Taco Tuesday – To Bowl or Not To Bowl
Bowl? Not bowl?
Blazing Bella’s Smoked Chicken Wings
- Cut wings into sections (drumettes and flats), discard tips or save for stock.
- Season with Blazing Belle!
- Prepare grill for two zone cooking (direct/indirect) at 350°-450°.
- If desired add some hard woods chunks or chips to coals/hot side. I used apple wood chunks. Cherry or pecan would also work great.
- When grill is up to temp, place wings on indirect heat side. Cook until 165+ internal temp, 30-40 mins.
- Switch wings to direct heat side, cook for 4-6 mins until skin is crispy.
- Watch closely while cooking over direct heat, wings can char easily! Move wings to the indirect zone when they are done to keep warm.
- When all wings are done, remove from grill. Serve with celery, carrots, blue cheese dressing, and/or ranch (perhaps with some Amazing Herbes mixed in and enjoy!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
*Add Decadence, serve with Avocado Lime Aioli, and Spicy Salsa
These Herb encrusted Baked Sweet Potatoes served warm but stuffed with a cool Black Bean Salad are the bomb! (ESP for Meatless Monday). You get the Ying and Yang from a hot/cold food served together…as well as the perfect vehicle for
- Make Ahead
- Add Taco Meat for Thursdays!
- Go Pesco with Shrimp on Friday!
- Drive in the direction you want…
The natural sweetness of well baked sweet potatoes and the slight spicy bite of the bean salad is perfect. To up your “A” game make the Avocado/Lime Aioli and kick in the spicy cheese sticks and/or Salsa!
Enjoy!
SERVES: 4
LEVEL: Presto-easy!
FIRST: ROASTED HERBED SWEET POTATOES
INGREDIENTS:
4 Medium Sweet Potatoes
Olive for rubbing
Amazing Herbes to coat
Salt & Pepper
Preheat Oven at 425 degrees
Wash and dry sweets. Cut light center in top of each, rub potatoes with olive oil. Roll or sprinkle with AMZ Herbes, salt n pepper. Bake 45 minutes until very soft, crunchy outsides. Set Aside.
SECOND: BLACK BEAN, CORN AND AVOCADO SALAD
INGREDIENTS:
1 15 oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut off or one can of corn drained
1 small red pepper finely diced
1 small red onion finely diced
2 Tbsp Amazing Rub (here is where you get brown sugar/spices)
1 tsp (or more) of Blazing Belle (this controls heat, a great blend of peppers incl. cayenne)
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lime, fully zested and juiced
½ c fresh cilantro or parsley chopped (whichever you prefer)
1 avocado medium chopped (reserve ¼ for Aioli)
Combine all ingredients (Avocado goes in right before serving) in bowl, mix well. Cover and chill from an hour to overnight. Before serving salad, add the Avocado and check seasonings.
When Sweet Potatoes are fully cooked, complete the seam slice down the middle (but not through) and separate and squeeze a little to fluff inner potato. Stuff with the Chilled black bean salad.
Serve with Aioli, Salsa (if desired) and maybe some fine spiced cheese!
This dish is also great stuffed first with taco meat, spicy shrimp or any of your favorites!
*Avocado Lime Aioli
1 C mayo
¼ chopped avocado
1 Tbsp Lime Juice with zest
chopped parsley (or cilantro)
finely minced garlic 2 cloves(optional)
salt/pepper to taste.
That’s it!
Terri
Bursting Peach Starter or Salad
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Bursting Peach Starter or Salad
This Bursting Peach Starter is the perfect beginning to a grilling, wine drinking, deck evening!
A Ripe Peach is halved, stuffed with the combination of Brie and Goat Cheese, wrapped in Prosciutto, scantly brushed with oil and dusted with the Amazing Rub. A quick grill starts with the peach back, a few minutes to soften and sweeten, before being carefully slipped to crisp the savory ham and melt the cheese…and Viola! Fabulous served on a bed of baby Argula, Basil if available and lightly dressed with Olive Oil and a Balsamic Reduction drizzle. Salt and Pepper to taste! For over the top decadence, I like to make a quick Aioli of Mayo, a bit of Maple Syrup and a good shake of Pummull Spice. Is it just too much, well maybe…but no one is walking away from this dish without one spectacular memory! ENJOY!
SERVES: 2
LEVEL: Presto-simple!
INGREDIENTS
1 Ripe Peach (halved, pit remove, keep skin on)
2 rounds Goat Cheese
2 Pieces of Brie (rind removed)
2-4 Pieces of Prosciutto (enough to wrap 2 peach halves)
2 Tbsps Light Oil
2 Tbsps of The Amazing Rub
2 large handfuls of Baby Arugula
Fresh Basil leaves if available
To Garnish:
Best Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar Reduction (your favorite)
Salt n Pepper to taste
*Optional Aioli of Mayo ¼ cup/1 tsp Maple Syrup/1/4 tsp Pummull Spice (Cinn)
DIRECTIONS
Half a just ripe peach, remove stone. Keep on peel, stuff center with equal size pieces of Brie and Goat Cheese. Wrap each round with Prosciutto and secure for grilling with toothpicks. Lightly oil peaches both sides and sprinkle generously with Amazing Rub (this will give complex flavor and a wonderful carmelization of stuffed peaches). Prepare a grill, inside or out, or broiling in oven will work as well!
Start with the back sides of peaches, 2-3 minutes, gently flip, Prosciutto side up – grill until deep golden and cheeses melting.
Serve on bed or Arugula, add fresh basil leaves. Place peach in center of greens, REMOVE toothpicks, drizzle with Olive Oil, Balsamic reduction….salt pepper if desired. ENJOY!
Terri
Pumpkin Kissed Grits
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Pumpkin Kissed Grits
SERVES: 10
LEVEL: Presto – Easy!
INGREDIENTS
1 C. whole milk
1 C. cream
2 C. chicken stock
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
1 C. *white grits *Carolina Plantation White Grits – best of all!
½ tsp. freshly ground white pepper
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 oz. sharp Cheddar or Brie (or both!)
1 small can pureed pumpkin
½ tsp. Pummull Spice
DIRECTIONS
Bring the milk, cream, stock and salt to a boil in a saucepan, set over medium-high heat. While continually whisking, gradually add the grits. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until thick and creamy, removing the lid and whisking every 3 to 4 minutes to prevent the grits from sticking or forming lumps. Remove from the heat, add the pumpkin, Pummull Spice, pepper and butter, and whisk to combine. Once the butter is melted, gradually stir in the cheese (of your choice). Serve alone or with Fruited Spicy Sausage.
ACCOMPANYING RECIPE
Fruited Spicy Sausage
Fruited Spicy Sausage
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Fruited Spicy Sausage
SERVES: 10
LEVEL: Presto – Easy!
INGREDIENTS
2 lb. ground pork (double ground pork)
½ onion finely chopped
¼ C. dried sour cherries
¼ C. dried apricots
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley, sage and rosemary
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
½ Tbsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. The Amazing Heat
1 tsp. The Amazing Rub
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
¼ C. cold white wine
fresh sage leaves – browned in butter
DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients to prepare Spicy/Fruited Sausage and cook small balls of the sausage mixture in skillet or bake in a 375 degree oven approx 12 minutes. Remove from skillet and brown whole sage leaves in a little butter and sausage drippings. Serve Sausage Balls to garnish on Pumpkin Kissed Grits. I recommend small servings in individual ramekins – excellent as a Tapas, appetizer – or entrée. You can go sweet or savory on this one – finish with salt/pepper – or add very small amount of maple syrup – delicious!
ACCOMPANYING RECIPE
Pumpkin Kissed Grits
Herb and Truffle Popcorn
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Herb and Truffle Popcorn
SERVES: 4
LEVEL: Presto – Easy!
INGREDIENTS
Base:
Popped popcorn (So we can do this presto, you can use your favorite pack of microwave popcorn full popped [not an individual bag] or you can pop your own: ½ cup popcorn, 2 Tbsp high heat oil)
Place in a large bowl, finish your popcorn with:
Melt 2 Tbsp of butter, when melted add
1 Tbsp of Truffle oil (white)
Drizzle the butter/truffle oil over popcorn, toss
Then add: 1 – 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Herbes
Toss, taste test and add: Salt & Pepper, if desired
THAT’S IT! The simplest, most delicious, aromatic starter for a meal, a wine tasting, or your favorite Movie viewing. It’s a keeper!
White Hot Chocolate with Pumpkin and Pummull Spice
Inspiration; IT’S FALL! Looking for a smooth wonderful indulgence that will drive with me from October through January! Started pondering what I could put in a thermos for a very special Picnic Hamper I am preparing for friends. I love Hot Chocolate, (no too soft!) , love Hot Coffee, (no too tart), but when I tried my hand at a Steaming WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE AND PLAYED WITH PUMPKIN AND PUMMULL, well JUST RIGHT! So create this for a special treat for your family and friends, or pack this with your throw and thermos in the car and drive it special! But be careful Goldilockses’, be sure to grab the thermos and run!!!! ENJOY!
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
White Hot Chocolate with Pumpkin and Pummull Spice
SERVES: 10
LEVEL: Presto!
INGREDIENTS
Base
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
6 to 8 C whole milk (depending on how much you want)
2 C White Chocolate Chips
(15oz) can pumpkin purée
1 Tbsp Pummull Spice (cinnamon blend)
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Garnish:
1.5 C Heavy Cream (for whipping)
¼ C confectioners sugar
Pummull Spice shakes!
DIRECTIONS
In a heavy stock pot, combine the condensed milk, regular milk, White Chocolate chips, pumpkin purée, Pummull Spice, cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Slowly warm on medium heat and continue to watch and whisk until choc chips are melted and very warm. Try not to let boil, or stay on high heat once choc chips have melted. * You can prepare this in a crock pot if desired, high for 1.5 hours and then reduced to warm (you need to watch and whisk occasionally).
For the Garnish
Whip the heavy cream until creamed peaks form, add confectioners sugar and a spindle of Pummull Spice and whipped until a little stiffer.
I love to top with lots of whipped cream and a finish shake of Pummull Spice.
Tips: if you have any left over it is heavenly in your hot coffee! Will keep refrigerated for 5 days.