IPA Glazed Onions

Tangy onions glazed with the sweetness of sugar with a bite of an IPA.  It makes for a wonderful contrast of flavors that compliments steaks, chops or burgers.  These would be great in an omelet or mixed roasted potatoes.  The possibilities are endless!  And delicious!

I chose Harpoon IPA for this recipe.  Harpoon is a nice balanced beer; not too bitter so it won't overwhelm the other flavors.  







IPA Glazed Onions

1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Large Onion 
1 Cup IPA Beer
1 Teaspoon Raw Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Slice the onions very thin.

Melt the butter in medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add the onions and saute.  Stir occasionally.  Cook for about 5 minutes until they begin to brown.

Stir in the salt and sugar.  Then pour in 3/4 cup of beer.

Continue cooking until all the beer has been absorbed by the onions and they begin to brown slightly, about 18 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup beer and bring to a simmer. Keep onions warm until ready to use.

Spicy Sausage and Balsamic Peppers & Onions Sandwich

This is a sandwich of my own creation.  Sweet, savory, spicy, and cheesy.  It's almost the perfect sandwich.  

It's pretty messy, so I like to make mine open face. But if you don't mind all kinds of awesome juices running down your arms while you're eating then, by all mean, plop a bun on top of that bad boy and have at it!

Spicy Sausage and Balsamic Peppers & Onions Sandwich


¼ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Large Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Cut Lengthwise Into 1/2 –Inch Slices
2 Or 3 Jalepeno Peppers, Cut Lengthwise Into 1/2 –Inch Slices
1 Large Onion, Cut Lengthwise Into 1/2 –Inch Slices
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Pound Hot Italian Sausage
4 To 6 Fresh Kaiser Rolls
1 Pound Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced











In a large skillet, stir together the olive oil, peppers and onions over medium heat. Season with pepper and salt (I used Tony Chachere, instead).  

Saute the pepper for 5-7 minutes, until they are tender but still firm. Stir in the balsamic vinegar; cook for an additional 1 minute. Set aside.


Form the sausage into thin patties.  Cook sausage patties in a heavy large skillet over medium heat, about 7 to 10 minutes. Top with mozzarella and allow cheese to melt slightly.

Split the rolls in half lengthwise. Top with a sausage patty and a spoonful of peppers & onions.

Serve open face or top with another bun.  Serve sandwiches immediately.

Roasted Sausages & Vegetables

In my mind this is is truly comfort food.  Hot, savory and completely satisfying!  I cook the whole thing in a large cast iron skillet.  But you can use a roasting pan if you don't have one.

Roasted Sausages & Vegetables

8 (4″ long) sweet Italian sausages
4-5 medium red potatoes
4 large carrots
1 large onion
1 fennel bulb
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp oil
freshly cracked black pepper
2/3 c. chicken broth
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Brown the sausages.  Don't cook them all the way through, just brown the outsides.  Cut partially slice the sausages in half once they've cooled.

Quarter or half the potatoes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Peel one large onion, and cut into wedges.

Remove the base and stalks of the fennel, and cut into wedges.  Peel and slice the carrots and cut into chunks.  





Pour the broth into the skillet or roasting pan.  Add all the vegetables.  Season generously with salt and pepper . . . I used Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning.  Toss the vegetables to distribute the seasonings and coat with broth.


Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes the potatoes and vegetables should be fork tender. Place the sausages in with the vegetables and pour the balsamic vinegar all over sausages and vegetables.

Place the tray back in the oven, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes.

After 15 minutes, flip the the sausages and ladle some of the juices lurking at the bottom all over the vegetables and sausages. Put it back in the oven for the remaining time, until everything is nice and brown.

Print Recipe

Caramelized Three Onion Bisque

Caramelized Three Onion Bisque

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2 Large Heads Garlic Cloves, Peeled

4 Medium Vidalia Onions, Thinly Sliced

3 Large Shallots, Sliced

6 Green Onions, Chopped

1 Russet Potato, Peeled And Sliced

3 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary

6 Cups Chicken Broth

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Fresh Ground Pepper

Melt oil and butter in a soup pot over moderately low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Cook slow to allow garlic to caramelize.

Add onions and shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. 

Stir in potato, vinegar, and rosemary. 

Increase heat to high and sauté, stirring, for 2 minutes. 




Add broth and bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.

Allow soup to cool enough that you can stick a finger in it an not get burned. 

Purée soup in 2 or 3 batches in blender until very smooth. 

Pour back into pan and heat to a high simmer over medium heat.

Stir in cream season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

I served with crusty bread and grilled jalapeno-mango chicken sausage.

Print Recipe

...and the entire rigmarole disgusted me.

Today is tax day in the good ol’ U.S.-of-A.  The long and short of it?  It’s a day when we . . . the hardworking citizens of this great land . . .  get to figure out what we’ve earned vs. what we owe our bloated government.  It’s a lot of rigmarole to go through . . . but we all have to do it . . . well, the 52% of those of us who actually pay taxes, that is.

Rigmarole . . . a word that seems to be nonsensical but it is, in fact, a sensical word.  It is variation of a medieval term . . . Ragman’s Roll.

For those of you who have some knowledge of Scottish history . . . or have at the very least watched the movie Braveheart . . . you may have some familiarity with the term.

In 1291, before John Balliol took the Scots throne, each of the Scottish nobility and gentry had to recognize Edward I as their sovereign.  They signed a series of scrolls that included the English statutes to which that agreed to abide by.  The document was known as the Rageman.

Rageman was further used during Edward’s reign on a document that appointed official justices.  Rageman Roll eventually became the common term for the court documents . . . or scrolls . . . on which accusations were officially recorded.

In a mockery of the Ragman's Rolls . . . a game with the same name was played.  It involved a pile of rolled-up pieces of paper tied with string.  Each scroll, purportedly written by King Ragman, was inscribed with the description of a character written in verse. Each person would choose a roll and read what was written inside.  The contents were supposed to reveal the reader's "true nature," aloud to the great merriment of the group.  Ah . . . simpler times. 

Philly Cheese Steak Casserole

1lb Wide Egg Noodles

1-1/2 Lb. Beef, Boneless Sirloin Steak, About 3/4 Inch Thick

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

2 Medium Onions, Chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced or Finely Chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped

1 (14 Oz.) Can Reduced Beef Broth

1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Half-And-Half

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, Reduced-Fat Or Regular, Shredded

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. 

Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.

Meanwhile, remove any fat from beef.  Cut beef into 3/4 inch pieces.

Cook beef and pepper in skillet 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is lightly brown.  Stir in onions and bell pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Spoon into baking dish.

In medium bowl, beat broth and flour with wire whisk until smooth.  Add to skillet and heat to boiling.  Cook, stirring constantly, 

until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat.

Stir in half-and-half and mustard. Spoon over beef mixture.  Stir in cooked noodles.  Cover and bake for 40 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake uncovered about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.