JBug's Kitchen Antics

Stovetop Sausage Mac and Cheese

This is another in what seems to have become a series in JBug's Kitchen and boy oh boy, I'm not sure why we haven't tried it here before.

Courtesty of myrecipes.com and Cooking Light magazine, this one is simply crumbled sausage links (I used spicy Chicken Parmesan) cooked up in a skillet then joined by cheater bechamel makin's, grated cheese, cream cheese and spices. It cooks up all rich and creamy before the cooked pasta hits the pot and a few minutes later you've got a pot of creamy, gooey, cheesy goodness. 

It's quite delicious though in our case it could have used a little more seasoning, but honestly it puts the blue box stuff all to shame. The possibilities are endless too for hiding vegetables in it and this particular version could have used a little color with the addition of spinach, or kale or even green peas, or roasted red peppers or mushrooms...well you get the picture, right? 

Give it a try next time you're looking for a quick family pleasing pasta dish and let your imagination be your sous chef. 

Stovetop Sausage Mac and Cheese (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1/2 pound crumbled sausage (I used spicy Chicken parmesan but Italian would be good too)

1-1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup grated cheese (I used Trader Joe’s Mexican blend)

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

8 ounces hot cooked pasta (I used orchiette)

Reserved pasta water as needed

Place a large skillet over medium high heat and when hot crumble in sausage. Cook, continuing to crumble with a fork until browned. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, flour, onion and garlic powders and add to skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and add cheeses. Cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in pasta. Cook for a minute more so pasta has a chance to absorb some sauce, adding pasta water if required for a creamy sauce. Serves 4.

A year ago - Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Two year's ago - Ginger Mint Lamb Chops and Cauliflower with Pinenuts and Raisins

Three year's ago - White Bean and Asparagus Salad

Salmon Burgers with Herb Aioli

Three more days and I'm done. The sun's setting on my time in Tucson.

Goodbye desert, so long allergies, take a hike creepy crawlies and slithering snakes, TTFE (ta ta for ever) streets that begin only to end in unusual places and road signs that instruct "do not enter when flooded".  It's been a slice but adios. We're headed for greener pastures, ocean breezes and home...to Oregon! 

To get a head start on all things wonderful in the Pacific Northwest, we had these incredible salmon burgers for dinner last night, thanks to Fine Cooking. It was also an excuse to remind Big Guy that his hatred of salmon is a thing of the past. Now if I could just change his mind about green peas!  

Gorgeous sockeye salmon fillets carefully removed of their pinbones and chopped, combined with an easy to make dill and garlic aioli, fresh breadcrumbs as a binder and lots of freshly ground black pepper and formed into patties then fried slowly in butter until crispy on the outside and moist and tender inside...well what can I say?

Served on a grilled bun slathered with more of that creamy cheater aioli along with a perfectly ripe avocado half, they were darned messy to eat and oh so incredibly delicious.  Just remember, they're only as good as the ingredients so please leave the farmed "Atlantic" salmon for people that don't know any better and buy wild salmon. The flavor's absolutely incomparable. 

Hit this link and head to Fine Cooking for the recipe. Trust me - it's amazing!

A year ago - Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri

Two year's ago - Pork Tenderloin with an Herb Crust and Horseradish Potatoes

Three year's ago - Garlic Roasted Shrimp with Red Peppers and Smoked Paprika

Beefed Up Mushroom Soup

I don't know about you, but I'm guilty of consistently doing things the same way because that's the way I've always done them. My mushroom soup's no exception until last night that is.

My favorite tried and true "man catcher" mushroom soup recipe's much the same as any other homemade versions in that while loaded with mushrooms and cream with a touch of sherry or marsala in it, the end result is rather light with a mild and comforting flavor. This new invention is absolutely without question bold and rich and hearty too.  While the other version's labelled "man catcher" because it's the first thing I ever cooked for Big Guy after we met, I'd say this one's the "man keeper" because he was groaning and grinning ear to ear. 

