JBug's Kitchen Antics

Onion Pie and Barbecued Meatloaf

Big Guy's going to be asking "what holiday" as this long weekend comes to a close. He had quite the day yesterday! Between laying backsplash tile and several trips to Home Depot, he managed to cook breakfast as well as whip up 5 lovely individual meat loaves for our dinner last night. Talk about an overachiever!

We've shared his meat loaf recipe with you in the past but it's just too darn tasty not to make over and over, particularly now that barbecue/grilling season is upon us. Loaded with ground beef, pork and spicy hot Italian sausage along with tons of garlic, jalapeno's, sun dried tomatoes and chopped mushrooms, there's not much filler in these babies - just pure unadulterated meat.  The mushrooms really help to keep the loaves moist while they cook for an hour over charcoal flavored by alder chips and the resulting smoky flavor is absolutely incomparable. Hit this link and it'll take you to the recipe! 

I'm always on the lookout for a new side dish, so when I saw the recipe for Onion Pie in the Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbook Big Guy brought back from his Grand Canyon hike for me last weekend, I just had to give it a try.

This simple pie has got most all the same ingredients as a quiche but is much lighter thanks to an untraditional crust made from crushed saltine crackers. Baked in a 9 x 13 pan, it comes out thinner than a normal pie, but absolutely packed with onion flavor and a perfect creamy textured, mild flavored foil for the spicy meatloaf. It's definitely going on our "keeper" list. 

Onion Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from The Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbook)

48 saltine crackers

1/2 cup butter, melted and divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 extra large onions, thinly sliced

1/2 pound grated Cheddar cheese

2 cups whole milk or half and half

3 eggs, beaten

Salt and course ground black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Place saltine crackers into a large zip bag and crush to fine crumbs. Add all but 2 tablespoons butter to the crumbs, close bag and mix together well. Pour 2/3 of the crumbs into a 9 x 13 pan and press evenly onto the bottom.

Heat oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter together in a large sauté pan. Add onions and cook until onions are softened but not browned. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Arrange onions on top of cracker crumbs in pan and top with grated cheese. Heat milk in microwave until hot but not boiling. Pour slowly over beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Season with salt and coarse ground black pepper, and pour egg/milk mixture over cheese and onions in pan. Sprinkle with reserved cracker crumbs and top with freshly grated nutmeg.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before plating. Makes 8 servings.

A year ago - Buffalo Shrimp on Lemon Caesar Salad 

Two year's ago - Curried Chicken with Fresh and Dried Cranberries

Mushroom Strudel

I'm often at a loss on what to serve as a vegetable side dish other than our usual roasted asparagus or occasional cauliflower. We're a touch limited in choices because the master of the house doesn't like peas or green or yellow beans for that matter and really prefers his veggies raw while I like 'em cooked. Thankfully though he has a particular fondness for mushrooms.

Personally I could take or leave mushrooms having grown up on the canned variety which really don't do the little 'shroom much justice, but I'll be changing my tune considerably if we can have them like this more often.

Inspired by a recipe in St. Louis Souvenirs, the strudel filling includes sliced mushrooms, minced onion, and garlic sauteed in a little butter and flavored with sherry and lots of nutmeg. A touch of flour to thicken the sauce, some fresh parsley, and a little sour cream make the mushrooms creamy and a perfect tasty foil for the crisp layers of phyllo leaves.

Prepped in advance and held in the refrigerator until the very last 20 minutes before serving time, you've got to admit it looks rather fabulous with a little grilled skirt steak on the side. This Mushroom Strudel would also make a great appetizer or luncheon dish along with a salad if you're so inclined. Needless to say, we'll be putting it on our menu again in the very near future.

By the way if you have an aversion to using phyllo pastry, no worries. Just encase the fabulous filling inside your favorite pastry or some of the dough boy's croissants. Heck you could even use won ton wrappers. Dynamite!

Mushroom Strudel (inspired by St. Louis Souvenirs Cookbook)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 package phyllo pastry leaves

1/4 cup butter, melted

Dry Italian flavored breadcrumbs

Heat butter and oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until onion is softened – about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute stirring constantly. Stir in mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have softened and start to turn golden – about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir often. Stir in flour and cook for a minute, then add salt, pepper, nutmeg and sherry. Stir well and cook for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Stir in parsley and sour cream. Cool mixture to lukewarm before continuing.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Arrange 2 phyllo leaves on a work surface, one on top of the other. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. Repeat with another 2 leaves of phyllo, melted butter and bread crumbs. Top with an additional 2 phyllo pastry leaves. Place half the filling in a long narrow strip on the short side of the phyllo pastry, leaving approximately 1 inch border around the outside. Fold in edges and roll, encasing filling in phyllo. Brush well with butter and place package with the seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat to make a second strudel. At this point the strudels can be refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 375. Cut slits in the top of the phyllo packages with a sharp knife. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until strudels are golden brown and filling is hot. Slice into pieces before serving. Serve warm. Serves 4.

