JBug's Kitchen Antics

Entertaining? Go With What You Know!

When you're entertaining new friends and getting used to a totally different kitchen set-up, the best thing to do is to go with what you know. That's what we did last night.

Big Guy's spent the past few days unpacking his garage full of boxes and one of the first cartons he opened contained his trusty Weber charcoal grills (yup there's 2) and the accompanying rotisserie. A trip to Fred Meyer for some gorgeous fresh 5 pound chickens along with his special magic of combining fresh lemons and rosemary from our garden and the entree was under control.

Add a casserole of quick, fruit filled "cheater" stuffingwe've talked about before that makes great use of a loaf of frozen garlic bread along with cooked crumbled sausage, lovely crisp tart apples and a handfull of dried cranberries and you've the makin's of a special dinner. I changed the recipe up a bit by adding a little of the traditional sauteed onions and celery to the mix along with a little splash of white wine just because it seemed like a good idea along with some Jimmy Dean Sage sausage and a few extra cranberries. Hit the link above and it'll take you to the recipe. 

Small steamed veggies including little round white potatoes, perfect tiny carrots, a package of pearl onions and a few frozen peas all lined up pretty like in a casserole dish and covered in a smooth rich herb flavored bechamel sauce all helped fill the dinner plates quite nicely. After all, there's nothing quite like a little sauce on a plate is there?  Once again, we've had this little number before(HERE) but this time I used a smidge of dried Herbs de Provence instead of the fresh dill because I was too lazy to go down the hill to the store (silly me). The fresh dill is really the right way to go! 

A crisp green salad loaded with colorful sliced peppers, chopped onion and tomato wedges completed the menu - well almost.

Rhubarb's in season right now so I couldn't resist whipping up one of our favorite spring time pies - a combination of fresh strawberries and rhubarb along with a 12 ounce package of frozen raspberries makes for an amazing ruby colored taste of heavenly glory.  Next year I'll be making one (or several) from the strawberries and raspberries we've growing on our three quarters of an acre of heavenly coastal bliss; however, the rhubarb better grow in a hurry because try as I might, I couldn't find a plant anywhere on our property. That's gonna' change, for sure!

 

Rhuberry Pie

Pastry for 1 double crust pie

1 - 12 ounce pkg. frozen raspberries

1 cup strawberries, quartered

1-1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons quick cooking tapioca

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Few grains of salt

Combine above ingredients well and let sit for a minimum of  10 minutes to allow tapioca to soften.

Add & stir gently to combine

2 cups sliced rhubarb

1 teaspoon vanilla

---

1 Tablespoon butter

Line 10 inch pie plate with pastry. Fill with rhuberry filling, dot with butter. Cover with top pastry and decorate as desired. Place in a preheated 450 oven for 8 to 10 minutes, lower heat to 350 and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until filling runs clear and is bubbling over top crust.

Cool for minimum 4 hours before slicing. Serve at room temperature.

Note – be sure to place a jelly roll pan under pie plate to catch any drips. 

A year ago - Crispy Cod

Two year's ago - Pork 'n Apple Sausage Rolls

Three year's ago - Buffalo Salmon

 

Beefed Up Mushroom Soup

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

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

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

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

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

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 ounces pancetta, chopped into quarter inch cubes

3 cups sliced white button mushrooms

3 cups quartered crimini mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon dried crumbled sage

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2/3 cup dry marsala wine

1 quart good quality low sodium beef stock

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

1/2 cup heavy cream

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

A year ago - Meat Lovers Pan Pizza 

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

Three year's ago - Pork Carnitas 

Snow in the Desert and Soup on the Stove

When you live in the land of sun, scorpions and incessant heat you don't expect to endure a blizzard but Mother Nature sent us one yesterday. Quite honestly, I thought I was back in Alberta there for a minute because it was the kind of snowfall common in Calgary during the spring - you know, big wet flakes and a strong wind.

The view of our world this morning with the sun coming up over a snow covered Tucson.

 

Ian Tyson, our favorite cowboy songwriter sings of "Springtime in Alberta ..."warm sunny days and the sky so blue; then without a warning another winter storm comes raging through" and that kinda' sums up what yesterday's storm looked like. 

Anyway, I digress. It was the only excuse I needed to put a pot of soup on the stove and an Apple Pandowdy in the oven. A rather interesting twist on French Onion Soup from Fine Cooking, this Onion And Ale Soup with Blue Cheese Croutons is all about the onion but the thing that takes it over the top's the gorgonzola melted over sourdough croutons. Actually in my opinion, it's the only thing going for it.

I know I'm a hard nut to crack, but I'll admit to being disappointed over the soup itself. It is definitely a purists kind of onion soup with yellow onions caramelized to a dark amber color before the pan's deglazed with a mere half cup of ale, followed by a mix of chicken and beef stock. Other than salt and pepper and a rather insignificant amount of beer, there's no other seasoning in this one so if your pantry is depleted of herbs and spices, this'll be the one you want to make.

Personally, I like my onion soup jazzed up with a little thyme, a smidge of garlic, some good bacon, red wine and a rich beef stock instead of chicken, but that's just me. I will however concede that the croutons are magnificent - crunchy golden orbs of cheese covered sourdough and I can't wait to try them the next time I make my favorite onion soup recipe.  Cutting the bread in cubes and melting the cheese on them before they hit the soup bowl is a heck of a lot easier to eat never mind you don't have to burn yourself putting the bowls under the broiler to melt the cheese.

That I will definitely do again, but the soup -- meh! Hit the link above and head to finecooking.com for the recipe. The only change I made was that I used a few tablespoons of butter in the pan instead of olive oil to get the onions started. 

A year ago - Red Beans and Rice

Two year's ago - Broccoli Gratin 

 

Corn Chowder with a Kick

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

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

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

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

1 - 16 ounce package frozen yellow or white corn

1/4 lb. bacon, chopped

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped

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

2 large red potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup flour

Salt & freshly ground pepper

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

1 large can evaporated skim milk

Extra whole milk, water or stock if needed

4 ounces Velveeta, cut into cubes

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

A year ago - Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers

Two year's ago - Ham Tetrazzini

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

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Ricotta and Italian Sausage

We came across some miniature eggplant at our local market the other day that were priced 10 for a dollar and we couldn't pass them up. Not only were they glowing like ameythst jewels, they're cute as a button too plus try and name one other thing can you get for a dime each in this day and age. Unbelievable huh?

I pictured using them in all kinds of different ways including but not limited to Moussaka which we haven't had on the menu for a while, or Ratatouille either for that matter but somehow after some pretty rich dishes on our holiday menu, it seemed like a good idea to have something a little more simple.  Pasta always comes to mind when I'm thinking "simple".

Inspired by recipes from epicurious, myrecipes.com and a favorite Biba cookbook too, we kinda' winged it and started by roasting our ten little mini eggplants in a hot oven while the "sauce" was put together including onion, garlic, multi colored heirloom cherry tomatoes, a roasted red pepper rescued from the freezer and some white wine. Two hot Italian sausage links and one Sicilian style link cooked in another pan while the pasta cooked in another pot, then we put the whole thing together - hey, I didn't say it was a one pot dinner, now did I?  Lucky for me it's my birthday week and Big Guy did the cleaning up!

Finished with dabs of ricotta cheese, chopped fresh basil, a dusting of parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic, the whole thing tasted like a garden fresh sunny summer day kinda' meal - the kind we all crave during this time of year - rich, velevety roasted eggplant in a light fresh tomato sauce with creamy ricotta and the bite of spicy sausage with summery peppery basil - uh yum!

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Ricotta and Italian Sausage (an original from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by epicurious.com, myrecipes.com and Biba)

10 miniature eggplant, cut in half

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 roasted red pepper, chopped

1/2 pound assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2/3 cup white wine, divided

3 hot Italian sausage links (1 pound)

8 ounces pasta (I used penne) cooked per package direction

1/2 cup ricotta

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 450. Drizzle eggplant with olive oil and toss to coat well. Place onto a sheet pan with cut sides up and season well with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until golden brown in color and cooked through (may have to finish them under the broiler to get color on them – that’s what I did).

Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta.

Drizzle a sauté pan with olive oil and place over medium high heat. Add sausage links and cook until browned on both sides, then add 1/3 cup white wine, cover pan and cook slowly for 12 to 14 minutes until sausage is cooked through. Reserve pan juices, but remove sausage from pan and cut on the diagonal into slices.

