Pumpkin Polenta with Sausage, Peppers, and Greens

After indulging in a lot of junk and convenience food lately, I was feeling the need to eat better, to get back to the way I prefer to eat.

Craig would eat burritos or pizza every night of the week; throw in some chicken fried rice for variety, and also his daily bagel, and you've pretty much got his eating regimen. He also likes burgers. He eats like a college kid, which I can personally vouch for 'cause I've got one of them, too. Even though they're both capable of branching out and are both, truth be told, willing to try new things, Jeremy and Craig would happily eat only three foods for the rest of their lives.

I'm not like that. I have a very low boredom quotient, so I almost never want to see the same thing again. Even if I go to a favorite restaurant, I try new dishes. And as much as I like sweets and chips and other stuff I shouldn't eat - and I completely take responsibility for baking and for buying the naughty items at the grocery store! - I also really love simple but sophisticated dishes with spices, vegetables, and other nice things.

And so, for an evening when I was eating and working alone, I had a vision of what I wanted for dinner. It started with the notion of pumpkin, which is ubiquitous now; but I wanted to go beyond pumpkin muffins and such. So I thought of stirring it into polenta, a.k.a. cornmeal mush. (Everything sounds better in Italian!)

To top this warm comfort food, I wanted lots of vegetables - the stuff that Jeremy and Craig are none too keen on. Neither will eat peppers, one will eat only white mushrooms, neither is keen on greens, one can't eat spicy food or have alcohol ... groan. But they weren't having dinner with me and imposing their little quirks! I threw it all into the mix!!!

I'd looked forward to this meal all day long while I was at work. I turned on the tunes and danced a bit as I chopped and stirred, since I had the house to myself. The kitchen smelled amazing as everything bubbled and simmered, and then it was ready. I tasted the dish and it was everything I'd hoped for - comforting, warm, and elegant. Full of nutrition and color and flavor.

A perfect dinner for fall!


Pumpkin Polenta with Sausage, Peppers, and Greens

Sausage:
2 links hot Italian sausage
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1" pieces
1 small red pepper, seeded, cored, cut into 1" pieces
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, thickly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
generous pinch red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups chopped kale
1 cup baby spinach leaves
freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Polenta:
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup white wine
generous pinch of kosher salt
2/3 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup pumpkin purée

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage on all sides; set aside.

Add the oil to the skillet, then add the onion and red pepper; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softening and starting to caramelize. Add the mushrooms and the salt; sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic paste and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the kale and the spinach, cooking for 5 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked off.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and the wine to a boil with the salt. Turn heat down to medium-low, then slowly whisk in the cornmeal; cook for 1 minute, until thick. Whisk in the pumpkin.

To serve, place a generous dollop of polenta onto a plate, then top with the sausage mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serves 2 generously.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Quickie Burger Bar and Grill

I got out of work early one afternoon recently, so Craig and I went on a lunch date to the Quickie Burger Bar and Grill, today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature. Easy to find, in its signature maize 'n' blue, both the sun and the parking gods shone upon us as we found a spot for the car just across the street from the restaurant.

There are many options on the menu that qualify for our mandatory $5 per person budget. The 1/3-pound Minor Cheeseburger costs $5, and comes topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, the Secret Quickie Sauce, and a choice of cheese. Hot dogs, Italian sausage, and bratwurst range in price from $2.50-$4. Vegetarians can have homemade macaroni and cheese or a grilled cheese sandwich for $3 each; hummus with pita chips or spinach-artichoke dip cost $4 each.

There is also a wide variety of side dishes, if you're just in the mood for a quick snack: fries, battered mushrooms, jalapeno poppers, and mozzarella sticks all range from $2.50-$4. Shakes cost $3.50, malts cost $4, and each comes in a variety of flavors from the expected chocolate to the decadent Reese's Pieces or brownie or cookie dough (and many more).

Craig ordered the excellent grilled chicken sandwich which just exceeded our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget, and we shared the crisp, freshly prepared beer-battered onion rings, which cost only $3.50. The restaurant's owner, who had greeted us very cheerfully and was patient as we sorted through our many dining options, recommended a special spicy sauce his wife prepares, which was a perfect complement to this treat.

I also chose the Double Egg, Sausage and Cheese Sandwich - two fried eggs, a sausage patty, and cheese all on a whole wheat bun that made me feel more virtuous than I should have. At $4, this was a very good value for a hearty lunch, which I was able to enjoy even in the afternoon because breakfast is served all day.

