B-L-T Pasta

Every now and then I get a stray magazine showing up in my mailbox and recently I received a magazine called Cuisine at Home. It looks like a good magazine with plenty of good ideas and tips and of course some good looking recipes. I eyed this recipe a couple of weeks ago and decided to give it a try. It combined two of my favorite meals, bacon lettuce and tomato sandwiches and anything pasta hence the title B-L-T Pasta.

Now let's face it, anytime you throw a little pork fat or bacon in anything it is bound to taste better and that's why this recipe caught my eye.



My pictures don't look as appetizing as the pictures in the magazine but you'll get the idea.

Let's get started with the cast of characters:



A pretty darn good looking cast other than the hot dog buns. Hot dog buns? What is he doing with the hot dog buns? Well, since I was too cheap to buy the french bread called for in the recipe and I had some left over hot dog buns guess what I did? Yep I improvised, overcame, adapted and made bread crumbs from hot dog buns. I actually saw this once on Food Network, probably Good Eats.



I cut up and toasted the buns first.........



.......then I put them into the food processor along with a clove of garlic and pulsed them into bread crumbs.



While the hot dog buns were toasting I took the time to cut up some garlic and bacon.





Once the bread is toasted it is time for the bacon.



After the bacon it is the tomatoes turn and then the leeks.



Next add the cooked spaghetti, thyme, and spinach.



Finally I think we're done.



Pretty darn good meal too and well worth making again, even with the hot dog buns substituted for the fancy french bread. Don't make this without the bread crumbs it really makes the dish. I am rating this meal a 4.5 out of 5 forks.



B-L-T Pasta

For the garlic bread crumbs:
1 clove of garlic
1 cup French bread cubes
1 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste

For the pasta:
2 strips thick sliced bacon – diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
½ tsp sugar
½ cup thinly sliced leeks
¼ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1 tsp red wine vinegar
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
4 oz. dry bucatini or spaghetti
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
¼ tsp minced fresh thyme

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the bucatini.

Mince garlic for the bread crumbs in a food processor. Add cubed bread, and process until coarse. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium; add crumbs and toast until golden, 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and set aside.

Sauté bacon for the pasta in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook until crisp and then drain pieces on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tbsp drippings.

Caramelize tomatoes and sugar in the drippings over medium heat. Cook until tomatoes begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add leeks, sauté until wilted, 3-4 minutes.

Deglaze skillet with wine; simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add the broth, vinegar, and pepper flakes. Simmer until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes.

Cook bucatini in boiling water according to the package directions. Add spinach, thyme, and bacon pieces to sauce. Transfer cooked pasta from cooking water to the skillet using tongs. Toss to coat with sauce. Season with salt and then divide pasta between plates. Sprinkle pasta with reserved bacon pieces and bread crumbs before serving.

From Cuisine at Home Magazine Free Preview Issue

Jock's Buffalo Wings

It has been a while since I've been here so I think it's about time I posted something. I do have a few future posts ready to go like chili fries, sausage chili and of course the banana nut french toast. I will get to all of these in due time plus others.

Tonight though it was time to get out the grill and do the type of cooking I like best, grilling. How can you not like the hot coals, rolling smoke and the sweet smell of grilling whether its a nice thick juicy rib eye steak, the sweet taste of shrimp, the long slow bbq of baby back ribs or tonights choice chicken.



Tonight the chicken was all about the wing or better known as buffalo wings. There are many versions of buffalo wing with the most popular being deep fried and finished off with hot sauce and butter. My version and my most favorite is grilled chicken wings with buffalo wing sauce.

Let's get started with tonights main cast of characters:



That's a pretty fine looking cast if I do say so myself. Normally I will buy the whole wing and cut them up myself, I discard the wing tip, and that is what I did tonight for most of them. I cheated on the last few because the other day I was at Whole Foods and you can buy just the drumette from Whole Foods. Have I ever told you how much I like Whole Foods?

Next it is time to dust them with a little Emeril's Essence.



Once the seasoning is on the wings it is time to go outside, with a coat on because it is 30 degrees outside today, and..........and.........AND.......... AND.......

"FIRE UP THE GRILL!!!!!!"



God it feels good to say that again.

While the charcoal is getting ready I might as well go ahead and make the sauce for the wings. I start with some melted butter, unsalted of course.



Then I add hot sauce (my choice is Frank's Red Hot) and honey.



Mix it all together........



......and I am left with this beautiful orange colored sauce.

Now it is time to throw the wings on the grill and take in the smells of the coming summer.



Don't you just love the smoke coming from the grill? Tonights choice of wood was Hickory. Hickory is all I have been using lately and I think it is fast becoming my favorite type of wood to use.



Aren't those starting to look good? Let's take a look at what they look like finished.





That glob in the left is baked beans I bought from the local meat market. Ever since the wife and I found them I can't imagine ever making baked beans again, these are so good.

I give these wings a 5 out of 5 forks, they are hard to beat when they are grilled.



Once you try these you will be hard pressed to ever want to deep fry again.

Recipe

Some chicken wings
Cooking spray
Emeril's Essence
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 Tbsp of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
3 Tbsp of honey

Spray the wings with cooking spray and dust with Essence. Cook chicken over medium hot coals for about 6 minutes per side or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees at the bone.

Meanwhile mix butter, hot sauce, and honey together. When the chicken is done pour the hot sauce over the wings and mix all together.

Enjoy.