Drummies w/ White BBQ Sauce

Grocery list: 

• 20 drumettes

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

• 2 cups buttermilk

• Vegetable oil - for frying

• 1 cup flour

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp paprika

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 lemon - juiced

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp horseradish

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

Directions: 

1. Salt and pepper the drumettes on all sides. Put them in a large bowl and cover with the buttermilk. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

2. Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet. Heat over medium until a thermometer reads 375 degrees. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, and paprika. Remove the drumettes from the buttermilk and dredge in the flour mixture. Fry for about 7 minutes, 3-4 drumettes at a time, not overcrowding the pan. Let drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt when they come out of the oil. 

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the mayo, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijion mustard, horseradish, sugar, a dash of salt, and liquid smoke (if using). Before serving the drummies, drizzle them with the white BBQ sauce.

CHEERS TO FOOTBALL SEASON!! 

London Broil Potato Bites

Did yall know Virgina Tech is known for their outstanding food court on campus? They were ranked #3 in the country for Best Campus Food in the 2016 Princeton Review -- can you imagine a food court that good in college?! Pretty impressive! While there might be plenty of food for students to choose from, West Inn Market's London Broil with Garlic Mashed Potatoes happens to be one of the most popular dishes on campus. So with the VA Tech food court in mind, I recreated the recipe into something bite sized... Easy and fun for any Gameday party! 

Grocery List (4 dozen bites):

• 1 lb Flank steak

• 24 small new potatoes

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

• 6 tbsp butter

• 5 garlic cloves - minced

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions: 

1. Take Flank steak out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast potatoes in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a knife easily pierces through them. 

2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and let cook for one minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Set aside. 

3. Let potatoes cool slightly and slice each one in half. With the small end of a melon ball scooper, scoop out the middle of the potato and toss into a medium bowl, being careful to leave a small border around the sides and not break the skin. To  the bowl, add the garlic butter mixture, sour cream, heavy cream, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash together with a potato masher or a fork until ingredients are mixed together and potatoes are smooth. Fill each empty potato with the mixture. Put back in the oven for about 4 to 5 minutes. 

4. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush olive oil and sprinkle a gracious amount of salt and pepper on each side of the Flank steak. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare. Set aside and let rest for at least 5 minutes. With a very sharp knife, slice very thin slices of the steak against the grain, until you have 48 pieces. If you run out of pieces and need more, cut each piece in half. Top each potato with a slice of steak. 

CHEERS TO A HAPPY FOOTBALL SEASON!!! 

Truffle Sliders

Once upon a time, I took Tres to the Pearl Jam concert at Wrigly Field in Chicago, and since then we have become Chicago summer regulars. In addition to an awesome concert scene and perfect weather, Chicago has easily become one of my favorite food cities. I had the best sliders of my entire life at Sable Kitchen and Bar in this great city! We found out about the place from a local, and the cocktails and food did not disappoint. When visiting a city with tons of great restaurants, we rarely go back to the same restaurant more than once, but we ended up at Sable three times for their truffle sliders!! So of course, I had to recreate them when I got home, and I have to say, mine are pretty close to the real thing! 

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!!! 

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 onions - sliced thin

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 lb Ground Chuck (80 lean/20 fat)

• 3 oz truffle butter - room temperature

• 4 oz Taleggio or Havarti cheese

• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp honey

• 10 mini burger buns or rolls

• 1/4 cup mayo

• 1 tsp truffle oil

Heat grill to medium-high. On your stovetop, heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low. Add onions, balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Put the lid over the pan and let onions cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and let onions continue to cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When ready they should be soft, brown, and caramelized. 

While the onions cook, prep the sliders. In a medium bowl, add ground chuck, 2 oz truffle butter, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix ingredients together lightly with a fork - just enough to combine. Be careful to not over mix or the meat will get tough. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, shape the meat into 10 patties. In the center of each patty, make an indention with your thumb (this will keep sliders from puffing up too much when grilling). 

Add 1 tbsp of honey to the leftover 1 oz truffle butter and mix together. Open each burger bun and spread the mixture on the inside of each bun. 

Place buns on the grill, cut side down and toast for about 1 minute. Grill sliders for about 2 minutes on each side. When you flip the burgers, top each one with a slice of cheese and close the lid the last minute. 

5) In a small bowl, add the mayo, truffle oil, and 1 tsp honey and mix together. Build burgers by spreading the mayo mixture on the buns. Top with the cheesy burger and the caramelized onions. 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!! 

Cocoa-Cola Baby Back Ribs

It's May!!!! In Memphis that means sun, fun, festivals, and none other than what we're famous for: BBQ! I tell every out of town friend I have, if you visit Memphis, make sure it's in May! Every weekend, there's something fun going on, but the biggest weekend yet is the World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest! Tents line Tom Lee Park along the river with the smell of BBQ in the air. The entire week is one big party and some serious competition! 

Tres and I go every single year, spending a lot of our time at our good friends' tent, Pigs Gone Wild. Those guys are a blast, and to go along with them having a tent bursting with celebration, they can also cook some mean BBQ! BBQ Fest... It's literally the BEST WEEKEND IN MEMPHIS! So in honor of the weekend coming up, I'm doing my own version of ribs. Cocoa-Cola Ribs are exactly what they sound like... A little bit of chocolate and a little bit of Coke make these guys sweet, hearty, and will always make me think of the city I live in and love!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!!!! 

Grocery List (4 people): 

• 2 racks baby back ribs

• 4 tbsp good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 tbsp salt

• 2 tsp liquid smoke

• 2 tsp all spice

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 1/2 cup regular coke

• 4 medium onions - roughly chopped into large pieces

• 1 cup good quality barbecue sauce

Directions: 

1. Rinse the ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the cocoa, brown sugar, salt, liquid smoke, all spice, paprika, and pepper together in a bowl. Rub the mixture onto the ribs and press to adhere. Cover ribs and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prep two baking pans by pouring 3/4 cup of coke into each pan. Add the chopped onions over the coke. Place the ribs on top of the onions. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender and almost falling off the bone (I like my ribs to still have substance to them.. Not quite falling off the bone). 

3. Using tongs, move ribs to a baking sheet lined with foil. Strain the onions from the coke. Reserve 1/4 cup of the coke and mix with barbecue sauce. Brush a thick layer of the sauce onto ribs. 

4. Put ribs back in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve with the extra cola-barbecue sauce on the side! 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!! 

Pumpkin & Short Rib Chili

I smelled it today... The smell of fall. All it takes is stepping outside in 60-70 degree weather, a small breeze blowing, pumpkins displayed at markets and grocery stores, and chili in the Crock-Pot. As a young girl, I remember my mom making the best chili ever. Chili always meant fall. Fall is a comin, and while I'm certain there are plenty more chili recipes I'll create this fall, I put a little spin on the typical Crock-Pot chili - pumpkin, short ribs, and Red Gold tomatoes! No matter how you make yours or what recipes you try out, Red Gold tomatoes are THE way to bring out the true flavor of your chili. Sweet, crisp, and fresh, you would never know these tomatoes came directly from a can. The Red Gold Diced tomatoes are perfectly chopped, so all you have to do is dump them into your crock pot - no knife skills necessary! And the Red Gold Petite Diced tomatoes with Green Chilis give your chili a tiny amount of heat without over powering it!

For a rundown of the recipe and complete review of Red Gold tomatoes, watch the video!

Grocery list (4-6 people):

2-3 lbs short ribs

2 bottles pumpkin beer

Kosher salt

Pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion - chopped

2 garlic cloves - minced

1 orange bell pepper - chopped

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - chopped 2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 (14.5 oz) can of RED GOLD DICED TOMATOES

1 (14.5 oz) can of RED GOLD PETITE DICED TOMATOES WITH GREEN CHILIS

2 cups beef broth

1 can pumpkin purée

1 can black beans - drained 

4 cloves

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Green onions - chopped (for garnish)

Sour cream - optional

Directions:

Step 1:

Prepare the ribs (to save time, I do this the night before). In a large pot, combine beers and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and add short ribs. Simmer and let the ribs sit for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry to remove some of the fat from the ribs. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Salt and pepper all sides of the short ribs and brown the ribs in batches - about 5 minutes for each batch. Set ribs aside.

