JBug's Kitchen Antics

Ramped Up Toad In the Hole

We can thank Martha for this one and talk about tasty. Of course she called it what it is - sausage and tomatoes in a savory pudding but for those of us who happen to love Yorkshire Pudding, we know it's just exactly that but on steroids. Hey, it might not look pretty and certainly not as gorgeous as Martha's, but along with a salad it made for a rather lovely dinner. 

I used fresh Bratwurst sausages all browned up nice along with some green onions and joined in the pan by a handful of cherry tomatoes, the whole thing's covered up in a blanket of pudding mix that's simply flour, milk, eggs, salt and a touch of melted butter, or olive oil in my case. 

Thirty minutes in a hot oven and it comes out puffy, glistening and smelling absolutely delicious. Give it a try and I'll bet you'll be amazed. I just have a few hints for you - a 10 inch cast iron frying pan is a must and for a successful rise to your yorkie pud, I've found it best to whiz the mixture together about an hour before I need it and let it sit on the counter getting happy. Don't ask me why, it just works best that way. Oh, one more thing - add the tomatoes after you've poured in the pudding because that way they'll stay where you put 'em. I didn't do that so they kinda' floated around a bit. 

Hit the link and head to Martha for the recipe. It's not that I'm lazy or anything. I just have a few fires to put out this morning. TTFN (ta,ta for now). 

A year ago - Leftover Prime Rib Taco Salad

Two year's ago - Nantucket Cranberry Pie with Tangerine Ice Cream

 

Individual Pulled Pork Pies

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

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

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

     

       Served in a baked potato                   In an ooey gooey Deepdish Pizza

     

          Red Neck Eggrolls                               On A Smashed Potato  

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

 

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

Peanut Sesame Noodles with "RedNeck" Egg Rolls

Who says pulled pork is only good for sandwiches?  As promised, here's the second example of what can be done with yesterday's Oven BBQ Pulled Pork. I can't take credit for someone else's ingenuity since we first saw this on D,D & D but I swear I'll be making them so often I'll be able to call them my own. Delicious morsels they are!

A little internet research and here's the result thanks to the Neely's. SImply leftover pulled pork, warmed briefly and jazzed up with a touch more barbecue sauce, cozied up along with some leftover spicy slaw in a purchased eggroll wrapper. Rolled and deep fried for a few minutes, it's the kind of kitchen miracle that makes one wonder why it wasn't thought of before.  Big Guy named these beauties although I'm not quite sure what defines a "redneck" so (don't laugh, OK) I had to look it up.

According to the site, BSorNot, "...a redneck is a stereotypical southern United States socially conservative, fiscally liberal, rural, working class white person with northern European ancestry." Of course Big Guy proudly attests to being one; however, the site contains a more involved description that you may or may not want to check out. Personally I'm not sure that man of mine qualifies since we don't live in a trailer, he doesn't drive a truck, no longer owns a stained sleeveless t-shirt and he lost the mullet (literally). Hold on a minute here because ya' gotta give me time to recover from my laughing jag!

Anyway, we had our egg rolls with some sweet spicy chile sauce for dipping and a bowl of Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles courtesy of epicurious.com. Hit the link for the recipe, OK - I changed very little, except that I used Annie Chun's Chow Mein noodles, added srirachi instead of red pepper flakes and left out the toasted sesame seeds.

A year ago - Pork Chops with Golden Apple Sauce

Two year's ago - Chicken Cutlets with Romesco

Three year's ago -  JBug's Baked Eggs

 

 

Oven BBQ Pulled Pork

Another one pot meal inspired by the Neely's of Foodnetwork fame, last night's dinner is the start of what I'm hoping will be 3 great meals for two hungry people.

A 3.5 pound pork shoulder roast seasoned with lots of salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika hit a Dutch oven along with a sliced onion, a few cloves of garlic and a bottle of hard cider (I used Woodchuck amber) along with purchased barbecue sauce spiced up with hot sauce, worcestershire and soy. Covered and left to its own devices for nigh on 3 hours, the cook took the liberty of adding a good half cup of Apple Jack brandy during the last half hour of cooking just because it's in the cupboard and needed using up. 

So how good was it? The pork fell apart before Big Guy even had a chance to hit it with two forks and when the shredded pieces returned to the sauce waiting in the pot...well you can just imagine.

Thinking a little outside the box, we enjoyed our pork on a bed of baked, smashed potatoes topped with a scoop of Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw - also thanks to the Neely's. I mean who says pulled pork can only be served in a sandwich right?  Hit the link for the slaw but please note - I used packaged coleslaw mix and cut the sugar in the recipe to 1/3 cup. One whole cup seemed a little excessive to me. I also used a combination of yellow mustard and Dijon.

I made enough changes to the pork recipe, I've taken the liberty of printing my version below. Surely it's enough to get your mouth watering, but just wait and see what we have planned for the rest of it! You're going to be impressed, I guarantee it.  

Oven BBQ Pulled Pork (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by the Neely’s  at Foodnetwork.com))

Cooking spray

3.5 pound pork shoulder roast or Boston butt

Kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cup purchased BBQ sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 10 oz. bottle hard cider (I used Woodchuk Amber)

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Optional - 1/2 cup apple brandy (I used Applejack)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray inside of Dutch oven with cooking spray to help with clean up. If pork roast is tied, cut strings off and discard. Season all sides of roast well with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika, rubbing seasoning into meat. Place into Dutch oven along with onion and garlic. In a small bowl mix together BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, hard cider, hot sauce, Worcestershire and soy sauce. Pour over and around roast. Cover roast and place into oven for 3 hours until pull apart tender. If using apple brandy, add during last half hour of cooking time.

Remove roast from pot and allow to sit briefly, then using 2 forks shred meat. Return meat to sauce in Dutch oven and stir well to combine. 

