Potted Meat...Homemade "Almost Pate"

Potted Meat...the poor mans Pate ...?

easy to make and really does taste like a rich pate, but without the Liver Factor. pack it into cute little jars for a fun, gourmet lunch treat or mold it in a terrine and slice for sandwiches and salad topping. if you're the canning type you could top it off with a little rendered fat or some clarified butter. actually it's not necessary to go through the whole canning process. if you seal the top with some type of fat, it will last in the fridge for quite a few weeks just like it's fancy French cousin "The Rillette".

the basic concept is...well cooked(boiled even) meat, seasoned, pureed and stored/packed in it's own juices. pates, of course, are a bit more complex, but this i found to be quite easy...maybe not as sophisticated, but so much easier to make and, again, no liver is involved...not that i have a problem with liver. it's one of the things with which i haven't had any experience. a while back i had a small nibble of a chicken liver and reeeeally wasn't pleased with the flavor or the lingering taste. i do, however, love braunschweiger and "real pate"...go figure. i just don't think i'm ready to cook with it yet...and as i said, it's absolutely NOT necessary for Potted Meat.

served as a spread or sliced from a terrine this is a great versatile meat course...appetizer, sandwich, snack or on a salad. i really enjoyed it in a lettuce wrap with a cornichon and a little dijon.

easy instructions...

1 lb of ground veal (lamb or pork would work well)

1/2 diced onion

good stock...i had some oxtail stock. enough to cover the meat. approx 4-5 cups. use something that pairs well with the meat you choose. real stock(not canned or cubed) seems to set-up better because of the gelatinous effect when chilled.

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp tarragon

bone marrow-OPTIONAL. i happen to have some.

bring this to a boil and then simmer for 2 hours. check to see that your liquid has not reduced below the meat.

remove from heat and strain. keep liquid.

put meat in a processor with...

1-2 tsp fresh minced rosemary

3-4 roasted garlic cloves-i always have some on hand.

1/4 cup minced parsley

S & P to taste

pulse process and add cooking liqiuid to desired consistancy. don't separate out the fat. you'll need this to help set-up the cooled finished product. i think it should be smooth, but not too creamy. spoon into vessel of your choice. if using jars you can have fun layering in other components as shown in picture above. if using a terrine...line it with foil or saran wrap and sprinkle chopped parsley on the bottom and sides. this will make for easy removal and nice presentation.

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Low and Slow Cooked Pork

i just can't seem to get enough pork lately...what's up with that ?

this delicious hunk of pork shoulder could not be easier. i know i love my pig in the slow cooker, but this really is a true pork lovers pork. plain and simple. roasted in the oven low temp...long time.

i first saw the idea/recipe HERE. many thanks to Niki and her Grand Daddy Gene. her recipe is a little bit more involved with the roast and the whole basting thing. definitely sounds really tasty-good and delicious. i'll have to try the whole recipe some time, but so far i've done this twice and i think the roast is just perfect as is without anything extra....then the left overs are like a blank canvas waiting for new ideas through the week.

let's see if i can remember these involved instructions...
i just had this for dinner and i think i'm in
a PORK COMA...OINK !

in a nut shell...SALT AND PEPPER A PORK SHOULDER...STICK IT IN THE OVEN FAT SIDE UP AT 225 DEGREES FOR 8 HOURS...DONE

for a few more details read below...
buy 1 pork shoulder...i like the one with the large covering of skin and fat
preheat oven to 225 degrees
cover a roasting pan or cookie sheet with tinfoil...double is good for easy clean-up
slice 1 large onion and make a base for the roast...optional
with a sharp knife (skin is tough) jab about 6 holes and shove in some peeled garlic cloves
salt and pepper the whole shoulder
i sprinkled a bit of cumin on the second time around-optional
rest the shoulder on the bed of onions as shown in photo...FAT SIDE UP
put in in the oven and WALK AWAY for 8 hours

THAT'S IT...DONE

slice down the crusty skin and peel back to reveal your "fall off the bone" delicious pork meat ready for anything...BBQ sauce, teriyaki, shredding, tacos, paninis or like i said...straight out of the oven. it's hard not to just start eating it right then and there...no salt, no pepper...just hand to mouth...hand to mouth...hand to mouth...
please try this sometime. it's a no-brainer, inexpensive and goes a long way.