It starts with chopped onions and pancetta cooked in butter until the onions are golden brown. Then a mix of white button and crimini mushrooms hit the pot to get happy along with minced garlic. I sliced the white button mushrooms and quartered the crimini so we could enjoy the difference in texture when they cooked down. Once the mushrooms were nicely colored, I added flour to make a roux, followed by a really good glug or two of dry marsala wine to help get all the good fond off the bottom of the pot. A pinch or two of sage, salt and pepper and a quart of beef stock enriched with a package of beef stock concentrate (Flavor Boost) almost completed the pot of gloriousness. 

I let it all simmer covered for 20 minutes to tease our tastebuds with the aroma and finished the pot with a half cup of heavy cream just before serving. The result is a bowl of incredible flavor reminiscent of a really rich French Onion broth with the added earthiness of mushrooms - somewhat akin to the tastiest stroganoff you've ever had. Am I making any sense? Well OK - then just try it will ya'. I think you're going to love it like we did. 

Beefed Up Mushroom Soup (an original from JBug’s Kitchen) 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 ounces pancetta, chopped into quarter inch cubes

3 cups sliced white button mushrooms

3 cups quartered crimini mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon dried crumbled sage

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2/3 cup dry marsala wine

1 quart good quality low sodium beef stock

1 package beef concentrate (I used Swanson’s Flavor Boost)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. When hot add onion and cook until onion is golden. Add pancetta and continue to cook until pancetta starts to crisp up. Add white and crimini mushrooms along with minced garlic and cook stirring occasionally until mushrooms have released any liquid and start to brown – about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour onto mushroom mixture in pot and stir well to incorporate. Add sage, salt and pepper and cook, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of the pot for 1 minute. Add marsala wine and stir well, continuing to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in beef stock and add beef concentrate. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in heavy cream just before serving and cook, stirring for another 30 seconds to bring up to temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings.  

A year ago - Meat Lovers Pan Pizza 

Two year's ago - Braised Lamb with Bacon and Marsala

Three year's ago - Pork Carnitas 

Pasta Carbonara Frittata

Unless you're new to this site or you've been in outer Mongolia on an extended vacation, you all know how much I love pasta carbonara. I mean honestly - what's not to love? Pasta flavored with garlic, a little nutmeg, eggs, cream and parmesan cheese; why, it's to die for. Oh, and we mustn't forget about the ultimate of porcine blissfulness, BACON.

Last night's dinner effort took a special "I love me" treat one step farther in this fabulous frittata adapted from finecooking.com.  In case you're wondering, a frittata is just a glorified omelet that has the ingredients mixed into the eggs and the whole thing's cooked in the oven instead of on a stove top.

Fine Cooking brag that the dish "is more about the eggs and less about the pasta", but I beg to differ. This frittata is really a celebration of all that's wonderful about both and makes a perfect light dinner and/or as is our case, today's brunch for me and lunch for Big Guy. Bonus!

Now, while Fine Cooking's version called for fresh sage as the flavoring ingredient, I'm way too much of a traditionalist for that - at least when it comes to Carbonara, so I nixed the sage and added garlic and freshly ground nutmeg as well as chopped fresh parsley instead. Along with crispy bacon, lovely sweetly sauteed onions, chopped parsley, darn near a dozen eggs, a touch of cream, finely grated cheese (I used Asiago) and of course nicely al dente penne, the frittata came from the oven looking like this.

 

Crispy on the outside, creamy inside and totally absolutely delicious it is about the most incredible version of bacon and eggs you'll ever enjoy. Best of all, there's enough left for my brunch today and Big Guy's lunch and with that said - listen Big Guy - what do ya' think about having breakfast for dinner now? Are you singing a different tune? 

Pasta Carbonara Frittata (adapted from finecooking.com) 

2 cups (8 ounces) penne pasta, cooked to al dente and drained

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 slices thick cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/8 inch strips

1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

9 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1-1/2 cups finely grated parmesan cheese (I used asiago)

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Heat oil in a 10 inch no-stick skillet and when hot, add bacon. Cook until bacon just begins to crisp up. Add onions and sauté until onions are soft and bacon is crisp. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Beat eggs well and add heavy cream. Whisk together, and then add remaining ingredients. Place cooked pasta in skillet and follow with egg mixture. Place in preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until knife inserted in center of skillet comes out clean. Remove from oven and loosen edges before sliding frittata onto cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve either hot or at room temperature.

A year ago - Salmon with Bacon and Lentils

Three year's ago - Fried Eggplant with Sausage Ragu

Almond Crusted Halibut

I had some ground almonds in the freezer that have moved with us 3 times during the past month so I figured it was time to use the darn things up. The bad news is there's still a little over a cup left but it's a good thing because I think we're on to something here.

Adapted from finecooking.com, lovely halibut fillet is relieved of it's skin, rinsed, dried and seasoned liberally with salt, pepper and grated lemon peel. Dredged in flour, dipped in an egg wash and finished with a coating of ground almonds aka almond meal, the whole thing hits a skillet for 6 to 8 minutes.

I served our crispy moist halibut on a bed of mixed greens topped with Taylor Farms Asian Chopped Salad.  Hey I've been meaning to try it to see how good it is especially since Big Guy will soon be cooking for himself the next few months while the fur kids and I hit the road to get settled in Oregon. While he's perfectly capable in the kitchen, there's something to say for convenience too. 

Well, the salad's delicious and as for the fish what could be easier or tastier, right? I'll be using the same method in the very near future to cook up some chicken tenders and use the last of the almonds.

Incidentally, Taylor Farms don't know diddly about JBug's Kitchen Antics and neither were we paid for this endorsement. It's merely laziness and curiosity on my part that had me purchase the salad in the first place. To be honest, I'll be trying the other blends in the very near future for the very same reasons. Imagine oven fried chipotle chicken wings on the Barbecue Ranch Chopped Salad, or Maui tacos topped with the Southwest version? Sounds kinda' good, huh! 

Almond Crusted Halibut (adapted from finecooking.com)

2 - 6 ounce halibut fillets approx. 1 inch thick

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

All-purpose flour

1 egg beaten well with 1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup finely ground almonds (I used almond meal)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Remove skin from halibut. Rinse and dry fillets. Season liberally with salt and coarse ground black pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest, then dredge fillets in flour, dip into egg wash coating both sides, then dredge in almond meal, pressing down so meal sticks to the fillets. Set aside briefly.

Meanwhile heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and butter and when butter has melted, add the prepared fish fillets. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until coating is brown and fish is firm to the touch. Drain on paper towels before serving. Serves 2.

A year ago - Onion and Bacon Tart

Two year's ago - Date and Gorgonzola Pinwheels

Three year's ago -  Habitant Pea Soup and Dutch Apple Pie

Tamale Pie

I think there may be as many versions of tamale pie as there are cooks in the kitchen. I'm not sure I even knew what it was until I moved to the sunny southwest but I've made up for lost time over the past several years. There's several different versions on this site but as you all know I'm always game for trying new recipes.

       May 20, 2009                       March 2, 2010                August 19, 2011

     

To twig your memory, the first edition has kind of a chile style base with cornbread on top while the second version's made from leftover shredded pork carnitas. The third one included a flavorful filling surrounded by layers of oh so creamy polenta. The point is there's no right or wrong way to make a tamale pie.

Last night's version inspired once again by the Cast Iron Cookbook, is more like a picadillo in that it includes sliced green olives and sweet golden raisins along with black beans and ground beef. The salty sweet flavor is balanced by lots of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to say nothing of the Tapatio hot sauce I used for added heat. 

It is delicious and a good thing too because there's enough leftover to feed the entire neighborhood. I'll be sending some off with the Big Guy tonight as he rejoins his huntin' partner John in their quest for the ever elusive javalina. Surely that will bring them some luck, don't ya think?

