LOVE THEM CHICKEN WINGS!

I am on my second air fryer now.  My first was a Ninja 5-quart basket fryer which served me well for a few years.  Eventually the mesh in the bottom of the basket let loose from the sides of basket and it had to be put out of service.  These type of fryers work well for chicken wings as well.  You just need to stir the wings periodically to ensure even browning of the wings.  My current air fryer is the Ninja SP101 Digital Air Fry Countertop Oven with 8-in-1 Functionality.  Making wings in this bad boy is a walk in the park!

Follow my 50/50 Wings recipe below to get crispy juicy wings that will be the hit of the party!  Make sure you have some of our famous Bear Dog’s Kitchen All Purpose Rub on hand to season your 50/50 Wings ahead of cooking these up in your air fryer.

The Prep

Start with fresh chicken wings and make sure they are thawed out and relatively dry.  Now you can apply the rub directly to the wings one by one, flipping and repeating as you go but this takes a lot of time and wastes a lot of seasoning.  I recommend using a gallon size zip-loc bag to apply the rub.  You may need to do this in two batches but it’s still quicker and easier than applying rub to wings by shaking the seasoning directly onto the wings.

To use the zip-loc method, place about 3 tbsp. of the Bear Dog’s All Purpose Seasoning & Rub into the bottom of the one gallon zip-loc.  Now place about 1 pound of wings into the bag and seal up the bag leaving a good amount of air in the bag as well to make shaking and coating the wings easier.  Shake the bag pretty quickly for about 5 or 10 seconds or until the wings are nicely coated with the rub.

The 50/50 cook

My 50/50 Wings rely on 15 minutes of air frying followed by 15 minutes on bake to achieve a wonderful crispy exterior while maintaining a juicy wing on the inside.  To accomplish this simply set your air fryer on ‘Air Fry’ for 15 minutes at 395 F degrees.  Once pre-heated, slide the mesh rack of wings into the fryer with the catch pan underneath to catch the juices/drippings from the wings while they cook.

Once the 15 minutes has expired, using a tongs or a fork, flip the wings over to get ready for the next portion of the cook.  For the second half of the cook, set the air fryer on “Bake” and set to 395 F degrees, cook for another 15 minutes to finish the cook on your 50/50 Wings.

The Serve

Now that you 50/50 Wings are done cooking simply go ahead and serve these up however you love to eat your wings.  One of my favorite ways to eat these is to toss 6 or 8 wings in a bowl and drizzle with ranch dressing and Frank’s Extra RedHot.  Now I know that’s probably not for everyone.  Of course tossing some wings on a plate and serving dipping sauce on the side is always a good way to go as well.  Suggestions for sauces and sides include BBQ sauce, sweet & sour sauce, ranch dressing, hot sauces, even a little of your favorite jam or jelly!

50/50 Wings

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes 30 minutes

Nutrition facts: 431 calories 17 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken wings
• 1/4 cup Bear Dog's All Purpose Seasoning & Rub

Instructions

1. Make sure your chicken wings are thawed and relatively dry before cooking.
2. Toss the 1/4 cup of Bear Dog's All Purpose Seasoning & Rub into the bottom of a 1 gallon zip-loc bag.
3. Place the chicken wings into the zip-loc bag and seal the bag, leaving some air in the bag to aid in the shaking/mixing process.
4. Shake the bag to coat the wings in the rub.
5. Place the wings in a single layer on the air fryer mesh screen trying to leave a small space between each wing.
6. Pre-heat air fryer on 'Air Fry' setting and 395 degrees with the timer set to 15 minutes.
7. Once pre-heated, slide the mesh rack of wings into the fryer with the catch pan underneath to catch the juices/drippings from the wings while they cook.
8. Once the 15 minutes has expired, using a tongs or a fork, flip the wings over.
9. Set the air fryer on "Bake" this time staying at 395 degrees for another 15 minutes.
10. Remove wings at the end of this 15 minute "Bake' and serve with your favorite sauces!

The post 50/50 Wings first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

CHICKEN MARSALA

To get the best flavor on your Chicken Marsala I recommend you use a cast iron pan.  Using a non-stick pan you won’t get all the flavor bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  This is an important part of making a rue.  You will be deglazing the pan to remove this which becomes part of the sauce, also called a rue.

Also, I recommend using Marsala dry cooking wine.  I have tried this with real Marsala wine (from the liquor store) both dry and sweet.  Surprisingly the sweet Marsala wine imparted pretty good flavor, however the dry Marsala wine failed to add much flavor at all. I have found the dry Marsala cooking wine, from the grocery store, imparts the best Marsala wine flavor of the three.  Probably because it’s formulated especially for cooking!

Tenderize

The first thing you do to make this great Chicken Marsala is tenderize your chicken breasts.  To do this, use a piece of parchment paper folder over with the chicken breast set inside.  Smack with a meat tenderizer, smooth side, until the chicken is approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.

