Homemade beer (or cider) mustard

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When I found out how easy it is to make mustard from scratch, I had to try it. My husband also doubles as my sommelier so I told him to pick out a beer that would work well in a mustard. After tasting a bunch, he decided on the Titan IPA for the combination of hop flavor with sweet malty-ness. You could certainly substitute any beer that you think would work, or use a hard cider instead if you are particularly strict about avoiding grains (though fermentation can actually be beneficial when it comes to grains!).
HOMEMADE BEER MUSTARDMakes about 1.5 cups
INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup (about 1.5 oz) yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup (about 1.5 oz) brown mustard seeds
• 1/2 cup beer or hard cider
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar (or other mild vinegar)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pinch of xanthan gum (about 1/8 tsp) (totally optional; helps with emulsification and thickening)

DIRECTIONSCombine all the ingredients in a container with an airtight lid. Let it sit for about two days. Throw everything in a blender and blend until desired consistency. It will not get completely smooth. I used a Ninja, if you use a regular blender you will probably have to blend for a little while. 

Homemade beer (or cider) mustard

My favorite meatloaf

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I love making meatloaf: it's easy (WAY easier than meatballs), it freezes well, the leftovers taste good, and I can get grass-fed ground beef pretty easily. After much tweaking, this is the recipe I use.

For a long time, my husband was absolutely insistent that I add an envelope of onion soup mix whenever I make meatloaf (and I have to admit it does taste pretty good). I tried other options: fresh sauteed onions, onion powder, none of it was sufficient. However, I finally discovered an awesome alternative: Penzeys Fox Point seasoning. If you don't want to use it, you can (a) just use onion soup mix (b) make your own slightly-less-gnarly version of onion soup mix as per the Cook's Thesaurus recipe (scroll down to "onion soup mix"; vegetarian bouillon is usually just powdered veggies so I'd use that) or (c) just use salt and pepper instead.

I add a box of cooked and well-drained frozen spinach to this, just to add nutrition. I always keep boxes of spinach in the freezer because it's such a cheap and easy way to pack lots of green veggies into dishes like meatloaf, burgers, frittata, and so forth. I also use a bag of frozen mirepoix to keep things simple. The texture is kind of mushy but it's fine in meatloaf.

I've experimented with different grain-free binders including stuff like almond meal or coconut flour and ultimately my favorite is to use dried mushrooms that I grind to a powder, along with grated parmesan. These add flavor while also soaking up extra liquid. You could get away with excluding the dried mushrooms, but the loaf probably won't hold together as well. You might experiment with adding extra eggs and/or egg whites.

I like making an all-beef meatloaf because I can reliably get grass-fed ground beef (this week I got some from  Deep Creek Ranch via the Birdhouse Buying Club). Usually meatloaf mix also includes ground veal (and ground pork), which contains extra natural gelatin and contributes to moistness. To compensate, America's Test Kitchen suggests adding a little powdered gelatin to an all-beef loaf, so I do the same.

Really, it's just a solid base recipe that you can probably tweak to your heart's content! Meatloaf is really hard to mess up :)

MEATLOAF
Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 1 10oz box frozen chopped spinach
• 1 bag frozen mirepoix, OR 1 medium minced onion + 1 minced celery rib + 1 minced garlic clove + 2 Tbs parsley
• Fat of choice for sauteeing the veggies
• 1 Tbs tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp gelatin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3-4 Tbs Penzeys Fox Point seasoning or appropriate substitute (see description above for suggestions)
• 1 Tbs soy sauce or tamari (strict soy/wheat/sugar avoiders can use Red Boat fish sauce instead)
• 1 Tbs dijon mustard
• 0.5 oz dried mushrooms (I used shittake), ground to a powder in a spice grinder or food processor
• 1.5 oz (about 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) grated parmesan cheese
• 2 lbs ground beef

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Cook the spinach according to package directions. Drain it VERY well by squeezing it against a sieve. Set aside.
3. Saute the vegetables in a pan over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste, combine thoroughly, and take the pan off heat to cool.
4. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the broth in a very large bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let it sit for 5 minutes.
5. Add all remaining ingredients (including the reserved onion mixture and spinach) and combine very well using your hands.
6. Pack the meat mixture into a loaf pan (or shape into a free-form loaf shape and set it on a baking sheet or broiler pan). Bake at 375 for an hour. Let cool for 10-20 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed faux-tatoes.

My favorite meatloaf

Oven-roasted mustard greens with bacon

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I got a HUGE bunch of mustard greens in my CSA box, and I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. Admittedly, of all the winter greens (kale, collard, etc), mustard greens are my least favorite. Sometimes I chop it up and add it to salads but I had so much that I wanted to make a side dish. My go-to method with veggies is to roast them, since they get all browned and caramelized. I wondered if this could work with mustard greens, and they turned out very nicely, with crunchy bits that reminded me of kale chips. And of course everything tastes better with bacon ;)

ROASTED MUSTARD GREENS WITH BACON
Serves about 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large head mustard greens, roughly chopped
• 2-3 slices of bacon (3 slices for a very large head of greens), cut crosswise into 1" pieces
• Splash of vinegar (red wine, sherry, or balsamic)
• Salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes to taste (I love aleppo pepper)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. While oven is preheating, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Drain the bacon pieces, reserving the fat, and set the bacon aside. Toss the greens with the bacon grease along with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roast the greens for 10-15 minutes or until starting to brown. Stir them around and roast for 5-10 minutes more.
4. Remove from the oven, toss with a splash of vinegar, top with pepper flakes and reserved bacon, and serve.

