Chili con Kevin

This past week, Houston hasn't been its usual cheery scorching hot drought inflicted self. The recent deluge we've encountered has not only wreaked havoc on my lengthy commute, but it's also increased our desire to be fully lethargic. Kevin took (in)action this past Sunday and made a slow cooked chili that perfectly complimented our drenched surroundings.


Chili con Kevin
Adapted from All Recipes
Servings: 12
Time: 4+ hours (longer the better)

Sheer laziness almost led me to tell you to figure it out from the pic

2 lbs ground beef chuck
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
3 (15 oz) cans chili beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can chili beans in spicy sauce
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
Loads of bacon
1/2 cup beer (we used Saint Arnold's Santo)

Mommy, where does heart disease comes from?

1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 (10.5 oz) bag corn chips ala Fritos
Cheddar Cheese
Green onions, chopped for garnish

It almost looks healthy in its infant state.

1. Brown your ground beef and Italian sausage in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Then cook your bacon. Set aside but reserve the grease.
2. Sauté the onion in the grease. Stop every 2 minutes to hit your heart with a defibrillator. 
3. Now add everything to a crock pot on high (yeah I'm not typing all those ingredients again) and let cook for at least 3 hours. Leave it closed to start so everything warms up then have it open to reduce for the last few hours. The longer you let it cook, the tastier it will be.
4. Serve in bowls and top with corn chips, cheese and green onions.
5. Sincerely regret living in a house filled with guys after a night of eating chili.

Not so much anymore.

As soon as this chili was finished, it immediately put our bowls onto the endangered species list. The abundance of pork filled products gave this a rich meaty flavor, while the Santo provided a hint of nuttiness to the equation. Each bite of a Frito filled with cheese and hearty chili goodness was the perfect way to pass the ultimate lazy Sunday. The only adjustments I can think of making would be to up the heat with either more jalapenos or a serrano and adding some corn for a little extra crunch. If your clogged heart so desires, this also goes great on top of hot dogs for your sporting event watching pleasure.

Dance, Frito minions! Dance!

The Weekly Vegan: Potato Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce

Family meal night at the townhouse continued with yet another attempt to go around the world in 80 dishes. Following our delightful forays into Indian and Vietnamese food, we set off on a journey to Italy (and the mythical land of veganism). Would we be able to recreate one of my favorite dishes ever in a vegan friendly manner, or would Dennis' strange fascination with beets blow up our dinner plans?


Potato Gnocchi
Adapted from Branny Boils Over and Vegan With a Vengeance
Servings: 6
Time: 90 minutes

2 lbs russet potatoes, washed and scrubbed
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Potato dough

1. Poke holes in the potatoes and bake them. Either bake them in an oven at 400 F for 45 minutes until tender or wrap in a paper towel and microwave for about 5-7 minutes per potato.
2. Remove the skins and weigh out the necessary amount. Laugh while your roommate burns his hands trying to peel them.
3. Add olive oil and salt and mash well.
4. Incorporate about one cup of the flour then knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading in the remaining dough until you have a smooth, non-sticky and dry dough.
5. Roll the dough into 1/2 inch thick ropes then slice into 3/4 inch long pieces.
6. Use your thumb to press the gnocchi against the back of a fork to get both a notched and dimpled side.
7. Bring water to a boil and add additional salt. 
8. Drop in the gnocchi and let them rise to the surface. Continue cooking for about one minute once they rise.
9. Drain well.

Put your dexterity to the test by hand forming the gnocchi. (Yet another time it's handy to have 2 roommates.)

First one to float wins. The same does not work for an underwater breath holding contest.

Cropped out: the super ugly gnocchi (yes, there were uglier ones).

Making gnocchi by hand is quite the undertaking, but the feeling of accomplishment you get when you finally bite into these delicious morsels can't be beat. Despite not having the egg or parmesan cheese typical of gnocchi dough, these potato dumplings had an incredibly smooth texture and awesomely spuddy taste. Just make sure you don't skimp on the salt.

Vegan Vodka Sauce

Sent to me by Courtney

Servings: Enough for 4 times the gnocchi

Time: 45 minutes

Olive oil

2-28 oz cans whole tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 carrot, grated

1/2 + 2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp dried basil

1 block silken tofu, not drained

1 cup soy milk

3/4 cup vodka

Salt and pepper to taste

Carrots in marinara sauce? The Gods must be crazy!

