JBug's Kitchen Antics

Rosy Clam Chowder

Life is definitely rosier when you live on the Oregon Coast surrounded by pristine beaches, intensely green landscape, sunny summer skies and super friendly people. One would be hard pressed to starve to death here either because there's plenty of plenty if you know what I mean. In fact as I write this post, Big Guy's out in our yard picking huckleberries for this morning's pancake breakfast. Sorry 'bout that ...did I brag a little too much? 

I developed this recipe for "Yachats Blush Clam Chowder" almost 5 years ago when Big Guy and I were vacationing in Yachats, a coastal town 9 miles south of here. Little did I know at the time we'd make a house overlooking Big Guy's clamming honey hole our permanent home. Lucky huh!

An ode to the flavors of the southwest, this chowder is a cross between the red tomatoey Manhattan style chowder and the more common creamier New England version. It just happens to be Big Guy's favorite no doubt because it has a touch of spicy heat thanks to red chili peppers and hot salsa along with a cup of tomato sauce which gives the creamy concoction its lovely rosy hue. 

A breeze to make particularly with fresh cockles right from Waldport Bay, it can also be fashioned from frozen or canned clams (if you must). The twenty clams that went into last night's pot may have made it more of a stew than a chowder but no one was complaining when there were more clams than bacon or potatoes. Funny how that happens, huh. 

Yachats Blush Clam Chowder an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Pacific Northwest Cooking Secrets by Kathleen DeVanna Fish

 4 slices applewood smoked bacon, diced

2 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons flour

3 cups half & half

1-8 ounce bottle clam juice

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup salsa (use either hot or medium)

4 to 5 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (or more to taste)

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1/3 cup white wine

2-1/2 cups chopped clams (or more)

Lemon pepper seasoning to taste

Fry bacon in large Dutch oven until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, leaving drippings. Add butter and decrease heat to medium low. Add flour to drippings and stir together well to make a roux. Cook roux, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Do not allow roux to brown. Add chopped onion and garlic to roux and cook until onions are soft. Add potatoes and cook for additional 3 or 4 minutes, stirring often. Add clam juice, milk, tomato sauce, salsa, basil, chili flakes and Old Bay seasoning. Stir well to combine. Bring almost to a boil, cover, lower heat to medium low and cook until potatoes are done (approx. 20 minutes). Stir pot often to prevent sticking. Taste to adjust seasoning as necessary. Add chopped clams, bacon and white wine. Heat for 2 minutes. Serve with oyster crackers. Makes 6 to 8 servings.  

Two year's ago - Curried Beef and Tomato Sauce with Pasta

Three year's ago - Indian Spiced Fried Chicken 

Lamb Marrakesh

There's stew and then there's STEW which about sums up last night's dinner effort in capital form. From Taste of the Territory, Flavors of Oklahoma, this one's loaded with exotic ingredients popular in Morocco including chili peppers, cinnamon, cloves and tumeric. Sweetened with sherry soaked raisins and crunchy almonds quite honestly the mere memory of this bowl of tender morsels of lamb in a sweet hot spicy sauce makes my mouth water for more. 

It was perfect for trying our local lamb; however if you're not into the stuff try the recipe with chicken instead. I suppose you could even use pork but for heaven's sake call it something else because I'm pretty sure they don't eat pork in North Africa. 

As for us, we're stocking our freezer these days with locally raised products and our first order of business was to find a great butcher shop. Luckily we found Eric and Cindi Clark at Oregon Coastal Cutters who operate a butchering, custom cutting and mobile slaughtering service for local farmers and hunters. A visit to their South Beach, OR retail location resulted in an order for a locally raised lamb, cut and wrapped to our specifications. (Awesome it is too - tender, mildly flavored and about as good as it gets!)

Not only that, we left with a pound of their perfectly spiced, fresh pork breakfast sausage too and I'm here to say we'll be getting more of that PDQ never mind the rest of the porker...beef too of course and maybe goat as well. Course if my great white hunter has anything to do with it, he'll be calling on them to cut, wrap and freeze the results of his hunting excursions - that is unless I can put the same curse on him I did with the javalina huntin'. Would I do such a thing? I mean really!

Anyway, here's the recipe for this bowl of wicked good flavor. When I make it again (soon), I may  be inclined to add some big juicy green olives and maybe even throw in a couple of dried apricots for a little extra somethin' somethin. Heaven forbid, I should make something the same way twice.  Oh, in case you think there's too much spicy heat in the way of crushed red chili peppers, you can cut the amount down a tad or alternatively drizzle a little honey on your bowl. That'll tame that savage heat just as well.

Lamb Marrakesh from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Taste of the Territory, The Flair and Flavor of Oklahoma

3 pounds lean lamb cut into 1 inch pieces (I used shoulder)

Salt, pepper, flour for dredging

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

¼ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 – 24 ounce can whole tomatoes with juice

1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup raisins soaked in 1/4 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup almond slivers, toasted

Preheat oven to 325. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high. Season lamb with salt and pepper and coat in flour, shaking off excess. Brown on all sides in hot oil. Remove from pot and set aside. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onion is softened. Return meat to the pot and add seasonings and cook, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, raisins with sherry and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover and place in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover and cook for additional 45 minutes until liquid has reduced, sauce is thick and lamb is very tender. Garnish with toasted almonds. Serves 4 to 6. 

Other favorites lamb recipes from JBug's Kitchen

   

          Sausage Rolls              Leg of Lamb Provencal     Lamb Shanks with Lentils

Bacon, Bean and Kale Soup

A Marine Layer came to visit yesterday and brought misty cool weather along which is perfectly fine with two ex-Tucsonians. After all, we moved here to get away from the desert heat so fog, clouds and a high of 61 were reasons to celebrate in our books and a perfect excuse to whip up a pot of soup for dinner.

I'm calling this one what it is - bacon, bean and kale soup although some would call it a Tuscan Ribollita - at least that's what they did at Epicurious. Hit the link and head right to their version but I'm going to admit, I didn't fuss with it quite as much as they did. I used nice meaty pepper bacon instead of the pancetta or ham they called for and I did not cook the beans down until they disintegrated either. I also added some chicken concentrate (Swanson's Flavor Boost) to the chicken broth to give it a richer flavor and topped the bowls with parmesan shavings instead of toasted bread crumbs. It was delicious anyway. 

The crumb bit hit "ignore" because I did a quick thaw on a loaf of frozen white Rhodes bread I had hiding in the freezer and made it into a rather unbelievably tasty foccacio by dimpling the flattened bread before it hit the oven and topping it with chopped fresh rosemary, olive oil, coarse sea salt and parmesan shavings. Eighteen minutes later it came out of the oven absolutely awesome, every stinkin' bite of it. 

Nothing quite like making a healthy dinner into a carb filled marathon huh!