In another sauté pan heat a drizzle of olive oil until shimmering, then add onion and cook until onion starts to soften. Add garlic and cook additional 30 seconds, then add roasted red pepper, cherry tomatoes, Italian seasoning and white wine. Cook, tossing occasionally until tomatoes give up their juices and start to soften. Stir in cooked pasta along with reserved juice from sausages and toss to coat well. Add spoonful’s of ricotta cheese and Italian sausage slices. Cover pot and cook until cheese has melted and mixture is hot. Toss with roasted eggplant, drizzle with balsamic and garnish with fresh basil. Pass the parmesan. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Leftover Prime Rib Roast in a Beef Pot Pie with Sherry Gravy

Two year's ago - Savory Croissant Breakfast Bread Pudding

Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin

If your significant other's anything like my Big Guy, there's a very good chance he's out doing his Christmas shopping today. You might want to have him stop at the grocery store to pick up some brussels sprouts, provided they're not already on tomorrow's menu.

Another gem from the Oregonian Cookbook, Best Recipes from FoodDay, these sprouts are roasted first, then sprinkled with crispy bacon and smothered in heavy cream. They hit the oven briefly before they're topped in a mixture of bread crumbs (I used panko), grated cheese (Madrigal in my case) and melted butter before toasting under the broiler for a few minutes. Hit the link and you'll find the original recipe fresh from the Oregonian; however, I've listed my version below.

The result's something that will make a non sprout lover a definite fan - sweet, mild bacon flavored sprouts in a creamy sauce with a crunchy topping, they're enough to make a person beg for more. They darn near eclipsed the perfectly grilled ribeye we had last night never mind the roasted smashed potatoes... and you all know how Big Guy loves his steak and I love me my 'taters.

Give 'em a try and I think you'll agree, they're a definite keeper. 

Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from The Oregonian Cookbook)

3 slices diced bacon

1 pound Brussels Sprouts

1 tablespoon melted butter

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup freshly grated Swiss or gruyere cheese (I used French Madrigal)

1/2 cup Panko crumbs

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

Preheat oven to 425. Cook bacon until crisp. Move to a paper towel lined plate and reserve drippings. Clean sprouts and cut in half. Place in a casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Season sprouts with salt and pepper and toss with melted butter. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until tender crisp and just starting to brown in spots. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with bacon. Drizzle with heavy cream and return to oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until cream has reduced slightly. Meanwhile combine grated cheese, panko crumbs, and bacon drippings. Sprinkle on top of casserole and place under broiler, watching carefully until crumbs are golden brown. Makes 3 to 4 servings. 

A year ago - Cranberry Turkey Meatballs with Potato Latkes

Two year's ago - Baked Pasta with Eggplant Sauce

Panko Crusted Thin Cut Pork Chops with Gratineed Mustard Creamed Onions

You know those little thin cut bone in pork chops that people have no idea what to do with other than slap 'em on a breakfast plate? Well, here's the thing. They're perfect for busy people because they take mere minutes to cook and quite honestly, last night's version was darn near perfection. OK - it was perfection.

Adapted from a post on the blog "The Hungry Mouse", unfortunately Jessie neglected to name her source so I've no idea, but I will say we've done a take on this method before using egg and Dijon mustard with panko to create a fabulous crust on chicken paillards or even Japanese style pork katsu made simply with an egg wash and panko.

This time there's buttermilk, garlic powder and dried parsley in the wash, although I used Herbs de Provence instead. I also couldn't pass up the opporutnity to add a heaping tablespoon of Dijon to the mix for additional flavor. I marinated the chops in the mixture for approximately half an hour in the refrigerator before coating them with panko. They sat for 15 minutes so the coating had a chance to set before they hit a hot cast iron pan.

Fried in a small amount of oil for a scant 4 minutes total, they're golden brown, crisp , incredibly tender and particularly delicious topped with a drizzle of homemade sweet mustard.

To top off our plates, I served the leftovers from our Thanksgiving side dish of Gratineed Mustard Creamed Onions. From Gourmet via epicurious.com, this recipe really is the ultimate, although I'll admit I used Trader Joe's frozen pearl onions instead of going through the agony of peeling a bunch of 'em myself. I also cut the onion quantity in half (used just 1 package), but made the whole recipe of the sauce because we're kinda' saucy people if you know what I mean.

While we enjoyed them on Thanksgiving, they tasted a whole let better last night because I put them back into a buttered casserole dish, shaved big pieces of parmesan on top and baked 'em in a 400 oven for 30 minutes to reheat and get all browned on top. As you can see, it was mighty successful.

Panko Crusted Thin Cut Pork Chops (from JBug’s Kitchen, adapted from thehungrymouse.com)

6 to 8 thin cut pork chops, bone

2 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup Panko crumbs or more if required

Vegetable oil

Beat eggs with buttermilk, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Herbs de Province, and mustard until well combined. Place pork chops into a zip bag and pour in the egg wash. Allow to sit in refrigerator for a minimum half hour before continuing.

Remove chops from zip bag leaving as much liquid on them as possible. Coat chops on both sides with panko crumbs, patting down so crumbs adhere. Place on a wire rack over a sheet pan and allow to sit for 15 minutes to set coating before continuing.

Place enough oil into a heavy skillet to just cover the bottom and heat over medium high until shimmering. Fry pork chops on both sides for 2 minutes a side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Serves 4. 

 

Gratineed Mustard Creamed Onions (from JBug’s Kitchen, adapted from Gourmet via epicurious.com)

1 pound frozen pearl onions, defrosted & drained of any liquid

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1-1/2 cups milk

3 tablespoons cream Sherry (I used Harvey’s Bristol Cream)

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Salt & pepper as required

1/2 cup grated or shaved parmesan cheese

Spray a shallow casserole or gratin dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400. In a small pot melt butter and when hot whisk in flour. Cook whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Heat milk in microwave until hot but not boiling. Whisk into flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Add pearl onions, sherry, mustards and nutmeg. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required. Return mixture to a boil, and then transfer to prepared gratin dish. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 30 to 40 minutes or until onions are cooked through and top is golden brown and bubbling. Serves 4 to 6.

 A year ago - Double Chocolate Zucchini Spice Muffins

 

Ham and Bean Soup

First off I must apologize for missing a post yesterday. That old man Murphy with his law and Father Time were having a field day plotting and scheming and the result was "one of those days". Thank you all for your patience.

When your day is filled with impossibilities, one of the best things you can do other than make dinner reservations is to put a pot of soup on the stove and just forget about it. I don't know about you, but I don't necessarily need to follow a recipe when I'm making a pot of soup although in this case because it made use of a package of assorted dried beans along with some barley (Trader Joe's of course), the beans needed a little special treatment before they hit the pot. Since I forgot to soak them overnight, I did the quick soak treatment instead by boiling the lot in a big pot of water for a full 2 minutes, then allowing them to sit for a couple of hours before completing the soup. 

After the beans were plumped up, I sauteed some onion and garlic in a big soup pot, then added a host of veggies like carrot, celery, green and red pepper as well as canned tomatoes and tomato paste along with veggie stock and the ham bone from Sunday's dinner. It all simmered, bubbled and gurgled on the stove for the balance of the afternoon until I hit the pot with a couple of handfuls of dried pasta to beef it up, so to speak.

Next time you're looking for a low maintenance kind of meal, think about putting a pot of soup on the stove ...or heaven forbid, in the slow cooker.  Who just said that? Musta' been that darned old Murphy. 

Ham and Bean Soup (from JBug’s Kitchen, inspired by Purity Cookbook)

1 package dried bean mix (I used Trader Joe’s 17 bean plus barley mix)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

1 -28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 quart veggie or low sodium chicken stock

2 cups water or more as needed to fill pot

3 ounces tomato paste

1 large meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks

1 cup dried pasta (any large pasta will do)

Shredded cheese for garnish

Pre-soak beans according to package directions. Rinse and drain well. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot until shimmering. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions start to soften – about 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrots, celery, red and green pepper and sauté for another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning, oregano, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes and bay leaf. Add canned tomatoes and ham bone, and then add stock and water as needed to fill pot within 2 inches of top. Stir in tomato paste, bring pot to a boil, then lower heat, cover pot and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, until beans are soft. Fifteen minutes before serving, add dried pasta to the pot. Simmer until pasta is cooked and soup has thickened to desired consistency. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Remove bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and garnish with shredded cheese.  Makes 8 to 10 servings. (Freezes well)

A year ago - Dairy Free Rich Chocolate Mousse

Two year's ago - Potato Gratin 

Baked Potato Pie

If you're looking for something new and different to serve with some of that leftover turkey and gravy coming down the pike in the next couple of weeks, then I have got a deal for you.

