This Sunday is Father’s Day. My husband (a dad) enjoy meals made just for him, with him in mind. So I rounded up a few of his favorites (there are too many to include), plus one I know he’d like to try-BBQ Sundaes.

And so, if you forgot to get the dads in your life a gift-or, like in our case, he doesn’t need any more: ties, coffee cups/travel mugs, shaving sets, signs for his non-existent “man cave,� air fresheners for his car, pens, novelty tools or grilling utensils-try making him a meal worthy of his appetite. And family contributions.

Recipes wanted! Submitted recipes will be accepted at [email protected], or you can stop by the Albion office and drop a copy off up front. If you don’t have a recipe to submit right now, but there is a recipe you’re desperately seeking, feel free to email or drop off a note for a “Recipe Request.” I’m now requesting recipes for your favorite baked beans recipes!

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Brats and Onions

Ingredients:

12 bratwursts

2-4 cans beer or ale (no need for anything expensive)

1-2 yellow or sweet onions, sliced

1/2-1 TBSP fennel seeds, separated

12 buns

1 TBSP butter

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Take about half the fennel seeds, and coarsely grind or crush them. Pour beer into pot, add half of both whole and ground fennel seeds and brats. Add more beer or water if you feel there’s not enough liquid. Bring to a boil. You can add sliced onions to the pot at this point, if you want. If you do, add remaining fennel. Continue boiling approximately 15-20 minutes, until brats are cooked through. Remove from pot, place on medium-high heat on grill if desired (recommended) until browned, approximately 2-4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, remove onions from pot and place in a skillet with butter, salt and pepper and perhaps a pinch of fennel seeds, until slightly caramelized. Alternately, you can forego boiling the onions, and add straight to a skillet with some more beer, butter salt and pepper, and the remaining whole and ground fennel seeds and sautéed to your preference.

Serve on buns, smothered in onions with coarse whole-grain mustard, brown mustard or sauerkraut.

Note: Instead of fennel seeds, you could try caraway seeds.

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Ancho Steak and Chimichurri Buttered Sweetcorn

Ingredients:

2 tsp ancho chili powder (or any chili powder)

2 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp ground coriander

3/4 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

2-4 TBSP olive oil

4 8-oz. sirloin steaks (cut into strips, if desired)

4 tsp cider vinegar

Decent handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped (you could use 1 TBSP dried, but it will lose any impact)

4 TBSP butter, softened

4 ears of sweet corn, husks removed

Directions:

Mix the chili powder, cumin, coriander and oregano together with a good grind of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Rub the oil over the steaks, then rub with half the spice mix. Set aside to marinate for 30 mins. Meanwhile, combine the remaining spice mix with the vinegar, parsley and butter and set aside.

Heat a (cast iron) skillet over a high heat, then cook the steak for 3 mins. on each side for rare, 4 mins. for medium-rare or 5 mins. for well done. Transfer to a board or plate and leave to rest. Meanwhile, par-boil then corn with a little salt and sugar in the water, then grill. Turn until lightly charred on all sides. Spoon half of the flavored butter over the steak, then use the rest to baste the corn.

***Recipe adapted from Barney Desmazery’s for “BBC Good Food.�***

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Sweet-n-Spicy Bacon Crackers

Ingredients:

1-lb. bacon (do not use thick-cut bacon as it won't cook through quickly enough in the oven)

about 40 Club crackers (Keebler Club crackers work best)

1/4C brown sugar

1 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place brown sugar, chili powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

Lightly spray a wire rack with non-stick cooking spray; set the rack in a rimmed baking sheet.

Cut each bacon slice into 3 equal-sized pieces (I place the entire opened package on a cutting board and cut it into thirds all at once). Wrap a bacon piece around the center of each cracker, positioning the “seam� on the bottom of each cracker. Place seam-side-down in a single layer on the prepared rack.

Sprinkle a little of the brown sugar mixture on top of the bacon on each cracker.

Bake at 250 degrees until the bacon is crisp, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving. The crackers are best served warm right away or at room temperature within a couple of hours of baking.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator since they include meat. They do, surprisingly, hold a good bit of their crispness for up to about 3 days even when refrigerated.

Note: I have not tried reheating these. We eat our leftovers cold. If you do want to try reheating them, I recommend trying popping them back in a 250 degrees oven for just a few minutes until warmed through.

Note: Not all crackers work well for this recipe; Besides Keebler Club crackers, Lance Captain's Wafers and Keebler Toasted Buttercrisp round crackers also work, but are not as good. Ritz crackers become soggy and do not work well at all.

***Recipe courtesy of Tracey of “The Kitchen is my Playground� blog.***

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BBQ Sundaes

Ingredients:

1 box cornbread mix, plus ingredients called for on box

nonstick cooking spray

1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

2/3C onion, finely chopped

3/4C rotisserie chicken, shredded

3/4C pork, shredded

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2/3C barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling (Stubb’s was used for this recipe)

1/4C Frank's red hot sauce

2 tsp garlic powder

1-1/4C mashed potatoes or potato salad

1 16-oz. can baked beans

1C coleslaw

1C cheese, shredded, if desired

dill pickle spears, pepperoncini, jalapenos, etc. to serve

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Prepare cornbread according to box instructions and fill each cup 2/3 full with cornbread batter. Bake until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, 18-20 minutes.

Make the chicken: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1/2 olive oil. Add 1/2 onions and cook until soft, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add chicken to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and pour 1/2 barbecue sauce, 1/2 hot sauce, and 1/2 garlic powder over chicken and onions. Stir to coat, then cook until warmed through, 4 to 6 minutes.

Make the pork: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1/2 olive oil. Add 1/2 onions and cook until soft, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add chicken to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and pour 1/2 barbecue sauce, 1/2 hot sauce, and 1/2 garlic powder over chicken and onions. Stir to coat, then cook until warmed through, 4 to 6 minutes.

Build the sundae: Once cool, place one cornbread muffin at the bottom of each 16-oz. mason jar. Top with a scoop of mashed potatoes or potato salad and press to flatten.

Continue to layer remaining ingredients: baked beans, coleslaw, shredded chicken and shredded pork, then top with another scoop of mashed potatoes/potato salad, sprinkle on some cheese and drizzle on some barbecue sauce. Garnish with dill pickle spear, pepperoncini, jalapenos and/or more cornbread.

***Recipe adapted from Megan Shepherd’s from “Delish� website.***

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Chocolate Lush

Ingredients:

Pie Crust (you can use a pre-made crust or graham cracker pie crust, but it’s not the same):

1 to 1-1/4C all-purpose flour

1C butter or margarine

Filling:

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1C powdered sugar

2 8-oz. container Cool Whip, thawed

1 box chocolate pudding, plus ingredients

Nuts and/or chocolate shavings, to garnish

Directions:

For the pie crust:

Melt butter, mix into flour and press into bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, between 15- 30 minutes. Cool.

For the filling:

Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 8-oz. container Cool Whip until smooth. Place in the cooled crust.

Mix chocolate pudding according to package instructions. We like to add more Cool Whip to this mixture, as well (save enough for one more layer). Place pudding on top of cream cheese/Cool Whip layer. Top with more Cool Whip. Garnish with nuts and/or chocolate shavings. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: You can add chopped nuts to your pie crust dough if desired.