A year ago - Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream

Two year's ago - Buffalo Chicken Balls

Sweet Chili and Root Beer Baby Back Ribs with Fresh Corn Saute'

Grilling season is upon us once again, although here in the sunny Southwest it's darn near a year round enjoyment. The challenge is often coming up with something new and different to try.

Every once in awhile I hit the Fine Cooking web site and rarely come away from it unhappy. This time I couldn't resist their recipe for baby back ribs. Only thing is, it was "stankin'" hot here yesterday (over 100) and since Big Guy spent the entire weekend marking papers, we decided to roast the ribs inside and merely glaze them on the outside grill. 

After Big Guy took the membrane off the back, we seasoned the ribs well with salt and pepper, minced garlic and an onion, then placed them into a foil packet along with a cup of apple cider. Wrapped up well, they roasted at 350 for 80 minutes. After they cooled slightly, we coated them in the glaze made of hoisin, root beer, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha glaze and grilled them till they were brown, crispy and shiny.

If you head to Fine Cooking's site, you'll notice their version was done completely on the grill and the glaze included kecap manis - we happened to be out of that sweet Indonesian style soy sauce so I substituted hoisin instead.  

Lorraine over at Figs and Artichokes recently posted her version of Hoisin Ribs and I really wish I'd followed her footsteps because the Chinese 5 Spice Powder she used in hers, never mind the sherry would have been a great addition to this version. I found them a little lacking in flavor, but since Big Guy normally does the rib cookin' around here, it could be I was missing the smoky flavor. Saying all of that, these were moist, tender and OK. I'm just spoiled and that's all there is too it.

Our side dish last night also from Fine Cooking included fresh corn, sauteed with bacon, red onion, green pepper, and garlic and finished with chives, parsley and a dash of hot sauce. Served warm with a squeeze of lemon, it was absolutely fabulously delicious and a great accompanyment to the ribs. Incidentally, the lemon could be replaced with lime juice but for heaven's sake, don't leave it out. It makes a huge difference and really freshens up the flavors. 

Hit the link and head directly to Fine Cooking for the recipe. We made it as listed with one exception - we cut the recipe in half and we used our home smoked side bacon instead of the back bacon they recommend. 

I know I'm being a lazy lout for not listing the recipes below, but our little Maxer had a long string of seizures last night and he's a might fragile at the moment. He needs his Momma so I've gotta run. Hope you all have a super day! 

A year ago - Lamb Sausage Rolls

Two year's ago - Chicken Chili Caliente

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Caraway

There tends to be some repetition when you blog as much as we do since we're all about every day cooking and all so bear with me as I talk about the braised red cabbage we had last night.

We happen to love the stuff although it was one of the cooked veggies the Big Guy avoided before we tied the knot. He's come to realize there's hardly anything better for pure simple deliciousness than cooked cabbage, but even I admit it doesn't make the house smell particularly good the day after the night before.

This particular recipe is our favorite and includes cabbage, red onion and apples all braised low and slow for two whole hours in a mix of red wine vinegar, brown sugar, chicken stock and caraway seeds. You'd think it would be cooked to death now wouldn't you but it isn't. There's still some crunch left to the cabbage and it's absolutely silken in texture and full of the nuances of apples and caraway.

Served along with some lovely fresh pork bratwurst sausages from our local purveyor "Sprouts", it's a lovely incredibly easy and very delicious solution to a weeknight dinner. The best part about it, the cabbage can be prepared the night before and reheated because it only gets better. Try it next time you need a different kind of side dish. It's fabulous with any kind of pork, especially schnitzel and great with duck too.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apple and Caraway (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Sable and Rosenfeld, Elegant Entertaining)

1 large head red cabbage coarsely chopped into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 red onion sliced

2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Black pepper to taste

In a large non-reactive bowl (stainless steel or glass) combine cabbage, red wine vinegar and salt. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced onion, apples, chicken stock, brown sugar, caraway seeds and cabbage/red wine vinegar mixture. Cover pot and reduce heat to low. Braise for 2 hours, stirring every half hour until cabbage is tender. Taste for seasoning and add black pepper as needed. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

A year ago - Pasta with Pancetta and Tomatoes   Two years ago - Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Chutney

Irish Potato Cakes aka Boxty

I don't know whatever possessed me to cook 5 huge russet potatoes on Thanksgiving day to make mashed. I mean 5 of them and there's only 2 of us? Was I crazy? Everything happens for a reason though because I've been meaning to make these Irish potato cakes for a long time but never seemed to have any leftover mashed potatoes hanging around. I love my taters!

