After St Patty's Day...

A big satisfying breakfast to start the day.

I had a big assignment...cooking corned beef and cabbage for a local watering hole here in Pasadena, MD., Coconut Charlie's.  I love Chris and Tommy so I jumped at the chance to cook!  So I have been very busy the last couple days.  But thanks to  some planning, I cook the corned beef and cabbage for our house last Thursday...before the event.  Boy was I glad I did...it made breakfast super easy this morning.

Nothing could be easier than chopping up the red potatoes and onions.

 On medium high heat  in a heavy cast iron skillet fry until tarting to brown.
While they are browning chop up the corned beef...

Top the potatoes with the corned beef and continue to brown.

I transfer the whole thing into the oven on broil while I fry up some runny dippy eggs for on top.
Some pepper and Wa La....one of the best breakfasts I know to eat!

Goose Jerky

I have to admit Robin and I have some of the best Buddies around, Bunky Menger and Tommy Perry, they are actually like brothers to us.  Which leads me to how I came about making Goose Jerky on a Sunday afternoon.

Bunky and Tommy went hunting Geese.  Little did we know that when we went for a drink at "Coconut Charlies" on a Saturday afternoon, that we would happened to run into them.  Nice guys that they are and knowing my love of cooking and wild game (thank you, Dad) I was offered a goose.  I was excited, to say the least!  It now gave me a new challenge...how to clean and dress this bad boy, I had never done this before but I was up for the challenge.

Isn't he pretty, they look even better on a plate!

Bunky gave me some pointers while we enjoyed a drink  at the "Nut" and with the Goose's neck in my hand,  off I went on my adventure & to butcher and cook me some goose.  There will be an additional posts: one when I smoke the thighs, legs and a breast on my Big Green Egg and another post when I saute up the heart and liver smothered in onions & smoke....but for now I'm going to turn 1 breast into jerky to send some to my dad and brother for them to try.

So let's get started...

Knowing that Goose can be strong, we need some big flavors to be able to compete with the goose.

I made a marinade for the Goose before drying it into jerkey.

Marinade Ingredients:

1/3 c. hot wing sauce of your choice (I like it the hotter the better...but remember everyone doesn't like hot)

1/3 c. of teriyaki sauce (I used a sesame teriyaki sauce)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. chipotle pepper powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1-2 shakes of liquid smoke (the bad weather cause me to do this in the oven & not on my Big Green Egg.)

Cut the Breast across the grain and into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices.  I did it by hand but I would reccomend using a slicer to get all the pieces uniform for even drying.

Marinade the meat for overnight or at least several hours.

Take each piece and place a tooth pick through it so you can hang it from the top rack of your oven.  Please a sheet pan covered in foil on the lower rack to catch any drips. (I'm not a fan of cleaning my oven, so I have learned to be proactive.)

Unfortunately I do not have a dehydrator any more.  We lent it to someone and never got it back, or at least not in working condition...so I have to use the oven method .

Place the oven on 150 degrees or the warm setting and let it go.  I dried mine in about 6 hours, but the time will vary, so after 4 or 5 hours check it every half hour until it's done.

Spaghetti Garlic Soup

This is a soup recipe that my mother has fond memories of from my Grandmother…her Mother.  I have “Jazzed” it up some and added some high end toppings and sides, but all in all it is the same soup.  I cannot wait to see what my mom thinks of it. Stay tuned for her post to let us know what she thinks. Let's get started...

