JBug's Kitchen Antics

Baked Apple French Toast

Here's another do-ahead breakfast that's great to have when you're entertaining because it has to hit the refrigerator overnight. Really just a glorified bread pudding, we've bragged about it before but it's time for a reminder. After all, aren't the best things worth repeating?

Simply half inch slices of french bread soaked overnight in an egg/milk/maple syrup mixture, it's topped in the  morning with slices of apple and cinnamon sugar and dabbed with butter before hitting the oven to bake just long enough so you've time to cook sausages, set the table and pour mimosas. Our weekend visitors loved it and I'm sure you will too.

Cinnamon Apple French Toast  adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks

8 slices French bread – ½ inch thick

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

Spray a 9x13” casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange bread slices without overlapping. Whisk together eggs with milk and maple syrup. Pour over bread slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange the apple slices on top of bread. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of apples. Top with butter. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake for 40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup. Makes 6 servings

Oh...and try this orange flavored version too. It's amazing!

Baked Orange Stuffed French Toast

 

A Strata with Sausage and Hash Browns

We had friends visiting over this past weekend so I'm slightly off the grid as far as posting our "everyday" meals but I do want to share some of our weekend meals with you especially since we'll be enjoying the leftovers over the next few days.

I love a relaxing Sunday morning breakfast with good friends and a quiche like strata with its combination of eggs, bread and cheese is a hostess' dream because it needs to be prepped in advance.

Savory Croissant      Sausage, Pepper Torta  Easy Breakfast Casserole

       

We've lots of strata recipes on this site but what makes this one different is the addition of hash browns. Oh and we mustn't forget the meat. I used bulk pork sausage (Jimmy Dean's Original to be exact), but you could certainly substitute chopped ham or even crispy bacon. 

We really enjoyed this casserole, particularly the guys because it really is a "he man" kind of hearty flavor filled dish. My only wish is that I'd made the strata in a cast iron pan rather than a casserole dish because the heat from the cast iron would have given the hash browns more of an opportunity to crisp up; however, I solved the issue this morning by re-warming leftovers in a frying pan to make my "wish" for a crispy crust a reality.

We've Paula Deen to thank for the original, but since I cut down on the butter, eggs, and cheese and adjusted the spices, I've listed my version below. 

Sausage and Hash Brown Strata from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Paula Deen

4 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

8 cups cubed French bread (with or without crusts)

1 pound bulk sausage (I used Jimmy Dean’s Original)

7 eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Spray a 9 x 13 casserole with cooking spray and set aside. Dry thawed hash browns by blotting with a paper towel and spread evenly in bottom of casserole. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter and when butter melts, add onion. Sauté until onion is transparent. Sprinkle onion on top of hash browns in casserole dish. Layer bread cubes on top of

Return sauté pan to heat and crumble in sausage. Cook, stirring with a fork until sausage is cooked through and no longer pink. Cool slightly then sprinkle on top of bread cubes in casserole.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs until light. Add milk, salt, pepper, Dijon and hot sauce. Pour mixture evenly over sausage/bread/hash browns in casserole. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To bake – preheat oven to 350. Remove plastic wrap from casserole sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 1 hour. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake additional 10 minutes or until casserole is puffy and a knife placed into center comes out clean. Makes 8 servings. 

 

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower

Every once in a while I try to sneak a meatless meal onto our menu and pass it on by the resident carnivore. It's not easy, believe me. I made him a massive juicy burger for lunch yesterday so I'm not sure he missed the meat so much in last night's dinner. Uh ya - who am I kidding? I can see the evil stare from here and he's not even in the room. Ha.

Anyway, this dish is a take on good old fashioned macaroni cheese but kicked up a notch or ten. I added sour cream and Dijon mustard to the bechamel, made it extra cheesy with white cheddar and parmesan, gave it some color with diced canned tomatoes and added the roasted cauliflower. Along with a crazy kind of corkscrew shaped pasta topped with a blanket of buttered crumbs, the gratin hit the oven until bubbly and ooey cheesy gooey.

You know who said it was "good" which really meant this is OK for a change but don't make a habit out'a it. Somehow I imagine if I'd added a nice thick blue rare rib eye on the side, he'd have been doing handstands. Sheesh. 

Personally, I thought it was quite tasty - creamy, rich, cheesy and satisfying with the nutty mild flavor of roasted cauliflower... I mean why have ordinary old cauliflower with cheese sauce when you can add pasta, right? 

Incidentally, here's a photo of last night's sunset as taken through our living room window. It was a sunny and balmy 69 degrees here yesterday, identical to the day before I might add. It is the same view I enjoy from the island in the kitchen. Does it give you an idea why I'm not spending as much time in the kitchen these days? 

 

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower (Inspired by Bon Appetit)       

1 medium head cauliflower, cored and broken into florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 tablespoons butter, divided

2 Tablespoons flour

1 small onion, finely chopped

1-1/2 cups milk or half and half

3 cups grated cheese (I used Tillamook White Cheddar)

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Salt and course ground pepper

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

8 ounces pasta cooked per package directions and well drained

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 425. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and still slightly firm. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce heat to 350.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in medium sauce pan. Add onion and sauté until softened. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in half and half and cook, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add cheese, sour cream, Dijon mustard and parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required. Toss cooked pasta, roasted cauliflower and diced tomatoes with sauce and move to a gratin dish or 9 x 13 casserole that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle on top of casserole. Place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbling and crumbs are toasted.  Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

 

Quiche with Hash Brown Crust

Whoever said a quiche needs to have a pastry crust should think a little outside the box every once in a while. If you're the kind of person that is a trifle adventurous while being somewhat challenged in the pastry making department or if you're trying to accommodate someone with a gluten intolerance, then what I'm about to tell you is likely to make your day.  

Hash browns from the freezer, defrosted, mixed with melted butter and pressed into a pie plate will make a more than passable substitute for pastry. We've done it once before and made a Chicken and Green Chile Quiche way back when and I did it again with this Italian version, loaded with crumbled hot Italian sausage, chopped bell peppers and mushrooms, all nestled in a creamy eggy custard.

In fact, I'll be making another one again very soon too with bacon, onion and Swiss cheese, and again with Ham and cheddar, and again with mushrooms and fontina and again and again because once I find something Big Guy really likes, I'm honor bound to test my imagination and his taste buds. Just sayin'. 

Italian Quiche with Hash Brown Crust from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Simply Potatoes

4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 pound crumbled Italian sausage (I used hot)

1/2 cup chopped assorted mini bell peppers

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3 eggs

1 cup half and half

2/3 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar and Monterey jack)

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a quiche pan or pie plate with cooking spray. Blot moisture from hash brown potatoes using a paper towel. In a medium bowl, toss together hash browns and melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of pan to form a crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile in a non-stick skillet, cook Italian sausage until browned. Add peppers, onions and mushrooms and cook until vegetables are softened. Set aside to cool while crust is baking. When crust is cooked, reduce oven heat to 350. Place meat mixture on top of baked crust.

