Freshen Up Leftover Pasta with Veggies

 So here's the scenario; meatballs and sausages plus a baked pasta dish.  While it's expected that they'll all be eaten together, that often isn't the case.  The meat items might be used to make a sandwich, or broken up and used to spruce up pizza.  However, you're now stuck with a half pan full of pasta, and while it has sauce and cheese with it, it's kind of boring as is.

Click on Baked Ziti and it will take you to the recipe for this hearty dish of pasta baked together with homemade pasta sauce and cheese.  Now what happens if you have a lot left over?  Better yet, what if you have someone over who is vegetarian?  Serve just salad as a side?  Boring again!  Now let's take that baked pasta and combine it with a homemade sauce chock full of veggies!

I had half a 3-quart baking dish of leftover baked rigatoni.  Nope, you don't have to use just ziti for the baked ziti recipe, any small tubular pasta will do, like rigatoni, penne and mostaccioli.  In a deep, large skillet, I heated up a fresh made veggie sauce, mixed in the leftover baked pasta, and let it continue cooking until all was hot and ready to be eaten.

Here's what I used...

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 cup each of chopped (about 1/2 inch in size) green and red bell peppers

1 medium zucchini, chopped (same size as the peppers)

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes

2 cups pasta sauce

2 heaping Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. each dried, crushed basil and oregano

Leftover baked pasta (about 1 and 1/2 quarts or about 4 servings)

Preparation:

In a deep, large skillet, medium high heat, heat the olive oil, then add in the onion, bell peppers, zucchini and black pepper; let them cook for 15 minutes.

Next, add in the remaining ingredients: tomatoes, sauce, garlic and herbs; mix thoroughly and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally to keep from sticking and/or burning.

Last step, mix in the left over baked pasta; mix thoroughly, breaking up the pasta pieces that might be clumped together, and let cook 10 additional minutes.  Mix again before serving.

Doing all this, I was able to stretch it out to six servings; the taste, smell and texture was delicious all the way throughout.

With the addition of the vegetables, I made something mundane into something fabulous; and even a vegetarian would find it to be fabulous as well.

This recipe can be made if cooking up some fresh pasta as well.  Cook the pasta to al dente, drain, and then add to the veggie sauce to cook together for that last 10 minutes before serving.  If someone doesn't like, or can't eat, cheese, it's not already in, so no worries.  However, you could always have a few of bowls of cheeses (shredded provolone, mozzarella and parmesan) on hand, so anyone wanting to add them, into their serving, can.

Now you don't have to wonder what to do with leftover pasta, just spruce it up with veggies!

Mary Cokenour

Being Bananas and Nuts Can Be Fulfilling.

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”

Groucho Marx, A Night at the Opera

 Ah, the Marx Brothers, four brothers (Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo) who made five hilarious movies together, before Zeppo decided that his life’s goal was to be a successful businessman.  Although the other three brothers continued on to make more movies, it was only Groucho who continued on, into radio and television, with his show, “You Bet Your Life”.

The banana, and its peel, was often used as a gag in movies; who has not seen the classic slipping on the banana peel fall?  In Horse Feathers, Chico and Harpo throw banana peels across a football field, slowing down the opposing team as they slipped and fell.  In Duck Soup, Harpo is so busy chowing down on a banana, he successfully does not get married, due to not being able to say his vows.

There is something to be said about the old comedy classics such as the Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Bowery Boys and the Little Rascals, to name a few.  Their movies and shows were done during hardship eras of the United States; bringing joyous laughter to help forget the sorrows, even if for a short time.  Still having difficulty dealing with the pandemic?  Have a laugh fest night watching these old comedies; belly laughs always feel better than belly aches.

Which brings me to, “Fruits and nuts were comparing themselves one day.  Cauliflower and Walnut said, “We look like brains, so are very smart.”  Broccoli said, “I look like a tree, so am sturdy and strong.”  Banana said, “Nevermind, can we change the subject.””  So yes, bananas can be compared to fingers (I bet you thought I was going to say something else), and that is exactly why they are called bananas.  Arabs adopted the name banan, the Arabic word for finger; bananas grow in hands, or what we call bunches, and were smaller in size.