A year ago - Chicken and Veggie Stew with Dumplings

Two year's ago - New England Style Clam Chowder

Three year's ago - Lamb Ragu Over Vegetables

Hash Brown Casserole

We were out last night to a neighbor's surprise birthday party so there t'wasn't nuthin' cookin' last night in our kitchen. It's rather a good thing too since 16 plus boxes will testify to the fact the kitchen's almost packed up.  There's just another couple or maybe five boxes left which begs an answer to the question - "what the heck do I need all those dishes for anyway, never mind 2 sets of pots, enough cast iron to sink a battleship and wine glasses and champagne flutes for 16 people"...really, when is enough a enough?

What we're eating between now and moving day remains to be seen never mind tasted but one thing I can brag about is this Hash Brown Casserole we had on Christmas morning.

A Paula Deen recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com, I'll admit to cutting the recipe in half, then further cutting down on butter and cheese. I did however, leave the full pound of sausage in the mix to satisfy our resident carnivore and exchanged some of the cheddar for Velveeta for a creamier ooey gooey texture.

The other thing I'll admit to is that I made it a day in advance and stored it (unbaked) in the refrigerator so in that respect it's much like every other breakfast strata slash casserole we have enjoyed on this site before.  

Savory Croissant Bread Pudding   Sausage, Pepper, Spinach Torta  Easy Breakfast Casserole

     

The thing that makes this one different from all the others is (duh) the hash browns. They create a hearty layer of yummy goodness next to the sausage and the creamy cheesy savory bread pudding making up the rest of the casserole.

Garnished with salsa and spiced with extra hot sauce, we quite enjoyed this little number. Next time you need to come up with breakfast for a crowd, be sure to put this one on your list. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Hit the link here and head directly to the source for the recipe.

A year ago - Pan Fried Tilapia with Romesco Sauce 

Two year's ago - Chocolate Gelato

Three year's ago - Roasted Manchurian Cauliflower

 

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

One Pot Spaghetti

I would make this again in a heartbeat, and not just because I'm hungry enough to eat skunk butt fried in butter either but because it is THAT good! 

 

After another day spent packing, a long hot shower and a quick no fuss but yummy dinner were the order of the day and quite honestly you can't get much easier than this. From Southern Living via myrecipes.com, this pot of gloriousness starts with a Dutch oven and a sauce - not just any old sauce either. Just pretend you're actually making a ragu but add a little more liquid, in my case V-8 juice, the spicy kind instead of regular tomato juice and you'll find yourself on the right track. Oh, I also replaced the chili powder called for in the recipe with my favorite spaghetti spices including garlic powder, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes along with the oregano, salt and lots of pepper.  

Set to simmer for a half hour while the cook enjoyed a glass of red, the uncooked spaghetti hit the saucey pot for a 20 minute cook off. Course it requires some tending during that period so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, but it's a lovely excuse to inhale the fabulous aroma and salivate over the results.

Garlic toast, another glass of wine and dinner was on. Best of all, clean up was a breeze...easy for me to say because Big Guy did it! It's a smart man that knows when his wife's at the end of her tether and a smarter one yet that uses initiative. 

One Pot All-in-one Spaghetti (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 – 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 – 6 ounce can tomato paste

3 cups V-8 juice (I used Spicy Hot)

1 cup water

7 ounces spaghetti, uncooked

Grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Crumble in ground beef along with onion and garlic. Cook stirring until beef is no longer pink and onions softens – about 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Stir well to incorporate into meat mixture then add tomato sauce, tomato paste, V-8 juice and water. Stir well to combine, then bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spaghetti to the pot, cover and cook additional 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Garnish with cheese.

A year ago -  Ravioli in Sherry Mushroom Alfredo

Two year's ago - Leg of Lamb Provencal

Three year's ago - Pork Medallions with Mushroom Madeira Sauce

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Herbs

Another winner adapted from the Oregonian Cookbook, this one's the perfect choice for the cook that doesn't cook. You know who you are but I'll give you a little hint anyway.

You're the fabulous friend who's been a part of my life for over 30 years; the one who's there solid as a rock during the good times and the mean ones too; the one who always remembers my annual milestone (birthday); the one who has a laugh that lights up the world; and the one who never fails to get a chuckle outa' yours truly - this time with a confession that she visits JBug's Kitchen Antics regularly not for the recipes because she doesn't cook, but to see what's happening in her old pal's life. Now that's a friend, eh?

Well, Judy - here's a perfect solution for one of your family night Saturday dinners - simple bone in chicken thighs, seasoned up with salt, pepper and roasted in a shallow pan along with onion, lots of garlic and cherry tomatoes jazzed up with herbs and a dusting of red pepper flakes. It's simple to make, incredibly easy on the cook and just so you know, the secret is to spread everything out on a shallow pan so there isn't any crowding. A hot oven does the rest of the work.

The cookbook cautioned against allowing the vegetables to overcook and char but I'm here to tell you those caramelized ossified hunks of garlic, onion and tomatoes are like candy...sweet, crisp and oh so darned delicious. I cooked up a mess of packaged gnocchi and finished it in in a saute pan with a little butter, dried sage and parmesan cheese to go with our roasted bird, but pasta, noodles or roasted potatoes would be fabulous too.

Just make a salad, warm up some bread and be prepared for the compliments because they'll be coming your way at the speed of light. Oh, and if you really want to blow their socks off, how about whipping up a little Blueberry Cream Pie like the one I made at the beach this summer? Substitute a can of prepared blueberry pie filling, or even cherry or peach for that matter and you'll have 'em all wondering what other secrets you've been keeping from them. 

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Herbs (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Oregonian Cookbook)

Cooking spray

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into quarter inch thick pieces

6 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

1-1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried thyme or marjoram

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2-1/2 to 3 pounds bone in chicken thighs, skin left intact (approx. 6 to 8 thighs)

Preheat oven to 450. Spray a shallow baking dish or large sheet pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, red pepper flakes and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper. Toss to coat vegetables with oil.