Beat together eggs and half and half until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over sausage and bake for 20 minutes or until filling is almost set. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.    Makes 6 servings.  

Two years ago - New Mexico Style Potroast with Cornbread Griddle Cakes 

There's Another Side to Pumpkin

There's more to pumpkin than just dessert although there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. We've certainly posted enough pumpkin flavored sweet treats over the years to sink a battleship; however, we've made our share of savory dishes too. 

Last night I borrowed a page from Dorie Greenspan's "Around My French Table" and whipped up fabulous pumpkin gorgonzola flans. I really wanted to test them out to see if they'd fit into our Thanksgiving menu plans and believe you me, they certainy do.

Imagine a savory pumpkin custard, creamy and delicious, loaded with smooth and piquant gorgonzola cheese and topped with toasted nuts (pecans in my case). Ready in 35 minutes and an absolute winner, I'm wishing I'd made the whole recipe instead of roughly half. We'll be fighting over the lone survivor at lunch time today. 

Join us in the kitchen, think a little outside the box and make something savory with autumn's favored squash. Browse through the index on your right under "Pumpkin and Squash" for more ideas. You won't be disappointed - I swear! 

Pumpkin Gorgonzola Flans (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table)

1 -15 ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt & course ground black pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese

Handful chopped pecans

 

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 6 – 6 ounce ramekins and place into a pan with minimum 2 inch high sides. Using an immersion blender or food processor, combine pumpkin, eggs, egg yolks, cream, salt, pepper and cayenne until well mixed. Divide mixture between ramekins. Top with crumbles of gorgonzola and using a spoon, poke the cheese down into the custards. Sprinkle tops nuts. Place pan in oven and pour boiling water around cups, up to about half way up the sides. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6. 

A year ago - Baked Polenta with Bechamel and Spicy Meat Sauce 

Two years ago - Coconut Lime Shrimp with Peanut Sauce

Three years ago -  Bittersweet Chocolate Sour Cherry Bread Pudding

 

Eggs Benedict With Gravlax and Quick Hollandaise

I can't think of anything better on a foggy Sunday morning than coffee in bed with my Big Guy and two little fur balls followed by a late breakfast of rich and decadent eggs benny. 

We had gravlax left over from the other day and while I don't recommend keeping this particular salt and sugar cured fish on hand for very long, a couple of days in a very cold refrigerator meant it was perfectly fine loosely piled on a couple of toasted English muffins and topped with poached eggs. Just so you know, I poached the eggs in acidulated water which is just a fancy way of telling you I added a couple tablespoons of white vinegar to the salted water before adding the eggs. I also swirled the water with a spoon to get it moving in a circle which means the whites of the eggs stick to the yolks and poach beautifully. 

While I was showing off doing that, Big Guy whipped up quick blender hollandaise and made us each an absolutely perfectly spiced Bloody Mary. In less than 15 minutes, breakfast was on the table. Talk about a great combination - oh yah I agree, the two cooks are too but I really meant the menu.

Creamy buttery dill flavored dry cured salmon on crunchy sourdough muffins, topped with perfectly runny poached eggs and a streaming pool of rich lemony buttery slightly piquant hollandaise sauce paired with the absolute best of morning brunch drinks..ah, bliss!  Don't you love Sundays?

Here's your permission to wave goodbye to your whisk and double boiler and/or kick that packaged dry hollandaise mix to the curb because here's Big Guy's recipe for a perfect absolutely no fail sauce. Incidentally if you want a thicker hollandaise, just leave out the water and add an additional egg yolk along with another quarter cup of hot melted butter; however, we kinda' like a more pourable sauce. Just sayin'. 

Quick Blender Hollandaise (from JBug's Kitchen Antics adapted from Chatelaine Cookbook)

2 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon warm water

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

 

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

Combine egg yolks, water, lemon juice, salt, cayenne and mustard in a blender or narrow container and use an immersion blender. Melt butter in microwave until it is no longer solid and forms a nice foam on top. With blender running slowly drizzle in butter. Whirl just to blend completely (about 10 seconds). Serve immediately or keep warm in a thermos. Makes 1 cup

A year ago - Pork, Chorizo and Green Chile Burgers

Two year's ago - Roast Chicken with Apples and Rosemary

Three year's ago - Nasi Goreng

Ham, Swiss and Spinach Quiche

Guess I must have taken stupid pills because while most of the rest of the country was eating some kind of barbecue last night for dinner, we were chowing down on quiche. Don't ask me how that happened except I'm thinking it may be that when you live at the beach year round, every day is a holiday. Sounds like a good enough excuse, ya' think?

No matter though because I happen to love quiche and Big Guy likes "cheese pie" too, thankfully. This version adapted from myrecipes.com was no exception, although it has a lot more egg in it than the usual. It also did an admirable job of filling up a deep dish 9 inch pan with a removable bottom.

Loaded with ham, spinach and Swiss cheese, I added a heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the custard along with salt, pepper and a touch of nutmeg for added flavor.  I said "I" and it should be "we", because Big Guy did the prepping while I rolled out the pastry, steamed spinach and sauteed onions. He also cubed the cheese in quarter inch or less dice instead of shredding it because I find it makes for a fluffier pie instead of having the cheese clump together in one solid layer as it melts. That's it for the secrets other than be sure to squeeze the moisture out of the spinach so you don't have a soggy bottom. Afterall, nobody likes a soggy bottom. Of course, I could have blind baked the crust for 10 or 12 minutes before adding the rest of the goods, which would have helped too but as you can see from the photo, I did neither.

You likely wouldn't have even noticed had I not fessed up, right? I wish!  Just remember, do as I say not as I do and everything will turn out just fine.

Ham, Swiss and Spinach Quiche from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from myrecipes.com

Pastry for 1 deep dish 9 inch pie

3 cups baby spinach

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 pound sliced ham, chopped

1-1/2 cups Swiss cheese, cut into quarter inch cubes

6 eggs

1 -1/2 cups half and half

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

 Preheat oven to 375. Line a deep 9 inch pie pan with pastry and set aside. Wash and dry spinach. Heat sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter and when melted add onion. Sauté until slightly softened. Remove from pan to cool. Add spinach to pan, cover and cook over medium low heat until wilted. Remove from pan and squeeze well to remove any moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.  Whisk together eggs, half and half, mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Coarsely chop spinach and arrange on bottom of pie. Add onion, ham and Swiss cheese. Pour custard over top. Place quiche on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake until filling is set and crust is golden brown – about 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 servings. Refrigerate leftovers.