These are not at all like the crisp, light and lacy potato latkes that we all know and love made from grated potato, flour or matzo meal and egg. Oh no, these are pancakes in every sense of the word. Created from mashed as well as grated potato, self rising flour and buttermilk, they're a heavy duty, stick to your ribs won't be hungry for a week kind of pancake and boy are they tasty.

I snitched the recipe from Mary at One Perfect BIte and as usual she can always be counted on to provide a recipe that she's tested and worked out all the kinks; however, saying all of that I think I need to practice making them a few more times. (Darn, ha,ha) Mine were on the heavy side and kind of doughy, likely due to the fact that I mixed 'em too much before cooking them and it could also be that I didn't cook them long enough, or maybe they're just supposed to be that way. Hit the link and head to Mary's site to read what she has to say about them and collect her recipe!

We had our boxty with Italian sausage of all things that I browned in a pan before adding sliced onion, green pepper, garlic, mini pearl tomatoes and a little tomato sauce then braised for 25 minutes. Nothing like mixing the Irish with Italian, but darned if those spicy sausage weren't the absolute bomb!

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German Potato Pancakes                       Mashed Potato Pie w Bacon

 

Corn Cakes with Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa

I have a habit of trying new recipes and it's often just a different version of something I've already made before. That was the case last night with the corn cakes we made to go along with some grilled chicken.

Tasting of summer which is rather appropriate since it is still in the 90's here, even though the calendar says we're supposed to be almost a month into fall, these cakes are really more of a fritter with a do-nut like interior made of a combination of flour and corn meal along with ground corn kernels, red onion, basil and a touch of jalapeno. While they're ok in their own right, the fresh tomato and avocado salsa really makes 'em sing.

Notice I said they were alright and they are - really a great side dish and they'd make a super appetizer too so here's the recipe anyway, but we decided that if we're having "corn cakes", we'll take this one with or without the clams any old day of the week because they're more about the corn and less about the cake. Just sayin'.

 

Corn Cakes with Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa (Adapted from Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons well shaken buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 jalapeno, minced

 Oil for frying

 In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper and set aside. In another bowl beat eggs, buttermilk and butter together. Set aside.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree 1-1/2 cups of corn kernels until coarsely chopped. Add remaining corn kernels along with red onion, basil and jalapeno. Add dry ingredients and mix gently to combine. Add wet ingredients and mix together until just combined. Do not over mix.

Heat a large skillet with a quarter inch of vegetable oil in the bottom. When sizzling, drop in batter (I used a cookie scoop) and flatten with a fork. Fry 6 at a time for approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown and firm to the touch. Do not crowd the pan. Drain on paper towels. Keep cakes warm in a low oven until serving time. Serve with salsa.

Tomato Avocado Salsa

1 large tomato, cored and chopped

1 green onion, minced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice of 1 lime

1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Place ingredients into a bowl and stir to mix. Place avocado pit into center of bowl, and refrigerate air tight until serving time. Remove pit before serving.

Old Settler Beans

When old man hunger comes knocking at your door you can tell him to take a hike if you've got a pot of beans like this in the oven.

Fashioned from an assortment of canned beans with a hint of added sweetness from sugar and a hefty hit of spice via barbecue sauce and Dijon it's the addition of bacon and hamburger that make it really sing. Great as a main course along with some corn bread or as a side dish with steak or ribs, it's the perfect dish for a potluck or just 2 very hungry people that don't mind leftovers - a lot of leftovers.

The Big Guy can vouch for the fact it makes a darn fine lunch, particularly along with those hot dogs he so loves.

Old Settler Beans (Adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks)

3/4 pound lean ground beef

6 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 – 16 ounce can pork and beans

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can pinto (red) beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and add chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is starting to crisp and has released some fat into the pot. Add ground beef and cook crumbling until no longer pink. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until onion has softened. Add pork and beans, drained and rinsed kidney and pinto beans. Stir in sugars, barbecue sauce, ketchup, chili powder and Dijon. Cover pot and bake for 1 hour. Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side dish. Download Old Settler Beans

A year ago - Baked Fish with Onion and Bacon Crust

Ranch Potatoes

Here’s the scenario. You’ve a bunch of leftover boiled potatoes in your refrigerator and you’ve maxed out the desire for potato salad. (So I said it was a scenario, I didn’t say it could really happen).  You had home fries for breakfast yesterday and you’ll have to have ‘em again tomorrow unless you do something with those Yukon Golds taking up valuable refrigerator space.  Have I got a deal for you.

From Wall Drugs cookbook, this little number takes all of a minute to put together and after a mere 30 minutes in the oven, you’ll end up with the perfect potato to go with a grilled steak or just about anything for that matter.