Bacon, Bean and Kale Soup from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Epicurious.com

6 slices pepper bacon, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 celery stalk, chopped

1-15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

3 – 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 packages Swanson’s chicken Flavor Boost

1 sprig rosemary

Salt & coarse ground black pepper to taste

1 bunch kale

Parmesan cheese, grated or slivered

 

Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium low. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered and bacon starts to crisp. Add olive oil along with onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables soften and onion is transparent. Add tomatoes, cannellini beans, chicken stock, chicken concentrate and rosemary. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Wash kale and coarsely chop. Add to pot, cover and cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Blueberry Cream Pie

Two year's ago - Chicken Paillards with Mushroom Cognac Sauce

Beer Braised Chicken

I know  my posts are hardly regular these days and I've no excuse except that it feels like we're on vacation. Easy for me to say, huh? We're far from settled into our new home and there's still tons of work to be done but the weather's picture perfect, the days fly by and it's just so darn nice to have Big Guy home for good! 

Last night's dinner was one of those quick chicky braises we so enjoy because they taste exceptionally good never mind they're easy on the cook and the budget. This one's direct from Food Network Magazine with some added "JBugisms" because that's what using a recipe's all about. You just have to add your own personal touches ya' know. 

Along the lines of a beef carbonade except with bird instead of bovine, I used bone in skin on chicken thighs instead of the skinless boneless version called for consequently it took a little longer to cook never mind I like to finish my braises in the oven rather than stove top. I also added some sweet carrots along with the potatoes, just because, other than salad, we don't eat enough vegetables around here. Comined with the flavor of bacon, fresh thyme and beer of course (Black Butte Porter in our case) dinner kind of cooked itself and smelled and tasted delicious too.

I can't help but imagine how incredible it would have been accompanied by a soft, flakey biscuit direct from the oven but there likely wasn't enough room left on Big Guy's plate anyway. MMM!

Beer Braised Chicken from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Food Network Magazine

5 slices bacon, cut into quarter inch pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs, washed and dried

All-purpose flour for dredging

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 – 10 ounce package frozen pearl onions

1 -12 ounce bottle beer (I used Black Butte Porter)

2 tablespoons whole grain or Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme

6 small red potatoes cut in half

6 to 8 small carrots, peeled and left whole

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until fat renders and bacon is barely crisp. Remove bacon from the pot and set aside. Add olive oil to bacon fat. Heat over medium high until oil is shimmering. Meanwhile season chicken thighs well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge in flour shaking off excess. Brown chicken well on all sides and remove from pot when done. Add pearl onions to pot and cook, stirring until onions have thawed and turned golden in color. Add beer, mustard, brown sugar and thyme. Stir well. Return bacon and browned chicken to the pot and bring mixture to a high simmer. Place into the preheated oven and cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots to pot. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes or until vegetables are almost cooked through. Remove lid from pot and cook additional 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through and liquid is reduced. Remove thyme springs and discard. Garnish with parsley.  Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Braised Country Ribs with Cider and Cranberries

Two year's ago - Potato Crusted Halibut

 

Braised Two Pepper Pork

Imagine chunks of pork butt or "blade" as they're calling it now, slowly braised in white wine and chicken stock with the added punch of anaheim and green bell peppers, lots of onions and garlic and lovely cumin too. Add capers for saltiness, yams for sweetness, red wine vinegar for a touch of the sour and cilantro as a final kiss of flavor and I guarantee the end result will knock your socks off. Oh, we can't forget about the beans either. 

One of Big Guy's favorites, this pork 'n pepper combination is also known as Santa Fe Pork Stew and we have Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso and the New Basics Cookbook to thank for it. Personally, we've thanked them for their ingenuity every one of the many times we've enjoyed this pot of deliciousness and we'll be thanking our lucky stars again because it's a definite "classic" in our books. Perfect for a relaxed Sunday dinner at the beach. If you haven't already tried it, you've got to give it a go because believe me there's a lot more to "stew" than the usual beef version.   

Oh, in case you're wondering what Big Guy's doing on his first official day of retirement - well, he's off buying a lawnmower and a chainsaw. He's not about to let any grass grow under his feet! (Punny isn't she?) 

Santa Fe Pork Stew (by JBug's Kitchen Antics adapted from The New Basics Cookbook) 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

Flour for dredging

2 medium onions, diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 anaheim peppers, seeded, ribs removed and diced

2 sweet potatoes (1-1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1-1/2 cups dry white wine

1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

6 cloves of garlic, minced (divided)

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained (divided)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper (divided)

1 can black beans or pinto beans, drained, rinsed and drained again

Salt to taste

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 350. In large dutch oven with lid heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Dredge pork shoulder in flour and sauté in batches until pork is well browned. Remove from pot and set aside.

In same pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add chopped onions, green bell pepper , Anaheim peppers and half the garlic (3 cloves, minced). Cook until vegetables are soft. Add one tablespoon of cumin and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Return browned pork to pan, add 2 tablespoons capers, sweet potatoes, white wine, chicken stock, red wine vinegar and Italian parsley. Bring to a boil then cover and place in the oven for 1-1/2 hours.

After 1-1/2 hours, remove cover from pot and add remaining 1 tablespoon of capers, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon black pepper and black beans. Return to oven and cook uncovered for additional 25 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt as necessary. Fold in cilantro, being careful not to break up potatoes. Serves 6.

 

Witches Brew Stew

All day rain, cold weather and memories were my inspiration for last night's dinner. My Mother used to make this dish  all the time when I was growing up and we called it "Witches Brew", although I'm not quite sure why. I admit I took cook's license and added a few flavor boosters. Bless her heart, my Mom was from the era that thought salt and pepper were spices so quite honestly there weren't many little spice bottles hanging around the kitchen and no hotsauce of any kind either.  As you can tell, this apple fell a rather long distance away from the tree.

Simply a cross between a hamburger soup and a stew, it's made from a mere pound of lean ground beef, onions, garlic, carrots and potato along with dried onion soup mix, canned diced tomatoes and a can of beef consomme. Feel free to add a little pasta to the mix if you're so inclined for added heartiness like I did and I added some peas too just because it's guaranteed to get a rise outa' you know who.

It was darn near perfect with a little cheese garnish and you can be sure I'll be enjoying it for the next several days because it made a rather large pot. No matter though because it does get better with age.

 Witches Brew Hamburger Stew An original from JBug’s Kitchen

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano

1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 – 10 ounce can beef consommé

1 cup water

4 small carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1/3 cup small pasta (I used Orzo)

1/2 cup frozen green peas

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is softened. Crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring until beef is no longer pink. Add salt, pepper, basil, oregano, red chile flakes and dry onion soup mix and stir well to combine. Add tomatoes, beef consommé, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add carrots, onion and pasta. Cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until pasta and veggies are cooked. Add green peas and cook for additional 3-4 minutes.  Serve garnished with grated cheese if you wish.  Serves 4 to  6.

A year ago - Whip Lash Chicken 

Two year's ago - Six Sided Burger

 

Deep Very Deep Dish Beef Pot Pie

My friend Sharron was over for dinner a while ago and I very wisely saved the leftover Five Hour Stew we had for dinner that night and hid it in the back of the freezer. 

Normally reserved as our annual first night's cookin' during our one month each summer of heavenly bliss on the Oregon coast, it's the kind of entree that's about to become a regular repeat on our menu now that we're living here full time. Notice I said "we" and "we" certainly will be a "we" once Big Guy gets back here for good in another six weeks. 

