My Trials and Tribulations with Heirloom Tomatoes

I am not a raw tomato person. When I was little I would pick out all the insides of a slice of tomato and eat just the outside skin part. When I started testing this recipe, I knew it was a NOT A KEEPER when I ate one forkful and threw it away. After 4 different versions and 6 trials (do you know how difficult it is to get a polenta souffle to rise inside a tomato? Luckily I did all the figuring out for you).

The first time I made a souffle in a tomato (to see if it could be done) and the same souffle in a ramekin (to see how well it tasted). This was a success but the souffle inside the tomato was not tasty at all and had a quiche consistency to it (The Nudge gave me that review last night). I made a different inside, this time with a bread pudding souffle. I liked the cheese I chose and the onions but the bread was too moist and didn't stand up well. So, as usual, I spent half the night reworking the recipe. I didn't want to change the theme just the way to make it taste, bake it better and have the consistency good with the baked soft tomato.

I finally nailed what I would say was a dish that not only would I eat, I would eat 2 of them. While each component of this dish is wonderful on it's own, the total sum of all the ingredients gives you a perfectly balanced whole. You must make the bacon jam, not only because this dish isn't the same without it, you can spoon it onto anything and it would be over the top good. While this is an excellent side dish, with the addition of a poach or fried egg on top...it also is the perfect breakfast or brunch dish and with a salad, it becomes a complete Sunday supper. I am happy to report that sans the egg, left-overs survive a re-heat well (hubby took one to work today).

Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes with Goat Cheese Polenta Souffle and Bacon Jam
Makes 6

Tomato Preparation and Bacon Jam:

* 6 Heirloom Tomatoes
* 6 slices of applewood smoked bacon + ½ pound, sliced into matchstick slices
* 6 toothpicks
* Grapefruit spoon or melon baller
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 onions, sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1/2 cup fresh ginger, minced
* 2 cloves, whole
* 1 cup honey, Agave nectar, sugar or Splenda

1. In heavy-bottomed sauce pan, sauté bacon in olive oil until fat is rendered and bacon is still soft (about 10 minutes). Remove with slotted spoon to paper towel lined dish. In bacon fat, sauté onions for 4-5 minutes, add garlic for 1 minute.
2. Add ginger, cloves and sauté another minute. Add honey and simmer for 1 hour until thick and creamy. Put drained bacon back into pan and warm through. Remove cloves and in food processor, process until pasty and bacon is a fine mince. Can be covered and refrigerated for 2 weeks but it won't last that long.
3. While jam is cooking, prepare tomatoes.
4. Slice top ¼ off tomato, and discard. If tomatoes wobble, slice a sliver off the bottom to make tomato stable. Scoop out insides, reserve for another dish. Wrap 1 slice bacon around outside rim of tomato and secure with toothpick. On rack set over baking pan, turn tomato upside down and bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.
5. Flip over and sprinkle ½ tsp dry bread crumbs (either flavored or pain) in each tomato. Reserve (can be prepared and refrigerated up to this point).

Polenta Souffle:

* 1/4 cup quick cooking polenta or grits (you could make regular cooking polenta)
* 1/2 cup sweet onion, small dice
* 1 garlic clove, diced
* 1 tbls unsalted butter
* 2/3 cup whole milk
* 1 1/3 cup water
* 2 tbls bacon jam
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 4 ounces Coach Garlic & Herb Goat cheese or Garlic & Herb Boursin
* 2 whole eggs, divided + 2 egg whites

1. Saute onions and garlic in butter. Add milk and water, bring to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta, whisking vigorously until it starts to bubble. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add cheese and stir till incorporated. Remove from heat and let cool. Add yolks to cooled polenta.
3. Whip 4 egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks. Stir in 1/3 of the egg whites into polenta to lighten up the mixture.
4. With as large a spatula as you have, gently fold in next 1/3 of egg whites. Scrape side of bowl bringing up mixture from bottom, flipping it over the top while rotating bowl, not your arm. Repeat until you see almost no whites. Repeat procedure with last third of polenta (you do not have to be especially gentle with the folding).
5. Place tomatoes on baking sheet and fill cavities with soufflé mixture until it is even with the top. Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven.
6. Before serving, spoon heaping tablespoon of bacon jam over soufflé, remove toothpick from tomato and serve. For main dish and more protein, I would add a poached or fried egg on top, then the jam.
7. Cooks Note: Bacon Jam, Banana & Peanut Butter Panini....Elvis would turn over in his grave......need I say more?