For fast, very friendly service, free wi-fi, t.v., and lots of comfort food at a reasonable price, be sure to stop by Quickie Burger!

Quickie Burger Bar and Grill
800 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-222-4555
Sunday and Monday: 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday: 11 a.m. - 3 a.m.
Thursday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 4 a.m.



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Sausage-Apple-Yam Shepherd's Pie

It is incomprehensible to me, but my son - yes, Jeremy, who's usually such a cooperative eater - doesn't like Shepherd's Pie. It has all his favorite foods in it: meat, gravy and, particularly, mashed potatoes. I often top it with grated cheese. He hates it. What's a mother to do???

Make a variation on the theme, that's what. Use breakfast sausage, chopped apple, cider, and sweet potatoes ... et, voila! One of Jeremy's favorite dishes of all time!

Yeah, technically a "shepherd's" pie is made with lamb. But there's still ground meat for a base, there's gravy, and there's a kinda-sorta mashed potato on top. This dish is sweeter, though, more colorful, and a nice twist on tradition.

Now, this isn't technically a Hallowe'en recipe: there's no candy corn, and there are no spider webs made out of frosting. But the topping is orange, like a pumpkin! So, since "Trick or Treat"-ing comes on Wednesday and you might still be seeking ideas for your dinner or a party, I thought I'd offer this dish as well as some links to previous posts about the festivities:

Jack-o'-Lantern Pizza
Hallowe'en Dipped Marshmallows
Sweet 'n' Salty Caramel Corn Mix
Jack-o'-Lantern Cheeseburgers

Sausage-Apple-Yam Shepherd's Pie

• 2 very large sweet potatoes
• 1 pound breakfast sausage, hot or mild
• 2 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2" dice
• 3 large scallions, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• generous sprinkling freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups apple cider
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425F. Prick sweet potatoes, then bake for 90 minutes until very tender. Let cool until you can handle them.

Place sausage into a large saucepan; break up sausage and cook it over medium heat. When sausage is half done, add apples and scallions; saute for 5 minutes, then add salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until apples are tender.

Meanwhile, melt together butter and cornstarch. Slowly add cider, stirring it into the butter mixture until incorporated before adding more liquid. Once all the cider has been added, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Place the sausage mixture into a casserole dish, then stir in the cider gravy.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half, then scoop out flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash sweet potatoes, then spread over the sausage. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Pita Pita

Jeremy and I ran several errands recently, and decided afterwards - frankly, even before we were done - that we were hungry. We decided to stop in at Pita Pita.

I hadn't gone in looking for a Frugal Floozie Friday feature; I was just looking for lunch. But as Jeremy and I perused the menu, it was clear we'd serendipitously found ourselves a place to post about!

Just as Jeremy will order a Reuben if he sees it on a menu (with one exception: he will never again order what he deems the worst Reuben he's ever eaten, which he'll readily rant about if you just ask him about it!), I will order fattoush if I find it. It's so simple - just vegetables, toasted pita bits, and a light dressing - but it's so, so good! The sumac that is integral to the vinaigrette is what makes it perfect, with just a hint of sourness. I ordered the small portion for $3.95, and you can see that it was an enormous plateful! That alone could have kept me happy, but this was just a portion of my meal.

For $4.95 - just under our mandatory $5 per person Frugal Floozie Friday budget - I also ordered the large Sujok sandwich, filled with spicy Lebanese sausage, tomatoes, garlic sauce, and pickles. There is another sandwich listed on the menu with this very same description, the Mecanik Sausage sandwich; but our waiter very nicely explained that the Sujok is less intense, so I thought I'd give it a try. Jeremy doesn't like very spicy food, and this would give him a chance to taste the dish, too.

Sandwiches are easily a foot long, and can readily be shared; if you split the fattoush and a sandwich with a dining companion, you've still come in under budget and feasted on a generous quantity of fabulous food for a stellar price. The sausage was very flavorful, not at all lost among all the other tastes. And while Jeremy raved about his own sandwich, he liked the sausage so much that he actually debated trading the remaining halves so that we could each have a portion of both delicious treats.

Jeremy had ordered the beef shawarma, filled with tender beef, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and Tahini sauce. It, too, was an ideal balance of tastes and textures, with no one flavor overpowering the others. It was exceptionally good.

I had to ask for a take-out box, as I couldn't finish both the fattoush and my sandwich. As a waitress brought this to me, she asked if we'd like any rice pudding. Oh, it sounded wonderful! But there was no more room at the inn for dessert. She explained, though, that there was simply a large quantity still left, and she was generously offering to give some to us.

