Bacon
A very special holiday is coming up. Can you guess which one? I'll give you a hint. The favorite color for this holiday is red. Need another hint? It's celebrated on February 14 by millions of people worldwide. That's right – Chinese New Year! Today's recipe was inspired by a food I ate many years ago during Chinese New year.

Bacon and I go way back. It, more than any other food, is responsible for the cellulite on my thighs, the dimples on my patootie, and one of my man-boobs (the left one). I was a vegetarian for four years and bacon is the ONE meat I always missed. For four long years, I dreamt about bacon at night and drooled about it during the day. When I stopped eating bacon, I sent Wall Street into a panic and pork prices dropped overnight.

Many moons ago, I was walking through the streets of Singapore right before Chinese New Year and I caught the unmistakable whiff of grilled pork fat. Like a sailor lulled to his death on a rocky shore by a Siren's beautiful song, I was drawn to the source of this intoxicating odor. I walked into a very busy shop filled with Chinese women buying hoards of index-card-size pieces of dried meat which had been coated in a sticky glaze and then grilled to tasty perfection. Most of the meat was pork but they also had fish and other proteins that had been prepared in a similar fashion.

I struck up a conversation with a lady in line and asked her what the shop was selling and why it was so popular. She said that the meat was called Bak Kwa (in Hokkien Chinese dialect or Rogan in Mandarin). She explained that it was pork jerky made from minced pork with secret ingredients, then dried in a top-secret way, and finally grilled using a top-secret glaze. Apparently, it's easier to find out how to enrich uranium than get specifics on how to make Bak Kwa. She further added that, when she was a little girl, this delicacy used to only be sold during Chinese New Year but, nowadays, you can get it year-round. I told her that it smelled wonderful but that I was a vegetarian so I couldn't eat any. Upon hearing that I was a vegetarian, she looked at me like I was Satan's gardener or something and insisted I try it. She handed me a piece of Bak Kwa and practically force-fed it to me like she was trying to gavage a goose. OK, that's a little exaggerated. She actually just handed me a piece and said "here, eat this". After one bite, I almost cried. It was THAT good. I've been a carnivore since.

I have tried in vain to make Bak Kwa at home. The recipes I have found on the internet are a poor substitute for the real thing. Since Chinese New Year is just around the corner, I thought I would make a VERY Americanized version of Bak Kwa with bacon. Most of you will probably think of it as Asian-style candied bacon. It's certainly not Bak Kwa but it is REALLY good nevertheless.

Did you know there is another holiday on February 14 that is celebrated by millions of people? That's right – Arizona Statehood Day! Unfortunately, I have never developed any recipes for that. Until I do, I hope you try this Asian-inspired candied bacon. Enjoy – and Gong Xi Fa Cai!

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Asian Candied Bacon
(Printable Version)

1 lb thick-cut, center-cut bacon

Glaze:
1 TBSP regular soy sauce
1 TBSP dark soy sauce (may substitute regular soy sauce)
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP water
1 TBSP honey
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 c plus 2 TBSP firmly packed light brown sugar
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp red food coloring
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a sided sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place an oven-safe rack on the sheet pan. Place the bacon in a single layer on the wire rack. You may need to slightly overlap the bacon to get it all to fit on the pan.

While the oven is heating, add all of the glaze ingredients to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, continue to simmer the glaze for 3 minutes – swirling the pan every minute or so to keep things mixed up. Reduce the heat to low to keep the mixture warm.

As soon as the oven has preheated, place the bacon (unglazed) in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the strips of bacon and bake 10 minutes longer.

Pull out the bacon, flip all of the strips, and brush on some of the glaze. Bake 5 minutes.

Pull out the bacon again, flip over all of the strips, and brush on some of the glaze. Bake another 5 minutes.

One final time, pull out the bacon, flip the pieces, and brush on a final layer of the glaze. Bake 4 to 8 minutes or until the bacon reaches your desired color and crispiness. Discard any leftover glaze.

Transfer the cooked bacon to a clean rack. Drool until the bacon has cooled to room temperature. Devour.

Easy Red Beans and Rice

My Venture into Cajun/Creole Cuisine
Sorry Blog Buddies for the long delay in posting a recipe! With the holidays and work, I've not had a lot of time to work on my blog. To make it worse, I have jury duty this week. UGH! It's not that I hate jury duty. I do feel a sense of obligation to do my civic duty. However, it always seems to come at the most inopportune times. For my international readers who may not know what jury duty is, check out Wikipedia.

When I started my blog, I originally planned to post only one recipe per week. Since I started my blog in August, 2009, I have posted two or three recipes per week and I can't keep up with that pace. So, from now on, I plan to post only one recipe per week with the option to post more often as time permits. For all of you working moms out there who have to juggle work, family obligations, cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, and more, you have my utmost respect. I don't know how you do it!

I am always getting requests for budget-friendly meals and this is one of them. These rice and beans are nutritious, wholesome, and inexpensive to make. Well, with all of the bacon and sausage, "nutritious" may be stretching it some. I got nearly EVERY major ingredient on sale. I made this entire pot of rice and beans for under $8 – and it makes a lot. If your budget is particular tight this week, leave out the sausage, add extra beans and/or rice, or skip the parsley. I don't recommend leaving out the bacon because it adds so much flavor. This dish is so good, it will also appeal to those of you who can easily afford more expensive meals. It's delicious!

You'll notice the title of this recipe is "EASY Red Beans and Rice." I also make a variation of this recipe by cooking the beans from scratch with a couple smoked ham hocks. Delish! It does take more time and planning. It's smokier and has more depth of flavor but, sometimes, I don't have time to spend forever in the kitchen. That's when I opt for this quicker version.

