January Recipe of the Month: Ojo de Negro Peas

It is good luck to eat black eyed peas on New Years day.  Its a southern thang.  I need all the luck I can find so here's a way you eat them if you like the flavor as little as I do.

One can black eyed peas. (drained)
One cup frozen corn. (thawed)
One quarter onion. (chopped)
Two garlic cloves. (minced)
Two strips bacon. (Ummm...Bacon)
One half tea spoon red pepper flakes. (crushed)
One cup salsa.


Mince the garlic, chop the onion and fry them in a skillet with the chopped bacon until the bacon is crisp.
Add corn, drained black eyed peas, salsa and pepper flakes.
Heat to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Some chopped jalapeno would make it even nicer....

Bill

Savory Squash Recipe

I cook dinners about half the time for Juanita and me.  I am fearless in the kitchen, and will try new things just for the halibut.  I have had some almighty disasters, and a few real winners.

This one is a winner.  It turns squash into food.

Savory Squash Recipe

1 acorn squash
2 Tbl bacon crumbles
4 Tbl finely chopped onion
4 Tbl shredded cheese (your choice)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 (ea) 1 Tbl butter pats



Take the acorn squash and halve it longitudinally.  Scrape out the spider webs and eggs (discard).  Put the halves skin side down in an oven appropriate baking dish and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the onions, bacon crumbles, shredded cheese and garlic. Spoon mixture into squash halves.

Add butter pat to top.

Bake at 350* for 1 hour.

Eat.

You're welcome.

Bill

Februrary's Recipe: Grapefruit Wedges

Allenspark Cinnamon Grapefruit Wedges

Juanita has figured another way to get fruit down me.  Sneaky woman.

Take a large grapefruit and cut it into 12 wedges, or 8 for a medium grapefruit.

 Dip each wedge into cinnamon sugar until well coated. (one cup sugar to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)
Spray a cookie sheet with a non-stick cooking spray and line the wedges up on it, skin side down.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy! (I do)

Bill

Apple-Cheddar Scones; January's Recipe

As a special request for a friend, here is a favorite scone recipe.  I had not realized we didn't have a single one up here yet.

Apple & Cheddar Cheese Scones

Preheat oven to 425*F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

   2 c. flour

   ¼ c. sugar

   1 tbs. baking powder

   1 tsp. salt

   ½ tsp. dried thyme

   ½ tsp. cracked pepper

Combine in bowl:

   ¼ c. butter or margarine, chilled, diced

With a pastry blender, cut in butter until coarse crumbs form (some pea-sized pieces):

   1 apple –Gala or Delicious-cored, cut into ¼” pieces (1 ½ cups)

   ½ c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz.)

   ¾ c. milk

Stir in apple, cheese and milk until ingredients are moistened and a dough starts to form.

   1 egg lightly beaten

On lightly floured surface gently knead dough until it comes together – don’t over knead.

Shape into 7” wide disk.  Brush with egg.  Cut into 8 wedges and arrange 2” apart on baking sheet.

I use a round or shaped biscuit cutter instead and get about 12 scones.

Bake 15 minutes or until golden.  Cool on rack 1 minute; remove from pan and enjoy!

I found this recipe in a Woman's World magazine back in Sept. of 2004 and it has been a favorite here since.  It's one of a very few recipes that I made absolutely NO changes in - except for high altitude.  This one has not been adjusted; use as is.

Juanita

Recipe of the Month: Camper's Cranberry Cobbler

This recipe can actually be made in an iron skillet over a campfire - or so they say.  I have done it on top of the stove and in the oven in an iron skillet.  Now, I just bake it in a 9" pie pan in the oven, for the same amount of time.  I cut this out of a magazine many moons ago; don't even remember the magazine, but I cannot take credit for it.  It just sounded like fun when I saw it!

Camper's Cranberry Cobbler
Topping:
     1 c. water
     3/4 c. sugar
     2 c. cranberries
     Boil water and sugar for 5 minutes.  Add cranberries; cook uncovered until they burst (approx. 7 minutes at our altitude). Remove from heat.
Add:
     1 teas. cornstarch
     1 tablespn lemon juice
     1 tablespn whiskey 
     Stir well.