Tamale Pie (adapted from Cast Iron Cookbook)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 -15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 – 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice

2 canned chipotle chiles chopped with 1 teaspoon adobo sauce

1 tablespoon Tapatio hot sauce (or to taste)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup spicy barbecue sauce

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1-1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (I used jalapeno cheddar)

Heat large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add olive oil and when shimmering add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion begins to soften, stirring often to prevent garlic from burning. Crumble in ground beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Add bell pepper, black beans, tomatoes, chipotle, hot sauce, cumin, barbecue sauce and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a high simmer then add green olives and raisins. Keep warm while making cornbread topping.

Cornbread Topping:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons coarse ground cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

3/4 cup corn kernels, drained (I used canned)

2 tablespoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In a smaller bowl combine eggs, buttermilk and oil and beat until well combined. Add liquid to dry ingredients along with corn kernels and mix until well combined. Sprinkle half the grated cheese over filling in pot and pour cornmeal mixture on top, smoothing surface with a spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove and sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese has melted and topping is set (about 5 to 10 minutes). Serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa on the side.  Makes 8 servings

A year ago - Buckets of Lemons 

Two year's ago - Roast Pork Loin with an Apple Crown

Three year's ago - Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

Ramped Up Toad In the Hole

We can thank Martha for this one and talk about tasty. Of course she called it what it is - sausage and tomatoes in a savory pudding but for those of us who happen to love Yorkshire Pudding, we know it's just exactly that but on steroids. Hey, it might not look pretty and certainly not as gorgeous as Martha's, but along with a salad it made for a rather lovely dinner. 

I used fresh Bratwurst sausages all browned up nice along with some green onions and joined in the pan by a handful of cherry tomatoes, the whole thing's covered up in a blanket of pudding mix that's simply flour, milk, eggs, salt and a touch of melted butter, or olive oil in my case. 

Thirty minutes in a hot oven and it comes out puffy, glistening and smelling absolutely delicious. Give it a try and I'll bet you'll be amazed. I just have a few hints for you - a 10 inch cast iron frying pan is a must and for a successful rise to your yorkie pud, I've found it best to whiz the mixture together about an hour before I need it and let it sit on the counter getting happy. Don't ask me why, it just works best that way. Oh, one more thing - add the tomatoes after you've poured in the pudding because that way they'll stay where you put 'em. I didn't do that so they kinda' floated around a bit. 

Hit the link and head to Martha for the recipe. It's not that I'm lazy or anything. I just have a few fires to put out this morning. TTFN (ta,ta for now). 

A year ago - Leftover Prime Rib Taco Salad

Two year's ago - Nantucket Cranberry Pie with Tangerine Ice Cream

 

Oven BBQ Pulled Pork

Another one pot meal inspired by the Neely's of Foodnetwork fame, last night's dinner is the start of what I'm hoping will be 3 great meals for two hungry people.

A 3.5 pound pork shoulder roast seasoned with lots of salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika hit a Dutch oven along with a sliced onion, a few cloves of garlic and a bottle of hard cider (I used Woodchuck amber) along with purchased barbecue sauce spiced up with hot sauce, worcestershire and soy. Covered and left to its own devices for nigh on 3 hours, the cook took the liberty of adding a good half cup of Apple Jack brandy during the last half hour of cooking just because it's in the cupboard and needed using up. 

So how good was it? The pork fell apart before Big Guy even had a chance to hit it with two forks and when the shredded pieces returned to the sauce waiting in the pot...well you can just imagine.

Thinking a little outside the box, we enjoyed our pork on a bed of baked, smashed potatoes topped with a scoop of Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw - also thanks to the Neely's. I mean who says pulled pork can only be served in a sandwich right?  Hit the link for the slaw but please note - I used packaged coleslaw mix and cut the sugar in the recipe to 1/3 cup. One whole cup seemed a little excessive to me. I also used a combination of yellow mustard and Dijon.

I made enough changes to the pork recipe, I've taken the liberty of printing my version below. Surely it's enough to get your mouth watering, but just wait and see what we have planned for the rest of it! You're going to be impressed, I guarantee it.  

