whole wheat spaghetti carbonara

red wine mind.  that's a three-word tongue twister if you try saying it five times fast!  it's also the state of mind that brings you my next recipe.  so if you were previously thinking (as i were), "how is this kid going to get any better than stuffed pork loins with bacon jam and portabella mushrooms?", then this recipe proves me human.

if you think that is strange, then this should really throw you for a loop.  i read an article in an issue of Redbook today.  why?  (you should be asking)  because Giada de Laurentiis was on the cover, why else?  the article was fine, Giada is 40, still married and beautiful.  (fyi: Giada's television show ignited my novice cooking and Italia craving taste buds early on in my high school years!)

so in the Redbook article that i shamelessly read, Giada was asked, "do you ever come home, crack open a can of tuna, and call it a day?", and Giada responds with,

no, but i will come home and scramble two eggs.  two eggs scrambled on a bed of arugula with some fresh shaved Parmesan cheese, and that's dinner.

wow.  i got a good kick out of this, but what does this say to me and you?!  this says that quick dinners don't require sacrifice.  i mean, come on, who reads that response and says, "oh, is that it?"  btw, 'quick and easy' needs a new name, how about '15 pasti minuto'?!

i spent this past weekend with a monthly visit home to see friends and family - and as it turns out, also to run 4.5 miles, see my first musical in years, and enjoy a few Schlafly's!  i spent today with a long trip back to my college home.

this is where my 15 pasti minuto, Amos Lee pandora station and the remaining of my forche renault comes in.

the friendlier printer version

whole wheat spaghetti carbonara
serves one, 15 minutes

1/8 lb bacon, chopped
1/3 c. portabella mushrooms, chopped (or finely sliced)
3 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 lb whole wheat spaghetti, cooked a la dente
1 egg, beaten
black pepper, freshly cracked
thyme leaves, dried
sea salt

start by frying bacon until crispy in medium skillet over medium heat.  prepare pasta.  remove bacon and drain, saving 3 tbsp of drippings.  add garlic, mushrooms and black pepper to skillet and saute 2 minutes.  add bacon, pasta and 1/4 c. Parmesan to pan and saute 1 minute.  remove from heat, add egg and thicken but do not scramble.  plate, top with remaining Parmesan and serve.

notes:

the only trick is to add the eggs at just the right temperature.  the residual heat will cook the egg, but too much heat will turn your dish into a scrambled egg pasta.  i suppose either is just as tasty!

stuffed pork loin with bacon jam and portabella mushrooms

let's be honest people, this is all about the bacon jam.

the 'how to handle my first recipe blog' debate was had, and it's over.  i decided to go for it!

someone is usually there in my life to tell me "give credit were credit is due".  This one goes out to The Tavern Kitchen & Bar in the St. Louis area for bringing bacon jam into my life.  thank you.  if you are slightly normal, you're probably wondering two things right now.  how?  and what does it taste like?  the first we'll get to in a moment.  the answer to the second is, exactly like you imagine.

if this recipe has been a thing of firsts for you so far, then roll up your sleeves and enjoy your next first... cooking with coffee!.. in jam and in hand!  that's right, as if the jam wasn't well enough alone right?!

i'd like to say this is your average bacon jam and portabella stuffed pork tenderloin, but who does this?!  and who knows what's next.. maybe bacon-stuffed bacon?

what are the perks to making a dish like the 'stuffed pork loin, bacon jam & portabella style'?  the bake time is just enough to make yourself a side, as i did with a root mix, and clean up the kitchen before she's out of the oven... that is if you are cooking for one.  hint: if you are entertaining, please consider your guests and cleanup later!  got it?  okay, moving on.

the stuffed pork loin is only a half-stuffed pork loin until you get it all tied down.  i slacked and opted out of the boy scouts before earning the badge for tying things together, fyi.

although, it would be nice of me to give you a heads up, i'm not the one to say you need to go out and buy this, this and that before starting in on my recipe.  i like to work with what's already in the kitchen!  regardless, buy yourself some butcher's twine.  you'll need just a little.

oh!  and i nearly forgot, but as promised... the drink this go around was the coffee, you'll see you have to drink some (it only makes sense) and then also a glass of the forche renault because red wine is required with every meal red wine goes with.  and the music was none other than Adele!  proper why?  because her '21' album was release today!

