Root Beer Baked Beans

I hope I don’t lose credibility by admitting that until this week, I have never made baked beans. It isn’t that I don’t love them, or thought them overly complicated, it just never was top of mind. But, when I was looking for a different side for my whiskey butter steak, this beans recipe just jumped out at me.

After making this recipe, the thought of buying baked beans and heating them in a saucepan won’t cross my mind – in only 45 minutes you can have amazing baked beans that not only have that rustic home-cooked flavor, but also have bacon. And let’s face it, everything is better with bacon.

Thanks to Bon Appetit for this recipe. It will certainly now become my “go to” for beans!

ROOT BEER BAKED BEANS

4 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
1 1/2 cups root beer (preferably artisanal)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook bacon in large ovenproof pot over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add onions to drippings in pot; cook until beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add beans, root beer, vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, mustard, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; mix. Stir in bacon; bring to boil. Transfer to oven; bake uncovered until liquid thickens, about 30 minutes.

Pancetta Cheeseburgers with Tomato, Basil and White Bean Salad

I wouldn’t consider myself a burger grilling master but I know the basics.

I know to buy the chuck (80/20) for its fat content (making the burger juicier). I know not to touch the burgers for a while (resisting the urge to take a peak) so it doesn’t crumble when you try to flip. And I know to make the patties with a small dent in the middle so they don’t end up with a bubble on top.

But, what I didn’t know was that I think, for all these years, I have been buying the wrong meat. 80/20 chuck is certainly the right meat, but I think pre-packaged was the wrong move. Sure, it is cheaper and easier, but I am not sure it makes for the best burger. When I tried these Martha Stewart Pancetta Cheeseburgers I went to Fresh Market and bought fresh ground chuck (to order), and not only was the color of the meat magnificent, but it was probably the best ground chuck I have ever had.

Not to mention this particular recipe is a clear winner – it has a bit of a kick, lots of flavor and a great crunch with the baked pancetta. My only alteration would be to perhaps make more than one pancetta piece per burger (ok, I know it isn’t the healthiest alteration but pancetta might be the best thing on the planet!). In addition, the bean salad that was recommended to be served alongside the burgers was fantastic, and is a great summer dish. I also couldn’t find fontina at my store so I used provolone. I don’t know if it was better or not, but I do know it was darn good.

Happy grilling!

PANCETTA CHEESEBURGERS
Serves 4

4 thin slices pancetta (I would even recommend 8 if you love pancetta like me!)
1 1/4 pounds ground chuck
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Freshly ground pepper
4 ounces fontina cheese, thinly sliced
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pancetta on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, flipping the slices halfway through, until crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, using your hands, combine ground chuck, salt, chili powder, and paprika in a bowl, and season with pepper. Shape into 4 patties (about 4 inches in diameter).

Preheat grill to medium. (If you are using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for just 5 to 6 seconds.) Grill burgers 4 to 5 minutes. Flip burgers, and top with cheese. Grill 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare. Remove, and let rest 5 minutes. Top burgers with pancetta, and serve on buns.

TOMATO, BASIL and WHITE BEAN SALAD
Serves 4

2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 pound small roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 small garlic cloves, minced

Combine beans, tomatoes, basil, and salt in a bowl, and season with pepper.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over bean mixture, and gently toss. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Salad can be covered and kept at room temperature up to 4 hours.

BBQ Spiced Chicken, Salsa Salad and Pumpkin Chipotle Polenta

I have to admit, although I married into an Italian family (with the last name Pasquinucci), I had never cooked with polenta before. Not only did I have no clue how to even cook it, but I always thought it had the stigma of being like gruel with no flavor. So, in the spirit of Julia Child, I was not afraid and gave it a whirl!

For those of you who haven’t made it before, you will laugh at how quick and easy it is. Just boil chicken broth with half and half, throw in the polenta and it is done in literally 2 minutes. But, the trick is adding additional flavor – this recipe does a great job with chipotles in adobo (if you haven’t tried these before, start slow in adding them until you get the head you want) and pumpkin.

The chicken also has an amazing flavor, different than other BBQ chickens I have made.

This recipe is special thanks to Rachael Ray – whose spice and flavor I always love!

BBQ SPICED CHICKEN, SALSA SALAD AND PUMPKIN-CHIPOTLE POLENTA

1 tablespoon grill seasoning
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1/4 fresh pineapple, cut into spears and grilled
2 limes
A handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped and 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
3/4 cup quick cooking polenta
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey

Heat grill pan over medium-high heat.
Mix spices and sugar in a large plastic food storage bag. Coat chicken with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and add to bag. Coat the chicken evenly in the spices and sugar. Let the chicken hang out a few minutes.

Chop and combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, onions and grilled pineapple spears.

Place chicken on grill and cook 6 to 7 minutes on each side.

Dress the salad with lime and a couple tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Season the salad with cilantro, salt and pepper.

Heat the stock and milk or half-and-half in a sauce pot with chipotle and adobo sauce. Whisk in the polenta and thicken 2-3 minutes, stir in pumpkin to warm through. Stir in butter and honey and season with salt and pepper.

Serve polenta with chicken and salsa salad.

Green Chile Pork Posole

Originally from Mexico, Posole has crossed borders and is incredibly popular in the southwest US. In fact, many New Mexicans eat posole on Christmas Eve as a ceremonial dish for celebrating life’s blessings.

Although, it doesn’t need to be a holiday to prepare this robust stew. The dish has many variations – red tomatoes vs. tomatillos, chicken vs. pork. But no matter which way you make it, it will be filled with rich Mexican flavors.

This recipe originally comes from Utah’s Red Mountain Resort & Spa, as written about in Bon Appetit. The recipe takes about 1.5 hours and I suggest you don’t try to skimp on the one hour of simmer time included – it really helps blend and reduce the flavors. There is only about 30 minutes of prep since the rest is simmering, so I even made it on a Monday night. It is very easy and full of flavor.

I know posole is also made with red tomatoes, but I suggest sticking with the tomatillos on this one. Their tangy twist give the stew a true depth of flavor.

GREEN CHILE PORK POSOLE
4 Servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1-pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 15-oz cans white or golden hominy, drained
12 ounces fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed, coarsely chopped
2 7-oz cans diced mild green chiles, drained
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for garnish

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and garlic. Saute until soft, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to pot; cook until no longer pink on outside, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered until meat is tender, broth is reduced to a thick sauce, and flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Thin with additional broth, if desired. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, sprinkle with additional cilantro and serve.

Starting to brown the pork...

Husking the tomatillos