CREAMY GORGONZOLA DIJON CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup water
2 TBS honey
3 TBS dijon mustard
1/2 cup gorgonzola crumbles
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, flakes or chopped fine
salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh Parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
2.  Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet, medium/high heat.  Add chicken, brown on both sides until almost done.  Season with salt and pepper.  Approx. 4-5 mins on each side.                          (chicken will continue to cook in sauce).
3.  Add water, honey and dijon mustard.  Stir.  Sauce will start to thicken.
4.  Top with gorgonzola and sun dried tomatoes.  Garnish with fresh parsley.

Chocolate Habanero Peach Crepes

Crepes:
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
2 TBS sugar

Chocolate Filling:
1 cup dark chocolate morsels, melted
1/2 cup cream, plus
8 oz. cream cheese, warm
4-8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 TBS butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp habanero chili peppers, chopped fine

Peach Topping:
1 can (14.5 oz) peaches (no sugar), sliced
2 TBS butter
3 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS rum

Other Ingredients:
1 can whipped cream
1/2 cup dark chocolate, melted (for drizzle)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 TBS habanero peppers, sliced for garnish

Directions:
1.  Whisk all ingredients for crepes in a medium size bowl.
2.  Heat a small non stick skillet on med/high.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into skillet.  Swirl batter around pan to thin out crepe.  Cook for approx 30 seconds or until starts to brown.  Turn over and slightly brown other side.  Place on wax paper.  Repeat process for remaining crepes.
3.  To make Chocolate Filling:  Melt chocolate in microwave for approx.  1 min.  Stir  Add back to microwave for additional 30 second intervals, stir.  (Do not overheat or it will burn).  Add warm cream cheese, butter, vanilla and peppers to small bowl.  Mix well.  Add to chocolate, stir well to combine.  But aside
4.  To make Peach Topping:  Heat a medium skillet med/high temperature.  Add ingredients.  Stir.  Cook until sauce starts to thicken.
5.  To assemble crepes:  Add chocolate filling to center of crepe.  Fold in half, then in half again.  Add peach topping on top.  Drizzle chocolate over top.  Dust with powdered sugar.  Add whipped cream with slices on habanero peppers on top.
Makes 9 crepes

Berbere Spice

1/2 cup red chili
1/2 cup paprika
1 TBS salt
1 TBS black pepper
3 tsp fenugreek
3 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp onion powder
3 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp cardamom
3 tsp ground cloves
3 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp turmeric
3 tsp allspice

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