*the times below are total prep & cook times... and total guesses... enjoy.

the friendlier printer version

bacon jam (the 1/2 hr option)
makes about 1 cup, 25-40 minutes

1/4 lb sliced bacon, chopped to 1-inch wide pieces
2-3 garlic cloves, finely diced or smashed and peeled
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (may also use a cider vinegar)
2 tbsp brown sugar (packed)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 c. brewed coffee

start by making a batch of your favorite coffee, preferably unflavored. then add bacon to a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until majority is slightly browned on both sides (less than crispy).  remove bacon and place in bowl with paper towels to remove grease, keeping 1 tbsp grease in skillet (tip: save an extra 1 tbsp for stuffed pork loin).  add garlic to skillet and saute 2 minutes.  combine vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup and coffee into skillet, bring to boil and stir semi-consistently for 2 minutes.  add bacon and stir until bacon is well-covered.

transfer bacon mixture to small wok - or heavy saucepan with small bottom surface area - over low heat, uncovered. stir occasionally for 25 (or up to 40) minutes to a syrup-like thickness.  remove from heat, place into food processor and pulse until chopped to desired consistency.  set aside.

notes:

original bacon jam recipe from Martha Stewart

because i have a fear of burning sugar liquids quickly, i transferred to and 'slow cooked' in a wok.. it's a safer bet for not smoking up the kitchen with burnt sugars.

feel free to make large batches of jam at once, it should keep in airtight containers in refrigeration up to 4 weeks.

stuffed pork loin
serves 4, 1 hour

1 baby pork loin
1 1/4 c. portabella mushrooms, diced (use more/less to preference)
1 slice bacon (optional)
1 tbsp bacon grease
1 garlic clove, diced
basil
oregano
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
parmesan, freshly grated
butcher's twine

start by bringing a small-medium skillet and bacon grease to medium heat.  add garlic and saute 2 minutes.   add mushrooms, splash of water, then basil, oregano, sea salt and black pepper to taste and saute 5 minutes.  remove from heat.

heat oven to 375F.  slice baby pork loin in half, crosswise, and lay side-by-side on cutting board.  use butcher's twine and a slip knot to cinch first end of pork loins, pull tightly.  (i'm right-handed, so i worked left-to-right.)  begin stuffing mushrooms between pork loins, careful to hold loins closely together.  stuff bacon jam atop mushrooms between loins.  (optional: cut bacon slice in half and lay across top of stuffed pork loins.)  use twine to continue wrapping pork loins until reach opposite end, then tightly tie a second slip knot.  two pork loin halves should be secured together with stuffed mixture.

add stuffed pork loin to baking pan lined with aluminum foil, and bake at 375F on middle rack for 40 minutes.  remove from oven, use aluminum foil to completely wrap pork loins and let continue to cook on counter-/stove-top for 10-15 minutes.  remove foil, butcher's twine, top with grated parmesan and serve.

notes:

mostly because of my 'saute everything in garlic before cooking' addiction, i chose to do likewise with the 'bellas. this is not necessarily required.

'to taste' is not a measurement, you'll get it right.

you can bet your hard working dollars and cents that next time i'll be baking this one with gruyere cheese stuffed in with the jam and 'bellas!

so here i am

hello world, how ya been? aside from my good friends that will quote that song, i've joined the web to write to you, and all of the other wonderful people reading.  i'm doing this to share with you my culinary talents and honest lacking thereof. the honor is mine.

so here i am. for the indefinite days ahead, i hope to share with you the food of my life.

i am also self taught/ family taught/ smell taught chef.  my mother loves the kitchen, and i suppose it is for her and the infinite home cooked meals with her that i now write you.

quickly realize that by 'food', i mean quality food.  and cooking is the art of taking what fresh/ seasonal food you have and making something delicious.

so by trial and error, story telling, bad humor and the occasional opinion, it is my hope that my life as a progressive foodie and self-claimed chef will inspire you too cook well.  then with its ease and irresistible tastes create a better place for you and i to live simply by the way we eat and feed others.

to make this fair for the both of us, there are a few warnings i should share. (they apply this point forward)

i will always try to quote the artist/ song and the wine/ beer that i enjoy while writing to you.. but i cannot make any promises.  to be in the clear for this go around, it's my "OOoohhh yes" iTunes mix which happens to be playing Mumford & Sons.  the drink is a Missouri premium dry red table wine, a forche renault from peaceful bend vineyard.

the recipes are not all my own.  i only recently started believing.

i am a St. Louis Cardinals fan.  deal with.

are we okay so far?

lastly, i cannot possibly fit more than two guests at my pool house dinner table.. but we can try!