Baked beans never meant much to me until I tried this recipe for Hot and Smoky Baked Beans. I’m not exagerating when I say these are AWESOME baked beans! I’ve tried other recipes but this is the one I always come back to. The beans have great smoky flavor from the bacon, barbecue sauce and chipotle chilies (and liquid smoke if you use it) and they’re not too sweet (like some baked beans). YUMM!!! Husband lights up like a Christmas tree when I tell him I’m making Hot & Smoky Baked Beans. Sometimes he even eats them instead of dessert. True story.

This recipe really does elevate the humble bean to a new place of honor. I like to use a variety of canned beans (kidney, pinto, black, great northern), and usually 1 to 2 chopped chipotle chilies depending on who I’m serving the beans to. Add a little chopped chipotle pepper and taste the mixture before adding more (a small amount of chipotle chilies goes a long way). A good-quality, smoke-flavored barbecue sauce is best in this recipe. I like D.L. Jardine’s Mesquite Barbecue Sauce. The beer adds a layer of flavor to the beans without making them taste beery. I use an Irish stout like Murphy’s or Guinness.  To add more smoky flavor, I usually add 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke. Parsley is a nice garnish but I don’t usually bother with it. Enjoy!!

Hot and Smoky Baked Beans
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Serve these hot or at room temperature. Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

6 bacon slices
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/4 cups purchased barbecue sauce
3/4 cup dark beer
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 to 6 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies (I use 1-2 chipotle chilies, to taste)
6 15- to 16-ounce cans Great Northern beans, drained

Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Transfer 2 1/2 tablespoons bacon drippings from skillet to large bowl. Finely chop bacon; add to bowl. Add onion and next 7 ingredients to bowl and whisk to blend. Whisk in 4 to 6 teaspoons chipotle chilies, depending on spiciness desired. Stir in beans. Transfer bean mixture to 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Bake uncovered until liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Blog parties I’m linked to:
Idea Sharin’ Wednesday
Ultimate Recipe Swap
Just For The Joy Of It
Recipe Share Party at Harrigan Howdy
Try New Adventures Thursday
Foodie Friday
It’s a Hodgepodge Friday
New Friend Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge
Favorite Things Friday
Friday Favorites
Friendly Friday Follow
Friendly Friday
I’m Lovin’ It Fridays

Tags: bacon, baked beans, barbecue sauce, chipotle chilies, dark beer, dijon mustard, molasses

With Summer and Father’s Day almost upon us, I thought I’d recommend a few grilling cookbooks that I use frequently. Any of these cookbooks would make a great gift for the Grill Master or the Father in your life, or buy them for yourself (like I did)!

Weber’s Real Grilling by Jamie Purviance
This cookbook is filled with over 200 original recipes (each with a color photo) that were inspired by grilled foods all over the world. The recipes are easy and delicious, such as Filet Mignon with Lemon-Parsley Butter, Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Cedar-Planked Salmon with Honey-Lime dressing, Smoky Sweet Baked Beans and many more.

Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Grilling
More than 130 recipes from around the world (each with a photo), like Carne Asada with Blackened Corn, Hickory Grill-Smoked Chicken, Cilantro Pesto Shrimp, Mixed Grill of Summer Vegetables, etc. This is a beautiful cookbook!

BBQ USA by Steven Raichlen
This cookbook has 425 recipes from all across America. There are black and white photos throughout the cookbook but none of the individual recipes. Here’s a smattering of some of the recipes: Big Easy Barbecued Turkey, Tangerine Teriyaki Chicken, Cincinnati Chili Dogs, Apple City Championship Ribs, Santa Maria Tri-Tip with All the Fixin’s, Grilled Caesar Salad, Charred Vegetable Salsa, and the list goes on and on.

Note: If you click on the title of the cookbook, the link takes you straight to Amazon.com. Pretty handy, huh!

Tags: bbq, cookbooks, Father's Day gift, Grilling/BBQ, Summer

I have to be honest…figs never meant much to me. When a friend recently invited me to swing by and pick some ripe figs, I couldn’t pass up the offer for free fruit (even though it was for figs). I talked a few friends into joining me for the fig picking and we met at the fig tree. After we loaded up on the ripe fruit and other assorted veggies from the garden, we went our separate ways. Once home, I surveyed my freshly picked figs and decided I’d better do a little research on them.

I learned that figs are an excellent source of fiber, potassium and calcium. Ripe figs are soft (like a peach) but not mushy, and should be used within a day or two. And, I’m told that figs are quite the popular fruit in the Mediterranean.

