Brown Butter Lobster, Bacon + Crispy Kale and Fontina Pasta

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick cut bacon
• 4 ounce lobster tails 4-8
• 6 tablespoon butter divided
• 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
• 1 leaves bunch kale torn away from the stem
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound angel pasta
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
• 6-7 ounces fontina cheese cubed
• 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley or both chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, add kale, olive oil, parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat with your hands and massage kale for about 1 minute. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, tossing 1-2 times while cooking, until crispy. Remove and set aside.

Bring pasta water to a boil and prepare pasta according to directions.

While the kale is cooking and the water comes to a boil start working on the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan and set aside on paper towels to drain. Once cooled, crumble. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.

To prepare the lobster, lay the lobster tails flat on a cutting board with the shell side facing upward. Using a very sharp, large knife, cut the tail in half lengthwise and slice all the way through the shell. Season the meat side lightly with salt and pepper.

Bring the skillet used for bacon back to medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl to coat. Place the lobster tails meat-side down in the pan and sear for 5 minutes or until the shells turn bright red. Remove tails from the pan and set aside.

To the same skillet add another tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, add the pasta, crushed red pepper, cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well and cook for 2 minutes, just until the pasta is hot. Once the pasta is hot add the tomatoes and cubed fontina cheese. Then remove the pasta from the heat, drizzle with lemon juice and toss well. Add in the crispy kale.

In a separate small skillet melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan.

Pop the lobster meat out of the shells and divide the pasta among plates or bowls. Top each plate with lobster meat and a sprinkle of chopped basil. Drizzle with browned butter and top with the crumbled bacon.

Sweet Potato Chili

INGREDIENTS
3 lbs ground beef or ground sirloin
1 1/2 white onions, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
3 (14oz) cans tomato sauce
3 (14oz) can petite minced tomatoes
3 cups beef stock - approx.
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
6-8 Tbsp chili powder
4 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
optional: ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

In a saute pan, brown beef over medium heat until cooked through. Drain excess fat. Transfer cooked beef to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cook on SLOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours.

Flank Steak

Needed:

1 flank steak around 1.25 to 2 pounds
2 T garlic infused EVOO
3 t dried chopped parsley flakes
3 or 4 fresh garlic cloves chopped fine
½ t salt
2 t lemon juice
¼ t fresh ground pepper (12 grinds)

Using a sharp knife trim any excess fat. Scrape off the fine membrane on the one side. Rinse under cold running water and then dry. Option here: I use a Jaccard to assure my flank steak is tender. Combine the above ingredients, and mix well. Lay meat on a piece of Saran wrap and spread the mixture evenly on both sides. Since a flank steak has a strong grain pattern to it with a stringy texture I work the mixture into the meat using the backside of a spoon. Finish wrapping with more Saran wrap and then seal tightly in a food safe plastic bag compressing out air. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, though 30 is better and 48 is best and do not disturb it!

Next day:

Sauté 8 oz of sliced white button mushrooms in 1/3 stick of real butter and salt to taste and sit aside, but do not drain! (BTW lately the sliced mushrooms are thicker than they used to be so I find they work with this meal better when further sliced in half while still raw.)

In a saucepan create the following au jus:

2 T Heinz Chili Sauce
a pinch of marjoram
a pinch of thyme
a generous pinch of hickory smoked salt
2 generous dashes of Tabasco
2 generous dashes of Worcestershire
5 oz of Burgundy
1 beef bouillon cube
2 oz of water
sprinkle of salt and fresh ground pepper


Mix these ingredients well and add several slices of onions, broken apart and left as rings or cut in half. Simmer the pot until it starts the fine bubble stage. At this point add the mushrooms and their liquid and stir well. This can be done in advance, left to cool and refrigerate until time to reheat and serve with the meal.

Grilling the meat:

Flank steak is thin and if overcooked it will become tough very quickly.

Remove meat from refrigerator and place on counter for at least 2 hours before grilling time.

Fire up your BGE and stabilize at 650 to 700 degrees dome as you will be grilling direct. Unwrap the meat and quickly place on the grill for a mere 2 minutes for first side, flip for 2 more minutes and  remove the meat as the cooking is done!

