Artisan Sausage Dogs, Green Chili Mac & Kale Chips

In honor of Valentine's Day I am posting this meal.  It is definitely near the top of my list of all time favorites.  Anyone lucky enough to live in Austin knows about Frank.  Their amazing sausage dogs and decadent fries are enough to make anyone fall in love.  If you have never been, get there.  If you don't live in Austin it's a must do next time you visit.  This meal was inspired by their brilliance.
As many Texans, we have somehow found ourselves with an entire deer in our freezer.  Neither of us come from hunting families so this is very new to us.  I feel like Lucy in the "I Love Lucy" episode when she and Ethel each purchase an entire side of beef for their new freezer.  Seriously, I don't know what most of these cuts are and how to use them but I am definitely going to try.  Attempting to take it easy on myself, I decided sausage would be the easiest way to ease into the venison world.  So here you have it...
*Grilled Venison Sausage on Horseradish Aioli smeared Whole Wheat Poppy Seed Bun, topped with Blueberry Compote, Applewood Smoked Cheddar & Fried Onion
*Green Chili Mac & Cheese
*Crispy Kale Chips

You can make these crispy veggie treats out of any thick leafy green.  We had kale in the garden so that is what I used.  De-rib and wash the kale first.

Chop into bite sized pieces.

I tossed them in a plastic bag with a light spray of olive oil, garlic powder and black pepper.  You can really get creative with different seasonings, grated cheeses, minced nuts, etc.

Spread thinly on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees 10-15 minutes or until just slightly browned.  Use caution keeping and eye out,  because they cook quickly and easily burn.

Horseradish Aioli = egg yolks, vinegar, salt, sugar, pepper evoo, horseradish, LOTS of garlic

Blueberry Compote reducing = blueberries, water, sugar, lemon juice

Bechamel for macaroni and cheese = milk, garlic, butter, flour, cheese, salt, pepper

Mix in cooked elbow macaroni and a can (or two) of chopped green chiles.

When I am feeding a large crowd I cook my macaroni in a casserole dish, however since it was just the two of us I decided to make individual portions.  Individual in my kitchen means, enough to feed 2 or 3!  Top with more cheese and paprika, then pop in the oven at 375 degrees until golden and bubbly.

More cheese, of course.  Shredded Applewood Cheddar for topping the dogs.

Venison sausage.  Thanks Cody!

Kale greens, ready to go.  Seriously a wonderful snack to keep around if you are a "salty rather than sweet" kind of snacker like me.  Totally low calorie, nutritious and delicious.

Oh dear....

Grilled Venison Sausage on Horseradish Aioli smeared Whole Wheat Poppy Seed Bun, topped with Blueberry Compote, Applewood Smoked Cheddar & Fried Onion

The classy and almost famous coffee table dining room making another appearance.

Stuffed Fried Chicken

Okay, so this is one of those meals that you feel guilty for even cooking. I wouldn't recommend eating dishes this decadent more than once a year (okay, maybe once a month or once a week). Don't get me wrong, there are vegetables involved. However the fact that the vegetables are stuffed in chicken, topped with cheese, wrapped in bacon and then deep fried evoke that good old "Texas State Fair" feeling. You know, the one of extreme guilt for indulging that is trumped by how amazing it tastes.

Here is the healthy part.  Fresh spinach, artichokes, onions and mushrooms par-cooked in olive oil.

Chicken breasts were halved and flattened.  Then, they were slathered with a mixture of mayonnaise and mustard.  Seriously.  Topped with the veggie mixture and shredded cheese, they are ready to be wrapped in thick cut bacon.

One thing I would do differently next time would be to slightly cook the bacon first in order for a more crispy texture.

In order to prevent our house from smelling like a fast food joint, I refuse to fry anything inside.  I always fry in a cast iron skillet on the grill or plug in the deep fryer outside.  For ease of preparation and timing sake, I sometimes like to batter and the put the items to be fried in the fridge and allow to chill until I am ready to fry.

Ta-dah.

Must have salad.

Rosemary honey baby carrots.

I am sure you have noticed a trend that most of my meals include some sort salad.  I subscribe to the thought that a salad with every meal keeps you trim and the doctor away :-)

I wish I had a better picture of the inside.  It was oh so delicious.  I am sure you can imagine!

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

Simple and classic, spaghetti and meatballs. A definite meal for every girl's go to dinner repertoire.  It pretty much speaks for itself.

All great meatballs need a binder such as bread crumbs.  Quickly pulsed French bread in the food processor does the trick.

Bread crumbs, egg, ground meat of your choice (here i used a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage), Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt & pepper

Mix lightly until uniform but do not over do it, or your meatballs will turn out tough.

Each time I make spaghetti sauce it turns out different.  I am not one for following recipes, so I have a general framework of ingredients but often just go with whatever I can find in the kitchen.  Most often, my sauce will include crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, EVOO, chopped onions, sugar, lots of basil and Italian herbs and salt & pepper.

A must have with spaghetti is garlic bread, and why not make some homemade croutons while you have the oven fired up for toasting.

The most essential ingredient, ever.  I should seriously buy stock in Olive Oil.

Brown the meatballs well on all sides.

Then it is time to take a warm bath in delicious simmering sauce.

Croutons!!

Caesar Salad

The delicious dish!  Spaghetti and Meatballs is one of those meals I shamefully eat bottomless bowls of.  In an attempt to feel better about my indulgence, I prefer to use whole wheat pasta. Buon appetito!

Pork Jezebel & Stuffed Cayote

I am soooo behind on my dinner blogging. This time of the school year is flat out crazy for teachers. With the cold dark weather, one of the last things on my mind at night is pulling out the laptop to do "work". Never to fear, I have been doing plenty of cooking. It is the uploading of pictures, entering text and posting the blog that is the work. Over the weekend I am making my best attempt to do some catching up. Forgive me if the pictures are not as detailed, and some steps seem to be missing.  After playing catch up my goal is to post one detailed nightmare each evening. Alex is off to play cards tonight, so here goes.

String Beans, Corn on the Cob, Cayote Squash, Pork Chops

Boiling the squash halves in order to scoop out the centers and stuff

Sauteed corn, tomatoes, garlic and mushrooms for squash filling

Alex kindly donated the leftover ribs as a nightmare ingredient.  I pulled off bits and used them in the green beans.  No problem.

Hollowing out and stuffing the squash

Sad looking salad greens from our garden

Mixed greens with homemade ranch and pistachio crusted goat cheese discs

Stuffed Cayote Squash:  Squash was boiled to soften and hollow out, then stuffed with corn/tomato/mushroom mixture, baked in oven to brown and dusted with Parmesan and paprika.

Pork Jezebel & Green Beans:  Green beans sauteed with bits of smoked ribs; Pork Chops grilled then topped with my own recipe for Jezebel sauce (apple jelly, purred mango, horseradish, mustard)