The BIG B Brisket Slow Cooker BBQ Burrito

This dish has it all: BBQ Sauce, Bourbon, Beer, Brisket, Beef Bacon and Beans. Made easy in the crockpot and all rolled into one beautiful burrito.
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Ingredients:

2 lbs Brisket Strip (Grow and Behold)
0.6 oz Beef Bacon chunks (G&B) 
24-36 oz Refried and/or Chili Beans (canned, I used Brads)
Tofutti Sour Supreme/Better than Sour Cream
Baby Spinach
(Optional: Onion, Corn, or Vegan Cheese)
Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas

BBQ Sauce (Homemade or if bottled, add your own zing):
1/3 cup Organic Ketchup (no corn syrup!)
2/3 cup Tomato Paste or Sauce (if you have it)
A handful of favorite seasoning blend: italian, Pereg BBQ, mustard powder, Emeril's essence, garlic and onion powder, lemon peel, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, celery seed
2-4 Garlic Cloves (crushed/chopped)
2-4 dashes Hot Sauce
3 tbs Mesquite Honey
2 Bay Leaves1 cup Beer
1/2 cup Bourbon (I used Makers Mark)
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Combine all BBQ Sauce ingredients in slow cooker. Add brisket and bacon. If you're using an onion add it now (bonus: you can do a big chop, it'll melt into the sauce!). Ideally, this is low and slow, so plan on letting this simmer about 8-9 hours on low while you go about your day. You're saving the beans for later, when you have a *ton* of leftover BBQ sauce and no idea what to do with it! I like to make sure the liquid covers the meat, so adjust measurements accordingly (or add broth or water) if needed.

8 hours (or so) later, come on back to this pot of goodness, and place the brisket and bacon (points if you can tell the difference at this stage) in a bowl in order to shred it. It's fine if some sauce comes along for the ride, but leave most of it separate. Open up beans, and stir them into the sauce filled crockpot (or, if you'd like to dirty another dish, or task this role to a younger kitchen assistant, pour them together with the sauce into a new bowl. The sauce will warm up the beans. Mash them all in together, so the beans become BBQ beans. Feel free to taste and add more hot sauce, if desired.)

Now, the beef should be fork tender for you, so go ahead and shred it, either with a gloved hand or a fork. I keep brown sugar or coconut sugar on hand in case the honey doesn't provide enough balance. Taste your sauce as you shred the beef, and decide if yours needs some help with more spice, honey or sugar.

Once these major components are ready, set up an assembly line for you to build your burritos! Take a whole wheat tortilla and spoon a generous dollop of Tofutti sour supreme in the center. Top with leaves of spinach, then a generous spoonful of bean & sauce mixture, which you can flatten and spread with the back of the spoon, and finally, top with generous serving of the beef. Be sure not to overfill, as you'll want to roll this burrito tucked on all sides if you're making a tray full to serve at a shabbat meal. Rule of thumb is that the ingredients should take up 1/3-1/2 of the size of the tortilla (see picture above).

This got rave reviews at our "scotch and meat" meal. Enjoy!

Passover Sweet Treats

Marshmallow Treats

Non-Stick Spray
Marshmallows
Berries (or your favorite fruit)
Chocolate Chips
Mint Leaves for garnish, optional
Pie Tin


Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Spray tin (you may want to line pan with aluminum foil)
Toss Marshmallows into pan and, after 5 minutes, add in small pieces of fruit and chocolate chips.

Cook for 6-8 minutes longer, until Marshmallows are your favorite shade of brown.

Apologies the picture doesn't have mint or chocolate... This version was made to go into a crepe as a filling.
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 Passover Crepes (aka Egg Noodles)

6 Large Eggs
1 cup Tapioca (or Potato) Starch
1.5 cups Water (or Milk) a bit more or less to consistency that works for your desired level of thickness
1 pinch of salt
Large Non-stick pan, spray or oil
Ladle or Squeeze bottle (the later makes this so easy)
Spatula (or really delicate tongs)
Your Favorite Crepe Fillings (chocolate spread, fruit, marshmallows etc)


Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, whisk or stir with fork until blended. There may be a clump or two, but try to break it up as much as possible.
Heat pan to a high temperature.
Spread batter to coat pan.
Cook for 1-2 minutes, until edges start to release from sides and crepe can easily flip.
Continue to cook slightly less time on this opposite side.
Place onto plate to serve later, along with the side above, fresh fruit, chocolate spread (or chips).
Keep the batter well mixed, it separates easily

Optional use of this recipe: Savory crepes with roasted veggies or to serve as Egg Noodes: Roll up crepe and slice into noodles for soup, tomato sauce, or bolognese.

