It's all in the name

Some recipes when you read first read them sound pretty bad. For example, one may be hesitant to try a Peanut Butter Banana and Bacon Cupcake. And we all remember the epic failure of the Crab Salad with Grapefruit and Avocado.  I have quickly learned that most everything in cooking, and especially writing recipes, is about judging a book by it's cover. Fortunately for me, everyone is usually a good sport and if I can make the name of that day's concoction sound good I can usually talk them into trying it out for me. 

Campfire Spaghetti


This recipe was adapted by one from the Neely's (called BBQ Spaghetti, which they are famous for), and calls for leftover cooked pork. After changing the name of it, I've never seen EMTs, medics or cops eat so well or so fast (even better, this was the moment the idea of the blog was born!) I chose to use the ground meat mixture instead to make it a little more accessible for those who don't want to take 17 different steps to get to a similar end result. For those who don't know, meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal that is often placed together in the same package in the refrigerated meat aisle...it is NOT the paper packet of meatloaf seasoning that you found in the back of your cabinet! If you have leftover pulled pork or chicken, feel free to use that instead. You can also try adding other kinds of fresh vegetables into the mix...broccoli and corn would probably be great.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 small green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
3 small red bell peppers, seeded and sliced 

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 lb meatloaf mix

2 lb spaghetti or linguini

3 cups Honey Bear BBQ sauce (see previous recipe)

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the pepper and onion until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add the ground meat and continue to cook until browned and cooked through thoroughly. Add the BBQ sauce and bring to a boil. (Reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to cook while the pasta is boiling.)

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to boil. Season liberally with salt and add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente (firm but not hard), about 7 minutes, and drain. Toss spaghetti with sauce. Serve hot. Makes great leftovers which can be eaten cold.

Sesame Noodles

This recipe is completely original. I have tried many combinations to perfect the ratio of salty to sweetness, and hot versus cold. After trying to substitute brown sugar, honey, white sugar, orange juice, chunky peanut butter, extra salt, no salt, white vinegar, heating the sauce and leaving it cold, I have settled on this recipe as being the best one thus far. To make it a more of a complete meal, try serving it with a cucumber salad, or adding some shredded chicken and peanuts to the pasta before serving. I prefer it to be prepared simply, with as few ingredients as possible.

1 lb spaghetti
For the peanut sauce:

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 c smooth peanut butter

1/4 c soy sauce

2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chicken broth (from a box)-use veggie stock if you're going for a vegetarian version

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the dried pasta. Cook 7-8 minutes (as advised on the package), until just al dente. Meanwhile, combine the peanut sauce ingredients in a large bowl and whisk briskly until smooth.  Drain the pasta and allow to cool. Place the cooked pasta into the bowls in which you are serving your food, and spoon a liberal amount of sauce on top. Refrigerate leftover sauce and pasta separately as the sauce will absorb into the pasta in the refrigerator and will taste dry.