Taste of Mooresville: Lancaster's BBQ

What kind of BBQ fan are you? Is it a noun or a verb? Do you like Memphis, TX, Sonny's, Eastern, Western, TN, KY - so many people out there and everyone with an opinion on BBQ. Well...

Here is mine...

I had one of the best BBQ sandwiches ever to be put in my mouth today. Definitely worth the 2 hour and 20 minute drive and the 3.85 per sandwich. The chopped cole slaw and the mild sauce (not vinegar) made this sandwich dynamite!

It is definitely a fave of my sister-in-laws and a gas station in Mooresville has it for sale on Sundays.

The homemade chips are great and not too salty - fun to eat when dipped in ranch dressing. They also come seasoned if you want them - cajun style - that is how Alan chose to eat his - dipped in their vinegar sauce.

So good - go now.

Majudra - Middle Eastern Peasant Food

Majudra, majadra - however you spell it - spell it my new fave comfort food. Cheap, warm, perfect as a salad topping, caramelized onions - can it get any better?

I had seen this as a recipe, and I have had the recipe, but I had not made it yet. Then, 2 weeks ago I went to The Grape Leaf in Louisville and ordered this. I LOVED IT. But, I knew the caramelized onions would have to be more prominent for me!

So, I had everything I needed in my pantry when I moved this week, so I decided to make this...

1 1/2 cup rice

3 cups water, boiling

2 cloves chopped garlic

olive oil

3/4 cup green lentils (no need to pre-soak)

2 cups water

1 tsp cumin

salt

2 onions, thinly sliced

olive oil

Heat olive oil and pour in rice - cooking till opaque - like you would risotto. Pour in water and garlic - simmer with lid on till done.

Cook lentils till done but not mushy - then add seasonings.

Sauted onions, stirring a few times - not a lot.

Bowl: rice, lentils, caramelized onions. Top with either melted butter or olive oil.

Next time: I'll make it with more cumin and brown rice, maybe switch out the all olive oil for half oil and butter on the onions.

SO GOOD!

Roasted Orange Chive Salmon

Is oatmeal a meal? Good, I agree. Its not. Therefore, my first real meal I cooked was SO GOOD. I told my Dad while eating it - that it was the best salmon I have ever had second only to the time I was in Craig, Alaska and had it right off the boat.

zest of one mandarin orange

1 tsp chopped fresh chives

8 oz fresh atlantic salmon (w/skin, got it from Whole Foods)

evoo

s/p

425 degrees. Place aluminum foil on a small baking sheet. Spray with pam.

Pat dry salmon. Drizzle with evoo. Zest orange and chop the chives over the top. Bake for about 15 minutes, maybe a little more till the fish easily flakes.

Enjoy. I served mine with roasted asparagus and roasted new pototoes.

Roast Turkey with Rigatoni

New babies! I love them. And with all the siblings - this recipe was a hit with the kiddos (one even went back for seconds). I served this with roasted broccoli and red peppers and peanut butter cookies.

I found a recipe similar to this on Simply Recipes, and just changed it up to my liking!

1 lb rigatoni (I like these shapes when serving to kids because they can eat them easier - trick I learned from Mrs Italian cook herself, Lauren)

12 oz sliced mushrooms

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup half and half

1/4 cup white wine (I used Quail Creek, a CA wine that the Whole Foods guy recommended)

2 cups homemade turkey stock (made from simmering the turkey bones from my roast turkey recipe a few recipes down)

3 cups chopped roast turkey - from Ina Garten recipe I made

1 1/4 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup parm cheese

1/2 cup mozz cheese, grated

juice of one lemon

s/p/pinch of nutmeg (nutmeg goes great with cream sauces)

1/3 cup parm cheese

1/2 cup mozz cheese

Cook mushrooms (I did in evoo and Quail Creek), for about 10 minutes.

In separate small saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour, then milk and half and half on low (so it doesn't scorch or boil over), then the cheese, finally spices and lemon juice.