Pan Fry Chicken

Once the chicken has been tenderized, cut it up into 3 – 4 inch chunks or whatever size you prefer in your dish at the end.  Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a gallon size Ziploc bag.  Place the cut up chicken in the bag, seal and shake until the chicken is well coated with the flour mixture.  Next you’ll want to get that cast iron pan ready.  Put it on med-high heat and toss in the butter.  Once the pan is hot and the butter is melted, go ahead and arrange the floured chicken breasts into the pan.  We’re just going to get these browned up on both sides, not necessarily cooked through.  They will finish cooking at the end.

Fry for 1 – 2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom and flip the chicken breast pieces over.  You may want to rearrange them a bit as they cook to try to get an even browning on all pieces and both sides.  If the butter and juices start to dry up or you notice the pan starts smoking, add another chunk of butter and maybe turn down the heat a bit.  Fry on the the second side until well brown.

Take the pan off the heat to stop the cooking process and remove the chicken from the pan.  Set aside on a platter for now.    Set the pan back on the heat and toss in another chunk of butter.   Your pan should look something like the picture below.  These burnt down bits are essential for developing a great rue, we’ll be deglazing this pan soon.

Mushrooms Garlic and Shallots

Toss in your sliced mushrooms, diced shallots, and minced garlic.  We like the sliced portabella mushrooms which are called Baby Bellas where we shop.  You want to stir the mushrooms, shallots and garlic to combine with the butter and remaining liquids in the pan.  Stir and fry for a few minutes until mushrooms start to darken in color and start to shrink up just a bit.

Deglaze the Pan

Toss in Marsala cooking wine and chicken broth.  Now it’s time to deglaze the pan.  As the Marsala wine and chicken broth start to come up to temperature, use a wooden spoon, fork or other utensil to scrape up the bits that were stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Continue to stir and combine until the pan feels smooth as you scrape across the bottom.

The Finish

As the pan comes back up to temperature (starts to simmer), turn down the heat to around a medium or even medium low.  You want to end up at a strong simmer as we want to start to thicken, or reduce, the sauce at this point.  Once you got it to a good simmer add the heavy cream and the fresh thyme and give a stir to combine the ingredients.  I strongly recommend using fresh thyme as it imparts a wonderful flavor and aroma.

Simmer for 8 – 10 minutes or until sauce appears noticeably thicker and reduced in volume.  Now go ahead and add back in the chicken you set aside earlier.  Stir again until well combined and simmer for another 4 or 5 minutes to heat through the chicken.  Ready to serve!

Not sure about Chicken Marsala?  Try this great Pan Fried Perch recipe!

Chicken Marsala

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, trimmed
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter, unsalted
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 (8 oz.) packages sliced portabella mushrooms (Baby Bellas)
• 2 small or 1 medium shallot(s)
• 1 cup dry Marsala cooking wine
• 1 cup Chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. fresh Thyme
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1.  Tenderize your chicken breasts.  Take a piece of parchment paper folded over with the chicken breast set inside.  Hit firmly with the smooth side of a meat tenderizer until the chicken is approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.
2.  Cut tenderized chicken into 3 - 4 inch chunks or whatever size you prefer in your dish at the end.
3.  Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a gallon size Ziploc bag.
4.  Place the cut up chicken in the bag, seal and shake until the chicken is well coated with the flour mixture.
5.  Put your pan on med-high heat and toss in a tbsp. of the butter and a tbsp. of the olive oil.
6.  Once the pan is hot and the butter is melted, go ahead and arrange the floured chicken breasts into the pan.  We're just going to get these browned up on both sides, not necessarily cooked through.  They will finish cooking at the end.
7.  Fry for 1 - 2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom and flip the chicken breast pieces over. If the butter and juices start to dry up or you notice the pan starts smoking, add another chunk of butter and maybe turn down the heat a bit. Fry on the the second side until well brown.
8.  Take the pan off the heat to stop the cooking process. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter and set aside for now.
9.  Set the pan back on the heat and toss in another tbsp. of butter and another tbsp. of olive oil.
10.  Toss in your 16 oz. of sliced mushrooms, diced shallots, and minced garlic.
11.  Stir the mushrooms, shallots and garlic to combine with the butter and remaining liquids in the pan.  Stir and fry for a few minutes until mushrooms start to darken in color and start to shrink up just a bit.
12.  Toss in Marsala cooking wine and chicken broth.  Now it's time to deglaze the pan.  As the Marsala wine and chicken broth start to come up to temperature, use a wooden spoon, fork or other utensil to scrape up the bits that were stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Continue to stir and combine until the pan feels smooth as you scrape across the bottom.
13.  As the pan comes back up to temperature (starts to simmer), turn down the heat to around a medium or even medium low.  You want to end up at a strong simmer.
14.  Add the heavy cream and the fresh thyme and give a stir to combine the ingredients.
15.  Simmer for 8 - 10 minutes or until sauce appears noticeably thicker and reduced in volume.
16.  Add back in the chicken you aside earlier.  Stir until well combined and simmer for another 4 or 5 minutes to heat through the chicken.  Ready to serve!