Vegan Cream

1. Sauté the garlic in some olive oil over medium-low heat until aromatic but not browned (about 60 seconds).
2. Remove from heat and add tomatoes and their juices. Smash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the carrot, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and herbs. 
4. Simmer for about 20 minutes to reduce.
5. While it's simmering, make the vegan cream by blending the tofu and soy milk together.
6. Pour in the vegan cream, vodka, salt, pepper and remaining red pepper flakes then let simmer for another 10 minutes. 
7. If the consistency is not to your liking, puree it in a blender until smooth. (It's important that you remember that the sauce is scolding hot at this point, so don't overfill the blender. This may have been my second attempt at the dish with the first ending with second degree burns that are still on my arm over a month later.).

After much pureeing, you'll have one mighty fine looking sauce.

Vodka sauce is by far the greatest of all alcoholic sauces (narrowly edging out beer spilled on potato chips). This veganfied version brings all the necessary flavor to the table and some newfound wonderful kick (compliments of the red pepper flakes). What's incredibly is that it manages to be both light and creamy tasting thanks to the vegan cream replacing the super fatty heavy cream.

I've been experimenting with slightly slanted "Batman Villain" angles for pictures.

Despite the great success that was the vegan gnocchi with vodka sauce, the true highlight of family meal night number 3 has yet to be explored. Dennis busted out some mad beets to create an incredibly delicious side that we won't soon forget (and not just because of the beet juice staining our clothes). The brilliance that was the beet side dish was more than deserving of its own guest post, so prepare yourselves for Dennis taking over the blog (may God help us all).

Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica. Stay tuned for Dennis' Beet Tutorial (Prepare to get schooled, Dr. Dre.)

A Very Vegan Addendum: Beer Battered "Fish" Tacos

I got a wonderful surprise on Sunday. I found out that someone actually used something I made on the blog (aside from my mom using it to brag to people). For the next forty-five minutes, I put on a toga and did my special muse dance (It's kind of like the robot but with more sexy hip action.). Fellow scientician and old grad school/ In-N-Out burger comrade Courtney used her special alchemy skills to turn the beer battered fish tacos into a vegany delight thanks to the magic of tofu.

Here is a quick how-to guide to making your very own vegan fish tacos (as spread through the generations by oral history or gchat...)

In essence, it's the same recipe as that featured in the beer battered fish taco post with the following changes:

1. Keep the slaw the same (although obviously this used regular cabbage instead of the super fun purple one. It's ok. We won't fault her for her lack of royal colors.).

2. Replace mayonnaise with vegenaise. Now, veganaise is a little sweeter than normal mayo, so add a pinch or two of salt to counteract this. (Also, it's really bugging me that vegenaise isn't spelled veganaise. You really dropped the ball on this one, rich vegan food entrepreneurs.)

3. Instead of the obviously not vegan fish, use extra firm tofu. Drain it for 30-45 minutes (you can put it between two plates surrounded by paper towels with a canned good on top of the plates). Cut the tofu into large fish sized strips then dip in the beer batter (note: she used Moylans' Irish style red ale, a darker beer, for more flavor) and fry until golden brown (flipping once to get both sides).

According to Courtney, these "fish" tacos were deliriously delicious, and I know she wouldn't lie so I'll just have to drool and feel a sense of longing that I couldn't partake in these. Two things really stood out to me with this incredible meal. First, Courtney isn't actually vegan, so it was great to see her go that extra mile to try something new and have a slightly healthier meal (well as healthy as things fried in beer can be). Also, I was incredibly jealous at how much nicer her pictures turned out compared to my usual ones. But I shouldn't be too shocked at that, since she does have a pretty awesome photography blog.

To round out the meal (because obviously fish tacos aren't enough. I like her style.) She also made my first weekly vegan entry- potato & kale enchiladas with Mexican quinoa (a quick fix from my Mexican millet).

Well done, old friend. If any of you other readers try any of my dishes or make anything super awesome, send me the results.

Now if you'll excuse me, I just have to anxiously await the next time I'm in Los Angeles, so Courtney and I can collaborate on a meal (perhaps she can impart some of her pizza making guru knowledge).

Night of the Crepes: Spinach & Mushroom and Sun-dried Tomato & Artichoke

If you're gonna name your post after an obscure 80s zombie flick, you'd better make sure the food is tasty.