Chunked up spuds, chopped  green onions, shredded cheese and purchased ranch dressing result in a side dish that’s bound to please everyone. Up the anti  by adding some chopped green chiles to the mix and you’ll have ‘em crying for more.  There's only one teeny tiny little issue -  what do I do with the leftovers?

Quick Ranch Potatoes (adapted from Wall Drugs Cookbook)

3 large boiled Red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1 bunch green onions, chopped

6 ounces chopped green chiles (optional)

1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

1 cup bottled Ranch dressing

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a gratin dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl combine potatoes, green onions, chiles if using, cheese and ranch dressing. Toss together well. Season with salt and pepper. Turn into casserole dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until slightly golden on top and bubbling. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Paprika Chicken with Iddy Biddy Potato Dumplings

The thing I love most about cooler weather is the opportunity to haul out the Dutch oven and make stew. Nothing can compare to the flavor and aroma created from braising and last night's dinner was tops in that regard.

The kitchen of my youth was rather limited in the herb and spice department and there was a time   when I thought paprika had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. As far as I knew its sole purpose was to add color to the top of deviled eggs. Time and experience have proven me wrong (again) and if you don't believe me, you've just got to try this wonderful Hungarian creation. Yikes, in case you're wondering there's something in the lighting that gave this dish a luminescent quality. Trust me, it doesn't glow in the dark and no the sauce didn't separate/curdle - it just looks that way. Weird, very very weird which might make it a good choice for Halloween dinner.

In this case I used skinless boneless chicken thighs, dredged in flour and browned before braising in an onion, sweet bell pepper, thyme and sweet paprika flavored deep velvety red gravy.  Finished with some Dijon mustard and sour cream, it's the kind of dish you can whip up in less than an hour on top of the stove, or simmer long and low in the oven if you're so inclined.

While it would be fabulous on top of some soft buttered noodles, I chose to follow tradition and whipped up some potato dumplings. Much like gnocchi these little "dumples" (also known as spatzle) are made from a cold mashed potato, flour, egg and water dough with just a touch of melted butter. Thanks to some kitchen assistance from the Big Guy, we pushed the dough through our potato ricer into a pot of rolling boiling water. When the dumplings rise, they're cooked (which takes all of 30 to 40 seconds), at which time they're scooped out and drained. Reheated in butter in a hot saute pan until slightly browned and crispy on the outside they are the bomb. Incredibly light but solid and hearty, the extremely flavorful little morsels are unbeatable as a gravy soaker upper.

Dinner was fabulous darlings, absolutely fabulous. The only complaint? I managed to use darn near every pot, pan, spoon, measuring cup and miscellaneous kitchen item in its creation and worse yet, it was my turn to clean up. Now where's the justice in that?

Chicken Paprika with Tiny Potato Dumplings (adapted from High Plains Cookbook, The Joy of Alberta Cuisine)

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

All-purpose flour for dredging

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 red sweet bell peppers, sliced

1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup dry white wine

14 ounce can low sodium chicken stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup sour cream

Chopped parsley as garnish

Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven until shimmering. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour shaking off excess. Brown chicken on all sides being careful not to crowd pan – takes about 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Add onions and peppers to pot and sauté until onion is softened. Sprinkle with paprika and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add vinegar and white wine and cook, scraping any browned bits from bottom of the pot, until the wine is almost completely reduced. Add chicken stock and tomato paste, stirring well to incorporate. Return chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 40 minutes or until chicken is very tender. Remove chicken to a bowl and keep warm. Increase heat and simmer until sauce is reduced to a thick consistency. Reduce heat to low and whisk in mustard and sour cream. Return chicken to pot to warm. Garnish with parsley and serve with noodles or dumplings. Serves 4

Potato Dumplings (Spatzle)

1 cup cold mashed potatoes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup Butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat a large pot of boiling water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile mix together potatoes, flour and salt in a large bowl working mixture with your fingers until it is crumbly. Whisk together egg, butter and warm water. Make a well in the center of the potato/flour mixture and add liquid. Using a fork, gradually incorporate dry ingredients into the liquid until you have a smooth soft dough. Using a potato ricer or a colander with large holes and a spoon, press dough through holes into boiling salted water. Stir pot and when dumplings rise to the top remove them with a spider and drain in a colander. Set aside and repeat process until all dough is used.

Heat large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add butter and when butter is melted, add dumplings. Sauté until dumplings are slightly golden, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Download Chicken Paprika with Tiny Potato Dumplings

A year ago - Spiced Chicken with Rice

Apple Jack Glazed Baby Back Ribs with Corn Green Chile Gratin

Just imagine enjoying tender juicy baby back ribs coated in a shiny Asian flavored glaze on your weeknight menu. I don't know about you, but we always seem to reserve a meal like this for the weekend thinking it requires a lot of time to prepare, but believe me that's not the case here.

