May 2012
7 posts
8 tags
Philosophy of Sausage Making
from Daniel Larkin to jamey w. bennett
I’m so far behind in my TwoDudes emails that I don’t even know where to begin. Luckily for you, I made sausage the other weekend, so this seems like as good a place as any to pick up the ball. I don’t know if you’ve ever made sausage, but I hadn’t, and I assumed it was going to be ridiculously difficult. I had always thought a...
8 tags
Easy Jamaican Cornish Game Hens
from: Jamey Bennett
to: Daniel Larkin
Hey Daniel,
I wasn’t going to make a post about this, since I didn’t do much except throw a few things together, but the result was so outstanding, and the ingredients are readily available at many grocery stores, that I thought it was worth sharing. I got all my ingredients at Whole Foods, except for the game hens (though I did seek out...
6 tags
Russian Marinated Mushrooms
from: Jamey Bennett to: Daniel Larkin
Dude,
One of the cool things about being a convert to Orthodox Christianity in America, is that Orthodoxy here is less than 100 years old, and so you get a little taste of old world traditions as handed down by grandma. It’s definitely upped the ante for my appreciation of all things Greek, Arab, Ukrainian, and Russian. Since being in a Russian...
Easy Mozzarella Sticks - TDF Facebook Exclusive →
11 tags
North Carolina Barbecue Sauce & Tacos
from: Jamey Bennett to: Daniel Larkin
Hey Dude,
Since North Carolina is basically your next door neighbor, I doubt I have to be the one to tell you that North Carolina barbecue rocks.
1. I love vinegar. 2. I love spicy food. 3. I love to eat pigs.
On a side note, I think it’s funny that the word “barbecue” to a North Carolinian means pulled (or chopped) pork and a spicy...
5 tags
Carne Asada with Roasted Salsa
from: Jamey Bennett to: Daniel Larkin
Dude, I made a really delicious, really simple roasted salsa. I just ate a few bites and my mouth is warm and fiesta-like. Four tomatoes, two jalapeños, red and yellow onion roasted for about 35 minutes at 300 degrees. Added it to the blender with four cloves of garlic, salt and pepper, cilantro, cayenne, crushed red pepper, lemon juice, and a splash of...
11 tags
Sheila's Amazing Beer Chili
from: Jamey W. Bennett to: Daniel Larkin
Dude,
My friend Sheila in Nashville makes what is possibly the best chili I’ve ever had. Last year, she gave me her recipe to use in a chili cook-off at church, and she has given me permission to share it with the world.
She sent me a follow-up email about a meatless version she makes. She said she does it pretty much the same way as below,...
April 2012
2 posts
4 tags
Whole Food Veggie Tacos FTW!
from Daniel Larkin to jamey w. bennett
I finally did it! Veggie tacos made with real food!
My main qualm with vegetarian options at home is that they usually involve some sort of processed fake meat. Not that I’m staunchly opposed to using them (my Skyline Chili knock-off and my chicken-less tacos both rely on faux-meats) but I’ve always wanted another option. What comes next...
5 tags
West African Peanut Soup
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Dude,
I’ve only just discovered African food in the last year or two, and I am a huge fan of what I’ve had. My exposure is still pretty much limited to Ethopian food and Harissa sauce. The nearby Whole Foods carries a couple of kinds of Harissa, and I’m in love with the one from a DC area company, Cava. Soon, I’m going to try my hand...
March 2012
2 posts
4 tags
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
from Daniel Larkin to jamey w. bennett
As you obviously saw from my Instagram photo yesterday, I made sweet potato gnocchi last night. It was my first attempt at any kind of gnocchi, and it was WAY easier than the online reviews made it sound. These were actually a kind of trial run for something I’ve wanted to take camping for a while, but they turned out so well, I think I’ll...
5 tags
Delicioso Adobo Seasoning
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Hey Dude,
It’s no surprise that I add a Mexican twist to most foods I prepare. Since discovering this adobo seasoning, I always keep this on hand. I got the basic idea from a cookbook, but I’m not even sure of the title.
Makes a fantastic spice rub, great in soups, marinades, etc. I’ve put it on beef, chicken, and fish. I’m sure...
February 2012
1 post
6 tags
Vegetarian Reuben
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Dude, Did you once tell me that you make a vegetarian reuben? Jamey
from Daniel Larkin to me
Funny enough, I cut tofu this morning and started marinating it for ruebens tonight. Jenny’s parents are coming over for it!
I use my homemade kraut, so it’s basically the shit. Plus, the marinade mimics slow smoked, salty beef fairly well....
December 2011
1 post
5 tags
SOUPS!
from Daniel Larkin to jamey w. bennett
It’s downright shameful how long it’s been since we swapped recipes – picture texts and Facebook bragging not withstanding. I’ve been on a huge homebrewing and comfort food tear lately, and I’m finally at a breathing point where I can record it all.
So it’s officially soup season, and this is the first year I really feel...
November 2011
3 posts
4 tags
Jive Turkey
Daniel Larkin 11/23/10 to me
So I’m in charge of the turkey and stuffing for this year’s Knoxville Thanksgiving. Believe it or not, with as much cooking as I’ve done, I’ve never roasted a bird. But you have, during the turkey sandwich challenge. Do you have anytips/suggestions? The only twist I plan on implementing is rubbing chopped herbs between the skin and meat of...
5 tags
Squash Stuffing, Roast Chicken and Chicken Soup
Daniel Larkin 4:39 PM (16 hours ago)
What’s up, dude? How’s the double shift lifestyle been treating you? Work seems to be picking up, as long as the engineers can stay on top of the scheduling. I’m hopeful that a five day work week is around the corner, so fingers crossed.
In food news, though, I’m officially obsessed with roasting chickens. Being married to a...
5 tags
Fried Foods! Yay!
Daniel Larkin to jamey 10:57 AM
So I sent you pictures of our Bar Food Friday last weekend, but I wanted to share the goods. The chicken nachos were decent; we made them using my veggie taco recipe with real chicken. We started drinking before cooking, so we were a little rosy by the time we got to the cheese, and it ended up more like a Mexican mozzarella than queso fresco. But I’m...
October 2011
6 posts
5 tags
Cincinnati Chili!
Daniel Larkin to jamey 10:41 AM
I don’t know if you’re aware of my family’s obsession with Skyline Chili, the Cincinnati purveyors of heaven in soupy meat form. They aren’t located in Tennessee, and as far as I know, the closest location to me is in Louisville, Kentucky. Still, it’s worth the drive.
For all of their unwillingness to sprawl, two stores somehow...
4 tags
Tofu Rueben
Daniel Larkin to jameyshow details 10:16 AM (1 minute ago)
I’m not going to lie to you, Jamey, last night I made the best tofu rueben I’ve ever eaten. This normally wouldn’t sound like a big deal except that an all vegetarian restaurant in Knoxville named Veg-O-Rama used to make a tofu rueben that would knock my socks off – that is until they closed shop. Anyway, I think I...
7 tags
IPA-Crusted Pizza
Dude, It was good to talk to you tonight, and a bit of an encouragement just to share stuff with ya.
So the verdict is in. The pizza was really good. I’m still way amateur when it comes to homemade pizza, but theconsistency and presentation on this one was pretty good.
Basically, I kinda just winged it. I really wanted pizza, but I wanted to stick with my October Unprocessed commitment. So at...
2 tags
5 tags
Hot Sauces of Two Dudes
to Daniel Larkinfrom Jamey Bennett
Hey man,
I hope your journey is fantastic. I wanted to drop you a quick note about some sauces I made today. I made two hot sauces, two wing sauces, and finished up my fermented hot sauce. I think one of the wing sauces needs its own post, and the fermented sauce deserves its own as well.
SO…let me start with my basic sauce. I started making this when...
September 2011
8 posts
6 tags
Sauerkraut at Home
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Dude, So my sauerkraut was a hit at my wedding this past weekend, even among the non-kraut-enthusiasts. I used a combination of my priest’s “50 lbs. every autumn” recipe with some techniques I found online. Basically, I used an empty sanitized brew bucket, a growler filled with water (for weight), a small plate, a knife, a kitchen scale, a...
4 tags
A Call to Raise the Bar
Daniel Larkin to jamey show details 12:13 PM (1 hour ago)
First off, congratulations on your wedding. The photos I’ve seen are fantastic, and Alison’s dress looked stunning. I hope the celebrations went off without a hitch, and I hope the sauerkraut was a hit. Your presents are still sitting on our kitchen counter waiting to be mailed. Hopefully that will happen today.
But down...
6 tags
Unexpectedly Delicious Salsas
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Dude,
So with #weddingweek craziness upon us, I thought it would be nice to have my brother, sister-in-law, and parents over for dinner right when they got to town. I had intended to get a locally-sourced brisket for my smoker, but the lady at the buying club dropped the ball somehow.
Anyway, so I decided to make tri-tip tacos. I smoked carne...
5 tags
Spinach Enchiladas
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin date Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 10:02 PM
Dude,
I’ve got something for your Mexican night, mostly invented tonight. The best part about this is not the enchiladas themselves, it’s the sauce. Now, you might ask, what made you think to do this, Jamey? I’m glad you asked, and I’l tell you. I went to the grocery, trying to spend between $10...
3 tags
Vegetarian Chicken Soft Tacos
From: Daniel Larkin Date: Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 7:56 PM Subject: Today I share the secret To: “jamey w. bennett”
After years of blindly making this recipe, I finally measured the ingredients for my chicken soft tacos. I figured you should be the first person I share the recipe with. If anyone can give me constructive feedback on my taco recipe, it’s you – the taco guy. I...
5 tags
Fresh Red Sauce
from Daniel Larkin to jamey10:39 AM
I know I’ve told you about my rustic marinara with carrots, onion, celery, rosemary, thyme, oregano and Cabernet Sauvignon; a recipe I learned/adapted while working at Cafe Nonna in Nashville. I use this for lasagna and other hearty dishes.
But I don’t know if I’ve ever told you about my simple red sauce. It’s nothing I learned at a...
4 tags
How to Really Grill Steaks →
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Hey man,
You probably don’t do steaks a whole bunch, but I came across this link a couple years ago and it has changed everything about how I prep steaks. Worth the read.
Jamey
P.S. Click the title.
10 tags
Agave Lemon Beer Butt Chicken - with BACON
Every year, if we’re all together, my (Jamey) family has a beer butt chicken cook-off around Christmas or New Years. This is what I did in 2010, and it was awesome. Daniel asked what I did…and here’s my response.
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Okay, here it is.
1 whole chicken
1 beer butt stand (you can get these at Walmart or online)
1/2 beer in a can (you can use a...
August 2011
10 posts
4 tags
German Pork Ribs!
I’m sure I’ve told you about the Octoberfest party Jenny and I are planning for this Fall. We’ll have two 5-gallon kegs – the Octoberfest, which I entered into the TN Valley Competition (it took silver!), and the Bohemian Pilsner. We’ll also be grilling all day. This is actually what inspired my recent crack at making sauerkraut (results still unknown).
Anyway,...
7 tags
Thai Yellow Beer Curry
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Dude,
So tonight when I was texting you about my yellow curry, I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was (though there is certainly room for improvement), so I didn’t expect to be writing this. But damn. It was good, and my secret is beer.
Since I’m not so experienced in preparing Thai food, I’ve picked up a few books, one of which...
4 tags
Pickled eggs with eggs and pickle juice. Easy.
Daniel Larkin to jameyshow details 9:53 AM (4 hours ago)
I don’t even think this qualifies for Two-Dudes material since the recipe calls only for eating pickles and boiling eggs – and the boiling part is optional now that Eggland’s Best sells pre-boiled eggs. Are you ready for the easiest and simultaneously the greatest snack ever?
Step 1) Buy Kalusen’s Dill Pickles. Step 2)...
4 tags
Lamb burgers, dude. Lamb burgers.
I finally remembered what recipe I was going to pass on. Two words, dude; Lamb-Burgers. Technically that’s a hyphenated word, but you get the point.
This is something John and I did during our “Backyard Camp” a few weeks ago. We wanted to test out our hammocks, but we didn’t want to risk a shitty night’s sleep in the woods if it was a disaster. So we did an overnight camp out on the giant...
8 tags
Tuna Steaks Nate Larkin Style
Daniel Larkin to jamey
I don’t know if I’ve ever shared my father’s tuna steak recipe with you. If I haven’t, I officially apologize for leaving you in the dark this long. It’s super easy and super healthy. (On the salty side of healthy, really.)
I guess the place to start is the bread. My father buys prepared naan at a grocery store and tosses it on the grill...
3 tags
Corn Tortilla Chips
from Daniel Larkin to jamey w. bennett
How is it that we’ve been trading food emails for all these years, and I’ve never heard that you make your own chips? If they’re going to be part of your bio, then by God the recipe should be posted. I really just want to try them myself.
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Dude, it’s super easy.
Deep fryer and vegetable...
6 tags
Fritters with Pineapple Salsa
from Daniel Larkin to jamey w. bennett
OK, one of my favorite new side items is Fritters with Pineapple salsa. So here’s a brief overview of my recipes.
Salsa: Two pasilla (or poblano) peppers One Anaheim pepper One jalapeno pepper One red onion (I roasted it whole, but I really only used the outer half, which had roasted most) Half head of garlic Six Tomatoes Approximately half...
4 tags
Jerky Recipes
Jerky recipes are here! Here are the recipes for the jerky snacks I’ll be bringing to my next hike. One is a spicy (slightly less than I had hoped) and one is a sweet Carolina-style bbq.
After trimming the fat from my 2-1/4 pound sirloin roast and cutting the meat into 1/4 inch strips (cut with the grain), I ended up with just under 2 pounds of jerkable beef. So each recipe is essentially...
8 tags
Happy Monday
from Daniel Larkin to jamey w. bennett
Happy Monday. Eat or drink anything interesting over the weekend?
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Yes, I sure did!
First off, I went to a Thai restaurant that is literally a few blocks from my house. It was incredibly delicious. I wish I had taken a picture of the potstickers I got. This is one of those restaurants that focuses on flavor and...
5 tags
Pulled Pork Tacos
from Jamey W. Bennett to Daniel Larkin
Dude,
I am eating the most amazing pulled pork tacos ever. I still haven’t made your faux chicken tacos, but you inspired this. I sauteed onions and jalapenos in olive oil, added precooked pulled pork and cilantro, then poured 100% mango-orange juice over it and cooked it until all the liquid was gone. Added to whole wheat tortillas (which I briefly...