Bananas are packed with potassium, B6 (great for brain nourishment) and 12% of daily fiber; however, also contain mega-carbohydrates and natural sugar.  High amounts of ethylene cause the yellow pigments in banana skins to decay into brown spots, a process called enzymatic browning.  Wrapping the stems in plastic, or hanging them by the stem and away from other fruits, can slow the browning process.  Peel the bananas, sprinkle lemon juice on them, and then pop them into the refrigerator to keep the “meat” from browning too quickly.  Or, take the whole bananas (minus peels), wrap in plastic and pop into the freezer individually; think of it as a banana popsicle.  Personally, after the peels begin to brown, I mush the banana pulp up, measure out into one cup portions, wrap in plastic, freeze and save for baking.

One of our favorite baked good is either banana nut muffins or breads.  I enjoy trying out new recipes which have options of using different nuts, or added in fruits like cranberries or blueberries.  One recipe I tried added in lemon juice, and the breads came out very sour tasting, so I do not recommend that.  The recipe made three breads, and I shared two with the tasters agreeing with our assessment, just too sour.

The nut I use the most is the walnut; rich in antioxidants and omega-3, good for digestion and a simple 1/4 cup of a walnut snack helps maintain blood sugar and blood pressure.  Out of walnuts, then consider using the almond which contains Vitamin E, and helps regulate cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure.

Now, of course, the addition of white and brown sugars is going to up the carbs, so consider using baking sugar substitutes like Truvia and Swerve.  I have even used these products for cookies, pies, cakes, even cheesecakes, and no one could tell I did not use real sugar!   Swerve even has a substitute for confectioner’s (powdered) sugar which tastes authentic; and neither brand has a bitter aftertaste.

 

Very Ripe Banana Muffins

(The 250 Best Muffin Recipes by Esther Brody, page 124)

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed overripe bananas

½ cup + 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

½ cup granulated or brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F, 6 cup muffin tin greased or paper lined.

In a bowl, combine bananas, oil, sugar and salt; blend well.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and walnuts.  Add to banana mixture; stir just until moist.  Do not overmix.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, dividing evenly.  Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 6 muffins.

I doubled up on this recipe to make 12 muffins, and used brown sugar to give the muffins a rich, darker coloring. 

With the bread, this recipe can make one loaf, and if using white sugar, the interior coloring will be much lighter than with brown sugar.  Want a bit more flavor, add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.

 

Go nuts!  Go bananas!  Go crazy with laughter!  You will be amazed at how much of your personal pain will diminish.

Mary Cokenour

 

Martha Tinsdale's Pumpkin Pie

Fans of the Good Witch (movies and series) which is featured on the Hallmark channels enjoy, not just the stories, but the morals and lessons learned from the characters themselves.  Many of us also want the recipes for many of the food items mentioned on the show.  Hallmark has a pdf (https://hallmark.brightspotcdn.com/46/9b/4c640c164f178a0a7f17c678372b/gw-recipe-grimoire-2020.pdf) for download, but it only contains about 12 recipes.  Two desired recipes are for the Apple Cider Donuts featured in Good Witch: Curse from a Rose, and I have already given you a version of this recipe.  The second is for Martha Tinsdale's Pumpkin Pie and her secret topping, and I am going to give you that recipe now.  This pie appeared in Good Witch: Tale of Two Hearts, and while I make a great pumpkin pie, even Martha's version was favored by my own family!

While the recipes are geared around Halloween themed movies, they are great any time.

Two pies, one with the topping, one without.  Both taste great, but the one with the topping is deliciously awesome.

Good Witch Pumpkin Pie with Martha’s Topping

Ingredients:

½ cup pecan halves (optional)

2 (9 inch) unbaked or frozen deep dish pie crusts

1 (29 oz.) can pumpkin

1 ½ cups sugar (Yes! You can use a substitute like Swerve)

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. each of ground nutmeg, ginger and cloves

1 tsp. ground cardamom

4 large eggs

2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk (shake slightly before opening)

Martha’s Topping

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ tsp. fresh ginger root (if you can’t find it, then use ground)

½ tsp. fine sea salt

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425F; place a jelly roll pan in oven to warm up. (this will keep the pan from warping while the pies bake). Divide pecans, if using, between the 2 pie crusts, pressing them down slightly into the bottom of the pie pans. (be careful to not go through the crusts)

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and eggs. One can at a time, beat in the evaporated milk until well incorporated into the pumpkin mixture. Remove jelly roll pan from oven (careful, it’s hot!) and place pie pans on top; ladle pumpkin filling into each until it reaches the interior edge.  

