JDawgs Special Sauce Copycat

JDawgs were made famous at an off campus shack for students to grab a bite between classes.  My kids rave about them so I was excited to try "the sauce" for our 24th of July un-celebration.  Then I also scored a BIG deal by finding  Brioche Hotdog buns at Walmart!  They are buttery delicious!  You know how some times you are choking down the bun when eating a hotdog.  Not these.  This will be a new family favorite!  They are also split down the top middle to pop your dog into on top.  Clever!  I used Ballpark all beef hotdogs.  ( add fresh "hand shucked" corn on the cob and you'll do a happy dance.) ("What About Bob" reference)  There are a few variations of the recipe on Pinterest.  I think I used one by the Food Charlatan with variation.

The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat (JDawgs Special Sauce Copycat)

Serves Makes about 1 and 1/2 cups sauce     

For the sauce

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (some recipes call for soy sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• dash black pepper

To assemble

• large all-beef or Polish hot dogs (Costco has the best!)
• large buns (The ones at Costco fit perfectly) But I (Marilyn) found a NEW FAVORITE bun- Brioche hotdog buns at Walmart!!!!
• butter
• white onions
• sauerkraut
• pickles

Mix the sauce up all together and boil for a few minutes, then serve or refrigerate (even for weeks!)

Hungarian Goulash

 So, I just got home from our Charm Girl's trip to Washington- and after our class reunion in Moses Lake, we headed to a Bavarian village called Leavenworth in the beautiful mountains of Washington.  Here in Utah we have our Midway, Ut but Leavenworth is like Midway on steroids!  Such a beautiful place!

I actually didn't get my fill of Bavarian food so I headed to the grocery store and picked up the makings for Hungarian Goulash.  I grew up on my mom's American version of goulash which is basically hamburger, tomatoes and noodles.  This dish doesn't have a tomato in it!  It was so delicious!  I used food.com's recipe with a few variations.

               

 

 

Easy Hungarian Goulash

 

Let's just start out by saying I am attention deficit- so meals that take hours to simmer lose my attention.  I had this meal prepared in less than an hour because I use a pressure cooker. (No, they AREN'T scary anymore!)  I had my butcher dice up the chuck roast at the grocery store into the chunks, sautéed them in a little oil. I then added about 1 cup of beef broth and turned on the pressure cooker.  When it came up to full pressure, I cooked it for about 25 minutes, stirred in about 1/2 cup of flour and coated the meat and then turned off the stove to combine the other ingredients. I sautéed the onions and garlic until golden, added the mushrooms and rest of the spices and liquids (I actually used 1/2 cup of the Hungarian paprika and it wasn't even spicy!) and then poured this divine mixture into the meat with juice mixture.  I then stirred it all together....the meat was tender all apart!  Go ahead, choose your way to cook but this is soooo good.  Don't forget the sour cream and the buttered noodles.  If you are planning on freezing some, don't add the sour cream until you serve it.

• 2 -3 lbs boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
• 4 medium sweet onions, sliced and separated into rings
• 8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms or 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and cut in half
• 1 head garlic, peeled, large cloves cut in half (about 12 cloves)
• ¹⁄₂ cup sweet red wine
• 1 ³⁄₄ cups beef broth
• ¹⁄₄ cup sweet Hungarian paprika (see Note)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 cups cooked noodles, buttered, with chopped parsley      

 

 

 

Directions

1. Place beef chunks in a large bowl. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. Toss with the flour.
3. Heat a heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Place beef chunks in a single layer and brown on two sides. You will probably need to do this in batches. Do not crowd the meat or it will boil instead of brown. Remove browned beef chunks to a bowl.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. To the drippings in the Dutch oven, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sweet onion rings, mushrooms, and garlic. Toss to coat with the olive oil. Cover tightly and sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until onions are limp but not browned and mushrooms are releasing their liquid, about 10 minutes.
5. Add red wine to the vegetables and cook 2 minutes. Add beef broth and paprika. Return beef to the pan. Stir until well-combined. Cover tightly, reduce heat, and simmer on low heat for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is fork-tender.
6. Remove Dutch oven from heat and wait for boiling to subside. Taste and add additional salt if necessary. Stir in sour cream until completely incorporated into the gravy.
7. Serve Hungarian gulash over hot buttered noodles with chopped parsley.
8. Note: The amount of paprika is correct. Please do use it all. If you cannot use the wine, use an equal amount of additional beef broth.
   