Copy Cat Chili's Southwest Egg Rolls

This should be interesting. I can't remember the last time I had one, so I can't remember what was in them so I'm relying on the internet to get me started.
After I made the insides I rolled them up egg roll-style. Left & right sides in toward filling, bottom over sides then rolled until sealed. I egg washed all 4 points of the wrapper.


I had enough filling for 19 egg rolls. I am frying mine not baking, I just like the crunchy crust you get from frying.


Along with the rolls I made a chipotle ranch sour cream dipping sauce.


Southwest Egg Rolls
serves 4-6

* 2 tbls canola oil
* 2 cups shredded pork or chicken
* 3 scallions, minced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup diced green peppers, diced onion and corn
* 1 packet HOT Taco Seasoning
* 3 tbls sriracha sauce
* 1 can chopped green chilies
* salt & pepper
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 2 tbls chopped spinach
* 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/4 cup cream cheese
* 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
* 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

In canola oil saute onions, green peppers, and garlic until soft.
Add Taco seasoning and broth.
Check for salt & pepper
Add hot sauce, can of chilies and meat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low.
Add beans.
Remove and cool.
Add cheeses. Prepare egg rolls.
Fry at 375F until GB&D.

Chipotle Ranch Sour Cream Dipping Sauce

* 1 tbls Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
* 1 tbls Agave Nectar
* 2/3 cup sour cream
* 1/2 packet ranch dressing dry seasonings

Mix and refrigerate.

These were so good, I would make them again, easily. The Nudge told me they are like the Chili's egg rolls but actually thought they had more flavor and he had seconds and thirds, they were that good. I put 8 away in the freezer for another night when I just don't feel like cooking or I have nothing to cook. He took 2 for lunch with extra dipping sauce and I have 2 for lunch here.

Twisted Berry Nut Bread

I wanted to bring something to a BBQ we went to yesterday and knowing the host, she would not need any food for that day, but since her son's family is staying with them this week (total 7 people) she would not want to have to prepare a breakfast in the AM after cleaning up the mess the night before. I thought a braided brioche coffee-style bread would be a welcome addition to the breakfast table. Kid friendly but not too sweet, they could toast a slice or just eat with butter or cream cheese.


Once you make the dough, you roll it out into a square or rectangle, spread jam and chopped nuts to 1" from the edges. Up to this point it is exactly like cinnamon rolls and you could make this the same way.



Rolling it up and pinching the seams you slice the roll lengthwise and twist both pieces, placing it in a large loaf pan or on a large baking sheet pan. I wanted a loaf shape not a stolen-type bread.



This looks sticky but the jam bakes nicely into the crust and forms a glaze that hardens as the bread cools.
Next chance I get I'm making one for us. I will get feedback from them, I'm sure.

Twisted Berry Nut Bread
Adapted from Family Circle Magazine

Dough:
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 3 tbls unsalted butter
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 packet (or 2 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
* 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
* 3 eggs
* 4 1/4 cups AP flour, plus more for dusting

Filling:
* 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tbls sugar

1. Heat milk, sugar, butter & salt in microwave 1 minute to melt the butter.
2. Sprinkle yeast over warm water in bowl of stand mixer or processor.
Add milk mixture, 2 of the eggs and 1 1/4 cup flour. Beat 3 minutes on med-low until smooth, scraping down the side of bowl.
Stir in about 3 cups flour to form a dough.
3. Knead for 5-6 minutes adding flour if dough sticks to sides of bowl (in bread machine stop after knead).
4.Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (it was so warm I placed mine on my outside table), until doubled in size.
5. Punch dough down; place on floured surface. Cover let rest, 15 minutes.
6. Lightly coat 15x10x1-inch baking pan or large loaf pan with cooking spray.
7. Roll dough into a 14-inch square. Brush with jam, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle with walnuts.
8. Beginning with one edge, roll dough up, jelly-roll style. Pinch seam closed then carefully transfer to sheet pan if using. If using loaf pan, work on floured wood board.
9. Cut roll in half lengthwise. With cut-sides facing up, and beginning in the middle and working to the top, loosely cross strips back and forth, keeping cut-sides up as much as possible, pinch ends together and under to seal.
Repeat with bottom half of loaf. Transfer to loaf pan. Cover and let rise to double it's size. Brush with remaining beaten egg and then sprinkle with sugar.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Tonight is Scallop Pancakes a la Jacques Pepin

I have wanted to make these since I saw Jacques make these on his 2nd PBS show with his daughter, More Fast Food My Way. I finally got bay scallops in my market this week at a very nice price. I think the sea scallops are too big and pretty to waste pureeing (plus the price is never right for that) and I think bay scallops are sweeter, so tonight's the night.

