Roast Beef Sandwiches

There is nothing like perfectly cooked roast beef. My favorite kind is the roast beef that is medium rare, yet it's not dripping any pink juices. This type of roast beef is very difficult to come by. But the other day while we were at Henry's Marketplace, I saw the most perfect roast beef in the deli counter. Immediately we bought a half pound and Matthew made these absolutely delicious sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 sandwiches)

• 1-10 to 12" sourdough roll
• 1/2 lb. thinly sliced roast beef (the pinker, the better, me thinks)
• 4 slices medium cheddar
• Sliced tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Dijon mustard
• Mayo

DIRECTIONS

First, toast the sourdough bread in the oven or toaster oven until golden brown on all sides (Matthew burnt ours a little bit, but it was still good). Then cut the bread in half, and slice each half lengthwise. Be careful because bread will be hot.

Workings quickly, spread mayo on the bottom two slices of bread, then place a slice of cheese, sliced tomato and lettuce. Divide roast beef between the slices; slather with as much, or as little, Dijon mustard (believe me, you want mustard on this baby). Finally, add last slice of cheese, then add the top bread slice.

Serve with a side of kosher dill pickles or cornishons. Delicioso!

Pasta Fra Diavolo, Diva Style

I know I've been slacking with my recipes lately. You see, Mateus and I are getting ready to travel to Europe in 9 days...yes, nueve dias. So, I haven't been cooking a lot since our fridge is kind of empty now--plus we haven't shopped for groceries in over a week. But, I know that my readers (all two of you!) probably check for new recipes once in a while. Below is this pasta I created from thin spaghetti I had in the cupboard, tuna and frozen mussels, and a half empty jar of Prego sauce. Authentic fra diavolo has shrimp and all sorts of seafood in it and you can definitely add it to this tasty pasta, however if you're in a hurry, you'll totally like this spicy version. Oh, and yes, Lindsey, I had ALL of these ingredients in my kitchen. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS (about 4 servings)

• 1/2 pound (or half the box) of thin Spaghetti or Fettuccini
• 1 package of frozen mussels in garlic and butter (you can find it at Vons or Trader Joe's) cooked to package directions. Remove the meat from each mussel and set aside--DO NOT discard the garlic/butter liquid it will give off, but do discard the shells.
• 1 package StarKist® Tuna Fillets, Teriyaki flavor
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 whole dried red chili peppers
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2/3 cup Prego® Traditional pasta sauce
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoon Kraft®Parmesan cheese (yes, the blue stuff)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of boiling water that is well salted, add your spaghetti or fettuccini and cook to package directions.

In a large sauté skillet on medium-high add the olive oil and butter. Add two whole, dried red chili peppers and sauté for 1 minute. Then add the onions and sauté until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the diced tomato and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the tuna fillets and break apart with your spatula; also add the mussels, 1/2 cup of the mussel liquid, 2/3 cup of the pasta sauce, two tablespoons of parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, and one teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Let the sauce come to a boil, then lower heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Drain your pasta well and add it into the skillet with the seafood sauce, or fra diavolo. Toss to combine. Then add the finely chopped parsley and serve while still hot. You can top it off with additional parmesan cheese.

Key Lime Pie Martini

Sometimes after dinner I'd rather have a digestif than a heavy dessert. Usually Matt and I like to drink a fine port or his favorite tequila liquor, but for those of you who want the taste of a dessert but not the heaviness, you'll love this cocktail. It tastes just like a wedge of Key Lime Pie, but it's in a martini form. How fabulous is that?

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 martini)

• 3 tablespoons Licor 43 vanilla liqueur
• 1 tablespoon lemon-flavored vodka
• 2 tablespoons key lime juice or fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 lime wedge for garnish
• 1/8 teaspoon finely crushed cinnamon graham cracker crumbs, for the rim

DIRECTIONS

Chill the martini glass.In a shaker filled with ice combine Liquor 43, vodka, key-lime juice& heavy cream. Shake till shaker is icy cold to hold. Rub rim of chilled martini glass with lime wedge then dip into graham; strain drink into martini glass and enjoy, my friend.

ChocoFlan

This cake pretty much has it all. I mean, how can you go wrong with a layer of flan and then a layer of chocolate cake smothered in caramel? Heck no! ChocoFlan is a very popular cake for birthday parties in Mexico, so definitely make this for a special occasion. TIP: Even though the flan is poured on top of the cake batter, it will sink to the bottom of the pan as it cooks. Once you take the cake out of the pan, the flan will be on top. Scrumptious!

