Blog


 by

Post-Thanksgiving Breakfast: Egg in a Hole…In a Pork Loin

IMG_3586

When we last encountered Smithfield Mesquite Marinated Fresh Pork Loin Filet, I was wrapping it in bacon for some extra-good pork-on-pork action. Fortunately, the good folks at Smithfield must have thought this was such a good idea that they now have a fresh pork loin product that comes with the (real) bacon already mixed in. Thank. You.

Even though I love me some bacon mixed in with dinners and desserts, it’s still hard to deny that it goes best with its longtime life partner, the Bert to its Ernie. I’m talking about eggs of course. I love everything about egg in a hole breakfasts — the cute appearance, the way the whites stick together in a small space and get nice and rich, and especially how the little yolky hole makes such a good spot for ripping off bread and dipping. In thinking about how to use this pork loin for a hearty holiday season breakfast I settled on recreating eggs in a hole…inside a pork loin. Here’s how it went down…

Bacon and Eggs in a Pork Loin

Read More›
in Bacon / Eggs / Endless Bacon / Pig / Recipe 0 comments
brioche stuffing for Thanksgiving
 by

Brioche Stuffing: A Taste of Thanksgiving Luxury

brioche stuffing for Thanksgiving

I’ve been waiting a YEAR to write this post! I made this brioche stuffing for Thanksgiving 2014… and I waited until now to thrust it upon the world. And oh yes, I will be making this stuffing again this year! Right after I finish this post, to be exact.

So I love Thanksgiving stuffing. Who doesn’t? I’ve got nothing against Stovetop, but I like to take my stuffing game up a notch. That’s where this brioche stuffing comes in. Why brioche? It has a high egg and butter content (mmm… butter…) which means it’s super rich, soft, and slightly sweet.

I stud my stuffing with caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, and a good dose of greens. Oh, and a lot of fresh aromatic herbs to make sure your kitchen/house smells amazing for all your Thanksgiving guests. I can’t wait to make and EAT it again this year!

Brioche Stuffing with Wild Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions

Read More›
in Holiday / Recipe / Veggie 0 comments
 by

Ultra Easy Roasted Fall Vegetables

If you’re looking for a simple side dish for your favorite fall recipes, here it is. I whipped this up the other week for a family dinner with the future in-laws (and as you know, in-laws = scary = must impress them to earn their trust) and it was received with glowing reviews, so I think we can all agree this one is a keeper. And as I mentioned, simple. This dish is so easy it’s ridiculous. You just chop up onions, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, and butternut squash (or if you hate chopping uncooked squash as I do, buy it pre-peeled and chopped, I won’t tell). Roast it for a while in some olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs. Mix in some melty cheese and more fresh herbs at the very end. Done and done.

Did I mention you could also bring this to Thanksgiving as an alternative to the overdone sweet potato pies and green bean casseroles we see every year? Your dinner table will thank you.

Ultra Easy Roasted Fall Vegetables

Read More›
in Recipe / Veggie 0 comments
Guinness IPA
 by

Guinness Makes an IPA! We Approve.

Guinness IPA

About a month ago, I received a very intriguing email from my friends at Guinness. They invited me to a beer dinner at the ultra-delicious Fixe here in Austin… a beer dinner featuring their brand new boozy offering, an IPA. Yes, an IPA from Guinness! And I promise this isn’t a joke, unlike our Guinness Crystal April Fools post of yore.

Obviously I accepted this beer dinner invite, and I’m happy to report that I was able to try lots (…and lots…) of the new Guinness IPA during that feast. Guinness IPA retains a bit of the hoppy nose and a tinge of that pleasantly bitter flavor you’d expect from an IPA, but also boasts the signature smoothness that Guinness is known and loved for – thanks to the nitro. Mmm, nitro.

But seriously, this beer is good for people who enjoy an IPA and also people who complain that they don’t like IPA. It’s an equal-opportunity beer that is almost dangerously easy to sip. Perfect for pairing with your fall cooking. And probably the only IPA I would ever call “creamy.” If you’re a total hop-head you might not be in love, but for everyone else, it’s a welcome addition to the Guinness line.

Right now, Guinness IPA is only availably in the USA, not Ireland (where Guinness is made, duh). So if you’re in the American beer market, you’re in luck! You might start seeing it in stores soon, keep your eyes peeled.

Oh, and one more pro tip courtesy of Fixe… turns out Guinness IPA pairs wonderfully with southern biscuits, steak, and seafood potpie. You learn something new every day.

Guinness IPA and Seafood Pie at Fixe

Guinness IPA and Steak at Fixe

in Drinks / Trends 0 comments
Foie Gras Cappuccino
 by

Foie Gras Coffee? Apparently, Yes.

Foie Gras Cappuccino

This photo might not look like much, but it’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever eaten (or drank, really). This was the second course at an ultra gorgeous, lavish Mexican wedding I attended last week. It’s a black bean cappuccino with foie gras. As in, it’s a coffee drink/soup blended with black beans, studded with chunks of seared foie and served with a crunchy meat and bread twist. It’s savory, velvety, and downright luxurious. I Googled around for any sort of recipe resembling what we enjoyed, but I couldn’t find anything very close. If you have anything, please feel free to enlighten us all in the comments.

