Funeral Sandwiches ~ Ham & Cheese Sliders

First things first: why are these called “funeral sandwiches?” In short, I don’t know, but I’d guess it’s because the only time you wouldn’t feel guilty about stuffing this many lip-smacking nitrates into your face would be after the death of a loved one. Luckily for you, I eat like I’m in mourning all the time, so let’s dig in.

These are somewhat similar to Ham Delights (though that link is not to the Dot-sanctioned recipe), but Morg voted that these are better, and I agree. The brown sugar and smoked salt really punch these up. Plus they’re just the right mix of sloppy and fancy, and that’s the way we do things here at Nummy.

1 pkg (12) Hawaiian buns
1 1/2 pkgs sliced ham
1 pkg sliced Swiss cheese
1 stick butter
3 tbsp Worcestershire
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp bourbon
1.5 tbsp minced onions
1 tsp smoked salt (you can use regular salt here if you need to)
white pepper

1. Layer a few slices of ham and cheese on each bun and place them in a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Melt together the rest of the ingredients and ladle this mixture over the sandwiches.
3. Put the sandwiches in the fridge for 24 hours.
4. When you’re ready to serve, pull the sandwiches out and cut them in half diagonally with a pizza cutter.
5. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.

Baked Brie Bites ~ Thanksgiving 2K11

Aight y’all – so I am still at the office at 4:45 on Thanksgiving’s Eve, but I cannot desert my Nummies without a little nip for Turkey Day.

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I realize these are a totally ridiculous choice considering they are not traditional Thanksgiving fare and the original recipe calls for Ile de France brie, but I am out of Mountain Dew, so embrace it or shove off. Thankful attitude, no?

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Anyway, Morg made these for Emily’s party last weekend, and they were super popable and delicious. So much so that I will be making them tomorrow as starters for not one but two family affairs. Oh you’ll be thankful!

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mini phyllo tarts

wedge of brie, cubed

brown sugar

chopped pecans

honey

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1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place a cube of brie in each phyllo tart.
3. Sprinkle each tart with 1/2 tsp brown sugar.  Top with 1/2 tsp chopped pecans and a dollop of honey.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until brie is melted. (use more or less of each ingredient according to your preference)

Brunswick Stew

This recipe comes to us by way of Southern Living via Bonnie. I haven’t had this brand of Brunswick yet, but I am always in favor of finding more ways to incorporate BBQ sauce and pork into anything. (It’s a Memphis addiction. And probably the healthiest one you can contract from the Bluff City, so don’t judge.)

Southern Living

Anyway, this appears to be a chop, pour and drop situation that allows your crock pot to do most of the work for you. And with the extensive film of dreary that is covering Tennessee this week, it’s the perfect solution to your mood-funk.

In short, I would like to put this in my belly and my belly in my fuzzy pants and my fuzzy pants in my bed. So I want to eat soup in bed. So really no different from any other day. Happy Friday!

3 lbs boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt)
3 medium-size new potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (18-oz) bottle barbecue sauce
1 (14-oz) can chicken broth
1 (9-oz) package frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 (9-oz) package frozen corn, thawed
6 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt

1. Trim roast and cut into 2-inch pieces. Stir together all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours or until potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Remove pork with a slotted spoon, and shred. Return shredded pork to slow cooker, and stir well.
4. Ladle stew into bowls and enjoy.

Candied Bacon

The real Kismet

While I was deciding which recipe to post today from my Nummy email archive, The Chef sent over this one, and it obviously trumped all the other options. And then I clicked over to find that TanyaNads had cosmically received The Chef’s bacon brainwaves down in NOLA and started the ball (of fat) rolling on her own!

Now that is what I call Kismet. Or “Bacon Thursday.” Whatever floats your boat. And what floats my boat is lard.

T-shirt from Big Bad Breakfast in Oxford, MS. Clearly, I own this.

I have had a version of this sweet, salty goodness at many an MCC wedding, which might make you think I run with a pretty posh crowd. Let me prove you wrong: When The Chef sent this over, he mentioned that this freezes well, so you should make a whole bunch.

He also mentioned that he’s actually eaten this “straight outta the freezer” and that it’s pretty good that way. Clearly, I was impressed. The man made himself a bacon lollipop. That’s just sexy.

