Missouri Hick BBQ, Cuba, MO

Mmmmmm, good!

We were making a trip from Indy to Fayetteville AR (Go Hogs!) and were on the hunt for some good BBQ on the way. We came across a sign on I-44 for Missouri Hick BBQ in Cuba, Missouri. The restaurant is located on historic Route 66, about 2-3 miles off the interstate. It's well worth the drive, too.

The place has a nice atmosphere, with what look like handmade carved wooden chairs. All well done. It definitely has character.

And hey, with placemats like these, you know you're in for something good!


Service was prompt and pleasant. Anita ordered the pulled pork sandwich, with German potato salad. The potato salad was served warm. It had a nice mustard flavor and was very, very good. The pulled pork was as you'd want: moist and tasty with just the right amount of smoke.

I had the brisket sandwich with poppy seed coleslaw. The brisket was very tender, moist, and very tasty. Nice smoke ring and smoke flavor. And the coleslaw was outrageously good. I love jalapeño or green bell pepper in my slaw. This slaw had red onions in it. The dressing was just sweet enough that it really went well with the kick of the onion. I'd seriously return to Missouri Hick even if all they had on the menu was the slaw.

There were 5 BBQ sauces on the table, ranging from sweet and smoky to spicy. We found them all to be good, but of course our favorite was the spicy. I even bought a bottle to bring back home.


So if you're in the area, stop on by. And no matter where you are, visit your local (or not so local) BBQ joint. You'll be glad you did!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Update: We stopped at Missouri Hick again recently on the way to Northwest Arkansas. I ordered the large brisket sandwich and the poppy seed slaw. The brisket was tender, tasty and smoked perfectly. The slaw is addicting. Very addicting.

Missouri Hick is a really great BBQ joint. They have a large menu, great service, and the prices are right!

Grilled Peruvian Purple Potatoes

I love purple potatoes. Actually, I love potatoes period. There are hundreds of varieties of potatoes, but here in the US you're lucky if you can find more than four in the grocery store.


I par boiled these then skewered them and finished them off over hot coals. Brushed them with a bit of melted butter, and sprinkled with S&P. Really good eats.

The color of these potatoes is really fantastic. I tried to make them popsicle style, but they fell off the skewers. My fault since I wasn't using my flat skewers. What was I thinking?

Grilled Pizzas

We decided to give grilling pizza a shot for the first time. I have no idea why we waited so long, because the final product was fantastic!



We made two different kinds of pizza. A grilled hot Italian sausage and mozzarella pizza with homemade sauce (see our sauce recipe here), and a grilled shrimp and cilantro pesto pizza. I was surprised by how much I really liked the cilantro pizza the most. Anita preferred the sausage pizzas. All of the pizzas were made over homemade crusts which we then grilled.

These are the two hot Italian sausage pizzas:

Here are the two shrimp pizzas with just the pesto on the crusts:



For the crusts:

Makes: 4 medium pizzas
Prep time: 4 hours
Cook time: 5-8 minutes
Printable Recipe (all recipes on this page)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/2 t active dry yeast
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 t salt
• 2 T olive oil, plus more

1. Mix water and yeast in the bowl of your mixer and let stand 5 minutes.

2. Gradually pour in 2 cups of the flour by hand and stir, for about 1 minute.

3. Let stand, covered, for at least 1 hour.

4. Using the dough hook, add the salt and oil, then add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, forming a dough.

5. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover and let rise for at least 2 1/2 hours.

6. Divide dough into 4 balls, return to bowl and let rise for another 30 minutes.

7. Preheat grill to high.

8. Roll out dough on a lightly floured board. Oil each side lightly and salt. Place on hot grill and grill 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly charred and crispy. Remove, let cool slightly, and use for pizzas.

For the Hot Italian Sausage Pizzas:

Makes: 2 pizzas
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10-20 minutes
Printable Recipe (all recipes on this page)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4" rounds
• 2 grilled pizza crusts, from above recipe
• 2 cups pizza sauce
• 5 hot Italian sausage links

1. Preheat grill to medium. Grill links until done. Let cool slightly. Cut into 1/4" thick rounds.

2. Spread sauce on each crust. Top with sausage and cheese.

3. Turn grill to high. Cover half of grill with foil.

4. Place crust on foil and cook until cheese is melted. Remove, slice and serve.


For the Cilantro Pesto:

Makes: Enough for 2 pizzas
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Printable Recipe (all recipes on this page)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves
• 2 T pine nuts
• 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as desired.


