Tasty Tuesday-Bob's Birthday Recipes

Bob, like most dogs, is a meat lover (well he is an anything edible lover) but he does love his meat.   For his 5th Birthday I decided to make him a turkey and beef meat loaf cake with liver frosting, the liver frosting is Kolchak Puggle great recipe for whoopee pies.

Bob's Meat Lover Birthday Cake

•  1 1lb ground beef
• 1 1lb ground turkey
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 10 oz bag mixed frozen vegetables, I use Cascadian Farms
• 2 beaten eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Stir the meats, pumpkin, oatmeal, and wheat germ together until well combined.  Next add the vegetables and the eggs and mix well.   Spray a cake pan with non stick spray and add the meat mixture.  Bake 1 hour.


Liver Frosting From Kol's Notes

1/2 1lb of cooked liver (I used beef but chicken would be fine)
1/4 cup of water


Chopped the liver up very fine in the food processor and add the water as it runs.  Process until a paste forms.  

 Peeps got to eat too and I decided to make something meaty for the humans as well.  The hound's dad loves brisket so I decided to try some brisket sandwiches I had been thinking of making for a while, and boy where they good.

Barbecued Brisket Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Coleslaw Adapted from Bon Appetite (sorry for the bad picture)

 Spice Rub

• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin

Combine all of the ingredients for the spice rub in a container.  This can be done one week ahead.

Barbecue Sauce

• 1 large dried Ancho chili
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste

Soak the Ancho chili in 1/2 cup of hot water.   Combine the chili, soaking liquid, pomegranate juice, dark brown sugar, pineapple juice, molasses and tomato paste in a large pot and whisk until completely combined.  Heat over medium low heat until it simmers gently, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in 2 tbsp of spice rub and cook 10 minutes more and stir frequently.  This can be made 2 days ahead.

 Blue Cheese Coleslaw
8 slices, of bacon cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 packages coleslaw mix (16 ounces)
3/4 cup mayonaise
2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Combine the coleslaw mix and bacon in a large bowl.   Whisk the liquid ingredients together well.   Add to the coleslaw and mix until well combined. 



Brisket

• 1 3-5 lb flat cut brisket
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 chopped garlic clovers
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Rub the brisket all over with the spice rub and place in the slow cooker.  Combine all of the other ingredients until the sugar is dissolved and pour over the brisket.  Cook on low for 12 hours (do this the night before you want to eat it).

 In the morning refrigerate the brisket and the cooking liquid in separate containers.   Before you are ready to make the brisket remove the hardened fat from the cooking liquid.   Combine the cooking liquid and 1 1/4 cups of barbecue sauce in the blender.  Shred the meat and place it in a large pot.  Add the barbecue sauce mixture and heat over low heat until warmed through.


For the Sandwiches

• Rye Bread
• Blue Cheese Coleslaw

 Toast the bread and top with brisket and coleslaw.  Its really yummy