Out With the Old, In With the New: Food Safety Tips

Tis' the season to stock pile leftovers in your refrigerator, but do you know how long they are safe to eat? Soup is a wonderful tummy warming winter meal and we tend to make a huge pot to have leftovers, but when does your hearty leftover become a health problem? Below are a list of leftover items and the suggested time to eat them safely, after all it is better to be safe than sick.

Leftover: Safe Eating Time

Cooked fresh vegetables: 4 days
Cooked pasta: 5 days
Cooked rice: 7 days
Salads (egg, chicken, ham, tuna and macaroni): 4 days

Cooked sliced ham: 4 days
Opened hot dogs: 7 days
Opened prepackaged lunch meats: 5 days
Deli lunch meat: 5 days
Cooked Meat or Poultry: 4 days
Fresh Poultry: 2 days
Fresh Beef, Pork and Lamb: 5 days
Ground meats: 2 days
Corned beef: 7 days
Opened bacon: 1 week
Unopened bacon: 2 weeks
Raw sausage: 2 days
Precooked sausage: 7 days
Opened summer sausage: 3 weeks
Unopened summer sausage: 3 months
Opened sliced pepperoni: 3 weeks
Casseroles with meat: 4 days

Meat or Vegetable Soups: 4 days

Pizza: 4 days
Chicken nuggets or patties: 4 days

Hard boiled eggs: 7 days
Casseroles with eggs: 4 days
Quiche: 4 days

Pies: 4 days

Opened hard or processed cheeses: 4 weeks

Best rule of thumb: If in doubt, throw it out!

This is a great list to live by, but remember there are other factors that can alter these times. Such as, not having your refrigerator set below 40° or not refrigerating your leftovers immediately. Food doesn't need to cool before placing it into the refrigerator. This leads me into another topic, how long is left out food safe to eat? Think about this when you are eating at a New Year's Eve party.

After you set out your New Year's Eve appetizer spread, set the timer for two hours. After two hours, harmful bacteria multiplies rapidly, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses. You should promptly refrigerate food after it has been sitting out for two hours.

ENJOY!!!

Gourmet Bratwurst Sandwich

A gourmet bratwurst may sound like an oxymoron (definition: contradictory terms that appear in conjunction), gourmet being a cultural ideal associated with the culinary arts of fine foods and a bratwurst typically found in a face stuffing casual environment. Even sillier is the thought of a baseball fan devouring a brat at a fine dinning establishment with ketchup and mustard running down the sides of his mouth or a well-to-do business man delicately cutting into a steak in the bleachers at a baseball game. However, these two worlds can collide quite brilliantly, as done by adding the gourmet flavors of Horseradish and Blue Cheese to our Triple T bratwurst. The rich flavor combination is the perfect enhancement to many dishes including the below gourmet sandwich recipe. 

Gourmet Bratwurst Sandwich

Ingredients: 

- 1/2 cup finely chopped green olives

- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

- 4 ciabatta rolls

- 4 Horseradish & Blue Cheese Bratwursts 

- 1/2 cup bottled piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers drained and cut into strips

- 2 cups baby arugula

Directions:

Cook bratwursts in skilled over medium heat. Cut cooked bratwursts in half lengthwise. Combine olives and oil, spread on bottom halves of the rolls. Place bratwurst halves on bottom of roll and top with peppers and arugula. 

ENJOY!!!

Who Needs A Bun Series: Bratwurst Pasta

Did you ever imagine that you would combine a bratwurst with a pasta dish? No? Well, maybe you have never had one of Triple T's gourmet bratwursts. The one used for this recipe has a smooth and rich combination of blue cheese and horseradish, which adds a delicious and distinctive flavor to the below four cheese pasta recipe. Try it!


Four Cheese Pasta with Blue Cheese & Horseradish Bratwursts

Ingredients:

- 4 Triple T Blue Cheese & Horseradish Gourmet Bratwursts
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Provolone Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Ramano Cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces Crushed Tomatoes
- 12 ounce Penne Pasta

Additional Topping Options:

- Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Crushed Red Pepper

Directions:

Start cooking the bratwursts.

Cooking bratwursts...

