JBug's Kitchen Antics

Chile Verde Pie and Coast Time

In case you're wondering why JBug's Kitchen Antics has gone from "every day" to twice or three times a week, here's the reason. It's not that I haven't been cooking every day and as much as I'd like to blame this blog's service provider as they've been undergoing challenges recently that have stretched my frustration level to a breaking point, the real story is that I think I may have finally converted my Type A inner clock to "coast time". 

Coast time is our local version of "manana" or when 9 o'clock means noon and 1 pm means 4 which then becomes 5 o'clock somewhere. Do you get my drift? I've been meaning to tell you about this chili verde pie for days now, but kept saying "ah heck, maybe tomorrow". See, I AM on coast time. 

Anyway if you're a regular here at J'Bug's, you'll know that after our 11 years in Tucson, we came away with a rather strong appreciation for Mexican cuisine and one of our favorites is chile verde. I mean what's not to like about cubes of pork shoulder braised until tender in green chile, onion and beer? (Hit the link and see our version here).  It's perfect "coast time" food because after the prep work it basically cooks itself. Leftovers are fabulous in taco's, enchiladas or even under an egg for breakfast but we happen to love our savory pies around here, so in the interest of trying something new I thought why not? 

Leftover pork chile verde, an extra dose of chopped green chile, a cup or so of frozen corn all wrapped up in a flaky crust - really, what's not to love and love it we did. 

Next time you're looking for a new way to cook up some leftovers, try thinking outside the box a tad and make a pie. I mean you can slap darn near anything between two sheets of flaky dough and call it dinner. In fact, I'm going to put my thinking cap on right now and...on second thoughts, the rain is over, the sun is out and the beach is calling. Maybe tomorrow. OK?

Chile Verdi Pie an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

Pastry for a double crust pie

4 cups leftover chile verde

2 roasted green chilies, chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen corn niblets

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Coarse sea salt

 Preheat oven to 450. Line a 9” deep dish pie pan with pastry. In a medium bowl, mix together chile verde, chopped green chilies and corn. Pour into pastry lined pan and top with second crust. Seal edges, flute, slash and decorate and you wish.  Brush crust with heavy cream to glaze and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, and then reduce heat to 350 and bake additional 45 minutes or until crust is golden and filling bubbling. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 6 servings. 

 

Beef Roll with Mushroom Gravy

I've been on a bit of a biscuit kick lately and trying out new to me biscuit recipes like this one from Cooking Light using buttermilk and honey and a fancy way of folding the dough like you would for making puff pastry. I have to admit they were great with the sausage gravy we called breakfast the other day, although I forgot to take pictures so there's no proof of the heights to which they soared; however, you'll just have to take my word for it and try them yourself.

Anyway, of all the recipes I've tried I keep coming back to the one in my treasured Purity Cookbook, a Canadian cookbook first published way back in 1917 by Western Canada Flour Mills and reprinted over and over. The book was the source of last night's Beef Roll.

A great way to stretch a pound of ground, the meat's all spiced up and spread out on a sheet of biscuit dough, then rolled up like a jelly roll and baked. Sliced and served with sherry flavored mushroom gravy, it is old fashioned budget cooking at its best.

Not only is it wonderful hot on a gravy slathered plate, but leftovers are pretty great cold for lunch along with a little mustard for dipping and a tossed salad. It had Big Guy asking me why I hadn't made it before and to be honest, I'm wondering the same thing myself. 

Beef Roll With Mushroom Gravy from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Purity Cookbook

Filling:

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1/2 green pepper, finely chopped

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup catsup

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

 Mix above ingredients together and set aside.

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, dry mustard and salt together. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture has fine crumbs. Make a well in center and add milk. Toss together lightly with a fork to make a soft dough.  Transfer dough to a lightly flour board and knead gently 8 to 10 times. Roll dough to a 10 x 12 rectangle. Spread meat filling on top of dough to within a half inch from the edges. Roll up like a jelly roll, starting from the long edge. Seal edge and place on greased baking sheet, seam side down. Tuck ends under. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 30 to 35 minutes.  Slice and serve with Mushroom Gravy.

Mushroom Gravy:

3 tablespoons butter

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons flour

1 can beef consommé (or French onion soup)

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Course ground black pepper

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms start to brown. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add consommé; bring to a boil stirring constantly, then cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sherry and cook for additional 30 seconds. Season with pepper as needed. Makes 6 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 

Savory Pork and Apple Pie

I know we've been here before so I won't go into details too much although this version is the best one ever. In case you're wondering what to do with leftover pork roast, look no farther.

       

As you can imagine, a 6 pound slow roasted pork shoulder (see link) for 2 people means there's an awful lot of leftovers but we're not complaining regardless of the fact we've been chowing down on it quite a bit over the last few days.

First time around, if you don't count the original, is a take on our favorite sandwich. We love Southern Illinois BBQ sandwiches but felt like we needed a bread break so simply had the skillet crisp meat slices with barbecue sauce on top of a big pile of mustardy coleslaw. Call it lunch or dinner, it's a blissful thing.   

Our second leftover feast involves this wonderful cross between a pie and a stew. I know we've bragged about it before but anything good is worth repeating so you'll find no apologies here. Just hit the link for the down and dirty on the other versions OK.

Last night's included pearl onions, carrot, potato, parsnip cooked briefly in a saute pan along with a little chicken stock and finished with leftover apple onion gravy from Saturday's roast. A glug or two of heavy cream, a splash of chicken stock, pinches of thyme and rosemary to freshen the seasoning, then cubed up roast and a peeled, cored and diced apple hit the pan. 

After a few more minutes of bubbling, I ladled the stew into a couple of ramekins and covered them with pre-baked pastry. Not too shabby looking is it?

If you're not inclined to whip up a little pastry for the topping, this would be equally delicious served in a bowl with biscuits on the side, or topped with mashed yams, turnips or sweet potatoes as a glammed up cottage pie. Check out a few more leftover ideals by hitting the INDEX on the right of your screen. 

Oh My, Another Savory Pork ‘n Apple Pie from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

Pastry for a single crust pie

1 carrots, peeled and diced

1 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 parsnip, peeled and diced

6 ounces frozen pearl onions

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup chicken stock

2 cups leftover roasted pork, cubed

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

1-1/4 cups leftover onion/apple gravy

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out pastry and cut to fit individual ramekins. Decorate as you wish. Cut slashes in tops. Place onto ungreased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until browned and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

Heat deep sauté pan over medium high. Add butter and when melted add pearl onions. Sauté until golden brown. Add carrots, potatoes, parsnip and chicken stock. Cook uncovered until vegetables are soft – about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat until bubbling and gravy is reduced to desired consistency. Ladle into individual ramekins and top with pre-baked pastry crust. Makes approximately 4 servings.