Step 2:

In the same pot, add onions, garlic, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook veggies until soft. Add chipotle peppers, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and brown sugar. Stir together and let cook for about 2 minutes. Step 3:

Dump cooked veggies into slow cooker. Add maple syrup, diced tomatoes, petite tomatoes, beef broth, pumpkin purée, black beans and stir to combine.

Add short ribs into the liquid. Add cloves at the very top so you can find them to discard later. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Step 4:

Uncover the cooked chili and discard cloves. Transfer short ribs onto a plate or cutting board. Remove the bones and fat and discard. Shred the short rib meat into small pieces with two forks or your hands. Skim the surface of the chili to remove any extra fat that floated to the top. Add the shredded meat back into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Stir in the cinnamon. Taste the chili and add 1/4-1/2 tsp of salt if needed. Serve in bowls and top with green onions and sour cream if desired.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Balsamic BBQ Meatballs with Rudolph's Pork Rinds

These one of a kind meatballs are my final recipe that was featured on Local Memphis Live last week. A sweet and tangy balsamic BBQ sauce gives these meatballs a fun twist, but it's really the pork rinds that make this recipe stand out. Pork rinds in meatballs?!?!?! What in the world?! Well, traditionally breadcrumbs are featured in meatballs, and we've all had a BBQ flavored meatball so put the two together and you have quite a unique meatball! Pork rinds were a fun subject for me to discuss on the Local Memphis Live segment because it immediately brought back a childhood memory. When I think or pork rinds I think of being a kid on a road trip. When I was a kid, we would go on summer trips to the beach, and what I remember most were the gas station stops. We would make pit stops and stock up on snacks for the car. As strange as it may sound, pork rinds were always a family favorite. I've grown up eating pork rinds, so cooking with them made a lot of sense!

Grocery list (makes about 20 meatballs):

Sauce:

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup balsamic

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp Dijon

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tbsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

Meatballs:

1/2 lb pork

1/2 lb ground beef

1/3 cup grated onion

1 garlic clove minced

1/4 cup parm

1 tbsp cream or milk

1 egg - beaten

2 tbsp basil - minced

1 tsp salt

1 cup Rudolph's Original Pork Rinds (or breadcrumbs) 

Directions:

Step 1:

Start by making the sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, balsamic, brown sugar, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic power, and salt. Set over low heat and whisk until smooth.

Step 2:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Make the meatball mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine the pork, beef, onion, garlic, parm, cream, beaten egg, basil, and salt with a fork. Don't over mix. In a plastic bag, crush your pork rinds into very fine crumbs. You can also do this in a food processor. Add the crushed pork rinds and combine the mixture with your hands. Again, don't over mix. Just mix together until well combined.

Step 3:

Make your balls. You can use your hands but I like to use a small ice cream scoop so they're all the same size. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and spoon a small amount of the Balsamic BBQ sauce over each ball. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve extra sauce alongside for dipping.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Pork Rind BBQ Nachos

To continue my recipes from the Local Memphis Live TV segment on Tuesday, today I'm posting recipe #2: Pork Rind BBQ Nachos. This is a low carb version of the real thing. And I have to say, using pork rinds instead of tortillas may just give the original recipe a run for it's money. If you live in Memphis, you know that BBQ nachos are a staple around here. If you don't live in Memphis and you come to Memphis, the first thing you should eat is BBQ Nachos. I'm not joking. Do it.

This fun snack will always remind me of Redbirds and Grizzlies games. Yeah sure, we love watching the games, love the atmosphere, and love all the fun that comes along with the 'Birds and Grizz, but I have to admit, half the reason me and Tres go to the games are for the BBQ Nachos! We can't be in our seats for more than 5 minutes without getting an order of BBQ Nachos and a beer. It never fails and never will! Now we can make them at home -- low carb!

Grocery List:

1 bag Rudolph's BBQ Pork Rinds

32 oz pulled pork (I like to use leftovers from sandwiches the night before or you can find it in the freezer section of your grocery store)

1 cup cheddar cheese - grated

1/2 cup (or more) BBQ sauce

1 jalapeño - chopped into rounds (optional)

Parsley - for garnish

Directions:

Step 1:

On a large platter, spread out the pork rinds directly from the bag.

Step 2:

Top the rinds with the pulled pork, then the cheese, and finally the BBQ sauce (you can add as much or little of any of these as you like).

Step 3:

If you like a little spice, add the chopped jalapeño. Garnish with parsley.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Coffee Rubbed Filet Mignon

I decided I loved to cook a couple of years ago when I was in between jobs and had not much else to do except be a housewife, and because that requires cooking, I did a lot of cooking TV watching. I was in graduate school at the time, so I kept busy with that, but I got so infatuated with watching cooking shows that when I wasn't studying or writing a paper, I was watching "my friends," on Food Network and Cooking Channel. These random people on TV led me to this life and love of cooking. In between cooking shows, I would google recipes, read cookbooks and cooking magazines, and soon enough, I started writing my own recipes. It's the watching, reading, and studying about food that inspires me, and from several years of having food overload on my brain I've gotten kind of decent at this. It probably doesn't hurt that not only do I read cookbooks as if they're novels, but I actually enjoy it. This recipe reminds me of the beginning of my cooking obsession because I was inspired to write this recipe when I saw something similar on a few cooking shows. Sometimes it just takes inspiration from a few recipe to create your own. That's what I did with this one.

Grocery List (4 people):

4 (1 1/2 inch thick) filet mignons

2 tbsp butter - melted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup coffee grind

1 tbsp smoked salt (or Kosher)

2 tsp granulated garlic

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp red chili pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions: Step 1:

Take steaks out of the fridge and let come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.

Step 2:

Make the dry rub by mixing together the brown sugar, coffee grind, salt, garlic, paprika, chili pepper, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Step 3:

Brush the steaks lightly with the melted butter and generously rub them with the coffee mixture. I like them to have a thick layer of the rub on all sides.

Step 4:

Grill the steaks on high heat for about 6 minutes per side (or 135 degrees with a meat thermometer) for medium-rare steaks.

When finished grilling, set steaks aside with foil tented over the top of them for 10 minutes before cutting into them. Serve with duck fat fries or any side you wish! 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

BLT Chicken

I can't lay my eyes on a tomato without thinking of my great-grandmother, aka Grams. As a kid, I remember visiting her in Coffeeville, Mississippi, a little town off of I-55 that isn't bigger than a minute (that's about how long it takes to drive through it). Grams always ate tomato sandwiches. That's one of the first things I think of when reminisce about visiting her... Tomato sandwiches. Sometimes I think she must have eaten them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plain white bread, fresh tomatoes from the garden, and mayo... How can you not like her style?! I mean, that's perfection! Not to mention, she was a tiny little lady, so they must not have an effect on the waistline either! Back then, I wasn't real fond of tomatoes, but today, I call that an absolutely delicious, flawless meal. I loved visiting my Grams in that little town, and I can see her in my mind now, sitting at the little kitchen table in her house eating tomato sandwiches. Tomatoes are my life in the summer... And they should be all of yours too! It' the most extravagant fruit of all time, and they're only perfect this very season! Hence, y'all are gonna see me posting a lot of recipes with tomatoes in the next several weeks... Particularly BLTs. In the summer months, I eat BLTs like bacon and tomatoes will never exist again. It's totally necessary. Here's a fun version of a BLT... Plenty more where this one came from.

Grocery List (for two):

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts

2 tbsp mayo 1

lemon - zested and juiced

2 tsp chives - chopped

2 small tomato - cut into 4 thick slices and dried with paper towels

4 slices of thick cut bacon

8 oz shredded lettuce

1 tbsp creamy Dijon mustard (you can buy this in the bottle, but if you can't find it, use regular Dijon and add 1 tsp of mayo)

2 tbsp olive oil

Avocado (optional)

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Toothpicks

Directions

Step 1:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly salt and pepper both side of the chicken breasts. Set aside.

Step 2:

Prepare the mayo spread. Mix together the mayo with chives, lemon zest, 2 tsp of lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper.

Step 3:

Spread 1 tbsp of mayo on top of each chicken breast.

Top each with two slices of the dried off tomato slices. Wrap bacon around the chicken and secure with a toothpick on top of each tomato (the bacon should help hold the tomato slices into place). Place each prepared breast on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bacon is crispy. 

