JBug's Kitchen Antics

Pineapple Bran Muffins

In case you're wondering what has happened in our world during the past week, it's been just a little busy around here. There's 

the fishing (halibut and salmon)

...and crabbing

 ...like this

...which leads to this

and this

There's been more blackberry picking and we've the scars to prove it as the two flats we picked in a little over an hour join flats of strawberries, blueberries, cherries and the odd bag of huckleberries in our freezer. Of course there's been plenty cookin' but not a smidge of bloggin', as you know.

Oh and lest I forget, there's been a clearcut disaster going on too. This is our "view" from the decks on the south side of our house so we'll be doing our fair share of tree planting in the not too distant future. Unfortunately what you see here is at eye level for us as the decks hang over a ravine to our property line below so the trees will have about 30 feet of growing to do before they'll make any difference at all. Crappy, isn't it?

Anyway should you be wondering what all this has to do with pineapple bran muffins, we all know fiber makes everything come out better in the end so I whipped up a batch to make our days a little brighter. This particular recipe's courtesy of The Oregonian Cookbook and other than wheat bran, it's loaded with canned crushed pineapple in juice, buttermilk and a mere third cup of oil which makes 'em not only delicious but healthier, right?

There's a bonus too. Not only does the recipe make 24 generous sized muffins, the batter needs to sit in the refrigerator overnight to allow the bran to absorb the liquid before the muffins are baked, which makes 'em perfect when you're entertaining a crowd for breakfast or when you're old like us and need a little more action - if you know what I mean. 

Just a word to the wise. Don't have too many before you take the boat out fishing or you'll make the old adage "don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you" come true pdq.  Just sayin'. 

Pineapple Bran Muffins from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from The Oregonian Cookbook

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs plus 1 egg white

1 tablespoon molasses

1-1/4 cups buttermilk

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups wheat bran

1 – 15 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice

1-3/4 cups warm water

In a large bowl whisk together brown sugar, oil, eggs, molasses and buttermilk. In smaller bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Fold into sugar/buttermilk mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Add wheat bran and undrained pineapple. Pour warm water over top and stir just until combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours to allow bran time to absorb liquid.

To bake – preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners or spray well with cooking spray. Using a 4 ounce scoop, fill muffin cups three quarters full. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 2 dozen. 

Catching Up!

Oh Boy! I'm so far behind I think I'm ahead and that's no way to start a new year is it? While J'Bugs Kitchen has been fully operational for well over a week now, JBug hasn't been tremendously inspired in the blogging department. Sorry about that! The upside is that I've obviously got some catching up to do. 

We spent a very quiet holiday in recovery mode and while our energy levels may not have been back to 100 percent, our appetites recovered from the flu well before Christmas. With the holidays all about "tradition" never mind favorites, we took the opportunity to enjoy a little repetition (or a lot). 

When you're like us and lucky enough to live on the Oregon Coast within sight of one of what Big Guy's claims as his own personal clamming honey hole, they deserve a spot high on the list of personal favorites. 

Just imagine if you must, fresh from the sea clams - cockles in this case, harvested and cooked up in a thick and creamy bacon flavored New England style clam chowder.

Big Guy himself did the honors here and whipped up this batch of comforting yum. The only thing I've got to say other than wonderfully delicious is that when the cook arbitrarily doubles the clams in the recipe you can officially change the name to "Clam Stew". Just sayin'. 

 Duck legs and thighs braised in Marsala wine with garlic and sour cherries happens to be one of my personal favorites and it is definitely worthy of a special occasion. 

While duck breast is best cooked to a medium rare, the legs and thighs really show their true colors after a quick browning followed by a slow two hour braise (uncovered) in dry marsala wine and chicken stock seasoned with sweet whole garlic cloves and dried sour cherries. 

Served on a bed of creamy mashed russet potatoes and nutty parsnip, as far as I'm concerned you can't do much better in the "special" department.

 

When you're talking favorites around here you've got to include beef if for no other reason than to keep the resident carnivore happy. Big Guy's become a seasoned crabber as well so I figured we'd be wise to include both on our dinner plates Christmas day. The crab you're looking at is one he caught while harvesting clams for the chowder/stew we talked about above. No traps required. He simply saw the monster swimming by and nabbed it with his clamming rake. Finesse? Maybe but more likely LUCK. 

You can't have an "Oscar" anything without hollandaise. This one's my "go to" blender version fashioned from the sweeter Meyer lemon but any old fresh lemon will do. 

 

You know we're kind of big on leftovers around here, mostly because it's not in me to cook small amounts of anything but sometimes it is choice rather than chance. In the case of duck, I always cook more than I think we'll eat in one sitting because there's so many wonderful thin'gs you can make with the leftovers. 

Big Guy's responsible for making this glorious risotto out of the leftover Duck with Marsala and Sour Cherries. Not only did he use meat from 2 legs and thighs, he also made good use of about a cup of leftover sauce which took it all way over the top in the flavor department. Hit this link for instructions.

 

So there you go. Just a hint of some of the good stuff we enjoyed over the holidays and I've a few more things left up my sleeve to share with you over the next couple of days so stay tuned, OK?  Happy New Year everyone. Here's hoping 2014 is the best year yet!

 

Burger a la' Holstein

Big Guy cooked up a heck of a meal last night and while he'd simply call it "a honkin' big burger with a fried egg on top" I'm gonna' call it a la' Holstein. So sue me! 

 

Simply extra lean ground beef surrounding a hunk of mushroom flavored Brie cheese (courtesy of Trader Joe's), seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled in a hot cast iron pan, he finished the burgers in the oven while he put together the rest of the plate. (As if it needed more) He grilled onions, whipped up a salad and sauteed his forage of the week "Fluted Black Elfin Saddles" aka Helvella lacunosa. "What the heck", you say?

