Classic BBQ Baked Beans by Frank Thomas

This might look a bit like chili, but it is one of my favorite Classic BBQ Baked Beans recipe from former baseball great, Frank Thomas in his cookbook, The Big Hurt’s Guide to BBQ and Grilling. I am sharing this with you now, so you will have it for your summer and fall menus. Everyone has a baked bean recipe, but maybe you haven’t tried this one. It is a simple recipe to make, that combines sweet and smoky ingredients for a really nice Southern twist on classic baked beans. This recipe is a “marriage in heaven” with smoked ribs, bbq chicken, and juicy hamburgers.

Here is the recipe link to Bon Appétit, June 2020, Classic BBQ Baked Beans by Frank Thomas from The Big Hurt’s Guide to BBQ and Grilling.

Please Note My Loving Adaptations:

I make this recipe on my stove, rather than on a grill.

This recipe calls for 1/4 pound bacon diced. I usually saute the onion and red pepper in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, instead of using bacon.

This recipe calls for 3 16-ounce can of kidney beans. You could also start with dried beans similar to kidney beans, soak them, cook them until soft, and then begin your recipe. I have done this before. See below for my post on Rancho Gordo Bean Club.

Watch your hot sauce and Creole seasoning amounts. For instance, I use a teaspoon of hot sauce, instead of a tablespoon. If your Creole seasoning is very hot, you might want to use 1 teaspoon, instead of two. The recipe serves 6, but if you are doubling it for a larger gathering, you might not want to necessarily double your hot sauce and Creole seasoning amounts. Start with smaller amounts, and taste, taste, taste.

Creole seasoning can be found in some grocery stores and online. There is a rainbow of hot sauces available in grocery stores, specialty stores, and online too. The best is buying your Creole seasoning and hot sauce when visiting New Orleans!

This recipe should definitely be made a day ahead to allow the heat in the recipe to mellow, the beans to thicken, and all of the other ingredients to meld together. Refrigerate overnight. There is something magical about these beans the next day. Worth the wait!

Related Past Post:

Rancho Gordo Bean Club

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Missy Robbins and Talia Baiocchi’s 2021 cookbook, Pasta

Okay, I confess. Missy Robbins and Talia Baiocchi’s 2021 cookbook, Pasta, The Spirit and Craft of Italy’s Greatest Food, with Recipes is truly an outstanding cookbook. In fact, listed as one of the top ten cookbooks in 2021. A Christmas gift, and I haven’t really had a chance to read through it or make any recipes yet. Except one, the House Vinaigrette.

I think their House Vinaigrette is outstanding, and the recipe I want to share with you. I make my own salad dressings, and have my favorite vinaigrette which might change slightly with the seasons. Everyone should have their own signature House Vinaigrette, and you probably do. Maybe this one will become your new House Vinaigrette.

I love this vinaigrette because it is a 2:1 oil to acid ratio, and not the usual 3:1 ratio. It has a whooping tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and the garlic is Microplaned to easily blend. I feel this vinaigrette goes well with any type of lettuce you throw at it, it is just that good! Enjoy!

House Vinaigrette

Lovingly Adapted from Missy Robbins and Talia Baiocchi’s Pasta Cookbook

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup good olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Add the mustard to a bowl. Using a Microplane, grate the garlic into the mustard and stir to blend.

2) Add the red wine vinegar to the bowl. While stirring drizzle in the olive oil.

3) Make sure to prepare your dressing ahead, so the garlic has time to bloom.

4) Can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

If you make this vinaigrette, please let me know what you think!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

Show your loved ones how much you care and love them, by baking this treat for Valentine’s Day, Beatty’s Chocolate Cake from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa at Home (2006) cookbook. This is a really rich, moist chocolate cake made with buttermilk and freshly brewed hot coffee added to the cake batter, and instant coffee powder added to the icing. Make sure you use a good quality cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate, and not chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers.

“Let’s face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot people; it does for me.”