 

Turkey Pot Pie - Again

I don't know about you, but personally I think turkey leftovers are better than the original meal. There's so much you can do with the rest of the cold bird but I think my very favorite use for turkey leftovers other than Hot Brown Sandwiches, or Turkey Soup, or Croquettes or Enchiladas is a good old hot from the oven old fashioned Turkey Pot Pie.

Now you know we're kinda' partial to anything enveloped in a pastry crust around here and I've been known to put darned near anything into a pot pie; however this one's more of a simplified "just get 'er done" kinda' dish. It is nothing fancy just hot, comforting and delicious.

Other than the usual chunks of carrot, potato and turkey of course, I added the rest of the leftover stuffing layered onto the bottom crust before I put the creamy herb filling on top. It's a darned nice surprise too and keeps the bottom crust from getting soggy.

Go ahead and put this one on the menu next time you've some turkey leavings. For that matter you can always substitute chicken if you're so inclined. Afterall, why limit yourself because any time is the right time for a lovely leftover savory pie. Right?

Turkey Pot Pie – Another Round from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

Pastry for a double crust pie

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 onion diced

1 cup chicken stock

1-1/2 cups leftover stuffing

2 cups diced leftover cooked turkey

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup leftover turkey gravy

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Line a 9 inch deep pie pan with pastry. Place stuffing on bottom crust and refrigerate until needed. Roll out top crust and refrigerate as well.

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a small pan and add carrots, potatoes and onion. Cook uncovered until vegetables are just tender (8 to 10 minutes). Drain pot, reserving chicken stock. In a large bowl whisk together mushroom soup, turkey gravy, poultry seasoning and dried rosemary. Add 1/2 cup reserved chicken stock and fold in cooked vegetables and turkey. Place ingredients onto stuffing in pie plate and level out. Add top crust, sealing edges. Crimp, decorate as you wish and cut vent holes into the top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until pastry is done and filling bubbling. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 6 servings.  

A year ago - Peach and Raspberry Pudding 

Two year's ago - Chicken and Stuffing Meatloaf with Cider Gravy

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

 

 

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash and Kale

Kale is our new favorite vegetable and chicken pot pie an old favorite so last night the two went together in this rather stellar pie. 

As you can see by the number of pot pie versions on this site (see Pastry-Savory in the Index for examples), it is hard to go wrong with pastry, chicken and gravy never mind it's a super way to stretch leftover and/or rotisserie bird you picked up on a whim from your local grocery store.

In our case, I simply roasted a slew of chicken drumsticks in a hot oven just because we like to have 'em around as something to knaw on for lunch and combined with pearl onions, lots of garlic, lovely crunchy kale that kinda' stays that way and cubes of butternut squash, this one skillet pie adpated from epicurious.com goes together in a flash. It is a soul satisfying flavor filled ode to autumn. 

I have nothing more to say except make the darned thing and you'll see what I mean. Talk about a soft sell, huh!

I pretty much followed the recipe as given, except I had to add more herbs to the mix because I can't make anything that doesn't have at least 3 in it (garlic doesn't count). In addition, I added more flour to the mix to thicken the gravy but even 1/3 of a cup wasn't enough, so I've amended the recipe to show 1/2 a cup. Just be sure to cook it for a minute or two with the kale, etc. before adding liquid to get the most thickening power out of it. 

Skillet Pot Pie with Butternut Squash and Kale from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from epicurious.com

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 small bunch kale, center ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into half inch cubes (about 2 cups)

5 chicken roasted chicken drumsticks, skin and bones removed, torn into pieces (about 2 cups)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 425. In a 9 inch cast iron pan, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add pearl onions and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are browned. Reduce heat to low – add garlic, and sage and cook for another minute. Add rosemary, poultry season and kale. Season well with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often until kale is wilted. Sprinkle flour over mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, and then add squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is just tender but still has a little bite to it. Remove from heat and add chicken. Cool briefly.

Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured board and roll out to fit top of skillet. Leaving corners intact, score pastry in 3 or 4 places to allow heat to escape and brush lightly with egg wash. Arrange pastry over top of skillet allowing corners to droop over sides. Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry starts to brown, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 20 minutes or until pastry is cooked and filling bubbling. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Hard Polenta Cakes with Bolognese

Two year's ago - Beer Braised Turkey Thighs with an Island Twist

Three year's ago - Hanger Steak with Mushroom Madeira Gravy

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

Pork Picadillo Mini Meat Pies

Last nights main course started out as empanadas and ended as mini meat pies. Who says you have to follow a recipe to the letter anyway.

This one's from Southern Living via myrecipes.com but I jazzed it up so much I just couldn't see the point in limiting the amount of meat filling to a mere speck of flavor in a little handpie so here you go. Muffin cup sized meat pies filled with ground pork, spiced up with mexican flavors and sweetened with golden raisins and crunchy almonds -  I mean what could be better?

To be perfectly truthful, I didn't feel much like standing at the counter fussing over the miniature version because my back was aching and hands cramping after spending a good part of the day staining individual cedar shakes that will be the siding on the house when we're finished. Lordy, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting us in to but on the other hand, it sure is going to look pretty when we're finished. 

Oh incidentally, our version of the pork picadillo has some "attitude" so be forwarned; however, they went beautifully with the gorgeous salad Big Guy whipped up while the meat pies were in the oven and I was sitting on my duff drinking wine and moaning. Nothing like a little teamwork in the kitchen!

Pork Picadillo Mini Meat Pies (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Southern Living via myrecipes.com)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound lean ground pork

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup salsa (I used Herdez salsa verde)

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup sour cream

1 16.3 ounce can refrigerated “grands” biscuits

Heavy cream & coarse salt

Heat oil in a skillet until shimmering. Crumble in pork and cook, stirring constantly until meat is no longer pink. Add jalapeno, chili powders, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper and cook stirring for another minute. Add raisins, salsa and lime juice. Remove from heat and stir in almonds and sour cream. Cool.

