Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos

I recently visited my doctor and I left the office with tons of questions.

Why are soap operas on in the waiting room?  Why not something more neutral like a news channel?

What is that smell?  Doctor’s offices always have that unique smell that you never smell anywhere else.  I can’t explain it but if you were to blind fold me and lead me to a doctor’s office, I’d know I was there.

Who decided that a roll of paper is the best material to sit on while waiting endlessly for the doctor to show up?

Why are patient gowns impossible to tie without help?

Why are we weighed with all of our clothes on and why doesn’t the doctor take that into consideration when figuring out if we’re overweight?  Surely the shorts, t-shirt and flip flops I wore during my July visit weigh less than the jeans, boots, and sweater I had on during the January visit.

Why, no matter what my ailments are, does the doctor always prescribe exercise and weight loss?  I seriously doubt the chronic cough I recently developed is caused by being 10 or 20 pounds overweight.

Why am I all-of-a-sudden talking in a Jerry Seinfeld voice?

Who are these people…..

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Next up in my series of good for you meals is Fish tacos.  Skeptical?  “Hmmm…?” you say. Well I say don’t knock it until you try it.

They’re a nice alternative to chicken or beef tacos and of course, the fish combined with the fresh ingredients make them light and full of flavor and a heck of lot healthier.

Enjoy!

Ingredients: 1 pound fresh tilapia fillets (or other mild, white fish) 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 small onion, roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds removed) 2 cups diced tomatoes (if fresh are not available, canned are perfectly fine) 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Juice of 1/2 lime Creole Seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s) Corn Tortillas Rise and dry fish.  Season both sides lightly with the creole seasoning.  Set aside. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute’ onion until slightly translucent (3-5 minutes) and then add the garlic.  Mix. Add fish to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minute.  Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes or until fish is opaque and begins to flake. Add jalapeno,  tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice. Continue to cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Using a spoon, begin to break up the fish to incorporate all of the ingredients. Meanwhile, heat tortillas in a separate skillet on both sides to warm. Top tortilla (use 2 per taco) with a few spoonfuls of the fish mixture. Garnish with a bit more cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lime.

Give it a try. Healthy and delicious

(Better for You) Potato and Ham Soup

Potato and Ham Soup

It’s January and people are making tons of resolutions they won’t keep.  Get to the gym, save more money, quit smoking, and of course, eating better.

Today’s post is the first in a series of delicious meals that won’t go straight to your waistline and hopefully help you keep your resolution.

Then again, I think these recipes are so good that you may want to eat everything thus throwing this theory out the window.

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After Christmas, all of those hams that are stocked to capacity at the grocery store go on sale.  Normally twenty or thirty dollar hams are half off…maybe less.  It’s hard to pass up that kind of bargain so I throw one in my cart whether I need it or not.

The problem is I have a small family and a whole ham will go a very long way.  So that means leftovers.  Lots and lots and lot of leftovers.

I know you can freeze it, but to me, frozen ham that’s been thawed just doesn’t have the same taste.  So I have to find alternative uses for it.

Ham omelettes for breakfast.  Ham and Cheese sandwiches for lunch. And ham and potato soup for dinner.  I’m good with these options.

Soup is a great meal when you’re watching what you eat.  It can be loaded with calories but with a few simple tweaks you can make any soup healthy.  This uses lots of lower fat/lower calorie ingredients.  But I promise you it isn’t low on taste.

Soup is also very filling so you typically eat less.  However, be warned, this soup is so tasty you probably will want seconds.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: 6 cups low sodium chicken broth 4 cups diced potatoes 1 cup diced onion 1 large carrot, chopped 2 cups ham, diced 1 cup 1% milk 1/2 cup low fat sour cream Salt and Pepper to taste Add chicken broth to a large dutch oven (or soup pot) over medium low heat.  Bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic, and ham.  Stir. Simmer over low heat for approximately 2 hours. Add milk and sour cream.  Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in your favorite soup bowl and garnish with a few sprinkles of low fat sharp cheddar cheese and a slice of crusty bread (optional).

