JBug's Kitchen Antics

Beer Battered Sea Bass Tacos

Tacos are a great solution when you're looking for a quick excuse for dinner and/or your family's not big fish fans. I'm not saying we're not because we are but who can turn down a piece of fish coated in a light beer batter and fried until golden? Come to think of it the same beer batter could make darn near anything palatable (think fair food like twinkies, oreo cookies or such). Kind of magical I'd say particularly since there's only 4 ingredients in it too - flour, salt, pepper and warm beer. Who knew?

Anyway, I know we've had fish tacos here before so the main thing that's different about these is the creamy and spicy sauce I found on SoupAddict's blog (hit the link for the recipe) and the fact that you'll see 2 kinds of tortillas on this masterpiece of a taco.

Imagine if you will, a corn tortilla folded over a stainless dough scraper (like this one) and deep fried for about 30 seconds a side, then wrapped in a warm refried bean slathered flour tortilla and filled with taco makin's. The beans make the two tortillas stick together and it means a you can stuff the taco full of fabulous things including slaw, sauce, avocado, fish, jalapenos and the like and your taco won't fall a part when you bite into it. The added crunch isn't a bad thing either. 

Here's the recipe for the beer batter just so you can try it out. The trick to success is to use room temperature beer when you whip it up and make sure to let the batter rest for 15 minutes or more before you use it. Oh and be sure to dry the outside of whatever you're dipping so the batter will stick. Incidentally, Sea Bass may not be the best choice for making tacos because it's kind of bony so for a better experience, try cod, halibut or catfish instead.

Beer Battered Halibut for Tacos from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Epicurious.com

Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground lemon pepper

1 cup beer, room temperature

Whisk together flour, salt and pepper. Whisk in beer and beat until smooth. Let rest for 15 minutes.

1 pound fish cut into strips (halibut, catfish, tuna, salmon, cod, etc)

1 lime cut in half

Salt and lemon pepper seasoning

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Dry outside of fish with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with lime juice. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 1 inch of oil in the bottom of a heavy pan until it reaches 350. Dip seasoned fish into batter then fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes total, flipping over half way through. Drain on paper towels. 

 

 

Big Guy's Chili Dogs

There's nothing gourmet about chili dogs but you know who happens to love the darned things so it's reason enough for me to put them on the dinner menu every so often. Chili dogs weren't exactly a popular item where I grew up but they're Big Guy's definition of comfort food ...not finger food.  

I don't know much about them, but I do know the chili on a dog is a lot different than any other kind in that it is definitely sweeter, has a different texture and there isn't a bean to be found. What I do know for sure is that I should have handed the apron over to Big Guy a long time ago because he came up with this version.

Obviously from the look of his plate he was more than satisfied with the results of his efforts. 

 

 

Big Guy’s Chili Dog Chili an original from  JBug’s Kitchen Antics

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 tablespoon chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons molasses

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained and pureed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Water if needed

Salt & course ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is transparent. Add ground beef and cook, crumbling with a fork until meat is browned. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, dry mustard and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add Worcestershire sauce, molasses, pureed tomatoes, tomato paste and barbecue sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes adding water if mixture is too thick. Taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as required. 

Beer Battered Halibut Tacos

We've been craving Mexican food lately and what with a freezer loaded with halibut, it was a bit of a no brainer to come up with fish tacos for dinner. I say that now but as you can see from the photograph the brain ceased to function fairly quickly after the decision was made on what to have. Would you say we needed larger corn tortillas or smaller pieces of fish?

No matter though because honestly, it was the best battered deep fried fish I've made in a very long time - simple too. Who knew that regular all pupose flour, a touch of seasoning and a cup of room temperature beer could make a coating so light and tempura like and fish so moist and tender. Really!

The fish was perfect topped with creamy guacamole, peach and mango salsa, and sour cream on a bed of shredded mixed slaw all nestled in a pair of warm white corn tortillas. Perfect - just a little hard to eat daintily. 

Beer Battered Halibut for Tacos from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Epicurious.com

Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground lemon pepper

1 cup beer, room temperature

Whisk together flour, salt and pepper. Whisk in beer and beat until smooth. Let rest for 15 minutes.

1 pound halibut, cut into 5 x 3/4 inch strips

1 lime cut in half

Salt and lemon pepper seasoning

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Dry outside of fish with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with lime juice. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 1 inch of oil in the bottom of a heavy pan until it reaches 350. Dip seasoned fish into batter then fry in batches for 4 minutes total, flipping over after 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. 

 

Reuben Crescent Bake

I happened to see this casserole in Taste of Home last week and immediately thought how much my resident carnivore would like it. As you know from yesterday's debacle, he happens to love savory stuff wrapped in pastry. My only issue other than cost of making the darned thing, was the caloric content.

Deli corned beef is a whopping $13.99 a pound in this man's country, and $3.50 for a 7 ounce package of Swiss Cheese slices, plus the cost of rest of the ingredients and we're talking over $30.00 and that's not including a salad to round out the menu; however, the real kicker's the 610 calories per piece. So what did I do? 

 I kept the amount of crescent rolls and sauerkraut the same, but cut the corned beef, swiss cheese and thousand island dressing in half. I know I could have left out the top crust and saved even more but what the heck. 

Having never made this before, I can't honestly say how much of a difference cutting back the quantities made as far as flavor goes, but we thought it was quite an exceptional way to enjoy one of our favorite sandwiches and you can be sure, I'll be trying it with other combinations. Imagine a Philly cheese steak bake or crab or tuna melt, or even meatballs and mozzarella. Why, the possibilities are astounding! 

Rueben Crescent Bake from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Taste of Home

2 – 8 ounce tubes refrigerated crescent rolls

7 ounce package sliced Swiss cheese

8 ounces sliced deli corned beef

1 – 14 ounce jar sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry

1/3 cup Thousand Island salad dressing

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Preheat oven to 375. Using one roll of crescent rolls, unroll and seal perforations and place into bottom of 13 x 9 inch pan, sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.

Remove from oven and place half the cheese slices on top of the baked dough, followed by the corned beef. Mix sauerkraut with thousand island dressing and spread evenly on top of corned beef. Follow with remaining cheese slices. Unroll second tube of crescent rolls, seal perforations and place on top of casserole. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with caraway seeds.

Bake for 15 minutes or until top is golden and filling bubbling. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Two years ago - Frito Pie

Three years ago - Chicken with Chili Verde and Cornmeal Dumplings

What The Heck Are Left Overs?

Whatever you do, don't think of leftovers as dinner dregs. Rather, think of them as opportunities. That's what I do because heaven knows most of the time I cook enough for an army. It's not doing our waistlines any good but I can't quite seem to find the perfect balance between 6 serving sizes and 2 and while a measuring cup and a good kitchen scale go a long way in solving that problem, who can be bothered.  I'd rather find a good solution for the left overs.

Remember the braised flanken style short ribs we had back in September?

