How 'bout "Groundhog?"

Here comes Sally with a snigger and a grin

Groundhog gravy all over her chin

Ken, a discussion on songs about food might be a nice idea!

Ken Hulme said:

Boiled cabbage, squirrel heads in gravy, five pounds of possum, Peas pease eatin' goober peas, how many other food related songs are there of similar nature???

Boiled cabbage is easy. Chop it into about 2"x3" pieces and simmer a few minutes - just until it's limp. Don't boil it into submission. I like to season mine with caraway seeds, apples and/or apple cider, and bratwurst or loose mild Italian sausage.

There is going to be 'boneless chicken' HOT WINGS for dinner.

Guys I'm pretty stoked about these mushrooms. This is my first experience with them. I lightly floured and sauteed these but I can see onion/pepper/shroom stir fry in my near future!

They do retain most of the color. I just had more for dinner. These things are just great. They actually do have a meaty texture and flavor. Maybe a little like chicken. They're very good and a fall mushroom sure is nice. Until now, the spring morels were all I could take advantage of. I think these dudes are plentiful here as well. I will be freezing all I can.

Tastes just like chicken....

Good lookin' 'shrooms, Sam.

Was researching fall mushrooms this morning and ran across 'Chicken of the Woods'. Said they grow around oak. I have oak. So... found some, harvested them, cooked 'em and BOY ARE THEY DELICIOUS !!!

... especially the bread. I loved 'batter bread'. Made in a pan like cornbread but with flour instead of cornmeal. Made good 'fried' bread too!

My Dad's familywere coal miners from southern Illinois who had moved west from western Virginia. I've noticed that a lot of thedishes I encounter in KY are very similar to the ones I ate growing up...even though I lived in Michigan and NC! I'm so glad my mom learned how to make those traditional meals....helps keep our heritage alive!

Dana R. McCall said:

Mamaw used to cook neck bone and potatos to, when we would go over there my oldest daugther, when she was little used to ask "Mamaw you got any that good old fashion meat" lol Don't know why she called it that she was just about 5.

Sam said:

Thanks C I've been wanting a good BNB recipe.

Carrie Barnes said:

Hi Jan;

We didn't add noodles but we often cooked 'backbone n ribs' in a big roaster with potatoes. We canned (cold packed) meat in home canning jars, so all the bones were trimmed pretty close ... but ... those wonderful tidbits were left on the backbone, ribs and yes, the neck bones. Settling at the bottom of the pot was what mom called 'red-eye' gravy. Sop a biscuit in that just once and you'll never forget the great flavor. Some of the fast food houses now offer a 'dippin' sauce with some sandwiches ... if they only knew !!!

Love your recipe, an' I ain't fancy.

From my mother, passed down from her father-in-law (my paternal grandfather or "Dad's Dad")

Neck Bones and Noodles

My mother simmered pork neck bones with onions and seasonings. Don't know if squirrel heads would work just as well. Either strain the broth to remove the bones or remove carefully with a slotted spoon.

The noodles are simple:

Break an egg or two into a bowl, add enough flour to make a dough that's not too tacky to roll out. Cut the rolled noodle doughinto strips or diamonds or whatever shape you like. Drop into the broth from the bones and cook til done. Serve in a bowl, garnished with salt and black pepper. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon if you feel like being real durn fancy.

HEHEHEHEHE, Sam, as to children. My little one doesn't eat meat much more than I do. I picked up the go "TOFU" routine from her. Drives my hubby nuts.

And nuts is what I had for dinner with veggies and rice noodles. Dry roasted unsalted peanuts to be exact.

Awwww FF I'm sorry to hear that. It's just terrible when we can't tolerate the foods that are so tasty. If you have children in the family (neighborhood, church group, scout pack) this is a great Saturday night project. Made thin or deep dish, the crust is just great.

Dana, Can you say "Buttah"

Dana R. McCall said:

Sam, Your Original Pizza looks good. Certainly one that my husband would enjoy. Unfortunately the last time I ate pizza that had a decent amount of fat in it, I got a tummy ache. That was just last week. My tummy's been out of training on eating meat fats for a year now.