   

Okay, I want to mention "braising" before getting to the hilarious name of this recipe.  You braise meats that are usually tough...meaning you sear them in a hot pan, then slow cook them with a fitted lid in a small amount of liquid for several hours until the meat falls apart.  Short ribs are great for braising as is top round (think stroganoff and Swiss steak)  I was excited when I saw this- made it and knew it was "Bon Appetit"worthy.   It's fabulous- especially the " Pretty Great Bacon-Pineapple Situation on Top."  Make double of that! If you go to Bon Appetit's web site, you can see pictures for step by step instructions.

The Real Name of This Recipe! from Bon Appetit magazine-

Braised Short Ribs with a Pretty Great Bacon-Pineapple Situation on Top

Best recipe name of all time.

• 4 oz. bacon
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 3" piece ginger
• 4 large bone-in beef short ribs (2½–3 lb.)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Sriracha
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (about 6 oz.)
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Prep your ingredients before you start cooking. First, coarsely chop 4 oz. bacon
2. Wash your cutting board (or just flip it over!) so that you're not cutting vegetables on the same surface that you used to prep raw meat. Peel 1 onion and cut into quarters; set one quarter aside for the relish. Cut remaining quarters into large pieces.
3. Rinse 1 3" piece of ginger, then very thinly slice crosswise (no need to peel). (I actually used minced ginger in a tube.)
4. Place 4 short ribs on a plate; season all over with salt and pepper, turning pieces to season every surface.
5. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-low. Add bacon and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 7–10 minutes. Meanwhile, line a medium bowl with paper towels. Using wooden spoon, transfer bacon to a medium bowl, leaving fat in pot. Blot bacon with paper towels, then discard paper towels, leaving bacon in bowl.
6. Increase heat to medium-high and add short ribs. Cook, turning once or twice, until very well browned on at least two sides, 12–15 minutes (it’s not necessary to brown all over as long as you get a sear on a couple sides).
7. Transfer short ribs back to plate and reduce heat to medium. Add ginger and onion pieces to pot and cook, stirring often, until ginger is just starting to turn golden around the edges, about 3 minutes.
8. Add 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. Sriacha and 1 cup water-  stir to combine. Arrange short ribs in Dutch oven in a single layer (it’s okay if they’re not fully submerged in liquid).
9. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Bake 30 minutes, then remove pot from oven and turn short ribs with tongs.
10. Cover pot and return to oven. Continue to bake, turning every 30 minutes, until short ribs are fork-tender and pulling away from the bone, 60–70 minutes longer.
11. Transfer short ribs to a platter. Tent with foil to keep warm.
12. Heat pot with juices over medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook until braising liquid is reduced by about half, 8–12 minutes.
13. While juices are reducing, thinly slice reserved onion quarters. Add 1 cup pineapple chunks and sliced onion to bowl with bacon. Season lightly with salt and toss with remaining l Tbsp. rice vinegar.
14. Place a strainer over a heatproof measuring cup and pour reduced juices through strainer. Discard solids. Let juices settle until fat rises to the top. Spoon off fat and discard.
15. Pour de-fatted juices over short ribs. Spoon bacon-pineapple relish over meat and top with 1/4 cup cilantro.
16.  Short ribs can be braised 1 day ahead. Let cool in (unreduced) braising liquid, cover, and chill. Reheat over low, then proceed with recipe. If making ahead, we recommend crisping fresh bacon for the relish.

For Bon Appetit, with the Cooks, I also made Williams and Sonoma Cheesy Gratin Potatoes, BBQ Green Beans, and Caprese Salad with Strawberries and Melon with Browned Butter balsamic glaze!  It was sooo good!

Our main course for Bon Appetit dinner this month.  The real recipe is for lamb shanks- but Valene used pork.  The vegetable reduction was unique and so flavorful.

 

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary and a Vegetable Reduction

• 2 2- to 2 1/2-pound  pork tenderloin (or veal shanks)
• Coarse kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cups 1/3-inch cubes peeled carrots
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion
• 1 1/2 cups 1/3-inch cubes celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary plus sprigs (for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth, divided
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Recipe Preparation

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Sprinkle veal with coarse salt and black pepper. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add veal; cook until dark brown, turning occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pot to oven; roast uncovered 30 minutes (veal will be dark brown). Maintain oven temperature.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, and celery; sauté until softened, about 12 minutes. Add chopped rosemary, sage, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Transfer veal to plate; pour off oil from pot. Add wine, 2 cups broth, and vegetables to pot and bring to boil. Return veal to pot (broth will not cover veal). Roast uncovered until meat is very tender, turning every 30 minutes and adding more broth by cupfuls as needed to moisten as broth evaporates, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Transfer veal to large plate. Set strainer over medium bowl. Pour juices and vegetables from pot into strainer, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Transfer vegetables to processor; puree until almost smooth. Skim fat from juices in bowl; discard fat. Whisk 1 cup vegetable puree into juices in bowl (discard remaining puree). Season with coarse salt and black pepper. Return puree mixture and veal to same pot. Return to oven and roast 10 minutes longer, turning veal once.
• Cut meat off bones into 1-inch-thick pieces. Transfer to bowl. Pour sauce over. Garnish with parsley and rosemary sprigs.

Shameless Dog

I just got back from our Charm Girl's Trip to the Oregon coast.  It is soooo fun being 14 yrs. old again without the drama- just raucous laughter, jabbering, eating, shopping and playing games.  Did I mention laughing?  And eating?

I won't share now but the best thumbs up on our "eats" was at our farewell at the Portland airport.  The Bahama Grill serves a dish called the Shameless Dog.  We were intrigued.  It was a hit!

The idea is a Vienna sausage, wrapped in bacon, then dipped in tempura batter and deep-fried.  It was served with an onion/sweet relish mixture and Dijon mustard. Soooo good.

Well, I tried to re-create it and failed miserably.  The tempura just would not stay on the dog....

So -  I dreamt about the dog last night and came up with a solution.  Today's dogs turned out much better!  Just trying to redeem myself.

Today I wrapped the Vienna sausage with bacon, secured by a toothpick.  I then baked it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350.  I wrapped the dogs in a paper towel to drain the excess grease and let cool.  The tempura batter I made was
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking flour
Seasoning salt to taste

Mix 1 egg
1 cup water
1 tsp. oil- then mix the two together and let batter rest for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the dogs with flour so the dogs will adhere to the batter.  Dip in batter and deep fry.  Also the key to deep frying is to make sure your oil is hot when you put your food in it.

Serve with hotdog relish, onions, Dijon mustard- whatever you like with your hotdogs!

Roasted Pork Carnitas

When I was on a recent girl friend trip to San Clemente, Ca., we were recommended an eating establishment called "Nick Around the Corner."  The person recommending was the gal that owns the Schmidt's Chocolate Company there and she said, "You can trust a girl who owns a chocolate company!" and we could!  She recommended the guacamole, the shrimp taquitos and the pork carnitas.  We ordered all 3 and shared.  The next day we went back for more.

I never knew I was a Pork Carnitas lover.  Now, it is all I can think about!  Right now I have this recipe slow cooking in a brand new dutch oven.....and so I will share how it was after the taste test. (it was marvelous!!!  I left it in big chunks instead of shredding it which is how they serve it at Nick's.)   I pinned several good looking recipes on Pinterest but this particular recipe called for Coco Cola which I remember was in the menu description. 

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Slow Roasted Pork Carnitas.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

from: halfbakedharvest.com

Ingredients

• 3 pounds pork shoulder cut into 3 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 cup Coca-Cola beer or low sodium chicken broth can also be used
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 leaves bay
• juice from 2 limes
• cilantro for serving

Instructions

Classic Slow Roasted On the Stove

1. Toss the cubed pork with the garlic powder and chipotle chili powder. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the pork on all sides. If needed, sear the pork in batches if your dutch oven is not large enough. Reduce the heat low and pour in the coke, orange juice and 1/2 cup water (there should be just enough liquid to cover the sides of the meat). Add the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours on LOW. After 1 1/2 hours the pork should be falling apart. Remove the lid and continue cooking another 30 minutes. The Coca-Cola will caramelize and the liquid will evaporate almost completely.
3. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and shred. Drizzle the carnitas with lime juice. Serve with warm tortillas, avocado and cheese. EAT!

Crockpot

1. Toss the cubed pork with the garlic powder and chipotle chili powder. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the pork on all sides. If needed, sear the pork in batches if your dutch oven is not large enough. Transfer the pork to the bowl of your crockpot. Add the coke, orange juice, 1/2 cup water and the bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. During the last hour, remove the lid and allow the liquid to evaporate almost completely.
3. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and shred. Serve with warm tortillas, avocado and cheese. EAT!

