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Roasted Corn and Pepper Wheat Berry Salad

August 8, 2011

Fresh corn is finally here and lots of it! I’ve mentioned before that I feel a bit sorry for fresh corn. It often gets a bad rap for being turned into corn syrup and invading our food supply, and it’s almost always categorized as a dreaded starchy veggie. I think all of this causes us to overlook how truly wonderful a fresh ear in the middle of summer can be.

My quest this summer has been to avoid taking any seasonal fruit or veggie for granted and corn has been no exception. I bought 2 dozen ears a couple weeks back and froze half of it. The rest was roasted and skillet-fried for salads and fresh salsas.

Growing up my mom always made fried corn. It really wasn’t fried, just cooked in a skillet with butter and green peppers. I loved corn prepared like this as much as eating a crisp, sweet ear on the cob.

Knowing how good it is from the skillet and knowing how much I like roasted vegetables, I just had to turn on the oven in the heat of summer to roast some up.

I used a mix of peppers from our garden, both hot and sweet, but any variety would work. I added onion and some herbs as well.

This was one of those eat-the-entire-bowl kind of salads. So sweet from the fresh corn and just enough savory flavor from the roasting.

I wanted to make it into more of a meal so I added some cooked wheat berries which worked out really well. I actually enjoyed the salad both warm and cold. Both versions tasted equally as good.

Roasted Corn and Pepper Wheat Berry Salad

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

What you’ll need:
Kernels from 2 ears fresh sweet corn
2 Poblano peppers, cored and chopped
2 Anaheim peppers, cored and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped
2 Pinata peppers, cored and chopped (these are similar to jalapenos)
2 sweet banana peppers, cored and chopped
½ medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon each finely chopped fresh herbs – basil, thyme, rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked wheat berries

How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place all veggies on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with the herbs and olive oil. Turn the veggies to coat them with the oil.

Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Veggies should begin to brown slightly and soften.

Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the wheat berries. Serve warm or cold.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Filipino-style Pastured Pork Kebabs

July 4, 2011

It’s an interesting experience to view your country through the eyes of someone else. Looking back I’m not sure why I hadn’t considered what a highlight this would be during our time living abroad. We encountered people who were in awe of us and those who passed judgment on us, not after getting to know us, but simply because we were from the United States.

Both situations made me equally uncomfortable, and it made me very self-aware regarding how I was perceived by others. What stood out to me the most was how the US was truly seen as the land of opportunity among the majority of people we encountered.

While we were welcoming a new adventure and happily leaving the US for a while, it felt so strange to have people view my country in this way when I really just wanted to experience theirs. After you encounter these reactions time and time again it makes you begin to think – maybe I should appreciate my own country a little more.

That is exactly what happened. Although what I appreciate about it is something that I never really considered before.

Sometimes I think we fail to remember that unless we happen to be American Indians, we’re not from here. Somewhere along the line someone in our families crossed those waters and was allowed to enter this great country we now call home. That may have happened many generations ago for some, or last year for others.

Personally, I don’t wave my flag to say ours is better than others. It’s waved to say I appreciate those who fought for the freedoms of this very diverse country, a diversity that began long ago and continues to this day. What I appreciate the most is that I can live and work among people whose cultures and heritage make my life richer whether it’s rooted in the hills of Kentucky or brought with them from abroad.

All that being said you likely also know my appreciation for food culture in this country. So a 4th of July barbecue taking place at our house just had to have a bit of an international flare.

On Friday, we stocked up on a ridiculous amount of local, pastured pork from Marksbury Farm Market. The pork butt was rubbed down, smoked and served US-style with sweet and spicy BBQ sauces. The 6 lbs of pork sirloin kebabs, on the other hand, were headed in a different direction.

In college, my husband had a friend of Filipino heritage and his family would throw some amazing barbecues. I had the opportunity to attend one and the pork kebabs were simply incredible. My husband learned to make their delicious marinade and we thought it would be a great way to make our own barbecue this weekend a bit more international.

I stocked up on veggies from the Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning. This included potatoes for my Mustard Chive Potato Salad (although chives were replaced with dill this time and I used a lot more Greek yogurt), and colorful cherry tomatoes really brightened up the Curry Wheat Berry Salad. Basil from the garden and a good bunch of heirloom tomatoes rounded out the meal with a Caprese Salad.

It all went over well, but the pork kebabs were definitely the star for us. I won’t hide my excitement that while most of the food was gone, there were a few pork kebabs leftover. Whether you use it for chicken, pork or beef, or what the heck, even tofu, the Filipino-style marinade is outstanding.

Filipino-style Pastured Pork Kebabs

6 lbs pork sirloin, cubed and skewered
3 heads of garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
Juice of 8 oranges
4 cups soy sauce
1 ½ cups white vinegar
½ cup brown sugar

Place the kebabs in a deep baking pan. It’s best to work the marinade in two batches so divide each of the ingredients in half. Add half the garlic cloves, the juice of 4 oranges (reserve the peels), about 2 cups of soy sauce, ¾ cup vinegar and ¼ cup brown sugar to a blender. Blend on medium to high until all ingredients are mixed and the marinade is somewhat foamy.

Pour the marinade over the pork and continue with the second batch of marinade. Once all of the marinade is on the pork, place the leftover orange peels among the kebabs. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to grill, once the grill is nice and hot, cook the pork to a temperature of 160 degrees F.

Garden 2011

May 24, 2011

Every time I walk outside I think – Welcome to year two of the garden!

In case you are wondering, year two is outstanding.

Year one you have lots of plants that aren’t bearing yet and it feels like forever until they actually will. You have more failures than successes, and at times you wonder if fighting all the weeds is worth it.

Oh, but year two? Year two is wonderful.

At least it is for us so far. Plants returned from last year and are producing more than we expected. We were able to evaluate what we really wanted to plant, what we could skip and pick up at the farmer’s market and what new things with which we wanted to experiment.

The garden feels more organized. We even built a trellis so the cucumbers could grow up instead of out, and threw in an official compost bin that looks a bit nicer in the yard.

Yes, year two is a good year.

Starting out, I knew I wanted to try some different varieties of plants, things I knew we wouldn’t have easy access to at markets. I feared I’d have to start everything from seed (which I’m awful at, by the way) until I stumbled upon Proper Plants via advice from a friend who also happens to be a horticulture expert.

Proper Plants is located in Lexington, KY and even after seeing on their website that they had over 50 varieties of tomatoes and peppers I wasn’t prepared for what I would encounter. Every time I saw a plant I had been wanting, like tomatillos and paprika peppers, I literally let out a little squeal. It was gardener heaven.

I left with 19 pepper plants and 10 eggplant and tomato plants combined. In addition, lots of herbs. It was the most self control I’ve ever had to exercise when buying something as simple as plants.

Below is a list of all the wonderful things we have planted this year or that returned from last year along with a bit of a photo tour.

Believe it or not, due to our layout and the plants we chose this year, we still have more space!

What else do you think we should grow?

Asparagus

Arugula, Dwarf Blue Curly Kale, Romaine and Bibb Lettuce

Peppers – Lilac, Merlot, Poblano, Cherry, Better Belle, Red Knights, Goliath Goldrush, Anaheim, Mandarin, Paprika, Mariachi, Pinata, Centennial, Scotch Bonnet, Thai Chili, Sweet and Hot Banana

I can’t wait to have purple peppers!

Tomatoes – San Marzano, Mr. Stripey, Sweet Cherry

Tomatillos

Dealing with some early blight and bugs, but the plants are recovering nicely.

Japanese Eggplant, Thai Perch Eggplant

Patty Pan Scalloped Squash, Grey Zucchini

Asian Cucumber

Arugula

Dwarf Pak Choy

Parisienne Carrots

Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries (won’t bear until next year)

Yokahoma and Rouge Vif D’Etamps Pumpkins

Herbs – Sweet and Thai Basil, Lemon Verbena, Celery Leaf, Chocolate Mint, Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Oregano, Chives, Thyme, Mint, Cilantro, Rosemary

I can’t wait to try this chocolate mint in a dessert!

This celery leaf allows you to add a little celery flavor without adding large pieces.

Fig tree

My dad gave us this fig tree. I hear they need special care, but can grow well in our area if given it.

A few garden fresh recipes:

Sweet and Simple Tomato Pepper Salad
Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Basil Orzo
BLT Pizza with Spicy Chipotle Mayo
Whole Jalapenos with Honey and Allspice
Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Tomato Chile Sauce

Kentucky Milk and Garden Strawberries

May 17, 2011

I’m not sure what it is about a dairy, but if there is one in the area, I have to visit it. It might be the memories of my first farm visit in grade school, or maybe it is simply because I like cheese and ice cream so much. There is just something about cows, milk and the family history that warms my heart.

There are two dairies in Kentucky selling their milk locally that I know of. (perhaps more I don’t). I happened to visit one of these last week – Chaney’s Dairy Barn in Bowling Green, KY.

Chaney's Dairy Barn, Bowling Green, Kentucky | Kentucky Milk and Garden Strawberries | Fake Food Free

After meeting owner, Carl, we got a wonderful history lesson about the dairy including a tour through pictures that dated back to the 1800s. This is a family dairy in the truest sense of the term. They also raise Jersey’s. In case you are curious, if I had to pick a favorite cow, it would easily be a tie between the Jersey with their big eyelashes and the black and white oreo cows.

The big red barn with the comical cartoon cows eating ice cream cones can’t be missed when you are driving by. It is also set on some gorgeous western Kentucky farmland. The glow at dusk was beautiful.

We went for a dinner of grilled cheese on homemade wheat bread and potato soup, and that was delicious. However, all I could think about while enjoying my dinner was ice cream!

Once I got to that point in my meal, I realized this was not going to be an easy decision to make. I finally ended up with some Big Red Rumble which was loaded with red velvet cake.

I had gone prepared with a cooler because I knew I wanted to bring home some milk. I loaded up with some whole and 2% packed well with ice for my 3 hour drive home.

Once I got home, guess what I found? Yep, strawberries. My husband had already picked several quarts while I was traveling.

With Kentucky milk and garden strawberries, his first thought? Ice cream!

I’ll be honest; I’m a little lazy with my ice cream making. I’ve made more complex ice creams with eggs and a mix of cream and milk, but when I want it quick, I usually just pull out the whole milk. That’s what I did in this case.

I also like to experiment with something other than white sugar and as a result my ice cream isn’t overly sweet. This time I used Demerara. That is a great quick ice cream when you have limited ingredients. However, if you want a super creamy, sweet ice cream you might want to splurge for a more traditional recipe.

That being said, nothing beats a fresh strawberry ice cream of any type. I’ve recently learned that pureeing the berries is the best way to get the strawberry flavor in every bite.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Makes: About 10 ½ cup servings

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk
¾ cup Demerara sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup pureed strawberries

Prep

In a bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar and vanilla until the sugar has dissolved slightly. This takes longer with the coarsely grained Demerara.

Turn on your countertop ice cream maker and pour the mixture in. Let churn until it begins to firm up, about 15 minutes. Slowly pour in the strawberries as it churns. Continue to churn and freeze until firm, 5 to 10 more minutes. You can eat immediately for a softer ice cream, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for about an hour for a firmer ice cream.

Chaney’s Dairy Barn
9191 Nashville Road
Bowling Green, KY 42101
270-843-5567

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Bourbon, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Cookies for Derby Day: More Baking with Coconut Oil

May 6, 2011

Every now and then I like to post a recipe that needs few words. This would be one of them.

Bourbon, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Cookies for Derby Day: More Baking with Coconut Oil| Fake Food Free

I modified my coconut oil chocolate chip cookie recipe in honor of the Kentucky Derby. While in the oven, you will smell the wonderful aroma of coconut and bourbon blending together. Once cooled, they become a bourbon ball, cookie and pecan pie in one.

This year leave the classic Run for the Roses pie to someone else. Get your Derby Day dessert with these cookies!

Bourbon, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Cookies

Makes: About 2 dozen

Ingredients

½ cup virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil, at room temperature
1 cup Demerara sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp Kentucky bourbon
1 ¼ cups white whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine ground sea salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips
½ cup raw pecans, chopped

Prep

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the coconut oil and sugar. Mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well blended. Mix in the egg and then add the bourbon.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl, keeping the mixer on low. Turn to medium and mix until everything is incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Scoop by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet and gently flatten each cookie. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are browned and cookies are firm. Allow to cool on the pan for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pimento Cheese Dinner Rolls

May 5, 2011

My experience with Pimento Cheese started, not in Kentucky, but in southern Indiana. When I was in grade school, it was the deli selection of choice for my grandmother.

In need of a simple lunch? Pimento Cheese on white sandwich bread to the rescue.

It wasn’t until just recently that I realized how much of a southern spread it truly is. In small towns of Kentucky it is as much the lunch of choice now as it was for my grandmother when I was growing up.

When I started my current job last September I quickly learned that pimento cheese also passes as a vegetarian menu choice. I travel to many small towns in the state to attend trainings and events hosted by small scale, local caterers. Since I can’t verify if these lunches include meat that is from local sources and/or raised by humane practices (well, that, and I get pretty tired of the standard chicken salad) I’ve ventured so far as to request a vegetarian option.

It’s a risk that has been rewarded time and again with a pimento cheese sandwich. Yeah, not what I would expect either, but I try to be understanding.

I don’t mind Pimento Cheese spread. In fact, I kind of like it if it isn’t swimming in mayo. But for Derby Day I thought I would turn this classic Kentucky combo into something a little more unique.

These rolls are filled with flavorful sharp cheddar cheese and sweet roasted red peppers. They also happen to be made with white whole wheat flour. They can serve as the base for the spread they are named after, be turned into mini sandwiches or served as a Kentucky-inspired dipper for your favorite soup.

Pimento Cheese Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

½ packet active dry yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
1 tsp mascavo sugar
1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour
1 ½ tsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt
¼ cup roasted red peppers, diced and drained
¼ cup sharp cheddar, shredded

Prep

Place the yeast and sugar in the water and let sit about 5 minutes, or until the yeast blooms. In a mixer fit with the dough hook attachment, combine 1 ½ cups of the flour, olive oil and salt. Turn on low and stir in the yeast liquid.

Mix on low until a dough forms. Add more flour by the tablespoon if the dough is too sticky. It should knead into a smooth ball.

Add in the roasted red peppers and cheddar. Continue to mix on low until both are incorporated. You may need a little more flour if your peppers make the dough too wet.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand 1 to 2 minutes and form dough into a ball. Place a warm place and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise 1 hour.

Cut dough into 6 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place on a greased baking sheet or a sheet pan covered with a silicone liner. Cover with the dish towel once more and let rise about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Makes 6 rolls.

Mint Julep Scones

April 29, 2011

There is Derby fever in the air around here. Regardless of whether you care a thing about horse racing it’s difficult not to get sucked in. Store fronts display their fanciest hats and dresses, favorites and racing stats are being discussed at the water cooler, roses are the flower of choice and here comes the bourbon!

We celebrated a few Derby days in Brazil which was then followed by watching it in a hotel room last year since it was the same weekend as my husband’s marathon. Fortunately this year the Flying Pig is this weekend so we will have our big race done and we can adequately celebrate next weekend.

It’s likely no surprise that the food and drink are the best part of Derby for me. This time of year really brings out the culinary history throughout Kentucky. One of those things rich in Kentucky history is the Mint Julep.

I learned that if you ask Kentuckians if they like Mint Juleps, most will tell you no. However, they will drink them anyway on the first Saturday in May.

I don’t tend to follow the crowd, though, because I happen to love a good Mint Julep. I think the key is fresh mint from your own garden and high quality bourbon. It also doesn’t hurt if you have my husband as your bartender because his are, hands down, the best.

In case you are unfamiliar, a Mint Julep is a cocktail of bourbon and simple syrup that has been infused with mint served over finely crushed ice. You have to make your own simple syrup, though. Or find someone to do it from scratch for you. That’s the only way to drink them.

I have my mind on mint julep flavors and spring just wouldn’t be complete without my favorite breakfast pastry – the scone. So this is the first of Derby-inspired recipes I hope to post until the big day arrives.

These will win over anyone, Mint Julep fan or not. They also make a lovely addition to your Mother’s Day brunch menu. Not to mention they are going to taste so good after the Flying Pig Half Marathon on Sunday!

Mint Julep Scones

Makes: 6 scones

Ingredients

½ cup pecans, chopped
3 tbsp Kentucky bourbon
1 ¼ cups white whole wheat flour
2 ¼ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp mascavo sugar (or brown sugar)
½ tsp salt
5-6 mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup 2 % milk
Demerara sugar for topping

Prep

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Place the pecans in a small dish and cover with the bourbon. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, mascavo sugar, salt and mint. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to blend until the butter is pea-sized and well incorporated into the flour.