For the Grilled Shrimp Cilantro Pesto Pizzas:

Makes: 2 pizzas
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10-20 minutes
Printable Recipe (all recipes on this page)

Ingredients:

• 2 grilled pizza crusts, from above recipe
• 1 pound 16-20 count shrimp, deveined and shelled
• Cilantro pesto, from above recipe
• Olive oil
• 2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese

1. Preheat grill to medium. Put shrimp into a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill until done.

2. Spread pesto on each crust. Top with shrimp and cheese.

3. Turn grill to high. Cover half of grill with foil.

4. Place crust on foil and cook until cheese is melted. Remove, slice and serve.

Asiago Cheese Grits

I had a block of Asiago that was... well... Let's just say I needed to use it up. So, I happened upon a recipe from the Plain Chicken blog that worked out just great.


You really can't find anything easier to make.

Makes: 4 servings
Cook time: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups water
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
• 3/4 cup Asiago cheese, shredded
• 1 t dried basil
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1 t dried parsley
• 1 1/2 T butter

1. Bring water, milk and salt to a boil in a large saucepan.

2. Slowly whisk in the grits.

3. Cook 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick.

4. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Season to taste.

Bacon and Cheddar Fattie

We did this remake of our bacon and cheddar fattie. The original one was ok, but needed a little... sprucing up. It took about 1 1/2 cups of fresh shredded Tillamook sharp cheese and 3 or so slices of bacon to make this. This time we packed the stuffing a little bit tighter. It came out great!

I think the next time we make this it might need a little diced jalapeño in it...

Green Lightning Shrimp

I caught this on an old episode of BBQ University by Steven Raichlen. Every time I watch that show I get grill envy. Steven has the best toys.


These shrimp have a nice kick, with a good citrus flavor to boot. Just perfect. I made a few changes to the original recipe, but not much.

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 5-6 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds shrimp, 16-20, deveined
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 8 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 6-8 green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 1 t black pepper
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 stick butter

1. Soak some bamboo skewers in water for about 20-30 minutes.

2. Put the shrimp on the skewers and place in a glass dish.

3. In a blender, place all but 3 T of the cilantro, the jalapeños, green onions, chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin and puree. While pureeing, add the olive oil and lime juice. Pour over the shrimp. Marinade for 30 minutes, turning several times.

4. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the remaining 3 T of cilantro and the minced garlic. Cook until sizzling, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat and keep warm.

5. Place shrimp on grill and cook 1-3 minutes per side, basting with the butter mixture, until done.

6. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Chili Dog Sauce

This sauce really can be used for just about anything. Put it on burgers, or even on a bun by itself. It's almost like a Sloppy Joe topping.


We both really liked this. We had it over grilled quarter pounder dogs, topped with melted Tillamook sharp cheddar. Good stuff!

I found the original recipe in Dr. BBQ's BBQ All Year Long. I picked up a copy at a book outlet in Edinburgh, IN. I highly recommend this book. It is full of great grilling recipes, from sides, to meats, to sauces and everything in between.

Makes: 10-12 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 cup water
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T prepared yellow mustard
• 1 T dried minced onion
• 2 t chile powder
• 1 t Worcestershire sauce
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t celery seed
• 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t black pepper

1. Brown the beef over medium-high heat in a skillet. When half done, add the onions. When nearly done, add in the garlic.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.

Sausage Balls and Mini Pigs-In-A-Blanket

These are more hors d'oeuvres from Anita's birthday party. Sure, the pigs in a blanket are your usual recipe, so to kick them up I served them with some hot and spicy Grandma Foster's BBQ sauce.


The sausage balls were served with a mustard dipping sauce and BBQ sauce for dipping.

For the Sausage Balls:

Makes: 40 sausage balls
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb bulk sausage
• 1 (10 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I used Tillamook)
• 2 cups Bisquick baking mix

1. Let cheese and sausage come to room temperature.

2. Mix all ingredients. The mixture will be very dry.

3. Preheat oven to 400 F.

4. Line two cookie sheets with foil and spray with oil spray.

5. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain if needed.


For the Pigs-In-A-Blanket:

Makes: 24-30 pigs
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package Little Smokies sausage
• 1 package Crescent Rolls
• Parmesan cheese to taste, optional
• Garlic salt to taste, optional

1. Preheat oven according to crescent rolls package.

2. Unroll dough but leave intact 2 triangles, forming a rectangle. Pinch the seam between the two triangles.

3. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 5 strips lengthwise. Then, cut cross-wise into 10 strips.

4. Roll each strip around a sausage and place in a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

5. Sprinkle with garlic salt and cheese, if desired.

6. Bake 10-15 minutes or until dough is browned.

Chicken Garlic Bites and Roast Beef Horseradish Pinwheels

These are some hors d'oeuvres we made a while back for Anita's birthday. They are both easy and tasty. Next time I'll try and roll the pinwheels a little tighter for a better presentation.


The chicken bites were served with mustard, BBQ, and Ranch dressing for dipping.