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CHOCOLATE TOFFEE PECAN BARS ...sooo easy

these little squares are a must. SOOOooo GOOD ! so easy, so quick, no mess, not even a mixing bowl. you must try them at least once. i must warn you now...if you are one of those who refuses to use ready-made helpers...then look away now. if you are one of those "I NEVER !... " type people...then look away now. if, on the other hand, you are ...way too busy cooking real food...in a hurry...or just plain lazy...you must try this recipe. personally, i'm up for anything that tastes good and makes people love you.

made with only a few ingredients that you probably already have...well...maybe not the scary cookie dough sausage...you might have to run out with a disguise to a market where no one knows you and purchase the... shhhhh....ready-made dough. oh, come on...i'm proud to call the Pillsbury Dough Boy my friend and you will be to after trying this EASY bar recipe. so many different possibilities. change it up with some different flavor combos. i haven't had time to get back to the many ideas i have. i know peanuts and peanut butter has to be worked in somewhere...and i have a big bag of macadamias waiting for something with a little white chocolate...maybe tomorrow.


let's get on with the recipe
many many thanks to Amy at VERYCULINARY.com
Amy's original recipe is found here. i have copied it below for convenience and added notes in bold italics...just a few additions.

PRALINE CRUNCH BARS
makes approx. 20 bars (depending on who's cutting them)
prep-5 min.
total time 1 hour-ish



INGREDIENTS

1 (18 oz) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1/2 cup toffee pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1 (12 oz.) bag of miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips. i used milk choc. chips

1/3 cup toffee pieces..i must have used 1/2 cup total on top

1/2 cup rough copped pecans on top as well.



DIRECTIONS

preheat oven to 350 degrees

place cookie dough, 1/2 cup toffee pieces and 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans in a large resealable bag. knead well to combine. press dough evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13 baking pan

bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. sprinkle with chocolate pieces immediately after removing from oven...let stand for about 5 minutes or until chocolate has softened and melted...spread over bars and sprinkle with the 1/3-1/2 cup toffee pieces and 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

chill in freezer or fridge until the chocolate sets. cut into bars.

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MEGA CHUNKY VEGGIE-C SOUP

A BOWL FULL OF COMFORT.

packed with vegetables, full of vitamin C and a cure-all for what ails ya.

Veggie-C soup has been my family's "go-to soup" for as long as i can remember. i'm pretty sure it evolved from Grandma Leda's Vegetable Oxtail Soup. when i was little i was a little wary of oxtails (love them now) so my mom would make her version sans the tails...you might also recall years ago there was one of those "fad diets" called The Cabbage Soup Diet. i think it might have started back in the late 70's, or that's when my mother got wind of it. she made a huge pot of this so called "diet"soup... and everyone loved it !...not to date myself or anything, but we've been making this darn soup, in this same house, for over 35 years...scary

soup is good food...plain and simple so i like to keep this one just that...plain and simple. i can eat this every night of the week and finish the pot by myself...how boring you might say. not so. one night it's with chicken. one night it's just a side. one day it's spiced up Mexican style and another it's with Parmesan and whole wheat pasta...add some barley and some beans and get a complete protein meal. what ever you add or change there really is no wrong way to make this recipe. it's just good clean eatin'.

start with a LARGE pot...(this always seems to grow)

stock...approx. 5-6 cups...you need some good stock. homemade, of course, is best. in this house we always have at least one kind of good stock in the freezer... chicken, turkey, lamb, smoked ham hock and/or beef. if you don't have a supply, i suggest you go out and get a nice roast chicken from Costco...enjoy that for dinner and make yourself some good rich stock from that ugly ol' carcass. if you don't have enough stock to cover the veg. my choice is the little jar of "Better Than Bouillon". add a Tbsp or so of this and the correct amount of water as you go along, adding in your veg... i promise you this soup will be bigger that you think...it grows.

chose your veggies ...this is what usually goes in...

try to keep everything the same size. LARGE chunks are more fun and satisfying. this is key to presenting a beautiful bowl.

3-4 carrots

4 stalks celery

1 large onion-diced large (2 small)

1 leek-halved,cleaned and sliced

1 shallot-sliced or diced

1/2 head cabbage

5-6 cloves garlic-sliced thin

roasted garlic cloves (i always have some on hand) diced or sliced

haricots verts (sm. green beans)...a handful

1/2 head of cauliflower pieces (flowerettes)

1 red. 1 yellow bell pepper-seeded and ribbed
2 poblano peppers-seeded and ribbed

1 large can whole plum tomatoes-cut into large chunks. i do not add the remaining juice.