Recently, I've been craving peach crepes, so I offered to make crepes for this week's Top Chef viewing party with Alexis and Heather. Sadly, no one informed my stomach of the fact peaches were no longer in season, so instead I overcompensated for my misfortune by making three delightful batches of crepes: Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom crepes with Chicken, Sun-dried tomato and Artichoke Crepes for dinner and Blueberry-Lemon crepes for dessert (stay tuned for the dessert round).

Crepes Master Recipe
Previously seen in Peach Crepes
Recipe from Taste of Home
Servings: 10 crepes
Time: 75 minutes (60 inactive)

3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Blend the ingredients until smooth then refrigerate for an hour.
2. Pour approximately 3 tbsp of batter in a lightly greased skillet. Quickly lift and tilt the pan to spread out the batter for thin crepes. Cook over medium heat until the edges start to brown then flip and cook for another 30 seconds.

This crepe kind of reminds me of the demon dogs from Ghostbusters.

I was a huge fan of these crepes when I made them previously for my sweet crepes, so I took a gamble and stuck with them for the savory dinner crepes. I was a little concerned about the vanilla, but it added a nice element that really only enhanced how savory the fillings tasted. These crepes also helped me learn a harsh reality about my stove-top: it's slightly sloped. Despite my best efforts, every crepe quickly deformed once it was laid down leading to an amusing Rorschach test of French culinary treats.

Spinach Mushroom Crepes

A whole lot of spinach

Mushrooms, sliced

Garlic, minced

White wine

Olive oil

Crepes (see above)

Chicken, chopped and cooked

Béchamel sauce (recipe follows)

1. Cook your chicken. I cooked mine in cream of mushroom sauce until it started to fall apart.
2. Sauté the mushrooms, spinach and garlic in olive oil covered over medium-low heat. Once they get a little tender add some white wine for flavor. 
3. Add the chicken and cook for another couple of minutes.
4. Fill the center of your crepes with the mixture, fold, lightly top with Béchamel sauce and serve.

Exploding with flavor!

This basic filling helped seriously satiate my craving for greens. Spinach and mushroom are a winning combo in anything from pizza to salad, and they filled the crepes with an Earthy magnificence. In my opinion they don't really even need the Béchamel sauce, but it does help add a richness that the dish is lacking if you so desire. Special thanks to my sous chef Alexis for cooking the chicken and serving as an enabler to ensure I don't overcome my fear of raw chicken germs (I'm still washing my hands from opening the package).

Chicken with Sun-dried Tomato and Artichoke Crepes

Recipe Adapted from World of Crepes

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plus extra for garnish

1 can marinated artichokes, drained and quartered

1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine

Crepes (see above)

Gruyere cheese, grated

Béchamel Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Cook your chicken. I cooked mine in cream of mushroom soup until the chicken started to fall apart.
3. Sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat until tender and translucent (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
5. Stir in the artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and continue cooking until the veggies absorb the wine.
7. Stir in the chicken and some bechamel sauce and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Fill the center of crepes with the mixture then fold. Top with additional Béchamel sauce and gruyere then heat in the oven until the cheese melts.
9. Add sun-dried tomatoes for garnish and serve.

I like to think of the sun-dried tomatoes as a fancy (and edible) bow tie.

The bold flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes plays splendidly with the slight bitterness of the artichoke to provide the ultimate savory crepe. But it doesn't end there. The nuttiness of the gruyere enhances the Béchamel sauce to yield a dish filled with powerful ingredients all in perfect harmony.

Béchamel Sauce

Recipe from World of Crepes

Time: 20 minutes

6 tbsp butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups milk

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 tsp salt

Mmm butter... I mean bechamel sauce.

1. Heat the butter in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. 
2. Once the foam has dissipated, whisk in the flour.
3. Cook until the mixture turns golden brown (about 10 minutes).
4. Slowly add the milk, white wine and chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Top your crepes with the sauce to increase the deliciousness and calories.

The fancy French name of this sauce should immediately alert you to its defining characteristic: it is essentially butter. As a result it is also basically the most delicious thing in the world. Just be sure to use it in moderation so it enhances the flavor of your crepes without overpowering it.

The dinner portion of Night of the Crepes was now concluded with some tasty dishes. In my opinion, the ridiculously savory sun-dried tomato and artichokes crepes were the clear winner, but Alexis and Heather were convinced the spinach mushroom variety was superior.  We could all agree on one thing though: super thin pancakes are incredible.

These crepes could also easily be converted to vegetarian by using the Gardein chicken patties I love so much. Just cook them in some olive oil for about 3-5 minutes per side until heated through. The results should be equally spectacular (and slightly healthier, so you should probably up the amount of Béchamel sauce).

Stay tuned for the frightening finale (yeah I'm trying really hard with this whole zombie movie thing): our dessert Blueberry-Lemon Crepes.

Scallops with Pineapple Salsa

Well, lucky reader(s) (I can only assume there's more than one of you), today is the most grand of days as I find myself with enough energy to write two posts in one night. As Kevin copes with his 4 whole days of unemployment (seriously I'm shocked I didn't come home to him in a Drew Carey induced stupor), he decided we should make dinner. I was feeling scallops given our great track record with them and their appearance on Top Chef last night. I was also feeling Mexican food. We both agreed this sounded like a horrible combination, but found a way to somewhat appease my pregnancy like cravings by adding this pineapple "salsa".

Scallops with Pineapple Salsa
Modified from Paula Deen
Servings: 2
Time: 20 minutes

One of these scallops is not like the other

1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup pineapple, cubed
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp red onion, diced
Juice of 1 lime
2 1/2 tsp lime zest
1 jalapeno, diced and seeded
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
6 scallops
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Butter

A close-up of the scallopy goodness.

1. Combine the pineapple, cucumber, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, zest, jalapeno, sriracha, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the top and bottom of the scallops.
3. Sear the scallops in butter and olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes per side until a healthy crust forms.
4. Top the scallops with the salsa and enjoy.

I also describe how I dance as "making pineapple salsa".

Any chance we get to include cilantro in a meal, we will gladly take. For me though, the real star was the pineapple with the scallops (Kevin was a fan of the cucumber aspect, so everyone won). At first, I was a little opposed to the salsa because the scallops are so amazingly butteryly (I'll be sure to play that word in scrabble in the future) tasty on their own that it almost seems like overkill to add anything else to them. In the end, I appreciated the sweetness and acidity that the pineapple added. To round out the meal, we added an earthy salad to balance the richness of the scallops.  Now, I just hope this delicious meal making continues for the remaining three days Kevin has between jobs.

It's important to balance the meal (and give my body the greens it's been deprived of).

Recipe Revisited: Shrimp Étouffée

Tonight, I made Shrimp and Grits and remembered I've been meaning to post about the incredible Shrimp Étouffée I made a few weeks back. This dish has undergone a few different iterations throughout my long and illustrious nine month culinary career. During the strictly vegetarian days of this blog, I substituted tempeh and seitan for the shrimp (with delightfully yummy results). Recently, however, I've been on a major shrimp kick, so it was time to meat up (please tell me in the comments how stupid you think that phrase is).

Shrimp Étouffée
Original Post
Adapted from Paula Dean's Recipe
Servings: 4
Time: 60 minutes

15 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb okra, sliced
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning
1/2 cup scallions, minced
1/4 cup parsley leaves, minced
3/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes and juices
2-3 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp butter
Tabasco to taste

Progression of the wonderfully aromatic roux

1. Combine the flour and oil over medium heat to form the roux. Stir frequently until it turns into a caramel color (see above) and emits a nutty aroma (about 15 minutes).
2. Sauté the bell pepper, onion and garlic in the roux until the veggies become limp (about 5 minutes).
3. Add in the various peppers, cajun seasoning, scallions and parsley and cook for another minute.
4. Stir in the broth, wine, soy sauce and diced tomatoes.
5. Bring the mixture to a simmer then add the okra and cook covered for at least 20 minutes or until the okra becomes tender.
6. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
7. Serve over long-grain rice and garnish with chopped scallions.
8. Dash on a generous amount of tabasco and enjoy.

Sometimes, I oddly don't feel like driving the six hours it would take to get back to New Orleans for some authentic cajun cuisine, so I have to spend an hour to make it instead (and 3 hours to lay on the couch in an extremely full stupor so really I guess I don't save that much time). This dish is wonderfully spicy and creamy, and the okra is key to bringing it over the top (just make sure you cook it long enough to be tender). 

