JBug's Kitchen Antics

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

Make Stromboli Tonight's Blue Plate Special

I know what you're thinking. Blue plate specials are what your local diner calls their meatloaf, or country fried steak, or hot beef sandwich but I'm here to say JBug's Diner's going to start serving Stromboli more often.

Last night's special included pieces of leftover Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf along with slices of spicy pepperoni, roasted red peppers and strips of mozzarella cheese. Loaded onto a package of ready made  pizza dough thanks to Trader Joe's, rolled into a log and sealed, it hit the oven for 40 minutes and came out screaming for attention. Served on a bed of marinara with a tossed salad and a cool libation to top it all off, dinner was on the table. 

    
With Italian Sausage                Mexicali Style             

 Deli Style

Check out the other examples of stromboli we've had here before and while you're at it, try thinking outside the box a little too. How about using some leftover pulled pork that you had earmarked for red neck eggrolls, or meatballs or what about making a giant Ruben stromboli out of some corned beef you're planning for St. Patrick's Day. I would say the sky's almost the limit. 

Two year's ago - Clams Casino Pizza

Three year's ago - Mashed Potato Pie with Bacon and Cheddar

Pork, Chorizo and Green Chile Cheeseburgers

We haven't been home for a Pink Mountain Friday night * (see note)  for a number of weeks and quite honestly I've been feeling guilty about it. I mean I'd hate to get to the point that I take a Friday night date night for granted so instead we teamed up and cooked dinner at home last night.

I mixed up ground pork and Mexican style pork chorizo with chopped roasted Hatch green chiles from our freezer, garlic, a few panko crumbs and salsa verde and formed the mixture into patties. Refrigerated for half a hour or so, they held their shape beautifully on the grill as Big Guy did the cookin.

Topped with slices of gooey Velveeta and some Pepper Jack Cheese, a little mayo and a bunch of other green stuff like more roasted chiles, dabs of guacamole, shredded lettuce and pickled jalapeno's all piled up onto a grilled bun, we were definitely on the right road to flavor town. 

* Note - for those of you who are puzzled by the terminology, Pink Mountain Friday's are our Tucson tradition to be defined as "when the mountains are pink, it's time to drink".)

Pork, Chorizo and Green Chile Burgers (an original from JBug’s )

1 pound ground pork

1/2 pound Mexican style pork chorizo

4 ounces roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded and chopped (canned is fine)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup panko crumbs

1/3 cup salsa verde

Course ground black pepper

Salt as needed

4 hamburger buns, buttered and grilled

4 whole peeled and seeded green chiles

4 slices Velveeta

4 slices Pepper jack cheese

Guacamole, mayonnaise, pickled jalapenos, shredded lettuce

Combine pork, chorizo, green chiles, garlic, panko and salsa verde. Season well with pepper but go lightly on the salt because the chorizo is usually quite salty. Form into patties and refrigerate for a minimum half hour. Grill on a hot oiled grill until patties reach an internal temperature of 145. Add cheese slices and cover during last few minutes of cooking to melt the cheese. Serve on grilled buns topped with mayo, guacamole, jalapenos and shredded lettuce.

Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Roast Chicken with Apples and Rosemary

Two year's ago - Nasi Goreng

Stromboli with Italian Sausage

The antics in JBug's Kitchen are somewhat organized because I make our menus and grocery list up a week in advance and we do our grocery shopping Saturday mornings. Imagine my surprise when we were watching our taped episode of Pioneer Woman on Saturday afternoon and she's making calzones because darned if they weren't already on this week's menu. I didn't want you all to think I was a thief stealing her ideas, so last night I switched out the calzones for a giant stromboli instead.

There's not a lot of difference between the two other than size and shape; however, according to my research,  it's all about the location of the sauce. Apparently a calzone has the sauce served on the side or on top  but the sauce is inside a stromboli. Well, pardon my ignorance because I did both last night. 

I filled our giant stromboli with cooked spicy hot Italian sausage, sauteed onions, ricotta cheese, little mini roasted red peppers and poured about a half cup of marinara sauce on top. Oh, we mustn't forget the cheese either - a combination of sharp cheddar, jalapeno jack and parmesan.  I used what I had even though I thought I had provolone but didn't. Oh well. It's no big deal but darned if I didn't forget the sliced pepperoni I had planned too. That didn't matter either. We had our incredibly edible slices of Italian sandwich with extra marinara as a dipping sauce and a nice little green salad on the side. It was some good let me tell ya.

Incidentally to make your life a heck of a lot easier, be sure to roll the dough out on a floured sheet of parchment paper and use it to assist in constructing your "jelly roll". Parchment happened to be the other imaginary thing I had in my so called "orangized" kitchen and didn't. As a result I used a lot of flour and even corn meal to keep the dough from sticking to the board, but it really had a mind of its own. It's a little embarrassing when the dogs are running for cover because of the decibel level of the swear words. Ha, it's not like they haven't heard it all before. 

Need a few more ideas? How about Deli Style  with pepperoni, ham, salami, roasted red peppers and cheese ...lots of cheese; or a mexican version with  chorizo sausage, poblano pepper rings, roasted red pepper, chopped onion, drained RO-TEL tomatoes and cheese. 

 

 

Stromboli with Italian Sausage (a J’Bug’s Kitchen original)

Crust:

1 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

2-1/2 cups bread flour, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

In bowl of food processor with metal blade, combine 1-1/2 cups flour with warm water and yeast. Blitz to mix well. Add 1 more cup of flour, olive oil and salt. Mix until dough forms into one ball and rides on top of the metal blade – about 20 seconds. If dough is very sticky add more flour and mix again; however the dough should be very soft. Remove to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). After dough has risen, remove to a floured piece of parchment paper, cover with cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes has passed, roll dough out to approximately 14 x 17 inches.  Spread the following filling in the middle, on the long side.

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled and well drained

1 large onion, sliced and sauteed until softened

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup marinara sauce

2 roasted red peppers, sliced (I used 8 assorted mini peppers)

8 ounces assorted grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar, jalapeno jack and parmesan, but mozzarella's great too)

Sprinkle of freshly ground pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, dried basil

Coarse ground sea salt

Extra marinara sauce for dipping (optional)

Using parchment to assist, fold in ends of stromboli, then sides to have dough meat in the middle. Pinch well to close. Move parchment paper onto large sheet pan and sprinkle stromboli with course salt. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from pan and remove Stromboli to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with additional warmed marinara on the side.

A year ago - Salmon & Clam Chowder

Two year's ago -  Shaker Lemon Bars

Chicken Tostadas

I was in a real fix yesterday trying to decide what to do with some of the leftover roast chicken from Saturday night's dinner. I was thinking enchiladas since we haven't had them for a while and of course there's always one of my favorites, chicken pot pie but we've had plenty of those in the past. 

Instead I took a page out of Marcela Valladolid's book at Food Network and put together a platter of goodies as toppers on small corn tortillas that I fried until crisp and golden. The tostada's are a cinch to make so there's no need to buy the shells because they take all of about a minute total to get crisp and puffy. A little oil in a large cast iron pan, a pair of tongs and that's it.

Next time you've some leftover pork, beef, chicken or even fish or shrimp, take an imaginary trip to margarita land and cook up this simple Mexican version of an open face sandwich.  I bet your family will have a blast choosing how to build their masterpieces never mind enjoying the crisp and flavorful results of their labors. I know we sure did!

The simple version...uh dainty isn't it?

 

The manly kind. Dainty? NOT

A year ago - Grilled Tri Tip with Tequila Marinade

Two year's ago - Shaker Lemon Bars

 

The Hot Brown - Not Just Any Old Turkey Sandwich

I figure my Canadian readers are just working their way through the last of the Thanksgiving turkey so here's something different for those of you who've had enough of the ordinary - although I'm not sure how a turkey sandwich piled high with cold stuffing, cranberries and mayo could ever be called ordinary.

Regardless, I'm here to say that when you have one of these, you'll be cooking another turkey PDQ so you can have more. The Hot Brown first came to be in the late 1920's and was served at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. I think it's a cross between a Welsh Rarebit and turkey version of a Croque Monsieur which is a Croque Madame without the egg. However you want to describe it, let's just say it's plum good!

We've had it before with the traditional cheese sauce but last night's version adapted from Food Network Magazine contains sauteed onion in the sauce as well as chicken stock. I changed it up by using half and half to make it richer and Jarlsburgh cheese instead of the muenster they called for, and kicked it up a notch too with a little cayenne pepper and a splash of sherry. 

Loaded onto slices of crisp grilled French bread, slathered with mustard and layers of sliced tomato, turkey and sauce all browned up under the broiler, the crowning touch has to be the crisp salty bacon on top.  Served with a crisp salad on the side, it more than sufficiently saffonsified my resident carnivore. 

Hot Brown Turkey Sandwich (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Food Network Magazine)

Sauce:

5 slices bacon

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup half and half (more as needed)

1-1/2 cups grated Jarlsburgh cheese (or Muenster or Monteray Jack)

1/8  teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Salt & pepper

In a large sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel and reserve for later. Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan. Add onion to the pan and cook until softened and starting to turn golden. Stir in flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in chicken broth and half and half. Lower heat to medium low and cook stirring occasionally until thickened. Remove from heat and add grated cheese, cayenne pepper and dry sherry. Stir until cheese is melted. Taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as required. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

Sandwich:

4 thick slices crusty bread (I used French bread)

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Dijon mustard

1/2 pound sliced roasted turkey

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Preheat broiler. Spread softened butter over both sides of French bread slices and grill in a hot pan until golden. Remove from pan and place onto a foil lined sheet pan. Slather grilled toast on one side with Dijon mustard and top each slice with a few tablespoons of prepared sauce. Arrange sliced tomato on top, followed by a thin layer of sliced turkey. Top with sauce and follow up with more turkey, ending with sauce on top. Place under the broiler and cook until golden brown – about 2 to 3 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon. Makes 4 servings (or serves 2 gluttons). 

A year ago - Ranch Potatoes

Two year's ago - Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

A Big Guy Burger - Beef, Beer and Stilton

Bigger may not necessarily be better in a burger as I found out last night when trying to chow down on this giant. You see, I made it a mission to find out why a regular hamburger bun is a mere 3 or 4 inches in diameter instead of bigger so it can hold more stuff?  

I had a lovely 12 inch loaf of Ciabatta hanging around, waiting for the perfect occasion and while I could have made a panini of gargantuan proportions, or simply cut it up to accompany a bowl of soup or chili, I figured a nice crusty loaf of bread could be the perfect platform for a burger we could share and the size of which would make my resident carnivore swoon. 

Now that's a big honkin' burger wouldn't you agree? Loaded with a 1.5 pounds of ground 85/15 beef, flavored with garlic and Montreal steak seasoning, moistened with lovely dark lager, and held together with bread crumbs and egg, I shaped that meatloaf sized puppy into a loaf the exact size of the ciabatta. Browned in a screaming hot cast iron pan first, it hit the oven to finish cooking.  I know for a fact my carnivore would have preferred it rare, but I wasn't taking any chances because I didn't grind the meat myself from scratch. 

Served up on grilled Ciabatta slathered with horseradish and mayo and loaded with golden brown Guinness flavored onions, pungent Stilton and cool refreshing sliced tomato it was all rather impressive, or so I thought. 

He did too. Big Guy's eyes were shining and he couldn't wait to get his teeth into all that yummy good stuff. In fact, therein lies the answer to the burger bun question. Get his teeth into it he did with no problem at all while it was a knife and forker for me.  It's kinda the obvious answer as to who has the bigger mouth around here too, huh!  Now that's a relief.

A year ago - Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

Two year's ago - BBQ Beans

Big Beautiful Burgers Again

School's out on the best way to make burgers. There’s differing opinions as to how to prep the meat, whether it be ground beef, pork, veal, chicken, Italian sausage or any combination thereof.

Some just spice it up with grill seasoning and/or garlic powder, salt and pepper, and form it into patties (that’s how Big Guy does it). Then there’s decisions to be made as to the size and thickness of the patties, whether to stuff the cheese inside or put it on top and what kind of bun to use never mind whether to toast it, steam it or serve it naked out of the wrapper.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Personally, I don’t think there’s a wrong or a right way to make ‘em, I just know  I’d rather have a burger than a steak, although I live with a guy that begs to differ. Last night’s burger extravaganza included 80/20 ground beef mixed, combined with Italian bread crumbs, dry onion soup mix, various spices and an egg and water to bind and moisten because when I make ‘em, I like ‘em that way. I formed the patties into a thinner patty each consisting of a half cup of beefy goodness, then Big Guy took over.

He cooked them outside on a flat top grill and the patties ended up crispy, crunchy and yummy on the outside, moist and tender inside. Stacked in pairs on a grilled bun topped with mayo, blue cheese crumbles  and some of the bacon, onion and beer jam Big Guy cooked up a couple of days ago, it was enough to make the golden arches weep with envy.

In case you’re wondering, we’re prepping ourselves for the shock of leaving the lovely Oregon coast to return to the desert. Needless to say the euphoric moods enjoyed the past 3 weeks are a little less euphoric, in fact we’re all kinda’ quiet…down in the dumps if you really want to know the truth. We’ve had a blast visiting old haunts, walking the beaches and generally enjoying a place that’s really become our second home; however, yesterday was a day that needs to go down in history as a first!

You see, the owners of our lovely little Rose Cottage have a garden that just doesn’t quit and shared some fresh and I mean FRESH snow peas with us yesterday. If you’re a regular to this site, you’ll remember that Big Guy doesn’t do peas in any way, shape or form but yesterday he finally saw the light and ate a plateful, simply washed and uncooked. He says a guy'll eat anything if he's starving and I say maybe so, but why'd he look so darn happy while he was doing it if he didn't like it? Just sayin'. 

Beefy Onion Burgers (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

2 pounds 80/20 ground beef

1 envelope dry onion soup mix (I used Lipton)

1/2 cup dried Italian flavored bread crumbs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Montreal grill seasoning

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 egg

2/3 cup water

Combine ingredients together and form into patties, using a half cup per patty. Refrigerate for a minimum 30 minutes to blend flavors and firm up patties. Cook on a flat top grill until crispy outside and medium inside (about 3 minutes per side). Serve on warmed hamburger buns with toppings of your choice. Makes 10 thin patties.

 

Crispy Dogs - a new kinda' corndog

Big Guy took me out to our favorite restaurant last night - The Parish. I've bragged about this place several times but I'm going to say it all again, so hear me out OK? If you're lucky enough to live in Tucson or unlucky depending on your point of view since the heat's arrived along with monsoon season, then The Parish is the perfect place to go to cool off and drown your sorrows or celebrate. 

Their menu contains an eclectic mix of Louisiana style food with a modern twist and there's not a bad thing on it. From incredible tennis ball sized crawfish hushpuppies to dead on perfect gumbo to a blue rare blackened steak salad that Big Guy enjoyed immensely last night to their crunchie bacon popcorn, I've yet to see a plate return to the kitchen or see an unhappy customer.