Delicious and good for you

Roast Beef and Kielbasa Sandwich with horseradish cheese sauce

Roast Beef and Kielbasa Sandiwich w/ horseradish cheese sauce

The best part about food blogging is the interaction I have with other bloggers. We follow each others tweets, we’re friends on Facebook, and we connect through our blogs.  Mainly, at least in my opinion, we’re each others inspiration.

I cannot begin to tell you how many of the family dinners I’ve made over the past few years that have started by me reading a blog. I have bookmarks upon bookmarks of recipes I want to try.  Clearly I’ll never get to all of them, but I’m going to try.

In the midst of wading through the hundreds of recipes, there are probably 20 or so that have risen to the top.

The first recipe from my elite group of bookmarks is for a sandwich called “Beef and ‘Basa.”  It comes from Adam Holland who runs a blog titled “The Unorthodox Epicure – Confessions of an aspiring food snob.”  Adam doesn’t mess around with the recipes from his “Food Snob Chronicles.”  They’re good, creative ideas and best of all, most are easy to follow.  Perfect for a home cook.  Take a few minutes to check him out and if you like what you see, give him a follow.

Like any recipe I find, I try to tweak it to my liking, but this one looked as though it required no tweaking at all.  However, since I wanted to make it somewhat healthy, I traded out regular mayo for Olive Oil mayo and used turkey kielbasa.  I may have negated the fat count that I saved by upping the amount of cheese.  Also, since I really like caramelized onions, I used two. The technique is pretty much exactly the same.

My wife and I really loved Adam’s sandwiches and I’m confident that you will too.  Enjoy!

Thanks Adam!!

Ingredients: 1 pound roast beef (from the deli), sliced thin 1 package of turkey kielbasa (such as Hillshire Farms) cut in to half-inch thick slices 2 yellow or red onions, sliced 1 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup of light mayonnaise 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 tablespoon horseradish 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce Fresh cracked black pepper 2 12-inch hoagie/sub rolls (for 4 sandwiches) To caramelize the onions, add olive oil to large skillet over medium-low heat and add onions.  Stir occasionally and cook until caramelized. Meanwhile, in sauce pan over low heat, add the mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard Tabasco, pepper and cheese.  Stir to combine. Stir occasionally to melt the cheese. In another skillet, over medium high heat, cook the kielbasa 2-4 minutes on each side until nice and browned. Once the onions are caramelized and cheese sauce is ready, toast the rolls under the broiler until just slightly brown. Assemble the sandwich by first spreading the cheese sauce to both sides of the toasted roll. To one side of the roll, add a generous pinch (or 3) of onion, a large mound of roast beef,  a few slices of kielbasa and another dollop of cheese sauce. Top with second side of roll.

Don’t forget to cut it in half (or maybe not)

Stir-Fry

Stir Fry

Over the holiday’s my hard-drive crashed.

If this has ever happened to you, my condolences.  Clearly you felt my pain.  If you haven’t, then let me tell you it sucks.  Its a significant gut-wrenching, heart-stopping moment.

After the initial punch-in-the-face you step back and realize you’re just an average user and you didn’t lose your 500 page “masterpiece”  that was in the final stages of refinement before shipping to your publisher.   It’s not that bad.

You probably lost some music which isn’t a true loss because you probably have it all on iTunes.

Maybe it was some some pictures of your cute puppy, which, lets be honest, have probably already been overly shared on Facebook or Instagram.  Again, easy to get back.

Even important stuff like taxes are most likely stored through your online tax service or if you’re “old school”, you have printed versions.

Yes I can get my music back, same with some recent pictures of the dogs and my tax information.  What I can’t get back are pictures that I wasn’t ready to share. Namely a few hundred unedited senior pictures I took of my step-son. It’s not the end of the world but for a parent of a kid that isn’t the most photogenic to begin with, that’s a huge loss. Things happen so we’ll try again in the spring.

There is a lesson to be learned here and that is back up files and back them up often. Ironically I do have a back-up hard drive but its only as good as the frequency in which you take advantage of it.  For me it was about every 6-8 weeks or so…which clearly isn’t enough. I also learned that “Google Drive” is now my new best friend.

By the way, I also lost a bunch of photos I had ready for the blog, which is partly to blame for my hiatus.  Also, the batteries in my “grown-up” camera are dead hence the use of my smartphone picture for today’s post.  I clearly need to step up my game.

While I throw myself a pity-party, here’s a healthy, immensely flavorful stir-fry dish for you to try.  I made this version with pork but you could substitute chicken or shrimp.  Enjoy!

 

Ingredients: 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium please) 3 tablespoons of soy sauce (again, low sodium) 2 tablespoons honey A few grinds of fresh ground black pepper 5 teaspoons cornstarch 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut in to pieces (same size for even cooking) 1 onion, slivered 1 red bell pepper (or combination of red/yellow/green) 2 cups bean spouts 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced 1/2 cup diced pineapple (optional) In a medium sized bowl combine the broth, soy sauce, honey and black pepper.  Wisk to combine ensuring all of the honey is dissolved. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a separate bowl, stir in cornstarch until combined and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola (or olive) oil in a large skillet (or wok) over medium heat. Add pork and cook, stirring often until cooked through (about 3 minutes).  Transfer to plate. In same skillet, increase heat to medium-high and add another tablespoon of oil. Add ginger, onion, bell pepper and bean spouts and cook for about 3 minutes. Add broth mixture (not reserved cornstarch mixture) and bring to a boil, stirring for about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the pork and the reserved cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring until thick, 2-3 minutes. Add pineapple and stir to warm through.

Serve with rice or noodles — eggroll optional.

Stir Fry with Egg Roll

Chinese Pork with Rice and Broccoli

Chinese Pork with Rice and Broccoli

I started a new job recently.  I’m still with my same company but was looking for a fresh start outside of the day to day Project Management role that I’ve been playing more than half of my career.  The new role keeps me involved in projects (which I like) but allows me the opportunity to expand the role beyond project plans and issue logs.

Yesterday I wrapped up my first week and I can tell that no day will be exactly the same –something that I think I’ll really enjoy about it.

I bring this up because with a new job comes change.  For the past several years I’ve been fortunate enough to work for a very good boss that allowed me great flexibility. The new job, while I believe affords me a lot of that same flexibility, it’s not 100% the same.

That being said, right now, I’m not sure I’ll have time to put together a lot of the weeknight meals I’ve grown accustomed to. Not that I’ve been putting together 5-course meals, but most of the stuff I made did require a little pre-planning.  So because of that, I’m on the hunt of quick and easy weeknight meals.

Now when I think quick and easy, homemade Chinese doesn’t come to the forefront.  However, this recipe is extremely simple. Not only is it easy, its inexpensive as the whole dinner costs less than $10 and there will be some leftover for lunch the next day.

The main part of this dish is pork blade steaks (they look like this).  If you can’t find blade steaks, you can use any pork (or even chicken or beef).  The pork is added to the crock pot with a couple other ingredients.  Is there anything more simple than a crock pot meal?

When you get home, all you have to do is cook the rice and broccoli.  Together with the pork you have you very own Chinese Take-Out right in the comfort of your own home.  Enjoy.

Ingredients: 2.5 pounds pork blade steaks 1/2 cup light soy sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1 teaspoon sriracha 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup water 2 cloves garlic, minced A pinch of kosher salt A few turns of freshly cracked black pepper (or more to taste) In a bowl mix together the soy, ketchup, sriracha, brown sugar, water and garlic. Put pork in a crock pot and pour the mix over the pork. Add salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve over cooked rice and steamed broccoli.

Cheaper than takeout

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

I generally keep politics to myself but this year’s election was extremely tense that I thought I might bring it up just for a moment. Feel free to skip to the recipe if you wish to not read what I have to say.

Our country is divided.  At 50% to 48%, the results of the polls clearly show it. Social media, prevalent for the first time ever during a Presidential election, shows it too.  Things people said to one another were rude, embarrassing, and downright disrespectful.  These are my Facebook “friends.”  Wow!

To me, this is not OK.

In order for the United States to continue to be one of the greatest countries on Earth, it is important that people, starting with me and you, come together.  Our leaders must follow suit.

We can’t change the results of the election, but we can change how we treat one another. Don’t agree with me, but don’t disrespect me because I voted differently than you.  Continue to let yourself be heard, but do it in a way that doesn’t make you sound like an idiot.  Stand up for what you believe in, but don’t spit in the face of others to get your point across.  Treat others as you wish to be treated, its not hard.

In 4 years, this country will vote again, I hope for my sake, and the sake of my children, that they don’t have to witness what I’ve read during these past few days.

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Now that I have got that out of my system, let me talk about something I think most everyone can agree with and that is the comfort a nice warm bowl of chicken noodle soup provides.

It is one of the easiest soups to make and with a few shortcuts you’ll have it on the table in no time.  Enjoy!

***Note: To save time, I use a store bought rotisserie chicken.  I get 2 meals in one because I only need some of the chicken for the soup.  Also, I cook the noodles separate.  I feel that when the noodles are cooked with the soup, they tend to absorb too much of the liquid.***

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter 1 large onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1 cup carrots, sliced 2 (32 oz cartons) low-sodium chicken broth 1 (14.5 oz can) vegetable stock 2 cooked chicken breasts, skin removed, and shredded or chopped 1 cooked chicken thigh or leg, skin removed, and shredded 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Salt and Pepper to taste 1 package of store bought noodles (I use Mrs. Millers Extra Wide Egg Noodles) In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender, about 10 minutes. Add basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir. Add chicken broth and vegetable broth, stir. Add chicken, stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer cover and cook for 30 minutes to 3 hours. About 20 minutes before ready to serve, fill a separate large pot with water, bring to boil and cook noodles according to package.  Drain and set aside. Add noodles to the bowl, ladle soup over noodles and enjoy!

Big Ole’ pot of soup

Thanksgiving Burrito

Thanksgiving Burrito

Admittedly, I don’t like most chain restaurants. Most of the food is overpriced, and for lack of a better term, tastes like crap. The portions are measly and nothing is ever quite prepared the way food should be.  And since the goal is consistency — an Olive Garden in Pittsburgh should taste (and look) exactly like an Olive Garden in Minnesota — that means you’re probably getting canned or frozen meals heated by your “chef”.  Do I have facts to back this up, not really…but stop and think about it.  Yet, despite chain restaurant’s shortcomings, they remain successful.

I get why this is the case and by all means, who am I to tell you how to spend your hard earned dollars.  It’s just with so many local restaurants serving fresh, local food, I’d rather spend my money there.  To me, it just makes sense to help out the local guy.

Now, this doesn’t mean I won’t visit a chain from time to time — sometimes it’s just convenient. Other times I will go to a chain (or pseudo chain) because they serve a specialty item that, despite my displeasure of chains, can only be had by venturing to the restaurant that serves them.

Enter Mad Mex.  A decent tasting Tex-Mex restaurant, Mad Mex is a pseudo chain, with locations only in Pennsylvania and Ohio.  And every year I venture to tackle their seasonal burrito, The Gobblerito.  I’m not the only one as many of my other anti-chain friends also find their way to Mad Mex to get their hands (and ultimately mouths) on one.

Available annually for one month (Mid-October thru Mid-November) The Gobblerito is easy to explain – its Thanksgiving served in a burrito.  That’s it.  Simple, yet extremely tasty.

The craving was getting the best of me so it was time to give in and venture out.

Unless I could make my own.

Of course I can. But for fear of being sued, I will need a catchy name to protect my ass(ets)  I came up with “Thanksgiving Burrito.”

I’m so clever!

By the way, making the gut-busting burrito is so simple that I’m surprised I haven’t done it before.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy — roll it up…heat it up…eat it up.  Done!