Cook rigatoni till al dente and drain.

Mix all together. Top with remaining cheese.

Pour into 9x13 pan, lightly sprayed with pam. Bake uncovered at 375 for about 35 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Easy Shepherds Pie

This month is cleaning out the pantry time! I had a can of Dinty Moore beef stew - which I do love by the way. So, on the back of the can is a great recipe for shepherds pie. I made it for a friend and her husband this past Wednesday since their nights are really busy with work and church (and traffic).

I kinda followed the recipe, but really not.

1 can dinty moore beef stew

1 cup sliced mushrooms, chopped

3/4 cup frozen peas

7 red skin potatoes

1/3 cup half and half

2 T unsalted butter

2 T parm cheese

s/p

1 cup cheddar cheese

Boil potatoes, mash, and mix with half and half, butter, cheese, and seasonings.

Dump beef stew in bottom of 8x8 pan. Break up bigger chunks of beef. Stir in mushrooms and peas. Spread potatoes on top. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes. Serve.

Aarica and J both said this was wonderful - "best shepherds pie ever"!

Tuna Spaghetti (2010.6)

Bon Appetit in its editor section usually has little basic recipes. This was one of them. Not great, but not throw away worthy either. I may just toss some on top of some greens.

Not amounts, almost

Spaghetti (I used whole grain spaghetti)
1 can tuna (oil packed preferred, but I used water packed)
1 fat garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
evoo
pepper
lemon juice
(I added the garlic and red pepper and didn't have any parsley)

Cook noodles. In pan, saute everything else. Drain pasta, reserving a bit of the water. Mix all together.
This just didn't have much of a flavor to me.

Red Wine Beef Stew

I made some yummy and healthy beef stew this weekend. Its good when you are sick, having company over, need something to last you all week, and to use up some yummy Sweet Red wine that is in the fridge. I picked up some good stuff at Trader Joes last weekend and this was a good use for it.

1.5 lbs lean beef chopped for stew

evoo

8 cups broth and wine combined (I used 7 cups chicken stock and 1 cup red wine)

1 onion, chopped

3 lbs red potatoes, chopped left skin on

2 carrots, chopped

5 celery stalks, chopped, plus leaves

2 T dried italian herbs

2 T worcestershire sauce

s/p to taste

Sear meat on both sides. Simmer in 4 cups of stock for 1 hour. Add all veggies, herbs, and rest of stock and wine. Let simmer for another 1 hr to 90 minutes. Eat with some bread.

We had 5 grain bread from Plehns (nearby bakery), a strawberry, walnut, feta, salad, and oreo cheesecake (bday celebration) for dessert. Then I went out and walked 2.5 miles!

Curried Vegetables

I found a similar recipe in food blog land, and tweaked it to fit my kitchen today! This will be a very healthy bowl of yummy goodness all week for lunch or dinner.

1 large baking potato - chopped (I left skin on)
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 carrot, diced into pennies
1 zucchini - cut into half moons
1 squash - cut into half moons
1 onion, chopped
1 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup blush wine
2 T curry powder
1 tsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp evoo

Add all to a big skillet and let go for about an hour, stirring every so often, on a high simmer - till all veggies are done.
Serve as is - or over spaghetti squash, couscous, anything you want.

Taste of Chicago - Grand Lux Cafe

We thought the bags looked pretty familiar when we walked in - we were right - this place is owned by the same folks who own Cheesecake Factory. You know its going to be good. And it was next door to Ann Taylor - so how bad could it bed? And it had a wait at 4pm? We only waited about 15 minutes and when we walked out - it was about an hour wait. Glad we got there early!

I was not anticipating a sit-down nice restaurant when I heard about this place from a friend just based on the name alone. I'm so glad we stopped there.