The atmosphere's fabulous, the staff fun to be around and the Owner's are a constant welcoming presence and sincerely want everyone to have a great experience. Oh, the beer on tap's pretty darn special too and we've yet to try their homemade infused spirits, but hey, we'll be going back so there's plenty of time for that.

If you live here or you'll be visiting, you've got to go. They paid me nothing for this review and barely know we exist except that we met Bryce one of the Owner's last night, so take me at my word - from an incredibly discriminating foodie, this place rocks. 

Now, on to a JBug's kitchen antic for the day. I saw these crispy dogs on Homesick Texan and knew we had to give 'em a try. I mean Big Guy'd rather have a tube steak than a filet mignon so I knew he'd be happy and I'm good to try anything as long as it's a good quality "dog". 

Simply a weiner (we used Hebrew National 97 percent fat free), sliced in the middle and loaded with cheddar, then wrapped in a warmed corn tortilla and fried, they're so darn easy to make I kinda' wonder why we didn't think about it ourselves. 

More important, they're absolutely addictively delicious and a fabulous lunch or perfect summertime snacker. We had our crispy corn doggies along with some of the avocado dip we had the other day and some purchased salsa. 

Head on over to Homesick Texan for the more info on the "how to's" and here's the link to our Guacamole Dip. 

A year ago - Chicken Mushroom Lasagna with Bechamel 

Two year's ago - Biba's Bolognese with Risotto

BBQ Turkey on a Bun

Late night dinners are a whole different ball game around here. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time eating a heavy meal then going to bed and expecting to sleep. Of course sleep is rather fleeting around here this week anyway with the Maxer doing his seizure dance, but if I were going to catch some zzz's, I'd be hard pressed to do it after a heavy meal. 

 
Last night's dinner sure wasn't rocket science but it filled the void, was quick to make and filling but not the stuff kind of filling and rather tasty too. This sandwich is simply shredded leftover turkey, moistened with chicken stock and slathered in barbecue sauce on a grilled bun. That's it, that's all - except for the red onion, red cabbage slaw of course.

No mayo in this one - just the sharp bite of red wine vinegar and a 2 hour room temperature marination  and the crispy relish was ready as a true crowning glory on our sandwiches. Accompanied by some cold crisp crudites and sweet potato chips, we were sufficiently suffcified. 

In case you're wondering what's happening with the kitchen renovations, the new granite was installed  with a couple of hitches that need to be resolved which may mean the third time we go through this exercise. Believe me, it's not that I'm fussy ...just the guy that cut the granite must have been into the tequila because it's out almost a half inch on one side meaning there's a big enough gap between the granite and the wall that our backsplash tile isn't likely to cover.

The plumber has also been and gone. We've a new sink with actual running water in the kitchen, except the water is also running UNDER the sink so of course the plumber will have to come back to fix it and to pick up the faucet wrench he left behind. Oh, speaking of faucets, the faucet is too tall so we can't open the plantation shutters or the window for that matter so it's safe to say our string of bad luck is still rolling along. When I picked the darn thing I took that into account but apparently when they supply measurements, they only include the distance to the top of the faucet, not including the handle.

If you think that's all, you'd be wrong. Our precious wine fridge that has the dual duty of curing pancetta and storing wine was built into the island - in fact, the island was designed around the darn thing. The only problem is the fridge doesn't like its new location, even though the manual says it can be used as a built in or stand alone refrigerator. Needless to say, we now need to purchase a new wine cooler or find something else to do with the huge gap in the island. 

Oh and update on Max, he still doing the shaky dance - 14 and counting since Sunday night and we're working hard to get them under control but failing miserably. He's had enough valium to sink a battleship and if he's not careful his Momma will be stealing some ... I might have thought about it before now if it weren't for the fact they're suppositories. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Do I hear anyone laughing?

I can honestly say if I didn't know any better, one would think there's a curse on us. On a positive note - I love our new kitchen especially the cabinets and really love the pot drawers we added to replace cupboard doors. They're absolutely amazing and make the kitchen much more efficient!

BBQ Turkey Sandwiches (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Slaw:

1 small red onion, cut into very thin slices

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and store at room temperature for a minimum 2 hours, then chill until serving.

 

Sandwiches:

4 panini rolls

Butter

1 pound cooked turkey

1 cup barbecue sauce ( I used honey flavored)

1/4 cup white wine or low sodium chicken stock

Tear or cut turkey into small shreds and place in a sauté pan along with barbecue sauce and wine. Heat slowly to a simmer, stirring often. Cut Panini rolls in half and butter well. Toast buttered side down on a hot grill. To serve arrange a generous amount of turkey mixture on grilled bun and top with slaw mixture. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Bacon and Blue Mac and Cheese 

Renovation Update and Corned Beef Panini

Making dinner was about the farthest thing from my mind last night and typing actually hurts today so this is going to be short. I spent most of yesterday filling holes in what will be our new backsplash because when the worker bees took out the old single layer of Mexican tile it made a big mess.

The tile had been installed with mortor rather than grout so you can just imagine what the state of the wall is and although the first layer of drywall patch screen and mud has gone on, it was at the expense of my fingertips which are all open cuts. Don't ask how but it happened. Now if the mud would just turn white instead of the wet "pink" it still is, I could sand the first layer and get the second one on, but it looks like that will have to wait for another day.

Just so you know I also fabricated new counter tops out of cardboard and black vinyl and they don't look bad. At least it makes the kitchen semi workable now although it is still easier to do most of the cooking outside.

As for dinner last night - thank goodness I had the foresight to cook an extra corned beef brisket for St. Paddy's Day, because I raided the freezer so we could enjoy panini sandwiches with a touch of sauerkraut, mustard and swiss cheese last night along with a green salad.

As for today, I'll be sitting down planning our menus for next week and trying to figure out what the heck to make for Easter Sunday that doesn't require a boat load of dishes, pots or bowls. Wish me luck! Ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

A year ago -  Lettuce Wraps with Spiced Pork

Two year's ago - Bourbon Orange Glazed Ham

Are You Wondering What To Do With Leftover Corned Beef?

It's been a few days since St. Patrick's Day and if you're anything like I am, you've been wondering what on earth to do with that piece of corned beef hiding in the depths of your refrigerator.

We solved part of our problem with last night's dinner and enjoyed what has become an annual tradition around here - Reuben Sandwiches. I have a pet peeve with the things when the inside's cold and the cheese hasn't melted either, so this time I drained and rinsed the sauerkraut then warmed it slightly in the microwave before putting it on the sandwich. I also sliced the corned beef and warmed it as well before constructing the sandwich with Thousand Island dressing, provolone and swiss cheese. Buttered on each side then placed on a medium hot griddle, the rye bread toasted nicely on one side then I flipped 'em over, placed a sheet pan on top along with a cast iron skillet to weight it down and the result was nicely melted cheese and appropriately warm innards. MMM 

I've plans for the rest of the corned beef too. We'll be enjoying another breakfast like the one Big Guy made for us on the weekend. There's absolutely nothing that starts a Sunday morning off quite like corned beef hash on a crispy potato cake, topped with poached eggs. In fact, I may not wait until Sunday and have it tonight for dinner, since Big Guy won't be home. I love breakfast for dinner but he's not so hot on it.

Oh, how about making some Cornish Pasties with some of that gold? Just substitute corned beef for the pork in this recipe , eliminate the half cup of gravy and add a little wine or beer to moisten the filling. Believe me, it will be delicous. 

Of course if that doesn't turn your crank, you could always make a lovely quiche like pie using hash brown potatoes for the crust like we did here with this one. Just substitute corned beef for the chicken and leave out the green chiles and you'll have a fabulous new creation to enjoy. 

Failing that, dice some leftover corned beef up and throw pieces into a batch of cheesey buttermilk scones. Open a can of soup to go with them or make something like the Winter Vegetable Chowder we had the other night or our Roasted Tomato Soup and you'll have a meal fit for a king. 

Just for heaven's sake, don't let it go to waste. It's just too darned delicious, don't ya' think?

Fried Fish Sandwiches

Dinners around here on Wednesday nights are way past the usual time because the Big Guy's got a late class this semester. It means that dinner and bedtime are but a short hour apart so by necessity we need something lighter.  I suppose given enough time I could convince myself this monster double barrel fish sandwich was lighter, but who the heck would I be kidding. It was sure good though. 

It's funny how many different methods there are for coating and frying fish but I've got to tell you I'm not sure I'll ever find a better coating than this one. A mixture of flour, cornmeal and baking powder mixed with egg and beer, jazzed up with some Cajun spices and deep fried about covers it, and boy does it ever! Light, crisp, flavorful with extra moist flaky cod on the inside - what can I say.

Piled on top of a soft potato sandwich bun along with some slaw, sliced tomato and tartar sauce, it was the first time in my life I've ever seen the Big Guy eat a sandwich like this with a fork. Ya' think I might have gone overboard?

Fried Fish Sandwich (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by myrecipes.com)

1 pound fish fillets (I used cod)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 cup beer

Hamburger buns

Tartar sauce

Packaged Slaw mix

Tomato slices

Place vegetable oil into heavy pot to a depth of approximately 1-1/2 inches and heat over medium high to 375 degrees. Meanwhile cut fish fillets into 3 inch pieces, wash and dry well with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt and baking powder until light and well combined. Whisk in egg and beer and mix until smooth. Dip seasoned fish into batter and fry in batches in hot oil without crowding pan for 4 minutes total or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to drain and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining fish. Place fish onto warmed buns along with tartar sauce, slaw and sliced tomato. Makes 4 servings.

 A year ago - German Potato Pancakes

Two year's ago - Chicken with Mint

Meatballs - One Recipe, Two Delicious Meals

Whether cooking for a casual party or dinner for family and friends, there's hardly a better crowd pleaser than Italian meatballs and these polpette adapted from Nick Stellino's Mediterranean Flavors cookbook are in a class of their own. 

Loaded with tons of romano cheese, they have an element of surprise not just with a little sugar but with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg too, along with the usual garlic and Italian parsley. While Nick makes his version with a combination of veal, pork and beef, veal is darn near impossible to come by in these parts so I included only beef and pork. No matter - I can't imagine they could possibly be any better than they are. Instead of browning them on top of the stove and having to hover over them, I popped the little balls onto a sheet pan and put them in the oven for 25 minutes. Cooled and packaged into two lots, the first bag went into little meatball sliders that were included in our Super Bowl Sunday feast.

Simply nestled into soft rolls that I whipped up and baked in the new silicone muffin pans my honey gave me for my birthday this year, they came out a perfect size mini-bun to nestle a meatball into. Rather than cut the rolls in half and having to deal with a meatball on the lamb, I simply hollowed out some of the bread from the top and filled the hole with marinara sauce, grated parmesan, and a warmed meatball before topping the mini sandwich with grated mozzarella cheese. A few minutes under the broiler and we were dining fine.

Last night's dinner made use of the second bag of meatballs and the rest of the marinara, Trader Joe's I might add. Hey I'm not above using a good brand of ready made and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Nestled into a bowl of al dente' pasta, it made for a perfectly quick and absolutely delicious weeknight dinner.  I'm just wishing I'd doubled the meatball recipe so I could have more hiding in the freezer for nights I don't feel like doing much in the kitchen because a I can think of another couple of ways to use them to satisfy the hungry masses - like a rich and creamy meatball and bechamel lasagne or a hot bowl of meatball soup. Bliss, pure bliss.

Nick Stellino's Meatballs (adapted from Nick Stellino’s Mediterranean Flavors)

1/2 cup milk

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup dried Italian flavored bread crumbs

2 eggs

2 cups grated Romano cheese

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add

1 pound ground pork

1 pound lean ground beef

Mix gently with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated. Using a quarter cup scoop, shape into balls. Place on sheet pan lined with parchment and bake at 400 for 25 minutes. (Makes approximately 18 meatballs.)

A year ago - Country Spice Pudding Cake  Two year's ago - Figgy O'Fiber Muffins

 

Old School Style Pigs n' Blankets

We took a day off yesterday and hit a favorite place for breakfast followed by hours cruising the lots looking at some very luxury RV's including a whole bunch of Fifth Wheels. Hey - it's fun spending money you don't have and dreaming about the future, isn't it.

As a result when we finally got home we were both tired, thirsty and the cook felt extremely uninspired in the dinner department. The Big Guy absolutely loves hot dogs and since I had a solitary can of crescent rolls hiding in the refrigerator and some hot dogs in the freezer it seemed like a good idea to combine the two and come up with something we could call dinner.

The result were these cheater pigs in blankets that the Big Guy said used to be one of his favorite grade school cafeteria lunches. Unfortunately the grade school I went to was significantly lower class because we didn't have a cafeteria and had to bring our lunches, although I admit a lot of the time the bag held a "tube steak" in another form - bologna sandwiches.

We had our "dogs" along with a quick homemade macaroni salad chock a block full of celery, sweet onion, carrots, cubed cheese, relish, hot sauce, mayo and a touch of sour cream. Sorry, I didn't measure a thing so I can only tell you what went into the darn thing. It was all good - especially the little cheese filled, cornmeal coated crescent dogs. When you're stuck on trying to decide what's for dinner after you've had a big, big breakfast and a long tiring day give these a try. I guarantee they'll fill the gap and bring back some memories too.

School Style Pigs n Blankets aka Crescent Dogs (inspired by Pillsbury.com)

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

4 jumbo wieners

2 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into thin strips

1 tablespoon cornmeal

Preheat oven to 375. Cut wieners to within approximately a quarter inch of each end and stuff with strips of cheddar cheese. Unroll crescent rolls and press triangles together to form 4 rectangles. Using a sharp knife, cut quarter inch wide slits in the center of each rectangle on the short side, leaving all 4 edges intact. Place a cheese stuffed wiener against the long edge of the rectangle and roll dough around it, sealing the edge. Place wiener seam side down and cheese side up on un-greased baking sheet. Repeat for other 3 hot dogs. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with mustard.

A year ago - Red Wine and Port Sauce

 

 

Roast Beef Sandwiches with Grilled Onions and Gorgonzola

This is the second in the leftover roast beef series and we're not tired of it yet, although the Big Guy sliced up the rest of it yesterday for various other purposes and stuck it in the freezer. He kept out enough for these lovely sandwiches, as well as a repeat in the next day or so. Lucky us!

He cut the slices so perfectly thin they only have one side, piled them all together and put them inside some soft buns, grilled on the inside. Topped with some of the horseradish sauce that was the star of our Christmas dinner, the sandwiches were finished with golden brown grilled onions, ripe juicy halved mini-plum tomatoes and slices of creamy gorgonzola cheese. If these are leftovers, bring 'em on!

As for today - the Big Guy's working his way through his honey do list and yesterday, did some remodeling in the laundry room, moving cabinets and installing shelving. It looks fabulous, functional and I love it. Today he's re grouting the master bedroom shower and then retiring to the garage to work on the bow he made. As for me, I've a mountain and I do mean a mountain of ironing to do. Woe is me!

A year ago - Lamb Stew with Trinidad Curry

Cran-Nut Chicken Bundles

We're absolutely crazy about the savory hand pies (pasties) cooked up in JBug's Kitchen over the last little while but since we're all about every day deliciousness, I wanted to come up with a quick solution for those of us that are somewhat pastry challenged.While I've had nothing but good luck with pastry lately I'm not about to get smug over my success because we all know success in the kitchen can be a fleeting thing at times.

Inspired by a recipe on the Pillsbury web site, I chopped and braised a couple of chicken thighs in butter and vermouth and when cooled, folded the cluck into some cream cheese mixed with slivered almonds, dried cranberries and a touch of rosemary. Spooned into rectangles formed by sticking some crescent rolls together, I pinched up the corners into the center then sealed the edges, brushed the bundles with butter, dusted them with panko crumbs and the pan of goodies hit the oven for 25 minutes while I made a small salad. Ya, salad - haven't seen one of those coming from our kitchen in a while have ya.

Don't ask me why it took so long to try this, because I'm pretty happy with the results from that fat little dimply "Dough Boy".  While nothing can replace the flavor or texture of a great pastry, this is a good alternative.

Meanwhile, there's some bundles left in the refrigerator waiting for you know who when he gets home ...if he ever does that is. His flights were cancelled yesterday due to fog and he had to spend another night in Fargo. Talk about a let down! Now, guess where it's foggy like crazy at the moment? Yup - it had better darn well clear up cause I'm kinda' done with this solitary existence. I know I've got the fur kids but I don't get much of a reaction from them unless I say "walk, car ride or cookie".

Chicken Bundles with Cranberry and Almond (Inspired by Pillsbury.com)

 2 small skinless boneless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup vermouth

Salt, pepper

1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons half and half

2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/4 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/4 cup panko crumbs

Heat sauté pan over medium high heat and add butter. Chop chicken into half inch pieces and add to hot sauté pan. Cook until chicken is no longer pink – 2 or 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and dried onion flakes. Add vermouth, stir well to incorporate, then cover and simmer chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, until wine has evaporated and chicken is cooked. Remove to a plate and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, beat together cream cheese, butter, and half and half until smooth. Fold in onion, cranberries, almonds, salt, pepper, rosemary and cooled chicken.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Separate crescent dough into 4 rectangles, sealing perforations well. Scoop a half cup of chicken filling into center of dough and pull corners together joining in center. Pinch edges to seal well. Place on prepared baking sheet, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with panko crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 4.

A year ago - Shrimp and Scallop Stew with Chorizo

Beef and Roasted Pepper Panini Sandwiches

Remember the tri tip roast we cooked up recently? Being the frugal soul that I am, I divided and froze the leftovers in zip bags with some grand ideas for its future. Good thing I'm such a planner.

We celebrated Pink Mountain Friday last night with a couple of knock out sandwiches. Fresh panini rolls slathered with mayo and horseradish, topped with thinly sliced and slivered medium rare tri-tip, roasted red and yellow peppers, pickled jalapeno slices and an assortment of cheeses including bits of fontina, sharp cheddar, Italian 4 cheese blend, fresh mozzarella and a smidge of gorgonzola. 

Slathered with butter and cooked till crisp in a hot panini grill, not only was it a great way to use up some tri-tip leftovers, it did short work of all the bits and pieces that collected in the cheese drawer over the past week or so. Rather brilliant, don't ya' think!

Sorry there's no recipe because we just threw them all together. Does it give you some ideas?

Bacon and Blue Cheese Burgers

Beef rules in this house, at least according to you know who but because I grew up on a beef/dairy farm, it holds limited appeal to me; however, if I must indulge I prefer a burger over a steak any day of the week. The burger we had last night is liable to convince you that I may be right. 

Lean ground beef mixed with some whipping cream to keep it moist along with dried onion flakes, a smidge of garlic, worcestershire and a few dried panko crumbs then pattified and grilled until perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender inside are joined on the bun by crisp bacon, perfectly ripe red tomato and the kicker - a blue cheese sauce. The sauce is fashioned from equal parts sour cream and mayo, along with dry mustard, garlic powder, a little worcestershire, a  hint of red wine vinegar and 4 ounces of crumbled Gorgonzola. It's creamy, drippy, cheesy and, single or double - the burger's the bomb!

Oh, we had our burgers with some potato and parsnip latkes but I'll have to tell you about them another time. I really don't want to steal the burger's thunder.

Bacon and Blue Cheese Burgers (Adapted from Canadian Living Rush Hour Cookbook)

Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon each salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola)

Combine ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill a minimum of 1 hour to blend flavors.

Burgers:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup panko crumbs

2 tablespoons dried onion flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

In a large bowl combine ingredients together. Form into 4  or 5 patties, depending on desired thickness. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

Fresh burger buns

Sliced tomato

Bacon cooked until crisp

Heat grill and cook burgers for approximately 4 minutes on one side. Turn and cook for another 2 minutes, or until desired doneness. Grill buns if desired until warm. To serve, spoon sauce onto bun. Add burger and garnish with bacon and tomato. Top with additional sauce as desired.

A year ago - Chunky Autumn Chili

The Ultimate Patty Melt

Friday's around here are ultra casual including but not limited to our culinary endeavors. What can be better than celebrating the end of another work week than with an ooey gooey cheesy messy to eat patty melt sandwich.

Last night's version was truly one of those "seat of your pants" creations including lean beef mixed with a little steak sauce, dried onions and lots of pepper then grilled on our fancy new shiny red grill. A Maui sweet onion mixed with a yellow onion sauteed in butter to a rich golden brown and jazzed up with some marsala wine topped the beef patty, along with slices of muenster cheese all on some glorious rye bread loaded with caraway seeds and browned till crispy in butter on the flat top grill.

Our sandwiches kept company on the plate along side some "schmucked" potatoes - little red taters roasted in a very hot oven till really soft on the inside and crisp outside, then flattened and returned to the oven to crisp up, topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary. They were yummy.

I've no recipe to give to you since I measured not one thing so I'll have to leave the re-creation of last night's dinner up to you and your imagination. Happy October 1 everyone!

A year ago - Food Processor French Bread

Shredded Pork BBQ Sandwiches on Home Made Buns with Apple Cabbage Slaw

What do you do with 3.6 pounds of leftover Dr. Pepper shredded pork? Why, you make barbecue sandwiches, naturally. Our only problem is that we didn't have any hamburger buns and I'd already spent my weekly budget so hitting the grocery store was out of the question. You see, I'm rather disciplined in that respect; ok, call it anal, but how do you think we manage to take a month's vacation every summer? That's right - we save for it a dollar at a time!

Thankfully the pantry gods were shining on us because we had all the bread makin's so between the two of us, the Big Guy and yours truly whipped 'em up in no time flat. Things rise pretty quickly when your room temperature's approaching the 80 degree mark. Just sayin'.

Next time you've a minute and are so inclined, whip up a batch of these gorgeous buns. They're soft and squishy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, kinda' sweet, a little salty too and just darn near perfect specimens. I caution you though:

1. The dough is extremely soft so be careful how you form them. We shaped them into perfect rounds which then became perfect squares except for the single bun that I cooked in a round ramekin. It could be that my dough was too sticky, so you may need to add more flour;
2. Be sure you've got lots of fresh butter waiting for you when the buns come out of the oven. They're incredible dipped in the stuff and eaten while still hot. Of course I didn't do that and if you believe me, I've some swamp land in Tucson to sell you.
3. Be ready with a baseball bat to guard your work if you happen to be making these and roasting some Hatch green chiles at the same time. We could have had a stampede!

By the way, our pulled pork sandwiches included some of the Big Guy's secret barbecue sauce (sorry, he's not sharing), along with the cabbage apple slaw with maple walnut dressing from the other night.  What more can I say except here's the recipe for that too - finally.  It's delicious!

Hamburger Buns (adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious.com)

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 F)

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 teaspoon salt

6 cups flour, divided (I used 3 cups bread flour and 3 cups all-purpose)

1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

Coarse sea salt

Heat milk in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat and cool to 105 F. Meanwhile, stir together warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle in yeast, mix lightly with a fork and allow to stand until foamy. About 5 minutes.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add bloomed yeast, butter, sugar, eggs, milk and salt. Mix to combine then slowly add 4 cups of flour. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl. Change attachment to dough hook and with motor running add additional 2 cups of flour. Beat for 5 minutes. Dough will be very sticky, but if it doesn’t leave the sides of the bowl clean, add more flour a tablespoon at a time. Transfer to a large buttered bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft free place and let rise until doubled. Note – the recipe said 2-1/2 hours; however, mine only took 1 hour.

Butter 2 baking sheets. Punch down dough and form into 16 balls (I weighed mine and they were between 92 and 94 grams each). Arrange on baking sheets, flatten slightly, cover and let rise in a draught free spot until they’re doubled (again, mine took 50 minutes, but the recipe said 1-1/2 to 2 hours, so it depends on the temperature of your room). Preheat oven to 375. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 14 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and they sound hollow when tapped. Cool on wire racks. Download Hamburger Buns

Cabbage Apple Slaw with Maple Walnut Dressing (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

1/2 a small cabbage, thinly sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and julienned

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/4 cup sweet onion, finely diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1 tablespoon apple jack brandy

1/4 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Walnut halves for garnish

In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, apple, carrots and sweet onion. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise and sour cream. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in vinegar, maple syrup and apple brandy until smooth. Fold in toasted walnuts. Combine dressing with vegetables. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Cover and chill until serving. Garnish with walnut halves. 

 

Hot Turchicken Sandwich and a Lesson

Bet you're all wondering exactly what a hot turchicken sandwich is but before we get to that we need to talk about the lesson.

As you all know we call the start of the weekend Pink Mountain Fridays and dinner is usually something of the munchie, casual hand held variety accompanied by a libation of gargatuan proportion. Trouble is this week we managed to enjoy a fair number of Pink Mountain evenings - some weeks are just like that don't you agree.

This week happened to mark the end of the summer break for the Big Guy as classes start on Monday; we also lived through a monsoon storm that darn near ripped the roof off our house and closed one of the main roads to our neck of the woods for 2 full days; the large metropolis to the north of us endured yet another Haboob the third one in a little over a month and the likes of which is more common in the Sahara than in the Arizona desert, and; it was just that kind of a week where any old excuse will do.

What I'm getting at is that I really just wanted to open a bag of chips and call it dinner; however, you know who wouldn't have been very happy with that so I raided the freezer instead. What did I find?

Left over turkey stock from Thanksgiving, chicken tenders from a cheap chicken purchase a few weeks ago, a half bag of frozen cranberries and a loaf of Texas toast. Half an hour later, dinner was ready - an open faced hot chicken sandwich with turkey gravy, cranberry sauce and Stove Top stuffin' thanks to the pantry.

So what's the lesson you ask? Check out the freezer before you decide there's nothing in the house to eat and do not under any circumstances try to eat an open faced sandwich smothered in thick rich gravy without a knife and fork. It get's pretty darn messy.

A year ago - Ahi Tuna Tacos

Chili Dog Perfection

A picture is definitely worth a thousand words so I'm going to keep this post short and sweet.Every once in a while I'm reminded that J'Bug's Kitchen Antics is all about every day food for every day people and it's obvious this menu choice is far from gourmet. I make no apologies and hold my head high. Don't you think it takes a lot of intestinal fortitude (balls) to post chili dogs on a blog in the first place?

You see, every so often I try to cook for my audience of one and he's more into chicken gizzards and clam strips than he is a prissy smoked salmon tart. If you want to know the truth, he looked forward to last night's dinner all week.

I'd never had a chili dog in my whole long life before I married the Big Guy and although I may be wrong, I think they're more of an American institution than a Canadian one. I needed some help in coming up with a recipe so I looked to the studmuffin at Foodnetwork (Tyler Florence) for the goods. What you see is his version. The chili itself is about as different as one can get in comparison to the spiced up tex/mex version we're used to around these parts. This one's got more sweet than heat and while I wouldn't want a bowl of it, I have to admit it went well with the dogs.

As you can see from this photo of the Big Guy's plate, he was extremely happy with the results. By the way, I apologize for the blur but it was all I could do to snap a shot before he grabbed his plate out from under the tripod.

Chili for Chili Dogs (adapted from Tyler Florence at Foodnetwork.com)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

2-1/2 cups ketchup

2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

Heat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and when shimmering add onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally until onion is softened. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a fork as it cooks. When the meat is nicely browned (about 10 minutes), add chili powder and red pepper flakes. Cook another minute, stirring constantly, then add ketchup and yellow mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until very thick. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required.

 4 good quality hot dogs

4 hot dog rolls

Chopped red onion, chopped jalapeno peppers

Grated cheddar cheese

To complete sandwich, cook hot dogs on grill until well heated through. Warm buns until toasty. Top buns with grilled hot dogs, add chili and garnish with onions, peppers and cheese. Download Chili for Chili Dogs

A year ago - Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers

Drowned Beef Sandwiches

Sandwiches are a perfect solution to dinner on a hot humid August night. This particular version is a cross between a French (Beef) Dip, barbecue beef sandwich and a Philly cheesesteak. Also known as a torta ahogada, according to wiki, it "is a typical dish from the Mexican state of Jalisco, particularly in the city of Guadalajara." What it proves is that there's a lot more to Mexican food than just tacos, burritos and Taco Bell. 

From the effervescent Ingrid Hoffman of Foodnetwork fame, this version's backbone is a sauce made from Rotel tomatoes along with tomato sauce, cilantro and spicy chipotle chiles in adobo. Added to deli beef slices along with onion, garlic and jalapenos and garnished with mashed avocado on a toasted panini roll, every mouthful is a spicy solute to that vast country of culinary treasures south of the border.

We had our sandwiches with some oven fries and cool fresh watermelon balls. It was really delicious and we'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Drowned Beef Sandwich (adapted from Ingrid Hoffman, Foodnetwork.com)

Dipping Sauce:

1 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes with diced green chiles

1 14 ounce can tomato sauce

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

3 chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons adobo sauce

1 lime, juiced

1 10 ounce can beef consommé, undiluted

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, cilantro, chipotles, adobo and lime juice in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling, then lower heat to a strong simmer and cook until sauce has reduced and thickened (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and add consommé. Using an immersion blender, carefully puree until sauce is smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Be careful with the salt because the consommé is quite intense. Set aside to keep warm.

Meat:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapenos, minced (leave in seeds and veins if you want extra heat)

1 cup dipping sauce above

1 pound deli sliced roast beef

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and mashed

Grated mozzarella or jack cheese (optional)

4 soft rolls, halved, buttered and grilled until toasted

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When shimmering add onion and cook until onion softens. Add garlic and jalapenos and sauté, stirring often, until onion begins to turn golden brown. Add dipping sauce and sliced roast beef, tossing lightly to incorporate sauce into the beef. Heat through. To assemble sandwiches, butter one half of toasted roll with avocado. Add grated cheese to the other half of the roll and top with beef, onion mixture. Serve sandwich with dipping sauce on the side. Makes 4 large sandwiches. Download Drowned Beef Sandwich

A year ago - Rosti Potatoes

Two years ago - Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower

 

Minty Lamb Patty Pita Pockets

I'm leading you down the garden path with this one or at least to the herb garden which in most cases should be absolutely booming by now. Unfortunately ours is dying off at a rather alarming rate from all the heat and in the case of the rosemary too much watering, but thankfully the basil's going ballistic which is OK with me.

Some of it went into last night's lamb patties, along with mint, cilantro, minced sweet onion and a touch of yogurt. What resulted, with kudos to Rachel Ray, is an incredibly flavorful, lower calorie version of a perfect summer burger, spiced up further with some mango chutney and garnished with more sweet onion, cucumber and the rest of the mache from the other night.

We had our pita pockets along with some crudite' just so we could polish our halos and brag a bit. Believe me it was shortlived because I also made a rather brag worthy dessert, but I'll tell you about that one later.

By the way, if you're watching your carbs, load your lamb patties into some crisp lettuce leaves to make a wrap. Believe me it'll be delicious and you won't feel deprived - not one bit!

Minty Lamb Patty Pita Pockets (adapted from RachelRay.com)

1 handful each cilantro, basil and mint

1 pound lean ground lamb

1/2 cup minced sweet onion

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon steak grill seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons sour cream

Pita bread

Mango chutney

Lettuce, sweet onion, cucumber slices

Place cilantro, basil and mint in a food processor and pulse until well chopped. Add to ground lamb along with onion, cumin, steak seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, salt, yogurt and sour cream. Divide and form into 8 small thin patties.

Spray large heavy skillet or flat top grill with cooking spray. Heat to very hot. Add lamb patties and cook for 4 minutes total or until no longer pink inside, flipping half way through. Heat pitas. Cut tops off the bread and fill with patties. Garnish with lettuce, sweet onion, cucumber and mango chutney. Serves 4. Download Minty Lamb Patty Pita Pockets

A year ago - Buffalo Chicken Chili

A Six Sided Burger

A 6 sided burger - I bet you're askin' yourself "how they do that?". If you're at all like us, you like a lot of meat in your burger so usually you make one that's really thick, right? Well, not this time.

Last night's burger was just the opposite - made up of 3 really thin beef patties and grilled on the flat top, each burger had 6 sides of caramelized goodness when they hit that soft squishy grilled bun. Loaded with caramelized onion, ooey gooey yummy melted gruyere cheese, some chopped up crispy bacon pieces from our most recent bacon makin' exercise, believe me the fixin's were all good. The final topper...ice cold tomato slices and some of the avocado cream we enjoyed on our fish tacos the other night.

It was amazing. Not only did the thin burger patties cook a lot faster than a thick one does, the flavor was simply incredible with the crusty finish on the outside and juicy moist interior.  To be honest, it  reminded me of the old fashioned diner style burgers from the days before everything had to be super sized.  Says a lot for the premise that everything old is new again, doesn't it.

Next time you're cookin' a burger, try doing it this way and see what I mean, OK. Oh, by the way, I'm sure you could grill the burgers on the barby instead of using a flat top, but the Big Guy cooked 'em outside on his big flat top grill along side the onions and bacon so the flavors could kind of run together and believe you me, it was a joy to behold. To save calories, we had our burgers with a nice fresh salad instead of french fries and onion rings. Yes, I agree - it was rather like having a diet beverage on top of a mountain of calories to appease the conscience. In other words, it was pointless, totally pointless, but we enjoyed every bite none-the-less.

Six Sided Burgers  

1 pound lean ground beef

4 slices bacon, diced

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

Montreal Grill Seasoning

Course ground black pepper

Slices of gruyere cheese

2 large burger buns (we used foccacia rolls)

Sliced tomatoes

Avocado Cream (see recipe below)

Divide lean ground beef into 6 identical sized pieces and press into flat, very thin bun sized discs each approximately 1/8 inch in thickness. Season each disc well on both sides with grill seasoning and pepper. On flat top grill or in a large pan, cook bacon until crisp. Set aside. Grill onions using leftover bacon fat until onions are soft and caramelized.

Meanwhile place meat patties on very hot grill and cook for 2 minutes per side until caramelized on each side. Place slices of gruyere cheese on 4 of the 6 patties and cover with a lid to melt cheese quickly.

Grill buns until golden then build burgers, layering onions and bacon between each patty. Top with sliced tomatoes and garnish with avocado cream. Makes 2 large burgers.

Avocado Cream (adapted from John Conley, Salsa Brava Cochina)

1 cup sour cream

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 avocado, pit and skin removed

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Store covered in an airtight container in refrigerator.  

Makin' Bacon 2 - Canadian Bacon for an incredible sandwich

As promised, here's the second installment in the Makin' Bacon series - and believe you me, it's a lot easier to do than you think. What Americans call Canadian Bacon and my fellow countrymen call "back" bacon, this version is dry cured rather than brine cured before smoking. It differs from Peameal bacon, a specialty from the province of my birth (Ontario) in that it is smoked after curing, whereas peameal is not. We'll cover that one in a later edition - I promise!

Canadian bacon is simply a large piece of pork loin, tied then rolled in a mixture of Morton Tender Quick, brown sugar, coarse ground pepper, dried sage and thyme, encased in a zip bag and left to cure in the bottom of the refrigerator for a week. It was on ignore for most of the time.

After the cure time, we soaked it in water to remove some of the excess salt, then smoked it in our Big Chief using applewood chips for 6 hours. Of course the longer the smokin' time, the more pronounced the flavor. See Episode 1 for more detailed pictures and instructions.

After our bacon cooled the Big Guy sliced it using our new handy dandy meat slicer that we just couldn't do without. I mean if you're gonna' be makin' your own bacon by the pound(s) as we've been doing, a meat slicer's certainly the way to go! Wrapped and frozen into individual packages, we had our first taste last night in a bacon sandwich.

Done on the flattop, our bacon sandwich included grilled onions, tomatoes for the Big Guy (I had mine without) and a touch of mayo on a grilled bun. It was in one word INCREDIBLE and well worth the effort to make your own bacon. It is super lean and full of amazing flavor - not at all like the "cardboard" version you see in your neighborhood supermarket. We've packaged the remainder in individual servings and it's hiding in the freezer for when you all come visit. It'll be fabulous in egg's benedict, in a pasta carbonara, on a pizza or as a flavoring agent in almost anything at all. I guarantee it's not going to last long. LOL

So, I bet you're wondering if we're done yet, aren't ya. Uhh, the answer would be an absolute unequivocal NO! You wouldn't believe what we've got on the go now but I'm not gonna' let the secret outa' the bag for at least another week, so you'd best stay tuned!

Canadian Bacon Adapted from mortonsalt.com

1 boneless pork loin (approximately 5 pounds)

1 tablespoon Morton Tender Quick per pound of meat

1 teaspoon brown sugar per pound of meat

1 Tablespoon coarse ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Combine Tender Quick, brown sugar, black pepper, sage and thyme in a small container. Set aside.  Remove fat and silver skin from pork loin. Tie with string so that loin holds its shape. Rub prepared sugar/spice mixture onto all sides of loin. Place in large zip top plastic bag and remove as much air as possible from the bag as you zip it shut. Place in the refrigerator and to cure for 4 to 6 days. After curing period, remove from bag and soak loin in cold water for 1 hour, changing water after 30 minutes. Remove from water and pat dry. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to dry slightly before smoking.  Smoke until internal temperature reaches 140 – longer if you want a more pronounced smoke flavor.