The equally fantastic vegetarian version

While I was a huge fan of the shrimp version, I have to say that the vegetarian version is every bit as amazing. The seitan version in particular makes a strong showing because it provides just the right texture (and allows you to say you're cooking seitan and giggle).

Italian Sausage with Peppers & Onions: The Dinner of Champions

Add penne pasta, asparagus, garlic bread & pretty basil leaves for a complete meal

Kevin and Alexis ran the half-marathon in San Antonio today while I sat on the couch, watched football and ate potato chips, so I decided to reward these world class athletes with a feast fit for a champion. Combined with finishing off the Kaya Toast, I made sure to load them with enough carbs that they would have been retroactively carbo-loaded for the race.

Italian Sausage with Peppers & Onions

Modified from AllRecipes.com

Servings: 8

Time: 40 minutes

8 links Italian sausage (I used chicken with mozzarella)

2 tbsp butter

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, sliced thinly

1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly

Fresh basil, minced

1 tsp dried oregano
1/3 cup white wine

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1. Brown all sides of the sausage over medium heat then remove from the pan and slice.
2. Sauté the onions and garlic in butter until soft and translucent.
3. Add the peppers, basil, oregano and white wine and cook until the white wine is reduced by half.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and sausage. Cook covered at a light simmer for 15-25 minutes (make sure the peppers are tender).
5. Serve on bread or pasta.

I reminded them beforehand that dinner was for winners. This certainly was the impetus behind their success.

This is a quick and easy meal that is about as hearty as can be. The bold and manly flavors come together fantastically and go perfectly with a lazy Sunday night of watching football. It's a great way to spice up ordinary pasta or can be used to make delicious deli style sandwiches. There are two easy ways to vary this. You can substitute beer for wine, which I actually think tastes more authentic (but should naturally be Michelob Ultra if right after exercise), or you can leave the crushed tomatoes out to keep the mess to a minimum (especially if you're not using it for pasta). No matter what you choose, you'll be left with an incredible dish that is bursting with flavor and almost impossible to mess up. Just be sure to notify your cardiologist in advance before inevitably going back for seconds (arteries are for suckers anyway).

Now that's the plate of a man who just ran a half marathon... and immediately undid all that exercise

Vegetarian Note: I previously made the vegetarian version of this dish with veggie sausage. I can't recommend it enough. The flavors still come through magnificently, and the meal provides an excellent source of protein.

The vegetarian version minus tomato but with jalapenos.

Lazy Sunday: Pulled Pork, Potato Salad and Dr. Pepper Baked Beans

Since reintegrating myself into the workforce, I've discovered that doing things other than watching The Price is Right and cooking can be quite tiring. As a result, this weekend I decided I wanted to do as little as possible aside from finally purchasing a bed (adulthood!), playing lots of Arkham City (and telling Kevin "I'm Batman" in my best Christian Bale voice) and cooking something that would take forever to cook but require minimal effort to enjoy during the Saints game. Because I'm in Texas, I knew it was time to work on my BBQ skills, so I went with my personal favorite pulled pork (brisket be damned!). My taste buds were thoroughly rewarded for my patience and lack of moving with some of the finest pulled pork ever.

Pulled Pork
Modified from KevinAndAmanda.com
Time: 24 hours (Effort: 1 hour)

3-7 lb Boston Butt Pork

Dry Rub
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground pepepr
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar


Brine Solution
2 gallon ziploc bag
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 qts water
3 tbsp dry rub
2 bay leaves

I'm still a little weirded out by touching raw meat. Sadly, Kevin was still asleep, so I couldn't get him to do it.

The juices let you know it's working.

1. Find an appropriately sized Boston Butt Pork. Make sure it has a nice layer of fat on the bottom and still has the bone.
2. Prepare the dry rub by mixing everything together well.
3. Get the brine solution ready by stirring the salt into cold water until dissolved then mixing in the rest of the ingredients thoroughly.
4. Place the pork into a large ziploc bag and cover with the brine solution. Make sure the entire pork is covered and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. This will ensure that the pork stays juicy and tender.
5. Go to sleep.
6. Wake up and preheat your oven to 225 F.
7. Remove the pork from the brine solution and pat dry with a paper towel. This will help it form a nice crust.
8. Cover the pork in the remaining dry rub mix. Be sure to get in any flaps that may exist. Massage in the rub to make sure it stays.
9. Place the pork fat side facing up in an aluminum roasting pan and cook until the internal temperature reaches 200 F. The pork will be cooked at 170, but letting it reach 200 will help it fall apart (thus the pulled part of the pork). This will take about 1.5 to 2 hours per pound (I had a 5 1/2 lb piece of pork and it took 10 hours).
10. Let the pork cool to 170 F and pull apart to serve.

