The good news is that we do have a little more self restraint than the blog actually portrays.  This is actually a dish that we cooked back in the fall, that we have yet to get around to posting.  We’ve done fairly well with our New Years’ goals (NOT resolutions), but that doesn’t mean that we can’t pass along some awesome recipes to our readers.

This is a recipe that highlights the incredible possibilities of owning one’s own meat grinder.  The steps of this recipe are very simple: (1) take delicious meat, (2) grind it together (3) package it in a consumable form (4) eat and enjoy.  We love hanger steak.  We love high-quality bacon.  With a few additions and minimal seasoning, this is a recipe for success.  You probably have one in your mind right now.  (Ie – pork shoulder and country sausage; or, sirloin and pancetta, or bottom round roast, short ribs, and guenciale, or………)

We could continue discussing these meatballs, but we’d rather go out and buy meat.  And grind it.  And forget about any sort of non-resolutions we may, or may not, have published…

Recipe: Hanger Steak and Bacon Meatballs

The ironic thing about the popularity of our first Teres Major post is that it’s one of the few times that we shared a cooking failure on the blog.  Don’t get me wrong – all sorts of disasters occur in our kitchen.  Just ask Dan about the fish we served him in 2009 that was burned and raw all at the same time.  Very special.  On our blog, we like to be positive, and share our good cooking experiences.  Besides, learning from one’s own mistakes is often much more helpful that laughing at someone else’s.  (Feel free to laugh at us after hearing more about that fish, though.)

When we first tasted Teres Major, however, we were so excited about this new cut of beef we had found that we didn’t care that (a) the sauce came out WAY too heavy, (b) our original recipe didn’t work out and (c) the sides and presentation were fairly boring.  We had just learned all this cool stuff from the butcher, and had a meal that tasted great despite its appearance.  So, we shared it with you… and the rest of the world.

In the meantime, we’ve continued to cook teres major on special occasions and when we can find it. We still recommend it to you, along with hanger steak, as alternate cuts of meat that are less expensive, but incredibly flavorful and tender.  To inspire you to go out and buy some, here’s a new recipe:

Recipe: Teres Major with a Cabernet Reduction

This cocktail isn’t for sissies. You need to A) like cognac, B) not think egg white in a cocktail is weird, and C) be in the mood to mix something special. This isn’t a complicated recipe, but you have to be willing to take 5 minutes to mix your drink…and depending on your Monday, you might just want a beer. Even if you don’t make this tonight, vow to make it sometime soon – it’ll be a new favorite.

Recipe: East Side Press

Don’t get me wrong – every now and then it’s fun to look back at our old posts, where we mention parts of our life that now seem to have happened ages ago, remembering what life was like in each month of our marriage. Time certainly adds perspective… but in this case, thankfully, time added a few camera skills… so, here’s to better photos and a new recipe for a good, fun meal: Fondue.

Recipe: Asian-Inspired Fondue

Oh, PS: Happy Super Bowl watching! Feel free to share any go-to Super Bowl recipes in the comments!

I can remember Dad’s blackened fish from childhood, and remember it being a revelation because I thought I didn’t like fish. We really love Thomas Keller’s pan-roasted fish technique, and I thought that I could meld that with some spices to get a somewhat blackened/somewhat pan-roasted result.  It worked out pretty well!

You could definitely vary the spices for a more “blackened” fish, and you can, of course, change the accompaniments. Hopefully this recipe can spark some ideas for your own creations; and if you follow it step-by-step, let us know ideas for making this even better!

Recipe: “Bronzed” Black Grouper

Chance’s Birthday Post and Life Story

Solely given Mary Katherine’s direction of “I like bourbon-based cocktails,” the bartender whipped up one of our new go-to favorites, and one that we heartily recommend to you.  The result is the Brown Derby – a delicious blend of grapefruit juice, bourbon, and a mild sweetener.  We’ve tinkered with the recipe over the past few weeks, and we’ve decided on the proportions that we like the  best.

While it’s not recommended for breakfast, here’s a way to get all of the health benefits of grapefruit in a relaxing, well-deserved-end-of-the-day-treat form.

Recipe: Brown Derby Cocktail

Last year, we made a Boozy Rouge cocktail, a Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Curry Vinaigrette, and a Grapefruit Cake, among other things, and this year we made a new cocktail (coming soon) and a new dessert: Grapefruit Chess Pie.

We’re familiar with Lemon Chess Pie and Chocolate Chess Pie (which we love) but this new pie might be our favorite. It had a little less tang than its lemon counterpart, and had just the right amount of sweetness, too. We’ll definitely make this again…and I doubt we’ll wait until next Christmas… we may not even wait until Easter!

Recipe: Grapefruit Chess Pie

However, there are several cases when a typical summer drink might fit January just fine:

1. The temperatures are confusing you.  It’s almost 70 degrees… is it really winter?

2. Even though it’s not that cold, you’re pining for summer.  Re-create summer in a glass.

3.You just booked a summer trip that will land you on Elbow Cay in the Abaco islands for a week.  In a place like this:

All three apply to us, so we decided to toast to good friends and plans for good times ahead.  To create the above scene in a cocktail glass, we suggest you join us in disregarding cocktail seasonality norms and make a Dark and Stormy:

Recipe: Dark and Stormy

We also want to say thank you for using 2frugalfoodies as a food and recipe source.  Since we began the blog in March of 2009, we’ve had over 107,000 visits.  In the last few months, we’re consistently getting over 100 visits a day.  It’s fun to share ideas, recipes and pictures about food and drink; and especially fun to share it with such a great audience.  Keep coming back, never hesitate to comment, and stay in touch with us in 2012!

Chance Approved: 2011 2frugalfoodies Year in Review