This can be done in a number of ways: grilled, baked, boiled or fried. Grilling them during warm seasons gives the pasta a delicious grilled taste, but that is not always an option so pick the option that will work best for you. Then cut bratwursts into 1/2" slices.

In the meantime, in a medium sauce pan combine whipping cream and butter, bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir frequently. Simultaneously, prepare pasta according to the directions on the package. After the butter melts, slowly add shredded cheeses and crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir until all cheeses have melted. Serve sauce over cooked pasta and top with bratwurst slices.

ENJOY!!!

Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chops

Fall Favorites

Though it is sometimes difficult watching the liveliness of summer slowly extinguish, there are so many wonderful fall splendors to relish, appearances of Mother Nature's canvas turning from a blanket of greens to an assortment of cardinal, rust and chocolate bold colors, echoes of crunching leaves as neighborhood kids gather for a friendly game of football in the backyard, fragrances of those same leaves burning after they have been neatly raked and piled, strokes of a cool breeze nudging you closer to a loved one.

What are some of your fall favorites? Fall flavors, of course, are my favorite. I especially love the taste of fresh orchard picked apples paired with cinnamon in apple cider, apple crisp and this apple cinnamon pork chop recipe. Try it and bring the flavors of fall to your dinner table.

Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chops

Ingredients:

- 4 Triple T Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chops
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 4 Fuji Apples, sliced
- 3 tablespoons Walnuts

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add pork chops and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until thermometer reads 160°. Remove chops to the side and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, apples, brown sugar mixture and walnuts to the leftover drippings in the skillet. Continue to cook over medium heat while stirring continuously until the apples are tender. Plate pork chops and spoon sauce with apples over each pork chop.

Notes: The flavor of Triple T's apple-cinnamon marinated pork chops enhances the flavor of this recipe throughout each bite. However, non-marinated fresh pork chops may be substituted for this recipe.

ENJOY!!!

Black Cherry Smoked Pork Chops

If Pork Month were a story, this recipe would be the perfect happy ending. As October comes to a close, we feature yet another favored Triple T specialty pork item, our smoked pork chops topped with a delicious black cherry sauce. Try it, you will love how it enhances the rich and smokey flavor of the pork chop.

Black Cherry Smoked Pork Chops

Ingredients:

- 4 Bone In Smoked Pork Chops
- 1/4 cup  Butter
- 3/4 cup Shallots, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen black cherries, pitted and halved (canned works too if you are unable to find fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons red wine
- 1/4 cup Beef Broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place chops on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the shallots and cherries. Cook until shallots have begun to soften. Add red wine and beef broth then bring to a simmer. Add rosemary and olive oil, simmer until the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened. Pour over pork chops and serve.

ENJOY!!!

Bratwurst Patties

How Do You Top Your Brat? 

Share your favorite bratwurst topping with us before the end of October and we will enter your name into our Pork Month drawing for a FREE Smoked Bone In Ham. Click here for complete contest details.

Bratwurst & Kraut 

Ingredients:

1 package Triple T Bratwurst Patties (on sale this week)

1 package of Hamburger Buns

4 ounces of Sour Kraut

4 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

Directions:

Grill or pan fry bratwurst patties. Top each patty with 2 tablespoons of sour kraut and 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard. Serve with crinkle cut fries and cheese sauce.

Cheese Sauce  

Ingredients:

4 oz Velveeta Cheese

2 tablespoons Sour Cream

1/4 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Lowery's Seasoning Salt

Directions:

Melt Velveeta in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add milk, sour cream and seasoning salt, stir until creamy. Serve warm. 

ENJOY!!!

Cottage Bacon

In recognition of October being Pork Month, Triple T will be placing various pork items on special throughout the month. Purchasing the items on special and answering our Facebook trivia questions correctly will get your name placed in our drawing for a FREE Smoked Bone In Ham. Click HERE for more details. This week’s special is cottage bacon. What is cottage bacon? Do you know?

Many people don’t know what cottage bacon is, so this blog post is dedicated to helping you understand what it is and how it can be a terrific substitute for your every day bacon. 