Wash and dry chicken thighs well. Season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place in prepared pan, leaving as much room as possible between pieces of chicken – in fact, you can use 2 sheet pans instead of one if you wish. Place tomato mixture around chicken thighs but not on top.

Roast uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes until chicken thighs are golden brown and cooked through. Serve chicken with vegetables and juices. Serves 4. 

A year ago - Chili from Leftover Prime Rib

Two year's ago - Ham and Cheese Quiche

Three Year's Ago - Failure...Flounder with Tomatoes and Olives in Parchment

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!

 

Apple Bourbon Country Style Pork Ribs

OK, so here's the thing. This recipe is meant to be made in a slow cooker but you all know how I feel about the contraptions; however, if you really must use one, go ahead but I'm giving you fair warning. You're not going to get the color, consistency or the flavor that we had by using a Dutch oven. So there!

Discovered on Better Homes and Garden's website, this recipe is a cinch to make - country style pork ribs, preferably bone in for more flavor slow braised in a kinda' sweet, kinda' tart oh so easy bourbon boosted sauce. I mean really, what's not to like!

Needless to say, I changed up the recipe somewhat because that's a cook's prerogative. I seasoned the ribs, coated 'em in a dusting of cornstarch and browned them till golden before adding the sauce. They hit a 350 oven for 1-1/2 hours, then were topped with apples and returned to the oven for another half hour. Quite honestly, they were fall apart delicious. The apples caramelized in all the sugary goodness and turned into transparent little flavor bombs, and the sauce - well you're looking at it so you can well imagine, right?

The only thing I gotta' admit is while delicious, they weren't quite perfect which means a second go round in the not to distant future. (ah darn) Next time I'll add some garlic to the mix and maybe a little fresh ginger too, although Big Guy suggested some smoked chipotle chile powder as his favorite flavor booster. He would, wouldn't he?

Incidentally, I peeled the apples (Granny Smith and Braeburn) but you can leave 'em peel on if you prefer, and don't be using expensive fabulous smooth and wonderful bourbon for this, OK? I used what we call cookin' bourbon in this house - Maker's Mark to be exact but Jack Daniel's or Buffalo Trace would be fine too.  Just sayin'. 

Apple Bourbon Country Style Pork Ribs (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds country style ribs, bone in (about 4 large)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup apple jelly

3/4 cup bourbon

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

3 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges (I used Granny Smith and Braeburn)

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high. Meanwhile season ribs well on both sides with salt and pepper and dust with cornstarch. Cook on both sides in batches without crowding pan until richly browned in color. Arrange ribs in single layer in Dutch oven when all are browned. In a small bowl, whisk together apple jelly, bourbon, brown sugar, vinegar and thyme. Pour over ribs, cover and place in a preheated 350 oven. Bake for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven and cover with apple wedges. Return to oven and cook for additional half hour. Serve with rice or noodles. Makes 4 servings.

 

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Pork au Vin

Individual Apple Charlottes

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

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Ricotta and Italian Sausage

We came across some miniature eggplant at our local market the other day that were priced 10 for a dollar and we couldn't pass them up. Not only were they glowing like ameythst jewels, they're cute as a button too plus try and name one other thing can you get for a dime each in this day and age. Unbelievable huh?

I pictured using them in all kinds of different ways including but not limited to Moussaka which we haven't had on the menu for a while, or Ratatouille either for that matter but somehow after some pretty rich dishes on our holiday menu, it seemed like a good idea to have something a little more simple.  Pasta always comes to mind when I'm thinking "simple".

Inspired by recipes from epicurious, myrecipes.com and a favorite Biba cookbook too, we kinda' winged it and started by roasting our ten little mini eggplants in a hot oven while the "sauce" was put together including onion, garlic, multi colored heirloom cherry tomatoes, a roasted red pepper rescued from the freezer and some white wine. Two hot Italian sausage links and one Sicilian style link cooked in another pan while the pasta cooked in another pot, then we put the whole thing together - hey, I didn't say it was a one pot dinner, now did I?  Lucky for me it's my birthday week and Big Guy did the cleaning up!

Finished with dabs of ricotta cheese, chopped fresh basil, a dusting of parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic, the whole thing tasted like a garden fresh sunny summer day kinda' meal - the kind we all crave during this time of year - rich, velevety roasted eggplant in a light fresh tomato sauce with creamy ricotta and the bite of spicy sausage with summery peppery basil - uh yum!

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Ricotta and Italian Sausage (an original from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by epicurious.com, myrecipes.com and Biba)

10 miniature eggplant, cut in half

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 roasted red pepper, chopped

1/2 pound assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2/3 cup white wine, divided

3 hot Italian sausage links (1 pound)

8 ounces pasta (I used penne) cooked per package direction

1/2 cup ricotta

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 450. Drizzle eggplant with olive oil and toss to coat well. Place onto a sheet pan with cut sides up and season well with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until golden brown in color and cooked through (may have to finish them under the broiler to get color on them – that’s what I did).

Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta.

Drizzle a sauté pan with olive oil and place over medium high heat. Add sausage links and cook until browned on both sides, then add 1/3 cup white wine, cover pan and cook slowly for 12 to 14 minutes until sausage is cooked through. Reserve pan juices, but remove sausage from pan and cut on the diagonal into slices.

In another sauté pan heat a drizzle of olive oil until shimmering, then add onion and cook until onion starts to soften. Add garlic and cook additional 30 seconds, then add roasted red pepper, cherry tomatoes, Italian seasoning and white wine. Cook, tossing occasionally until tomatoes give up their juices and start to soften. Stir in cooked pasta along with reserved juice from sausages and toss to coat well. Add spoonful’s of ricotta cheese and Italian sausage slices. Cover pot and cook until cheese has melted and mixture is hot. Toss with roasted eggplant, drizzle with balsamic and garnish with fresh basil. Pass the parmesan. Serves 4 to 6.

A year ago - Leftover Prime Rib Roast in a Beef Pot Pie with Sherry Gravy

Two year's ago - Savory Croissant Breakfast Bread Pudding

Duck Pizza with Brie, Onions and Apples

When we braise duck legs and thighs like we did for Christmas dinner, we always do a few extra because the leftovers are absoutely sublime. Made into a pizza, carnitas or added to a pot of risotto, there's no way on earth we think of the results as anything but delicious.

Last night's pizza started with homemade dough, made in a flash in the food processor and left to rise during the time it took to gather the rest of the pizza toppings together. A lovely thick bechamel sauce loaded with salt, pepper and nutmeg along with the chopped up rind from the brie started the pizza off on the right foot. Bechamel's a fabulous way to sauce a pizza and using the brie rind adds a ton of flavor too. Followed by sauteed onions cooked to a lovely golden color along with several cloves of garlic, slices of soft creamy triple cream brie, chopped moist tender duck and some of the apples and oranges fished from the leftover sauce, fourteen minutes after the pizza hit the oven it was out and ready to be enjoyed. 

Now, if the photo's haven't convinced you to give it a try, had you been able to hear us, you'd be convinced to make a pizza just like this one. Munching and groans of bliss kinda' took over the airwaves for every second of the 10 or so minutes it took us to inhale this beauty. Just sayin'. 

Duck Pizza with Brie, Onions and Apples (an original from JBug's Kitchen)

Crust:

1 cup water

1 package active dry yeast (Rapid Rise is fine)

2-1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

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

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1-1/2 cups whole milk

Salt, pepper and freshly ground nutmeg to taste

Rind from 6 ounce piece triple cream brie, chopped into small pieces 

Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook mixture, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste, then whisk in brie rind. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, whisking often until brie partially melts into sauce. Sauce will be slightly lumpy. Set aside to cool.

For the pizza:

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper 

Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Add butter and when melted, add onions. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions have softened and start to brown. Add garlic and cook for additional 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cool. 

3/4 cup chopped or slivered cooked duck (see recipe for Duck with Apples, Oranges & Cider)

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

Apples and oranges from sauce, chopped into small pieces

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 500. Shape crust into 16 inch pizza. Top with Brie sauce, then sauteed onions, followed by brie slices, duck and chopped apples/oranges. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until crust is golden and topping bubbling. 

A year ago -  Chicken Thighs Braised In Wine

Two year's ago - Mushroom Risotto with Duck

 

Duck with Apples, Oranges and Cider

Duck is one of our very favorite things, particularly legs and thighs. Braised in the oven, they hit the plate all crispy skinned, moist and loaded with flavor.

We've braised duck legs in marsala wine with dried sour cherries, with port and dried cranberries, in red wine and even added dried figs and pancetta, but this time inspired by a recipe from the Cast Iron Cookbook by Joanna Pruess, we used hard apple cider as the braising liquid.

 

Flavoured with sauteed onions and garlic, the juice and rind of oranges and lemons and finished with wedges of apple and navel orange, the key to using this method is to saute the duck legs first until the skin is richly colored and the fat rendered before adding the flavoring ingredients and the liquid - cider in this case.

While I followed the recipe in some ways, I changed the preparation method by braising the duck uncovered in the oven, rather than on top of the stove. That way, you're sure to get crisp, perfectly colored skin and tender moist meat that's cooked evenly throughout. It's also a lot easier because you can forget about it and let it cook until a half hour out, when the apples and orange wedges are added. 

Served with mini steamed parsley and butter coated potatoes, we quite simply loved it. The citrusy tang of orange and lemon and the tart apples really cut through the richness of the duck and made for a fabulous divine extra special dinner on an extra special Christmas day.

Braised Duck Legs with Apples, Oranges and Cider (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Cast Iron Cookbook)

4 whole duck legs, thighs attached

Salt and course ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Juice and rind of 1 large orange

Juice and rind of 1 lemon

2/3 cup calvados or other apple brandy, divided

2 - 10 ounce bottles hard apple cider (I used Woodchuck Amber)

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges

1 large navel orange, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

Parsley

2 tablespoons Wondra instant blending flour

Salt and pepper as needed

Wash and dry duck legs well, trimming any excess fat away. Season well with salt and pepper. Heat heavy Dutch oven over medium high, add duck legs skin side down and brown in a single layer until skin is golden colored. Remove fat from pot as it accumulates and save for another use. Turn legs over and cook until browned on the other side, then transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 350.  Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from Dutch oven and return pot to heat. Add onion and cook until onion is golden brown. Add garlic, sautéing for 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup apple brandy, the juice of the orange and lemon and the cider. Return reserved duck legs and any accumulated juices to the pot, arranging duck in a single layer with skin side up. Bring pot to a high simmer, then place in oven, uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.

Add apple and orange pieces and return pot to the oven, uncovered to cook for another half hour. If mixture seems dry, add water as needed. Remove duck legs and place on a platter. Skim any additional accumulated fat from Dutch Oven – (I placed a layer of paper towels on top of the pot to blot up the fat, then very quickly and carefully removed it with tongs), leaving as much of the braising liquid as possible. Place pot over medium heat and whisk in instant blending flour, whisking until sauce is thickened. Add remaining 1/3 cup brandy along with zest from orange and lemon. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve duck legs over steamed potatoes or noodles. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4.  

 

 

 

 

Lobster Tails Thermidor

Merry Christmas Everyone! Here's wishing you the best of the holiday season and a special day filled with love, laughter and of course, delicious food too!

While next year it's entirely possible we'll be enjoying Pacific Northwest dungeness crab caught by my great white hunter/fisher guy, this year we looked to the northeast for our special seafood fix. Two big and beautiful lobster tails turned into a memorable Christmas Eve dinner, thanks to a Rachael Ray recipe and a little JBug ingenuity.

Quickly steamed then removed from the shells, the lobster was sliced into large chunks and sauteed in butter with 4 ounces of crab (actually I used Krab), then hit a thick sherry flavored bechamel sauce loaded with Old bay seasoning, a touch of paprika a little Dijon mustard. Piled back into the reserved shells, they're topped with a mixture of crushed Ritz crackers, panko, grated parmesan and butter before heading to the broiler for a quick toasting.