To prepare, preheat oven to 425. Spray 12 muffin cups lightly with cooking spray. Open biscuit tube and separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half to make 16 rounds. Roll each on a floured board to approximately 4 inch circle and place 12 dough circles into the muffin cups. Fill cups with cooled filling. Cut remaining 4 circles into decorative shapes and place on top of muffin cups. Brush lightly with cream and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is bubbling and dough is browned.  Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 12. (I used silicone muffin cups which made removal very easy)

 A year ago - Spicy Peanut Noodles with Ground Pork

Two year's ago - It's A Boy!  Happy Birthday Finnigan

Leftover Stew? Make A Pot Pie!

In case you haven't noticed, we love pot pies around here. I mean what's not to like? All that pastry along with meat or poultry of some kind in gravy with vegetables? It's really a perfect one dish meal. Just ask Marie Callender because I've eaten a ton of hers during the past 3 months and have the extra pounds to prove it.

But you know, I'm here to say you don't have to depend on Marie, Banquet or Stouffers for a pot pie because you can make one yourself out of darn near anything. Remember the braised chicken with bacon and beer we had the other night? 

The leftovers went into last night's dinner and with a whole new and different twist on flavors too thanks to a visit to Wednesday's Waldport farmer's market and a lovely lady selling fresh and beautiful chanterelle mushrooms she'd picked herself. Sauteed along with finely chopped onion, finished with a splash of cognac and a touch of cream, they hit the pastry lined pan (extra deep with removable bottom and I love the thing) along with a few extra veggies and came out looking like this. 

Oh and should you be thinking J'Bug's Kitchen is just a one note wonder, here's a few other examples.

      From Leftover 5 Hour Beef Stew        From Leftover Cranberry Pork Roast

  

Incidentally, instead of using prepared pastry from our local market's refrigerator section, I bit the dust and tried making my own using a different recipe and we've Ina Garten and the Food Network to thank for stellar results. Hit the link for her pastry recipe and see for yourself. Any idea how many times I'll have to make it before I can claim it as my own?

A year ago - Whole Stuffed Cabbage

Make Stromboli Tonight's Blue Plate Special

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

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

    
With Italian Sausage                Mexicali Style             

 Deli Style

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

Two year's ago - Clams Casino Pizza

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

Pork Pot Pie

Remember the cranberry glazed pork loin roast we had a week or so ago? Well the frozen leftovers morphed into a memorable pot pie for last night's dinner and with no apologies to a chicken. After all, pork is the other white meat, right? 

I simply browned cubes of it quickly in a hot pan, deglazed said pan with a touch of sherry and added the flavorful morsels to a dish filled with sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms, pearl onions and chunks of carrot. Spiced up with herbs and swimming in a sherry and cream enriched gravy, then covered with a layer of pastry, the end result looked like this.

Delicious, you bet. Afterall, it's hard to go wrong with flakey pastry and gravy, isn't it. The only thing I gotta' say is next time I'm packing up kitchen essentials for a temporary residence, I'll remember to pack a casserole dish or two never mind a rolling pin. This little brownie pan's getting a tremendous amount of use. 

 Leftover Pork Pot Pie (an original from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Kiira Hall) 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup quartered crimini mushrooms

1/2 12 ounce package frozen pearl onions, defrosted

1 cup peeled carrot chunks

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon dried crumbled sage

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Montreal grill seasoning

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 package chicken concentrate (like Swanson’s Flavor Boost)

1/4 cup sherry, divided

1/4 cup heavy cream

3 cups cubed pork loin roast

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

Pastry for single crust pie

 Preheat oven to 425. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium high heat and add onion, garlic, mushrooms and pearl onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally until chopped onions have softened and mushrooms start to brown. Meanwhile, partially cook carrots in microwave until tender crisp and add to casserole dish. Add sage, poultry seasoning and grill seasoning to sauté pan and sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons sherry along with chicken stock and concentrate as well as sage, poultry seasoning and grill seasoning. Cook stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Add heavy cream and set aside.  Heat another sauté pan over medium high heat and add butter. When butter is melted and starting to turn golden, add pork loin cubes. Brown cubes on all sides. Deglaze pan with sherry, and place pork and pan juices in casserole dish. Pour vegetables and gravy over top. Top with pastry and decorate as you wish. Be sure to cut holes in pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is browned. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Grilled Shrimp with Basil and Proscuitto 

Two year's ago - Poppers in a Blanket

Three year's ago - Chocolate Chip Cranberry Nut Cookies

Individual Pulled Pork Pies

The oven barbecued pulled pork we cooked on Sunday has been a real blessing this week. All the packing along with what Big Guy calls "stupid pills" has resulted in a hitch in my getalong and I've been unable to spend a lot of time on my feet the last couple of days without significant back pain. 

The three plus pound pork shoulder has really come in handy and produced some quick and delicious dinner solutions including but not limited to last night's pulled pork pies.

I simply warmed the pulled pork in the microwave slightly so it made it easier to handle and added more barbecue sauce to give it a better consistency. A scoop of pork placed on a rectangle made from the Dough Boy's crescent rolls (Pillsbury) along with thin slivers of red onion and a palm full of grated Mozzarella cheese made up the pies' innards. Coated in an egg wash, the bundles hit a 425 oven for 15 minutes while I concocted the salad and dinner was on the table. Yumm - you betcha!  Here's a few other fabulous things we've made before too ...

     

       Served in a baked potato                   In an ooey gooey Deepdish Pizza

     

          Red Neck Eggrolls                               On A Smashed Potato  

Now, about today - you can count on the fact I will not be packing boxes, lifting anything more than a cup of tea and I'm sorry to say, I won't be spending much time in the kitchen either. There is a lesson in all of this that I may or may not have learned...if you're moving and already have a bad back to begin with, hire the packing done. For darn sure it'll be a lot cheaper than the surgery you're setting yourself up for. Just sayin!

 

Turkey and Stuffing Pot Pie

It's time to get rid of more Thanksgiving leftovers hiding in the freezer so last night's culinary adventure was a true trip down memory lane. I'm warning you though - it's a new invention that could benefit from a little more work but we're all about honesty here so I'm giving you the goods anyway.

It all began with a pre-baked flaky buttery pie crust and kind of morphed from there.  I whipped up a creamy sherry flavored filling that included  a couple of cups of chopped up leftover turkey along with onions, carrots, celery and diced potatoes. As you'll see didn't include anything green which would have helped the visual effects substantially; however, as you know Big Guy doesn't do green peas or beans. His bad.

Piled high with a cap of stuffing stolen from the freezer, the whole shebang hit a hot oven for 45 minutes and came out looking like this.