Mediterranean Bon Appetit

Last night we had Bon Appetit at the Cook's.  Valene cooked a amazing Mediterranean dinner (from a Bon Appetit 2004).  Over the top amazing.  Just look at these pictures!  Truly, Valene's home is my favorite restaurant!!!!!  Delish!
 
White Bean Puree with Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Pita Slices
 

 

Makes 4 cups

• 1 cup dried Great Northern beans
• 4 cups water
• 2 small onion, quartered

• 2 4-inch-long fresh rosemary sprigs

          1 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup (or more) boiling water

          2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• Lemon wedges
• Toasted pita triangles

       

Place beans in medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 inches. Let stand overnight.  Drain beans well. Return to saucepan. Add 4 cups water, onion, and rosemary sprigs. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until beans are soft, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Discard rosemary sprigs. Drain beans and onion; cool to room temperature.

 

Using on/off turns, puree drained beans and onion, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, and chopped rosemary in processor until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Puree until blended. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup boiling water. Thin with more water by tablespoonfuls if necessary. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Transfer white bean puree to wide shallow bowl; drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with toasted pita triangles.

Recipe by Zov Karamardian

 Skewered Rosemary Shrimp with Mint Pesto

 

 

Makes 24 Servings

Mint pesto

• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoon (packed) feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons (packed) Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped jalapeño chile
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups (packed) fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Shrimp

• 24 large uncooked shrimp (about 2 pounds), peeled, deveined, tails left intact
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 24 4-inch-long woody rosemary sprigs

       

For mint pesto:

Combine first 7 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, process until mixture is smooth. Add mint leaves and lemon juice; process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Gradually add oil and process until mint pesto is smooth and creamy. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.

For shrimp:

Preheat broiler. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Whisk oil, garlic, and parsley in medium bowl to blend. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Arrange shrimp in single layer on broiler pan. Broil until opaque in center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice and toss with 1/2 cup mint pesto. Starting at base end of rosemary, skewer 1 shrimp on each sprig. Arrange on platter and serve.

Recipe by Zov Karamardian

Mediterranean Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Herbs and Asparagus

 

 

Mediterranean Chicken

Ingredients

8 Servings

• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 1/2 pounds)
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• 1 1/2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini, and stemmed shiitake), sliced
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 3 plum tomatoes, seeded, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 2 tablespoon (1/4 stick) chilled butter
• 1 cup teardrop tomatoes (red and yellow)
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• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• Caper berries, halved (optional)

Preheat oven to 200°F. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, add chicken to skillet. Cook until brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to ovenproof plate and place in oven to keep warm. Discard oil from skillet.

Add 3 tablespoons oil to same skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until wilted and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add broth; boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add olives, plum tomatoes, garlic, shallot, and capers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Add butter; stir until melted. Mix in teardrop tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon mushroom mixture over chicken. Sprinkle parsley and pine nuts over. Garnish with caper berries, if desired, and serve.

Capers are flower buds from the caper bush, and caper berries are the fruit. They are about the size of an olive, and are usually pickled and sold in jars. They can be found at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

Recipe by Zov Karamardian

Roasted Potatoes and Herbs

8 Servings

• 4 pounds 2- to 2 1/2-inch-diameter Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, each cut into 6 wedges
• 1 cup chopped shallots (about 5 large)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
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• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

 

Add potatoes to large pot of boiling salted water. Cook 6 minutes and drain. Toss potatoes with shallots, oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl to coat. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil 2 rimmed baking sheets. Divide potatoes between prepared baking sheets. Roast 35 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons parsley and 2 teaspoons thyme over potatoes on each sheet. Using metal spatula, turn potatoes to coat. Roast until brown and tender, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and serve.

Recipe by Zov Karamardian

Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Gratin

 

Makes 8 Servings

• 4 10-ounce bags fresh spinach leaves

• 3 red bell peppers

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1 large shallot, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches (about 10 cups at a time), sauté fresh spinach in dry skillet until bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer spinach to strainer. Squeeze spinach dry; roll in kitchen towel to remove excess water.

Char peppers directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and slice peppers into 1/4-inch-wide strips.

Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, shallot, and garlic; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk cream and eggs in large bowl to blend. Whisk in all cheeses, salt, and pepper. Stir in spinach, leek mixture, and 2/3 of roasted red peppers (reserve 1/3 of peppers for topping). DO AHEAD - Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Transfer spinach mixture to prepared dish. Bake gratin until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Arrange remaining red pepper strips decoratively atop gratin and serve.

Recipe by Zov Karamardian