It came out almost (you’ll read why in a second) identical to the version we get at Mad Mex.  So much in fact, we’ll probably skip this years visit to Mad Mex.  That is unless one of us gets the craving for their Thai Curry Burrito.  Damn you Mad Mex!

By the way, this makes for an awesome alternative to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers.

Ingredients (everything is approximate to make 4 burritos) 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced diagonally and thin (I used breasts from a roast chicken I made earlier in the day for soup — ideally you would use turkey, but chicken worked perfectly and it allowed me to make 2 meals with one chicken) 1 cup mashed potatoes (homemade if possible) 1 cup of sweet kernel corn 1 cups of cornbread stuffing (I used cornbread but use whatever you like) 1 cup of chicken gravy (homemade if possible) 4 burrito sized tortillas Cranberry Sauce (optional) 1.  For each burrito, layer the ingredients in the center of 1 tortilla as follows: 1/4 cup of stuffing 1/2 of one chicken breast Gravy 1/4 cup mashed potatoes 1/4 cup of corn 2.  Roll each tortilla to form a burrito and repeat. 3.  Wrap the burritos in foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. 4.  Remove from foil, top with a few more spoonfuls of gravy (optional) and serve with fresh cranberry sauce (also optional). 5.  Finding yourself passed out in the recliner moments afterwards — not optional!

Be prepared for a “Carb Coma”

Chili

Chili

I feel like its been ages since I’ve blogged.  It certainly hasn’t been a lack of cooking as I’ve been whipping up all sorts of things over the past few weeks — guess life just gets in the way sometimes.

Regardless, I’m back today and ready to blog about my (award winning) chili.  Ok, so I never won an award, but my family and friends really like it — so good enough in my book.

Synonymous with football and cold weather, to me, chili is always pleasing and always delicious. I like that there are practically a zillion ways to enjoy it too.

Ground beef or cubes of beef.  Beans or no beans.  Spicy or not spicy.  Maybe over rice or a macaroni noodle or as is in a big bowl. Condiments or none.

Here is how I like it: Beef (chili grind — see tip below), with beans, medium spice, hold the rice, with a dollop of sour cream and a small sprinkle of cheddar cheese.

I can’t forget the cornbread (a must for me).

A great accompaniment to chili

No matter how you like it, nothing is as comforting as a good bowl of chili on a cold autumn day. Not only warm you up, but to fill you up too.  Nice thing is a little goes a long way and its healthy for you (for the most part).

Now I know you have your tried and true version so really, why try mine.  I get it and I’m not going to be offended.  But if you don’t have your own, give this a try — then bookmark it because you’ll want to keep this handy for the next few months.

Tip:  Ask your butcher if they will do a “chili grind” for your beef.  This is more course than ground beef and adds a nice texture. Ingredients: 2 lbs (chili grind) ground beef 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 tsp. chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (a little goes a long way in my opinion — also I don’t measure.  I just take one of the peppers out of the can, cut it open, remove the seeds and just dice a small piece) 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less depending on heat) 1 small jalepeno, seeded and diced small 3 tablespoons chili powder 3 Cups water 1 26 ounce  can tomato puree 1 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes 2 16 ounce cans kidney beans, drained 1-2 teaspoons salt In a dutch oven (or other heavy bottom pot), brown the beef over high heat.  Drain off fat and set aside. In the same dutch oven, heat oil, over medium high heat, adding onions when hot. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add green pepper, jalapeno, and garlic, continuing to cook 2-3 more minutes. Add black pepper, cumin, chipotle, crushed red pepper, and chili powder while continually stirring until spices begin to stick to bottom of dutch oven and begin to slightly brown (about 30-45 seconds). Quickly add 3 cups of water. Add tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and the juice they were packed in. Add kidney beans and salt. Add the beef and stir. When chili begins to boil, reduce heat to low and cover for a minimum of 3 hours to combine all of the flavors (stir every so often). I typically cook mine all day…about 6 hours. Ladle in to your favorite bowl, add your toppings (if that’s your thing) and enjoy!