Bake pies at 425F for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350F and bake an additional 50-60 minutes; a knife will come out cleanly from center when done. Let pies cool for 2 hours before serving.

Before serving, in a small bowl, mix together all ingredients for Topping, divide in half and sprinkle over tops of the pies.

Each pie makes 8 servings.

Note:  Before even watching Good Witch, I would sprinkle brown sugar over the pies and then let them bake.  The brown sugar would caramelize and create a crust, similar to crème Brulee.  After watching Good Witch, I tried it Martha’s way, and the family said it was the best ever!

Mary Cokenour

Fusion Cuisine is Not a Novel Idea.

In 2020, there was a barrage of “Lives Matter” movements occurring across this great nation of the United States of America.  It got me to thinking, about this section of North America, and why the sudden divide.  “Together we stand, divided we fall” is a meaningful quote that is mainly attributed to one of the country’s founding fathers, John Dickinson.  A Pennsylvanian farmer who penned many a letter that would influence the thinking, and opinions, of the colonists.   He opposed British taxation of the colonies, but also opposed the use of force against mother England.  You could say that Dickinson believed that compromise and peace could be achieved via communication, not violent acts.  The American Revolution proved that ideology not to be necessarily true.

By the way, John Dickinson did not come up with the phrase, “Together we stand, divided we fall”, but took it from Aesop (620–564 BCE).  Aesop was a Greek storyteller, and this line appeared in one of his fables, “The Four Oxen and the Lion”.  John Dickinson placed the line in his song, “The Liberty Song”; written in 1770, reflecting on the growing tensions between the colonies and mother country.  “Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all,

By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall”.  So, and this is my personal take on it all, of course, but, as a nation, should we not be standing together, instead of planning on taking a fall?  We are a nation of various races, religions, cultures, ancestries, beliefs, ages, genders and cuisines which, as a melting pot, should fuse together.  Perhaps we all should read, or reread, the European folk story, “The Stone Soup”?

Now to food, and Fusion Cuisine; what exactly is it? When a fancy restaurant advertises fusion cuisine, you are paying an exorbitant price for a “current fad”.  Guess what?  This type of cuisine has been around for centuries.  Fusion cuisine is not just the merging of food from different cultures, but the cooking techniques as well.  As different countries and cultures, visited, immigrated to, or invaded elsewhere, food items and recipes were either brought along, or discovered; not unusual to also discover that many went well together.  Cooking techniques were also shared, so where a culture had only baked bread over open coals, now they learned about the clay oven.

If you go into a restaurant that offers different cuisines, that is not necessarily fusion.  The dishes may be Greek, Korean and Mexican, but each dish is prepared and served in its traditional form.  An example of fusion would be to take the ingredients of a Greek Gyro (roasted lamb, tzatziki sauce, vegetables), but preparing them as a Mexican Enchilada; adding some of the ingredients usually found in a traditional enchilada, and/or taking away some of the gyro ingredients.  While this might sound simple, care must be taken to ensure that the tastes meld together successfully.

The recipe I am giving to you is my attempt at fusion cuisine; a mixture of Irish with Mexican.  The O’Brien potatoes are cubed potatoes that are fried with diced onions, pimientos (roasted red bell pepper), or diced red and green bell peppers; this is the Irish part.  The other part will be ingredients that would typically go into tacos; the Mexican part.  The technique will include some frying, but finish off baking in an oven.

