Beef Bacon & Stilton Pizza

A mutt of culinary origins, but tastier than any purebred we've eaten. Wait, what?

We just recently started shopping at Trader Joe’s and yes, we know we’re about 10 years behind the times. Better late than never we say. We also say that their beef bacon may be one of the best things to happen to our ingredient arsenal. Paired with some good stilton and a little HP sauce and you’ve got the makings of a British-style steakhouse pizza. Yes, we totally made that up.

Equipment Needed: Baking Sheet or Pizza Pan or Pizza Stone, Frying Pan, Wooden Spoon, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Serving Spoon

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: We can take down half a pizza each, but this could serve up to 4 people that aren’t pigs.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Chianti, Montepuciano D’Abruzzo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec

Suggested Beer Pairing: Stouts, Porters, Brown Ales

Ingredients:

• 1 pre-made ball of pizza dough (about $1.99/package)
• 1 package of beef bacon (if you’re not near a Trader Joe’s, use regular bacon or roast beef (about $3/8 oz package)
• 4-6 oz stilton cheese (you can use blue or gorgonzola if you can’t find stilton) ($12.99/lb)
• 1 large onion ($0.99/lb)
• 1/4 C flour ($1.89/2 lb)
• 1/3 – 1/2 C HP Sauce (you can use A1 or your favorite steak sauce if you can’t find HP) (about $4/9 oz bottle)
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter ($4.99/lb)
• 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar (about $6/17 oz bottle)
• 2 TBSP grade A honey ($4.19/12 oz)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F.
• Peel and halve the onion then cut it into thin slices. Put your frying pan over medium heat and add the butter. Once it’s melted throw the onion in and give it a healthy dash of salt and pepper. Stir once every few minutes until they’re cooked down a decent amount (about 8 minutes)
• Pour in the honey and balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking everything down, stirring occasionally until you’re ready to top your pizza.
• On your baking sheet toss some flour down and spread out the pizza dough out until it’s about 1/4 inch thick (roughly as thick as a book of matches) (yes, that’s a random comparison).

Start at the center and push the dough out towards the edges for the best results.

• Pour the HP sauce on the dough and spread it out evenly with a spoon.

Spread 'em...er...it. Spread it.

• Layer the beef bacon  across the top, take your onions off the stove and spread them evenly too. (if you’re using beef bacon or roast beef there’s no need to cook it first. If you’re using regular bacon, you’ll need to fry it up before topping your pizza.)
• Crumble the stilton over the whole lot and pop it in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the crust is crispy. Cut into quarters and serve.

Stilton: the British blue cheese.

Greek Nachos

Like a crunchy deconstructed gyro.

Don’t get us wrong, we like nachos as much, nay, more than the next person but variety is the spice of life. What better way to give the chip/meat/cheese/sauce combo than take it on a trip through the Mediterranean? No better way, that’s what. Go ahead and use beef if you can’t find ground lamb or don’t like the flavor. You can also save some time by using pre-made olive tapenade, but we suggest trying to make it at least once; it’s easy and the results taste much fresher.

Equipment Needed: 2 Baking Sheets, Frying Pan, Mixing Bowl, Wooden Spoon, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Basting Brush (or) Pastry Brush, Microplane

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 10

Suggested Wine Pairing: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc

Suggested Beer Pairing: Lager, Pale Ale

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground lamb ($6.99/lb)
• 1 medium red onion ($1.29/lb)
• 8 oz feta cheese ($4.39/8 oz)
• 2-3 C tzatziki sauce (About $5/16 oz tub or make your own)
• 10 whole wheat pita pockets (about $1.29/6 pack)
• 1/2 lb pitted olives ($5.99/lb)
• 4 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 1 lemon ($0.50/each)
• 2 TBSP fresh rosemary (about  $1.99/sprig)
• 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil, divided ($8.99/32 oz)
• 1 TBSP ground oregano ($2/2 oz jar)
• 1 TBSP ground cumin ($3.50/2 oz jar)
• Salt
• Pepper

Olive Tapenade Preparation:

• Finely dice the olives and toss them in your bowl or container.