INGREDIENTS (yields about 12 slices)

• 1 box of your favorite Devils Food Cake Mix
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 can caramel spread
• Pecans

DIRECTIONS

CAKE: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare cake batter according to instructions on package. Do not bake, set aside.

FLAN: In a blender, mix eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Grease the Bundt pan very well; pour the chocolate cake batter and on top carefully spoon the flan batter. Don't worry if the surface of the chocolate mix gets disturbed a little bit. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in a water bath for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 min at 375 F. Check the cake with a knife or bamboo skewer until it comes clean to make sure is cooked.

Remove cake and cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then flip it onto your serving dish. Refrigerate the cake overnight so that the flan sets.

TOPPING: Pour caramel spread on top and garnish with desired amounts of pecans and whipped cream.

Apple and Pecan Cheesecake

My husband, Mateus, is in a cheesecake kick this week. After my mom tasted his Oreo Cheesecake he made last weekend, she was so impressed by it that she nominated him to make her birthday cake for next weekend. Below is the recipe he'll be trying out. If you don't have a 9" springform pan, you can also make this cheesecake on a 13"x9" rectangular pan.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 3/4 cup finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans, divided
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 cups thin peeled apple slices

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs, 1/2 cup of the pecans, 3 Tbsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

BEAT cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. Mix 1/3 cup sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp. cinnamon in large bowl. Add apples; toss to coat. Spoon over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.

BAKE 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

The Most Evil Cheesecake Ever

I truly love cheesecake. It's probably one of the worst things anyone could eat, but how can you say no to cream cheese? I especially love this OREO® Cheesecake. I think the macadamia nut cheesecake is probably the second evilest (is that even a word?). Anyhoo, I was tempted to buy the Oreo Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory but it was $23.95 for a 7" cake!!! So, after some calculation (and I was lazy to go buy it) I figured out that it's actually cheaper to buy the stuff and bake the darn cheesecake yourself.

INGREDIENTS (about 16 slices)

• 1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 3 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT oven to 350°F if using a 9-inch silver springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Finely crush 30 of the cookies. Mix crushed cookies with butter. Press firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up side of pan; set aside.

Coarsely chop remaining 15 cookies; set aside.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies. Spread into prepared crust.

BAKE 55 minutes to 1 hour or until set. (If necessary to prevent top from overbrowning, tent with foil during last 15 to 20 minutes of baking time.) Cool completely on wire rack.

REFRIGERATE at least 4 hours or overnight. Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake; remove side of pan before serving. Decorate with additional Oreo cookies or whipped cream. Incredibly yummy!

Minnesota State Fair On A Stick

YUMMY! Who doesn't love food-on-a-stick?

Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers

Can you believe summertime is almost gone? It has been so hot and humid here in San Diego lately that it seemed like summer would last forever, but last night the winds changed it's definitely getting cooler now (yes, that's like 70 degrees for us!!!). As a last hurrah, make these cheddar-stuffed burgers to remind you of summer and get you ready for the fall.

Grilling Method: Direct/Medium

INGREDIENTS (makes 6 burgers)

• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Coleman's dry mustard
• Kosher salt
• Coarse black pepper, freshly ground (about ¼ cup)
• 6 - 2 inch cubes of sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 hamburger buns
• 6 crisp lettuce leaves (optional)
• 6 slices ripe tomato (optional)
• Ketchup (optional)
• Mustard (optional)
• Mayonnaise (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Being careful not to over-work the meat, mix the sirloin and chuck, add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and salt until just combined. Portion the meat into 6 equal pieces and shape each patty around one cube of cheese and set aside.

Meanwhile, put peppers on a shallow plate and roll the rim of each burger in the pepper until it is coated in a "stripe" of pepper. (The burgers can be made up to this point one day earlier and kept refrigerated.)

When ready to grill, place burgers on the cooking grate and grill until the meat is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Meanwhile grill the buns over Direct heat until lightly toasted, if desired.

Serve immediately on the buttered rolls with a lettuce leaf and tomato if desired. Serve with traditional condiments on the side.

Recipe from Girlsatthegrill.com

Gorgeous Foods

Kobe Beef Sushi Roll

From the mind of Executive Chef, Jeff Thruston, comes this delectable sushi roll. It's a roll with asparagus and braised hijiki and topped with seared Kobe beef. You can only find this at The Prado Restaurant in San Diego, CA.

T-Bone Steak Dinner & Panna Cotta

We had this fabulous dinner at the Wine Vault and Bistro in San Diego, CA.

