Ground Meat Ragu

Here is a nice easy meal for those nights like this when you don't feel like really cooking.

Serves: 6 to 8
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 4 hrs 30 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small Spanish onion,15 peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 2 sprigs rosemary, sage, thyme, or a combination
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 pounds mixed ground meat, such as 2 pounds beef, 1 pound pork, and 1 pound veal
• 1 tablespoon Italian double concentrate tomato paste
• 1 35-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, herbs, and parsley finely in a food processor.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven-type pan, sweat the vegetables out over low heat in the olive oil with a pinch of salt.
3. Let them sweat about 7 to 8 minutes, until the onions become translucent but are not taking on color. Add about 3/4 cup water and the tablespoon of tomato concentrate and let cook down briskly until the liquid is almost completely evaporated.
4. Now add the ground meat, breaking it up continuously and moving it about so that no lumps or balls form and all the meat gets broken down into its individual strands. Once the meat is all broken down and just cooked, add the can of San Marzano tomatoes and cook, simmering gently, stirring occasionally on the lowest heat you can go. The longer and slower this cooks, the better the ragu. We're talking 3 or 4 hours. You will know it's done when all the fat has cooked out of the meat and floats lazily on top of the sauce, colored orange from the tomato. At this point, the ragu can be eaten immediately or refrigerated for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months.

Have with a nice glass of wine..

There it is...Not too complex...Enjoy! Eat and drink well my friends..

Grilled New York Strip Steaks

Mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn,I can eat Steak every night of the week...And I would except that is probably not healthy or very good for a man my age...


But here is a recipe for Perfectly Grilled New York Strip Steaks...

INGREDIENTS:

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground coffee (regular or decaf)
• 1 teaspoon (dried) granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 (1½-inch-thick) New York strip steaks
• 1½ tablespoons good olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, the brown sugar, coffee, garlic, chipotle powder, and red pepper flakes. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, place them in a baking dish, and rub them all over with the olive oil. Rub the steaks on both sides with the spice mix, using it all. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to get into the meat.

When ready to cook, heat enough charcoal to cover half of the grill (I fill a charcoal chimney ¾ full). Pour a layer of hot coals on one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty.

Cook the steaks on the hot side of the grill for exactly 2 minutes on one side, turn them over, and cook for exactly 2 minutes on the other side.

Move the steaks to the cool side of the grill, put the lid on, check to be sure the vents are open, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the middle of the steak registers between 115 and 120 degrees for medium rare and 120 and 125 degrees for medium.

 Transfer the steaks to a plate, cover the plate tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the foil after 15 minutes or the steaks will continue to cook. Slice the steaks, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot or warm.

Fire up that grill tonight and have a ball...

Enjoy!  Eat well my friends!

A Super BLT

The mayonaise doesn’t make it into the acronym,BLT...Bacon ,Lettuce, Tomato that is... but it plays a crucial role: It brings all the flavors together, like a team huddle. What, then, if you don’t like mayo? I started thinking about what this ingredient brings to the table. If you’ve ever made mayo before, it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly: fat. Mayo is mostly oil, which becomes emulsified, thick, and creamy thanks to egg yolks.

So  why does a BLT need more richness when it already has bacon? Why do we need to call in outside oil when we’re already rendering a bunch of fat? Why not use that bacon fat instead of mayo?!
This means we lose the creamy spread, but gain something else entirely: best-ever sandwich toast. After you crisp up the bacon (I prefer a cast-iron, but any large-enough skillet works), drizzle the rendered fat on the bread. Toast in the same pan until it’s golden
brown, practically fried in the bacon fat.
You’ll want to eat this just as is, sans mayonaise and I don’t blame you.

But don’t! Spread the Mayo...I was just saying...We have a sandwich to build. My strategy, from bottom up: bread, lettuce, bacon, tomato, bread. This way, the juicy tomato drips down the rest of the ingredients, like the vinegar to balance all the richness. But between us, it’s just a BLT, and whatever you do will be great.

Check out this recipe -

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 thick slices bacon, halved
• 2 slices white bread
• 4 bread-sized pieces iceberg
• 1 extra-thick, bread-sized slice juicy red tomato
• 1 pinch salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS-

1.Set a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

2.Add the bacon. Cook until browned and as crispy as you like it. Remember, it gets significantly crispier as it cools!

3.While cooking, flip halfway through, and progressively drain the fat into a heatproof glass or bowl. When the bacon is done, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and drain the rest of the fat into the glass or bowl.

4.Now add 2 teaspoons bacon fat back to the skillet.

5.Add the bread and toast until the bottom is browned. Drizzle each piece with another teaspoon bacon fat and flip.

6.Cook until the other side is browned.

7.Transfer to a plate. Layer the sandwich in this order: bread, lettuce, bacon, tomato (sprinkle with salt and pepper), bread. Slice in half diagonally, from corner to corner, and eat immediately.

And there you have it...Enjoy!  Eat Well My friends

Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple-Turmeric Glaze

Here's something different to Grill on the 4th of July...

Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple-Turmeric Glaze

For this grilled pork chops recipe, don’t be afraid of getting a good char here. It just means the sugars in the glaze are caramelizing (not that the meat is burning), resulting in deep, complex flavor. Try this glaze on shrimp, whole fish, chicken breasts, slab bacon, or beef skewers.

Check out this recipe..

INGREDIENTS:

• Vegetable oil (for grill)
• ½ cup pineapple juice (from a can)
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. toasted sesame oil
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• 4 1"-thick bone-in pork chops
• Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Prepare a grill for high indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off; for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side); oil grate. Bring pineapple juice, honey, vinegar, mustard, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and turmeric to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, swirling occasionally, until reduced to ¾ cup, 10–15 minutes. Let cool. Transfer half of sauce to a small bowl and set aside for serving.
• Season pork with salt. Grill over direct heat until browned all over, about 3 minutes per side. Continue to grill, turning several times and basting with remaining sauce, until charred and coated with a thick layer of glaze, about 4 minutes. Move to cooler part of grill and take internal temperature of pork. If needed, continue grilling over indirect heat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into chops near bone registers 130°, 1–4 minutes more. Transfer pork chops to a wire rack and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved sauce alongside.

Ummm sounds good...Enjoy folk, Eat and Drink Well !

Apple Walnut Cole Slaw

You see something like this in the summer, and you have to be saying...NOW THAT LOOKS INTERESTING!!

Apples ,Walnuts and Raisins sound like fun additions to coleslaw.....Check out the recipe..

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 4 to 5 tablespoons sugar
• 4-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 6 cups shredded cabbage (about 1 small head)
• 1-1/2 cups shredded carrots (2-3 medium carrots)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 2 medium apples, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

• Whisk together first six ingredients. In a large bowl, combine vegetables, walnuts and raisins; toss with dressing. Fold in apples.
• Refrigerate, covered, until serving.

DON'T SWEAT THE TECHNIQUE-

To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

There it is...Simple isn't it? Delicious....I'll bet it is....Try it and comment, let me know how you liked it!

ENJOY!  Eat well my friends!