It's still upper 80's here and too hot to eat anything heavy and this sounds just right. Plus, Mondays are salad day in this house. Gives me a break from the weekends, which are always hectic around here.

I also have a cherry fool to make and a mascarpone blackberry pound cake to bake.

Inspired by Jacques Pepin
Pancakes (makes 12)

* 1 pound bay scallops, rinsed under cold water to remove any sand
* 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 1/3 cups club soda
* 2 tablespoon Thai Chili Sauce
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
* About 3 tablespoons peanut oil

Lettuce Salad

* 2–3 cups shredded romaine lettuce, washed and dried
* 2 sliced and quartered plum tomatoes
* 1/2 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced and quartered
* 1 roasted pepper, diced
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons organic rice wine vinegar
* 1/2 tsp Dijon
* Dash each salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pancakes: Put the scallops, flour, baking powder, club soda, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Stir in the chives.

Heat about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per pancake into the pan. It will spread to form a disk about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Cook about 3 pancakes at a time over medium heat for a total of about 5 minutes, turning them after about 2 1/2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and the remaining batter to make about 12 pancakes total. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes before serving.

For the salad: Toss the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and pepper with the dressing. To serve, divide the salad among four plates, arrange 3 pancakes alongside or on top of the greens, and serve.
I also served the last of the vinegar aioli I had made for the tempura. I am in love with that sauce.
I loved the warm, soft pancakes with the cold, crunchy salad.


Berry Pound Cake
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
* 4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese
* 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 4 eggs
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 2 cups blackberries
* lemon glaze (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Using a pastry brush, butter & flour cavity of pan. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl, set aside.
2. Put butter, cream cheese and mascarpone in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, beat until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon juice and mix to combine. With mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, and beat just until combined.
3. 1 tablespoon flour mixed with raspberries stops them from sinking. Using a large spatula, carefully fold in the blackberries.
4. Bundt pan 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pans. Remove from pans drizzle with glaze (if using) and continue to cool on wire racks.

Lemon Glaze

* 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
* 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in lemon juice (glaze should be thick but you should still be able to pour it). Add more confectioners’ sugar or lemon juice, as required, to reach your desired consistency.

Basil Tumpura Batter & Vinegar Aioli

I always wanted to try tempura.
Last night for dinner I started out doing tomatoes, mozzarella and peppers, then I thought I have scallops and chicken so I threw them into the batter.

"This was FUN".

I liked the idea of light, crunchy vegetables and as we know, everything else tastes good fried. I also liked the idea of seltzer or beer (fizzy) and rice flour as the protagonist. This was on my "short list" of recipes I wanted to make this year. This tempura batter is not the goopy egg, flour and water mixture, it has no egg.

It reminds me of a fish & chip batter, not quite as heavy but light and airy nevertheless. It's extra crispy and with the addition of blanched basil, flavorful. Season well with sea salt at the end and dip in an aioli with 2 vinegars. You have a great first course or a platter for noshing and with seafood, the Japanese version of Fritto Misto. I have to say, the slices of tomatoes were exceptionally tasty, crispy and delicious (try salting after slicing to remove excess moisture as you would with zucchini and eggplant). The uses are endless. The coating stays crunchy even after 2 hours.

Tempura Batter:
Yield: 2 cups

* 1 cup seltzer or club soda, freezing cold
* 1/2 cup AP flour
* 1 cup rice flour
* 1 cup basil leaves, blanched in salted water, squeezed dry and chopped fine

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place on top of ice. Must be kept ice cold at all times. The batter will have a slight grainy texture as the rice flour does not soak up moisture like AP flour does. That is why the batter remands crunchy even after sitting for hours.
2. With canola oil at 375 degrees F, dip food into batter and let excess drip off and gently lower tomatoes into hot oil. Fry, in batches of 3-4 pieces, until GB&D (golden brown & delicious), about 2-3 minutes. It will not get dark brown like breaded frying. Drain on paper towels, season with sea salt, then move to cooling rack and keep warm in oven while you finish the rest.
3. Tomatoes are wonderful with this batter. I also did chicken, scallops, yellow pepper strips and slices of mozzarella. Onion rings would be the best. Do not expect it to completely coat the food. The whole idea is to add a light crunch.

