Bountiful But Beautifully Easy Thanksgiving Recipes 2010

Soups and Hors D’oeuvres

Soup is usually an entrée in our home, whether a classic French Onion or a hearty meat and vegetable with chunks of bread on the side. Thanksgiving, especially if you’re entertaining for the day, offers a number of opportunities for soup to complement light hors d’oeuvres, and gives the gentle cook a reason to get some food in the belly while preparing the feast. Here is a quick-ish soup along with some complementary pre-feast nibbles for your consideration:

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (serves approximately 8)

This is perhaps the best-known Thanksgiving soup, and there are at least a few dozen recipes that will entice even the most hard-core Curcurbita-phobe to have at least a taste. My recipe is nothing too fancy, and can be prepared the day before and frozen in order to save time and space.

4lbs Butternut Squash (2 med squash), halved lengthwise, clean and set aside the seeds

2 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Rubbed or Fresh Chopped Sage

4 Cups Chicken Broth

½ Cup grated Carrot

½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon

½ Tsp Ground Nutmeg

1 Tsp Salt

Ground Pepper to taste

½ cup Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Dice the squash into 1-inch pieces and place into a baking dish with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and toss to coat. In a small saucepan on low heat add the carrots, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, stirring constantly until the sugar is melted and the carrots are soft and beginning to caramelize. Pour the mix from the saucepan over the squash chunks, toss thoroughly to coat and arrange the pieces in a single layer in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, tossing to recoat the squash after 30 minutes.  Mix the remaining olive oil, soy sauce and the sage in a small dish until well blended, then add the seeds to the dish. Stir to coat the seeds and lay them out on a cookie sheet or shallow pan in a single layer. Drizzle the remaining soy/sage mix over the seeds, then put them into the oven to bake with the squash until browned (usually 30-45 minutes), remove from the oven and allow them to cool.

 In a large saucepan heat the chicken broth until just boiling, then add the cooked squash and stir until mixed. Simmer for 15 minutes and the allow to cool until just warm to the touch. Transfer to a food processor (or use a blender or hand-mixer in the saucepan) and blend until smooth. It will be a bit thick when you’re finished with the blending, then transfer the soup back into the saucepan and slowly heat on low, slowly stirring in the cream or half-and-half until rich and creamy. At this point you can cool the soup and refrigerate or even freeze it to be reheated just before serving. If serving immediately, pour into a tureen or individual small ramekins and garnish with the roasted seeds.  

Chocolate Crostini (serves 8-12)

Some readers may think that chocolate should wait until dessert, but this is Thanksgiving- I say “why wait?”  This recipe is super-quick and easy to make with ingredients most people always have on hand, and chocolate as an appetizer is usually greeted enthusiastically:

1 Crusty Baguette, cut into ½- to-1-inch slices

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Bar Dark (Bittersweet) Chocolate, divided to match the bread slices

Turn your oven to broil, or set your toaster oven to high. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place the bread in a single layer, not touching. Place under the broiler for no more than two minutes until lightly browned and toasted. Flip the bread and toast the other side in the same manner. Remove from the broiler or toaster oven, turn off the heat but leave the oven closed (more about why in a moment) and flip the bread again without allowing it to cool too much. No, I’m not compulsive- the side that was toasted first will have an indentation from toasting, and acts as a little “dish” to hold the chocolate. A chef-friend of mine- a real chef – taught me that about twenty years ago. Next, drizzle a bit of the olive oil over each piece of toast, enough so each piece has a decent amount. Next, place a piece of the dark chocolate in each little indentation on the toast. It will begin to melt just a little from the warm bread, and put the tray back into the warm oven (not on, but still hot) for a couple of minutes. Remove from the oven and set it down firmly on the countertop; if you should drop it a few inches it would do the same trick. Why? It “sets” the chocolate in that little dent in the toast, plus it will make your guests wonder what you’re about in the kitchen.  For an added kick, add the merest pinch of red pepper or a couple of red pepper flakes.