Sam said:

Sorry but that is suposed to be 1/2 stick of butter.

Salmon Patties

In a sauce pan on top the stove, combine 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of flour ,

A stick of butter, salt and pepper and add a can of evaporated milk to make a thick white sauce.

You want it thick almost like dough so add the milk slow, you might not need all of it.

Set it aside to cool.

Open your cans of salmon (I make a lot of these so I use at least 5 cans and Ive always liked Prelate the best) anyway Mom used to always go through the salmon and take out all the bones and the shiny silver skin (but if you like it keep it)

In a bowl mix the salmon and most of the white sauce, bout and you can chop up a onion and add at this time if you want it.(I dont because my kids dont like the onion) Roll the mix into small balls, little bigger than a golf ball and put on a plate or cookie sheet and set in fridge to set up for a little while(you dont have to do this but it makes it easier to work with)

Take 2 or 3 eggs and beat up (apologise to them) and take a couple sleeve of zesta crackers and crush um up real fine.

Now take salmon balls and dip in egg and roll in crackers, redip and crumb a second time. Have a hot skillet of Crisco or what ever oil you prefer on the stove. You are going to want the oil good and hot and about a in deep(I use a large cast iron skillet for this) Put the salmon in and I flatten mine out like a hamburger patty. Fry till golden brown on both sides then dip out onto a paper towel to soak up grease.

I make a big batch of homemade biscuits to eat them on: Angle biscuits really easy, just couple cups of self risen flour and heavy whipping cream. Use enough cream to make a nice dough dont over work, roll um out and cook them. Only 2 ingredients EASY and GREAT.

You can also take what white sauce was left over, thin it down to a nice gravy and add velveta cheese to pour over your salmon. Lip smackin good. Only problem with these is you can't stop eating them. They are really good cold to. 

Sams Original Pizza

Folks, please don't get hung up on toppings ... they're not what this recipe is about. It's about the crust. The crust sets it apart. Put the toppings you like or none...

and you can make it an enjoy it in the privacy of your own home ! Heres how.
Get yourself a big mixing bowl, 6 or 8 quart size like a salad bowl.
2 cups of your favorite self rising flour. I use Hudson Crme.
pound ground sausage, hot or mild to taste. Save the remaining pound for topping.
16 oz. Cheeze Whiz (or favorite cheese in a jar)((You can substitued a 16 oz bag of shredded sharp cheddar or other that you prefer)).
Roll up your sleeves (past the elbows at least) then get in there an hand knead the mixture into dough. Be sure to knead till ALL the flour is incorporated into the mix.
This recipe is going to be deep dish, but same procedure works for thin crust if you use a larger diameter pan. Be sure and use an UN-perforated pan or sausage drippings will mess up the oven.
For this event I like my large (I think its a 13 or 14 inch) cast iron skillet. Grease the skillet (I used stick margarine, liberally).
Now, put th dough ball in the middle of the skillet and start flattening it out and working it toward the edge of the skillet. Work it down thinner and right on up to the rim.

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

Next spread a small can of tomato paste onto your crust with the back of a spoon.

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

Mazzerella

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

Pepperoni and olives and onions

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

More mazzerella and more olives and more onions

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

The remaining pound of sausage (pinched into small pieces)

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

Slide er into the oven preheated to 400 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes or till she comes out lookin like THIS ! ! !

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

Send me notes of undying gratitude. I LOVE attention almost as much as this pizza !

[IMG] http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k338/backtrack_photos/Sam/th_Sau... [/IMG]

APPLAUSE ? HUGS ? KISSES ? MONEY ? ? ? ?

Okay, here is the recipe I use to make cast iron skillet corn bread. This works for a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter for the skillet, 3/4 cup of cornmeal, 1 cup of all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar (there's your hunks of sugar Sam ), 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 2 eggs beaten and 2/3 cup of milk. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl then mix in the wet, milk and eggs. Put the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in your cast iron skillet. Place the skillet in a 450 degree oven until hot and butter melted. Take the skillet out of the oven and pour batter in skillet. (The original recipe says to pour the melted butter into the batter and then pour the batter back in the skillet...it's up to you, I've done both but sometimes it's easier for me to leave the melted butter in the skillet and pour the batter in it). Return the skillet with the batter into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or till it's golden brown. I like this cornbread hot with a little butter.

I usta be wash & wear, but I'm showing a certain amount of wrinkles these days, so something may be changing. I always rinse after showering, the soap feels unpleasant if I let it dry.

Paul

... rinse or permanent press?

Mr. Certo? Is Ma here, with a wooden spoon? I get my molasses from the grocery store, sugar cane won't grow in Ohio, I think we're too far north. My yard won't grow anything but weeds, deer and groundhogs. Well, there is a black walnut behind the garage, but I digress. I never had home made molasses, I always lived in the city. But I use it in pumpkin pie, and other assorted pastry stuff, whether the recipe tells me to or not. I use honey the same indiscriminate way. That comes from the grocery, also. Mrs. Wanda is allergic to bee stings, so keeping bees at home is likely to get me in hot water.

Paul

And just where ... MR. Certo ... are you getting molasses ?? I'd love to find some really good molasses, like the ones we used to make each year.

I tend to put a little nutmeg in the fried apples, along with cinnamon. We usually use part Granny Smith and part Macintosh, as that's how Mrs. Wanda likes 'em. She doesn't use nutmeg, as that ain't how she was raised. (WVa) I was grown and married before I ever had fried apples, so when I started making them I concocted it a little different. I lean towards brown sugar, as well. Left to my own, I'd probably use molasses, too.

Paul

Well for something sweet my mom used to make "Rio Bravo Pralines"

2 cups pecan halves

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar packed dark or light depends on your taste or what you have to hand

3/4 cup evaporated milk

2 TBSP butter

1/8 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a 4 qt. glass bowl suited to microwave

Microwave on high 12 minutes and stir every 3 minutes. Beat mixture vigorously by hand until tacky. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto buttered wax paper. Cool until firm. Fight off kids so that you can get one.

Patty on the fried apples, I try to find a tart variety like Granny Smith or even York before they're fully ripe. I use quite a bit of butter, a touch of cinnamon, sugar to taste but the thing I like to do that most don't is to add a pinch of salt. Try it! I have an easy biscuit recipe if I can find it. Uses sour cream to make faux buttermilk biscuits. They're pretty good.

I don't use pepperoni in the cornbread either ... I'm not above substituting some crispy bacon though!!!!!!!!

Sam, that Mexican Cornbread should be called West Virginia Mexican Cornbread. I've had a version of this before. My aunt makes it. Though I don't believe she had pepperoni just the sausage. She used bell peppers too. Sometimes the mild banana peppers are used. Those peppers are popular. Now, we just need a recipe for fried apples and biscuits..WV style

Here are some great savory (not sweet) scones I made a week r so back. Split one of these while warm and slip in a slice of smoked turkey or ham, and yuuummm!

Smoky Mushroom Cheddar Scones

2 Cups AP flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 stick Butter, unsalted, chilled, cubed
1 CupWhite Cheddar shredded

3/4 Cup finely chopped Mushrooms

3/4 Cup cold Half & Half
1 large egg

1 tsp Smokehouse Maple Seasoning or other dry smoke spice blend

Preheat the oven to 375F
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut Butter into dry mix. Add cheese and mushrooms, stir to combine.
Whisk cream and egg. Add cream mixture to flour mixture. Stir until everything comes together.

Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface. Gather dough together; pat to a thickness of about 1 inch. Cut into wedges or rounds.
Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake scones until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool at least 10 minutes.

I agree Ken. I use jalapenos and nix the pepperoni as well. Her recipe does taste good, but like you I prefer the alternative. It's the great thing about recipes, they can be ... ummm ... 'adjusted' to suit personal taste. I put Taco seasoning on most everything. It's especially good when cooked into a skillet of fried 'taters.

The cornbread sounds good - except for the Italian additions -- pepperoni and banana peppers!! I'd use ground beef cooked with Taco seasoning. And diced green chiles (not jalapenos).

I have a Russian recipe for a stuffed pan 'bread' like this, where you make up basically a large batch of pancake batter, and the stuffing is sauteed onions and mushrooms...

Folks, a good hunk of this is a meal in itself ...

Guys ... I had this recently at my son's house. It's the best I've ever eaten. I can't urge you strongly enough to try this recipe... it is KILLER!!!

Fry, drain and crumble 1lb of sausage, then set aside!
Mix together:
1/2 c self-rising flour
1c cornmeal
1 can cream style corn
3 T sugar
2 eggs
1 c buttermilk

Pour 1/2 the batter into bread pan

Filling: Sausage, 1 lrg onion grated, 2 pkgs grated cheddar chez, 1 package sliced pepperoni, 3 or 4 hot or mild bannanna peppers.


Pour remaining batter on top! Bake at 350 for 1 hr. Enjoy!!

Oahu, Ken. We have friends there. The jamming will be non stop, except for when we eat! There's a dulcimer club on the Big Island, I think it was on the Kona side.

Paul

Carrie that sounds delicious and one I definitely plan to try ... but ... you're not getting off that easy. I expect more great recipes from you. Surely you have some wonderful Tex/Mex dishes for us.

Aw Paul.... Now you got me craving Lau lau! Guess I'd better make Kahlua Pork tomorrow so I can make Lau lau for the weekend. You goin' to da Big Island, mon? Or Oahu? I've got a good friend over at Kealakahua, who makes great Lau lau, even if she does buy her Kahlua Pig. Have some kine grinds for me, mon. Great post mon. Aloha!

For the Kahlua Pork, we use baby spinach, since Ti leaves and banana leaves are unavailable in Cleveland. Possibly at Jungle Jim's, in Cincinnati, but not in Cleveland. We usually cook it in a crock pot, but the oven works fine, too.In Hawai`i, no BBQ sauce is used with Kahlua Pork, but if you want it, any kind you prefer is fine.

But ya gotta have Poi with Pig! If you can find Taro root, steam, bake or boil them until tender. Peel the roots, and mash it as fine and smooth as you can. At this stage, it is known as Pa `i `ai. It traditionally was wrapped in banana leaves for storage. It would keep a long time without refrigeration, though it would often ferment a bit from wild yeasts in the air, much like sourdough starter. A lot of folks like it better after it sours a bit, since it has more flavor. To make poi from it, add small amounts of water to it, mixing it it until it is the consistency you prefer. Some people use it as a condiment with spicy foods, much like ranch dressing for hot wings. Some add seasonings to it, but most eat it as is. I prefer it with only a small amount of water, since the water dilutes the flavor. It is a very mild flavor to start with, so less water means more taste. I like the sour kind even more for the same reason.

If you didn't put BBQ sauce on the pork, the leftovers can be made into Lau lau. Cooked Kahlua pork, butterfish, and peeled & cut sweet potatoes, and a little salt & pepper are placed in a small bundle wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until the potatoes are tender. Cut up taro root can also be placed in the bundles. Butterfish is Black Cod, we use whatever codfish the local grocery has. I suspect in the old days whatever fish was caught ended up as supper, though Hawaiians built fishponds several centuries ago to raise fish in captivity. A number ancient fishponds are still visible, though not many are still in useable condition. Lau Lau is great stuff! We use aluminum foil since banana leaves are hard to find. Again, put some spinach leaves in the bundle to give it the flavor as if the Ti or banana leaves were there. If you use Ti or banana leaves, they are only for flavoring not eaten. Might make you stay close to the bathroom if you eat too much leaf. Now I'm hungry for Island kine grinds, 9 days and counting!

Paul

Can't get Old By up there? For the Kahlua Pork, I'm a big fan of Sweet Baby Ray's brand BBQ sauces. But if you want an Asian style BBQ sauce, nothing beats Hoisin Sauce. It's really thick, so dilute it with a bit of water or mild white vinegar (or both).

Here's an Old Bay copycat:

Makes about 1/4 cup:

• 1 tablespoon ground dried bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons celery salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Of course, by the time you buy all those spices (if you don't already have them), you'd make money if you took a day off work, drove across the border, bought a case of The Right Stuff and drove back home

Sam - sure -- share away!

Meg - the recipes for Emeril's Bam! spice blends are available on line... I won't buy his product, but I do make my own Bam! spice when I need to.