Oven-roasted mustard greens with bacon

Beet-chocolate cupcakes, goat cheese frosting

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I got a few baby beets in my CSA box this week, but 1) I didn't really get enough for a substantial side dish and 2) my husband doesn't like beets. What do? Answer: bake cupcakes. I roasted the beets for a deep, slightly caramelized flavor, pureed them, and made them into a batter with coconut flour. The beet puree kept the cupcakes very moist so I didn't need much butter or oil.
Beets with goat cheese are a tried-and-true combination that seems to be a staple of fancy restaurants. So the beet cupcakes received a goat cheese frosting, similar to cream cheese frosting. I also added cocoa powder, because chocolate is tasty.
This recipe makes about a half dozen, but you can easily mulitply it. I baked 9 cupcakes but they were on the flat side. Next time I would bake 6 for fluffier cupcakes.
BEET-CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH GOAT CHEESE FROSTINGMakes 6 fluffy cupcakes or 9 flat cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:

• Enough beets to yield 1/4 cup of puree (I used little baby beets so it's hard to say how much. One regular-sized beet should do it.)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used the natural kind as opposed to Dutch process because it has a lighter reddish color which complemented the beets)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 1-2 Tbs butter or other fat of choice, melted (tastier with 2 but 1 is enough to keep it moist, due to the beet puree)
• Sweetener of choice to equal 2/3 cup sugar (I used powdered Truvia)

For the frosting:

• 2 oz (weight) cream cheese, softened
• 4 oz (weight) soft goat cheese, softened
• 1 Tbs maple syrup (real or sugar-free)
• Sweetener of choice to equal 2 Tbs sugar (anything but erythritol or Truvia would work, as it tends to crystallize in frosting)

DIRECTIONS

1. Scrub the beet(s) well and coat with a thin layer of oil. Roast at 375 until soft enough that a knife easily pierces it and slides out. Set aside to cool (but keep oven at 375 for baking cupcakes), then rub the skin off with a paper towel. Puree in a food processor until smooth, adding a little bit of water if necessary.
2. Beat the eggs with the melted butter or oil (and sweetener, if using liquid sweetener). Add all the dry ingredients and whisk well.
3. Pour into well-greased muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
4. For the frosting, beat the goat cheese and cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the maple syrup and sweetener. Frost the cupcakes once they are completely cooled.

Variation: For a red velvet cake-esque flavor, substitute 1 Tbs cocoa powder + 1/4 tsp vanilla extract for the 1/4 cup cocoa powder.

Beet-chocolate cupcakes, goat cheese frosting

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

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On a recommendation from Nom Nom Paleo, I bought a copy of Slow Cooker Revolution. I bought it because:

1. I end up eventually buying everything recommended on that blog (Sous Vide machine, kitchen torch, bunch of speciality spices...oh dear)
2. I love America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated. I've had a membership to their site for years. If you're not familiar, they engineer recipes by obsessively testing and retesting each detail until they come out with something perfect. In the cookbook they explain the rationale behind each decision and why a given recipe works. I figure it will help me with developing slow cooker recipes in the future.
3. I'm obsessed with using my crock pot.
4. They had a Kindle edition!! I've been wanting to buy a Kindle cookbook for so long. Love that I can search it and add digital bookmarks. 

So there you have it. I ended up adapting their chicken cacciatore and was very pleased with the results. Usually I hate chicken from the crock pot but the texture and flavor were both great. They microwave the aromatics before dumping them in the crock pot. I did this, but I didn't feel it made a difference, so I probably won't bother in the future. I served it over spaghetti squash to soak up the yummy juices.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE
Serves about 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs skinless chicken thighs (I used boneless ones, bone-in would be fine. Do not use chicken breasts, the texture will be terrible in the crock pot.)
• 1 bag frozen mirepoix (carrots, celery, and onion) or trinity (bell pepper, celery, and onion). Publix and Kroger both sell these under their store brand. If they don't have it, a finely chopped large onion should be fine.
• 3 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 oz dried mushrooms, minced (I just pulsed these in my spice grinder until finely chopped. The original recipe used porcinis, but all I had on hand were shittakes so I used those and also added some truffle salt)
• 8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced (I bought pre-sliced because I am lazy)
• 1 can diced tomatoes, well-drained
• 1/2 tsp (heaping) dried Italian herb mix (or just use a single dried herb, such as oregano, basil, or thyme)
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil (probably optional), chopped or shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. Optional: combine the frozen mirepoix (thaw first) or onion, dried mushrooms, garlic, oil, tomato paste, and pepper flakes in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes or until onion is softened.
2. Add the above ingredients along with the sliced mushrooms, wine, dried herbs, and diced tomatoes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
3. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and nestle them into the sauce.
4. Cook for 4-6 hours on low (guidelines). Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Kalua pig in the slow cooker

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The little pile on the left is the smoked salt grains

Slow cooker Kalua pig has quite a bit of notoriety among slow-cooker recipes. It's so simple yet so tasty: just get a huge pork roast, rub it with liquid smoke and [preferably Hawaiian sea] salt, and cook for a long time until meltingly tender. I've made it several times and it's always a hit. But what if someone doesn't want to use liquid smoke? A lot of people find the taste to be overpowering or artificial. Others are just skeeved out by the concept. So I decided to try it using a smoked salt. There is a local spice shop that stocks a ton of specialty salts, so I figured I'd stop by and try some out.