Individual Molten Center Chocolate Cakes

I saw this recipe on another fellow bloggers site, bakinsheet.blogspot.com, and I had to give it a try. I am freakishly addicted to chocolate and this recipe especially caught my eye because it uses bittersweet chocolate. This is a perfect recipe for a dinner party or if you want to impress your family, or that special someone.

INGREDIENTS (makes 6 individual cakes)

• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped and divided
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F.

Butter a 6-cup muffin tin and dust each well with cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a small bowl, melt together 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon heavy cream, either in the microwave in very small intervals, or over a small double boiler. Once it becomes smooth and shiny, chill for about 10 to 15 minutes. This is the ganache.

In another small bowl, melt together the remaining 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and the butter. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture triples in volume and is very thick (about 5-7 minutes). Sift flour over egg mixture and fold in. Add cooled chocolate/butter mixture and fold in until batter is uniform. Pour into prepared muffin tins.

Form ganache into 6 teaspoon-sized balls and place one in each cake, pressing gently to cover with batter. (If there is a little left over, that's ok.)

Bake at 400F for 9-11 minutes, until the tops are set. Let cakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and serving on individual plates. Cakes can be served right side up or still inverted. Serve immediately, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Hot Dogs, Mexican Style

In Mexico, bacon-wrapped hot dogs are a staple street food that you can find in almost any busy corner, especially during the evenings. Nowadays, you can also find these hot dog vendors in Southern California. There are a few vendors in San Diego that sell these doggies and, boy are they good. If you're a bacon lover, which I know you are, you'll enjoy these perros calientes. Mmmmm, bacon....

INGREDIENTS (makes 8 hot dogs)

• 8 hot dogs
• 8 hotdog buns
• 8 slices bacon
• Mayonnaise, as needed
• Ketchup, as needed
• Mustard, as needed
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper (optional), seeded and finely diced

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, onion and jalapeño pepper and set aside.

Wrap bacon around each hot dog. If needed, you can insert toothpicks to hold the bacon in place, but usually it will stick to the hot dog by itself. Place the hot dogs on a pre-heated skillet and cook on medium until the bacon is done.

Warm the hot dog buns and spread mayonnaise on them.

Place one bacon wrapped hot dog on each bun (remove toothpicks, if used), and add your favorite condiments such as ketchup and mustard.

Finally, spread some of the salsa over the hot dog, about one to two tablespoons and enjoy!

PB&B: Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

This sandwich is insane. If you love peanut butter like I do, you will love this sandwich. It's a grilled sami smothered in peanut butter, topped with sliced bananas and grilled to perfection. As some of you may know, my husband hates bananas. Don't ask me why, but he does. So I made the recipe below for him sans bananas. It still tasted pretty good.

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 sandwiches)

• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 small bananas or one huge one...hee hee
• 4 slices of white bread, a good variety or your favorite sandwich bread
• Spreadable butter such as ICBINB
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the first three ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Spread equal amounts of peanut butter on each slice of bread.
3. Slice the banana and place the slices on two pieces of bread. Top with another piece of bread.
   
4. Place a non-stick pan on medium-high. Butter each side of the sandwich and grill for about 1 minute per side, or until it's nicely grilled. In the meantime, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a plate. Once your PB&B is grilled on both sides, immediately pass it through the cinnamon sugar.

Cut sandwich on the diagonal and serve immediate. YUMMY-TUMMY!

P.E.I. Mussels

We live near the Kensington Grill restaurant in San Diego, CA. The restaurant is a casual shi-shi joint with a very unique American menu. One of my favorite items in their menu is their p.e.i mussels (Prince Edward Island). The mussels are steamed to perfection in a white wine broth, and then they are served with a tarragon sauce. If you check this place out, I suggest you just order from their appetizer menu since it's cheaper and I think the appetizers are better tasting than the entrees.

INGREDIENTS (about 3 to 4 servings as an appetizer)

• 2 pounds mussels
• 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Gris or Blanc de Blanc
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 thyme sprig
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Discard any mussels that have cracked or are damaged. Remove beards from mussels, and scrub each mussel under cold water. Rinse until water runs clear.

Combine the wine, shallots, bay leaf, and thyme in a very large pot and bring to a slow simmer over medium heat.

Add the mussels to pot, cover, and turn heat up to high. When steam starts to escape from cover, reduce heat to medium. Shake pot to redistribute mussels, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until mussels have opened. Remove from heat. Remove mussels from liquid and discard any unopened mussels.

