Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

OKTOBERFEST BRATWURST COOKED WITH BEER AND ONIONS

Bratwurst, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I’m almost sure that’s the way Elizabeth Barrett Browning originally intended to begin her classis poem, but for whatever reason dismissed the idea before the poem was published. (Perhaps she discovered soft pretzels at the same time and couldn’t decide on which of these two master pieces of culinary delight should be immortalized in her literary masterpiece.) That can be the only reason I can think of that Bratwurst was excluded from her opening sentence.

But regardless, Bratwurst cooked with beer and onions should be immortalized. Therefore, I offer my late great friend Davey Finch’s recipe.

I have also taken the liberty to include Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s wonderful poem. Like good Bratwurst, wonderful poetry never goes out of style. It remains a treasure to be shared with others, and used as a reminder that we live in a wonderful world full of lovely food, great literature and art, amazing music, and treasured friendships. Cheers to Davey Finch and to all our friends who were blessed by his loving and generous spirit.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

  • Bratwurst (I use Johnsonville), any amount you want
  • Beer (not light beer, but nothing too dark either – an amber or pale ale works great), a bottle or two depending on how many Bratwurst you are cooking (I use 2 bottles for 20-25 Bratwurst)
  • Chopped onion, ½ large yellow onion for 10 Bratwurst; 1onion for 20-25, etc. etc.

Combine Bratwurst (Brats), beer and onion in a covered pan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove Brats from pan and transfer to a pre-heated barbecue. (Reserve the beer and onion liquid.) Grill until nicely browned. Return to beer/onion liquid. Keep warm. Serve with any of your favorite mustards.

CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

There is just nothing better than a big old serving of mac and cheese with your name on it. I mean really, is there any other food that feels as good in your mouth or makes your taste buds as happy as super cheesy, extra creamy mac and cheese? I think not! So when I decided that I wanted a mac and cheese recipe that was reasonably inexpensive to prepare, contained no meat (bacon, prosciutto, etc.) and could be prepared ahead of time and not lose all its wonderful cheesy goodness, I decided to turn to the internet, my favorite recipe source. I found several recipes that looked good, but the one I liked the best was on the Taste of Home website. I made a few minor changes here and there but frankly, this is the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted. I love that it can be made ahead. I also love that it is vegetarian.

And I know, Patti cooking with Velveeta! It doesn’t happen often, but even processed cheese has its uses once in awhile. And this is one of those times when you just have to bite the bullet and put that bright yellow box of Velveeta in your cart. I usually cover it up while I do the rest of my shopping. Then when I check- out, I pretend it jumped into my cart of its own accord. Then when the clerk asks me if I want it returned to the shelves I say something like “oh no, that’s ok, I don’t want to cause any inconvenience for anyone”. I’m sure the clerk sees through my little charade, but the two times or so a year I actually buy Velveeta, I feel I simply must stick to this childish ruse.

And while I’m justifying to all of you why I use Velveeta occasionally, I should share the only other recipe I make that contains this processed ingredient. Please see my favorite recipe for Queso Dip under Appetizer Recipes.

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/3 c. flour
  • 1 1/2 c. milk
  • 8 oz. Velveeta, cubed
  • 1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly grated black pepper
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 c. low fat sour cream
  • 4 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 2 c. (8-oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 c. reserved pasta water
  • paprika, opt.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Allow sauce to burble for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Velveeta, Parmesan, salt, pepper, mustard, and sour cream until smooth and cheese is melted. Cook pasta to al dente in boiling salted water, drain (reserving about a cup of pasta water)* and add to the sauce along with the cheddar cheese. (If the sauce seems too thick add enough of the reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.)  Spoon the mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch dish. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. (The photo below is a double batch.)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Let mac and cheese sit about 5-7 minutes before serving.

*If you are preparing the mac and cheese ahead of time, drain the pasta and run cold water over it until it is room temperature. Drain again and add to the sauce along with the cheddar cheese. Stir well. (The cheddar cheese will completely melt when it is baking.) Spoon the mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch dish. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover and refrigerate until about 2 hours before you want to serve. (Taking the dish out of the refrigerator ahead of time allows the pasta to come close to room temperature before popping it in a hot oven.) Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

 

 

 

DUCK BREASTS WITH ORANGE MARMALADE SAUCE

1 Reply

I do believe summer has come early to the Pacific NW. Usually the month of June is wet or in the case of the last few years, very wet. But so far this June the weather has been splendid. Which means – I am outside and not turning my attention to the kitchen (or this blog for that matter). And then when I do come inside, I’m not much inclined to spend a great deal of time on my computer or fussing over a meal. A small piece of meat, a salad, and a veggie is just about all the effort I am willing to make after a day of activity. That and of course a nice adult beverage of some kind to sip on while I slog away at preparing our evening repast. (Must keep the cook happy, at least that’s what I tell Mr. C!)

With relatively little effort in mind, one of my favorite quick and easy meats to prepare is duck. (And I know what you are thinking. Patti, has the sun fried a few too many of your ever diminishing brain cells? Duck is neither quick nor easy to prepare!) To which I reply – nonsense! Now granted some recipes for duck are elaborate and take culinary expertise. (You will not be finding those recipes on this site.) But this recipe and my previously posted recipe for Duck Ragu with Fettuccine are both easy and quick enough for me to usually garner enough energy to prepare even after spending a grueling couple of hours harvesting weeds to donate to our local yard waste sub-station.

So don’t be afraid of cooking duck, especially duck breasts. Give this simple recipe a try. And while you’re at it, cook up a couple extra breasts. (I usually find frozen duck breasts in packages of 4 anyway, which is the perfect amount for two meals for the two of us.) Then freeze the extra cooked breasts or save them for a couple of days in your refrigerator and prepare the Duck Ragu with Fettuccine recipe. It is truly one of the best and easiest pasta dishes you will ever taste. Quack!

  • boneless Muskovy or Moulard duck breasts (1 duck breast per person)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • zest of half a large orange
  • 3/4 c. fresh orange juice or 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate & 3/4 cup water)
  • 3/4 c. chicken broth or stock
  • 1 c. orange marmalade
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1 T. water
  • 1 T. cornstarch

Trim some of the skin from around the edges of each duck breast. (You want some skin, but not too much. I usually cut enough off so that when I lay the breast flat, skin side up, I can see some meat around the edge of the breast.) Using a very sharp thin bladed knife, score the skin in a crisscross pattern (just through the top of skin) at ¼-inch intervals. Pat the meat dry and lightly season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.  Place duck breasts skin side down in a pre-heated pan heated to medium low. Fry for about 10 minutes or until fat is a deep golden brown. Turn and cook for  another couple of minutes. Transfer to a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 4-6 minutes or until interior temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with aluminum foil, and allow meat to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices. Serve immediately with Orange Marmalade Sauce.

To prepare the sauce combine the orange zest, orange juice, chicken broth, and marmalade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Combine the water and cornstarch. Add mixture to the sauce and return sauce to a boil. If using the sauce within a few minutes, cover the pan and remove from heat. If making ahead, remove sauce from heat and cool completely before placing in refrigerator. Warm before serving. (Extra sauce freezes beautifully!)

Side Dish Suggestion: oven roasted veggies including potatoes, simple green salad

Wine Suggestion: Pinot Noir

 

COBB SALAD WITH SHRIMP

This is another recipe I found in Cooking Light magazine that I thought each and every one of you should accept into your life. It is divinely delicious and pretty darn healthful too boot! And with summer fast approaching, this salad is perfect for one of those days when it is truly too hot to spend much time fussing in the kitchen. And who doesn’t like a big old salad for dinner on a hot night? And when the salad has bacon, shrimp, and avocado starring up at you just longing to be consumed, how can a meal possibly get much better? Well, only if you serve the salad with a light and fruity Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp and flamboyant Viognier. That’s even better!

A word about Viognier. If you have not had the pleasure of tasting a truly good Viognier, do yourself a favor and buy a bottle. According to the Total Wine & More website, “Viognier has recently increased in popularity among consumers. Most known as the principle white grape variety in the northern Rhône, Viognier is capable of producing extraordinary wines with peachy aromas. On the palate, there are dry, luscious flavors of tree fruit, nuttiness and undertones of spice. At its best, it is lush and rich with amazing complexity and a wonderful alternative to Chardonnay. Exceptional Viognier is also produced in Washington State and in the southern Rhône.”

I will be thinking of you the next time I’m eating this salad and sipping on Viognier out on the deck. Cheers!

