Back from vacation

Ten days later and we're back home in Humboldt. We enjoyed our trip a great deal. The first 5 days were spent mostly with family swimming and relaxing in Chico. We did enjoy some tasty meals. When we arrived John's sister had grilled shrimp cooked and ready for us to snack on. What a welcome snack after 4 and a half hours on one of the windiest roads in California. Especially with a cold glass of Chardonnay. That evening John's sister fixed a simple and enjoyable stewed chicken dish. A perfect family meal that our girls very much enjoyed. For the Fourth my brother in law roasted a pork loin on the BBQ. I'm not sure what the rub was, but it was damn good. I spent the rest of the weekend finding excuses to eat the leftovers. It didn't matter if it was breakfast, lunch or snack, I was into that baggy of leftovers and into the leftover cole slaw. Yum. The next night we had a Hawaiian fish chowder prepared by John's sister. Again another hit, and a good meal with the temperatures getting hotter and hotter. Sunday John's sister and husband headed home in the wee hours and we had John's parents to ourselves. We gave them a break and took off for a bit of shopping then back to the house for dinner and a heat wave (thank God they have a pool). Sunday evening we had the pleasure of sharing ling cod that John had caught in Trinidad recently, fresh lettuce from our garden for salad and our delicious artichokes. Man! Am I proud of our artichokes. I've never had such a meaty choke. John's mom boiled them in water, vinegar, peppercorns and a bay leaf. They were wonderful. I didn't even need to dip mine in anything.

On Monday we headed north to Redding to check out Turtle Bay for the day. Great place, but don't hit up the gardens when it's over 110 degrees outside. I ended up with heat stroke. Also, if you go to their cafe and order a sandwich, be prepared to get a sandwich big enough for 3. They weren't spectacular, but they were pretty good. Fresh ingredients, not a lot of spice, and just way too much food. Next time I'll order one sandwich for me and the girls. That evening John's mom needed a break and threw in a frozen lasagna for dinner, which was very good, and I made another salad from our home grown lettuce. Perfect end to the day, well, no the swim in the pool in the over 95 degree evening was the perfect end.

Tuesday it was on to Monterey and more adventures, eating and non eating. First stop, Williams California.....

To be continued

Anthony Bourdain raps "Lisa"

A video put to Tony's rap tribute to female chefs.

Offal

I've found a new favorite web site
Offal Good.com

Written by Chris Cosentino, a chef at
Incanto in San Francisco.

As you can see by what he's holding in his hands here, he's all about cooking offal. Actually, what he is about, and I think this is really cool, is using the whole animal. No waste. He's also about humane farming of these animals as well. So, now that we're venturing into our own world of raising animals for food, I find this guy to be a real inspiration. I would like to follow his credo; no waste. I'd like to show respect to the animals we are raising for food, by using all that I can to feed us. That's how my parents grew up, and I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to try to live that way and teach my children to respect the animals that feed them and to feel a connection to their food. When they get that hamburger at McDonalds, they'll be able to picture the cow it came from, unlike so many Americans who don't have a damn clue.
We've recently slaughtered a pig, and we will get our first chance to try cooking/eating offal soon, starting with the heart. So let's hope Chris will have a good recipe and some how to's posted for our adventure into the world of offal

The Stolen Casserole

My co-worker, Ms. Hale from Rio "Dale" shared a great recipe with me a couple of days ago. It was one that included zucchini and that her kids liked. Right up my alley. It involved rice, zucchini (of course) and a home made cheese sauce ( including cheddar, milk and flour, very simple). Michale topped hers with fried okra and mentioned that sausage may be, no forget that, would be, good in it as well. So....knowing we had some type of sausage in our fridge at home, I called John and asked, "is that sausage in our fridge hot or mild?" Turned out it was hot.

So, knowing my kids like ham, I went with that. So here is my modified version of Michale from Rio Dale's recipe:

1 cup of rice...cook in chicken stock ( Michale puts it in layers uncooked in her version and covers the casserole in foil)
2 medium large zucchini's chopped
4 oz baby portobello mushrooms
1/4 oz reconstituted dried chantrel mushrooms
6 oz chopped ham
8 oz jarlsburg cheese
water from soaking dried mushrooms
half and half
garlic powder
(I'm guessing here, because I made it up on a whim and it turned out damn good!)
I cooked the rice. Put a thin layer down at the bottom of the casserole. Covered it with chopped zucchini mushrooms and ham, topped with a layer of rice and another layer of zucchini, ham, and mushrooms. Finally a layer of rice topped with the cheese sauce (Jarlsburg melted in half and half and mushroom water from the dried mushrooms (a 1/4 cup shaken with 2 tblsp of flour and added in for thickening, plus more for the right consistency). After that was poured over the casserole I toped it with Kettle potato ships (salt and pepper flavored) and baked it for 40 mnutes. It turned out great!

