Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno and Cheddar Stuffed Berbere Ribs

These Berbere Ribs are a fantastic party/bbq food.  You will be the hit of your get together with this killer recipe.  These ribs are stuffed with char grilled jalapeños and cheddar cheese then secured around a rib with smoked bacon.  The flavors are balanced with a sweet bbq sauce. 

Ingredients:
1 rack St Louis Style ribs, cleaned and trimmed
1 cup Berbere Spices
1 small bottle of cider vinegar
2 bottles beer
1/4 cup olive oil
6-8 jalapeno peppers, sliced in half, lengthwise (seeds removed)
8 ozs sharp cheddar cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces.
1 lb bacon, thin sliced
1 cup sweet bbq sauce

Equipment Needed:
1 grill
baking sheet
rack
tongs
aluminum foil
pot holder 
cutting board
basting brush


Directions:
1.   Preheat grill to 325-350 degrees.
2.  Clean and trim ribs by removing extra fat and membrane.  Pour or brush on cider vinegar on both sides of ribs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Rub Berbere spice on both sides of ribs.  Place ribs on rack and place on baking sheet.  Place baking rack in center of hot grill.  Pour 1 bottle of beer into baking sheet (for moisture).  Cover with aluminum foil.  Cover and cook for 1 hour.  Remove foil from ribs, with cover down cook for another 45-60 mins.  Remove from grill.  Slice ribs between the bones.
3.  Slices jalapeños.  Brush with olive oil and place on grill.  Cook for approx. 3 mins on each side to char.  Season with salt.  
4.  To assemble ribs:  Place cheese on top of rib meat.  Place pepper on top of cheese.  Wrap bacon around to hold together.  Brush with bbq sauce.  Grill for approx. 5 mins per side, making sure all sides are grilled.  Add additional bbq sauce, if needed.

Serves 6-8

Baked Peanut Crunch Coffee Chicken

This is a super duper pea "nutty" great recipe.  When I order a shipment of Door County Products, they were so generous to send me a sample of their Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee.  I was very intrigued and couldn't wait to create a new dish.  I knew that peanuts go well with an Asian flair so I decided to start there.  I first got the Peanut Butter Coffee brewing.  This started my taste buds flowing.  The rest is history! 

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken tenders, trimmed

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tbs pepper

1/3 cup red onion

2 cloves garlic

1 TBS ginger, minced

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 limes, juiced 

1 tsp cider vinegar

1 TBS creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup cilantro

1/4 cup Peanut Butter Crunch coffee, brewed

1 TBS Door County Mustard

1 TBS Sour Cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup peanuts, crushed

Directions:

1.  Drain chicken and pat with paper towels to absorb excess wetness.

2.  Place flour, salt and pepper in med/large bowl.  Stir.  Toss chicken to coat.  Remove and place on clean dish, shaking off excess flour.

3.  In blender or food processor add all other ingredients.  Pulse until blended.  Add to bowl. (Reserve 1/2 cup to drizzle on chicken for later)

4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

5.  Dip each piece of chicken into mixture and coat thoroughly.  Place on slightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for approx. 8-10 mins or until golden brown (temp. depends on thickness of chicken).  Flip chicken 1/2 way through baking time.  Remove from oven.  Drizzle with extra sauce and sprinkle with crushed peanuts.  Serve on favorite salad or lettuce wraps.

Note:  I used a counter top electric grill with press cover.  Slightly grease with cooking spray.  Grill for approx. 3-4 mins.  

Serve on favorite salad or as tacos in lettuce wraps

Grilled Pork Pears Foster and Brie

Ingredients:

6 Pork Loin (approx. 1 inch thick)
7 tsp favorite pork rub, reserve 1 tsp
1 can sliced half pears (reserve juice) (low sugar, if available)
4 TBS butter
2 TBS rum
2 TBS brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp corn starch
1 cup pear juice, from can
1/4 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper, to taste
4 TBS walnuts, chopped
5 oz creamed brie cheese, no rind, warm
1/4 cup basil (fresh, chopped)


Directions:
1.  Rub chops with spice rub. (reserve 1 tsp)
2.  Place pork on greased grill on med/high heat.  Grill for approx. 4 mins on each side, or until done.
Remove from grill and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
3.  Place pears on grill, flipping to create grill marks on both sides.  Remove and cover.
4.  On burner in medium size skillet add the 1 tsp reserved rub, butter, oil, rum and sugar.  Cook until sugar is dissolved.
5.  Add corn starch.  Stir to dissolve.
6.  Add juice, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Lower heat and simmer until slightly thickened.  Add walnuts and stir.
7.  To plate:  Add pork to serving dish, top with grilled pear (whole side up).  Fill pear whole with approx. 1 tsp brie cheese.  Drizzle with sauce.

Maple Sausage Potato Caprese Frittata

I created this recipe for the Jones Sausage Contest.  I used potatoes tossed with chunks of Maple sausage, cheddar cheese, onions, garlic and fresh parsley, baked with beaten egg.  Frittata is topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, tomatoes and fresh basil.

Ingredients:

4 TBS olive oil
4 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed small

2 boxes cooked sausage patties, cut in quarters

1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
1 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 TBS butter
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp course black pepper
2 TBS grated cheese
8 eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 dollops pizza sauce
8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
8 slices fresh tomato
3 large basil leaves

Directions:
1.  In large cast iron skillet heat oil on med/high heat.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Add potatoes and sauté until starts to brown. Approx. 10 mins.  Stir to prevent from sticking.
3.  Add sausage, onions and garlic, stir.  Saute for additional 5 mins.  Add butter, stir.  Season with salt and pepper then add grated cheese.  Stir.  Spread potatoes evenly across pan to make level.
4.  Add beaten eggs.  Top with cheddar cheese.  Shake skillet so eggs incorporate into potatoes.
5.  Drop dollops of pizza sauce on top of potatoes/eggs in skillet evenly around outside perimeter.  Now, add a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each dollop of sauce, overlapping.  Add a slice of tomato on each slice of mozzarella, overlapping as well.
6.  Place skillet in oven and bake for 10 mins.
7.  Quickly switch oven to broil to top brown for 5 mins.  Remove.  Sprinkle top of frittata with fresh basil.  Slice into 8 pieces.
Makes 8 slices

Cherry Almond Espresso Bean Bark

I was inspired to make this recipe when I first received my shipment of Door County Coffee products.  I love to make chocolates, especially different varieties of bark.  I couldn't resist these combinations of Chocolate, cherries, almonds and crunchy chocolate covered espresso beans.

This Chocolate Bark can be made with a variety of different kinds of chocolates (Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate and/or Red)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb milk chocolate, tempered 

1/2 lb dark chocolate, tempered

1/3 cup dry cherries

1/3 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup crushed chocolate covered espresso beans

Directions:

1.  Add each different chocolate flavors to a (microwave safe) bowl.  Heat on high for approx. 1 minute.  Remove and stir well.  Return back to microwave, if needed but heat at 30 second increments at a time until completely melted.  

2.  Spread one type of chocolate on baking sheets.  With a spoon, spread evenly across pan making a thin layer.

3.  Add second chocolate.  Pour over top of chocolate in pan.  Spread over top of bottom chocolate.

4.  With a spoon, make swirls around throughout two layers creating a marble like finish.

5.  Quickly sprinkle cherries, almonds and then espresso beans over top.  Tap baking pan to make sure toppings adhere to chocolate.

6.  Freeze for approx 10 mins.  Remove and break into pieces.  Store in air tight container.

Cherry Cordial Coffee Cupcakes

When I think about Door County, Wisconsin, it reminds me of Coffee, Cherry Trees and Cheese.  It was my inspiration for this recipe.  The center of these cupcakes have a sweet cherry cordial surrounded by the cheddar coffee taste of a firm cupcake, mixed with ground chocolate covered espresso beans.  The frosting is infused with strong espresso coffee.  Cupcake is topped with a sweet drizzle of cherry jam and a chocolate espresso bean, for added punch.  This cupcake is the perfect balance to help celebrate, this time of year..."the blooming of the Cherry Trees"

Ingredients:

4 ozs butter, soft

3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cherry syrup

1/3 cup water

2 TBS vanilla

2 cups flour

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 TBS chocolate covered coffee beans, ground, plus 24 whole 

24 cherry cordials

1 jar Cherry jam

Frosting Ingredients:

1/4 cup strong Espresso Coffee
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 TBS butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
9 ozs milk chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp meringue powder, optional


Directions:
1.  Place cupcake papers in 2 (12 ct) cupcake wells.  Slightly grease papers with cooking spray to prevent cake from sticking to papers.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In large bowl add butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, oil, syrup, water and vanilla.  Mix well.  In separate bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Mix well.  Add to wet ingredients.  Whisk until fully blended.  Fold in cheddar cheese and 2 TBS ground choc. covered espresso beans.
3.  Add approx. 2 TBS batter to each cupcake paper.  Place a single cherry cordial in center of each paper.  Top with additional batter covering 3/4 full.  Bake for 11-13 mins, or until done.  Cool.
4.  To make frosting:  Add coffee, cheese, butter and vanilla.  Whisk well.  Add melted chocolate, mix well.  Add sugar, mix well.  Frosting should be stiff.  Add meringue powder if needed.
5.  Add frosting to piping bag with favorite decorating tip and frost cupcakes.
6.  Warm cherry jam in microwave safe bowl in microwave for approx. 1 minute.  Drizzle over top of frosted cupcakes.  Place a chocolate covered espresso bean on top of each cupcake.
Makes 24 cupcakes.

Cherry Coffee Strata

Move over Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  This is my Cherry Coffee Upside Down Strata.  Stuffed with creamed brie and chunks of coffee flavored bread cubes.  Topped with sweet taste of the very well known "Door County Cherries".


Ingredients:
8 cups cubed bread, packed.  Toasted
1 jar Chopped Cherry Jam
3 (5 ozs) pks creamed brie cheese
10 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup espresso coffee, strong
8 TBS butter, melted
1/4 cup cherry syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS white sugar (optional)




Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Add cubed bread to large baking sheet.  Toast in oven for 15 mins.
2.  Add cherry jam to greased cast iron skillet.  Spread across bottom.
3.  Add half of the bread to skillet.  Add spoonfuls of brie cheese to top, dividing evenly.  Add remaining bread to top of brie, spreading evening across skillet.
4.  Add beaten eggs, coffee, butter, syrup, cinnamon and salt to bowl.  Mix well.  Add egg mixture to skillet, over bread.  Let soak for 30 mins.  Press down occasionally to make sure all the bread soaking up egg.
5.  Bake for 15 mins covered.  Bake another 10 mins uncovered.  Remove from oven and sprinkle white sugar over top.  Rest for 10-15 mins.   Loosen edges with knife.  Flip onto serving dish.

Serves 8-10 people