Best. Bacon. Ever.

I’m a bacon lover and firmly believe that bacon makes everything taste better. I’ve probably tried every brand of commercial bacon sold in most supermarkets and have found that Pederson’s is the best, by far. It’s not a thick-cut bacon, but it’s not paper thin, either. It’s just the right size to achieve the ultimate balance between crispiness and chewiness when pan fried or baked (DO NOT microwave this bacon, it doesn’t lend itself well to being cooked this way).

One of the best things is that it’s uncured and doesn’t have any added nitrites or nitrates. I’ve noticed that regular cured bacon (which does have those as additives) has a more processed taste and is normally saltier than Pederson’s bacon, so I try to avoid them whenever possible.

If you can’t find it in your normal grocery store, you can order it online from their website: Pederson’s Farm.

Buen Provecho!

Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I’m not a huge fan of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I’m more of a thigh guy) because I find them too bland and dry. Most places overcook their chicken, especially chicken breasts, to the point to where it becomes unpalatable to me, so I rarely order it when we eat out. That’s why I usually slice my breasts thinly and cook them quickly (think stir fry) or bread them and either pan fry them or cook them in the oven (the breading helps the meat remain moist).

That being said, one of my favorite preparations is to stuff the breast with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes and then sauté it in butter. The goat cheese and butter are incredible at helping the breast meat stay moist, plus they add quite a bit of flavor. Once you try this recipe you will not want to eat a plain chicken breast again!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: Use your favorite goat cheese. I normally get the herbed or peppered goat cheese, but plain will do just fine.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 oz goat cheese
1 oz sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
salt and pepper to taste (I find that 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper are enough for two breasts)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp water

Procedure:

Place the goat cheese and tomatoes in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

Using a boning knife (or other thin-bladed knife), cut a pocket in the side of each breast (the opening to the pocket should be about an inch and a half long in the center of the breast). Try to cut the breast in the center and extend as far back and to the sides as possible without poking through the other sides. Once both breasts are complete, stuff each with half of the cheese/tomato mixture, season the exterior with the salt and pepper, and set aside for 10 minutes before cooking.

Add the butter to a skillet (that you have a lid for) and place over medium heat until the butter begins to foam. Place the breasts in the skillet and let them cook for 6 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the chicken, add the water, and cover. Allow it to cook for an additional 5-6 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken breasts). Remove to a plate and let it rest 5 minutes before carving/serving.

Buen Provecho!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

It’s fall, so every food blogger and their brother is probably posting something similar, if they haven’t already. So, why am I doing it if I know it’s been done a million times already? Because there are few things in this world that I like more than (roasted) Brussels sprouts, and because it’s my blog. What’s going to sound weird is that I only like them one way: roasted. I do not care for them if they’re boiled or steamed (though I haven’t tried grilling them) because it’s the mild bitterness from the charred leaves that whets my appetite.

This recipe can be made several ways; for one, you can use any kind of lubricant you’d like, including bacon or duck fat. I suggest olive oil (or other vegetable oils) with this recipe unless you want to play around with how much salt you should add.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: None

Ingredients:

1 lb Brussels sprouts
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
3 slices bacon, cut into small strips and cooked

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the outermost leaves from the sprouts and discard, then cut a bit off from the stem part so that it’s clean. Slice them in half, lengthwise, and place in a bowl. Toss them with the olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the sprouts have softened and some char has appeared on them, turning once during cooking. Remove from oven and place in a bowl, top with bacon, and serve immediately.

Buen Provecho!

Loaded Potato Salad

I like the simple things in life and there are few things better than sitting down to watch a football game with a hamburger and a beer. Of course, the hamburger will need a side and you can’t always go for french fries. I was trying to figure out a side that was not only not fried, but was different from the “normal” hamburger sides I normally make. I decided that combining a loaded baked potato with potato salad would be a good change of pace; and that’s how this recipe came to be.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: None

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes
3 tbsp sour cream
1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated (about 4 ounces)
6 bacon slices, cooked then diced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp chives, chopped fine

Procedure:

Dice the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes,leaving the skin on, and place them in a pot with 4 cups of cold water (make sure the water covers the potatoes by about an inch). Add the salt, cover, and place over high heat until the water boils. Let the potatoes boil for 7-10 minutes, until they’re just cooked through but not falling apart (you can test them with a toothpick; if it slides in and out easily, they’re done). Drain the potatoes and toss them in a bowl with the butter and allow the butter to melt slowly over the hot potatoes. Once the butter is melted, add the sour cream, mayonnaise, pepper, and chives. Fold the ingredients together gently so that they mix well but the potatoes don’t break apart.

Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Fold in the bacon and cheese and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Buen Provecho!