Photo from Wikipedia

Big Guy's on a mushroom hunting kick and determined to live off the land on which we find ourselves. He found these particular fungai in our front yard at the base of the bamboo, hauled out his constant companion "All That The Rain Promises and More" David Arora's "hip pocket guide to western mushrooms" and cooked up a mess o' the black beauties to go with his holstein. Uh, me? I'm not that brave. 

He said they were the best tasting mushrooms he'd ever had but I was reserving judgement until I was sure he was gonna' survive the night. Ha - no really, he did his homework to make sure they were edible. Call me crazy if you want but there's no way I'm eating anything that looks like that.

To be perfectly honest, I'm never sure what he'll come home with next. 

Oh in case you're wondering what's happening today - as we speak huge soft fluffy snowflakes are falling and our world is looking a trifle less green and definitely whiter. A rare event at the beach! It is a perfect day for soup on the stove, bread in the oven, a warm fire and a cuddle with the woofs.  

 A year ago - Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

Two years ago -  Makin' Bacon Revisted

Three years ago - Dorie's Apple Cake

 

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We're Nesting

Thought you might want to know we're nesting these days. The rain's coming down sideways, the wind is blowing and other than a trip to the library for reading material, this is about where you'll find us for the next couple of days.

Oh, I should clarify the "us" and change it to a "me". Big Guy's on a mission and painting the den/office up the stairs to your left so I'm taking the high road and staying out of his way.  Just sayin'. 

Mushroom and Rosemary Stuffing

An old fashioned dinner seemed particularly appropriate last night after a wild and crazy stormy rainy weekend.  There's a lesson to be learned because while we've talked about getting ready for extended power outages and such during the coming winter storm season, we haven't quite got around to setting up a contingency plan. Thankfully the power outage only lasted about 4 hours on Saturday - just long enough to realize that a gas grill would be next to useless in a back yard with 75 mph wind gusts and sideways rain. 

Anyway, no matter because Sunday the electricity was on and a nice plump five and a half pound chicken hit the oven mid afternoon. 

Now I don't know about you but when the cool fall weather hits, I automatically start thinking about Thanksgiving and being a Canadian married to an American, we're lucky because we get double the pleasure. Canadian Thanksgiving is a mere two weeks away so I took it upon myself to test a new to us stuffing recipe from Real Simple just for something a little different. 

This sherry and rosemary infused stuffing's loaded with sauteed cremini mushrooms along with the usual onion, celery and toasted bread cubes. Moistened with chicken stock and enriched with butter, it is well worth the effort and has great flavor. I can't help but think a little crumbled sausage would be a fabulous addition, but Big Guy really liked it as you see it and certainly the mushrooms are a meaty enough addition.

Mushroom and Rosemary Stuffing from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Real Simple

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered

1/4 cup unsalted butter

5 cups bread cubes (I used some homemade focaccia but Italian bread’s good too)

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

Kosher salt and course ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry sherry

1-1/4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray (I used a gratin dish).

Place bread cubes on a large sheet pan and bake until toasted. – about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat oil in a large heavy bottom skillet until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook until browned – about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Add butter to pan and when melted add onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook until onions are softened and begin to brown (about 10 minutes). Add sherry and cook until evaporated. Add to mushrooms and cool briefly. Toss in bread cubes, broth, beaten egg, parsley and rosemary. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes or until stuffing is browned. Makes 4 servings. 

Here's a few other stuffing ideas for your holiday menu. It's never too early to start planning!

     Apple, Sausage and Dried Fruit           Savory Pumpkin Bread Pudding

   

Caramelized Apples - Sweet or Savory

I can't believe I'm saying this already, but we're heading into our third season in our new home, at least I am. Big Guy's lagging behind a touch since he didn't get here until the beginning of summer but I can brag about spring, summer and now fall at the Oregon coast. It's blissful, especially with a stormy weekend on the way. I can't wait to batten down the hatches and cuddle in.

We really love exploring and last weekend we drove 16 miles upriver to Old Strawberry Farm  to take a gander at their running ducks, geese, sheep and such and to pick apples. What a fabulous place it is!

We came home with several different kinds of apples (a mystery all) and 3 went into last night's garnish on some panko fried thin cut pork chops. I simply melted a quarter cup of butter in a non-stick skillet, added a quarter cup of sugar and when it was all bubbling, threw in 3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges. Medium high heat and 8 to 10 minutes of coaxing and there you go. After they cooled for a minute, I added a dash of vanilla, a touch of sea salt and that was it.

Their tart/sweet flavor and interesting textures really complemented the pork chops but you know, I could have changed 'em up a bit more by adding black pepper, or cinnamon or both instead of coarse salt and vanilla, and the very same preparation would be fabulous on ice cream, or topping a gingerbread cake or even in an apple galette.

Next time you've a hankering for apple sauce, go one up and caramelize some instead. The key to success is to make sure you've a variety of Eve's favorite fruit because they all cook differently. Some soften and almost disappear, some remain crunchy when cooked and some are sweet while others tart. Just experiment to find the ones you like best.  I got lucky with last night's version and can't wait to try it again.  

A year ago - Sausages, Peppers and Cheesy Grits 

 Two year's ago - Tomato Cobbler

Three year's ago - Oxtails Braised in Red Wine

Hush Puppies or Fritters

Talk about a conundrum. I made a big pot of chile for dinner and had nothing to serve with it. The cracker barrel was empty, the cupboard bare of goldfish, oyster crackers or otherwise and the freezer couldn't help either. Time was a wasting, hunger knawing and cornbread out of the question because it takes my new oven a minimum half hour to come to temperature and who really has the patience for that! Enter the lowly hush puppy aka fritter. 