To prepare - cut into 1/8 inch thick slices. Preheat greased skillet or flat top over medium heat and cook bacon until browned on both sides - about 5 minutes. Download Canadian Bacon

 

Friday Night Special Stromboli

Picture this. Soft fresh mozzarella cheese and provolone melting through marinara moistened hot Italian sausage, sauteed onions, roasted red peppers and sundried tomatoes all wrapped up nice and tight in a crunchy on the outside and soft fluffy on the inside dough with every bite made better with a sliver of fresh basil right from the herb garden. The flavors explode in your mouth and the cheese drips down your chin. The first piece goes down so fast you've hardly tasted it but the second one, oh my ...and as for the third...well...It's a race to the finish!

That's what we had for our Friday night special last night, along with a bottle of Willamette Valley Pinot - it was blissful. Best thing is, we somehow managed to leave a third of it for lunch later today. Aren't we special!

Friday Night Special Stromboli (a JBug’s Kitchen original)

Crust:

1 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

2-1/2 cups bread flour, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

In bowl of food processor with metal blade, combine 1-1/2 cups flour with warm water and yeast. Blitz to mix well. Add 1 more cup of flour, olive oil and salt. Mix until dough forms into one ball and rides on top of the metal blade – about 20 seconds. If dough is very sticky add more flour and mix again; however the dough should be very soft. Remove to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). After dough has risen, remove to a floured piece of parchment paper, cover with cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes has passed, roll dough out to approximately 14 x 17 inches.  Spread the following filling in the middle, on the long side.

 1 pound hot Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled and well drained

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1 large onion, sautéed until soft and golden

2 roasted red peppers, sliced

1/3 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced

4 ounces sliced provolone

Sprinkle of freshly ground pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, dried basil

Coarse ground sea salt

Using parchment to assist, fold in ends of stromboli, then sides to have dough meat in the middle. Pinch well to close. Move parchment paper onto large sheet pan and sprinkle stromboli with course salt. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from pan and remove Stromboli to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Bacon Blue Burger with Bourbon Onions and Cornmeal Fried Onion Rings

That's a mouthful of a title isn't it, as if the picture's not enough. We were watching Guy Fieri over the weekend and saw this one on Diner's Driveins and Dives and thus were inspired. A burger made of 80/20 ground beef, grilled on the flattop and loaded with gooey melted creamy blue cheese, then topped with bacon, crisp onion rings filled with caramelized onions cooked in bourbon (Gentleman Jack if you want to be specific) and a little maple syrup along with some sauteed mushrooms...well, pardon me if I wouldn't like to do it all again right this second, but it seems a little excessive at 6 in the morning. Quite honestly it was a little excessive at 6 last night too.

Sorry I have no recipes to share with you today, just a mouthwatering picture and the memories of pure bliss. I mean, what's better'n a burger. Right?

By the way, the onion rings were about the best I've ever made - sweet onions cut into quarter inch rounds, soaked in a mixture of milk, egg, salt and hot sauce then coated in flour with a scouch of cornmeal. Fried for a minute per side in a half inch of vegetable oil, they were crisp, tender, and exceedingly light. I promise to make 'em again soon so I can measure everything out and share the secret with ya.

Corned Beef Sandwich

OK so there's lots of things to do with leftover corned beef, but the first thing on our list is always a good old fashioned corned beef sandwich aka Reuben. Other than great scotch eggs, Nana's Irish Pub in Newport Oregon has the most incredible corned beef sandwiches so working from memory the big guy used it as an inspiration last night when he built his version.

Rather than sauerkraut, the sandwich is loaded with some of the braised cabbage from our St. Pat's Day dinner, and while it would have been great just warmed up the big guy caramelized it a tad on the flat top grill before he loaded it between the slices of rye. Topped with swiss cheese, homemade sweet mustard and of course corned beef then grilled to a crisp finish, it was about the best darn corned beef sandwich he's ever made. Course I say that every year!

Stay tuned because over the next couple of days we'll be giving you a few more ideas of what to do with that hunk of leftover gold. Happy Saturday y'all. We're off to breakfast at Lupita's followed by a little grocery shopping then home to clean up the mess in our back yard. What's on your agenda today?

Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sandwiches

Wednesday nights are a little different around here because the big guy teaches a late class so dinner needs to be something that will hold well and/or be ready when he gets home because there's not much time between eatin' and sleepin'. Course last night, or should I say this morning, there was even less time for sleepin' since the Maxer took it upon himself to do his watusi seizure dance starting at 2:30 so this post may be a tad discombobulated. Just sayin'.

I decided to spend the better part of yesterday afternoon making these stuffed sandwiches and quite honestly I'm a bit of an idiot. The big guy requested sloppy joes for dinner so I thought I'd go one up on him and do something different. After all, variety is the spice of life.

I used a bread recipe not unlike the one I use for English muffins to make a soft dough that seemed to take forever to rise and while it was doing the skyward lift, albeit slowly, I whipped up a filling with the necessary sweet/sour ketchupy sloppy joe flavors.

Check out the picture essay here from Mags' at The Other Side of Fifty and it'll give you a perfect example as to the process involved. She calls her little beauties "kolaches" and you can bet your boots I'll be trying her recipes next. Shoulda' would'a coulda' didn't this time. Darn.

By the way, they're a great thing to make on a cold rainy windy spring afternoon because they smell awful good when you're prepping and would be fabulous along with a cup of homemade soup. Unfortunately, we didn't have a cold, windy rainy afternoon and that could be why I was moderately disappointed with my results, not that they weren't good mind you. I just wondered if they were worth all the effort. We had them with some of Busch's Grillin' Beans of the Bourbon flavored variety which is a whole other story. Darn those are good beans and I for one will not be making scratch beans for a while when I can just hit my local grocer and buy Busch's.

So now we're down to the crux of the issue - I just didn't feel like cookin'. Now, aren't you glad we finally got around to a conclusion. Gotta' run. Here's the recipe I used - make it your own, if you're so inclined. OK?

Stuffed Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

Buns:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1-1/2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

18 ounces (by weight) bread flour

Combine warm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and stir lightly with a fork. Set aside to proof for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in the bowl of a stand mixer with regular beater bar, combine buttermilk, vegetable oil, sugar and salt. Add proofed yeast and mix well to combine. Add half the flour and beat on low speed for 3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Switch to dough hook, add remaining flour and mix of medium low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from stand, cover and place in a warm place to rise to double in bulk (approximately 1 to 1-1/2 hours).

Turn dough out onto a well floured bowl and gently deflate. Dough will be very soft. Roll into an 18 inch cylinder and cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6 inch circle. Place 1/4 cup of filling into center and collect dough edges, sealing well. Place seam side down on parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 3 inches between each sandwich. Repeat process until there are 12 sandwiches. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes in a warm place.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 400. Brush sandwiches with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with coarse salt or dried onions. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.  (May be frozen and reheated).

Filling:

1-1/4 pounds extra lean ground beef

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Cooking spray

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers

1 cup grated pepper jack or cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium high heat cook onion, red pepper and garlic until soft. Add ground beef and crumble with a fork to break up meat. Cook until meat is browned and juices have been absorbed. Add ketchup, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and pickled jalapeno peppers and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, add pepper jack cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Set aside to cool. Download Stuffed Sloppy Joe Sandwiches