Cottage bacon, not be mistaken with Canadian bacon which comes from the loin section of the pig, is made from pork shoulder. Therefore, it is much more lean than typical bacon that comes from the belly section of the pig, but has a nice even marbling giving it close to the same flavor with less fat. Less fat means less shrinkage, giving you a better value for your money. 

Cottage bacon varies in flavor, just as typical bacon varies in flavor due to different recipes and production methods. Triple T’s cottage bacon has a savory flavor with a hint of sweetness and a smoky finish.  

Triple T’s cottage bacon is pressed giving it a rectangular shape, but larger in width than average bacon. Some cottage bacon may not be pressed giving it an oval shape. Triple T’s cottage bacon is not fully cooked, so just like typical bacon it needs to be cooked before consuming. 

Because Triple T’s cottage bacon is made with the same seasoning as our belly bacon, it is a delicious, meatier and leaner substitute in BLT sandwiches, with eggs, wrapped around grilled items and for any recipe calling for bacon. Keep in mind that it is leaner, so it does not produce as much grease as your average bacon. 

Asparagus & Corn Salad

As summer comes to a close, the grocery store shelves that seasonally held fresh local produce slowly becomes replaced with those grown in tropical regions, savor the summer flavor with this Asparagus & Corn Salad, served with a delicious Triple T twice backed potato.

What you may not know about Asparagus...

Asparagus contains several anti-inflammatory nutrients, which naturally helps arthritic swelling and bloating.

Asparagus also has anti-oxident nutrients that help prevent common chronic health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Asparagus is rich in fiber, helping the digestive track system, and because it has high levels of inulin, asparagus helps in lowering the risk of colon cancer.

Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid, an essential nutrient, especially for expecting mothers.

Asparagus is a good source of Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6, which plays a vital role in the metabolism of sugars and starches for healthy blood sugar management.

Fun Food Fact: There are approximately 300 varieties of asparagus, but only 20 that are edible.

Asparagus & Corn Salad

Ingredients:

- 6 ears of Corn, husk and silk removed
-1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
- 1/2 small Red Onion, diced
- 6 Basil Leaves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

Boil corn for 3 minutes. Remove and toss into a bowl of ice water to cool immediately. Leave the water boiling on the stove.  Remove corn from ice bath and cut kernels off the cob. Drop the asparagus into the boiling water for only 1 minute, and toss it in the ice bath. Mix corn and asparagus in a medium sized mixing bowl, then add the remaining ingredients. Add more salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with a delicious Triple T twice baked potato for a complete meal.

ENJOY!!!

Campfire Cooking

There are no substitutions to the fresh September air, sitting around a campfire and enjoying time with your family or friends, free from distractions. Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to do just that and below is a campfire recipe that will satisfy all. If your Labor Day plans don't include camping, but you want to savor these last chances to grill before winter with something extraordinary, this recipe works for you too!

Beef Up Your Bob - Kebob Recipe

Marinade Ingredients:

1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Vinegar
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
2 tablespoons Honey
1 tablespoon Garlic, Minced

Kebob Ingredients:

4 - 8oz Steaks, cut into 1" square chunks
1 large White Onion, cut into wedges
1 Red Sweet Bell Pepper, cut into 1" square slices
1 Orange Sweet Bell Pepper, cut into 1" square slices
1 Green Sweet Bell Pepper, cut into 1" square slices
16 ounces Mushrooms, left whole

Directions: 

Mix together marinade ingredients and place the beef in the marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours prior to cooking. See below for cooking options.

Campfire Cooking:

Be sure to soak the food cooking ends of the sticks in water for 10 minutes prior to placing alternating kebob ingredients onto the stick. Then hold your kebobs closely over the hot coals and rotate slowly to sear the meat, sealing in the juices. Then push the opposite end of the stick into the ground near the coals to finish roasting the kebobs. Occasionally rotate each stick to ensure even cooking on all sides. Using this cooking method, there are many factors that can determine your cooking time, therefore, it is best to continuously check for your desired doneness.

Grill Cooking:

Place alternating ingredients on skewer and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Enjoy!!!