Now, as far as I'm concerned the names are inter changable although I'm pretty sure I'll get some flack from at least one of you, but whatever you want to call the piece of crispy fried dough on the right side of the chili bowl, I'm just going to call it good.

Prepped in the same amount of time it took for the oil to heat in a cast iron pan, the corn cakes came to life with mostly the same ingredients one would put in corn bread but with one subtle difference - I left out the corn kernels and added some salsa verde for added kick.  Rather than deep frying the little beauties, they were shallow fried in about a half inch of oil, flipped after a minute then fried until golden on the other side. 

There you go - crispy outside, moist and tender inside with a touch of spicy heat, these little "hush critters" were the perfect answer. 

Salsa Verde Hush Puppies lfrom JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Taste of Home)

1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash coarse ground black pepper

1/4 cup finely minced onion

1 egg

1/3 cup Salsa Verde (I used Herdez)

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

 

Vegetable oil for frying

Fill a heavy bottom pan with approximately half in of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Meanwhile in a medium bowl combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, pepper and salt and whisk to incorporate. In a small bowl beat egg, add Salsa Verde, onion and buttermilk and whisk to combine well. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix lightly with a fork until just combined. Mixture will be lumpy. Using a 2 ounce scoop, drop dough into hot oil and fry in batches until golden brown on each side – about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm. Makes approx. 1 dozen.

 

New Windows, New Siding, New Day

We're off to town this morning on our weekly shopping trip along with a b'zillion or ten errands, so I won't be telling you about last night's dinner until later. Sorry 'bout that. I would though like to leave you with the latest update on our current house project with more to come, if I ever get all those darned shakes stained that is. Yikes - good thing the house is only 1960 sq. ft.

 

BEFORE - Tired, dreary, dry rot, aluminum single pane windows, moldy screen door, beige with turquoise trim

 

AFTER - new sliding glass door, larger windows - all vinyl double pane; exterior dark slate solid stain cedar shakes with barn red trim

 

Creamy Tomato Soup with Basil Potato Dumplings

A good recipe much like a great marriage is all about communication. Bet you're wondering where I'm going with this aren't you. Hang with me and I'll get there eventually, I promise.

Last night's bowl of sunny tomato soup was a perfect dinner solution on a misty foggy rainy beach Saturday. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at all about the weather because I was feeling all cozy and warm in our wonderful house and after 10 years of living with desert heat, I may never complain about cool rainy weather again. Just sayin'. 

Anyway, the soup's from Cinda Chavich's book, High Plains, The Joy of Alberta Cuisine and while great as written, I had to make a couple of changes to suit our sensibilities if you know what I mean. I added more flour to the roux because we like a thicker soup and upped the tomato quotient too with the addition of a can of diced plum tomatoes with their juice. I also used a mixture of whole milk and half and half rather than 2 percent which made for a richer finish.  Now I'm telling you, the soup takes about 15 minutes to prepare and it's fabulous with its touch of garlic and slew of chewy sun dried tomatoes but the real kicker's the "basil potato dumplings". That's where we had our first lesson of the day in communication.

Cinda calls these incredibly light little pillows Basil Potato Dumplings but I'd be inclined to call 'em gnocchi instead except they're absolutely the lightest most flavorful gnocchi I've ever made and that's the honest truth. Unfortunately her instructions didn't specify to cool the potatoes so I made the dumplings with potatoes fresh from the ricer and consequently, it took a lot more flour to make a dough than the recipe specified. Fortunately, in spite of myself, they were still light as air but had I done my homework I'd have likely used Anne Burrell's method for her "Light As A Cloud Gnocchi" and saved myself some fretting. There was a bonus though - the additional flour meant more dumplings which was a very, very good thing as you're about to witness.

On the to second example of communication. Big Guy's mostly in charge of taking photo's for this blog and yours truly normally does the settin' up; however, last night I dished up a bowl of soup, asked him to add the dumplings and gussy it up for the picture and this was the result.

Not his fault because I didn't communicate the method of gussiness, so I did the honors and this is the second photo.

Now in case you're wondering, the soup is absolutely without question far superior to the canned version and the dumplings are the icing on top. As proof what you're looking at next is Big Guy's 2nd serving. He did not communicate to me the necessity of a larger bowl and the result wasn't just this overflowing prissy little bowl, but 2 more after it. 

Guess I could have just taken my bowl, given him the pot and saved having to wash a soup bowl, huh! 

Creamy Tomato Soup with Basil Potato Dumplings (from JBug’s kitchen Antics adapted from High Plains, The Joy of Alberta Cuisine by Cinda Chavich)

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 – 10 ounce can beef consommé or beef broth

1/4 cup white wine

1 – 6 ounce can tomato paste

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups whole milk

1-1/2 cups half and half

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Melt butter in a medium large saucepan and stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until mixture is a light golden color. Gradually whisk in beef consommé, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring often for 5 minutes. Stir in milk and half and half and heat gently. Taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and red pepper flakes as needed.

Basil Potato Dumplings:

1 pound Yukon Gold or Russet (Idaho) potatoes, peeled and boiled

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus additional for garnish

Butter, coarse salt and pepper, light grating of parmesan cheese

Please note – I’ve adjusted the method. Put boiled potatoes through a ricer onto a sheet pan and cool to room temperature. Carefully move them to a bowl but try to keep them as fluffy as possible. Stir in egg yolks, flour and chopped basil. Add more flour if necessary to make relatively firm dough.  On a floured board, roll dough into a long rope then cut into half inch pieces. Cook in boiling water in batches so as not to crowd the pot. Dumplings are done when they float to the top (about 2 to 3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and move to a bowl. Dot with butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.