Unfortunately the nuts in the stuffing got a little "brown" but it was all good. It tasted OK, in fact there's isn't much about it not to like but serving was an issue. It fell apart but that could be overcome by making individual serving sized pies, each in its own ramekin.

Would I make it again - uh maybe, although I must confess to being a touch turkeyed out at the moment. What about you?

Turkey and Stuffing Pot Pie (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 large)

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 cup turkey or chicken stock

2 tablespoons instant blending flour (Wondra)

1/4 cup dry sherry or marsala

1 – 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

2 cups leftover roast turkey, cut into bite size pieces

 

Pastry for a single crust pie

2 cups prepared stuffing (I used leftover)

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange pastry in a 9 inch pie pan, prick with a fork and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Lower oven temperature to 375.

Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until vegetables start to soften. Add poultry season, garlic powder, salt, pepper and potato and stir well. Add turkey stock, cover pan and simmer until vegetables are cooked through – about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in instant blending flour. Cook stirring for 1 minute or until thickened then add sherry. Stir in frozen peas, turkey and cream of chicken soup. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as required. Pour filling into cooled crust and pile leftover stuffing on top. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until filling is bubbling and topping is browned. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Rigatoni with Pancetta, Hot Peppers and Tomato

Two year's ago -  Apple Cranberry Raspberry Pie

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

Stromboli with Italian Sausage

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

Crust:

1 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

2-1/2 cups bread flour, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

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

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

1 large onion, sliced and sauteed until softened

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup marinara sauce

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

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

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

Coarse ground sea salt

Extra marinara sauce for dipping (optional)

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

A year ago - Salmon & Clam Chowder

Two year's ago -  Shaker Lemon Bars

Pork and Apple Pie In A Bowl

When I say another - I do mean another. We presented our first pork and apple pie way back in 2010 and while it's great in its own rather traditional way, I've got to admit last night's effort while somewhat similar, is different in a good way.

Adapted from the same recipe for The Henry Ford Pork & Apple Pie, it's proof once again that recipes are merely guidelines and the same cook can make the same thing more than once, with none identical. It is one of the many reasons I love to cook so much! After all, variety is the spice of life ...says the same person who has ordered exactly the same thing for breakfast, at the same restaurant every Saturday morning for 3 years. Ha. Anyway, I digress.

Last night's pork "pie" started with bacon, cooked until crisp followed by diced onion, carrots, celery and sweet delicious parsnip. Seasoned with lots of salt, pepper, fresh chopped rosemary and a dash of cinnamon, flour hit the pot to form a roux with the veggies before equal parts apple cider and chicken broth make a sauce. Wedges of nice firm Granny Smith apples joined the party and the whole thing simmered for 20 minutes before I added approximately 2 pounds of leftover pork roast from the other day, (minus the stuffing). 

While the stew was cookin', and the flavors blending, I cut a circle of the dough boy's (Pillsbury) prepared pastry into wedges and baked it up in a hot oven for 12 minutes until the pastry was crisp and golden. 

I dished up the stew into bowls, garnished the bowls with pastry and we chowed down on the new and oh so delicious version. Easy? You betcha'. It is a pot pie in a bowl, full of rich pork and sweet apple flavors. It is easier and much quicker to make than the traditional version, but the big question remains...Is it better?  You be the judge!

Pork and Apple Pie In a Bowl

 

Traditional Pork and Apple Pie

 

Pork and Apple Pie In a Bowl

Original Pork and Apple Pie

3 slices bacon, diced 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced 2 parsnip, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Salt and coarse ground black pepper 3 heaping tablespoons flour 2 cups low sodium chicken stock 2 cups apple cider (or more as needed) 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges 2 pounds leftover pork roast, cut into 1 inch cubes   In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Add butter, onion, celery, carrots and parsnip and sauté until vegetables start to soften. Add rosemary, cinnamon and season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in flour and cook stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and apple cider, bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly, lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add leftover pork cubes and simmer for another  10 minutes, adding more cider if mixture is too thick. Alternatively, if it is too thin, remove the cover and let the liquid reduce.   Pastry for single crust pie (I used Pillsbury), cut into wedges and baked on a sheet pan in a 425 oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.   To serve, ladle stew into bowls and garnish with pastry wedges.

2 slices bacon, chopped (optional) 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried sage Coarse ground black pepper 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour 1 cup low sodium chicken stock 3/4 cup apple cider 2 Tablespoons cream 2 Tablespoons apple jack (optional) 4 cups cubed cooked pork loin 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced Cinnamon   In a large sauté pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and add onion and celery. Sauté until vegetables are soft. Add thyme, sage and black pepper, mixing well. Add flour and cook, stirring well for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and apple cider and cook until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in cream and apple jack. Set aside to cool.   Pastry: 1 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup shortening 1/2 cup boiling water Sprinkle salt on top of shortening. Add boiling water and stir until shortening has melted and mixture is well blended. Cool to room temperature.   Blend together 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Cut in shortening mixture using a pastry blender or fork until a dough forms. Form it into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly.   Preheat oven to 425. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and place pork cubes in the bottom. Top with cooled sauce mixture. Place apple slices on top and dust with cinnamon. Roll pastry out on a well floured board to fit top of casserole and decorate as you wish. Brush with egg yolk wash if desired. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and continue baking for 40 minutes or until pastry is well browned, casserole is bubbling and apples are cooked.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

A year ago -  Old Settler Beans

Two year's ago -  Baked Haddock with Onion and Bacon Crust

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

Chicken 'n Stuffing Pot Pie

Not just any old chicken pot pie, this one's about to be repeated several times over the next couple of days as we have leftovers of leftovers. There's not likely to be any complaints about it because last night's effort was pretty darn tasty.

Purely made up as I went along, the main deal's about the leftover lemon rosemary rotisserie roasted chicken courtesy of Big Guy about 10 days ago and recovered from the freezer. Feel free to use a store bought pre-cooked bird but for heaven's sake hit the link and you may be enticed to make one all by your lonesome.

Joined by sauteed carrots, celery, garlic and onion, along with a touch of fresh tarragon and a dash of poultry seasoning, the sauce is fashioned from white wine, concentrated chicken stock like Swanson's flavor boost (I used Trader Joe's version) as well as a can of cream of mushroom soup. Hey I didn't say it was gourmet, now did I? All mixed up together, I'd have added some frozen peas but didn't want to hear the reaction from you know who.

The cruncher occurred when I realized I only had enough pastry dough for a single nine inch pie and since I was looking at 4 rather significant ramekins, I figured my goose was cooked. That's when a foraging trip into the pantry resulted in a package of Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix and a new idea was born.

