Chicken Satay

I made a lovely lunch yesterday for my friend Kat H. of chicken satay, fried rice, and cucumber slices. This was an easy, yet elegant dish that requires only a few ingredients and takes very little time to prepare. The recipe comes from this book:

Look for a copy at Gulliver's Books here in Fairbanks first, but if you can't find a copy here you can order one from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Thai-Cuisine-Cookbooks/dp/4889960945/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307545725&sr=1-1


Here is what you will need for this fabulous dish:

1 lb. chicken breast sliced lengthwise, 1" wide strips (thin and long)

Marinade:
1/3 cup coconut cream
1 tsp. ground coriander
3 TBSP. brown sugar
1 TBSP. yellow curry powder
6 TBSP. fish sauce
1 TBSP. canola oil

Garnish with: Cucumbers, lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

Thinly slice the chicken breast. In a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Dip each piece of chicken in the marinade to coat both sides.

Let marinade in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Weave each strip on a bamboo skewer lengthwise. There are many ways to cook the skewers.

Broil or grill for 5 minutes on each side or pan fry in a non stick skillet. Brush marinade on the sides as you turn them.

Curried Salmon Mousse

Still looking for recipes to clean out the freezer before fishing or dipnetting for salmon? Although this recipe is a little time consuming, it is well worth the effort. This is an elegant appetizer or a stand-alone Sunday-we got up late and just want to chill on the deck kind of food. I buy my curry paste at the Asian Market near the Aurora Subdivision behind Randy Smith on Danby. The market has the yellow, green and red pastes and all are excellent! Great products at great prices and really nice people.

This is what you will need for this recipe:

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc or a Fume Blanc--it works best with strong fish like salmon)
2 tsp. salt divided in the recipe
1 lb king or sockeye salmon fillet (boned)
1 TBSP. canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 TBSP chopped garlic
1 TBSP chopped ginger
1/2 tsp. red curry paste
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
chives to garnish

Boil 2 cups water, wine and 1 tsp. salt. Add salmon and simmer for 10 minutes or until flaky. Drain, cool, skin and flake.

Soften onions, garlic and ginger over medium heat. Stir in red curry paste and cook until blended (about a minute).

Food process the coconut milk, cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth. Add fish and lime juice. Process again until smooth. Transfer to a pretty dish, top with chives and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve cold with crackers to your hungry guests with a glass of Grenache Blanc.

Smoking Copper River Salmon

People in Alaska know summer has arrived when we can drag out our electric smokers and smoke almost the rest of last year's salmon. I've left enough Copper River reds in the freezer to get us through the end of July, but am trying to smoke the rest and will be making batches of blueberry and raspberry jam in between to clean out and get ready for this year's crop.

Jin prefers the saltier, soy brined salmon to the sweeter apple juice brined. I don't have a preference, but I like my smoked salmon on the dry side as opposed to the moist stuff that a lot of people prefer. I've found that by smoking the salmon, then pressure canning it in 1/2 pint jars I get just the right consistency AND I don't have to store it in the freezer. I will put all 15 lbs that I am smoking today and tomorrow in the freezer. In speaking of smoking, I prefer to use Alder. If you can't get Alder, my suggestion is to wait until you can. With almost everything else, I prefer to use Mesquite or a blend of Apple and Cherry---but in the case of FISH---Use ONLY Alder.


The smoke from this wood really does make a significant difference in the outcome of the product.

Everyone knows that Copper River salmon is the best you can get in the world, is extremely expensive if you try and purchase it at the store, and that it is high in Omega-3. We eat smoked salmon just as it is as a high-protein snack, add it to cream cheese for a dip, use it in potato chowders, top baked potatoes and too many other recipes to even begin to list.

I learned from an elder in Hughes, Alaska at fish camp one summer that, for salmon to really absorb a smoky flavor, one should score the salmon slightly (not all the way through) about every 1/4"-1/2".

Soy Brine

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup PLAIN salt (MUST NOT be iodized)
2 cups soy sauce (you may want to use the reduced-sodium variety)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire pepper
1/2 tsp. Slap Ya Mamma seasoning
1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce
1 cup chardonnay

Thoroughly rinse and drain salmon. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Score the salmon as shown above. I brine my salmon in a bucket I purchased at Home Depot inside of a clean plastic garbage bag. Drop scored salmon in the bag. Mix brine ingredients listed above and pour over salmon. Make sure all pieces are covered and I make sure skin side is up so fish is submerged in the brine. Brine the salmon for 12 hours. Remove salmon to clean paper towels and allow to air dry for about 60 minutes. Fish should begin to acquire a sticky or tacky feel (this is GOOD!)

Place the thickest fish on the bottom tray of the smoker. Use 3 pans of Alder chips and smoke for 10-12 hours. Allow to cool in the smoker, then remove and vacuum seal in bags.

The next recipe comes to you from my dear friend, Kristi Baker. She is an awesome lady who taught me so much as a greenhorn to Alaska. This is Kristi's brining recipe which is a little sweeter and very yummy.

Kristi Baker's Smoked Salmon Brine

1 large can Tree Top Apple Juice
1 gallon water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup plain salt (NON-IODIZED)


Scored fish should marinate in brine for at least 12 hours. Remove fish to drain and air dry for 2 hours. Smoke for 4-6 hours or longer for a firmer fish.

Today I am also trying a new recipe for smoking already cooked fish to use in frying patties. I loved my mother's salmon patties, were always a favorite at the table and I love them cold as well as hot. As an experiment last year, I pressure canned some halibut as well and trying a smoke on this (see the picture.

Halibut on the left, salmon on the right, stand-up-sit-down, fight-fight-fight...Notice again that I am using Alder chips to smoke.

Here is the recipe for Smoked Fish Patties

This is a terrific appetizer I invented and will be entering this one in the next AK cooking contest!

Halibut Patties:
2 cups cooked, flaked halibut
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Dill weed
Lemon wedges

Mix fish, eggs, bread crumbs, onions, salt and pepper together thoroughly and mold into patties to fry to golden brown in a non-stick skillet.

Lightly dust with dill weed and serve with lemon wedges.

Salmon Patties:

2 cups cooked, flaked salmon
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup cracker crumbs (*I sometimes use food processed pork rinds-higher protein content--but Jim hates the thought of using pork rinds in anything)
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (thank you Chef Kirsten Dixon for teaching me that cardamom and salmon are best friends)
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Spanish paprika to garnish

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and mold into small patties to fry in a hot non-stick skillet. Like the halibut patties above, if made into silver dollar sized pieces, this makes a great appetizer.

Love Dinner - Israeli Couscous with Grilled Summer Vegetables---Up front! This is a vegan dish

I asked for assistance this morning on Facebook to keep me away from the grocery store. I found another product I simply had to try, Israeli Couscous. I bought a lb. of the stuff (in the health food and organic section of the store), scribbled instructions on the tab on how to cook and promptly went home to surf for a recipe. Lo and behold, I find a recipe on the FoodNetwork (Bobby Flay) that looked very interesting. These are the ingredients you will need.