Anyway, he happens to love this dish as much as I do and he's a push over for a double crusted pot pie too (who isn't, right?) so earlier this week I used up the rest of the veggies left over from Monday night's dinner (minus the sauce and the peas, although peas would have been dynamite), added some sauteed mushrooms and the rest of the stew and put the whole thing in between layers of pastry in my favorite deep dish fluted pie pan with the removable bottom.

Now I'll admit to having a panic attack when it came time to take the sides off the pan to serve the pie, but the darn thing turned out absolutely perfect. About the only thing that could have made it better would have been a huge spoonful of horseradish on the side - but condiments are on short supply around here at the moment.

Next time you're making a stew and think you've got to eat the leftovers the same way as you did round one - think again! Believe me, whip up one of these beauties and you're sure to be voted the most popular cook in your kitchen. Just sayin'!

Incidentally, hit this link (or this one) and head on over to recipe for this fabulously easy full of flavor stew and put it on your menu as soon as you can. It's a winner. 

A year ago - Butter Chicken

Two year's ago - Lamb Vindaloo 

Three year's ago -  Grilled Eggplant Gratin

There's A Big Difference

I'm here to tell you my extended vacation is almost over and I'd be an idiot not to apologize for the amount of time it's taken me to get back on the cookin' track. I'll also confess that over the past few months the kitchens of the Salty Dawg, Carol's, China Restaurant, Stouffer's and Lean Cuisine have had a heck of a lot more action than JBug's has. What can I say except "my bad" - oh that and the fact Big Guy's still working through his notice period in Tucson so the incentive's been missing somewhat. 

The move has gone relatively well and the few snafu's incurred along the way are becoming distant memories - except for some very important lessons learned of course but I'll save those to tell you all another time. I will though share with you something utterly profoud...there's a huge difference between the desert and the Oregon coast and please don't roll your eyes and say "ya, well" like Big Guy will when he reads this, OK?

For example, the view from our back yard in Tucson kinda' ended rather abruptly, don't ya' think?

This one - well, it goes on and on to what seems like infinity and also proves one hundred percent that somewhere over the rainbow, skies ARE blue...very, very blue...yup, they really are but let's keep that our little secret OK. I mean, all the people that complain that all it ever does is rain on the Oregon coast can just keep on believing it if they so choose, but it's not really true at least not that I've noticed. Course I could be wearing blinders because I'm just so darned happy to be here. It is amazingly beautiful!

Oh, more about differences - there's also a big difference between a powerful gas range like the one I had before and the electric number I've got now. I mean the oven takes a minumum 30 minutes to heat up and cooking on a smooth top range means I've been chasing my pots around on it with a spoon - not that I can brag about having that much experience mind you. Of course on the other hand, I have a feeling the new electric range will be much easier on said pots since the gas one burned through a few of 'em but I guess I didn't tell you about that now did I.

Oh, another thing just so you know, Big Guy's here for a week so he's enjoying my kitchen antics including but not limited to yesterday's burnt pancakes. Nothing like a little more honesty is there...(sorry there will be no pictures).  

Larger surface area equals less liquid and more intense flavors

Now, I guess I'd best tell you about another big difference and that's the one that occurs when you make a favorite bean/pork country rib braise in a smaller deeper cast iron Dutch oven, a change from the usual large shallower oval Dutch oven.  The bigger bottom surface of the oval pot means the liquid evaporates more and the flavor intensifies, although I'm not quite sure what I would have done with "more intense flavor" now that I think of it. 

Other than changing the pots I used because my favorite larger shallower oval Dutch oven is still in Tucson and I'm not, I also switched the pepper jelly to a green version from the red one called for in the recipe because red's not a popular version in this neck of the woods. Oh, I also added some chopped jalapeno's to the mix just in case the whole thing was missing a little zing. As you can see, Big Guy's dish on the left included extra red chile peppers for even more added heat while my version on the right required sour cream to cool the assault to my tastebuds.  

 And the moral of the story is, you ask? Well, sometimes differences aren't such a bad thing after all, because it really matters not what pot you use just as long as you enjoy the results. Right? OK...it's lame I know but I'm outa' practice. 

A year ago - Nacho's

Two year's ago - Beer Braised Short Ribs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beefed Up Mushroom Soup

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

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

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

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

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

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 ounces pancetta, chopped into quarter inch cubes

3 cups sliced white button mushrooms

3 cups quartered crimini mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon dried crumbled sage

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2/3 cup dry marsala wine

1 quart good quality low sodium beef stock

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

1/2 cup heavy cream

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

A year ago - Meat Lovers Pan Pizza 

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

Three year's ago - Pork Carnitas 

Snow in the Desert and Soup on the Stove

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

A year ago - Red Beans and Rice

Two year's ago - Broccoli Gratin 

 

Sicilian Orange Beef Stew

It's been so long since we've been in touch, I hardly know where to begin. I've certainly missed all of you and of course, I've missed being in the kitchen too. I tried to make up for it a bit last night.

Big Guy's home from the hunting grounds as he has classes to teach for the next few days and that was reason enough to try something new last night. This Sicilian Orange Beef Stew is from Joanna Pruess' book, Cast Iron Cookbook and it's a real winner too.

Simply a 2 pound chuck roast cut into man sized chunks and browned then braised along with pearl onions (I used a package of frozen ones) and garlic, the flavoring ingredients include cloves, cumin and cinnamon. I didn't happen to have any ground cloves in my spice box, so I used allspice instead and it was a great substitution if I do say so myself. Ground cloves can be a little strong in my opinion.

Anyway tomato sauce, a half bottle of merlot, a cup of orange juice and a little orange concentrate as well as a couple of bay leaves and 2 hours in the oven was all this braise needed. Garnished with  orange zest and served with some creamy polenta, the "tangy-sweet" stew is full of exotic flavor reminiscent of Morocco or even the Caribbean. 

I'd make it again in a heartbeat. Just sayin'. 

Sicilian Orange Beef Stew (adapted from Cast Iron Cookbook)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

All-purpose flour

1 – 12 ounce package frozen pearl onions, defrosted and blotted dry

4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half

3/4 teaspoon ground all spice

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 cups merlot

1 cup orange juice

1/3 cup frozen orange concentrate

3 bay leaves

Orange zest for garnish

Preheat oven to 325. Heat oil in Dutch oven until very hot. Meanwhile season beef cubes well with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Brown well in batches without crowding pot. Move to a bowl when meat is browned on all sides. Add onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to brown  - about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add all spice, cumin, cinnamon, tomato sauce, wine, orange juice and orange concentrate. Heat to boiling stirring any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return meat to the pot and add bay leaves. Cover and place in preheated oven for 1-1/2 hours. Remove lid from pot and continue cooking for additional half hour or until beef is very tender and sauce is reduced to desired consistency. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required. Garnish with orange zest. Serve over polenta, grits or rice. Serves 4.

Two year's ago - Chocolate Raspberry Cream Pie

 

Chili with Turkey, Pinto Beans,Cranberries and Chipotle

OK so here's the story on this one. As you know, we're packing up the house and moving on to greener pastures; greener as in the Oregon Coast and pastures because the Big Guy's  being put out to pasture though not for 6 months or so. 