Think about a crispy tender buttery pie crust courtesy of Trader Joe's freezer. Hey - you know me and pastry are on the outs these days. Add a scooped out baked potato, cottage cheese, sour cream, and eggs to the mix. Top it off with a dusting of cheese, bake for about an hour and what have you got? 

If you guessed a perfect vehicle for sour cream, bacon bits and french fried onions, you'd be right because honestly it's just a glorified gargantuan fabulous new and different baked potato; however, serve that new "thang" along side some leftover turkey smothered in gravy or as was our case last night, a supersized serving of Chicken Fried Steak and creamy rich gravy and I'd say you'll have yourself something darn near food orgasmic. Just sayin'. 

Baked Potato Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Jackie Eddy, Slicing Hooking and Cooking)

1 very large Idaho potato

16 ounces small curd cottage cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Pastry for single crust 9 inch pie

Garnishes: sour cream, crispy bacon bits, French fried onions

Prick potato and microwave on high until done (about 4 to 5 minutes). Wrap potato in a towel and allow to sit for 10 minutes, and then set aside until cool enough to handle. Scoop pulp out of potato and place into a blender or food processor. There should be 2 cups of cooked potato.

Add cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, salt, and cayenne pepper to blender and puree until smooth.

Preheat oven to 425. Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry and flute edges. Pour filling into the pie shell and level off with a spatula. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 425, then lower heat to 350 and continue baking for an additional 40 minutes or until top is golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish each piece with sour cream, bacon bits and French fried onions. Makes 6 to 8 servings.  

Incidentally, while this recipe calls for basic unadorned potato, I'm here to say that I've made it before using a different method and it's safe to say you could certainly use leftover mashed spuds from your Thanksgiving dinner to come up with a fabulous pie. Hit this link and head on over to the other version and see what I say. 

A year ago - Old Fashioned Swiss Steak

Two year's ago -  Roasted Tomato Soup with Spinach Pesto

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Gorgonzola and Bacon

Every once in a while I try to sneak a meatless meal past Big Guy but I hate to see or hear him suffer so I garnished last night's bowl of yum with some of his homemade bacon. What can I say? Anything with bacon has to be better, right?

I was inspired by a recipe from Sable & Rosenfeld's Elegant Entertaining cookbook and whipped up last night's creamy soup by sauteeing onion, leeks, celery and cauliflower in butter until softened, added some flour to make a roux and flavored the pot with a cup of white wine before adding some chicken stock to the mix. The pot simmered until the vegetables were cooked through before I used the immersion blender to puree the lot. 

Seasoned with salt, pepper, a touch of cayenne and a smidgen of freshly grated nutmeg, I added a touch of heavy cream and well as some half and half to the mix, then crumbled in some gorgonzola cheese for an added bite. Scooped into bowls and garnished with a little more cheese and crispy bacon bits, it was good to go. 

I rather enjoyed the creamy consistency of the soup along with its subtle flavors - and yes, I mean it when I say subtle. Subtle enough that we jazzed up our bowls with a couple of dashes of Matouks West Indian hot sauce. Next time around I'll use a stronger tasting blue like Stilton. It'll be perfect. 

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Bacon and Blue (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Sable & Rosenfeld, Elegant Entertaining)

1/3 cup butter

1 large cauliflower

1 large onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped (white part only)

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white wine

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Salt, coarse ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup half and half

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (divided) (I used Gorgonzola but Stilton would be better)

3 slices bacon, diced and cooked until crisp

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Remove core from cauliflower and cut head into small pieces. Add cauliflower, onion, leek and celery to pot. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is softened – about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add white wine and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are very tender (about 20 minutes). Remove pot from heat and using an immersion blender, puree until soup is smooth. Return to heat and add cayenne, nutmeg and cream. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally but do not allow to boil. Five minutes before serving, crumble in 3 ounces of blue cheese. Remove pot from heat and cover to allow residual heat to melt cheese. Stir well. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with remaining blue cheese and crispy bacon bits. Makes 4 to 6 servings. 

A year ago - Beef and Barley Soup

Two year's ago -  Maple Soy Glazed Salmon

Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup

Monday's were soup days when I was growing up a b'zillion years ago and my Mom could make a mean pot of it even when the cupboard was darn near bare. I may have inherited her talent in that respect although personally I think it's just a great way to use up some of the odds and sods hiding in the refrigerator and/or pantry.

An off the cuff J'Bug original, this pot starts with a couple of ounces of pancetta, although you could use bacon if you wish. Once rendered of its fat, I add diced vegetables including onions, carrots, celery and fennel along with lots of garlic and some spicy hot Italian sausage (bulk without the casings). 

Sautéed until the veggies are soft and the sausage is all crumbled and no longer pink, I hit the pot with a bunch of spices along with tomato paste, diced canned tomatoes and lots of chicken stock. A cup and a half of lentils and some red wine vinegar round it all out and an hour later, a miraculous thing has occurred that looks and smells like dinner. 

About 10 minutes out hit the scene with some green like chopped fresh spinach and Italian parsley, and turn the heat off, cover the pot and let the greens steep a touch so they keep their color. Ladle into bowls, pass the grated cheese and bring out the crusty bread or crunchy crackers. Dinner's served! Simple right?

Spicy Lentil Soup with Sausage (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

3 to 4 ounces pancetta, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

1 cup chopped peeled carrots

3 stalks celery, diced

1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage

1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

2 quarts chicken stock

1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1-1/2 cups lentils, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or kale if you wish)

1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Grated parmesan cheese as garnish (I used Italian 4 cheese blend)

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil until shimmering. Add pancetta, reduce heat and cook until pancetta has released some of its fat – about 4 to 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery, fennel, and garlic to the pot. Cook stirring for 1 minute, then add crumbled Italian sausage. Cook until vegetables are softened and sausage is no longer pink – about 10 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds, then add chicken stock, tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Add lentils and red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer, cover pot and cook for 1 hour. Ten minutes before serving, stir in spinach and parsley. Cover pot and remove from heat and let the pot sit as the residual heat cooks the spinach and parsley. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated cheese. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Feel free to add more stock if you like a thinner soup. 

A year ago - Ideas for using leftover turkey

Two year's ago - Oatmeal Rasin Cookies

 

Portobello Mushrooms, Cipollini Onions and Sundays

As you may have gathered, weekends around here are rather laid back and Sundays in particular. After a busy and eventful week, there's not much better than a long Sunday afternoon nap followed by an easy double teamed totally "winged it" dinner.

Our local market had some gorgeous little cipollini onions and with a flying saucer shape and sweet flavor, they're perfect for roasting so that's what I did.  Relieved of their papery skins, I dumped them into a saute pan along with a touch of olive oil and they hit a 425 preheated oven 10 minutes before some mini potatoes joined the roasting party. Easy, eh?

As for the mushrooms - I'd originally planned to stuff the portobello's but unfortunately one of them was broken in transit. Course that would happen when it's placed under 5 pounds of potatoes at check out. Mmm - anyway, after removing the gills, I sliced them instead and they hit a hot pan after some diced bacon was crisp. Joined by garlic cloves and a couple of glugs of dry marsala, the mushrooms simmered on the stove until the marsala had been reduced and the mushrooms were golden. Meanwhile Big Guy grilled a beautiful porterhouse steak on our little red gas grill and dinner was ready. 

Talk about two happy people, no leftovers, and very few dishes which is a good thing because we're still without a dishwasher that works. It seems we've been the lucky recipients of a bogus batch of GE products that all have faulty control panels. Since we're replacing a 16 month old Maytag that had an identical problem and the same company that manufacturers Maytag also makes Whirlpool and Kitchenaid, I'm not sure what we'll end up with if we can't find a GE that works. To say they don't make things like they used to is putting it mildly.

Dishwasher Number 3 is supposed to be delivered today and believe me, I surely will not be responsible for my actions if this one doesn't work either. Don't ya' feel sorry for the delivery/installation guy...let's hope he knows how to duck. It would certainly resolve the issue of having dishes to wash in the first place. 

Sorry people - no recipe today. I just threw it all together so trust your instincts and do the same!

Two year's ago - Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

 

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Ground Pork and Veggies

This bowl of noodle bliss is inspired by a recipe at Fine Cooking but we made it finer with several additions. As you know, JBug's Kitchen isn't into the ordinary very often.  Quite frankly, we both felt this effort was more along the lines of extraordinary and a perfect week night meal that takes mere minutes to put together.