Check out my crappy cell phone picture of the wall-o-salts (okay, rack-o-salts). I had no idea that there was such a variety. I went ahead and tried a few. The French grey sea salt was really interesting in that it still had an ocean-y sea salt taste, and I loved the melty/crunchy texture of the flake salts like the pretty pink Murray River and the fleur de sel. I really want to try making homemade finishing salts with these (sausage with beer mustard and caraway finishing salt, anyone?). But I digress -- I was there on a mission for smoked salt. She recommended the alderwood but I much preferred the flavor of the applewood so I bought that. And a bottle of sherry vinegar. And some expensive vanilla extract. I, uh, might have bought some other spices too...

I have a problem.

But! The net result is that I have a ridiculously easy and wonderfully delicious pork recipe for you. I also loved sprinkling the individual plated servings with a little bit of the smoked salt for some extra flavor and crunch. Definitely cannot do that with liquid smoke!

SLOW COOKED KALUA PIG
Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pork roast, approximately 6 lbs (Boston butt or picnic shoulder, bone out or in, doesn't matter)
• 1.5-2 Tbs smoked sea salt such as Vspicery applewood smoked

DIRECTIONS

Pierce the pork roast several times with the tip of a knife. Rub it with the smoked salt. Place in the slow cooker with the fat cap or skin side up. Cook on low for a long time (9-12 hours) or until very tender. Shred and serve. I like to accompany it with cabbage braised in the pork juices.

Kalua pig in the slow cooker

Kimchi bokkeumbap

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Cauliflower "rice" is one of my favorite low-carb/grain-free innovations. Not only does it cut out the rice, but it replaces it with tons of veggies; whether or not you are avoiding rice, everyone can appreciate a way to get more vegetables onto their plate. I've done it a few times on this here blog (coconut-cilantro cauli-rice, Mexican cauli-rice, even plain with Massaman curry) but I've been itching to try a variation of fried rice. Originally I was going to make something reminiscent of Chinese takeout, but I had a hankering for kimchi and decided to give this a shot.

I'm no expert on Korean food, but I love the flavors. From what I understand, kimchi bokkeumbap (kimchi fried rice) is a way to use up your ingredients when you have leftover rice and leftover kimchi. I imagine that is common in Korean households. A fried egg is often served on top but I scrambled my eggs instead. You could probably tweak this recipe as much as you'd like. I really want to try it with bean sprouts or enoki mushrooms to vary the texture.

KIMCHI FRIED CAULI-RICE
Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 smallish head cauliflower
• 1 cup cabbage kimchi, chopped
• 2-4 scallions, sliced (my scallions were quite small so I used 4, use 2 if yours are larger)
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped (I used criminis)
• 1/4 tsp Korean red pepper powder (or regular chili powder)
• 1 tsp dark sesame oil
• Splash of soy sauce (or tamari, or fish sauce, or coconut aminos)
• 1 eggs, beaten (use 2 if you want this to be more substantial, or if you really like eggs)
• Fat of choice for sauteeing (I used coconut oil)

DIRECTIONS

1. Break the cauliflower into florets. Wash and dry very well. Run it through the shredding disk of a food processor and set aside. This can be done ahead of time.
2. Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, kimchi, and scallions. Saute until the mushrooms are softened and some of the kimchi liquid has evaporated. Stir in the red pepper powder or chili powder.
3. Add the riced cauliflower with a splash of soy sauce (or specified alternative). Saute while mixing well. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until cauliflower is softened to desired consistency. Check every minute or so and do NOT overcook.
4. Drizzle the sesame oil over the cauliflower mixture and remove from the skillet. Wipe out the pan, then add more oil. Pour the beaten egg into the skillet and let it cook until slightly browned. Flip and cook the other side until done. Roll up the resulting egg pancake and slice, then mix it with the rest of the "rice". Serve.

Kimchi bokkeumbap

Parmesan crusted turnips

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I saw this recipe for roasted potatoes on Pinterest and immediately wanted to try it with a different root vegetable. Turnips are much lower in both calories and carbohydrates (see a comparison here) so I figured I'd give it a shot. This was so easy to make and very tasty. I will definitely be making this one again.