Scented with rose water, sprinkled with cinnamon, and drizzled with honey, the rice pudding was creamy and fragrant and wonderful! I had brought it with my lunch the next day, and enjoyed it at my desk after just warming it up slightly in the microwave. At $2.50, this is another great option for a treat that costs very little while offering enormous satisfaction.

Pita Pita's menu features hummus and bana ghannuje that cost $3.95 for small servings; six different salads that come in at under $4 for small sizes; 20 different sandwiches that cost less than $5 for large portions; and an extensive vegetarian menu. There are many, many options that will allow you to eat well for very little money!


Pita Pita
2649 Washtenaw
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
734-528-3333



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Guest Post: Spicy Lamb Sausage with Beans

I'm very happy to introduce Bobby Hoffman, guest blogger du jour! I met Bobby and his friend Johnny recently, while having dinner with Johnny's and my friend Ingrid. Bobby's passion and enthusiasm for food shone brightly, and I immediately knew that all of you would want to meet him, too. Read this post enviously, wishing you'd shared in such an amazing dinner. Quite frankly, and with no shame (well, maybe a little bit - 13 years in Catholic school and all that Jewish guilt, after all!), after pining over all of this, I just simply violated every rule of etiquette and practically demanded an invitation to a future meal!

Since moving to Ann Arbor from Chicago this past month, I have been sampling and savoring everything that the city has to offer! I’m a sensualist whose passion for food and drink knows no bounds. As soon as I’m done with a meal, I immediately begin planning what, and where, I’m going to eat next!

I had a few friends over for dinner the other night, and planned a menu which showcased the ingredients that I picked up at the farmers' market and Biercamp. (Mary's note: Biercamp is a fabulous shop that specializes in artisan sausages and jerky. It was recently featured on Frugal Floozie Friday.)

Blackberry Mojitos: I keep homemade simple syrup infused with fresh mint in the fridge all summer long. I’m always prepared to whip up a batch of Mojitos or Mint Juleps in seconds!

Wedge Salads: I love to serve cool, crisp iceberg lettuce on a hot summer day. I updated this classic by using Biercamp’s pea meal bacon.

Spicy Lamb Sausage with Beans: Some recipes are particularly successful, and the star of the menu was definitely this dish. It was fresh, hearty and bursting with flavor! I did all my prep in advance, and assigned the task of grilling the sausages to a friend while I began assembling the dish tableside. I kept the ingredients cool and added the hot sausage at the last minute. The last step before plating was to sprinkle the feta cheese on top.

Peach Almond Cobbler: Not wanting to get stuck in a hot kitchen while my friends enjoyed the sultry summer night, I baked the cobbler in the afternoon. I used firm peaches and grilled them first. I added finely chopped, toasted almonds to the dough, made fresh whipped cream with a couple drops of almond extract, and finished each dish with toasted almonds.

I hope you enjoy!

Spicy Lamb Sausage with Beans

• 6 links of spicy lamb sausage
• 1 can of Garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can of small white beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 medium Vidalia sweet onion (chopped)
• 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• black pepper (to taste)
• coarse salt (to taste)
• 1 cup of crumbled Feta

Grill the sausages while preparing the rest of the dish.

Combine the beans, onion, tomatoes, rosemary and thyme. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt; pour over the other ingredients and toss gently.

Slice the sausages and mix into the other ingredients; place onto a serving platter, then top with feta.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Biercamp

Biercamp Artisan Sausage and Jerky offers an excellent 16-hour pulled pork sandwich for $4.99. Since this falls within our mandatory $5 or less per person Frugal Floozie Friday budget, that makes the shop a perfect place to feature today!

As soon as you walk in the door of Biercamp, you are immersed in the fragrance of the barbecue. The pork is spicy and tender, the onions are a perfect sweet and crunchy complement to the sauce, and the pickles are crisp and bright.  Whether you enjoy your sandwich on the picnic benches out front or take some home with you, you must try this!

There is also a wide variety of jerkies and sausage sticks to choose from; prices vary per pound, so you can choose as much or as little as you want to stay within our budget when buying a snack. One each of several varieties would be a great way to sample items.

All of these items are made in-house by the wonderfully friendly owners Walter Hansen and Hannah Cheadle, who told me that they use some family recipes but often just create foods that they, themselves, want to eat.  (And as you listen to them talk about their vocation, Walter's eyes light up with a passion for his work and his products.)  They were offering samples of beef jerky when I was there last, and it was so flavorful and even tender!  It in no way resembled the desiccated leathery meats that we usually think of when we hear the word "jerky."