As you can see, instead of using pad thai rice noodles I used Annie Chung's chow mein noodles, cooking them to a slight al dente texture. As an aside, watch out for these little beauties when they're on the stove because sure as shootin' they'll boil over as soon as you turn your back. Uh huh mine did! If you'd rather, just substitute spaghetti. It'll taste about the same but the texture will be slightly different. 

Fine Cooking's recipe called for only salt in the pork so I added minced fresh ginger and lots of garlic to the mix, as well as honey and a touch of sriracha to the crunchy peanut sauce. Our veggies included grated carrots and zucchini strips, as well as sliced mini peppers for their assorted colors and crisp flavor and fresh basil to go with the mint because we really love the combination.  Of course one can't forget the monster jalapeno in the mix - oh and lots of fresh lime too. 

This one's a keeper - I mean, an honest to goodness make it again and to heck with the moderation plan kinda' keeper. Just so you know, I cut back on the amount of noodles to save a few calories, but no matter how you cut it, this one will never be totally calorically responsible. Just sayin'. 

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Ground Pork and Veggies (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Fine Cooking)

8 ounces Annie Chun chow mein noodles

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 pound ground pork

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/3 cup hot water

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

1-1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha or more to taste

1 cup sliced assorted sweet mini peppers

1 cup julienned zucchini

1 cup grated carrots

1 large jalapeno, stemmed and finely chopped

2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Fresh lime wedges

Cook noodles according to package directions and rinse well under cold water. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and add ginger and garlic. Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly, and then add ground pork and salt. Sauté crumbling meat with a fork until cooked through and no longer pink.

Whisk together peanut butter, water, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, fish sauce and sriracha. Mix sauce into cooked noodles along with ground pork, reserving some of the pork to use as a garnish. Arrange noodles in a serving bowl, surrounded by vegetables. Garnish with mint, basil, jalapeno and reserved ground pork. Pass the lime wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

A year ago - It's A Boy!

Two year's ago - Big Bacon Blue Burgers 

Three year's ago - Easy Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Caponata versus Ratatouille - vive la différence

Caponata is a Sicilian relish, a combination of cooked vegetables sweetened with raisins and pinenuts, and while it resembles the French dish ratatouille there are some not so subtle differences in texture and flavor. 

While eggplant plays a prominent part in both dishes, the similarity ends there with the addition of briney green olives, and typically mediterranean herbs such as fresh basil, oregano and parsley, lots of garlic, crunchy celery and a relatively small amount of red bell pepper. The vegetables are cooked until just barely tender and the dish completed with red wine vinegar, tomato paste and a touch of sugar.

It is the bomb, whether used as a side dish as we did last night to accompany slices of mediterranean flavored meatloaf made from ground pork, italian sausage and lots of lemon rind (hit this link for the recipe), or on pizza, pasta, bruschetta or even on a burger or panini. In fact, if you'd like a sharper flavor, add some capers and garnish with anchovies and you'll  have a whole different story to tell.

On the other hand, if you think you're more into side dish that'll take advantage of all the zucchini, onions, eggplant, bell peppers and fresh thyme you have in your garden at the moment, I've included a link to our favorite version of ratatouille. I daresay you'll not be disappointed with either.  

Caponata (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Sunset magazine via myrecipes.com)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large eggplant, cut into ½ inch dice

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 cup chopped green olives

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained (optional)

Anchovies for garnish, optional

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add eggplant. Cook stirring occasionally until softened and golden brown – about 8 minutes. Remove from sauté pan and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to pan, lower heat to medium and add garlic. Sauté garlic for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add chopped celery, red pepper and green olives. Cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are barely softened – about 5 minutes. Stir in water, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, raisins and peanuts. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes then return eggplant to the pot. Remove from heat and stir in salt, sugar, basil, oregano and parsley and add capers if using. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.   

Ratatouille (an original from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by the George and Piret Munger Cookbook)

1 large eggplant, cut into 1”cubes (skin on)

¾ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1 white onion, cut into 1” cubes

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1” cubes

1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into 1” cubes

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise then cut into ½” pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup chicken stock

1 cup tomato sauce

Sprinkle eggplant with salt and place on paper towels, in a single layer. Cover with more towels and place a cutting board along with a heavy pan on top. Let sit for 30 minutes. Remove from towels and set aside.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in large sauté pan on high heat until very hot. Add eggplant and cook for 5 minutes, tossing well, until browned. Add remaining oil to same pan and add onion, peppers and zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, parsley, pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, garlic and eggplant and cook approximately 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cook until sauce is thick. Hold at room temperature for serving. Garnish with additional parsley and black olives if desired.

A year ago - Crab Cakes and a Peach Pie

Two year's ago - Asian Pork Salad

Cauliflower Onion and Green Chile Gratin

I know you're going to think we eat a lot of spicy food and of course you'd be right but the peppers and chiles are so abundantly beautiful right now, we just need to take advantage of them. I was inspired to make this Bobby Flay recipe for a kicked up cauliflower gratin, but of course had to change it up a notch or two. I don't know about you, but other than when I'm baking I rarely follow a recipe a hundred percent.

I steamed cauliflower florets while cutting a beautiful Walla Walla sweet onion into wedges without cutting all the way through the core, and steamed the onion when the cauliflower was done. With both arranged in a gratin dish, then the fun began. 

A basic white sauce gets kicked into gear with the addition of roasted, peeled and chopped poblano peppers along with a can of chopped green chiles. Seasoned with salt and pepper, I added a good handful of white cheddar and jalapeno pepperjack cheese, then poured the sauce over the vegetables.

Topped with grated parmesan and a sprinkle of panko crumbs, it hit the oven for 35 minutes and was removed bubbling with hints of golden color and an incredible aroma. As for the flavor - smokey hints of mild poblano mixed with smooth notes of green chile with just a hint of jalapeno from the pepperjack cheese - it was an absolute symphony. I cannot imagine how incredible the sauce would be made into macaroni cheese, but believe me, I'll be giving that a try once we're off this "moderation" stuff. It would be darn near impossible to practice moderation with a bowl of that kind of comfort, don't ya' think? 

By the way, Big Guy's ready to share his recipes for rotisserie BBQ chicken, done 2 ways so I'll be telling you about that later in the week, but I have to wet your whistle and brag that the birds went beautifully with the cauliflower gratin, as would darn near anything off your barbecue right now, so be sure to give it a try. I think you'll be amazed!

Cauliflower Onion Gratin with Green Chile (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Bobby Flay, Foodnetwork.com)

1 large head of cauliflower

1 large sweet onion (I used Walla Walla)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2-1/2 cups whole milk

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

2 large poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 – 6 ounce can chopped green chiles

1 cup grated jalapeno pepper jack cheese

1 cup grated white sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons panko crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 F. Break cauliflower into large florets and steam over boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from steamer basket and place into greased gratin dish. Peel onion, leaving it whole, then cut into 8 wedges without cutting all the way through the core. Steam for 5 minutes and arrange in gratin dish with the cauliflower.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan and stir in flour. Cook, whisking until roux becomes slightly golden in color – about 4 minutes. Whisk in milk and cook, whisking constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from the heat and add chopped poblano peppers, green chile, pepperjack and cheddar cheeses and stir until cheese has melted. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Pour over vegetables in gratin dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and panko crumbs.

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until vegetables are softened and mixture is bubbling and starting to brown on top. Allow to rest for 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Chili Dog Perfection

Two year's ago - Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers

 

Tomato Cobbler and Panko Crusted Oysters

Big Guy often comes up with menu ideas and while many times they include something I wouldn't be caught dead cooking or eating like tripe, tongue or other awful offal, when he saw the Tomato Cobbler in this month's Food Magazine he thought it would be great with oysters, so I gave in to his wishes.

Of course we had to come to a bit of a compromise (isn't that what marriage is all about), because he wanted to use the oysters as the topping instead of thyme flavored buttery biscuits. For me to give up anything resembling bread never mind biscuits is asking a lot never mind I have to admit oysters are one of the things I put on my awful list. Since his taste buds have adjusted to curry, peas and salmon, I figured mine could adjust to oysters. 

Big Guy soaked the bi-valves in a combination of buttermilk and hot sauce for a few hours before treating them to a flour dredge, egg wash and panko crust. Fried for a few minutes a side until crisp on the ouside and creamy inside, they ended up looking like this.

As for the tomato cobbler, we've had a version of it here before way back last September and believe me, it is a keeper. This time, lovely diced vine ripened tomatoes are combined with sauteed onion, garlic, cayenne and fresh thyme, then hit a casserole along with cherry tomatoes and a topping of light, flakey, moist and delicious thyme flavored biscuits. An hour in the oven and an enticing aroma later, and here you go.