PARMESAN CRUSTED ROASTED TURNIPS
Serves about 4 as a side

INGREDIENTS

• About 2 lbs turnips, peeled and cut into uniform-sized chunks
• 2 Tbs olive oil (or other fat of choice)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp pimienton (Spanish smoked paprika) or regular sweet paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper (I used Penzeys 4/S as the salt)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Use parchment paper, NOT foil, as melted cheese tends to stick to foil.
2. Combine the cheese, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, toss the turnips with the olive oil. Dump the cheese mixture over the turnips chunks and toss to coat well.
4. Spread the turnip chunks on the baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. Flip them over and roast 5 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Parmesan crusted turnips

Roasted red pepper lasagna with chicken, goat cheese, and feta

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There are a number of recipes out there for lasagna without noodles. I've done it before on the blog using sliced zucchini instead. This time, I got an idea from a recipe from Closet Cooking. He made a [regular noodle-y] lasagna with chicken, roasted red peppers, feta, and goat cheese. I decided to use flat pieces of roasted red peppers in place of the noodles, though I only did one layer of this as I thought two layers would be overpowering. I streamlined his recipe in other ways as well. Instead of making a bechamel sauce with flour and milk, I just combined feta crumbles and goat cheese crumbles and used that as a layer. I also used marinara sauce; mine was homemade (recipe forthcoming!) but you could certainly purchase a jar of your favorite brand. I finished it with crushed red peppers and some fresh basil. This was so easy and very tasty; I will definitely be making this one again.

ROASTED RED PEPPER LASAGNA WITH CHICKEN, GOAT CHEESE, AND FETA
Serves 3-6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken meat. I cooked a whole small chicken in the crock pot and used the meat from that. A storebought rotisserie chicken would also work well for this.
• 1/2-1 cup marinara sauce, preferably fire-roasted (strict low-carbers use 1/2 or 3/4 cup, otherwise the full cup has better flavor and texture)
• 3-4 oz (weight) crumbled feta cheese
• 3-4 oz (weight) crumbled soft goat cheese
• 1 16 oz jar roasted red peppers (whole or halves, not strips; I used Mezzetta brand)
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Fresh basil, chopped or shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8x8 square pan with olive oil.
2. Combine the chicken with the tomato sauce. Add salt if desired; most storebought tomato sauce is already very salty so you may not need it.
3. In a seperate bowl, combine the feta and goat cheese crumbles.
4. Layer half the chicken mixture in the pan. Sprinkle evenly with half of the cheese, then top with a layer of roasted red peppers, the slices flush or slightly overlapping. Top with the other half of the chicken (you will probably need to use your hands for this), then top with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. If you'd like, you can run it under the broiler for a couple minutes to brown the cheese.
6. Top with crushed red pepper and fresh basil. Cut into squares and serve.

Slow-cooker kimchi chicken, cauliflower fried "rice"

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Yeah, kind of a weird photo...it's the leftovers in my husband's massive lunchbox (6-Pack Bag) which I reviewed here on a friend's blog

Here's a twofer: a recipe for slow-cooker kimchi chicken, and a recipe for fried cauliflower "rice". I'll start with the chicken. I am loving my new crock pot cookbook so I [closely] adapted a recipe for kimchi chicken. The prep was super easy and I love me some fermented cabbage so I instantly knew I had to make it. The cookbook thickens the sauce with tapioca, but I hate starch-thickened sauces like that. They tend to get gloppy and artifically glossy-looking, so I just cut back on the liquid and nixed the tapioca. I also cut back on the sugar and used boneless chicken thighs instead of bone-in. Very tasty, so long as you love kimchi.

SLOW COOKER KIMCHI CHICKEN
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 scallions, green and white parts seperated, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 Tbs soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 2 tsp palm sugar or other sweetener of choice (can probably omit this if need be)
• 1 Tbs dark sesame oil
• 1 tsp minced or grated fresh ginger or 1/4 tsp high-quality ground ginger
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• About 2 cups cabbage kimchi, drained

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients except for the scallion greens, chicken, and kimchi in the slow cooker.
2. Nestle the chicken thighs in the sauce, spooning some over the top.
3. Cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours on low (preferably closer to 4 hours)
4. When ready to serve, turn heat to high, add the kimchi, and cook for about 20 more minutes. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens.

---

I served this with cauliflower "fried rice". There are lots of recipes for this, though I used some of the guidelines from Steamy Kitchen. Specifically, I added fish sauce and Chinese sausage (lap cheong); the suggestions for cooking the rice didn't apply because I was using cauliflower. If you don't have Chinese sausage you could substitute roast pork, ham, bacon, or just leave out the meat component and add a little extra oil. I chose bean sprouts, snow peas, and shittake mushrooms as my vegetables, though you could probably use anything you'd like. Most recipes I've seen suggest a mix of frozen carrots, corn, and peas but I wanted to select items that are less starchy. I've seen recipes which use broccoli but I wanted more contrast with the cauliflower base.

Make sure to have everything prepped, measured, and ready to go when making this.