A year ago -  Old Fashioned Pot Roast

Two year's ago - Jalapeno, Green Chile and White Cheddar Hushpuppies

Three year's ago - Braised Orange-Ginger Short Ribs

Creamy Cheesy Stove Top Mac 'n Cheese

In my book there's no finer comfort food than good old macaroni and cheese. Now, I think I know what you're thinking because I wondered the same thing - "just how many ways can you reinvent the wheel?" right but sometimes ya' just have to try so when I saw Alton Brown's version via the internet  I was up to the challenge. OK, so I didn't follow the recipe exactly.

As you can see if you follow the link to the original, Alton's version calls for evaporated milk, sharp cheddar cheese and dry mustard along with butter, eggs, hot sauce and so on; however, I not only used a totally different kind of pasta than the usual elbow macaroni (cavatappi) but substituted half and half for the evaporated milk and a combination of sharp cheddar, processed cheese slices and Italian three cheese blend for the cheddar he used. Hey, it's a great way to clean out the cheese drawer in the fridge. I also subbed prepared Dijon mustard for the dry mustard because it saved me hauling out the step stool to access the huge tin of dry mustard on the very top shelf of the spice cabinet.

The result - a fabulous creamy incredibly cheesy kinda' piquant version of an old favorite that puts the blue box to shame. Honestly, I was pretty surprised just how wonderful it all turned out, never mind how easy it is to make. I mean there's no fussing with a bechamel sauce and no oven to heat or casserole dish to clean and my worries about curdling the eggs was unfounded. 

As for the leftovers - um well, there just weren't enough. Need I say more?

Incidentally, the garnish of tiny sweet pickles is for Big Guy because he insists on having them with his Mac n' Cheese so I had to accommodate the request even though he wasn't here to enjoy 'em; however, I'm a tad more of a purist although I did enjoy the leftovers cold along with a splash of barbecue sauce and a dab of catsup. Just sayin'. 

Creamy Cheesy Stovetop Mac ‘n Cheese from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Alton Brown, Cookingchannel.com

1/2 pound pasta (I used cavatappi)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 eggs

2/3 cup half and half

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

5 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 processed cheese slices

1/2 cup grated Italian 3 cheese blend

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well. Return pot to the stove and reduce heat to low. Stir in butter. Whisk together eggs, half and half, hot sauce, salt, pepper and mustard. Add to pasta along with cheeses. Cook stirring constantly until cheese has melted and sauce is creamy. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Crispy Dogs

Two year's ago - Experimental Lasagna

 

 

Pasta Carbonara - Again?

I figure given the number of times we've bragged about this particular dish from JBug's Kitchen, you're rather surprised that I haven't made it before now, right? It is my very favorite dinner for one kinda' dish afterall and how can you go wrong with bacon, pasta, cream and cheese so I'm not gonna' go there again with the description or recipe or even a picture of last nights version. Instead - here's some links to previous efforts.

Carbonara with Twist         Using Pancetta            With Peas Please   

   

OK, so I'm a lazy lout but hopefully not so much today. It is shaping up to be an absolute beauty after a week of cooler temps and weeping skies. My plans for the day? Well, I was supposed to work this morning but my boss has declared today a JBug holiday, so I think a walk on the beach is in order made easier because I'll just have just one 4 legged kid (Max) to worry about.

Finnigan's off to the beauty parlor to see Chris, who has promised to try and fix the mess made by the nightmare grooming he had two weeks ago at another salon. It took him a whole week to recover from that madhouse. Course wouldn't you be traumatized if you looked like this too? Talk about a bad hair day.

Stuffed Potato Skins

The lowly potato makes for great eating whether you're cooking for one or for a crowd. There's a lot more that can be done with a baked Idaho than just adding sour cream and butter, although there's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping it simple and enjoying your potato that way either.

I was inspired by myrecipes.com and their potato skins stuffed with roasted chicken, onions and sour cream, and while I could have followed their advice to a "T" since I've some of Big Guy's rotisserie chicken calling my name from the freezer, I also had a some sausage available so went with that instead. Sauteed along with onion and sweet bell peppers, it was a perfect filling for baked spuds, halved and relieved of their innards, then crisped up under the broiler before stuffing.

A little grated cheese and sour cream and salsa on the side, along with a cool glass of wine and I called it dinner. Coulda' had a salad too but I had the wine instead. Don't you love how I think?

As for breakfast this morning - well here's another idea. Since I couldn't see the sense in baking only 1 potato last night, I threw an extra one in the oven and this is the result. A couple of slices of ham lining the crispy potato skin followed by a sprinkle of cheese, 2 eggs, and a touch of heavy cream is all that's required. Twenty minutes later and breakfast was ready and darned delicious if I do say so myself.

Best of all, I've all the potato innards left to mash up and overstuff into the last potato shell so I can enjoy a humongous twice baked potato for dinner tonight. How's that for some cooking for one ingenuity?

Here's the link to the inspiration and here's another one to the baked eggs we've had here before. Have at'er people and let your imagination and your pantry be your guide. 

A year ago - Not Yo' Momma's Banana Pudding

Two year's ago - Spaghetti al la Carbonara

Three year's ago - Mongolian Beef 

 

Stovetop Sausage Mac and Cheese

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

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

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

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

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

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

1-1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

8 ounces hot cooked pasta (I used orchiette)

Reserved pasta water as needed

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

A year ago - Coconut Milk Ice Cream

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

Three year's ago - White Bean and Asparagus Salad

Savory Pumpkin Bread Pudding

When you're looking for a change from the usual same old same old side dish, then take a page from the Oregonian Cookbook and serve this pumpkin sage bread pudding. I know we're pushovers around here for bread puddings and we've made a sweet pumpkin one before for dessert but this gives "bread pudding" a whole new role to play.

Chunks of crusty bread jazzed up with sauteed onions, garlic and celery in an herb seasoned custard makes short work of the requisite "starch" on the dinner plate, never mind it takes about 15 minutes to prep. As is the usual case with any kind of bread pudding, the casserole needs to sit for about 30 minutes so the bread has a chance to absorb the custard before the whole thing hits the oven for an hour or so. 

Served under chicken and gravy with cranberry on the side, it was a dead ringer for Thanksgiving on a plate. It would also be plum tasty with pork chops or a lovely pork roast too and if you want to know the truth, Big Guy just finished having some crisped up in the frying pan along with mushrooms and eggs for breakfast. As you can imagine, good grub doesn't hang around here for long.

Herbed Up Savory Bread Pudding (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from the Oregonian Cookbook)

8 ounces crusty bread cut into half inch cubes

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 large eggs

1-1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup half and half

Spray a 9 inch square baking dish or casserole with cooking spray and place bread cubes into pan.