But let me just say this… If loving a damn foie gras cappuccino is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

in Food Travel / Personal / Photos 0 comments
Warm Fall Kale Salad with Bison
 by

Warm Fall Kale Salad with Sweet Potatoes & Pumpkin Seeds

Warm Fall Kale Salad

Heyo! I’m finally feeling sorta fall-ish (even though it’s still in the 90s in Austin) so I decided to make a warm kale salad last week. I realize kale salad isn’t the epitome of fall cooking, but like I said, 90 degrees! So I’m easing into the whole seasonal eating thing right now. Once it dips below 80 here it will feel properly “cold” and I can start busting out the soups, etc.

But for now… delicious kale salad! This one can be served as a side but it easily stands alone for a fairly light lunch or dinner, as it’s chock full of filling roasted sweet potatoes and crunchy pumpkin seeds. Plus salty parmesan cheese. Of course, if you want to make it a bigger protein-packed meal and add meat, you totally can and should! We added some grilled bison to one iteration and it was perfect:

Warm Fall Kale Salad with Bison

Warm Fall Kale Salad with Sweet Potatoes & Pumpkin Seeds

Read More›
in Recipe / Veggie 0 comments
Eureka Austin Nachos
 by

Food Porn Champion: Nacho Mountain Part 2

Now I’ve written about Nacho Mountains before, but when lightning strikes twice, you must take note.

Eureka Austin Nachos

This pile of pleasure is from Eureka! in Austin – although they have locations in Washington and California as well, so if you are in any of those three states, you can summit this peak of chips and cheese for yourself. (And weirdly those are the three places I’ve lived, so I guess the relationship between these nachos and me is really meant to be).

These babies are comprised of hand-pulled, smoked chicken, black beans, guacamole, tomato, cilantro, Monterey Jack, sliced jalapeños, chipotle sauce, and sour cream. The chicken and the rich, smoky-sweet chipotle sauce are what really makes them. Oh, and the sheer size of them, of course. If there’s one thing Texas bars love, it’s serving me an irrationally large amount of nachos. Bless you, Texas.

Eureka Nachos Happy Hour Austin

in Photos / Restaurants 0 comments
pumpkin spice french toast
 by

The Pumpkin Spice Pinterest Roundup

Happy October, ES friends! It’s time to really start focusing on our favorite fall recipes… including, of course, the ubiquitous pumpkin spice. Believe it or not, October 1st is actually National Pumpkin Spice Day. Whether this flavor is a friend or foe to you, you can’t deny that it’s become an integral component to our cultural fall narrative.

And of course, pumpkin spice goes hand-in-hand with another favorite… Pinterest. Yes, these are two P’s in a pod. We trolled Pinterest to find the best, funniest, and weirdest PSL/pumpkin spice recipes trending this year. All of these puppies are certified Pinterest-viral right now, and for good reason. Whip one up if you’re feeling fall-ish and festive!

 

Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Covered Pretzels 
originally from Crunchy Creamy Sweet
Chocolate-Covered-Pumpkin-Spice-Pretzels

Chocolate covered pretzels? Good. Chocolate covered pretzels with pumpkin pie spice? Great!

Read More›
in Holiday / Trends 0 comments
 by

Easy Pork and Apple Tacos

IMG_3563

As you could probably tell, I was pretty excited about my recent bacon, apple and pork creation/monstrosity. As much as I’d like to eat pork wrapped in pork and then grilled every day, unfortunately I don’t always have the time to make such an over-the-top meal. I had another of these Smithfield marinated pork loins on hand this month and was looking for a quicker way to cook it up. Smitten with the pork and apples combo, I made a quick pork and apple taco meal, perfect for that busy back-to-school, back-to-work, dear-god-why-am-I-not-on-vaction-anymore time of year.

Easy Pork and Apple Tacos

One Smithfield marinated peppercorn and garlic pork loin

One red apple

1/2 onion

queso fresco

corn tortillas

Simple directions: make this in to tacos!

Full directions:

Cut the pork loin up into small, 1/4-inch strips.

Throw the pork pieces in to a large saucepan on medium heat.

Meanwhile, chop up the half onion into small strips and throw those in with the pork.

Peel and chop your apple up in to small cubes. Toss these on the pork right as it’s just about done (after 10 minutes). I do this just to get the apples nice and hot — don’t want them all mushy!

Lather everything on to a warm tortilla; top with queso fresco and Sriracha.

IMG_3568

This sponsored post is part of Endless Simmer’s 2015 series as a Blogger Ambassador for Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork.

in Cheese / Pig / Recipe 0 comments
 by

Can You Juice Beet Greens?

beets

It’s all hot in the food world now to use every part of the plant and not waste anything — and beets are one of those farmers market treats that always seem so wasteful. The roots are delicious, but I mean, the leaves and the stalks are like 90% of the plant. I know that you can fry up beet greens and they taste — well, let’s leave it at “OK” — so I was on the hunt for a new way to use them up. With a new juicer sitting on my counter, I wondered: can you juice beet greens? Answer below.

Read More›
in Personal / Veggie 0 comments
« Previous
Next »