Foods Passion

Salmon Sausages

August 5, 2016 in Miscellaneous | Tags: fish sausage, salmon sausage, smoked salmon sausage | 1 comment

I had never made sausages in casings before and I’d never eaten salmon sausage before. It’s an adventure. So, I went to Alaska Butcher Supply and bought collagen casings (30mm) and a sausage stuffing funnel that looked like it would fit my sausages. The casings are a size one would use to make hotdogs or bratwurst. They are dry casings that do not require soaking before stuffing. I could have tied knots in the casings themselves, but I used string to tie the ends.

Ingredients

1.5 to 2# raw salmon, deboned (mostly salmon bellies)

1.5 cups raw zucchini cubes (do not peel)

1 Tbsp. salt

Seasoning (I used a couple tablespoons of Summit Seasonings Smoky Maple Salmon Rub), but next time I’ll try more spice (red pepper flakes) and maybe some mustard seed. A little more salt, too.

I used a Cuisinart to grind all the ingredients together into a rough paste. Then I wet my hands and started stuffing the sausages. Never again by hand. Never. It was such a chore. Part of the problem was that I did not have a utensil to move the meat down the stuffer tube. Once I figured out that my finger worked best, things went a little faster. Never again. I’m probably going to invest in a sausage stuffing attachment for my KitchenAid mixer.

I kept the sausages refrigerated for several hours and then set them out on a plate with paper towels for an hour or so. The temperature change from my kitchen to the refrigerator had caused them to sweat a little and I wanted them to be dry.

Then my husband went out to smoke my regular salmon and he put the sausages on the bottom of the smoker where it is hottest. It took about three and a half hours. Our smoker runs really hot.

I will say that my sausages are beautiful. They are also tasty, but a little too mild for me. Next time, spice it up!

Baked Spaghetti-Squash and Tomato

May 7, 2016 in Side Dish | Tags: spaghetti squash, tomatoes, vegetable bake | Leave a comment

This has become a favorite. It’s based upon the recipe found at Simplex. The recipe requires cooked spaghetti squash. I prepare mine by cutting the squash in half (or in quarters if it’s very large), sprinkling it with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then laying it cut-side down in a greased baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 40-50 minutes.

Once you have cooked spaghetti squash, scoop out about 3 cups. In a 8″ square baking dish layer a cup of the squash, then a layer of sliced tomatoes, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, a pinch of dried basil and oregano. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Cover with another layer of squash, tomatoes, spices, and cheese. End with a layer of squash and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

This is a very forgiving recipe. You can use any kind of cheese, any kind of spices.

Layer of spaghetti squash.

Layer of tomatoes.

Layer of cheese.

Thai-Style Pork Ribs

May 3, 2016 in Main Dish | Tags: baby back ribs, gluten-free, pork ribs, Thai-style ribs | Leave a comment

This recipe comes from Epicurious.com. I have made this many, many times. It is quite easy and exceedingly delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced shallots (red onion works as a substitute)

10 coarsely chopped scallions (green onions)

1 3″ piece of fresh ginger, sliced

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup cilantro, chopped

6 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. sugar

4# pork baby-back ribs, cut into individual ribs

Sweet chili sauce

P1040897

Place all ingredients, except the ribs and sweet chili sauce, into a food processor and whir until it forms a paste.

Put the ribs and paste into a plastic bag and mash it around a bit. Place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Prepare a couple baking sheets with parchment paper and lay the ribs out in a single layer.

Bake at 350 degrees F for one and a half hours. Serve dipped in sweet chili sauce. YUM!

Molasses Balls

November 29, 2015 in Dessert | Tags: Christmas cookies, molasses balls, molasses cookies | Leave a comment

This is a favorite of mine. The recipe comes from the 1982 St. John’s Lutheran ALCW Cookbook of Donnelly, Minnesota. My poor copy of that cookbook is tattered and the cover is missing because I’ve used it so often. The funny part about this recipe is that it’s called Ginger Balls in the cookbook and I made them for years before it dawned on me that there is no ginger in it. I think it may be a typo, that there really is supposed to be ginger in it, but why mess with perfection? They are so, so good without it.

¾ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cloves

Sugar to roll the dough balls in

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream shortening and 1 cup sugar together. Stir in molasses and egg. Mix in dry ingredients.

Form into 1” balls and roll in sugar.

Place dough balls, well-spaced, on greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet. [My parchment paper was used to make Berlinerkranzer just before making these, that’s why the sheets look used. I was on a Christmas cookie baking roll.]

Bake 10 minutes. The dough spreads and puffs.

Then it collapses into flat rounds and the sugar forms a nice crackly crust.

Mincemeat Cookies

November 29, 2015 in Dessert | Tags: Christmas cookies, mincemeat, mincemeat cookie | Leave a comment

This cookie is certainly not decorative, but the taste is fabulous. My mother made these when I was a kid. I love the spicy apple goodness that pops in your mouth. They make your kitchen smell wonderfully homey and festive, as well. You will need a 9 oz. package of Borden None Such Condensed Mincemeat.

This is how it looks inside the box.

Someone will ask me, so here are the ingredients in this block of wonder: raisins, brown sugar, dried apples, dextrose, water, salt, beef, corn starch, dried citrus peel, apple juice concentrate, spices, and distilled vinegar. I do not know if you can substitute.

The cookie recipe comes off the package.

Prize Cookies

1 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 9-oz. package None Such Condensed Mincemeat, crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together dry ingredients; gradually add to shortening mixture. Mix well.

Stir in crumbled mincemeat.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased baking sheets (I used parchment paper). Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool. Frost if desired. Makes about 6 dozen.

Spritz

November 29, 2015 in Dessert | Tags: butter cookie, Christmas cookie, pressed cookie, Spritz | Leave a comment

This recipe is based upon one found in Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (Golden Press, 1972).

You’ll need a cookie press. I’m struggling with my new one since I only use it once per year. I still don’t have the hang of it. I don’t use parchment paper for this cookie. A trick that I learned for making Spritz is to chill the baking sheets before pressing the cookie dough onto them. I’m in Alaska so I just set a cookie sheet outside, then bring it inside to the kitchen counter as I’m ready to press. Once a sheet of cookies is finished baking, I set the baking sheet back outside. Another tip that seems to be working well is to rest the press on the cold cookie sheet for a couple beats after pressing. It gives the dough time to adhere to the baking sheet.

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar

2-1/4 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

1 egg

1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

Colored sugar sprinkles

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in remaining ingredients.

Fill cookie press with dough; form desired shapes on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with colored sugar.

Bake 6 to 9 minutes or until set but not brown. Makes about 5 dozen.

Berlinerkranzer – Norwegian Wreath Cookies

November 28, 2015 in Dessert | Tags: Berlinerkranzer, Christmas cookie, Norwegian wreath cookie, wreath cookies | 3 comments

I’ve made this cookie for years, but still have no idea how to pronounce it. I’m surprised that it’s a Norwegian cookie, instead of a German cookie, but there you go. It’s the most complicated Christmas cookie that I make, but it always makes me feel good when they’re finished because they’re so beautiful. The recipe comes from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (Golden Press, 1972). This year I halved the recipe and that is the way I’m going to tell it to you. It will make 3 or 4 dozen.

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. shortening

½ cup sugar

1 tsp. grated orange peel

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 egg white

2 Tbsp. sugar

Red candied cherries

Green candied cherries or citron

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, sugar, orange peel, and eggs. Blend in flour.

Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into ropes, each 6” long and ¼” in diameter.

Form each rope into circle, bringing one end over and through in a single knot.

Let ½” extend at each end.

Place on ungreased baking sheet (I use parchment paper).

Beat egg white until foamy; add 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, while beating. Brush tops of cookies with sweetened egg white.

Press bits of red candied cherries on center of knot for holly berries; add little leaves of green candied cherries or citron.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set.

Hummus & Pita Bread

November 23, 2015 in Bread, Miscellaneous | Tags: garbanzo, hummus, pita, tahini | Leave a comment

The hummus recipe is based upon one found here.

Hummus Recipe

1 16 oz can garbanzo beans

1/4 cup liquid from can of garbanzo beans

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain garbanzo beans and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from garbanzos. Blend for a few minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a well in the middle. Pour a small amount of olive oil into the well.
Serve with pita bread.

The pita bread recipe is based upon one found at Under The High Chair.

Pita Bread Recipe

1 tablespoon yeast
1 ¼ cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3- 3 ½ cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and 1 ½ cups flour. With the dough hook, beat well to make a batter. Add additional flour until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Let it knead for about 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky. The dough will rise AFTER you’ve formed the flat loaves. Go straight to forming now.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. Form dough into balls, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Try and keep an even thickness as this is what helps them puff. Note: Do not roll out on parchment paper or let them rest on parchment paper in an effort not to use too much flour. They stick! Flour is the way to go. Flour them.

Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffy. By the time you are finished forming the last one, you may be quite close to starting to bake the first one. Get your oven going. It takes time.

Preheat oven AND baking sheet to 425F. Let the baking sheet sit inside the hot oven for about ten minutes after the preheating is finished. That baking sheet needs to be HOT! A high-quality (thicker) baking sheet will retain heat longer, but will take longer to heat at the beginning. I could totally be making that up, but I believe it.

With a large spatula, flip a well-floured round of dough upside down on the dry baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until it’s puffed and light golden. I baked mine one at a time letting the baking sheet heat thoroughly between batches. I think two at a time would work, too.

If you have children or adult science buffs in the room, be prepared! Watching pita bread puff in the oven is really, really cool! A crowd could gather if you have a window in your oven door. Just sayin’. Learn to shout, “Step away from the oven now so I can remove the pita before it burns.”

I’m not telling you how to save your leftovers because these are so amazingly delicious that you will not have any leftovers.

Slice in half cross-wise and stuff with yummy sandwich ingredients or pile gyro ingredients on the top or slice into pie-shaped sections to serve as an appetizer with hummus. It’s all good!

Green Tomato Pie

November 16, 2015 in Dessert | Tags: green tomato pie, green tomatoes | Leave a comment

I found this recipe at allrecipes.com when I was trying to get through my glut of green tomatoes. I used the largest green tomatoes I picked. I latticed the top crust because I thought it would be prettier. It was.

Ingredients

Pastry for a double-crust 9″ pie

3 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. lemon zest

6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1-1/3 cups sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

3 cups sliced green tomatoes

3 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix together flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar. Stir in green tomato slices.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix together flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Stir in green tomato slices until they are well coated with sugar mix.

Set one crust into 9" pie pan. Stir in tomato-sugar filling. Dot with butter. Cut second crust into strips and weave into lattice top. Seal edges as best you can.

Set one pastry into 9″ pie pan. Pour tomato-sugar filling into the crust. Dot with butter. Cut second pastry into strips and weave into lattice top. Seal edges as best you can.

Bake on lowest rack at 450 degrees F for ten minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees F. Bake an additional 30 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Allow pie to cool before serving.

I read somewhere that you can tell when your pie filling is finished baking when the bubbles burst slowly. That little tidbit has served me in good stead. I don’t often end up with soupy or under-cooked pie.

Green Tomato Pickles

November 10, 2015 in Miscellaneous | Tags: green tomato, green tomato pickles, homemade pickles | Leave a comment

At the end of the most sunny summer on record, we had a glut of green tomatoes. These pickles are very mild, not too tangy and not too sweet. The recipe comes out of the book Preserving by Oded Schwartz (Dorling Kindersley, 1996), one of the most beautiful and useful books ever published. I had everything on-hand except the chiles.

2# green tomatoes

2-3 fresh or dried red chiles (I did not use)

a few sprigs fresh dill

2-3 bay leaves

1-1/2 Tbsp. mustard seed

1 Tbsp. peppercorns

4-5 cloves

4 cups cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

4 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. salt

Lightly prick each tomato in several places with a wooden toothpick. Arrange in pint jars (I used four pint jars) with chiles, dill, bay leaves, and spices. In a saucepan, mix vinegar, water, honey, and salt. Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand until warm. Pour warm vinegar mixture into the jars. Top with cold vinegar if you don’t have enough mixture to cover the tomatoes. Seal* and refrigerate. Tomatoes will be ready in a month, but improve after 2-3 months. Should last a year as long as it’s refrigerated.

*One thing that wasn’t clear in the recipe was how to “seal” the jars. Since they were to be refrigerated and because the brine is mostly vinegar, all I did was screw canning lids on tightly. So, I didn’t “seal” them by my definition, merely closed the lids. I think it will be just fine.

Those aren't grapes, they're green tomato pickles, along with smoked salmon, bleu cheese, and Italian dry salame. What a great snack!

Those aren’t grapes, they’re green tomato pickles, along with smoked salmon, bleu cheese, and Italian dry salami. What a great snack!

Foods Passion

Salmon Sausages

Baked Spaghetti-Squash and Tomato

Thai-Style Pork Ribs

Molasses Balls

Hummus & Pita Bread

Green Tomato Pie

Green Tomato Pickles

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