Dice them small but don't mince them into mush.

• Zest in the skin of the lemon, then squeeze in the juice. Be careful not to get any seeds in.

Stop when you hit the pith (the white part) to avoid bitterness.

• Mince the rosemary and toss it in the mix. Peel your garlic and turn it into a paste by sprinkling about a teaspoon of salt on top and repeatedly pressing it with the edge of your chef’s knife. Throw it in with the rest.

We grow our own.

• Crack about a tablespoon of fresh black pepper in, pour in a tablespoon of olive oil and give it a good stir to make sure everything is well-distributed. Adjust your flavors as you see fit and let the mix sit in the fridge for about an hour to let the flavors meld before you use it.

Nacho Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Take your pitas and cut them into eighths. Pull the halves apart so each piece becomes two chips. Place the triangles in a single layer on your baking sheets, brush them with olive oil and give them a good sprinkle of salt. Put them in the oven for 5 minutes or until crisp. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

Don’t saturate them, a light basting will do.

• While the chips are baking dice your onion and mince the 3 cloves of garlic. Remove the chips when they’re done.
• Put the frying pan over medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook them down for about 5 minutes.
• Toss in the lamb and season it with the cumin, oregano and a good dose of salt and pepper. Break up all the meat and cook it through, stirring occasionally (about 8 minutes).

Lamb gives the whole shebang a richer flavor.

• Drain as much of the fat off as you can and spread the meat evenly across the pita chips.  Crumble the feta on top of that and pop the baking sheets back in the oven for 5 minutes.
• Pull the nachos out, spread tzatziki and tapenade across the top and devour.

3 Little Pigs Pork Chops with Spinach and White Beans

Time for some hot pig-on-pig-in-pig action.

This recipe came to us in a vision as we were pondering how to put as much pork in a dish as possible. Pork chops, pork sausage and, of course, bacon bring the whole hog to the table while the spinach and bean accompaniment make you feel slightly less guilty (while cutting the richness a bit). Maple syrup keeps the vice train chugging along, providing a nice sweet complement to the protein.

Equipment Needed: 13 x 9 Baking Pan, Wooden Spoon, Frying Pan, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Small Bowl, Pastry Brush or Basting Brush, Meat Thermometer

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 4

Suggested Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

Suggested Beer Pairing: Dunkelwiess, Lager, Medium-bodied Ales

Ingredients:

• 4 center cut bone-in pork chops ($4.50/lb)
• 12 strips of bacon ($6.99/lb)
• 3 links of sweet Italian sausage (about 1/2 lb) ($3.99/lb)
• 1 medium onion ($0.99/lb)
• 3 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/32 oz)
• 1 can cannellini beans ($1.69/10.75 oz can)
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach ($1.79/10 oz box)
• 1/4 C pilsner or American lager (we used Budweiser) (price varies)
• 2 TBSP white vinegar ($1.99/32 oz)
• 1/2 C grade A maple syrup (about $7/8 oz)
• 2 TBSP fresh rosemary ($1.50/bunch)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
• Put your frying pan over medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Toss in the onion and cook it down for about 5 minutes.
• While your veg is cooking, remove the casings from your sausage links and chop up the meat. When the onion has softened add the sausage and cook it until it’s browned, about 8 minutes, making sure to keep it broken up with your spoon.

Skin those sausages!

• As your sausage cooks (yes, you’ll need to multi-task) place the pork chops on a cutting board and run your knife down the horizontal center of the meat to create a pocket.

Be careful not to cut all the way through the chop and keep firm pressure on it so your knife doesn't slip.

• Once the sausage mixture is properly browned, spoon it into each chop being sure not to over-stuff them. (Turn the stove off, but don’t clean the pan, you’ll want the scrapings for later.)

Try to resist the urge to overstuff the chop so you can still wrap the bacon around each piece.