Consequently the freezer's getting purged of all and sundry and while there's not a lot left in it, what's there is good enough to be recycled at least as far as I'm concerned.

I mean if "Chopped" can do a whole show dedicated to the use of leftovers, imagine my glee when I discovered some turkey thighs left over from this! There's nothing much tastier than turkey thighs braised low and slow in red wine, chicken stock, chipotle peppers and cranberries. They were memorable. 

Add chopped onion, garlic, green and yellow bell peppers, canned tomatoes and spices along with a touch of dark cocoa, a smidge of molasses and we were singing a whole different tune. This particular turkey chili tasted an awful lot like turkey in a mole sauce and that's one of my very favorite flavors. I hope I've convinced you to try the original braised turkey thigh recipe alluded to above because now you know what you can do with any leftovers - that's if you happen to have any of course. 

Kinda’ Like Mole Turkey Chili (an original from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Martha Stewart)

2 leftover braised turkey thighs with 2 cups of sauce (from Chipotle & Cranberry Braised Turkey Thighs)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 tablespoons chile powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 28 ounce tin diced tomatoes with juice

1-1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon molasses

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium high until shimmering. Add onion and peppers and cook until vegetables are softened. Add garlic and cook for additional minute, stirring constantly. Add chile powder, cumin, and cocoa powder and stir well to combine. Stir in tomatoes, chicken stock, sauce from turkey thighs and molasses. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, remove bones from turkey thighs and chop meat into bite sized pieces. Add to chili along with pinto beans. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Cook, covered for additional 15 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

 A year ago - Sunday Gravy

Two year's ago - Common Ground

Three year's ago -Steamed Marmalade Pudding

Corn Chowder with a Kick

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

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

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

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

1 - 16 ounce package frozen yellow or white corn

1/4 lb. bacon, chopped

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped

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

2 large red potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup flour

Salt & freshly ground pepper

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

1 large can evaporated skim milk

Extra whole milk, water or stock if needed

4 ounces Velveeta, cut into cubes

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

A year ago - Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers

Two year's ago - Ham Tetrazzini

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

Turkey Dumpling Stew

Last night's dinner effort's from Food Network and another keeper if we have anything to say about it. A perfect way to use up the turkey carcass leftover over from Thanksgiving never mind a large piece of turkey lurk we had hiding in the freezer, it was a great dinner solution after an afternoon spent wrapping and packing pictures and mirrors. 

There's nothing quick about it so don't be thinking I'm going to brag about having dinner ready in a flash because for once, I won't be doing that; however, the fact that it all starts with a homemade broth made rich and flavorful with the addition of carrots, onion, celery and bay leaf meant that we got to smell the fabulous aroma darn near all day long.

Four hours of bubbling in a pot and that carcass was plum clean, the broth strained through a fine mesh strainer and further reduced by a half leaving a sublimely colored rich and glorious base for a great stew. I added more herby flavors because, as you know, we don't do subtle around here - a couple of teaspoons of poultry seasoning, lots of pepper and salt and a little more thyme made all the difference as far as I was concerned. Oh, I left the green beans out too, although I'd have loved some green peas in the mix along with the carrots and parsnip I'd have been eating the whole pot myself because Big Guy doesn't like either.

Oh, about the dumplings - hold onto your hats. I cheated! I simply mixed a handful of freshly chopped herbs including parsley, thyme and a little rosemary from our garden into 2 cups of storebought biscuit mix mixed with 2/3 cup milk. Tossed with a fork until it just barely came together and scooped into the bubbling cauldron of stew, the covered dumplings cooked a mere 15 minutes and came out light as air.

As for the verdict - to be honest, I was a tad worried it would be a kind of "not fancy, no flavor" boiled dinner the kinds of which I suffered through as a kid and swore I'd never make myself ever but I was wrong. This turkey stew's well worth a repeat next time we've leftover turkey or roasted chicken hanging around.  Hit this link and head on over for the recipe - oh, and Happy New Year everyone! May your dreams come true in a big way in 2013!

 

Goulash Soup

If you're looking for something to warm your winter weary bones, then here's just the thing. From Reader's Digest, Just One Pot this Hungarian soup is loaded with beef, onions, green pepper and spiced with garlic, caraway and paprika. Potatoes added during the last half hour of cooking add to the heartiness too. 

I made some adjustments to the original recipe by using sweet Hungarian paprika and a dash of cayenne pepper instead of the hot paprika called for and threw in canned tomatoes instead of fresh; dry marsala wine took the place of regular red wine and I left the cream out of the recipe in exchange for a bigger dollop of Daisy (sour cream) on top. 

The soup's siren song called us both back to the pot for seconds and I can't wait to enjoy a bowl for lunch today because as we all know, the flavor of soups and stews really improves with an overnight in the refrigerator. It's a keeper, no doubt about it!

Goulash Soup (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Reader’s Digest, Just One Pot)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds lean beef (I used chuck roast, cut into half inch cubes)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 cup dry masala wine, divided (or dry red wine)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1-1/2 quarts low sodium beef stock

3 large red potatoes, peeled and cut into half inch cubes

Sour cream as garnish

Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Season beef with salt and pepper and coat in flour. Brown well in batches if necessary (don’t crowd the pot). Remove beef and set aside. Add onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Add garlic and green pepper and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add paprika, cayenne pepper and caraway seeds and stir to combine. Add 1/4 cup of Marsala wine and stir well to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Add tomato paste, tomatoes and beef stock. Bring to a boil and return beef to the pot. Lower heat, cover pot and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. When beef is tender, stir in potatoes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed. Cook for additional half hour uncovered so soup thickens slightly and potatoes are tender. Add rest of the Marsala wine. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream. Serves 6 to 8. 

A year ago - Roast Beef Sandwiches with Grilled Onions and Gorgonzola 

Two year's ago - Lamb Stew with Trinidad Curry

Great Grub for a Cold Winter Night

It's been cooler here in the far southwest the past several evenings and it's a perfect excuse to enjoy some old fashioned hearty comfort food. 

For example Monday night I whipped up a caldron of Cabbage Roll Soup just like the one we had back in August when we were really craving some cold weather. Months of triple digit temperatures can do that for ya', kinda' like months of minus temperatures, snow, rain and cold can make you crave sea, sun and sand. Funny isn't it?

Anyway to get back to the point as you can see this pot of warm kitchen love is filled with meatballs constructed from ground beef, rice, and onion cooked up in a cabbage laden beefed up tomato broth studded with sweet golden raisins and spiced with red pepper flakes. It is absolutely awesome and worth a spot on your regular good grub rotation.

Last night's comfort quotient took the shape of a large casserole of ooey gooey cheesey old fashioned Mac and Cheese. A recipe from a very old and treasured Purity Cookbook, this particular version's been made so many times the page is practically illegible but thankfully I have the darn thing memorized.  

 

I apologize for the quality of the photograph. Obviously the photographer needs to readjust her camera.

Simply cooked elbow macaroni folded into a simple white sauce loaded with cheese (I used 3 different kinds) and seasoned with Dijon mustard, I topped the casserole with buttered panko crumbs and let it rip in the oven for a good hour resulting in an absolute vision of loveliness - at least for a couple of very hungry, tired and rather stressed out individuals. 

Incidentally, there's several recipes for macaroni and cheese on this site, some more involved than others and all of them fabulous in their own right but without a doubt this simple version is every bit as good as any so called "gourmet" versions. Take it from the most frugal of frugalists, it's a great way to use up the drips, drabs and mini chunks of cheese hiding in the snack drawer of your refrigerator.  

                Special M/C                                        With Gnocchi  

  

              Bacon N Blue                                               Buffalo

   

Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Purity Cookbook)

1-1/2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked per package directions

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

2-3/4 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

8 – 9 ounces assorted cheese (I used white cheddar, Swiss & Velveeta)

2/3 cup panko crumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 teaspoon each coarse salt, pepper and garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is softened. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly for a few minutes, then slowly whisk in milk. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened. Stir in salt, Dijon mustard and grated cheese (I left the Velveeta in half inch cubes). Cook until cheese has melted. Stir in cooked macaroni and transfer mixture to a buttered casserole dish. Mix panko crumbs with melted butter and seasonings. Sprinkle crumbs on top of casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is browned and filling is bubbling. Serves 6.

A year ago -   Blackberry Mustard Glazed Ham

Two year's ago -  Greek Burger with Cucumber Sauce

Sweet Spicy Country Style Pork Ribs and Beans

When our girls were here visiting last week we got to talking about favorite recipes on the blog and this was one of theirs. It made me want to make it again, so I'm warning you all right now - this is a repost from days past.

Perfect for a weekend dinner when your troops come home hungry from a day of fun and frocklicking, it involves browned boneless country style pork ribs cooked on a bed of onions, green pepper, garlic, rinsed canned pinto beans all sauced up with purchased hickory flavored barbecued sauce mixed with a jar of red pepper jelly. It is spicy, sweet, incredibly easy to make and smells divine as it's hanging out in the oven gettin' all happy for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. 

If you've a bunch of dried beans in your pantry, just soak 'em up and boil 'em till softened like you would normally and throw them into the pot instead of using canned. Oh and they don't necessarily have to be pinto beans either although they do work exceedingly well. 

Served in bowls with a side of pickled jalapenos and some crusty bread, the dish is certainly good enough to serve to company at a casual dinner party and definitely family worthy as well. Give it a try and tell me you don't love it too!

Sweet Spicy Ribs and Beans  Adapted from Southern Living Magazine

4 pounds pork country style ribs, trimmed of fat

Salt, pepper & flour

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 – 16 ounce cans pinto beans, drained

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (optional)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 10.5 ounce jar red jalapeno jelly

1 18 ounce bottle hickory flavored barbecue sauce (I used Kraft)

1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. In a small saucepan, heat together jalapeno jelly and barbecue sauce until jelly has dissolved.  Remove from heat, add garlic and hot sauce. Set aside.

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Dust ribs with salt, pepper & flour and in batches, brown well on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside. Continue browning meat in batches.

When meat is all browned, remove pot from heat. Add half of the chopped onion, and green pepper to the bottom of the pot. Cover vegetables with drained pinto beans, then spread one half of the jalapeno jelly/barbecue sauce mixture on top. Place browned ribs on top, add the rest of the chopped onion and green pepper. Top with the remainder of the jalapeno jelly/barbecue sauce mixture.

Cover pot and place in 300 oven for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Serves 6

A year ago - Pure Coincidence! Sweet and Spicy Ribs and Beans

Two year's ago -  Roasted Chicken on Croutons

Roasted Tomato Soup

There's something incredibly satisfying about making a pot of soup from scratch and bypassing the canned soup section at your local grocery store. JBug's Kitchen has produced several versions of tomato soup during the past 3 years and they've had their similarities and their differences. 

The one thing they all have in common is roasted tomatoes. Roasting the tomatoes before they go into the soup really intensifies their flavor. Our first effort adapted from Idaho a la Carte required only 20 minutes of roasting time and included garlic, Italian herbs like basil, oregano and an extra flavor boost of tomato paste along with some red wine and chicken stock. The soup was finished with ricotta cheese and heavy cream along with a garnish of garlicky spinach pesto. It's awesome, rich in flavor, silky on the tongue and definitely a perfect red/green first course at a special Holiday dinner party. 

Our second version of roasted tomato soup was adapted from a recipe by the Neely's of Foodnetwork fame. The tomatoes roasted for an entire hour before they were pureed and joined by shallots sauteed in butter along with tomato paste, chicken stock and lots of cayenne pepper as well as dried basil and Italian seasoning.

Finished with a cup of cream, the result is a little more like the canned version we all know and love but with a bit of a kick to it's creamy smooth lusciousness. 

Last night's recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen (sans the broiled cheddar) and is relatively pure and very simple to make with limited ingredients. Garlic is roasted in a foil pouch along with halved tomatoes before they're all pulsed in a processor to a chunky puree. Combined with chicken stock, seasoned with thyme, salt, coarse ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes, the simple ingredients are simmered for 30 minutes to reduce the liquid and intensify flavors.

It is simple wholesome goodness that requires perfectly ripe Roma (Plum) tomatoes to be successful so be sure to plan ahead so the 3 pounds you'll need have a chance to ripen on the counter before you make the soup.

Bet you're wondering what we thought about it aren't you? Big Guy enjoyed it very much and liked the chunky texture and spicy heat from the red pepper flakes. I, on the other hand, quite missed the creaminess so garnished our portions with a touch of mascarpone cheese and I even ended up going back for a smidge of sour cream because I might possibly have added a few too many pepper flakes to the mix. Uhh ya' it was spicy. 

All said, I'm not sure which version I prefer but I'll tell ya' one thing...every one of them's incredibly easy to make and well worth the effort so next time you're tempted to open a can of Campbell's think twice and try making your own soup. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. 

Roasted Tomato Soup (from JBug’s Kitchen, adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and black pepper

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

4 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange tomatoes cut side up on a sheet pan and season well with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with olive oil. Wrap unpeeled garlic cloves into foil and place on pan with tomatoes. Roast for 1 hour until tomatoes are brown.

Remove from oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Squeeze roasted garlic into a food processor and add tomatoes and their juices. Pulse to chop until chunky. Do not over-process.

Move to a medium sized pot and add thyme, red pepper flakes and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until soup is the texture you prefer. Ladle into bowls and garnish as you wish. Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Roquefort Stuffed Pork Chops with Braised Apples 

Two year's ago - Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

 

Coconut Pork Curry

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! While it seems for many of us this day involves a lot of effort, pre-planning and countless hours of kitchen duty, don't forget the true meaning and remember to give thanks ... "For fragrant air and cooling breeze, for beauty of the blooming trees...for this new morning with its light...for rest and shelter of the night... for health and food, for love and friends, for everything Thy goodness sends, Father in heaven, we thank Thee."Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Making curry for dinner when your house is on the market for sale might not be the best thing in the world, but to those of us curry lovers, it smelled like heaven. Adapted from Food & Wine, their version was meant for a slow cooker, but after my debacle the other night I decided to make use of my favorite cast iron Dutch oven instead. 