To serve soup, ladle into bowls and garnish with dumplings. Garnish with basil, red pepper flakes and grated parmesan cheese. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Steak with Lime Mojo

Two year's ago - Brats with Rotkraut

Happy December 1

 

Photo courtesy of Pam Devine, Keller Williams Southern Arizona

Boy, time sure flies when you're having fun doesn't it? Sorry to say there will be nothing forthcoming today from JBug's Kitchen - at least not that I can tell you about right now. We've two showings booked for the house this morning and a dinner party this evening so I'll be taking a raincheck.

 

Enjoy your Saturday everyone and we'll touch base again tomorrow. TTFN (ta,ta for now) 

A year ago - JBug's Texas Chili and the "Best" Cornbread

Two year's ago - Pork Medallions with Apple and Cranberry Chutney

Dog Days of Summer

As you can see, while the "dawg" days of summer have officially given way to autumn someone failed to get the message through to the furry beasts. They're camped out on the desk which is one reason there won't be a food filled picture laden scintillating post today from JBug's Kitchen.

The other reason...Big Guy took me out for dinner last night, so there t'weren't nuthin' cookin' anyway. See you all tomorrow.

Pizza and a Pickle

OK, so here's the deal. Last night we were supposed to celebrate the inaugural use of our new pizza oven. Yup, you read right - a PIZZA OVEN!  I've been wanting one for a very long time, but they all cost a fortune and the homemade ones are a little large for our rather compact back yard.

I found a great solution though. You see, when I was bragging to you all about our Weber Rotisserie, I saw an attachment for a pizza oven that received pretty darn good reviews and I figured there was a good chance Big Guy'd be pretty excited over it too. It arrived on Monday night so we planned pizza for Tuesday's dinner. 

The thing is, we didn't account for the fact we're in the middle of monsoon season. It was wild - here's a video that's was on youtube from an earlier storm this year and it'll give a good idea what it's like to drive in one ...and what the streets look like. (You may want to turn off the sound - just sayin')

 

Anyway, it was darn near dark last night by the time Big Guy made it home and no, he doesn't drive like the "dudes" in the video, so using the new pizza oven was no longer an option. We'll just have to try again when monsoon season's over, uh maybe, maybe not.  

Here's a photo of the pizza we did have (bacon, onion jam, fontina and mozzarella cheese, heirloom tomatoes). It wasn't pretty but by that time it didn't matter much if you know what I mean. There's gotta' be better days ahead, right? 

A year ago - Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Pancetta

Two year's ago - Moo Shu Pork with Mandarin Pancakes

Repetition is a good thing!

Repetition is a necessity on many levels. I mean it's a natural part of life isn't it. Mother nature does it all the time with 4 seasons (unless you live in Tucson where there's really only 2 - hot and hotter). Obviously we repeat ourselves constantly, at least I'm sure you've noticed that I do.

There's more of it too - for example when we're kneading bread, washing floors and windows, ironing and even when doing home repairs around here because it normally means repeated trips to Home Depot for supplies. What can I say except we're creatures of habit.

There was lots of repetition around here yesterday as Big Guy grouted the back splash tile in the kitchen and if you've ever done any grouting, you'll know it's nothing but repetition. Incidentally he's applying silicone caulk as we speak so other than a little painting touch up work and the reinstallation of the plantation shutter at the kitchen window, the renovation's almost done. Glory be!

Needless to say with the kitchen taken up by something other than cooking, dinner wasn't high on the list again last night so we just had a repeat of last weekend's dinner with a plate of munchies. This time it included sharp Wisconsin cheddar, Meadowkaas Spring Cheese from Holland (kinda' nutty and smooth textured like swiss, but without the holes), and more of Big Guy's fabulous barbecued meatloaf we had hiding in the freezer. Also, in the center ramekin there's cubes of cream cheese covered in chopped roasted red peppers mixed with garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The smaller ramekin in the forefront holds some of Big Guy's homemade barbecue sauce. There, now you know where I was going with all this now don't ya!

PS - Big Guy just left for Home Depot - he ran out of caulk so all is right in our world.... mmm repetition!

A year ago - Chicken Curry

Two year's ago - Baked Pasta with Bechamel and Parmesan

What a Weekend!

You're looking at our dinner last night (leftover meatloaf, stilton cheese with apricots, brie with wild mushrooms, and assorted crackers) although to be honest, I was more interested in something of the alcoholic persuasion than any other kind of calories. The kitchen back splash is done except for the grout and that likely won't happen until the weekend, no doubt about the time I've got the house cleaned up from this last adventure.

Big Guy did a beautiful job of the tiling but I admit there's been a few casualties along the way. The house looks like a bomb hit it, my treasured new kitchen sink will never, ever look the same again and there's a dusty haze all over the place. In fact, I'm finding mastic in the most unlikely places but how dare I complain.

My man has sore muscles where he didn't know he had muscles and found it almost impossible to button his shirt this morning because his fingertips are all cut up.  But aches and pains aside, the important thing is our marriage survived the exercise and we're still talking to each other, laughing together and dreaming about our next project. We must be crazy!

By the way, I was going to show you a sneak preview but the photo doesn't do the reality justice so you'll have to wait until the grouting is finished and everything is in perfect order. It sure is "purdy" though.

A year ago - Pesto Topped Salmon

Two year's ago -- Burritos from leftover pork

Nuthin' Cookin'

The title's a complete fallacy because although I've got nothing to share with you this morning, there's a lot going on in JBug's Kitchen. I'm getting ready for our big class end of the year party tomorrow so I'll be sharing the before, during and after with you on Tuesday morning. Until then, think good thoughts. Happy Trails!