Well no one - not even the resident carnivore and his sidekick John, try as they might, could get through the entire 4 pounds in one sitting. I packaged the remnants of our stellar meal in an airtight container and stashed it in the freezer for a semi-instant replay down the road. Here we have it!

A man sized barbecue beef sandwich. It was really easy to remove the bones from the short ribs because goodness knows the meat was falling off 'em anyway.

After that it was a simple case of adding a few red pepper flakes because one MUST cater to their audience, along with a good glug or two of bottled barbecue sauce. After a quick flash of heat in a skillet, we piled the tender flavorful beef onto a split loaf of soft and delicious fresh from the oven foccacia bread. A little shredded cabbage for crunch and a fistful of napkins and dinner was ready. 

The only negative about the whole exercise? There wasn't a speck of dinner conversation, polite or otherwise, because we were too busy chowing down. Oh and please no comments about the portion sizes - he's still working his way through the "Honey Do" list and needs every calorie to keep his strength up. It's gonna' be a long haul!

 

Crab and Cheese Buns

I'm smart enough to know that many of the items on our menu these days aren't exactly affordable in other parts of the world so bear with me OK? Believe me, I do realize how lucky we are to live here in the land of abundance although it does depend on whether the sea creatures are biting or not and right now, if the truth be told, they're not. Good thing I plan in advance.

Last night's dinner took advantage of Big Guy's crabbing skills from an ocean excursion with Mike a few weeks ago.  I had whipped up these crab and cheese buns and hid them in the freezer thinking they'd come in plum handy for lunch or dinner one night when I was too tired to cook.

A recipe from The Best of Bridge ladies first cookbook "Royal Treats for Entertaining" published way back in 1976, it proves that good (no great) things never go out of style, even though in this case the result isn't actually calorically responsible. Guess we didn't worry about such things that much way back when, huh!

Simply crab mixed with Velveeta cheese and butter and stuffed into soft rolls, I used the stronger flavored ocean crab rather than milder bay crab, but you can always use a canned or frozen crab if you must. The sandwiches are wrapped in foil and hit the oven for 20 minutes (or 30 if pre-frozen) and come out of the packages oozing buttery cheesy crabby gloriousness. Is that a word?

Great as an appetizer made in parkerhouse rolls or in a larger rolls as I did and served beside a crispy salad, they are simply delicious and a perfect excuse for having dinner in front of the television after a really busy day.

Crab and Cheese Buns from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Best of Bridge, Royal Treats for Entertaining

8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1-1/2 cups crab

1 dozen soft dinner rolls (or Parkerhouse rolls)

Place cheese and butter into food processor and whip to combine well. Add crab and pulse carefully to combine crab with the cheese mixture. Do not over mix. Split rolls in half and fill really full with crab mixture. Place buns on a sheet pan and heat in a 325 oven until warmed through and cheese has melted (about 15 to 20 minutes). If freezing for future use, wrap buns in aluminum foil and freeze on a sheet pan. When frozen, move to a Ziploc bag for storage. To heat, preheat oven to 325. Place frozen foil wrapped buns on a sheet pan and heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes approximately 1 dozen, depending on the size of rolls used. 

A year ago - Meatball Pie 

Two year's ago - Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta

Three year's ago - Blueberry Roly Poly Pudding

 

 

Making Bread In the Food Processor

I think I mentioned a while ago that my old Cuisinart, one of the originals, gave up the ghost on me a little while ago and by that I mean the motor put in nigh on 30 years of hard labor and worked just fine and dandy, but the plastic work bowl disintegrated and I was unable to find a replacement.

I've mourned the loss and recently bit the bullet and replaced it with a brand spankin' new 11 cup model. I figured what better way to test drive the new baby and honor the old one than by making the same bread I'd whipped up in it regularly. 

It's a cinch to make, takes no time at all. The new Cuisinart performed admirably though with a much different "feel" to it than the old one, but I figure it must be something like learning to drive a new car...a car's a car, but a new one feels and smells a lot different than the old one. 

The bread turned out beautifully in spite of me because it was treated with very little respect during the process. It rose, was punched down and lived to rise again only to be deflated once more. Then, rather than forming the dough into 2 skinny loaves of French bread like I'd planned, it became one round misshapen crusty loaf of moist tender carbs, half of which we slathered with a spicy horseradish mayo/sour cream sauce and topped with perfectly grilled rib eye steak, marsala flavored golden sauteed onions, chunks of crumbled blue cheese and sliced tomatoes. Uhhh, yum wouldn't you say, oh and I love my new Cuisinart. 

French Bread (adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious.com)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/3 cup warm water

 

4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

1-1/3 cups warm water (105 – 115 degrees)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Stir yeast into water and let stand until foamy (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile combine flour, salt, and vinegar in the bowl of a food processor (using dough blade) and pulse to combine. When yeast is ready, with the motor running add yeast, water and olive oil. Blend for 1 minute.

Spray a bowl with cooking spray and transfer dough from food processor to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm draft free place to rise until doubled in size – approximately 1 hour. Half way through, deflate dough and allow to rise again.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Cut in half and form each piece into a 15 inch log. Spray French bread pans or a sheet pan well with cooking spray. Place dough on pan and coat with olive oil. Let loaves rise, uncovered in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Fill a large roasting pan with about an inch of water and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 400. With a very sharp knife, cut 3 slits into each loaf. Bake loaves for 20 minutes, and then carefully remove water from oven. Flip bread directly onto oven rack and bake for another 5 minutes, until loaves are golden brown and crusty all over. Cool loaves on a rack.  

 A year ago - Pineapple Slaw with Dry Rub Ribs

Two year's ago - Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Three year's ago -  Pineapple Bran Muffins

Cornmeal Cakes with Smoked Chicken and Coleslaw

Remember the Southern Illinois BBQ sandwiches I'm always talking about? The ones with crispy fried pork tucked into a soft bun with mustardy slaw and a drizzle of barbecue sauce?  

Well this is kind'a like it except for moist corn studded corncakes instead of the bun and smoked chicken instead of pork and sweet coleslaw instead of the mustardy chow. Come to think of it, the only thing the two have in common is barbecue sauce; oh, that and the fact they're both delicious of course.

 

Corn Cakes with Clams, Basil and Sundried Tomatoes

Big Guy and I took a trip into the valley yesterday (Salem) so dinner needed to be of the no fuss, quick, easy and yummy kind. Fresh corn's enjoying its hayday at the moment and while we've created several versions of corncakes in JBug's Kitchen, this one's slightly different from all the rest. Along with chopped corn kernels, it is spiced up with minced onion, jalapeno pepper, roasted red peppers and tiny little chunks of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.  

Crunchy in texture because of the addition of coarse ground yellow cornmeal (I used Bob's Red Mill- did you know they're an Oregon company?) they're a cake, like a pancake cooked on a griddle rather than a fritter that's deep fried.

Corn Cakes with Tomato and Avocado Salsa

The moist flavorful corncakes are a perfect backdrop for thin slices of smoked chicken purchased from our local JC Market Thriftway where they homesmoke a bunch of great stuff like jowl bacon, ham, chicken and turkey. We buy it all and Big Guy slices it nice and thin and bags and stores it in the freezer because it beats the heck out of any deli meat, both for flavor and price never mind we've been too busy working on the house to get our home smoker operating, at least that is our excuse and we're sticking to it. 

Anyway, next time you're looking for a quick and scrummy dinner, give this a try. You could even substitute shredded pork, or beef in barbecue sauce, or even shrimp with salsa or use 'em as a taco and/or make 'em into a mini version as an appetizer - now there's a good example of a run on sentence isn't it?  

Spicy Corn Cakes (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Gourmet via epicurious.com)

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

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese cubes (1/4 inch cubes)

1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar cubes (1/4 inch cubes)

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, soda, black pepper, cayenne and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk together to incorporate. Fold in cheese cubes.

In a small bowl beat together egg, butter, buttermilk, and hot sauce. Add corn, onion, roasted red peppers and jalapeno and mix to combine well. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Batter will be lumpy.

Heat a griddle over medium high heat then lower heat to medium low. Spray griddle with cooking spray and coat lightly with additional butter. Drop batter onto griddle using an ice-cream scoop and flatten slightly. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until they are golden brown and feel firm in the center. Move to a platter and keep warm in a low oven. Makes approximately 12.

A year ago - Braised Duck Legs with Marsala and Sour Cherries

Two year's ago - Country Terrine

Three year's ago -  Pork Katsu with Soba Noodles

 

Breaded Veal Sandwiches with Mango Avocado Salsa

During the summer aren't you supposed to spend more time with fun and frolic and less time in the kitchen? That was my excuse for serving these incredibly easy on the cook veal sandwiches for dinner the other night. Talk about quick, easy and good too.

Now I know some of you aren't crazy about veal for one reason or another in which case you can replace it with cutlets of another variety (like chicken or pork), but personally whenever I see veal in the store I buy it. I grew up on a beef and dairy farm in the wilds of northern Ontario, Canada and learned at a very early age that making a pet out of any kind of bovine was guaranteed to lead to certain heartbreak and/or starvation. You just gotta' get over it. That said I know Big Guy's going to make me eat my words come the time he's out huntin' down bambi. (I won't eat venison.)

Anyway imagine thin cutlets of tender veal dipped in flour, beaten egg and seasoned breadcrumbs then browned quickly in a hot buttery pan. Placed on a soft inside and crispy outside ciabatta roll slathered with a lime crema' and topped with fresh mango avocado salsa, it is a virtual summer on a plate, especially with a side of sweet, juicy crenshaw melon balls. I figure the melon balls are a fair substitute for crispy, greasy, utterly wonderfully delicious french fries. Uh, ya right!

Honestly, it is just that if we keep eating the way we have been, we'll have to reinforce the foundation on our house and goodness knows there's enough to do around here without adding that to the list. Just sayin'. 

Breaded Veal Cutlet Sandwiches with Mango Avocado Salsa & Lime Crème an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics, adapted from Canadian Living Magazine

6 ounces veal cutlets (or substitute pork or chicken)

2 eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

All-purpose flour, salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (or panko)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

 

2 ciabatta rolls, warmed and sliced in half

1 cup mixed greens

Place veal cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently until thin. Season with salt and pepper, Dredge in flour then dip into egg/water mixture and finally coat well with seasoned breadcrumbs. Place on a wire rack and allow to sit for 10 minutes to set the coating before sautéing. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil and butter together until hot. Cook veal quickly for approximately 1 minute a side until browned. Place onto a paper towel lined pan to absorb any excess fat. Sprinkle with sea salt and coarse ground black pepper.

To complete sandwiches, slice warmed ciabatta rolls in half and place a tablespoon of lime crema on each half. Top with veal and finish with avocado mango salsa.  Makes 2 servings.

Avocado Mango Salsa

1 fresh mango, peeled and diced

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

Juice of half a lime

Pinch each of salt and pepper

Toss ingredients together until well mixed.

 Lime Crèma:

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Juice of half a lime

Whip ingredients together until well mixed.

 

Salmon Burgers with Herb Aioli

Three more days and I'm done. The sun's setting on my time in Tucson.

Goodbye desert, so long allergies, take a hike creepy crawlies and slithering snakes, TTFE (ta ta for ever) streets that begin only to end in unusual places and road signs that instruct "do not enter when flooded".  It's been a slice but adios. We're headed for greener pastures, ocean breezes and home...to Oregon! 

To get a head start on all things wonderful in the Pacific Northwest, we had these incredible salmon burgers for dinner last night, thanks to Fine Cooking. It was also an excuse to remind Big Guy that his hatred of salmon is a thing of the past. Now if I could just change his mind about green peas!  

Gorgeous sockeye salmon fillets carefully removed of their pinbones and chopped, combined with an easy to make dill and garlic aioli, fresh breadcrumbs as a binder and lots of freshly ground black pepper and formed into patties then fried slowly in butter until crispy on the outside and moist and tender inside...well what can I say?

Served on a grilled bun slathered with more of that creamy cheater aioli along with a perfectly ripe avocado half, they were darned messy to eat and oh so incredibly delicious.  Just remember, they're only as good as the ingredients so please leave the farmed "Atlantic" salmon for people that don't know any better and buy wild salmon. The flavor's absolutely incomparable. 

Hit this link and head to Fine Cooking for the recipe. Trust me - it's amazing!

A year ago - Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri

Two year's ago - Pork Tenderloin with an Herb Crust and Horseradish Potatoes

Three year's ago - Garlic Roasted Shrimp with Red Peppers and Smoked Paprika

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, Chorizo and Green Chile Cheeseburgers

We haven't been home for a Pink Mountain Friday night * (see note)  for a number of weeks and quite honestly I've been feeling guilty about it. I mean I'd hate to get to the point that I take a Friday night date night for granted so instead we teamed up and cooked dinner at home last night.

I mixed up ground pork and Mexican style pork chorizo with chopped roasted Hatch green chiles from our freezer, garlic, a few panko crumbs and salsa verde and formed the mixture into patties. Refrigerated for half a hour or so, they held their shape beautifully on the grill as Big Guy did the cookin.

Topped with slices of gooey Velveeta and some Pepper Jack Cheese, a little mayo and a bunch of other green stuff like more roasted chiles, dabs of guacamole, shredded lettuce and pickled jalapeno's all piled up onto a grilled bun, we were definitely on the right road to flavor town. 

* Note - for those of you who are puzzled by the terminology, Pink Mountain Friday's are our Tucson tradition to be defined as "when the mountains are pink, it's time to drink".)

