Meat

Red Chili Beef

May 31, 2016

So I can’t find my beloved sunglasses. I have looked all over. ALL OVER. For 2 weeks. And I can’t find them. So annoying.

First of all, I need them driving to and from work every day so that’s annoying to deal with.

Second of all, I just loved the frames.

I just ordered 2 new pairs from Firmoo. (Totally not sponsored!) I figure that since I ordered new ones I will now find the ones I can’t find. And if not, then I have 2 new pairs.

Plus, I mean, how could I resist?!?! They are having a BOGO sale now so I got 2 prescription sunglasses for $71, and that included expedited shipping. That $12 is so worth is since they just take 3-5 business days that way vs 2 weeks since they are from China. So worth it.

I can’t wait to get them and wear them 24/7, or at least when it’s sunny out!

Any who, I purchased a package of New Mexico chilies on a whim and they have been taunting me since then. I had no idea what to do with them, I just picked them up.

Well, I dove into the interwebs and found this awesome recipe for Red Chile Beef.

Now, don’t stress if you can’t get your hands on New Mexico Chilies, you can substitute California or ancho chilies. New Mexico chilies have a bit more heat but you’ll still have great results.

I seriously can’t get over how much I love this sauce. It gives the tender beef so much flavor and a subtle richness. And the kicker is that it wasn’t hard to make at all. Just don’t touch your eyes… lesson learned! (duh!)

Be sure to give this a try so that you can enjoy it in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, and much more!

Red Chili Beef

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients

For the pork

3 pound boneless pork roast/shoulder (or 3 1/2 pound bone-in)
1/2 Cup beef stock
salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons oil

For the sauce

3 ounces (about 12) dried new mexico chilies
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Process

Prepare the roast by sprinkling salt and pepper on all sides.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown all sides of the roast.
Place the roast and beef stock in a slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours, until tender and falling apart.
While the beef is cooking, prepare the red chili sauce. Begin by removing the stems and seeds from the dried chilies.
Fill a medium-sized pot 2/3 full with water. Add the chilies to the water, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and place a small plate on the chilies to keep them under the water. Cover the pot and let sit for 30 minutes.
Place the chilies with 1/2 Cup of the soaking water in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any seeds and remaining tough skins.
In the pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until it just starts to brown, about one minute. Add the chili puree, cumin, and salt. Stir continuously while cooking for one minute or two. Remove from heat.
When the roast is done cooking, remove the roast to a rimmed cutting board. Pull apart the beef with 2 forks, or by hand. Remove any big chunks of fat or gristle.
Mix 1/4 cup of the slow cooker liquid juices from the beef into the (warm) red chili sauce. Discard the excess liquid.
Place the pulled beef back in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the beef, stirring to coat. Serve or keep on “warm” or “low” setting until ready to serve.

Adapted from From Scratch to Plate

The Mega Goat Cheese and Slow Roasted Tomato Topped Burger

May 25, 2016

I can’t believe that Memorial Day is coming up this weekend!!!

I am so looking forward to hanging out with my family. The 3 day weekend is going to be really enjoyed. Of course, it makes the preceding and following weeks crazy, but so worth the extra hustle to enjoy 3 days off in a row.

…

Quick Meat Sauce with Zucchini Noodles

May 2, 2016

So a few weeks ago Autumn and I went to a farmer’s market a few miles away from my dad’s house, where we are staying. We picked up a few things, but the big hit of the day was the honey we picked up.

She sampled a few kinds and picked out the kind that liked the most and every few days I give her a big spoonful of the local honey. It’s a special, healthy treat that is great for preventing allergies here.

…

Pulled Pork Carnitas (Whole30 Compliant!)

April 26, 2016

We’re a week into Whole30 and I am loving it.

And I might just kill you.

It all depends on any given moment.

…

Extra Cheesy Baked Tacos

April 12, 2016

So right now, my life is super focused on work and pricing out the house that we want to build. It’s exciting and draining.

We really like the community that we are looking into and the house too. We’ve been hooked since we walked into the model of it a a different community. And even then we looked at hundreds of plans from other builders and are still hooked on it. The big struggle now is figuring out the finishes we want to upgrade. Well, I should clarify, we have our wishlist and now we are purging through to get to the finishes that we can’t live without and the ones that financially/logistically make sense to have in the house when we move in vs do on our own later on.