Please note I'm changing it up with the addition of eggplant, mushrooms and feta cheese.

I have named this recipe "Love Dinner" because that is what it is. Be prepared to spend at least 3 hours preparing this dish for the people you love. The washing, slicing, dicing, grilling and sauteing is endless. In addition, I am serving this with artichokes and corn on the cob...a truly vegan dinner tonight.

I love that the end result is topped with Italian flat leaf parsley and basil chiffonade. This couscous is more like a pasta....please keep this little secret in mind the next time you want to make an Italian Wedding Soup or one of those Frog's Eye Salad dishes. This is a pretty dish to serve and very unique---but YOU can make it better.

Don't be fooled into thinking this meal is even healthy just because it can be vegetarian. The proportions and nutritional information are as follows (this is ONLY for the couscous----not including the veggies and dressing):

1/3 cup serving
Calories: 220
Carbs: 46 g
Protein: 8

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup of olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

4 green zucchini sliced lengthwise into quarters
4 yellow summer squash sliced lengthwise into quarters
1 lb. asparagus spears, trimmed
1 eggplant, sliced into 1" cubes
1 lb. small white mushrooms, cleaned (left whole)
12 cherry tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, 2" dice
1 yellow bell pepper, 2" dice

1/2 cup basil chiffonade
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 TBSP olive oil
1 6 oz. package of feta, crumble

1 lb. Israeli couscous (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 cans vegetable broth, heated
Hot water (in case you need it to cover)

In a small dish, whisk the vinegar, mustard and garlic, slowly add olive oil while whisking until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 of the marinade/dressing over the vegetables and allow to marry for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the grill. I use a vegetable plate made especially for grilling and use PAM FOR GRILLING. Let the grill get between 400 and 450 before placing the veggies on the grill. Turning frequently, grill the vegetables until only just cooked through. Cut the zucchini and peppers into 1/2" dice, cut tomatoes in 1/2.

Heat vegetable broth to boil. Then heat 2 TBSP olive oil in a non-stick skillet and add couscous and toss frequently and allow to toast to a light brown.

My bad on the video..yes it is all shot on my own grill...sorry for the poor quality.

Add vegetable broth to cover couscous, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add veggies to the cooked couscous. Stir in the herbs and the crumbled feta. Add in the remainder of the marinade/dressing and mix thoroughly.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Expensive hobby....Cooking...but it is my passion and my joy. There is nothing I love more than finding a recipe, challenging myself to prepare it even better and sharing it with the people I really love and care about. Isn't that the pinnacle of satisfaction? Giving people pleasure?

When tasked to create a recipe with mushrooms as a main ingredient, you MUST always select a variety of three. Typically use: Crimini (FYI----crimini mushrooms are nothing more than baby portabellas for those who do not know), white, and portabella....but oyster is a good substitute. I MUST interject here that my good friend Olga states that mushrooms have no nutritional value. Whether they are or not nutritionally sound, I don't care because I personally love the taste of them. If I submit a dish to you here that may not be nutritionally sound, I will not be held accountable because I really do thrive on taste and presentation; both are prevalent in this dish.

For those who do not really know me, I am a creature of habit. I arrive at work ALWAYS between 6:45 and 7:00 a.m., silverware placed in the dishwasher must be sorted by utensil, spices in the cabinet are alphabetized for ease in locating them, self check-out at the grocery store is preferred because I place veggies and fruits in the same bag....eggs and bread in the other, cheese must always be labeled with dates and put in a separate drawer from other meats and veggies. There are just some things in my life I MUST have control over.

Where was I going with this? Oh Yes! now I remember! Gulliver's Books on College Blvd. in Fairbanks. As a creature of habit, I occupy this space almost every Saturday morning when they first open. I am usually the first customer at the door and immediately climb the stairs to peruse the shelves for titles to purchase to offer up to my students and sometimes sample their delicious fare at the Second Story Cafe. Food prepared here is fresh, from scratch, and is healthy and authentic! On Friday this week I had the Greek Salad and a cup of the Hungarian Mushroom Soup. Wow! I have heard great reviews about this soup and had to try it. Thank you Gulliver's for sharing the process (added the link). They do not give proportions or exact ingredients, but I think I ferreted out the secrets.

The determined chef in me went immediately to the store, purchased my top three shrooms: crimini, white and portabella (thanks Mr. Kowalski for that tip with your Mushroom Ragu) and graced the shelves of the organic section for portabella mushroom stock. I knew a main ingredient of this recipe was white onions, butter and sour cream so I made sure the basket included those ingredients.

Without further ado...here is a great recipe for Hungarian Mushroom Soup. Please do visit the link to Gulliver's Books. They are huge advocates of education.

1/4 Cup unsalted butter
1 large white onion, sliced YOU WANT THESE CHUNKY---kind of like French Onion Soup
1 lb mixed mushrooms (I use a combination of three varieties), ROUGH CHOP...you want them chunky
2 tsp. dried dill weed (ha! I used dill weed from my last year's organic herb garden)
1 TBSP. paprika
1 TBSP. soy sauce
1 box of Portabella Mushroom Broth (find this in the organic section of the store)
1 cup fat free half and half
3 TBSP flour
1 tsp. kosher salt (be careful here...I personally think shrooms and salt have a love/hate relationship) kind of like slugs and salt...not a good mix
Fresh ground pepper to taste (and I love my tri-color peppercorn grind)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup sour cream

Melt the butter and add onions to saute for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Add dill weed, paprika, soy sauce and portabella mushroom stock. Simmer for 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

In a separate bowl, combine half and half and flour. Slowly pour into mushroom mixture to thicken.

The last step: Stir in the salt, pepper, lemon juice, parsley and sour cream. Allow this to heat through for about 5 minutes. IMPORTANT: Do not boil!

Halibut Enchiladas with Bueno Green Chile Sauce with Pork

This recipe takes a lot of time in the kitchen, preparing the fish, and assembling the final product, but it is worth the effort you will put into it. Simply stated, Jim said, "This is the best use of halibut and enchiladas I have ever had! It's perfect!"


Brine for Poaching:

1 Qt. water
½ medium onion, sliced
6 whole black peppercorns
5 whole allspice
juice of 1 lemon
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. Kosher salt
½ cup dry white wine

Simmer these ingredients for 30 minutes to let the flavors marry.

1 lb. halibut or any white fish will do

Add 1 lb. cleaned and skinned fish and add enough water to cover the top of the fish. DO NOT BOIL! Cover and allow the fish to poach on low heat for 15-20 minutes (or until it flakes easily with a fork). Drain and toss everything except the fish.

12 corn tortillas, softened in oil and drained on a paper towel
1 small onion, diced
3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

Soften corn tortillas in oil and drain on paper towels. Place scant amounts of fish, onions and cheese on each tortilla and roll. Place in a non-stick sprayed baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are used. Cover enchiladas with Bueno Green Chile Sauce with Pork and top with Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with calabacitas and beans.