 

 

Hurray, hurray it's the first week of May

The first week of May is rather significant in our house. Not only is it likely that the AC comes on almost full time because the outside temperature heats up considerably, there's also a couple of reasons to celebrate on the first weekend of the month.

Cinco de Mayo is on Saturday and keeps company on the calender with the running of the horses at the Kentucky Derby. Both are rather close to our hearts, the former because of our new found love for Mexican food and the culture, and the latter because Big Guy's an instructor in the only program of its kind that prepares students for the opportunity of a career in the business side of horse racing.

If we ever needed an excuse to cook up a storm and have a party, this would be it so here's a couple of ideas for guaranteed good grub.

Taco's, Carnitas and Enchiladas are a great choice, not only because they're economical to make but also because the variations are almost unlimited.

Try some fish tacos, or of course there's the Maui ones we talked about yesterday and if you really want a treat, you could always mix up a mess of crispy pork or duck carnitas too. 

There's a bunch of different ways you can make an enchilada too - try one of our favorites made with black beans and sweet potatoes, or of course there's always the chicken version, or make one of this blog's most popular recipes, a chile rellano with tequila shrimp.  

 How 'bout some braised turkey in a mole sauce, or a big pot of chili, or even a Mexican style pot roast.   

Hit the link or see the Index Item Mexican/Tex Mex to your right and you'll see a whole slew of things to munch on. Whatever you decide, you're bound to make a bunch of people break out the mariachi's and dance up a storm. 

As for the horse lovers among us, the start of the annual quest for the triple crown is always exciting. Keep your guests happy with a traditional hot brown sandwich or shake it up a knotch and make hot brown chicken burgers like we have here.  If you'd rather stick to beef, you can always make these Bluegrass Beercheese Melts with Bourbon Sauce. They're amazing! 

Speaking of bourbon, don't forget dessert. How about a bread pudding with bourbon sauce, or exchange the bourbon for rum and make these powerful pina colada cupcakes and call 'em Derby hat's.  Speaking of hat's, look at the meringue cap on top of this frozen lemon pie and tell me you wouldn't just love a bite of it right this second? 

Whatever you decide, just remember to surround yourself with the people you love and make every day a party. 

 

 

 

Renovation Update and Corned Beef Panini

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

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

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

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

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

A year ago -  Lettuce Wraps with Spiced Pork

Two year's ago - Bourbon Orange Glazed Ham

Camping Out in the Back Yard

Yup, that's what we're doing. We're camping out in the back yard while we enter our second week of kitchen renovations. Big Guy got the outside kitchen area all set up and even showed this camping newby how he does dishes. It ain't pretty so we'll be using as many of the disposable version as possible. Ha. 

Big Guy even cooked both meals yesterday including this lovely steak that you're looking at and that was after accomplishing all the jobs on a very long list AND shopping for dinner. What you see on top of the steak is a compound butter including garlic and blue cheese - we had it hiding in the freezer for just the right occasion. 

What else is new? Well, I finally made a decision on cabinet hardware and placed the order plus Big Guy got the water to the refrigerator hooked up and the stove's back where it is supposed to be too. I spent the day trying to get the house semi organized and it took me hours to line the drawers and shelves of our new cabinets so they'd stay looking as good in the future as they do today. It's a real bear of a job isn't it? But it is done. I had the foresight to use vinyl wallpaper instead of the usual shelf paper and it works like a dream!

Today I'm going to try to get as much of the kitchen unpacked as possible, go for groceries, tackle the mountain of laundry that's accumulated over the past week, hopefully win the first battle against all the dust, and cook something relatively interesting for dinner so you all keep coming back. At least that's the plan so we'll see what really happens. TTFN 

TGIF or is it?

Meltdown number ??? ...ah heck - who knows how many I've had and this is just the first week of the reno. I'm not good living in this mess because, although my house may not be totally dust free it is usually fairly neat and tidy. That is NOT the case at the moment. 

There's dirt, dust, grime and chaos everywhere - with old sheets covering furniture, boxes of kitchen stuff to trip over and dust, dirt and crap all over the place. Oh did I mention the dust, dirt and grime??? ...except supposedly the master bedroom. It was supposed to be the one haven of rest, sanityville in all the chaos, our little cocoon. Uh huh.

Well, after enduring a cold shower because the hot water heater hadn't been adjusted properly, then struggling to cook my first "campout" breakfast of bacon and eggs for Big Guy on the gas grill this morning, including circumventing an obstacle course to get the eggs and bacon out of the refrigerator, find the appropriate utensils, locate the paper plates, unsuccessfully look for paper towels and get it all ready so my Big Guy wouldn't be late leaving for work, then wondering why the cat hasn't eaten her food, then yelling at Max to come when he's told to get him out of what's left of the kitchen because he thinks anything on the floor is edible and fair game, then running to our bathroom Edith style to wash out Big Guy's go cup and pour him a coffee, before he leaves the chaos for the peace at work...what do I see?

An unmade bed, a very messy bathroom with dirty cups, wet towels and pet food everywhere, AND a pile of trash beside the bed because you know who took the mail to bed to read last night and left all the junk right there.

Oh, what about my usual have a good day kiss? That would be a no - course, it could be because he was scared to come within 10 feet in case I blew! As for dinner last night - well you're lookin' at it. Thanks Sonic. 

Do you think it's too early for whine?

 

Saturday Night Special

I guess the word "special" is kind of relative, isn't it. What made my Saturday night special was a call from Big Guy saying he'd survived 16 miles of his trek and could see Tangerine Road, one of the roads to home. Now that was a relief and I was most appreciative that he'd walked an extra couple of miles so he could get cell phone reception.