Flooring is the hardest part since…

1) we don’t want carpet for the look, cleanliness, and allergens

2) upgrading flooring from carpet to tile or hardwoods is $$$.

So we have basically given up and are opting for standard carpet in the bedrooms and in some rooms on the first floor. We’d love to tile the whole first floor and have hardwoods on the 2nd but our bank account says otherwise.

At this point we are working though another round of edits to get a better idea of what the house will come to and go from there. I am hoping to figure it out soon since building is a 6 month process and I really wanted to be in the house by Christmas. But, we’ll see how it all works out.

Anyway it’s Tuesday so I have another Taco Tuesday post for ya.

It’s super special. It’s super cheesy.

While I am normally all about soft tacos, I had been craving hard tacos recently. So I just figured I would make them extra crunchy by baking them. And, of course, it just made sense to load them up with cheese that would get extra awesome in the oven when it melted. Yasss!!

Extra Cheesy Baked Tacos

Makes 10 tacos

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey or beef
2-3 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 Cup water
1/4 Cup fresh chopped cilantro
4 ounce can diced green chilies
2 Cups shredded cheese, I suggest a ‘Mexican Style’ blend
10 flat bottom hard taco shells
Toppings, such as diced tomatoes, sour cream, chopped green onions, olives

Process

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Over medium heat, in a large skillet, break up the meat while browning. When it has been just browned, but not cooked through, add the taco seasoning, water, cilantro, and chilies. Turn down and simmer on low until most of the water has been absorbed.
Arrange the taco shells in a 13 x 9 baking pan, sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese in the bottom of all of the taco shells. Bake for 2-3 minutes, just until the cheese has begun to melt.
Evenly distribute the meat into the taco shells. Try to leave excess liquid in the pan to prevent the taco shells from getting soggy.
Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and return to the oven for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Coca-Cola Carnitas

March 22, 2016

All of our stuff arrived today!!!!!

I was so dang excited when that massive truck pulled up to the house.

The shipment was 2 days late so I was not that happy since I had to take a day off of work for it, but I was excited to have our stuffs! Yay stuffs! At least we got a $200 credit, but now I’m behind in work. Can’t win them all.

But for the next 4 hours I played air traffic control to the 2 guys unloaded all our stuff to the different rooms in the house. A lot of that was tricky since we are not really unpacking everything since we are living at my dad’s house while we a house is built. So there was stuff that was from Autumn’s room but shouldn’t go there now since we didn’t need it for the next 6-8 months so that and then had to go in the garage/other bedroom WIC. So I was trying to mentally cull them out as the guys had boxes as high as me on dollies to roll into the house and unload. They were great with my directions and setting things up.

And I might have hugged my box of shoes when they were unloaded from the truck. I missed all my Sperry’s. Okay, I totally did! ha!

But the unpacking will have to wait since I have 3 (insane) deadlines next week and Price is already traveling for work. I think I need to actually work both days because of stuff to do and from having to take yesterday off for the movers. Yes, I know Easter is Sunday. Oh well, a deadline is a deadline. Plus, yay OT. I’m gonna have to treat myself some more Sperry’s for the spring.

Anyway, I made a big batch of these Coca-Cola Carnitas this past weekend which is helping us get through the week since it makes life so much easier when you don’t have to cook dinner at night. Plus, they are dang awesome.

They are great to serve to a crowd since you don’t have to worry about someone saying they are too spicy. They are perfectly seasoned and kinda sweet without you being like ‘eww soda!’ Trust me. Aside from a few Sonia Limeades, I haven’t had soda in a year and a half. So I sorta felt wrong buying it, but this might just have to be my exception to the no-soda rule.

We always get bone in pork shoulders since I love how the bone gives the meat just a bit more flavor and keeps it really moist. Okay, I could be making that up, but that’s what I think so let’s go with it. So, in this case, I just cut the majority of the meat off the bone and adding the bone to the cut up meat in the pot. Super simple.

The carnitas are really versatile, so be sure to enjoy them in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, rice bowls, salads, and on nachos. You’ll love making, and devouring, these carnitas!