I had Red Beans and Rice in New Orleans several years ago and fell in love with the dish. I had it at the recommendation of the owner of a small mom and pop restaurant that I found myself in. It was SO good! The dish was smoky and had incredible flavor. I love spicy food but the Red Beans and Rice at that restaurant almost set my hair on fire. It was SPICY. I wish I could remember the name of that restaurant because I'd love to go back. Anyway, according to the owners, Red Beans and Rice is a Creole dish – not Cajun. Go figure! I guess you learn something new every day!

You're going to laugh but I really like the Red Beans and Rice at Popeye's Fried Chicken. It's really good! In fact, I find myself going to Popeye's, not for the chicken, but for the Red Beans and Rice. If you're fortunate to live near a Popeye's, be sure to try their Red Beans and Rice sometime.

I'm sure I'm going to get hate mail from people criticizing the fact I'm using canned beans or that this recipe is not authentic. I don't claim to be an expert on Cajun or Creole cuisine. Any advice or historical perspective on this dish would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy – and happy eating!

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Easy Red Beans and Rice
(Printable Version)

1/4 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
8 oz andouille sausage or kielbasa sausage, casings removed and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 large onion, diced
1/4 tsp sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning (less if you prefer things less spicy)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
4 15.5 oz cans red beans
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups cooked rice
Italian Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

In a skillet over medium heat, add the bacon. When the bacon is about half done, add the sausage and fry until the bacon and sausage are deep brown – stirring every few minutes to keep the meats from burning.

While the bacon is cooking, add 1 can of the beans (including the juice) to a dutch oven. Mash the beans thoroughly with a potato masher (or puree them in a food processor). Add the remaining cans of beans and their juice (but do not mash) to the dutch oven, stir well, and turn the heat on to medium-low. Cover and allow the beans to gently warm as you prepare the remaining ingredients.

When the bacon and sausage are brown, add the meat to the beans – leaving the drippings in the skillet. Stir the beans and re-cover. Add the onion and sugar to the bacon drippings and cook until the onion is very soft – about 8 to 10 minutes. While the onions are sautéing, I normally start cooking my rice in a sauce pan. If you use Minute Rice, you can start it later.

When the onions are soft, add the garlic, Cajun seasoning, cumin, and cayenne (if using) to the skillet with the onions and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the liquid smoke and onion mixture to the beans and stir everything to combine. Cover, increase the heat to medium, and simmer lightly for about 15 to 20 minutes – stirring every few minutes. The goal is for your rice to be done at about the same time as the beans so plan accordingly. If the beans gets too thick, add a little water. I prefer thick rice and beans so this recipe is not very brothy. Before serving, taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed. It's likely you'll need some salt but the amount will vary depending on the brand of bacon, sausage, and canned beans you purchase.

To serve, ladle some of the beans into a bowl and top with some cooked rice. Sprinkle the rice and beans with a little parsley for garnish.

Notes:
1) The brand of Cajun seasoning that I buy has a pretty good kick to it. With the addition of the cayenne, these beans are definitely spicy. Of course, rice and beans are supposed to be a bit spicy. If you are worried about the spiciness level, leave out the cayenne completely and reduce the Cajun seasoning by 1 tsp. Near the end of cooking, taste it for spiciness. If you think you can handle a little more spice, go ahead and add a little more Cajun seasoning and/or cayenne.
2) For those of you who really enjoy spicy foods, feel free to add a little hot sauce (such as Frank's Hot Sauce or Tabasco).

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

My Venture into Barbecued Pork
This recipe is perfect to make during the winter when access to a smoker or grill is limited. You have to plan ahead to make it but it's painfully easy to make. You could serve this at football parties, New Year's Eve get-togethers, or even during the summer for the 4th of July.

Barbecue recipes vary from region to region in the U.S. Where I'm from, we prefer our barbecue sweet and slightly acidic. If you don't like sweet barbecue, this recipe is not for you. I actually served this for Christmas and several family members raved about it – including teenagers! Sometimes, I like to prepare this without adding any barbecue sauce at all. Sometimes, I take the easy way out and buy some barbecue sauce at the store instead of making my own. However, most of the time, I make this dish by taking the extra time and effort to make my own sauce.

Don't be put off by the long instructions. The ingredients are simple. The preparation is simple. In short, you make a wet rub and let the pork marinate overnight. Then you put it in a slow cooker for 11 to 12 hours. Then you make a sauce and bake the pulled pork with the homemade sauce for an hour. Trust me – it's well worth the time. Best of all, I got nearly all of the ingredients for this on sale! This dish can be very budget-friendly. I got a well-trimmed pork shoulder for only US$1.19 per pound – an inexpensive protein that served a crowd. Leftovers are to die for.

If you have a big family or are planning a party, this is a great choice for an entrée. It is so good! Enjoy – and happy barbecuing!

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Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
(Printable Version)

1 6 lb pork shoulder (Boston butt)
2 medium onions, diced
1 head garlic, chopped
Hamburger buns

Wet Rub:
1/4 cup white sugar
2 TBSP paprika
4 tsp table salt
1 1/2 TBSP garlic powder
2 TBSP onion powder
2 TBSP chili seasoning
1 TBSP black pepper
2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Sweet Barbecue Sauce (Optional)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
3 cups ketchup
1/4 cup water
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 TBSP liquid smoke
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

The Day Before Cooking:
Make the wet rub by whisking all of the ingredients together. Set aside while you prepare the pork shoulder. The wet rub will thicken slightly as it sits.