  • 4 thick slices lean bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • cooking spray
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 2 ½ T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. whole grain mustard
  • 10-oz. cut up romaine lettuce
  • 2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered or halved
  • 1 c. shredded carrots
  • 1 c. whole kernel corn
  • 1 avocado, cut into 8 wedges

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Wipe skillet clean. Sprinkle shrimp with paprika and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Over medium high heat, cook shrimp for two minutes on each side (or until done). Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Set aside. Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, oil, and mustard in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add lettuce; toss to coat. Arrange lettuce on 4 plates. Top each serving with bacon, shrimp, tomato, carrot, corn, and avocado. Serve immediately.

SEATTLE CREAM CHEESE DOGS

Now I must admit I am not the greatest lover of the all-American hot dog! In fact, the only time I really liked them was when I was pregnant. And then, all I wanted with my daily hot dogs (sometimes still cold right out of the package) were several huge slices of super cold watermelon. I almost lived on that diet for my last two trimesters. It’s totally amazing my daughter Paula is as normal as she is. Hot dogs and watermelon? Good grief!

But then low and behold, after probably not eating more than 3 hot dogs since my pregnancy, along comes a Seattle Cream Cheese Dog about 2 years ago. Now granted, when you eat one of these babies, it’s not really about the hot dog. It’s really about the toppings.  Also, I must confess, I usually make mine with really good sausages rather than plain hot dogs. (I figure, if I am going to go to the trouble of caramelizing onions, and dressing up sauerkraut, I might as well go all the way and use a really good sausage too!) However you choose to prepare one of these Seattle street vendor classics, you are going to be in for a wonderful treat. There are just some foods that fall into the “guilty pleasure” category. And these “dogs” are definitely on my “guilty” list. And no, I am not going to tell you what other foods are on my list. You already know about my addiction to cheeseburgers. There’s only so much humiliation I can take at one time. I’m a cookbook writer and food blogger after all. I should have foods like fried ice cream with salted caramel sauce or homemade marshmallows covered in white chocolate and toasted coconut on my list. Not cheeseburgers and fancy hot dogs! But if truth be told, most of us who consider ourselves to be blessed with a sophisticated palate have a food or two we wish we didn’t like, but do! So just to make myself feel better about my guilty pleasure list, I’m going to imagine each and every one of you with a corndog in your hand. (And no, corn dogs are not on my list! In fact, I have never eaten one.) But happy day, I do actually possess some vestige of dignity after all!

  • ¼ c. butter
  • 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp. bacon grease
  • 1 can sauerkraut, well drained
  • 1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 4-8 oz. cream cheese (amount depends on how messy you want to become)
  • 12 hot dogs or favorite sausages
  • 12 buns
  • brown mustard

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and cook slowly until the onions have softened and caramelized to a deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile combine the bacon grease, sauerkraut, and caraway seeds in a small saucepan. Warm gently while onions caramelize. Warm the cream cheese in the microwave while you grill the hot dogs or sausages. Also lightly grill buns on both sides. To assemble cream cheese dogs, spread mustard on one side of bun and warm cream cheese on the other. Add hot dogs or sausage, top with onions and sauerkraut and serve immediately.

 

 

GROUND BEEF SLIDERS WITH BACON JAM AND CAMBOZOLA CHEESE

If I were a person who didn’t really like to cook, first of all, I wouldn’t be a food blogger (yah think!) and I undoubtedly would sport a great deal thinner wallet. And why is that you ask? Because I love really good food. And if I couldn’t fix it for myself, well then, I would have to go out to eat more often at places like Skillet, one of Seattle’s fabulous mobile diners. And why would I eat there as often as possible? Because, they make “the burger” – featuring grass fed beef, arugula, Bacon Jam, and Cambozola cheese (cow’s milk cheese that is a combination of a French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola). Need I say more?