Kahlua Pork
(Hawaiian style BBQ, Sam Choy technique)

3-5 lb Pork Putt - NOT shoulder

Liquid Smoke

Hawaiian Sea Salt, Kosher Salt or other large grain salt

Banana Leaf or Ti (not Tea) leaves from a florist shop

Dissolve 2 bouillon cubes in a quart of water

Pre-heat oven to 250F. Yep 250, not 350. That low.

With a sharp knife, slash the pork butt in a diamond pattern (like you see on a big ham). Measure one Tablespoon of Liquid smoke per pound of meat, and rub it all over the butt. Measure 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat and rub that all over the butt.

Wrap the meat in the leaves (if you have them, otherwise, do without), and place in a fairly close fitting covered casserole or Dutch oven. Add bouillon water to half way up the meat, cover and bake for 1 hour per pound of meat. Remove, discard leaves if you used them, reserve the liquid. Pull the meat apart with a pair of forks, discarding any large pieces of fat that might remain. Put the pulled pork in a large bowl and pour the reserved liquid over everything - it will soak up the liquid.

If you want barbecue sauce, add it to each serving or sandwich, don't smother the shredded pork in it. Serve on a bun with cole slaw if you like, with fried okra or French fries on the side

This is unbelievable Ken ... a good friend on another site was asking for an egg plant recipe less than a week ago. May I share yours with her?

It's been a LOOONNG time but we used to have a thread about healthy living and eating and lots of us posted recipes there. Can't find that thread now... Anyway, here's a recipe I've made lately at the request of a couple of my Personal Chef clients.

Seafood Stuffed Eggplant
2 large Italian Eggplant

1 lb shelled shrimp or mixed seafood

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Onion, diced

1 Roma Tomato, diced

2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning of choice

Extra cheese for topping - mozzarella, asiago, white cheddar etc.

Optional - spicy peppers to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the "guts", leaving about 1/4" of meat in the shells. Set aside face down on paper towels. In a skillet, saute the chopped seafood, chopped eggplant guts, onion, tomato, optional peppers if used, and seasoning, in a bit of oil or water, over medium-high heat, until tender - 10 minutes or so. In a small bowl combine the panko and parmesan. Add the breadcrumb mixture to the sauteed mixture, tossing to combine. You want a dense "stuffing" texture here. Heap the dressing mixture into the eggplant shells. Place stuffed eggplants on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Top with remainng cheese and bake until until melted. browned and/or crispy on top. Serve with a dollop of Romesco sauce, or if you don't have or make that, use another tomato-based sauce.

serves 4 with a side salad

I've also made this with canned tuna or canned salmon if you're not fond of shrimp or shellfish...

Reckon I'll start things off ...

Want to do a pork loin?

This recipe was concocted in my own kitchen an' it's really good. Please feel free to add spices, seasoning, or any other personal touches. Enjoy.

Now that I have your attention. Start with a good chunk of pork loin.

Make a cut about 1/2" deep the whole length of the loin, then start cutting around to lay it out like a rug.

Once you have it laid out flat, you're ready to add seasonings, stuffing and other filler.

Here you can see a layer of stuffing. Use stuffing of your choice, prepare it just as if you were going to serve it, then spread a layer on the rolled out loin.

Next, a layer of good hickory smoked bacon.

Onions, garlic, spices, herbs of your choice. I used a tiny, tiny bit of sage and some Lawry's seasoning.

Tie that bad boy up with cotton twine, and rub it down liberally with Emrils dry rub for pork.

Take a break and make up some glazing. I used about 14 oz's of pineapple juice, 1/4 cup brown sugar, half stick of margarin and a pinch of salt.

Also make up some stock to put in the bottom of the roaster. Liquid is 5 or 6 boullion cubes boiled and disolved in water. Keeps the loin moist while roasting. Add stock to roaster.

Preheat oven to 400

With boullion liquid in the bottom of the roaster, roast the loin covered for about an hour. It'll start lookin' like this.

Now start pullin' the loin out about every 1/2 hour and baste heavily with the pineapple glaze. When it looks like this, stop, take the string off, slice and serve.