Trim as much exterior fat from the pork shoulder as possible. Cut the shoulder into 3 pieces of roughly equal size. One side will likely have a bone so it may be a little bigger than the other 2 pieces – which is no big deal. Add 1/3 of the wet rub to each piece and rub it in on all sides. Add the pieces of pork to a large dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Early on the Day of Serving:
The shoulder needs to cook for 11 to 12 hours so plan accordingly. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, chop the onions and garlic. After the pork has rested for 1 hour, add about 3/4 of the chopped onions and about 3/4 of the chopped garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the pork then top with the remaining onions and garlic. If any liquids have come out of the pork while it was marinating, tilt the pan and spoon the liquid on top of the meat. Cook on low for 11 to 12 hours (or high for 6 to 7 hours).

You will be shocked by the amount of liquid that comes out of the shoulder even though you did not add any extra water or broth to the slow cooker. When the pork is done, it will pull apart without any effort. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork and onions/garlic from the juices in the slow cooker. Place the meat and onion mixture on a sided sheet pan and cover with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Discard the juices. The pork will taste great at this point and will be slightly sweet. You may serve the pulled pork after it has rested with (or without) a store-bought barbecue sauce.

I, however, like to go one extra step when making this pork. When the pork is almost done, start making the barbecue sauce by adding the roughly chopped onion and garlic to a food processor. Puree the onions and garlic and transfer the mixture to a medium sauce pan. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and stir to combine.

When the pork is resting after it has been removed from the slower cooker, preheat the oven to 350F. In addition, start heating the sauce ingredients over medium heat. Stir the sauce often as it heats so that it does not burn on the bottom of the sauce pan. It may splatter when it begins to simmer so feel free to use a splatter screen or a lid that is kept slightly ajar to allow excess moisture to escape. Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes (about the length of time you are resting the pork). The sauce will darken considerably as it cooks.

Remove the foil from the pork. Use a couple of forks to shred the meat into smaller pieces. Add about 1/3 of the sauce to the pork and stir to combine. Then, spoon another third of the sauce on top of the meat but do not stir it in. Add the sheet pan to the oven and cook for about 1 hour or until the sauce is very thickened on top and beginning to char in a few places. After I add the pork to the oven, I continue to slowly cook the remaining third of the sauce over medium-low to medium heat until it has thickened (about 10 minutes longer or so). Transfer the extra sauce to a serving bowl.

When you take the pork out of the oven, stir it and serve immediately on hamburger buns. Pass around the extra sauce for those who prefer a wetter/sweeter barbecue sandwich.

Notes:
1) Don't be tempted to buy a pork shoulder that is significantly bigger than 6 lbs. A 7 lb pork shoulder is a very tight fit in most slow cookers so 6 to 6 1/2 lbs is a better choice.
2) This tastes even better as leftovers. In fact, I rarely serve it on the day I make it. I prefer to make it a day or two in advance then just heat it up in the microwave. In this respect, it's perfect party food.

Pulled Pork Fajitas

My Ventures into Pork Fajitas
Beef fajitas. Chicken fajitas. Fish fajitas. Vegetarian fajitas. Pork fajitas – I love 'em all! In restaurants, I especially love when they are brought to your table on those cast iron plates and everything is still sizzling away. The veggies and meat often have a little char on the edges. Oh, geez. I'm making myself hungry! In general, I enjoy ordering foods in restaurants that I get to play with. You know, like Chinese hot pot or Beijing duck. Or Korean bulgogi or galbi. With fajitas, I get to put some meat and veggies on a fresh tortilla with my choice of fixings.

Was I in the mood for pork fajitas when I made this? Not really. However, pork shoulder was on sale for US$1.29 a pound so that's all the incentive I needed. I wasn't in the mood for pork shoulder – that is until I smelled it baking. OOOHHH, MY! For HOURS, you have to endure the most incredible aroma coming from your stove. I couldn’t escape it. I tried to take my mind off of it by working on my computer. I couldn't concentrate. I tried watching a little TV. Mexican restaurant commercials filled the airways. My neighbor down the hall even smelled it and insisted on having some for dinner. This is not my inconsiderate neighbor who slams his apartment door every time he comes and goes. Or the neighbor who sounds like he's moving furniture at 2:00 a.m. when his girlfriend stays over. Or the chain smoker. Or the stoner. Or the cross-dresser. Or the cross-dressing, chain-smoking stoner. The guy who knocked on my door is the ONE guy who lives on my floor who seems boringly normal. He's probably a serial killer.

Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh, yeah, yeah. Fajitas. I know it takes a while to make this dish but it is absolutely worth it. You'll have plenty of leftovers to share with the serial killers next door. Enjoy – and happy fajita-making!

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Pulled Pork Fajitas
(Printable Version)

7 lbs pork shoulder

Spice Rub:
1 1/2 TBSP onion powder
1 1/2 TBSP garlic powder
2 TBSP cumin
2 TBSP dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers
2 1/2 TBSP kosher salt (1 1/4 TBSP table salt)
2 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 TBSP white vinegar
6 TBSP olive oil (one that you like the taste of)

Veggies:
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1 large onion, sliced into half moons and rings separated
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/3" strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
About 1 tsp of the reserved spice rub
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Small flour tortillas, warmed per the package instructions
Optional Toppings: Sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, slices of limes, your favorite cheese, etc.

Day Before Serving: Trim the pork shoulder of some (but not all) of the fat. If desired, you may leave all of the fat on. With the fat side up, cut the pork into three pieces. Most pork shoulders have a bone on one end of the roast. This means that you will not be able to cut the shoulder into three even pieces – but that's OK. If your butcher has already removed the bone, great! Otherwise, leave the bone in. Trust me, the bone will easily fall out on its own when the pork is done cooking.

For the rub, mix all of the dry ingredients together. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the dry mixture for the veggies. It's easy to forget to reserve that tablespoon of dry rub so make every effort to remember.

To the remaining rub, add the vinegar and olive oil and mix well. Rub the mixture all over the meat – and I mean RUB IT IN. Get rough with that pork and let it know who's boss. Place the pork in a roasting pan (fat side up), cover, and refrigerate AT LEAST overnight. It's even better after marinating for 24 hours.

On the Day of Serving: Take the roasting pan out of the refrigerator and set it on the counter while the oven is preheating. Preheat the oven to 275F. Make sure the roasting pan is tightly covered in aluminum foil. Bake the pork for about 5 hours. Take the roasting pan out of the oven and increase the temperature to 375F. Remove the foil from the roasting pan and use a spoon to baste the pork with some of the drippings on the bottom of the pan. Bake, uncovered, another 45 minutes to allow the meat to brown.

Remove the pan from the oven, cover it with foil, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. After the pork has rested, take it out of the roasting pan and pull the pork into bite-size pieces.

When the pork is resting, cut the onions, bell pepper, and garlic.

To prepare the veggies, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil or use some of the drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan. When hot, add the onions and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until they are starting to char. Add the bell pepper and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, 1 tsp of the reserved dry spice mixture, and the juice of 1/2 a lime. Mix well and cook 1 minute.

To serve, add some of the pulled pork to a warmed tortilla. Add some of the veggies and your favorite toppings.

Notes: This tastes even BETTER the next day. You reserved enough of the dried spice mixture to make another 2 batches of veggies for leftovers. The next day, just make another batch of veggies, reheat the meat, and you have quick and easy leftovers.

Tacos al Pastor (Healthier Version)

My Venture into Shepherd-style Tacos
Tacos al Pastor or Shepherd's Tacos are normally made with pork shoulder. Pork shoulder, although succulent, is not exactly figure-friendly. I decided to make a healthier version of these tacos by using lean pork tenderloin so I could eat them more often without all of the guilt.

The first time I had Tacos al Pastor was on a trip to Mexico that I made with a group of friends when I was in college. Two of the girls I was traveling with, Sarah and Heather, were these Angelina-Jolie-looking things that always attracted the attention of would-be suitors in every place in Mexico we visited. In one town, the three of us were walking down an alley lined with street vendors selling different foods, clothing, perfumes, fake watches, etc. The girls spoke with a slight twang and didn't speak a word of Spanish but still managed to communicate volumes with their big bosoms, fluttering eyelashes, and long, flowing hair.

I stopped at a stall selling something that looked like gyros. I watched them layer pork shoulder bathed in a chili/pineapple concoction on a vertical spit. When they turned it on, it slowly rotated -- cooking the pork with a heating element covering one side of the meat. Once it had cooked a while, the "chef" would shave off the outer edge of the meat and throw it on a grill to crisp up. They then served the meat in tortillas with a variety of toppings from which to choose. I asked the cook (in Spanish) what he was making and he said "Tacos al Pastor." He then went on to explain how they were made. They looked delicious so I, of course, had to buy one. I took one bite and was in heaven!

Meanwhile, Sarah and Heather were at another stall looking at some cosmetics. I don't want to be impolite and say that Sarah and Heather were "ugly Americans." They were a bit culturally insensitive and let's just leave it at that. Since neither of them spoke Spanish, they always spoke English to everybody they approached -- expecting the good people of Mexico to understand what they were saying. Even from a distance, I could hear every word of their conversation because they assumed that, by simply speaking louder, the Mexican shopkeepers would be better able to understand them. Heather was haggling with the cosmetics vendor over a small tube of Bonne Bell Strawberry-flavored Lip Smacker. I, meanwhile, took the opportunity to practice my Spanish with the taco vendor as I ate.

Heather and Sarah shared a fanny pack and they took turns wearing it. Neither liked wearing it because they thought it made them look fat. Trust me. I know how they feel. I look like I have about 20 of them strapped around my stomach and another 10 glued to my backside. That day, Sarah got stuck wearing it. Heather needed some money to pay for the lip gloss so Sarah unbelted the fanny pack, gave it to Heather, and held onto the lip gloss while Heather dug through the fanny pack looking for some spare pesos. For those of you who are from the UK and other parts of the world, a "fanny pack" is a "bum bag." I learned the difference the hard way when I asked a British lady one time where she got such a big fanny pack. I thought she was going to slap me. Anyway, Heather was digging for some pesos in the fanny pack while Sarah was standing there reading the label on the lip gloss. Without warning, a guy standing near them tried to snatch the fanny pack out of Heather's hands. She had a death grip on that thing so he didn't get away with it as easily as he would have liked. Heather put her foot up against his stomach to give her more leverage as they played tug-of-war with the fanny pack. That day, she was wearing cork wedge platform heel shoes that must have come from a stripper store and a very tight miniskirt and so I was shocked she could lift her leg so high with such ease. Sarah, on the other hand, just stood there like a deer in headlights saying "oh, oH, OH!". I had a choice to make. I could drop that heavenly taco and go help OR mind my own business and let the guy get away with a dime-store fanny pack filled with 7 pesos, a used Kleenex, and a year's supply of Kaopectate. The choice was clear. Sarah decided to help by throwing the lip gloss at the guy, which hit him in the chest and conveniently bounced into one of his hands. With one big jerk, he pulled the fanny pack out of Heather's hands and was off in a flash.