I highly recommend the rich and creamy Biercamp Jerky Pate, a cream cheese-based spread with lots of flavors shining through; beef jerky, green and red peppers, garlic, lemon, and Dijon mustard all dance in each bite.  At $9.99 per pound, I was able to buy a container of the pate for less than $5.  Thus I still had a bit of a budget to acquire crackers or vegetables to spread this on, though frankly I will admit to simply eating it off a spoon because it's so good.

There is a refrigerated case offering cheeses purchased from local artisans and smoked at Biercamp, a spread featuring corned beef jerky with my favorite Balaton cherries, baked beans and other side dishes.  Products from Ann Arbor's own The Brinery are proudly sold at the store along with other Michigan items, such as Faygo sodas and Better Made potato chips.  And another case offers an assortment of sausages, from Hillbilly breakfast sausage to Italian- and Indian-influenced varieties, that you can bring home to cook with.

So stop by Biercamp, where you can buy hand-crafted sausages and jerkies - and many other delicious items - still within a frugal budget.


Biercamp Artisan Sausage and Jerky
1643 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-995-BIER (2437)
Monday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Closed Sunday


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Sweet-Tart Grilled Strawberries and So Much More at Berry Fest

I recently received a lovely email from Whole Foods Market, inviting me to enjoy some beautiful organic berries and encouraging me to share the bounty:

"Summer means getting together with friends and loved ones to celebrate longer days, warm (sometimes too warm!) weather and relaxed schedules. At Whole Foods Market, it’s also a time that we rejoice in the fresh goodness of organic berries .... (We're) celebrating organic blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, and we’d like to invite you to join in on the fun by hosting your own berry bash!"  (Note: To that end, Whole Foods very graciously provided me with a gift card to help purchase supplies.)

Well, how could I refuse such a charming offer?  I adore berries, and I'm always happy to feed my family and friends.  Count me in!  I've been to Baconfest, then BRU Fest ... the time had come to be the hostess with the most-est for Berry Fest!

I didn't want to just make strawberry shortcake, although I love it; I wanted to expand beyond the expected.  At the same time, though, I didn't want to make anything overly complicated or exotic; rather, I wanted to serve dishes that would let the berries shine, and dishes that are easy enough to make that you can enjoy your berry fest after a long day at work or a busy weekend full of chores and errands.  I also wanted to be sure there were treats to enjoy even on those days when it's just too hot to cook.

And so, I devised the following menu:

Appetizers:
Mini Toasts with Goat Cheese and Fresh Blackberries
Blueberry Sausage Puffs with Raspberry Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Antipasto Platter featuring salami, cheeses, and Pomegranate Molasses-Basted Grilled Strawberries

Entree:
Blackberry-Fig Marinated Grilled Chicken with Spiced Blueberry BBQ Sauce

Salad:
Greens 'n' Grains Salad with Fresh Blackberries

Desserts:
Strawberry-Rhubarb Streusel Bars
Pizelle S'mores with Toasted Marshmallows and Smashed Raspberries

I also served raspberry iced tea and a bottle of raspberry-lemon sparkling water - easy but delicious beverages to complement the theme du jour.  And to keep the drinks cold, I offered ice cubes that had raspberries frozen into them, for flavor and for color.

Today, I'm offering recipes for the appetizers; the rest of the week will be devoted to the other delicious dishes.  Enjoy the bounty!

Mini Toasts with Goat Cheese and Fresh Blackberries

Jeremy really enjoyed these, telling me that the flavors of the cheese and the berries complemented each other perfectly.

1 6-ounce package Chevrie Fleurie organic soft-ripened goat cheese, at room temperature
16 Whole Foods 365 brand mini toasts
16 organic blackberries

Slice the cheese into 16 pieces, placing one slice onto each piece of toast; top with a blackberry.

Makes 16 toasts.

Antipasto Platter featuring salami, cheeses, and Pomegranate Molasses-Basted Grilled Strawberries

Everyone loved the cheeses and the salami, but they raved about the strawberries - "I didn't know you could grill strawberries," "This really brings out the sweetness in the fruit," and "The glaze really brightens the flavor of the strawberries."  I had wanted to serve something other than the usual olives, and was thrilled that the skewered berries were such a hit!

favorite meats - I served Fiorucci brand all natural hard salami
favorite cheeses - I served Seaside English Cheddar, Fontina, and a blueberry-studded Wensleydale
16 organic strawberries
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Arrange meats and cheese in slices or cubes on a plate, leaving room for the strawberries.

Thread 2 strawberries onto skewers (so they don't just spin on one stick).  Preheat grill to medium-low, then place skewered strawberries onto grill.  Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, basting with the pomegranate molasses, just until slightly caramelized.  Place strawberries onto antipasto platter and serve.

Serves 6-8.

Blueberry Sausage Puffs with Raspberry Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

I used the blueberry-flavored sausage to keep with the party's theme, but any flavor of sausage could be used for these simple, elegant, and delicious hors d'oeuvres.

Puffs:
1 17.3-ounce package of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry
8 links Whole Foods uncooked blueberry country maple breakfast sausage
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 400F.  Lightly grease a baking sheet.

One at a time, roll each of the 2 sheets of dough on a lightly floured surface until it is just over 12"x12"; trim rough edges.  Cut dough into 4 quarters.

One at a time, lay a sausage link onto one piece of dough, at the closest edge to you; roll up, pinch dough to seal.  Cut into 8 pieces and place the pieces onto the prepared baking sheet, cut side up, leaving 2" space between puffs; repeat with remaining dough and sausage.

Combine egg and water; brush lightly over pastries.  Bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden and sausage is cooked.

Raspberry Honey Mustard:
1/2 cup organic raspberries
4 tablespoons Whole Foods 365 brand organic honey mustard
2 tablespoons buckwheat honey

Place raspberries into a small bowl; mash thoroughly with a fork.  Stir in mustard and honey.

To serve:  Place sausage puffs onto a serving plate, and offer with a bowl of the dipping sauce.

Makes 64 puffs and about 1 scant cup sauce.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Morgan and York

My friend Deborah and I recently met for coffee and treats on a Friday afternoon at the wonderful Morgan & York specialty market.  It's not a restaurant; but it does offer some seating and a warm welcome for loitering, so it is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature.

This fabulous shop sells a wide array of items: exceptional wines, sublime cheeses, an astounding variety of sausages, beautiful crusty breads, locally produced sausages and dairy products, lovely condiments, old-fashioned candies, handmade chocolates, and much more.  And - even better - you'll find knowledgeable, friendly service and the opportunity to taste, and learn about, virtually anything that's for sale.  I didn't leave until I'd purchased some paper-thin slices of the mustardseed salami with just a hint of the namesake flavor peeking through; a spicy caliente salami somewhat reminiscent of pepperoni; and a true treasure, the Dutch Boerenkaas cheese that had been described as crystalline with hints of butterscotch ... a perfectly seductive, and accurate, summary.

While I was waiting for Deborah, having remarkably arrived first (a rare occurrence for someone who runs a standard 10 minutes late), I was offered a cup of coffee to enjoy while perusing all the wonderful goodies.  As I meandered around, I could only think of what I wanted to taste, what I would cook with this or that product, what would make a lovely gift, etc.

Once Deborah arrived, we had to choose what sort of treat we wanted - cookies? bagels? candies?  We settled on pastries, and agreed wholeheartedly that each wanted her own rather than splitting anything.  I told a story of an ex-boyfriend who actually once wanted to share a 25-cent frosting shot, rather than ingest too much fat or sugar ... pffft!  We both chuckled and shook our heads as we anticipated the glee of our individual calorie and cholesterol fests.

And so, we ordered the chocolate almond croissants provided by Cafe Japon, a charming tea shop offering French and Japanese cuisine.  You wouldn't guess to look at its exterior that this baked good is a croissant, and I'm not sure that I would call it that.  But as they say, a rose by any other name ....  If you gaze lovingly at the luscious, creamy, chocolaty, crisp, flaky pastry pictured above - the croissant broken apart for ease of eating - you can imagine how wonderful it was!  And it was only $4, well within our mandatory expenditure of $5 or less per person.

Morgan & York sells a number of treats that meet the limits of our Frugal Floozie Friday budget, from coffee drinks to cookies, selections from the deli counter, chocolates, and other wonderful items.  Stop by, and you'll find yourself unable to resist the delicious offerings!


Morgan & York
1928 Packard
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-662-0798
Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday: 12 - 6 p.m.



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Christmas Eve Pork Pie

I'm a mutt: Austrian and Irish on my father's side, and Scottish, French and Canadian on my mother's.

Sometimes I think I must be related to half of Canada. My maternal grandfather's family can be traced to the late 17th century, when the first ancestor left France and set foot on this side of the Atlantic. For generation after generation, it shows that virtually every surviving male married, fathered perhaps 16 children, remarried after his wife died, and had another 13 or so children with his second wife. I violated the tradition by having only one child!

