Nordic Smoke BBQ Beans

Today is a special day here at The Barnyard Bistro.  I get to introduce you to some really great guys that make REALLY great BBQ! During a recent stop in Spokane, WA on my radio tour, magic happened. I put a drumstick, a rib and some peculiar looking BBQ beans on a plate expecting to have an average BBQ lunch. I won't say I'm a BBQ snob, but you know everyone from the South thinks they have the best BBQ. Hell, we even argue with eachother about which area in the South has the best BBQ! Anyway, I sat down and took my first bite of chicken, (and had to catch it as it slides off the bone) I was blown away! Equally as impressed by the incredible flavor of the fall-off-the-bone rib, I was excited to taste-test those peculiar looking beans. I had never seen BBQ beans with Butter (large lima beans), Kidney and Black beans in them. They looked delicious, and oh. my. goodness. they were...and then came the heat ::quick, short breaths::. I am a weenie when it comes to spicy food but I wholeheartedly appreciate a little kick and these are just hot enough to make your mouth tingle, and maybe grab a sip of water in between bites. The combination of all of my favorite beans in one bite was like a flavor party in my mouth! I immediately asked, (okay, it was more of a beg), the Nordic Smoke BBQ guys to send me a recipe I can share with y'all and, lucky for us, they graciously obliged. They even shared their Behind The Beans story to let us know where the recipe originated:

We found this recipe in an old family cook book that had been compiled over the years with hand written entries. Most of the recipes were dusted with flour or smudged with bacon grease so it was apparent that all of the recipes were in practice. When we started doing catering we turned to the tome of family recipes for guidance and this bean recipe jumped out at us. We modified the recipe slightly but for the most part it is the same recipe we found on that grease smudged notecard.  ~Kacy Tellessen

Meet The Guys (and girl!): 
Kacy, Dusty, Melissa and Gary Tellessen are the culinary masterminds behind the family operation. Kacy sweetly referred to his wife Mellissa as the 'queen of the side dishes." While he and his brother Dusty focus on the centerpiece of every carnivore's entree...the meat. He says that their dad Gary is the inspiration behind most of the recipes and still lends a hand from time to time.

If you live or wind up in the Spokane area, give these guys a shout! You can find Nordic Smoke BBQ on Facebook, just click here. They have a "roving BBQ trailer" that they roam around in making taste buds happy all over Spokane! They'll post on Facebook when they are out and about. If you are not lucky enough to be anywhere near Spokane, you should still make a pit stop at their Facebook page to thank them for sharing this recipe with us. 

1 pound bacon cooked to a crisp

1 cup chopped onion

1 jalapeño diced (we don't seed it)

1 15 oz can of Van Camps pork and beans

 1 can of kidney beans (rinsed)

1 can of black beans (rinsed)

1 can of butter beans (rinsed)

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Brown sugar

1 T liquid smoke

3 T apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

First crisp up the bacon until it is hard and crunchy. The liquid in the beans will re-hydrate the bacon so in order to avoid chewy bacon it is a must to crisp the bacon to the verge of burning. Dice the onion and jalapeño, if you like spicy don't seed or stem the jalapeño. Mix all of the ingredients together and the hard part is over. If you have a smoker I prefer to cook the beans uncovered at 225-250 for approx 3-4 hours or until the temperature of the beans reaches 165 degrees, but a conventional oven dutch oven or crock pot will work just about as good.

Enjoy! XOXO~

Broiled Salmon with Hoisin Glaze

Last night was a "throw something together night" because I haven't had a chance to visit the grocery store since I got back from my recent travels to Nashville and Indiana. I always keep fish filets in my freezer (see my note below), so I pulled a few salmon filets and set them out to thaw. I wasn't in the mood for plain ole grilled or baked salmon, I really wanted a glazed salmon. While looking through the pantry my eye kept landing on a jar of hoisin sauce so I grabbed the jar and threw together this hoisin-glazed salmon recipe. The salmon was perfectly tender and just slightly sweet. The hubs was gushing about how good his dinner was... which is the goal after all, right? The best part is that it took hardly any effort at all! Y'all let me know what you think!

4 salmon filets (4-6oz each)

3 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce

3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp agave nectar

1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic or garlic paste

Lemon zest

2 Tbsp fresh cut scallions

Glaze:
2 Tsp Hoisin Sauce
2 Tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp agave nectar

In a baking dish combine: hoisin, soy sauce, agave nectar, lemon juice, garlic and lemon zest. Add salmon filets and spoon the mixture over the salmon making sure to coat the entire filet. Cover and refrigerate to let marinate for one hour. Mix the glaze ingredients in an oven safe bowl, such as a mini soufle dish or a small Pyrex dish, and set aside. Turn on your oven's "Broil" setting and allow 5-10 minutes for it to heat up. Place the marinated salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet and into the oven. Broil for 12-15 minutes, depending on how well done you like your salmon. Place the bowl with the glaze mixture into the oven for the last 5 minutes to heat it up. Remove from the oven and baste the salmon with the glaze. Sprinkle with fresh cut scallions and serve immediately.

Step 1                                                 Step 2

    

Step 3                                            Step 4

And Viola!

NOTE** I find that it is cheaper to hit up Sams Club or Whole Foods and buy the entire salmon side (or a couple of them) while its on sale and then portion it out yourself. This way you get to control the portion and you save a few coins in exchange for doing the extra work of cutting it into small filets yourself.  I buy it fresh, portion it out and wrap each portion in plastic. I then fill a gallon-sized freezer bag with the filets and stick in the freezer. 

Brown Sugared Acorn Squash

This is one of my favorite fall side dishes to serve to family and friends during the fall and winter.  The presentation is beautiful, the squash is quintessentially "Fall."  Each time I make this recipe I close my eyes and take in the smooth, creamy, sweetness of the first bite. It is a super easy dish that often surprises guests that are not familiar with the winter variety of squash. You can find acorn squash year round at the big name grocery stores, however, the season for acorn squash is considered to be late fall through winter. 

2 acorn squash

2 Tbsp butter or margarine

4 Tbsp brown sugar

salt, cinnamon and nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a sharp knife and cut the acorn squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from the center, similar to how you would clean out a pumpkin. Fill a large baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water. Place the acorn squash cut-side down in the baking dish. This keeps the skin and flesh moist and tender. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Bigger squash may take an extra 15 minutes or so, it should be fork tender all the way through. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the squash from the baking dish and flip them cut side up on a serving dish. In the well of each squash add 1/2 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp brown sugar a dash each of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. To enjoy, mix the butter, brown sugar and spices into the flesh of the squash. (Makes 4 servings)