Coca-Cola Carnitas

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

For the Carnitas

3 1/2 -4 pounds fatty pork shoulder or pork butt*, cut into 2-inch cubes
3-4 Tablesoons Cup garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 Tablespoons Canola or vegetable oil
3 Cups Coca-Cola
1/2- 2 Cups water
10 sprigs fresh tarragon
5-6 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme

For Serving

Corn tortillas
Suggested toppings: salsa verde, diced onions, cilantro leaves, sliced radishes, lime wedges and sliced avocado

Process

Sprinkle the pork on all sides with the garlic powder and plenty of salt and pepper
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy Dutch oven or thick bottomed pot. Add the pork and fry on all sides until well browned, about 20 minutes.
Add the Coca-Cola and water (there should be just enough liquid to cover the sides of the meat). Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the tarragon, bay leaves and thyme.
Cover and simmer until the pork is tender, about 2 – 2 1/2 hours. The Coca-Cola will have caramelized and the liquid will just about completely evaporated.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and shred with your hands or forks. It may be preferred to remove some fattier bits as you shred the meat
Serve with warm corn tortillas (charred over a flame) and toppings on the side.

*If you purchase bone-in pork shoulder, then you will want a large one to account for the weight of the bone, 4 – 4 1/2 pounds

Adapted from Chef Marcela Valladolid

B.L.T. Tacos

March 15, 2016

I literally can’t even with this week.

Mainly, I can’t deal with Instagram.

Who the hell do they think they are trying to mess with the algorithm?

Have you heard? If not, brace yourself.

They are planning on changing the way that you view your feed. Instead of the chronological order in which you currently see it they are doing to change it up so that you see the posts so that most popular ones appear first. I get it, IG stays that we miss 70% of our feed so this will help us see what we want to see. But no, just no. I like what I see, the way I see it. Don’t touch it.

I like FB, but part of the reason I really truly hate it is that they rank things for you and present to you what they think you want. I’m sure there are load of smart people that work there and they have this all figured out, but, again, no…

Part of the reason that I love Instagram is that it is a mix of the things I love… food pictures, baby pictures, dog pictures, kids clothing consignment. I just like to randomly scroll through it. But if they now edit what I see and how I see it I am going to be turned off by the whole damn thing.

I know that writing a ranty post about it is silly, but my week is crazy and this is just the icing on the damn cake.

Hey, Instagram… YOU DON’T KNOW ME.

In other news, my current approach to cooking is ‘just do it’ I’m all sorts of Nike right now, except when it comes to physical exercise since I have no time for it. And don’t even give me some BS about making time for it. I projected out my work week and I’m prob going to be close to 60 hours so don’t even.

Anyway, just do it…

Just cook up some bacon. Just cut up a tomato. Just toss some lettuce on a tortilla. Just slap your bacon on there. Just toss some tomato on there. Just, drown your sorrows in ranch dressing.

I used a thick cut pepper bacon and let me tell you, da bomb. Get some.

Just make these and just enjoy Instagram while you still can.

B.L.T. Tacos

Makes 8 Tacos (4 servings)

Ingredients

1 pound of bacon, thick cut is suggested
2 large tomatoes
8 tortillas
lettuce, I used mixed greens
ranch dressing

Process

Cut bacon slices in half. Cook bacon in batches until desired doneness. Place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess drippings.
Cut tomato in thin wedges.
Place a bit of lettuce, 3-4 pieces of bacon, a few wedges of tomato on a tortilla. Spoon a bit of ranch dressing on each taco. Enjoy.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Cuban Sandwiches- SRC

January 25, 2016

Get ready to sink your teeth into these babies!!!

But first let’s recap this weekend!

Since Price was gone this weekend in FL for interviews and to set up my dad’s house for our arrival in less than 3 weeks, it was just me and Autumn. I ditched the dog at the dog walker’s house so that I didn’t have to juggle him, Autumn, and the snow that really wasn’t here in Boston. So Autumn asked for the dog the whole weekend, which was heart breaking, but I’m sure that if she knew that having him around would have meant long walks in the cold in the baby carrier she wouldn’t have minded his little vacation.

Autumn and I did a whole lot of nothing. It was great. It was a live in your PJ’s and not wear a bra sort of weekend. Plus, we baked some brownies and a cake. And played with play-doh, thankfully we did not eat that. I had a friend over for dinner on Saturday after she went to bed and I’m just thankful that our constant laughter didn’t wake up Autumn.

As well, did a lot of snapping and chatting with a friend who is going through so tough times. Which, reminds me, hey dudes, how about not beating the shit out of your wives so you don’t get arrested? Good idea, right?! RIGHT!

Okay, now that that’s over, let’s get back to these awesome Cuban Sandwiches.

I picked this recipe out for this month’s Secret Recipe Club post because it sounded to easy and delicious. I mean, Rebecca had so many great recipes on her site, Making Miracles, so it was not a quick decision. I poured over a lot of recipes on her site, like her Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins, Reese’s Krispie Popcorn, and Pizza Quesadillas. But I just had to try making my own Cuban Sandwiches.

Cubans Sandwiches are such great sandwiches!! I’ve had some really great ones but my most memorable one was when Price and I were on our Babymoon in the Florida Keys and we had one from Cuban Coffee Queen, shack like stand in Key West. It was totally awesome! We sat on benches in the sun while some random chickens ran around at our feet as we ate our sandwiches. ha!

I never considered making Cubans before seeing this recipe on Rebecca’s blog, but it seemed easy so I just figured I’d give it a try. Plus, I’m so glad I tried it since I love trying something new. It makes me feel great to learn something new.

There are just 3 basic processes to the make this sandwich- make pulled pork in the slow cooker (simple!), assemble sandwich (simple!), and press & cook sandwich (simple!).

So, I totally forgot pickles at the grocery store and I just couldn’t go back when I realized it while I was unpacking the stuff. I really just couldn’t go back, it would have been my 3rd trip to the grocery store in that Sunday. But I improvised the next day even before having to make another trip to the store, I went to the cafe in my office building and hit up the salad bar to get pickles. ha!!!

Once you’ve made these Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Cuban Sandwiches you will be hooked. So, now whenever you have a major craving for a Cuban Sandwich you will be able to satisfy it yourself!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Cuban Sandwiches

Makes 10-12 sandwiches

Ingredients

For the roast

1 2-pound pork shoulder or butt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano or marjoram
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the sandwiches

Sliced Swiss cheese (1-2 slices per sandwich, depending on thickness of cheese)
Sliced ham (3 slices per sandwich)
Sliced dill pickles
Rolls (hoagie rolls or something oblong works best)
Yellow Mustard
Mayonnaise
Butter

Directions

For the roast, combine garlic, oil, vinegar salt, oregano, and pepper. Rub the pork with the spice mixture and refrigerate overnight.
Cook in a crock pot on low for 8-12 hours with 1/2 Cup of water. Shred when
To assemble the sandwiches, spread a thin layer of both mustard and mayo on the insides of the sliced roll. Layer cheese, ham, pickles, roast, and another slice of cheese on the bottom of a roll; top with other half of roll.
Press sandwiches in a buttered panini press or under a heavy cast iron skillet until bread is crispy and cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat. Cut on an angle and enjoy.

Adapted from Making Miracles

____________________

Check out all the other great Secret Recipe Club posts HERE this month!

And be sure to check out my 4+ years of Secret Recipe Club posts!!!!

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Your New Taco Tuesday Favorite: Taco Pie

January 19, 2016

So, let’s see what’s been going on?

Yesterday was my birthday. I woke up feeling great and went to bed with a cold. And my phone has been broken for like a week. I’m dying. Not from the cold. But because of my phone situation. Although I am questioning if one can sneeze their own nose off…

And as I write that I realize how that is such a #FirstWorldProblem. But it actually is a problem. Like, since how I’m trying to tell my house and don’t have a working phone to talk to people. Yeah, that’s sorta a problem.

Plus, no IG surfing while on the bus. And I am missing out on sending and receiving ridiculous snaps with Amanda. Also, very important reasons to have a working phone.

So right now I’m struggling with figuring out what to do about the phone situation. It’s a hot mess right now with contracts, data packages, new phone releases. I feel so conflicted about all the things.

But I am not conflicted about anything related to this Taco Pie. Nope, it’s going to be your new family favorite. I swear by the stars in the moon in the sky, I swear…

I first had this while in Florida last September. We headed over to my Dad’s friend’s house for dinner and they served Taco Pie. I was hooked immediately. And Autumn was hooked with their pool. We each have our priorities.