Remove the bay leaf. Add the shallot liquid into another saucepan. Reduce liquid on high heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and with a hand held blender add the olive oil, Dijon, and tarragon to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over mussels. Serve nice pieces of crusty, French bread to sop up all the juices.

Farfalle in a Pignoli Cream Sauce

There are times when I wake up craving pasta. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, I always try to create something new rather than just making the old standard spaghetti or lasagna. Since I had pine nuts in the house, I came up with this recipe. If you don't have pine nuts or don't like them, you can use toasted, unsalted walnuts instead.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 1-1/2 cups of sauce)

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 8 ounces heavy whipping cream
• salt to taste
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup ground pignoli (pine nuts)**
• Bowtie pasta (or your favorite short pasta) cooked according to package directions
• A few more pine nuts for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook it, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Add heavy cream, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, nutmeg, grated Parmesan cheese, grated Romano cheese, and ground pignolis. Simmer over medium low heat for 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the sauce to your cooked pasta and serve immediately.

Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese, and roasted pignolis, if desired.

**Before you use the store bought pine nuts, toast them in a 325° oven, stirring occasionally, until they're slightly golden, about five minutes.

Peace in the Middle East!

Our friend, Bill (who is single, by the way!) hosted our cooking club for this month. The theme: Peace in the Middle East. Our cooking club tries to get together once every 2 months and we choose a theme. Then we all cook food from scratch and share the food with each other. Of course, in the end we tend to get drunk since we all like to drink our alcoholic libations.

Anyhoo, my sister-in-law made delicious hummus with soft, warm pita bread. Michelle, her co-worker from the Eye of Mordor (Omni Hotel) made us all falafel from scratch; they also made a refreshing yogurt-cucumber sauce.

Thank goodness Bill (did I mention he is single, ladies, and he's 33 and drives a Honda Accord?) has a deep fryer. Michelle went to town on that thing frying up the falafel. Bill made us all cinnamon-spiced lamb kabobs and potato latkes. I made Israeli couscous and Lebanese meatballs in a tomato sauce--everything was delicious.

Our friends, Scott and Benni, brought Witch Creek wine. It's from Carlsbad, California and it's a really good wine. Matthew and I also brought local wine from Belle Marie winery in Escondido. If you guys are ever in Carlsbad or Escondido, you should check out these wineries. Their wines are surprisingly yummy and I think in a few more years they are only going to get better.

The girls of the cooking club.

Finally, the boys ended the feast with some faux-Cuban cigars. Bill is the one with the extremely red shirt!

Matzoh Ball Soup

Last week I got the sick. Yes, it was about time that I got a cold since I was almost sick-free last winter. I have a few tricks to get rid of my colds fast. First, drink lots of fluids (like hot toddies, water and OJ), eat homemade matzoh ball soup, and drink my super-C-tea! Below is a quick and delicious matzoh ball soup recipe, which is also sometimes called Jewish penicillin!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz) at room temperature (ask your butcher for it, but if you can't find it, use vegetable oil)
• 3 tablespoons hot chicken broth
• 3/4 cup matzoh meal
• 2 quarts water
• 9 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
• 1 sprig dill weed, fresh
• 3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 7-oz bag Manischewitz fine egg noodles

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, beat the yolks with the salt until thick and yellow colored. Mix in the chicken fat and hot chicken broth until well mixed. In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry peaks form. Fold the egg whites gently into the egg yolk mixture. Carefully fold in the matzoh meal. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour.

Place 2 quarts of water on boil and once boiling, salt generously. Wet hands and shape matzoh mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Add the matzoh balls to boiling water. Don't add more until first batch surfaces! Do not make the matzo balls too large, as they will expand generously upon cooking. Cover and cook approximately half an hour. Remove with slotted spoon. If balls fall apart, add small amounts of matzoh meal until proper consistency. In the meantime, bring the homemade chicken stock or canned broth, carrots, dill weed and noodles to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer for at least 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls into the chicken soup. Simmer for 10 more minutes, then ladle soup into serving bowls and place Matzoh Balls in the individual bowls and serve it to your sickly family.

Kielbasa Special

I wanted to make my husband a good ol' meat and potatoes meal that reminded him of his hometown in Minnesota. This meal uses the Mid-western staple of kielbasa, which is fully cooked sausage with great flavoring. A nice toasted piece of buttered rye bread goes well with this meal, as well as a tall glass of Guinness!

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

• 1 Kielbasa sausage, cut into 1" pieces on the diagonal
• 4 or 5 white potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2" to 1" pieces
• 2 pieces of thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 granny smith apple, cored and sliced
• 1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper

First, boil the potatoes in a large pot of water for about 12 to 15 minutes. You want them to be almost fully cooked. Drain and set aside.