I had a pound less pork than called for but seasoned it lightly with salt and pepper and coated it in a little flour before browning it up on all sides. Joined by onion, garlic, lots of fresh ginger, I added cayenne pepper to their mix of curry powder, cumin and tumeric. Necessity had the canned diced tomatoes exchanged for a small can of pureed, I used a whole 15 ounce can of light coconut milk and reduced the chicken stock to a mere 1 cup. 

Relegated to a 325 oven in a covered pot, the stew simmered nicely while I did a little more prep work for today's Thanksgiving feast and 2 hours later we enjoyed the most tender, flavorful, sublime curry you could imagine. 

A final note - now while a purist... Lorraine you know who you are :-)... would use spices they ground with their own two hands for this, I used a Madras curry powder purchased in bulk from our local Sprouts store because as you know, we really like the spicy heat but go with whatever curry you prefer. As you may or may not know, curry isn't just one spice but a blend of many and "In addition to chili peppers, Madras curry can also contain spices like turmeric, coriander,cumin, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, fenugreek, allspice, black pepper, and curry leaves" (so sayeth the Wisegeek).

Coconut Pork Curry (from JBug’s Kitchen, adapted from Food & Wine)

3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, in 2 inch cubes

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

All-purpose flour

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

1-1/2 tablespoons curry powder (I used Madras)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 ounces tomato puree

1 – 15 ounce can light coconut milk

1 cup low sodium chicken stock

Preheat oven to 325. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven until shimmering over medium high heat. Season pork cubes lightly with salt and pepper and dust with all-purpose flour, shaking off excess. Brown pork on all sides (in batches if necessary). Do not crowd pan. Move pork to one side of pot when browned. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring constantly until onion starts to soften. Stir in curry, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and cook for additional minute, then add tomato puree, coconut milk and chicken stock. Bring pot to a high simmer, cover and place in preheated oven for 1-1/2 hours. Remove lid and continue to cook until sauce is reduced to thickness you prefer and pork is very tender (up to another half hour). Serve over rice. 

A year ago - Pear and Blue Salmon

 

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Pork and Apple Pie In A Bowl

Beer Braised Country Style Pork Ribs

Pork au Vin

Thai Chicken Curry with Butternut Squash

Ham and Bean Soup

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

1 -28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 quart veggie or low sodium chicken stock

2 cups water or more as needed to fill pot

3 ounces tomato paste

1 large meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks

1 cup dried pasta (any large pasta will do)

Shredded cheese for garnish

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

A year ago - Dairy Free Rich Chocolate Mousse

Two year's ago - Potato Gratin 

Pork au Vin

Before I tell you about last night's dinner, it is important to recognize today's significance. November 11th is the day we officially honor the people who have served and continue to serve in the military in order to guarantee our freedom. Kinda' makes you wonder why we need an "official day" when it's something we should be mindful of every day. 

One of my blog readers put the bug in my ear to do a re-make of this pork braised in red wine after I posted it last week as something we enjoyed a year ago. As it happens, the timing was ideal because our temperatures have decreased significantly so a stew in the oven is just about the most perfect seasonal dish imaginable, other than maybe a cinnamon caramel apple pear pie...which reminds me! MMM 

I made a couple of substitutions to the stew recipe from the original posting including regular onions for the shallots and cubed up boneless country style ribs instead of pork butt (shoulder). It really didn't matter though because the outcome was spectacular which goes to prove once again that recipes are simply guidelines. In fact, I almost wish I'd saved the Syrah for the cook and used a bottle of amber ale or a nice dark porter instead of wine in the dish. Course I'd have to give the stew a new name...how 'bout Pork 'N Porter?

Porc au Vin  (inspired by Bon Appetit Magazine) 

4 ounces pancetta (small dice)

2-1/2 pounds pork butt, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes (or cubed boneless country style ribs)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (if needed)

8 ounces large mushrooms, cut into quarters

8 large shallots, peeled and cut in half (or 2 large onions, peeled and cut into wedges)

1 cup carrots peeled and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon herbs de province

2 bay leaves

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 cups dry red wine (I used Syrah)

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1/4 cup water

Parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. In a large Dutch oven over medium low heat, cook pancetta until fat is rendered and pancetta is crisp. Remove from pan leaving drippings. Season pork cubes with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Brown pork cubes in batches, being sure to brown on all sides. Remove from pot and repeat until meat is all browned. If needed, add vegetable oil to pot and when shimmering hot, add mushrooms, shallots, carrots and garlic. Sauté, stirring constantly for 3 or 4 minutes or until shallots start to soften. Add garlic, thyme, herbs de province and bay leaves. Cook, stirring for another minute. Add red wine and chicken stock and return pork and pancetta to pot. Bring to boil, cover pot and place in oven for 1-1/2 hours or until pork is very tender. Remove pot from oven, and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Thicken gravy with flour/water slurry and return to oven (uncovered) for 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

A year ago - Braised Turkey in Mole Sauce

Two year's ago -  Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Sundried Tomatoes

Poblano and Sausage Chili

There's nothing better than a pot of chili on a Friday night especially when the temperatures are cooler and there's rain coming down.

Now we've enjoyed a lot of different chili's on this site and one of the many things I've learned during our 10 years is Tucson is there's a huge difference between a Mexican style chile and a chili like this one. In case you want to know the authentic Tex/Mex version, at least the one I make, doesn't have a touch of tomato in it, uses cubed beef instead of ground and there's not a bean in sight either. Not so with last night's pot of glorious stew. 

A Cooking Light Recipe via myrecipes.com, this one starts with the usual sauteed onion and garlic, and makes use of sweet Italian sausage for something a little different. A couple of poblano peppers instead of the usual sweet green bell pepper variety and the pot's completed with canned diced tomatoes as well as a couple of poblano peppers and a can each of red kidney beans (the recipe called for black) and pinto's too. I added a little more tomato flavor in the guise of tomato paste because I thought the pot needed a little extra richness and I nixed the cilantro because mine was looking a little tired. 

This chili has a very mild flavor, at least to our tastebuds,  so we added extra spice to our bowls to make it more to our liking, but for those of you who are less "heat tolerant" the recipe as written is the way to go. Hit the link here and it'll take you right to the source. 

I whipped up some quick cheese quesadillas out of corn tortillas and a mix of cheddar and Velveeta as a "with" but a hunk of cornbread would be a super side too.  Enjoy! We certainly did. 

A year ago - Weenies and Bacon Maple Beans

Two year's ago - Pork Tenderloin with Bacon,Onion,Mushroom Bourbon Sauce

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Gorgonzola and Bacon

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

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

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

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

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

1/3 cup butter

1 large cauliflower

1 large onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped (white part only)

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white wine

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Salt, coarse ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup half and half

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

3 slices bacon, diced and cooked until crisp

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

A year ago - Beef and Barley Soup

Two year's ago -  Maple Soy Glazed Salmon

Lamb Ragu on Potato Gnocchi

Sunday's are the perfect day to put a pot in the oven all afternoon and let it ruminate so you can enjoy the aroma and anticpate the outcome. Last night's effort had both of us groaning and moaning in delight...I'm not kidding either. 