I stuck to my guns and managed to "enjoy" my modest helping of Big Guy's perfectly crisp and delicious oysters and Big Guy fulfilled his wish too. As you see, moderation took the back seat last night and the scale's telling the tale this morning; however, some things are just worth the excess. He said the combination of spicy, sweet, stewed tomatoes and crisp oysters was everything he had envisioned.

In fact, he's so happy, he's still talking about it this morning - I wonder if this would be a good time to hit him up for a house on the Oregon Coast. Too much, huh! 

Just so you know since we're all about honesty here, I prefered the previous version of the cobbler, spiced up with pepper flakes, loaded with fresh basil and a cheesey biscuit topping. Hit this link and head to One Perfect Bite and you'll see why; however, this one was OK too.

I changed up last night's up by adding more cayenne, garlic and thyme along with a couple of teaspoons of Knorr's Tomato Bouillon, a popular item used in many Mexican kitchens that you may find in the ethnic foods section of your local supermarket (or follow the link to Amazon). It's a new addition to our pantry and certainly added a nice boost of tomatoey flavor and richness to the cobbler. I'll definitely be using it more often in other dishes, but be forewarned - it contains MSG so if you've a low tolerance level for the stuff or suffer from migraines, leave it out. Just sayin'. 

Tomato Cobbler (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Food Magazine)

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons Knorr tomato bouillon (optional)

3 large vine ripened tomatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups cherry tomatoes cut into halves

1 tablespoon olive oil

Over medium heat, melt butter in a sauté pan and add onion. Cook, stirring often until onion is transparent and starts to turn golden. Add garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, brown sugar and tomato bouillon and cook for an additional minute. Add diced tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes have softened and released some of their juices. Remove pan from heat, stir in flour and cherry tomatoes. Move mixture to a greased casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil.

Preheat oven to 350.

Topping:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

2/3 cup milk

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender until mixture has coarse crumbs. Using a fork, mix together milk, mustard and thyme, then pour mixture over dry ingredients and toss lightly to incorporate. Do not over mix the dough. Drop dough in spoonfuls over the prepared tomato mixture and bake in preheated 350 oven for 50 to 60 minutes until topping is golden brown and mixture is bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.  Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Onion and Smoked Salmon Tart

Two year's ago - Hunter Style Chicken

Three year's ago - Peach Blueberry Cake

Fresh Corn and Avocado Salad

Fresh corn is flooding the markets right now and thank goodness too. It gives us an excuse to enjoy it often, whether it be on the cob or in a soup, side dish or a salad like the one we had last night.

Boiled for exactly 3 minutes, then plunged into an ice bath to stop the cooking and cool it down, when removed from the cob the still slightly crisp kernals joined pearl tomatoes, red onion and avocado in a large bowl. While this recipe from Sunset Magazine via myrecipes.com called for fresh basil, wouldn't you know I had none so I substituted fresh parsley and put dried basil into the dressing instead. No matter! Hit the link for the original recipe but I've listed my version below. 

The result - a wonderful light and incredibly fresh tasting celebration of summer's greatness that will go with darn near anything. I caution you though - don't be lazy and substitute frozen or canned corn because the secret to this fabulous salad is the fresh sweet taste of the semi crunchy kernals as they pop on your tongue. 

We had our salad beside roasted pork tenderloin coated in a mustard seed and fennel crust - but I'll be telling you about that a little later. It was wonderful!

Looking for other corny ideas to lift your spirits and make your tummy laugh? Just hit the links for a few ideas!

Corn & Basil Cakes   Corn & Sausage Soup  Marinated & Grilled

Fresh Corn and Avocado Salad (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Sunset Magazine via myrecipes.com)

3 large ears fresh corn, shucked

2 cups pearl tomatoes cut in half

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1 large avocado, cut into cubes

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

Heat a pot of water to boiling and add corn. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove immediately and plunge into an ice bath to cool. Remove kernels from cobs and place into a large bowl along with tomatoes, onion, and parsley.

Combine vinegar, mustard, olive oil, dried basil, salt and pepper in a small jar with a tight sealing lid and shake well. Just before serving, add avocado chunks to salad along with the dressing and toss to combine. Serves 4. 

A year ago - Pasta with Cajun Shrimp and Andouille Alfredo

Two year's ago - Scotch Eggs

Three year's ago -  Wild Rice Salad

Red Cabbage Salad with Bacon and Goat Cheese

Talk about an unlikely combination and a very unusual slaw. Three simple ingredients make up the basis and the title tells the tale. 

Shredded red cabbage combined with crispy crunchy salty bacon and smooth creamy goat cheese - ya, imagine that. The warm dressing is the thing that ties the whole shebang together with some of the reserved bacon drippings, vegetable oil and apple cider vinegar combined,  and mellowed out a tad with some white vinegar. Minced garlic and lots of coarse ground black pepper finish the story. 

Not exactly in the low calorie department, it is however lower in carbs and well worth the binge we enjoyed last night. Served on top of some quickly cooked chicken paillards, it's another fabulous quick and easy weeknight dinner.

We can thank Idaho a la CArte for this recipe too - bet you're wondering if there's anything in this cookbook that I haven't shared with you yet . I can only say stay tuned because there's more coming but once again I encourage you to purchase a copy. It's a fabulous collection of recipes put together to benefit the Boise Museum of Art. I have a suspicion that it may be going out of print because they no longer offer it for sale in the Museum store, but you can still find it on Amazon. 

Incicidentally, the salad's rather addictive and its siren call entices one to go back for more. It would be a great addition to a buffet because it holds beautifully, but not forever because the goat cheese requires some refrigeration. Also, there's a lot of oil in the dressing so you may want to cut it back a bit. I didn't but next time I make it I will. Also, the addition of chopped apples and a few toasted walnuts might just put it over the top, but it's fine the way it is too. Just sayin'. 

Red Cabbage Salad with Bacon and Goat Cheese (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Idaho a la Carte)

8 ounces sliced bacon

1 – pound red cabbage

5 ounces Montrachet or other goat cheese, crumbled

 

Dressing:

1/4 cup reserved bacon drippings

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

Coarse ground black pepper

Cut bacon into quarter inch pieces and cook until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1/4 cup of bacon drippings. Shred red cabbage and move to a large bowl. Combine with cooked bacon and crumbled goat cheese. Toss with warm dressing, garnish with freshly ground black pepper. Makes 6 servings.

For dressing combine bacon drippings, vegetable oil, vinegars and garlic. Heat dressing in microwave for 30 seconds or until just warmed through.

A year ago - Italian Stuffed Anaheim Peppers 

Two year's ago - Shrimp Salad with Orange and Tarragon

Cauliflower Steaks with Spicy Red Pepper Aioli

When you think of cauliflower do you normally think of flowerettes? I know I do, so it was news to me that you could have such a thing as a cauliflower "steak". Try not to get too excited though, OK? It's not exactly rocket science.

Instead of coring the cauliflower and breaking it into little "trees", simply cut the snow white beauty through the core down the center to produce these fine looking half inch "steak" like specimens. The larger the cauliflower, the more half inch steaks you'll be able to cut since they hold together only where of the core is, so be sure to buy a large one or you'll only get a couple.  

Browned until golden in a smidge of garlicky oil, they're flipped over, covered and steamed for about another 6 minutes until just tender. That's it! Simple isn't it, but that's not the end of the story.

We could have called it done right there but the thing about dieting, in this house anyway, is that boredom means the end of the diet is imminent, so I whipped up a simple roasted red pepper aioli spiced with Sambal Oelek (recipe from Anne Burrell at foodnetwork.com) and put a dab of it on top of the cauliflower.

Sauces like that pack a major punch in the flavor department and make all the difference in the world. Best thing is, the aioli will keep rather well in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and it'll be dynamite on just about anything including raw veggies, spicing up a iddy biddy tuna or chicken salad or simply slathered on a slice of lean deli beef or a cold cooked shrimp or two.

Of course, I'm planning on purchasing some fresh mussels in the next day or so and then we can enjoy Anne's recipe in the manner in which it was intended. The garlicky spicy sauce is incredible and way too good to waste. Best of all, because the flavors are so intense, a spoonful goes a very long way which is great when you're watching your p's and q's. It is LOADED with fat, so beware.  

Served beside a piece of pan roasted halibut dusted in a few panko crumbs and garnished with lemon and a couple of capers, dinner was a far from boring event. 

Who says this moderation thing is difficult? I mean REALLY - difficult is getting up off the floor after less than a dozen sit ups when you haven't done them for a while. Difficult is staying on the elliptical when your legs have turned to spaghetti and you've only been on it for two and a half minutes. Difficult will be trying to sit up in bed tomorrow morning without assistance. Anyone have a crane I can borrow? 