So now that I had a pound and a half of figs on my kitchen counter, I had to figure out what to do with them. A few years back I’d tried a delicious fig and blue cheese appetizer at a restaurant. The memory of that delicious crostini was my inspiration for making Rosemary and Port Fig Jam, a recipe I found in Food and Wine Magazine. It’s super easy to make and is a creative use of the fruit. I used regular ol’ red port instead of white port since that’s what I had on hand. Depending on how sweet your figs are, you may want to add a bit more lemon juice to the boiling jam if you taste it and think it’s too sweet.

After the jam cooled, I slathered some on baguette slices (a little goes a long way) and topped it with a thin slab of rich and tangy aged blue cheese…a delicious combination! The fig jam would also be really good with roast pork or chicken.

Rosemary and Port Fig Jam
-recipe from Food and Wine Magazine

2 pounds green or purple figs, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup white port
1 4-inch sprig of rosemary

In a large, nonreactive saucepan, toss the fig pieces with the sugar and let stand, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the figs are juicy.

Add the lemon juice, rosemary sprig and water and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Simmer the fig jam over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is soft and the liquid runs off the side of a spoon in thick, heavy drops, about 20 minutes. Remove rosemary and discard.

Spoon the jam into three 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top. Close the jars and let cool to room temperature. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Tags: figs, rosemary and port fig jam

Years ago, a friend gave me some mint that I planted in my front yard by a water faucet. After a season or two and the mint taking over that area, I decided to take it out of the ground and plant something else there. I was successful in removing all traces of the mint from the front yard, but apparently some roots inadvertently got mixed in with dirt in my backyard and now it’s gone crazy back there. When you read about mint being invasive, boy, they’re not kidding! 

I’m sure you’ve seen recipes that call for using mint. However, most recipes don’t specify what kind of mint to use. I can tell you from experience that not all mint is created equal. I’m pretty sure the mint in my yard is peppermint (which is the most potent and tastes best with sweet things) because when I used it in a savory recipe it tasted weird, too strong and totally out of place. After doing some research on mint, I found that the kind that is typically used in savory dishes (Mediterranean cooking, lamb dishes, salads, etc.) is spearmint. Now I am not a mint expert but I thought I would pass along a few things I learned:

Mint (Mentha)
- found on http://www.gardenguides.com/

The common types of mint are peppermint, pennyroyal, crinkle-leafed spearmint, spearmint, and applemint.
Never eat pennyroyal, as it is toxic.

Cultivation
Mint is a perennial herb that is propagated by root division or rooting cuttings in water. The plant is invasive and should be grown in pots or in lengths of plastic pipe buried in the ground. It enjoys a damp location, shaded from strong afternoon sun, and rich soil. Pennyroyal is an attractive addition to hanging baskets. Mint planted outdoors should be mulched heavily to protect against frost.

Culinary Uses
•Spearmint and crinkle-leafed spearmint are best for sauces. You can cook a few sprigs with peas and new potatoes to enhance the flavor.
•Spearmint, peppermint and applemint sprigs can be added to drinks and fruit dishes as a garnish. It also makes a refreshing tea.
•Peppermint makes an excellent flavoring for ice cream, chocolates, and other deserts.

Growing and Cooking with Mint
Peppermint is the mint of choice for medicinal purposes. It’s many uses include the following:
•The menthol in peppermint soothes the lining of the digestive tract an stimulates the production of bile, which is an essential digestive fluid. A hot cup of herbal tea is an excellent way to settle your stomach after a big meal.
•There is a very good reason that peppermint is the flavoring of choice for toothpaste. Peppermint is an excellent breath freshener. When using peppermint tea as a breath freshener, increase the effectiveness by adding a pinch of anise, caraway or cinnamon.
•Peppermint is reputed to have the calming, sedative effect.
•Menthol vapors are famous for relieving nasal, sinus and chest congestion. Remember those minty-smelling ointments your mother rubbed on your chest when you were a child with a cold? You can also get relief with a steaming cup of peppermint tea. To make peppermint tea, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried peppermint leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes.

Tags: In Season, mint

A friend gave me some fresh organic blueberries today. The plump berries looked so good that the first thing I did when I got home was take a picture of them. Then, as I was looking for blueberry recipes, I came across an article by Fine Cooking Magazine with some tips on choosing, prepping and storing blueberries. And did you know that July is National Blueberry Month? Yes, it’s true! Now back to figuring out what to make with these delicious berries… 

Blueberries…
-tips by Fine Cooking Magazine

what is it?
Juicy and sweet, small, round, and, well, blue, blueberries are a hallmark of summer, finding their way into pies, cobblers, muffins, poundcake, and pancakes. Blueberries are rich in pectin; with a bit of gentle cooking, they’ll thicken into a delicious compote to drizzle over ice cream. Wild blueberries are smaller in size, with a deeper, more intense flavor. They’re hard to find fresh outside of New England, but they’re widely available frozen.

