MANGO-AGAVE GRANOLA

I saw Bobby Flay making this the other night on Brunch @ Bobby's. It's an easy granola that is relatively healthy. I know I should eat breakfast but I hate to have to cook something which means I usually eat left overs from the night before or some sort of frozen food or nothing. I decided to try to eat a little healthier which means I should if nothing else eat a healthy breakfast.

This recipe appealed to me because I can have the granola made and just sprinkle some over yogurt. Easy. This is a really delicious granola, the best I've had. I'm not that much of a granola fan but this one changed my mind. Try it, I'm sure you will love it. Plus it's quick and easy.

Mango-Agave Granola

1/4C canola oil

1/4C agave syrup (most groceries have it in the health food isle)

1/4C honey

1 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3C old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

3/4C slivered almonds

1/2C raw sunflower seeds

1/2C raw pumpkin seeds

2 Tbsp flax seeds

2 Tbsp wheat germ

1/4 tsp salt

1C diced dried mango*

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper or silicone mat

Mix the oil, agave, hone, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Combine the oats, almonds,sunflower seeds,pumpkin seeds,flax seeds,wheat germ and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture stirring to make sure everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture evenly onto the baking sheet. Bake stirring occasionally until golden- 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and let cool slightly. Add the diced mango and break the granola into chunks. Let cool completely.

Serve with yogurt.

Store the leftover granola in an airtight container in a cool place.

* you can add any kind of dried fruit you like or a combination of dried fruits.

BURGERS GALORE- PRESSED CUBAN STYLE BURGER

This is another great burger from Bobby Flay.
Yes, it's as messy as it looks, but so good. Worth the extra napkins.
I also thought that if I could find some roasted pork in the deli that would be good on this also.


Pressed Cuban Style Burger

1lb ground chuck
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 to 1/2 C mayonnaise
3 cloves roasted garlic pureed
1/4C Dijon mustard
4 hamburger buns
4 thin slices smoked ham
8 slices swiss cheese
2 dill pickles sliced into 1/4" thick slices

Form the ground beef into 4 patties about 1/4" inch thick. Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook in a saute or frying pan over high heat to medium rare, about 2-3 minutes.
Combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread both sides of buns with the mayonnaise and the mustard.

Place the slice of cheese on the bottom side of the bun, place the burger on top of the cheese, top the burger with a slice of ham and another slice of cheese then the pickle slices. Place the tops of the buns over the pickles and cook on a sandwich press or wrap the burgers in foil and cook in a hot skillet over high heat with a heavy skillet on top of the burger to press the sandwich. Cook until golden brown and the cheese has melted.

BURGERS GALORE!! MESA GRILL BURGER

I made this burger a while ago but it is worth blogging about for my burger blog. I had the original burger at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in Vegas and it was so good! There is nothing fancy about this burger but something about it is absolutely delicious. I actually wanted another one after finishing the first one.

After I got home I kept thinking about the burger. I remembered I had the Mesa Grilled Cookbook and Lo and Behold the recipe for the burger was in there!! I changed it up a little bit but but it was so good..not quite Bobby Flay's but pretty darned close.

The recipe is easy and quick to make.

The Mesa Grill Burger

sauce:

1/4C Dijon mustard

1Tbsp prepared horseradish, drained

1 large Vidalia or any sweet onion sliced crosswise into 1/2" slices

2 Tbsp canola oil

salt and pepper

2 pounds ground chuck

8 slices Cheddar cheese, preferably a mix of white and yellow. (I used Chipotle cheddar cheese)
4 sesame seed buns
4 slices beefsteak tomato
4 lettuce leaves

For the sauce whisk together the mustard and horseradish in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to high
brush the onion slices with the oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onion for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
While the onion is grilling for the meat into 4 patties. Season the burgers on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Add 2 slices of cheese to the top of each burger, cover the grill and let the cheese melt.
Place the burgers on the buns top with onion, tomato and lettuce and a dollop of horseradish mustard sauce.
Enjoy!!

NEW MEXICAN RUBBED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH BOURBONN-ANCHO SAUCE

I had one piece of pork tenderloin that I thought I'd use, usually the tenderloin is pretty bland unless it's marinated or rubbed. I had Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook sitting out so I flipped through it and found this recipe. It was a little bit hard finding all the chilli peppers and powders so here's what I did. I couldn't find Ancho, Pasilla or chile de arbol powders so I bought the dried chilies, at least I found the Ancho and I had the chile de arbol. I couldn't find any dried pasilla chilies but did find green chilies. I don't know what kind of chilies those were but it seemed to work. I just used an old coffee grinder and powdered a couple of each chilies to make the powder and it worked great.

For the tenderloin-2lbs pork tenderloin
3Tbs ancho-chile powder
2Tbs light brown sugar
1Tbs pasilla chile powder
2tsp chile de arbol powder
2tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground allspice
Kosher salt
2Tbsp olive oil
Bourbon-Ancho sauce
preheat oven to 400 degrees
Stir together the ancho powder, brown sugar, pasilla powder, chile de arbol powder, cinnamon, allspice, and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl.
Heat the oil in a medium oven proof saute or frying pan over high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper on all sides then dredge or rub in the spice rub tapping off any excess. Place the port in the pan and sear on all sides until golden brown... about 8-10 minutes.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the port to medium- 8-10 minutes.
Remove the pork from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice into 1 inch thick slices. Spoon sauce over or spoon sauce onto the middle of four plates and arrange pork slices (3) on top and spoon more sauce over the pork. Garnish with chives or cilantro.

Bourbon-Ancho Sauce
2Tbs olive oil
1 medium red onion finely chopped
2C plus 2 Tbs bourbon*
3 ancho chiles, soaked, seeded and pureed*
5 C chicken stock
1C thawed apple juice concentrate
8 peppercorns
1/4C packed light brown sugar
Kosher salt.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on high. Add the onions and cook until the onions are soft, 3-4 minutes. Add 2C of the bourbon, bring to a boil and cook until it is reduced to a few tablespoons. About 5-6 minutes.
Add the ancho puree,stock,apple juice,peppercorns,and brown sugar and cook stirring occasionally until reduced by half.
Strain through a fine strainer and return the sauce to the pan and reduce over high heat until it reaches a sauce consistency about 15 minutes. Add 2Tbs of bourbon and cook 2 minutes more, season with salt. This can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before using.

*I didn't have enough bourbon so I used a mixture of bourbon and brandy. Worked out fine.

*to make the chile puree : place the dried chiles in a bowl and pour boiling water over, let sit for 30 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water, reserving the water, remove the stems and
seeds. Put the chiles in a food processor with a little of the water and puree until smooth.