Inspired by a Gourmet magazine recipe via epicurious.com (hit the link and see the original), I used lamb shanks and meaty neck bones combined with red onion, garlic, tomotoes both canned and sundried as well as celery, mushrooms and fennel in another example of the perfect braise.  Flavored with thyme and spiced up with red pepper flakes, the surprise in this one is the addition of bourbon and I'm not talking a tablespoon or two either.

Don't worry, I didn't use the Knob Creek but I sure hit the Maker's Mark bottle pretty hard. A few more ingredients and after 3 hours on ignore in the oven, the fall off the bone tender meat left the pot while the sauce got a little more attention. Hey, I messed up and didn't check the pot during the cooking time so there wasn't much sauce left.

It was just an excuse to crank it up a notch by adding more bourbon and chicken stock, a little tomato paste to improve the color, a little more stock and some heavy cream. I can't imagine anything better which proves that sometimes a screw-up is the best thing that can happen. Served on a bed of little potato gnocchi dumplings dressed with butter and parmesan cheese, the bourbon taste is definitely there but not overpowering and the addition of cream adds another dimension to the sauce as well. 

As you know, we're really into flavor in this house and while there's a lot of pretty darn tasty things coming out of JBug's Kitchen I can usually find something wrong but not this time. To steal a quote from a fellow blogger, it's so good it made my socks go up and down!

Lamb Shank Ragu (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Gourmet via epicurious.com)

1 pound lamb neck bones as well as 2 lamb shanks, OR 4 lamb shanks (2 pounds total)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped red onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup drained diced canned tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 large white mushrooms, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Coarse ground black pepper

1-1/2 cups bourbon (divided)

4 cups chicken stock (divided) and more as needed

1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons flour (I used instant blending flour)

1/3 cup cream

Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven (I used cast iron) over medium high heat until oil is shimmering. Meanwhile wash and dry lamb and season well with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides (about 8 minutes total). Remove from pot and set aside. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350.

Add onion, garlic, canned and sundried tomatoes, celery, mushrooms, fennel, thyme and red pepper flakes to pot. Season well with black pepper. Cook, stirring often until vegetables are softened – about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup bourbon, 3 cups chicken stock, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and honey to the pot. Stir well to combine. Return browned lamb to the pot, bring to a boil, cover and place in preheated 350 oven for 3 hours or until meat is very tender. Check pot towards the end of the cooking time and add additional stock as needed to keep ingredients from burning. When meat is falling off the bone tender, remove from the pot and discard bones. Set meat aside. Combine flour with remaining 1/2 cup bourbon and add to sauce in the pot. Add tomato paste and stir until sauce has thickened and come to a boil. Add more chicken stock as required for a medium thick consistency and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and return meat to the pot. Stir in heavy cream. Serve over gnocchi, pasta or polenta. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Beef and Pepper Panini Sandwiches

Two year's ago - Orange Chicken

 

Swiss Steak - An Old Favorite

There's something wonderful about recipes that have been handed down through generations and there's no doubt this one for Swiss Steak from the Wall Drug Cookbook is one of the better ones. 

Not just any old braised meat in tomato sauce, this one's enriched with the addition of a couple of Campbell's products - consomme for added beefiness along with mushroom soup too. Both make the gravy incredibly rich and flavorful. As for the meat, well there's no better way to enjoy a tough cut of meat like round or rump than by "swissing" it. An old English method of cooking, according to Gourmet Sleuth and the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, swissing refers to the preparation of pounding tougher cuts of meat to tenderize it before cooking, and bless the English because this method's supposedly been around officially (in print) since 1915 although something tells me it's likely a lot older than that.

Regardless, this verison's about the best I've ever made so head on out to your local butcher and ask for some slices of round ...I used bottom for this, but top or even eye of the round will work just as well. As you can see, I used some of those lovely little minature sweet peppers that have become so popular lately and they worked very well too. Simply cut the stem off, take out the seeds and add 'em whole to the pot for incredible flavor and great visual appeal. 

Oh, before I forget - be sure to have lots of mashed potatoes, noodles, spatzle or biscuits to soak up all that yummy gravy goodness and put some good music on too. I predict a very silent dinner hour because your family's likely to be too busy chowing down on this one to have the inclination to carry on any kind of meaningful conversation. Just sayin'.   

Old Fashioned Swiss Steak (inspired by Wall Drug Cookbook)

2 lb. round or top sirloin steak, cut into serving portions

½ cup flour to dredge meat

2 tablespoons vegetable oil and more as required

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red or green pepper, sliced or 6 to 8 assorted mini peppers, stems and seeds removed

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 14oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 can mushroom soup

1 can beef consommé’

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)

Salt & pepper both sides of steak portions. Dredge in flour, coating well and place between sheets of plastic wrap. Pound thin (about a quarter inch). Sauté in batches in a small amount of oil over high heat in hot pan until browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add oil as required. Sauté onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic until vegetables are softened. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, mushroom soup, beef consommé, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine, and then return meat to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and move to the oven. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 hours or until meat is very tender (remove cover from pot during the last 20 minutes of oven time to reduce the sauce). Taste and correct seasoning as necessary. Add parsley just before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

A year ago - Deep Dish Pulled Pork Pizza

Two year's ago -  Braciole (Stuffed Beef Rolls) in Tomato Sauce

Cheesy Chicken Chowder

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

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

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

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

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

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onions, chopped

4 medium carrots, peeled and diced

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

2 teaspoons mixed Italian dried herbs

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 teaspoons garlic powder

4 cups low sodium chicken stock 

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

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

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

8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

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

A year ago -  Raspberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

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

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

Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup

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

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

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

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

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

3 to 4 ounces pancetta, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

1 cup chopped peeled carrots

3 stalks celery, diced

1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage

1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

2 quarts chicken stock

1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1-1/2 cups lentils, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

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

1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

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

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

A year ago - Ideas for using leftover turkey

Two year's ago - Oatmeal Rasin Cookies

 

Apple Cider Chicken

Autumn is upon us, although here in Tucson it means we're still dealing with temperatures in the 90's but we can't let that stop us from cooking up something seasonal.

Inspired by Sunny Anderson's recipe on Foodnetwork, never mind by the pork and cider stew we had a year ago, this is a much better use of the treasured hard cider nestled amongst the beer in our refrigerator than the brined pork turned out to be - at least in my opinion. Of course, I don't think there's a bad way to cook chicken anyway but braising it's darn near the best and adding apple cider...well, shut the front door! In fact, deadbolt it while you're there because the aroma is so amazing you'll have to keep the neighbors out somehow!

I seasoned and floured some skinless boneless chicken thighs and browned them till golden, after which the usual onions and garlic hit the pot for added flavor. With the golden brown thighs removed, it's a perfect opportunity to scrape up all the flavor bits on the bottom of the pot too. Followed by wedges of Granny Smith apples, fresh thyme, bay leaf and a touch of rosemary, the chicken was re-introduced and nestled in a mixture of hard cider and chicken stock. Simmered until tender, I thickened the gravy slightly with a slurry of flour mixed with a jigger or two of Apple Jack Brandy for an added je ne sais quoi.