kitchen math:
1 pint fresh = about 2 cups

how to choose:
You can judge some fruit with your nose, but not blueberries. Use your eyes first: Blueberries should have a lovely silvery-white bloom over the dark blue. Look for pints free of small, purplish or greenish immature berries, a sign that they were picked before their peak. Then use the heft test: Berries should be plump and heavy. The sure-fire way of judging blueberries is to taste a few, because sweetness is variable even within the same pint. Wild blueberries—much harder to find outside of the Northeast—should be tiny and almost black.

how to prep:
Pick the berries over and discard any immature berries or berries past their prime. Remove any stems and rinse the berries briefly in a colander. For most recipes, frozen blueberries should not be thawed before adding to a batter. Mix blueberries into batters gently and quickly, using as few strokes as possible to avoid crushing the fruit and turning the batter a glaring lavender.

how to store:
Before storing your berries, pick through them, discarding any squishy berries that may turn moldy and infect their healthy neighbors. Store the berries in the coldest part of the refrigerator, but not in a drawer, where it’s too humid and don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them. Fresh picked, they can last up to two weeks in an airtight container, although they can lose moisture during the second week and shrink slightly. For baking, this can work in your favor, however, because the flavor becomes concentrated. To freeze blueberries, rinse them in a colander, dry thoroughly on paper towels, and then spread them on rimmed baking sheets in a single layer until frozen solid. Once frozen, they go into plastic storage bags.

Tags: blueberries, In Season, Summer

This is a great salad…delicious, beautiful, and perfect for summer! I used leftover regrigerated cooked rice (about 3 cups), substituted 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano for the 1 teaspoon of fresh, used both red onion and green onion, added a splash of red wine vinegar and some sliced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil.  I used jasmine rice but basmati rice would also be really good. Be sure to scoop the seeds out of the cuke or you’ll end up with a watery salad. Also, go easy on the salt because both the feta cheese and kalamata olives are salty; mix it all together than season to taste. For a mexi version, add corn, black beans, sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, a little cumin and cilantro; omit the cuke, spinach, kalamata olives and feta. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Rice Salad
-recipe from Sunset Magazine
 
The bright flavors of this dish make it the perfect side dish for anything grilled.

Yield:  Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and the rice. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, pepper, pepper flakes, and remaining teaspoon of salt.

Add rice to dressing and toss to combine. Add spinach, toss, and let sit until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Tags: cucumber, kalamata olives, Mediterranean, red pepper, rice, rice salad, Side Dish

These moist and tender muffins are a great way to show off a seasonal Springtime ingredient: rhubarb. The muffins are slightly tart and slightly sweet with a delicious cinnamon-sugar topping.  I like them best the day they’re made when the muffin tops are still a little crunchy.

Trim away any rhubarb leaves from the stalks (they’re toxic), stalk ends and brown spots. Look for firm rhubarb stalks that are pale pink (hothouse grown) or bright red (field grown) in color. 

For other recipe ideas, check out Cupcake Tuesday.

Cinnamon-Rhubarb Muffins
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
These muffins are best when freshly baked, but they’re still good the second day. Just reheat them in a 350°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes to refresh them. Yields 12 muffins.

For the muffins:
9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups 1/4-inch-diced rhubarb (7-1/4 oz.)

For the topping:
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil baking cups.

Make the muffin batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and whisk to blend.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together; do not overmix. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. The batter will be thick.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, using the back of a spoon or a small spatula to settle the batter into the cups. The batter should mound a bit higher than the tops of the cups.

Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle a generous 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over each muffin.

Bake the muffins until they’re golden brown, spring back most of the way when gently pressed, and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift the muffins out of the pan—if necessary, loosen them with the tip of a paring knife—and let them cool somewhat. Serve warm.

Tags: cinnamon, Muffins, rhubarb, springtime

I decided to stop at the farm stand today on my way back home from the gym. I love living in a suburban area that has access to multiple farm stands and farmer’s markets. As you can see from the photo, I picked up a bounty of fruits and veggies. Corn, pickling cukes, lemon cukes, heirloom tomatoes, green beans, Italian plums, peaches, yellow squash, zucchini and Gala apples. All that for just $16. I love supporting my local farmers. I swing by this particular stand once or twice a week during the summer. It has the best tomatoes. I’m talking about REAL tomatoes– sweet and juicy. Not the sad, orangish-looking orbs labeled as tomatoes in most grocery stores.

I’m not sure what I’m going to make with my fresh farm stand produce but I plan to keep it fairly simple so we can taste the true flavor of the veggies. I’ll either steam them or saute them lightly in butter then finish each veggie with a sprinkling of kosher salt. Nothing fancy. Just good, honest vegetables simply prepared. And the fruit, well I won’t need to add anything to it because it’s good enough just as it is.

Tags: farm stand, fresh veggies