It practically fell right apart. A good omen of what was to come.

This pulled pork was complete and utter perfection. The seasoning was amazing (I added the cilantro and cajun seasoning to give it a little extra pop) and the meat itself was incredibly juicy and tender. But pulled pork by itself isn't enough. I rounded out the meal with potato salad, Dr. Pepper baked beans, green beans (for some reason my body was telling me I needed veggies) and two different BBQ sauces.

Potato Salad

From Rachel Ray

Time: 30 minutes

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup beef broth

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 tbsp capers, drained

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the potatoes until tender (about 12-15 minutes).
2. Drain the potatoes and mix in the remaining ingredients. Lightly mash to reach the desired consistency. 
3. Serve either hot or cold.

Until recently, I steered clear of potato salad because of my strong hatred of mayo I developed from early childhood. I can now tolerate mayonnaise, but still prefer to try the non-mayo versions of recipes when I can. This potato salad was nice and tangy with some welcome crispiness. As such, it was a great side for the meal. You won't miss the mayo at all, and you won't have to worry about it spoiling (really it's similar ingredients to a mayo based one just without the extra emulsification step).

Dr. Pepper Baked Beans

Time: 20-60 minutes

2 cans Bush's Bourbon and Brown Sugar Baked Beans

8 oz Dr. Pepper

3 slices of Bacon

1/2 red onion, diced

If you're not starving like I was, you'll let it thicken more to bring out that Dr. Pepper.

1. Heat up the baked beans on the stove top over medium-low heat.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Reserve the grease and pat the bacon dry with a paper towel. Cut the bacon and add to the beans.
3. Saute the onion in the bacon grease and add to the beans. 
4. Mix in the Dr. Pepper and let thicken. The longer you cook it, the more the flavor will come out.

These baked beans were an interesting take on your typical side. The Dr. Pepper added an intriguing new element to the mix, but wasn't overly apparent because I got hungry and decided to cook it for only 20 minutes. Next time, I'll definitely go for longer to really bring out the flavor of the world's greatest soda.

Green Beans

Time: 20 minutes

2 cans green beans

4 mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red onion, diced

3 strips of bacon

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Drain the green beans and heat them over medium-low heat.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet and reserve the grease. Cut the bacon and put it with the green beans.
3. Saute the mushrooms and onion in the bacon grease and add to the green beans with salt and pepper.

This is a pretty quick and easy way to incorporate some veggies into the meal without being bogged down by things like having them be healthy that take away from the fun (note to self: remember to go to the gym). Now that the meal was finished, it was time to work on the sauces.

Tangy BBQ Sauce

Adapted From Emeril Lagasse
Time: 5 minutes

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 tbsp molasses
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper


Columbia Gold BBQ Sauce
From Amazing Ribs

Time: 5 minutes

1 cup yellow mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
Tabasco
3/8 cup sugar
1/2 chicken bouillon cube
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Life is about having choices especially when it comes to food.

1. For both sauces, just mix them together in a bowl. You might want to use a whisk to help.
2. Let the sauces sit in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors develop (especially the mustard based one or else it'll just taste like mustard).

Alton Brown always says the best BBQ doesn't need sauce, and I'd have to say that this pulled pork was fantastic on its own, but it doesn't hurt to have a little something extra. The tangy BBQ sauce was the winner of the two probably because it's more what I'm used to from growing up, but the Columbia Gold sauce was a fabulous introduction to the South Carolina way of doing BBQ and provided a nice change-up (thanks to Courtney for recommending it).

The complete meal was a tangy feast for the ages. I'm currently fighting off my food coma to type this up while salivating over the carnitas tacos I'm going to make with the leftovers.

Thankfully, the Saints won by a whopping 62-7, so I was able to actual enjoy the food instead of worrying all game. The only downside to this is that I didn't nervously pace for three hours, so I still need to work off all those glorious calories.