Taco Beef and Potato Bake

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 cup diced onion, divided in half

1 envelope taco seasoning, medium

1 (14 ½ oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, medium

1 (16 oz.) can light kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28 oz.) bag frozen O’Brien potatoes, thawed

1 (10 ½ oz.) can cheddar cheese soup

¾ cup 2% milk

¼ cup diced red bell pepper

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a skillet, over high heat, brown the beef; add ½ cup of onion halfway through cooking; drain.  Reduce heat to low; add taco seasoning and tomatoes; mix well.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Spray a 3 quart baking dish with non-stick spray; spread meat mixture in dish.  Spread on top of meat mixture the beans and potatoes.

In a large bowl, mix together the soup, milk, bell pepper, remaining ½ cup onion and Worcestershire; pour mixture over the potatoes, spreading evenly to edges of dish.  Sprinkle the paprika and black pepper over the sauce.

Bake for 1 hour covered with foil; bake uncovered for 15 minutes.  Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Ending Upon a Note of Wishful Thinking.

As we end 2020, a year of “Who, What, Where, Why, When and How” questions that are still boggling the minds of many, consider this, “Did we learn, and did we do good?”  Personally, the meaning of life is to learn something new, and do a good deed, on a daily basis.  Learn something new?  Yes, it could be a craft, a talent, book or television series, a way to do something entirely different, etc. etc., and that includes an outlook upon something as well.  A good deed?  Yes, something as simple as smiling at a person who looks absolutely miserable, then seeing a new light in their eyes as they smile back.  Perhaps someone was stranded on the side of the road, and instead of driving by, you made that U-turn, and helped to change a flat tire.  A new learning or good deed does not have to be monumental; also, do not brag about it, as then the meaning actually becomes nothing at all.

“Do you watch Christmas themed movies?” is a question I am often asked, due to the fact that I do not believe in the main stream, religious meaning of this holiday.  Of course I do, as there is more to this holiday than the beliefs of religion.  This is the end of the calendar year, a time to reflect back on what has occurred; the good, the bad, the “what the…?”, and ticking off of items on the bucket list.  Whether you have a written, or mental, list, you know you are ticking items off; we all do it.  The month of December is a month full of numerous holidays around the world, mainly surrounding love, life, laughter, giving, receiving, and most important, togetherness.  2020, of course, is putting a huge strain on togetherness, but should that truly affect all the other aspects?  It should not, but I believe we have been conditioned to allow it to.

One of my very favorite movies is, The Bishop’s Wife, based upon the novella by Robert Nathan, and released December 1947, is a wonderful classic. The cast includes such greats as Loretta Young, David Niven, Elsa Lanchester, and Cary Grant…oh, the oh so handsome, charismatic, multi-talented Cary Grant as Dudley, the angel.  David Niven plays the Bishop Brougham, who is determined to have a cathedral built, and must beg for funding from the snobbish wealthy.  Having come from a poor district, he seems to have forgotten, not just where he came from, but what the holiday season is all about.  Praying to God, an angel is sent down to help him, not to build the cathedral, but to find his way back to himself.  Everyone that Dudley encounters has become a lost soul, lost to themselves, to others; or in the case of the members of the children’s choir, potentially losing themselves.

This movie is not full of sadness, but brings out the joy and happiness that once was, and now found again.  Watch the movie, put it up against what you have been encountering in this past year, and I believe you will get the meaning.  Not only will you learn, but those good deeds may just pop into mind.

As the New Year comes knocking upon our doors, open up, smile and say “Welcome, what do you have planned for me now?”  Now here comes the challenge of choices, do we simply live, or do we Live!  Those good deeds that popped into mind, are they forgotten or acted upon? Yes, you do not have to wake up and consciously say to yourself, “Today I will do a good dead.” just do it!  Do not think about it, just do it, keep going, and suddenly you might think about it, and that is when it will click in; what meaning life has.

Of course, being a food blog, how could I not give you a recipe which will bring joy and cheer to your stomachs!?!  Let’s try out a Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake to end 2020, and welcome in 2021.  Fresh lemon juice brings out the brightness of this cheesecake; the use of ricotta and cream cheeses, blended together, give a firm, yet smooth texture.  Really do not like the taste of lemon?  Then use orange juice, but make sure, whichever fruit is used, to use the fresh squeezed, or defrosted juice concentrate only.  Bottled juices are full of water, and will ruin the entire cake.  By the way, did you know that cheesecake is not really a cake?  Due to the lack of flour used, and the main ingredients are eggs and cheese, this is actually a custard.  There you go, you just learned something new!

 

Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

 

Ingredients:

 

Crust

1 package (9 crackers) original flavor graham crackers

1/2 cup ground almonds

5 Tbsp. melted butter

 

Filling

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 and ½ cups sugar (yes, a substitute can be used, and I recommend Swerve)

2 Tbsp. lemon peel (if dried, reconstitute with warm water and pat away excess moisture)

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (squeezed or pure concentrate)

1 (16 oz.) container of whole milk ricotta cheese

3 eggs

 

Garnish

Whipped cream

Blackberries

Blueberries

Candied Lemon Slices

Fruit Flavored Marshmallows (bring out the child in us all)

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper; spray paper and sides of pan with nonstick baking spray.  Wrap outside of pan, bottom and sides, with heavy-duty foil. 

Place graham crackers into plastic bag and crush, by hand, by rolling a rolling pin over them.  Or use a mixer, pulse setting; add in ground almonds, melted butter and ½ cup of sugar.  Mix until crumbly; press crumb mixture in bottom and 2 inches up sides of springform pan.

Bake at 350F for 5 to 10 minutes, or until crust is light golden brown around edges. Remove crust from oven; place on wire rack, cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325F.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl, medium speed, until fluffy; add 1 cup sugar; beat until very soft and creamy.  Add lemon peel, lemon juice and ricotta cheese; mix thoroughly.  Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Pour into crust-lined pan.

Bake at 325F for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until sides of cheesecake are set and puffed, but center still moves slightly when pan is tapped. Turn off oven, open door slightly and let cool down for 30 minutes.  Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours (if wanted to serve same day), or overnight before serving.  Run a sharp knife around sides of pan before fully releasing spring.  The parchment paper will allow for easily sliding the cheesecake off the metal pan bottom onto cake platter.

Cheesecake will make 16 servings; decorate with garnish, spacing out fruit used; or add dollop of whipped cream before placing fruit on top.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

Chile Peppers Flavor European Cuisine.

Paprika, a savory red spice  used in a variety of dishes such as paprikash, paella, deviled eggs, soups, sauces, and a most popular European dish, goulash.  While it is easy purchase at the local market, or online; what is paprika, and why does it make foods taste so good?

Traveling back to the 15^th century, explorers from Spain made their way to, what we now call, Mexico and Brazil.  In these countries were found a variety of chile peppers, from the mildest in heat and flavor, to the hottest that must have come from pits of lava.  Bringing plants back to the Old World, the plants were cultivated, not just for culinary use, but ornamental as well.  Now who were the specialists who cultivated these pepper plants, and discovered their many uses?  Monks, men devoted to religion, highly educated, the scholars of their time.

By the 16^th to 17^th century, chile pepper plants were making their way throughout Europe.  In Spain, the peppers were placed upon an open grate which was placed over a smoky oak fire.   In Hungary, the peppers were sun dried; but either method dried out the peppers completely.  Then they were ground into a fine powder, ready to be sprinkled onto bread or lard; or measured out into soups and stews.  Sweet, bittersweet and hot are the primary intensities of paprika, and that is dependent upon which types of peppers are used (single type, or a combination of types).

When someone hears the term “goulash”, the mind usually clicks onto Hungarian Goulash.  A simple stew of beef, onions, water and lard, cooked over an open fire, by cattle herdsmen.  Then came paprika, and a new taste was added to the stew. By the 18^th century, goulash became a staple at inns, filling the bellies of weary travelers.  The stew itself was changed by adding carrots, sometimes potatoes, from the back gardens.  Add freshly baked, crusty bread plus a tankard of the inn’s best brew, and the travelers went to sleep sated.

As leaner, and more costly, cuts of meat began to be used in restaurants, the wealthy were introduced to a “high class” dish procured from a peasant recipe.  In the 1800s, immigration to the United States allowed Hungarians to, not just bring their cultural traditions, but also their recipes.  As they emigrated across North America, trading and interacting with other cultures, and using “American food sources”, traditional goulash developed into a variety of recipes.

“Mexican Goulash” contains, not only, beef, but chorizo, and those wonderful chile peppers the Spanish explorers discovered back in the 15^th century.  So, whomever said, “You can’t go home again.” certainly was not referring to the foods of the world.

As to a recipe, I will be giving you my own take on the classic Hungarian Goulash, with a bit of influence from my Croatian ancestors.  While it cooks up perfectly in a stove top skillet, I personally find that the Dutch oven method makes the meat more tender, sauce thicker, and overall flavor more savory.  It does take about three hours to cook, and with prep work, the entire meal can take about four hours to complete, but is worth the work and the wait.  Due to the low and slow cooking technique, cheaper cuts of beef, such as a chuck roast, can be used, and the meat comes out so tender, it will taste, well, as Guy Fieri says, “That’s money right there!”.

A huge thank you to Amy Watkins Kensley, and her son Michael, for giving me a beautiful Dutch oven last Christmas.  With it, I have been able to create meals, and breads, that put stovetop, or other baking techniques, to shame.  Thank you, am sad that this Covid-19 is keeping us from our family meal times, and holiday celebrations.  For everyone, let us all feel positive that 2021 will find us healthier, happier and most importantly, wiser.

 

Beef Goulash

 Ingredients:

4 lbs. beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces (leaner cut of beef can be used)

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup olive oil, divided in half.

1 large white onion, chopped

1 large red onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 and ½ Tbsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. butter

1 lb. baby carrots, cut in half, at an angle

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained

4 Tbsp. sweet paprika

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

2 cups beef stock or broth

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

½ cup half and half

1 cup sour cream

Cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes to serve over.

 

Preparation:

Place the pieces of the beef into a large bowl, add flour and coat meat.  In a large skillet, in two batches, brown the meat in the olive oil (1/2 portion of olive oil for each batch), over medium-high heat.  Drain on paper towels and place meat into large, clean bowl.

At the same time as meat is browning, in the Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; add onions, bell pepper and garlic, coat with melted butter and cook for 15 minutes to soften vegetables, but do not brown.  Also, in a medium sauce pan, parboil carrots, over medium-high heat, to soften, then strain.

Preheat oven to 275F; lightly spray Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray (manufacturer’s instructions recommend this).

Into the Dutch oven, add the parboiled carrots, softened vegetables, and browned beef.  In a medium size bowl, whisk together paprika, black pepper, tomato paste, beef stock or broth, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine vinegar. Pour liquid oven meat and vegetables, mix thoroughly together, place lid on and cook for 2 and ½ hours in oven.

Carefully remove Dutch oven, and remove lid (careful, it will be very hot!), stir contents.  In a small bowl, stir together half and half with sour cream to form a loose paste, and mix into goulash.  Set lid back on, place back into oven for another ½ hour; cook egg noodles or mashed potatoes during this half hour, and all will be ready to eat at the same time.

For stove top:

Follow instructions except for preheating oven, or coating Dutch oven.  Use a 6-quart cooking pot, or very deep skillet, set on low heat, but cook for 3 and ½ hours, add loose paste, and cook additional ½ hour while preparing noodles or potatoes.  With this method, stir mixture every half hour to keep foods from sticking to bottom and sides of pot or skillet.

Makes 10-12 servings (or 8-10 if you live in my home, with two very hungry men who love my cooking).

Mary Cokenour

Banger’s Bar and Pizza is all in the Family

Banger’s Bar and Pizza

315 US-491

Dove Creek, CO, 81324

Phone: (970) 677-2465

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Pizza-Place/Bangers-Bar-and-Pizza-104971214619929/

Hours of Operation: Monday through Saturday, 11am – 9pm; Closed Sunday

Decades back, Tim Meyer’s father owned a building in Dove Creek, Colorado which housed the Old Frontier Bar, liquor store and the family.  Eventually the building was renovated and became the New Frontier Bar, a much loved local hang out.  There was a time when the building held an antique shop, and then quietly remained closed up.  That is until Tim purchased the property and was determined to bring it back to its focal status.

