Garlic Oil

September 21, 2025 in Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme

In a small saucepan, heat all ingredients. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain and pour into container.

I use this on A LOT of things . . . Drizzle on chicken before roasting. Rub onto sweet potatoes before roasting. Sprinkle over asparagus before roasting. Mix with vinegar and Dijon mustard and seasonings for salad dressing. I used the strained garlic cloves on toast the other evening. The oil smells divine and is absolutely delicious. Worth keeping on-hand!

NOTES: I use extra-virgin olive oil, the organic kind from Costco (because it’s the least expensive). I’ve been making this often lately. It gets used rather quickly. I had bought some on one of our travels, but was really stingy using it because it was so expensive. Then I read something online that showed me how easy it would be to do myself. Voila! Full disclosure, I’m not sure if it’s shelf stable or what. I have used it all up within a couple weeks, so for me it is no problem. I also live in a cold climate, so it’s not like a toxic environment for the growth of bacteria. These are things I don’t really worry about. I’m from a locale that would have probably been considered third-world regarding electricity and/or refrigeration when I was a child. On an aside, a friend who is a load-master here in Anchorage posted today that his last barge of the season to Nome had departed. A flood of memories washed over me from when I was a young child, of my mother’s excitement when the first barge would arrive in Nome in the spring. Count your blessings! Name them one by one!

Parmesan-Dill Batter Bread

September 1, 2025 in Bread | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 cups milk
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 3 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 3 tsp. dill seed
  • 3 Tbsp. dried minced onion
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan
  • 1 package active dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp.)
  • 1/4 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
  • 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
  • 2 eggs

In a pan over medium heat, or in a safe bowl in the microwave, heat together milk, sugar, butter, salt, dill seed, onion, and Parmesan to about 110 degrees F. The butter and cheese does not have to melt.

While that’s going on, in a stand mixer (or a large bowl), dissolve yeast in warm water. Then, add the milk mixture and 1-1/2 cups flour. Mix very well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the remaining flour until well incorporated. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes).

Stir the batter down and spoon into 2 generously greased or sprayed 4-1/2 x 8-1/2″ loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled (about 45 minutes).

Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes or until browned. Let cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

Notes: Batter breads are made from a very soft yeast dough, thus the term “batter” bread. This is a variation of Cheddar-Caraway Batter Bread. It comes from Sunset Breads (Lane Publishing Co, Menlo Park, CA 1984). Unlike most batter breads, it requires two rises. This makes a very nice sandwich bread. The onion flavor is pretty strong, so if you don’t want that, sprinkle with onion powder. If the dill seeds bother you, substitute 2 teaspoons of dill weed. I have tried the onion powder/dill weed subs with great success. It’s all good!

Enchilada Casserole

August 28, 2025 in Main Dish | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients:
  • 1# ground beef, or other meat
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4-oz. can diced green chiles
  • 2 cups enchilada sauce (use recipe that follows, or purchase ready-made), divided
  • 1 15-oz. can black beans
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2-1/2 cups shredded cheese
  • Toppings, optional (avocado, cilantro, scallion, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown ground beef in a skillet. Just before beef is finished cooking, stir in the onion and continue cooking until onion is translucent. Stir in garlic cloves and continue to cook for a couple minutes. Stir in chiles, 1 cup enchilada sauce, and beans. Remove from heat.

In the bottom of a Dutch oven or other large baking dish, spread around a couple tablespoons of enchilada sauce. Tear 3 tortillas into pieces and sprinkle them across the enchilada sauce. Spread one third of the beef mixture across the tortilla pieces. Sprinkle shredded cheese over all. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese layers two more times. Sprinkle the last three tortillas over the top. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over all. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with toppings, if desired. Serves 4 hungry people.

  • Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. flour (gluten free should work just fine)
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 cups broth
  • Salt, to taste

In a saucepan, heat olive oil. Stir in flour and mix with olive oil, over heat, until well incorporated. Stir in spices and mix very well over heat. It will be like sand. Stir in broth and salt. Mix it very well until no lumps remain. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to let simmer until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Ready to serve. Makes about 2 cups (enough for the casserole recipe).

NOTES: The enchilada sauce recipe is from GimmeSomeOven. It is quick and super easy. I use Ancho Chile Powder for my chili powder.

Regarding the casserole recipe. I’ve been making this for a long time now because working with corn tortillas to make regular enchiladas can involve a lot of finagling so they do not crack. That is probably because I do not use freshly made tortillas. I sure miss Cardenas. Making a casserole with the tortillas torn up is WAY easier than the finagling. MANY things can be substituted in this dish. I have used half chorizo and half ground beef. Any kind of ground meat should work. I added a chopped fresh jalapeno to the beef mixture. You could stir in some corn, too. When I was growing up, my mother would make a chicken enchilada casserole that was out of this world. It had quite a bit of concentrated soup in it and I don’t do that too much anymore, but I may give a chicken version of this recipe a whirl. I mean, after all, I made my own salsa verde so I have a nice base. Hmmm. I digress. Use any kind of toppings you wish for the casserole: avocado, jalapeno, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, green onion to name a few. My favorite thing about this is that it is SO WARM out of the oven. The ultimate comfort food.

Smoked Pork Summer Sausage

August 13, 2025 in Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • 2# ground pork
  • 2 Tbsp. mustard seed
  • 1-1/2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. celery salt
  • 1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. pink curing salt (Prague Powder #1)
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • Dash pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Split the mixture in half and form each half into about a 1-inch log. Pack it as tightly has possible. Roll each log in parchment paper and twist the ends. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Unwrap the sausage rolls and gently place them into a parchment-lined baking pan. Place on smoker at 225 degrees F until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Mine took about 5 hours, but it was a cool day and the smoker was stuffed with other things, too. Remove and let cool.

NOTES: I smoke quite a number of things in disposable aluminum baking dishes and/or parchment paper. I did not try this on the racks, only in the pan for easy clean-up. I used to make summer sausage many, MANY years ago in my oven before I had a smoker. Back in the day, I used game meat, like moose or caribou. Now I have a lot of ground pork, so pork it is. This turned out quite beautiful and really tasty. I made up my own recipe, but many thanks to Rosemarie’s Kitchen for reminding me that summer sausage can be easily made at home. I do not think that the curing salt is absolutely necessary. Please, please do not confuse it with Himalayan Pink Salt. It is not the same. If you do use curing salt, remember to err with less, rather than more.

Egg Foo Young with Salmon

August 9, 2025 in Main Dish | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

  • Gravy Ingredients
  • 2 cups salmon stock (or other broth)
  • 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1-2 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1/2″ fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • Omelet Ingredients
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 2 strips smoked salmon, flaked (about 1/3 cup)
  • 6 oz. salmon, diced (about a cup)
  • Pepper
  • 8 eggs, beaten
  • 2 Tbsp. water or stock
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Prepare a 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a bowl or measuring cup, stir together salmon stock, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Set aside. In a saucepan, heat the sesame oil and then stir-fry the ginger and garlic in it, just for a minute or two. Add half of the stock/sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then let it simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let stand. Into the other half stock/sauce mixture that is set aside, stir 2 Tbsp. cornstarch. Set aside again.

In a large bowl, combine cabbage, onions, smoked salmon, salmon, and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp. water and 2 Tbsp. cornstarch until smooth. Mix the cornstarch/water into the eggs until well combined. Pour the eggs into the cabbage mixture and stir very well. Pour it into the prepared baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until set.

While the eggs are baking, stir up the remaining stock and cornstarch mixture that had been set aside so that it is smooth, and add it to the gravy saucepan. Bring the gravy to a boil and then simmer for a minute or so.

Remove eggs from oven. Cut into serving pieces and serve with gravy. Serves 4.

NOTES: To make Salmon Stock: I put salmon scraps (skin, bones, etc) and onion, celery, carrots, parsley, salt and pepper (or other seasonings) in a saucepan and cover by at least 2″ water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for at least an hour. Pour the stock through a strainer. I then freeze mine in 3-cup containers to use as needed later. The stock makes a flavorful base for Seafood Stew and Curry and Salmon Chowder.

I like how the omelet is baked rather than fried. It really simplifies preparation. You can find my smoked salmon recipe on this blog. The stock and smoked salmon are the two things that you may have difficulty acquiring if you’re outside of Alaska. Feel free to substitute, that’s how I ended up with this recipe. I substituted smoked salmon for bacon and salmon for shrimp. I would think you could make any number of substitutions to this recipe, using a variety of different vegetables and protein.

This is how the omelet looks just out of the oven.

Salmon Tortellini Magnus

August 6, 2025 in Main Dish | Tags: , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Seasoned salt
  • 6 oz. salmon, cut into 1″ chunks
  • 1 small tomato, small dice
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 tsp. dried dill weed, or a handful of fresh, minced
  • 6 oz. cream cheese
  • 2-4 Tbsp. salmon broth, or other broth
  • 8 oz. frozen tortellini
  • 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella

In a large pot, or Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add garlic and stir around for a few seconds. Sprinkle salmon chunks with seasoned salt. Add salmon, tomato, zucchini, and dill to the pot. Let it cook, covered, without stirring, for a couple minutes. Stir gently. Let it cook some more, covered, until the zucchini is softened and salmon is nearly cooked. Gently stir in cream cheese and enough broth to make a sauce. Add frozen tortellini, and possibly more broth. Stir gently. Cover and let simmer over heat until tortellini are cooked (3-4 minutes), stirring as necessary. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top and cover. Heat until cheese is melted. Serve.

NOTES: My grandson was so proud of the salmon he caught on the Kenai. He presented half of it to me with the biggest smile ever. I split the filet in half and used the tail-end in this recipe. The dish is quick and really easy to make.

Orange Syllabub

August 2, 2025 in Dessert | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • 4 Biscoff cookies, crushed
  • 1-1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • Zest of one orange
  • Juice of half an orange (about 2 Tbsp.)
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier

Sprinkle cookie crumbs into six 8-oz serving dishes. Whip together remaining ingredients until stiff. Dollop into serving dishes. Chill. Serves 6.

NOTES: I use a stand mixer. The whipping is short work. I had a small, old orange, so the zest was really dry and crumbly, but it was a really juicy orange. I’m just saying you may have to adjust. Since it’s not cooked, you really don’t want to be chewing on big pieces of orange zest. Make sure the zest is super fine. I eyeballed this and you should, too. One of the recipes I used as a base said that any type of acidic juice would do for the 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Think vinegar or apple juice. I’ve been flying on Delta Airlines a lot to visit my father in Las Vegas. Delta still serves Biscoff Cookies. What a fantastic base for cheesecakes, or these Orange Syllabubs. You can find all kinds of syllabubs on the web. I mish-mashed a couple different recipes and came up with this. It’s REALLY tasty! On my next go, I may try using raspberries and making a raspberry syrup for this. Who knows?

Deviled Ham

July 28, 2025 in Miscellaneous, Salad | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • Ham, chopped
  • Mayonnaise
  • Dijon mustard
  • Hot sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Vinegar

Process ham in a food processor until it’s finely minced. Keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t puree. In a bowl, stir together enough mayonnaise to bind the ham, a dab of Dijon mustard, a splash of hot sauce and Worcestershire, and a spoonful of vinegar. Stir in the ham until it’s well mixed and is the consistency of a spread. Refrigerate for awhile to develop the flavor. Serve. Can be used as a sandwich spread or on crackers or on a bed of lettuce with tomatoes.

NOTES: This is an easy way to use leftover ham. Just eyeball the amounts. I got the recipe from SouthernBite.

Rhubarb Cake

July 19, 2025 in Dessert | Tags: , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • 1 stick (8 oz.) butter
  • 1-1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
  • 1-2/3 cup flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 6 cups rhubarb, medium dice
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Prepare a 9″ springform pan by lining with parchment paper and spraying with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cream butter with sugar with a mixer until it’s creamy a light-colored. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix in the vanilla extract or paste.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the butter/sugar/eggs until just mixed. Don’t overmix. Fold in the rhubarb. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan. Smooth the top of the batter and then sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake at 400 degrees F for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

NOTES: Do you see how much rhubarb is in this? It’s a rhubarb cake, that’s for sure. This turned out incredibly moist and very, very rhubarby. The recipe comes from kitchenculinaire. Next time I may try adding some orange zest and sprinkling sugar over the top with the sliced almonds.

Kenai Cheese Dip

July 14, 2025 in Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
  • 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or extra sharp)
  • 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers

Into mayonnaise, stir garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, and liquid smoke. Mix well. Stir in cheese until it is well incorporated. Stir in jalapenos.

Serve with crackers or tortilla chips or over baked potatoes or anything else you can think of. The flavors will develop if you let it sit for awhile under refrigeration before serving.

NOTES: Echo Lake Meats in Kenai, Alaska is known for developing this recipe, but I do not know if they were the first. They sell it commercially and it is WORTH the detour down Kalifornsky Beach Road to go get it, if you happen to be in the area. Now you can buy Kenai Dip in nearly all the grocery stores here in Anchorage, but it is not the same. The grocery stores use WAY too much mayonnaise trying to stretch their dollars and it doesn’t look very appetizing at all and there’s not much flavor. This recipe nails it. It’s a CHEESE dip, not a mayonnaise dip. I think the liquid smoke is the key. And also the sharp cheddar. All that being said, I don’t measure out my ingredients, but rather add them to what I think looks like Echo Lake’s version. I usually start with a small base amount of mayo, and once the dish is done if it seems too dry I’ll add more. That hasn’t happened yet. It’s a CHEESE dip. Enjoy!

What kind?