CAULIFLOWER FRIED "RICE" WITH CHINESE SAUSAGE
Serves about 6 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small head cauliflower, washed, thoroughly dried, and run through the shredding disk of a food processor
• 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or 1/4 tsp high quality ground ginger
• 1 tsp Shao Xing rice wine or sherry
• 1/4 tsp dark sesame oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 shittake mushrooms, caps only, thinly sliced
• 1/4-1/2 cup bean sprouts, washed and dried (I used 1/4 cup but may use 1/2 cup next time)
• 1/4-1/2 cup snow peas, ends snapped and cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces (same as above; I used 1/4 cup but may use 1/2 cup next time)
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp soy sauce, coconut aminos, or more fish sauce
• 1/2 cup diced Chinese sausage (this was two links for me)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the ginger, wine or sherry, sesame oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat a wok or very large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the sausage and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for about 5 minutes or until fat is rendered from the sausage. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon. Turn heat to medium-high, add eggs, and scramble until cooked. Set the eggs aside.
3. Wipe out the skillet and add a bit of extra oil. Saute the mushrooms over medium-high until just softened, then add the scallions, snow peas, and bean sprouts. Stir-fry for a minute or until just starting to soften. Add the cauliflower "rice" and stir to combine thoroughly. Mix in the fish sauce mixture, then turn heat to low and cover. Cook until soft but not mushy, tasting frequently to be sure not to overcook.
4. Stir in the sausage and eggs and serve hot.

Slow-cooker kimchi chicken, cauliflower fried "rice"

Garlic Beer Marinade for Grilled Chicken

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It is barbeque season already and we are in the midst of TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  We are bringing you our favorite summer specialties.  I have been enjoying learning how to cook on the big gas grill.  It made perfect sense.  I am the cook.  Why wouldn't I also be the grill master?

I have also been having a lot of fun developing marinades for grilling.  Most recently I created Lemon Rosemary Marinade and Garlic Beer Marinade for Grilled Chicken.

After enjoying Beer and Garlic Marinaded Chicken at my friend Mary's house several times, I decided to develop a garlic beer marinade myself.  I started with the garlic and the beer.  I chose Black Toad, which boast a deep nutty flavor.  I am not a beer connoisseur, but this sounded promising (I was right).  I have to tell you though, this does not taste like beer just a deliciously flavorful marinade (I am not a big beer fan, I don't like anything stronger than Bud Light.  Don't judge!  It just is).

I added lemon juice for some acid (which tenderizes the chicken), olive was my chosen oil and some delicious herbs from my garden.  I love the flavor and aroma of lemon basil, it works perfectly here.  If you do not have lemon basil, you can use any basil. 

Now go, get your grill on!!!  Enjoy!

Garlic Beer Marinade for Grilled Chicken
1 12 ounce bottle dark ale beer (I used Black Toad from Trader Joe's)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil6 large cloves of garlic, smashed ¼ cup lemon juice3 tablespoons fresh lemon basil (or 3 teaspoons dried) 1 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried) 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper4-5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and washed

Place chicken in a 1 gallon resealable plastic bag.  Set aside.

Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a food processor.  Blend until your mixture is smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade mix and 1/2 cup beer.  Refrigerate marinade in an airtight container.

Pour mixture over chicken.  Pour 1 cup beer in over chicken.  Squeeze out as much air as possible and reseal bag. Turn your bag a few times to make sure chicken is well coated with marinade.  Allow chicken to marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Remove chicken and reserved marinade from refrigerator and set on counter to come to room temperature, about 30 to 60 minutes (you never want to grill cold meat, the temperature change will toughen the meat).

Grill chicken until the top side start to turn opaque (instead of pink), this will take about 6-8 minutes.  Turn your chicken and apply the reserved marinade to the cooked side of the chicken.  Grill the other side until your chicken is seared nicely and when you press down on the chicken it is firm but not hard.

I prefer the finger test of checking the doneness of meat.  Rather than try to explain it to you, I have found this great pictorial for you to view.

Enjoy!!!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com

Lemon Cream Pie Martini

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Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  I love sweet cocktails in the summer.  My favorites are of course drinks that are inspired by my favorite desserts.  It is no surprise (I am sure) that I love lemon cream pie.  I say it is no surprise because I have a bit of a lemon love affair going on.  I also have a bit of a cake love affair, but that is a story for another day.

This Lemon Cream Pie Martini is truly like the dessert in a cocktail.  It is lemony, smooth, and has the fantastic creaminess that the Whipped vodka provides.  The rim is covered in graham cracker for even more flavor.

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Sublime Strawberry Popsicles

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Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  Nothing beats the summer heat like an icy cold summery treat.  I love popsicles!  They are light, refreshing, so easy to make and made perfectly sweet for you, as you control the sugar.  There was not much thinking when I was deciding what flavor to make.  Chad and I scored the best strawberries at the grocery store last week.  We ended up buying around 70 pounds total.  Needless to say, we are stocked for the year on Strawberry Jam and have been enjoying manye summery desserts.  It truly was lucky to get such great strawberries for such a great price.


I have been making this simple recipe and sharing it with everyone who pops in.  It is so scrumptious that I have been through several batches already.  The adults are blown away that they are home made. The kids gobble them up and I enjoy every minute of it.  Munchkin asks for these all the time.  The best part is...  I feel good about feeding them to her.

Sublime Strawberry Popsicles
2 pounds ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Place strawberries in a medium bowl.  Add sugar.  Toss to coat.  Allow berries to macerate for about 30 minutes.  Once you see juice in the bowl you can move on to the next step.

Add strawberries and lemon juice to food processor.  Blend until strawberries are pureed.  Add to popsicle molds.  Freeze for 4-24 hours.  I leave mine in for 24 hours.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com

The Suburban Cheeseburger

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We are delighted to be participating in The Secret Recipe Club this month.  It is so exciting, kind of like Christmas.  This is how it works...  A name is 'drawn' and assigned to you.  "You simply choose any recipe from the blog you are assigned, make or bake it, and blog about it on the date specified..."

We drew The Keenan Cookbook.  We were very excited to find this blog.  It is a joint venture by husband and wife Chris and Rachel from New Jersey who have one child (and one on the way, congrats!!!).  I really enjoy husband and wife blogs, I appreciate the difference in style when it is a collaboration (much like TSRI).  At The Keenan Cookbook he cooks and she photographs.


It was a lot of fun perusing this blog.  I had not seen it before and I love discovering hidden gems!  I especially loved reading Mom's Baked Ziti.  It took me back, made me think of my Mom...  who will be here in hugging distance in 2 days.  I can hardly wait.   I am giddy!!!  Giddy?  Me?  Oh yes!  Anyway, back to what I was saying.  It was like someone was writing about my mom (except she has 5 kids).  I love stories that draw you in.  My mom is also not a recipe writer.  She just uses some of this and some of that.  If I can pin her down long enough this trip I am going to guesstimate recipes while she cooks.  But something tells me my mom and dad will both have lists of recipes they have seen on the blog that they want to try!

I really felt at home with all the family posts.  It is kind of like stepping into someone elses living family cookbook complete with stories. Mom and Great Grandma’s Biscotti Milk Biscuits,   Mom’s Christmas Butter Cookies, Nana's Pound Cake, these all look delicious and come with incredible stories and certainly make you feel like you have been invited in.  Like my dad always says, "First time you are a guest, second time make yourself at home".
If you haven't had the pleasure of sitting down at the Keenan's table or stepping into their living cookbook, I highly recommend you stop by!
Oh, after all that perusing and bookmarking Chad and I agreed on the Suburban Cheeseburger.  I loved reading the recipe at Keenan's and then the original at Crepes of Wrath.  The recipe completely inspired my creation.   We are in the midst of our Summer Grilling Celebration and this recipe was a welcome dish on our little picnic table!  Full of flavor and easy to prepare.  You are going to love it!
The SuburbanCheeseburgerserves 2-4 1 pound 85% lean ground beef1 teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon smoked paprika½ teaspoon cumin2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons dried oregano¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper1 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns, split and buttered4 grilled onions4 slices cheddar cheese8 slices bacon, cut in halfcondiments (mayo, ketchup, mustard)
Preheat grill to high.

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Divide in 4ths and form into thin patties.

Grill burgers until done.  About 3 minutes on each side.  Add cheese slice to each burger before removing from the grill.

Place buttered hamburger buns on the grill buttered side down.  Grill until golden brown and toasted

Serve on toasted bun, top with cheese, bacon, grilled onions and your choice of condiments.  Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com


All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The Slow Roasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized, without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian and e3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.

TSRI's Signature Barbecue Sauce

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Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  It has been an amazing few weeks of grilling recipes.  But, what is a season of grilling without your own signature BBQ sauce?  We keep coming back to use this sauce again.  It is amazing!  We have used it on the Bacon Bourbon Barbeque Chicken Kabobs and the Lil Texas Barbeque Sliders it is delicious on everything!  We use it as a dipping sauce, on ribs, burgers, chicken and so many other ways.

We have an amazing burger coming up in a few weeks that uses this barbecue sauce again.  It is our go to sauce.  It seems like a daunting task when you look at it.  But, it is really simple.  It is made in one pan and everything this recipe calls for I keep in my pantry all the time.


It is a well balanced smoky barbecue sauce with a mouth watering aroma.  Its perfectly sweet, with just enough spice to warm your palate.

Trust me, once you make this sauce you won't want to buy store bought ever again.  Enjoy!  Make a double batch and put it in the fridge.  I will share more recipes using this sauce really soon.



TSRI's Signature Barbecue Sauce
makes approximately 4 cups

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups ketchup
2/3 cup water
¼ cup ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a large saucepan heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ketchup and 2/3 cup water, bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor; puree until smooth. Pour into a mason jar; cool to room temperature.

Click here fora printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com  

All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The Slow Roasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized, without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian and e3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.

Seasoned Grilled Fries

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Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  We have a fantastic week coming your way, full of grilled and summer favorites.  When I whipped up the burger and chicken for this weeks posts,  more than anything I wanted fries to go with these dishes.  I did make some incredible Grilled Sweet Potato Fries last week, so I opted for a change.

These Seasoned Grilled Fries we made with large Russet potatoes and my favorite new spice, ground Chile de Arbol.  Grilling these left a fantastic crispy exterior and tender interior.  Firm enough to stand up to my favorite Beer Cheddar Sauce (that recipe is coming up soon).

I think the size of the fry intimidated my Munchkin.  Seriously, she told Daddy "Uh, No!" when he asked her if she wanted fries.  Chad was very happy to hear this.  He devoured these fries, and the cheese sauce.  Apparently sometimes 3 pounds of potatoes and a quart of Beer Cheddar Sauce are not enough.  So, these fries received fave reviews, I loved them as well.