Meanwhile, Sarah was continuing to waive her hands in the air and screaming "oh, oH, OH!". Heather screamed "POLICIO! POLICIO!" and the cosmetics vendor pointed to a nearby building housing the local police department. Heather and Sarah tore off for the police station in a flash and I reluctantly followed – taco in-hand, of course.

When we got into the station, Heather ran up to the front desk and rang the bell, like, 40 times. A portly, older gentleman came to the counter and the conversation went something like this:

HEATHER: Oh my God! I just got mugged! He got all of our money!
SARAH: And some Bonne Bell Lip Smacker. Strawberry-flavored. It was brand new – you can ask that one guy. He'll vouch for us.
HEATHER: Who cares about the lip gloss?! My purse was my stolen!
SARAH: Well, actually, it was your fanny pack. You left your purse at the hotel.
HEATHER: WHATEVER! [Directing her attention back to the police guy] OK, it was a Mexican guy. He was wearing a red shirt with…
SARAH: It was more like cranberry.
HEATHER: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cranberry. A cranberry-colored shirt with blue jeans. He was, like, 5' 6" tall and had…
SARAH: No, I think he was a little taller than that. I'm 5' 6" so I'm thinking he's maybe 5' 8" or so.
HEATHER: OK, whatever. He was a short, Mexican guy. Anyway, he ran that way [pointing], you know, near that tack-o stand over there.

Meanwhile, I continued to eat my taco while staring at this mean-looking cat on the front counter that looked like he was just seconds away from mauling me. I tried to put some distance between me and the attack cat and accidentally bumped into Heather – causing some of the meat from my taco to fall onto her stripper shoes. I was so annoyed with myself for being so clumsy. After all, I wanted to eat EVERY morsel of that wonderful taco meat. Hmmm, I wonder if the 5-second rule would have applied in Mexico, too? Anyway, I digress…

HEATHER: Will you stop eating that STUPID tack-o and DO SOMETHING?!
VINCE: [With my mouth full] Wellth, whath do yous wanth ME to do?

Heather started sobbing, angrily flicked the taco meat off of her foot, and turned her attention back to the police guy.

HEATHER: [Slapping her hands on a tablet on the counter] WHY AREN'T YOU WRITING ANY OF THIS DOWN?!
POLICE GUY: Uuuuuuhhh, no Eeenglish. You espeak espanish?

I almost choked on my taco.

Heather, Sarah, and I eventually lost touch but I still have vivid memories of that day. It was the day I fell in love with Tacos al Pastor. This version is much healthier – but is still very tasty. It is SO good. Enjoy – and happy shepherding!

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Tacos al Pastor (Healthier Version)
(Printable Version)

Marinade:
8 Dried New Mexico Chilis (or a more traditional mixture of guajillo and pasilla chilis)
Water for steeping the chilis
1 large onion, roughly chopped
10 cloves garlic
1 TBSP cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
2 TBSP kosher salt (or 1 TBSP table salt)
1 chipotle pepper (I normally add 2)
2 TBSP adobo sauce
2 TBSP vinegar
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple

5 to 6 lbs pork tenderloin
Small tortillas (corn or flour)
Toppings: onions or scallions, limes, sour cream, chopped cilantro, cubed fresh pineapple, sharp cheddar cheese, etc.

De-stem and de-seed the chili peppers. Put the chilis in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the chilis steep in the hot water for about 25 minutes.

While the chilis are steeping, prepare the other ingredients and add them to a bowl. This includes roughly cutting up the onion, garlic, and pineapple as well as measuring out the other ingredients for the marinade.

When the chilis have steeped for about 25 minutes, remove the chilis from the water and add the chilis to a blender. Add about 1/2 cup of the steeping water to the blender as well to make it easier to puree the chilis. Discard the remaining steeping water. Fully puree the chilis. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the pureed chilis into a large bowl – pushing and scraping the chilis through the strainer. Discard the skins and solids that will not go through the strainer.

Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the blender and fully puree. Add the puree to the bowl with the strained chilis (no need to strain the other ingredients). Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate about 1 hour.

Remove the pork tenderloin from the package and dry it well with paper towels. Remove all excess fat and silver skin. Cut the tenderloin lengthwise into 4 long pieces. Pour a little of the chilled marinade to coat the bottom of a 9x13" glass dish. Add the meat to the glass dish and cover with the remaining marinade. Make sure all of the pieces are fully coated in the marinade then cover and refrigerate about 1 1/2 hours. Do not marinate longer than 1 1/2 hours or the enzymes in the pineapple will start breaking down the meat.

About 20 minutes before the meat has finished marinating, take the meat out of the refrigerator to take the chill off. Start preheating your oven at 425F. Cover a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil then place an oven-safe rack in the sheet pan.

When the pork has finished marinating, place the pork on the rack. Make sure the top of the pork has nice, even layer of the marinade (discard any remaining marinade left in the glass dish). Place the sheet pan in the oven and pour about 1 cup of water into the sheet pan. Bake the pork for roughly 25 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork has reached 160F. The cooking time is only a rough guide. Tent the pork and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

Cut the pork into small, bite-size pieces. At this point, the meat may be refrigerated and the meat will taste even better the next day. This is especially nice if you are having a dinner party because you can cook the meat the day before.