1 rounded tsp oregano

1 rounded tsp tarragon

a handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves

1-2 bay leaves

a pinch, dash of toss of cayenne

1 tsp Mexican chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

directions: this is a bit elementary, because it's one of those recipes that builds as you chop and add.

saute the leek, shallot, garlic and 1 onion with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil.

add stock and start throwing in your vegetables. start with the veg that take longest to cook like the carrots, celery and remaining onion. from there just chop and add. the last to go in are the cauliflower pieces and the green beans. you'll soon see how this seems to grow much bigger than you thought. at this point you might need more stock. i like to use the "Better Than Bullion" mixed with a little warm water (using the ratio given on the jar) until the veg are just covered. let this simmer until everything is just fork tender. i prefer to keep mine a little under done so as not to overcook when reheating for the next meal. i'm not a big fan of mushy vegetables that are so common in most soups. serve as is or over pasta, rice, shredded chicken, beef, pork...last night it was BBQ chicken...tonight is sauteed shrimp...tomorrow might be spicy Italian turkey sausage with white beans....mmmmm.....delicious.

i'm smellin' summer is on the way. that means bikini weather...YIKES !...i will do everything in my power to keep it clean and healthy in preparation for the dreaded BIKINI try-ons. well....with the occasional well earned treat now and then, of course.

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Pumpkin Almond Butter Cake/Brownies

here we go with another one of those...

"i don't believe this is gonna work" recipes...

one look at the ingredients and you'd have to agree with me. it all sounds too gooey. i watched in shock and awe as it slowly became an actual cake.

as you can see, the first cake photo shown above looks a bit different than the second. i liked it so much the first time i had to try it again, but i had to try the true recipe. i fudged the ingredients the first time because i was in such disbelief that the goop in the mixing bowl was going to actually bake into something. the first batch i thought i just HAD to add some extra baking powder...as you can see, it DID come out quite a bit more cakey than the second batch. the second was by the book and turned out much more like a brownie. i think i like them both equally.

i was so excited to make this one i ran out to Whole Foods and bought some fresh ground almond butter. i had seen it there the last visit and i knew this recipe would make the long trek out there all worth it. i was right. i do suggest using fresh almond butter if you can get it. the almond butter used in the second batch was fresh, but a bit more loose than the first cake. i'm sure whatever you use will work out fine because the flavor of this cake is what it's all about. speaking of flavor...i thought the original needed a bit of cinnamon and, of course, a little kick from cayenne. i'm wondering if you might try a little cocoa powder? or go the pumpkin spice route?...whatever you choose, it does need a little something.

ALMOND BUTTER PUMPKIN BROWNIES

many thanks to Shelley at Primal Life. original found here and copied below with my notes.

Feel free to get creative with substitutions. Try other nut butters, other forms of squash, other sweeteners, spices, mix-ins, the possibilities are endless. I made several batches using either fresh squash that I steamed and mashed or canned pumpkin. I preferred the fresh squash to the canned pumpkin, but the latter worked perfectly well. Consider topping with applesauce and/or whipped cream for a delicious dessert.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond butter

¾ cup mashed pumpkin or other squash, canned or steamed

1 egg

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp baking soda

for my first batch (the cakey version shown) i used 1 1/2 tsp baking soda and added 1 egg white along with the whole egg.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

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Healthy Pumpkin Walnut Muffins...made w/White Kidney Beans

i have to tell you...these are my new favorite breakfast muffins!

i'm always trying to find recipes that are...hmmm....let's say "figure friendly?" well, this one qualifies. it's made with white kidney beans instead of flour. of course i thought it wasn't possible. i came across a recipe for black bean chocolate brownies and tried those first. it worked, but not really a brownie in my book. i might have to experiment a bit more with the black beans. i'll put my lab coat on...i'm thinking some kind of Mexican/Spanish type of mole-ish side dish. i'll add a little cayenne and serve with some avocado ice cream?...hmmm....i think that could be a future post....

back to these yummy muffins...i don't know why, but i seem to think white flour is the enemy. don't get me wrong, i cook with it often. i usually end up having one bite or a small slice, but the rest go to the dessert lovers in the house or shared with eager friends. i recently, or should i say FINALLY, found some King Arthur's white whole wheat flour. haven't used it yet so no comments there. i'll try it this week. when i saw these muffins using white beans instead of flour i had to try them...again, in disbelief that it would actually work let alone taste good. i just didn't believe they could be cakey and lite. i knew they sounded healthy, but was this going to far? at what point do you sacrifice flavor for the health factor?....i've been known to take it a bit too far.

as you can see...these worked. i went by the original recipe for the first batch. well, i did add 1 scoop of protein powder and realized i shouldn't have. they were just a bit dry. MY BAD ! so for the second batch i thought i would add a little moisture, a little more flavor and a few more healthy ingredients. they came out way better than the first batch. this is a recipe i will make again and again. i've already stocked up on the canned beans.