Read more »

Bacon Bourbon Barbeque Chicken Kabobs

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 Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  We have enjoyed some lighter chicken options the last few weeks. The  Garlic Beer Marinaded Grilled Chicken  and Simple Rosemary Lemon Marinaded Grilled Chicken are both incredible chicken recipes, and great for watching your waistline. This week we decided to kick it up a notch or two.  We spiked the barbecue sauce and covered the chicken in bacon!!!  Seriously.  This could be the best chicken to ever come off of my grill.
I saw the idea of using a bacon paste when perusing Cooks Illustrated.  Although I understood the rationale; the chicken is kept moist by the bacon and it does not cause flair ups, I wasn't thrilled about pureeing bacon.  However, after that kabob came off the grill and I took my first bite, that all changed.  I would catch the pig and prepare it myself (theoretically) if that is what it took to make this again.  It is AMAZING!
Chicken pieces smothered in spicy bacon puree, brushed with a drunken barbecue sauce and grilled to perfection.  Unbelievably divinely decadent!!!  What more could you ask for?  Nothing.  Skip the sides and have a whole kabob!  You won't be sorry.
Bacon Bourbon Barbeque Chicken Kabobs16 ounces barbeque sauce, I used my homemade sauce (I will share next week)1/4 cup bourbon whiskey  (I prefer Maker's Mark)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar4-5 lbs boneless skinless chickenbreasts, cut into 1”x1” pieces2 teaspoonskosher salt 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper ¼ cup sweetpaprika 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar1 tablespoon smokedpaprika 6 slices bacon , cut into small pieces 8-10 12-inchwooden skewers (soaked in water for an hour)
In a medium bowl combine barbeque sauce, vinegar and whiskey.  Whisk to combine.  Set aside and allow flavors to meld. 

Add bacon to the bowl of your food processor and blend until bacon becomes a paste.  Add salt, pepper, paprikas, and sugar.  Pulse until well combined.

Pat chicken with a paper towel to dry.  Add bacon paste mixture to chicken; mix with hands until chicken is completely coated. Place chicken on skewers. 
Place on preheated grill.  Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes.  Brush cooked surface with barbecue sauce and cook each side (coated in sauce) for 1 additional minute.

Remove kebabs from grill.  Pour remaining barbeque sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour into a serving container and serve barbecue sauce along side kebabs.  Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com   
All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The Slow Roasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized, without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian and e3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian 2011-2012.

Strawberry Shortcake Martini

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Hey Slow Roasters, It's Ladies Night! This week we continue with our dessert cocktails for Ladies Night.  The Lemon Cream Pie Martini was such a huge hit that we decided to try another favorite.  Now, as I mentioned last week I may have a little love affair with cake  going on.  Chad says my favorite cake is...  One that has cake in the name, or looks like a cake, or tastes like a cake. If it resembles cake in anyway...  I love it!!!

Strawberry ShortCAKE Martini.  It meets all the requirements.  But, seriously this is a dessert cocktail that you will fall in love with.  The appearance of the vibrant red Martini will draw you near and the divine aroma will have your mouth watering.  As the first sip crosses your lips you will notice a perfectly sweet strawberry flavor, followed by a rich cake flavor and a fabulous creamy end note.

After working many hours in the cocktail lab, our mixologist and cocktail artist Chad has developed the most delicious martini I have ever had.  As a matter of fact we had a disagreement over who got to drink the last cocktail from the photo shoot, we enjoyed it that much. I know you will love it too!!!


Strawberry Shortcake Martini
serves 22 ounces Pinnacle Cake Vodka1 ounce Pinnacle Whipped Vodka1 ounce DiSaronno Amaretto4 ounces strawberry syrupgraham crackers, crushedice2 strawberries, sliced half way up the center (from the bottom) to use as a garnish
Fill a saucer with crushed graham cracker crumbs.  Set aside.Coat the rim of 2 martini glasses with strawberry syrup.   Slowly spin the glasses, one at a time in the crumbs until well coated.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodkas, amaretto and syrup.  Shake well to combine.  Pour into prepared martini glasses and garnish with a strawberry.  Enjoy!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The Slow Roasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized, without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian and e3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012. 

TSRI's Signature Barbecue Sauce

To contact us Click HERE

Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  It has been an amazing few weeks of grilling recipes.  But, what is a season of grilling without your own signature BBQ sauce?  We keep coming back to use this sauce again.  It is amazing!  We have used it on the Bacon Bourbon Barbeque Chicken Kabobs and the Lil Texas Barbeque Sliders it is delicious on everything!  We use it as a dipping sauce, on ribs, burgers, chicken and so many other ways.

We have an amazing burger coming up in a few weeks that uses this barbecue sauce again.  It is our go to sauce.  It seems like a daunting task when you look at it.  But, it is really simple.  It is made in one pan and everything this recipe calls for I keep in my pantry all the time.


It is a well balanced smoky barbecue sauce with a mouth watering aroma.  Its perfectly sweet, with just enough spice to warm your palate.

Trust me, once you make this sauce you won't want to buy store bought ever again.  Enjoy!  Make a double batch and put it in the fridge.  I will share more recipes using this sauce really soon.



TSRI's Signature Barbecue Sauce
makes approximately 4 cups

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups ketchup
2/3 cup water
¼ cup ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a large saucepan heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ketchup and 2/3 cup water, bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor; puree until smooth. Pour into a mason jar; cool to room temperature.