We had their bread - very good. I took lots of photos. I dropped my knife and fork - silly me. The tables were completely on top of each other, but people know how to dine. I couldn't tell you what the other folks were talking about at their table. Most of the time people talk so loud at restaurants. Our first waiter wasn't all that, but halfway through they changed shifts and our waitress was much better.

To start off with - the Edamame: stir fried with Spicy Szechwan Sauce. SO GOOD! Better than Chais in Durham (gasp!)

Then, Janel got the soup of the day - a chicken chowder with veggies. I took a bite - good and warm on a cold day.

I got the mini goat cheese and mushroom pizza. This was not mini (about 7 inches by 3 inches) and was only 4.95 and was AMAZING. I would go back there every time and order this.

For dessert (and take home): New Orleans Beignets Served Warm with Three Sauces (a creme anglaise (close your eyes and savor the warmth and richness good), chocolate, and raspberry. They were warm and yummy. Thanks Kathy for the suggestion.

This place was definitely the best place I ate all weekend and I would gladly go there again! :)

Chickpea Burgers

These really should have a different name. I considered Hummus Pancakes or something fun like that, but ok - I'll leave it at that.

Always skeptical, but I shouldn't be. I love chickpeas. What I really love about these is their nutrition benefit and healthiness, the green onions, and their simplicity.

I got inspired by the recipe on Heather's blog - thanks for the recipe!

Makes 8 patties - 8 servings

2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas

4 scallions, chopped

1 egg

3/4 cup water

2 T flour

scant 3/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

spray olive oil (instead of regular - saves fat and calories)

I start with dry beans. Last week I took the time to cook (and mostly peel) a bag of dry garbanzo beans. Takes over night soak (no hands on time) and about 80 minutes to cook them. I really like that I can choose how done I want them. With cans, you worry about doneness and sodium.

Put all ingredients into a food processor. Let it go till combined. Spray flat griddle with olive and using a ice cream scoop - scoop these out and shape into "burgers".

Flip them after a few minutes - you'll know when they are ready - and then keep checking doneness.

These are really good and I'm going to have my first one (not just sampling) tonight for dinner.

235 calores, 4 fat, 11 protein - so filling!

Homemade Baked Ziti

This is actually one of my most requested meals. I've made it for people over the years and they enjoy it. Tonight, I made it for our family for my birthday (soon) and my sister-in-law's (just passed). I ate it. So good.

1 green pepper

1 yellow onion

olive oil

1 pkg mild italian sausage

1 box penne or ziti

1 large jar of super chunky mushroom spaghetti sauce

chardonnay (optional)

10 oz 1/2 inch cube mozz cheese

8 oz pkg italian cheese blend shredded

Chop pepper and onions, saute in olive oil. Take out of pan. Crumble and cook sausage till mostly done. Add back in the veggies and sauce and wine if you are using it. Simmer.

Cook pasta till al dente. Drain.

Mix all together and add in the cubed cheese.

Pour in a 9x13 pan and sprinkle the italian cheese over the top.

Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes at 425 until the top cheese is slightly browned.

Enjoy with salad and garlic bread.

Thanksgiving 2009 Menu

Thankful for parents who buy the ingredients to cook a fabulous meal! We had family and friends over to eat a wonderful meal.

Pork Tenderloin (roasted with a bbq rub, sliced) (pulled crockpot pork)

Anadama bread and Publix bakery rolls

Cranberry BBQ sauce

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Red Onion Applesauce

Asian Pear and Goat Cheese salad (top 2)

Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes (all gone)

Collards with Bacon

Roasted Balsamic Green Beans and Mushrooms

Green Beans and Potatoes (just for Dad and Papa who like mushy green beans)

Publix Pumpkin Pie

Gingerbread Pumpkin Butterscotch Trifle (top 2)

Tea (sweet and unsweet)

All way yummy.

Comfort Food: Chicken Pot Pie

For dinner on a great fall evening - chicken pot pie. And with everything in the cupboard - its even easier! :) Thank you Tina for a great and yummy dinner.