Moose-Elk-Deer or Beef Stew---The Theme of the day is HOME!

Most everyone will agree that HOME is the place we all most want to be. Absolutely NOTHING speaks of home or love or a feeling of complete acceptance than HOME, the place you take off your socks, binding clothes, don sweats, pjs, wooly socks, kick back and become.....YOU. This is the place where the real creative juices flow. Comfort food is surely a part of this picture. A homemade stew speaks COMFORT, LOVE and time. Notice time is minimal...that's because it simmers...just like love at home. I have created my first playlist for you of tracks I think you should enjoy while making and/or eating a hearty stew.

2 lbs of cubed meat (moose, elk, beef, etc)
flour dusted with salt, pepper, thyme
1 large box of beef stock

1 large onion, diced fine
4 cloves garlic, diced

1 lb. carrots, large dice
6 stalks celery, large dice
4 large potatoes, peeled and large dice
3 cans diced tomatoes

Toss the cubed meat in seasoned flour. Brown in a large stockpot with olive oil. Add stock ad diced tomatoes. Add all ingredients and simmer for 3 hours or until done.

Spiced Lemon Quinoa-Diabetic Friendly- Vegan meal or Side Dish

While perusing through my recent Sunset Magazine (May 2011), I knew I had to try this recipe. Quinoa is a great whole-grain food that is Diabetic Friendly. Because there are so many diabetics in my family, I am always on the lookout for meals to prepare they can enjoy. Too often, we forget that many foods we recognize as staples such as potatoes, pasta, and rice are, in fact, NOT good for our loved ones with diabetes. One cup of quinoa has 222 calories, 4g of fat, 5g of fiber, a WHOPPING 8g of protein and 0 sugar.So glad I tried this recipe This goes in my KEEP file and I'll be adding this to my Tried-and-True Personal Cookbook (Thanks Mom for getting me started on this!). The dish is just as good served cold as it is hot. I have included the link where you can find the original recipe as well. This South Indian dish was submitted by Kavita Aiyar.

This is what you will need...

2 Tbsp. yellow spit peas
5 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. black or brown mustard seeds (I get them at Sunshine Foods or the organic section of Safeway)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. curry (original recipe calls for 5 curry leaves-which are not available in Fairbanks)
1 serrano chile, minced
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. kosher salt
5 oz. package of baby spinach (I used the 7 oz. package-but I love spinach!)
1 cup cooked red or white quinoa (I use red)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 TBSP chopped cilantro

1. Simmer the split peas with 2 cups water until tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain and pat dry on a paper towel. Set the peas aside.

Putting it all together:

2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add mustard seeds, cover with a lid and cook until they pop (2 minutes or less), stir in cumin, peas, curry, chile, turmeric, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until peas start to turn light golden (2 minutes). Remove the mixture to a bowl.

3. Add spinach to the pan, increase heat to medium-high and cook just until wilted (1-2 minutes). Drain any liquid. Stir in quinoa, split-pea mixture and 2 tsp. lemon juice. Add more lemon juice or salt to taste preference. Scatter cilantro on top and serve warm or cold.

Stuffed Squid

Did you know that squid is a member of the octopus family? It is relatively cheap to purchase compared to crab, lobster, salmon, halibut and oysters. However, squid has had a bad reputation as being only fit for the calamari appetizer. The recipe here will surprise you and I hope you will give squid a fair shot at your table. Squid tubes prepared in this fashion is fork-tender, has a mild and delicious flavor, and is unique to anything you will ever experience. This is very unlike the sometimes chewy, deep fried calamari (that I also like very much dipped in marinara sauce) that we find on the menu as an appetizer. Experiment with the fish you choose to mix with the stuffing. The original recipe called for chopped prawns, but lobster, crab, halibut, orange roughy and any white fish will do. Tonight  I am using left over King crab and have substituted quartered, seeded cherry tomatoes for the tomato. Also experiment with a variety of cheeses that complement the fish you are using. The original recipe called for cheddar...eeewwww....not with fish what they heck were they thinking? Use a hard white cheese or cheese blend like a mix of Parmigiano-Reggiano/Gruyere.  Fred Meyer had a fantastic new cheese on display that I will be using....taste and try Gran Queso Sole....it's a lovely, buttery, tangy cheese--a bit expensive...but who cares?  It's great!


2 squid tubes, washed and dried with paper toweling
3 TBSP Crab, fish, clams, shrimp etc
1 tomato, seeded and diced
2 chopped green onions
1/4 tsp. cayenne and black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground of each: cumin, paprika, salt, coriander
1 egg, beaten slightly
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter melted
1/2 cup of wine and fish stock

Wash, drain squid tubes and set aside. In a bowl, combine fish/clams/shrimp (whatever you are using), tomato, onions, seasonings, egg, bread crumbs and melted butter. Mix together well. Roll into a log that can be inserted into the squid tube or fill the tube. Secure the bottom with a toothpick.

Lightly coat the bottom of a pan with olive oil. Brown squid on both sides. Add Wine/Stock and cover with a lid. Allow to simmer for 25 minutes. Remove squid from the dish and slice almost all the way through, spoon some of the sauce from the pan over the squid and serve.

I am serving this dish with Garlic Basil Quinoa an Spinach Salad with Dried Blueberries, Shaved Sole Cheese, Grapes and Alaskan Raspberry Vinegrette

Moose Stroganoff

This is an easy do and I did it on the fly If you don't have access to ground moose, deer or elk then use hamburger.

2-3 lbs ground moose, caribou, deer, elk, beef or whatever
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 handful of garlic cloves, diced
a pinch of ground nutmeg, (just enough to SMELL)
Worchestershire pepper to taste, (yeah they really make this)
sea salt to taste
3 cans cream of mushroom soup
3 small cans of mushrooms (more if you adore mushrooms)
1 1/2 cups of sour cream

Brown the meat, diced onions and garlic. Cook until meat is done. Mix all ingredients (except noodles) together and add enough fat free milk to make creamy.

Cook large bag of egg noodles to al dente. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with bread and butter.

Eggplant and Zucchini--What to do?

Betty Crocker and Jennifer Darling (editor of Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook) must be sisters or cousins at the very least. I sometimes find recipes that are nearly exact in both books. With two eggplants in my fridge and some zucchini that I needed to use I scrambled for a dish. I am always cognizant that my vegetarian friends at school sometimes get the short end of the stick (case in point: tomorrow I am bringing a Moose Stroganoff). I wanted to create something that they could enjoy today too and opted to leave out the meat. For those of you who can't live without it, I suggest a mild or sweet Italian sausage to be added to the sauce. Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Edition offered up two choices: Eggplant Parmigiana and Ratatouille. I like to think I am an adventurous person and can think out of the box and what is wrong with combining the two? I didn't want to fry the eggplant in bread crumbs as is traditional, so, on a tip from Kristen O. I simply drizzled them lightly in olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and broiled them on both sides to a nice golden brown. My good friend Heather C. who I love very much also is very fond of artichokes...so why shouldn't I add some of those and loads of basil, mushrooms and garlic to boot? The cheese selections are my own obsessions, because I always have a supply of unusual gourmet cheese on hand. Wolfgang Puck has sold me on the use of Fontina on pasta and pizza, I'll gladly pay the price for aged parmesano regianno cheese, and don't kid yourself! There is a difference in REAL mozzarella and the bagged shredded stuff.

So never mind Better Homes....I just did my own thing and am now paying for it because folks from school want the recipe. I'll try to recreate this dish to the best of my ability.

2 medium eggplants, sliced 1/4"
1 jar Classico Tomato and Basil Sauce
1 lb. whole baby artichoke hearts, drained
2/3 cup finely grated Parmesano Reggiano Cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese, grated
1 cup chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Olive oil
1 lb. zucchini, sliced
3 TBSP Sherry
1/4 cup fresh basil, diced
1 lb. fresh mushrooms sliced
1 small can chopped black olives
salt and pepper to taste
1 Cup Italian-Style bread crumbs

Slice the eggplant into 1/4" slices. Toss or drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Broil in the oven (WATCH carefully or it will burn quickly) for about 4 minutes on each side or until nice and golden in color. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil to warm and add onion and garlic. Cook to clear (maybe 7 minutes) add zucchini and mushrooms cook to soften. Add 1 jar of Classico Tomato and Basil Sauce (or your own favorite), sherry, basil, black olives, artichoke hearts and salt and pepper.

To assemble:

Spray a deep baking dish with non-stick spray. Cover the bottom with 1/2 of the sliced, browned eggplant. Top with 1/2 of the sauce, 1/2 of the cheeses and 1/2 of the bread crumbs. Repeat the next layers.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325 and bake for another 60 minutes.

Ideas to change up the recipe: Add sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, pinon nuts.

Easy Turtle Cookie Cups

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! I might eat one every now and then, but I know my buddies at work will love them and I just had to try this recipe when I got the feed for this from Betty Crocker on Facebook. They were super easy to make and can be completed from start to finish in under a 1/2 hour, so if you're looking for something you must produce on the fly--this is the ticket.

The original recipe said it yields 36 cookie cups, however, I only got 24. I also changed it up a bit by making half with Rolo candies and the other 1/2 with Toffifay Hazelnut candies.

This is all you need:

1 pkg double chocolate chunk cookie mix
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp water
1 egg, slightly beaten
24 round milk chocolate-covered chewy caramels (I used 1/2 Rolo and 1/2 Toffifay)
12 Pecan haves (for the Rolo cups only)

Heat oven to 375. Place miniature paper baking cups (find them in the candy-making and candy molds isle) in mini muffin cups. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until a soft dough forms. Shape dough into 24 1" balls, place in muffin cups. Bake 9 minutes or until edges are set. Immediately press one candy (Rolo OR Toffifay) into the center of each cookie cup. Cool 2 minutes and top the Rolo Cookie Cup with a pecan halve. Cool completely before eating.

Easter Sunday 2011

Taking a bit of hit in telling folks I am serving Lamb for Easter Dinner. Maybe I am naive, and correct me if I am wrong, but isn't lamb the ultimate gift to God in cuisine? I am NOT a dirty-dog....I serve this ONCE a year. This year is a bit different. This recipe comes to you from Farm House Cookbook,by Susan Herrmann Loomis, ISBN: 0-89480-772-2

1 4-5 lb. leg of lamb trim off the fat
10 large cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper to coat
2 lbs fingerling potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. white onions, peeled and halved
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 sized pieces
1 small bunch of Italian Parsely

Brown the lamb on all sides on med-high for 7 minutes, Place garlic on top of lamb, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, Cover and bake for 8-10 hours at 200.

Increase heat to 300. Add potatoes, onions, carrots and season with additional salt and pepper. Cover and continue baking for 4 hours.

To serve: Mince the parsley, decorate the lamb

Um yum...Pistachio Lamb Kbobs up next

Blueberry Morning!

We love our wild Alaska blueberries! Unlike domestic blueberries found in the grocery store, wild Alaska blueberries are smaller and have a much more tart flavor. We pick them from the end of summer and into the early fall when they are at their peak of ripness and take them out of the freezer almost on a weekly basis. Jim uses some every day in his morning smoothie. The secret spot we usually pick from can only be accessed by a long hike up the mountain. Nope! Not even accessible by ATV. We usually take Mickey with us (the red Siberian husky) because he enjoys the hike as much as the blueberries. Jim taught him how to pick his own and we constantly have to watch him for "high-grading" the best. This morning I found a recipe for Blueberry-Cornmeal Pancakes in my Better Homes and Garden 75th Anniversary Edition that I thought I'd give a try. To find that the recipe called for buttermilk was added bonus because we adore buttermilk pancakes and I just so happened to need to get rid of the last cup in the refrigerator. When reaching for the cornmeal in the pantry, I had to move the Navajo Blue Cornmeal aside to get to the yellow cornmeal, and

was inspired to use this cornmeal instead. Why not? It's whole grain, and the only difference is that it was blue corn instead. What a lovely surprise! You must try this recipe. For my Alaskan friends, I'll gladly share the 2 TBSP. of blue cornmeal with you should you decide to make this.

Blueberry-Blue Cornmeal Pancakes

1 Cup flour
2 TBSP. Navajo blue cornmeal
1 TBSP. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 beaten egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 TBSP. vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries

Combine first seven ingredients and mix. Make a well in the center and add the egg, buttermilk and oil. Mix just until moist (should be lumpy). Fold in blueberries. Grill pancakes for about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with butter and blueberry syrup.

Tuna Sandwiches? New Twist but NOT! Dinner doesn't get any easier than this!

My mom makes the BEST tuna sandwiches EVER! Where did she get the recipe? I don't know, maybe from Nanny Pruitt, maybe Betty Crocker. Please Mom, enlighten us by posting a comment. All I know is that the marriage of lettuce, walnuts, tuna, eggs, pickles (in my case canned green tomatoe relish) and mayo make it a confection worth an evening meal with a light soup. I think I even remember my Nanny putting chopped apples in her tuna salad.

1 small can tuna, drained
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 TBSP relish or finely diced pickles
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
salt and pepper to taste
2 boiled eggs, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or enough to moisten lettuce)

Serve this on a good earthy bread with a light soup.

Halibut Enchiladas in Red Chile Enchilada Sauce also Calabacitas with con Elote Squash & Corn

Had no idea I would be home sick today sick and had prepared the halibut last night for making tonights dinner when I got home. No way am I able to eat this tonight, but maybe after my virus is gone. This recipe is a PITA (Pain In The Ass) but worth it. The white fish (halibut in my case--but Orange Roughy and Red Snapper work just as well) must be poached in a marinated brine for 8 minutes and cooled and flaked before using in this recipe. I'll start with the basics..the brine. This is a great brine to poach fish for tacos or any other dish. You want your fish to be moist and flaky...not dry and firm like cooked on a grill.

