Hot Dogs

Serves 4

4 quality buffalo dogs or hot dogs
4 hot dog buns (I like whole wheat)
1/2 c sauerkraut
1 large or 2 medium dill pickles, diced
1 medium onion, diced or in strips
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
whole grain mustard or dijon, depending on preference

Preheat cast iron or non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 t butter or bacon fat if you keep an ongoing grease can. Add all dogs and cook 1-2 minutes on one side. Add sauerkraut, pickles, onion, and garlic and mix around dogs to soak up some fat. Rotate dogs until each side is cooked (should have dark marks on each) and clear liquid oozes out when poked with a fork, while continuously stirring sauerkraut onion mixture, which is done when it’s golden brown and fragrant.

Warm buns in toaster oven and then top with mustard to taste and a dog and a big scoop of sauerkraut onion mixture. Oh man, hot dog heaven.

Note: Why is it that hot dogs usually come in packages of 8 and buns only come in packages of 6? That is ridiculous. Just saying.

I like making extra pepitas so I can have them around to throw in salads for extra crunch or just to eat as a snack.

There’s no dairy in the soup, so it’s easy to make this vegan/vegetarian by omitting the scallops for some sauteed vegetable such as asparagus or just eating the soup as is with no additions.

Pumpkin Soup with Seared Scallops and Roasted Pepitas

Serves 2

For the pepitas:

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (cheaper in the bulk section)
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t chili powder
pinch cayenne
1/2 t salt
pinch pepper
oil (olive, safflower, canola, whatever) to coat, about 1 T

For the soup:

1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 can raw pumpkin
1 c veggie or chicken broth or 1 t bouillon mixed with 1 c hot water
1/2 t dried sage or 1 t fresh, minced
1/4 t cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

For the scallops:

10-12 oz scallops
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss everything together in a mixing bowl making sure there is enough oil to lightly coat the seeds. Spread evenly on a foil lined baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and onion and saute, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant. Lower the heat and add the pumpkin, broth, sage, and cinnamon. Mix until combined and heat until it is hot, but don’t let it boil. Add salt and pepper to taste and keep it warm on the lowest setting while you sear the scallops.

Preheat a cast iron or heavy saute pan over medium high heat. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and dust them with salt and pepper. Add enough olive oil to coat the pan and then place scallops in pan, careful not to crowd them. (Note: Adding oil after the pan is hot prevents things from sticking when you’re using high heat and not stirring the ingredients often or at all.) Cook 2-3 minutes until they’re caramelized and brown on the bottom. Salt and pepper the side facing up and carefully flip, cooking another 2-3 minutes on the other side until scallops are firm and both sides are brown and caramelized. There should be not opaqueness inside. Scallops should be uniformly white fleshed when cut open.

Ladle soup into bowls and add scallops and pepitas.

Variations: You can garnish with chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, scallions, parsley, sage, etc.

Instead of pepitas use toasted nuts, such as hazelnuts, cashews or macadamias.

Spicy Margarita

Makes 2

2 shots (3 oz) good tequila, no Pepe Lopez, please
1/2 small jalapeno or serrano pepper, sliced
1/3 limeade or lemonade OR 3 T lime or lemon juice and 1 T agave
1 T triple sec
8-12 oz sparkling water or soda water (depending on how stiff you like your drinks)

ice and salted rim if desired

To make a salted rim, rub a lime wedge over the rim of a glass and swirl around inverted on a plate covered in kosher or sea salt (or something else that’s large grained).

Shake all the ingredients up together if you happen to have a martini shaker or just stir vigorously to combine and pour over ice.

Garnish with lime wedges if desired. Picante!

Variations: If you just want a virgin satisfying hot day drink, just omit the tequila. It’s still very refreshing.

If you don’t want it to be sparkling, use more lemonade or another juice or thin puree such as blood orange or grapefruit or strawberry or mango to mix it up.

I get on kicks when I love to eat one thing and eat it forever and then suddenly find something new and move on. Such as eating toasted raisin bread with peanut butter EVERY morning of my junior and senior years of high school, and I’ve eaten that maybe 20 times in the five years after I graduated.

