Beet Sandwich with Goat Cheese

It's been awhile since I posted last, but I swear I will stop with this lazy blogger syndrome and get back to sharing some amazing treats with you. Since, you know, you deserve it. This yummy little sandwich didn't take the time of grilling or baking. I just stuck the bread in the toaster, crossed my fingers and hoped it would come out. I think every vegetarian friend of yours will enjoy this scrumptious morsel as much as I did. A bonus to the tastiness being that beets LOOK gorgeous when cooking or baking with them. That vibrant red/purple is just beautiful and so good for you!

Ingredients:

• Italian cut bread
• 3 beets (1 beet per sandwich)
• 4 oz goat cheeze (1 oz per sandwich)
• 2 tsps basil pesto per person
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

It's been one of those weeks that doesn't seem to get better no matter how hard you convince yourself to be positive, you know the weeks that make you think 'I can't win!' But the one thing to get me through it is the lovely Elliot Smith:

Directions:

1. In a skillet fry your beets in the oil and season them with the cayenne and salt and pepper. 
2. Once beets are soft, set aside and toast your bread.
3. Next spread cheese and pesto over the toasted bread, layer beets over the top, then serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Lime Pork Tacos with Pineapple Slaw

I have been on a taco kick as of late, it's all I'll order at restaurants and it's all I crave. There are so many different variations on the traditional taco that it satisfies any type of craving you might get, meat, vegetarian, sweet, tangy, spicy, salty, juicy, crisp, so on and so on. Well I needed something of a mixture, a little tangy and a little spicy. These little babies sure as hell delivered on the satisfaction front, they also did not take that long to prep, which is also just an extra bonus on top of this recipe. Taco, taco, taco! (Also, just as a little added something, these tasted terrific with a good Moscow Mule cocktail).

Ingredients:

• 3 thin boneless pork loins
• 1 1/2 cups of coleslaw mix
• 8 oz pineapple chunks, 1/4 cup juice set aside
• 1/4 cup pale ale beer or any light beer
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 4 green onions root part removed and chopped
• juice from half a lime
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp onion power 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• 1/2 tsp oregano 
• 1/2 tsp chili powder 
• 1/2 tsp chipotle seasoning
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 6 small flour tortillas

We had a beautiful day for record store day and the husband and I found some pretty kick ass finds. One in particular being a box set of Townes Van Zant's demos and studio recordings from the early 70's. If you don't know who Townes is and you are a lyric lover like me, you're going to fall head over heels for this poetically sad genius. 

Direction:

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together your mayo, pineapple juice, cilantro, your seasonings (minus salt and pepper to taste), and garlic. Take 1/4 cup of the mixture and set it aside. Then to your medium bowl add your pineapple chunks, lime juice, green onion, cole slaw and a dash of salt. Toss to combine.
2. Next take your pork and rub it with your reserved mayo mix, add it to a skillet on medium high heat and salt and pepper it to your liking. After about 4 minutes of cooking, flip your pork, add your beer and cover for another 4 minutes or until browned on both sides.
3. When pork is done wait for it to cool then cut it into strips. Arrange your tortillas on your serving plates and add both the pork and coleslaw mix to each tortilla evenly.
4. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Leek and Proscuitto Pizza

Oh fickle April, decide on what weather you want to give us. In the past two weeks it has snowed, hailed, rained, been warm enough for sandals, and too cold to go out without winter scarves. My poor brain doesn't know what to do. Anyway we've hit a lucky streak with some warm weather the past few days and I hope it stays that way. With some spring veggies and some fancy meat I went on a mission to make an artisan type pizza, you know the kind that looks ritzy but in all reality cost you 7 bucks to make in your kitchen. I love feeling fancy-schmancy while the sun is shining.