Cauliflower Steaks with Spicy Red Pepper Aioli (from JBug’s Kitchen with Aioli adapted from Anne Burrell, Food Network)

1 large cauliflower head

1 tablespoon oil

1 clove garlic, peeled

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon water

Wash cauliflower well under running water. Remove outer leaves from core of cauliflower, then using a sharp knife start from the center (core area) and slice cauliflower into half inch “steaks”. You’ll get approximately 4 steaks per large cauliflower. Reserve remaining cauliflower for another use.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Meanwhile, crush garlic clove with a knife and add to the oil, moving it around the pan to prevent it from burning. When oil is hot, remove garlic and discard. Place cauliflower steaks carefully into hot pan and fry until golden on 1 side – about 3 minutes. Flip over, season well with salt and pepper and lower heat to medium. Add water to pan, cover and steam until cauliflower is just tender – about 4 to 6 minutes.  Serve with a spoonful of aioli.

Spicy Red Pepper Aioli

1 large red pepper

2 egg yolks

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek or Thai Chili Garlic Sauce

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (optional)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup olive oil

Roast red pepper over a gas flame or under broiler until well blackened. Place in a zip bag or covered container and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel and remove seeds. Place pepper into food processor along with egg yolks, garlic, vinegars, sambal oelek and Sriracha. Process until very smooth. With motor running, add vegetable and olive oil very, very slowly, in a drizzle and process until very smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until serving. (Aioli will keep well refrigerated for 2 to 3 days).

A year ago - Lemon Papparedelli with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

Two year's ago -  Spaghetti Carbonara

 

Warm Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Salad with Italian Burgers

Other than the fact the holiday's over, the second worse thing about the post vacation blues is getting rid of the excess weight. Too many full meal deal breakfasts and lots of dinners out never mind afternoon "beer thirty" all combined with the fact our little Rose Cottage was exactly midway between two local workout spots, one 9 miles north and the other about 9 miles south of us meant we had a built in excuse NOT to join a gym and exercise this year. Consequently the next month or more we'll be working on whittling the additional pounds off our 55 year old plus bodies. 

What it means for us is regular exercise, a relatively healthy diet, smaller portions and no alcohol; however, since this is a food blog I figured none of you would be too impressed if I told ya we were joining "Jenny", so here's the first of our "moderate" dinners.

Just because you're watching the old calories doesn't mean food has to be plain, boring or tasteless. I mean Rome wasn't built in a day and the pounds didn't come on overnight although they sure as heck pile on a lot faster than they disappear.

Anyway, I'm not saying this salad is totally without calories, but it is filled with roasted eggplant, assorted peppers, and dressed lightly with a touch of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Now personally, I would be satisfied to have eaten it as a stand alone item but you know who wouldn't think of coming home to such an obvious vegetarian meal, so to prevent Big Guy from hitting the burger joint on the way home for an appetizer, I fashioned this Italian burger sans the carb loaded bread. Simply extra lean ground beef along with chicken sweet Italian sausage and extra spices, I topped the burger with a sundried tomato, a couple of fresh mozzarella pearls and a hot pepper.

It's a flavorful meal that'll transport you to the sunny shores of Sicily and perfect for this time of year when peppers are plentiful and inexpensive and the eggplant's fresh too. The salad's great leftover too - on a sandwich, or crustini or even in an omelet. Add a few olives and a touch more cheese and you'll have all the bases covered for a superb lunch to take to work too.

Incidentally, I roasted the vegetables under the broiler because it's too uncomfortable outside to use the barbecue, but feel free to use your outdoor grill if you wish.

Warm Roasted Eggplant Salad with Bell Peppers and Tomatoes (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Idaho a la Carte cookbook)

Feel free to substitute 2 cups of cherry or pearl tomatoes because there’s a lot more flavor packed into those little things and they roast beautifully too.

1 large eggplant

Coarse salt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 ripe tomatoes cut into halves

1 each red, green and yellow pepper, roasted

3 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh ground black pepper

Garnish with fresh mozzarella, basil or parsley

Cut eggplant into quarter inch slices leaving the peel on. Sprinkle with salt on both sides, and place on sheets of paper towels, wrapping it well. Place a cutting board and heavy pot on top to squeeze out the moisture. Allow to sit that way for 20 to 30 minutes before continuing. Preheat broiler. Brush excess salt from eggplant and dry well with paper towels. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and place on a sheet pan along with tomato halves. Roast until eggplant slices are golden brown on both sides and tomatoes start to brown.

Slice eggplant into narrow strips and cut tomato halves into wedges. Peel, seed and slice roasted peppers into thin strips. Add to eggplant in bowl along with garlic, any remaining olive oil and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar. Season liberally with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh mozzarella and chopped basil or parsley. Serve either warm or at room temperature.  Makes 6 servings

Italian Flavored Burgers (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Cooking Light via myrecipes.com)

3/4 pound extra lean ground beef

3/4 pound crumbled sweet Italian sausage (I used chicken)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/3 cup cold water

Combine all ingredients together and form into four 6 ounce patties. Pan fry or grill for approximately 7 minutes a side or until internal temperature reaches 165. Serve on eggplant salad.

A year ago - Mexican Pot Roast in Soft Tacos

Two year's ago - Pizza con Proscuitto Coto

Summer's Bounty

Yesterday we took another trip into the Newport Farmer’s Market and if we thought last week was great, this week was the ultimate. Gorgeous sweet carrots, both red and the usual orange, along with zucchini blossoms, fabulous little new potatoes and lovely white turnips.

Big Guy made the main event while I watched and tried desperately to keep my opinions to myself. He sliced up last week’s lovely green tomatoes, coated them in flour and egg wash then covered them in crumbs and fried them in vegetable oil. Dusted with salt and dribbled with hot sauce, they were unbelievable – crisp, crunchy and just a little tart too.

The real hit of the evening though were the stuffed zucchini blossoms he concocted, adapted from this Bon Appetit recipe and loaded with ricotta cheese, chopped mint and lemon zest,  then treated to the same coating as the green tomatoes and fried to a perfect finish. They were mildly minty, totally creamy and crunchy too. I mean who’da thunk that zucchini blossoms would be the perfect vehicle for the ultimate taste sensation, never mind you don’t have to deal with 2 foot long 5 pound zucchini’s to get ‘em. I’d call that a huge bonus right there.

We mustn’t forget all the beautiful berries we picked up that went into the largest berry crisp I’ve ever made. Plump and juicy Boysenberries, tart Marion berries and oh so sweet Raspberries combined with a small amount of sugar, way too little flour considering the juice that formed in the pan and all topped with a buttery vanilla flavored, brown sugar, flour and oatmeal crumble baked up in less than an hour to put the so called frosting on the cake to our perfectly wonderful light (uh huh, right) dinner.

Whole Stuffed Cabbage

Just because you’ve got yourself a cabbage that’s on the miniscule side doesn’t mean you can’t have cabbage rolls. Granted it’s a lot easier to make the things when you’re working with large cabbage leaves, but we found such a gorgeous little head of cabbage at the market on Saturday, I figured I’d think outside the box and stuff the whole thing. 

I cut around the core and steamed the leaves off the same as you would when making the rolled version then dried off the leaves and placed them into a small bowl, weaving them together like they were when God made the original head of cabbage.

I filled the inside of the bowl with stuffing consisting of sautéed onion and garlic, ground beef, and cooked rice spiced up with garlic powder, Herbs de Provence, salt and lots of pepper. Bound together with a couple of eggs, I packed it all in much like a giant meatball, then placed the rest of the cabbage leaves on top and folded the outer cabbage layers over that. Then I tied the whole thing up into a ball with string to keep it all together.

Placed in a casserole dish on a bed of rinsed and well drained sauerkraut and topped with tomato sauce along with a can of Rotel, it hit the oven for an hour and 15 minutes. It went into the oven looking list this ...

...and ended up looking like this!

Garnished with a dollop of Daisy, it tasted even better than I imagined and you all know me - I’m my own worse critic but I sure as heck couldn’t think of anything wrong to say about this experiment.   By the way, my version’s inspired by a recipe from Elise at Simply Recipes for pork filled cabbage rolls that we had here before so hit this link and follow the trail to Elise’s site.