For the Chicken Garlic Bites:

Makes: 16 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper

1. Place chicken in shallow dish.

2. In a small bowl, mix the oil, garlic, and black pepper. Pour over chicken, cover, and marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 475 F.

4. Mix bread crumbs and cayenne in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken bites.

5. Arrange chicken on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes or until brown.


For the Roast Beef Horseradish Spirals:

Makes: 36 spirals
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes - 1 day
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 T prepared horseradish, well drained
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 8 oz deli roast beef, sliced thin
• 2 10" flour tortillas

1. Combine the first six ingredients.

2. Spread half of the mixture on each of the tortillas.

3. Top each tortillas with the roast beef, leaving a 1/2" border around the edges.

4. Roll up the tortillas and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

5. Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes to 1 day.

6. Cut diagonally into 1/2" slices and serve.

Creamy Olive Soup

Anita loves olives, so when I ran across this recipe on the Mangos, Chili and Z blog I had to make it.


I added a few more olives than this recipe calls for.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 T butter
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup carrot, diced
• 5 T all purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1. Melt butter in large pot.

2. Saute the onion, celery and carrot until softened.

3. Slowly add the flour while stirring.

4. Slowly add the broth while stirring. Continue stirring until the flour is dissolved.

5. Add the wine and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Add in the half and half and lower heat to a simmer.

7. Add the rice, olives, peas, and chicken. Heat thoroughly but do not boil.

8. Add salt and white pepper to taste.

Shrimp-Stuffed Phyllo Cups

We made these a few weeks ago for a get-together at my SILs. Everyone enjoyed them!


And even better, they are super easy to make. The original recipe says this makes only 15 servings, but I was able to get 30 out of it without any problem.

Makes: 15-30 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shrimp, cooked, peeled and finely diced (about 1 pound)
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1 T green onion, minced
• 1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 2 (15 count) packages frozen phyllo shells, thawed

1. Combine shrimp, celery and green onion in a bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the lemon juice, mayo, salt and pepper.

3. Pour the liquid mixture over the shrimp and stir gently.

4. Spoon into phyllo cups and serve.

Corn Creole

This is my adaptation of a recipe I found on the Cajun Grocer's web site.


We really enjoyed this. I added some more heat by adding two large diced jalapeños. You can leave them out, of course.

Makes: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Printable Recipe

• 3 T bacon drippings
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 large jalapeños, diced
• 2 cups cream-style corn (I substituted whole kernel sweet corn)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 6 1/2 T pats of butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Heat the bacon drippings in a large pot over medium heat.

3. Add the onions and peppers and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the corn, egg and milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.

5. Add the cornmeal and stir until the mixture thickens.

6. Season with salt and add the cayenne.

7. Pour into a lightly oiled baking dish.

8. Sprinkle top with breadcrumbs and dot with butter.

9. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Roasted Poblano Fattie

I think this may be our favorite fattie so far.


I had a little cheese blowout towards the back, but it didn't harm a thing. In fact, that cheese dripped down on the 9 pound pork butt I was smoking on the rack below.

Take your standard fattie and fill it with a fire-roasted problano, (scrape off all the charred parts and chop), and add 2 cups of shredded queso blanco or queso chihuahua. If you need, substitute any good melting white cheese.

Pepper Jack Cheese Sauce

I found this wonderful, easy cheese sauce on the Nibble Me This blog.

I put it on burgers for dinner last night. They turned out great! Then, for lunch today, I put some more on a hot dog, in place of the usual mustard. Wow! I'll be making this again. You can substitute any kind of good melting cheese you'd like.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 T butter
• 1 T flour
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• hot sauce, to taste

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium high heat.

2. Whisk in the flour and and continue whisking for 2-3 more minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in the half and half.

4. Bring mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally.

5. Whisk in the cheese in small handfuls. Melt thoroughly before adding more cheese.

6. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauces and whisk again.

7. Reduce the heat to keep warm until needed.

Grilled Malibu Chicken

Patio Daddio posted this recipe and I just had to make it. The only change I made was to use thighs instead of chicken breasts. Check out Patio Daddio's site.


Of course, I goofed up and put the pineapple slices on upside down so you can't see the grill marks! Doh! Something that looks and smells this good can make you forget stuff like that!

Makes: 3 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hours 20 minutes (includes marinade time)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 12 slices deli ham, sliced thin
• 6 slices canned pineapple
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice, from the canned slices
• 4 T butter, melted
• 2 T BBQ seasoning (I use some Dizzy Pig original)
• 2 T yellow mustard
• 1 T honey
• 1 T molasses
• 2 t Worcestershire sauce
• 1 t chili powder

1. Season both sides of each thigh with BBQ seasoning, cover, and put into fridge for at least an hour.

2. Combine the butter, pineapple juice, mustard, honey, molasses, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl and whisk until well mixed. Divide sauce. (I divided the sauce so that I am using a different set of the sauce when brushing the uncooked meat versus for drizzling afterwards).