I mixed some dry stuffing mix with a little melted butter and a splash of white wine, then topped each ramekin with stuffing and pastry. Baked in a 400 oven for 40 minutes, the pot pies came out bubbling and looking right handsome, if I do say so myself. 

It kind of left me wondering what other brilliant ideas are hiding in this brain of mine. As you can see we had our individual pot pies with a side of creamy slaw with chunks of green apple and dried cranberries. Perfect!

Chicken ‘n Stuffing Pot Pies (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup finely chopped onion (about half a large yellow onion)

1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)

1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 large)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning

2 tablespoons instant blending flour (Wondra)

2 packages chicken broth concentrate (like Stouffer’s Flavor Boost)

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup dry white wine

1 – 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

3 cups leftover roast chicken, cut into bite size pieces

 

Pastry for a single crust pie

2 cups dried stuffing mix

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons dry white wine

Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook until vegetables soften and onion turns transparent – about 5 to 8 minutes. Add tarragon, poultry seasoning and instant blending flour. Cook stirring for 1 minute, then add white wine. Cook for 30 seconds until wine has partially reduced and mixture is thickening. In a small bowl, stir together water and chicken broth concentrate, and then add to sauté pan. Cook until mixture comes to a boil then remove from heat. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile spray 4 ramekins or 1 medium sized casserole with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl mix together cream of mushroom soup, peas (if using) and roast chicken pieces. Fold in cooled vegetable/sauce mixture. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required. Transfer mixture to ramekins. Toss together stuffing mix, butter and white wine. Place lightly on half of each ramekin, covering the remaining half with pastry. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until filling is bubbling and topping is browned. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Deviled Chicken 

Two year's ago - Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad (Bo Bun)

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

Onion Pie and Barbecued Meatloaf

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

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

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

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

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

48 saltine crackers

1/2 cup butter, melted and divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 extra large onions, thinly sliced

1/2 pound grated Cheddar cheese

2 cups whole milk or half and half

3 eggs, beaten

Salt and course ground black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

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

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

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

A year ago - Buffalo Shrimp on Lemon Caesar Salad 

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

Mushroom Strudel

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

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

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

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

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

Mushroom Strudel (inspired by St. Louis Souvenirs Cookbook)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 package phyllo pastry leaves

1/4 cup butter, melted

Dry Italian flavored breadcrumbs

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

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

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

A year ago - Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream

Two year's ago - Buffalo Chicken Balls

Pizza alla Napoletana

What better way to make use of summer's finest fresh flavors than by making a simple pizza. Did you know an authentic Italian pizza contains only a few simple high quality ingredients?

I know that may seem weird to most of us because we're used to piling a bunch of crazy stuff on pies but according to Biba Caggiano in her book, Modern Italian Cooking "good pizza should not be smorgasbord of contrasting and, very often, clashing ingredients, but rather an orchestration of well-balanced tastes that complement each other. To be good, pizza needs only three things: a crisp good dough, fresh tasting ingredients, and a light hand in using them."

As you can see, this Pizza alla Napoletana contains only a few ingredients but they've got to be stellar. It is ideal for using those perfect tomatoes fresh from your garden, if and when you're so lucky to have some. As for me, I simply squeezed the juice and seeds out of a vine ripened orb and called it garden fresh. Hey a girls gotta' do what a girl's gotta do, but some of those lovely tasty little mini plum or cherry tomatoes packed with flavor would work just as well.

Along with a couple of minced garlic cloves, a sprinkle of oregano, some fresh mozzarella as well as assorted grated Italian cheeses courtesy of Trader Joe's and a smidgen of good olive oil, last night's dinner was ready before I was. 

Incidentally, this pizza looks less "rustic" than usual because I cooked it in a number 9 cast iron pan that I warmed on top of the stove before it hit a 500 degree oven. The result was an incredibly crisp crust - relatively thin just as I prefer and cleanup was a cinch. No messy peel to wash, no cornmeal mess to sweep off the oven floor and no leftovers. Darn! 

Pizza alla Napoletana (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Modern Italian Cooking, Biba Caggiano)

2 fresh ripe tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or 2 tablespoons fresh oregano

3/4 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese or 4 cheese blend

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pizza dough for 1 12 inch pie

Preheat oven to 500. Brush a small amount of oil onto bottom of a well-seasoned 9 or 10 inch cast iron pan. Roll or stretch pizza dough out to 12 inch size and line bottom of pan. Using kitchen shears, cut off any excess dough. Squeeze juice and seeds out of tomatoes and slice very thin. Arrange on top of pizza dough followed by garlic, oregano and grated cheese. Sprinkle lightly with olive oil. Place plan on high heat and cook for 2 minutes or until pizza starts to sizzle. Move pan to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is golden. 

A year ago - Roasted Salmon with Tomato Basil Relish

Two year's ago - Clam's Casino Casserole with Lemon Pasta

Cheater Chicken Pot Pie

I'm sure you've noticed we've been eating rather simply the past week and this chicken pot pie is no exception. I've been making it for years and years when I want a quick no fuss but tasty pie and while I enjoy one made with freshly cooked chicken with assorted cubed fresh veggies in a roux based gravy of chicken stock and cream, this version really does in a pinch.

Adapted from a recipe in my old tried and true original Purity Cookbook, it makes use of pre-cooked chicken -  I used Trader Joe's grilled version found in their freezer section, a small package of frozen mixed veggies, a cubed cooked potato and a can of cream of chicken soup jazzed up with sherry and other spices to form the base. Rest assured, I very patiently hand picked all the peas out of the frozen vegetables so I wouldn't hear a groan from you know who.

The pie was topped with a flaky cap made from puffed pastry I happened to have hiding in the freezer. The pastry was baked separately on a sheet pan so it wouldn't get all soggy on the bottom, and decorated appropriately with some chicken shaped cut outs and an ax. Yup, that rather morbid suggestion was Big Guy's idea so don't think I've gone over to the dark side on you. By the way, if you want your puff pastry to puff all over, don't do what I did and slash cutouts in it, but even with the goof, it came out looking rather interesting. 

It was all ready in no time with limited mess and delicious served with a coleslaw loaded with dried cranberries and toasty almonds.  

