Spice Rub - latest version

This is a new version of my standard spice rub. I use it mostly on a slow cooked pork shoulder.
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup pulverized brown sugar (powdered in blender)
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger

preheat oven to 200 degrees
9 lb pork shoulder (bone in)  rinsed


Cover pork with spice mixture and rub into all crevices, massaging the meat with spice and love :)

Place shoulder fat side up on on raised rack of pan (I use a 1/2 sheet pan with rack). Cook in oven for minimum 7 hours ( I usually do 9 hours). Let rest 1 hour.

Carve or shred meat.

Serve with bbq sauce and cole slaw.

Valentines Dinner 2010

For Valentine's Day 2010 I have decided to makes salt crusted baked potatoes and slow braised pork cubes in a maple mustard sauce.

I combined stone ground honey mustard with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, warm water, salt, pepper, garlic salt, cumin, and celery seed in a blender. Next I browned the cubed pork with a little salt and pepper added the braising liquid, lowered the temperature and covered. 45 minutes later I removed the meat and brought the liquid up to a boil to reduce.









Shown here served with steamed broccoli and roasted onions.

Location:Clifton, CO

Nacho libre

6 year luchador



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Location:Clifton

Food: an essay

What is food? Essentially it is fuel. Sustenance is required to function but flavor makes the function worth it! The idea that you can be a chemist and an artist and a provider all at the same time is exhilerating and daunting at the same time.

Everyone has ideas and certain people have the ability to transform those ideas into masterpieces that not only sustain us but the also feed our souls.

I imagine that every person has that magical food that brings them to a place or time in thier lives. Is it grandma's chicken casserole or dad's once a month breakfast for dinner that reminds you a of happier time? Maybe it brings a sadness of missing a person or an adventure that was glorious. I think about my Nanny's cream corn and fried chicken that she would make every time we would drive across the country to visit relatives in Alabama. Memories like Dad adding beer to his meatloaf or Grandma always making peanut butter chocolate icing for my birthday cake.

Food can be associated with good and bad memories, when I miss my late sister I think about how she would put ketchup on her cornflakes (she was four years old). It is a bittersweet memory, but still sweet.

Maybe we can share those experiences through this blog, maybe I am just a nut obsessed with food, but, I know I am not alone. There are more of you, than would like to admit, that have a weakness. So maybe we band together to enjoy life and food and each other.



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Mexican pizza

I first encountered this recipe when I was working at Papa Kelsey and Fred's during my college days. I hope you enjoy! Trace

Mexican pizza
1 pizza dough*
1 can refried beans
1 pound hamburger
2 cups Mexican blend/fiesta blend
1/2 cup mozzarella
taco seasoning
tomato sauce
Optional items chopped olives, chopped onion, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, chopped tomatoes...

Bake or buy a pizza dough. Press out into a 18 inch round bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Brown hamburger meat, chopped into fine pieces. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce per directions.

Take cooled crust. Spread refried beans to the edge top with fiesta cheese mix, add taco meat spread evenly across the crust. Add any optional items that you would like onions, olives, jalapenos etc. sprinkle with half cup of mozzarella bake at 400 degrees until cheese is bubbly approximately 12-15 minutes.

Serve with sides like sour cream, quacamole, extra tomatoes, olives, onions, peppers, salsa

Enjoy

*I buy my raw pizza dough from a local pizza restaurant. Cheap and easy.

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Upside Down Cheesburger Pizza

Quick and easy very delicious.

Upside down cheeseburger pizza

1 lb ground beef
14 oz spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese divided
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flower
optional
onions, peppers, mushrooms, bacon

Tools:

Oven proof skillet
Spatula
Strainer

prep time: 10 minutes oven time: 20 minutes


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brown hamburger and drain. add 14 oz spaghetti sauce and 1/2 cup cheese. Simmer 3 minutes.

Mix egg, milk, flour and remaining cheese to make batter (very runny) spoon over meat evenly.

Bake 20 minutes, enjoy.

Honey mustard braised pork chops

Honey Mustard Braised Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes and Carrots

This was an experiment that turned out great. I was home with the boys while mom was off playing with her friends. The boys were going to need dinner and I had time so I tried to see what I could do to add flavor to our menu.

Ingredients:

3 boneless loin pork chops

Dijon mustard

Honey

Balsamic vinegar

Warm water

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 lbs Potatoes

½ lb baby carrots

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ butter

Boil 6 quarts of salted water. Chop potatoes into medium cubes add to water with carrots. Continue boiling until tender. Drain. Add mayonnaise and beat until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

Heat olive oil in 12 inch skillet, salt and pepper chops, brown chops for 2-3 minutes per side. Lower heat to low and add honey mustard sauce.

Cover pan and let simmer for 25-30 minutes until chops are fork tender.

Honey mustard sauce:

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey

2 tbls balsamic vinegar

1 cup warm water

This is an estimate for the recipe, please adjust to taste.

Mix ingredients together, mixture should be thin enough to come half way up chops.

Last minute Chili

One cold winter day you decide you want chili but you decide at the
last minute. What do you do? Give my quick delicous recipe a try.

Chili
1 pound ground beef
1 pound spicy breakfast sausage
two cans bushes mild chili beans
One can refried beans
one can diced tomatoes w/ green chiles
4 tablespoons bacon bits

Crumble and brown sausage and hamburger until no pink is visible add
refried beans.
Stir to combine adding two cans of beans one can of
tomatoes and the bacon bits bring to a boil and then reduce heat to
simmer.

Serve with diced onions, grated cheese, and sour cream.