Quickly cut the meat across the grain in thin strips of ¼” to 3/8” slices. Prepare the plates with meat and garnish with the warm au jus/mushroom mixture. We love this meal with mashed potatoes also garnished with the mixture.

Nutella Chocolate Cake "AKA The Best Chocolate Cake Ever"

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Nutella Chocolate Cake

Yield: 8 inch cake

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling water

 

Nutella Icing

1 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup Nutella hazelnut spread

4-5 cups powdered sugar

3-4 tbsp milk or water

 

Chocolate Ganache

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

 

 

Instructions

1. Prepare four 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides.

2. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.

3. Add eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.

4. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.

5. Pour into four 8 inch cakes pans and bake at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. I baked the cakes in two batches, two at a time, with about 1 1/2 cups of batter per pan.

6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

7. Make icing while cakes cool. Beat together butter and shortening until smooth.

8. Add Nutella and mix until smooth.

9. Slowly add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

10. Add 2-3 tbsp of milk or water and mix until smooth.

11. Add fifth cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

12. Add more water or milk until the right consistency.

13. Once cakes are cool, remove cake domes from top with a large serrated knife.

14. Place first layer of cake on cake plate. Pipe an even layer of icing onto cake.

15. Add second layer of cake and pipe another even layer of icing on top.

16. Add third layer of cake on top and pipe another even layer of icing on top.

17. Top icing with fourth layer of cake.

18. Place chocolate chips in a metal bowl.

19. Microwave heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.

20. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.

21. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.

22. Allow to sit for a few minutes until it just starts to thicken, then pour over the top of the cake.

23. Once chocolate ganache has firmed up, top with remaining icing and sprinkles, if desired.

Tomato Soup - Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
Croutons, for garnish

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cream-of-fresh-tomato-soup-recipe

Beef Short Ribs

Mustard Moisturizer

• ¼ cup prepared yellow mustard
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Seasoning Blend

• ¼ cup garlic salt
• 3 tablespoons coarsely ground fresh black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup to ½ cup canola or vegetable oil

Wrapping Mixture

• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup honey
• 3 tablespoons beef base in paste form, such as Better Than Bouillon
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) unsalted butter or margarine, melted

1.Preheat an indirect barbecue with a drip pan and hardwood (preferably hickory, oak, or pecan), a ceramic cooker with deflector plate and hardwood (preferably hickory, oak, or pecan), or a charcoal or gas grill with a box or packet of hardwood (preferably hickory, oak, or pecan) to 250°F.

2.Combine all of the ingredients for the mustard moisturizer and moisten all sides of the roasts. Combine all of the seasoning blend ingredients.  Sprinkle the roasts with about half of the seasoning blend, covering all sides evenly.  Using your hands or a brush, evenly, but lightly, coast the roasts with canola oil.

3.Place the roasts in the cooker, bone side down, and cook for 5 hours.

4.Meanwhile, combine all of the wrapping mixture ingredients.

5.Remove the racks from the cooker.  Lay two sets of double sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to wrap the roasts on the work surface, and pour half of the wrapping mixture on each.  Top one set of foil with a rack, meat side down, close, and crimp to seal.  Wrap with a second sheet of foil.  Repeat with the remaining rack and foil.  Place the racks back in the cooker, and increase the temperature to 275°F.  Let the racks rest in the foil for 45 minutes.

6.Remove the racks from the foil over a baking dish or disposable aluminum pan, reserving the cooking liquid.  Lightly dust all sides of the racks with the remaining seasoning blend and place, meat side up, in the cooker for 45 minutes.

7.Meanwhile, strain all of the juices and solids from the pan through a fine-mesh strainer set over a measuring cup.  Discard the solids.  Allow the fat to come to the top in the measuring cup, pour off, and discard.  Pour the remaining liquid back in the pan to keep warm.

8.Remove the roasts from the cooker, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil)

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 bag miniature marshmallows

Icing:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

4 tablespoons cocoa

9 tablespoons milk

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Combine the sugar, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Bring the butter, oil, cocoa, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add to the flour mixture.

Beat together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to the chocolate mixture, mix well, and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes (clean toothpick in center).  Take cake from oven, and when it cools a bit, cover with miniature marshmallows.

Make icing by melting the butter in the cocoa and milk over low heat. Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Pour the warm icing over the cake and the marshmallows. Cool the cake before serving.  Icing will firm in fridge.