Ingredients:

½ c. Olive Oil

1 – 18oz can of paste

1 – head of garlic (peeled, ½ minced and ½ sliced)

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

½ tsp black pepper (I used coarse ground…I like it better)

2 bay leaves

8 c. broth

2 large potatoes (cubed…I leave the skin on)

1 – box of spaghetti (broken into 1 inch pieces)

½ tsp. oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

2 eggs (beaten – we will ribbon these into the soup)

½ c. fresh basil (chopped, you can save the small tops for garnish)

1 c. shredded asiago cheese

¼ lb. fontinella cheese (cut into small wedges for munching on)

1 - Baguette (toasted and smothered with butter, parsley and garlic)

In a small sauce pan over high heat, add the olive oil, Red pepper and black pepper to infuse them.  When hot add the sliced garlic to brown and toast, do not let the garlic burn. Then add the paste stir well to combine.  Now add the minced garlic and bay leaves, stirring the mixture constantly to whip the oil into the paste like consistancy.   

This will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes or more, you will know it is ready when the paste turns more of an orange color and the oil comes to the surface.

Transfer to a larger stock pot adding in 8 cups of stock & potatoes, bring to a boil.   

Cook for 10 to 15 minutes then add pasta and continue to boil.  Watch very closely as to not scorch the soup.  When the potatoes are done, add the salt, pepper and oregano.  Lower the heat and simmer another 10 – 15 minutes. 

Beat the eggs and slowly add them while stirring constantly, like you would for wedding soup.  Serve with the asagio and fresh basil on top, with the fontinella wedges and toasted garlic Baguette on the side.   

Serve with a nice sweet red or white wine and enjoy!

Easy Peasy Cobbler

This recipe is a go-to recipe of my mom’s!  Thanks Mom!  

A great recipe that could have as many variations as your imagination can drum up.  We will list a couple at the end of the post.   I would love to hear what variations you come up with, so please stop back to the comments and let me know what you come up with. 

Ingredients:
       1 stick of butter
       1 large can (28oz to 32oz) of fruit with syrup or 2 med. cans 15oz each

(I used Doles Tropical Fruit with Passion Fruit syrup)

       ¾ c. milk

       2 tsp. vanilla extract - optional (I added this, mom’s recipe doesn’t include it)

       1 c. sugar

       1 c. A/P flour

       1 ½ tsp. baking powder

       3 Tbs. sugar

       1 tsp. cinnamon

       ½ tsp. nutmeg – optional (again my touch)

Directions:

Place your pan in the oven with the stick of butter in it…use the preheat time to melt the butter.  Ideally the oval Corelle baking dish that has the 3” high sides is what my mom always uses.  I do not own one, so I used a 7 ½” by 10 ½” stone ware baking dish, it is in the oven now….we’ll see how it goes.  I have foil under it just in case.  

(no over flow, so it worked! YEA!!!)

Mix the milk, vanilla, sugar, flour and baking powder in a bowl. 

Pour the batter over the melted butter….DO NOT MIX, just pour it evenly all over the butter.

Then lay the fruit all over the batter evenly, once again….DO NOT MIX.  

Then pour all but 1” of the syrup/juice over the fruit. 

Then sprinkle the sugar, nutmeg & cinnamon all over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour & 15 minutes. Bake until the bottom rises up over the top and turns nice and brown.   

 Delish!!!!

Variantions:

·        Peaches, with sugar and cinnamon (my mom’s original recipe which is excellent & her favorite fruit to use)

·        Cherries, with sugar and cinnamon (my mom makes this one also, it's very good)

·        Blueberries, with sugar, cardamom and lemon zest (I also add the juice of the lemon to the batter)

I can’t wait to try some more interesting flavor combinations!  How about you?

Roast with green beans, parsnips and carrots

With a chill in the air and chuck roast on a 50% off sale, it seemed like a perfect weekend to prepare a roast. It’s definitely a great home cooked meal that gives the house that great smell that says “comfort food”.

Ingredients:
       3 ½ pounds of chuck roast (any roast you like, chuck was 50% OFF…YEA!!)
       3 Tbs. Olive Oil

       4 small onions – peeled and quartered

       4 parsnips – peeled & halved length wise

       4 carrots – peeled & halved

       2 – 17.6 oz College Inn Bold Stock (I had these on the shelf, any stock is fine)

       4 Tbs. red wine vinegar (use any vinegar that you have)

       2 Tbs. dark brown sugar (light brown, fine, use what you have)

       1 bag frozen green beans
       salt and pepper

Ingredients: (for the paste rub)

       1/3 c. Pepperhouse Gourmaise (I’ll be dissecting this & posting a recipe soon)

       1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

       4 large cloves garlic minced finely

       2 Tbs. prepared horseradish

Directions:

Cut off the fat and skin that might be on the roast.

Salt and pepper very heavily so it browns nicely and get a crust.

I brown on all sides in a heavy roasting pan over medium high heat on the stove top.  I use my Le Creuset, I just love mine!

Remove the roast and let it rest.

Deglaze the pan with 1 – 17.6 oz College Inn Bold Stock and the 4 onions, make sure you get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan….it’s all flavor.

Place the carrots and parsnips across all the onion to create a rack for the roast.

Combine the Pepperhouse Gourmaise, Worcestershire, minced garlic and horseradish, stirring it all into a paste in a small bowl. 

Slather ½ the paste all over the top and partial sides of the roast.  Place the roast on to the parsnip & carrot rack with the paste rub side down, then use the rest of the paste rub to cover all the exposed areas on the roast…more is better on the roast that is above the liquid.

Add the last College Inn Stock, the vinegar and the brown sugar together in a bowl, mix and add to the pot around the roast.  Try not to get it on the roast or you’ll wash off that tasty paste.  Bring up the liquid level to 1/3 to ½ of the way up the sides of the roast. 

Place the roast in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours.  Check to make sure your liquid levels are still good, add water or wine if you need more liquid.  Reduce the heat to 250 degrees and cover the roast for the next hour.   

Then add the green beans around the roast and cook another 15 minutes at 350 degrees covered.

Serve with the juices.   

An option is to remove all vegetables & meat and keep warm.  You can then make tasty gravy from the drippings.  I know my family and home is split on the ‘gravy vs. juices’ debate…so you decide for your house.

I hope your family enjoys this as much as we did.

Smelts

This has been a favorite of my family, with great memories attached around our traditions & heritage. It’s simple yet incredibly delicious. It’s definitely a great heart healthy snack and easy to prepare.  Try these, you will be pleasantly surprised.

In our family I remember my mom helping my Grandfather cook the smelts for the family gathering. (the smelts were the only thing the men in the family ever cooked.)  My dad has taken over the tradition and I have helped him for years now.  These little things are what I remember when I start to get home sick.  I dash to the kitchen and cook something that reminds me of home.

I must admit I am glad we went to cleaned smelts…my mom use to buy the smelts and I had to clean them.  We learned.

Ingredients:
       2-3 pounds of smelt (get head off and cleaned)
       ¾ c. Olive Oil

       1 to 1 1/2 c. Flour

       A lot of Salt & Pepper to flavor the Flour

       1 small Red pepper sliced in half
       3-4 cloves of garlic minced

       6-8 Fresh Basil leaves minced

Directions:

Wash headless smelt and pat dry

Place a cup of flour and a lot salt and pepper in a pie plate

Take cast iron skillet and add olive oil and heat & the red pepper halves, pepper gets crispy.

Place smelt in flour to coat the fish

Add some fish and cook until brown on both sides

After the fish is cooked, approximately 3 to 4 minute, place fish on paper towel to absorb oil.  Move to a serving plate and sprinkle generously with salt & pepper and the garlic & basil.

Layer the next couple onto the plate the same way, seasoning every layer. You can cover with foil and keep warm or just dig in and EAT.   I eat as I go…I just cannot wait! 

They are totally edible...hold onto the tail and go ahead take a bite, all you'll be left with on your plate is some tails.

It’s always so special when I make them, a touch of home…thanks to the memories!I love them with a nice glass of sweet red wine and a hunk of fresh home made bread with a drizzle of olive oil. (the bread will be another post)