But I continue the French Canadian tradition of serving pork pie - known as Tourtière [tohr-tee-AIR] - on Christmas Eve.

Yes, I also eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve like every good Jewish person who's not celebrating the big holiday (even though I do still put up a tree and exchange gifts with loved ones). But everyone knows I'm always here for the food; enjoying two wildly different cuisines just makes things more fun!

This is not a family recipe handed down through the decades, but rather one I've cobbled together myself. My mother's version had great flavor; but the meat was very loose and fell out of the crust, which is typical of every other recipe I've seen for this classic dish. So in addition to tweaking the filling by combining both pork and sausage, I've also added egg to bind everything together.

I'm sharing this with you a bit early because you need to make the filling and chill it before placing it into the pie crust and baking it. According to lore, wives' tales, or whatever else you'd like to call it, the pie is also best if made, frozen, and then reheated. I'm not usually efficient enough to do that, and this pork pie is still a family favorite ... start your preparations a day ahead, serve it for Christmas Eve, and you'll love it anyway!

Tourtière (French Canadian Pork Pie)

1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
1 pound ground pork
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Spike Salt-Free All-Purpose Gourmet Natural Seasoning (a lovely marketing gift) or Mrs. Dash
2 large bay leaves
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 pie crusts (for a double-crust pie)
2 eggs
1 egg yolk + 2 tablespoons water

In a large saucepan, combine the sausage and the pork; brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the onion, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and seasoning; cook until the onion is translucent, stirring frequently. Add the bay leaves and the chicken stock; bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed. Place filling into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold.

Preheat oven to 425F. Roll out one crust and place it into a 9" pie dish.

Stir the 2 eggs into the pork filling, then spoon filling into the pie dish. Cover with the remaining crust, crimp edges, and cut slits into the top.

Beat the egg yolk with the water and brush the egg wash over the pie.

Bake for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350F. Bake for 40-45 more minutes until the pie is golden. Let the pie rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Makes 8 servings.

Frugal Floozie Friday -- The Bomber

It's Frugal Floozie Friday, and today's feature offers the most gargantuan quantity of food yet for our measly budget of $5 per person! What you see in the photo is the infamous Bomber Breakfast, found only at the Bomber restaurant.

Jeremy recently had an early morning appointment, and his dad, Stuart, and I went along with him. Afterwards, we decided we could use some breakfast; and so we ended up at this Ypsilanti institution:

"The Bomber opened in 1936 as Baldwin's Diner. In the 1940s the name was changed to the Bomber, only to be discarded in favor of Bob's Barbecue in the mid-1970s. Finally in 1986, the name Bomber returned and the current owners John Sebestyen and Johanna McCoy purchased it in 1995".

The restaurant is noted for the historical artifacts linings its walls - everything from uniforms to posters to autographed photos to rifles - not to mention the 24 model airplanes which hang from the ceiling. It is also noted for friendly service, generous portions, and the kind of atmosphere that encourages eating, reading the paper, having just a little bit more coffee, chatting with other customers, and making oneself at home.

The signature dish - the Bomber Breakfast - is so enormous that it was once featured on the Food Network's "Top Five Overindulgences" show. There is enough food, truly, to feed a family of four: a pound of hash browns with cheese and onions, 2 full slices of toast, 4 eggs any style, and a choice of 6 sausage patties or 7 sausage links or 10 slices of bacon or 2 slices of ham. (Our waitress told us, upon seeing our eyes glaze over, that we could mix-'n'-match if we wanted to.)

So, how much does this platter full of food cost?

$9.95.

And since Stuart and I split it - though we couldn't finish it, despite valiant efforts! - it came in at under our mandatory $5 per person limit.

As though this wasn't enough indulgence, Jeremy ordered an obscenely rich and decadent breakfast for himself: Chocolate Hazelnut French Toast. A half order - 2 portions of thick bread filled with luscious Nutella, dipped in batter and drenched in syrup - costs only $4.95.

The Bomber also features weekday breakfast specials for $4.50, featuring everything from traditional pancakes and eggs and oatmeal to breakfast sandwiches. There are many items on the menu which could qualify for our Frugal Floozie Friday mission.

The Bomber is a great place to go for a hearty breakfast or lunch, and is easily a place where you could become a regular.

