Beat Bob’s Meat-Warning: NOT Adult Content Like You Had Hoped

Late in July my dear friend Bobby hosted a party at the Lakehouse where he issued the following challenge: Beat Bob’s Meat. Bob thought he made the best meat around and he was ready to defend his self-imposed title of winner, winner, steak dinner. As a vegetarian, I obviously had to enter, I took 4th, which isn’t bad considering I didn’t even taste test the finished product 🙂 Mr. Wonderful also entered with a tried and true Veg Bon Vivant pre-veg days recipe, his was by far the most beautifully plated dish, if there were a best in class, it was certainly the best assembled piece around. Below are some of the recipes Mr. Wonderful and I put together for the day.

Oh, you want to know who won?  Duncan’s Special Hot Dogs.  He got $166.00 toward his college fund.  🙂  Bob’s meat was beat!

First, for Kaitie’s hubby….the addictive bbq black bean dip recipe…shhhh, it’s good for you!

BBQ Black Bean Dip

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp canola oil
• 2 C cooked black beans
• 4 T tomato paste
• 1/4 C Cider Vinegar
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 T vegetarian Worchestershire sauce (if you want you can sub soy sauce)
• 1 T mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add onions  and saute until they begin to brown, about 6 minutes or so.  Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until you have a smooth dip.  I took the smooth dip, transferred it to a pie plate, topped it with taco flavored 2% cheese and backed it until bubbly.  Served it with blue corn tortillas.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sammies

• 1/4 C hot jalapeno jelly (i used my recipe i posted earlier)
• 1 tsp water
• 1 T paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar or Splenda
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 (1-lb) pork tenderloins trimmed
• cooking spray
• 1/4 C light ranch dressing
• 1/4 C sweet smoky bbq sauce *recipe following the directions
• hamburger rolls, kaiser buns or dinner buns

Directions:
Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Combine jelly and water, set aside. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through pepper), rub evenly over pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray, cover and grill 15 minutes, turning pork occasionally. Brush pork with jelly mixture. Grill an additional 5 minutes or until thermometer registers 155 degrees (slightly pink, yes, it’s okay, i assure you-we don’t get Trich from pork any longer due to all the antibiotics it’s poked with while it’s growing. don’t even get me started). Place pork on a cutting surface. Lightly cover with foil, let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice pork. Combine ranch and bbq sauce in a small bowl. Spread on the bun of choice from above add sliced pork and serve. Adapted from Cooking Light a really long time ago…so long ago it’s not even on the website anymore!

*Coffee BBQ Sauce (used on pork sammies above)

• 1 T canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 T chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3/4 C reduced sugar ketchup
• 1/2 C strong coffee
• 1/2 C cider vinegar
• 1/4 C molasses
• 2 T Dijon mustard

Directions:
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion 5 minutes or until soft. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic and paprika, cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Stir in remaining ingredients and 1 C water. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. I then put the entire mixture into my food processor to make it nice and thick. Use as you would any other bbq sauce. This one will freeze nicely, but only keep in fridge for 1 week or less.

Recipe from Vegetarian Times March 2008

Two more recipes to come later.  I can’t give you everything you want ALL of the time 🙂