Hoppin John

INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons canola oil 8 thick-cut slices bacon, cut crosswise into %-inch-wide lardons 1(15.5-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 poblano chile, finely diced 1 red bell pepper, finely diced 1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced 1 cup long-grain rice 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth 3 ounces mustard greens, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped Clover honey 4 large eggs Hot sauce 2 scallions, green tops and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced, for garnish INSTRUCTIONS Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has rendered its fat and is golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.Pour all but tablespoons of the rendered fat into a small bowl and set aside for cooking the peppers. 2. Heat the rendered fat still in the pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the black-eyed peas and cook until warm, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and transfer to a bowl. Pour the reserved rendered bacon fat into a medium saucepan and heat over high heat. Add the poblano, bell pepper, and onion. Season with salt and black pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and stir well. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. While the rice is cooking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large deep sauté pan over high heat. Add the mustard greens, a splash of water, and salt and black pepper to taste and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in a touch of honey to sweeten. When the rice is done cooking, remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and stir in the black-eyed peas and mustard greens. Transfer to a sheet pan in an even layer to stop further steaming and prevent the grains from clumping. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spoon the rice into a 2-quart baking dish and make 4 indentations spaced a few inches apart. Crack an egg into each indentation and season the eggs with salt and black pepper. Bake until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes. Remove, drizzle with a bit of hot sauce, and garnish with the bacon and scallions.

November 5, 2021 · Travis

Spaghetti and Meatballs

INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 fresh thyme sprigs, finely chopped 1 lb 7 oz ground beef 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 lb dried spaghetti salt and pepper Sauce 1 onion, cut into wedges 3 red bell peppers, halved and seeded 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes 1 bay leaf INSTRUCTIONS Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Remove from the heat and put the mixture into a bowl with the thyme, ground beef, breadcrumbs, and egg. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then mix well. Shape into 20 meatballs. Heat a large nonstick skillet over low-medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, stirring gently and turning frequently, for 15 minutes, until lightly browned all over. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. To make the sauce, put the onion wedges and bell pepper halves, skin-side up, on a broiler rack and cook under the preheated broiler, turning frequently, for 10 minutes, until the bell pepper skins are blistered and charred. Put the bell peppers into a plastic bag, tie the top, and let cool. Set the onion wedges aside. Peel off the bell pepper skins. Coarsely chop the flesh and put it into a food processor or blender with the onion wedges and tomatoes. Process to a smooth paste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a pan, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti, bring back to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, or according to the package directions, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the spaghetti and serve immediately with the meatballs and sauce.

November 5, 2021 · Travis

Steak Nachos

INGREDIENTS Paste 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon pure chile powder 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin The Rest 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, ½ to 4 inch thick, trimmed of excess surface fat, cut with the grain into 12-inch long pieces 1 bag (12 ounces) tortilla chips 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces) 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces) Green onions Pickled jalapenos Tomato-Avocado Salsa INSTRUCTIONS In a small bowl mix together the paste ingredients. Brush the paste on both sides of the steak pieces. Let the steak stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F). Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the steak pieces over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to your desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut the steak across the grain into bite-sized pieces. Layer half of the tortilla chips, steak, black beans, green onions, jalapenos, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses on a large sheet pan. Place the pan over direct high heat, close the lid, and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve immediately with the salsa. Repeat with the remaining ingredients on a second large sheet pan. Serves 12 to 15 ...

July 13, 2021 · Travis

Meatball Nirvana

INGREDIENTS 1 pound extra lean ground beef ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 small onion, diced ½ teaspoon garlic salt 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning ¾ teaspoon dried oregano ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 dash hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot®), or to taste 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ⅓ cup skim milk ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs INSTRUCTIONS Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the beef into a mixing bowl, and season with salt, onion, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, and place onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. MISCELLANEOUS Prep: 20 mins ...

June 20, 2021 · Travis

Pork Chops With Tomatillo Sauce

Tomatillos, a staple of the Mexican pantry, look like green tomatoes with a papery husk. Grilling enhances their tangy taste and softens their skin, making them easy to puree for a sauce that benefits from the addition of roasted poblanos and bacon. Brining the pork chops helps to ensure a moist, evenly cooked result. INGREDIENTS 4 boneless pork chops, each 6 to 8 ounces and about 1 inch thick BRINE ...