Buttery Bourbon Couscous

Recently I was craving the butter that was in my fridge - so I hunted down a vehicle that would provide me with buttery goodness. I've served it as an all-in-one bowl meal with goat cheese and veggie sausage stirred in, or as a side to a meal with roasted broccoli and a big salad.

Ingredients:
4 cups Israeli Whole Wheat Couscous (this isn't easy to find, but I discovered mine in a market that has a huge section of items imported from Israel. Regular Israeli couscous can be found everywhere.)
1/3 cup unsalted butter (I used sweet cream butter) + 1 pat for added before serving.
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
1/4-1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
Dash of Bourbon (up to 2 oz)
Spices in abundance! 
Basil (I used two frozen Dorot cubes)
2 tbs Pereg "American Hamburger spice mix" - this includes Paprika, Black Pepper, Garlic, Salt, Coriander, & Cumin
1 tbs Zaatar
2 tbs Parsley (I had an abundance of dried parsley)
2 pinches Sumac
1 pinch Ginger

Cooking Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, toast the couscous over medium-high heat (I sprayed the pan w/spray oil first).
While toasting, boil 6 cups or so* of water to add to pan.
Once you add the water, also add dried cranberries so they can hydrate as well.
As the water comes back to a boil add butter, bourbon and spices.
Lower to a simmer, cover for 5 minutes. At 5 minutes, remove top, stir, add almonds, and taste - it probably needs an additional 1-2 minutes. For the bowl version, depending on your veggie sausage cooking instructions, you might be able to add them in to cook in these final minutes. Finally, add that last pat of butter as you fluff to serve.

Enjoy!

*I'm always generous with my water measurements in couscous, whatever the package says, I add about a 1/2 cup more. No one ever complains, and particularly if you aren't serving it immediately, or if reheating to serve later, the grain keeps absorbing moisture.

Slowcooker Sweet & Spicy Tomato Sauce

This is the results of "OMG my fridge is packed with a full CSA haul!" when the person I share it with was on vacation.  Normally I'd add carrots and or celery to my sauce, but I'm set on not buying extra veggies given the abundance that I've been getting from the farm.

6 lbs of tomatoes

1 cherry bomb pepper
2 green peppers
3 zucchini/summer squash (~1/2 lb each)
1/4 lb enoki mushrooms
1 onion
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup Red wine (it's fine if it has turned, or you can use red wine vinegar)
1/4 cup rice vinegar (I used roasted garlic flavor. It's delicious, you could also roast the garlic rather than putting in fresh cloves)
6-8 cloves of garlic (smash prior to putting in so the oils are released)
2 tbs honey or brown sugar for vegans (or more, to taste)
1/2 cup or more fresh basil reserve some for later addition.
1 bay leaf
some: oregano,  dried italian herbs, salt to taste.
Slow cook in crockpot: Low 8-10 hours

Even if you have a casual relationship with your cutting board you'll be a master of this in no time. Quarter tomatoes (I didn't remove skins, some recipes really recommend blanching and removing, but they break down easily in the crockpot and were all farm-fresh, organic and whatnot). Rough chop other ingredients and add along with liquid.
Walk away! Have an awesome day at work, out with friends, whatever.
When you get back hope around hour 6,8 or 10 just remove bay leaf, place the immersion blender into the pot and blend. Taste and add in extra seasoning (I used fresh pink salt here) and fresh basil to taste.

This made three 24 oz. bottles plus two cups... so served that night and bottled the rest for me and to give as gifts. Also, the one cherry bomb just gave it a bit of a roasted flavor. Feel free to add more hot peppers for more of a bang.