It is super easy to make. Super easy. And delicious. Super delicious. (I’m horrible. Blame the cold meds to prevent the mouth breathing)

I know everyone is all about that taco crescent wreath thing, but I wear this is better. Okay, so I never had that thing, but I can bet this is better since the toppings go ON the pie, not like with that wreath where the fun toppings get plopped in the middle.

My one suggestion would be that if you were thinking that keeping this around for leftovers then just serve the pie without the lettuce. Lettuce will get gross when it’s reheated, so no thanks. But tomatoes would still be cool on it.

Taco Pie

Makes 8 slices

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk
6.6 ounce box of mashed potato flakes OR 2 2/3 Cup mashed potatoes (omit the butter and milk)
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup salsa
2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
4 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato
Other optional toppings: Sour Cream, Guacamole, Sliced Black Olives, Chopped Cilantro, Salsa

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add the milk to slightly warm. Remove from heat and add potato flakes, mixing well until incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, until it evenly turns a light golden brown.
While the crust is par-baking, cook the ground beef and onions until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain.
Add the salsa and taco seasoning. Cook until bubbly. Pour into the crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
Top with the shredded cheese and return to the oven for another 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Cut and serve with additional preferred toppings

Carne Asada Tacos with a Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

January 12, 2016

I think Taco Tuesday is my new favorite day of the week.

Sure, it’s not Saturday or Sundays- those cherished weekend days- but it has tacos. So that’s a total win!

Another win? I got my move date!!!

You see, back in November in a fit of I-hate-Boston-and-I-must-get-out-of-here rage, I walked into my HR office asking about my transfer and impulsively said that my move date was flexible since I was just moving into my dad’s house, not like waiting for a rental to start. So this info was passed on, and before Christmas I spoke to the HR woman out of Atlanta coordinating the move for Tampa. She mentioned that Tampa was interested in an earlier move date, as early as February 1st! ZOMG.

So then the holidays arrived and everyone was off and I had to anxiously wait for an official start date and offer letter. As the days ticked on I was getting more and more anxious about finalizing the date as February was just around the corner!

But alas, I got the call yesterday and I am all set up with my last day in Boston on the 12th and I start up in Tampa on the 15th! So 1 more month! I’m so excited, nervous, and everything all rolled up into one!

In related excited news, I am super excited to share this recipe for Carne Asada Tacos with a Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. Super excited.

There is a lot of excitement going on today!!!

The steak is great in this taco, but the real amazingness thing is the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. You’ll be saying “I put that $#!% on everything!” like that old lady in those hot sauce commercials. It’s great on eggs, chicken, tacos, nachos, enchiladas… I could list it all out but the list would be as long as a CVS receipt.

While this is grilled recipe, I don’t think that it’s completely insane to share it now… in January. We regularly grill throughout the year in Boston, so I feel that these work for any time of the year wherever you live. And if you don’t feel like standing out in the cold at your grill, then just use an indoor Grill Pan. Or if you don’t have one of those, then just give it a quick sear on both sides, let it rest, and then slice it up. Super simple.

Take a bite of these Carne Asada Tacos and you’ll be transported back to the summer. Let’s skip this cold and just enjoy summer life with tacos. Forever.

Carne Asada Tacos with a Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

For the Carne Asada

1 12 -ounce jar sliced pickled jalapenos
1 1 3/4 -pound flank steak,trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Salsa

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1-2 jalapenos, stemmed, sliced in half
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 large onion, peeled, cut into wedge
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt

For the Tacos

corn tortillas
thinly sliced radishes
thinly sliced fresh jalapenos
fresh chopped cilantro
lime wedges

Process

Marinate your carne asada by pouring the jar 0f jalapenos in a baking dish and press the steak on top. Cover and set aside at room temperature for about 1 hour.
While your steak is marinating, make the salsa. Halve or quarter your tomatillos. Place on a baking sheet with the jalapenos, garlic, and onion. Drizzle with olive oil, mix to coat everything.
Place the baking sheet until a broiler for 4-5 minutes, until everything is starting to char. Set aside to cool a bit.
Pour the roasted vegetables into a blender, then add the rest of the salsa ingredients. Blend until smooth. Store in an air tight container for up to 48 hours.
When your seak is done marinating, preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Remove the steak from the marinade, pat the steak dry and then sprinkle with seasoning.
Grill the steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes, then slice against the grain.
To assemble the tacos, stack 2 tortillas on a plate, lay a few pieces of steak in the middle, then top with salsa, radishes, jalapenos, and cilantro. Squeeze lime wedges on the tacos right before eating.