— Audrey Hepburn

It is definitely an old-fashioned cake, which harkens back to the days when milk was delivered to your doorstep by a milkman. This cake calls for two 8” round cake pans. Initially, I thought the cake wasn’t going to be very high. However, not the case, this recipe makes two very thick cake layers, and a beautiful presentation with the chocolate buttercream frosting.

“Romance is the icing but love is the cake.”

— Julia Child

A little culinary secret for you that you may or may not know. A little coffee flavor greatly enhances and heightens chocolate flavor. Further layer the coffee flavor theme, and serve this delicious cake with coffee ice cream or coffee gelato. A home run!

Over the years I have shared special chocolate dessert recipes. See below for more fabulous chocolate recipes you can make for Valentine’s Day.

More Related Posts
A Perfect Dessert to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Jim Dodge Chocolate Pecan Cake

February is Love

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Butternut Squash from the Garden

When I was looking through recipes around Thanksgiving I happened up this recipe, Risotto with Butternut Squash, Gorgonzola, and Toasted Pecans. This has been a favorite of mine from the December 2003 Oprah magazine. Somehow I had forgotten about it.

I still have home-grown butternut squash from the garden, and on a recent trip to an Italian specialty store, I picked up a pound of Carnaroli rice, considered the best risotto rice overall for making the creamiest risotto due to its very high starch content. Carnaroli rice is available on Amazon, specialty food stores, and gourmet food websites. This recipe calls for arborio rice which is a more common available rice for making risotto.

Home-grown butternut squash, fresh sage leaves, and a new box of Carnaroli rice said it was meant to be.

This is a delightful recipe full of flavor, depth, and texture with soft golden butternut squash, sweet Gorgonzola, and crunchy toasted pecans for crunch. Chef Rori Trovato recommends serving this risotto with a California Zinfandel or Central Coast Syrah. She also provides below simple interesting variations on this recipe. Enjoy!

Sauté the Rice and Butternut Squash Together

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Gorgonzola, and Toasted Pecans

Lovingly Adapted from Chef Rori Trovato

Oprah Magazine, December 2003

Ingredients

1. 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3. 1/2 small onion , finely chopped

4. 1 cup arborio rice

5. 2 cloves small garlic , finely chopped

6. 1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

7. 8 large sage leaves , chopped

8. 2 tablespoons butter

9. 2 teaspoons salt

10. Freshly ground pepper

11. 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

12. 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions

In a saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Then reduce heat to low.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high flame, heat the olive oil. Add the onion. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the rice; stir until well coated, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and squash and continue to stir another 30 seconds. Lower the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup hot stock. With a wooden spoon, stir until the liquid is absorbed but the rice isn't sticking to the pan. Continue adding 1/2 cup stock and stirring until the stock is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Recipe Note: I was taught to stir your risotto in a clockwise direction, the whole time, for waking up the starch and in turn creaminess in your rice kernels. I also used 1 teaspoon of salt rather than two.

Remove from heat; add the sage, butter, and salt. Season with pepper. Stir to combine. Place risotto in a serving bowl and top with Gorgonzola and pecans. Makes 4 servings.

Recommended variations

• Cranberry Risotto: Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries with the garlic and squash.

• Barley Risotto: Substitute one cup barley for the arborio rice and use one additional cup of stock. Barley has a nuttier taste and a less creamy texture than rice.

• Indian-Spiced Risotto with Shrimp: Omit the squash and add one teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. When the rice is about two-thirds done, add 1 1/2 pounds medium-size peeled and deveined shrimp. Continue cooking until the rice and shrimp are cooked through. Finally, substitute 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for the sage, omit the Gorgonzola, and increase the amount of butter to 4 tablespoons.

Elegant Risotto with Butternut Squash

Please share if you have a favorite risotto recipe you like to make.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Side by Side, Bibb Lettuce Salads with Persimmons and Candied Pecans

Would you like to know a perfect holiday salad, easy, and elegant for your holiday gatherings? It is “Bibb Lettuce Salad with Persimmons and Candied Pecans.” It is chock full of fresh seasonal ingredients like cranberries, Fuyu persimmons, and pecans.