Heat a sauté pan over medium high and add butter. When butter is melted add onion, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Add sage, thyme, salt and black pepper and cook for additional 30 seconds to blend flavors. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl beat together  pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, eggs, milk and half and half. Add sautéed vegetables and stir to incorporate. Pour over bread cubes in pan. Press bread into liquid. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to allow bread to absorb liquid.

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover bread pudding, spray side down. Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

A year ago - Lebanese Peppers

Two year's ago - Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Three year's ago - Toad In The Hole

Pasta Carbonara Frittata

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

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

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

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

 

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

Pasta Carbonara Frittata (adapted from finecooking.com) 

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

1 tablespoon olive oil

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

1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

9 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

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

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Coarse ground black pepper

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

A year ago - Salmon with Bacon and Lentils

Three year's ago - Fried Eggplant with Sausage Ragu

Ramped Up Toad In the Hole

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

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

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

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

A year ago - Leftover Prime Rib Taco Salad

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

 

Hash Brown Casserole

We were out last night to a neighbor's surprise birthday party so there t'wasn't nuthin' cookin' last night in our kitchen. It's rather a good thing too since 16 plus boxes will testify to the fact the kitchen's almost packed up.  There's just another couple or maybe five boxes left which begs an answer to the question - "what the heck do I need all those dishes for anyway, never mind 2 sets of pots, enough cast iron to sink a battleship and wine glasses and champagne flutes for 16 people"...really, when is enough a enough?

What we're eating between now and moving day remains to be seen never mind tasted but one thing I can brag about is this Hash Brown Casserole we had on Christmas morning.

A Paula Deen recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com, I'll admit to cutting the recipe in half, then further cutting down on butter and cheese. I did however, leave the full pound of sausage in the mix to satisfy our resident carnivore and exchanged some of the cheddar for Velveeta for a creamier ooey gooey texture.

The other thing I'll admit to is that I made it a day in advance and stored it (unbaked) in the refrigerator so in that respect it's much like every other breakfast strata slash casserole we have enjoyed on this site before.  

Savory Croissant Bread Pudding   Sausage, Pepper, Spinach Torta  Easy Breakfast Casserole

     

The thing that makes this one different from all the others is (duh) the hash browns. They create a hearty layer of yummy goodness next to the sausage and the creamy cheesy savory bread pudding making up the rest of the casserole.

Garnished with salsa and spiced with extra hot sauce, we quite enjoyed this little number. Next time you need to come up with breakfast for a crowd, be sure to put this one on your list. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Hit the link here and head directly to the source for the recipe.

A year ago - Pan Fried Tilapia with Romesco Sauce 

Two year's ago - Chocolate Gelato

Three year's ago - Roasted Manchurian Cauliflower

 

Ham and Cheese Quiche

The ham we cooked a few weeks ago is still making the rounds with eggs for breakfast, in sandwiches and even devilled as an appetizer. I love the fact that it freezes so well and recycles beautifully too. We never seem to get tired of it.

Now I don't know about you, but it's my opinion that leftover ham without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze, so I combined the former two while settin' myself up for the latter two in a ham and cheese pie also known as a quiche. Hey Big Guy won't eat quiche so I tell him it's a pie. 

I use the same basic custard recipe I've developed over the years and adjusted it to fit a partially baked 9 inch pie shell. It's just a combination of eggs, plain yogurt or sour cream, and half and half seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, Dijon mustard and a touch of nutmeg. Poured on top of a little finely minced onion, tiny cubes of ham and cubes of cheese - Emmanthal and Gruyere this time, the result is a light, cheesy creamy addictive excuse for dinner.

I know I've mentioned this before but it bears repeating - cube up the cheese rather than grating it and you'll end up with a much lighter textured pie because the custard surrounds the cheese cubes and as it cooks, the melted cheese ends up dispersed throughout the pie instead of in one gluey globby layer. 

Along with a nice bright and cheerful spinach salad loaded with gorgonzola, toasted almonds, scallions and dried cranberries, it was a totally satisfying light dinner that could be just as fabulous on the menu for brunch or lunch. 

Ham and Swiss Quiche an original from JBug’s Kitchen

Pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie

1/4 cup finely minced onion

1 cup ham cut into quarter inch cubes

6 ounces cheese cut into quarter inch cubes (I used a combination of Emmanthal & Gruyere)

4 eggs

1 cup half and half

2/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange pastry in a 9 pie dish, flute edges and prick all over bottom of pie shell with a fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375.

Whisk together eggs, half and half, yogurt (or sour cream), salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and Dijon mustard until well combined.

Arrange ham cubes in bottom of cooled crust. Top with onion and cheese cubes, spreading out evenly. Pour custard over top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and dust with freshly grated nutmeg. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Irish Potato Cakes (Boxty)

Two year's ago -  BBQ Brisket

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Dijon Marmalade Glazed Baked Ham and Potato Apple Gratin

Ham and Bean Soup

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

Risotto Carbonara

We took a page out of Lorraine's book at Figs and Artichokes and made our version of Risotto Carbonara for dinner last night. We loved the idea when she first gave it a try way back in early September and have been talking about it ever since. Don't ask me why the procrastination because it was just plum stupid to wait so long. 

If you like the flavor of Fettucini Carbonara, then no doubt this'll make your skirt fly up and your socks go up and down. A J'Bug's Kitchen team effort, we used bacon... a lot of bacon rather than pancetta, and onion and garlic rather than shallots even though I had shallots in the cupboard. Oh well. Guess I wasn't thinking when I did the prepping. The rest of the ingredients are standard risotto fare - arborio rice, butter, a little wine, warm chicken stock, parmesan cheese, a touch of heavy cream and lots of coarse ground black pepper. 

Tradition rules that Big Guy's the risotto cooker in this house, so all I had left to do was sit back and throw in my two cents every once in a while. As usual, he did an amazing job including but not limited to tuning me out.  How do guys do that? 

Anyway even without a parsley garnish or a pretty plate it is simply divine. Rich, creamy and full of bacony and eggy goodness, the key is to make sure the risotto is very hot so the golden yolk cooks as you mix it in. Soul satisfyingly delicious, there's no doubt we'll be making it again.  

