Alabama Smokehouse Burger

Last month I introduced you to our new favorite burger. My husband and I both agreed it was our favorite. Then I made this burger...and now my husband and I are having a disagreement as to which burger is better. While I agree both burgers are quite good the flavor of the andouille takes the first burger over the top, in my opinion. My husband however, loves white sauce and pork..so I should have known better! The recipe actually came from the Food Network show, Ultimate Recipe Showdown and won the round for best tasting burger. That should tell you everything you need to know, the burger is good. I wasn't sure how much I would love the white sauce...I can only handle so much vinegar, but it was surprisingly good, the flavors weren't overpowering.

Alabama Smokehouse Burger

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For the Alabama White Sauce:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

12 slices bacon, cooked, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat

For the burgers:

2 pounds ground pork

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 slices smoked Gouda

6 Kaiser rolls, split

2 1/2 cups shredded greens

To make Alabama White Sauce:

In a small mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, and black pepper. Mix until well combined and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the burgers:

Combine the pork, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper in  a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat from the skillet. Mix well, handing the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the size of the rolls.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grill rack with oil to prevent sticking. Arrange the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once just until done, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, top the burgers with equal amounts of Gouda and put the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to lightly toast.

To assemble the burgers, place a generous amount of Alabama white sauce on the cut side of the rolls. On the bottom half of each roll place shredded greens, a cheese-topped patty, and 2 slices of bacon. Cover with the top of the roll and serve.

Source adapted from: www.foodnetwork.com

Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

 

First, I have to say my picture is no bueno…I must have been really hungry and in a hurry to eat! Despite the picture, this dish can be as simple as you want to make it, using store-bought teriyaki sauce or making your own homemade version. Teriyaki sauce is a great compliment to chicken and even pineapple, so the thought of marrying the two together with some bacon sounded too good to resist. When making skewers, it is important that all ingredients placed on the skewers are close in size. This will ensure that everything is cooked properly. Depending on ingredients, I often place meats on separate skewers due to the different cooking times. The bacon should yield a crispy shell, the chicken should be nice and juicy, and the pineapple should add a sweet note to complete the dish.

Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

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1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Approximately 8 oz. bacon (not thick cut)

Pineapple chunks, from a can or fresh

Teriyaki sauce, store bought or homemade

Kebab skewers

Prep chicken by cutting into bite-sized pieces and cut bacon in half.

Wrap bacon around chicken, stretching the bacon to fit, if needed. Secure with a skewer, and top with a chunk of pineapple. Repeat until skewer is full. Repeat with remaining chicken and skewers.

Pour teriyaki sauce over skewers, reserving about 1/4 cup. Marinate skewers for at least 4 hours, but no more than 8 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place skewers on grill and baste with reserved teriyaki sauce. Cook about 7 minutes and flip skewers. Baste again with teriyaki sauce and cook for another 7 minutes.

Source: Our Best Bites

Honey-Hoisin Pork Tenderloin

Here is another great pork tenderloin recipe for those interested in a sweet and savory combo. For those unfamiliar with hoisin sauce, you can typically find it located in the Asian section of the grocery store. One thing I omitted from the recipe was sesame seeds. I didn’t have any in the pantry and quite honestly didn’t want to buy them for one dish. Another adjustment I made to the recipe was using regular honey. The original recipe calls for sage honey, but again I just used what I had on hand. All together,  the flavors worked well together and the end result was another moist, flavorful pork tenderloin.

Honey-Hoisin Pork Tenderloin

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2 tablespoons sliced green onions

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon hot water

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. pork tenderloin

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine green onions, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, water, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into a large zip-top bag; reserve remaining honey mixture. Add pork to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

Remove pork from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle pork with salt. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 2 minutes, browning on all sides. Brush 1 tablespoon reserved honey mixture over pork; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place skillet in oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Place pork on a platter; let stand 5 minutes. Cut pork across the grain into thin slices. Drizzle with the remaining honey mixture.

Source adapted from: www.myrecipes.com

Churros

What could possible be a better way to end a Mexican themed dinner than with tasty churros?!? To continue the Tex-Mex theme I decided to try making churros from scratch. This particular recipe calls for the zest of an orange to be included in the bread dough. I was very surprised to taste how well the orange married with the cinnamon and sugar, making this one of the fanciest and tastiest churros to date! I found the easiest way to coat the churros with the cinnamon-sugar was to take a small paper bag, such as a brown paper lunch bag, throw in a few churros and shake ‘em around until they are completely coated in cinnamon and sugar goodness!

Churros

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Vegetable oil, for deep frying

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 stick butter

1 cup water

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1 orange, zested

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 eggs

Fill a deep-fryer or large Dutch oven halfway with vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl or in a small paper bag. Set aside.

Combine the butter, water, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. One it has come to a boil, lower to medium heat and add the flour, orange zest, and nutmeg, stirring constantly until it comes away from the pan and it forms a ball.

Transfer dough to a bowl and use an electric mixer to help cool it off. At this point you can whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time, until it becomes a smooth batter.

Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Working in batches, carefully pipe 4-inch long ribbons directly into the hot oil to fry. Fry until golden, turning if necessary, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Transfer the churros into the cinnamon/sugar mixture and toss to coat.

Serve immediately while still warm.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/paula-deen

Chicken Empanadas

I might have shared with you before my love for Tex-Mex. Some of my favorite restaurants are back home in Oklahoma, where the chips, salsa, queso, and homemade tortillas are freely flowing. It is hard to describe why I love the food so much, but there is just nothing like it! The only close alternative to Tex-Mex here is On the Border; sad, but true. The problem is that On the Border happens to be in Jersey, so even that has become a “special occasion” place. When I need a little jolt of Mexican inspired food, I go for empanadas. Empanadas are a quick solution for an easy fix. Typically empanadas have a flaky, pastry outside with meat and melted cheese tucked away inside. They make a great appetizer, but could also pass for a meal. I prefer to use chicken, but you could easily substitute for ground beef. They would also be great served with the homemade salsa I shared with you last week.

Chicken Empanadas

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3 cups cooked chicken, chopped

8 oz Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

15 oz package  refrigerated pie crust

water (for assembly)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine chicken, Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, red bell pepper, jalapeno, cumin, salt, and pepper. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15 inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining pie crust, making 12 to 15 circles total. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of curst with water. Please 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining rounds and chicken mixture. Place empanadas on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/paula-deen