Vinegar Aioli:
* 1 egg yolk
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 3/4 cups canola oil
* 1/2 cup good quality balsamic vinegar reduced to a syrup
* 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
* 2 teaspoons Agave nectar or honey
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic

1. In blender, mix first 4 ingredients. With blender on, drizzle oil in until it gets thick then you can pour in faster. Remove to bowl. Add in garlic.
2. Add the vinegars and agave nectar in next, cover and refrigerate till ready to use. Will last for a month in the refrigerator.

My Deck Garden

Aren't these just the cutest little tomatoes you have ever seen? You better say YES.
Considering the massive heat wave last & this week I am surprised we have anything growing. Don't laugh but on Wednesday the sun was so oppressive it was burning the leaves of my tommys, eggplants, swiss chard and peppers that I took a sheer curtain panel and draped it over my veggies. Within 10 minutes, I swear, they perked up and today when I took it off I now have 4 'lil peppers peeking through their protective flower (about the size of a large pea), the 3 yellow grape tomatoes and 2 eggplants.....YAY!!!

Mind you I only have 2 crates and 1 self-watering 11" pot but it's enough for me. Every year I add a new pot, this year the chard was new. Inspired by Rick Bayless' PBS show.






I planted 4 San Marzano tomato plants, 2 yellow grape tomato plants, 4 Italian frying pepper plants and 2 Rosa Eggplant plants.

Skirt Steak with Chimichrui Sauce

I never made a chimichuri sauce. Hubby, a name I was never fond of calling him, so I finally decided to call him The Nudge because he tortured his sisters and brother when they were young and he continues to do so with our cats.
He got to sit in the front seat between his parents not because he was special, he couldn't be trusted in the back......lol.

Anyone who reads this blog knows The Nudge does not like sauces. I finally got an agreement for 1 new sauce a week. Yay for me!!

So, since he's a steak man, the obvious choice was a chimichuri.

I think that my processor, being the 5 cup KitchenAid (discontinued) which I love for cooking for 2, just isn't very good at processing small amounts of pesto type sauces. It isn't really good at mayonnaise-type aioli's either.
Now I have to whip out my immersion blender cup attachment and do it again.

Damn
I hate washing dishes !!!

Chimichurri Sauce

* 1/4 cup hot water
* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 1/3 cups loosely packed flat leaf parsley leaves
* 2/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
* 6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
* 1 tbls agave nectar
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine hot water, oregano, and salt in small bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften oregano. Pulse parsley, cilantro, garlic, and red pepper flakes in food processor until coarsely chopped, about ten 1-second pulses. Add vinegar and water mixture and pulse briefly to combine. With processor running, slowly add oil in stream until incorporated and mixture is emulsified. Transfer to medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for at least one hour (if preparing sauce in advance refrigerate and then bring to room temperature before using).

It's saltier when I taste it than I would like but I imagine on a steak it's perfect.

I cut the skirt steak in 5" pieces so grilling and carving will be easier.
Salt & pepper both sides and that's all you need.

Fiesta Corn

* 1 box frozen corn or good quality canned corn (I use DelMonte)
* 1 tsp butter & olive oil
* 1/2 sweet onion, chopped to size of corn
* 1 jarred sweet roasted pepper, or fresh, chopped same as onion
* 1 tablespoon Thai-style sweet chili sauce

Saute everything in pan with oil & butter until it is GB&D (golden, brown & delicious)



A little Spanish Rice and Fiesta corn and you have a very tasty meal.
The Nudge had seconds so I know it tasted good.

Good 'Ole American Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

I found this recipe in a Cooking Light Magazine. I usually start there when compiling my monthly menu planner because it's not only "American" dishes, the month I got the cakes from also gave me a Korean BBQ recipe and a Haitian Pork dish that looks excellent. Since they are pared down for healthier and lighter versions it makes it easier for me to just copy and cook. I like this magazine. There is no Bull About It.
I'm scaling down my magazine subscriptions to the ones I will actually use. I have 4 down from 8.

