Side Dish:
Smoked Gouda Mac.,Cheese,Cauliflower, and bacon
(You can leave the cauliflower out if you have to)
Ingredients
- Coarse salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped pasta)
- ½ pound cooked bacon crumbled
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 3 cups shredded smoked Gouda
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to season the cooking water, then add the pasta. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked al dente and the florets are just tender. Drain well and return to the pot.
While the pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and heat with the butter until it melts. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to sweat them out and turn the juices sweet. Raise the heat a bit, then whisk in the flour, cayenne, and paprika. Whisk together until the roux bubbles up, then cook for 1 minute more. Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a bit higher to bring the sauce to a quick boil. Once it bubbles, drop the heat back to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and stir to melt it, a minute or so. Stir in the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Pour over the cauliflower and cooked pasta and toss to combine. Add in the bacon. Adjust the seasonings, transfer to a large platter, and serve.
Appy:
Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- Two pounds fresh jumbo shrimp 21-25 size
- one bottle of Laskar's Tequila marinade
- Three shallots
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon coconut cream or three tablespoons coconut milk
- Clean and peel the shrimp leaving on the tails
- Chop the shallots and ginger and add to the marinade. Add in the coconut cream
- Place the cleaned shrimp in a ziplock bag and add the marinade.
- Marinade for 1 ½ hours
- Get the grill hot I leave my grill about 2 inches above the coals or put a gas grill on med/high
- Put the shrimp on the grill for about five minutes turning once until the meat is cooked.
Can be eaten hot or cold...
Turkey Brine:
Brine:
- Two jars Grandma's molasses
- One box kosher salt
- 8 ounces vinegar
- one turkey or two turkey breasts
- four 'blue' reusable ice packs
Combine molasses, pickling salt, and vinegar in a large Coleman cooler . Add Boston butt(s). Fill the cooler with COLD water making sure you completely submerge the turkey in brine, add ice packs, cover, and let sit in for a minimum of 8 hours. 12 hours is ideal. I do it over night.
Turkey rub:
Rub:
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- Double this for two breasts.