2 pie crusts

2 cans cream of potato soup (chunky)

2 cups chopped chicken

1 can veg-all, drained

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp each thyme and black pepper

1 egg

Mix all together. Pour into pie shell. Top with other pie shell. Egg wash the top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Oh, and poke holes with fork in top of pie shell before putting egg wash on.

Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving so it stays together (the yummy gooeyness inside).

Panko Baked Pork Chops (Progresso Giveaway)

Hey folks! Its time for my first giveaway. See the end of this post for details. I made some delicious pork chops tonight just in time for a night of college football.

These pork chops were crispy and light (with the Progresso Panko Crumbs). I also didn't use any eggs so I saved on fat. These were healthy, juicy, and delicious!

1/2 cup ff plain yogurt

2 T light sour cream

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 T stone ground mustard

s/p

1 lb center cut pork chops (4 4 oz)

Salt and pepper chops. Mix all together. Coat chicken - then coat with panko bread crumbs. Cook for about 50 minutes (40 minutes covered, 10 uncovered) on 400.

OK - all the stuff in the picture is what you get! I enjoyed the chicken stop in a soup earlier in the week. I was very excited to get my first giveway thanks to http://www.myblogspark.com/ and I look forward to many more.

So, here is how you enter: tell me in the comments your favorite panko coating recipe or Progresso Soup (maybe you don't like to cook that much!). Progresso Soups are really yummy! Contest will end on Wednesday night, October 28th, 11pm EST. Happy cooking!

Mushroom Turkey Enchiladas

My friend Sarah made these for me many years ago while we were both in seminary (now, we both work for seminaries). They were scrumptious! I love Mexican food, so anytime I can make something "mexican-y" at home and have it taste good and be somewhat healthy, I do.
Well, I forgot the printed recipe at work and I had to do it quick, so didn't have time to walk back over and get the recipe. So, I just did it for memory and changed it up a bit!

8 whole wheat tortillas
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 large onion
1/3 cup chicken broth (or water)
evoo
1 12 oz jar salsa
2 cups 2% mexican cheese
8 oz light sour cream
1 can healthy choice cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup water
pepper

Cook turkey and drain. Saute mushrooms and onion in broth and evoo. Add salsa. Add turkey back to pan. Warm through. Put about 1/3 cup filling in each tortilla. Roll. Lay flap side down in pan (I used 2 8x8 pans, but 1 9x13 will work too, slightly sprayed with Pam).
Mix sour cream, soup, water, and pepper. Pour over the top of tortillas. Top with cheese.
Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes till cheese is melted and rest is heated through.
These are yummy, creamy, healthy(sorta), and filling. Enjoy!

BEST Roasted Chicken (Sara Foster)

Sara Foster is the WOMAN!!! I love this. It will be my go to roast chicken recipe. I may never buy a rotisserie chicken again. This is AMAZING! I really could eat the whole thing. It is juicy and full of flavor!
Make it tonight. Enjoy!

1 whole chicken - about 4 lbs.
6 sprigs marjoram
1 lemon
1/2 onion (depending on the size of your chicken, 1/2 large fit in mine, not the whole thing)
1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar (the flavor is going to concentrate)
1/2 cup apple juice (or dry white wine)
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 T italian seasoning

Remove innerds of chicken. Pat dry. Preheat oven to 400. 9x13 pan or roasting pan (w/rack). Stuff sprigs into chicken. With breast side up - squeeze lemon. Stuff lemon and onion into cavity. Mix vinegar and juice (or wine) and pour over top. Rub down with olive oil and italian seasoning. Flip over. Cook for 30 minutes with butt up. Basting some with juices. Flip over and cook for another 40 minutes or until done (depending on the size of your girlie bird).
EAT! This is amazing. I can now throw out every other roasted chicken recipe!