Click here fora printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com  

All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The Slow Roasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized, without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian and e3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.

Scrumptious Strawberry Banana Popsicles

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Nothing says summer quite like a luscious fruit popsicle on a warm summer day.  I love to watch my munchkin devour these, it makes me think of summers when I was a kid.  Bomb pop in one hand, running in the back yard, playing by the water.  Right arm dripping in red, white and blue.  How much fun was that?  I can't say that I have had the enjoyment of watching my munchkin dripping in ice pops, she devours them too quickly.  But, with temps of 110 and climbing here in the valley of the sun, I am sure it won't be long.

These Scrumptious Strawberry Banana Popsicles are there and gone in an instant.  So delicious!  The vibrant, sweet and tart strawberries wake up your taste buds and carry you into the surprisingly more mellow, tender banana yogurt and then round it out with the mouthwatering strawberry again.

Truly a summer experience you don't want to miss!!!

Don't forget about our 1 Year Anniversary celebration.  Due to an amazing response we are extending the deadline to enter.  Winner will be drawn Monday 6/25 at 12:01am.

We are still having an amazing giveaway from Mooney Farms Bella Sun Luci fabulous line of sun-dried tomatoes.  Today we are adding 3 bonus entries!!! 

Earn one bonus entry by following us on StumbleUpon and Stumbling these Scrumptious Strawberry Banana Popsicles (click SU button at bottom of post).   

Earn one bonus entry by following us on Pinterest and Pinning this Scrumptious Strawberry Banana Popsicles (click PIN at the top of the post).  
Earn one bonus entry by SHARING this post on Facebook (see the Facebook button at the bottom of this post).  Click here for more details.
Be sure to leave a comment for each entry you complete.

Scrumptious Strawberry Banana Popsicles
makes about 12 popsicles2 pounds ripe strawberries, washed and hulled
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and lemon juice in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Divide half of the strawberry mixture between your popsicle molds (about 2 tablespoons each).  Set aside.

In a small bowl combine bananas, yogurt, 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla.  Stir to combine.

Add banana mixture to popsicles, filling molds about 2/3 full.

Pour remaining strawberry mixture on top.  Freeze 4-24 hours until completely frozen.  I freeze for 24 hours.  Remove from molds, serve and enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.comAll recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The SlowRoasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized,without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian ande3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.

Pineapple Orange Popsicles

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Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!   What is the most refreshing treat in the summer?  Frozen popsicles!  These Pineapple Orange Popsicles are sweet, tangy, refreshing and perfect for your summer barbecue! 

Fresh and ripe pineapple made into a fantastic treat. Popsicles are so easy to make and perfectly refreshing.  We enjoy these frozen treats as dessert and even a snack!

I know you will too! 


Pineapple Orange Popsicles
makes about 12 - 4 ounce popsicles

2 cups  fresh choppedpineapple (about 1 pineapple)
2 oranges, peeled2 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 tablespoons honey

In the bowl of a food processor combine all the ingredients, blend until you have a smooth mixture.  Pour mixture into popsicle molds. 
Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com 

All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The Slow Roasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized, without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian and e3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.

20 Minute Chipotle Lime Marinade for Grilled Chicken

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Welcome to TSRI's Summer Grilling Celebration!  I really am so excited to share this chicken recipe with you.  We have been having so much fun with our Summer Grilling Celebration.  The chicken each week has been fantastic.  Chad, Munchkin and I have loved each and every dish!  

Finally my parents are here and are able to share in the grilling fun!  This simple and delicious 20 Minute Marinade was perfect for a delicious meal after a long busy day. 

My mom was excited to try this Chipotle Lime Marinated Chicken.  I have to say I was very surprised that she was even interested in tasting it.  I know that I have told you about the spice level in my house growing up.  We never ate anything spicier than basil or oregano and black pepper was really only served on the side.  My Mom dug in and loved this!  


It really just has a little kick, but isn't too spicy.  The flavors are well rounded and lovely together.  The sweet honey, tart lime, spicy chiles and garlicy flavors make a wonderful marinade.  Even her sensitive palate was thrilled with this chicken.  Tender chicken that is full of delicious flavors!  This made for a perfect dinner.  We served this with grilled fries and grilled corn. 

Enjoy!

Chipotle Lime Marinade for Grilled Chicken
makes approximately 1 ½ cups

5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon adobo sauce, from the canned chiles
4 garlic cloves, smashed
½ cup fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup honey
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

In a mini food processor combine chiles, adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper.  Process until you have a smooth mixture.  Pour half of your marinade into a resealable bag and reserve the remaining (about ¾ cup).

Add chicken breasts to resealable bag and marinate for 10-15 minutes on the counter.

Grill chicken on preheated grill, about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Baste the cooked chicken with the reserved marinade and flip.  Grill for about 2-3 minutes and serve with reserved marinade poured over top.

Enjoy!

Click here fora printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com
All recipes, photography and content are copyrighted by The Slow Roasted Italian and e3studios.com.  No commercial use is authorized, without written consent from The Slow Roasted Italian and e3Studios.com.   All rights reserved.  The Slow Roasted Italian © 2011-2012.