Risotto Carbonara (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Lorraine at figsandartichokes.blogspot.com)

1 cup diced bacon

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth

4 cups low sodium chicken stock, warmed

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Coarse ground black pepper

4 egg yolks * See Note

Parsley as garnish

In a large sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to a paper lined plate and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. Add butter to the pan and return to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion has softened – about 3 to 4 minutes. Add Arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly until rice is coated and slightly translucent – another 3 or 4 minutes. Lower heat to medium low, add white wine and cook stirring until rice has absorbed the wine. Add chicken stock a half cup at a time, stirring constantly and continue until rice is creamy and al dente – about 17 minutes total. Stir in cream, parmesan cheese and reserved bacon. Cook, stirring for another minute or two until risotto is very hot and cheese has melted. Season with coarse ground black pepper and salt if necessary. Ladle onto warmed bowls. Top with an egg yolk. Garnish with parsley and additional parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

Note - It is important to use the freshest possible eggs you can find. The heat of the risotto should cook the egg when stirred into the rice before eating; however if you have concerns about serving raw egg yolk, add the yolks at the same time you add the cream and cheese to the risotto in the pan and heat slowly, stirring constantly, to prevent curdling.  

A year ago - Cuban Pork Picadillo

Two year's ago - Chicken and Mushroom Casserole with a Biscuit Top

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

Peach and Raspberry Pudding

One of the great things about cooking is that you can really let your creativity shine. All you need is a bit of imagination, some quality ingredients, a little time and a smidgen of confidence.

Such is the case with this week's sweet treat of the week. A crate of beautiful late harvest peaches courtesy of Trader Joe's, a package of frozen raspberries and a favorite tried and true recipe we've used with other fruit morphed into what's become one of our favorite "go to" desserts. 

Beginning with a shortbread style crumb mixture of butter, flour and sugar sprinkled into the bottom of a ramekin, along with a simple custard of egg, sugar, sour cream and a touch of half and half, we've made this recipe into aromatic little Plum puddings and gorgeous company worthy Maple Pear confections too, all using the same basic recipe. It's a JBug original and a cross between a crisp, a cobbler and a kuchen.

 

Best of all, a simple tweak here and there with the addition of spices and/or flavorings to match your chosen fruit and you can enjoy a fabulous tasting oohhh and awwww producing sweet treat that'll blow the socks off your tastebuds.

Best of all, your family's going to think you're a flippin' kitchen magician and what could be better'n that? I mean really!

By the way, in case you're wondering what we had for dinner last night, here you go...pan fried skinny pork chops with mushroom marsala gravy, mashed spuds and asparagus - simple, down home, uncomplicated, utterly delicious and officially a 30 minute meal courtesy of JBug's Kitchen. OK - so now I'm bragging. 

Peach and Raspberry Pudding (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

Dash of salt

6 Tablespoons cold butter

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a small bowl. With a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients until small crumbs. Set aside.

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon half and half

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

In a small bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, sour cream, half and half, vanilla and salt until well combined. Spray 4 – 10 ounce ramekins with cooking spray and place on a sheet pan to catch any drips. Sprinkle 2 heaping tablespoons of the shortbread crumb mixture into the bottom of each ramekin and top with peach wedges and raspberries. Pour custard mixture over top of fruit, splitting the liquid between the ramekins. Top with remainder of the crumbs, divided evenly between the ramekins. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden, filling is set and bubbling. Makes 4. Best served cold.

A year ago - Chicken and Stuffing Meatloaf with Cider Gravy

Two year's ago - Grilled New York Steak with Mushroom Sauce

Cheesy Chicken Chowder

Last night's dinner would be perfect after that first big snowfall. You know the one I mean where every moron in the world including you has put off exchanging their summer tires for winter ones and can't keep their jittney on the road; and/or can't see a darn thing because they couldn't find a snow brush in the car and scraped a mere 4 inch spot on the windshield with their Triple A card. Oh, and there's always the ones that forgot how to drive in the stuff to begin with. You know what I'm talkin' 'bout right?

Well a hot and fragrant pot of spicy rich chowder like this one's guaranteed to add some sunshine to an other wise cheerless day. We've bragged about it before (hit the link you'll see it here), but this time I used skinless boneless chicken thighs, left out the flour because the soup definitely didn't need to be thicker, added more chicken stock and used Orzo pasta instead of potatoes. Actually I wish I had used a bigger pasta for a better bite, but hey there's always next time. 

Incidentally, the scenario described in the first paragraph is purely from memory. We hit the 90's again yesterday, but I can always dream can't I. It doesn't snow very often here in Tucson and since the Christmas decorations are already out in the stores, I figure it must be winter somewhere.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Chowder (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Taste of the Territory Cookbook)

2 pounds diced skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 5 large)

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onions, chopped

4 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 jalapeno minced (leave seeds and membranes intact if you want a spicier soup)

2 teaspoons mixed Italian dried herbs

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 teaspoons garlic powder

4 cups low sodium chicken stock 

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice (optional)

1/2 cup Orzo pasta (or 1 cup elbow macroni) uncooked

2 cans cream of chicken (or cream of mushroom) soup

8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, and carrots and jalapeno and sauté until onions are softened. Move vegetables over to one side of pot. Add cubed chicken thighs, season lightly with salt and pepper and sauté until no longer pink – about 5 minutes. Add Italian dried herbs, chili powder, cayenne and garlic powder and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Add stock, diced tomatoes and pasta. Stir well and bring to a high boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until pasta is cooked and chicken is tender. Stir in cream of chicken soup and cheese. Cook stirring constantly until cheese is melted and soup is hot. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Serve with crusty bread or crackers. Makes 6 to 8 large servings. 

A year ago -  Raspberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Two year's ago -   Making Munchies with Won Ton Wrappers

Baked Pumpkin Orange French Toast

OK so here's the deal. I was on my own last night for dinner and without an audience and no pressing need to cook I didn't ...so I thought I'd tell you about this version of french toast I whipped up for Sunday's brunch instead. Hey, even JBug needs a night (or two) off every now and then. 

A take on the baked stuffed french toast we enjoyed while on vacation, this one started out the same but ended up being quite different because I didn't have a nice crunchy loaf of day old French bread to work with. Did I let that stop me - oh heck no!

I used nice thick cut slices of Texas toast instead and left out the stuffing exercise, which may have turned it to mush because of the softer texture of the bread. Dipped in a flavor filled custard concocted of pumpkin puree, spices, eggs, sugar, orange juice and yogurt because I didn't have any cream, the saturated bread hit a baking dish on top of a layer of melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. 

Twenty five minutes later, it came out of the oven all puffed and golden outside and fluffy and moist inside. As you see, when flipped out onto a plate butter/sugar layer on the pan becomes a golden and crunchy utterly delicous caramel topping on the "pain perdue".  Believe me, it tasted really wonderful with a subtle hint of pumpkin spice and touch of orange. 

Big Guy had his serving with maple syrup and I enjoyed mine with a dab of homemade tangelo/kumquat marmalade, not that it really needs anything except a fork. I can't wait to make it again.