To make the tacos, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 TBSP of oil to the skillet. When the oil is hot, add a single layer of meat to skillet (don't overcrowd the meat). Don't move the meat because you want to develop a nice, brown sear on one side. Once seared, serve on warmed tortillas with an assortment of toppings. This preparation has significantly less fat than when prepared with traditional pork shoulder so eat it without the guilt.

Scalloped Potato Pot Pie

My Venture into Potatoes
Who doesn't love potatoes? Potatoes can be part of a healthy diet and provide a fat-free way to get important vitamins and minerals. That is, unless you make this dish. This recipe is not fat-free. It's not reduced-fat. It's comfort food at its finest. I think I owe one of my chins and both of my thighs to this very recipe. I'm not saying you should eat this every day. Make it for special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or Tuesday's.

The filling is like thick scalloped potatoes. It's not meant to be soupy. I used to be a vegetarian and made this dish without the bacon. To flavor the cream, I used vegetable bouillon instead of chicken – and it was tasty that way. Still fattening, of course – but meat-free. You might opt to use some cheddar cheese instead of parmesan (or a combination of the two). If using cheddar, I highly recommend grating your own because pre-shredded cheeses do not work as well. I also recommend using 2% cheddar. Otherwise, the filling can get rather oily. Don't be frightened by the amount of garlic. You need it to flavor this quantity of potatoes. If you're in the mood, feel free to make your own pie dough!

I need to take a class on how to get a nice, clean piece of pie out of the dish on the very first try. You'll have to excuse the top photo – it was the best piece I could get out of the dish. The first piece looked like I scooped it out with my bare hands. The second piece wasn't much better. If practice makes perfect, I'm going to have to make a lot more pies!

I took some pictures, ate a piece of the pie, and quickly threw the rest in the trash. It was horrible. You'll hate it. Bacon, potatoes, onion, garlic, and pie dough all taste bad. It would have definitely tasted better with tofu. And Brussels sprouts. When it was baking, my apartment filled with the most INCREDIBLE aromas. Wait. They were BAD smells! Bad smells! It would have smelled so much better with tofu and Brussels sprouts. You believe me, right?!

This dish is really easy to make and feeds a crowd. It's so warm and comforting – your family will love it. Better yet, fix 'em some tofu and Brussels sprouts and your family will treat you like a queen. You know, like Marie Antoinette. Of course, the peasants hated her so she was guillotined – probably after making them eat tofu and Brussels sprouts. Hmm. Something to think about. In any case, enjoy – and happy spudding!

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Scalloped Potato Pot Pie
(Printable Version)

1 3-oz package real bacon bits (sold in the salad dressing aisle)
1 TBSP butter
1 bunch scallions (white and light green parts), minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cream
1 tsp chicken-flavored bouillon (or 1 cube of bouillon)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup freshly grated parmesan (or sharp cheddar)
2 lbs russet potatoes (3 medium), peeled and thinly sliced
2 refrigerated pie dough sheets

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon bits and cook them for a few minutes to re-crisp them and freshen their flavor. When crispy, spread them out on a plate to cool.

Add the butter to the saucepan. When melted, add the scallions and cook about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute longer. Add the cream, bouillon, and pepper then stir to combine. Heat the mixture until it is hot but yet not simmering. The goal here is to melt the bouillon and infuse the cream with the onion mixture. Take the pan off the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly while you are preparing the remaining ingredients.

Unroll one of the sheets of pie dough and press it into a 9" deep-dish pie plate. Place the pie dish and remaining pie dough in the refrigerator while you are preparing the potatoes.

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly. Do not add the potatoes to water because you need the starch from the potatoes to keep them from sliding around when you cut into the pie after it is cooked. I use a mandolin to cut the potatoes but you can use a knife. Shingle 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the pie crust – stacking the potatoes slightly thicker around the edges and thinner in the middle. There's already a lot of salt in the bouillon, bacon, and cheese but I still like to add a pinch of salt to the potatoes because they suck up so much salt when baking. They taste OK without the additional salt so I'll leave that up to you. Sprinkle the potatoes with 1/3 of the bacon and 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Spoon 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat this process two more times to use up the remaining ingredients. Add another sheet of dough to the top of the pie then seal and flute the edges. Cut a couple of slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Cover the edges of the pie dough with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is a deep brown. When properly cooked, you should be able to easily insert a knife into the potatoes but they should still be firm enough to retain their shape. Let cool 10 minutes before serving – if you can wait that long.

Bacon-Wrapped Li'l Smokies

My Venture into Evil Cuisine
You should NOT make these. I beg you. They are evil! These things are like the LSD of fattening foods. Eat one and you'll be addicted for life. EVIL, I say!!!!

Whoever made the first recipe for those bacon-wrapped Li'l Smokies coated in brown sugar deserves a medal – or at least a wooden stake through their artery-clogged heart. The only problem I have with the original recipe, which uses only Li'l Smokies, bacon, and brown sugar, is that sometimes the brown sugar does not melt completely on top of the bacon. When eating them, you will occasionally bite into a Smokie that still has little crystals of unmelted brown sugar – and that bugs me. I then set out to perfect that nearly perfect recipe. After experimenting with several different coatings, I decided a simple glaze of brown sugar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard made them absolutely irresistible. Maple syrup goes perfectly with the bacon and the Dijon mustard gives it a very subtle background note.