PUMPKIN WALNUT WHITE BEAN MUFFINS
adapted from Island Cook at iFood.tv


makes 12 reg. size muffins
preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients
15.5 oz can of White Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed well
2 Eggs (i might have used Egg Beaters)
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 T. flax
1/8 cup pysillium husk
1/4 cup oats
1 cup Splenda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
2/3 cup Fat Free Dry Milk
1 Tbs Vanilla(a little extra never hurts)
3 Tbs veg oil
1/2 Cup Walnuts plus more for the tops

In a food processor, puree the beans well. Add the eggs and cottage cheese and blend scraping sides and blending until it is smooth. Add the pumpkin and pulse in. Combine with all the other Ingredients in a mixing bowl or pulse in your processor if it is large enough, but don't over mix though. Spray muffin tin and fill...I'll bet mine were about 3/4 full. ...I used silicon baking cups because the first batch stuck to the paper liners. Sprinkle a few walnuts on top. Bake for 20 minutes and check with a toothpick.

These keep quite well. i kept them wrapped in the fridge and enjoyed them through the week. Just pop in the microwave to take the chill off.

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ROASTED BANANA SQUASH with TARRAGON

lately i think i have been at a loss for words, but for this post i think just the few ingredients shown speak for themselves. i've been doing quite a bit of roasted vegetable purees, soups and sauces in the past few weeks, but i think this combo of banana squash, garlic, baby onions and lovely fresh tarragon was so pretty and rustic looking that i just let it be. normally it would be headed for the stick blender and pureed to a silky smooth golden soup/sauce, but i took one bite right out of the oven and thought best to leave this one alone. the first night i had it with crispy Duck a l'Orange. the duck recipe called for fresh tarragon so i thought i would carry the flavor into the veg. now i'm stuck on tarragon. it seems like the forgotten herb. maybe it's not forgotten, but i certainly don't see it used much. i really like what it adds to a dish so i bought another packet yesterday and i can't wait to sneak it into more things. i think i'll try it in some soda bread or an orange tarragon muffin?..what about a sweet savory shortbread cookie?...hmmm


banana squash...i love this squash. i just discovered it this winter. maybe you all have had it before, but it's a new one to me. might be the fact that the name alone scared me off....i don't eat bananas. don't like 'em, never have. i'm glad i tried it because i think it's most similar to fresh pumpkin in texture and flavor. we ran out of fresh pumpkins around here just a little too soon. as a matter of fact, there was even a shortage of canned pumpkin in the stores. i spoke to the manager at Bristol Farms and he said that Libby's was thinking of going seasonal with their canned pumpkin puree until the economy picks up. now i don't know about you, but how will this help or hinder the economy? is this going to make or break Libby's? another market, Gelson's, said everyone was buying it like it was going out of style. they still have a supply on their shelves even after i wiped them out one day. what if they run out? October is a long way away. I NEED MY PUMPKIN !...i make a protein pumpkin pie every week that i eat every morning for breakfast so the shortage make me nervous. i'm lost without my pumpkin fix.

so for now i will substitute my roasted pumpkin with BANANA SQUASH. i know most would say just use butternut squash, but that's a whole different flavor and texture. don't get me wrong...i DO love butternut squash, but it is a bit more sweet than the banana.

SIMPLE ROASTED BANANA SQUASH w/GARLIC AND TARRAGON

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 large 1/4 of a banana squash
peel and cube. i like fairly big chunks

peeled garlic. 10-20? your choice. i like plenty for the garlic lovers. the "haters" can just omit them from their plate. they are left whole, so it does not really effect the cooking flavor until you incorporate them as puree.

10 baby onions

2 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon

salt and pepper

i like a little garlic salt

throw this all in a big baggie and drizzle in some olive oil

toss this around to coat everything

lay out on foil covered (easy clean up) cookie sheet

bake for 20 minutes and stir around. make sure all pieces are getting roasted. you might need to add a bit more olive oil. the squash seems to absorb, but don't go over board.

continue baking, stirring and checking every 10-15 minutes until fork tender.

ready to serve.

i like to make alot. leftovers are yummy throughout the week. easy to change up and serve them again as a thick puree for a side dish or blend with a little stock and make a fabulous soup.

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