The post Chicken Marsala first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

LOVE. GOOD. STEAK.

We’ve enjoyed these in restaurants for years before I attempted to make them at home.  My wife now tells everyone that my filets are consistently better than all but one restaurant – Zelo in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Hey, I’ll take it.

2022 update: Zelo is no longer, maybe another victim of the pandemic?  So now my filet is on top!

So how do you make filet at home?  It REALLY is one of the easiest things to cook!  Read on…

The Sear

Take your raw filets and hit them with a bit of salt and pepper on both sides.  Pre-heat your oven to 275 F as we will finish the cook in the oven.  In a frying pan (I prefer cast iron but any fry pan will do) heat up about 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high.  Once the pan is hot place the filets in the pan along with some fresh rosemary sprigs.  You can forgo the rosemary if you want, you’ll still make great steak, but the rosemary imparts a nice flavor that I think you’ll enjoy and is a classic way to cook filet mignon.

Once the first side has browned nicely (this should only take one to two minutes) flip the filets over. Use a tablespoon to spoon the pan’s rosemary infused melted butter over the top of the filets.  You’ll want to do this a few times while the second side is browning.  If juices are too sparse to spoon, toss in another chunk of butter to give enough to spoon over the filets.

Bring up to Temp

Once the second side of the filets has browned nicely, about another minute or two, remove from heat and put in the oven.  Now, as I use cast iron, my pan can go directly into the oven after the browning of the filets.  If your fry pan is not oven safe, you can simply take a pizza pan or any aluminum cake pan, etc. and line it with some aluminum foil to make clean up easier.  Then transfer your filets to the oven safe pan before placing in the oven.  You will want to spoon some of the rosemary infused butter over the filets after you transfer them to your pan.

You want these in the oven until the internal temperate reaches 145 F, for medium rare (recommended).  In you have an aversion to the red center of medium rare you can let these reach 155 F for a less red center.  DISCLAIMER: Your results will vary – based on: the thermometer or method used to determine doneness, how your thermometer is placed in the filet, and the size of your filets.  This is where practice makes perfect.  If it’s a little under or over, adjust your target temperature next time until you’re cooking them just the way you like them!

I use a wired remote thermometer, like this one.  Place the probe into the center (very important) of the largest filet, inserting probe at least to the center, maybe a little past the center.  You want to pick up the temp from the center of the filet.  You can also use an instant read thermometer, like this one, and check the temp every so often until the target temperature has been reached.

The Finish

Once the target temperature is reached, use a hot pad to remove from oven.  Note, if you placed your fry pan directly into the oven, DON’T absent mindedly grab the handle to remove the pan from the oven! (I have done this)  Use these.

Now let the filets rest.  Tent some aluminum foil over the filets to retain some heat and let them rest at least 3 minutes, up to 5 minutes.  This allows the internal juices to redistribute and the temperature to stabilize a bit.  If you cut into the filets right away without allowing them to rest they may produce some quite red juices on the plate, resting should prevent this, assuming the internal temperature was properly reached.

I know this is a long read, I wanted to give you all the ins and outs, but these really are as simple as 1) Brown in butter and seasoning, 2) Bake until internal temperature has been reached.  Now go make some great steak, and save $100 in the process!

Not ready to take on filet mignon?  Try my great burger recipe!

Filet Mignon

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Serves: 2 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 307 calories 12 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• (2) 5 oz. filet mignon
• 2 tbsp. butter
• salt and pepper
• fresh rosemary (optional)

Instructions

1. Turn oven on to 275 F to let it heat up while you sear the filets.
2. If your frying pan is not oven safe, prepare a oven safe baking pan, I have used a pizza pan, covering with foil (not necessary but makes cleanup a breeze).
3. Put a light coat of salt and pepper on the filets, flip and repeat to coat both sides.  Let rest while you heat up the pan.
4. Place the butter in a small to medium size pan and set to medium high heat.  On my stove I use around 7 or 8 on the dial that goes to 10.
5. Once the pan is hot or the butter is starting to bubble, place the filets in the pan and into the melted butter.
6. Toss in some fresh Rosemary sprigs around the filets.
7. Wait about 1 to 2 minutes and with a fork or tongs lift up the filets and check the browning.  Keep cooking these and checking the level of browning until well browned or to your liking.
8. Flip the filets over to brown the other sides.
9. Use a tablespoon to scoop up and baste the filets with the rosemary infused butter mixture.
10. The second side won't take as long as the first, so check after a minute or so and continue to sear until browned to your liking, basting occasionally.  Remove pan from heat immediately once browning is complete.
11. With a fork or tongs transfer the filets to the baking pan and spoon some of the pan juices over the filets.  Alternately, if using and oven safe pan, you can place it directly into the oven.
12. If using a remote digital meat thermometer, set it to 145 F and place the probe in the center of the filet.
13. Bake the filet mignon in the 275 F oven until the internal temperature reaches 145 F.
14. Remove pan with filets from the oven and place on a the stovetop or another heat resistant surface.
15. Leaving filets on the pan, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 3 - 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Notes

DISCLAIMER: Your results will vary - based on: the thermometer or method used to determine doneness, how your thermometer is placed in the filet, and the size of your filets.  This is where practice makes perfect.  If it's a little under or over, adjust your target temperature next time until you're cooking them just the way you like them!