Carne Asada adapted from from Aaron Sanchez

___________________

This post contains affiliate link(s).

All-American Cheeseburger Pie

December 7, 2015

It’s been a while since I posted a pie, but I swear the wait was worth it.

I didn’t really burn out from last year’s ‘A Year of Pies‘ weekly pie recipes, I’ve been making them still. I’ve just taken a break from posting them on the blog to have a bit more variety of things. Oh yeah, and waffles too!! ha!

But that pie hiatus is all over now with this All-American Cheeseburger Pie.

This recipe is from Dinner Pies: From Shepherds Pies and Pot Pies to Tarts, Turnovers, Quiches, Hand Pies, and More, with 100 Delectable and Foolproof Recipes by Ken Haedrich. It’s a new cookbook, just released this fall, that focuses on savory pies. Perfect for pie lovers who want to try something new. Or just for anyone who wants an awesome pie for dinner.

I flagged several recipes in the book to make but this cheeseburger pie jumped out at me because I was really curious how it would turn out. Like would it really, actually taste like a cheeseburger. Well, guess what?!?!

It’s EXACTLY like a burger, but in pie form. It’s amazing. And genius. And amazing, all over again.

But, if we are going to be honest, I was a bit worried while making it. Hear me out!

The crust is tough to handle. And I’ve made a few crusts before!!

The crust is very soft, which the author notes is because of the moisture from the sour cream in the dough. His notes throughout the recipe process, and in notes off to the side, about appearance of the recipe, or even the touch or smell. His attention to detail and well written recipes are very clear to follow.

So, the crust it’s sorta a pain since it’s hard to work it. But I am warning you now so you don’t heave that sucker into the trash as you struggle with it. It’s a soft, wet dough so you will need plenty of bench flour (and patience) to roll out the dough, lift it up, and get it in the pie plate. I suggest using some parchment. I didn’t have any so it was a pain, but I used my bench scraper, which did help quite a bit.

That being said, you have to suck it up and make this crust. It makes this recipe. It has the best flavor and texture for this recipe. I swear.

Even then, don’t freak out when you look at the process to make this pie. Yes, it’s a lot of steps. Chill out, seriously. I broke out everything so it seems like a lot to do, but in reality it is just about making the crust, which you can do in advance, and sauteing the meat, mixing together a sauce, mixing everything together, and then baking it all.

Really, it’s not so bad! In fact I made the crust in advance, and then I made the rest while Autumn napped. In fact, everyone in the house, including the rabbit, was napping. But I was baking, what else is new?!?!

I followed the crust recipe exactly but I made a few tweaks to the filling recipe.

Don’t get me wrong, the recipe sounds great from the start, but I wanted it a bit leaner so I skipped the oil in the pan to cook the bacon (something I don’t think I’ll do for any recipe, ever). As well, I drained all meat mixture in a colander to remove a lot of fat, instead of spooning it out. Lastly, I cut back on the cheese. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 Cups, but I just used 1 1/2 Cups. I’m sure it would have been terrific with the extra cheese, but I was quite satisfied with the reduced amount.

Also, random bacon tip, I find that using kitchen shears to ‘chop’ up the bacon actually is a lot easier than cutting it with a knife.

Like I mentioned before, I loved this recipe so much.

I really had to stop myself after eating 1 slice. It was so tough. I am already looking forward to the leftovers.

Give it a try, I bet you will love it!