Vegetables

 I’m no fool: There are so many variations of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, casseroles and the like which find their way to the table at Thanksgiving that I will not insult you or your ability to make your own. However, it’s a good idea to have a few quick and interesting recipes that will satisfy the need to add something a bit different to the menu- but not so different that it seems incongruous.  I love green beans, parsnips, potatoes and carrots: I grew up eating lots of them, and my Dad still grows beans and potatoes in his garden.  Here are three fairly quick and very simple sides to toss into the Thanksgiving fray:

Honey Almond Green Beans (serves 6-8)

These are always a favorite with kids: It’s very colorful, crunchy and sweet.  It takes about 10 minutes from beginning to end if you’re practiced at cutting vegetables, so it can also be whipped up at the last minute as long as you have room for another pan on your stove.

8 Cups Fresh Green Beans, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ Tbsp Butter

¼ Cup Sliced Almonds, toasted or raw

1 Tsp Pepper, coarse ground or cracked

2-4 Tbsp Honey (depending on taste)

Salt to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted and hot, add the almonds and toss until they are just beginning to brown. Add the green beans and bell pepper and toss until coated. Add the honey, salt and pepper and toss to coat again. Increase the heat to medium-high and sautee 5 minutes, tossing to assure even cooking. Place into a covered dish to keep warm until serving.

Orange Ginger Beets

We love beets. We love the greens, the roots, everything about them. We especially love the way it looks like a massacre has just concluded when they’re sliced up for cooking.  Unfortunately, beets by themselves are a bit bland for all their sweetness. So, we use the sturdy root as a foundation on which to add orange and ginger and then cook them to tender perfection. This recipe assumes 3-4 beet slices per serving, adjust more less as you desire:

6 Medium Beets, greens removed, scrubbed or peeled and beards (roots) trimmed

1 Cup Orange Juice, with pulp (fresh squeezed is best, just save some of the pulp)

2 Tbsp Fresh Grated Ginger or Ginger Paste

1 Tbsp Olive Oil or Butter

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil or butter on medium-low heat. Slice the beets into ½-inch thick slices, cut to fit the pan in as few layers as possible. When the oil/butter is hot, place the sliced beets into the pan and coat with the hot oil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. While the beets are simmering, mix the orange juice and ginger together until well-blended. When the beets have begun to soften a bit, increase the heat to medium, stir the orange-ginger mixture once more and add it to the pan, stirring to mix the beet juice and the orange juice. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes or until the beets are tender, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. For a thicker sauce, simmer uncovered until the liquid is reduced by one-third. Place in a serving dish and serve warm.

Parsnips and Carrots in a Rum Butter Rosemary Glaze (serves 6-8)

Image courtesy McCormick's

Those readers who know me well are aware that I have a fondness for working spiced rum into many dishes. Here’s one that you can prepare while making sure the rum is properly spiced, in your glass as well as in the pan. I don’t shy away from the butter in this one, because it adds such a savory counterpoint to the sharpness of the parsnips and the greenness of the rosemary:

1 Pound Medium Parsnips, scrubbed and trimmed

1 Pound Medium Carrots, scrubbed and trimmed

2-3 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Rosemary (more if you like)

4 Tbsp Butter

½ Tbsp Olive Oil (to keep the butter from burning)

2 Oz Silver or other Spiced Rum

2 Tsp Salt, divided

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Slice the parsnips and carrots into 1-inch pieces and add them to the pan, tossing to coat with the oil. Add 1 tsp salt to “sweat” the vegetables and cover for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally to keep from sticking. Add the butter slowly, tossing the vegetables to keep it from burning, then add the rosemary. Toss until the rosemary is mixed into the vegetables, and then add the rum. Cook until the liquid begins to thicken, then increase the heat to medium-high. Toss or stir until a glaze begins to form, then remove from the heat. Place in a serving dish and serve hot.

Thanksgiving Menu 2010, Round Two: Stuffing vs. Dressing

Stuffing vs. Pan Dressing

There’s always been a debate between aficionados of stuffing and dressing. Stuffing is more or less self-explanatory, while dressing seems to have a more varied definition based upon regional influences. One would tend to think that there’s not much in the way of comparison, as the only thing stuffing and dressing have in common is bread, but my ears have been burned by the vehement opinions of friends and family. My take on the matter is that stuffing can be prepared either stovetop or baked inside the bird whereas dressing is baked in a pan separate from the main entrée. Here are a couple of recipes that you can add to your Thanksgiving Day table, to quell the strident opinion that may arise should one or the other be left out of the day’s offerings.

Mrs. Pat’s Pan Dressing

When I was growing up my Mom always made pan dressing with Thanksgiving dinner, many times her mother- Grandma Ruby- would also show up with a slightly different but still-substantial pan of dressing. It was dark and savory, more like a casserole or bread pie with cornbread and chicken. It was actually a meal in itself, and Mom always makes an extra pan for late-night leftovers when the munchies set in. I find pan dressing to be the perfect complement to the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special we always watch later in the evening. It’s my comfort food of choice, and I will eat an entire pan of this stuff if I’m not prevented from doing so. As an entrée-type offering I’ve added instructions for the extra step of adding chicken to the recipe, but as listed below it is offered as a competitor or alternative to the side of stuffing. This is best prepared the day before and left to chill in the refrigerator overnight to let the flavors mingle. Just take it out and let it return to room temperature before baking so it won’t go soggy.

4 cups Cornbread, Crumbled
2 Cups White or other Loaf Bread, Torn
1 Large Onion, Diced
4 Stalks Celery, Diced
2 Tbsp Fresh Chopped or Rubbed Sage (fresh for a stronger flavor)
2 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
2 Tsp Poultry Seasoning
2 Large Eggs, Beaten

Put the bread into a large mixing bowl. Heat the butter or olive oil at medium heat, then sautee the celery and onion until translucent. Add the broth, sage and poultry seasoning and stir for 2 minutes. Add the broth and vegetable mix to the bread, stir and allow to cool a bit. Then mix in the eggs until the mixture is lumpy and pourable but not soupy. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) to allow the flavors to mix, then allow to return to room temperature. Pour into a greased (or sprayed) 9 x 12 baking or casserole dish. Preheat your oven to 350F and bake until crisp on the edges and a toothpick comes out clean. Cut into squares in the dish and serve.

Entrée Option: Bake whole small chicken, cut meat from breast, legs and thighs into strips and boil the bones and carcass for broth.  Add the chicken meat to the mixture and bake as usual.

Mister C’s Fruited Nut Stuffing

Some of you who have been fans of Cookin’ With Mister C for a while will recognize the stuffing recipe I’m reproducing here as the Fruited Nut Stuffing I use for Cornish Hens. Stuffing generally takes two forms: Stuffing made in a pan and stuffing that’s actually stuffed into the bird. They are very different dishes: one is fluffy and kind of crisp and the other is dense and very complex with the juices of the bird cooked into the bread mix.

4 Cups Stale Bread, cut into small cubes (whole grain or multigrain is good because it’s very firm)
1 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Tbsp Butter (just enough to moisten the bread)
1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts, Almonds or Pistachios
1/4 Cup Dried Apricots, finely chopped
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Olive Oil and Butter, combined equal parts (1 Tbsp each, warmed and mixed)


In a large sautee pan or cast iron skillet heat the olive oil/butter mixture and add the onions and celery, sauteeing until just soft then remove it to a bowl. In the skillet add the remaining butter and bread chunks, moving the bread until it is moistened then stir until the bread is very slightly browned. Then add the onions, celery, nuts and fruit to the bread and stir on medium-low heat until it’s thoroughly mixed, steamy and soft. Then increase the heat to medium-high or high and toss until the bread is lightly browned and just barely toasty. Remove the stuffing from the heat and cover it to keep it moist until time to move it to a bowl for serving. If you are making this to stuff the bird, triple the ingredients (dividing the portions as needed to accommodate pan size)- trust me, you’ll be surprised how much stuffing it takes to stuff a turkey! If you make more than you need, just plate the rest and use it as garnish when the bird comes from the oven.

Tomorrow: Soups, Cheeses and Other Hors D’Oeuvres

Sensible Suggestions for Thankful Thoughts: Thanksgiving 2010 Recipes

Hello friends- it’s that time of year! Cooks and nervous Significant Others will once again begin the planning and fretting over the Thanksgiving Day dinner: How large a turkey should I bake? Should we have ham? What about both? Dressing or stuffing? Sweet potatoes or mashed? Gravy? Soups? Green Beans? Desserts? Wine and Cheese? Oh dear… but before we dive in I need to let you know that the Cookin' With Mister C part of this blog will be moving to it's own website: Cookin' With Mister C , yes, I know: how original. Hey, I figure Go With What You Know...  Go ahead- bookmark it, I'll wait.

I wouldn’t be Mister C if I didn’t offer at least a few suggestions, completely unsolicited (like advice from your old Auntie, who manages to hover at your elbow while sitting in the recliner in the den) but this is the season for unsolicited and vaguely helpful… er, help.  So, I decided to publish a half-dozen recipes that you may enjoy or decide not to prepare for that all-important day of family togetherness, heavy social drinking and reminding oneself of why you all live so very far away from your relatives.

So, with much further ado- we’ll start with the Big One- the turkey.


Turkey: Now, I’m not going to get involved in issues of whether frying or baking makes for a moister or more tender bird. Let’s just say that I’ve fried my share of turkeys, but for tradition’s sake I’ll stick to the baked variety.  Oh, yes: and whatever size turkey you decide to bake, cook it at 350F until it reaches 165F in the thickest part of the bird. It will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven, although USDA recommends 180F I find that the turkey dries out as the internal temperature can rise as high as 220F before beginning to cool. That makes for one dry bird.

This Turkey looks a bit DRY-

I’m a big fan of glazes and various basting concoctions for all manner of fowl. It helps to keep the meat moist and adds an additional layer of flavor in what’s usually reserved for a gravy platform. Do yourself a favor and save the gravy for the rolls and potatoes, and whip up a nice baste or glaze for the bird. Here are a couple of each to try out next time you think the turkey was a little boring.

Mister C’s Orange Ginger Sweet Turkey Baste
4 Large Juice Oranges, peeled and sectioned
¼ Cup Red Wine
¼ Cup Dark Honey or Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Butter (not margarine)
2 Tbsp Grated Ginger or Ginger Paste

This makes a sweet, tart essence as a baste – actually it’s very light so be sure to season the bird with salt and pepper or better yet, brine the day before. In a food processor, add everything except the butter and pulse until chunky but not smooth. Heat the mixture in a medium saucepan (except the butter) to just boiling and remove from the heat. Add the butter, stirring until it is completely mixed. Pour the warm mix into a small dish or bowl and baste the bird with a brush before placing in the oven. As the bird bakes, baste with the mix every 20 minutes until the skin turns golden or you’re out of baste, then place foil over the pan and continue baking until done. It helps to keep the basting bowl on the stovetop or other warm place so the butter won’t thicken. Before carving, spoon out a quarter-cup or so of the juices, mix them in the basting dish with whatever’s left over and give the turkey a final baste so it’ll glisten for your efforts.

To make a glaze, double the oranges, honey and wine, then reduce by at least half or until it’s thickened. Rub the bird with a thin layer of olive oil and then use half the glaze to cover the bird before baking. Baste again in one hour, making sure to cover the entire bird. This should caramelize and make a sticky glaze when the bird is done.

Mister C’s Rosemary Sage Baste

The idea behind a baste is to keep the skin of the bird moist by flooding it with juices and other savory stuff until just before the turkey is done, then browning the skin the last half-hour or so. A baste takes a lot more effort, but it does make for a more “marinated” taste and is pretty much guaranteed to give you a tender bird.

¼ Cup Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
¼ Cup White Wine
3 Tbsp Chopped Rosemary
3 Tbsp Rubbed or Fresh Sage

This is easy: Put everything in a food processor or blender, puree until smooth or it resembles Italian dressing- your preference. Some people don’t like the texture of herbs so process according however you like, it won’t affect the flavor. Pour the mix into a small dish or cup, and either brush onto the bird before baking or use a bulb. A brush will use less to cover the bird so you can use up the basting mix while the bird is baking. If you use a bulb, use no more than half the baste before baking- you’ll want to add a bit of the fresh baste each time you open the oven, and it will slowly infuse the juices cooking out of the bird. When you baste (every 20 minutes or so), first baste with the juices from the pan, then a bit of the fresh baste. This baste is very light, more of an herb essence for those who prefer their turkey less rich and ready for the gravy or cranberry sauce.