The post Filet Mignon first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

CHOP. ROAST. SIMMER. YUM.

I am using my new Recteq Bullseye wood pellet grill to roast up a pile of red peppers for this amazing red pepper soup.  I also highly recommend that you use an immersion blender to blend the soup at the end as it is much safer than trying to dump a pot of simmering soup into a blender!  Alternately you could use a potato masher to mash and do a rough blend of the soup, leaving it a bit chunkier.  It’ll still taste just as great.

To Start

You will want to wash your peppers and remove the seeds and soft webbing from the inside…  Chop the red peppers into large chunks and drizzle with olive oil and hit with some salt and pepper to prepare these for the grill.

Ready for the grill!

Smoke Roasted Red Peppers

At 500 degrees F the red peppers will take about 20 minutes to roast.  I recommend you keep an eye on this process so that they don’t get overly charred.  Turn them over and rearrange as needed to get an even cook on all the peppers.  To roast these in your oven the process is very similar.  Follow the directions for broiling for whatever type of oven you have.  Typically this is placing the peppers 5 – 6 inches away from the broiler element and setting the oven to broil at 400 to 500 degrees.  The key is to keep an eye on things and adjust as necessary.

Roasted red peppers on the Recteq Bullseye wood pellet grill

Soup It Up

While the peppers are roasting peel and chop the onion, carrots and celery, no bigger than about a 1/2 inch chop.

Next, heat up a stock pot on med-high on the stove with a tbsp. of olive oil and cook the chopped onion, carrots and celery until they start to soften.

Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, basil and thyme giving a few more stirs until the garlic, basil and thyme is thoroughly combined.

Add the vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes and the roasted red peppers. Stir thoroughly.

Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 40 minutes remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients to a nice soup like consistency.

Serving Options

This red pepper soup is great for those following a Keto diet or any low carb diet.  For other Keto friendly options you can check out my Keto friendly recipes as well!

I like to top with some fresh ricotta however you may want to experiment with other flavors…  Sour cream, creme fraiche, grated parmesan or croutons are all great options as well!

Smoke Roasted Red Pepper Ricotta Soup

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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes 50 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 6 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• Garlic powder (to taste)
• 5 red bell peppers
• Large onion (yellow or white)
• 4 stalks celery
• 4 large carrots
• 3 garlic cloves
• ~5 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (plain, no Italian spices added)

Instructions

1.  Cut red peppers in half and rinse while removing seeds and soft spines inside.
2. Cut in half again to prep them for roasting.
3. Drizzle prepped peppers with 1 tbsp. olive oil and hit them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Fire up smoker to 500 degrees and once it has reached temperature place the peppers on the grill surface and shut the lid. (Alternately roast these in your oven on broil about 4 or 6 inches under your broiler element)
5. While the peppers are roasting peel and chop the onion, carrots and celery.  These should be fairly small so they cook through easily, no bigger than about a 1/2 inch chop.
6. Heat a 5 quart stock pot on med-high on the stove with a tbsp. of olive oil, once heated toss in the onion, carrots and celery.  Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and add 3 garlic cloves by running them through a garlic press.  Alternately chop garlic finely if you don't have a garlic press.
8. Rip up the ~5 fresh basil leaves and 1 tbsp. of fresh thyme and add to the pot.  Note: don't include the woody stalks the thyme comes on.  Simply rub a handful of the thyme between your hands to release the thyme leaves from the stalks.
9. Reduce heat to medium and return the pot to the heat stirring often until the garlic, basil and thyme is thoroughly combined.
10. Add 4 cups of vegetable stock, 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes and the roasted red peppers. Stir thoroughly.
11. Once the mixture starts to boil immediately reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
12. After 40 minutes remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
13. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients to a nice soup like consistency.  Note, it will still have some texture which is just fine.
14. Serve up in your favorite soup bowl and top with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese.  You can also toss on a few chopped chives for nice contrast of color.

The post Smoke Roasted Red Pepper Ricotta Soup first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

EAT A SAMMICH.  BE HAPPY.