Stir in the vanilla, milk and pecans with the liquid. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently shape into a circle about ½ to ¾ inch in thickness. Gently press about 1 to 2 tbsp of Demerara sugar into the top. Cut into 6 equal pie-shaped wedges.

Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the edges are browned and the center is firm.

Baked Egg Cups with Asparagus and Kale

April 12, 2011

These easy baked egg cups are a perfect way to use up produce from the garden for a protein-packed breakfast!

A few weeks ago, when the temperatures were still well into the freezing range, I was checking out the garden and thinking about my plan for planting this summer. I hadn’t paid much attention the raised bed of greens we planted last fall. It had been so hot that nothing grew so I just let it be.

That day I just happen to look down and see a bit of green. I thought – wow, that kind of looks like new growth. Turns out, it was. The kale from last fall came back this spring and it has loved the cooler temps!

Soon after the kale, came our first round of asparagus. The plants are two years old now so this year we’ve been able to harvest some for the dinner table. Three bunches so far.

I am loving this sign of new life. Lately, I’ve been a bit uninspired in the kitchen. I can’t seem to come up with any new ideas and at times I’ve felt a bit like not cooking at all.

That was until the green goodness starting showing up. Soon behind these are all the blooming strawberry and blackberry plants.

Armed with asparagus, kale and so far from the herb garden, thyme and chives, I decided to try and use up some of the eggs I got from a local homesteader and friend. Baked eggs seem to be popular this spring so I did my own twist on this tasty breakfast or brunch dish.

It turns out these are great for snacks and dinner too. They are full of greens and the herbs are definitely the shining star, or at least as much as they can be next to those bright orange, farm fresh egg yolks. It was only after making them that I realized everything I had added was either from our garden or a local producer except for the milk, salt and the butter I used to grease the muffin pan.

Baked Egg Cups with Asparagus and Kale

2018-04-27 17:55:13

Makes 8

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Ingredients

1 ½ cups finely chopped kale leaves
2/3 cup finely shredded cheese (I used St. Jerome)
6 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoons fine sea salt
Eight 1-inch pieces asparagus

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan with butter or the oil of your choice. Divide the kale and cheese evenly between the 8 muffin cups.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the chives, thyme, and salt. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly. Place a piece of asparagus on top of each cup.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggs are set in the center and slightly browned on the edges. Cool for 2 to 3 minutes, remove from the pan and serve.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Baked Egg Cups with Asparagus and Kale Recipe

Classic Chili Dogs Courtesy of Rocky Mountain Organic Meats

March 27, 2011

I connected with Rod of Rocky Mountain Organic Meats on Twitter some time ago. I’m not sure who followed who first, but I remember in one conversation he shared with me how delicious the grass-fed meats were way out there in Wyoming due to the type of grass the cows were feasting on. My response was that we had some pretty good meat right here in central Kentucky due to our beloved Bluegrass. Secretly though, he had peaked my interest in those meats way out west.

Well, a few months later, I was given the offer to try Rocky Mountain Organic Meats firsthand when Rod asked if I’d like to sample a few items. I thought about it a while and after reading more about the company, I decided I couldn’t pass it up.

As you know, we buy most (were at about 95% now) of our meats locally and ensure that they are sustainably and humanely raised. Rocky Mountain Meats fits all that criteria except the local part. However, I decided this could work in the favor of my readers.

Every time I write about the great meat I get around here, I usually have at least one person tell me in the comments that they wish they had access to similar products in their area. In most cases you do. You just have to venture outside the city a bit, but there are likely some cases where you don’t. So sharing these products with you is to let you know that you do have access to some incredibly tasty, sustainably and humanely produced animal products through the good ol’ internet.

If you want to know exactly what this company is all about there is an abundance of information on their website including a little about what they do, who they are and what they sell. It starts like this:

“Rocky Mountain Organic Meats offers the finest Certified Organic grass-fed beef and grass-fed lamb in the country. All of our meats are 100% grass-fed and grass-finished and come from the best cattle and sheep country the Rocky Mountains have to offer. Our livestock is raised the old-fashioned way; no steroids or growth hormones, no antibiotics and no grain. Our only additives are clean water, lush grasses and fresh air resulting in lean and delicious organic grass-fed beef and lamb.”

I was a bit overwhelmed when the box arrived at my door. I couldn’t believe the selection! Along with ground beef, lamb and sirloin steak, there was summer sausage, beef breakfast sausage, pastrami, hot dogs and my new favorite snack, Honey Beef Jerky. Wow, that stuff is good! Considering all the beef jerky lovers in my family, a bulk order will likely be on the Christmas list.

The ingredients used in processing, smoking and aging the products are as natural as the meat itself. I found black pepper, paprika, celery juice and others boldly listed on the front of the packages.

So with all this great meat, you know I had to come up with something exciting to share with you.

I found myself thinking back to some favorite foods that we haven’t had in years. The combination of healthy eating in general, decreasing our support of the current fast food system and increasing our investment in grass-fed meats means that we’ve stopped eating a lot of the foods we might have splurged on in the past.

Enter the classic chili dog. Not just any chili dog, but the most sustainable, from scratch, partially local, mostly organic and all grass-fed chili dog you have yet to see.

First I started on the buns using the same recipe I posted a while back for the Bread Bowl. I just portioned the pieces after the bread doubled and made each into hot dog-bun shapes. The bun recipe makes about six so you’ll have a couple left over.

I got to work with the organic grass-fed ground beef and made a chili-type sauce that was part Coney, part Lori’s tastes. My husband said it was a bit more tomato-y than the Coney sauces he’s used to, but that is where the Lori’s tastes come in. I like that tomato flavor in my chili.

That last sentence in the quoted description above is spot on. The beef was so lean that I had no grease to drain from the pan. It was full of the flavor I’ve come to expect from grass-finished beef. Excellent,and it was a perfect match for the chili sauce.

I cooked up their organic beef hot dogs just to heat them through. You could grill, pan fry or boil them depending on your preferences. These hot dogs had a slight sausage texture to them which we didn’t mind at all. They were just right as the main attraction in this dish.

I saved a bit of chopped onion to top off the dogs, and I shredded up one of our new favorite Kentucky cheeses, St. Jerome from Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese. It has a creamy texture and resembles the flavor of an Asiago to me.

Pile it all together and you have the best dog around. The perfect blend of foods from the past combined with food choices of the present.

Classic Chili Dogs

4 homemade hot dog buns
½ lb organic, grass finished ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp ground mustard
1 tsp mascavo sugar (or brown sugar)
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 organic, grass-finished hot dogs
¼ cup shredded cheese (optional)

In a medium size sauce pan begin to brown the grown beef. Reserve 3 tbsp of the chopped onion for garnish and place the rest in the pan with the beef. Continue to cook until the beef is cooked through.

Next add the chili powder, paprika, celery salt, ground mustard and sugar. Stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes and then add salt and pepper to taste.

Slit each bun down the side, lay a warm hot dog in the bun and top with the chili. Sprinkle on a little chopped onion and shredded cheese for garnish. Serves 4.

Disclaimer: The products featured were sent to me free of charge from Rocky Mountain Organic Meats. I was not required to post about them and received no compensation for doing so.

Doodles with Bourbon, or a Day in Central Kentucky

February 28, 2011

Whether you drink it or don’t, love it or hate it, welcome it or ban it, there is no denying that bourbon holds a significant part of Kentucky’s history. Much more than fried chicken, despite the fact that when I tell someone I live in Kentucky, fried chicken is the first thing they mention. Even before horses, I might add.

Bourbon is something that truly puts Kentucky on the map and for good reason. The making of this spirit is quite an art that has been passed down for generations. Ninety-five percent of all bourbon produced comes from right here in central Kentucky.

This weekend we had a birthday to celebrate, my husband’s. When deciding what he would like to do in honor of the big day, he quickly mentioned continuing The Bourbon Trail. Thus far, we have been to Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, and Buffalo Trace (even though they don’t take part in the actual Bourbon trail promotion). This time we wanted to see Wild Turkey and Four Roses.

I’ll tell you a little about our day as well as sum up the one distillery you shouldn’t miss if you are in central Kentucky. First, however, let me tell you how we started our day.

Yes, let’s get to the food.

Doodles, in addition to its cute name and artistic roosters, resides in a building that was once home to a gas station. This is evident by the restrooms on the outside of the building.

It was then a liquor store and finally became a restaurant focused on serving mostly local, organic food with a slight New Orleans flair.

It’s difficult to find a word to describe Doodles. Unique, cute, original, whimsical, gourmet, old-fashioned yet trendy – they just don’t cut it. This place is all those things and more!

We were greeted by the most helpful hostess I’ve had the pleasure to meet and selected our meal from the menu board. We had studied it online so we knew what we wanted going in. Although the daily specials of a twist on a breakfast Monte Cristo and the French toast casserole were tempting.

For drinks we settled on cups of bottomless fair-trade, organic coffee. It should also be noted you can upgrade to a French press for two with coffee roasted in nearby Paris, Kentucky by Caffé Marco.

First came the beignets, coated in powdered sugar, deep fried to perfection as not to be heavy and greasy, but light and fluffy. I told my husband I could swing in for a couple baskets of these and some coffee on occasion and be a completely happy camper.

Oh, but my taste buds (and my eyes) were in for so much more.

Soon an artistic display of Huevos Rancheros came to the table. Being such a connoisseur of Kentucky farm fresh eggs, if there is such a thing, I had no doubt these were the real thing. Just look at those yolks.

They sat atop a flavorful pile of black beans and crisp corn tortillas. All was topped with red and green salsa, sour cream and a wedge of lime.

My husband went for the Corned Beef Hash with equally beautiful eggs on top. The hash was full of flavor and melted in your mouth. Alongside was a light and fluffy biscuit complete with Kentucky jam.

We left the place smiling contently and planning when we could return. Just remember – breakfast, lunch, brunch in Lexington – Doodles. You won’t be disappointed.

So with full bellies we took a drive out to the Wild Turkey distillery to begin the bourbon tasting.

I loved the sign driving in, but I do have to say that this particular tour was a bit…eh. Our tour guide was great, very knowledgeable which sometimes is not the case on these tours. We watched a video and got to see the storage facilities, but they have just doubled their production and the new facilities are not yet open for tours. In addition, they bottle out of state.

So lots to learn, but not much to see. Well, except for the warehouse. If you have never been inside a bourbon warehouse, put it on your to-do list.

All that goes into rolling the barrels, lifting them to higher rows and aging the barrels all in a piece of history that, let’s be honest, looks like it might tumble due to age, is pretty amazing. Then of course there is that wonderful aroma, deemed the angel’s share.

We saw barrels approaching 12 years of age next to brand new ones rolled into the warehouse the week prior. The whole process is intriguing.

A few interesting things we learned is that 50% of the bourbon Wild Turkey makes is exported outside the US, mostly to Australia and Japan. When we were in Ireland we took the Jameson Whiskey tour and learned their whiskey is aged in bourbon barrels from Kentucky. Our guide told us that they hold a contract with Jameson so the barrels used there are likely from Wild Turkey.

Small world in terms of spirits.

After a tasting, at which we took advantage of trying the single barrel and rare varieties, we headed to our next stop. I might add that being out at the distilleries on a Saturday provides a fun time to eavesdrop. Many people are out just to do the distillery tours in the area and come from all over the US as well as abroad.

Four Roses was our next stop and I was really excited about this one. This bourbon has been around for a while, but when we first moved to Kentucky they didn’t offer tours. We quickly learned the reason for this. For several years the bourbon was only exported to areas such as Europe and Japan. Although it was made in Kentucky, none was to be found in the States until it returned just a few short years ago after the brand had a change in parent companies.

The Spanish mission style buildings are well equipped for a tour and here you will get the real thing. We were able to see the fermenters and smell the mash. The only drawback is no aging of barrels or bottling is done on site, but it was still a great tour nonetheless.

Here we were able to try all three varieties. We really like Four Roses for high end bourbon and picked up a single barrel bottle with a couple glasses with the four roses etched in the bottom.

After our tours my husband and I brought up the fact that one really does have to do almost all the tours along the Bourbon Trail to understand the entire process of bourbon making. Because the distilleries utilize different parts of the state for different processes it is difficult now to see all these steps at one single facility.

That being said, if you do want to see it all in one place, get a good explanation of bourbon history and understand what high quality, small batch bourbon is all about go to Woodford Reserve. We have done this tour twice since living in Kentucky and it is far and away our favorite.

So if you make it to central Kentucky in the near future drop me a note. I’ll meet you at Doodles!