better with bacon

i have vegetables that need to be eaten (a terribly onerous task, too...), and i have some leftover bacon from a previous recipe.  i decided to use them all together.  because everything is better with bacon.

this would probably work as a non-traditional beans and potatoes side dish, but i just ate it as my entree for dinner.  i'd already eaten a big meal for lunch (see previous post), and this was easy enough and light enough.  all told, this takes maybe 45 minutes and provides about two brian-sized servings.

ingredients:
- new potatoes (handful)
- green beans (couple cups)
- bacon (2 slices, roughly chopped)
- olive oil
- spices

preparation:
cut the potatoes into chunks, and mix in a bowl with green beans.  coat thoroughly with olive oil and add spices.  in this case, i used salt/pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, sage, and paprika.  toss the mixture until everything is coated evenly.  pour on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400°F for about 35 minutes.

about 15 minutes into the cooking, toss the bacon onto the pan.  with about 20 minutes left in the oven, there is plenty of time for the bacon to get fully cooked.

verdict:
this is a fairly straightforward recipe.  the potatoes and beans get reasonably crisped, and the bacon gives a little extra flavor to make the whole thing come together nicely.  i bet carrots would also be a nice addition.

spoon's bbq

for the past several weeks, i've been wanting some good barbeque.  i had gotten the desire a month or two back, and the bbq place i ate at in anderson, sc, just didn't do the trick.  then i remembered having gotten bbq way back in the day from a place down on south boulevard (in charlotte):  spoon's barbeque.  it's eastern nc style pork with a tradition in bbq that goes back to the 1960s...if they've been around for 50 years, they have to have something going for them!

i had thought about it one day and mentioned it in passing to my mother.  apparently the desire for good pork barbeque is contagious because she stopped by spoon's while she was in town to pick some up for herself.  sadly for mom, the retaurant was closed for vacation that particular weekend.  and luckily for me, i happened to talk to her (and learned about their schedule) before driving down to get some.

today, though, i was down visiting some friends in the northern part of charlotte, and i figured it was a perfect opportunity to get some pork goodness.  they were open, and it was wonderful.  you know you're in the south when the sweet tea is done right, and that's just the start.  then you get the hushpuppies; some places have the spectacular quiet dogs, and i'll admit that spoon's isn't one of them.  but they're nicely browned and crunchy, and they work well for dipping in the brunswick stew.

said stew is also pretty good, and that's next to the cole slaw (which i normally don't eat, but this was sweet and crunchy and rather good) and the pork itself.  most important is the sauce.  i'd forgotten how much i like the vinegar-based sauce on the pork.  particularly, i like how the vinegar evaporates off the hot pork for the first couple bites, and you just inhale it.  granted, it makes me cough, but i likes it.

so yeah, i got a nice lunch today...and brought home some pork bbq, some brunswick stew, and some sauce for later.  i'll have to wander back again!

Curried Tomato & Okra Stew

Guest Entree Entry

 

4 tbsp extra light olive oil

2 medium-small yellow onions, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp yellow Indian curry (Spice It To A Tea)
1 tbsp dried parsley
Salt + pepper to taste, generously
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2 tbsp chardonnay garlic grapeseed oil

2 cups cut okra

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3 cups peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 bullion chicken stock cube, melted in 1c boiling water

 

In a skillet, heat olive oil and add onions, garlic, and seasonings.  Stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add in okra and the grapeseed oil and sauté for another 5 minutes.  Then add tomatoes and chicken stock.  Allow to simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, covered.

Verdict:  Very good and tasty!  I would suspect that this would go nicely with orzo in it or over rice as well.  Oh the possibilities. 

Summer Casserole

Guest Entree Entry

1-1.5lbs lean ground beef (1.36lbs 93%/7%)

2 medium-small yellow onions chopped

4 gloves garlic chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

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1 heaping tsp cumin
16oz medium salsa

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2 large zucchinis quartered and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
2 ears of corn, boiled/cooked and cut off the kernels

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Wheat tortillas
Pepper jack cheese
Sour cream

In a large skillet, combine beef, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper, cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then sprinkle the cumin over the mixture and add in the jar of salsa. Cook over medium heat for about another 10 minutes. Then add in the zucchini chunks and cooked corn kernels and cook over medium heat for about another 10 minutes.

Serve over a wheat tortilla topped with shredded pepper jack cheese and sour cream.

Verdict:  Very flavorful, though I could stand for more heat.  Next time I will try it with a hot salsa.