Step 4:

Prepare the salad. Mix together the mustard with a dash of salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil slowly. Put shredded lettuce in a bowl and toss with the dressing (do this right before serving so the lettuce doesn't get soggy).

Split the salad in half and make a "bed" on each plate. Top the salad with the prepared chicken. Top the chicken with avocado if desired.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Pork 'N Peaches (or Pears)

I wonder if every chef remembers the very first recipe they ever created all on their own. I do, and that’s the recipe and cooktale I’m sharing with you today. Pork ‘n Peaches. A classic meat and an essential summer fruit, and not to mention, butter, brown sugar, and roasted pecans. It sounds like a little southern dash of goodness doesn’t it? Well, let me tell ya’ll… IT IS! After about a year of doing nothing but watching Food Network, reading cook books cover to cover, studying recipes as if I had a test on them the next day and following them word by word with every measuring cup and measuring spoon I had in my cabinets, I decided to give up my fear of “a little of this and a dash of that” and boycott following recipes word for word. I mean, I could cook really well when I followed a recipe. It seemed everyone always loved what I cooked, and I had decent enough knowledge of food to give my family and friends tips regularly, so why couldn’t I just start making up my own recipes?

A Saturday morning at the farmer’s market and a sack full of peaches later, I walked in the kitchen and just downright went for it. I was scared. But I wanted to do it. I loved to cook, and I loved the challenge of a difficult recipe, so I thought it was time to start getting creative in the kitchen. In July 2012, my very own version of Pork ‘n Peaches was created, and that same day, my kitchen confidence went sky high. That was the day I went from “cook” to “chef.” I think this can happen for anyone who loves to cook. Don’t be afraid to get creative by taking ingredients you already have and just go for it! Does it always turn out perfectly? Heck no. But you learn and you move on to the next one. In the meantime, I’m happy for you all to follow my recipes, and hopefully I can teach you something along the way!

.

Grocery List (4 people):

Pork:

• 2 lbs pork loin with fat trimmed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 orange (zest and juice)

• 2 lemons (zest of one, juice of both)

• 2 limes (zest of one, juice of both)

• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

• ¼ cup of brown sugar

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme – chopped

• 3 garlic cloves – minced

• 2 tsp Kosher salt

• 1 tsp pepper

Peaches or Pears (whatever is in season):

• 4 peaches or pears (or one for each person) – halved, core or seeds scooped out

• 2-3 tbsp of melted butter (or more if more fruit is used)

• 1 tsp brown sugar for each peach/pear half

Dressing:

• 1 lemon – juiced

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• ¼ cup of mint – minced (plus some whole leaves for garnish)

• Goat cheese – for topping

• Pecans – for topping (recipe below)

Pecans:

• ¼ cup whole pecans

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp ground ginger

• Pinch of cayenne

• Pinch of salt

Directions:

Step 1:

Pork:

Start by making the marinade. Combine all the ingredients in a plastic Ziploc bag. Put pork in the bag and make sure it’s covered in the marinade. Let the marinated porksit in the fridge for at least an hour or more.

.

Grill on medium heat, turning every 5 minutes (and basting with remaining marinade as you turn) for 30 minutes or until the thickest part of the loin is heated to 155-160 degrees. It can be grilled indoors on a grill pan or on an outdoor grill. I prefer an outdoor grill’s flavor for this dish.

.

 Once the meat is the correct temperature, take off the grill and set aside. Tent the meat with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.

To serve, slice meat in ½ inch pieces at an angle and top with chives for garnish. Serve alongside the peaches.

Step 2:

Peaches (these can be prepared when the pork is marinating):

.

Brush peach (or pear) halves with melted butter, liberally and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Set aside until ready to grill with the pork.

Grill for 3 minutes, cut side down. Flip, and grill for 2 more minutes on the other side.

.

For the dressing: combine the honey, lemon juice, vinegar, and chopped mint in a small sauce pan and whisk. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Take off the heat to thicken.

.

Top grilled peaches (or pears) with dressing, goat cheese crumbles, and pecans.

Step 3:

Pecans (these can also be prepared when the pork is marinating):

.

Heat oven to 350. Toss pecans with olive oil, sugar, and spices. Roast for 12-15 minutes.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Spaghetti with Mascarpone Marinara and Pork Crunchies

.