Bomber
306 East Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, Michigan
734-482-0550


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Cheese-Stuffed Italian Sausage Meatloaf

This may not be the most photogenic recipe I'll ever offer to you (trust me - I tried valiantly with different plates and angles and lighting!), but it's truly one of the best. Just imagine it: Italian sausage, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, pesto ... a feast of flavors, if not a feast for the eyes!

Meatloaf often gets a bad reputation because it's usually just plain ol' ground beef mixed with ketchup or bread crumbs or Lipton onion soup mix, but it doesn't need to be that way. Use a variety of meats, change up the sauces and seasonings, stuff something interesting into the middle ... give it a make-over and glam it up!

You can vary the spiciness of the dish by using mild, sweet or hot Italian sausage; and you can lower the fat content by using links made of turkey, if you prefer.

This dinner was devoured so quickly that there wasn't even a hope of leftovers for the next day - pretty good reviews for a meatloaf!

Cheesey Italian Sausage Meatloaf

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 pound ground turkey
1 small red onion, chopped fine
4 tablespoons pesto, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
4 ounces Gorgonzola, divided
1/4 cup shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sausage, turkey, onion, 2 tablespoons of the pesto, salt, pepper and oregano. Take two-thirds of the mixture and press it across the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie pan. Place half of the Gorgonzola and all of the parmesan into the center of the circle, leaving a 1/2" border. Carefully spread the rest of the mixture over the cheese, and seal the edges.

Bake for 45 minutes, then brush with remaining the remaining 2 tablespoons pesto; sprinkle the remaining Gorgonzola over the top. Bake 5 more minutes.

Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before cutting into portions.

Serves 6-8.

Bratwurst with Peppers and Onions

Please note that this was written ahead of time, as I wouldn't be able to function if I didn't prepare at least one week ahead rather than trying to find time to post every single day! But sadly, the man I'm writing about - who was doing so beautifully just 2 weeks ago - has died quite unexpectedly; his funeral will be held this morning. I didn't have the heart to change the wording and update this piece, because we really did have a lovely afternoon the last time I saw him. I wanted that committed officially to cyberspace, where everything lives forever even though, in the real world, fragile human beings don't ....

A very dear friend's father spent 6 weeks in the hospital this summer, followed by an extended stay in a rehabilitation facility for a variety of therapies (physical, occupational, respiratory, etc.) He's now home and in good spirits ... and he's quite chatty, which means he's in really good form! He's usually a man of few, but well-chosen, words.

But he's still quite weak, understandably. Thus his loved ones are on a mission to help him regain both the strength and the 25 pounds that he's lost.

This is a meat-'n'-potatoes kinda guy, who enjoys meatloaf but doesn't care about macaroni and cheese. And, according to his wife of more than 40 years, he loves any kind of sausage.

So I made this dish of bratwurst with onions and green peppers not only to provide an enticing encouragement for our patient to eat, but also so that there would be at least one meal this man's devoted wife -- who not only coordinates his treatments, appointments and rides, but who even researched codes and protocols for a wheelchair ramp and designed their new one herself (he's so proud of her work!) -- would not have to make in the midst of all the stress of setting up the couple's new routines.

I hope they both enjoyed a hearty meal that was easy to heat in the microwave. The only thing better might have been if they used paper plates to avoid dirty dishes!

Bratwurst with Peppers and Onions

5 links fresh bratwurst
2/3 cup green tea (or beer, though I didn't use it here to avoid med interactions)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 yellow onion, halved, sliced
1 green pepper, halved, sliced
8 ounces macaroni, cooked

Brown bratwurst in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add tea and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, then cook for 15 minutes turning bratwurst once halfway through the cooking time; most of the liquid should have evaporated. Remove bratwurst from the skillet and cut into 1/2" slices.

Add water to the skillet and stir to scrape up the bits from the bratwurst. Stir in the mustard, seasoned salt and pepper; cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until vegetables are softening, stirring once or twice. Add the sliced bratwurst and cook for 5 more minutes.

Serve bratwurst and vegetables over macaroni.

Serves 4.

Sausage Meatball and Roasted Pepper Stew

After our recent week of 95-degree highs and heat advisories, we then had a cold spell with temperatures only in the 60s. You live in Michigan, you get used to this; there's a reason we joke that if you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes!

And so, while it wasn't quite necessary to make cocoa or haul out the winter coats, it was just chilly enough that a hearty bowl of soup was calling to me.

I'd also given a friend some suggestions for vegetarian meals, and had offered an idea for a stew with peppers and tomatoes ... which, of course, then kept floating in my brain until I got around to making a variation on it.