Whole Stuffed Cabbage (inspired by a Simply Recipes)

1 small whole green cabbage (about 2 pounds)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup cooked rice

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

1 large jar sauerkraut

1 -8 ounce can tomato sauce

3/4 cup water

1 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles

Sour cream as garnish

Fill a pot big enough to hold the head of cabbage with boiling water and heat over medium high heat. Remove any damaged outer leaves from cabbage and cut around the core. Place in boiling water, cover pot and steam to loosen leaves. Remove cabbage from water and remove leaves as they loosen. Arrange leaves in a bowl, overlapping them to cover bottom and sides, using the bowl as a mold. Return cabbage to boiling water and repeat process until you’ve used up all the leaves. Set some aside to cover the top of the cabbage once it is stuffed.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat and sauté onion and garlic until onion has softened. Cool slightly and place into a large bowl. Add ground beef, rice, eggs, paprika, salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence and mix together well to combine. Pile the meat mixture into the cabbage lined bowl, packing it in and rounding the top slightly like a giant meatball. Place reserved cabbage leaves on top, then fold over sides of cabbage leaves to cover top. Flip the whole thing out of the bowl and tie tightly with kitchen twine so it stays together as it cooks.

Preheat oven to 350. Empty sauerkraut into a colander and rinse well under running water. Squeeze water out of sauerkraut and place into bottom of a large casserole dish with a cover. Place tied stuffed cabbage on top of sauerkraut. Top with tomato sauce, water and Rotel. Cover casserole and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

When cooked, remove string from cabbage and cut into wedges. Serve on sauerkraut tomato mixture and garnish with sour cream. Makes 6 servings.

 

Onion, Garlic and Bacon Jam

I realize we're a little behind the eight ball here as onion jam has been making the rounds of the blogosphere long before now. We had some the other night on a fabulous bacon and blue cheese burger and it was so flavorful we were absolutely driven to make it ourselves.

Adapted from a recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen, this was another team effort in JBug's Kitchen. Big Guy put in a fresh pair of contacts and peeled and sliced 4 pounds of onions (6 large) without crying a single tear. Heck, I'm thinking of getting a pair for that very reason :-)

While he was doing that, I fried some bacon to a nice crisp finish, then we got down to business. We added garlic to the mix, less salt, more pepper and changed the method somewhat. Making onion jam isn't rocket science and it smells amazing as it is cooking but does take quite a while, so you have to be patient and stir the pot from time to time. Believe me, your TLC will be well rewarded with 2 pints of absolutely amazing flavor.  

We had our bacon/onion jam on a simple salad of romaine leaves dressed in a maple balsamic vinaigrette that we've had here before - hit the link and it'll take you right to it. Of course we had meat too - lovely flavorful skirt steak, marinated in a mustard seed, peppercorn and port concoction and grilled. Sliced thinly and perched on a dressed romaine leaf slathered in onion jam with a garnish of asiago cheese, each bite was a perfect burst of flavor.

If you haven't had a chance to try onion jam before, give it a go on your next rainy summer afternoon. Of course you don't have to wait for rain - we didn't! It is absolutely amazing - in fact our next go round we're thinking of adding some bourbon or even maybe applejack brandy at the very end just to see what a little booze does to the mix and/or substitute beer for the apple cider and add balsamic vinegar and a lot more bacon like this one from Rich Coffey.

Regardless it is really wonderful and we can't wait to try it on a crostini with a touch of creamy gorgonzola, or a pizza with duck and brie, or a burger, or a roast beef sandwich or especially a grilled cheese. The possibilities are endless!

Onion, Garlic and Bacon Jam (adapted from Tasty Kitchen )

6 slices bacon

4 pounds yellow onions (about 6)

1 bulb garlic, cloves smashed and peeled

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

10 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stem

1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper

1-1/2 cups unfiltered apple juice or cider

Cook bacon until crisp in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and remove from pan leaving drippings. Peel onions, cut in half and slice into quarter inch thick slices. Add onions and garlic to the pot along with salt, cover and cook until onions are transparent – about 15 minutes.

Chop bacon into small pieces and add to pot along with vinegar, brown sugar, thyme and black pepper. Cook uncovered over medium low heat until almost all liquid has been reduced, stirring approximately every 10 to 15 minutes (takes about an hour) Stir in apple juice and continue to cook until onions are a medium brown and liquid is reduced but mixture is still fairly moist – about another 45 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Cool and store in glass jars in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze. Makes 2 pints. 

Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

I happen to have a tremendous affinity for pasta which is a shame really because it isn't particularly good for an over fifty female with a waist line trying to win a girth contest with her hips. Yup, it ain't pretty.

I also happen to love asparagus and smoked salmon too, so imagine combining three of your most favorite things into one fabulous dish. That's what I did last night for dinner.

I originally had every intention of making a hot pasta dish, but with triple digit temperatures and still without a blind on my south facing kitchen window, standing over a hot stove held absolutely zero appeal.

Consequently I boiled pasta, blanched asparagus and cooled the whole lot off before adding skinny little slices of orange mini bell peppers, and chopped sweet onion to the mix. Combined with a lemon, Dijon, mayonnaise and sour cream dressing flavored with a touch of tarragon and lots of pepper, the bowl hit the fridge to chill out for a couple of hours.

Just prior to serving about 10 ounces of incredible lemon/mustard seed smoked sockeye salmon courtesy of Trader Joe's joined the party along with a couple of handfuls of mini-pearl tomatoes. Plated and served with a side of flaky home made buttermilk biscuits and a big ice filled glass of sparkling water, it was a delightful Monday night repast. I figured it couldn't possibly be too bad in the calorie department because after all, the veggies outweighed the pasta. Oh, and it really was just one little iddy biddy moist butter filled biscuit, so that couldn't count much either. Right?

Trouble is Big Guy cut and served a humongous slice of caramel apple pie for dessert and try as I might, I couldn't leave nary a crumb. Oh well - there's always another day to be good and it should be easier today. The pie's all gone; however, there's still a bunch of salad left...oh and biscuits too. MMMM Darn.

Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus (Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 1996)

3 cups medium sized pasta (penne, radiatore, or shells)

1-1/2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 large sweet onion, chopped

4 or 5 mini sweet bell peppers, seeded and sliced

1 cup mini pearl tomatoes

10 ounces smoked salmon, broken into large pieces

2 tablespoons drained capers (optional)

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (Lite is fine)

1/4 cup lite sour cream

1-1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Salt & pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Two minutes before it’s done, add asparagus to pot to blanche. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled. Drain well. Place in a bowl along with onion, and peppers. Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and fold into pasta. Chill for a minimum 2 hours. Just before serving, add tomatoes and smoked salmon pieces. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary. Garnish with capers if you wish. Makes 6 main course servings. 

A year ago - Spicy Bean Snackin' Cake 

Two year's ago - Roasted Corn Chowder

Grilled Spicy Citrus Chicken With Corn and Green Onions

We made this for the first time way back in 2009 on one of our beach vacations (see here) and I'm not quite sure why we haven't had it since except there's just so many things to cook, and so little time. 

If time is an issue for you, then chicken on the grill is a great solution. The only thing with this one is you need to be a little on the ball because it has to marinate a minimum of 4 hours ...but the longer the better. Best of all, the corn hangs out in the same marinade but a different zip bag, so not only is your main course taken care of, but so's the side dish. 

Serve it with a tossed salad or simple sliced tomatoes fresh from your garden and I'm pretty sure you won't hear anyone complaining. Actually it's so orangie, limey and garlicky delicious, I doubt you'll hear much of anything until the plate's empty.   Oh and a word from the unwise - for heaven's sake, double the marinade and throw in a bunch of extra corn because it's so special, you'll want more...and more...and more. 

Be sure to have your water bottle standing ready by the grill to take care of any flare-ups. Sure wish I'd listen to my own advice. I darn near lost all the hair on my chin again. Guess I'd better leave the grillin' to the Big Guy from now on!

Grilled Spicy Chicken with Corn and Green Onions (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Epicurious.com)

Marinade:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

8 large chicken thighs, with skin and bones

8 green onions

4 ears of corn, husked

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, and hot pepper sauce into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine well.

Wash and dry chicken thighs well, and clean excess fat from them. Place chicken thighs into a large zip bag. Place corn and green onions into another large zip bag. Divide sliced garlic, cilantro and crushed red pepper between the two bags and divide prepared marinade between the two as well. Season contents of bags well with salt and pepper, close zippers and place into a large bowl or plastic container to catch any leaks. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, turning bags occasionally.