3. Bring grill to medium heat. Grill thighs and pineapple slices until seared and marked.

4. Flip chicken and pineapple and brush with the sauce and cook another 2 minutes.

5. Top chicken with two slices of ham and drizzle with sauce.

6. Top with a slice of cheese and then the pineapple and drizzle with more sauce.

7. Continue grilling until chicken is cooked through.

8. Serve drizzled with more sauce.

Grilled Potato Salad #2

I did a grilled potato salad a while back. This is a different take on it, more like the picnic potato salad you've come to expect, but with a kick.


We would make this again in a minute. It really is great.

This is based on a recipe by the Neelys.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients for the salad:

• 6 red potatoes, par-boiled and cut into quarters
• 3 t olive oil
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 2 t red pepper flakes
• 1/2 sweet onion, sliced thinly
• 2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Chives or parsley for garnish

Ingredients for the dressing:

• 1/4 t stone-ground mustard
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2 t red wine vinegar

1. Preheat grill to medium.

2. Place potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with oil.

3. Add salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Combine well.

4. Put the potatoes on the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes.

5. Flip and grill another 3-5 minutes. Remove from grill and place into large bowl.

6. Add the sweet onion and bacon.

7. To make the dressing, combine all ingredients and whisk together.

8. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with chives or parsley.

Apple Breakfast Fattie

Anita came up with this one. I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first, but it actually came out really tasty!


Just make your standard fattie. For the filling, put in a few tablespoons of apple pie filling. Top that with a tablespoon or two of maple syrup. Seal up and smoke!

Yummy!

Bacon Bakers

The idea from these came from my bud, Chez John's, Front Porch and from a post Patio Daddio did on MOABs (Mother of All Bakers).

Next time you do up a baker, just wrap it in bacon first.

I tried it two different ways. The first, one the left, I just wrapped in bacon and the second I did in a bacon weave. Chez John skinned his taters first. I didn't. Why? Well, because I wanted to be different, that's why!

Also, because of all the bacon grease, I'd recommend baking your taters on a rack so that your potatoes don't soak it all up. Well, unless you want that.

Out of the oven, the weave looked awesome! I used a nice, thick cut apple wood smoked bacon.

Slice down the middle and squeeze in the ends to open them up, then add your favorite toppings.

Which is better? Well, actually the baker just wrapped in bacon versus the weave. The bacon understandably cooked better since it's not so overlapped. That's not to say the weave wasn't good, trust me.

It's like having your bacon bits on the outside of your potato instead of inside!

Carrot Popsicles

Yes, this is a take-off on the okra popsicles we had the other night.


And let me say, these are outstanding! The carrot flavors just pop! So good!

Makes: 2 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 carrots, approximately all the same size, peeled
  
• 1 T butter, melted
• Salt and pepper
• 4 skewers

1. Bring enough water to boil in a large sauce pan to cover the carrots.

2. Add carrots and slow boil until fork tender, about 10 minutes. The larger the carrots the longer this will take.

3. Remove from water and let cool enough to skewer.

4. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Grill over medium high heat until soft. Remove and eat like popsicles.

Stuffed Avocado Salad

I admit, I kind of got ahead of myself when I made this. Not that it wasn't good, it was fantastic. It's just that tomatoes aren't in season yet, so I had to use a few hot house 'maters. I was jonesin' pretty bad for a good summery salad. A long winter will do that to you.


I'll make this again once the local tomatoes are in season. The original recipe came from here.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 T fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1 t dried oregano
• 2 large avocados, halved and pitted

1. Mix all ingredients except the avocados in a bowl.

2. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Spoon into avocado halves.

Grilled Okra Popsicles

I'm a big fan of okra.


This is the first time I put okra on skewers and grilled it, and I have to say it was one of the best tastes ever. I got the idea for these from an episode of the BBQ University, but I cannot find an actual reference to the recipe online. Whenever I post a recipe, whether I'm using one verbatim or my own adaptation of it, I will post the link if I can find it.


Makes: 3-4 servings
Cook time: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh okra
• 2 T butter, melted
• Salt and Pepper
• Skewers

1. Skewer the okra. Baste with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Grill over medium high heat until starting to blacken or bubble, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Eat right from the skewers.

Bacon Salt Popcorn

We were looking for a little snack this afternoon, so I threw this one together. You could use microwave popcorn if you wish, but make sure to get one that has no flavorings added.

