Baked Bean Soup

LET SOUP SEASON BEGIN!!  I'm so excited for the cooler weather!  It just makes me feel better!  I couldn't wait to share this recipe with you, so you are getting two in one day!  Don't let the weirdness of this recipe title get to you.  If you like baked beans, this soup is for YOU!  I'm so excited for The Dish Washer to get home and try it.  I suspect he will love it!

Baked Bean Soup

1 lb. ground sausage (I used maple)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 (32 oz.) can of baked beans or leftover baked beans
half-n-half*

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender.  Add sausage and brown.  Drain off grease.  Add baked beans and simmer until warmed through.  Next, stir in half-n-half until it reaches the consistency you like.

*On the half-n-half, I used the whole 16 oz. carton.

Green Chile Quiche

I love quiche!!!  I made this several months back and just remembered that I did to tell you about it.  So good and so easy.  And again, you notice the green chiles!!

Green Chile Quiche

1 deep dish pie crust
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups half & half
1/4 tsp. cumin

Whisk the eggs, half & half, and cumin together; set aside. Sprinkle cheeses in pie shell reserving 1/2 cup cheddar for top. Sprinkle chile over cheeses, reserving a few for the top.

Pour egg mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and chiles. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean. Our baking time was a little longer than 40 minutes. Serve warm!

Clear BBQ Sauce

This weekend The Dish Washer and I celebrated our at-home tailgating with his dad and a Boston butt we cooked in the crockpot.  Certainly not as good as it is smoked (or from a professional BBQ joint, for that matter), but it was pretty good for the crockpot.  One of my first trips home with him when we were dating, I remember trying this BBQ sauce that his mom makes.  It is juicy and vinegary.  As you can see, it's not really clear.  Once you pour it over your meat, though, you can't see that there is a sauce.  I guess that is where it gets the name.  So good.  Maybe it is the Carolina blood in me, but I prefer a tangy, vinegary BBQ sauce over a sweet BBQ sauce any day. 

Clear BBQ Sauce

2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 c. vinegar
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c. water
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

In saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender; do not brown.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook until blended. 

*Very runny.  Great for pouring over pulled pork or dipping.

Hot Fudge Brownie Cake

from myrecipes.com

This past weekend, I was able to get away for a day full of tailgating with The Dish Washer.  My mom came up to keep The Bun and I knew I had to feed her well to thank her.  Actually, she probably would have starved just to be with The Bun.  But I tried to feed her well anyway.  I made this as a treat!  It was good.  Not too sweet and PERFECT over ice cream.  It is from Southern Living.

Hot Fudge Brownie Cake

Mustard Baked Chicken

Last week my in-laws came to see The Bun.  I wanted to try this new recipe because it sounded so good.  AND is was SO good, but my chicken didn't get cooked through like my thermometer read!!  I tell myself after I cook a whole chicken that I will NEVER do it again but always do.  Then our world got a little turned upside down when The Chicken Farmer's heart wasn't "beeping" right again.  While I was at my parents helping out and trying to get some real food on the table instead of the pizza and chicken fingers we had been eating, I decided to try the rub on a pork tenderloin.  It was good, but I prefer it on the chicken.

Mustard Baked Chicken

1 (4 lb.) whole chicken
1 Tbsp. paprika
1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Remove giblets and neck, and rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry.  Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag.  Stir together paprika and next 5 ingredients until well blended; rub over chicken, coating evenly.  Seal and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours, turning occasionally.  Remove from marinade, discarding marinade.  Place chicken in a roasting pan.  Bake at 425 for 50 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 170 degrees.  Let stand, covered, 15 minutes before slicing.

Next time I make this, I will just use chicken pieces and bake or maybe even grill.

**To avoid raw chicken, I have even baked this as individual chicken pieces.  See picture above.

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11/29/12 update:  Recently we have been using this marinade for pork roasts and it is SO good!

Jalapeno-Basil Pork Chops

This sounded interesting to me, but I was a little underwhelmed.  The Dish Washer said not to throw the recipe out altogether, but I won't be in a big hurry to make it again.  Not bad...just not my favorite.

Jalapeno-Basil Pork Chops

1 (10 oz.) jar jalapeno pepper jelly

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

4 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until pepper jelly melts.  Remove from heat, and let mixture cool completely.  Pour 3/4 c. pepper jelly mixture into a large zip-top plastic freezer bag, reserving remaining mixture; add pork chops, turning to coat.  Seal and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, turning pork chops occasionally.  Remove chops from marinade, discarding marinade.  Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.  Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat until thickest portion registers 160 degrees.  Serve with remaining pepper jelly mixture.

Putting Up Okra...for frying

We've been on the receiving end of a lot of fresh okra in the last few weeks.  My mother in law told me how she puts up her okra and The Dish Washer loves Mama's okra, so I thought I would do it just the same.

Wash all okra.  While still wet, cut into small slices.  In a large bowl, coat with cornmeal.  Once coated lay in single layer on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper.  Allow to flash freeze.  Once frozen, place in ziploc bag and then it is ready for frying when you are.

Southwest Mashed Sweet Potatoes

We've already talked about my love for savory sweet potatoes.  I'm always looking for new ways to try them out.  When I was recently going through recipes I cut out over the years I found this one.  We became huge green chile fans on our honeymoon in Santa Fe and haven't looked back since.  I knew we had to try it.

Southwest Mashed Sweet Potatoes

5 to 6 medium-size sweet potatoes
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Peel potatoes and cut into cubes.  Bring potatoes to a boil and boil 12 minutes or until tender.  Drain and return potatoes to pan.  Add sour cream and next 4 ingredients.  Mash with potato masher until smooth.  Serve warm.