Oven BBQ Pulled Pork (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by the Neely’s  at Foodnetwork.com))

Cooking spray

3.5 pound pork shoulder roast or Boston butt

Kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cup purchased BBQ sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 10 oz. bottle hard cider (I used Woodchuk Amber)

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Optional - 1/2 cup apple brandy (I used Applejack)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray inside of Dutch oven with cooking spray to help with clean up. If pork roast is tied, cut strings off and discard. Season all sides of roast well with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika, rubbing seasoning into meat. Place into Dutch oven along with onion and garlic. In a small bowl mix together BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, hard cider, hot sauce, Worcestershire and soy sauce. Pour over and around roast. Cover roast and place into oven for 3 hours until pull apart tender. If using apple brandy, add during last half hour of cooking time.

Remove roast from pot and allow to sit briefly, then using 2 forks shred meat. Return meat to sauce in Dutch oven and stir well to combine. 

A year ago - Chicken and Veggie Stew with Dumplings

Two year's ago - New England Style Clam Chowder

Three year's ago - Lamb Ragu Over Vegetables

Corn Chowder with a Kick

There isn't a rule that says you can't kick something up a notch by adding green chile or jalapeno and corn chowder's no exception. It takes very nicely to a little spicy heat. 

A repeat of the chowder we made way back in April 2009, instead of Anaheim peppers in last night's edition, I used a rather large and quite spicy jalapeno instead. Combined with celery, onion, yellow pepper instead of red, cubed potatoes and a package of frozen corn, we were well on our way to an exceptionally good chowder. A quart of good low sodium chicken stock, a couple of packages of Trader Joe's version of Swanson's Flavor boost, and a large can of evaporated skim milk completed the pot.

Garnished with the tail end of a block of Velveeta, this corny sweet spicy heated bacon flavored rich and creamy chowder made our tastebuds sing. Of course a little more hot sauce and the usual "pink mountain" Friday night libations didn't hurt either. 

Corn Chowder  (from JBug's Kitchen adapted from Sable & Rosenfeld, Elegant Entertaining) 

1 - 16 ounce package frozen yellow or white corn

1/4 lb. bacon, chopped

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped

1/2 red or yellow sweet bell pepper, finely chopped

2 large red potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup flour

Salt & freshly ground pepper

2 envelopes liquid chicken flavored concentrate (like Swanson's Flavor Boost)

1 large can evaporated skim milk

Extra whole milk, water or stock if needed

4 ounces Velveeta, cut into cubes

Defrost corn and set aside. In large pan, cook bacon on medium low until fat renders and bacon is slightly crisp. Increase heat and add butter to pan. Add celery, onion, potato, jalapeno and bell peppers and sauté until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn kernels. Cook another 3 minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until corn and potatoes are tender. Season well with salt and pepper and add "flavor boost" concentrate. Combine flour with evaporated milk and whisk until smooth. Gradually pour into chowder, stirring until mixture thickens and bubbles. (Add more milk, stock or water if you prefer a thinner soup). Stir in half the Velveeta. Remove pot from heat, cover and let sit for a few minutes until cheese has melted. Garnish servings with remaining cheese and hot sauce if you dare. Serves 6 to 8. 

A year ago - Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers

Two year's ago - Ham Tetrazzini

Three year's ago - Clam's Casino in a Casserole

One Pot Spaghetti

I would make this again in a heartbeat, and not just because I'm hungry enough to eat skunk butt fried in butter either but because it is THAT good! 

 

After another day spent packing, a long hot shower and a quick no fuss but yummy dinner were the order of the day and quite honestly you can't get much easier than this. From Southern Living via myrecipes.com, this pot of gloriousness starts with a Dutch oven and a sauce - not just any old sauce either. Just pretend you're actually making a ragu but add a little more liquid, in my case V-8 juice, the spicy kind instead of regular tomato juice and you'll find yourself on the right track. Oh, I also replaced the chili powder called for in the recipe with my favorite spaghetti spices including garlic powder, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes along with the oregano, salt and lots of pepper.  

Set to simmer for a half hour while the cook enjoyed a glass of red, the uncooked spaghetti hit the saucey pot for a 20 minute cook off. Course it requires some tending during that period so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, but it's a lovely excuse to inhale the fabulous aroma and salivate over the results.

Garlic toast, another glass of wine and dinner was on. Best of all, clean up was a breeze...easy for me to say because Big Guy did it! It's a smart man that knows when his wife's at the end of her tether and a smarter one yet that uses initiative. 

One Pot All-in-one Spaghetti (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 – 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 – 6 ounce can tomato paste

3 cups V-8 juice (I used Spicy Hot)

1 cup water

7 ounces spaghetti, uncooked

Grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Crumble in ground beef along with onion and garlic. Cook stirring until beef is no longer pink and onions softens – about 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Stir well to incorporate into meat mixture then add tomato sauce, tomato paste, V-8 juice and water. Stir well to combine, then bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spaghetti to the pot, cover and cook additional 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Garnish with cheese.

A year ago -  Ravioli in Sherry Mushroom Alfredo

Two year's ago - Leg of Lamb Provencal

Three year's ago - Pork Medallions with Mushroom Madeira Sauce

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Herbs

Another winner adapted from the Oregonian Cookbook, this one's the perfect choice for the cook that doesn't cook. You know who you are but I'll give you a little hint anyway.

You're the fabulous friend who's been a part of my life for over 30 years; the one who's there solid as a rock during the good times and the mean ones too; the one who always remembers my annual milestone (birthday); the one who has a laugh that lights up the world; and the one who never fails to get a chuckle outa' yours truly - this time with a confession that she visits JBug's Kitchen Antics regularly not for the recipes because she doesn't cook, but to see what's happening in her old pal's life. Now that's a friend, eh?

Well, Judy - here's a perfect solution for one of your family night Saturday dinners - simple bone in chicken thighs, seasoned up with salt, pepper and roasted in a shallow pan along with onion, lots of garlic and cherry tomatoes jazzed up with herbs and a dusting of red pepper flakes. It's simple to make, incredibly easy on the cook and just so you know, the secret is to spread everything out on a shallow pan so there isn't any crowding. A hot oven does the rest of the work.

The cookbook cautioned against allowing the vegetables to overcook and char but I'm here to tell you those caramelized ossified hunks of garlic, onion and tomatoes are like candy...sweet, crisp and oh so darned delicious. I cooked up a mess of packaged gnocchi and finished it in in a saute pan with a little butter, dried sage and parmesan cheese to go with our roasted bird, but pasta, noodles or roasted potatoes would be fabulous too.

Just make a salad, warm up some bread and be prepared for the compliments because they'll be coming your way at the speed of light. Oh, and if you really want to blow their socks off, how about whipping up a little Blueberry Cream Pie like the one I made at the beach this summer? Substitute a can of prepared blueberry pie filling, or even cherry or peach for that matter and you'll have 'em all wondering what other secrets you've been keeping from them. 

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Herbs (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Oregonian Cookbook)

Cooking spray

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into quarter inch thick pieces

6 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

1-1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried thyme or marjoram

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2-1/2 to 3 pounds bone in chicken thighs, skin left intact (approx. 6 to 8 thighs)

Preheat oven to 450. Spray a shallow baking dish or large sheet pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, red pepper flakes and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper. Toss to coat vegetables with oil.

Wash and dry chicken thighs well. Season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place in prepared pan, leaving as much room as possible between pieces of chicken – in fact, you can use 2 sheet pans instead of one if you wish. Place tomato mixture around chicken thighs but not on top.

Roast uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes until chicken thighs are golden brown and cooked through. Serve chicken with vegetables and juices. Serves 4. 

A year ago - Chili from Leftover Prime Rib

Two year's ago - Ham and Cheese Quiche

Three Year's Ago - Failure...Flounder with Tomatoes and Olives in Parchment