Bourbon Infused Mini-Maple Cornbread Loaves - Gluten Free, Dairy Free

I love my mini-loaf pan. I just used it for mini-meatloaves and hadn't even had a chance to put it away from the dish-rack when I thought of these.

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients:

• Non-Stick Spray (I used coconut oil, which was from Trader Joe's)
• 2 Cups Cornmeal/ Stone Ground Corn flour (make sure it's gluten free)
• 1 Cup Brown Rice flour (most recipes use 1/2 c. brown, 1/2 c. white, but this is what I had. It is a touch grainier than most breads we know)
• 2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Chili Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Coriander
• 1/2 Tsp Allspice

Blend all the above (dry) ingredients together. Be sure to spray your loaf pan (or skillet)

• Buttermilk Replacement:
• 1 Cup Coconut Milk 
• 1 Tbsp Vinegar added to Coconut Milk (I used Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Margarine (softened), or coconut oil
• 2 Tbs Rice Bran Oil
• 2 Tbs Maple Syrup
• 2 Tbs Bourbon (I think it might stand a touch more next time)
• 1 Tbs Orange Juice
• Maple syrup (or honey) for drizzling on top prior to baking

Combine liquid ingredients together, add vinegar directly into coconut and then combine the rest, whisking into dry ingredients for just a minute or so - until smooth.  Pour or spoon batter into pan, drizzle with maple syrup or honey, and bake for 18-22 minutes, using the toothpick test.

Here's how they came out:

MAD for Mushrooms Couscous

First an apology: I was so hungry, I didn't take a picture! On the next take, I promise.
Second: This is a warm and yummy treat. I didn't have a protein ready to go, so I used frozen edamame, which were great for texture and color but this could easily be served beside any fish.

1 Tbs butter (unsalted)
1/4 cup white wine (Herzog Chenin Blanc)
8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
4oz Shitaki caps, halved (use more!!)
6 oz Edamame (frozen, shelled)
6 oz Sweet Green peas (frozen or canned)
1/2 cup whole wheat couscous (prep according to directions w/butter or evoo and salt)
Spicy garlic blend (a few turns - it's kirkland brand from costco- garlic, chili flakes and sea salt)
2 frozen tsp size cubes of basil

Bring correct measure of water to a boil in a sauce pan. (For couscous)

Melt butter in medium frypan or wok, lower heat to medium then toss in the mushrooms (I started with the shitakes so that they would absorb the flavor of the butter, then added creminis)

Once pan is dry, pour in a small amount of the wine, stirring the mushrooms. Sautee 4-5 minutes before adding in the edamame. (I added it in frozen)

Add a bit more of the wine, basil, spicy garlic and stir.

Once couscous water boils, add butter, salt and couscous, cover, and remove from heat. (it's 5 minutes from here)

Add remainder of wine and peas to the mushrooms, stirring again.

Fluff couscous, place in bowl and pour mushrooms on top.

Enjoy!

Maple Spice Blondies

Sometimes you have amazing celebrations, sometimes you promise to bake for an event, and sometimes you have both in one week.  So I made a double batch and this experiment was definitely successful, but below is for 1 measurement. Since I didn't have an I had whole wheat flour around in case I'd added too much liquid, but, as it turned out, the batter was just fine.

Ingredients:
1 Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix
1 egg
1 stick of butter
1/2 peel of large lemon, micro-planed (I use organi)
1/3 cup maple syrup (ideally grade B, but I only had A)
1/4 cup sabra chocolate-orange liqueur (or a tbsp of vanilla extract & tsp of orange extract, or tbsp of orange juice, or juice of the lemon)
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp all-spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

**Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place aluminum foil in 11x7 pan, overhanging on (at least) one side. Coat foil with butter or spray.

Soften/Melt butter (I used a pyrex mixing bowl and just got it soft enough to cream with the sugar by placing it in the oven, but I don't have a microwave). Add sugar and whisk together, along with maple syrup, sabra liqueur, egg, lemon peel, and spices. Typically, you'd stream the liquid ingredients into the solid, but I didn't want to dirty another bowl, so I stirred the cookie mix into the wet ingredients until they were thoroughly mixed. Pour and spread into pan, add extra chocolate chips on top.

Bake 30-35 minutes. I left it a bit mushy in the center... because cookie dough!