Foster's Pulled NC Turkey BBQ

I loved this recipe - much more so than I thought I would. The turkey was very moist - and the spice level on the meat itself was perfect (the sauce though is a tad warm, so be prepared). This has lots of ingredients - but I had most of it on hand (another good reason for a well-stocked cupboard). Yummy. this isn't the best picture of it, but it was very good - with some KFC copycat coleslaw, free Panera bread (maybe not what I would have chosen, but free, so that is all that matters), and some Foster's Corn Pudding. Perfect meal for our non-progressive progressive dinner - summer style.

5 lb turkey breast
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 T red pepper flakes
1 T ground black pepper

Sauce:
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup coffee
juice of 1 orange
2 T fresh peeled and zested ginger
juice of 2 lemons
1 T dry mustard
1 T black pepper
1 T red pepper flakes

Turn oven on to 300. Put turkey in 9x13 pan. Pour juice over. Cover. Bake for 3-3 1/2 hours until done, basting with marinade about every 30 minutes.
Discard marinade. Pull apart with fork. Mix in 2 cups sauce. Serve with rest of sauce.

Sauce: Mix all together in a big pot. Let boil, turn down to simmer for about 45 minutes until reduced some.
Sauce will stay good in fridge for about a week. SO YUMMY! Since when have I gone for vinegar bbq? :)

Chili Lime Roasted Chicken

Ok - yeah for meat. I wanted to cook my favorite way to eat chicken to begin my rest of my summer o meat eating! So, I took out the whole chicken in my freezer and decided to roast it. Oh yum! I couldn't wait. Now, what flavor do I give it?

Then, I wanted to try something new - oh my goodness - no recipe...ack! It was so juice and flavorful and yummy. I ate some of it as I was pulling it off the bone.

Preheat oven to 400.

1 whole chicken

2 tsp chili powder

2 limes - zest - and use the juice of one lime.

Stir together the seasonings. Rub all over the chicken. Yes - get your hands dirty!

Stuff the cavity with the limes, 1/2 large white onion, and some cilantro.

Put it in there, turn the oven down to 375. Cook for about 40 minutes, turn to 350. Cook till juices run clear - about 90 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mexibean Bake (2009.28)

I love mexican food. I love healthy food. I love cheap food. I love spicy food. I love comfort food. This is all the above. While it isn't the best thing I've ever made - it fits into all the above categories.
This is out of the Betty Crocker's Healthy and Heary Cookbook. Tons of recipes, pictures, huge book. So far so good!

2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup picante sauce
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded 2% colby jack cheese
2 cups cooked pinto beans
1 cup picante sauce
1/2 cup shreeded 2% colby jack cheese.

Mix rice, sauce, egg, and cheese. Put in a 8x8 greased pan. Pour beans and picante sauce over top. Cover with cheese. If you don't use a medium or hot picante sauce, you may want to add cumin and chili powder to your beans. I may add some onion and cilantro next time as well - to kick up the flavor. Bake at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. I am warming up some now for my lunch! Makes 6 servings. That is more than lunch for a week, a dollar a lunch or less. Wow!

Turkey and Sausage Mother's Day Meatloaf Muffins

I asked my mom a week ago what her favorite healthier meal was. And she said her sister's meatloaf with okra and tomatoes. So, that is what I made today for her, on mother's day. My Aunt Sandy lives in CA and we see her every now and then. Probably 5 times in my life - but, hey she's cool!

2 lbs ground turkey breast
1 lb spicy pork ground sausage
1/2 c chopped green pepper
1/2 c chopped onion
1 cup bread crumbs (I used most of 3 pieces of whole wheat bread)

2/3 cup ketchup (how do you spell this word?)
2 T worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 T A-1 steak sauce
1 t dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground sage
s/p to taste

Mix the first, add in the second group. Bake in 24 muffin pans - 400 for 20 minutes. Take out and put on paper towels to let drain a little. Enjoy!
If you use the two types of meat I did, these are 3 points each. The sausage makes these different than your normal meatloaf. I liked it.