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza crust
• 6-8 slices of proscuitto
• 3 leeks, roots cut off
• 1/2 of a white onion diced
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 4 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup grated fontina cheese

The Band is probably one of my favorite bands to listen too, they are a bluesy, folky, rock and roll mixture that is easily accessible and so pleasing to the ear. Take a sip of that beer, hang out on your porch and take this one in along with the sunshine:

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set pizza crust on pizza stone.
2. First cut your leek only using the white and light green bits and discarding the rest.
3. In a large skillet fry up your leeks and onion in your oil until softened (about 5 minutes).
4. Next add your mushrooms, fry until they are cooked (about 2 minutes). Set off to the side.
5. Take about half of your cheese and sprinkle it evenly over your pizza crust. Then do the same with your garlic.
6. Next distribute your veggie mix over the crust and the rest of your cheese.
7. Bake for roughly 20 minutes. Or until crust is crunchy.
8. When your pizza is done baking lay the proscuitto over the veggies, then return to the oven for another 5 minutes.
9. Cut and serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Easy Dry Rub Ribs

Who doesn't like a nice rack of ribs over the weekend to enjoy? Besides the vegan and vegetarian crowds, everyone wants ribs. It's a nice weather staple and everyone is satisfied when chowin' down on some good ole BBQ. There's a reason why they call it soul food. The husband and myself inhaled a whole rack a bit ago, just a plain dry rub, but it was just perfect. So juicy, so easy to make and so delicious. I am keeping it short today so I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did!

Ingredients:

FOR RUB

• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
• .5 tbsp powdered ginger
• .5 tbsp chipotle powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• .5 tbsp black pepper
• .5 tbsp ground nutmeg
• .5 tbsp ground oregano
• .5 tbsp ground thyme
• .5 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tbsp onion powder
• .5 tsp ground cumin
• .5 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large rack of ribs, silver skin removed.

Our musical companion for the day is the undeniably talented Sarah Vaughn. The sassy jazz singer that burrows her way into any heart and stays there forever. She is a tour de force and a spunky singer that I hope you have enjoyed in the past and enjoy for years!

Directions:

1. To make the rub, mix together all of your spices.
2. Take your ribs and generously rub both sides with spice mix. Wrap in cellophane and refrigerate over night.
3. The following morning set your oven to 250 degrees, place your ribs on a wire rack over a cookie sheet and cook for roughly 6-8 hours or until meat falls of the bone easily with a fork.
4. Serve 'em up!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Kung Pao Spaghetti

The past few weeks I have been mulling over all the little hobbies I used to do that I don't seem to do as much anymore. Guitar, poetry, canning, gardening, the list goes on. Sometimes we lose things without even realizing it, we get mixed up in our busy schedules and state that we just don't have time for the things we love anymore. Well dammit, I refuse to let this silly cycle continue, I picked up my pen the other day actually wrote something, it's a small step but it's in the right direction I think. Anyway, let's get to the hobby that I think will never go away. Cooking. This recipe is probably one of my best in a while and I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

•  10 oz spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

For the Sauce
• 2/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons red chili paste with garlic
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

This is a lazy morning so I don't feel like searching for music on youtube, but I went and saw these two amazing men the other night and I just could not stop dancing. Please stop by again Hillstomp!

Directions:

1. In a large pot cook spaghetti as directed. Drain and set aside.
2. In a separate fry pan, cook your chicken in the oil, salt and peppering it to taste. When chicken is almost done add your garlic and cook until fragrant. About 2 minutes. 
3. Mix together your sauce ingredients well in another sauce pot, whisking until the cornstarch is almost dissolved.
4. Place your sauce pot on medium heat until thickens, then add it to your spaghetti. Mix together. Top with peanuts and green onions and serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Lemon Bars from Scratch

I am sure I have mentioned in the past that sweets are not my forte, nor do I crave them. For some reason though, when lemons enter the ring I go nuts, lemon gelato, lemon pound cake, lemon popsicles and most importantly lemon bars. Now, we all know lemon bars as this thick, gooey, powdered sugar ladened dessert, but it's so processed and WAY too sugary for my taste, that I set out on a mission to find a 'from scratch' recipe that hit my lemon cravings but didn't overload me on sweets. These were soft, tart and made with a portion of the amount of sugar other recipes called for, not to mention REAL lemon juice. I skipped the powdered sugar that traditionally is sprinkled over lemon bars and instead let the lemons speak for themselves. Hope you enjoy them! Om nom nom.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3-4 lemons squeezed, juice set aside

I went out record shopping the other day and stumbled upon some lucky finds. A poet and pioneer of rap, Gil Scott Heron was an innovator. Paving the way for any hip hop artist, Scott Heron turned poems scrutinizing politics and society to songs, then placed them over experimental music. Seriously love this visionary.

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix together butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups flour.
3. Press flour mix to the bottom of a 9X13 greased pan and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
4. While crust is baking whisk together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour over your crust when it's finished.
5. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let cool.
6. Cut then serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!