Peperoncini Stuffed Pork Chops

Now and again I become obsessed with a food item and try to craft creative recipes by experimenting. Sometimes it is a newly introduced item, but usually it is something rather common. Green olives, for example, became my obsession several months ago. You name it and I tried it with a green olive. One of my favorite discoveries, which led to a lot of scrunched up noses from friends, was cottage cheese and green olives. I LOVE it and frequently whip it up when I am looking for a quick and easy snack.

Recently, I became obsessed with peperoncinis. They are a signature ingredient on the Italian Nachos at one of my favorite restaurants, but I hadn't given them much thought until looking for something to enhance my Italian sausage pizza. At the time, my efforts seemed hopeless until my wondering eyes landed on the peperoncinis, a neon green pepper bursting with flavor trapped inside a glass jar. The pizza was fantastic and so began my obsession that led to the below recipe. Start your peperoncini obsession by trying it.

Peperoncini  Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 Butterfly Cut Pork Chops from Triple T Meats
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 tablespoons prepared marinara sauce
8 tablespoon shredded mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoon sliced peperoncinis

Directions:

 In a small bowl, mix black pepper, basil, garlic, marjoram and cayenne pepper making a dry rub. Rub on one side of the opened butterfly chop, place seasoned side on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a separate, medium sized bowl, mix together the marinara and the mozzarella cheese. On the unseasoned side, facing up, evenly coat with four tablespoons of marinara and cheese mixture. You can cut this down to half, but I like my pork chop super stuffed.

Repeat steps on all chops, then bake in 375° oven for 35-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops.

Before serving, place two tablespoons of sliced peperoncinis onto each chop and fold close, using a toothpick if necessary to hold it.

Enjoy!!!

Oh, The Things You Can Do With Bar-B-Que: Part V

Cheese lovers, this is a dish for you. This enchilada recipe oozes with gooey cheese in every bite, then topped with Triple T's Shredded BBQ Pork makes it the perfect dinner option. Take this to your family potluck and I promise you won't have any left overs.


Cheese & Onion Enchiladas with Shredded BBQ Pork

Ingredients:

- 2 15oz cans of Tomato Sauce
- 1 1/3 cups Water
- 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 16 flour tortillas (8oz)
- 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 medium Onion, chopped
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 1 tablespoon of Dried Parsley Flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 lbs of Triple T's Shredded BBQ Pork

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the Monterey Jack cheese, 2 cups of the Cheddar cheese, onions, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper, mix well. Once the sauce has thickened, fill each tortilla, down the center, with two tablespoons of sauce and 1/3 cup of cheese mixture. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13" x 9" baking dish. You will fill two dishes with 8 enchiladas in each. Then pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven for 20 minutes. Take out and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas and 1/4 cup of Shredded BBQ pork on the middle of each enchilada. Bake for 5 additional minutes or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with shredded lettuce, sliced black olives and guacamole if desired.

ENJOY!!!

Jalapeno Popper Burger

It can't be summer without a grilled burger or two, but why not try your next burger with something new? Exchange the typical lettuce, pickle, tomato, ketchup and mustard with fun flavor toppings like this Jalapeno Popper Burger.

Jalapeno Popper Burger

Ingredients: 

- 4 Triple T Meats burger patties
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese
- 3 tablespoons Jalapenos, chopped
- 4 slices Cheddar Cheese
- 4 Kaiser Buns

Directions:

Grill your burger to desired temperature and before removing from grill add a slice of cheddar cheese to each burger. Place cream cheese in a microwavable bowl and heat for 10 seconds, making it creamy smooth, then add jalapenos and stir well. Spread two tablespoons of cream cheese mixture over the tops of the four kaiser buns, place burger on bottom bun, top it and enjoy! It is super easy and tastes delicious.

Sweet Corn Relish

Sweet corn season is a celebrated time for us Iowans and though it is favored right off the cob, there are lots of great recipes that can be enhanced with its sweet flavor, like this sweet corn relish. It takes grilled steaks to a whole new level. Stop into our Ackley Triple T retail store, grab a few sirloin steaks and try out this recipe!

Sweet Corn Relish

Ingredients:

- 1/3 cup White Vinegar

- 1/2 cup Sugar 

- 1/4 teaspoon dry Ground Mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

- 4 ears of Sweet Corn

- 1/4 cup diced Onion

- 2 tablespoons chopped Red Pepper

- 2 tablespoons chopped Green Pepper

Directions:

Boil sweet corn for 7 minutes, drain and let cool. Then cut the corn off the cob, mix with onion and peppers and set to the side. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard and turmeric in a small saucepan, bring to boil over medium heat. Add corn mixture and cook for 4 minutes. Serve hot or cold, I  prefer hot over a grilled sirloin steak.

ENJOY!!!

Ham Steak with Oriental Slaw

Despite popular belief, ham can be enjoyed all year round. It is not only for holidays, no sir, it is delicious with summer's fresh produce and this recipe is your proof. Kick those holiday ham misconceptions and try it out, I guarantee your local hog farmer will thank you.

Ham Steak with Oriental Slaw

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded broccoli 

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup sugar snap peas

1 teaspoon cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon oriental five-spice powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 - 1 1/2 pound Triple T Specialty Meats Ham Steak

Directions:

Trim the fat and cut the ham steak into 4-6 serving pieces. Fill medium sized sauce pan with water 1 - 1 1/2 inches deep, bring to boil and add broccoli, red cabbage, carrots and sugar snap peas. Cover with lid and boil for 2 minutes. Drain and set to the side. In a skillet, heat the teaspoon of oil over medium heat and add the ham steak pieces. Cook through, turning over as needed. Remove the ham and keep warm, but leave left over drippings in the skillet and add five-spice powder, honey and soy sauce, bring to boil. Stir in vegetables, heating through and coating them with the sauce. Spoon vegetable mixture over the ham steak and serve. 

Cheater, Cheater, Quick Eater Tip: To cut preparation time, use 3 cups of broccoli slaw mixture found by the lettuce in your grocer's produce section in place of the shredded veggies. 

ENJOY!!!

Festive 4th of July Red, White and Blue Strawberries

If you are going to a 4th of July party celebration tomorrow and still don't know what to bring, try this super easy and festive white chocolate dipped strawberries.

Red, White and Blue Strawberries

Ingredients:

6 ounces White Chocolate or Almond Bark Squares
12 Strawberries
Blue Decorating Sugar
(THAT'S IT!!!)

Directions:

Heat white chocolate or almond bark as instructed on the packaging, dip your strawberries into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the blue sugar. Then place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until dipped coating has hardened.

ENJOY!!!

Ham Balls with Honey Mustard Sauce

Be bold, be daring, forget what you’ve been told and try random food pairing. After all, isn’t that what makes eating so much fun. Just think about all of the strange food pairings that have mainstreamed their way into everyday food choices, such as potato salad. Who would have thought putting together potatoes, mustard, mayo, onions, celery, sweet pickle relish and eggs would be a good flavor combination? Add a sweet and tangy kick to your ham balls by replacing your traditional glaze with the below honey mustard recipe. 

Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard (I used the creamy Grey Poupon)

- 2 tablespoons Grainy/Course Mustard (I used Harvest Course Grey Poupon)

- 4 tablespoons Honey

- 2 tablespoons Mayo

- 1 teaspoon Horseradish

Directions:

Easy, just mix it all together and pour over your favorite Ham Ball recipe. If you want to make this recipe really easy, pick up our Triple T Specialty Meats Ham Ball mixture. You don't have to grind any meat, it is already mixed, it's so simple. 

ENJOY!!!

Smoked Turkey with White BBQ Sauce

Barbecue sauce is a staple of summer time smoked meats and grilled foods. Choosing the right sauce for each item can be tricking when there are a variety of sweet, savory and spicy sauces available. Try breaking away from your favored sauce and create new flavors from different regions like this Alabama traditional White BBQ Sauce. It is a refreshing new taste to northerners and goes especially well on grilled and smoked poultry sided with sweet potato fries.

Smoked Turkey with White BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

- 1 cup Mayo
- 1/2 cup Apple Vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Prepared Horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 cup Apple Juice
- 2 Triple T Specialty Meats Smoked Turkey Tenders

Directions:

Mix all above ingredients together (excluding the turkey) and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, giving the flavors time to mingle. Warm turkey tenders on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for 20-25 minutes. Then serve the white barbecue sauce in a side dish for dipping or pour over the turkey. Note that the sauce is thin, so is likely to mix with other items on your plate if not served in a separate side dish, but will taste great on everything.