Tomorrow: Stuffing vs. Pan Dressing

Orange Sesame Chicken Legs

The past couple of weeks have been challenging. Yes, challenging seems to be a good word to sum it up. Writing new music for an emerging genre is challenging.  Editing video for the band documentary is definitely challenging.  Having children in different schools which are testing at the same time is challenging.  Responding to challenges as affronts to my ability to Take Care Of Business (at least that's what my Guy Manual has to say on the matter) leaves me precious little time for Cookin' With Mister C and other writing projects.  I'm not totally shut down though, as this weekend we'll be heading off to Anachrocon, a Steampunk-themed convention in Atlanta, where I hope to reconnect with many old friends and bounce ideas around for further literary projects. Drop by and see me if you're in Atlanta: Saturday morning I'll be assuming the persona of either James Watt, inventor of the first efficient steam engine or Nikola Tesla, who was... well... Nikola Tesla.

Rest assured, I still feed the family good stuff each night although it may not be the six-step kitchen dance I usually perform. A few days ago dinner disguised itself as one of those "opportunities to improvise" when I was working on several ongoing projects and noticed that I'd not even begun to plan dinner as I headed to the elementary school to pick up my son. Looking in the refrigerator I realized I had no leftovers, no salad makings and nothing thawed from the freezer; just before I slammed the freezer door I spotted a bag of frozen chicken legs. Good enough, I thought and went to work on something experimental, and hopefully edible.

I dumped the frozen chicken legs into the crockpot, turned it on high for 4 hours and began working on a sauce that I could add to the slow cooker later.  It turned out much better that I hoped, but I'm very glad I wrote it on the blackboard because I changed it several times before I was done.

As shown the portions make a lot of broth in the crockpot, so I used my big bulb to suck about two and a half cups to reduce for the couscous. If you have the time (and thawed chicken legs) the mixture can be reduced by half and the legs can be baked in the reduction at 350F until the skin is crispy and the meat is 160F. 

Mister C's Orange Sesame Crockpot Chicken

4 Lbs Chicken Legs, bone in

4 Oranges, juiced. Zest 1 Orange before juicing   

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

1 Tbsp Minced Garlic

1 Tbsp Ginger Paste

1 Tsp Coarse Ground Pepper

1 Tsp Salt

Place the chicken legs in the crockpot at 4 hours on high, then begin the sauce. Mix all the ingredients together except the pepper and the orange zest. After the sauce is mixed well add two or three pinches of the orange zest and mix it again, then pour the mix over the chicken legs. After 3 hours remove most of the broth from the crockpot, leaving an inch or so in the bottom of the pot.  Sprinkle the pepper and the rest of the orange zest over the chicken legs and cook for the remaining hour. 

As I made it in the crockpot it was very tender and after I removed the extra broth for the couscous it developed a nice golden brown on the skin.  I browned some nuts in olive oil and reduced the broth by a half cup and used that to make the couscous. It was excellent with that hint of chicken and orange, and the nuts tossed in just before plating finished the meal admirably.  I had an ice cold IPA with my meal and thought it was mighty nice. Share this with your friends and tell them you got it from Cookin' With Mister C-

Paella Mexicana

While I'm working here at GreenWood I usually have the Food Network droning in the background, and I have my favorite TV chefs but as usual I have a few improvements to add to their recipes for maximum impact. Michael Chiarello of Napa Valley's Bottega has a great way with making meals that are consistently a cut above most "quick fix" menus. Of course, it helps to be a certified master chef living in Napa Valley with a winery and general rich-California-guy estate from which to glean your morsels; here in the not-so-tony North Georgia Mountains I make do with trips to Kroger and Wally World. (I used to patronize the produce stand on the corner but a couple of years ago I bumped into the owner at the local Wally World hauling three carts full of produce, and later that day I rooted through the tomato baskets and found several with the inventory sticker still attached. Hmph, harrumph I say.) With a family of four I make judicious use of the manager's specials at Kroger and Publix for all the meats, and with some forethought we can enjoy decent seafood fairly frequently.

Many years ago I was introduced to paella by a girlfriend from Puerto Rico, and with its combination of saffron and seafood I thought it was sent from heaven above but it  always seemed to be in need of a balancing kick of some kind. A couple of weeks ago I came across Chef Chiarello's recipe for an Italian paella, which substituted a few traditional Italian ingredients in place of the Spanish. Well, I'd been hankering for a different sort of seafood dish and hadn't had a paella in a few years so I decided to take part of Chiarello's recipe and modify it in a more Mexican direction. It turned out great, my kids (who have never had paella before) loved its color and variety of offerings in one dish.

Be warned, this recipe makes a huge amount of paella, so either plan a dinner party or have a way to share. A nice fruity Sangria would be a perfect compliment, as would a crisp ale or iced tea with mint.

Mister C's Mexican Paella  Serves 8-10
You'll need a large skillet or heavy saucepan with a lid and a paella pan or a similar large oven-safe pot, and better go ahead and have a libation on hand because this is one meal that takes a while to prepare. Preheat the oven to 350F.

1 lb Freshwater Mussels or Small Clams
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts, chunked and browned
2-3 Links Chorizo Sausage, cooked and sliced
1 lb Jumbo or Colossal Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb Loligo Squid, tentacles and tubes cut into pieces
2 Sweet Bell Peppers, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Large Onion, chopped
1 Large Tomatillo, chopped
3 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 Poblano Pepper, sliced into rings
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tsp Chili Powder
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Chicken Broth
8 Cups Saffron Rice
Salt and Pepper for the broth (to taste)

In a large skillet, I cook the chorizo first so all the good spice and fat will accumulate from the very beginning and serve as a base to which the rest of the meat flavorings will add their own essence. Then I remove the sausage, brown the chicken in the sausage drippings and remove. I then add the olive oil and reduce the heat medium and saute the onion, garlic and green pepper until just soft. Add the chicken broth, add salt and pepper then increase the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp and squid. Cook for 3 minutes and remove from the pan, keeping the liquid and set aside with the sausage and chicken. Add the clams or mussels to the pan, cover and steam in the mixture for 5 minutes. While you're waiting for the clams or mussels to do their thing add the rice and everything else except the poblano to the paella pan and give it a light mix. After about five minutes the shells should be just beginning to open, and there should be a good deal of very savoury liquid in the skillet. Pour the entire contents of the skillet (including the liquid) over the rice mix, lay the poblano rings over the top and put the pot in the oven for 20 minutes or so to finish cooking and allow the ingredients to mingle. Remove the unopened shells from the mix with tongs, give it a good stir to mix everything a final time and serve hot in big bowls or deep plates.

Thai Peanut Simmer

I don't post much about Asian dishes, although we eat more than our fair share of Indian and Thai. I was tallying up the meat offerings a couple of weeks ago and saw we were a bit heavy on the beef side, and we had gorged on Indian and chicken dishes until we were kind of sick of poultry.  At the local market I found some boneless country ribs that were very lean and on sale, so all I had to do was come up with a way to prepare it while not resorting to the standard sweet/hot grill I use for pork. I've always loved Thai-inspired peanut sauces, I just can't stand fish sauce unless I'm eating a seafood dish; I used to make a variety of African meals using peanuts, mostly chicken but I'd always wanted to give pork a try with a hot and not-sweet nut sauce.  It needed to be a quick meal because we had a play to attend, but I knew it also needed to have a good bit of ballast as we would eat early and not return to GreenWood until late in the evening.  It turned out better than I thought it would, so I added some bell peppers and noodles to a frozen stir-fry mix and served the whole thing over white rice. 

A longtime friend of mine reminded me that he loved a lot of the recipes I share but he's Jewish, and I am one of the most notorious kosher-busters in the realm. So, for my Jew and Muslim friends I'll try to add kosher/halal substitutes as far as my limited knowledge of the dietary restrictions will carry me. All of you, feel free to give me guidance for the recipes you'd like to see here, especially you men who have found yourselves in the role of family chef-

Mister C's Thai Peanut Simmer

2 Pounds Boneless Lean Pork, cut into 2-inch chunks (Substitute Chicken Breast or Lean Beef)
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Light Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Crunchy Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Crushed Peanuts, Cashews or Almonds
1 Tbsp Grated Ginger
3 Tsp Minced Garlic, or 3 medium cloves crushed
1 Tsp Sesame Oil or 1 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tbsp Canola or Peanut Oil for frying
1 Medium Sweet Bell Pepper
1 Cup Egg or Udon Noodles
4 Cups Frozen Stir-Fry Mix (optional)
4-8 Cups Rice (prepared)

In a microwave-safe bowl combine the broth, soy sauce, peanut butter, ginger and garlic. I find it's much easier to mix if I heat it up for 30 seconds or so in the microwave to soften the peanut butter, and heating the mix will speed up the mixing of the flavors as well. In a large skillet or wok heat the vegetable oil on medium-high and add the meat, searing it on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sesame oil and the peppers and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the meat is done. Add the stir fry vegetables and noodles, toss to mix with the peppers and meat then add the peanut sauce to the mix. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve hot over the rice. Beer is perfect with this meal, as is a crisp wine or even a juicebox... Enjoy and tell your friends you got it from Cookin' With Mister C-

Crusty Skillet-Baked Salmon with Brown Sugar Mustard Sauce

If you've been following my kitchen chronicles for any length of time you'll know we eat a lot of Sockeye Salmon. I bake or grill it, usually with a tangy sauce that's based on honey and balsamic vinegar and it's pure goodness, but my kids are spoiled on good food so they become bored with the same dish no matter how amazing it is. Enter my son's decision to hate salmon- which translates into his boredom with the Sassy Method of Salmon preparation- and my subsequent scramble to get some fish back into the boy's diet. What follows is the Cliff's Notes version of that Quest:

A few months ago we had in-laws come through for a visit, and I had one of those rare times when I really didn't want to cook for 7 people. So we decided to try The Porter House in Dahlonega which served an impressive array of terrestrial and marine-type dishes. I ordered the salmon with a maple-sugar crust and was very impressed, so much so that I decided to design my own crusty salmon recipe. It was proclaimed the best salmon sauce I'd ever made, so of course I'm sharing it with you next. Why the chalkboard ingredients list, you ask? In this case, I was making up the recipe as I went along and I usually use that blackboard to keep track of ingredients in the event things turn out well (or not). There was a lot of "no, that's not quite it" that went into the construction of the sauce, and I was amazed a by the quantity of horseradish I had to add to give it enough zip to satisfy the family. I used our favorite Sockeye Salmon, but you can use any salmon from your local market and it will be fine.If you can't read my handwriting, I'll post the ingredients below:
Mister C's Crusty Skillet-Baked Salmon with Brown Sugar Mustard Sauce (serves four)
Salmon Fillet, 1.5 - 2 lbs
1.75 cups of Brown Sugar
.25 cup Inglehoffer Wasabi (For a creamier zip)
6 Tbsp Spicy Brown or Coarse Ground Mustard
2 Tbsp Ground Horseradish (for zippier zip)
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Grated Ginger or Ginger Paste
1 Orange, Juiced (add some zest from the peel if you wish)
1-2 oz Toasted Pine Nuts, Crushed or Chopped - set aside and do not add to the sauce.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Cut the salmon in to equal-sized slabs, depending on the number of diners. If you've more folks coming, either get more fish or serve a bigger salad- the sauce will accommodate up to six servings. Mix the ingredients together except the pine nuts and set aside for a few minutes to get acquainted.  Preheat a pan or skillet on medium-high and add just enough oil or butter to quickly brown the fish, skin-side up. Don't overdo this step, the objective is to give it a quick sear but not to cook the fish. Then flip the fillets over (skin-side down) in the same skillet, give the sauce a final stir to remix and pour it over the fish. It'll sizzle and start to carmelize in the skillet immediately, releasing just enough aroma to titillate your dinner partners, then pop it in the oven on the center rack for 15 minutes. Fix yourself a cocktail or glass of wine, toss your salad and prepare your sides because your entree is almost done. When the fish begins to "weep" - when the milky juices start to seep from the fish- turn the oven to broil, pull out the skillet and sprinkle the pine nuts over the fish. Return the skillet to the oven, still on the center rack, and broil for 3-5 minutes to encourage the sauce to carmelize and become crusty- this takes a bit of mojo so stay on it and you'll be fine. Serve it quickly with brown bread and plenty of sauce on the side, and it's substantial enough to add red wine or a hearty Guinness as your beverage.
Enjoy and tell them you got this recipe from Cookin' With Mister C-

Barbecued Bat Out of Hell

And so we come to that time in midwinter when we can catch our breath after the holiday season.  Here at GreenWood we had a great time with family but we're exhausted.  I cooked, and cooked and then I cooked some more. We aren't having meatloaf tonight, but I had this older recipe posted on a different site and figured I'd post it because I'm still lazy and slow from the holidays. But before we get to the meatloaf recipe, let me tell you a bit about the past month or so at GreenWood.

As we tally up the results and survey the mess we've made it becomes evident that we need to redouble our efforts to renovate this old house into something new.  We bought this place knowing it needed some TLC, hence the very reasonable price we paid, but the years and other variables have outstripped our ability to just keep patching the leaks. If we add the couple of contractors we hired (i.e. out-of-work people we knew in our community who claimed to know what they were doing) who did far more damage than repair it starts to look like we need to tear everything out and start from scratch.  Ah well, says I, let's see how close we can come to doing just that; look for infrequent updates as I start the piecework- perhaps I can build a custom jewelry design studio with a Viking kitchen in the rear?

In other news, I'm writing again. Four books, on my own time: a memoir, an advice book, a steampunk horror tale, and a cookbook (you knew it had to happen sooner or later). I've made the most progress on the advice book but the cookbook and steampunk novel are on the front burner for the foreseeable future.  The jewelry design business is very much affected by the slow economy, so I'm culling equipment and accumulated junk from the shop while continuing to sift through the enormous amount of material I've mined over the years.  Each time I go through another batch I find more great stuff begging to be cut, as soon as the weather turns a bit warmer.

How am I going to get all these projects completed? Simple, I won't... not all of them- but I never intend to finish all the projects I start.  At least not now.  But you want meatloaf, as does my son:

Barbecue Meatloaf with Smashed Potatoes and Vegetable Medley.

The Smashed Potatoes are simply a bit more... man-mashed, you could say.  I take red or white potatoes, cut them into large chunks and boil them with a few pinches of Old Bay Seasoning until they are just tender but not super-soft.  Drain, add a little milk and butter for creamy goodness then smash.  Smashing is fun, much more fun than mashing- mashing is so... civilized.  To smash potatoes just do a little imitiation of The Incredible Hulk a few times- just remember that your enthusiasm is in direct proportion to your cleanup effort- until they are smashed (chunky) but not mashed (not so chunky).  While the potatoes are boiling you can prepare the meatloaf:

It's an easy list of ingredients but more importantly it lets me rummage through my cabinets like a mad scientist, wield sharp knives and mangle meat with my hands. Some days a guy just has to make a meatloaf.

First, preheat your oven to 375F

1.5lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 cup oatmeal or breadcrumbs
1 onion chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1.5 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper or to taste (I use at least 1 tbsp)
24oz bottle of Barbecue Sauce of your choice or you can make your own:
16oz tomato sauce (fresh or from the can)
1 cup water
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp spicy mustard
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine three-quarters of the sauce with the rest of the ingredients, mangling until unrecognizable as anything other than raw meatloaf with onions. Dump the mixture into a casserole dish (9x6 should do), level it off and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Add the remaining sauce to cover the top of the meatloaf and bake another 30 minutes or until the loaf is 165F in the center. Before slicing, take 5 minutes to fix yourself a refreshing drink. With rum. And an umbrella. And a straw. That's better. Better have another sip, to prepare for the slicing. Lay it out just like Mom used to do, diner-menu style if you want to add some presentation value to your meal. The vegetable medley is basically whatever I can find that I can steam together. That saves more time to devote to the meatloaf:  It can also be served over linguine if the smashing of potatoes offends your sensitivities.  However you wish to have your meatloaf, enjoy it and let your friends and dearest enemies know you got it from Cookin' With Mister C.