Our delicious, delectable succulent lobster was served with scoops of rosemary and lemon flavored risotto (recipe here), courtesy of the Big Guy. He's the risotto makin' machine in our kitchen! 

Lobster Tails Thermidor with Crab (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Rachael Ray)

 2 extra large lobster tails

6 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

3 tablespoons dry sherry

3/4 cup half and half

1/3 cup white cheddar, finely grated

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt & coarse ground pepper

4 ounces crab (I used Krab…the imitation stuff because I’d already blown the budget on the lobster)

6 Ritz crackers, pressed into crumbs

3 tablespoons panko crumbs

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons melted butter

Bring approximately 4 inches of water to a boil in a large pot and cook lobster tails for 8 minutes. Immediately place cooked tails into an ice water bath to cool. Drain well. Using kitchen shears cut away soft underside of tails, leaving hard shell intact and remove meat. Arrange shells in shallow individual gratin dishes or 1 larger dish. Chop cooked meat on an angle leaving it in large chunks. Set aside.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small pot. Add onion and sauté until very soft, stirring often. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in sherry and half and half. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is very thick. Stir in cheddar, paprika, Old Bay, mustard and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add lobster and crab. Cook until warmed through. Stir in prepared béchamel sauce. Spoon ingredients into lobster shells and allow to over flow sides of shells.

Preheat broiler. Combine cracker crumbs, panko, parmesan and melted butter. Dust mixture on top of lobster and place under broiler until crumbs are browned and crisp. Serves 2.

Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin

If your significant other's anything like my Big Guy, there's a very good chance he's out doing his Christmas shopping today. You might want to have him stop at the grocery store to pick up some brussels sprouts, provided they're not already on tomorrow's menu.

Another gem from the Oregonian Cookbook, Best Recipes from FoodDay, these sprouts are roasted first, then sprinkled with crispy bacon and smothered in heavy cream. They hit the oven briefly before they're topped in a mixture of bread crumbs (I used panko), grated cheese (Madrigal in my case) and melted butter before toasting under the broiler for a few minutes. Hit the link and you'll find the original recipe fresh from the Oregonian; however, I've listed my version below.

The result's something that will make a non sprout lover a definite fan - sweet, mild bacon flavored sprouts in a creamy sauce with a crunchy topping, they're enough to make a person beg for more. They darn near eclipsed the perfectly grilled ribeye we had last night never mind the roasted smashed potatoes... and you all know how Big Guy loves his steak and I love me my 'taters.

Give 'em a try and I think you'll agree, they're a definite keeper. 

Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from The Oregonian Cookbook)

3 slices diced bacon

1 pound Brussels Sprouts

1 tablespoon melted butter

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup freshly grated Swiss or gruyere cheese (I used French Madrigal)

1/2 cup Panko crumbs

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

Preheat oven to 425. Cook bacon until crisp. Move to a paper towel lined plate and reserve drippings. Clean sprouts and cut in half. Place in a casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Season sprouts with salt and pepper and toss with melted butter. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until tender crisp and just starting to brown in spots. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with bacon. Drizzle with heavy cream and return to oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until cream has reduced slightly. Meanwhile combine grated cheese, panko crumbs, and bacon drippings. Sprinkle on top of casserole and place under broiler, watching carefully until crumbs are golden brown. Makes 3 to 4 servings. 

A year ago - Cranberry Turkey Meatballs with Potato Latkes

Two year's ago - Baked Pasta with Eggplant Sauce

Skillet Lasagna

When Big Guy and yours truly were in Oregon last weekend on a house hunting mission, there was no question we had to see our friend Lorraine from Figs & Artichokes fame. Being a consummate foodie and "sista' from anotha' motha'" that she is, we love spending time with her and her family.

Being much more in the Christmas spirit than anyone here in JBug's Kitchen, she thoughtfully gifted us with the Oregonian Cookbook, Best Recipes from FoodDay by Katherine Miller. A fabulous book loaded with incredible things, I've read it twice cover to cover and can't wait to make every single dish in it.

The adventure began last night with this Skillet Lasagna. A very fast, incredibly flavorful combination of all the things that make traditional lasagna so delicious, this version includes sauteed Italian sausage, red peppers, lots of garlic and jarred marinara sauce. Lasagna noodles are broken into the mixture and simmered for a mere 20 minutes until they're perfectly cooked then topped with lots of cheese and dabs of ricotta.  

Naturally I made a few subtle changes by using hot Italian sausage, more garlic, finely chopped onion and dried Italian seasoning in place of fresh basil because it is the middle of winter after all and who on earth wants to spend the fortune they're currently asking for the fresh stuff. 

The verdict?  Delicious, soul satisfying flavor with oeey gooey cheesy goodness that tastes just like traditional lasagna but without all the fuss and bother. You absolutely HAVE to make this one never mind the next time you're at the grocery store, promise me you'll thumb your nose when you go by the aisle that holds the packaged ground beef "helper" kinda' boxes many of us have seen advertised but of course never admit to using ourselves. Rest assured after you've tried this recipe, you won't be buying it ever again. From my lips to your ear...well, uh, you know what I mean!

Skillet Lasagna (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from The Oregonian Cookbook)

1 pound Italian sausage (I used hot)

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

8 curly edged lasagna noodles broken into 2 inch pieces (do not use no boil noodles)

1 – 24 ounce jar Marinara sauce (I used Bertolli)

2 cups water

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

In a deep 12 inch skillet with a cover, sauté Italian sausage until no longer pink, crumbling sausage with a fork as it cooks. Add red pepper, onion and garlic and cook until vegetables are softened – about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and a half teaspoon of salt and coarse ground black pepper. Add lasagna noodles, marinara sauce and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to a hard simmer. Cover pot and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If mixture becomes too dry add a little more water. When noodles are cooked, sprinkle half the mozzarella on top. Dot with spoonful’s of ricotta and finish with the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan cheese. Remove pan from heat, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes so cheese melts. Serves 6. 

