Memphis BBQ Spaghetti

Memphis BBQ Spaghetti
Could This Be The Next Southern Staple!?
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes 

 Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, sliced thin 
1 green bell pepper, sliced thin 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
2 cups marinara sauce 
1 box spaghetti, cooked 
1  lb smoked pork, diced or pulled 
hot sauce (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta according to directions on package, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and set aside.  In a large cast iron pan or skillet, add olive oil on medium heat and saute onions, green pepper and garlic until slightly tender.  Add to the skillet BBQ sauce, marinara sauce and the cooked smoked pork and cook on medium heat until nice and bubbly.  toss in cooked pasta and coat well with the sauce mixture and cook for additional 10 minute on a low simmer. ( If the sauce is to thick, add the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce.)  Dash of hot sauce for heat (optional).  Serve Hot!
Serves 4

Kimchee Fried Rice Bowl

Kimchee Fried Rice Bowl
Cooking The Kimchee Mellows Out The Strong Flavors!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 5-18 minutes prep time for rice (depending on the rice, if you are using a boxed rice recipe, that usually allows for 5 minutes on the stovetop/microwave)
Cooking time: 15 minutes

 

Ingredients
4 thin slice ribeye steaks
4 cups hot cooked rice
2 cups jarred prepared kimchee
1 tbsp canola oil
1 package shredded seasoned Nori (seaweed)
salt
pepper

          Cooking tools
          Wok/nonstick skillet (for rice)
          Nonstick pan/grilling pan (for ribeye)

Directions
Cook rice according to package directions. Salt and pepper ribeye steaks and in your first nonstick pan or grilling pan, grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside. In a Wok or nonstick skillet on medium heat, add the 1 tbsp of canola oil and toss in your cooked rice and stir for a few minutes. Add kimchee and mix in the rice until the rice is completely coated and the kimchee is mixed, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook rice for a few more minutes and you can raise the temperature to get some of the rice crispy.  Place rice in serving bowls, add ribeye steak and top with Nori (your preference).
Serves 4

Smoked Salmon Canapes With Mango Creme Fraiche

Smoked Salmon Canapes With Mango Creme Fraiche
The Perfect Party Hors d'oeuvre!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Bisquick pancake mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
butter (your preference)
1 package smoked salmon
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup fresh mango plus juices, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mango, small dice
pinch of salt

Cooking Tools
Large mixing bowl
Nonstick skillet
Spatula
Food processor/handheld mixer

Directions
In a mixing bowl add your 1 cup of Bisquick, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/egg and salt, whisk until well mixed.  In a nonstick skillet, add butter on medium low heat, add small dollops of pancake mix to create small pancakes, or make 2 large pancakes and then once cooked cut with round cookie cutter to make the canapes. Once the pancakes start to bubble, flip and finish cooking; set aside. In a food processor add 1/2 cup fresh mango and juices and creme fraiche; blend until smooth.  To assemble, add a small slice of smoked salmon on top of mini pancake, top with a dollop of mango creme fraiche and garnish with fresh diced mango.  Double or triple the recipe for more canapes.

         Serves 10 

Mascarpone Gnocchi With Creamy Marinara

Mascarpone Gnocchi With Creamy Marinara
A Nontraditional Gnocchi Recipe!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 25 minutes + 1 hour to refrigerate gnocchi

This Gnocchi Recipe Is So Light And Fluffy, Absolutely Delicious!

 

Mascarpone Gnocchi
Ingredients
3/4 cup flour + 1/4 cup for dusting & rolling
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
pinch of salt

Creamy Marinara
Ingredients
3 cups fresh marinara sauce
2 tbsp mascarpone cheese
1 tsp garlic, minced
olive oil
1 tbsp minced parsley, for garnish

          Cooking Tools
          Large mixing bowl
          Parchment paper
          8x10 inch cooking pan
          Large skillet
          Large pot (for boiling water)

Directions
In a large mixing bowl add flour, your 1 cup mascarpone cheese, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, your 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, nutmeg and salt.  Mix thoroughly until the dough becomes sticky. Once the dough is sticky, divide it into 2 balls that fit the size of your hand (size of a baseball).  On a floured surface, roll each ball into a 3/4 to 1 inch circumference rope (see below for reference of size).  Cut your gnocchi to 1 inch width and you can either leave them as is or add ridges with a fork (see last picture). Place your gnocchi on parchment lined tray without touching each other and cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for an hour. In a large skillet on low heat add your olive oil (tsp or less, whichever amount you prefer to cook with) and garlic and cook two minutes. Add your 3 cups of marinara sauce and the 2 tbsp of mascarpone cheese, simmer until nice and bubbly. In a large pot of boiling salted water, reduce heat and add half of the refrigerated gnocchi. The gnocchi will sink to the bottom and when all the gnocchi rise to the surface, using a hand held strainer, transfer drained cooked gnocchi to the large skillet with your creamy marinara sauce. Repeat with the rest of the gnocchi. Toss gently in the creamy marinara sauce, don't over mix since these gnocchi are very delicate. Place in serving bowls, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and garnish with minced parsley.
Serves 4

Banger & Mash With A Scotch Egg

Bangers & Mash With A Scotch Egg
A Hearty English Meal!
Difficulty: Moderate

Served With Traditional Mashed Potatoes And Garnished With An Fried Onion Ring!

Ingredients
4 bangers (English Sausage)
1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chilled
2 cups flour
2 cups fine, dry bread crumbs
4 eggs, beaten
4 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a skillet on medium heat, cook bangers until done ( split in half, optional) set aside.  Form a patty in your hand with the first portion. Flatten patty, place egg inside, and keep rolling egg and meat in the palms of your hands, until a thin layer of meat coats the eggs. Repeat this procedure until all the eggs are coated with pork mixture. Chill 20 minutes. Dredge chilled, coated eggs first in flour, then in eggs and bread crumbs. 
Heat oil in a large stockpot or saucepan to deep fry temperature (350 degrees F). Fry eggs, 2 or 3 at a time, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a roasting pan and bake 10 minutes.  Serve the English breakfast, lunch or dinner with mashed potatoes with brown gravy and garnish with a fried onion ring.
Serves 4
 

Crab Cakes Benedict

Crab Cakes Benedict
Or Just Simply Crab Cakes!
Difficulty: Easy

 

 Ingredients
1  16 oz. fresh jumbo lump crab meat
1 cup roasted red pepper, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 egg yolk
pepper
4 English muffins, split and toasted
8 eggs, fried over easy

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.  In a large mixing bowl; mix the first 13 ingredients well. Form patties and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the thickness of your patties.
Serve crab cakes on split and toasted English muffins, then a fried egg on each crab cake and top with Hollandaise Sauce (Recipe below)
Yields 8 Patties, 4 servings

Hollandaise
Ingredients
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp warm water
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Directions
In a blender, combine egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and salt; blend until frothy.
Heat butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium until bubbly (do not let brown). With blender running, pour in hot butter in a very thin stream, blending until sauce is thick and emulsified.
Serves 4

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Served With A Basil Pesto Mayo 
Difficulty: Easy
 

Ingredients
1 package fresh chicken tenderloins (8-10)
2/3 cup Bisquick mix
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tbsp butter, melted

Ingredients
Preheat oven 425 Degrees F.  Line baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.  In a large freezer zip lock bag; place all the dry ingredients and shake to mix.  In a small bowl whisk egg.  Dip half of the chicken tenderloin strips in the egg and place in freezer bag and shake to coat.  Repeat with the rest of the tenderloins.  Place chicken on a baking sheet and drizzle with the melted butter.  Bake for 20 minutes; flip chicken over halfway through the baking process.

Serves 2

Basil Pesto Mayo
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp jarred pesto sauce
Directions
In a small mixing bowl; mix ingredients.