Be'Wiched

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A while ago, someone told me that I had to try the egg and pastrami sandwich at Be'Wiched. I've tried other sandwiches from this deli before, and they have always been good. Plus, I can never pass up an egg sandwich of any kind. The sandwich consisted of an over easy egg, pastrami, bell peppers, and harissa (a North African chili sauce) served on a cheese and rosemary Focaccia bread. The bread was fresh, the egg was cooked perfectly, and the pastrami was tender. The peppers and harissa added big flavor. Usually in the morning, I go for more simple flavors that are delicate on the palette, but you have to make an exception every now and then. I also discovered that Food Network's magazine had an article featuring the best breakfast spot in each of the 50 states, and Be’Wiched’s egg and pastrami took Minnesota.

Cossetta's

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This Italian restaurant is located in St. Paul, and it is our favorite place to go and grab some hearty Italian. The lasagna is out of this world: Italian sausage, mozzarella, ricotta, and their amazing red sauce are only parts of this amazing dish. Crazy enough, the lasagna comes with a side of penne pasta with more red sauce and a garlic bread stick. If you leave Cossetta’s feeling unsatisfied or with an empty stomach, you went to the wrong place.

This last particular time, I was really feeling a meatball sub. Pretty simple sandwich really: meatballs, red sauce, all on a good, crusty bread. I’ve also had a very good Italian cold cut and pizza that I put right up there with the lasagna. If I lived closer to St. Paul, this would be my go-to spot for pizza.  It’s an abnormally huge, thin crust pizza that can be served by the slice.

Once you walk in, you make your way over to the beginning of the line. After grabbing your tray, utensils, and napkins, the ordering of food goes as follows: cold food, hot food, pizza, then drinks. There is a second floor for additional seating and on the opposite side of the food stations, there is a little Italian market with good meat, cheeses, olive oils, and so much more.

 

Juicy Lucy

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After having our first Juicy Lucy, we were inspired to make our own.  The ingredients I used are as follows: -   1 lb. of 85:15 ground chuck -  1 egg yolk -  1 jalapeno -  Gouda (Can be smoked Gouda) -  Bacon -  Ciabatta

I was a little worried that the ingredients would break through the meat while they were on the grill, so I used an egg yolk to help hold the meat together. I cooked the bacon, let it cool, then thinly sliced it. I cut the Gouda into very small pieces and minced the jalapeno. For two burgers, I divided the meat into quarters. I took two of the quarters and made small patties, and then placed the Gouda, bacon, and jalapeno on top of the patties (I put a generous amount as you can see below). I then placed the other two patties on top and sealed them around the edges. I placed them back in the refrigerator until we were about ready to begin the cooking process. I took the meat out of the refrigerator and let sit for awhile, and then salt and peppered both sides. I cooked the burgers on the grill which was about 450 degrees (I like to use high temperatures when cooking red meat). I used Ciabatta since it was available and fresh at the store, but you can use any good hamburger bun. We didn't have any particular condiments set aside for this burger as any thing could really work.

Chicken Sriracha Tacos

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After talking with someone the other day about shrimp and fish tacos with an Asian slaw and Sriracha mayo, I was inspired to throw this dish together. I had chicken on hand, so I figured that would work for my protein. The original recipe was also going to have an Asian slaw, but since I only had fresh herb salad around, I altered the concept further. So here’s the rundown.

-       Panko Chicken – first pound the chicken until it is about a half-inch thick. Dredge the chicken in flour followed by a beaten egg mixture.  You can repeat this process for thicker breading. End with generously coating the chicken in Panko breadcrumbs.

-       Instead of the Asian slaw, I made a sweet-and-savory vinaigrette for the fresh herb salad. I combined pure maple syrup with balsamic vinegar and simply mixed it to taste. An Asian slaw would be ideal, but this is a simple and quick substitute.

-       Sriracha mayo is exactly that. Just mix the two together until you have a nice pink color and the spice is where you like it.

I fried the chicken in vegetable oil until it was golden brown, tossed the salad in the vinaigrette and heated the tortillas. All that is left to do is put it all together and enjoy as a simple, light, yet flavorful meal.