June 6, 2021 · Travis

Pizza Crust

INGREDIENTS 1 Tbsp dry active yeast 1 1/4 cup warm water (divided) 2-3 Tbsp sugar (divided) 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 Tbsp olive oil Flour Blend 1 cup (160 g) white rice flour 1 cup (160 g) brown rice flour 1 cup (120 g) tapioca flour 3/4 tsp xanthan gum INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). In a small bowl, combine yeast and 3/4 cup warm water (180 ml // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) – about 110 degrees F (43 C). Too hot and it will kill the yeast! Let set for 5 minutes to activate. Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp of the sugar (12 g // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) a few minutes in. In a separate bowl, combine gluten free flour blend, salt, baking powder and remaining 1-2 Tbsp sugar depending on preferred sweetness (12-25 g // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Whisk until well combined. Make a well in the dry mixture and add the yeast mixture. Add the olive oil and additional 1/2 cup warm water (120 ml // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) before stirring. Then stir it all together until well combined, using a wooden spoon (see photo). If using the whole dough to make one large pizza, spread onto a greased baking sheet or a pizza stone. Otherwise, make one smaller pizza and reserve the other half of the dough, wrapped in the fridge for several days. Using your hands and a little brown rice flour if it gets too sticky, work from the middle and push to spread/flatten the dough out to the edge (see pictures). You want it to be pretty thin – less than 1/4 inch. Put the pizza in the oven to pre-bake for roughly 25-30 minutes, or until it begins to look dry. Cracks may appear, but that’s normal and totally OK. Remove from oven and spread generously with your favorite pizza sauce, cheese and desired toppings. We went with Daiya to keep ours dairy-free. Pop back in oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust edge looks golden brown and the toppings are warm and bubbly. Cut immediately and serve. Reheats well the next day in the oven or microwave. NOTES To make 3 cups GF flour: 1 cup (160 g) white rice flour + 1 cup (160 g) brown rice flour + 1 cup (120 g) tapioca flour + 3/4 tsp xanthan gum) Recipe (as originally written) yields enough for 2 small-medium pizza crusts or 1 large. You can make this recipe ahead of time, up to 1-2 days in advance, stored covered in the refrigerator until time of use. However, it is best when made fresh. If the dough is finicky or sticky when spreading out, simply sprinkle on a little more brown rice flour to keep it from sticking.

April 13, 2021 · Travis

Broccoli Chicken Divan

INGREDIENTS 1 pound chopped fresh broccoli 1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of broccoli soup 1/3 cup milk 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon butter, melted 2 tablespoons dried bread crumbs INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place the broccoli in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Place the cooked broccoli in a 9 inch pie plate. Top with the chicken. In a bowl, mix the soup and milk, and pour over the chicken. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Mix the melted butter with the bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly brown.

February 9, 2021 · Travis

Pasta Fazool (Pasta e Fagioli)

INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive oil 12 ounces sweet bulk Italian sausage 1 stalk celery, diced 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 3/4 cup dry elbow macaroni 1/4 cup tomato paste 3 cups chicken broth, or more as needed, divided Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 3 cups chopped Swiss chard 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus additional for serving, or to taste INSTRUCTIONS Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage while breaking it into small pieces, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced celery and chopped onion. Cook until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add dry pasta. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until evenly distributed, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 cups broth. Raise heat to high and bring to a simmer. Add salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, and oregano. When soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let it simmer about 5 minutes, stirring often. Check soup consistency and add more broth, if needed. Place chopped chard in a bowl. Cover with cold water and rinse the leaves; any grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer chard to colander to drain briefly; add to soup. Cook and stir until leaves wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in white beans; continue cooking and stirring until pasta is perfectly cooked, another 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese. Serve topped with grated cheese, if desired.

February 9, 2021 · Travis

Tator Tot Casserole

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1 cup diced onion 1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 (26.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 (16 ounce) package frozen bite-size potato nuggets (such as Tater Tots®) 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1 pinch paprika, or to taste 1 pinch dried parsley flakes, or to taste INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cook and stir ground beef, onion, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a skillet over medium heat until beef is browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Spread beef into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Stir cream of mushroom soup, potato nuggets, and Cheddar cheese together in a large bowl until potato nuggets are evenly coated in soup and cheese. Spread potato nugget mixture over beef mixture. Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle paprika and parsley flakes over the top.

February 9, 2021 · Travis

Loaded Italian Sausages

Description Loaded Italian Sausages are topped with seared peppers and onions then smothered with mozzarella cheese. This low-carb dinner recipe is mouthwatering! Ingredients 4 sweet or hot Italian sausage links (uncooked), butterflied 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 yellow onion, diced homemade seasoned salt and pepper 8oz mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 6oz shredded mozzarella cheese Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil, spray with nonstick spray, and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick spray then add sausages cut side down and sear until golden brown, 5 minutes. Flip then sear for 1 more minute. Transfer sausages to prepared baking sheet then set aside. Turn heat down to a touch above medium then add oil. Once hot, add bell peppers and onion, season with seasoned salt and pepper, then saute until vegetables begin to soften and get a little bit of color, 5 minutes. Add mushrooms then saute until all the vegetables are tender, adding more seasoned salt and pepper after the mushrooms release their liquid. When the vegetables have a few minutes left, add garlic then saute until very fragrant. Add balsamic vinegar then stir to combine. Scoop vegetables on top of seared sausages then sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is fully melted then serve. Serves 4 ...

October 8, 2020 · Travis