1. Cooking Light
2. Food and Wine
3. Bon Appetit
4. Food Network (on the edge with them because I only cook Ina's and Emerils)

It's funny I have been to a Bobby Flay Restaurant 4x and I don't think I have prepared any of his recipes. I have all of Emeril's cookbooks, Michael Chiarello, have started a collection of Mario's books and of course....Thomas Keller. I'm fussy about my cookbooks. It has to be a ethnic or regional cookbook. A book that will teach me something not just have pretty pictures and a recipe on each page, well thought out (so it's easy to put together a whole menu for, let's say a party). I like when it's divided into courses not ingredients, like "FISH" "MEAT" "EGGS"...etc. I get bored looking at 25 veal recipes one after the other. I tend to skip around if it's composed that way.
Indexes will help me find an ingredient. I want to ewww and ahhhh at each recipe because I just know they get better with each flip of the page.


Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 crab cakes and 1 1/2 tablespoons rémoulade)
Ingredients

Crab cakes:
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 1/2 tablespoons canola-based mayonnaise (such as Spectrum brand)
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1 large egg
* 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
* 1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
* 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

Rémoulade:
* 1/4 cup canola-based mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
* 1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
* 2 teaspoons Creole mustard
* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 8 ingredients. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Fill a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with crab mixture. Invert onto work surface; gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture, forming 8 cakes.

3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn cakes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden and crab cakes are thoroughly heated. Remove cakes from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 crab cakes.

4. To prepare rémoulade, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Serve with crab cakes.

The remoulade is very good. It needs to sit in the fridge to meld the flavors, overnight is better, I just forgot.
Crab cakes tasted before sauteing to check for adjustments........A OK.
Actually they are really good.

One year we went to Baltimore, right before Camden Yards was officially open.
I wanted to find the best crab cake ever and I was in the right area to do just that.
One day in the Inner Harbor, 1 day in the outskirts at a local crab joint 2 days in Annapolis. If I couldn't find a decent crab cake then I think Baltimore is in trouble.

We found this bar, and I say bar Lightly. I had my Gourmet Magazine article section on places to eat in Baltimore and they listed John Stevens, Ltd.
After taking the ferry all the way to the last stop in the Inner Harbor we were literally standing with our hands on our hips swinging from side to side, trying to find this place. Just as the ferry made its way for a return trip back to the Aquarium, we saw this neon lite in a dingy window that said John Stevens, Ltd.

I couldn't believe it was this place recommended by Gourmet Magazine. They never failed us before, so we walked over and opened the door. I swear to God they were dancing on the bar. It was, honestly a biker bar, with a juke box blaring hard rock.
Right when we were turning to leave, a girl approached us and asked us if we wanted a table to eat. We quickly looked around to find nothing there. She pointed out towards the back and we followed her there, to this absolutely inviting, canvas topped patio with about 10 tables.

I'm telling you we had 3 types of crab cakes (each better than the next), 2 huge bowls of the best steamed mussels I ever and still have ever had in my life. 2 bottles of cold, excellent wine and then after dinner drinks and great cheesecake.

UNBELIEVABLE !!!! Moral is........don't just a book by it's cover. And that credo has done us well for many years later, having the best vacation excursions because we didn't judge.

I wonder if that restaurant is still there? I know Gourmet is not.
(PS: It is still open and getting rave reviews. If you are near the Inner Harbor, take the ferry to Fells Point and directly across from the landing area is this white 1 story building, and yes, that is it).

Drinking an El Presidente while grilling Italian Hot Sausages............ with Homemade Mini-Hogie Rolls

We went to the butchers for a rack of baby backs and I couldn't resist the Italian sausages they make.
Easy grilling.

I had leftover hamburger roll dough in the refrigerator and I will defrost and make mini hoagie rolls the size of a sausage link.


They aren't pretty but they taste great. I'm sorry if I prefer taste to looks.

Nothing wrong with homemade rolls.
If I don't have enough hubby will eat the sausages dry. He likes everything dry, a bagel sandwich is fried egg & bacon....dry.
I get the Taylor ham, egg & cheese with the works, salt, pepper, ketchup & mustard.

Sausages were good and grilled to perfection. Hubby ate his dry and as you can see I had roasted peppers and onions on mine. YUM

Right now I am drinking a classic margarita with fresh lime juice and a splash of brandy for that........."hmmm, what is that ingredient?".
El Presidente Margarita
* Equal parts lime juice & Triple Sec
* 2 parts Jose Cuervo Tequila
* Splash of El Presidente brandy or any good brandy

I will prepare the rub for tomorrow using my secret weapon......equal parts Emeril's BAM and brown sugar. Why measure all those spices when he's done it for you?
Hubby likes a dry style rib rack, ever since he went to Rendezvous in Memphis.