Shrimp in Red Sauce (Camarones Guisados)

The title isn’t a literal translation. I opted to not call it a shrimp stew because the shrimp don’t actually stew; rather, they cook quickly in the tomato sauce. It’s prepared as many other Puerto Rican stews would be, and with basically the same ingredients (though I opt to trade bell peppers for celery and add carrots for sweetness) and is probably best when served over white rice with some amarillos or maduros (fried ripe plantain).

This recipe calls for red wine to be added. You can skip it, but keep in mind that it won’t taste the same. Tomatoes have quite a few alcohol-soluble flavor compounds and you just won’t get the same depth of flavor if you do not use the wine.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: I use No Sodium Added tomatoes in my recipes. If you buy tomatoes that have sodium added, make sure to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe accordingly.

Ingredients:

1 lb raw medium shrimp (21-30 will do), peeled and deveined.
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 Serrano chile, diced
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp honey
10-12 pimento-stuffed olives
15-20 capers (about 1.5 tbsp)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 28oz can whole, peeled tomatoes (you can substitute diced or crushed)
1/4 cup red wine
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tbsp sofrito
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Procedure:

Add the olive oil to a large dutch oven and place it over medium high heat. Sauté the onions, celery, carrots, and chile for 3-4 minutes, or until the veggies have softened and the onions become translucent.

Meanwhile, if you have whole or diced tomatoes, add them to a food processor or blender (you can also use an immersion blender) and pulse them 5-6 times so that the tomatoes are mostly broken down but not completely mushed (skip this step if you’re using crushed tomatoes).

Once the veggies have softened, lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, oregano, sofrito, olives, capers, and half the salt, cook for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. Add the red wine and make sure you scrape up any fond on the bottom of the pan. Let it cook until it has almost completely evaporated, then add the remaining salt, tomatoes, honey, lemon juice, and half the chopped cilantro. Allow it to simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated (20-25 minutes), then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Stir in the shrimp, making sure that they are completely incorporated. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir, and serve over white rice. Garnish with the reserved cilantro.

Buen Provecho!

Asian Braised Bison Ribs

We were walking though the Durham farmers market the other day and I found these:

With it being as cold as it it, it’s the perfect time to eat a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal that will not only warm you up but make you feel good in the process (bison is healthier than beef). Bison is quite lean, but since you’re cooking it low and slow you should still end up with tender and flavorful meat.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: None

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 10oz can beef consommé
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp each minced garlic and ginger
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
1/2 red onion, julienned
1 carrot (half diced small, half cut into rounds)
2 lbs bison short ribs
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
1/2 tsp flour
1 cup cooked white rice

Procedure:

Pour the soy sauce, consommé, garlic, ginger, sesame seed oil, and brown sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine. Check your bison ribs and make sure that you remove as much of the silver skin from the meat side as possible (mine had plenty of silver skin, for some reason). It’s OK to leave the silver skin on the bone side as this will help to keep the bones together during cooking. Place the ribs, bone side up, into your crock pot, then distribute the onions and carrots over the meat equally. Pour the whisked liquids over the ribs. You want the liquid to barely cover the meat and if the mixture you made earlier wasn’t enough to do that then you’ll want to pour the 1/2 cup of water into the crock pot as well.

Set your crock pot on high and cook for 5-6 hours or set it to low and cook for 11-12 hours, until the meat is tender and almost falls off the bone. Notice I said almost. Yo don’t want the meat to actually fall off the bone in this case.

When the ribs are done, remove 1 cup of the braising liquid and whisk in 1/2 tsp of flour. Place the mixture in a saucier or frying pan over medium-high heat and let it simmer until it reduces by half, about 5-6 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remember to remove the sauce from the heat before it gets to be as thick as you want it to be because the sauce will tighten up a bit more as it sits.

Cut the ribs into individual rib slices, leaving the bone on, and drizzle the reduced sauce over the ribs. Serve with white rice and garnish with the sesame seeds.

Creamy Mac and Cheese

This recipe was inspired by a cheese sauce recipe I found on Serious Eats (you can find it here).  The author of the article was trying to make a nacho cheese sauce but I thought I could adapt it to a cheese sauce that would taste great on pasta.  The hot sauce is barely noticeable and can be left out if you really want, but I think it adds a bit of depth and balance.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: None

Ingredients:

8 oz Elbow macaroni
6 oz Evaporated milk (not condensed)
5 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
1.5 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Frank’s Red Hot (or your favorite hot sauce)

Procedure:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box, then drain and set aside. Place the butter in the bottom of the hot pan you just pulled the pasta out of and allow it to melt over medium-low heat. Once it’s completely melted, add the pasta and the evaporated milk and the hot sauce, stir to combine.

You’re going to want to melt the cheese slowly to ensure it remains creamy and doesn’t get clumpy. To do this, make sure you start with the pot off the heat and add the cheese, about one ounce at a time, and stir it over medium-low heat until it melts completely (it should take about 2 minutes to completely melt) and you have incorporated all the cheese. Serves 2-3 people as a main dish, 4-5 as a side.

Buen Provecho!