• Lay out 3 strips of bacon on your cutting board. Give the pork chops a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper and wrap the bacon around the each piece.

Wrap the chop so the loose ends of the bacon will sit on the bottom of the baking pan.

• Remove the rosemary leaves from the stalk and mince them up. In a small bowl, mix them in with the maple syrup and use your brush to coat each pork chop evenly on all sides. Pop those little piggies in the oven for 30 minutes. They’re done when the juice runs clear or the internal temperature reaches 160°F (or about 155° if you like them on the medium side).

Spinach and Beans Preparation:

• While your pork chops are cooking, take your frying pan and turn the stove back up to medium. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then pour in the beer and scrape the tasty bits off the bottom.
• Drain the beans and throw them in. Add the spinach, vinegar and a palmful of salt and pepper and stir occasionally until things are warmed through, about 15 minutes or so.

Remember to drain the beans so the spinach doesn't end up too soggy.

• When the pork chops are finished lay down a bed of veggies and place them on top. Proceed with amazing porky excess.

“Healthy” Tater Tot Hotdish

Never has something that looks so unassuming packed so much awesomeness.

As children of a midwestern mom growing up in northern New York we were raised on a steady diet of casseroles and hotdishes. As anyone from the north or a flyover state can attest, you normally associate these cream sauced-gut busters with church functions, pot lucks and subsequent naps on the couch. Call us old fashioned but that just fine by our standards. We used turkey instead of ground beef to keep things marginally healthier, but the real goal here is to even come close to what momma used to make.

Equipment Needed: 13 x 9 Baking Pan, Wooden Spoon, Frying Pan, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 8

Suggested Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

Suggested Beer Pairing: Stout, Extra Special Bitter or English Ale, Medium-bodied Ales

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey ($5.99/lb)
• 1 package of frozen tater tots ($4.49/32 oz bag)
• 1 medium onion ($0.99/lb)
• 2 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/32 oz)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup ($1.69/10.75 oz can)
• 1 can green beans ($1.59/14.5 oz can)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
• Put your pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Toss in the onions and garlic with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper and cook until lightly softened (about 5 minutes).
• Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until the turkey has browned lightly (about 8 minutes).

Try not to overcook the turkey, you're still gonna bake it for another 30 minutes or so.

• Once cooked, stir in the can of soup, drain the can of beans and stir them in too then pour the whole lot into your baking pan.

Trust us, this will taste much better than it looks here.

• Lay a single layer of tater tots across the top so it’s completely covered. Pop it in the oven until the tots have browned (about 35-45 minutes). Serve with ketchup and hot sauce for the true north country experience.
  

Just a gratuitous close up of tater tots because of our literal and figurative unhealthy obsession with tater tots.

Jerk Wings with Mango Dipping Sauce

Jerk wings: pretty nice guys, really, once you get to know them.

Many people think of wings as a snack to eat while drinking beer and watching sporting events. We feel sorry for those people because it’s quite obvious that wings are perfect to eat for any occasion: birthday parties, bridal showers, at a bris… In this version we brought some Caribbean spices in to mix things up from the traditional buffalo wings we tend to gravitate to. The mango accoutrement was added on purely because mangoes were on sale but ended up being the perfect complement.

Equipment Needed: Baking Sheet, Food Processor, Large Container with Lid (or) Large Mixing Bowl with Plastic Wrap, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Paper Towels

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 8

Suggested Wine Pairing: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc

Suggested Beer Pairing: Lighter Lagers, Pilsners, Red Stripe 

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken wings ($3.49/lb)
• 2 small, ripe mangoes ($1.99/each)
• 1 small red onion ($1.29/lb)
• 2 TBSP honey ($4.19/12 oz)
• 1 TBSP ground ginger ($3.99/3 oz jar)
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon ($3.39/2.4 oz)
• 1 TBSP crushed red pepper ($3.50/2.5 oz jar)
• 1/2 TBSP apple cider vinegar ($2.79/32 oz)
• About 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil, divided ($9.99/32 oz)
• 1 bottle Jamaican jerk marinade ($4.99/12 oz bottle)
• 3-4 TBSP Jamaican jerk seasoning ($3.29/4 oz jar)
• Salt
• Pepper

Sauce Preparation:

• Peel and wash the mangoes then cut the flesh away from the pit. Chop everything into small chunks so it’s easier to blend in your food processor.