In the meantime, cook the bacon on medium-high heat in a large sauté pan for about 3 to 5 minutes until bacon renders out its bacon grease. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and garlic to the bacon grease. Sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the red bell pepper and apple slices. Season with a 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes or so, add the shredded cabbage and cider vinegar and combine it with the ingredients. Cover the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the bacon back into the cabbage and sauté the cabbage for another 8 to 10 minutes, uncovered. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed (it probably will) and add a tablespoon of butter during the last minute of cooking.

While you are sautéing the cabbage, get another skillet on the stove. Heat to medium. Cook the kielbasa until it gets nice and browned on all sides. Set it aside and cover with foil to keep warm. In the same skillet, add a little vegetable oil and cook the par-boiled potatoes and brown them nicely on all sides too. (I prefer to sautéd the kielbasa and potatoes together, but it's up to you how you like to do it.)

Before serving, combine the kielbasa and potatoes in a large bowl. Serve some kielbasa and potatoes on a plate with sautéed cabbage and a piece of buttered, rye bread...don't ya know.

Easy Baked Beans

I like to eat baked beans (or pork and beans) once in a while, but I always find that they are too sweet for me. My husband, on the other hand, loves sweet baked beans, so I came up with a happy medium. These beans still have that sweet taste from the brown sugar, but the molasses give it an almost smoky flavor and the tomato sauce gives it some tartness. However, if you do like more sweetness on your beans, just add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 (15oz) cans of white Navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 heaping tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup beer, preferably a pale ale or light beer (you can use 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock if you prefer not to use the beer)
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large 4-quart pot or dutch oven to medium high. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the same pot, add the diced onions and garlic to the bacon grease and sautee for 2 to 3 minutes or until onions become soft.

Then add the remaining ingredients: white beans, molasses, brown sugar, tomato sauce, beer, salt and pepper and add the crispy bacon bits back to the pot. Bring the beans to a boil then lower heat to a simmer.

Simmer the beans, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until they become rich and thick. Serve them immediately with your bangers and mash. The beans will taste even better the next day. Try eating them for breakfast (the Mexican way) with scrambled eggs and tortillas. You will be amazed how good it tastes!

Irish Beef and Guinness Stew

On our recent visit to Boston, Matthew and I visited several of my favorite Irish Pubs and I had forgotten how much influence the Irish have in that city. My husband specially loved drinking Guinness while we were in Boston. This inspired me to make Irish stew...but not just any stew, this is Guinness Irish Stew! *By the way, there are no potatoes in this version, but you can add 2 large, peeled potatoes cut into 1" pieces to the stew.

INGREDIENTS (feeds 6 Minnesotans or 8 Californians)

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 to 2-1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces and seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 to 3 large onions, peeled and sliced
• 2 minced cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 6 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced or 1 pound peeled baby carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
• 2 quarts homemade beef stock, or canned low-salt beef broth
• 1 cup Guinness Stout
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley

DIRECTIONS

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or a kettle and brown the meat all at once over high heat, stirring constantly. Cook for about 5 minutes until the meat is lightly browned all over. Remove meat with tongs and set aside.

Reduce the heat in the Dutch oven or kettle to medium-high and add the onions and garlic. Cook the onions for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft but not browned. Add the flour and stir to coat the onions, about one more minute.

Transfer the meat back into the Dutch oven with the onions and garlic and add the remaining ingredients: carrots, thyme, *potatoes, beef broth, Guinness, caraway seeds, raisins, and tomato puree. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Adjust seasonings and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes on the side and Irish soda bread.

CHEERS!

Lobster Roll

Lobster rolls are common fare in Boston and pretty much anywhere in the state of Maine where lobster fishing is common. In the summer, many restaurants sell lobster rolls as their specialty--you can even buy them at McDonalds! The recipe below is extremely simple and freshly steamed lobster is the absolute best for this recipe. These lobster rolls are my favorite.

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 roll)

• 1/2 cup cooked Maine Lobster (fresh is best), cut into large chunks
• 1/2 tablespoon Hellmann's mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard
• pinch salt
• 1 lettuce leaf
• 1 small "top-loading" hot dog bun
• Dash of paprika (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together lobster, mayonnaise, mustard and salt.
2. Spread the lettuce leaf on the bottom of the hot dog bun.
3. Spread lobster over lettuce. Sprinkle a little paprika over lobster and enjoy!