To cook – heat grill to medium hot. Remove chicken and vegetables from marinade and discard marinade. Grill chicken over direct heat until nicely browned – about 15 minutes, turning often, then move to indirect heat and finish cooking (approximately another 15 minutes or until juices run clear). Place corn and onions over direct heat (medium low) and cook covered for 6 to 10 minutes. Move corn and onions around often to prevent burning. Serve with slices of oranges and limes as garnish.  Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Bacon and Blue Potato Salad

 

Cheater Chicken and Dumplings

There's nothing difficult about making chicken and dumplings although if you're going to make it the way your grandma did, it'll likely take a while. This one takes no time at all and no doubt has a lot more flavor than plain old stewed chicken anyway.

One of those make it up as you go meals from JBug's Kitchen, this one includes skinless boneless chicken thighs, seasoned well, dusted in flour and browned in a hot pan. Once given that ultimate "golden glow", they're removed from the pot for a minute while onion, celery, anaheim pepper and garlic get a quick saute. Seasoned with the usual poultry herbs, I de-glazed the pan with sherry and then returned the chicken to the pot along with a can of golden mushroom soup and chicken stock. Topped with chunks of parsnip and carrots, the covered pot simmered on the stove for a mere 25 minutes until the chicken finished cooking and dinner was almost ready, except for the dumplings.

My problem - I couldn't make a decision about what kind to make. We're rather partial to the cornmeal dumplings we've had before on top of chicken chile verde and then again, we absolutely love the feather light version that graced the chicken and vegetable stew we had a while ago. While I was ruminating my conundrum, time kind of got away from me so in the interest of getting dinner on the table before bedtime, I thought "darn, I'm just gonna' think outside the box."

I simply boiled a big pot of water and cooked up some ready made gnocchi. Simple eh? Afterall gnocchi are just little Italian style potato dumplings anyway and although some people might be stumped on how to serve the little beauties, I'm not one of those people. Simply boiled till they float, drained and sauteed in browned butter, or topped with sausage and marinara or covered in bechamel and baked in the oven, I don't think there's a bad way to eat 'em but for certain, gnocchi couldn't taste any better than when covered in chicken and gravy. Them's good eats, especially since my serving including some lovely little green peas. 

Cheater Chicken and Dumplings ( an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

5 skinless boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, pepper

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

3 ribs of celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Anaheim pepper, chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/3 cup medium dry sherry

1 can golden mushroom soup

2/3 cup chicken stock

1 cup carrots, peeled cut into large dice

1 large parsnip, peeled cut into large dice

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 package prepared gnocchi, cooked per package directions and drained

Chopped parsley, or fresh rosemary as garnish

Heat oil in sauté pan over medium high heat. Cut chicken thighs in half, season well with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Brown chicken on all sides until deep golden in color. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion, celery, garlic and Anaheim pepper to pan and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened – about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir poultry seasoning, rosemary, and sage into vegetables and cook for additional minute. Stir in sherry, and when slightly reduced, add golden mushroom soup and chicken stock. Mix well to combine. Return chicken to pot and add carrots and parsnip. Bring pot to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. If adding frozen peas, add during last 5 minutes of cooking. Taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as required. To serve, place a spoonful of cooked gnocchi into bowl and scoop chicken, vegetables and gravy over top. Sprinkle with parsley or rosemary. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Mango and Spicy Shrimp Salad 

Two year's ago - Antipasti Platter

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

Party Hearty

Cooking for a crowd can be a challenge but you can make it easier on yourself by simply choosing the right menu. Many's the time I've stressed myself out by planning dishes that needed last minute care and attention but Monday night's menu was darn near perfect, if I do say so myself.

Composed of dishes that for the most part could be made in advance, we rounded out the appetizer menu by making a huge container of the Loaded Baked Potato Dip we tried Super Bowl Sunday from myrecipes.com. While I found it more spreadable than dip-able and a trifle lacking in flavor the first time I made it, this time I added a cup of prepared buttermilk ranch dressing along with a half package of dry ranch mix to loosen the dip up a tad and add more zip. Hit the link at myrecipes.com for the recipe but remember to doctor it up a bit. Served with some of those fabulous tiny iddy biddy potatoes that were roasted in advance and simply warmed up, it was an incredibly delicious and popular appetizer. Perfect "crowd" food!

As for the main course, Big Guy put a couple of huge sirloin roasts on the Weber rotisserie and sliced them up to serve cold. Here they are in all their glory just off the barbecue and resting before being sliced.

The other entree choice was this fabulous Spicy Chicken with Apricots and Olives, courtesy of Noble Pig. Loaded with all manner of spices including cinnamon, cumin and smoked paprika it's the kind of dish that's ideal for entertaining because the chicken marinates for 24 hours before hitting the oven.

The incredible aroma and exotic flavor is darn near enough to make you want to catch the next flight to Morocco...but the good news is you don't have to! You can make this right at home. Incidentally, I multiplied the recipe by 6 and used 10.5 pounds of skinless boneless chicken thighs, which was about perfect for 40 people, give or take when served beside a big bowl of couscous with lemon, olive oil, fresh mint and toasted pistachio nuts. 

The rest of the main course was balanced by a huge tossed salad as well as our favorite marinated asparagus salad you've seen here several times before. We also whipped up perfect for a crowd pickled onion salad that's another gem from the past. Simply thinly sliced yellow onions marinated overnight in a sugar, vinegar, water mixture, the salad is finished by draining the pickling mixture from the onions and tossing them with sour cream and celery seeds. It is a perfect crunchy kinda' sweet tart accompaniment to thinly sliced roast beef and great on a sandwich or a burger and topping a bowl of beef with barbecue sauce like you'll see pictured below. Hey we had leftovers last night for dinner - see!

 

As for dessert, well you'll just have to hold your horses and come back tomorrow! Believe me, it'll be worth a return visit. 

Pickled Onion Salad (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from the Best of the Best, Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks)

4 large yellow onions, sliced very thin

1-1/2 cups white vinegar

1-1/2 cups water

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine above ingredients in a large glass bowl or jar and marinate overnight. Before serving, pour mixture into a colander and drain liquid from onions, pressing out some of the liquid with a spoon to leave the onions relatively dry. Mix onions with

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon celery salt

Serve cold with sliced beef, roast beef sandwiches or it’s great on a burger too. 

A year ago - Creamy Roasted Potato Salad

Two year's ago - Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers 

Lasagna - it's different...honest!

It may not be news to you, but it certainly was to me when I realized that one could use something other than noodles to make a pan of lasagna. After all, it's not greek to people in Greece because they've been doing it for centuries when making moussaka (eggplant and potato slices) so when I saw this in myrecipes.com I knew I just had to give it a try.

A marinara sauce chock full of veggies including onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms and zucchini fortified with Italian sausage and slathered between layers of polenta - why it's darn near sinful. I think it would be dynamite with some diced carrots, and/or sauteed spinach too and even a layer of roasted red peppers would be wonderful if you're trying to get more veggies into your family.

Of course I had to spice up the sauce a bit, added a little red wine and definitely used more cheese than they recommended, but I did cheat and use a tube of Trader Joe's prepared polenta and nobody would have been the wiser if I hadn't fessed up just now. Oh well!

This Polenta Lasagna is absolutely delicious, soul satisfying, heart warming and perfect for a fast weeknight dinner or a knifeless nosh while you're watching the hockey playoffs in front of the telly, or a taped version of the Voice like we were. Served with a tossed salad on the side, it certainly met with fist pumping approval in our house. 

Hit the link here for the recipe direct from the source (Cooking Light), and here's my version for your viewing pleasure. By the way, you'll see that I made it in one large casserole, but it would be a great candidate for individual ramekins or even muffin cups, although it might be a little messy when you're removing them. Just sayin'.

Polenta Lasagna (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 red pepper pepper, finely diced

1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 medium zucchini, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup red wine

1 – 26 ounce jar marinara sauce, divided (I used Trader Joe’s)

1 – 15 ounce tube of polenta, cut into 18 slices (I used Trader Joe’s)

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan and when oil is shimmering add onion and red pepper. Sauté until onion is softened – about 3 minutes, stirring often. Crumble in Italian sausage and cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and coarse ground black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, and then stir in red wine. Simmer until wine has almost completely evaporated – another minute or 2.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9 inch casserole dish with cooking spray and place a half cup of marinara sauce on the bottom.

Stir remaining marinara sauce into the sauté pan, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until sauce is quite thick.

Place 9 slices of polenta in the casserole dish on top of the half cup of marinara sauce. Cover with half of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with half the cheese. Add another layer of polenta slices, the remaining meat sauce and top with the rest of the grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover from casserole and continue to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until casserole is bubbling. Remove from heat and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings. 

A year ago - Bolognese with Panko Crusted Eggplant and Zucchini 

Two year's ago - Carne Asada in Fajitas

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