Can you lasso a star from the sky? No! Such is Mango!

• Peel and dice your onion. Again, this is going in the food processor so you don’t need to be too small or uniform, you’re just helping things go faster.
• Add the mango and onion and pulse until it’s a relatively smooth paste. Pour in your olive oil to lubricate the whole lot and blend it a little more.

Add a little oil for some flavor and to help smooth things out.

• Now comes the flavor-to-taste portion of the exercise. Blend in as little or as much as you want of the honey, ginger, cinnamon, red pepper and vinegar until you get a taste that floats your boat. The measurements indicated above are educated guesses for what we used but you should cater to your own taste and those of your eating compatriots. Once you’ve reached a balance you’re happy with scoop the sauce out of the food processor and pop it in the fridge for a bit to let everything cool and meld together.

Honey ties the flavors together nicely. You can also use agave nectar for a different flavor twist.

Wing Preparation

• If you can find pre-separated wings, good on ya. If you were only able to get your hands on the full wing deal, here’s your mini butchering lesson. (NOTE: we didn’t take pictures because we were both in a frenzied state of prep and Jake didn’t want to get salmonella on his new camera) Using your chef’s knife (or poultry shears) clip the tips of the wings off so you’ve only got the drumette and the wingette left. Bend these pieces like apart until you hear a crunch; you’ve just separated the joint and this is a good thing. Put the wing flat on your cutting board and cut through the space you just created between the bones. Repeat until finished.
• Once you’ve got all your pieces separated thoroughly wash and dry your wings and put them in a resealable container of your choosing. Pour the jerk marinade over the whole lot and put the top on your container. Give everything a good shake so the chicken is evenly coated and pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours to marinate. Shake the container every 30 minutes or so to make sure each wing gets maximum marinade exposure.
• With about 15-20 minutes left in the wing soaking phase, preheat your oven to 400°F. Take the wings and put them in a single layer on your baking sheets and give them a good dusting of the jerk seasoning (we’re getting extra jerky with this one).
• Pop the wings in the oven for about 20 minutes and cut one open to see if the juice is running clear (if it is, you’re good to go). We kept ours in for about 25 minutes to get them nice and crispy. Serve with your mango sauce, throw some Marley on your stereo and mow down.

Brotherly Love Lasagna

Mama mia that's a luscious lasagna!

This remastered lasagna recipe was inspired by the amazingly ridiculous roast pork sandwich at DiNic’s in the Reading Terminal Market in Philly. Broccoli rabe provides a pleasant bitter contrast to the spicy sausage and sharp provolone that take this from potluck standby to punch-yourself-in-the-face addictive. Purists will scoff but you will smile as you dig in for seconds.

Equipment Needed: 13 x 9 Baking Pan, 3 QT Pot, Frying Pan, Colander, Large Bowl, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Cheese Grater, Wooden Spoon

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 8

Suggested Wine Pairing: Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Montalpuciano d’Abruzzo

Suggested Beer Pairing: You can drink almost anything other than hoppy beers with this one. Light beers provide a crisp contrast while darker ones provide a rich complement.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb hot Italian sausage ($3.99/lb)
• 2 bunches of broccoli rabe (about 2 lbs) ($2.99/bunch)
• 2 medium onions ($0.99/lb)
• 8 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 12 oz (3/4 lb) extra sharp or aged provolone (about $8.99/lb)
• 1 package of no-boil lasagna noodles (yes, we’re being lazy but trust us, it’s loads easier to use these)($2.29/box)
• 2- 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes ($2.19/each)
• 15 oz ricotta cheese ($3.99/15 oz tub)
• 1/3 C shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ($12.99/lb)
• 1/3 C red wine (price varies, use something you would want to drink)
• About 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil, divided ($9.99/32 oz)
• 3 TBSP balsamic vinegar (about $6/17 oz bottle)
• 2-3 TBSP Italian seasoning ($3.39/1 oz jar)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Start things off by mincing your garlic cloves and doing a fine dice on your onions.

Eat this with people you don't mind being close to.

• Put the pot over low heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. After it’s warmed up for a couple minutes toss in half of your garlic and half of your onions. Throw in a palmful of salt and pepper and cook the veggies down.
• After the aromatics have cooked for about 5 minutes pour in the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, red wine, Italian seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything well and keep the sauce over low heat until you’re ready to assemble the lasagna. Make sure you stir it occasionally so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom.

A little red wine adds some depth to your sauce.

• While the marinara is simmering wash your broccoli rabe and chop it into 1 inch pieces. Put your frying pan over medium heat and coat the bottom of it with olive oil. Toss in the rest of the onions and garlic and cook them down the same way you did for the sauce minus the salt and pepper.
• When the veggies have cooked down, add the broccoli rabe to the pan and give it a good dose of salt and pepper. Cook everything down until it’s thoroughly wilted; about 5-8 minutes (cover the pan to make things go faster).

Add the salt to the broccoli rabe to help draw some of the moisture out.

• While your greens are cooking preheat the oven to 375°F then grate your provolone and set it aside.
• Remove the casings from your sausage links and chop up the meat. When the broccoli rabe is properly wilted transfer it to your mixing bowl and put the sausage in the frying pan over medium heat. Cook it until it’s browned, about 5-8 minutes, making sure to keep it broken up with your spoon. Drain the excess fat and toss the sausage in the mixing bowl with the veggies.

There's just something naughty-looking about this picture.

• Taste your marinara sauce and adjust the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to your liking. When you’re satisfied take it off the stove and stir it in with your meat and veg. Spoon a layer of the mixture into your baking pan and add a single layer of lasagna noodles on top to cover it.
• Proceed to spoon in more sauce to cover the noodles. Take your ricotta cheese and layer globs on so they’re relatively evenly spaced. Sprinkle a small bit of the provolone on top and cover with another layer of noodles. Repeat the process until you reach the top of the pan.

Save yourself the frustration and just spread the ricotta with your hands. Unlike your mother we encourage playing with your food.

• For the last layer, spoon sauce on the noodles but no ricotta. Take the majority of your provolone and cover the sauce with a vengeance. Gently cover the pan with aluminum foil, tenting it a bit so it’s not in direct contact with the cheese.
• Pop the lasagna in the oven for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 or so until the cheese is bubbly and nicely browned. Remove it from the oven and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving so the layers have a chance to settle and your lasagna doesn’t slide apart as soon as it hits your plate. Buon appetito!

Creamy Gorgonzola & Beet Pasta

A different kind of red sauce Italian.

For those of you keeping score at home we try to use fresh, local ingredients whenever possible and winter is no exception. With a generous gift of tasty beets from our friend Nette’s CSA we decided to recreate a pasta favorite of ours. Inspired by a dish at Locale, a great Italian joint in Astoria, this gorgonzola and beet bonanza is the definition of “not light fare,” but what it lacks in subtlety is braggadociously made up for by it’s sweet/earthy/tangy flavor.

Equipment Needed: 3 QT Pot, Wooden Spoon, Frying Pan, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Cheese Grater, Vegetable Peeler, Colander

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 6-8

Suggested Wine Pairing: Riesling, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo

Suggested Beer Pairing: Pale Ales, Witbiers, Brown Ales

Ingredients:

• 1 lb  gemelli pasta ($1.50/lb)
• 1 medium onion ($0.99/lb)
• 1 large red beet ($1.99/lb)
• 2 C milk ($1.19/QT)
• 6 oz gorgonzola cheese ($7.99/lb)
• 1/2 C walnut halves (about $9/lb)
• 3 TBSP butter, divided ($4.99/lb)
• 2 TBSP honey ($4.39/12 oz)
• 1 TBSP brown sugar ($1.39/lb)
• 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar (about $6/17 oz bottle)
• 1/3 C flour ($1.89/2 lbs)
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/32 oz)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Before you start any cooking, dice your onion, mince your garlic, mince your walnuts and peel and shred your beet; this will save you time later.

Don't wear white while you're doing this; beet juice will find a way to get on everything.

• Fill one of your pots about 3/4 full of water and put it over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and throw in about a palmful of salt. Add the pasta and a splash of olive oil, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until it’s soft but still has a little bite to it (a.k.a. al dente).
• While the pasta is cooking put the frying pan over medium heat and throw in 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the onions and garlic with a healthy dash of salt and pepper and cook them down for about 5 minutes. Once they’ve softened add the honey, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Stir everything up so it’s mixed well and drop the heat on your burner to low. Stir occasionally and let those puppies caramelize while you continue to prepare everything else.

Caramelized onions are the little black dress of flavor; a versatile addition for almost any occasion.

• When your pasta is cooked drain it. At this point you should either grab another pot or just set your pasta aside for a few minutes while you reuse the pasta pot.
• Put your pot back over medium heat and put in the other 2 tablespoons of butter. Once it’s melted, add about 1/4C of flour and stir thoroughly to start your roux (the thickening base for many sauces). Cook this until it’s a golden brown and stir in the milk.
• At this point stir in the gorgonzola until it’s melted then add your beets to the mix. Mix together and toss the pasta back in the pot. Stir to coat everything evenly, add the caramelized onions and walnuts, stirring again to distribute. Serve with good bread and/or a light salad.

Add the beets once the cheese has incorporated into the sauce.

Southwestern Turkey Mac & Cheese

If this doesn't make you wanna put on footie pajamas, grab a spoon and eat by the fire then maybe it's time you started seeing other blogs.

If you know anything about the Brothers Brown you know that we love three things in life: silk sheets, long walks on the beach, and mac & cheese. This one came to us in a vision and had nothing to do with the fact that we had about five pounds of ground turkey in the freezer. Chipotle and pepper jack keep your tongue tantalized while the tomatoes provide a sweet contrast.

Equipment Needed: 3 QT Dutch Oven (OR) 13 x 9 Baking Pan, 2 – 3 QT Pots (you only need one if you’re using a Dutch Oven), Wooden Spoon, Frying Pan, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Cheese Grater, Colander

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 6-8

Suggested Wine Pairing: Rioja, Carmenere, Oaked Chardonnay

Suggested Beer Pairing: Dos Equis, Negro Modelo, Corona

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey ($5.99/lb)
• 1 lb  pasta shells (or conchiglie for all you Italians in the house) ($1.50/lb)
• 1 medium onion ($0.99/lb)
• 2 C milk (we kept it “healthy” and used skim) ($1.19/QT)
• 1/3 C flour ($1.89/2 lbs)
• 2 TBSP butter ($4.99/lb)
• 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese ($5.99/lb)
• 8 oz pepper jack cheese ($5.49/lb)
• 3-6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce ($2.99/can)
• 1/2 C diced tomatoes ($1.99/14.5 oz can)
• 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/32 oz)
• 1 TSP ground oregano ($2/2 oz jar)
• 1 TBSP ground cumin ($3.50/2 oz jar)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Fill one of your pots about 3/4 full of water and put it over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and throw in about a palmful of salt. Add the pasta and a splash of olive oil, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until the shells are soft. Drain the water and set the pasta aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, dice the onion and mince the chipotle peppers. We used 6 peppers and it came out with a pretty heavy kick to it so adjust the number according to how hot you want it. Put the frying pan over medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Add the onions with a healthy dash of salt and pepper and cook them down for about 5 minutes.

Dice things quicker by making thin vertical and horizontal cuts in the onion before slicing it crosswise.

• Throw the turkey in the pan with some more pepper and stir occasionally, cooking until it’s lightly browned (about 8 minutes). Pour in the minced peppers with about a tablespoon of the adobo sauce, cumin and oregano. Stir everything well and drop the burner to low for another couple minutes so the flavors meld.
• Put your Dutch oven (or other pot) over medium heat  and add the butter. Once it’s melted, add about 1/4C of flour and stir thoroughly to make a paste. Cook until the roux (pronounced “roo,” that’s what you just created) is golden brown—like a perfectly roasted marshmallow—and stir in the milk. Begin shredding in your cheese and stir continuously until it’s fully melted in. Add more cheese and stir until you’ve used all the cheddar and half of the pepper jack.

Err on the side of less flour so the roux stays smooth. You can always add more later to thicken it up.

• Mix the meat, pasta and cheese sauce in whatever you’re baking it in (either your baking pan or Dutch oven). Drain the tomatoes as much as you can and add them a bit at a time trying to avoid including any extra liquid. Stir again to incorporate everything.

Use a fork or slotted spoon to add the tomatoes to make sure you're not adding extra liquid.

• Spread the rest of the pepper jack over the top and pop it in the oven for 20 minutes until it’s browned and bubbling. If you can control yourself, let it cool a bit to set up before serving.
  

Swedish Meatballs with Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Our ultimate comfort food.

This recipe is what we think of when someone says “meat and potatoes.” A childhood favorite of ours, these Swedish meatballs come by way of Minnesota where our 93 year-old grandmother has been churning out tasty two-biters for three generations. We took a couple of liberties in sprucing up of the mashed potatoes but there’s no need to mess with perfection otherwise.

Equipment Needed: 13 x 9 Baking Pan, 2 Mixing Bowls, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Cheese Grater

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 6-8

Suggested Wine Pairing: Old Vine Zinfandel, Shiraz, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc, Glögg

Suggested Beer Pairing: Brown Ale, Porter, Stout

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef ($3.99/lb)
• 12 oz tube of breakfast pork sausage (about $3.99)
• 4 pieces of sliced bread (about $2.99/loaf)
• 2 eggs ($2.79/dozen)
• 1 1/2 C milk divided ($1.19/QT)
• 6 potatoes ($1.49/lb)
• 3/4 C sour cream, divided ($1.49/16 oz)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup ($1.69/10.5 oz can)
• 1/3 C grated onion (about 1 small onion)($0.99/lb)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary ($1.50/bunch)
• 3 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 2-3 TSP allspice ($2/2.5 oz jar)
• 2-3 TSP sage ($2/2.5 oz jar)
• Salt
• Pepper

Mashed Potato Preparation:

• Wash the potatoes and remove any eyes or bad spots. Cut then into halves (or quarters if they’re big) and put them in the pot.
• Peel the garlic and cut it in half as well. Cover the pot and put it over high heat. Once it comes to a boil add the garlic and rosemary sprigs and cook until you can easily slide a fork into the potatoes (about 20-30 minutes).
• When they’re cooked, drain the potatoes and remove the rosemary sprigs (you can take the garlic out if you please, but we leave it in). Add 1/4 C of sour cream, about 3 TBSP of milk and 2 TBSP of butter. Mash and mix thoroughly.

Meatball Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tear your pieces of bread in half and put them in a mixing bowl. Pour in about a cup of milk so the pieces are covered evenly and let them soak for about 10 minutes.

Soak in the wholesome goodness.

• As the bread is soaking add the beef and pork sausage to another mixing bowl. Grate in the onion, crack the eggs in and add the sage, allspice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Squeeze some of the excess milk out of the bread you’ve been soaking (you want the pieces to still be pretty soggy) and tear the pieces into the meat and spice mix.

A cheese grater provides the right consistency so your onion mixes better.

One handed!

• Using your hands squish and mix everything together so it’s evenly distributed; there’s no other way to do this so get in there and play with your food a bit.
• Now the best part. You want to make sure the seasoning is right since it’s hard to readjust once the meatballs have been cooked. To do so, pull out a small lump of the meat mix (about the size of a quarter and 1/2 inch thick) and put it on a plate in the microwave. Cook it on high for about 45 seconds, let it cool and taste it. It shouldn’t be too salty, sage and allspice should be evenly balanced and there should be just enough pepper for a little bite. Adjust your seasoning to taste and retest if necessary.
• When you’re ready to bake them take a little less than a palmful of meat and roll it into a ball. The ideal size for Swedish meatballs is one to two bites, so make these smaller than you would if you were making their Italian cousins. Pop them in your baking pan and throw those bad boys in the oven for 30 minutes.

Roll 'em up, but be careful not to pack them too densely.

• When 30 minutes is up, mix the cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 C of sour cream and 1/4 C of milk together thoroughly. Pour the sauce over the top of the meatballs and make sure you’ve coated each one evenly. Pop them back in the oven for another 10 minutes to finish cooking. Serve with lingonberry jam, cranberry sauce (the closest American equivalent) and/or spicy mustard.
  

Salmon Teriyaki Fried Rice

Make your taste buds go banzai!

One of our New Year’s resolutions is to cook more fish. To ease into things we decided to take a stab at a Japanese staple, teriyaki, with the relatively hearty and forgiving fish that is salmon. Keep a close eye on your fish while cooking, you can always eat it on the raw side (sushi anyone?) but no one likes a dried out fillet.

Equipment Needed: Wooden Spoon, 3 QT Pot w/ Lid, Wok, Large Frying Pan, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Gallon Freezer Bag

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 6

Suggested Wine Pairing: Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chenin Blanc

Suggested Beer Pairing: Pilsner, Lager, Lambic

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh salmon fillets (we highly recommend using wild caught salmon, which tend to contain less toxins than farm-raised)(around $11.99/lb)
• 2 C brown rice ($3/2 lbs)
• 1 QT chicken stock ($3.19/32 oz)
• 1 package frozen peas ($1/10 oz package)
• 2 medium carrots ($1/lb)
• 1 medium onion ($0.99/lb)
• 3 eggs ($2.79/dozen)
• 3 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 1/2 C teriyaki sauce ($2.29/10 oz bottle)
• 2 TBSP chili oil ($3.29/6 oz)
• 2 TBSP mirin ($4/10 oz bottle)
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/32 oz)
• 1 lemon ($0.50/each)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Pour the rice and chicken stock in your pot and put it over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning. Cook until the stock is fully absorbed (about 20 minutes).

Use chicken stock instead of water to build a sturdy flavor foundation.

• While the rice is cooking dice the onion and mince the garlic. Peel and dice the carrots while you’re at it.

Quarter the carrots lengthwise and cut them into thin slices.

• If your salmon has skin you’ll want to fix that. Place the fillets skin-side down on your cutting board. Slide your knife along the bottom as close to the skin as possible and run it along the length of the fish. Put the salmon in the freezer bag and pour in the teriyaki sauce, chili oil, and mirin. Seal the bag and mix everything around to coat the meat evenly. Pop it in the fridge and let it marinate for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Be careful on this one; teriyaki fingertips aren't as tasty.

• Place your wok or frying pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Toss in the veggies and cook them down for about 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook until thawed (about another five minutes).

Add the peas at the end so they don't get mushy.

• Put your frying pan over medium head and add the salmon and the liquid from the freezer bag. Cook the fish for three to four minutes and then flip each piece. Cook for another couple minutes and remove from the heat.
• When the rice is done, pour it into the wok and stir everything together. Make a well in the middle of the wok and crack in your eggs, stirring them in place to scramble them. Once they’re on the firm side stir them into the rice mix. Add more teriyaki sauce, mirin and cayenne if desired. Spoon some on a plate and top it with a big hunk of salmon.

Scramble the eggs and let them cook a bit before mixing them in.

Extra Credit: Toast some sesame seeds by placing them on a frying pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring them constantly so they don’t burn. Sprinkle over the top of the salmon when you plate it.