Visually, a treat for your table. Healthy and good for you. It is what I call a composed salad, which is layered with a drizzled dressing on top, rather than tossed all together. You can make this salad ahead of time on individual salad plates or on large serving platters. It has different textures of crunch and softness, and sweetness from the cranberry dressing and candied pecans that stand up well to the tang of bold crumbled blue cheese. Your family and guests will love this salad!

Bibb Lettuce Salad with Persimmons and Candied Pecans

Lovingly Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine, December 2005

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce (purchased or homemade)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon golden brown sugar

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 heads of Bibb lettuce, coarsely torn

4 Fuyu persimmons, peeled, sliced

1 cup (generous) crumbled blue cheese

Candied Pecans

Directions:

-Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

-Mound lettuce in center of 8 plates. Top each with persimmon slices, then drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and Candied Pecans.

Recipe Note: I often substitute Bibb Lettuce with a Baby Spinach & Green Lettuce Mix, or when I can find it, a Baby Red Butter Lettuce. Trader Joe’s carries a ready-made Candied Pecans 5 oz. bag, perfect for salads or snacking.

If you make this salad, please share with me your comments. I would love to hear from you!

Another Related Post:

Beet & Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Heavenly Pumpkin Maple Cornbread

I have to share this delightful Pumpkin Maple Cornbread with you in case you missed it in The New York Times. I knew, just by first reading it, was going to be fabulous. Sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup, moist and rich, this is not your typical cornbread. In fact, it is so versatile, it could be a fall breakfast sweet, a Thanksgiving side, or just a satisfying snack. Easy to make, and one I am sure you will keep in your seasonal fall recipes.

Pumpkin Maple Cornbread

Lovingly Adapted from Samantha Seneviratne

Published in The New York Times

Ingredients:

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for greasing the pan.

1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin purée

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons maple syrup, divided

¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter the parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a large bowl, whisk together ½ cup melted butter, the egg, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and ½ cup maple syrup. Fold in the dry ingredients. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and smooth out the top.

Top evenly with the pumpkin seeds. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup.

Transfer bread in the pan to a wire rack. While the bread is still warm, brush the entire surface with the butter-maple mixture. Remove the cornbread from the pan using the overhanging parchment, and cut cornbread into pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 9-12 servings. Recipe Note: Be sure and use finely ground cornmeal, and real maple syrup for this recipe.

Pumpkin Maple Cornbread Just Out of the Oven Cooling

More Related Links:

Curried Pumpkin Hummus

Home-Grown Pumpkins

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Home-Grown Tomatoes

There are lots of wonderful recipes for your home-grown tomatoes, like bruschetta, tomato tart, caprese salad, or just an awesome BLT sandwich. I remembered reading recently the Roasted Tomato Soup recipe from Miss Maggie’s Kitchen cookbook, and wanted to try it. So simple, so seasonal, so divine.

Steamy Roasted and Charred Soup Ingredients

Roasted Tomato Soup

Lovingly Adapted from Miss Maggie’s Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:

2-1/4 pounds assorted tomatoes

2 red onion quartered

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

Leaves of three sprigs of fresh thyme

Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh basil

1-1/2 cups warm vegetable broth

salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2) Rinse the tomatoes, cut them in half, and set on a rimmed parchment-lined baking sheet with the cut side up.

3) Place the onions on the baking sheet, then crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a chef’s knife and scatter them around the tomatoes and onions.

4) Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with the sugar and thyme leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 50 minutes, then turn on the broiler and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the tomatoes and onions are lightly charred and caramelized.

5) Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and place in a blender with the tomatoes, onions, any pan juices, and the basil. Process until smooth, adding the warm broth in two or three stages, until the soup reaches your preferred consistency. Serve warm or cold. Makes 5-6 servings.

Recipe Note: Like most soups, this soup is even more delicious the next day. I used “Fresh Basil” Temecula Olive Oil with my Early Girl and Celebrity Tomatoes.

Soup is On After Blending

This soup was delicious the day I made it. However, the next day I couldn’t resist enjoying it with an extra aged cheddar melted cheese sandwich with a touch of peperoncini on rustic country bread. Yum!