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 T oil
• 2/3 cup good popcorn kernels (I used Autumn Blaze from Fireworks Popcorn)
• 2-3 T butter
• Bacon salt, original flavor (available in most grocery stores)

1. Heat oil in your popcorn popper (I love the Whirley Pop) and add and cook the popcorn per manufacturer's directions.

2. In a small skillet (or in the microwave), melt the butter. Sprinkle in 3-4 good shakes of bacon salt (more or less, to taste) and whisk well.

3. Place the popcorn in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with bacon salt butter mixture and mix well. Serve.

Grilled Cabbage with Kielabasa (aka cabbasa)

It may look a little different, but this grilled cabbage was fantastic! We will definitely be making this again soon!


We used Grandma Foster's BBQ sauce, but you can substitute your favorite. And if you don't have kielbasa, just use bacon (you'll want to cook it to almost done first).

I originally saw this on an episode of BBQ University with Steven Raichlen. I believe he used bacon in the show, but the recipe on his web site uses kielbasa.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 - 1 1/2 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized head of cabbage, about 2 pounds
• 3 T butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 oz kielbasa, diced into 1/4" cubes (about 1/2 cup or 3" of the sausage)
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1. Start your grill for indirect cooking. You'll get added flavor if you also add wood chips or chunks to the fire. If you're not familiar with indirect grilling, there's an explanation on BBQ U.

2. Take a 12" piece of foil and flatten it into a roll, then shape it into a ring. This will be the base to set the cabbage on so it doesn't roll around.

3. Cut out the core by inserting a knife at an angle and cutting around it, about 3" deep. When you remove the core it will look like a cone. I kept the core and trimmed it so that just the top remained to use as a cover.

4. Melt 2 T butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brush some of the butter over the outside of the cabbage.

5. Add the onion, garlic and kielbasa to the skillet and brown, 3-5 minutes.

6. Spoon the mixture into the cabbage and cover with BBQ sauce and 1 more T of melted butter.

7. Season with salt and pepper and put the core top back in place, if desired.

8. Grill over indirect heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You can check for doneness using a skewer. If the skewer can be inserted through the cabbage with only some resistance, it is done.

9. Remove from grill and cut into 4 wedges and serve.

Hot Dog Salad

At first you might think that this just can't work. But, it's basically just a deconstructed Chicago hot dog. It's very good. Use good, large all-beef hot dogs for the best results.



The original recipe came from here.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 hot dogs
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 2 T vinegar
• 1 t sugar (I used Splenda)
• 3 T oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
• 8 oz of slaw mix (about half a bag)
• 1 romaine heart, shredded
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 3 large garlic pickles, chopped

1. Grill the hot dogs. Let cool slightly and cut into 1" thick pieces on a bias.

2. In a large bowl, combine the mustard, vinegar, sugar and oil.

3. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Taste and season.

4. To serve, mound up the salad and top with the hot dog slices.

Grilled Thai Chicken Thighs

These came out so tasty and tender.


I served this over rice, with Szechuan green beans on the side. Next time I may put the chicken on small buns and top with an Asian slaw - instant Thai Sliders!

I found the original recipe over on Blues BBQ. Think I may pick up some of their hot sauces, specially the Habanero Reserve.

Makes: 3 servings
Prep time: 2-4 hours
Cook time: 10-18 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 T soy sauce (I used low sodium)
• 1 T rice wine vinegar
• 2 t sugar (I used Splenda)
• 1-2 t red pepper flakes (or more)

1. Place thighs in a large baggie.

2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Seal bag and toss to coat.

3. Place baggie in the fridge for 2-4 hours to marinate.

4. Heat grill to medium-high heat.

5. Place chicken on grill and cook until done, about 10 minutes per side.

Smoked Stromboli Fattie

Ever since we got our fattie piston, Anita has been coming up with different fattie recipes.

She calls this one her Stromboli fattie.


We served these with homemade marinara sauce. They were fantastic!

For instructions on how to assemble and smoke a fattie, see our post here.

1. Take 1/4 cup each of red pepper, green pepper, and onion diced and sautée until nearly softened. Let cool slightly.

2. Dice fresh buffalo mozzarella and place in a small bowl.

3. Add in the cooled vegetable mixture and mix well.

4. Place mixture into the fattie piston and place in fridge for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, flatten out an Italian rolled sausage into a 9x9 square on a sheet of waxed paper.

6. Remove the fattie piston contents, roll up the sausage and smoke.

Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Cream

Everyone on the food shows on TV seems to be raving about how well strawberries and balsamic vinegar go together. My SIL gave me a fancy bottle of balsamic last Christmas, so it seemed like a good time to try it out.