Pork, Chorizo and Green Chile Burgers (an original from JBug’s )

1 pound ground pork

1/2 pound Mexican style pork chorizo

4 ounces roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded and chopped (canned is fine)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup panko crumbs

1/3 cup salsa verde

Course ground black pepper

Salt as needed

4 hamburger buns, buttered and grilled

4 whole peeled and seeded green chiles

4 slices Velveeta

4 slices Pepper jack cheese

Guacamole, mayonnaise, pickled jalapenos, shredded lettuce

Combine pork, chorizo, green chiles, garlic, panko and salsa verde. Season well with pepper but go lightly on the salt because the chorizo is usually quite salty. Form into patties and refrigerate for a minimum half hour. Grill on a hot oiled grill until patties reach an internal temperature of 145. Add cheese slices and cover during last few minutes of cooking to melt the cheese. Serve on grilled buns topped with mayo, guacamole, jalapenos and shredded lettuce.

Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Roast Chicken with Apples and Rosemary

Two year's ago - Nasi Goreng

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

Chicken Tostadas

I was in a real fix yesterday trying to decide what to do with some of the leftover roast chicken from Saturday night's dinner. I was thinking enchiladas since we haven't had them for a while and of course there's always one of my favorites, chicken pot pie but we've had plenty of those in the past. 

Instead I took a page out of Marcela Valladolid's book at Food Network and put together a platter of goodies as toppers on small corn tortillas that I fried until crisp and golden. The tostada's are a cinch to make so there's no need to buy the shells because they take all of about a minute total to get crisp and puffy. A little oil in a large cast iron pan, a pair of tongs and that's it.

Next time you've some leftover pork, beef, chicken or even fish or shrimp, take an imaginary trip to margarita land and cook up this simple Mexican version of an open face sandwich.  I bet your family will have a blast choosing how to build their masterpieces never mind enjoying the crisp and flavorful results of their labors. I know we sure did!

The simple version...uh dainty isn't it?

 

The manly kind. Dainty? NOT

A year ago - Grilled Tri Tip with Tequila Marinade

Two year's ago - Shaker Lemon Bars

 

The Hot Brown - Not Just Any Old Turkey Sandwich

I figure my Canadian readers are just working their way through the last of the Thanksgiving turkey so here's something different for those of you who've had enough of the ordinary - although I'm not sure how a turkey sandwich piled high with cold stuffing, cranberries and mayo could ever be called ordinary.

Regardless, I'm here to say that when you have one of these, you'll be cooking another turkey PDQ so you can have more. The Hot Brown first came to be in the late 1920's and was served at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. I think it's a cross between a Welsh Rarebit and turkey version of a Croque Monsieur which is a Croque Madame without the egg. However you want to describe it, let's just say it's plum good!

We've had it before with the traditional cheese sauce but last night's version adapted from Food Network Magazine contains sauteed onion in the sauce as well as chicken stock. I changed it up by using half and half to make it richer and Jarlsburgh cheese instead of the muenster they called for, and kicked it up a notch too with a little cayenne pepper and a splash of sherry. 

Loaded onto slices of crisp grilled French bread, slathered with mustard and layers of sliced tomato, turkey and sauce all browned up under the broiler, the crowning touch has to be the crisp salty bacon on top.  Served with a crisp salad on the side, it more than sufficiently saffonsified my resident carnivore. 

Hot Brown Turkey Sandwich (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Food Network Magazine)

Sauce:

5 slices bacon

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup half and half (more as needed)

1-1/2 cups grated Jarlsburgh cheese (or Muenster or Monteray Jack)

1/8  teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Salt & pepper

In a large sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel and reserve for later. Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan. Add onion to the pan and cook until softened and starting to turn golden. Stir in flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in chicken broth and half and half. Lower heat to medium low and cook stirring occasionally until thickened. Remove from heat and add grated cheese, cayenne pepper and dry sherry. Stir until cheese is melted. Taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as required. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

Sandwich:

4 thick slices crusty bread (I used French bread)

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Dijon mustard

1/2 pound sliced roasted turkey

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Preheat broiler. Spread softened butter over both sides of French bread slices and grill in a hot pan until golden. Remove from pan and place onto a foil lined sheet pan. Slather grilled toast on one side with Dijon mustard and top each slice with a few tablespoons of prepared sauce. Arrange sliced tomato on top, followed by a thin layer of sliced turkey. Top with sauce and follow up with more turkey, ending with sauce on top. Place under the broiler and cook until golden brown – about 2 to 3 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon. Makes 4 servings (or serves 2 gluttons). 

A year ago - Ranch Potatoes

Two year's ago - Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

A Big Guy Burger - Beef, Beer and Stilton

Bigger may not necessarily be better in a burger as I found out last night when trying to chow down on this giant. You see, I made it a mission to find out why a regular hamburger bun is a mere 3 or 4 inches in diameter instead of bigger so it can hold more stuff?  

I had a lovely 12 inch loaf of Ciabatta hanging around, waiting for the perfect occasion and while I could have made a panini of gargantuan proportions, or simply cut it up to accompany a bowl of soup or chili, I figured a nice crusty loaf of bread could be the perfect platform for a burger we could share and the size of which would make my resident carnivore swoon. 

Now that's a big honkin' burger wouldn't you agree? Loaded with a 1.5 pounds of ground 85/15 beef, flavored with garlic and Montreal steak seasoning, moistened with lovely dark lager, and held together with bread crumbs and egg, I shaped that meatloaf sized puppy into a loaf the exact size of the ciabatta. Browned in a screaming hot cast iron pan first, it hit the oven to finish cooking.  I know for a fact my carnivore would have preferred it rare, but I wasn't taking any chances because I didn't grind the meat myself from scratch. 

Served up on grilled Ciabatta slathered with horseradish and mayo and loaded with golden brown Guinness flavored onions, pungent Stilton and cool refreshing sliced tomato it was all rather impressive, or so I thought. 

He did too. Big Guy's eyes were shining and he couldn't wait to get his teeth into all that yummy good stuff. In fact, therein lies the answer to the burger bun question. Get his teeth into it he did with no problem at all while it was a knife and forker for me.  It's kinda the obvious answer as to who has the bigger mouth around here too, huh!  Now that's a relief.

A year ago - Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

Two year's ago - BBQ Beans

Big Beautiful Burgers Again

School's out on the best way to make burgers. There’s differing opinions as to how to prep the meat, whether it be ground beef, pork, veal, chicken, Italian sausage or any combination thereof.

Some just spice it up with grill seasoning and/or garlic powder, salt and pepper, and form it into patties (that’s how Big Guy does it). Then there’s decisions to be made as to the size and thickness of the patties, whether to stuff the cheese inside or put it on top and what kind of bun to use never mind whether to toast it, steam it or serve it naked out of the wrapper.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Personally, I don’t think there’s a wrong or a right way to make ‘em, I just know  I’d rather have a burger than a steak, although I live with a guy that begs to differ. Last night’s burger extravaganza included 80/20 ground beef mixed, combined with Italian bread crumbs, dry onion soup mix, various spices and an egg and water to bind and moisten because when I make ‘em, I like ‘em that way. I formed the patties into a thinner patty each consisting of a half cup of beefy goodness, then Big Guy took over.