Poaching the whitefish:

1 lemon sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
10 peppercorns
3 whole allspice
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 box of seafood stock (or enough to cover fish

Bring all ingredients to boil. Add skinned whitefish and enough liquid to cover the fish. Reduce heat to simmer, cover with a lid and allow to mellow (NOT boil) for 8 minutes.

Remove from heat, remove fish to a dish and allow to cool. Reserve for later and de-bone if necessary.

Red Chile Enchilada Sauce

I love frozen chile the most and the next best option is the powdered. Follow the recipe on the tub or the label. If you need instructions, I can do that so call or email me.

24 yellow corn tortillas, softened in hot oil
3 lbs. colby, cheddar, Monterey Jack or a combination of the three, shredded
1 onion, diced fine
Poached halibut
Red chile enchilada sauce

In a large baking pan, coat the bottom with red chile enchilada sauce. Roll up halibut, onion and cheese in softened corn tortillas and place in rows on top of sauce. Repeat until all meat and cheese is used. Cover the entire dish with the remainder of the red chile sauce and bake at 375 for 40 minutes, sprinkle the top with cheese and bake until melted (another 7 minutes). Serve with beans and rice.

Now onto Calabacitas. This is a mix of New Mexico meets Colorado...BOTH my ancestry!. It refers to zucchini or squash and is traditionally mixed with green chile and corn.

There is no better side dish to a meal than this.

1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 med. onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 yellow squash sliced in quarters
2 green zucchini, sliced in quarters
(may add mushrooms if you like)
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can chopped green chile
(*shredded cheese to top is optional)

Heat oil, saute garlic and onion powder. Add onion and garlic and simmer until lightly browned. Add the remainder of seasonings squashes, mushrooms, corn and green chile, stir to heat through. Serve with grated cheese on top

Kitchen Dinosaur Does It Again! MORE MUSTARD

Yes, the old GE Food Processor

came through once again. I understand now why Mom refuses to give up that insane mixer that abjectly pops its own cord, making the user have to replug numerous times. We hang onto what works for us. My old food processor is still working for me so I don't see the need to replace the old gadget. Getting the hang of makin' mustard! Although, I must say that I am not really fond of Dijon and that seems to be all that I am making with these ingredients. I can see combining the Honey Dill Mustard with some Greek Yogurt and baking that over a whitefish and the Oatmeal Stout Thyme will be terrific if mixed in with the eggs before making the Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut (See February 2011 for that recipe). I am hoping the mustard flavor will decrease with time, but unfortunately this is not going to be the case. This stuff if HOT! It is Dijon! It has a flavor that won't be denied.

NEW RECIPE ADDED 03-20-11

HONEY MUSTARD

1 1/4 cup honey
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup peanut oil
5 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp. allspice
1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp. white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and stir constantly over med-high heat. Boil until thick (takes a long time...be patient and it happens quickly when it finally does).

Pour into 5 - 1/2 pint sterilized jars and cap. Water bath for 15 minutes to seal.

Oatmeal Stout Thyme Mustard
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
3/4 cup flat Oatmeal Stout (I used our own Alaskan Stout)

Let this sit for 24 hours stirring now and then.

To this add:
1 TBSP. mustard powder (AKA mustard flour)
1 TBSP. minced dried onion
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves


Let this rest for more than 20 minutes. Pour contents into your own dinosaur (food processor) or blender and pulse a bit. Now add:

1/2 cup vinegar and 1 tsp. salt and blend until you have a paste. Store in a glass jar and don't use for at least 5 days.

Honey Dill Mustard (makes ONLY 1 cup):

3 1/2 TBSP. Mustard (ground)
2 TBSP water
2 TBSP fresh dill weed, chopped fine
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Mix all ingredients to a smooth consistency. Allow to sit for at least 2 hours. Can eat after at least 2 hours or process in a hot water bath. (see directions below)

Hot Water Bath and Processing Mustard: If you want to process your mustard, bring a large stockpot with water to cover the lid of the jar. Boil the jars and lids prior to filling to ensure sanitation. Fill jars with mustard, leaving 1/4" headspace. Boil on the stove in a covered pot for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove immediately to a dry surface to seal jars. You will hear a "Pop" as they begin to seal. If you have jars that do not seal, store them in the refrigerator and use within 4 weeks.

I Love my toys....now onto steaming asparagus and peppers.....

Mustard!

Don't laugh! Yes, you heard right! I am making Mustard. Why? Because I LOVE the stuff. I think most people are either a ketchup/catsup or a mustard person. My Germanic roots demand that I make things like saurkraut, brats, potatoes and other things that probably should not be in my diet. The recipe I am providing has been modified from the original because I don't particularly care for nutmeg in a condiment like the original recipe called for, and I wanted to sharpen the taste instead of sweeten it. By the way, I made a batch and hot-packed (canned) 5 small 1/2 pint jars. Please don't be put off by this. It's an easy-do because you don't need a home canner. You only need a big stock pot, enough water to cover the top of the 1/2 pint jars and boil for 20 minutes.

This recipe MUST shelve for at least 4 weeks before you open the jar.
1 1/3 C. Ground Mustard (I used Colemans Dry Mustard)
1/4 C. yellow mustard seeds
1/4 C. brown mustard seeds
1 C. water
Whisk this together in a saucepan.

In a separate pan combine and simmer for 20 minutes:
2 C. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground Coriander
1/2 tsp. ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground Ginger

Let the spices cool. Then add 2 TBSP honey and mix well.

Now you can pour the mix into small jars to hot water bath for 20 minutes if you want to save on your shelf for time eternal. If not, pour into a dish and it will keep for a month.

Green Chile Cheeseburgers

Halibut and Seafood Cioppino

Always up for trying new things with our halibut.  I couldn't find a recipe for the two ingredigents I had already thawed and needed to use; halibut and scallops.  It was my intent to make Roasted Halibut and Scallops (Lobster Buerre Blanc) and Potato Yvette (thanks Chef Suzanne Champagne Ivy--The Mill on the Floss)....but could not find the glace de fruits de mer gold (lobster base) in Fairbanks and no time to make my own.  I found a lovely cioppino base at Freds in the Seafood Dept and decided to give it a chance.  No...I am not following their guidelines, but...so what, seafood is seafood and I know what Jim likes.  To add to my halibut and scallops I bought a large lobster tail, 1 lb. of wild caught prawns, and 1 lb. of clams.  Here is the method.

Shrimp, Halibut, Clams and Lobster

1 jar Dominic's San Francisco Cioppino Sauce (I will add crushed red pepper to this without even opening the jar.)
2 halibut fillets (skinned, deboned and cubed)
2 lbs large scallops
1 lb. prawns, shelled and deveined
1 lb. clams
1 large lobster tail (cooked according to directions first and added last.