You see the ribs are drizzled with pineapple juice, wrapped in foil and roasted in the oven for an hour and then cooled in the accumulated juices. That makes them perfect for partial prepping in advance - either while you're enjoying coffee and breakfast in the morning, or the night before. Whatever, you can just haul the pre-roasted ribs out of the refrigerator, coat 'em in glaze and finish them just before serving, which is exactly what we did.

We needed an excuse to try out our fancy new little gas grill and these glazed baby back ribs were just the ticket. You see, I've been after the Big Guy for a while to purchase one that I can use when he's out of town because I don't do charcoal plus we were a tad frustrated with the cooking equipment provided at the houses we rent at the beach so after a little research we found the perfect solution - the Coleman Roadtrip Grill LXE. It's perfectly portable so we'll be able to take it with us. How 'bout them apples?

As you can see, it worked beautifully putting a "dew" on the ribs. The spicy boozy Asian flavored glaze takes about 5 minutes to put together and can be made in advance as well which means dinner can be ready in a flash. Talk about make you look good!

We had our ribs along with a creamy corn and green chile gratin which can also be prepped ahead of time, refrigerated and cooked just before you need it. Loaded with roasted green chiles, sweet corn and cheese, the gratin is really like a chile rellano casserole and just a little different from the standard rib "withs" of beans and coleslaw. 

Apple Jack Glazed Baby Back Ribs (adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious.com)

1 – 2-1/2 pound rack baby back pork ribs

Sea salt and course ground black pepper

1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 350. If desired remove membrane from back of ribs. Season rack well with salt and pepper. Place on a large sheet of aluminum foil and pour pineapple juice over ribs. Seal foil and place on a sheet pan to catch any drips. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from oven, open foil and turn ribs upside down so the meaty part is facing into the juices. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until just before serving.

Glaze:

5 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup Apple Jack brandy (or bourbon)

1-1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon plum sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons light molasses

1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot chili paste (sambal oelek)

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Place ingredients into a jar or container, seal and shake to combine well. Refrigerate until needed.

To prepare – preheat grill until medium hot. Grill ribs, brushing often with glaze and turning frequently until desired color – about 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 2.

Corn and Green Chile Gratin (inspired by Wall Drug Cookbook)

10 ounces roasted green chiles, chopped

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 cup grated cheese (I used combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey jack)

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

5 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

Hot sauce (optional)

Fried Onion Rings and Crisp Bacon for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Spray two 10 ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Arrange 1/4 cup of green chiles in bottom of each ramekin. Top with 1/4 cup frozen corn, then cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Using a whisk, beat egg in a small bowl. Whisk in milk, flour, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Pour mixture into ramekins. Ramekins may be refrigerated at this point and baked later. Place ramekins on a sheet pan to catch any drips and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish with onions and bacon. Serves 2. Download Corn and Green Chile Gratin

A year ago - Green Chicken Curry

Tomato Cobbler

We love cobbler around here and I've been known to make it often as our sweet treat of the week particularly during berry season; however, I'd never made a savory version before last night.

Apparently we have Martha Stewart to thank for the original, but I've seen different versions on several blogs that I visit during the past couple of weeks. While I just had to go check Martha's out, I trust Mary from One Perfect Bite to give me a version that will suit our taste buds to a "T" and believe me her Tomato Cobbler didn't disappoint.

I used an assortment of large and small pearl tomatoes, along with a little less garlic than called for, a little more red pepper flakes and a lot more basil. Our basil plant is producing like a mad thing since the weather's cooled a tad and I just can't be satisfied using a mere tablespoon of the pungent green herb. The tomatoes, pepper flakes, basil and garlic keep company in the gratin dish with some golden caramelized onions as well as a good amount of coarse ground black pepper and sea salt, and the whole thing's covered with a moist, tender, flakey, cheesy dropped biscuit. It is awesome.

While the dish would be perfect on a Meatless Monday menu, we had our cobbler along with some sweet Italian sausage because there's no way I could pass such an obvious vegetarian dish by my resident carnivore without hearing a roar or two.

I'm sending you to Mary's site for the recipe since the only other thing I did was cut it in half but it's so darn tasty I really wish I'd made the whole recipe so we could enjoy it again and again; however, just so you know the half recipe made a very generous 4 servings so at least we'll have some for lunch today.

By the way, I also used Madragal cheese rather than Gruyere just because we love the stuff, but you really could use a nice sharp cheddar, a swiss or even crumbled blue and the topping would still be superb. Oh, and if you're not into the time it takes to caramelize the onions to a nice sweet finish, just saute them till tender and add a smidge of sugar to the tomatoes instead. I think it would work fine.