He cooked them outside on a flat top grill and the patties ended up crispy, crunchy and yummy on the outside, moist and tender inside. Stacked in pairs on a grilled bun topped with mayo, blue cheese crumbles  and some of the bacon, onion and beer jam Big Guy cooked up a couple of days ago, it was enough to make the golden arches weep with envy.

In case you’re wondering, we’re prepping ourselves for the shock of leaving the lovely Oregon coast to return to the desert. Needless to say the euphoric moods enjoyed the past 3 weeks are a little less euphoric, in fact we’re all kinda’ quiet…down in the dumps if you really want to know the truth. We’ve had a blast visiting old haunts, walking the beaches and generally enjoying a place that’s really become our second home; however, yesterday was a day that needs to go down in history as a first!

You see, the owners of our lovely little Rose Cottage have a garden that just doesn’t quit and shared some fresh and I mean FRESH snow peas with us yesterday. If you’re a regular to this site, you’ll remember that Big Guy doesn’t do peas in any way, shape or form but yesterday he finally saw the light and ate a plateful, simply washed and uncooked. He says a guy'll eat anything if he's starving and I say maybe so, but why'd he look so darn happy while he was doing it if he didn't like it? Just sayin'. 

Beefy Onion Burgers (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

2 pounds 80/20 ground beef

1 envelope dry onion soup mix (I used Lipton)

1/2 cup dried Italian flavored bread crumbs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Montreal grill seasoning

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 egg

2/3 cup water

Combine ingredients together and form into patties, using a half cup per patty. Refrigerate for a minimum 30 minutes to blend flavors and firm up patties. Cook on a flat top grill until crispy outside and medium inside (about 3 minutes per side). Serve on warmed hamburger buns with toppings of your choice. Makes 10 thin patties.

 

Crispy Dogs - a new kinda' corndog

Big Guy took me out to our favorite restaurant last night - The Parish. I've bragged about this place several times but I'm going to say it all again, so hear me out OK? If you're lucky enough to live in Tucson or unlucky depending on your point of view since the heat's arrived along with monsoon season, then The Parish is the perfect place to go to cool off and drown your sorrows or celebrate. 

Their menu contains an eclectic mix of Louisiana style food with a modern twist and there's not a bad thing on it. From incredible tennis ball sized crawfish hushpuppies to dead on perfect gumbo to a blue rare blackened steak salad that Big Guy enjoyed immensely last night to their crunchie bacon popcorn, I've yet to see a plate return to the kitchen or see an unhappy customer.

The atmosphere's fabulous, the staff fun to be around and the Owner's are a constant welcoming presence and sincerely want everyone to have a great experience. Oh, the beer on tap's pretty darn special too and we've yet to try their homemade infused spirits, but hey, we'll be going back so there's plenty of time for that.

If you live here or you'll be visiting, you've got to go. They paid me nothing for this review and barely know we exist except that we met Bryce one of the Owner's last night, so take me at my word - from an incredibly discriminating foodie, this place rocks. 

Now, on to a JBug's kitchen antic for the day. I saw these crispy dogs on Homesick Texan and knew we had to give 'em a try. I mean Big Guy'd rather have a tube steak than a filet mignon so I knew he'd be happy and I'm good to try anything as long as it's a good quality "dog". 

Simply a weiner (we used Hebrew National 97 percent fat free), sliced in the middle and loaded with cheddar, then wrapped in a warmed corn tortilla and fried, they're so darn easy to make I kinda' wonder why we didn't think about it ourselves. 

More important, they're absolutely addictively delicious and a fabulous lunch or perfect summertime snacker. We had our crispy corn doggies along with some of the avocado dip we had the other day and some purchased salsa. 

Head on over to Homesick Texan for the more info on the "how to's" and here's the link to our Guacamole Dip. 

A year ago - Chicken Mushroom Lasagna with Bechamel 

Two year's ago - Biba's Bolognese with Risotto

BBQ Turkey on a Bun

Late night dinners are a whole different ball game around here. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time eating a heavy meal then going to bed and expecting to sleep. Of course sleep is rather fleeting around here this week anyway with the Maxer doing his seizure dance, but if I were going to catch some zzz's, I'd be hard pressed to do it after a heavy meal. 

 
Last night's dinner sure wasn't rocket science but it filled the void, was quick to make and filling but not the stuff kind of filling and rather tasty too. This sandwich is simply shredded leftover turkey, moistened with chicken stock and slathered in barbecue sauce on a grilled bun. That's it, that's all - except for the red onion, red cabbage slaw of course.

No mayo in this one - just the sharp bite of red wine vinegar and a 2 hour room temperature marination  and the crispy relish was ready as a true crowning glory on our sandwiches. Accompanied by some cold crisp crudites and sweet potato chips, we were sufficiently suffcified. 

In case you're wondering what's happening with the kitchen renovations, the new granite was installed  with a couple of hitches that need to be resolved which may mean the third time we go through this exercise. Believe me, it's not that I'm fussy ...just the guy that cut the granite must have been into the tequila because it's out almost a half inch on one side meaning there's a big enough gap between the granite and the wall that our backsplash tile isn't likely to cover.

The plumber has also been and gone. We've a new sink with actual running water in the kitchen, except the water is also running UNDER the sink so of course the plumber will have to come back to fix it and to pick up the faucet wrench he left behind. Oh, speaking of faucets, the faucet is too tall so we can't open the plantation shutters or the window for that matter so it's safe to say our string of bad luck is still rolling along. When I picked the darn thing I took that into account but apparently when they supply measurements, they only include the distance to the top of the faucet, not including the handle.

If you think that's all, you'd be wrong. Our precious wine fridge that has the dual duty of curing pancetta and storing wine was built into the island - in fact, the island was designed around the darn thing. The only problem is the fridge doesn't like its new location, even though the manual says it can be used as a built in or stand alone refrigerator. Needless to say, we now need to purchase a new wine cooler or find something else to do with the huge gap in the island. 

Oh and update on Max, he still doing the shaky dance - 14 and counting since Sunday night and we're working hard to get them under control but failing miserably. He's had enough valium to sink a battleship and if he's not careful his Momma will be stealing some ... I might have thought about it before now if it weren't for the fact they're suppositories. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Do I hear anyone laughing?

I can honestly say if I didn't know any better, one would think there's a curse on us. On a positive note - I love our new kitchen especially the cabinets and really love the pot drawers we added to replace cupboard doors. They're absolutely amazing and make the kitchen much more efficient!

BBQ Turkey Sandwiches (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Slaw:

1 small red onion, cut into very thin slices

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and store at room temperature for a minimum 2 hours, then chill until serving.