ENJOY!!!! 

Breakfast Sausage & Spinach Mini Quiches

Did you know that you can turn any quiche recipe into mini quiches? Try it with this breakfast sausage and spinach quiche recipe, it is amazing! Nothing beats a hearty Saturday morning breakfast. Pair this with a side of fruit. The mini quiches are also great for on the go, going to the ball park, family reunion or traveling. They reheat well, so can be made the night before a long drive in a car.

Breakfast Sausage Mini Quiches

Ingredients:

- single pie crust
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/4 lb. Triple T Meats' Ground Breakfast Sausage
- 8 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
- 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

Directions:

Line your pie crust in the pan, making sure to non-stick spray it first. Than double line the crust with foil and bake for 8 minutes in a 450° oven. If you are making them into mini quiches, first form your dough into a 1 1/2" diameter ball, than flatten out and line cupcake pan.

If making it into a 9-inch pie, remove foil and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes at 325°. If making mini quiches, skip this step.

In skillet, cook the ground sausage and onion until the ground sausage is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Add beaten eggs, sour cream, half and half, salt, spinach and cheeses. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie crust or mini crusts. Bake for 30-40 minutes in a 325° oven or until a toothpick comes out of the middle clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Oh, The Things You Can Do With Bar-B-Que: Part IV

Sweet potatoes have become a popular food trend over the past ten years, in various forms like sweet potato fries and sweet potato tator tots. Many factors in our society contribute to the setting of a new food trend such as immigration and weather conditions. Over the past several years healthy eating has become an influential factor for many of today's food trends. The sweet potato is one of them. They are a good source of beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, which helps the digestive track in preventing colon cancer and are high in potassium. Potassium helps to prevent heart attack and stroke. Sweet potatoes are good for regulating blood sugar, by stabilizing and lowering insulin resistance. They are high in folate content, which is necessary for healthy development of fetal cells and tissue in pregnant mothers. The health benefits of sweet potatoes are remarkable. Sweeten up your health with this Sweet Potato & BBQ Pork Hash recipe, it is SWEET DUDE!

Sweet Potato & BBQ Pork Hash

Ingredients:
- 4 ounces Shredded BBQ Pork (Our May Saturday Special: Check it out!)
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, cubed
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 1 jalapeno, optional


Directions: 
In a large skillet, preferably a wok, place the sweet potato cubes. Add a cup of water, once evaporated (approximately 10 minutes) add another cup of water steaming the potatoes to a tender, but not mushy, texture. Once the water has evaporated for the second time, add oil to cook the cubes until golden. Add green pepper, onion and jalapeno, cook until tender. Add shredded bbq pork until heated through. Serve over cornbread.

ENJOY!!!

Beefy Pasta Salad

Who knew that Triple T's Beef Snack Stick ends could be used for more than just a snack? Beef up your pasta salad by adding our beef snack stick ends, on special this week for our Beef Month promotion - Check it out! It is so easy and sooooo good!!!

Beefy Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

-12oz package of garden rotini pasta
-8 ounces of zesty Italian salad dressing
-6 ounces of cheddar cheese, cubed
-1/3 cup of baby carrots, thinly sliced
-6oz can black olives
-6oz jar of green olives
-1/2 pint grape tomatos
-1 package of Triple T's Beef Stick Ends, cut into 1/2" chunks (ON SPECIAL THIS WEEK)

Directions:

Cook pasta as directed on package, drain and let cool. Pour cooled pasta in a large bowl, add salad dressing and the other ingredients. May serve immediately, but recommended to refrigerate overnight.

ENJOY!!!

Oh, The Things You Can Do With Bar-B-Que: Part III

Here is another great recipe using Shredded BBQ Pork. I learned something new with this recipe, use gloves when cutting fresh jalapenos. I have cut fresh jalapenos in the past without any problems, but during this occasion I had an extremely hot pepper and my fingers burned for hours. It was dreadful, but the quesadillas were amazing!