A year ago -  Salmon with Crispy Horseradish Crust

Two year's ago -  Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken Salad or Chicken Soup

We had some leftover chicken hiding in the refrigerator from the roasted bird the other night and while its soup weather here in the deep southwest, Big Guy had a yen for salad because he says I make the best. I don't know about that when it is really all about making use of what you have in your pantry and veggie drawer and building on the flavors used when you roasted the bird in the first place. Am I being too modest here?

Last night I simply used chopped celery, sweet onion and diced carrots and added zest from 2 meyer lemons and the juice of one, picked fresh off our tree. (I sure am going to miss that tree!) Combined with lots of mayonnaise and fresh tarragon from the herb pots going strong on the patio, for a second there I thought I'd gone overboard with the lemon juice but solved the issue by adding some meyer lemon marmalade that I made last year. 

Served with some of the dough boy's croissants hot from the oven and slathered in butter, it was a dinner without pretense if you know what I mean. Best of all, there's lots of salad left to pile into a couple of soft rolls, or between two pieces of crusty toast. It'll come in handy while we're packing boxes this afternoon. 

 

 
In case you're wondering, personally I had a yen for this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup we enjoyed a while ago, or the Chicken Pot Pie soup from 2009, or especially a pot of Mulligatawny full of curry and apples and all those good things, but they'll have to wait for another time. 

Related articles

Grilled Lemon Chicken Pasta

Chicken Tostadas

Roast Chicken With Meyer Lemon Shallot Sauce

Autumn Chicken Salad

Roast Chicken With Meyer Lemon Shallot Sauce

OMG! I thought I'd found my new favorite roasted chicken method when I came across Ina Garten's plucky lemon flavored bird on croutons, but I'm here to say this version from Sunset magazine via myrecipes.com is every bit as delicious, if not better.

Salted and left to "dry brine" for 3 hours before cooking, lemon zest and thyme are placed under the skin and in the cavity along with sliced lemons and the bird is roasted along with a whole pound of shallots.

Now I know you're thinking how much of a pain it is to prep a whole pound of shallots, but the interesting thing is the shallots go into the pan unpeeled to roast and get all caramelized for an hour kinda' like you'd roast whole bulbs of garlic and when they're done, you simply squeeze the flavorful innards into a blender along with the pan juices and wine and stock and give it all a whizz. (I actually used my immersion blender). Returned to the roasting pan to warm up, all the good brown fond is scraped off the bottom and the shallots turn into an incomparable lemon flavored sauce.

I served our chicken along side yukon gold potatoes, parsnip and carrots all roasted in a cast iron pan in the oven during the last hour the chicken was cooking, and it was fabulous but honestly I'd be inclined to mash the potatoes and parsnip together next time so the sauce is put to its best uses. I mean really, what's better than chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy? 

Hit the link for the recipe and have at 'er. I only changed one thing - I didn't have any chicken stock in my pantry...I know, can you believe it...and the only wine I had was a blush, but I used a whole cup of it anyway and you know what? It was just fine, in fact it was a lovely kinda' pink tinged spoonful of bliss. 

 

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Chicken Quarters Roasted in Hard Cider Sauce

Nonna's Chicken Scallopini

Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon

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

Individual Apple Charlottes

Oh my oh my, here's something better'n apple pie! Did you know there's a heck of a lot more things you can do with a couple of slices of white bread than make a simple stick to the roof of your mouth PBJ sandwich? Point in fact, it is the ingredient responsible for making this old fashioned dessert an absolute stellar company worthy success and we have Fine Cooking to thank for the recipe.

Bread dipped in butter on both sides and sugar on one lined the insides and bottom of some rather too large ramekins in our case. Packed with peeled and diced apples, sauteed in butter along with lemon rind, vanilla bean and raisins until the apples just began to soften, the puddings finished their metamorphasis in the oven.

The sugary outside coating caramelized and the bread became a crisp flakey pastry encapsulating a flavorful and moist filling. Awesome served warm with a scoop of ice cream, it is a dessert that absolutely, without question, deserves a place at your holiday table. 

What the heck, add a spoonful of mincemeat to the apples or dried cranberries with orange and you'll have a whole new thing. That's what I plan on doing Christmas Eve. Just sayin'. 

Individual Apple Charlottes (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Fine Cooking)

2 Granny Smith apples

4 Braeburn Apples

1 Golden Delicious

1 lemon, rinsed

1 vanilla bean

1/3 cup dark raisins

1/3 cup golden raisins

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons Apple Jack Brandy or Bourbon

Peel and core apples. Cut into quarter inch dice and place in a large bowl. Rinse lemon and remove strips of peel with a vegetable peeler, being careful to use only peel and not any white pith. Add to apples. Split vanilla bean in half and using a knife remove the seeds. Add seeds and pod to apples along with the raisins. Toss to mix well.

Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until melted. Add sugar and mix well. Toss in apple mixture and cook stirring constantly until apples give up their moisture and start to soften (about 5 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat, cool slightly and add brandy.

 1 loaf white bread (I used Wonder Bread)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 475. Spray 4 – 10 ounce ramekins or 6 – 8 ounce ramekins with cooking spray and place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Remove crusts from bread and cut rounds to fit the bottom of the ramekins. Cut rectangles from other slices to line the sides, with about a quarter inch overflow on the top of the ramekin. Dip both sides of each bread piece into butter and sugar one side only. Place sugared side down against ramekin (start with bottom first, then do sides).

To complete, remove vanilla pod and lemon zest from the apples. Fill ramekins with apple mixture, pressing down filling and mounding slightly on the top. Filling will cook down. Cover sheet pan snuggly with a sheet of foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly.

To serve, run a knife around the outside of the charlotte and invert onto a plate. Serve with ice cream. 

Two year's ago - Apple Walnut Salad with Port Vinaigrette and Caramelized Pork

Guess What?

I don't know about you, but sometimes we all need a little change in perspective. We think it's a purrrfect time to take a few days off!  See you Monday.

Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon

I saw a recipe on another blog  I visit regularly that looked fabulous and then I realized I'd made it before several months ago. One of the negatives about posting daily on a blog is that it becomes a challenge finding new and different things to showcase; however, this chicken dish loaded with lemon and green olives is certainly good enough for a repeat.

As you can imagine, it has been an incredibly busy week and with the final of 3 moving quotes taking place last night at the same time I should have been preparing dinner, something quick and tasty was the order of the day.

This one includes skinless boneless chicken thighs seasoned with salt and pepper, dredged in flour and browned until golden brown, joined by golden sauteed onions, lemon wedges and chicken stock. Seasoned with all manner of exotic spices and finished with green olives and a dusting of cilantro and parsley, it was absolutely perfect nestled into a bowl along with a scoop of whole wheat couscous. 

The bonus of course, is that it all took a mere 30 minutes to hit the table and it is absolutely delicious. Period! Hit the link here and head to epicurious.com for the official recipe if you wish, but my lowly version is listed below. It's not different than the original by much except that by dredging the chicken thighs in flour before browning them, gives more flavor to the end result and better sauce too.

By the way if there's just 2 of you, feel free to cut the recipe in half. I did last night, but I did put in the whole onion as well as 2 really small Meyer lemons from our tree. Just sayin!

Moroccan Chicken With Green Olives and Lemon (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from epicurious.com)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 skinless boneless chicken thighs cut in half

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

Flour for dredging

2 lemons, 1 cut into 8 wedges and the other juiced

1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup green olives

Chopped parsley and cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in a Dutch oven until shimmering. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Brown well on all sides in batches. Remove from pot and set aside. Add onions and sauté until golden brown – about 5 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and ginger and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken stock and return chicken to the pot. Add lemon wedges. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover from pot and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce liquid slightly. Stir in olives and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required. Garnish with parsley and cilantro. Serve with rice or couscous. Serves 4 to 6

A year ago - Shredded Apple Pie

 

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

Double Chocolate Sour Cherry Bread Pudding

Obviously invented by a frugal homemaker, bread puddings have been around for centuries as a fabulous method of making use of stale bread, eggs and milk to come up with a hearty and delicious main course or dessert; however, what we think of as a traditional, homey old fashioned dessert can be made incredibly elegant by using different flavors and lighter, fresher bread.

Unless you've been in Siberia or you're not regular JBug's Kitchen Antics visitors, you'll already know we have an affinity for this old fashioned dessert. We've made it several times in different flavors and even made this deep dark chocolate version once before with a Mexican twist by adding cinnamon to the mix.

    Dark Chocolate         Lemon Blueberry      Pineapple Buttered Rum

     

Well this time we took it to an even higher level of blissful indulgence by leaving out the cinnamon and adding even more dark cocoa powder, vanilla and the pièce de résistance, dried sour cherries.

It has a luscious sponge like texture interwoven with firm dark chocolate chunks and tart sour cherries, and the flavor ...oh the flavor - rich dark chocolate, not too sweet and very much like the most incredible Black Forest cake you've ever eaten. Sublime!

Double Chocolate Sour Cherry Bread (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from King Arthur Flour)

8 slices white bread, crusts removed

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup dark cocoa (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)

1-1/2 cups whole milk, divided

3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup dried sour cherries

Whipped cream or ice cream for garnish

Butter 4 -  8 ounce ramekins and coat the insides with granulated sugar, shaking out the excess. Cut bread into half inch cubes and divide evenly among ramekins. Sprinkle ramekins with half of the chopped dark chocolate and divide the sour cherries evenly between all 4. Set aside. Place remaining chopped chocolate, sugar, and cocoa into a small sauce pan and whisk together to combine. Whisk in 3/4 cup of milk and place pot over low heat. Heat, whisking constantly until mixture chocolate is melted and mixture thickens. Remove from heat a cool slightly.

Meanwhile in another bowl beat together eggs, salt, vanilla, and remaining 3/4 cup milk. Slowly whisk in chocolate mixture. Pour mixture over bread cubes, chocolate and sour cherries  in ramekins, dividing liquid evenly between the four. Place ramekins into a large pan with 2 inch sides and allow to sit at room temperature for a minimum 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325. Pour boiling water into pan to a level half way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted into center of ramekin comes out clean. Puddings will be slightly “jiggly”. Remove puddings to a wire rack and cool. Serve at room temperature or chilled with whipped or ice cream. Makes 4 servings.

 A year ago - Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Two year's ago - Apple Fritters

Turkey and Stuffing Pot Pie

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 large)

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 cup turkey or chicken stock

2 tablespoons instant blending flour (Wondra)

1/4 cup dry sherry or marsala

1 – 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 cup frozen peas (optional)

2 cups leftover roast turkey, cut into bite size pieces

 

Pastry for a single crust pie

2 cups prepared stuffing (I used leftover)

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

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

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

Two year's ago -  Apple Cranberry Raspberry Pie

Beefy Beany "Benchiladas"

I'm calling last night's feast of ginormous proportions "benchiladas" because they're kind of a cross between a burrito and an enchilada and yes people the word "ginormous" does exist in the Merriam Webster dictionary. Surprised the heck outa' me, I'll tell ya'.

A JBug's original, they're fashioned from very large flour tortillas rather than little iddy biddy corn ones. The filling includes sauteed onion, peppers and tiny cubes of sweet potato, ground beef and cheese which makes 'em more of a burrito than an enchilda; however, I added salsa and enchilada sauce just to be different and to use up some of the jars and cans hiding in my oh so handy circular pantry. Topped with grated sharp cheddar and served along with a very large extra dry gin martini with 3 olives, it made Big Guy smile big time when he walked in the door last night - that and the "Sale Pending" sign announcing to all and sundry the deed is done.

It's official! We're moving and much more quickly than we had anticipated. What we thought would take about 6 months to accomplish took a little over 2 weeks which is proof we have ourselves one heck of a Realtor, don't we? Thanks Pam Devine, Keller Williams Southern Arizona. Take a bow because you're the bomb!

Beefy Beany “Benchiladas” An original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped mixed sweet peppers (I used red and yellow)

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1&1/2 teaspoons hot taco seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup chunky salsa

1 cup sweet potato or yams, peeled and cut into quarter inch cubes

6 large 10 inch flour tortillas

1 can red beans in chile sauce (chili beans)

1 10 ounce can prepared red enchilada sauce

1/2 cup chunky salsa

4 ounces processed cheese cut into long strips (I used Velveeta)

1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and add onion and peppers. Sauté until vegetables are soft. Add ground beef, breaking it up well with a fork and cook until no longer pink. Add seasonings cook stirring constantly for 1 minute, and then add salsa and sweet potatoes. Cover pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until potatoes are soft. Uncover, remove from heat and cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350. Coat 9 x 13” pan with cooking spray. Cover bottom with approximately half cup of salsa. Warm tortillas if necessary until pliable.  Spoon some undrained chili onto tortilla, followed by a half cup of beef mixture. Top with strips of cheese. Roll into a cylinder, tucking in ends and place seam side down into casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Top with enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until casserole is bubbling hot. Serve garnished with sour cream, and salsa. Pass the hot sauce as necessary. Serves 4 to 6.

 A year ago - Perfect Pear Puddin'

Two year's ago - Eggs in Purgatory

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

Our Meyer lemon tree is doing its thing again this year and producing a ton of fruit. While smaller in size than last year's crop, there's more than enough sunny orbs on the tree to supply the entire neighborhood with tart/sweet deliciousness.

I whipped up this Martha Stewart recipe to enjoy with our morning coffee when the girls popped by on their way to the airport to head home to the Pacific Northwest. With Big Guy away this week as you're no doubt aware, I've been taking a much needed break from the kitchen. Consequently the coffers are relatively bare so it seemed like a good idea to take advantange of the one thing that we currently have in abundance.

Hit the link above and head directly to the source for the original recipe, because I honestly hardly changed a thing - I'm just lazy.

While I just bragged about whipping up the cake be forewarned it does take a little more time than the usual coffee cake to prep because lemons are sliced and simmered in water twice to remove the bitterness.

The other point I should make that Martha neglected to mention is that you'll want to remove as many seeds as possible from the lemons because they become quite bitter when cooked. That task is easier to accomplish before you simmer the lemons and I say that in all confidence because I found out the hard way. 

Also, as you see, I made the cake in a 8 inch high sided cake pan with a removable bottom rather than the tube pan Martha recommended so it took an extra 6 minutes to cook. I also cut the struesel in half because it just seemed there would be way too much of it when the focus should be on the cake and the lemons. 

So what was the verdict? Delicious - moist, incredibly full of flavor and definitely worth making. For those of you who don't have access to Meyer lemons, I'd go ahead and make it anyway with regular lemons, but leave out the layer of simmered fruit. It would be far too tart since Meyer's are much sweeter than a regular lemon; however, you might want to try substituting lemon curd instead. I haven't tried it that way but I can't see why it wouldn't work. 

 A year ago -  Makin' Bacon Revisted

Two year's ago - Dorie's Apple Cake

Catching Up!

I know I've been MIA for a few days but I warned you that things were going to be a little irregular for a while. There's been so much going on around here, I can't quite figure out what end is up but it's all good stuff so no worries. 

We had two of "our girls" for dinner Saturday night and when I say "our girls", I mean daughters in our hearts who we've adopted as our own and they've adopted us. They graduated from Big Guy's class at the U of A in 2006 but keep in touch with us two "old" people who dote on their words and glory in their successes. Quite honestly, I can't imagine being any prouder of them or loving them any more if they were our own kids.

Anyway, the menu included

Salmon Spread with Horseradish and Assorted Breads & Crackers    

Steamed Artichokes with Maltaise Sauce

Southern Spoon Rolls

Braised Duck Legs with Marsala and Sour Cherries

Mashed Potatoes with Parsnips

Steamed Brussels Sprouts

Shredded Apple Pie with Ice Cream

So let's see how it went. Thankfully the company was fabulous, conversation scintillating and there was laughter galore because to be honest the cook was rather off her game.

1. The Smoked Salmon spread was a trifle too salty;
2. The Maltaise Sauce kinda' spicy because I used Kicky Kumquat Marmalade to make it;
3. The spoon rolls weren't the feather light beauties that they usually are because they didn't have enough rising time in the refrigerator, plus I might have "cooked" the yeast;
4. The duck needed more salt and pepper;
5. So did the mashed spuds and parsnip combination;
6. The brussels sprouts were overcooked, and 
7. The apple pie waaaay too sweet.

Don't you hate when that happens? This week there's not likely to be much of anything coming out of JBug's Kitchen because Big Guy's away and I really need a couple of days to get back in my groove but don't go away you hear. Incidentally, in case you're wondering what I had for dinner last night ...you're looking at it right now.

A year ago - Mulligatawny Soup with Buttermilk Biscuits

Two year's ago - Spaghetti and Meatballs

 

 

Happy December 1

 

Photo courtesy of Pam Devine, Keller Williams Southern Arizona

Boy, time sure flies when you're having fun doesn't it? Sorry to say there will be nothing forthcoming today from JBug's Kitchen - at least not that I can tell you about right now. We've two showings booked for the house this morning and a dinner party this evening so I'll be taking a raincheck.

 

Enjoy your Saturday everyone and we'll touch base again tomorrow. TTFN (ta,ta for now) 

A year ago - JBug's Texas Chili and the "Best" Cornbread

Two year's ago - Pork Medallions with Apple and Cranberry Chutney