This recipe is not as bad as I make it out to be. After all, I only used 12 ounces of center-cut bacon instead of a full pound of the fattier stuff. Don’t listen!!! It's the Smokies talking! You can't trust them. They're EVIL! Immediately after baking and photographing these sinful things, I ate one or two, you know, just to make sure they turned out alright. Well, maybe it was three. OK, OK! It was FIVE! I couldn't stop so I had to throw them in the trash and sprinkle them with potting soil so I wouldn't be tempted to grab one out of the trash later on. They're EVIL, I tell you! When these were baking, I sat there looking at the stove like a hungry dog – eyes fixed on the oven door and ears perked up at attention.

You will absolutely HATE me if you try this recipe so I recommend that you leave this webpage as soon as possible. Now I need to go take an aspirin and cry myself to sleep. Wait. Before I do that, I wonder if I could brush off some of the potting soil on a couple of the… SEE!!! EVIL!!!

Enjoy – and happy resisting these lovely morsels!

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Bacon-Wrapped Li'l Smokies with Brown Sugar and Maple Glaze
(Printable Version)

1 lb Li'l Smokies
12 oz center-cut bacon

Glaze:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup ( the real stuff!)
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

I, personally, do not like to use toothpicks to keep the bacon attached to the smokies. If you prefer to use toothpicks, as many other similar recipes do, by all means do so.

Empty the Smokies onto some paper towels and blot them dry. Dry Smokies will allow the bacon to adhere better. Place the dried Smokies in a single layer (keeping them separated) onto a small cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for 45 minutes.

While the Smokies are in the freezer, cut the bacon into thirds. Separate each piece of bacon and place it on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. The well chilled Smokies and bacon will help to keep everything from getting too slippery when your wrap the Smokies later. Put the bacon in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

When it is nearly time to take the Smokies out of the freezer, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Make the glaze by whisking together the brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, and cayenne (if using). Whisk the mixture well to ensure that the larger pieces of brown sugar have broken up.

Wrap a piece of bacon around each Smokie, pressing firmly on the final edge of the bacon to better ensure it does not spring open during baking. Try not to stretch the bacon when wrapping the sausages. Place the bacon-wrapped Smokies onto the foil-lined sheet pan, seam-side down. Continue with the rest of the bacon and Smokies. Using a spoon, put a little bit of the thick glaze on top of each bacon-wrapped Smokie – trying to coat each one evenly. You should have just enough glaze to do the entire batch.

Bake the Smokies for about 35 minutes or until they are lightly brown on top. Immediately transfer the Smokies to a serving plate or a slow cooker set on low to keep warm. These a very addictive. I apologize in advance.

Easy Stromboli

My Venture into Pizza – Jelly-Roll Style
Holy Stromboli, Batman! You're going to love this recipe. It's quick and easy to make – and tastes great, too. I'm using the term "recipe" very generously since you don't have to measure anything when making it. Stromboli can be made a million ways but, regardless of the ingredients, it is always rolled up like a jelly roll and baked. Marinara sauce is not a usual ingredient but is sometimes added. Occasionally, I add basil and roasted red bell peppers before rolling it up – VERY yummy indeed. Experiment and add the stuff you like.

The first time I ever had Stromboli was in Little Italy in New York. I walked into a deli that had dozens of salamis hanging from the ceiling. Specialty cheeses were on display and the wonderful odors coming from the kitchen area were out-of-this-world. If a bus had run into that deli and killed me at that very moment, I would have died a very happy man.

A little, old Italian lady was skillfully cutting, what looked to me like, a loaf a bread that had been stuffed with meats and cheeses. Not knowing what it was, I asked her. She looked at me and grimaced and said, "Stromboli!". Her annoyed tone suggested I had asked a very stupid question – as though I had just asked her what a dill pickle was or something. Like a drill sergeant, she ordered, "You sit. You eat." Having just had lunch, I said, "Oh, well thanks but I just..." She then put her hands on my shoulders and forced me to sit on a stool and yelled, "eat, EAT!!!". Oh, oh, OK. She may have been old but she was spry. In a fight, she probably could have taken me.

Anyway, she slapped a slice of Stromboli on a paper plate and handed it to me. Even though I had just had lunch, I was drooling at the sight of this slice of beauty. It was crusty. It was meaty. It was cheesy..and very HOT since she had just taken it out of the oven. I asked her for a glass of water and she said, "No. No water. You drink wine." Wine? At 1:30 in the afternoon? I love New York! So, I sat there and ate Stromboli while drinking red wine from a plastic cup embossed with the cartoon characters from the Flintstones. Since I was leaving the next day, I decided to buy some stuff from the deli including some salamis and a bottle of their delicious marinara sauce.

When I arrived in Wichita and was on my way back to my house, I kept smelling Italian food and wistfully thought about that wonderful deli in New York. When I got home, I realized that, what I had been smelling, was marinara sauce. The bottle had broken during the flight and drenched all of my clothes and numerous Christmas presents in a red, albeit tasty, tomato sauce. It looked like I had stabbed somebody and stuffed them in my suitcase. It wasn't pretty. That day, I used several 4-letter words – and a few in Italian, too!

You have to try this recipe. You and your family are going to love it. Enjoy – and Happy Labor Day!

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Easy Stromboli
(Printable Version)

1 13.2 oz can Pillsbury Country Italian Bread dough
6 to 8 thin slices Genoa Salami
A couple pinches kosher salt (plus more for the top)
Good sprinkling of garlic powder
A few pinches of dried oregano (crushed between your fingers) – plus more for the top
A couple pinches of red pepper flakes
A liberal sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan (plus more for the top)
6 to 7 pieces of provolone cheese, broken in half to facilitate rolling
Pepperoni
Pizza Sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 350F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a rimmed sheet pan.