I roasted the vegetables to caramelize them and intensify their flavor. And I rolled the sausage into meatballs rather than simply browning it because I thought that would be more fun ... there's nothing more creative than that, sorry!

I was thrilled with how flavorful this stew was, and how much I enjoyed it. It was the perfect meal to have had ready ahead of time, after a weekend cooking/writing spree, needing only to be warmed up after I worked extra hours one day.

It was substantial and light at the same time, and perfect comfort food with a lively zest. And to make it vegetarian, simply cook the meatballs in a separate pan and serve them for anyone who wants to add them to the stew.

Sausage Meatball and Roasted Pepper Stew

1 small red pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 small orange pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 small yellow pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 small red onion, cut into 1" pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
1/3 pound Italian sausage, hot or mild
1 large garlic clove, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon pesto
1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine
2 cups baby spinach leaves

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Place the peppers and onion into a large baking dish; drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with the salt and black pepper, and bake for 30 minutes. Stir, then bake for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Roll the sausage into 1" meatballs. Brown the meatballs in a medium saucepan, then stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, pesto, tomatoes and red wine. Add the roasted vegetables.

Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the spinach, cooking just until wilted. Serve immediately with a salad and good bread.

Makes 4 servings.

It's Not Green Eggs and Ham, It's Green Sausage!

What is that in the photo, filling that taco with such a vibrant hue??? Why, it's green sausage, purchased at my new favorite place on Earth, Dos Hermanos Market near my summer sublet apartment!!!

Is this just about the coolest food item you've ever seen???

When I meandered into the market awhile ago and found it in the meat case, I simply had to have some. At just over $3/pound it's an incredible deal, even if it doesn't look particularly appetizing (colossal understatement!) before being cooked and transformed into the crucial ingredient for my tacos.

There were loud fans and music playing overhead, so it was difficult to talk to the man behind the meat counter; thus I don't have much information about the sausage, but I was feeling adventurous and so I bought it anyway. Suffice it to say I learned that this is handmade pork sausage, its vivid color coming from green salsa.

I recently made soft tacos with some lovely sauteed peppers, some pan-toasted corn, and -- of course! -- my green sausage. Or, let's give it a better Latin flair: Green Sausage = Salchicha Verde!

The salchicha verde isn't spicy at all, providing only the tiniest twinge of tingle at the end of my meal; if you like hotter food, you'd need to toss some potent salsa into this mix.

But it is still immensely flavorful; there is clearly a taste of cilantro, and a hint of sourness from the acidity of the salsa. This was a perfect contrast to the sweetness of the red and yellow peppers, as well as to the richness of the sour cream.

Dos Hermanos has an amazing array of spices, hot sauces, cheeses, traditional breads such as conchas (round loaves of a sweet bread with a swirled pattern on top), cactus leaves and plantains, spicy snacks, and even piñatas for sale. (And oh, you should smell the tantalizing aroma when you open the bread cabinet!!!) They even fry up their own pork rinds, which Jeremy and his dad adored when they were offered samples. (I'll eat pork, but not the fried skin ... ick. Jeremy thinks I'm a hypocrite 'cause my favorite part of the chicken is the skin! But I think I've been repulsed by the stench of the grocery store variety and can't get past it.)

Here are some photos:






Truly, a girl could have way too much fun shopping here!!!

But on to the tacos!

Interestingly, the sausage didn't brown; I probably cooked it for longer than was necessary, thinking that it would eventually. It was also fairly soft, rather than firming up as breakfast sausage patties do.

I tossed some frozen corn into a pan and cooked it just until it was starting to toast a bit and turn golden, and I grated a lovely Monterey Jack cheese (though a Pepper Jack could also work very well). I sauteed red, yellow and orange peppers with a sliced red onion in just a splash of salsa, as colorful contrasts to my attention-getting sausage.

Then I put it all together on corn tortillas and feasted ... truly! The meal was an absolute seduction of all my senses, from the colors to the aromas to the textures and tastes.

To each his or her own when it comes to putting these together; so there's no recipe "per se," but rather merely visual instructions.

It's too bad that those of you who are spread around the world can't just drop in on Dos Hermanos one evening and pick up some of this salchicha verde. All I can do is torment you by telling you how exceptional it was ... though maybe that's enough enticement for some of you to come visit me, huh???

Do come visit -- it'd be fun! And we'll go eating and grocery shopping throughout Southeast Michigan ... starting at Dos Hermanos, of course!







Dos Hermanos Market
412 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti
734-487-8802