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I got a gal, named Sue,

She knows just what to do

I’ve been to the east, I’ve been to the west,

But she’s the gal

That I love the best

“Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard

This drink went over pretty well at my Memorial Day partay. It’s great for warm summer days or whatever you call this crap weather we’ve been experiencing in the Bay Area.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 limes, halved and juiced
2 Red Stripe beers
2 ginger beers

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a pitcher, serve over ice

crazy pineapple torte

My baby don’t stand no cheatin’, my babe

Oh yeah she don’t stand no cheatin’, my babe

Oh yeah she don’t stand no cheatin’,

She don’t stand none of that midnight creepin’

My babe, true little baby, my babe

“My Babe” by Little Walter

Its crazy because Elissa’s grandma says so.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
20 oz. can crushed pineapple (undrained)
1 ¼ cups water
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, thinly sliced
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 F
2. Put the brown sugar in the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 pan
3. Pour pineapple with juice over brown sugar
4. Top with water
5. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of water
6. Top with butter and walnuts
7. Bake for 1 hour

If there is anyone out there that reads this blog and has Wisconsin roots, I would love your recipes and suggestions.

Some previous posts on food from my favorite state:

Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet

Bratwurst, cooking

Bratwurst, making

Cheese curds

Egg roll, Wisconsin style

Potatoes, Escalloped with ham

Potato Salad, German

Sauerkraut

Summer sausage

Torte, Chocolate Eclair

Torte, Crazy Pineapple

Torte, Poppy Seed

mint julep

The Tennessee stud was long and learn

The color of the sun and his were green

He had the nerve and he had the blood

And there never was a hoss like the Tennessee stud

“Tennessee Stud” by Doc Watson

Its derby day, time to have a julep and watch the horsies! Simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar heated in a small pot until combined and then cooled. To make the crushed ice, place 1 cup of cubed ice in a tea towel, wrap it up and beat it senseless with a wooden spoon.

Ingredients:

2 oz. bourbon
½ oz. simple syrup
6 mint leaves plus more for garnish
Crushed ice

Directions:

1. Place bourbon, syrup and mint leaves at the bottom of a Tom Collins glass, muddle with the handle end of a wooden spoon (or a muddler fancy pants)
2. Add crushed ice and stir
3. Garnish with mint

veggie burrito

The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road

The Rock Island Line is the road to ride

The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road

If you want to ride you gotta ride it like you find it

Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line

“Rock Island Line” by Leadbelly

My friend Andy poked fun of the last Cinco de Mayo post, he was not surprised that I tossed a little bacon into the refried beans (at least I didn’t use lard, right?). This post includes no pork products and is actually vegetarian. I like using the really big tortilla shells, folding them up, covering them with damp paper towel and microwaving it for a minute.  Obviously, guacamole, sour cream and cheese are other great additions to this recipe.

Burrito Rice:

Ingredients:

2 cups of basmati rice
1/2 bay leaf
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of salt to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Cook rice in rice cooker with the bay leaf
2. Remove bay leaf and add vegetable oil
3. Add salt
4. Add lime and lemon juice
5. Add chopped cilantro

Vegetarian Black Beans:

Ingredients:

1 pound dry black beans
1 medium onion, small dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon salt

Directions:

1. Place beans in a medium pot, cover beans with about 2 inches of water over the top of the beans, soak overnight
2. Drain beans and cover with water one inch over the top of the  beans, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer making sure to skim any foam
3. After all of the foam has been removed, add the onion and garlic, simmer for 45 minutes
4. Add cilantro and salt, cook for 30 more minutes until the beans have softened, season with salt

Pico de Gallo:

Ingredients:

6 Roma tomatoes, squeezed of juice and then chopped
1/3-1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/3-1/2 cup pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, the longer it sits in the fridge the better it gets

Burrito Ingredients:

Rice
Vegetarian black beans
Pico de gallo
Large tortilla
Shredded jack cheese
Sour cream

Directions:

1. Make a burrito with the aforementioned stuff

refried beans

Cali got gunplay, models on the runway

Scream Biggie Biggie gimme One More Chance

I be whippin on the freeway, the NYC way

On the celly-celly with my homeboy Lance

“Going Back to Cali” by Notorious B.I.G.

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, I thought I should probably crank out a couple of Mexican food recipes.  I’m going with the refried bean recipe first because the dry beans require an overnight soak.  This recipe creates fluffy refried beans (which I love), it really chaps my bum when refried beans are the consistency of peanut butter.

Recipe adapted from the Homesick Texan

Ingredients:

1 pound of dry pinto beans
1/2 pound of salt pork
1 onion, halved plus 1/4 cup onion, small dice
5 slices of bacon

Method:

1. Place beans in a medium pot, cover beans with about an inch of water over the top of the beans, soak overnight
2. Drain beans and cover with about two inches of fresh water over the top of the beans, add onion halves and salt pork
3. Bring beans to a boil, cover and simmer for about an hour or until cook through, stirring occasionally
4. Remove salt pork and onion, discard, drain the beans and reserve the broth
5. In a large skillet fry the bacon until crispy, remove bacon and discard (eat) and cook the diced onion in the bacon fat until soft
6. Add the cooked beans into the skillet, adding 1/2 cup of the bean broth
7. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding more bean broth for your preferred consistency
8. Season with salt to taste