Cheater Chicken Pot Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Purity Cookbook)

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted per package instructions

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1/4 cup minced sweet onion

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

1 small packaged frozen mixed vegetables

1 medium potato, peeled, cubed and boiled for 5 minutes then drained

1 – 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup dry sherry

Dash each poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage

Coarse ground black pepper

Unfold puff pastry onto a floured board and roll slightly to remove creases. Cut into shape of casserole dish and move to a parchment lined sheet pan. Decorate as you wish and place pastry into freezer to chill until needed.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Grease a medium sized casserole dish with softened butter and add onion, chicken, mixed vegetables, and potato to the casserole. In a small bowl combine cream of chicken soup, sherry and seasonings. Pour over chicken/vegetable mixture and using a fork, fold it into the veggie/chicken mixture. Cover casserole with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes (45 minutes total).  Remove pastry from freezer and brush with egg/water mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Take casserole from oven and remove foil. Carefully place cooked pastry on top and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Bacon Blue Burger with Bourbon Onions

Two year's ago - Basque Chicken with Chorizo

Onion and Bacon Tart

The consensus of last night's kitchen antics - "Totally different and absolutely delicious". We all know there's a ton of different ways to put onion and bacon to good use be it in a pasta, risotto, quiche, pizza or even just a lowly sandwich but this particular effort just made a direct trip to the top of our list.

A cross between yorkshire pudding, a Dutch baby pancake and toad in the hole it's made from ingredients most of us have on hand on a regular basis - eggs, milk and flour. Top that with 2 kitchen staples (at least in JBug's Kitchen) crispy bacon and golden caramelized onions and you've got the makings of a perfect dish. 

I guess I don't have to describe the flavor because we're all familiar with the dulcet notes of bacon and onion, but the crust is not to be believed. It plays a crunchy, tender and puffy light as air like supporting role to the simple filling and there's not an ounce of cheese to be found in the whole darn thing either.

As we wolfed it down along with a fresh green salad, I couldn't help but think it would make a fabulous appetizer all cut up into little wedges, or as a luncheon dish along with a glass of dry white wine. A sincere thanks to Saveur.com - we'll be having this again soon!

By the way, the only change I made to their recipe is that I baked the crispy crunchy flavorful wonder in a large 12 inch cast iron skillet rather than an 9 x 11 inch casserole which made for a super crunchy crust in a lot less time.  I kid you not - you absolutely have to try this!

Onion and Bacon Tart (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Saveur)

6 ounces bacon, diced

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1-1/4 cups whole milk

3 eggs

In a large heavy 12 inch skillet, fry bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to drain. Reserve bacon fat in a small dish. Return pan to medium heat and add butter. When melted add onions. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Sauté onions until golden brown and lightly caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425. Return reserved bacon fat to skillet and place skillet into oven to heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile whisk together flour, mustard and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. In separate bowl whisk milk and eggs together, then add liquid to dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth then allow to rest for a minimum of 10 minutes. Pour into hot skillet. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and onion and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. 

Other dishes you might enjoy!

Toad in the Hole                                 Dutch Baby Pancake

  

 Date and Gorgonzola Pinwheels

Pancetta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza

Imagine a white pizza - meaning one made without a spec of tomato sauce but with a creamy buttery peppery nutmeg spiced white bechamel sauce, sprinkled with crisp pancetta and bits of smoky bacon,  sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and pepperoncini. Kissed with smoked mozzarella as well as some of the unsmoked version, it's all hot, steamy, creamy and subtle in flavor.

The taste of the pancetta and bacon really stand out as does the smoked mozzarella. The pepperoncini add a very subtle bite of spice and the creamy rich bechamel really holds the whole thing together. It's the bomb!

There's just one little thing - I darn near drove the Big Guy nuts as he was building this beauty because I did something really stupid. Now I've made this pizza crust a b'zillion times - it's my "go to" when we're having pizza and ready in a flash because it's made in the food processor. It's really never fail, but fail it did last night. Actually to tell the full story, I can't blame the crust because the cook was at fault.

Moral of the story - measure, measure, measure. I eyeballed the flour and oil and wasn't careful with the water either resulting in a dough that was way, way too soft and hard to handle. It didn't have the crunch or consistency of our usual brag worthy version, and it was a giant pill for the Big Guy to roll out, never mind get from the pizza peel to the stone in the oven.  Sorry my darling man. I sure hope your blood pressure's back to normal!

Pancetta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

Crust:

1 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

In bowl of food processor with metal blade, combine 1-1/2 cups flour with warm water and yeast. Blitz to mix well. Add 1 more cup of flour, olive oil and salt. Blitz just until dough forms into one ball and rides on top of the metal blade – about 20 seconds. Remove dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). After dough has risen, remove to a floured board and cut in half. Form into 2 balls and cover with a bowl. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before shaping. Makes two 12 inch pizzas.

Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1-1/2 cups milk or fat free half and half

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and whisk to combine well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes stirring constantly. Whisk in milk and cook until thickened – about another 5 minutes, whisking often. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside to cool.

Pizza:

4 ounces pancetta, cooked until crisp

4 ounces smoky bacon, cooked until crisp

Roasted Red Pepper, diced (I used jarred)

Dry packed sun dried tomatoes

Pepperoncini (optional)

6 ounces smoked mozzarella, sliced

4 ounces grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 500 with pizza stone on lower rack. Roll dough into 2 – 12 inch discs. Split sauce between 2 pizzas, then add rest of ingredients, ending with grated mozzarella to prevent sun dried tomatoes and bacon from burning. Bake for 12 minutes.

A year ago - Old Fashioned Lemon Pudding   Two year's ago - Mushroom and Marsala Soup

Greek Style Broccoli Cheese Pie with Patio Chicken

Yesterday was National Pie day and while most people would think to celebrate with a sweet and delicious dessert, I thought I'd be different and serve a savory version. This broccoli cheese pie isn't anything like the usual quiche variety that most of us are used to. It has all the appearance and flavors of a giant Greek spanikopeta without the spinach!

It's made from broccoli, steamed and chopped up along with sauteed onion, lots of lovely feta cheese, fresh parsley, dill and garlic of course and it's all wrapped up in a nice little crispy phyllo blanket. It's the kind of thing I personally love to eat - hot or cold; however, I'll admit I made a slight slip up yesterday and added  lemon zest and juice just because I've got a ton of them around right now. A lighter hand would have been better, as the lemon commandeered the party, so you'll notice in the recipe below I've left it out entirely. It didn't make it inedible - just different. It would be perfect on its own with a tossed salad for lunch or dinner, but as you know we don't do meatless much around here and that's where the chicken comes in.