Mainstreeter’s was my daughter’s favorite place to go for a quick bite to eat when we lived in River Falls, Wisconsin in the early 2000s and this Philly beef and swiss sandwich (also could be considered a version of a French dip sandwich) was one of her favorites.   I think Mainstreeter’s disappeared for a while then re-opened but at the time of this writing it appears Paddy’s Pub & Boxty House has taken over that space.  Oh well.  All the more reason you need to make these Philly beef and swiss sandwiches from my recipe below!

We always make six of these at a time so we have leftovers.  We’ve found you can wrap leftovers Philly beef and swiss sandwiches individually in aluminum foil and place in the fridge.  This will keep them intact and protected without jamming them into a Tupperware container or anything else.  Store the onion & pepper mix separately in a container as well as leftover au jus.  Whether you call them Philly beef and swiss sandwiches or a loaded version of a French dip sandwich I think you’ll find these are an indulgence worth coming back to time and again!

Ready for the broiler!

If you’re looking for something a bit healthier, consider this filet mignon recipe.  If you’ve never cooked filet mignon at home before you need to give this a try!  It’s so easy and save a ton of cash compared to going out to eat…  Also don’t forget to check out the Bear Dog’s Kitchen store!

Mainstreeter's Philly Beef & Swiss

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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 35 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 672 calories 41 fat

Rating: 4.3/5

( 3 voted )

Ingredients

• 6 hoagie buns
• 1-1/2 pounds sliced roast beef (we like the garlic roast beef variety)
• 1 large onion
• 3 bell peppers (your choice of colors, we leave out the green ones, personal preference)
• 12 slices swiss cheese
• 2 sticks butter (we use unsalted butter)
• 1 jug of au jus concentrate (we use Johnny's French Dip au jus concentrate)

Instructions

1. Follow the directions on the au jus concentrate adding au jus concentrate and water to a sauce pan to make about 4 - 6 cups of au jus.  Put this on medium heat and stir occasionally while working on the rest of the recipe.  If it reaches a boil, turn down to very low heat just to keep warm.
2. Slice up the onion into roughly 1/4 wide slices.
3. Cut up the bell peppers (removing the core, internal webbing and seeds) into strips 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide.
4. Place 2 tbsp. butter into a large frying pan and heat to med-high, place peppers and onion into pan and continue to cook and stir until they soften up.  Set aside.
5. Cut open the hoagie buns (if not pre-sliced) and place on a foil lined cookie sheet, in an opened up position, with the insides facing up.  Usually you'll be able to fit 3 hoagies per sheet, so you'll need two lined cookie sheets typically.
6. Soften the butter, either on the counter hours ahead or carefully in the microwave (takes only seconds).
7. With a brush or a butter knife, cost the inside of the hoagies with butter, paying attention to get the edges well, the centers don't need as much (or any if you choose to cut back on the butter - since the roast beef and swiss cheese will cover the centers)
8. Place 3 or 4 slices of the roast beef on one side of the open hoagie buns.
9. Place 2 slices of swiss cheese on the opposite side of the open hoagie (beef on one side, cheese on the other).
10. Place under the broiler approximately 5 inches away from the heating element and place oven on broil.
11. Keep an eye on this step as they can burn fairly quickly. Depending on your oven and evenness of it's heat source you may want to rotate the sheet of sandwiches to get them to brown more evenly.
12. Once browned up to your liking remove from the broiler (cheese and roast beef should be warmed up nicely by now).  Total time under the broiler should only be 3 - 5 minutes typically.
13. Add the fried pepper and onion mix on top of the roast beef on each prior to serving.
14. Pour some au jus into ramekin or other small bowl. Serve and Enjoy!!

Don't forget to broil the second pan of sandwiches after the first is done!  Keep an eye on these so they don't burn!

Notes

There is kind of a lot to do here when making this recipe. It helps (but not required) to have two people. Start the au jus, have one person work on the onion and pepper mix and the other prep the sandwiches for the broiler. These also pair well with some potato chips and french onion dip!

The post Mainstreeter’s Philly Beef & Swiss first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

POUND. CUT. COAT. FRY.

Let’s face it, eating healthy can be a pain.  We eat low carb as a life style choice and occasionally go full Keto to supercharge results.  It doesn’t take long to get some cravings for something a little less healthy.  These chicken tenders dipped in some ranch, hot sauce, or no sugar added BBQ sauce is a great way to stay low carb and feel like your cheating!

To Start

If you don’t have a meat tenderizer you can use a rolling pin to pound the chicken, this is what I used before I purchased a meat tenderizer.  The chicken tenders will truly be more tender if you take the time to do this step.  To tenderize, take a section of parchment paper at least a couple feet long.  Place the chicken breasts on one half of the parchment paper and fold the other half over the top of the breasts.  With the flat side of the meat tenderizer pound the chicken evenly until thinned nicely, probably leaving it about 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick.

Next

Next simply cut these tenderized chicken breasts to the size you would like them for serving / dipping.

To Cook

I pan fry these in a cast iron skillet.  A non-stick teflon pan will work fine too…

Dip each chicken tender in the egg and then into the dry ingredients coating thoroughly then place into the fry pan.

Paying attention to the first tenders placed into the pan, after about 2 or 3 minutes start checking the bottom side for browning.  Once well browned turn them over, working through all the tenders as they brown up.

The second side might cook a bit faster now that everything is heated up, including the chicken tenders.  Once the second side is well browned remove from pan and serve.  If you’re not confident on whether they are properly cooked through; use an instant read thermometer placed into the center of the biggest chicken tenders and make sure you reach 165 F before removing from the pan.

If you’re on a keto meal plan these have about 3 grams of carbs per serving (1/4 lb.) Don’t forget to check out my other Keto Friendly recipes!

Pan-fried Chicken Tenders

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 215 calories 15 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken breast (or chicken tenderloins)
• 1 egg
• DRY INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup canned parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. chili pepper (I use Chipotle Chili Pepper for an extra kick of heat)

Instructions

1. Trim any excess fat or skin so you have clean chicken breast.
2. Tenderize and pound thin: Place chicken breasts in parchment paper, pull enough off the roll to put the chicken on one end and fold the rest over the top of the chicken.  With a tenderizer mallet (smooth surface side) pound the chicken until thinned about in half (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick).
3. Slice chicken into the size of tenders you want to eat, I do about 1 inch wide by 2 - 4 inches long.
4. In one bowl break and whisk the egg.
5. In another bowl add the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until well blended.
6. In a cast iron skillet add 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil and bring up to a med-high heat.
7. Dip each tender in the egg and then into the dry ingredients coating thoroughly then place into the fry pan.
8. Paying attention to the first tenders placed into the pan, after about 2 or 3 minutes start checking the bottom side for browning.  Once well browned turn them over, working through all the tenders as they brown up.
9. The second side might cook a bit faster now that everything is heated up, including the tenders.  Once the second side is well browned remove from pan and serve.  If you're not confident on whether they are properly cooked through; use an instant read thermometer placed into the center of the biggest tenders and make sure you reach 165 F before removing from the pan.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I use Frank's Extra Red Hot and Ranch primarily, which are keto friendly as well. There are a lot of low carb options out there now, like Sweet Baby Ray's No Sugar Added barbeque sauce and G Hughes' Smokehouse Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce.

The post Pan-fried Chicken Tenders first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

TO-MAY-TOW. TO-MAH-TOW.

We prefer locally grown hard-neck garlic for all our recipes that utilize garlic.  The stuff you’ll find in most grocery stores is soft-neck garlic, usually imported from China.  Hard-neck garlics come in varieties like Porcelain White, Rocambole, German Hearty, and Music.  I encourage you, if you’re fans of garlic like we are, find a farmer’s market and pick up some hard-neck garlic and give it a try!

To Start

You’ll find this is a simple recipe to pull together.  First you will want to  combine the ground beef, rice, water, basil, salt and pepper, and the two minced garlic cloves in a mixing bowl and mix well.  Getting your freshly washed hands in there to mix by hand is they easiest way to accomplish this.

Then, roll the ground beef mixture into golf ball size balls and place into a 9×9 baking pan.

Next

Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and water into bowl and mix thoroughly.  Pour this mixture over the porcupine balls.

Cook

Cover pan with foil and place into a 375 F oven for 35 minutes.

After 35 minutes, remove foil and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

Check center of porcupines with an instant read thermometer until they read at least 160 F.

Ready to serve!

When cooking these, the porcupines around the edge of the pan will cook faster than those in the center. Around the half way mark, I move the center porcupines to the edges and some of the porcupines from the edges back to the center to even out the cooking.  Another simple home cooked meal using ground beef is our Homemade Sloppy Joes.  Check ’em out!

Tomato Basil Porcupines

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes 45 minutes

Nutrition facts: 312 calories 8.3 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup instant brown rice
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp. fresh basil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• Sauce:
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Combine in a mixing bowl the ground beef, rice, water, basil, salt and pepper, and two minced garlic cloves.
2. Mix well.
3. In a 9 inch x 9 inch baking pan; roll the ground beef mixture into golf ball size balls, place into pan.
4. Once all the ground beef mixture has been made into balls, add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and water into bowl.
5. Mix the sauce to combine the ingredients and pour over the meatballs in the pan.
6. Cover pan with foil and place into a 375 F oven for 35 minutes.
7. After 35 minutes, remove foil and continue cooking for another 1o minutes.
8. Check center of porcupines with an instant read thermometer until they read at least 160 F.

Serve. Enjoy.

Notes

We often double this recipe so that we have leftovers to reheat for future meals. I often make mashed potatoes along with the porcupines and to serve I place the mashed potatoes in a serving size bowl and place porcupines on top, along with some of the sauce. When cooking these, the porcupines around the edge of the pan will cook faster than those in the center. Around the half way mark, I often move the center porcupines to the edges and some of the ones at the edges back to the center to even out the cooking.

The post Tomato Basil Porcupines first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

SLOPPY JOES? BAR-B-QUES? MADE-RITES?

Where I come from these are called Sloppy Joes.  These are sometimes called made-rites, bar-b-ques, or BBQs, and even loose meat sandwiches.  Although we did have a Made-Rite restaurant in town for a while and I loved their sandwiches.  I could never figure out how they got the hamburger so tender.

My pan fried sloppy joes always seemed a bit tough compared to the sandwiches we used to get at Made-Rite.  However I recently discovered the Instant Pot (like 2 or 3 years after everyone else).  I digress.

With the Instant Pot, some magic happens apparently through pressure cooking.  These are way more tender than straight pan frying!  Not sure why, or what method Made-Rite uses to cook their ground beef, but give these a try and let me know what you think!

What you need to know

The great thing about homemade sloppy joes is that you can use whatever you have on hand to make the sauce and create the flavor profiles you want.  In this recipe I use a small onion, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, liquid smoke, tomato paste, and Jalapeño slices.

I would suggest and of these ingredients are optional and subject to substitution.  For instance the white vinegar can be replaced by a bit of dill pickle juice, right from the jar!  Your favorites flavor of BBQ sauce could easily be used in place of the ketchup and tomato paste.  Of course, if your not a fan of Jalapeño slices you may want to replace with dill pickle slices!

If you’re looking for a unique burger recipe instead of these Sloppy Joes you need to check out my Wedge Burger.  My Wedge Burger uses my secret burger recipe that makes for a most juicy and tender burger!

Homemade Sloppy Joes

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes 20 minutes

Nutrition facts: 240 calories 7.2 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (thawed, 80/20 or leaner)
• 1 small onion (optional)
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tbsp. ketchup
• 2 tsp. yellow mustard
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste (optional)
• Jalapeño slices (optional)

Instructions

1. Dice the onion.
2. Set your Instant Pot to sauté.
3. Once hot put the thawed ground beef in the Instant Pot and stir/break up with a wooden spoon until browned and broken up into crumbles.
4. Add the diced onions, continue the sauté and stir occasionally for another minute or two.
5. Turn off the Instant Pot for now, remove ground beef/onion and drain off some or all of the fat if you like.  I almost always drain off about 75% of it as I prefer my sloppy joes a bit less greasy in the end.  Be careful! the grease is hot!
6. Return ground beef/onion to Instant Pot and add all the other ingredients.
7. Give a quick stir to combine the ingredients and let the flavors infuse the beef while pressure cooking.
8. Put lid on Instant Pot and close the vent.
9. Set Instant Pot to 'High and Pressure Cook' for 5 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes and open the vent if not naturally vented already.
10. Stir again to thoroughly combine flavors and serve!

Note: I prefer my sloppy joes on a toasted bun and with the added kick of a handful of jalapeño slices!  All optional of course!  To brown buns melt a 1/2 tbsp. of butter in a hot fry pan. Place buns face down in the butter and check frequently for your preferred level of browning.  You may need to push down on the centers of the buns if they crown up while browning...

Notes

The beauty of homemade sloppy joes is that you can use a vast array of ingredients, depending on what you have on hand. That's why onion, tomato paste, and liquid smoke are optional but keep in mind you can use whatever flavors sound good to you! For example, my grandma used a dash of dill pickle juice straight from the jar instead of the white vinegar here. You can vary the volume of the spices and all ingredients to your preferred levels to get the flavor you desire. It may take some experimenting but that is the joy of cooking! Some other ideas: Try adding a bit of your favorite bar-b-q sauce or if you prefer a much more tomato type sauce base for your sloppy joes, add a 1/2 can or up to a full can of tomato sauce leaving out the ketchup.

The post Homemade Sloppy Joes first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

CAST IRON LOVE.

I like to use my cast iron pans for pan frying fish fillets.  Of course any pan will work but cast iron imparts that crispy pan fried crust and flavor just a bit better and feels more like camping and shore lunch!  I was able to acquire fresh perch filets however you may only have access to frozen.  If that’s the case just be sure to thaw well per instructions on packaging.  Make sure your perch filets are flexible and not hard in the center after thawing.  Hard centers indicate they are still frozen in the center and they won’t cook through this way.

To Start

Grab a medium size bowl and add the flour, cayenne, salt and pepper.  Mix well with a fork to blend the spices.  Add the butter to your pan and get it warmed up on medium – medium high heat.  Once the butter begins to bubble simply dip your perch filets in the flour spice mixture and shake off excess.