Good to the Last Spoonful

Related Linked Posts:

Miss Maggie’s Kitchen, Relaxed French Entertaining

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

Miss Maggie’s Kitchen Salad Recipe

Last week I mentioned I would share the recipes from my previous blog post, End of Summer Lunch. I’ve written before about Héloïse Brion of Miss Maggie’s Kitchen, and her cookbook, and even the original winter version of this salad recipe. It is a bright composed salad that lends itself to seasonal variations easily. A composed salad is generally creating an individual salad usually in layers on each salad plate and drizzling the dressing over the top of each salad, versus creating one large salad in a bowl and tossing everything together.

Where you have pear and endive in the winter, you can have mixed summer greens and ripe peaches in late summer. The dressing is simply sauteed shallots in a little olive oil with warmed chopped pecans and almonds, placed over your bed of greens. Slice your desired seasonal fruit and place on one side, slice and place your burrata cheese on the other. Mix juice of one lemon and one tablespoon of honey, add salt and pepper and spoon over each salad. It is a simple salad with big flavor. Use the freshest and finest seasonal ingredients you can.

This salad has it all. You have your fat with the olive oil, nuts, and cheese. You have acid with your lemon juice. You have a hint of sweetness with your honey and fruit. You experience different textures throughout the salad when eating.

Dorie Greenspan’s Goat Cheese and Fig Quick Bread

This is a great recipe for entertaining, and for apéro hour. It is a cinch to make like a banana bread, with no yeast, kneading, waiting, etc. It is a quick savory bread that really captures many of the essential flavors of Provence and the Mediterranean. When I first read this recipe I knew it was going to be really good! How can you go wrong with goat cheese, dried figs, honey, olive oil, fresh herbs, and even citrus zest. It gets better, Dorie Greenspan suggests that you can easily substitute ingredients such as dried tomatoes instead of figs, different neutral oils, different cheeses, basil instead of parsley, and lemon instead of orange. She also suggests serving it warm and in thick slices. Heaven!

Goat Cheese and Fig Quick Bread

Lovingly Adapted from Dorie Greenspan for New York Times Cooking

Ingredients:

butter

4 ounces very cold soft goat cheese

4-6 moist plump dried figs, such as Mission, cut 1/4-inch pieces

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 large eggs at room temperature

1/3 cup whole milk lukewarm

1/3 cup olive oil or another neutral oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 clementine or 1/2 tangerine zest

Directions:

1) Center a rack in the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 to 9-inch loaf baking pan with butter.

2) Cut the goat cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. It can be messy, and sticky, so don’t worry. Keep in refrigerator until needed.

3) In a small bowl, toss together the figs, parsley, rosemary, and thyme; set aside.

4) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Working in a different medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the milk, oil, and honey.

5) Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture, and using a sturdy spatula, stir until the dough is almost blended. You’ll still see some streaks of flour, and that is okay. Scatter the fig and herb mixture over the dough, and then cover with the chilled bits of goat cheese. Grate the zest of the clementine or tangerine over the cheese. Using as few strokes as possible, stir everything together. Once again, it might not look perfect, and once again that is fine. Scrape the dough into the baking pan, and use the spatula to poke the dough into the corners, and to even out bumpy top.

6) Bake for 34 to 38 minutes, or until the top is golden, the bread has started to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes clean. Unmold the bread onto a rack, turn it right side up and let cool. Wrapped well, the bread will keep for a day or two at room temperature. Time: 50 minutes. Yield: 8 servings.

Mixing the Fig and Herb Mixture Into the Dough Before Baking

Dessert is light with fresh seasonal berries topped with vanilla mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone is a light, slightly sweet Italian cheese that is easily spreadable for toast and bagels, and also used in desserts. To make vanilla mascarpone cheese simply combine well 8 ounces mascarpone cheese with a heaping tablespoon of sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Place a dollop on top of your berries, and add a bit of Demerara sugar for glisten. Enjoy!

Fresh Seasonal Berries Dressed With Vanilla Mascarpone Cheese

Related Post Links:

End of Summer Lunch

Miss Maggie’s Kitchen

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…..Bonnie