 

Sandwiches:

4 panini rolls

Butter

1 pound cooked turkey

1 cup barbecue sauce ( I used honey flavored)

1/4 cup white wine or low sodium chicken stock

Tear or cut turkey into small shreds and place in a sauté pan along with barbecue sauce and wine. Heat slowly to a simmer, stirring often. Cut Panini rolls in half and butter well. Toast buttered side down on a hot grill. To serve arrange a generous amount of turkey mixture on grilled bun and top with slaw mixture. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Bacon and Blue Mac and Cheese 

Renovation Update and Corned Beef Panini

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

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

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

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

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

A year ago -  Lettuce Wraps with Spiced Pork

Two year's ago - Bourbon Orange Glazed Ham

Are You Wondering What To Do With Leftover Corned Beef?

It's been a few days since St. Patrick's Day and if you're anything like I am, you've been wondering what on earth to do with that piece of corned beef hiding in the depths of your refrigerator.

We solved part of our problem with last night's dinner and enjoyed what has become an annual tradition around here - Reuben Sandwiches. I have a pet peeve with the things when the inside's cold and the cheese hasn't melted either, so this time I drained and rinsed the sauerkraut then warmed it slightly in the microwave before putting it on the sandwich. I also sliced the corned beef and warmed it as well before constructing the sandwich with Thousand Island dressing, provolone and swiss cheese. Buttered on each side then placed on a medium hot griddle, the rye bread toasted nicely on one side then I flipped 'em over, placed a sheet pan on top along with a cast iron skillet to weight it down and the result was nicely melted cheese and appropriately warm innards. MMM 

I've plans for the rest of the corned beef too. We'll be enjoying another breakfast like the one Big Guy made for us on the weekend. There's absolutely nothing that starts a Sunday morning off quite like corned beef hash on a crispy potato cake, topped with poached eggs. In fact, I may not wait until Sunday and have it tonight for dinner, since Big Guy won't be home. I love breakfast for dinner but he's not so hot on it.

Oh, how about making some Cornish Pasties with some of that gold? Just substitute corned beef for the pork in this recipe , eliminate the half cup of gravy and add a little wine or beer to moisten the filling. Believe me, it will be delicous. 

Of course if that doesn't turn your crank, you could always make a lovely quiche like pie using hash brown potatoes for the crust like we did here with this one. Just substitute corned beef for the chicken and leave out the green chiles and you'll have a fabulous new creation to enjoy. 

Failing that, dice some leftover corned beef up and throw pieces into a batch of cheesey buttermilk scones. Open a can of soup to go with them or make something like the Winter Vegetable Chowder we had the other night or our Roasted Tomato Soup and you'll have a meal fit for a king. 

Just for heaven's sake, don't let it go to waste. It's just too darned delicious, don't ya' think?

Fried Fish Sandwiches

Dinners around here on Wednesday nights are way past the usual time because the Big Guy's got a late class this semester. It means that dinner and bedtime are but a short hour apart so by necessity we need something lighter.  I suppose given enough time I could convince myself this monster double barrel fish sandwich was lighter, but who the heck would I be kidding. It was sure good though. 

It's funny how many different methods there are for coating and frying fish but I've got to tell you I'm not sure I'll ever find a better coating than this one. A mixture of flour, cornmeal and baking powder mixed with egg and beer, jazzed up with some Cajun spices and deep fried about covers it, and boy does it ever! Light, crisp, flavorful with extra moist flaky cod on the inside - what can I say.

Piled on top of a soft potato sandwich bun along with some slaw, sliced tomato and tartar sauce, it was the first time in my life I've ever seen the Big Guy eat a sandwich like this with a fork. Ya' think I might have gone overboard?

Fried Fish Sandwich (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by myrecipes.com)

1 pound fish fillets (I used cod)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 cup beer

Hamburger buns

Tartar sauce

Packaged Slaw mix

Tomato slices

Place vegetable oil into heavy pot to a depth of approximately 1-1/2 inches and heat over medium high to 375 degrees. Meanwhile cut fish fillets into 3 inch pieces, wash and dry well with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt and baking powder until light and well combined. Whisk in egg and beer and mix until smooth. Dip seasoned fish into batter and fry in batches in hot oil without crowding pan for 4 minutes total or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to drain and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining fish. Place fish onto warmed buns along with tartar sauce, slaw and sliced tomato. Makes 4 servings.

 A year ago - German Potato Pancakes

Two year's ago - Chicken with Mint

Meatballs - One Recipe, Two Delicious Meals

Whether cooking for a casual party or dinner for family and friends, there's hardly a better crowd pleaser than Italian meatballs and these polpette adapted from Nick Stellino's Mediterranean Flavors cookbook are in a class of their own. 

Loaded with tons of romano cheese, they have an element of surprise not just with a little sugar but with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg too, along with the usual garlic and Italian parsley. While Nick makes his version with a combination of veal, pork and beef, veal is darn near impossible to come by in these parts so I included only beef and pork. No matter - I can't imagine they could possibly be any better than they are. Instead of browning them on top of the stove and having to hover over them, I popped the little balls onto a sheet pan and put them in the oven for 25 minutes. Cooled and packaged into two lots, the first bag went into little meatball sliders that were included in our Super Bowl Sunday feast.

Simply nestled into soft rolls that I whipped up and baked in the new silicone muffin pans my honey gave me for my birthday this year, they came out a perfect size mini-bun to nestle a meatball into. Rather than cut the rolls in half and having to deal with a meatball on the lamb, I simply hollowed out some of the bread from the top and filled the hole with marinara sauce, grated parmesan, and a warmed meatball before topping the mini sandwich with grated mozzarella cheese. A few minutes under the broiler and we were dining fine.

Last night's dinner made use of the second bag of meatballs and the rest of the marinara, Trader Joe's I might add. Hey I'm not above using a good brand of ready made and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Nestled into a bowl of al dente' pasta, it made for a perfectly quick and absolutely delicious weeknight dinner.  I'm just wishing I'd doubled the meatball recipe so I could have more hiding in the freezer for nights I don't feel like doing much in the kitchen because a I can think of another couple of ways to use them to satisfy the hungry masses - like a rich and creamy meatball and bechamel lasagne or a hot bowl of meatball soup. Bliss, pure bliss.

Nick Stellino's Meatballs (adapted from Nick Stellino’s Mediterranean Flavors)

1/2 cup milk

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup dried Italian flavored bread crumbs

2 eggs

2 cups grated Romano cheese

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add

1 pound ground pork

1 pound lean ground beef

Mix gently with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated. Using a quarter cup scoop, shape into balls. Place on sheet pan lined with parchment and bake at 400 for 25 minutes. (Makes approximately 18 meatballs.)

A year ago - Country Spice Pudding Cake  Two year's ago - Figgy O'Fiber Muffins

 

Old School Style Pigs n' Blankets

We took a day off yesterday and hit a favorite place for breakfast followed by hours cruising the lots looking at some very luxury RV's including a whole bunch of Fifth Wheels. Hey - it's fun spending money you don't have and dreaming about the future, isn't it.

As a result when we finally got home we were both tired, thirsty and the cook felt extremely uninspired in the dinner department. The Big Guy absolutely loves hot dogs and since I had a solitary can of crescent rolls hiding in the refrigerator and some hot dogs in the freezer it seemed like a good idea to combine the two and come up with something we could call dinner.

The result were these cheater pigs in blankets that the Big Guy said used to be one of his favorite grade school cafeteria lunches. Unfortunately the grade school I went to was significantly lower class because we didn't have a cafeteria and had to bring our lunches, although I admit a lot of the time the bag held a "tube steak" in another form - bologna sandwiches.

We had our "dogs" along with a quick homemade macaroni salad chock a block full of celery, sweet onion, carrots, cubed cheese, relish, hot sauce, mayo and a touch of sour cream. Sorry, I didn't measure a thing so I can only tell you what went into the darn thing. It was all good - especially the little cheese filled, cornmeal coated crescent dogs. When you're stuck on trying to decide what's for dinner after you've had a big, big breakfast and a long tiring day give these a try. I guarantee they'll fill the gap and bring back some memories too.

School Style Pigs n Blankets aka Crescent Dogs (inspired by Pillsbury.com)

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

4 jumbo wieners

2 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into thin strips

1 tablespoon cornmeal

Preheat oven to 375. Cut wieners to within approximately a quarter inch of each end and stuff with strips of cheddar cheese. Unroll crescent rolls and press triangles together to form 4 rectangles. Using a sharp knife, cut quarter inch wide slits in the center of each rectangle on the short side, leaving all 4 edges intact. Place a cheese stuffed wiener against the long edge of the rectangle and roll dough around it, sealing the edge. Place wiener seam side down and cheese side up on un-greased baking sheet. Repeat for other 3 hot dogs. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with mustard.

A year ago - Red Wine and Port Sauce

 

 

Roast Beef Sandwiches with Grilled Onions and Gorgonzola

This is the second in the leftover roast beef series and we're not tired of it yet, although the Big Guy sliced up the rest of it yesterday for various other purposes and stuck it in the freezer. He kept out enough for these lovely sandwiches, as well as a repeat in the next day or so. Lucky us!

He cut the slices so perfectly thin they only have one side, piled them all together and put them inside some soft buns, grilled on the inside. Topped with some of the horseradish sauce that was the star of our Christmas dinner, the sandwiches were finished with golden brown grilled onions, ripe juicy halved mini-plum tomatoes and slices of creamy gorgonzola cheese. If these are leftovers, bring 'em on!

As for today - the Big Guy's working his way through his honey do list and yesterday, did some remodeling in the laundry room, moving cabinets and installing shelving. It looks fabulous, functional and I love it. Today he's re grouting the master bedroom shower and then retiring to the garage to work on the bow he made. As for me, I've a mountain and I do mean a mountain of ironing to do. Woe is me!

A year ago - Lamb Stew with Trinidad Curry

Cran-Nut Chicken Bundles

We're absolutely crazy about the savory hand pies (pasties) cooked up in JBug's Kitchen over the last little while but since we're all about every day deliciousness, I wanted to come up with a quick solution for those of us that are somewhat pastry challenged.While I've had nothing but good luck with pastry lately I'm not about to get smug over my success because we all know success in the kitchen can be a fleeting thing at times.

Inspired by a recipe on the Pillsbury web site, I chopped and braised a couple of chicken thighs in butter and vermouth and when cooled, folded the cluck into some cream cheese mixed with slivered almonds, dried cranberries and a touch of rosemary. Spooned into rectangles formed by sticking some crescent rolls together, I pinched up the corners into the center then sealed the edges, brushed the bundles with butter, dusted them with panko crumbs and the pan of goodies hit the oven for 25 minutes while I made a small salad. Ya, salad - haven't seen one of those coming from our kitchen in a while have ya.

Don't ask me why it took so long to try this, because I'm pretty happy with the results from that fat little dimply "Dough Boy".  While nothing can replace the flavor or texture of a great pastry, this is a good alternative.

Meanwhile, there's some bundles left in the refrigerator waiting for you know who when he gets home ...if he ever does that is. His flights were cancelled yesterday due to fog and he had to spend another night in Fargo. Talk about a let down! Now, guess where it's foggy like crazy at the moment? Yup - it had better darn well clear up cause I'm kinda' done with this solitary existence. I know I've got the fur kids but I don't get much of a reaction from them unless I say "walk, car ride or cookie".

Chicken Bundles with Cranberry and Almond (Inspired by Pillsbury.com)

 2 small skinless boneless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup vermouth

Salt, pepper

1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons half and half

2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/4 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/4 cup panko crumbs

Heat sauté pan over medium high heat and add butter. Chop chicken into half inch pieces and add to hot sauté pan. Cook until chicken is no longer pink – 2 or 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and dried onion flakes. Add vermouth, stir well to incorporate, then cover and simmer chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, until wine has evaporated and chicken is cooked. Remove to a plate and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, beat together cream cheese, butter, and half and half until smooth. Fold in onion, cranberries, almonds, salt, pepper, rosemary and cooled chicken.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Separate crescent dough into 4 rectangles, sealing perforations well. Scoop a half cup of chicken filling into center of dough and pull corners together joining in center. Pinch edges to seal well. Place on prepared baking sheet, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with panko crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 4.

A year ago - Shrimp and Scallop Stew with Chorizo

Beef and Roasted Pepper Panini Sandwiches

Remember the tri tip roast we cooked up recently? Being the frugal soul that I am, I divided and froze the leftovers in zip bags with some grand ideas for its future. Good thing I'm such a planner.

We celebrated Pink Mountain Friday last night with a couple of knock out sandwiches. Fresh panini rolls slathered with mayo and horseradish, topped with thinly sliced and slivered medium rare tri-tip, roasted red and yellow peppers, pickled jalapeno slices and an assortment of cheeses including bits of fontina, sharp cheddar, Italian 4 cheese blend, fresh mozzarella and a smidge of gorgonzola. 

Slathered with butter and cooked till crisp in a hot panini grill, not only was it a great way to use up some tri-tip leftovers, it did short work of all the bits and pieces that collected in the cheese drawer over the past week or so. Rather brilliant, don't ya' think!

Sorry there's no recipe because we just threw them all together. Does it give you some ideas?

Bacon and Blue Cheese Burgers

Beef rules in this house, at least according to you know who but because I grew up on a beef/dairy farm, it holds limited appeal to me; however, if I must indulge I prefer a burger over a steak any day of the week. The burger we had last night is liable to convince you that I may be right. 

Lean ground beef mixed with some whipping cream to keep it moist along with dried onion flakes, a smidge of garlic, worcestershire and a few dried panko crumbs then pattified and grilled until perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender inside are joined on the bun by crisp bacon, perfectly ripe red tomato and the kicker - a blue cheese sauce. The sauce is fashioned from equal parts sour cream and mayo, along with dry mustard, garlic powder, a little worcestershire, a  hint of red wine vinegar and 4 ounces of crumbled Gorgonzola. It's creamy, drippy, cheesy and, single or double - the burger's the bomb!