Pan Fried Perch

Place the perch filets in the cast iron pan in a sequence, like going around the clock face for example.  You do this to help keep track of how long the perch filets have been in the pan.  After about two minutes you’ll want to start checking the first filet you placed in the pan.  Once browned go ahead and flip. Work your way around the pan following the order you put the filets into the pan.  Keep flipping once browned until all the perch filets have been flipped.  Now, about two minutes after the first filet was flipped you’ll want to check it again.  Once well browned on the second side you should be able to remove it from the pan.  Be careful as they are fragile at this point.  I recommend using tongs like these to avoid breaking the filets! Other signs that the filet is done is the filet will firm up and the flesh will be flaky.

The Finish

Now that all filets have been browned and flipped,  Work your way around the pan again removing the filets when done.  When removing the finished perch filets it helps to place them on a platter with a paper towel or two underneath to absorb some of the butter and liquids from the pan, keeping the fish crispier prior to serving!

For another quick pan-fried meal be sure to check out my Pan-fried Chicken Tenders!

Pan Fried Perch Filets

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes 10 minutes

Nutrition facts: 198 calories 7.1 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh perch filets
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. fresh grind black pepper
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• lemon juice or one fresh lemon

Instructions

1. Place flour, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  You want to make sure the spices are well distributed throughout the flour.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet on medium - medium high heat.
3. Once the butter is melted and starts to bubble dip the perch filets one at a time in the flour mixture.  Coat well and shake off excess, you want a thin coating.
4. Lay the filets in the pan and keep track of where you started, laying filets from left to right or in another sequence you can remember.  This will help you know which perch filets are likely next to be browned up and ready to flip.
5. Let cook for 2-3 minutes checking the first couple perch filets you placed in the pan to see if they're well browned on the bottom starting around the 2 minute mark.
6. Once the perch filet you put in the pan first is browned nicely, go ahead and flip it over slowly work your way around the cast iron pan again checking for good browning and proceed to flip until all filets are turned.
7. Once it's been about 2 minutes from when you flipped the filets, start checking them again for good brown color on the bottom.  Also pay attention to the firmness, when they are done they will firm up.  They will also get flaky and might break open a bit.  Firm and flaky is done.
8. Once done take the filets out of the pan being careful not to break them, they are delicate.  A tongs works well.  Place filets on a serving platter and serve them up hot!
9. Note: We enjoy these with a dash of fresh lemon juice right before diving in with a fork!

Notes

Serve with your favorite sides! When I cooked up these perch I had the oven on 'warm' (170F) and placed the platter of cooked perch in the warm oven while I tossed a handful of fresh asparagus back into the hot pan until browned up nicely for my side. Classic sides for this meal include coleslaw, buttered dinner rolls, white clam soup, and baked potatoes!

The post Pan Fried Perch first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.

PAIRS WELL WITH A STRONG RED WINE. JUST SAYIN’…

I like to pair blackened salmon with pan fried asparagus and a strong red wine like Shiraz.  Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon also works well!

To Start

Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and celery salt (optional) in a small bowl and combine well.  I like to stir with a fork until spices are fully blended.  Alternately you can buy pre-made blackening seasoning if you wish.  Old Bay makes a blackening seasoning that we have used before we started making our own by blending the spices ourselves.

Sprinkle the spice mix on the salmon filets coating both sides liberally.

The Cook

Add the butter and olive oil to a small frying pan and place the burner on a medium – medium high temperature.

Once the butter and oil gets hot (butter starts to bubble a bit) roll the pan around a bit to combine the oil and butter.

Place the filets in the pan and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.

Check if well browned/blackened to your liking and turn them over.

The second side usually will cook faster due to the filets being hotter and the burner and pan being at full temp so check after about three minutes.  Cook until blackened to your liking.

Remove from heat and serve!

This meal is super keto friendly.  Be sure to check out my entire Keto Friendly section here!

Blackened Salmon

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Serves: 2 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes 10 minutes

Nutrition facts: 224 calories 13 fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• (2) 5 oz. salmon filets
• 1 tsp. butter
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• spice rub:
• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and celery salt (optional) in a small bowl and combine well. I like to stir with a fork until spices are fully blended.
2. Sprinkle the spice mix on the salmon filets coating both sides liberally.
3. Add the butter and olive oil to a small frying pan and place the burner on a medium - medium high temperature.
4. Once the butter and oil gets hot (butter starts to bubble a bit) roll the pan around a bit to combine the oil and butter.
5. Place the filets in the pan and cook for 3 - 4 minutes.
6. Check if well browned/blackened to your liking and turn them over.
7. The second side usually will cook faster due to the filets being hotter and the burner and pan being at full temp so check after about three minutes.  Cook until blackened to your liking.
8. Remove from heat and serve!

Notes

If your salmon filets are quite thick you may want to reduce to a slightly lower heat setting and cook longer on each side. This will allow the salmon to cook through to the middle without over blackening the outside. Salmon is done when it feels firm to the touch and flakes easily. (Note for comparison how the salmon is soft and flexible when raw) If you prefer a more definitive way, use and instant read thermometer and cook to an internal temp of 145 F.

The post Blackened Salmon first appeared on Bear Dog's Kitchen.