Heat Cioppino Sauce on the stove.  Add halibut, scallops and prawns.  Heat until halibut is flaky and prawns are pink.  Meanwhile, in a pot of cold water bring the lobster tail to boil.  Boil ONLY 5 minutes, take off heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes before shelling and dicing.  Add clams, when shells open, add cubed lobster and serve over rice---serve with sourdough bread.

Add clams (throw out any clams that are already OPEN--sorry to be gross, but the clam inside is dead and you don't want to eat it) to the sauce and wait for the shells to open.  Add lobster and mix through.  Serve over rice.

Creamy Shitake Mushroom and Asparagus Soup

Nothing speaks of spring more than fresh asparagus.  I adapted this recipe to include shitake mushrooms because they just lend that earthy or woody taste that marries so well with asparagus.

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus trim or cut off woody ends
1 lb. shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 tsp. chicken stock base (I use Better Than Broth)
3 1/2 cups 2% milk
salt and pepper to taste

Boil asparagus, shitake mushrooms and onions in just enough water to keep from boiling dry.  *Don't worry about overcooking-this mix will be pureed in a food processor anyway.  Puree vegetables.  In a saucepan melt butter, add flour, stock, salt and pepper to taste, add milk and stir until smooth and thickened.  Add pureed vegetables and stir to heat through.

Calabacita Enchiladas with Salsa Ranchera

Thinking of my vegetarian friends while making this dish.  Yes, it takes quite a bit of work, but with fresh ingredients like these--the dish is healthy, delicious and beautiful.  Calabacitas is a Mexican side dish usually comprised of squash, tomatoes, green chile, cheese and corn.  I got the recipe for these fabulous enchiladas from the new cookbook I won in a contest from Bueno.  Order yours at www.buenofoods.com 

I must say here that I did change the recipe slightly.  However the change I made makes a significant difference in the taste.  The original recipe calls for 1 cup frozen corn and I substituted Birds Eye Southwest Blend which is a combination of corn, black beans, chile, onions and red peppers.

Even the most discriminating MEAT EATER will love these enchiladas.  However, I am making Buffalo Tacos with Pickled Radish and Salsa Ranchera to go with this meal for the hunky hubby.

Salsa Ranchera  (this salsa is an excellent addition to eggs, quiche, beans and tacos)

Cooking the chile, onions and tomatoes

Add the cilantro and lime juice

1 small onion, diced
1 7-oz container chopped green chile (sorry Alaskans you will have to make due with canned)
2 tomatoes, chopped
salt to taste
1/3 cup water
1/4 of the bunch of fresh cilantro, diced
1 TBSP lime juice

Cook the onion, chile and tomatoes and salt over medium heat.  Add water and simmer until most of the water is absorbed and onion is translucent.  Add cilantro and lime.


Calabacita Enchiladas with Salsa Ranchera

20 Calabacita Enchiladas topped with Salsa Ranchera

Ingredients you need in addition to Salsa Ranchera

These are the ingredients you will need to make Calabacita Enchiladas (also the Salsa Ranchera above)....makes 10 enchiladas

1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 medium onion diced
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 cup frozen Birds Eye Southwest Blend OR corn
1/3 cup water
10 yellow corn tortillas, softened
Salsa Ranchera
                                                                                    1/3 cup Monterey Jack Cheese

Prepare Salsa Ranchera and set aside.  Heat olive oil in a saute pan and toast onions about 3 minutes.  Add spices and salt, cook 3 minutes.  Add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes.  Add corn and water and cook 3 minutes more. 

I like rolled enchiladas

Make either flat or rolled enchiladas by topping corn tortilla with vegetables, cheese and salsa.  I like rolled, so I rolled corn tortillas with vegetables and cheese, layered them in a non-stick sprayed stoneware baking dish and topped with Salsa Ranchera and more Monterey jack cheese.  Bake at 350 until hot (20 minutes).

                                 Muy Bueno!

Belgian Waffles

Jim loves waffles so I bought a professional waffle maker for him for Christmas a few years ago.  No, I didn't make Belgian Waffles this morning, but served the frozen ones I made last weekend.  I'll give fair warning now that these are not easy to make.  As a matter of fact, they are a pain-in-the-rear, but completely worth the effort.  Plan on spending at least 2 hours preparing these and serve with only the best homemade blueberry syrup or pure maple syrup.  Personally, I like the Goodnight Waffles better than the Classic Belgian Waffles and you can find find that recipe in my blog as well.

Recipe makes 10 waffles

1 1/2 cup water
2 1/4 tsp. yeast

3 cups sifted flour (a pain...but do it)
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs, separated + 1 egg white (a pain...but do it)
1/3 cup sugar
8 TBSP. unsalted butter - melted and cooled (a pain...but do it)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole milk

Heat 1/2 the water to lukewarm (105-110 degrees).  Dissolve yeast in water with a pinch of sugar from the recipe; let stand 5 to 10 minutes, until mixture begins to foam.

Put the sifted flour and salt in a large bowl and stir to blend.  TO THE YEAST MIXTURE:  Add the egg yolks, one of the egg whites, and remaining sugar, stir to blend then add to this:  remaining water, milk, melted butter, oil, and vanilla; stir into the flour/salt mix until smooth.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg whites gently into the batter.  Let the batter stand for 1 hour, stirring gently every 15 minutes.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut

Halibut!

Is there anything better?  I created a fabulous and healthier way to make halibut than the way I typically love it (deep fried in a beer batter served with malt vinegar).  This halibut fillet is dipped in beaten egg and coated in a mixture of macadamia nuts and panko crumbs then baked 10 minutes on each side.

Skin your halibut and cut into serving size pieces.  Combine crushed macadamia nuts with about 1 cup panko Japanese bread crumbs.  Beat 2 eggs in a separate dish.

Dip halibut pieces in egg and then in nut/crumb mix.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, flip and bake an additional 10 minutes.

I served this with our own garden grown and processed veggies (yes, we were reorganizing the cabinets)....Kale and Beets and I made a lovely salad of romaine, avocado, cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinegar...it doesn't get any simpler than this...Alaskan peasant food.

Pop Over Pie

Putting on the Pop Over Pie!

I learned this trick as a little girl....a quick and easy-throw it all together- dessert.  I don't eat dessert.  But I made the "Girl on the Couch" a Cranberry Cottage Cake with Lemon Sauce and had left-over cranberries and thought, "What the devil am I going to do with these?  I hate throwing good food away."  Remembering favorite childhood desserts that are easy to throw together I naturally thought of Pop Over Pie which can be made from any fruit.  I only had about a cup of cranberries, so I perused the pantry shelves for other canned fruit to accompany and happened upon sliced peaches that have been begging to be opened for a few years.  Yeah, peaches and cranberries would make a beautiful marriage.  Here is my mom's recipe for Pop Over Pie.

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
 3/4 cup milk (I use skim but use whatever you have
1 stick butter
Fruit of your choice (I have used peaches, apples, cherries, blueberries...anything goes here)


Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and milk while you are melting the stick of butter in the oven in 9x9 baking dish.

When butter is melted, pour on top the batter, then spoon fruit over the top and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until done.  Especially wonderful with ice cream.

Chipotle-Lime Pork Chops, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, and Mashed Blue Cheese Potatoes

Please don't be put off by the fancy title.  There was no other way to describe dinner tonight, but it is really an easy quick fix dinner with a fancy name.  Jim's favorite meat is Pork Chops.  He might argue this point, but after 24 years of marriage, I KNOW what he likes best and it is pork chops and potatoes.

The secret to cooking any meat is not overcooking....but with pork chops there is a fine line that you must observe for health reasons. 

Chipotle Lime Pork Chops (increase the recipe as you need to):

2 large pork chops

Make a marinade of:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 TBSP chipotle powder
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Mix marinate ingredients, massage pork chops and allow to rest for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus:  (Makes two)
clean and snap tough ends of asparagus
2 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
2 slices peppered bacon
olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Remove tough ends of asparagus, clean, dry and set aside.  I use a peeler to remove additional tough spots.  Toss asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Lay 4-5 spears in a row, place a slice of cheese on top and wrap securely in peppered bacon.  Secure bacon ends with a toothpick(s).

Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes:
 2 -4 large red potatoes
3 TBSP blue cheese
butter, salt and pepper to taste

Scrub, skin and boil potatoes to tender.  Mash with blue cheese and seasoning.

While boiling the potatoes, heat the grill.  Grill the bacon wrapped asparagus until bacon is crispy, while at the same time grilling the pork chops.

Mash the potatoes as usual, just add the blue cheese.

I don't typically like cake.  Sorry, it's just not my cup-of tea.  Given a choice between cake and pie, I take pie....given a choice between pie and cheese, I will choose cheese....I just don't have a sweet tooth. 

But this cake is an exception. 

This cake looks and feels similar to a pound cake, and is not overly sweet or covered in a nasty over--powering frosting.  I like this.  Thank you Lois Henderson, our school nurse, for providing this recipe.

Margarita Cake

1 box orange or yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz. pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water or (OJ concentrate half and half with water)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tequila (or premixed individual margarita mix)
2 TBSP triple sec liqueur

1 cup confections' sugar
1 TBSP tequila
2 TBSP triple sec liqueur
2 TBSP lime juice

*Note:  You do not have to use the tequila to make this cake.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, water, lemon juice 1/4 cup tequila and 2 TBSP triple sec.  Beat for 2 minutes.
Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Remove to rack and pour glaze over the top while still warm.

To make the glaze:

In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, 1TBSP tequila, 2 TBSP triple sec and 2 TBSP lime juice.  Mix until smooth.

Beans, Beans and then there are Beans

One food I can't get enough of is home cooked beans.  I can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and still want more.  There is almost nothing I enjoy more than a bowl of beans.  Aside from being really healthy for you (they are high in fiber and protein, have been known to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks) they are also low in calories and fat (unless you throw in that ham hock or bacon).    Whether or not you have access to fresh beans vs. bagged beans, they are really good for you and worth exploring in a variety of recipes.

Coming from a family of bean farmers in the beautiful southwest, I must inform readers that there IS a difference between "REAL beans" and the bagged version people typically purchase from the store.  I am never in need of real food as long as Mom continues sending me beans from our relatives in Dove Creek, Colorado--which by the way is known as The Pinto Bean Capitol of the World (no kidding).  I can't get used to old seconds that are bagged and sold in stores after years and years of enjoying new beans.  My Alaskan friends....liken this to reds vs. pinks.....there IS a difference.  If you have an opportunity to order new beans, I highly recommend it, however, fresh or bagged---they are not only delicious, but also good for you!

When my Grandma Sadie passed away, I inherited her cookbooks.  I love this one, given to her by my cousin Judy when she was a teenager in Cortez, Colorado.   For grins and giggles, here is a recipe to try from this book.  It won the Blue Ribbon in 1959.

Mock Pecan Pie
Mrs. Virgil Bane, Cortez, Colorado

1 cup mashed pinto beans
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
pinch of salt
unbaked pie crust
    Preheat oven to 425.  Beat sugar, salt and eggs together.  Add beans.  Mix well.  Let ingredients stand for 1/2 hour.  Pour into pie shell, bake until crust begins to brown.  Reduce heat to 375 and bake 30 minutes more until center of pie is set.  Serve warm topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

Loving Hints from Me:
A few of my friends did not understand the need to "clean" the beans before cooking---even with the packaged beans you get in the store they are covered with dirt, dirt clods and small rocks. 
Dump out all beans on the table and pick through them.  Discard anything that looks "suspicious".

Wash beans really good and then cook them.

Many people think you must soak beans overnight but I've never found this necessary and don't think it makes a difference one way or another.

If you are boiling them on the stove, check often and add water as needed.  I don't know how many pots of beans I burned as a child before I finally learned this lesson.

Cousin Judy say's:  "Put them in the Crockpot overnight, they are good by noon and even better by dinner."

Throw in a smoked ham-hock to boil or pressure cook with your beans, just remember to take out the fatty part and the bones.

P.S. Beans need only to be pressure cooked for 1 hour--another quick meal idea.

Quiche Me!

Let's start with first up out of the oven today and work from there.  Crab Quiche.  Funny story first.  As a senior in high school, my brother Steve was a Junior---we were both in Ms. McMullen's Foods Class.  Mom bought us aprons, mine said "Quiche and Fondue Me", his said "Bar-be-Cutie"....needless to say we were a hit.  My claim to fame -or not- is this, the only swat I got in school was from "disrespect" in her class where I was arguing with my brother and I informed the teacher that her concerns were, "none of her business"....wrong thing to say to a high school teacher at the end of the day!  The good news is that Mr. Hill, the Asst. Principal knew I was a good kid and gave me a tiny "tap" with the paddle...I was already a blubbering, sloppy mess before the wood hit the bottom.

Quiche is a lovely and easy thing to throw together and put on the table in 1 hour.  Fill the shell with ingredients you love and call it good.  Today, I am using leftovers in my fridge and ingredients that are readily available from the pantry.

9" pie shell (I make a lousy crust.....please make your own if you can)
1 C crab or any meat or veg you want
 *Hint:  Precooked sliced bacon is good here on the bottom
1 cup sliced mushrooms, sauteed to soft and drained---herbs to saute with mushrooms are:  Basil, Sweet Marjoram, Hot and Spicy Oregano (these came from my garden)
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Red Onion, diced fine
1 cup artichoke crowns, drained and rinsed, diced
1 cup grated cheese (your choice)....today I used what was left over in the fridge and needed to be used up...a combination of goat cheese and Gouda.  Swiss works really well (but I've always used Baby Swiss) as does Havarti (especially Havarti dill with a fish ingredient).  Nothing wrong with Cheddar or Montery Jack either--it's up to you....depending on the ingredients, I've used gorgonzola, feta, Jarlsberg and more.

