Grilled Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto

30 min

1 lb asparagus, trimmed

16 slices prosciutto (good quality)

olive oil (EVOO)

kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

Directions

Heat grill to medium high.

Toss trimmed fresh asparagus with Olive oil and salt and pepper.


Place asparagus on grill, turning occasional, until they are becoming charred, about 5-7 minutes.

Remove from grill and wrap each spear with prosciutto, Also great served chilled as an appetizer.

Crispy Fried Green Beans with Bacon

Makes: 4 servings

1  pound green beans, washed and sorted with stems removed
1/4 pound sliced smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 tsp.granulated sugar
handful coarsely chopped Italian parsley -optional
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
(Optional - handful of pine nuts)

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath by
filling a bowl halfway with ice and water.

Place beans in the salted boiling water and cook until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and
place in the ice bath to cool. Drain and set aside. (Can do this earlier in the day)

In a large frying pan set over medium heat, cook bacon until it starts to brown. Add onion and cook
until it caramelizes and turns golden.

Add reserved green beans, (pine nuts) vinegar, and sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Mix in
coarsely chopped Italian parsley and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Wisconsin Bratwurst

 Pre-cook your brats in a large pot with beer, heaps of butter, and sliced onions. Then put them on the grill until brown and irresistible. Makes four servings."

2 pounds fresh bratwurst sausages 2 onions, thinly sliced 1 cup butter

6 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles beer 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper 10 hoagie rolls

1.	DO NOT prick bratwurst with fork. Place in a large stock pot with the onions, butter, and beer. Place pot over medium heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
2.	Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3.	Lightly oil grate. Cook bratwurst on preheated grill for 10 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Serve hot off the grill with onions on hoagie roll - return sausages to the pot to keep warm.

Emeril's Muffuletta MY WAY

The muffuletta is the quintessential New Orleans sandwich of cured meats, cheese and tangy olive salad piled onto a sturdy Italian loaf. Emeril Lagasse's delicious muffuletta is packed with briny olives and pickled vegetables. I don't care for the pickled vegetables and I changed out several other things and added onions....so this is his recipe MY way.  To see his recipe click here

• ACTIVE: 20 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 15 MIN
• SERVINGS: 8

1. 8 ounces pimento-stuffed olives (1 cup), sliced, plus 2 tablespoons of liquid from the ja
2. 2 tablespoons drained capers, plus 2 teaspoons of liquid from the jar 
3. 1 medium red onion sliced thin 
4. 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
5. 1 tablespoon minced shallot
6. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
7. 1 teaspoon dried parsley
8. Pinch of dried thyme
9. Pinch of crushed red pepper
10. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11. 1 large loaf seeded Italian bread (about 1 1/4 pounds), split
12. 1/4 pound sliced fresh mozzarella
13. 6 hard salami
14. 1/2 pound sliced Genoa salami
15. 1/4 pound sliced mild provolone cheese
16. Peperoncini,

1. In a medium bowl, stir the pimento-stuffed olives with the capers and their respective liquids. Add the , garlic, shallot, oregano, parsley, thyme and crushed red pepper. Stir in the olive oil and let the mixture stand for 1 hour.
2. Open the Italian bread on a work surface. Spoon the olive salad on both sides of the bread and spread evenly. Arrange the mozzarella slices on the bottom half of the bread, then top with the hard salami, Genoa salami and pepperoni. Arrange the provolone cheese on the top half of the bread, covering the olive salad completely. Carefully close the sandwich. Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic and let stand for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Cut the sandwich into 8 pieces and serve peperoncini on the side.

Make Ahead

The recipe can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated for up to 2 days. The wrapped muffuletta can be kept at room temperature for 2 hours.

Super Quick Peach Tarts

So light and easy to make. Keep puff pastry on hand at all times to use, not only in this fast dessert recipe, but dozens of other treats.

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/2 cup peach jam
• 3-4 peaches, peeled, stones removed and sliced 1/3" thick
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Roll pastry onto a well floured surface and cut into twelve 3" squares. 

Prick the pastry with a fork and coat each with a spoonful of peach jam. 

Fan the peach slices over the jam, arranged nicely. 

In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle over peach slices.

Put the tarts on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 7-12 minutes, until the peaches are tender and the pastry is golden brown. Try serving these hot, with vanilla ice cream! Serves 6-8

Carolina Pulled-Pork Sandwiches with Carolina Sweet Coleslaw

In this recipe, a "dry rub" of brown sugar, pepper, paprika and salt flavors the meat before it is cooked, and a vinegary "mop" is brushed onto the pork to add more taste as it is smoked. Once cooked, the meat is "pulled," that is, shredded into slivers that are just the right size for piling onto a bun. The sandwich —drizzled with a bit of the vinegary sauce, which cuts the richness of the meat — is the ultimate in Carolina barbecue. Cook this in a smoker or a barbecue that has been converted to a smoker.

( OR GO AHEAD AND COOK IT IN A CROCKPOT with the Mop Sauce - best to let it sit with the rub overnight then go head and brown it in the oven or dutch oven)

For dry rub

• 3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 untrimmed boneless pork shoulder halves (also known as Boston butt; about 6 pounds total)

For mop

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 

Smoker  Preparation 

• 8 pounds (about) 100% natural lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes
• 6 cups (about) hickory wood smoke chips, soaked in cold water at least 30 minutes

• 12 soft hamburger buns with seeds, split

Make dry rub:
Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend.

Place pork, fat side up, on work surface. Cut each piece lengthwise in half. Place on large baking sheet. Sprinkle dry rub all over pork; press into pork. Cover with plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Make mop:
Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Following manufacturer's instructions and using lump charcoal and 1/2 cup drained wood chips for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue, start fire and bring temperature of smoker or barbecue to 225°F. to 250°F. Place pork on rack in smoker or barbecue. Cover; cook until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 190°F., turning pork and brushing with cold mop every 45 minutes, about 6 hours total.  (Fat doesn't break down until at least 175 degrees so trying to pull it early is a waste of time)

Add more charcoal as needed to maintain 225°F. to 250°F. temperature and more drained wood chips (1/2 cup for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue with each addition) to maintain smoke level.

Transfer pork to clean rimmed baking sheet. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces. Mound on platter. Pour any juices from sheet over pork. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer pork and any juices to baking dish. 

Cover with foil; chill. Before continuing, rewarm pork, covered, in 350°°F. oven about 30 minutes.)

Divide pork among bottoms of buns. Drizzle lightly with barbecue sauce. Top with coleslaw. Cover with tops of buns.

I'm also a cook from the South, and want to tell all y'all yankees that it's absolutely FINE to cook it in the crockpot or in your oven! This recipe is super, and since I've been cooking it this way for years, want to point a couple things out. Do make sure you cook this fat side on top, and if you let it cook to about 195 degrees, you won't have to do any pulling at all, it'll fall right apart in your hands.

I recently served this to a bunch of my friends from up North, and talked them into adding sweet cole slaw to the top of the meat on the bun, and they all loved it!

Carolina Sweet Coleslaw - 

head of cabbage, shredded
 1/4 C vinegar,
1/3 C sugar,
1 C mayo.

That's it

Fried Pumpkin Blooms

This is not a recipe I grew up with......it is one I inherited when I got married, from my sister-in-law. The marriage didn't last but I recently found this in a drawer and decided to share it on the blog for those who love fried pumpkin bloom.

I'll bet most of you reading this didn't know you can fry the Blooms of PUMPKINS ( and other squashes)   and they are pretty tasty... so they tell me. I am not one who likes fried food but many people do. They tell me it's like eating meat.


If you are growing pumpkins or squash in your garden, you will see some blossoms that are on very thin stems and will not be producing a fruit. Pick these and store in a plastic bag with a paper towel.  Other blooms can also be picked, just know that picking a good bloom forfeits a pumpkin or squash.

When you have enough for a meal, rinse them off and let them dry on a paper towel.

Then, simply dip these flowers in beaten egg, roll in flour, and fry in an open skillet in a lard (yes, I said lard, remember I don't eat these and they are "down home country folk food".. or oil until lightly brown and crisp. Salt and pepper to taste. Drain on paper towels and serve.