Anyways, it’s pretty gross that they were from a box in retrospect, but I remember finding out that my family made mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, and was amazed you could do it from scratch and it was so easy and better tasting. Here’s my basic homemade version.

A note about the use of the word smashed: I think it’s more accurate. Your taking an object and completely and violently breaking them apart, not just mashing them around. Just a weird personal preference and kids think it’s funny too.

Smashed Potatoes

2 lbs. potatoes (I recommend Yukon Gold, red, purple, yams, sweet potatoes, or a mix, Russets are inferior and flavorless), small dice (peeled if desired)
1 t + 1 T salt, plus more to taste
3 T – 1/4 c cream or half and half or non-dairy milk
3 T butter or butter substitute (such as Earth Balance)

Optional:
1 T olive oil or butter
3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
1 small yellow or red onion, small dice

Put potatoes in a large saucepan and add 1 t salt and enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes, or until fork tender (you can easily poke a fork through them).

Drain potatoes. If desired, now heat up olive oil or butter over low heat and once hot for oil or foamy for butter add the garlic and onion and simmer until golden and fragrant, a few minutes. Remove from heat.

Add cream, 1 T salt, butter, and garlic/onion mixture and smash with a large fork or potato (s)masher until homogeneous and creamy. This makes pretty thick, slightly chunky smashed potatoes. If you want thinner and creamier just add more cream and/or butter.

Serve hot.

Variations: So many. I love adding 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and sliced into coins, a few minutes before the potatoes are fork tender. They add nice color and a touch of sweetness. You can smash the potatoes and the carrots will retain their form, so don’t worry about combining them before you add everything and mix it together. Just don’t add them at the beginning of the boiling or they will be mushy.

You can substitute leeks, shallots or scallions for the onion or add to the onion/garlic mixture.

Throw in some chopped, fresh herbs such as basil, chives, sage, dill, fennel, parsley, etc.

Stir in 1/4 pesto for an interesting twist.

If you’re just doing yams or sweet potatoes add 2 T maple syrup and 1/2 t cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to make them more delicious.

It’s been cold and rainy every time I’ve been able to go camping recently, so I  figured out how to make decent smores inside. Odd cravings breed creativity, I suppose. This is a weird post. I didn’t cook anything. I just wanted to share my fat kid satisfaction of having smores in my daily life now.

Smores

2 Graham cracker pieces (cinnamon is my fav variety)
2 squares dark chocolate (Endangered species Rhino bar with toffee brittle is so good)
1 large marshmallow

Put graham crackers cinnamon side up on the wire rack of a toaster oven and then place the chocolate in the dead center of one and the marshmallow down lengthways on the other. Toast on a very low setting until the chocolate is melty and the marshmallow is browned on top.

Assemble and enjoy. Awesome.

Kale doesn’t shrink down that much and they are still enjoyable served at room temp so these forces combined make them a great pot luck offering or side when you have people over. No need to serve fires or potato chips with a burger or sandwich; go for these instead.  So good, they’re hard to share.

Kale Chips

1 large bunch kale, destemmed and torn into bite size pieces
1-2 T olive oil
1-2 t salt

Preheat oven for 350 degrees. Optional: Cut reserved stems into small 1 inch sized pieces (I hate throwing anything away I could use and they turn soft and slightly sweet, they just don’t get very crunchy). Throw everything together in a mixing bowl.

I drizzle oil and sprinkle salt over the top and mix to coat. Let marinate 5-10 minutes so the leaves can absorb the oil. Add more oil if needed.

Spread evenly over a baking sheet (line with aluminum foil to make clean up easier) and pop into the over. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly brown, but the kale pieces are still mostly bright green.

Let cool for a minute and eat hot. Add more salt if desired.

Variations: Substitute tamari or soy sauce for the salt.

Substitute any other leafy green, such as collards, chard, turnip greens, etc.

Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick right before eating.

I served mine on soft corn tortillas with salsa fresca and slices of avocado but I included an easy guacamole recipe at the bottom. You can add hot sauce, grated cheese, and sour cream and whatever else you love on tacos.

Tacos with Fresh Slaw and Guacamole

For the slaw: Note: This makes quite a lot, so if you don’t want leftovers to throw in salad and such half the recipe.

4 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 medium red cabbage, cut into thin ribbons and roughly chopped
2 T finely diced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, finely diced (seeded if desired to make less spicy)
1/2 t salt
3-4 T lime or lemon juice
Optional
1/2 medium cucumber, grated
small kohlrabi (similar in taste to a turnip or cabbage heart), peeled and grated
5 radishes, grated or coined (thin round slices)

Combine everything well in a big mixing bowl. Easy.

For the elk:

1 t olive oil to grease pan
1 lb. elk steak (or beef or chicken or crumbled firm tofu), cut into strips or chunks
2 T diced garlic
1 jalapeno or serrano, diced (seeded if desired)
1 small yellow or red onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t ground cumin (optional)

Heat oil in a large cast iron or sauce pan (non-stick is easier to deal with, but not as awesome as stainless steel) over medium-high heat.

Add everything else and saute, stirring often. Cook until meat is no longer pink, will depend on the size you cut meat into. Drain if necessary. Tofu just needs to absorb the flavors, about 5 minutes.

For the guacamole:

2 large, ripe avocados
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno or serrano, deseeded if desired and finely chopped
2 T lime or lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Scoop avocado flesh out of shell and out it in a mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and mash with a fork until it’s a uniform consistency.

Build tacos with all your ingredients and enjoy.

If you want to make this vegetarian just don’t add the meat and increase the mushroom amount. If you want to take it a step further and make it vegan just substitute Earth Balance or another spread for the butter and soy or rice or coconut milk for the cream.

4 T butter
1 1/4 lb tri tip or some kind of beef roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bunch scallions (green onions), white part (and a little green), chopped
dash salt and pepper

1 1/2 T white flour
1 1/2 t veggie or beef boullion + 1 1/4 c water
or 1 1/4 c veggie or beef broth
1/4 t rosemary
1/2 t dijon or whole grain mustard

12 oz egg noodles

6 oz (one LARGE handful) crimini or portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 T heavy or sour cream (sour cream is in the classic version, but I never have it around, also optional)
2 1/2 T white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 carrot, thinly peeled
handful of chopped scallion greens

Heat butter over medium heat in a large skillet or cast iron pan. Once hot, add beef and brown (about 5 minutes). Stir in scallion tips and salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes.

Add flour and stir to coat. Throw in the boullion and water or broth, rosemary, and mustard. Allow to come to a boil and then turn down heat to a simmer.

Let simmer for about 15 minutes (covered if you like more liquid or uncovered if you like it thick) or until meat is tender.

Now is the time to start boiling water for your egg noodles. Also add the mushrooms, heavy or sour cream, white wine, carrot, and scallions. Your water will probably be boiling by now, so add your egg noodles and cook until al dente (about 6 minutes). Continue to simmer the sauce until the mushrooms are cooked through.

Serve sauce over the egg noodles with popovers. Awesome.

Those who know me know that bacon is one of my all time favorite foods. This sauce can be made into a basic tomato sauce with or without veggies and with or without bacon or another meat, but I like this version of a classic Italian arrabbiata base the best. Enjoy it over pasta and with garlic bread.

So many of my friends think making pasta sauce is time consuming and hard, but to make a quick sauce is actually very easy. Try it out and never eat jar sauce again.

1 T olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 pieces bacon, rough chopped
1/2 small onion, diced

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
OR
3 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

3/4 t salt
1 t red pepper flakes (less if you don’t like spicyness)
1 t dried basil or several large fresh leaves chopped
1 t dried oregano 1 T fresh leaves chopped
1 t dried parsley or 1 small fresh sprig chopped
1/2 t rosemary or 1 T fresh chopped
1/4 t sage or several large fresh leaves chopped

1/4 portobello mushrooms, chopped
2 c fresh spinach

parmesan cheese to taste

Heat oil in a cast iron or large saucepan over medium heat. When hot add garlic, bacon, and onions. (Note: If making a veggie version, add your veggies now too, such as zucchini, broccoli, squash, carrots, etc. And a little more oil because you won’t have the fat from the bacon.) Saute until the bacon is crispy and onions are browned and translucent.

Now add your tomatoes, in whatever form you choose, all the herbs and spices, and the mushrooms. Turn down the heat until it’s simmering nicely. Let it go on simmering for about 10 minutes or if using fresh tomatoes, wait until they break down before adding the spinach. Just keep it on the heat long enough to wilt the spinach (you don’t want it to turn any darker than bright green). Turn off the heat and serve over pasta and grate on some parmesan cheese.

Versions: For a super plain and simple and tasty sauce just use the oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Throw fresh basil or parsley in at the last minute.

For veggie sauce add hard veggies (zucchini, broccoli, squash, carrots, etc.) at the same time as the garlic and onion and soft ones (such as kale, spinach, mushrooms) after it has simmered for a bit.

For a meaty sauce substitute cubed chicken, ground lamb, elk, bison, or beef for the bacon and saute until cooked through.

My sweet boyfriend is the from the deep fried South, so he loves chicken and gravy and cheese biscuits and everything fatty. Here is my Colorado-bred version of chicken and biscuits. It’s definitely not traditional southern food, don’t think I’m trying even a little bit to compete with that. It’s just hearty, tasty food.

I added broccoli to mine, because I love me lots of veggies and lots of herbs and garlic, so I hope you find yourself staring at driving rain and make this. And make some extra biscuits for the morning or for dessert. So good with jam and butter and tea (or chicory coffee) or as strawberry shortcake.

Chicken Pot Biscuit

For the filling:

1/3 c butter
1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 1/4 c chopped carrots

1/3 c flour
1 c buttermilk
2 c water
2 t bouillon (or two cups chicken or veggie broth)
1 t rosemary
1/2 t sage
1/2 t parsley
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

1/4 c celery, chopped
1/3 c broccoli, chopped
1 c peas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat up butter over medium heat in a large saucepan or cast iron. Once hot add chicken, onion, garlic, and carrots. Saute until chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

Then add flour and stir to coat the chicken mixture. Next throw in the broth/bouillon and water, herbs, and buttermilk. Allow to come to a boil and then turn down to simmer until it becomes thick and gravy-like (it should easily coat a spoon).

Now add the celery, broccoli, and peas and allow them to cook a few minutes. Turn off heat, top with the biscuit dough (if using a cast iron or something else that can go in the oven, otherwise transfer to a large baking dish and add the biscuit dough).

For the biscuits (makes 12 large, or about 18 smallish):

4 c flour
2 T baking powder
2 t salt
1 1/2 T cane sugar

2/3 c COLD butter, cut into small cubes

2 c cold buttermilk

In a food processor with a dough blade pulse together flour, soda, salt, and sugar.

Then add the cubed butter and pulse until it forms coarse meal and there are no big chunks of butter. (You can also do this in a mixing bowl with a pastry tool or two knives and then add the buttermilk and combine with a big spoon and then briefly by hand to make sure it’s all together).

Add the buttermilk and pulse to combine until a wet, sticky dough forms (don’t over mix or they will be tough). Turn out on a floured surface and roll out until dough is an inch thick and large enough to cover the pan you put the chicken filling in. Make sure it covers the edges and then crimp them down along the edges. Then cut a few slits to let steam out.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the biscuit is golden brown. Let cool and feed to people you love, or at least to ones you generally like.

If you’re just making actual biscuits out of this, roll or pat down (using flour when needed. Dough is VERY sticky) on heavily floured surface until 3/4-1 inch thick, depending on how big you want your biscuits. Then cut out biscuits with a round cookie cutter or a floured water glass. Keep going until you run out of dough (I like to incorporate already rolled dough scraps into unrolled dough to keep them all pretty uniform when you get down to the last of your dough).

Place on greased baking sheet a bit apart and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown at 400 degrees F. They should be flaky with a nice crust and soft inside. If they aren’t they were baked too long, or the dough was over mixed, or your butter was warm.

Just sayin. It happens to the best of us.

Variation: Add in 1/3 c grated cheese to make cheese biscuits. Also these are neutral enough to use in strawberry shortcake.