I could eat all of this (not at once silly)

Beer Braised Pork Ribs

Beer Braised Pork Ribs

Before I get today’s story and recipe, I thought I’d share that today’s entry marks my 50th.

I assume somewhere in the blog-o-sphere, this is considered a major accomplishment.  But honestly, since I don’t own the blogging handbook, I really have no idea.  Regardless if 50 is considered an accomplishment, I’m going to give myself a pat on the back because I think it’s pretty special. Maybe I should have made a cake?

As I stated on the first day I got this up and running, I mainly do this for myself.  But I have to admit, it’s pretty cool when a total stranger, half-way around the world follows me regularly. Knowing this person took time to sign up to find out what I have to share is something I really didn’t expect.

So all you regulars, THANK YOU!  I hope you continue to enjoy what I have to say, and obviously, what I’m cooking.  Hopefully I’ve even inspired a few of you try something you really didn’t think you could do.

If this is your first time stopping by, thank you as well.  Maybe you’ll like what you see enough to want to come back.

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Today’s recipe is Beer Braised Pork Ribs.  In my best attempt to mimic Homer J. Simpson….”Mmmmmmmm Beeeeer.”

I recently attended one of Pittsburgh’s premier events, The Big Pour.  This event, now in its 6th year, is held annually to benefit Pittsburgh’s only (I believe) non-profit building material reuse retailer, Construction Junction.

Big Pour

The Big Pour allows anyone who is lucky enough to get a ticket (the event sells out in minutes) an opportunity to sample several types of beers from over 40 different craft breweries, as well as local food from area restaurants.  There really are no restrictions on how much you enjoy (that is until the keg runs dry).

The Big Pour is truly a beer lover/foodie paradise and my belly left happy.  More importantly, it left me with a nice feeling knowing that I’m helping out a good cause.

So what is Construction Junction?

Let’s say you’re remodeling your bathroom.  Instead of taking that old sink to the curb where it will eventually take up space in the landfill, drop it off at Construction Junction (or arrange for a pick-up).  As as long as it is still in working condition, they’ll take it off your hands.  Not only can you drop off, but you can browse and buy.  For example, if you’re looking for an old door (or anything really) to re-purpose, stop by CJ and they might have something you need.

So next time you have something to get rid of, think twice before letting the garbage men take it.

Ah…..feels good to give back.

Ok, enough of that….here’s the Beer Braised Ribs recipe which I found in the Food Network Magazine.  I don’t deviate from the ingredients all that much (just a slight tweak in the amounts).

This recipe is one of my all-time favorites. I enjoy the “gravy” it makes and a nice roll or hunk of bread comes in handy for sopping up the juice.  The recipe is perfect for those cold fall and winter nights. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 5 or 6 bone-in country style pork ribs (think 1.5 ribs per person depending on the size) 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 2 large onions, rough cut in to chunks Kosher Salt Olive Oil 1 12-ounce bottle of beer (Original recipe calls for amber ale, I used Sam Adams Pils — use anything, just nothing too hoppy) 1 1/2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth 3 bay leaves 6 sprigs of fresh thyme (tie if you can to remove easier when time to discard) 2/3 cup of apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons honey Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Season both sides of ribs with salt and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ribs in batches and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove and set aside. Add the onions and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Once the onions have cooked, add the remaining 1 teaspoon paprika and season with salt. Add the beer and bring to a boil (be sure to save a sip for yourself). Cook until the beer is reduced by half. (make sure to scrap the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the bits). Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and thyme. When the liquid begins to simmer, return the ribs to the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook, uncovered, turning the ribs half way through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes (Cooking times are approximate based on size of the ribs.) Meanwhile, mix the vinegar and honey in a measuring cup. Remove the pot from the oven and place back on the stove and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the vinegar/honey mixture and bring to a boil, then return the pot to the oven. Continue to braise, uncovered, until the ribs are tender, approximately 20-30 more minutes. Return the pot to the stove and transfer the ribs to a plate (tent with foil to keep warm) and discard the bay leaves and thyme. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat and cook until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Return the ribs to the pot and heat through. Serve immediately.

 

Thank me later!

Steak Wedgie

Steak Wedgie

The picture above is a wedgie.  Yes, it resembles a calzone or stromboli but rest assured it is not either. You have to trust me when I say it is a wedgie.

What exactly is a wedgie?  In a nutshell, it is sandwich that uses pizza crust to replace the bread or bun.  It is flat, like bread, not puffy and doughy.  Additionally, while I have zero facts to back this up, the wedgie supposedly got its start right here in Pittsburgh back in the late ’60’s.

Just about anything you can put on a sandwich can go in to a wedgie.  The two most common types on the menu’s around here are Italian and my favorite the steak wedgie

Even though the wedgie is rumored to have been around my whole life, the first time I had one was the mid 90’s from Angelo’s pizza shop in Pittsburgh’s Little Italy section of the city, Bloomfield.

Their steak wedgie is PHENOMENAL.  It is one of the tastiest foods to ever find its way in to my mouth.  I’ve seen steak wedgies on other menu’s around the city and I’ve tried a few of them, but nothing comes close in taste and quality of Angelo’s version.  They set the steak wedgie bar high for me.

If you live in Pittsburgh and plan on trying one from Angelo’s, keep in mind their service around lunch time is slow.  If you order one for take out (or sit down – as they have a few tables), order ahead of time and give yourself plenty of time.  I can’t tell you about service other times of the day because that’s the only time I’ve gone.

Wait, you read my blog but you don’t live in Pittsburgh? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with my take on Angelo’s very delicious steak wedgie.  It does take a bit of pre-planning, but this nice pizza or hoagie/sub alternative is worth it.

Here are a few tips to help with this recipe:

• To achieve the best results for the meat used in this recipe you will want to use thinly sliced steak.  Ribeye tastes best but I find a nice cut of sirloin gives me great results at a fraction of the price.  If you have a deli-slicer, just set the piece of sirloin on the slicer and slice on the thinnest setting.
• If you don’t, place the sirloin in the freezer for about an hour or two.  Remove and slice as thin as you can until you have about 15 to 20 pieces of sirloin.
• Another option is to slice the meat and pound it thin between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.
• No matter how you do it, the key is to make it thin so it cooks quickly.
• Once the meat is cut, quickly cook the meat in a pan over medium-high heat with a touch of olive oil.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels to remove excess grease.
• You can also use store-bought steak-like meat, but ummm, please don’t.
• Caramelized onions take anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes, they can be made well in advance and stored in the refrigerator .
• The garlic mayo can be made ahead of time also.
• Make sure you have either a pizza tray or pizza screen (both can be bought for a couple of dollars at local restaurant supply stores) or a pizza stone.

Enjoy!

Ingredients: Fresh Pizza Dough equivalent to one 16″ pizza  (basic pizza dough recipe) 1 large onion, caramelized ( how to caramelize onions) 15 to 20 pieces of cooked thinly sliced sirloin, then rough chopped (see info above) 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 medium tomato, sliced 1/2 cup of lettuce, shredded 3-4 slices of provolone cheese (mozzarella would work too) Salt and Pepper to Taste 2 tablespoons melted butter Mix mayonnaise and garlic, set aside. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Shape pizza dough to approximately 16 inches (i.e. large pizza size). Lay out the dough on either a pizza tray/screen and brush with melted butter.  If using a pizza stone, then lay the dough out on a pizza peel and brush with butter. Place dough in oven and bake for about 2 minutes.  Just enough to start to get the dough firm. Remove dough from oven and spread the mayo/garlic mixture on the entire surface. Top half of the dough with cooked steak.  Season with salt and pepper. Then top with onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. Fold the half of the dough that isn’t lined with the ingredients over the half that is.  Do not seal. Brush top with melted butter. Return wedgie to the oven and bake about 5-6 minutes or until the top begins to brown. Flip and brush with melted butter. Bake an additional 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven.   Let sit for 5 minutes. Cut in to wedges and serve.

A wedge of the wedgie. Fantastic!