Piled into a nature made bowl of the finest roasted Kabocha squash along with a mix of long grain and wild rice courtesy of Rice a Roni, (yup, JBug's not adverse to using convenience foods ya' know)  dinner was indeed a treat and relatively healthy too. 

Naturally a pile of creamy mashed potatoes or lovely flakey biscuits, or even wild rice waffles or fritters would be a fabulous way to sop up all that incredible gravy, but we'll have to go there again so we can tell you all about it another day. 

Apple Cider Chicken (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Sunny Anderson, Foodnetwork.com)

3 tablespoons canola oil

2.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs (approx. 9)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges

8 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 – 12 ounce bottle hard cider (I used Woodchuck)

1 cup low sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup Apple Jack brandy (or water)

1-1/2 tablespoons flour (I used Wondra instant blending flour)

Heat oil over medium high in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper then coat in flour, shaking off the excess. Brown in batches without crowding the pan until chicken is golden on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion, garlic, apples, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf to the pan and cook until onion is softened, stirring up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add cider and chicken stock. Heat to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove cover and cook for additional 15 minutes to reduce liquid. Make a slurry from the brandy and flour and thicken gravy to desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes (or biscuits) to soak up all that good gravy. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Ina's Plum Cake Tatin

Two year's ago -  Sole Almondine

 

Braised Beef in Port and Ale Sauce

Another recipe from Cinda Chavich in her High Plains Cookbook and my old home Province of Alberta, last night's dinner actually called for bone in shortribs but stew meat was on sale so I substituted. Hey - I'm a pretty frugal cook in case you haven't noticed. 

No matter the substitution -  this one's a real keeper. In fact, Big Guy has another package of beef cheeks hiding in the freezer and we both agreed they're destined to be done this way pdq. Incidentally I made other changes as you might expect and dredged the beef in flour before browning it and while I may have cut back on the amount of meat in the recipe, I left the liquid the same and let it reduce naturally by leaving the cover off for part of the cooking period. You can see the results. 

Who would ever imagine that tawny port, oatmeal stout, soy sauce and orange juice would marry so incredibly well, never mind the garnish of orange rind and coarse sea salt. I mean it's incredible and really makes the dish sing so for goodness sake, don't leave it out! 

Served on a bed of horseradish mashed potatoes beside more of those fabulous little cipollini onions roasted up all purdy like along with roasted brussels sprouts and purple cauliflower, it was a Sunday night dinner to remember but then again we're celebrating.

The neighbors from hell moved out yesterday and life as we know it will never be the same. Hallelujah! 

Braised Beef in Port and Ale Sauce (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from High Plains Cookbook, By Cinda Chavich)

1 tablespoon canola oil (more if necessary)

2 pounds stewing beef

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 large onions, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed juniper berries

1 -12 ounce bottle dark ale (I used oatmeal stout)

1/2 cup port (I used tawny port but ruby would be fine too)

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 – 10 ounce can beef consommé undiluted

1/2 cup orange juice

1 small orange, zest removed and reserved

Freshly ground black pepper

Fleur de sel (course sea salt) and reserved orange zest as garnish.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Dust meat with all-purpose flour and shake off excess. Brown well in hot pot without crowding – do in batches adding more oil as necessary. Remove browned meat to a plate and set aside.

Add onions, carrot and celery to the pot and cook until vegetables are softened, stirring fond (browned bits) from bottom of the pot as the vegetables release their juices. Add garlic and juniper berries and cook, stirring for one minute. Add ale, soy sauce, brown sugar, cumin, consommé and orange juice. Cook, stirring up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot and bring liquid to a simmer. Cut orange in half and add to the pot along with the browned meat. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Cover pot and cook in preheated 325 oven for 2 hours. Remove lid from pot and continue to cook until sauce is reduced and meat is very tender (another 1/2 hour to 45 minutes). Serve garnished with orange zest and sea salt.  Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Ginger Fried Beef

Two year's ago -  White Bean Soup with Ham

Corn Chowder and Peach Crumb Bars

My friend Lea at La Casa De Nanan whipped up a batch of corn chowder the other day that made me drool. It was also a reminder that we haven't had it in a while so I previewed the soup recipes on this blog and pulled one from way back. I won't go into the details, but suffice to say it had the appropriate amounts of bacon, celery, onion, and corn in a rich creamy broth that cried for a garnish of hot sauce. 

Here's a few examples of "corny" soups we've enjoyed from JBug's Kitchen during the past 3 years. As you can see, we've had a few and last night's effort was a version of the Corn and Cheese Chowder from way back in 2009 but without the cheese. 

Salm 'n Clam 'n Corn    Southwestern with Sausage   Chile Chicken & Corn

     

Summer - Clam & Corn    Roasted Corn Chowder   Corn & Cheese Chowder

     

Now, on to the sweet treat of the week. I came home from a quick trip to the market last week with a bag of 4 very large peaches. While they weren't on the list, they were so big, beautiful, luscious AND inexpensive, I just had to have 'em. I had originally planned to make a raspberry peach pie or Peach Diddle Diddle Dumplings, but just didn't get around to it.

Yesterday I came across this recipe from Brown Eyed Baker and thought why not. Kind of a peach version of Apple Pie Bars, it seemed like a great way to use my peaches that were quickly going south. I basically followed the recipe as written, except I substituted light brown sugar for granulated and cut back a bit since I didn't want a really sweet dessert. I also added more vanilla and cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg to the mix. 

The result - delicious for sure. I mean how can one go wrong with a tender shortbread style crust on the bottom, yummy peach filling inside and more delicious buttery crumbs on top? Well, you can't but I think they couda' been better. 

When you're whipping up these beauties, don't cut back on the sugar, don't be stingy with the salt and for heaven's sake, don't skimp on the peaches. I had the requisite 5 cups called for but I think there coulda' been more, along with maybe a splash of bourbon or two. A few pecans in the crumb mix on top wouldn't be a bad idea either and maybe I could have thrown in the package of raspberries I have in the freezer, or used orange juice instead of lemon and added some rind.  

Course saying all of that, it could be that I'm justifying adding peaches to this week's grocery list so I can make the darn thing all over again.  What do you think? My version of the recipe is below - but please hit the link above and go directly to the source for the original.

Peach Crumb Bars (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from browneyedbaker.com)

Filling:

5 to 6 cups peeled and sliced peaches (4 -5 large)

Juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

In a large bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg. Add sliced peaches and lemon juice and toss gently to coat.

Crumble:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup cold unsalted butter, diced

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly but not too fine. Beat together egg and vanilla and add to crumb mixture. Toss to incorporate. Mixture will be very dry.  Press half the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread peach filling on top and finish with remaining crumbs. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden. Cool to room temperature before cutting. 

A year ago - Pinot Braised Duck Legs with Pears and Onions

Two year's ago - Fried Catfish with Hushpuppies