Unroll the bread dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Unrolling this kind of dough can be challenging sometimes so have patience. When unrolled, the dough should form a rectangle. Lay the dough so that the long edge is closest to you. Make sure the dough is not overstretched in some spots or the filling will burst out in those areas.

Place 6 to 8 slices of Genoa Salami on dough – leaving a 1/2" border around the edges. Sprinkle on a little kosher salt, some garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Add the parmesan and provolone cheese. It's easier to roll the dough when you break the provolone in half (or even smaller) when adding it to the top of the dough. Finally, add as much (or as little) pepperoni you want on the top of the provolone – making sure to leave a 1/2" border around the rectangle of dough.

Starting from the edge closest to you, roll the dough jelly-roll (or cinnamon-roll style). As you roll the dough, make sure to keep all of the ingredients tucked inside and pinch the ends as you roll to keep the filling from slipping out. Carefully pinch the seam shut (and the ends) and place on the sheet pan seam-side down.

Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with kosher salt, dried oregano, and grated parmesan.

Bake 25 minutes or until the crust is a deep brown. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting into 1" slices. Serve with some warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Apple Cheddar Chops

My Venture into Cheese Whiz

From time-to-time, Cracker Barrel serves a dish called Apple Cheddar Chicken. I've never had it before but my friend Sue has and she really likes it. Sue got a copycat version of the recipe from a friend and recommended that I try it. It was good but I instantly wanted to make some changes -- which I am sure comes as no surprise to neither Sue nor my mother.

In the original recipe, the crackers are baked on top of the apples for most of the baking time. Then, in the last few minutes, you add the Cheese Whiz and cheddar cheese to the top and return the dish to the oven for a few minutes. With the addition of the cheeses to the top, the crackers lose their crunchiness and, in my opinion, their textural appeal. In addition, I'm not sure I like the combination of apples with chicken. It's OK but apples and PORK make beautiful music together. I, therefore, decided to change the recipe to use pork loin chops instead of chicken breasts and put the crackers on the top so that they would remain nice and crunchy. Pork loin chops, by the way, only have about 2g more fat per serving than boneless, skinless chicken breasts so I did not radically change the amount of fat in the recipe. If you are worried about the fat content, it's the cheese you should be worrying about.

I have been called a cheese snob. I don’t like American cheese slices or any kind of process cheese. To me, process cheese is as much like real cheese as Tang is like freshly squeezed orange juice. I couldn't believe that I was about to spend money buying [gulp] Cheese Whiz. I couldn't buy the Cheese Whiz at my normal grocery store lest I be judged by the other shoppers and the 16-year-old kids who sack my groceries. For this, I had to go to Walmart – and chose one far from where I lived.

I arrived at Walmart – a store I normally avoid at all cost. I put on a trench coat but couldn’t find my sunglasses anywhere. Luckily, I found some purple sunglasses in the parking lot, put them on, and headed into the store. I prayed that I wouldn't run into anybody I knew. Not having purchased Cheese Whiz before, I wasn't exactly sure where to find it. After going up and down several aisles, I approached a woman with two small children and said "Excuse me but do you know where I can find the, uh, [in a very low voice] Cheese Whiz?" "CHEESE WHIZ?" she loudly repeated as I moved my hands up and down trying to shush her. Other customers looked up and disapprovingly scowled when they looked in my direction. I'm sure they were mortified to hear that I was looking for Cheese Whiz. That or it was the fact that I was sweating like a pig in a trench coat in 95F degree weather while my head was being squeezed like a vice by purple plastic sunglasses made for a 6-year-old. The woman kindly pointed me in the direction of the Cheese Whiz. I quickly found the almost-cheese-like product, paid for it, and hurried out of the store. I may have embellished this story a little bit but you can see what frame of mind I was in while having to purchase…gulp…Cheese Whiz.

Anyway, you have to try this recipe. And you know what? The Cheese Whiz wasn't half bad! I was pleasantly surprised. It truly was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. By the way, if you have a little girl who lost her sunglasses, let me know. I have a pair she can have. Enjoy – and happy Cheese Whizzing!

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Apple Cheddar Chops

(Printable Version)

1 TBSP vegetable oil

5 to 6 Boneless Pork Loin Chops (America's Cut) -- about 1" thick

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 21-oz can apple pie filling

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Cheese Whiz (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup total)

8 oz cheddar cheese, freshly grated (2% cheddar works great)

25 butter crackers (such as Ritz or Townhouse), roughly broken into small pieces

2 TBSP butter, melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350F. Salt and pepper the pork loin chops (both sides) and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

Add the juice of half a lemon to the apple pie filling and stir to combine. Set aside until needed.

Break up the crackers into small pieces (do not crush into small crumbs). Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Set aside until needed.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the pork loin chops and cook about 2 minutes or until the pork has browned on the first side. Flip and cook 1 minute longer. At this point, the pork will not be cooked through. Spray the bottom of a 9 x 13" glass dish with cooking spray. Add the chops in an even layer – leaving some space between each chop. Pile some apples on top of each chop.

Take the lid off of the Cheese Whiz and microwave it for about 20 seconds to melt it slightly. The glass gets hot so use caution when removing it from the microwave. Stir the cheese and add about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of Cheese Whiz to the top of each of the apple-covered chops. Sprinkle each chop with some cheddar cheese. Finally, add some of the cracker pieces to the top of each chop.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has completed melted, the juices are slightly bubbling, and the crackers are dark brown. Let rest 5 minutes in the dish before serving.