I suppose what would make his night special is entirely different from mine. He was looking for a place to set up camp while now that my mind was set at ease, I was more interested in a warm shower and a cool glass of wine. After all, it was the hottest day of the year so far at a strapping 89 degrees and packin' the kitchen's hot work. Truthfully I can't imagine why anyone would want to walk 16 miles with a heavy pack on their back in that temperature, never mind campin' over night. Talk about none of the comforts of home - now I wonder who really needed that shower.

As for dinner - well we can thank Trader Joe's. Believe me, it was nothing special except for the wine.  I blew the budget and spent a whole $10.00 on it and it was absolutely wonderful. Hey I figured it was worth it after a day spent stewin' and doin'.

I think Big Guy might have got off the hook really easy, don't you? I mean, a $10.00 bottle of wine's a far cry from the fancy bar stools and the sectional I've got my eye on at Pottery Barn. LOL  

Sleepy Saturday?

There are no sleepy Saturday's in our house. Big Guy's prepping for the rim to rim hike of the Grand Canyon he'll be doing in May with some life long friends, so he's off with his pack loaded, his GPS, and lots of water for an overnighter. I'll pick him up late tomorrow afternoon at Catalina State Park, which is over 20 miles away from where I just dropped him off at Sabino Canyon and there's only one way for him to get from point A to B - walk!  

You'll notice a disclaimer at the bottom of the link that says " Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends."  Is he alone - that would be a YES. Did he leave me with an itinerary as to routes - that would be a NO. To say I'm worried about him doing this trek all by himself is an understatement, but in his words I'd best "get over it".

As for the fur kids and moi, we're spending the weekend packing up the kitchen and trying to figure out how the heck JBug's Kitchen is going to function without one very important thing - A KITCHEN. You see it's being renovated starting this week so we'll be camping out too. I've no clue what I'll be bragging about over the next little while, but guaranteed there will be something cookin' somehow, somewhere by someone.

As they say in this part of the world, "hasta mañana". 

Saving Daylight?

We're not into daylight savings in this part of the country so we don't have to remember to forget to put our clocks ahead an hour. In fact, we make hay even when the sun isn't shining. While Sundays for a lot of people involve a little sleeping in and a leisurely coffee enjoyed with the Sunday papers, it isn't necessarily so in our household.

It is just after 7:00 bells as I write this and we've been up since the waning full moon was still in the sky. The animals are fed and walked - yup all of them including Georgie the cat, we've enjoyed our first pot of coffee, and I finished a book I've been trying to read most of the week. More important, the Big Guy's almost finished putting his sausage into casings as he readies them for smoking. As for the boys - well they're having a much deserved nap. 

   

We're almost ready to finish the marmalade we started yesterday with our second harvest of three and a half pounds of kumquats. We're also going to try our first attempt at making mozzarella cheese today and if you think I'm bragging again, you'd likely be right.  So what's happening in your neck of the woods. Feeling guilty yet?

A year ago -  Rhubarb Pineapple Crumble

 

Two year's ago - Pasta with Turkey Meatballs and Mushrooms

Are Your Irish Eyes Smiling?

Can you believe St. Patrick's day is but a short week away? I don't know about you but I've been wondering what to make in celebration of the special day. I love St. Paddy's Day, not only for the green beer and comfort food, but because it hits during the tail end of winter and promises spring is just around the corner. See you can take the Canadian to the land of perpetual summer but the memories of winter remain intact.

The Big Guy wasn't home for dinner last night so I figured this was the perfect time to talk about menu possibilities for an Irish feast on Saturday, March 17th!  

Corned Beef and Cabbage - you can't go wrong with this traditional dish, especially this version which takes a brined brisket and transforms it into a prize winning cut of meat. Best of all, the leftovers are almost better than the original and there's not many things you can say that about!

If you're looking for something different with a slight tip o' the hat to the Irish, try this "Not So Irish Lamb Stew". Made from cubes of lamb, it's loaded with bacon, onion, garlic, shallots and sweetened with carrots and parsnip all in a marsala flavored gravy.  

Of course, you could also make a big pot of Shortribs cooked in Porter but please be careful what kind of beer you use since the darker the beer the more bitter your braise may be. I used Black Butte Porter for these flavorful ribs, but if you're determined to use Guinness, be sure to add a little sugar to the mix to ease the taste a tad. 

If you love pot pies as much as we do, there are a lot of recipes for them here, but now's the perfect opportunity to make a classic Steak and Guinness Pie. Loaded with onions, garlic, and mushrooms too, this one's really all about the Guinness flavored gravy - oh and the pastry too of course. Don't forget the horseradish either because it makes all the difference in the world!

We all know how important the potato is in the Irish diet and St. Paddy's day is a good time to celebrate the mighty spud in all its glory.  Try these fabulous Irish Potato Cakes also known as Boxty on for size. They are a heavy duty tremendously delicious won't go hungry for a week kind of pancakes that are perfect with sausage for a super down home kind of dinner.  

There's always the unusual too, like this Mashed Potato Pie. I can't say enough about how good this is and people will absolutely NOT believe that you can make a pie out mashed potatoes either. Loaded up with bacon and cheddar as well as sour cream, cottage cheese and eggs, it is not for the calorie watcher, but oh man is it ever good! Served with a salad for a light lunch or with your favorite meat for dinner the leftovers freeze well and make a perfect breakfast choice topped with an egg.

Whatever you decide, don't forget to tip your hat to the Irish and make St. Patrick's Day extra special for those you love.  

 

Miscellaneous Thoughts on Thanksgiving Morning

 

I'm a little late this morning even though the sun's just rising. The Big Guy and I enjoyed an early morning coffee and 2 hour long cuddle in bed with our little family of 3 - the woofs Max and Finnigan and Georgie the feral cat who has decided being feral may not be all it's cracked up to be. 

We're pretty well set in this house with the dinner plans - of course I say that in confidence now after 2 days of preparing for our very "simple" dinner, but I'm sure there'll be a panic of some sort when it gets closer to serving time. Speaking of panic, I just did a quick review of today's visitors so far and I've a sneaking suspicion there's a lot of madness going on out there in kitchens across the country. To be honest I'm a little worried and wish I could answer some of the questions I see - like ...

Where do I find the neck and giblets in turkey
How do I take a turkey neck out
How do I clean out a turkey
What do I pull out of a turkey
How do I carve a turkey
How do I make gravy
How long does it take to cook a 13.6 pound turkey; and
Tons of searches on "Dead Turkey" which brings them conveniently to Big Guy's Turkey Deboning 101 from last year

I sure wish there was some way I could contact everyone and to answer their questions. Course that's coming from someone that's likely had about all the catastrophic turkey cooking events known to man in the 50 odd years I've been cookin' including but not limited to a fire in the oven, dropping a perfectly roasted bird when it was coming out of the oven (made carving it a cinch), and of course the time my sister and I fell into a pail of wine and forgot to put the darn thing in the oven in the first place. Now that was memorable!

 

As for us - the turkey's been in a brining bucket in the refrigerator for almost 24 hours and the Big Guy will be cooking it later on the Weber rotisserie - told you it was simple. We're expecting a 75 degree day here in Tucson so we'll be heating up the outside kitchen rather than the inside one.

We'll be setting the harvest table outside provided we can keep Georgie happy in her favorite chair and raiding our container garden for herbs and lettuce for a salad too, unless the dogs get to it first. Believe me it's a fight just growing the stuff because they'd rather have lettuce than cookies - well kinda' sorta' almost. 

The pomegranates have been harvested and will in all likelihood end up in a martini or two, never mind as a stellar garnish on our bowl of brussels sprouts. The sprouts were so good last year with pomegranate arils and vanilla butter, we'll just have to do it again this year.

The cranberry sauce is made although I'm thinking of making another one with raspberries and habenero peppers to honor our location, although throwing a couple of kumquats into the mix might not be a bad idea either. Can you believe the kumquats? I'll be making lots of marmalade this year.

So, I've simply the potatoes left to cook and stuffing to pull together and rolls to make and the dessert to brulee and salad dressing to concoct and the table to set and spots to clean off the wineglasses and a table center to worry about and napkins to starch and ....good heavens now who's in a panic?

Just remember when all is said and done and the table's groaning under your handiwork, don't forget to give thanks ... "For fragrant air and cooling breeze, for beauty of the blooming trees...for this new morning with its light...for rest and shelter of the night... for health and food, for love and friends, for everything Thy goodness sends, Father in heaven, we thank Thee." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

 
 

 

 

 

Holiday Ideas for Turkey Phobics

We took a day off from the kitchen yesterday so there aren't any antics to report this morning. What can I say - it was lovely! I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about Thanksgiving especially since it is less than 3 weeks away, so grab your morning coffee and let's have a little chat.

There is an assumption that turkey is a requirement as a main course on our holiday tables but the truth is, as I was recently reminded, not everyone is a fan of the big bird. Here's a few alternatives for those of you who want something different on your holiday menu.

Lea mentioned that pork is a traditional Thanksgiving entree in her house and I know for a fact that Nancy cooked ham for this year's Canadian Thanksgiving. I'll just run with that idea for a minute, if that's OK with you.

Ham is an open book when it comes to added flavors. How about having it glazed with

   Pineapple/Mustard    Sweet and gooey Marmalade  Bourbon Glaze-the best

       

Not into ham, then how about a pork roast?

 Italian Porchetta           Loin  with Apple Crown        Brined with Port Sauce

     

Of course there's always fish or seafood.

Salmon Wellington          Coquille St. Jacques        Potato Crusted Halibut

     

Naturally I've saved the best for last, well at least in one person's opinion. There's nothing that says special quite like Beef Wellington and it's amazingly perfect to cook for a special occasion since it's mostly done in advance.

Whatever is on your Thanksgiving menu this year just remember it is about doing just that - giving thanks. Surround yourself with people you love and have fun because your loved ones are going to love you regardless of what's on your holiday table (or is that a little naive?) Just remember, don't sweat the small stuff. As my Big Guy reminds me all the time "there's at least a million people that quite frankly, wouldn't give a damn".

 

 

 

 

It's A Boy!

 
Meet Carson Finnigan, 15.6 pounds, 22 inches nose to butt. Brother Max and sister Georgie doing great. Mom and Dad a little shell shocked but coping.

 

Bragging Rights

After sitting here for the last hour trying to write a post, it's obvious that my brain is on vacation along with the rest of me. If you want to know the truth, we ate leftovers for dinner last night so I've honestly nothing to brag about except maybe this spice box I brought along from home.

Please stay tuned, because surely there'll be something coming from it soon. TTFN

 

 

Nuthin' Cookin'

There's nothing cooking in JBug's Kitchen. Isn't that a kick? Consequently I'm having a hard time coming up with something to post for you today since last night's dinner was a turkey sandwich made from deli sliced turkey and soft squishy white bread which was exactly the same thing I made for dinner the night before. Hey last week's cooking with the Big Guy away was an anomaly. It isn't happening this week.

So how be you join me for coffee on the back patio instead. I promise you won't need a sweater. PS - Georgie will be here in a minute. She's just gone to get something to fill the basket on her chair, and Max is getting your cup.

Nuthin' Cookin'

Hard to believe but true. With the Big Guy away and pouring rain here in hell yesterday, Max and I spent the day sewing cushions and drapes for the outdoor patio. I can't even  post a picture because I'm not done yet and the only things I made were coffee and a gin and tonic and I figure you don't need recipes for that!

However, the Big Guy's back in town now, the sun's shining, it's a cool 37 degrees and you can be sure somethin' will be cookin' later on today. Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Two Years and Going Strong

Yup, that's right. JBug's Kitchen Antics is 2 years old today and it's incredible how quickly the time has gone by. Truthfully, this picture on the right is 2 years old too and I don't think I've changed all that much. Umm, yeah right...why do you think I'm showing you a 2 year old picture?

I've certainly had an edumacatin' in the last 24 months about blogging let me tell you and

I'VE LEARNED:

1. Cooking's easy, writing's a piece of cake, but the picture taking's a real "bear";
2. I've learned the Big Guy will eat almost anything now except green peas;
3. When I have a failure like the cake on the right, I've learned to pick myself up, dust off my ego, clean out the oven, swear, cry, drown in wine and start all over again;
4. I've learned not to be discouraged if it's a slow day; or someone takes offence to something I've said; or the foodporn sites reject yet another photo; or there's lots of hits and no comments; or nobody gets my jokes;
5. I've learned to remember who my audience is and that I'm doing this not just to have fun myself and keep our household on a perpetual diet, but to inspire others to cook and have fun in the kitchen as well;
6. I've learned to be tremendously flattered when someone  likes one of my creations and blogs about it and shrug it off if they forget to share the credit or link to JBug's. I mean as long as they don't copy my work word for word what does it matter, because really when you get to be my advanced age you realize there are very few "originals" left anyway. We all need to find inspiration from somewhere.Goodness knows I'm inspired every day by my fellow bloggers.
7. I've learned that I can and will procrastinate about anything ...make that everything, except for putting dinner on the table every night and writing about it in a post the next morning. I love cooking and blogging almost equally, and as for eating - well I'll leave that alone shall I?
8. I've learned that cyber friendships are truly precious and as deep and real as those nurtured in person, eyeball to eyeball. Distance, ethnicity, religion, politics, rain, snow or sleet play no part when there's a shared passion.
9. I've learned that after 750 posts, it's still possible to make something new especially with chicken and/or at least make it sound new but nothing beats a repeat of an old favorite every now and then; 
10. Last but far from least, I've learned there's nobody on earth I'd rather share a kitchen or my heart with than my Big Guy. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement, sweetheart. Without you I'd be a mere bacon grease spot on the sands of time or in the pages of some cookbook instead of a Google...ee...er...well you know what I mean!

   

Home made Chorizo

Sorry everyone, but those darn spam devils are out in full force and making life miserable. Wish they'd just find something else to do with their time; however, it means that I've had to up the security in the comment section of this blog. I know it's a pain, but it's necessary. Please don't let it stop you from leaving your comments. After all, they are a blogger's gold and I thank you for every one.

What I'm about to tell you occurred a few weeks ago, it's just that I haven't had a chance to tell you about it. Actually, we "gifted" some to our friends Stan and Donna and wanted them to have a chance to sample it before Donna found out she was eating a non-domesticated species. Aren't we thoughtful?

As you know, my big guy and his best buddy John got back from their annual javalina hunt a few weeks ago and while the big guy's a real talent in the kitchen, he had a little trouble bagging a beast. You see while he's off huntin' I'm at home prayin' that the little critters he's sneakin' up on will be smarter than he is. Quite honestly as luck (and a lot of prayer) would have it, throughout the past 10 years we've been married he hasn't been so lucky in the killin' fields which is a good thing because I'm not much for wild meat.

To my chagrin (and maybe his) the big guy's huntin' partner John was the one to bring home the peccary bacon this year and left a good amount of meat with us to chow on. I refused to just eat the stuff without a darn good disguise but figured if it was mixed with something else, I could choke down a pound or two.

The big guy made a batch of chorizo...hot spicy chile laden hair curlin' bum slappin' eye waterin' chorizo.

What you don't see in the picture is the pint of sour cream I have on the side to cool my t'buds. Uh yum, it is absolutely delicious - honest! By the way, I figure peccary meat may be a little hard if not impossible for you to find in your local market, so please just subsitute an equal amount of beef or more pork. That's provided of course you have the nerve to try it in the first place. I double dare ya'.

Peccary Pork Chorizo (inspired by Rick Bayless)

1.6 pounds javelina

1.8 pounds pork shoulder

1 pound ground pork fat

2 ounces whole dried Ancho chile (dried pasilla)

5 ounces whole dried California Chile

3 ounces whole dried New Mexico Hot Chile

5 small bay leaves

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons ground marjoram

3 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup vinegar

Place cubed meat and pork fat into the freezer to harden slightly while you prepare the seasonings. Makes for easier grinding.

Remove seeds and stems and tear chiles into flat pieces. Heat in a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat about 10 seconds a side (until they start to pop and smell wonderful) and move to a large glass bowl. Cover chiles with hot water and allow to sit for 20 minutes until soft. (Keep submerged using a plate). Drain and transfer to a food processor. Meanwhile pulverize bay leaves in a spice grinder and add to food processor along with cinnamon, cloves, oregano, thyme and marjoram. Add the salt. Measure in vinegar and add water as necessary to keep everything moving through the blades. Press mixture through a mesh sieve into a large bowl. Add meat and mix with hands to combine well.  Put through meat grinder twice. Cover mixture and refrigerate overnight to blend seasonings and/or package into portions and freeze. Download Peccary Pork Chorizo