I would suggest that you could add a little chili powder to the mix and no one would be mad, but I’ll leave that up to you. Either way, this treat is entirely worth the extra hour you’ll have to spend on The StairMaster to work it off. And that’s how long it’s been since I’ve been to the gym. I think The StairMaster is still a relevant piece of workout equipment. Fat. And. Happy.

ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com

10 slices bacon (Wright or Benton’s if you can get ’em)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp brown sugar
Coarse black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 325.
2. Mix all ingredients except bacon together.
3. Place bacon on parchment paper on sheet pans.  Lay in single layer. (This is where the skewer would come in if you are presentation-conscious.)
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then brush with glaze and bake for another 5 minutes. Munch heartily. (But remove that stick before you. Nummy is not yet wealthy enough to retain counsel.)

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Lemon Zest-Thyme Marinade

This is a favorite go to dinner Chef John and I like to make.  I normally serve with roasted potatoes, fennel, and onion and a side salad.  It is a Michael Ruhlman recipe. – ts
Chef John says: If you haven’t noticed already, I’m a big fan of all things pork. When I’m having a hard time thinking of something to make, I’ll turn to this recipe. It’s really quick and easy, probably takes about 15 min total to prepare the marinade. Also, I find it to be more rewarding to create your own marinade rather than just pouring something out of the bottle (which I have no problem doing). I’d let this marinate for at least a few hours but letting it go over night is even better.

1 pork tenderloin
salt to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
zest from two lemons
3 cloves garlic, smashed with a knife
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon coarsely cracked coriander
2 tablespoons brown sugar
a bunch of fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine

1. Season the pork with plenty of kosher or sea salt.
2. In a small pan combine the oil, zest, garlic, shallot, pepper, coriander, brown sugar, and 7 or 8 stems of thyme and cook it over medium high heat until the garlic and shallots are bubbling.  Add the wine, bring the oil back up to heat for a few minutes, then remove the pan from the heat (it should cook for about 10 minutes in all) and allow it to cool till it’s not hot to the touch.
3. Pour it over the pork, add several more stems of fresh thyme, and let it marinate a half hour (or for up to three days, refrigerated, if you’re making this ahead).
4. Prepare a hot grill and cook the pork, removing the thyme stems, but keep as much of the aromats as will adhere to the pork, to medium rare.

Nate’s Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies

This recipe comes from good friend and fellow chef, Nathaniel.  It looks INSANE and I cannot wait to try it out!  -ts

Chef Nathaniel says: This cookie caught my eye while waiting in the checkout line at Citarella. The ingredients were simple and basic. I thought to myself I could replicate this cookie and make it better. The key to a chocolate chip cookie is CHOCOLATE.  Quality ingredients will create a quality outcome. Enjoy!

2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt Sea Salt
2 sticks butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2.5 teaspoon vanilla
3.5oz very dark chocolate bar (chopped)
3.5oz dark chocolate bar with sea salt (chopped)
11 1/2 bag semi sweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven 375
2. Mixed flour, baking soda, sea salt in a bowl put aside.
3. Mix butter, sugars together. Add vanilla, eggs one at a time. Slowly mix dry flour mixture in mixer. Then add chocolate.
4. Bake at 375 for 9 minutes and sprinkle sea salt on top.

Lexington Vinegar Sauce ~ BBQ Fest 2K11

So okay, I don’t want to be a traitor to my generation and all (Clueless quote intended), but currently the North Carolina BBQ tradition is what’s flooding my Inbox. And until you Memphians step up your game or relinquish your sauce secrets, we’ll publish what’s being pushed, ya hear?

This is the sauce that goes with Lexington Pork Shoulder, and while I’m usually a Memphis BBQ purist, it sounds pretty darn good. Get mixy.

2.5 cups of cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp hot sauce
4 tsp salt
4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1.5 tbsp rub reserved from Lexington Pork Shoulder

1. Mix all ingredients & serve. No heat required.

Lexington Pork Shoulder ~ BBQ Fest 2K11

It’s that time again, Memphis. The time when the weather is warm but not yet a sweaty swamp, the work days seem a little bit shorter with a patio to look forward to at the end of the day, and the beer and BBQ flow freely from the banks of the Mississippi.

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Well actually, as most of you know, the Mississippi is giving the proverbial wet finger to all of us this year, so the beer and BBQ will have to flow from the banks of Central Avenue at good ole Tiger Lane. While the riverside breeze will undoubtedly be missed, Memphians know BBQ Fest is about the people, and you can always count on this crowd for a good time.

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In honor of BBQ Fest week, we at Nummy would like to bring you an offering from the kitchen of JR Grosshans. I have yet to taste this succulent selection, but The Chef assures that JR knows how to do a pig right. And I believe him. JR is too good a Southern boy to do pork wrong.

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Rub:

4 tsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

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Pork & ‘fixins’ (cuz that’s what we say in The South, y’all):

1 bone-in pork shoulder, 5-7 lbs

Statesboro Coleslaw

Lexington Vinegar Sauce

hamburger buns

4-6 wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained

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1. Make the rub: Mix all ingredients. Set aside 1.5 tbsp vinegar for the sauce.  Sprinkle the remaining rub all over the pork.
2. Set up grill for indirect heat and preheat to medium low.  Place a large drip pan in the center and toss 1 cup of wood chips on the coals.
3. Place the pork skin side up in the center of the hot grate over the drip pan and away from the heat and cover grill.  Add 12 fresh coals every hour and 1/2 of wood chips to each side.
4. Cook until darkly browned on the outside and very tender inside, about 4-6 hours.  The internal temperature should reach 195 degrees.
5. Pull off grill and cover with foil.  Let rest for at least 20 minutes.
6. Pull pork into large pieces, discarding any bones or lumps of fat.  Transfer pork the pulled pork to a large aluminum foil pan and stir in 1 to 1.5 cups of vinegar sauce.
7. Chow.

Eating pig is messy. If you’re not covered with sauce when you’re done, you’re not doing it right.

Thai Lemon Chili Shrimp- Goong Maa Now

Last night’s dinner…Asian SCRIMPS!  This may have been the easiest quickest recipe ever; start to finish including marinating time was about 20 minutes.  Next time I think I will make my own sweet chili sauce, but this time around I just used the pre-made stuff.  If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves lime zest is ok. I served this with summer rolls and lemon herb quinoa on the side to be healthy.

I think serving with a fresh baguette to soak up the sauce would be ideal.  Back to the shrimp tails debate from this post, I am all about keeping the tails.  Good looking food always tastes better.  Oh and chef Katie, get on this recipe because you will love. -ts

1 pound shrimp shelled and deveined
1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
1 lemon- juice and zest
3 kaffir lime leaves sliced, substitute 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼- 1/3 cup coconut milk
Siracha (optional as this is spicy on its own)
1/4 cup cilantro chopped for garnish

1. Marinate the shrimp in the sweet chili sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, kaffir lime leaves, chili sauce, fish sauce, garlic and sugar for 10 or more minutes.
2. Heat a pan.
3. Add the shrimp, the marinade, siracha (if using) and the coconut milk and simmer (not boil) until the shrimp are cooked, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and mix in the cilantro.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter

I never considered myself a fan of gnocchi until I had some at Andrew Michael. (If you haven’t been there, go immediately – the last time I encountered two dudes from Christan Brothers, they were trying to start a fight outside an MUS football game, so this was a welcome upgrade. That place is the shiz.)

Anyway, I can always get behind anything with brown butter, so I have no doubt this dish is fantastic.

1/2 pound sweet potato
3 oz ricotta cheese, strained for 2 hours
1 oz Parmesan cheese
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 cup flour
2 oz butter
2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

1. Bake the potatoes with skin on at 350 degrees until tender (takes about an hour)
2. Peel sweet potatoes and mash. Let cool.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ricotta and Parmesan cheese and blend.
4. Add brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Mix in flour 1/4 cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
5. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and roll into a 1 inch diameter rope.
6. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces and roll over the tines of a fork to indent.
7. Boil gnocchi until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Shock in a ice bath.
8. To finish, brown butter in a saute pan. Add sage, salt and pepper, and gnocchi. Continue to heat until gnocchi is heated through.