Shredded BBQ Pork Quesadillas

Ingredients:

- 4 tortilla shells
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
- 8 ounces of shredded bbq pork (On Special this Saturday - Check it out!)

Directions:

Heat the Shredded BBQ Pork. Non-stick spray a small skillet and warm over medium. Place tortilla in warmed skillet. Add the BBQ Pork on one half of the tortilla, then add jalapenos or your choice of vegetables, if desired. Then top with cheese. Fold plain half of tortilla over the ingredients. Gently press with a turner, then flip over and press again with the turner. Make sure that the cheese is melted, then place on cutting board, cut into four triangular shaped pieces. Repeat steps, makes 16 pieces.

ENJOY!!!

Dried Beef Gravy Recipe with Asparagus

Dried beef gravy over toast is an all time family favorite, but have you ever tried adding vegetables to it? Try it, I guarantee that you will love it!

Dried Beef Asparagus Gravy

Ingredients:

-1 pound of asparagus, 1" pieces
-2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
-3 tablespoon butter
-1 tablespoon flour
-2 cups milk
-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-1/4 lb. Dried Beef (On sale this week - Check it out), torn into pieces

Directions:

Cook asparagus by boiling until tender, but not mushy. Drain and set to the side. In a medium sized sauce pan melt the butter, add onion. Cook until tender. Remove from heat and add in flour. Stirring until no chucks are visible. Cook over heat until it begins to bubble, remove and stir in milk. Heat to a boil and stir continuously for a minute. Add cheese, dried beef and asparagus. Lower heat and cook until the cheese is melted and the other items are heated through.

Serve over toast or my favorite, cornbread.

ENJOY!!!

Oh, The Things You Can Do With Bar-B-Que: Part II

Have you ever been in a situation where you craved two different menu options and didn't know how to choose? Well, my friend, this is how new recipes evolve, just like this recipe. It combines two favorites making one perfect dish.

Shredded BBQ Pork Pizza

Ingredients:

12" pizza dough (homemade recipe below)

8-12oz pizza sauce (homemade recipe below)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb. shredded BBQ pork (Triple T's Saturday Sale Special - Check it out!)

Directions:

Roll out dough onto a 12" pan (round metal pizza sheet or pizza stone). Spread sauce on top of dough, adding as much or as little sauce as you prefer. Add mozzarella cheese, then BBQ pork. Bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees. Take out and add cheddar cheese, then bake for 5-10 minutes more. 

ENJOY!!!

Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

pinch of salt

Directions:

Put warm water in a small bowl and add in the yeast, stir until dissolved. Set to the side until the mixture begins to bubble in approximately 5 minutes. Shift the flour and pour it into a large bowl. Mound the flour and in the center make a hole, similar looking to an ant hill. After the yeast has begun to bubble, pour it in the center of the mound, followed by the olive oil and salt. Mix the ingredients with a spatula until all ingredients are wet, then using your hands form the dough. Sprinkle flour onto a large cutting board or counter, then place dough to begin kneading. Continue to knead, folding dough over and pushing it, and add pinches of flour until your hands no longer stick to the dough. Place dough into a greased bowl and cover with a tea/dish towel. Let the dough rise for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size. 

Once the dough has risen, push out all air pockets with your fist and then transfer back to flour covered surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten out. Depending on the size of pan and your preference of thickness, you can make a three 12” thin crust pizzas or one thick 12.5” x 17.5” x 1” pan. 

This crust along with topping should be baked at 500 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

6oz can of tomato paste

6oz warm water

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese 

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine ingredients into a small bowl and mix well so that no clumps are seen. Let the flavors of the ingredients marinate while the dough is rising. Then spread over rolled out pizza crust. 

Grilled Beef Bacon Omelet

Beef up your breakfast with beef bacon. As part of Triple T's Beef Month Promotion, we have our beef bacon on sale, click here to check out the special offer and download a coupon. Then try this recipe. If you love grilled food, you will love the grilled flavors in this omelet.