Sometimes there’s more than one cooktale for a recipe. If it’s good, you’re going to make it again and again with more stories to follow the first one. This is one of those recipes. I’ll start with the tale of the first time I made it.

There’s nothing like cooking when you’re out of town – particularly in a different country. You’re completely out of your element at the grocery store and quite frankly clueless of what half the ingredients are that you lay eyes on when you walk in the place – or so I discovered. However, it’s a great time to experiment with your culinary skills. The first time I created this dish it was completely by accident. It was my 30th birthday and New Year’s trip in Costa Rica with my best gal friends Ginger, Tracy, and Amy Claire, as well as my husband, Tres and Ginger’s husband, James. We rented a spectacular house in the mountains with an ocean view and the plan was to cook, cook, cook it up the entire trip. I had my recipe ideas written down and a grocery list ready to go, but as soon as we walked in the grocery store I realized no “planned” recipe was going to happen, as the store had none of the ingredients I needed. So, with help from the guys and gals, I just started grabbing whatever looked familiar that could potentially be put together and become meals. When we got back to the house, it was time for me to play Food Network’s “Chopped,” as our shopping trip ingredients had turned into one of those mystery baskets. That’s where this recipe came from, and I’m quite happy about it because it turned out G-O-O-D! Most of the meals we had that trip were a success, and I have to say it’s the first I ever played the game “use up everything in the fridge before we go home” and actually won at it!

I’ve made this pasta dish twice since Costa Rica. I made it for a group of 15 people when Tres and I were in Destin last month. We stayed in a condo on the beach, complete with a kitchen. Knowing it would be the biggest group I had ever cooked for, I thought what better to cook than pasta? It was a hit again, so I made it for Mother’s Day this past weekend. Surprise ingredients from a grocery store in Costa Rica became a staple, go-to meal for travel cooking and at home, and it’s now the first post on my blog.

.

Grocery List:

• 1 package of large pepperoni slices

• 1 package of large salami slices

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion – chopped

• 3 garlic cloves – minced

• 2 tsp fresh thyme – chopped

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tsp red pepper flakes

• ¼ cup red wine

• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce

• 8 oz container mascarpone

• 1 lb package spaghetti

• 1 ½ tsp salt and more to taste (for sauce) and a palmful of salt (to boil the pasta)

• ¼ cup fresh basil – chopped or torn

• Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and spread the salami slices on one and pepperoni slices on the other. Bake until crisp for about 8-10 minutes.

.

Watch meat carefully when it’s in the oven… Ehh umm, this is a picture of what NOT to do. Yep, it happens.

burnt

When salami and peperoni are crisp (not burned), take out of the oven, let cool, and crumble into a bowl. Set aside with the basil and parmesan

.

2. While the meat is baking away in the oven, start the sauce. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add onion and a dash of salt (dashes of salt help soften veggies and increase flavor along the way). Let cook down and get slightly brown for 5-7 minutes.

Turn down heat to medium-low and add garlic, thyme, oregano, and pepper flake.

.

Stir and cook for two minutes. Add wine, scrape any brown bits created on the bottom of the pan, and let wine reduce by half.

.

3. Add marinara and let heat 2-3 minutes. Stir in mascarpone until sauce becomes light in color and cheese is dissolved. Add 1 ½ tsp of salt or more (to taste… this is a preference thing. I cannot emphasize this enough. If I am ever vague in my salt measurements on any of these recipes it’s because I am a strong believer in tasting your food before you serve it. Salt can make or break a recipe – it’s very possible for it to have too little or too much. Add with caution and taste before you add more. You’ll know if it needs more. A dish is at its fullest of flavor when it has enough salt).

.

4. Boil pasta. Heat a pot over high heat with a palm full of salt. When it comes to a boil, add the pasta. Cook for 8-9 minutes or until al dente (cooked well but firm to bite). Drain pasta but leave a little pasta water (about ¼ cup) in your noodles (this helps the sauce stick to the noodles and gives the dish a hint of that starchy pasta flavor). Combine the noodles and sauce or put sauce on top of the noodles.

Top with salami and pepperoni crunches, basil, and parmesan.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!