I think you could use a "cream o' " soup instead of a cheese sauce and come up with just as yummy of a recipe.
Well off to bed. Happy cooking!

Your Goose Is Cooked

Our friends Tom and Susan hold an annual Tsunami Party. Tom being a geologist throws this party for a geology group that helps to raise awareness about Tsunami's and Tsunami safety. This year there were a couple of bands, both awesome. One was a ska band the other reggae. One of the singers of the reggae band caught on to the fact that John was cooking a goose, and next thing we know there's a reggae song dedicated to John. "He cooked the goose, but he did not kill it".

The cooking of the goose started with me stepping outside to the BBQ area and noticing that there were a couple of goose carcasses sitting on the table with a ton of pin feathers still attached and a wing on each. (Apparently a requirement of Fish and Game to show that they are Canada geese.) I asked Gio, another geologist celebrating the potential Tsunami, if he was planning on cooking those like that. He didn't say yes, but his waffling implied, that yes he was. Half feathered, and no spices they were going to go on. I couldn't hang with that. I said, "would you like some seasoning or something?" Gio said, "That would be great if you want to do it." I said, "Give me that." Off to the kitchen I went. Now, many people at this party have hunted or appreciate the sport, but there were just as many, if not more who are vegetarians, and probably card carrying PETA members. Those people were a bit put out with my breaking of bones and tearing off of wings. The mere presence of a bird carcass in the sink was sending them off to the vomitorium. I was enjoying that immensely. Sorry, I'm with Anthony Bourdain here. Vegetarians, especially the self righteous moronic ones who want to tell me what to eat, when they have no damn clue where their own food comes from, suck! Okay, I'll get off my soap box now.

So, on with the cooked goose. I cleaned and ripped, and I finished off the plucking while my friend Laurie lovingly rubbed the goose down in olive oil and cajun blackening seasoning and happily stuffed it, as guys looked on admiring her stuffing the rear end of the carcass, with onions, garlic and apples. We delivered the prize to John and the ready BBQ. Coals were burning low and slow and that's what the goose needed, low and slow. It roasted for 2 to 3 hours on that BBQ and from what I understand it came out fantastic. All I got was one tiny little bite off of a rib bone. That did taste pretty darn good. I heard it wasn't too dry, which can be hard to achieve with a wild goose. That was thanks to the olive oil and apples. And the cajun seasoning was just right for the crisp, crunchy skin on the outside.

All I know is I walked into the kitchen and found a pile of bones that looked like they had been attacked by a group of nematodes in a Spongebob cartoon. This is after hearing the singer I mentioned earlier rap about our cooked goose as my husband danced through the crowd with the carcass in a pair of prongs over his head.

Ooh how primal! And yummy.

What a fun party and now the goose is cooked!

Nevada Joshie's Sun Baked Zucchini

All Right! I think if I were having a contest, Nevada Joshie would win for most unique, and most resourceful recipe ever! Keep your eye's open for more unique resourceful and fun recipes from Nevada Joshie!

Nevada Joshie's Sun Baked Zucchini

30 lbs of zucchini whole

Take 30 lbs of zucchini to work.I forgot this part, sorry Nevada Joshie...Find an unlocked co-workers car and arrange the zucchini on the dash board. Leave in place until the co-worker finds them

I'm looking forward to the Floorboard Bluegills and the (I believe it was called) Hubcap Shrimp. You go Nevada Joshie!!!!

Kitchen Clean Up Crew

This is City Boy, or better known as CB. He does a crack job as my kitchen floor clean up crew. A one dog arsenal on all food that hits the floor, big or small it does not matter. I am his favorite human, not only because I'm the only one in the house who walks him regularly, but I am also the source of all things yummy. His favorite? Eggs. Oh yeah, and any type of meat that hits the floor.

Don't worry. His clean up duties are restricted to the floor, and the occasional lick on the bacon fat can under the kitchen sink. (when no one is looking) He's restricted from the dishwasher, refrigerator and all human used plates. It's still safe to eat at my house, and my floor is always clear of crumbs.

Kitchen knife lessons

Dinner tonight is Chicken & Orzo Salad with Three Cheeses YUM! So while I cook, here's a little lesson for you to use in the kitchen: