Green Bean and Tomato Salad

Fresh flavors for your fall prelude.

Because we know our superfan Jayn has been dying for a quick and easy salad we whipped this one up to celebrate the end of summer’s pickin’s that we got from our CSA. Minimal cooking maximizes each ingredient’s flavor to help ease the transition that no one really wants to make from summer to fall. Make this as a subtle but capable counter to roasted meats or just as a light complement for your end of the season barbeques.

Equipment Needed: 3 QT Pot, Frying Pan, Mixing Bowl, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 4-6

Suggested Wine Pairing: Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Grüner Veltliner

Suggested Beer Pairing:  Pilsner, Light Lagers, Wheat Beer

Ingredients:

• 2 C fresh green beans (about $2.99/lb)
• 1 C cherry tomatoes (about $2.99/lb)
• 1 lemon ($0.50/each)
• 1/2 C raw almonds ($6.99/lb)
• 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/32 oz)
• 1 TBSP white vinegar or white balsamic vinegar ($1.99/32 oz)
• Salt
• Black Pepper

Preparation:

• Fill your pot 3/4 full with water and place it over high heat. As your water is coming to a boil wash your green beans thoroughly. Snap off both ends of each bean.  Add them to the pot and blanch them (read: let them boil) for 3 minutes.
• While your beans are boiling, prepare an ice bath in a mixing bowl by adding ice and cold water until it’s 3/4 full. Once the beans are done shock them by putting them in the cold bowl and let them sit for 2 minutes. Remove and dry the beans and set them aside while you prep the rest of the salad.

Shock your beans in the ice bath to preserve their crunch and vibrant color.

• Wash the tomatoes, cut them into quarters and toss them in your mixing bowl. Mince the garlic clove and toss it in too. Add the green beans, drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Stir everything together and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour to meld the flavors.

Cut the "larger" tomatoes into quarters but halves are fine for the smaller ones; just keep them bite-sized.

Brighten things up with some lemon juice.

• Right before you’re ready to serve the salad, place your frying pan over medium heat and once it’s warm add the almonds. Stir them constantly until they’re lightly toasted (about 5 minute). Transfer them to your cutting board and, while carefully minding your fingertips, sliver the almonds as best you can. Sprinkle them across the top of the salad and give everything a pinch of good sea salt if you’ve got some. Savor summer while you can.

Toasted almonds help ground the dish with just the rich amount of rich nuttiness.

Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza

Red checkered tablecloth sold separately.

Living in New York we’ve come to realize that pizza allegiances border on religious zealotry to which we say, why restrict yourself when it comes to pie? Thanks to Jake’s friend Sandy’s suggestion we tried making a deep dish pizza in a cast iron skillet and, to no one’s surprise, the woman was right. It’s almost too easy, which is to say, why aren’t you making one right now?

Equipment Needed: Cast Iron Skillet, Frying Pan, Mixing Bowl, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Microplane,Wooden Spoon

Serving Suggestion: Family Style

Servings: 4-6

Suggested Wine Pairing: Chianti, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Cabernet Sauvignon

Suggested Beer Pairing: Red Ales, less-hoppy Pale Ales, Brown Ales, Amber Ales

Ingredients:

• 1 pre-made ball of pizza dough (we used a garlic herb dough that suited us just fine)(about $1.99/package)
• 1 lb Italian sausage ($3.99/lb)
• 1 small bunch of broccoli ($2.99/bunch)
• 1  small onion ($0.99/lb)
• 1 small red bell pepper ($2.99/lb)
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella ($7.99/lb)
• 3 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 2 TBSP fresh rosemary ($1.50/bunch)
• 1 – 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes ($2.19/each)
• 1/3 C shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ($12.99/lb)
• extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/32 oz)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat your oven to 400° F.
• Mince your garlic cloves and rosemary together to get them as fine as possible.
• Put a frying pan over medium heat and add a little olive oil to the bottom to help keep things moving. Remove the sausages from their casings, throw them in the pan and break them up with your spoon. Toss in the garlic and rosemary and cook until lightly browned (about 5-8 minutes).

Be careful not to overcook the sausage, it's still going in the oven once you're done here.

• While the sausage is cooking away, pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into your cast iron skillet. Rub the oil around the pan so the sides and bottom are evenly coated. Proceed to spread the pizza dough across the bottom and up to the top of the skillet’s rim. Remember, this is a deep dish so you want to make a crust that can support the mountain of toppings you’re about to add.

You're gonna need to work the dough a bit to get it to stay up along the sides.

• Cut your mozzarella into 1/8th inch – 1/4 inch slices and line the bottom of the crust. That’s right, traditional Chicago deep dish puts the cheese on first. Here’s a towel to wipe up your mind that just got blown all over.

We highly recommend splurging on the freshest mozzarella you can find for this one; it's a noticeable difference.

• Slice up your onion and pepper into thin strips and cut your broccoli into small florets. Spread these veggies evenly over the top of the cheese.
• Open the can of tomatoes and pour them into a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and some crushed red pepper if you want to give it a little kick. When the sausage is done pour it in with the tomatoes and stir everything together. Spoon it into the pie to cover everything and make sure to distribute the sauce evenly for uniform cooking.

Spread the sauce evenly and fill every space not occupied by cheese or veggies.

• Pop that monster into the oven for about 20 minutes. You’ll have to check in on your pizza around 18 minutes and every couple of minutes after that to make sure things are cooking evenly. The crust should be crispy and the sauce should be bubbling when it’s done. Grate on some Parmigiano to finish things off and let it rest for about 10 minutes to allow the toppings to set up a bit for easier serving and eating; the skillet will keep it warm.

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!

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.
  

Sirloin Chili

A little bowl of spicy, meaty heaven.

With Spring officially here and short shorts weather just around the corner you may be wondering why the hell we’re choosing to post a chili recipe now. Well, March was busy, so there; rest assured that this one is worth waiting for. Skip the ground beef, stew beef or any other budget cut you were eying at the meat counter and go straight for the sirloin for the tastiest chili you’ve had this side of Texas. Oh, and did we mention there’s bacon? You’re welcome.

Equipment Needed: 5QT Pot (but 8 QT if you’ve got it), Frying Pan, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Can Opener, Wooden Spoon

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 6-8

Suggested Wine Pairing: Hearty reds (Old Vine Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec)

Suggested Beer Pairing: Any beer goes with chili, but we prefer stouts, porters, dopplebocks, or IPAs

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs. boneless sirloin steak (about $7/lb)
• 2 cans of red kidney beans ($1.19/can)
• 2 28oz cans chunky style tomatoes ($2.99/can)
• 1 large onion ($.99/lb)
• 1 green pepper ($2.99/lb)
• 1 poblano pepper ($2.99/lb, you can use 2 jalapenos if you can’t find a poblano)
• 1 11oz can of corn ($1.59/can) (Brothers’ Note: Green Giant sells white corn with chipotle, which goes awesomely with chili. We swear this isn’t a shill but if General Mills wants to pay us, let’s talk)
• 4 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• A couple TBSPs BBQ sauce (about $3/18oz bottle) (no, it’s not cheating)
• 1 12oz bottle of dark beer (varies, we used a chocolate stout)
• about 4 TBSPs brown sugar ($1.39/lb)
• about 3 TBSPs Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup ($8.99/16 oz bottle) (yes, we had to)
• about 2 TBSPs ground cayenne pepper (about $4/jar)
• 8 strips bacon ($6/lb)
• Olive Oil ($9.99/34 oz bottle)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Trim any excess fat off of the steaks and cut into even 1 inch chunks. Season all sides with liberal salt and pepper.

Sirloin, the other red meat.

• Place your pot over medium heat; once hot pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom and throw in your steak pieces. Brown evenly, stirring things up about once every 3 minutes.

Browning makes it all better.

• While the steak is browning, dice the onion and green pepper, and mince the garlic cloves. After the meat is evenly browned, toss the veggies in and reduce to low heat.
• After about two minutes of cooking down the vegetables, pour in the tomatoes, kidney beans, corn and beer. Simmer for about 15 minutes or so.

No, wait...beer makes it all better.

• While your concoction is simmering,  place the poblano directly over a burner at medium heat to char the skin off. Keep it over the flame for about a minute a side until the skin turns black (it’ll make popping sounds from time to time, this is normal). We shouldn’t have to tell you that you’re playing with an open flame, so be careful.

Adding some heat (it's a play on words...we'll wait)

• When your pepper is properly charred, put it in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to sweat it out. After about 5 minutes, run it under hot water and rub the skin off. Cut in half lengthwise, remove the ribs and seeds, dice that puppy up and throw it in the pot with everything else.

Like a pepper sauna.

• Once (almost) everything’s in the mix, add the bbq sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup and cayenne to taste. It should be an even balance of heat and sweet (unless you like it spicier; it’s your birthday, we just came for the cake). Keep simmering for another 15 minutes or so.

• During this last round of simmering, place a frying pan over medium heat and cook up your bacon. Drain and set it aside. Once you’re ready to serve things up, crumble the strips into the pot and stir in the pieces for a nice flavor boost and texture contrast.

What's a Brothers Brown recipe without a bacon shot. Like Christmas without presents, that's what.

• Spoon into bowls, serve with sour cream and cheddar cheese for extra credit (for extra, extra credit use an aged cheddar; we used an 18 month English number just to up the ridiculosity).

Turkey Meatballs and Pasta

Meatballs that don't neccesitate wearing track pants.

Your nonna may frown on this non-traditional twist, but your taste buds will scream mama mia! Take your meatballs on a healthy and tasty trip by using ground turkey instead of beef. Finish things off with some homemade marinara and your favorite pasta to turn any night into a red-checkered tablecloth event.

Equipment Needed: Frying Pan, 3 QT pot, 5 QT pot, Large Bowl, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Colander, Cheese Grater, Wooden Spoon

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 4

Suggested Wine Pairing: Sangiovese, Chianti, Tempranillo, Malbec

Suggested Beer Pairing: Peroni, Light Ales

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey (about $5.99)
• 1/4 C Italian style breadcrumbs ($2.99/24 oz package)
• 1/8 C parmagiana cheese ($6/8oz)
• 1 egg ($2.50/dozen)
• 2 medium yellow onions ($.99/lb )
• 6 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 1 lb dry pasta (we like penne or rotini for this one) ($1.49/package)
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes ($2.99)
• 8-10 leaves of fresh basil (about $4/package)
• 1 TBSP crushed red pepper (about $2/jar)
• 1 TBSP sugar ($1/lb)
• 4 TBSP Italian seasoning (about $4/jar)
• Extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/34 oz bottle)
• Balsamic vinegar (about $6/8 0z)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

• Mince three garlic cloves and set aside, then mince the other three and set those aside as well (half will go in the meatballs and half in the sauce).

Ok, seriously, this might be the last garlic mincing pic we post. Just cut it small and call it a day.

• Put your pot over medium heat and pour in about 4 TBSP of olive oil. Dice 1 1/2 onions and set aside the remaining half. Throw half of the garlic cloves and the diced onions into the pot and stir regularly until softened (about 5-10 minutes).

Stir your onions and garlic until soft and aromatic.

• Put the ground turkey in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, cheese, egg, 2TSBP of Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic. Take your cheese grater and grate the remaining onion into the mixture.

Grating the onions make the pieces unobtrusive and release more flavor.

• Now comes the fun part. Get your hands in there and mix everything together until it’s evenly dispersed (we recommend a squeeze and twist approach). Wash your hands thoroughly before proceeding (raw poultry can make you much sicko, so you want to make sure you’re constantly cleaning your hands and other surfaces).

Squeeze your meat (yes, it's a double entendre).

• In the pot with your onions and garlic, add the tomatoes, about 3 TBSP of balsamic vinegar, a few pinches of salt and pepper, sugar and the crushed red pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer your sauce as you prepare to roll your meatballs.
• Put your frying pan over lower-medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Make your meatballs by taking about a palm’s worth of the meat mixture and rolling your hands in opposite directions until spherical (think making snowballs). Put the meatballs into the pan and brown on all sides. [Brother's Note: Traditional Italian meatball recipes often tell you to put them into the sauce raw and simmer until cooked. Since we're using turkey in this case we want to be sure that things are cooked through. As we've harped on before, undercooked poultry is a mistake you only make once.]
• Once nicely browned, slowly slip the meatballs into the sauce and simmer everything away for another 20 minutes or so to cook fully. Stir occasionally and slowly, making sure not to break your balls (sorry, we had to). About 10 minutes into simmering, fill your other pot about 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add your pasta and cook for about 5-8 minutes. Drain, add sauce and meatballs, and go mmmmmmmm.

Lower the meatballs into your sauce and simmer away.

Blue Tomato Soup

Once you go blue, you never go back.

Blue tomatoes? Blasphemous! Jake, Thomas, why have I never heard of such a thing? Calm down, everyone, it’s nothing more than a (mildly) clever play on words. This delicious concoction marries the creamy bite of blue cheese (or bleu cheese if you wanna be pretentious) with the richness of roasted tomatoes, brought together in holy matrimony by the gratuitous addition of bacon. It’s not a fast meal to make, but it will vanish quickly from the bowls of you and yours.

Equipment Needed: 13 x 9 Baking Pan, 5 QT Pot, Frying Pan, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Vegetable Peeler, Wooden Spoon, Food Processor (or Blender)

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 6ish (depending on who’s eating and how hungry they are)

Suggested Wine or Beer Pairing: Dark Belgians or medium-bodied red wines (pairing with a soup like this is tough, so maybe just stick with your favorite drink)

Ingredients:

• About 3 lbs of tomatoes (around $3/lb)
• 6 oz blue cheese (about $7/lb)
• 2 medium carrots ($1.50/lb)
• 1 medium onion ($.99/lb )
• 3 C whole milk ($1.10/QT)
• 1 1/2 C chicken stock ($3.50/32 oz)
• 6-8 strips of bacon ($6/lb)
• 3 cloves of garlic ($2.99/lb)
• Extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/34 oz bottle)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 400° F. Start your prep work by cutting the tomatoes in quarters (or eighths if you’ve got big ‘uns). Remove the seeds and put them in your baking pan.

Quarter your tomatoes and be sure to scoop out the seeds.

• Mince your garlic and sprinkle it evenly across the top of the tomatoes.

You should know what it looks like to mince garlic by now.

• Peel the onion and quarter it. Peel both carrots and cut them into 2 inch sticks about a half an inch wide; no need to get too precise but cutting them the same size will help them roast more evenly.

Don't cry, dry your eyes. Here come the Brothers with a soup surprise.

• Put the other veggies in the pan with the tomatoes and drizzle olive oil over the top. Throw them in the oven and roast for about 30-40 minutes, until they’re on the mushy side and you can clearly smell tomatoes wafting through your abode.

Oil those beautiful babies up.

• While the tomatoes are roasting, cut your bacon into half-inch pieces and fry it up over medium heat on the stove top. Drain and set aside for later.

Bacon money shot.

• With about 10 minutes left in your roasting time, combine the chicken stock and milk in your pot and place over medium-low heat on the stove top, stirring regularly. This will bring your liquids to temperature, making it quicker to mix everything together. Once the tomatoes et. al are done, pull them out of the oven and toss them into the pot. (HUGE NOTE: if you don’t peel the tomatoes, you will have little chunks of skin in your soup when you’re finished. We actually like this but if you want a smoother experience you’ll want to take a paring knife and gently try to remove the skin from each tomato piece. Just be forewarned this is extremely trying and time-consuming; you might be better off lazy and just call the soup “rustic”)
• Add the blue cheese and bring the mixture up to medium heat, stirring regularly for about another 5 minute to break everything down a bit. Next, pour the mixture into your blending/processing/loud-noise-making device of choice and blend until smooth. If your soup is too chunky for your liking, add more milk and keep blending ’til it evens out. You can either mix the bacon in now and serve (which we recommend) or get all fancy and use it as a garnish with some thin-sliced flat leaf parsley.

School Spaghetti

 

Don't pretend you don't want to grab a spork and dive in.

 

As we start to settle into fall we decided it would only be appropriate to make some classic comfort food. “But Jake, Thomas,” you say, ”I always hated spaghetti day in middle school.” Quit whining or we’ll give you a wedgie. This healthier version of the infamous cafeteria cop out (who knows what they used for meat, and what was that pasta made of, wallpaper paste?) is more Spaghetti alla Bolognese than slop-that-the-bully-dumped-on-my-head. Quick and easy to make, canned tomatoes and fresh basil lift take this dish from awkward memory to sure-to-please standby.

Equipment Needed:Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, two 3 QT Pots (or something close), Saute Pan (ok, frying pan), Wooden Spoons, Stove Top

Serving Suggestion: Individual Plating

Servings: 4

Suggested Wine Pairing: Sangiovese, Chianti, Tempranillo, Malbec

Suggested Beer Pairing: Peroni, Lighter Ales

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground turkey ($5.99/lb)
• 1 medium yellow onions ($.99/lb )
• 6 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)
• 1 lb vermicelli (aka angel hair) pasta ($1.49/package)
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes ($2.99)
• 8-10 leaves of fresh basil (about $3/package)
• 1 TBSP crushed red pepper (about $2/jar) 
• 1 TBSP sugar ($1/lb)
• 1-2 TBSP Italian seasoning (about $4/jar)
• Extra virgin olive oil ($9.99/34 oz bottle)
• Salt
• Pepper

Sauce Preparation

• It’s important to start this part first so you can allow the flavors to develop. Mince three of your cloves of garlic.

Mince that garlic!

• Then dice your onion. You want tiny pieces about a quarter of an inch each or less.

Dice that onion!

• Place one of your pots over medium-low heat and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. When it starts to shimmer add the garlic, onions and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir periodically until they’re pretty well softened (about 5 minutes).

Stir those ingredients!

• Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes and add the sugar, crushed red pepper and another dash of salt and pepper. Stir everything together and reduce the heat to low.
• Rinse and stack your basil leaves on top of one another. Roll them into a tube like a cigarette (or just a tube for those of you that have never rolled a cigarette), and slice it crosswise into thin strips. congratulations! You’ve just done your first chiffonade (Google it)!

Chiffonade that basil!

• Toss the basil into the sauce and stir it occasionally.
• Before you do anything else, add about two quarts of water to your other pot and place it over high heat. This will be for your spaghetti and you want to time it so that you can toss the pasta in to coincide with the turkey’s readiness.
• Mince your other three garlic cloves and put your your saute pan over medium heat.
• Pour in about three TBSP of olive oil an toss in your ground turkey and the rest of your garlic once that’s shimmering. Add a dash of salt and pepper and the Italian seasoning and allow the turkey to brown, stirring every so often so the meat cooks evenly and doesn’t burn. This should take about 10 minutes or so. 

Season and brown that turkey!

• At the same time, once your pasta water starts boiling, add a few dashes of salt and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (if Italians do it, you should too). Toss in your vermicelli and stir occasionally (so much occasional stirring) so things don’t clump together. It’s done when the pasta is soft, but still has some bite to it (that’s al dente for you lay people). This should take about 5-6 minutes (the package will undoubtedly give a totally different time, but when was the last time you listened to a cardboard box?).
• Your meat is cooked properly if  it exudes clear liquid, something you can check by putting a couple pieces on a paper towel. Anything else is too bloody when you’re dealing with poultry and trust us, you don’t want to go down that road. Once cooked, pour in the tomato sauce that you’ve had simmering on the side and mix everything together.

Mix it up!

• Drain your pasta (but don’t rinse it, again..Italians don’t, you don’t). Use a bowl to serve and spoon some of that delicious meat sauce over top. Scarf down, sigh contently and repeat.