Grilled Beef Bacon Omelet

Ingredients:

1 green pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 white onion, cut into 1" chunks
16 oz package of mushrooms
1 cup shredded American and Cheddar Cheese mix
8 eggs
16 oz package of Beef Bacon


Directions:

Place beef bacon on a skewer and vegetables on a separate skewer (Note: It is important to keep these separate as the bacon will not take as much time to grill as the vegetables). Place all skewers on the grill, grilling the beef bacon for approximately 10-12 minutes and leaving the vegetables on for approximately 5-7 more minutes. Keep a close eye on these as different grill models cook inconsistently.

Place baking sheet in a 200 degree oven.

After grilling, take beef bacon and vegetables off the skewers. Slice the mushrooms. Place all grilled items in a bowl. Beat two eggs in a small bowl and add a splash of milk. Non-stick spray a small skillet and warm over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Frequently pick up and rotate the skillet using your wrist, causing the egg mixture to circle around the skillet, cooking evenly. Once egg is no longer runny, add 1/4 of the beef bacon and vegetables on one half of the cooked egg circle. Top with 1/4 of the cheese. Fold the other half of the egg on top of the cheese, creating a half circle pocket. Place omelet onto the warmed baking sheet to keep warm while you cook the other omelets. Repeat steps, makes four omelets.

ENJOY!!!

Oh, The Things You Can Do With Bar-B-Que: Part I

Triple T's Saturday Special, for the month of May, is our Shredded BBQ Pork. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share some creative BBQ menu ideas. This one is perfect for an easy meal at the end of the week, when you just want to kick up your feet, watch some good television and are craving something "naughty" as I would call it, because it is not exactly the most nutritional meal selection, but everyone deserves to cave into temptation now and again.

Bar-B-Que Nachos 

Ingredients:

1 large bag of corn tortilla chips
1 8oz jar of mild nacho cheese
1 8oz jar of mild/spicy salsa
1 half pint of sour cream
1 lb of shredded bar-b-que pork (Just a reminder Triple T's is on sale this Saturday)
Jalapeno slices, optional

Directions:

Dump the contents of the nacho cheese jar into a large microwavable bowl, microwave until all of the cheese is fully melted, add the salsa. Place chips onto four medium sized plates. Pour the cheese and salsa mixture over the chips. Warm the shredded bar-b-que pork in the microwave, then scoop 1/4 onto the cheese mixture of each plate. Top with sour cream and jalapeno slices.

ENJOY!!!

Stay tuned for next week's creative BBQ Pork Recipe...

The Best Mother's Day Gift

Make this Mother's Day one that she will remember by preparing her a flavorful dinner. In this post I have included a main course and two sides. These are of my favorite recipes!

As a mother, I believe the greatest Mother's Day gift is spending time with my family, relaxing and enjoying a delicious meal that I did not have to plan, purchase the ingredients, prepare and most importantly clean up. Make sure you clean up your mess and do the dishes. An additional bonus would be waking up to a clean house and bathed children. 

Steak De Burgo Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

2 or 4 Ribeye Steaks (Check out Triple T's Mother's Day Special and download the coupon by visiting our Special Offers tab on our website)

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 ounce sherry/red cooking wine

8 ounces heavy cream

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

Directions:

Sautee butter and garlic. Add parley, oregano and basil. Cook for a few minutes, add sherry, cook for a few more minutes, add heavy cream and parmesan. Reduce heat until sauce is creamy. Keep on low heat until steaks are ready, stirring occasionally. 

Sides:

Green Onion and Parmesan Orzo

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups of chicken broth (have extra on hand in case it gets too thick and need to add more later)

1 pound orzo 

3 green onions

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (freshly grated is best, but can substituted with pre-shredded bag of parmesan)

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Pour the 3 1/4 cups of chicken broth into a large sauce pan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add orozo, only cook slightly so pasta is still firm. Remove from heat. Thinly slice green onion and add to pasta along with the parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. This mixture gets thick quickly, you may need to rewarm and add chicken broth just before serving. It is best to serve hot. 

*Note: I usually grill the green onions with the steak to add more grill flavor to this dish

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients:

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4" thick slices

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4" thick slices

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin slices or torn into little pieces

Directions:

Arrange the tomato slices and mozzarella slices overlapping and alternating around a platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil over each slice and then place basil on top.