A year ago - Oxtails braised in Red Wine

Pinot Braised Duck Legs with Roasted Pears and Onions

When I think of autumn I think of geese flying south calling out their coordinates for all the world to hear as they travel on. I think of a nip in the morning air, frost on the pumpkins, and the smell of rotting leaves. I think of Mother harvesting her garden and jars of pickles, jams and preserves lined up on the counter and the freezer and root cellar being filled for the long winter ahead. Needless to say I'm working from memory here since autumn in Tucson is more like summer where I come from. Do you sense a whine?

My Big Guy knows how homesick I get this time of year so he cooked up an autumn dinner last night to beat all. Duck legs marinated in a lovely fruity Pinot Noir, then sauteed to a deep rich brown and braised in the marinade liquid until richly colored and extremely tender. He strained the pinot flavored braising liquid to make a deep garnet colored sauce redolent of juniper and cloves and jazzed up the duck with roasted caramelized onions and pears (as if it needed jazzing). Plated beside a creamy two potato gratin, dinner was without question, absolutely unbelievably superb!

 

And you know what? That's not ALL the Big Guy did this weekend. He smoked 15 pounds of side and back bacon, sliced it up all "purdy" and wrapped it to fill our freezer with the food of the Gods; he also rolled, tied and sent about 3 pounds of cured side pork to the wine fridge for another round of pancetta; made a Sunday morning breakfast including some of his maple smoked bacon to rival the best restaurant's fare, mixed up a couple of spicy bloody mary's and to top it all off, he put together our new shiny red gas grill.

So I bet you're wondering what I did to contribute to the household aren't ya? Ah, that would be not much! What a GREAT weekend!

By the way, you don't have to cook duck to enjoy this side dish of sweet roasted onions and pears. It would be fabulous next to a roast pork loin or nestled beside roast turkey or goose on your holiday table. It is that special!

Pinot Noir Braised Duck Legs with Roasted Pears and Onions (adapted from Gourmet via epicurious.com) 

3 or 4 large duck legs

1 750 mil bottle Pinot Noir

Bouquet Garni of 10 juniper berries, 3 whole cloves, and orange zest from half an orange and 1 bay leaf all tied in a cheesecloth bag

1 stick cinnamon

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large carrot in quarter inch dice

1 large onion, in quarter inch dice

1 large celery rib in quarter inch dice

Salt as required

2 parsley sprigs plus 1 tablespoon minced parsley

Beurre manie’ made from 2 tablespoons softened butter and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Trim excess fat from duck legs. Place duck legs, wine and bouquet garni and cinnamon stick in a large bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Transfer duck legs to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Discard cinnamon stick but reserve marinade and bouquet garni. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high until very hot. Add vegetable oil and when shimmering add duck legs skin side down and cook until well browned and crisp – about 20 minutes. Turn and born on other side – about 2 minutes, then remove to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot. Return pot to the heat and add vegetables along with a sprinkle of salt. Sauté until tender and lightly browned – about 15 minutes.

Return duck legs to pot, skin side up. Add parsley and reserved marinade along with bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours or until duck legs are very tender. When cooked, transfer duck to a plate and keep warm. Strain liquid through a sieve and let stand for a few minutes. Skim off excess fat if desired. Return liquid to pot and cook to reduce to 2 cups of liquid. Add beurre manie’ a little at a time whisking after each addition. Boil for 2 minutes. Serve duck legs with sauce spooned over them. Garnish with parsley. Serve with roasted pears and onions.

Roasted Onions & Pears

1 pound small onions, peeled

2 ripe Bosc pears

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400. Melt butter in cast iron skillet large enough to hold ingredients in a single layer. Add onions and bake for 30 minutes. Peel and core pears, adding pear halves cut side down and bake additional 20 minutes. Stir together lemon juice, honey and salt and add to onions and pears. Toss to coat. Download Pinot Noir Braised Duck Legs with Roasted Pears and Onions

A year ago - Fried Catfish with Hushpuppies

Blue Cheese Grits with Vegetables and Chicken Sausage

This month's Cooking Light magazine happens to hold a bunch of recipes I'd like to try so last night I whipped up their Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables. Of course they meant it to be vegetarian, but there's no way our resident carnivore would have been satisfied with that so I added some chicken and apple sausages to round out the menu.

The only thing I couldn't decide was whether to use yellow polenta or white grits and really, is there a difference? After a little web research I found this article in the St. Petersburgh Times that said "Downtown grits and their uptown relative, polenta, may seem a world apart. But both, made from ground corn, are similar enough to substitute for each other."

So there you go. As you can see, I used grits. I also changed the method and browned the sausage, then finished cooking them by a quick braise on top of the vegetables. The apple flavor in the chicken sausage went very well with the sweetness of the vegetables and the gorgonzola in the creamy grits. Just for good measure, I added a smidge of goat's cheese that I happened to have in my cheese drawer as well which really took away the sharpness of the gorgonzola.

Blue Cheese Polenta (Grits) with Vegetables and Chicken Sausage (Adapted from Cooking Light, September 2011)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 cup white wine or vermouth

1 pound chicken sausage (I used apple flavored)

Wondra instant blending flour

3/4 cup quick cooking polenta or grits (I used grits)

3 cups milk (I used homo)

1/2 cup water

1 ounce goat’s cheese

3 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola

Salt to taste

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and dust sausages lightly with flour, shaking off excess. Brown evenly over medium high heat and remove from pan. Set aside. In same pot add onion, peppers and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring briefly to break up vegetables. Add white wine, and then return sausages to pot. Lower heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are softened and sausages are firm to the touch and cooked through.

Meanwhile in a heavy medium sized pot, heat milk and water to boiling. Whisk in grits (polenta) and cook, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Add cheeses and stir until melted. Taste for seasoning, adding salt as required.

A year ago - Pasta with Lamb Ragout

Easy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

I know there's got to be a ton of ways to cook shredded pork but I swear this is the easiest and most delicious and we have none other Pioneer Woman to thank for it. Believe me, I'll be forever grateful.

We had friends over for a casual dinner last night with this gorgeous pork as the main attraction, other than the company of course. A later start as opposed to our usual really early morning ritual coupled with an extended grocery shopping spree meant I was sweating buckets by the time we got home because it was darn near 11:00 and I had a 7.3 pound pork shoulder to cook. I shouldn't have worried.

A quartered onion, 2 cans of Dr. Pepper and a can of chipotles in adobo sauce later, the roast was in a 300 degree oven in all of 3 minutes. Six hours later it was cooked to perfection and I've got to admit, the cook was the absolute opposite of frazzled. Of course that could be because the Big Guy was front and center helping make salsa, doing kitchen cleanup and he even shredded the pork. I mean, how lucky is that?

We had our tasty morsels of porky goodness inside flour and corn tortillas along with a spicy Pineapple Habanero Salsa, a lovely fresh Salsa de Mariscos and a Corn and Black Bean Salad, all courtesy of John Conley's book, Salsa Brava Cocina. Cooling Guacamole, broccoli slaw and salsa verde rounded out the sides. It made everyone happy happy!

If you're looking for an easy no fuss way to cook a pork shoulder then head on over to Ree's site, The Pioneer Woman, and get the directions right from the source. We loved it; however, honestly I can't say it was overly spicy because we couldn't taste the chipotles at all and neither could our guests but that may be due to the fact we're all used to their smoky heat. Next time I'll add 2 cans of them and more onion too, just because I'm ornery. One thing I know for certain is there will definitely be a next time!

By the way, if you're wondering what we had for dessert, you're just going to have to check back here later in the week. Suffice to say, it'll be worth your while!

Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa (adapted from Salsa Brava Cucina)

3 medium tomatoes

4 jalapeno peppers, stems removed

1/2 medium sweet onion, sliced a quarter inch thick

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons salt or to taste

2 habanero peppers

1 large can pineapple tidbits with juice

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. As it is warming, arrange halved tomatoes, jalapenos and onion on the pan. Grill until vegetables are blackened and softened – about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a bowl and cool. Place half the roasted vegetables along with cilantro, salt, 1 habanero and half the pineapple with juice into a food processor. Process to desired consistency and remove to a serving bowl. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Chill until serving. Note – this is a very hot and spicy salsa but will mellow over time. Use within 4 days.  Download Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa

Salsa de Mariscos (adapted from Salsa Brava Cucina)

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 small Persian cucumber, diced

1 jalapeno, minced

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 cup chopped cilantro

1-1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until serving. Great with fish tacos too!

Creamy Hominy Gratin

Here we are on a bit of a "corn" kick and wouldn't you know but my Canuck roots are showing again. I mean really, what the heck is hominy? I had never tried the stuff prior to our moving to the Southwestern United States when our neighbors Stan and Donna invited us over to enjoy a big pot of posole and that was all that I needed. Course I didn't know what the heck posole was either but that's neither here nor there. 

For those who join me in my ignorance, hominy is dried corn kernals that have been soaked in a mild lye solution to kill the germ and soaked some more to remove the hulls. It is then cooked and used in soups like Menudo (The Big Guy's favorite Saturday morning breakfast), or posole or it's ground to make masa or hominy grits.

I'm often looking for a different side dish to accompany our Sunday grilled steak and this recipe waved to me from the pages of "Taste of the Territory, The Flair and Flavor of Oklahoma". I just had to give it a try. In this case, hominy is added to a white cream sauce along with sauteed onion, anaheim pepper, spices and cheese, topped with buttered crumbs and baked until golden brown on top.

Delicious you betcha' and just a little bit different too. Creamy due to the sauce and cheese, the hominy is firm to the bite and has a slightly musty taste that disappears completely with enough hot sauce. You'll either love it or hate it, but you really should have it at least once because otherwise you won't know what you're missing.

Creamy Hominy Gratin (adapted from Taste of the Territory, The Flair and Flavor of Oklahoma)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or cayenne)

1-2/3 cups milk

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 large can (1pound 13 oz.) hominy rinsed and drained

1/2 cup buttered panko crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a medium gratin dish and set aside. In medium saucepan heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and Anaheim pepper and cook until vegetables are softened. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in milk, salt, Dijon, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring until mixture is thickened. Do not allow to boil. Add cheddar and hominy and stir well to combine. Pour into prepared gratin dish, top with buttered crumbs and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until crumbs are golden and casserole is bubbling. Serves 6 to 8. Download Creamy Hominy Gratin

A year ago - Corn and Basil Cakes

Two years ago - Hot and Spicy Drumsticks

Broccoli, Rice and Cheese Casserole

Now don't you go and fall over from shock and awe you hear? We do have ordinary every once in while in JBug's Kitchen although I'm sure you're finding that hard to believe. Since we were having the last of the leftover porchetta that I'd been hiding in the freezer, I figured we needed something different to go with it.

I do have a confession to make though. I'd never made a Broccoli, Rice and Cheese dish before although it seems rather popular on sites like Taste of Home and My Recipes. Not that there's anything wrong with it you know - I just tend to select rather more involved things. In otherwords, I'm a bit of a kitchen snob. Course I didn't have any mushroom soup so I had to make some changes to the old standby recipe and as it turned out, it's a good thing too.

A quick creamy bechamel sauce worked just lovely in this casserole, along with lots of cheese, precooked rice and fresh broccoli instead of the frozen stuff called for in the recipe. I didn't even bother blanching it first so the bonus was a crunchy little bit with every bite. Quite delicious, especially with the crunchy crumbs on top. Even my resident "Mikey" liked it and didn't reach for the hot sauce either.

Just don't go thinking I'll be graduating to Green Bean Casserole, OK? I've never made one of those either and it's extremely doubtful I'll ever try. That one just doesn't turn my crank one bit.

Broccoli, Cheese and Rice Casserole (inspired by myrecipes.com)

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 large sweet onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

3 tablespoons flour (I used Wondra)

1-1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups chopped fresh broccoli

2 cups grated cheese

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat.Add onion and cook, stirring until onion is soft and transparent – about 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper and flour. Cook stirring for one minute then slowly whisk in milk. Add Dijon, Worcestershire sauce and cook until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in rice, broccoli, and cheese. Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish. Arrange buttered crumbs on top and bake in a 350 oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until casserole is bubbling hot and crumbs are golden brown. Makes 6 servings.Download Broccoli, Cheese and Rice Casserole from JBugs Kitchen Antics

A year ago Manhattan Clam Chowder

Apple Sausage Stuffing

I would imagine it seems a little silly to be serving stuffing so soon after the holidays but I for one never seem to get enough of it. This particular recipe from Real Simple is going on my list for a regular rotation. It's that good!

Full of sausage, beautiful red Rome apples, dried fruit, and sage, the bread component is actually frozen parmesan garlic bread - something I don't usually purchase. It means this side dish is incredibly easy to put together and can even be accomplished ahead of time. How great is that? Believe you me, it put the boots to the packaged stuffing that cooks on top of the stove and was a great change from the usual potatoes or corn - not that one can have too much of either mind you.

While we had our Apple Sausage Stuffing with some turkey meatloaf, it would be great with pork, duck or even goose - if you're in to such a fowl fowl. Next time I may even add some pecans for more crunch! Try it sometime and let me know what you think. We thought it was the hit of last night's dinner!

Apple Sausage Stuffing (adapted from Real Simple)

1/2 pound Italian Sausage (I used hot, casings removed)

2 medium Rome apples, unpeeled, cored and diced

2 ounces dried apricots, snipped

2 ounces dried cranberries

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 – 10 ounce package frozen Parmesan garlic bread (like Pepperidge Farms)

1/2 cup chicken stock

Thaw bread and cut into half inch cubes. Place in a large bowl and set aside. Cook sausage in a large skillet, crumbling as it cooks until it starts to brown. Add apples and cook stirring from time to time until apples are tender (about 5 minutes). Add dried fruit, sage and nutmeg. Toss with bread cubes and add chicken stock to moisten. Transfer to a lightly buttered casserole dish. (May be refrigerated overnight at this point). Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serves 6.

Note: A sage sausage like Jimmy Dean’s would be wonderful as well, or sweet Italian sausage if you don’t like extra spices. Download Apple Sausage Stuffing