Oh, we had our burgers with some potato and parsnip latkes but I'll have to tell you about them another time. I really don't want to steal the burger's thunder.

Bacon and Blue Cheese Burgers (Adapted from Canadian Living Rush Hour Cookbook)

Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon each salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola)

Combine ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill a minimum of 1 hour to blend flavors.

Burgers:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup panko crumbs

2 tablespoons dried onion flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

In a large bowl combine ingredients together. Form into 4  or 5 patties, depending on desired thickness. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

Fresh burger buns

Sliced tomato

Bacon cooked until crisp

Heat grill and cook burgers for approximately 4 minutes on one side. Turn and cook for another 2 minutes, or until desired doneness. Grill buns if desired until warm. To serve, spoon sauce onto bun. Add burger and garnish with bacon and tomato. Top with additional sauce as desired.

A year ago - Chunky Autumn Chili

The Ultimate Patty Melt

Friday's around here are ultra casual including but not limited to our culinary endeavors. What can be better than celebrating the end of another work week than with an ooey gooey cheesy messy to eat patty melt sandwich.

Last night's version was truly one of those "seat of your pants" creations including lean beef mixed with a little steak sauce, dried onions and lots of pepper then grilled on our fancy new shiny red grill. A Maui sweet onion mixed with a yellow onion sauteed in butter to a rich golden brown and jazzed up with some marsala wine topped the beef patty, along with slices of muenster cheese all on some glorious rye bread loaded with caraway seeds and browned till crispy in butter on the flat top grill.

Our sandwiches kept company on the plate along side some "schmucked" potatoes - little red taters roasted in a very hot oven till really soft on the inside and crisp outside, then flattened and returned to the oven to crisp up, topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary. They were yummy.

I've no recipe to give to you since I measured not one thing so I'll have to leave the re-creation of last night's dinner up to you and your imagination. Happy October 1 everyone!

A year ago - Food Processor French Bread

Shredded Pork BBQ Sandwiches on Home Made Buns with Apple Cabbage Slaw

What do you do with 3.6 pounds of leftover Dr. Pepper shredded pork? Why, you make barbecue sandwiches, naturally. Our only problem is that we didn't have any hamburger buns and I'd already spent my weekly budget so hitting the grocery store was out of the question. You see, I'm rather disciplined in that respect; ok, call it anal, but how do you think we manage to take a month's vacation every summer? That's right - we save for it a dollar at a time!

Thankfully the pantry gods were shining on us because we had all the bread makin's so between the two of us, the Big Guy and yours truly whipped 'em up in no time flat. Things rise pretty quickly when your room temperature's approaching the 80 degree mark. Just sayin'.

Next time you've a minute and are so inclined, whip up a batch of these gorgeous buns. They're soft and squishy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, kinda' sweet, a little salty too and just darn near perfect specimens. I caution you though:

1. The dough is extremely soft so be careful how you form them. We shaped them into perfect rounds which then became perfect squares except for the single bun that I cooked in a round ramekin. It could be that my dough was too sticky, so you may need to add more flour;
2. Be sure you've got lots of fresh butter waiting for you when the buns come out of the oven. They're incredible dipped in the stuff and eaten while still hot. Of course I didn't do that and if you believe me, I've some swamp land in Tucson to sell you.
3. Be ready with a baseball bat to guard your work if you happen to be making these and roasting some Hatch green chiles at the same time. We could have had a stampede!

By the way, our pulled pork sandwiches included some of the Big Guy's secret barbecue sauce (sorry, he's not sharing), along with the cabbage apple slaw with maple walnut dressing from the other night.  What more can I say except here's the recipe for that too - finally.  It's delicious!

Hamburger Buns (adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious.com)

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 F)

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 teaspoon salt

6 cups flour, divided (I used 3 cups bread flour and 3 cups all-purpose)

1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

Coarse sea salt

Heat milk in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat and cool to 105 F. Meanwhile, stir together warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle in yeast, mix lightly with a fork and allow to stand until foamy. About 5 minutes.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add bloomed yeast, butter, sugar, eggs, milk and salt. Mix to combine then slowly add 4 cups of flour. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl. Change attachment to dough hook and with motor running add additional 2 cups of flour. Beat for 5 minutes. Dough will be very sticky, but if it doesn’t leave the sides of the bowl clean, add more flour a tablespoon at a time. Transfer to a large buttered bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft free place and let rise until doubled. Note – the recipe said 2-1/2 hours; however, mine only took 1 hour.

Butter 2 baking sheets. Punch down dough and form into 16 balls (I weighed mine and they were between 92 and 94 grams each). Arrange on baking sheets, flatten slightly, cover and let rise in a draught free spot until they’re doubled (again, mine took 50 minutes, but the recipe said 1-1/2 to 2 hours, so it depends on the temperature of your room). Preheat oven to 375. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 14 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and they sound hollow when tapped. Cool on wire racks. Download Hamburger Buns

Cabbage Apple Slaw with Maple Walnut Dressing (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

1/2 a small cabbage, thinly sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and julienned

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/4 cup sweet onion, finely diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1 tablespoon apple jack brandy

1/4 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Walnut halves for garnish

In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, apple, carrots and sweet onion. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise and sour cream. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in vinegar, maple syrup and apple brandy until smooth. Fold in toasted walnuts. Combine dressing with vegetables. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Cover and chill until serving. Garnish with walnut halves. 

 

Hot Turchicken Sandwich and a Lesson

Bet you're all wondering exactly what a hot turchicken sandwich is but before we get to that we need to talk about the lesson.

As you all know we call the start of the weekend Pink Mountain Fridays and dinner is usually something of the munchie, casual hand held variety accompanied by a libation of gargatuan proportion. Trouble is this week we managed to enjoy a fair number of Pink Mountain evenings - some weeks are just like that don't you agree.

This week happened to mark the end of the summer break for the Big Guy as classes start on Monday; we also lived through a monsoon storm that darn near ripped the roof off our house and closed one of the main roads to our neck of the woods for 2 full days; the large metropolis to the north of us endured yet another Haboob the third one in a little over a month and the likes of which is more common in the Sahara than in the Arizona desert, and; it was just that kind of a week where any old excuse will do.

What I'm getting at is that I really just wanted to open a bag of chips and call it dinner; however, you know who wouldn't have been very happy with that so I raided the freezer instead. What did I find?

Left over turkey stock from Thanksgiving, chicken tenders from a cheap chicken purchase a few weeks ago, a half bag of frozen cranberries and a loaf of Texas toast. Half an hour later, dinner was ready - an open faced hot chicken sandwich with turkey gravy, cranberry sauce and Stove Top stuffin' thanks to the pantry.

So what's the lesson you ask? Check out the freezer before you decide there's nothing in the house to eat and do not under any circumstances try to eat an open faced sandwich smothered in thick rich gravy without a knife and fork. It get's pretty darn messy.

A year ago - Ahi Tuna Tacos