But because I do love to cook, and am an inveterate copycat, I can munch on my take of this fabulous burger (I like to serve them slider sized) any time my heart desires, and time permits, of course. (FYI: if I am serving any type of burger at a function, I usually make them slider sized. Many of the people I entertain are getting older and simply don’t require as much food as when they were younger. So for most of my guests, a smaller burger is much appreciated. After all, they can always come back for seconds! Or even thirds! )

So next time you plan a picnic dinner for family and friends, try serving sliders in place of standard sized burgers. Or if you want to offer a choice, feature a couple of Seattle’s own creations. Serve both this slider (thank you “Skillet”) along with halved Seattle Cream Cheese Dogs (my next post). I mean really, we can’t just be known for our coffee snobbery, more Birkenstock shod women than any other city in America, and grunge music; we also need to take pride in our own gourmet twists on hamburgers and hot dogs. After all, hamburgers and hot dogs represent American cuisine at it’s finest! (I do believe I just talked myself into a trip to Italy. Arrivederci!)

  • 1 lb. not-so-lean ground beef
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 T. grated fresh onion
  • 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning (made by McCormick)
  • Slider Buns (under Bread & Roll Recipes)
  • arugula
  • Cambozola cheese
  • Bacon Jam (under This & That Recipes)

Gently combine the ground beef, seasoned salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, and Montreal Steak Seasoning. Don’t over-mix. Form into 2-inch patties and let rest for a few minutes. Meanwhile toast the buns in the frying pan you plan to use to cook your burgers. Set buns aside. Place pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, add the burgers and leave them alone. Do not try to flatten the burgers while they cook or all the lovely juices will escape. Don’t move the burgers except to flip them once the juices start to puddle on top. Do not flip again! How long you cook the second side depends on personal preference. For a rarer burger only cook for a couple of minutes. You can tell doneness by gently pressing your spatula in the center of the patty without breaking the crust. The squishier the burger, the rarer it is. Meanwhile, place some arugula on the bottom half of each bun. Add a very thin slice of cambozola cheese. When the patties are cooked, place on the cheese. Add a nice slathering of Bacon Jam to the top half of each bun and place on top of the cheese. Serve sliders immediately.

 

 

 

GROUND TURKEY, SAUSAGE, AND BASIL SLIDERS

So in all honesty, if given a choice between one of these sliders or a cheeseburger (my favorite food in the world), I might have to really think about which I would choose. On the one hand, cheeseburgers are as common as say, cheeseburgers. Whereas, a good ground turkey slider doesn’t just grow on every corner. So it might take me a minute or two to make my choice. And because turkey sliders aren’t as readily available, I probably would leave the cheeseburger until another day. (If of course it was a “pick either one” situation.)

Now this could not conceivably happen to me in real life. No one I know would ever be so unkind as to actually force me to make such an agonizing choice. My friends are simply too nice to even consider making such a demand of me. Plus they know I would probably crack under the pressure.  So given that I might actually consider choosing one of these sliders over a cheeseburger should be proof enough that you too should give them a try. I found this Paula Deen recipe on the internet when I was looking for a hearty appetizer to serve at one of our in-home jazz concerts. And because these sliders are just so incredibly delicious, I felt compelled to share the recipe with you. Thank you Paula! (Please note: There was no butter spread on, melted into, or otherwise abused in the making of these turkey patties.)

  • 1 (20-oz.) pkg. ground turkey
  • ½ lb. ground pork
  • 1-oz. fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 c. mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  • Slider Buns (see recipe under Bread & Roll Recipes)
  • Roasted Red Pepper Aioli (recipe to follow)
  • mixed spring greens

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, pork, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. Shape the mixture into eighteen 2-inch-size patties. Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet and place over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the turkey patties and cook until done all the way through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Meanwhile, slice the slider buns and lightly toast them in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes.  Spread both sides of the toasted buns with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli. Lay spring greens on the bottom halves of the buns. Top with turkey patties. Cover with the top halves of the buns and serve immediately.

ROASTED RED PEPPER AIOLI

  • ½ c. mayonnaise
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1/3 c. finely chopped roasted red pepper
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, and roasted red pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill.

 

SLIDER BUNS (REGULAR HAMBURGER BUNS TOO)

Now that spring is definitely here it’s time to think about picnics and fun food. And a slider, one of my favorites, is fun to both prepare and consume. First of all, sliders are just stinkin’ cute! Now I don’t usually go for “cute” food, but even those of you with a cynical bent have to admit that sliders are nothing if they aren’t cute! And when they taste great too, well that’s just all the better. And although Mr. C. and I don’t usually go out for happy hour (we live on an island and the local restaurants aren’t exactly notorious for being outstanding “happy hour” purveyors), we have had occasion to sample a couple of sliders that are just out of this world.

So I thought I would share two of my favorites with you over the next couple of days. And in my humble opinion, the filling of a perfect slider isn’t worth its weight in ground meat without a perfect bun. And I know, some of you think a perfect bun isn’t all that necessary. Well, too bad. It’s my blog and I am not going to leave the rest of you searching for slider buns at your local grocery store! Because, undoubtedly you will find what I did when I was in a hurry recently and decided to purchase buns rather than prepare my own. For some ungodly reason, grocery stores charge an exorbitant price for slider buns that are fully half the size of regular hamburger buns. Now, I may not be a math genius, but I know when I am being hoodwinked! Let’s see, half the ingredients, twice the price. What about this equation just does not compute? And that’s if your grocery store even deigns to carry slider buns in the first place! Now granted, the slider buns I have purchased (not from my local grocery store, I assure you) have been really good. Pricey, but good. Not as wonderful as homemade of course, but tasty none-the-less.

So next time you get a hankering for a truly fabulous slider, remember this recipe. The buns are inexpensive to make and terribly easy to prepare. If you have yet to tackle yeast bread, this recipe would be a good place to start. And because it’s just the size of your cutter that determines how small or large your buns eventually become, you can use this same recipe for regular sized burger buns too. Of course there is the old adage that “the larger the buns you consume, the larger your own buns become”, so I think personally, I’d better stick to the smaller cutter. Wish me luck on that one!

  • 1 c. warm water
  • 1 T. or 1 pkg. active dry yeast
  • ¼ c. sugar
  • 1 ¼ tsp. salt
  • 4 T. butter, room temperature, divided
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 3 ½ c. flour (or more)
  • vegetable oil

Combine warm water, yeast, sugar, salt, 2 tablespoons butter, and egg in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes to *proof. Add enough flour to form a soft dough. Pour a very small amount of oil over the dough, form a large ball with your hands, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel, and let rise for 1-2 hours or until nearly doubled in bulk. Punch down and divide in half. Shape each half into a rough disk. Roll dough to about 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut out with a 1 1/2- to 3-inch cutter, depending on whether you want slider buns or regular sized hamburger buns. Repeat with the remaining dough. You will end up with quite a bit of left over dough. Combine it into a ball and let the ball rest for about 20 minutes. Roll out again and make as many more buns as possible. Arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet about 2 to 3 inches apart. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; brush each bun. This will give them a soft, golden crust. Bake the buns in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are a light golden brown. Cool on rack. Split and use with any of your favorite fillings.

Proof: After 5 or 10 minutes, the yeast should begin to form a creamy foam on the surface of the water. If there is no foam or any apparent action in the bowl, the yeast is dead. Time to start over with a new packet of yeast.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO RAVIOLI

I believe I have mentioned on earlier postings that I love pasta. And for some reason (excessive profit I believe it’s called) makers of fresh ravioli seem to think it’s OK to charge an arm and a leg for the same amount of product I can make for about a dollar. Now granted, I don’t have manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and delivery costs to consider, but really, the markup is astronomical. So when I can make my own ravioli with won ton wrappers, I feel great about myself. And coincidentally, the ravioli happens to taste pretty darn good too. And of course I know I am cheating by not making my own pasta, but you all know that finding shortcuts (aka cheating) whenever possible in the kitchen is what I strive to achieve! (I’ve learned to live with my little addiction. In fact, I no longer even ask for forgiveness in my evening prayers.)

So if you too want to save a little time and money, build yourself a batch of these incredible ravioli. And when you serve them tenderly blanketed with Butter and Sage Sauce, you won’t think to ask forgiveness for cheating a little in the preparation either. In fact, serve this dish to your loved ones, and they might forgive you just about anything! After all, it worked for me when I happened to throw out one of Mr. Cs favorite shirts. Even if the darned thing was 25 years old, the most putrid shade of green I had ever seen, was frayed and stained around the collar, and last fit him about 20 years ago; he loved that shirt. I simply asked for forgiveness at about the same time he took his last bite of the pasta on his plate. It really is very hard to stay mad at someone who is fully capable of denying a second helping!