Don't ask me why it's called "Patio" chicken because I have no clue but this one's from Celebrated Seasons, one of my collection of Junior League Cookbooks and it's really very good. I used skinless boneless chicken thighs, covered them in a spiced up crumb crust and baked them in a 400 oven for 15 minutes, after which they're slathered in mayonnaise and returned to the oven to finish cooking. 

They're very tender, moist and really flavorful - in fact, it would be fabulous picnic food, well wrapped and in a cooler of course. It'll also make an awesome chicken sandwich with sliced tomatoes and maybe a slice or two of crisp bacon -- but we digress. That'll have to be a whole different story.

Greek Style Broccoli Cheese Pie (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Celebrated Seasons, A Junior League Cookbook)

10 to 12 sheets phyllo pastry

1 small onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

20 ounces broccoli florets, steamed until tender, drained and chopped

3 eggs, beaten

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (I used one with Mediterranean Herbs)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a small skillet and sauté onion until transparent. Add garlic and cook an additional minute until garlic is fragrant. Move to a large bowl to cool slightly. Add broccoli, eggs, feta, parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.

Arrange 6 to 8 sheets of phyllo pastry on a board, staggering layers and brushing lightly with butter between each layer. Place into a 9 inch spring form pan, allowing the sides to overlap the edges of the pan. Pour filling into the pan and fold overlapped edges toward center of pan to partially cover filling. Arrange 4 sheets of phyllo together on a board, brushing lightly with butter in between. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle to fit the top of your spring form pan. Place circle of phyllo sheets on top of filling. Using a sharp knife, score the top sheets into 8 wedges. Brush top with remaining butter.

Place spring form pan onto a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake in 350 oven for 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove sides from pan and slide pie onto serving plate. Cut into wedges.

Patio Chicken (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Celebrated Seasons, A Junior League Cookbook)

2 pounds chicken – I used skinless boneless thighs

1 cup dry Italian breadcrumbs

1-1/2 teaspoons onion salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon summer savory

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine breadcrumbs, onion salt, pepper, garlic powder, summer savory and curry powder in zip top bag. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towel, leaving a little moisture on them. Add pieces one at a time to the bag of spiced crumbs and shake to coat. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with mayonnaise, sprinkling any remaining crumbs on top. Lower oven heat to 350 and continue to bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until tender. Serve hot or cold.

A year ago - Gnocchi with Romesco and Italian Sausage   Two year's ago - Steak and Guinness Pie

Ham and Swiss Quiche uh Pie

What ended up being our dinner last night wasn't exactly on the menu. You see I had planned to make a big pot of soup so the boys and I went all over our side of town yesterday looking for one simple item - yellow split peas. They had to be yellow because you can't make my favorite French Canadian soup (Habitant) without yellow peas and I couldn't use green ones because then the soup wouldn't be "Habitant" plus the Big Guy won't eat it because he can't abide green peas.

As it turned out I couldn't find the darn things in the 5 stores we hit so I had to go to Plan B. A large chunk of ham, a dearth of eggs and a hunk of emmantal cheese ended up filling this giant quiche pan with rich, creamy goodness. I daresay we've had Ham and Cheese Quiche here before because after all we're about "everyday" food and there's been well over 1,000 every day's in this blog's lifetime but there hasn't been a quiche quite like this one.

You see, my smaller ceramic pan cracked right in half a while ago and what I'm left with is a giant Bodum dish that I bought to make a rather large berry pie when we were entertaining a group of very hungry students. Said students have long since moved on but the two of us are here with a foot wide pan which takes some ingenuity to fill. I love it though!

Anyway, it was no problem because this particular recipe will do the trick nicely and the combination of eggs, half and half and yogurt yields a filling that is incredibly light and fluffy. Of course the trick to making any quiche that way, other than having the right proportion of ingredients for the custard, is to partially cook the crust before adding the filling then adding the scrummy stuff like onion, ham and cheese in the right order and dicing the cheese instead of grating it, so as it cooks and melts it's surrounded by soft creamy custard instead of forming a layer of melted goo with custard on top. (Is that one heck of a run-on sentence or what?)

So there's your lesson for the day and I'm sure you're left wondering what on earth two people are going to do with all that leftover quiche. Well, first - you'd be amazed how much two people can eat when something's as good as this is, plus it is fabulous cold right out of the refrigerator or newked briefly till warm to make a super lunch. It also freezes rather well but we won't have to worry about that in this house because I have the Big Guy convinced it's not a quiche. Since real men don't eat quiche and he happened to enjoy two pieces last night then it has to be a pie. Female logic rules again!

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

1 tablespoon butter

1-1/2 cups ham cut into quarter inch cubes

1/2 pound Emmantal cheese cut into 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 tablespoon Dijon mustard

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 10 – 12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375.

Melt butter in a sauté pan and cook onion until softened and slightly golden. Cool. Whisk together eggs, half and half, yogurt, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and Dijon mustard until well combined.

Arrange ham cubes 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 dust with freshly grated nutmeg. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

A year ago - Marinated Grilled Hanger Steak  Two year's ago - Balsamic Glazed Sirloin

 

Duck Pizza with Figs, Pancetta and Brie

One of the major pluses of cooking for two is that a lot of recipes are made for 4 servings which means that fabulous dinner of braised duck we had night before last got a reworking for dinner as the most incredible pizza ever made.

Now we've made duck pizza before but honestly I'm thinking it was just a prelude to an even better version this time. A perfectly thin and incredibly crisp crust is the basis as always, but last night's seemed thinner and crisper and absolutely more delicious than any before which makes not one bit of sense because it is the same recipe we always use.

A creamy sauce made from heavy cream and the white rinds of the brie is reduced and tops the crust, followed by leftover braised duck, pancetta pieces, juices and all and some of the figs all sliced up nice and evenly. Topped with golden brown onions jazzed up with some dry sherry and guilded with slices of brie, it all hit the pizza stone in a 500 oven for exactly 12 minutes.

Garnished with some pomegranate arils that cut some of the richness of the other ingredients just perfectly it was amazing, particularly served with a rather incredible bottle of 2006 Sagrantino di Montefalco we sprung $9.99 for at Trader Joes - which to be honest is an absolute fortune for us cheap under $6.00 a bottle winos. Heaven in a glass to go with heaven on a plate.

The bonus - I lifted barely a finger to help and I even tried to keep my "advice" to a minimum. It was the Big Guy's labor of love. Lucky, eh?

Duck Pizza with Figs, Pancetta, Grilled Onions and Brie from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Emeril Lagasse

Crust:

1 cup water

1 package active dry yeast (Rapid Rise is fine)

2-1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

In bowl of food processor with metal blade combine 1-1/2 cups flour with warm water and yeast. Mix well. Add 1 cup four, olive oil and salt. Combine well until dough forms into one ball and rides on top of the metal blade (about 20 seconds). If dough is very sticky add more flour; however dough should be very soft. Remove ball of dough from processor and place in lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. After dough has risen remove to a floured board and cut in half. Form into 2 balls and cover with bowl. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before shaping. Makes 2 – 12 inch pizzas

 Sauce:

2/3 cup heavy cream

Rind from 8 ounce piece triple cream brie cut into small pieces

Combine rind and cream in a small pot. Heat over medium heat, whisking from time to time to dissolve cheese into cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until cream has reduced and sauce is thick – about 10 minutes. Watch carefully so you don’t reduce it too much!

 

For the pizza:

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons medium dry sherry

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Add butter and when melted, add onions. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions have caramelized and turned a rich amber color (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat and add port. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

1-1/2 cups chopped or slivered cooked duck leftover from Braised Duck

2 ounces of diced pancetta with juices leftover from Braised Duck

6 precooked leftover figs from Braised Duck, thinly sliced

8 ounce piece of triple cream brie sliced, (rind removed as above)

Pomegranate arils

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 500. Shape crust into 12 inch pizza. Top with half of Brie sauce, and half of the duck, pancetta, figs and brie. Transfer to pizza stone and bake for 12 minutes. Garnish with pomegranate arils. Repeat for second pizza.

A year ago - Pomegranate Gelato   Two year's ago - Shaker Lemon Pie

 

Leftover Prime Rib Roast

We'll be starting a series of what to do's with the rest of our humongous prime rib roast over the next couple of days; however, if you can think of anything better than a beef pot pie, please let me know. Personally I think it'll be a tough one to top.

Last night's version is one first posted way back in 2009 and I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to showcase its powerful flavors again. Other than potatoes, carrots and one solitary monster sized parsnip, this one's a real winner with the addition of some maple smoked bacon. Mushrooms cooked in the bacon drippings until all golden and lovely become the cornerstone of a deep rich gravy courtesy of a can of Campbell's French Onion Soup and some sherry. Finished with a touch of sour cream believe you me if I could sell that gravy by the bottle, I'd make enough money to buy myself an island in the Pacific Northwest. Don't laugh ...the Caribbean can't hold a candle to it as far as I'm concerned.

Topped with what's become my new favorite pastry made from butter and shortening, the pie's about as class A as you can get. Needless to say it was HOT too when it came out of the oven, and since my Big Guy's not the most patient eater you've ever seen ... meaning he shovels it all it at the speed of light - he dumped that pretty pie upside down on his plate so it would cool off quicker and he could get the job done more efficiently. The mess he created darn near broke my heart, but hey I guess after it leaves the kitchen it's no longer my concern anyway. Is it? Next time I'll add some green peas to the mix. That ought to slow him down a bunch.

Incidentally, we've other plans for that leftover prime rib roast like sandwiches, or a big pot of beef and barley soup, or absolutely the best chili you'll ever, ever eat, or more of those lovely little cornish pasties like we've made before so stay tuned.  We promise there will be more!

Beef Pot Pie with Sherry Gravy

Pastry:

2 -1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3.5 ounces butter, cut into cubes

4 ounces shortening

1 egg beaten with 6 tablespoons cold water

Whisk together dry ingredients to mix well. Cut in cold butter and shortening until mixture has a uniform crumb about the size of small peas. Using a fork toss in the egg/water mixture and combine until must moistened. Form into a disc and chill thoroughly.

Pot Pie

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion minced

2 cloves garlic minced

2 carrots, quarter inch dice

1 potato, quarter inch dice

1 large parsnip, quarter inch dice

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup water

Sprinkle of salt

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

1/4 cup parsley, minced

3 cups cooked beef, cubed (I used left over prime rib, but steak or beef purchased from deli with do)

1 slice bacon, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup mushrooms, quartered

2 tablespoons flour

1 can Campbell’s French Onion Soup

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon catsup

1/3 cup dry sherry

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup sour cream

Sauté onion in olive oil until transparent. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add diced carrots, potato, parsnip, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water, cover pan and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, until vegetables are just tender.  Remove from pan and place into 4 individual ramekins. Sprinkle each ramekin with 1/4 cup of frozen peas and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Divide cubed beef evenly between 4 ramekins.

Cook bacon in sauté pan until fat renders and bacon is almost crisp. Add butter to pan, then add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are browned. Add flour and stir to combine well. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add onion soup, water, catsup and stir to combine. Cook stirring until gravy thickens. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add Worcestershire sauce, pepper, sherry and sour cream and stir well to combine.  Divide evenly among ramekins.

Roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thickness and cover ramekins. Decorate as desired. Brush with beaten egg yolk. Cook in 400 oven for 35 to 40 minutes until pastry is golden and filling is bubbly.   

A Leafy Harvest of Green

Hard to believe that anything edible could be harvested at this time of year. I mean you're listening to a transplanted Canadian here and where I'm from about the only thing you could harvest right now would be the odd bottle of champagne from the snow bank. That's why it seemed important for some bizarre reason, to point out the fact that we're able to harvest some of our leafy greens to make our dinner salad last night.

Thanks to some diligent covering during recent visits from a desert dwelling old man winter, our leaf lettuce grew like crazy over the past rainy cold couple of weeks and yielded a salad of epic proportions last night along with another bag chock a block full of the stuff.

I swear there's nothing better than fresh from your garden lettuce and all of ours came from 2 little pots on the patio. The screening you see in the pictures is there to keep the dogs from mowing it down - they'd eat every bite of it in a flash given a chance, as they'd rather have lettuce (especially romaine), than cookies ....almost. Anyway, the Big Guy harvested the goods but left the roots along with about 2 inches of stocks, and we'll be picking more of the tender flavorful greens in a scant 3 or 4 weeks.  Ah geez - sorry, I'm bragging again aren't I?

The Big Guy whipped up a salad to accompany more of the cheater meat pies like the ones we had the other night but this time instead of chicken, crans and nuts, I used leftover picadillo I had hiding in the freezer for an occasion such as this. We'll be having more of the yummy little bundles because you can use almost anything as a filling, plus we just love the darn things!

A year ago - Apple Walnut Salad with Caramelized Pork