Wet Ingredients to pour over your other ingredients already sitting in the crust:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups half and half
sea salt and pepper to taste
Paprika to color---about 1 tsp.
1 tsp. thyme-crush between your fingers

Line your pie dish with a crust.  Next layer the ingredients that are given.  Stir together the wet ingredients and pour over the top of your quiche.  I like to gently massage the wet into the dry, just briefly before putting into the oven.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 300 and bake for another 40 minutes or until the center comes out clean when penetrated with a sharp knife.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting to serve, or cool completely, then cover in foil or freeze to reheat later.

P.S.  My absolute favorite is simple......Spinach and Guyerre Cheese with a tiny bit of bacon on the bottom.  Use left-over chicken and green chile, sun dried tomatoes and basil, anything goes with quiche.

Tamales 101

There is no better way to spend the day when it is -30 than in kitchen cooking up dozens upon dozens of tamales.  No doubt about it, making tamales is TIME CONSUMING...plan on two days AT LEAST and a clean pair of pajamas to change into while you are making these.  In years past I always made tamales the first week I was out of school for the summer.  I've always viewed my tamale-time  as a gift to myself--to breathe again and not worry about anything except for listening to the timer on the stove singing the end of another process.

Nothing speaks to me of sunshine and happiness than taste buds that are awakened by real, authentic chile.  My Land of Enchantment roots run deep within, and I grab every opportunity to cook tasty southwestern flavor for my northwestern friends who, some, have never experienced green chile outside of a can, or know there is choice between red and green.  This year I am trying a new tamale recipe that I think everyone will enjoy.  Please go to the link to get the recipe.  I actually like his masa recipe better than any other I have found.  It spreads easy and the cumin adds a whole new dimension to the flavor.

I made 80 tamales using the website recipe I have included and another 80 with the traditional recipe I have used from the La Posta Cookbook in Las Cruces, NM.  I hate to say it, but the Las Cruces recipe that calls for lard spreads better, while the one from sonofthesouthwest seems to have more flavor...Dang...guess that means I should eliminate the oil called for in son's recipe and put in lard?  Jim would die if he knew I put lard into the last batch.

In addition, I made 50 vegetarian tamales for my vegetarian friends at school.  This is a mix of black beans, corn, rice, pinon nuts, and a red chile and garlic sauce.  The masa was made from vegetable stock and peanut oil in lieu of lard and meat stock.  They are not only healthy, but yummy, even for us died-in-the-wool traditional tamale eaters!

  The Good and the Bad

The Bad:
1)  Making tamales is time consuming (ha!  a minimum of two days-and that from sun-up to sun-down) and should be made en-mass.
2)  Forced to shop at Wal-Mart, which I boycott at every opportunity, but they have the ingredients I need.
3) Ingredients can be costly---5 lbs chicken and 8 lbs pork roast...never mind the masa and other stuff
4)  Multiple steps and multiple opportunities to taste-test.  Forget cooking dinner---it won't happen.
5)  Serious excuse for a long, hot tub bath with aromatic salts to rest those feet, you will be on them for at least 24 hours.  Is this a good or a bad?


The Good:
1)  This is a great excuse to invite friends to come and help. Maybe serve up some margaritas?  I'll take mine on the rocks with salt please.
2) The freezer protrudes with tamals and you don't have to worry until you run out again.
3) You know the time and work you invested in this project and it truly becomes a gift of the heart to those with which you share.

Espero que les guste
(I hope you enjoy)

Tamales....Please...someone come save me... I will post the Hominy Casserole instead

Hominy Casserole

This recipe came to me back in 1990 when I worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory and was a member of the LALT (Los Alamos Little Theatre).  A crew member or cast brought this fabulous dish to one of the cast parties (one of many)---Lordy they knew how to party.  I am sorry I didn't get her name, but the recipe has endured for almost 20 years it is that good.

Yes, this is me and the "Villian"-NOTzz. ....Tom Priestley.  I even got to sing and dance!

32 oz. canned hominy (drained)
1  jar sliced pimentos, sliced
8 oz sour cream
2 - 8oz  cans of chopped green chile
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste

more cheese for the top.

Mix all ingredients, place in a non-stick sprayed dish.  Top with more cheese and bake for 45 minutes at 350.

Garbanzo Nuts

Need a healthy, low-fat, easy to make snack to eat while watching the college football playoffs?  In lieu of chips, try Garbanzo Nuts.  I have altered the original recipe which came to me from the cookbook "Simply Colorado".  I love these little "pseudo-nuts"--as they satisfy my desire for crunchy and salty without the fat and are high in protein.

1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed

Seasonings you can try:

1 tsp. lemon/pepper seasoning and 1 tsp. garlic powder

or

1 tsp. smoker rub (Katherine Helmuth's recipe---I don't know what's in it) and 1 tsp. dry barbecue rub

or

Any combination of seasoning you like...I'm going to try some garlic and dill weed with sea salt.

Sprinkle dry seasoning over garbanzo beans (chickpeas) to coat lightly.  Place in a single layer on a baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes at 350 or until crunchy.  Stir 1/2 way through cooking time.  Allow to cool before eating or storing in a dry container.

1/2 cup = 110 calories, 0 fat, 7g of protein

Halibut Twist and Bulgar Wheat Tabouli

Who else goes on vacation and comes back weighing less and feeling more fit?  Jim and I just got back from our winter respite in Hawaii where we soaked up some serious Vitamin D, ate lettuce wraps in lieu of sandwiches and rice dishes in lieu of fatty steaks and buttery seafood. 

I was also inspired by my niece, Andria's blog and her commitment towards living a healthier lifestyle, so we have joined the get fit and feel better wagon so-to-speak.  Even though Hawaii has much to offer in the way of healthy foodstuffs that is not available to us in Alaska, I have chosen to make a dish tonight that can totally transfer and even be enhanced by Big Island ingredients.

Bulgar Wheat Tabouli

Bulgar Wheat Tabouli Salad

1 Cup Bulgar Wheat
1 1/2 Cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 C. Lemon juice
1/4 C. Olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder

2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 C. chopped parsley
4 green onions, chopped (green and white)

Pour the boiling water over the bulgar wheat and salt.  Stir slightly and cover for 30 min.  Add juice, oil, and garlic powder.  Cover again and chill for 2 hours.  Add tomatoes, parsley, and onions.

A Twist on Halibut - Greek Style

Sunset Magazine, January 2011, page 96.

4 Halibut fillets (skinned and boned)
2 TBSP Olive Oil, divided
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper, divided
Fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1/4" slices
1 TBSP Ouzo (anise flavored liqueur)
2 Garlic cloves chopped
1 14.5 can diced tomatoes
1/2 C. water
1 14.5 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
2 TBSP fresh chopped oregano

Season halibut with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, brown in a non-stick skillet with 1 TBSP oil.  Remove fish to a plate.

Add remaining oil with fennel and ouzo to skillet.  Stir constantly until light golden, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, chickpeas, salt and pepper to taste.  Add oregano and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer.  Add halibut to sauce and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.


Serving Suggestion:
Serve with Marlborough Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc