Best In Show Baked Beans

Finally, I will give up how I make them! I have gotten raves for my baked beans over the years and I decided to not tell exactly how I made them so that at the next church event there wouldn't be 5 dishes of them. Selfish, I know.

I have never used a recipe, so I decided to write down everything I did, so that at least my kids would be able to carry on the "Best In Show" at all their BBQ's.

I have been able to convert non bean eater's with this recipe. I make a lot and freeze the rest if there are any leftovers!

Making the beans I found that all-beef smoked sausage dries out cooking it a long time. The all-meat smoked sausage stays moist. I have also played around with different smoked sausages and I always come back to Hillshire Farms.It holds up and you never find hard pieces of meat or fat in it. I have tried making them in a crock pot (multiple crock pots) but the juices and sugars don't reduce down like they do in the oven. I stick with what works for me.



How easy can a recipe be, if you just throw everything into the pan and bake?

Hot, bubbly, sweet, smokey, and yummy....

Best In Show Baked Beans
4 cans of Pork and Beans
1lb (Hillshire Farms)all meat smoked sausage cut in 1/4 inch slices
1lb Maple Bacon Thick sliced diced into cubes
2 1/2c. brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses
3Tlb. Worcestershire sauce
1tsp. liquid smoke
2T smoked paprika
1c. ketchup
l Tlb. yellow mustard
1 lg. yellow onions chopped
1/2 bell pepper diced fine

Throw everything in a medium roaster or a medium throw away foil pan. Bake 300 degrees for 2 hours, stirring once. Remove and let cool. It thickens after its cooled.

Elvis' Peanut Butter Banana Bacon Sandwich

Dedicated to the King of Rock-N-Roll! Hopefully, this sandwich isn't what killed him! Also, to my dear friend Cleo, whom I have never met a greater Elvis fan than her! She was my all time best scrapbooking buddy ever.


My husband will only make a sandwich with 2 slices of lunch meat, slice of cheese, mustard and mayo. No lettuse or pickles... no frills. He's a creature of habit and can't seem to think out of the boring sandwich box! I have seen him put a dollop of peanut butter on a banana and eat it.That's about as close to excitement as he can manage in the kitchem. No problem... he has me.



Elvis Sammie

Throw caution to the wind. This is the true low calorie count sammie. Not! Don't even try counting them!

I take a rustic loaf of bread and cut several slices. Butter the bread with that yellow goodness (remember you have thrown caution to the wind) and place one slice into a med-high skillet. Spread mayo (not Miracle Whip... no miracle to me) on the on the other slice of bread.

Smear on some peanut butter goodness, some sliced bananas and some crisp bacon slices.





Add the other slice of bread on top.






Smash the sandwich down by using the weight of another heavy skillet.
This beats paying $80 bucks for a Panini press!



'Sandwiched' between two cast iron skillets.

 Toast a few minutes till golden brown and flip. Toast the other side and enjoy!
Humming, "You ain't nothin but a hound dog" (with my mouth full).

Meatloaf

Meatloaf can bring up painful memories for some. Dry, firm tasteless meat that was shaped, baked, sliced and served to poor little unsuspecting kids. I avoid meatloaves at any social potluck due to past bad experiences. 

Here's a recipe for meatloaf that may change your mind about boring meatloaves. It's moist, and full of robust flavors that will make you want to get seconds.

I've never used a recipe...humm... I rarely ever do. That's why it's challenging for me to write down what all I put in things. A little dab of this and a little dab of that... and maybe that would taste good. Oh, what the heck, I'll throw that in too!

That's how I cook. It frustrates my kids and friends who ask for recipes. This is why I started blogging. Who knows, I might be able to tell my husband to go to my blog and make something for supper one day. And... maybe not.

I start with 1 1/2 pounds ground beef. I like a little fat content or it will be really dry. Save that expensive ground beef for something else.

I chop fresh herbs if I have them. Today, I'm using, fresh from my garden, thyme, parsley, and my very first bell pepper (it's a little small but cute). I can't claim the eggs.

In a large bowl I add ground beef, onions, bell pepper, herbs, 2 eggs, 1Tlb Worcestershire sauce, seasonings (1/2 tsp Tony's creole seasoning, 1/2 tsp. paprika,1/4 tsp. garlic powder,& black pepper),1/4 c. ketchup and 1 heaping Tlb tomato paste.

  And... here's the secret to my moist meatloaf..... 1 can whole tomatoes, crushed and 1/2 reserved to use in the sauce to go on top.                                                

                                                                                 

Crush a sleeve of saltine crackers with a rolling pin. Add to bowl and mix everything till combined. Don't overwork or it can make the meat tough.

Shape into a baking dish.

For the sauce, mix 1/2 c. mild jarred salsa, the reserved tomatoes, 3Tlb. brown sugar and 1 c. ketchup.

Smear on enough sauce to cover the top of meat. Open 2 cans pork-n-beans and pour down the sides.

OR..... 2 cans of green beans (drained) for a more traditional meal.

Add the remaining sauce over the beans mixing slightly.
Bake in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours. I'm at 7000 feet altitude so, I have to cook for an extra half hour.

 If you use green beans instead of pork-in-beans, you'll love how the sauce flavors the green beans!

Oh.... there will be meatloaf sandwiches for lunch this week! Hummm... Some pickle, lettuse, tomato, onion and a slice of american cheese! Place the meatloaf slice on bread with the cheese and broil till hot and bubbly. Add the cold veggies with some mayo and comfort food joins you for lunch time.


RECIPE:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1Tlb. Worcestershire sauce
1 bell pepper diced
1med onion diced
1tsp. dried thyme (or fresh)
2Tlb dried parsley (or fresh)
1/2 tsp Tony's Creole seasoning (or season salt)
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
black pepper to taste
1/4 c. ketchup
1 heaping Tlb tomato paste
1 can whole tomatoes crushed (half reserved for sauce)
2 eggs
1sleeve crushed saltines



SAUCE:
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. jarred mild salsa
1/2 can whole tomatoes crushed
3 Tlb brown sugar

Kid Favorite- Spanish Wieners

My Kids favorite home made 'fast' food was and always will be... Spanish Wieners. I grew up eating this myself. I have no clue where this recipe came from and I've never seen it anywhere.I've heard it called BBQ Wieners and Spanish Weiners. I have stuck with Spanish Wieners since it does contain 'Spanish Paprika'.  It's so simple and really quick to make. I've never had a single adult or kids say they didn't like it. This is the recipe I have had to text to my kids and friends, the most. It's the one my kids said they missed the most once they got out on their own.

I make this, traditionally, with bread and butter and french fries. Keeping my freezer stocked with wieners and frozen french fries has been a life saver over the years. For the time it takes to heat the oven for pan baked fries, I can quick thaw the wieners and have dinner on the table before the fries come out of the oven!

When my kids were little they hated onions (they did grow out of it) so I learned to cut them in slivers so they could easily remove them, but the adults could still enjoy the onions. I started out making only 2 pks of Wieners but when my oldest son, Jeremy, hit his teens I had to increase the amount about every 6 months! Then, we learned to feed him at all you can eat buffets to save on our grocery bill! His first job was at an all you can eat pizza buffet.

Spanish Wieners
1 lg. yellow onion slivered

2Tlb oil

1 1/2 c. ketchup

1 1/4 c. water

1Tlb Worcestershire sauce

1/2 Tlb vinegar

1Tlb. paprika

2Tlb sugar
1Tlb yellow mustard
2 pks wieners cut into penny slices

Saute onions in oil till really tender. Add all ingredients except wieners. Stir well and simmer a few minutes to marry the flavors. Add  wieners and simmer 10-15 minutes or turn it on low, so you can finish watching your favorite episode of Psych. I have to find the hidden pineapple! Darn, that show makes me laugh! 

Serve with french fries, and slices of bread and butter.

Depending on your kids appetite will determine how many this will serve. When the wieners are spreading a little thin I have loaded the plates with fries and bread.

Seriously, I think it will serve 4, but maybe, as many as 10 toddlers! Maybe.... only one soldier or two teenage boys.

Indonesian Bami and Egg Rolls

It's Sunday dinner..... I wanted to make Thai soup and egg rolls but still too warm outside. We eat almost every night outside. Having a 357 square foot trailer (the big down size) that we live in makes eating outside an easy choice! Living in a tiny trailer gives me more grocery money and that makes me happy!

This is a recipe inspired while living in Thailand. Our neighbors were Indonesian and invite us to an Indonesian wedding where there were giant wooden bowls noodles. Years later I searched to find a recipe for this dish. I have morphed it, I'm sure, but it is a family favorite. Dinner tonight was enjoyed with some new neighbors and of course, our daughter.

Indonesian Bami
1lb spaghetti noodles
8 stalks celery
6 green onions
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
3Tlb ketchup
1/2 c. white wine
6 buttons garlic
1/2 onion
1lb beef or pork thinly sliced
1lb shrimp
crushed red pepper (optional)

Thinly slice slightly frozen beef or pork (or both). It will slice much easier if half frozen. Add 1/4 c. of the soy sauce, brown sugar and ketchup with the sliced meat. Let marinate a few hours or overnight.
Start a large pot of water boiling. Add into the water 1 clove of garlic, 1/4 c. soy sauce. Add a fry basket in your pot if you have one. Add the shrimp into the boiling water and cook about 3 minutes. Pull out of boiling water and let cool. Meanwhile, thinly slice celery, green onions and onions. Peel the shrimp and place the skins back into pot to boil about 10 minutes. Pull out fry basket and place shells into a zipper bag and throw away. If you don't put the shells into a sealed bag you will know it the next morning!



Shrimp shells

 This will flavor the water and give your pasta a shrimp taste. Bring back to boil and add spaghetti noodles. Cook slightly beyond al dente. Drain the cooked noodles. Reserve 1c. of pasta water and the rest you can discard.
In a hot wok add oil and crushed red pepper. Don't breath the steam. Add a handful of the chopped veggies and a spoon of the garlic. Don't over load or it will sweat the veggies. Stir for 2 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add more oil to wok, a spoon of garlic and add meat. Cook med-rare for beef and med for pork. Remove and add to veggies. Add some more red pepper flakes, the last of the garlic and add shrimp. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes, add remaining ingredients and the noodles. If a little dry add more wine and pasta water.

Egg Rolls
1pk egg roll wrappers
1lb pork breakfast sausage (without sage)
6 c. shredded head cabbage
6 green onions sliced thin
fresh bean sprouts
1/4 tsp Five Spice
2 cloves garlic
2Tlb fish sauce
2T soy sauce
1Tlb cornstarch
4 dashed Maggi seasoning

Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy pot to 350. My fryer frys a little too hot, so you may have to adjust the temp if they are browning too fast.
Shred the cabbage thin. If you are comfortable using a mandolin, you can get really nice shreds. You can end up with really nice stitches if your not careful, too. I have a nice scare to prove it, but I still love my mandolin!




Mandolin slicer

  In a large bowl mix all ingredients, except bean sprouts. Place a small amount in center of wrapper. Add a small amount of bean sprouts on top of meat. Don't use too many or let them extent to much on ends or they will poke hole in your wrapper.

 Dipping your finger in water, spread a light smear on top corner. Roll like they show you in wrapper direction provided in each package of wrappers. Roll snugly. Deep fry till golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
The perfect sauce to dip the egg rolls in is 1 cup Sweet Chili Sauce (most grocery stores carry this in the Asian food section) mixed with 2-3 Tlbs of Fish Sauce.

CAUTION: You will be rather popular after you try these with your friends and family!

Loribury Steaks

One of the top comfort foods at our house is..... wow, now that I think of it, there are too many to list. Anyway, Salsbury Steak is one I really like. Over the years I have tweaked the way I have made it so that it has a really rich gravy and the meat is anything but plain ground beef. Thus the name change...

Loribury Steak (& Gravy)
1 1/2 -2 pounds of ground beef
1 onion
1 bell pepper
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
1tsp Tony's Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp. dry thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1Tlb Bouillon paste

The best bouillon paste with great beef taste.

pepper

Gravy:
1c. red wine
2 Tlb balsamic vinegar
4 cups beef stock (1 carton)
2 pureed Roma tomatoes
1/4 c. heavy cream
Salt and Pepper

Mix everything in a large bowl. Use a ice cream scoop to measure out the meat portions so you don't end up with some large and some small patties. I first start by shaping them into balls in my hands, then let them elongate like a large egg. I then flatten the patties. Brown them in a little oil if they stick. I love using cast iron to brown in. It give the patties great caramelization and browning. Drain on a plate once well browned. They don't look pretty now... they will. Continue, till all patties are finished.
De glaze the drippings with wine, scraping all the pieces from bottom of skillet. Add balsamic vinegar and reduce for several minutes to let the balsamic sweeten. Add the stock simmer for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and wick in heavy cream. If you want a thicker gravy mix Corn starch and water together in a small container and slowly whisk into gravy, to desired thickness. Add the meat back in. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.



Garlic Cream Mashed Potatoes
6-8  Russet potatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1Tlb lemon juice
1cup heavy cream
1tsp Tony's Creole Seasoning
1/2 c. Ramano cheese 
sea salt

In a large pot add cold water and cubed potatoes on med high heat. Smash the garlic with the flat side of your knife, remove peel and throw into pot. A generous toss of sea salt into pot and gently boil till fork tender.
Drain and add back into pot. Mash the potatoes with butter, Ramano cheese and cream. Add lemon juice and season to taste.

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Lemon Habenero Dessert Poppers

 I was thinking about something for dessert tonight but not wanting all the sugar.
Had a sugar free yellow cake mix, lemons and habanero peppers sitting on the counter and an idea....

 TIP: When I have baked in the past I have had some failures due to my non-stick spray not working. Bunt cakes were the worst! I have found that Pam and Baker's Choice is not the best choice. I found 'Bakers & Chefs' cooking spray with 100% canola oil works every time... without fail... hands down, the best! I found it at Sam's Wholesale Club. (Should be getting ad revenue from that!)

I originally used Paula Deen's recipe (Lemon Blossoms) but it was a little bland. I had to kick it up a notch and give it a new name!

Lemon Habanero Dessert Poppers

1 white cake mix (sugar free cake mixes are AWESOME to save calories)
4 eggs
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 lemon zested
1/4 c. oil

Pepper sauce:
1 small Habanero pepper
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. sugar

Dissolve water and sugar in a small sauce pan on low heat. Wear gloves to remove seeds and membranes from pepper. Dice fine and add to sugar water in pan and heat on low for about 3 minutes. I keep the habanero syrup in a small jar, in frig, to use when I want that citrus heat.

Muffins:
Mix all ingredients together with mixer for several minutes. Adding only a drop at a time of the habanero syrup to batter. Taste until you get the heat you desire. If mixing by hand, use your muscles because it's a stiff batter.
Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick spray. Use a small scoop to drop batter into pan.

Bake 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Turn out on to a cooling rack. Let your pan cool slightly and then reload with the last of the batter. I usually get 30-32 muffins (unless you're a batter eater). Don't overfill or they'll have the shape of mushrooms.

Icing:
2c. powdered sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 lemon zested
Habanero syrup (as desired)
Finishing Salt (sea salt flakes not crystals)

Whip heavy cream adding the powered sugar a little at a time. When it begins to thicken add lemon juice, zest and Habanero syrup to desired heat.

Dip the muffin tops in icing. Sprinkle with a little sea salt (optional).