Baked Stuffed Orange French Toast (Adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks and Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbooks)

4 tablespoons melted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grated rind of 1 orange

6 slices Texas Toast or better yet, day old French Bread

5 eggs

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt 

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon each, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

Orange marmalade and/or maple syrup

Melt butter and pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt and orange rind. Sprinkle evenly onto bottom of dish.

In a large bowl whisk together eggs, orange juice, pumpkin, spices and yogurt. Dip each slice of bread into mixture, being sure to cover both sides and arrange in prepared baking pan. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Refrigerate for minimum 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. To serve, flip bottom side up onto a warm plate or platter. Serve with marmalade or syrup. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Paprika Chicken with Dumplings 

Two year's ago - Spiced Chicken with Rice

Quiche Lorraine

I'm really tempting fate by calling this what it is instead of simplifying the moniker and renaming it a bacon and onion pie; however, Big Guy enjoyed it so much last night I figured he'd cut me a little slack. I keep telling him real men do eat quiche and he's living proof.

A JBug original recipe, we've made it before using Ham and Swiss but this time it's loaded with all manner of other good stuff including some of our home cured bacon. I changed it up a bit too by using Jarlsburg cheese instead of regular Swiss but the cheese was lite instead of whole milk which means it didn't melt quite like it should but the flavor was still stupendous, the texture light and fluffy and the crust as crisp as could be.

In case you're wondering how I could reinvent a common quiche of all things, I use half and half instead of heavy cream and add plain unflavored no fat yogurt with the eggs to make the custard - oh, that and the fact it's made in a giant 12 inch fluted porcelain quiche dish. 

Should you be using a regular 9 inch quiche pan, just cut the recipe in approximately half. Oh, by the way I've said this before but I'll say it again - if you're looking for a light fluffy texture to your finished pie, be sure to cube the cheese rather than grating it. Also in order to avoid a soggy crust, be sure to pre-bake and cool it on a wire rack before adding the filling. You'll be amazed with the results!  

It's a great dinner solution along with a crisp salad, and best of all - the leftovers make for memorable lunch fodder too - hot or cold or a fabulous appetizer cut into tiny little triangles and served cold with a glass of white wine. 

A Giant Ham and Swiss Quiche an original from JBug’s Kitchen

Pastry for a 12 inch single crust pie

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 ounces bacon diced

1/2 pound Jarlsburg quarter inch cubes

6 eggs

1-1/2 cups half and half

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange pastry in a large 12 inch ceramic pie dish, flute edges and prick all over bottom of pie shell with a fork. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375.

Cook bacon in a large saute pan until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat, disgard the rest then saute onion until softened and slightly golden. Cool. Whisk together eggs, half and half, yogurt, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and nutmeg until well combined.

Arrange bacon in bottom of cooled crust. Top with cooled sautéed onion and cheese cubes, spreading out evenly. Pour custard over top and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

A year ago - Sausage and Pinto Bean Chili 

Two year's ago - Braised Beef and Olives

Southwestern Style Eggs

I'm in a bit of a pickle today so this will be short and sweet. Our little Maxer is sick, yet again and we'll be off to the Veterinarian shortly - for the second day in a row. If I had a penny.... well you know! Bless his little heart. 

Last night's dinner was simple good quick grub most because I was too darn tired to make anything else and Big Guy wasn't home for dinner either. When that happens, it kind of takes away my drive to succeed menu wise, that is. No recipe here people - I'll just tell you what I did.

I took some frozen hashbrowns and put a cup of them right from the freezer into a little cast iron pan. When they'd crisped up on one side, I flipped 'em over then added some chopped up Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage and let 'er rip for a minute, followed by a single egg nestled into the middle and some pepper jack cheese. Covered and cooked until the egg was perfectly to my liking, I garnished it all in a circle of hot salsa and there you have it. Dinner was served!

Delicious sustenance I must say - and definitely improved by the giant glass of wine that went along with it.  

A year ago - Chipotle and Green Chile Pork Burgers

Two year's ago - Fried Mac and Cheese

Salmon Spread 2

Every once in a while we crave the uncomplicated. You know how it goes don't ya? A fridge filled with fresh ingredients, a pantry filled with great things and none of it looks interesting. That was the lay of the land in our house last night.

As a result, I had no choice but to come up with something interesting from what was ready on hand (in other words ...leftovers), so I unearthed the extra piece of herb crusted salmon from the other night and mixed up one of our favorite munchie dishes. Mixed with cream cheese, sour cream, lemon rind and juice, as well as minced sweet onion along with horseradish and lots of fresh dill, the flakey salmon morphed into one of the best excuses for salmon salad on earth. 

Arranged on a platter with leftover meatloaf and Caponata from the other day, assorted cheeses, pickles, crackers and bread fresh from the oven, dinner was highly enjoyable - if I do say so myself. 

Incidentally in case you're wondering what's in the little cast iron pan on the upper left of the photo, wonder no longer. From Pasture Pride, a Wisconsin cheesemaker, it is Juusto, a Scandanivian style baked cheese that has a buttery flavor and very dense texture. This one is flavored with Italian herbs. To serve it, you warm it up until it glistens then cut it into pieces to eat. The amazing thing is that the cheese doesn't melt but holds a firm squeaky texture even when all warmed up and glistening.  

Did we like it? Uh not much, but in all fairness it was an afterthought to our menu so I'm not sure we gave it the attention it deserves, especially since we didn't serve it with a little Marinara sauce as recommended.  It is not at all what we expected so we'll have to give it another chance in the future. If we can forget that it's a "cheese" and treat it more like a cracker, we might have a winner here. 

Salmon Spread with Horseradish (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sour cream

Rind of whole lemon

Juice of half a lemon

2 teaspoons horseradish

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons minced sweet onion

8 ounces leftover cooked sockeye salmon (cold)

In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese, sour cream, lemon rind, lemon juice and horseradish, salt and pepper until mixture is smooth. Flake salmon and check for bones, then add to cheese mixture along with dill and sweet onion. Fold to incorporate. Chill a minimum of 1 hour before serving. Serve with crackers or assorted breads and pickles. 

A year ago - Polenta Tamale Torte 

Two year's ago - Country Style Ribs and Beans

 

Steak Salad with Fried Cheese and Bacon Onion Beer Jam

You know those little deep fried mozzarella sticks that seem to be on the appetizer list at most chain restaurants these days? Well, you can make your own version as quick as a wink. 

Use almost any cheese except the really hard kind like parmesan, and dredge it in flour, followed by an egg wash. Then dip it into panko crumbs or even Italian flavored breadcrumbs and set the breaded chunk on a wire rack and refrigerate for a minimum 20 minutes to set the coating. Fried in a small amount of oil in a non-stick pan until golden and crisp, the cheese chunks make great croutons for added crunch on a steak salad like the one we had last night.

The little round shapes are actually iddy biddy mozzarella balls, flattened out, dredged and fried till crispy. They happen to take but a minute to brown until golden and they're all creamy and runny and gooey on the inside.  In addition, the long skinny piece of crunchy goodness is actually a wedge of triple cream brie, all duded up and sittin' pretty because brie happens to go really well with the bacon, onion, beer jam we made while we were on the coast and brought back to Tucson on dry ice.

Cambazola or Saga Blue, a Danish brie/blue cross, would be perfect done this way too and match particularly well with chunks of grilled skirt steak; however, any salad would benefit from a little fried cheese. Imagine a fresh ripe pear on a bed of greens, studded with red onion and toasted walnuts, drizzled with a maple vinaigrette and garnished with a cheese crouton. Or how about a little fresh apple, with bacon and a medium or sharp cheddar? Why, my mouth is watering as we speak! 

The crunchy addition to our salads last night made us feel much less deprived as we continue on our post vacation pound pare down moderation plan. The only trouble is I had a huge craving for ice cream after dinner but was saved by a freezer currently empty of the stuff. Bummer eh? 

A year ago - Dilled Chicken and Potato Salad 

Two year's ago - White Chocolate Caramel Pound Cake

Baked Orange Stuffed French Toast

Leisurely breakfasts are a necessity when you’re on vacation so you can’t have the same thing you’d cook up during the other 11 months of the year. I mean vacation’s kinda’ like Christmas …it’s special!

When Big Guy and Sophia were out clamming at the crack of dawn yesterday, I whipped up a mess a’ French Toast to have waiting in the fridge to be baked when they returned from their gathering and got cleaned up.

This one’s a combination of 2 different recipes, from Jackson Hole Cooks and from the Best of the Best of Arizona – hey I know 2 good things when I see ‘em. Simply thickly sliced French bread, stuffed with a mixture of orange marmalade and cream cheese, the slices are dipped in a mixture of beaten egg and orange juice with a touch of heavy cream and head into a butter and sugar lined pan. After 20 minutes in a 400 oven the slices come out all puffy and golden with a crusty sugary caramelized bottom thanks to the sugar bed.

Flipped onto a plate and dusted with powdered sugar, it’s bliss on a plate or as described rather appropriately by one rather silent participant (except for the moans and groans) who said it’s an explosion of flavors – a powdered sugar covered volcanic mountain oozing an orangy cream cheese lava. Rather descriptive isn’t she!

Baked Stuffed Orange French Toast (Adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks and Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbooks)

4 tablespoons melted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grated rind of 1 orange

1 loaf day old French Bread

4 ounces cream cheese

4 tablespoons orange marmalade

6 eggs

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup heavy cream

Powdered sugar

Orange slices for garnish

Melt butter and pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt and orange rind. Sprinkle evenly onto bottom of dish.

Cut French bread into eight 1-1/2 inch thick slices then cut a slit to make a pocket in each slice but do not cut all the way through. Fill pocket with a heaping teaspoon of marmalade and a finish with a slice of cream cheese. Press together to allow the cream cheese to seal the slit.

In a large bowl whisk together eggs, orange juice and heavy cream. Dip each slice of stuffed bread into mixture, being sure to cover both sides and arrange in prepared baking pan. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Refrigerate for minimum 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. To serve, flip bottom side up onto a warm plate or platter and dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with orange slices. Serves 8.

 

Snackers - Poco Pepper Snacks and Guacamole Dip

We spent yesterday afternoon in front of the television watching the horses race in the Belmont so dinner ended up being "linner". We love snack food around here. Actually, is there any food we don't love?

From "Taste of the Territory, The Flair and Flavor of Oklahoma", these little rolly pastry thingies are a perfect solution when you want a little heavier hors d'oeuvres. Loaded with Southwest flavor, the filling includes cream cheese, cheddar, green chilies, minced onions and black olives - although if I ever make 'em again, I may have to leave the black olives out. Not much of a fan, I found they really took over the flavors especially since I would have preferred the taste of green chilies and cheddar.

Anyway, all the creamy innards are piled on top of a tube of the Dough Boy's crescent rolls that's had the perforations sealed.  Rolled up jelly roll fashion and sliced into half inch pieces and baked, it comes out looking like this. Oh ya, baby!

Of course, we're all about variety and having choices, so I also whipped up this very different Guacamole Dip. From the Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbook Big Guy just brought back to me from his Grand Canyon adventure, it's a surefire way to stretch a single avocado into 2 cups of creamy, delicious dip that not only tastes quite different because of the addition of dill, it doesn't change color as it sits either. 

It's a keeper and much like the avocado crema we've made before only with much more body. It's addictive and a perfect excuse for working your way through a basket of chips.

Poco Pepper Snacks (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Taste of the Territory, the Flair and Flavor of Oklahoma)

1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese – room temperature

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 – 7 ounce can chopped green chilies

1 – 2.5 ounce can sliced olives

2 tablespoons minced onion

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 can refrigerator crescent rolls

In a small bowl, combine together cream cheese, cheddar, green chilies, olives, onion and hot sauce stirring until well mixed. On a floured surface, roll out crescent rolls, pinching perforations together to make one piece of dough. Roll out to approximately 9 x 13 inches.  Spread filling on top and roll up from the long side like you would a jelly roll. Seal edge by pinching dough. Slice into half inch thick pieces and arrange on a sheet pan that has been sprayed well with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 400 oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet pan.    

Creamy Guacamole Dip (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from The Best of the Best from Arizona Cookbook)

1/4 cup minced sweet onion

1 large avocado, peeled and pit removed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup sour cream

1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese (light is fine)

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or dill seeds)

3/4 teaspoon salt

Dash hot sauce

Place all above ingredients into food processor and pulse until smooth. Store well sealed in refrigerator until needed. Makes 2 cups.     

A year ago - Chicken Paillard with Lemon Dijon Sauce 

Two year's ago - Andouille and Shrimp Gumbo

Please Pass da' Pasta Pie

This dish has been making the rounds of a facebook group my friend Lea signed me up for way back when and since I had all the ingredients in the house and felt the need for something different, we gave it a go for dinner last night.

Originally from Food.com and known as "Baked Spasanga" no doubt because not only does it resemble lasagna, but it makes use of spaghetti instead of lasagna noodles, I figured I'd change the name just to be ornery. Hey I'm Canadian and we kinda' tell it like it is, never mind that I didn't happen to have any spaghetti hiding in the pantry so I used fettuccine instead. Personally, I think it would be fabulous with rigatoni or penne too. It all works as the same base glued together with ricotta cheese, sour cream, half and half and cheese, lots and lots of cheese. 

Since I doubt I've ever followed a recipe 100 percent, I made some changes including cutting their recipe in half, increasing the ricotta cheese, adding more spices and baking it in a springform pan. Suffice to say, it still makes a ton and looks darned impressive too.

As for flavor - well, we loved it. The pie is crunchy on the outside and creamy inside and of course topped with your favorite meat sauce or even a quick cheater version like we had, it's a jawdropping gut satisfying toothsome dinner solution. The only issue we had is that it is absolutely impossible to limit yourself to one piece. 

I think it would make a super pot luck dish and I'm pretty sure the leftovers will microwave beautifully but I can let you know about that after lunch today. I'll be putting this on our keeper list; in fact, next time I might even change it up a little more by using a mixture of pepperjack cheese and cheddar and adding some green chiles too. Served up with salsa or enchilada sauce on top, it would be absolutely stellar. Just sayin'.  

Now would someone please, please ask me when we're leaving on vacation so I can say THIS MONTH!!!! Happy June 1 everybody. 

Pasta Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Food.com)

12 ounces pasta, cooked per package directions (I used fettuccine)

1 – 12 ounce package Italian 3 cheese blend (or grated mozzarella)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground nutmeg

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well. In a large bowl combine Italian 3 cheese blend, ricotta, sour cream, half and half, parmesan, oregano, basil, Italian herbs, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes together until well mixed. Fold in pasta and mix well. Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with cooking spray and turn pasta into it, pressing mixture down to even the top. Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg. Cover with pan with foil and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil covering and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing sides from pan. Cut into wedges and serve with your favorite meat sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Quick Meat Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound ground beef or Italian sausage

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

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

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until onion is softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook and additional minute. Add ground beef and cook, crumbling meat with a fork until it is no longer pink. Sprinkle in dried Italian herbs, and then add marinara sauce. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until sauce is desired consistency.

A year ago - Rustic Tomato Pancetta Pasta 

Two year's ago - Sonoran Hot Dogs

The Incredible Edible Egg - Baked

To be perfectly honest, I had a bowl of cereal for dinner last night so what I'm about to show you is Sunday's breakfast but it could just have easily been last night's dinner. I happen to love breakfast for dinner although I'm not likely to talk my alter ego into enjoying it as much as I do. He's pretty specific about what kind of food should start the day and what should end it and for certain he'd have a hemorrhage if I gave him cereal for dinner. 

Now you all know I could talk your socks off about other versions of baked eggs - like just about any kind of bread pudding including this savory croissant bread pudding, or a sausage, roasted red pepper torta that happens to be a favorite of mine, or a super delicious version with ham and swiss that is kind of a "go to" dinner for a solitary me - other than pasta carbonara of course; however, this particular version is really more of a hash than anything else. 

Simply a cubed potato, fried till crisp and layered on the bottom of a small ramekin, it's topped with sauteed red peppers and onion mixed with cooked crumbled sausage. A small indentation in the middle holds a lovely cackleberry and the whole thing hits the oven for 15 minutes - which is a lot longer than you think it would take. A word of warning though, there's about a 30 second window between a perfectly cooked runny yolked egg and one that resembles a hockey puck, so for heavens sake take the ramekin out of the oven when there's still some jiggle left in your egg. 

What you don't see in the picture's the boat load of salsa that accompanied this particular dish because I didn't leave enough jiggle in the egg. Incidentally, there's no recipe for this one - I measured not one thing but at least you get the jist of it right. Imagination plus an egg plus a 350 oven and the sky's the limit.

A year ago - Making Pancetta

A Special Evening

There's a definite upside to Big Guy's teaching at the University and that's the attachment we've made to some of his students. Not having children of our own, we've managed to adopt several over the years and we keep in touch with many of "our kids". One of a group of favorites that graduated 5 years ago came through town last night with her Dad on her drive from the OC (Orange County) all the way to her exciting new job in New York. 

Dinner had to be of the kind that would hold fairly well and/or be cooked quickly since we weren't sure of timing so Big Guy grilled up the steaks I alluded to the other day. We topped them with a compound butter including garlic and gorgonzola and you've got to admit they're pretty darn awesome hunks of beef.

On the side was a pot of Calico Beans adapted from an old favorite recipe from The Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks, Best of the Best. I nixed the green and lima beans called for in their version because you know who doesn't go for either, and substituted a can each of chili beans and great northern's. Flavored by some of our homemade bacon, spiced with garlic and dry mustard, sweetened with brown sugar and tarted up with vinegar, an hour in the oven's all you need for a pot of goods you'd be hard pressed not to call homemade.

We also had a new favorite Corn and Jalapeno Casserole that's a cross between cornbread and a cheesy, spicy corn souffle.

We can thank what I've renamed my kitchen bible, Idaho a la CArte, for its existence and includes canned creamed corn, cornmeal, buttermilk and eggs along with chopped onion for crunch and jalapenos for heat. Unsure about our guests' appreciation for spicy heat, I used only one jalapeno but next time I make this beauty I'll load it up with more along with some green chiles too.  It takes an hour in the oven to bake at the same temperature as the Calico Beans - coincidence isn't it...or just good planning.

We loved it - the texture's amazingly light, it holds well when timing is an issue and can even be prepared in advance and re-heated if you're so inclined. I daresay it'll give our favorite Pancetta Green Chile Cornbread a run for its money in this household.

So there ya go. I bet you're all wondering what we had for dessert but you'll have to wonder for another day or two because it is so differently delicious, it deserves a post all its own.  To give you a hint...think orange...think cream....think push-ups. Bet that's got you wondering!

Calico Beans (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks, The Best of the Best)

6 thick cut slices of bacon, diced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 – 14 ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 – 14 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 – 14 ounce can chili beans with sauce

1 – 14 ounce can pork and beans

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a medium sized Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from pan. Return pan to heat and add chopped onion. Sauté onions until softened then add remaining ingredients, including bacon. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 oven for up to 1 hour. Check after 40 minutes and if beans are looking too dry, cover for remaining cooking time.  Serves 6 to 8.

Jalapeno Corn Casserole (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Idaho a la Carte)

1 – 14.5 ounce can cream style corn

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1&1/2 cups)

2 eggs beaten

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or Mexican Blend

1 jalapeno minced (or more depending on tastes)

1 small can chopped green chiles (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch pan (square or round) with cooking spray and line bottom with parchment. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine creamed corn, cornmeal, baking soda, salt, melted butter, buttermilk, onion and eggs. Whisk until well mixed. Pour half the mixture into prepared pan. Top with half the grated cheese, sprinkle with minced jalapeno then add remaining cheese. Pour on the remaining batter and spread to even top. Bake for 1 hour or until set. Cool for 15 minutes then invert pan onto a platter. Cut into wedges or squares to serve. Makes 8 to 9 servings.    

A year ago - Meatloaf on the Barbecue 

Two year's ago - Asian Noodles and Glazed Steelhead