American Cheeseburger Pie

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Cornmeal Biscuit Crust

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″-inch cubes, cold
3/4 Cup sour cream, cold
1/3 Cup whole milk, cold

For the Filling

4 slices of bacon, chopped*
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 Cup Italian Style bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/3 Cup whole milk
3 Tablespoons Heinz chili sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 Cup dill relish
1 1/2 – 2 Cups grated sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese
2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

Process

Start by preparing the crust. You can prepare it a day in advance.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Incorporate the pieces of chilled butter using a pastry cutter, or your hands (work quickly so that heat of your hands does not melt the better!). You are done blending when the pieces are the size of a pea.
Mix together the milk and sour cream. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the milk mixture in. Gently mix together with a wooden spoon. Let sit for at least 1 minute at this point.
Knead together on a well floured surface. (The dough will be wet) Work into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap before chilling, for a least 3 hours. You can make the pie dough in advance.
Butter a 9 1/2″ deep dish pie plate. On a very well floured surface or on a well floured piece of parchment paper, roll out your chilled dough again to be 12″ round. Carefully lay into the pie plate. Fold over and crimp any excess along the edges. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the bacon for a few minutes, until it has rendered some of the fat. Add the ground beef and onion. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat while browning it. Add the garlic when the beef is almost done.
Drain the fat out with a colander.
In a large bowl, combine the meat with any remaining drippings with the bread crumbs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, chili sauce, mustard, and Worcestershire Sauce in another bowl. Add the sauce mixture to the meat along with the relish and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Mix well.
Set aside for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Spread the meat mixture evenly into the refrigerated pie shell. Top with a single layer of the sliced tomatoes.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese. Let cool for 15 minutes prior to serving.

Adapted from Dinner Pies: From Shepherds Pies and Pot Pies to Tarts, Turnovers, Quiches, Hand Pies, and More, with 100 Delectable and Foolproof Recipes by Ken Haedrich

___________________

Harvard Common Press sent me the Dinner Pies cookbook for review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Bacon, Apple, Brie, and Spinach Sandwich

September 15, 2015

Bacon. Apple. Brie. Spinach.

Let’s call it a B.A.B.S. Sandwich!!

Boom. Shakalaka.

I am head over heels in love with this sandwich.

Salty, crunchy bacon. Check!

Crisp, juicy apples. Check!

Soft, luscious brie. Check!

Fresh, vibrant baby spinach. Check!

All of that on hearty bread that is slathered with a Dijon mayonnaise. Check!

I don’t often make sandwiches so when I do it is an event. And this is really good. I love B.L.T’s but I was craving something that felt a bit more fall like than summer. I’ll never turn down a beautiful, ripe tomato, but I wanted to change things up for the upcoming season so I swapped them out for apples. I’d just have to enjoy a PSL while eating the sandwich and it would be a perfect fall meal. #basicandlovingit

I swear the uses of bacon, apples, and brie are endless. It’s just one of those combinations that is timeless. Like peanut butter and jelly, but better because you deserve better. You’re an adult. Eat an adult sandwich!!

I used the Ginger Golds that we picked when we recently went apple picking as they are great eating apples, plus they don’t oxidize and turn brown quickly like a lot of other varieties, so they will taste great and look great in the sandwich.

And of course, bacon is key to this sandwich. We all know that bacon is a versatile ingredient and is easily incorporated into everything from breakfast dishes to burgers to pastas, and, of course, sandwiches. I think that any kind of bacon works but I used Trader Joe’s Apple Smoked Bacon.

I argue that you need a nice, hearty bread for this sandwich. The bread is just as much a key player in this game as the rest of the ingredients. It is what starts and ends the sandwich. Show it some love.

I recently made one of these sandwiches, stood at my door while eating it, taking in the sheets of rain dump down from the grey clouds above. It definitely made for a better rainy afternoon.

You’ll want to experience your own B.A.B.S. Sandwich nirvana yourself.

Bacon, Apple, Brie, and Spinach Sandwich

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

4 slices of thick, hearty sandwich bread
6 slices of bacon
1/2 apple (I suggest a Ginger Gold), sliced thinly
4 ounces of brie, sliced thinly
1 Cup baby spinach
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

Process

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet. Cut the bacon slices in half, horizontally. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. (Time depends on thickness of bacon) Remove and place on paper towels.
Mix to there the mayonnaise and the Dijon mustard.
Spread the mayonnaise mixture on one side of all 4 pieces of bread.
On each sandwich, layer half the spinach a slice of bread, lace 3 piece of bacon on the spinach, then top with slices of brie and apple, then with 3 more pieces of bacon. Top with the remaining slice of bread. Enjoy!!