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1 T. butter
  • 3 T. minced shallot
  • 3 T. half & half
  • 3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
  • pinch nutmeg
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • wonton wrappers
  • 1 recipe Pasta with Butter and Sage Sauce (under Main Dish Recipes)

Wash and dry the sweet potato. Stick it with a fork in 3-4 places, place it in a pan, and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool until you are able to hold it in your hand comfortably. Peel and mash the sweet potato; set aside. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mashed sweet potato and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the half and half. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and the pinch of nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Don’t over salt because there is plenty of salt in the Butter and Sage Sauce.) Lightly flour a clean work surface. Set a small bowl of water nearby. Lay wrappers on the surface. Place a small scoop or heaping teaspoon of the sweet potato mixture on every other wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and wet the outside edge of each wrapper. Gently place the wrappers without the filling over the wrappers with the filling, wet edges together. Gently but firmly press down on the edges of each ravioli with the tines of a fork. Refrigerate in a single layer until ready to use. (This recipe makes about 11 ravioli.) When your sauce is ready* place the raviolis into boiling salted water one at a time (to prevent initial sticking).  Reduce heat if necessary and cook for about 2 minutes. They will float to the top when they are ready. Gently lift out of the water and place on plates. Serve covered with Butter and Sage Sauce or any fairly simple pasta sauce.

*Hint: always have your pasta sauce ready before your pasta is finished cooking, not the other way around. Pasta is much more time sensitive then most sauces. And if possible, always cook your pasta al dente unless otherwise instructed. Mushy pasta is simply not very appealing.

 

 

GRILLED RUBBED CHICKEN

I grew up on a farm. My grandfather sold eggs for a living, so we had eggs coming out of our ears. And who knows which came first, the chicken or the egg, but along with the eggs, we had chickens. Funny how that works! And every Sunday after church, my mom (we lived in a separate home on the farm property) would fix the side dishes, and my grandmother, after first killing, de-feathering, and butchering some unlucky rooster or hen (and I refuse to go into the details of how this was accomplished) would prepare the fried chicken. Now I know I’ve told you that my grandma was not a good cook, but boy could she fry chicken! So at about 2:00 p.m. every Sunday we would sit down to a dinner of fried chicken with all the trimmings. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Then long about 7:00 p.m. we would have a late supper. Often it was as simple as a Spanish omelet (like I said, we had eggs in abundance) and toast. Lovely in its simplicity.

Now logically you would think that as an adult I would hate eggs and chicken. But I still have an egg every morning for breakfast. Love them. And as far as enjoying the taste of chicken, well, in all probability, if I had to choose just one meat to eat for the rest of my life, it would be the delectable Gallus gallus domesticus. And after having grown up on a chicken farm, as far as I’m concerned, the only good chicken is a dead chicken anyway! Chickens are mean critters. They will literally peck one of their fellow chickens to death if the poor thing happens to have even a tiny scratch or scrape. And as a small girl trying to help her grandfather gather eggs, well those old biddies were unmerciful! So like I said, better dead is a Rhode Island Red, or however that cold war saying goes!

So for me, a lovely piece of chicken that has been rubbed with spices, spent a few hours of well deserved incarceration in the refrigerator, then cooked over low heat on a BBQ and slathered with BBQ sauce; well life just doesn’t get much better. Actually, the only thing I can think of that would be better, is if I could fry chicken like my grandmother. But to do that, I would have to raise my own chickens (not out of the question) and then slaughter them (satisfying but completely out of the question), churn my own butter from my own dreamy eyed cow (I believe we have a covenant in our development that expressly states that cows are prohibited), and own a well seasoned cast iron frying pan! Well I’ve got the pan, but as for the rest, not going to happen, so I will just have to cherish my memories. If I am lucky enough to end up in heaven with my grandmother, I know she will be waiting for me with a plate of her fried chicken. In the mean time, I will gladly content myself with this BBQ’d chicken. Hope you enjoy it too.

chicken pieces, any type or number of pieces you need

Dry Rub for Chicken:

  • 5 T. kosher salt
  • 1 T. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 T. granulated garlic
  • 3 T. onion powder
  • 1 T. dried thyme
  • 1 T. ground sage
  • 1 T. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground savory

Mix all dry rub ingredients together. Wash and dry the chicken pieces. Thoroughly rub each chicken piece with the dry rub. (Store any unused portion of the dry rub in an airtight container at room temperature.) Place chicken in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Grill over medium low heat and serve with Bourbon BBQ Sauce (under This & That Recipes)