I have to say we both enjoyed this a lot, along with an ice cold orange cream soda. This recipe came from Ellie Krieger.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 5 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used low-fat)
• 2 T honey
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 T sugar (I used Splenda)
• 1 (16 oz) container strawberries, quartered
• 2 T fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

1. Place the cheese, vanilla and honey into a bowl and blend well until smooth. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Place the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a bowl. Reduce to a simmer and continue simmering for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool.

3. Place the strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic syrup and mix well.

4. Divide the cheese mixture between 4 cocktail glasses and top with the berries.

Hot Chili

This isn't a super-hot, 5-alarm chili. Just a nice, easy chili with a little kick. It's a little different than the sweet and hot chili I usually make.


I found this recipe over on the Calphalon website. I'm not sure why I was there, but I of course ended up in the recipe section.

Makes: 8 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs lean ground beef
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 T ground cumin
• 3 T chili powder
• 2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t dried oregano
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1 (29 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
• Toppings (shredded cheese, onion, jalapeños, etc)

1. Preheat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add oil and heat for 1 minutes.

3. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Add in the beef, onion, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Cook until meat is browned, stirring occasionally.

5. Drain any excess fat.

6. Stir in the bay leaves, tomatoes (and their sauce), tomato sauce and beans (do not drain).

7. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and let simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until the chili has thickened.

8. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Server with desired toppings.

Apple and Bacon Salad

At first glance, you might ask "What is that? How could THAT possibly be good?". Well, the answer is that it is a really good salad, a really perfect mix of flavors from the cold, crispy apple to the softness of the egg, crunchy bacon, and finally, a slight kick from the jalapeño aioli.


I found this recipe when watching a podcast from Good Bite a little while back.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes (assembly)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 2 granny smith apples, cut into matchsticks (keep in ice water with some lemon juice to keep from browning)
• 1/2 cup cooked bacon cut into lardons
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 4 poached eggs, chilled
• 2 T apple cider vinegar

1. Place the jalapeño and oil into a blender and purée until smooth, about 5 minutes.

2. In a bowl, combine the apples, green onions and bacon. Toss with vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Place 1/4th of the salad in the middle of a plate and top with a poached egg. Drizzle with the jalapeño sauce. Repeat for the other 3 servings.

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Here in Indiana, you're pretty much required by law to have one of these at least once a month. I found this recipe over on Dorothy McNett's website.


I have to admit that I made a minor change to the original way of making these. I like to have just a little kick to my food, so I added the teaspoon of cayenne. It really might have been more. Use your own judgment and taste to guide you.

Makes: 4 sandwiches
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut 1" thick
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 - 1 t cayenne, or to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 T milk (can use 2%)
• 1 1/2 cups ground cracker crumbs (use no salt or low-salt)
• oil for frying
• Hamburger buns, mustard, mayo, pickles, red onion, etc, as you desire, for toppings

1. Pound the pork slices into 1/4 inch thick slices.

2. Heat 4 inches of oil to 375 in a Dutch oven.

3. Lay out 3 bowls. In the first combine the flour, paprika, cayenne, pepper, and salt. In the second bowl combine the egg and milk. In the last bowl place the cracker crumbs.

4. Dip each pork slice into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and finally into the crumbs, coating completely. Place on a wire rack to set for 10 minutes.

5. Place pork slices into Dutch oven (you may need to do this in batches) and cook 2 minutes per side or until done. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

6. Serve over toasted hamburger buns with your favorite toppings. We prefer tomato, mayo, red onion, dill pickles and lettuce.

Smoked Sausage, Taters, Peppers and Onion Soup

This is the simplest meal you could possibly make. Sometimes the simplest things are the best tasting.


I was really surprised how flavorful this is. It doesn't hurt that I grilled the sausage for a little bit before slicing it into the pot. And substituting broth is a major plus.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15-25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (lb) smoke sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces (grill first if desired)
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup water (I substituted homemade chicken stock)

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook over medium heat, 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

These sandwiches have a really nice taste. The beef is slow cooked for 14 hours, so it is unbelievably tender. The giardiniera and peperoncini really take the flavors over the top.


I served the beef over toasted French bread, topped with sauteed peppers and onion, and melted provolone cheese.

The original recipe came from Deep South Dish, a favorite site of ours.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 14 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 t beef bouillon
• 1/2 t Italian seasoning
• 1 envelope Italian dressing mix
• 1 (3 pound) rump roast
• 1 cup peperoncini, drained
• 1 cup giardiniera, drained
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 loaf French or Italian bread
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 medium white onion, sliced
• 1 T olive oil
• 8 slices provolone cheese

1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat add the broth. Stir in the bouillon, Italian seasoning, and Italian dressing mix.

2. Add the rump roast, peperoncini, giardiniera and garlic and reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 hours. I like to turn the roast every few hours to get an even cook.

3. Remove the beef and let rest. Cut into thin slices or chunks and return to the Dutch oven. Cook on low another 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally.

4. Slice bread in half. Sautee peppers and onions in 1 T of oil.

5. Spoon beef onto bread and top with peppers and onions. Cover with provolone. Place under broiler just long enough to melt the cheese.

6. Serve with a bowl of the juices, if desired, for dipping.

Marinara Sauce

This sauce is so easy to make, and it really comes out nice. The recipe came from Closet Cooking, a great food blog. My SIL gave me some awesome kalamata olives for Christmas. They really made the sauce. Use good olives and you won't regret it.


We baked the sauce along with some sliced fresh mozzarella until the cheese was a little browned and served with toasted baguettes.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 t Italian herb blend
• 1 bay leaf
• handful fresh basil, chopped

1. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a pan.

2. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes.

3. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

4. Deglaze the pan with the wine.

5. Add tomatoes, olives, bay leaf, Italian herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and simmer for 30 minutes, letting the sauce thicken.

6. Remove from heat.

7. Remove the bay leafs and let cool slightly.

8. Place into blender and purée until the desired thickness is achieved. Be VERY careful putting hot liquid into a blender. If you have an immersion blender, use it instead.

Grilled Chicken Sliders with Spicy Coleslaw

I often make grilled chicken sandwiches, but this time I wanted something a little different. I had some dinner rolls on hand, so I used them to make sliders.


These grilled chicken sliders get their kick from Scott's BBQ sauce, a great North Carolina vinegary sauce. The slaw is based on a recipe I found on Pepper Fool.

Printable Recipe

For the sliders:
Makes: 12 sliders, 3-4 servings
Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts (usually 1 package)
2 cups Scott's barbecue sauce, divided
6 slices jalepeño cheese, sliced and cut into quarters
Lettuce
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
12 dinner rolls (I used potato rolls)

1. Butterfly the chicken breasts and place in a large container or baggie. Add 1 cup of the BBQ sauce. Make sure all of the breasts get sauced. Let marinate for 2 hours.

2. Heat grill to medium high. Grill breasts until they reach 165 F. They will cook quickly since they are thin. Baste with more BBQ sauce on both sides.

3. Quickly grill the rolls until browned.

4. Remove breasts and cut into squares the size of the buns. Top with 2 slices of the cheese, onions, and lettuce. Place on buns and serve.

For the spicy coleslaw:
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 bag coleslaw, with carrots (about 5-6 cups)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, Julienned
• 1/2 green bell pepper, Julienned
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Serrano peppers, chopped (can substitute jalapeños)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 T cilantro, chopped
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t cumin (or to taste)
• 1/2 T ground coriander
  
• 1 T maple syrup
• 1/2 T Dijon mustard
• 1/2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 lime, juiced

1. Mix all ingredients. The slaw gets better if refrigerated for 1 hour before serving.

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

This recipe is one from Paula Deen. It has an amazing number of high ratings, so we decided to make it for a get together Anita was attending.


This pudding really is very, very good. Dangerously good. Almost scary good.

Makes: 12 servings (or... 6...)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes (to cool)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies (note if you put the cookies in close together, you might need 3 bags)
• 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5 oz) box instant French vanilla pudding
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (12 oz) container whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream

1. Line the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

2. Combine the milk and pudding mix in a bowl and mix well.

3. In another bowl combine the cream cheese and milk and mix until smooth.

4. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.

5. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir well.

6. Pour mixture over cookies and bananas and spread evenly. Cover with remaining cookies.

7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Baked Beets in Cream

This is a very simple, very tasty side dish. I have to admit, I haven't done much with beets before. But we both really liked how this came out. It'll become a staple for us during the time beets are in season.


Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

3-4 medium beets, unpeeled and unwashed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 fresh lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Trim beet roots and stems to 1/2". Do not wash them or cut them any further. The key here is to not get the beets wet as they will end up steaming instead of baking. If you do have to wash them or wipe them off, make sure you dry them very well.

3. Place beets in a deep casserole and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, until the beets are fork tender.

4. Remove the beets from the oven and uncover. Let cool until you can handle them.

5. Remove the roots and skins from the beets.

6. Slice beets thin. Place in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cream, salt and pepper and heat until cream is warmed.

7. Serve drizzled with fresh lemon juice.

Red Beans and Rice

The folks over at Deep South Dish turn out some mighty nice recipes. We love their red beans and rice.


Just like with the gumbo we made, don't skimp on the andouille. I've made this before with smoked sausage, but it doesn't come close to the flavors you'll get more using andouille.

Makes: 8-10 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried kidney beans
• 1/2 pound of bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t fresh black pepper
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 t oil
• 14 oz (or more) andouille sausage (you can sub smoked sausage), sliced into 1/4" rounds or chunks
• 4 T butter
• Cooked rice (try the Creole Boiled Rice from NOLA Cuisine)

1. Rinse and sort beans. Place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover beans plus an inch. Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes, uncovered.

2. Turn off heat, cover, and let soak for 1 hour. Drain and return to pot.

3. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until slightly limp. Add the onion, green pepper, and celery and cook until tender.

4. Add the garlic, black pepper, cayenne, basil and bay leaves. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

5. Add contents of the skillet to the beans in the pot.

6. Add 2 quarts water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours or until the beans are tender and have thickened.

7. Add butter and melt.

8. Serve over cooked rice.

Dark Chocolate Chili Bar

I used to do a pretty good job sticking to the outside aisles at the groceria, but now that I've discovered this, I'm in trouble!


Yum! It was the Atzecs (or Mayans?) that first mixed chocolate and chili, and let me tell ya, they were on to something good!

Gumbo

I found this great version of gumbo over on the NOLA Cuisine site. I love the fact that it uses chicken thighs, my favorite part of the chicken. You can pretty much substitute thighs in any recipe that calls for using breasts instead.


Don't skimp on the Andouille. Get the real stuff.

The original recipe calls for serving this over Creole Boiled Rice, which we did, and it was awesome. You can substitute normal white rice, but the boiled rice recipe is very simple to make and is really flavorful.

Makes: 3-4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 T Creole Seasoning (I used Tony Chachere's)
  
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1 1/2 cups (or more) Andouille sausage, diced
• 3 T garlic, chopped
• 1 cup okra, trimmed and sliced (can use frozen)
• 6 cups cold chicken stock
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1" cubes and seasoned with 2 T Creole seasoning
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce, to taste
• Salt, if needed
• 2 T parsley, chopped, for garnish
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin, 1/2 for garnish
• White rice

Note: I used Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning. You can also try the Creole seasoning recipe on NOLA Cuisine's web site.

1. Mix the onion, celery and bell pepper (the Holy Trinity) together.

2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.

3. Whisk in the flour to make a blonde-colored roux.

4. Add the Andouille, 1 T Creole seasoning, and 3/4 of the onion/celery/bell pepper mixture. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.

5. Add the stock, remaining Creole seasoning, okra, remaining onion/celery/bell pepper, garlic, and salt (taste to make sure you need it). Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occassionally.

6. Add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if desired) and 1/2 of the green onions. Heat and serve over rice.

Bug... of some sort

What the heck is on the wall by the computers?

Whatever it is, it doesn't look normal.

Italian Sausage Chili

This chili is really, really tasty. We're both big lovers of black olives. And smoked sausage. And beans.


Or, is this really a soup? Doesn't matter either way... it's good!

Makes: 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb smoked sausage, grilled and cut into 1/2" rounds (or cut into rounds and brown)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 T garlic, minced
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 3/4 black olives, pitted and sliced
• 1 T fresh basil, chopped (or 1 t dried)
• 1 1/2 t baking cocoa
• 1 t fresh ground black pepper
• 3 (14 1/2 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1. Sauté the onion, celery, peppers and garlic in olive oil in a large soup pot until tender.

2. Add all of remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pepper Palace Apple Cinnamon BBQ Sauce

Could this be our new favorite BBQ sauce for ribs, replacing Grandma Foster's Smooth & Spicy?We picked up a few bottles of Pepper Palace's Apple Cinnamon sauce at their shop in Gatlinburg last September. We finally got to slather some on some ribs on the smoker this last weekend, and we gotta say we loved it! Just the right amount of cinnamon and spice.

According to their web site, this sauce won 3rd at the 2010 ZestFest. Awesome!

It's a nice change from your standard tomatoey or mustardy sauce. We recommend it!

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan and Pancetta

I'm often guilty of not paying enough attention to making sides. So, I'll be (hopefully) posting some new side recipes we've tried and enjoyed.

These cauliflower were absolutely delicious. Of course, anything pancetta is pretty much destined to be great!


The original recipe came from Giada De Laurentiis.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into pieces
• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flower
• 1 1/2 cups milk (can sub low-fat)
• 1 clove garlic, whole
• 1 t dried red pepper flakes
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 t fresh grated nutmeg (can sub dried nutmet)
• 1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Bring large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and transfer cauliflower to a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Let cool about 5 minutes.

3. Brown the pancetta in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

4. Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the flour and stir until combined. Continue stirring and cooking for 2 minutes.

5. Slowly add the milk, stirring until it is fully incorporated and there are no lumps.

6. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until thickened.

7. Stir in the cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and reserved pancetta. Heat until cheese is melted.

8. Pour sauce over the cauliflower. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

9. Bake until cauliflower is completely cooked and the breadcrumbs have turned golden in color.