Tim, and wife, Shelly Poole, attended a Pizza Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in Nevada.  There they learned about pizza making techniques, supplies, equipment, recipes, and, well, if it was pizza related, they learned about it.  Returning to Dove Creek, the inspiration hit, a plan was implemented, and on August 28, 2020, Banger’s Bar and Pizza held its Grand Opening.  August 2020!?!  That is correct, in the middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic, this crazy couple opened a new restaurant and bar with high hopes.

Those hopes have panned out into a success story.  Tourists, truckers, just-passing-through, and locals are enjoying a unique food array not seen in Dove Creek before.  The menu is not just pizza, but Italian specialties found in any respectable pizzeria.  Pizzas (pan or cracker thin crust), Calzones, Subs, Caprese, Salads, Appetizers and Desserts to please anyone hankering for Italian geared grub.

Our waitress/bartender for the evening was Breea Mykel Meyer, daughter of Tim Meyer and Shelley Poole.  She related to us the story of her grandfather owning and running Old Frontier, the liquor store, and the small living quarters in the back of the building.  The name, Banger’s, refers to her childhood, and much beloved, pet bulldog; his photograph is prominently featured at the bar.  Breea is no novice to the restaurant business, having also worked at Stateline Bar and Grill, also owned by Tim and Shelley.  As is the Sinclair, so you can say that bar/restaurant/food entrepreneurism runs rampant in this family line.

While we waited for our selections to arrive, take-out orders had a steady stream of pickups.  Several tables were taken up as well, with everyone respecting social distancing.  Conversations and laughter flowed, the atmosphere definitely welcoming, and comforting.  Wall television screens displayed, this evening, either a video related game show, or Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins, or Dives”; I am very sure you know which one I was watching.  On nights that feature local or state sporting events, the screens are tuned onto them.

 

Then the food began to arrive and all attention was on that.  Appetizer was Bangy Wangy Wings; six meaty wings served with Ranch dressing and celery sticks.  The wings are presmoked, deep fried and then finished off in Banger’s amazing brick pizza oven.  We choose BBQ flavor, and the sauce, due to the cooking technique, was infused all the way through the meat.  While the skin was still soft, it was not greasy or gummy, so gave a good mouth feel.

 

Next was the Chicken Parmigiana Sub; an entire chicken breast coated in a light and crispy breading (similar to Panko), deep fried, topped with sauce and melted cheese.  Absolutely amazing flavor and texture, and definitely getting this when they have it on the weekly special for the day!  Served with the sub was potato chips that are made in house.  Thinly sliced potatoes, deep fried to a rich brown color, crunchy and addictive.  These should be sold by the bag full, and I suggested it to Breea.  They are reminiscent of kettle cooked potato chips often sold at farmers’ markets, and much craved by potato chip lovers.

 

Third was the Calzone; we choose Banger’s sauce (rich marinara), Italian cheese blend and meatballs.  The dough was baked to perfection, the combination of sauce, cheese and meatball was so delicious!  A side serving of sauce comes with the calzone, but we dipped our chicken sub in it instead.  Alright, yes, I admit it, I licked the sauce off the plate when it dripped off my half of the sub.

 

Last, and definitely not least, was the Bangy Boo Pizza; we chose the cracker crust which was ultrathin, crispy, but did not fall apart with the generous layers of sauce, cheese and pepperoni on top.  Good flavor all throughout, and a nicely browned crust; this also passed the “cold pizza for breakfast” test the next morning.

Dessert?  After all the sampling we just pigged out on, there was no room at the inn for dessert!  However, I have promised myself that next time, yes, there will be a next time, and we will be trying out S’mores Pie, large enough for two.,

Most of the ingredients used to create these excellent dishes, are locally sourced in.  Tim and Shelley made sure to pick high quality items.  It certainly shows in the delicious flavors, tastes, and textures that come through while enjoying the various dining choices.

Oh, and how did we end up at Banger’s Bar and Pizza?  Date night of course, and the food, atmosphere and service made it a wonderful evening out.  So, whether eating in, or taking out, give Banger’s Bar and Pizza a try; or be like us and give each section of the menu a try.

Mary Cokenour