Sweet  biscuit mix:
     1 c. flour
     1/4 c. sugar
     2 tablespn powdered milk
     1/4 teas. salt
     Combine dry ingredients.
     Cut in 1/3 c. shortening or lard.
     Mix with 1/3 c. water until moist and smooth.

Grease frying pan or pot.  Pat the dough into the bottom, forming a shallow bowl.  Pour in berry mix.  Cook over low heat until dough is cakelike - about 25 minutes.  (I bake it in the oven at 350* for about 25 minutes.)  This is a very cheery dish for the holidays.

Tip:  the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seems to be the only time I can find fresh cranberries, so I buy many bags and toss them in the freezer, then use them in any fruit dish that needs a little color.
Bionic Cowgirl

Apple Raisin Walnut Breakfast Bars Recipe

Apple-Raisin-Walnut Breakfast Bars

9” x 13” baking dish, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Sift together, set aside:

2 c. flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

1 ½ tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

               

In a large bowl, on medium speed, blend together:

   Approximately 3 minutes or until smooth:

2 c. light-brown sugar

2 eggs

½ c. (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Reduce speed to low, gradually add flour mixture for 2 minutes.

Stir in:

1 ½ c. diced apple

1 c. oats (not instant)

¾ c. raisins

½ c. chopped walnuts.

Spread into prepared pan.  Bake at 350* for 35 minutes; until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely; cut into bars (18 – 24).  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Have fun with this one; mix and match fruit and nuts for your own favorite.  It's solid enough to be used as a trail bar - but won't break your teeth!

Juanita

Chocolate Aztec Cookies

It's been a while since I've posted here. I'm still alive (in case you were wondering) and a little bit fatter thanks to finding amazing recipes that I *have* to try out. I was reading Terry Odell's book SAVING SCOTT and her main character was baking some mouth-watering cookies. When I got the end of the book, I was excited to find was became my All. Time. Favorite. Recipe.

All.

Time.

I'm so not kidding. You have to try these.

Spicy Aztec Chocolate Drops

Best cookies EVAH!

1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t finely ground coffee (or instant) <--I prefer instant, because I hate coffee; Mr. Nebalee likes his really strong coffee/espresso gunk
1/4 t cayenne (1/8 if you're a wimp)
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/2 c cocoa powder
3/4 c softened, unsalted butter
1 1/4 c sugar, divided
1 egg
1 t vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, coffee, black pepper, cayenne, and cocoa powder. Cream the butter with 1 cup of the sugar until light. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until creamy.

Re-sift the dry ingredients and add to the creamed butter concoction (it works best if you add it incrementally). Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment or foil. Roll a piece of the dough - about the size of a walnut - in the remaining 1/4 c sugar and place on cookie sheet, with about 1 inch between each cookie. (RCC and I use a small cookie scooper and drop the dough directly into the sugar to coat. Mr. Nebalee has come up with his own method involving cupcake trays and sprinkling the sugar instead of rolling it.)

Bake for eight minutes. They will appear to be underbaked, but they are PERFECT!

December Recipe of the Month... Elephant Stew

This time of year, we are always looking for good stew recipes.  A guest gave us this one several years ago.


Elephant Stew

1 large elephant, cut into bite sized pieces

2 rabbits

Cook elephant in large stew pot over outside fire.  Simmer for 4 weeks until tender, stirring occasionally.

This will serve 3,800 people.  If more people come, add the rabbits.  DON"T do this unless necessary, because most people don't like hare in their stew.

Bill

Novembers' Recpie, Chocolate Covered Cherries

  Yesterday Juanita and I were in the kitchen with a couple friends.  They were helping Juanita make chocolate covered cherries.  As the dippin' and rollin' were going full steam, the lights went out.

"OOO! OOO! YES!  I get to try my new generat..." and the lights came back on.

Poop.

Maybe I'll get to use my new generator another day.



Chocolate Covered Cherries

Ingredients-------------

2 and 1/2 cups of powered sugar
1/4 cup softened butter (unsalted is best, salted will be good, too)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
16 ozs maraschino cherries, with stems, drained
2 tablespoons shortening
2 cups (16 ozs) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions----------------

Combine butter, sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl, knead until mold-able.  Shape into about 3/4 inch balls, then flatten into 2 inch disks.

Wrap each disk around a cherry and gently roll in hands.  Place the wrapped cherries stem up on a sheet of waxed paper on a cookie sheet and chill the bunch.  Half an hour in the freezer, or four hours in the refrigerator.

Microwave the chocolate chips and shortening until melted, stir until smooth.  Dip the chilled cherries, holding by the stem, into the chocolate.  Let the extra drip off and place on waxed paper until the chocolate has set.  Place chocolate covered cherries in a covered container and refrigerate for a week or two before eating.

Cherries can be soaked in Bourbon before wrapping for a more adult-type treat.

 Will make about 36 covered cherries.

Here is to future power failures.

Bill

February Recipe of the Month: Jambalaya Casserole

I made this for dinner tonight.  I eat WAY to much of this one.  It would be a good "Fat Tuesday" dish, today is Tuesday, right?



Jambalaya Casserole
375* 45 – 60 minutes 9” x 13” (or 3—qt. casserole)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup butter
Saute all above ingredients in large skillet; transfer to very large bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients:
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups uncooked long grain rice (we use Jasmine rice)
1 cup tomato chopped (1 can chopped tomato, drained)
½ cup chopped green onion
3 Tbls. Minced fresh parsley
1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbls. Hot pepper sauce
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
Transfer to baking dish; cover and bake until rice is tender, stirring twice.

Juanita claims you can double this recipe, but I'm not so sure.  Our oven doesn't go up to 750 degrees.

Bill
(Taste of Home)

November Recipe: Baked Oatmeal

Back by popular demand:



Allenspark Lodge  Baked Oatmeal

3 c. apple juice (or water) - boiling

2 c. old fashioned oatmeal
½ c. raisins
½ c. chopped, peeled apples
Pour boiling liquid over mixture.
Let stand for 20 min.

Top with brown sugar (~½ cup)
Sprinkle with cinnamon & slivered almonds

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 min

Bill says doing this to to oatmeal turns it into food, rather than gruel.

Recipe: Blueberry Pot Pie

Bill said he was looking for Boiled Goat recipes, so I figured I had better beat him to this month's recipe. This is probably one of the absolute most favorite (except for the cookies) recipe at the Lodge. Juanita

Blueberry Pot Pie 325 degrees/45-55 min.

Filling:
6c. Blueberries or 1 bag frozen blueberries, thawed
4 T. Grape jelly
1 T. Sugar
1 T. Flour
Mix together, pour into glass casserole dish.

Crust:
3 T. Country Crock
1/3 c. Sugar
½ t. Mexican vanilla
1/4 c. Sour cream
3/4 c. Flour
3/4 t. Baking powder
1/8 t. Baking soda
1/8 t. Salt
Mix together until creamy.

1 ½ c. Pecans, chopped
Add to above mixture, then spread on top of blueberries

Bake 45 - 55 minutes in 325 degree oven.

May Recipe of the Month

Juanita hasn't posted one this month, so I'll give it a whirl.

Escargot. 

 (No, we don't serve it, and I'm fairly sure we never will, but I have wondered how to cook it.)

1) Catch a snail.
(So far so good- they don't move too fast)

2) Feed it corn flakes for a week or two.
(It seems that the rotting organic matter they eat in the wild can be toxic when ingested by people)

3) Remove the snail from its shell.
(Umm... ouch?)

4) Clean and gut the snail.
(OK.  Now that's getting weird.  How in the holy mollusk do you gut a snail?)

5) Cook in garlic butter or chicken stock.
(I'm not sure how you know when it's done. I don't see how it could change color, and it's sure not big enough for a thermometer)

6) Pour it back into its shell and serve.
(Pour?!?)

Enjoy, but don't bother saving any for me.  I don't eat bait at breakfast.

Bill

April Recipe: Turkey & White Bean Chili

I know, I missed the recipe for March, so since it is still winter here in the high country, you get March's soup recipe.

Turkey & White Bean Chili

Brown the following ingredients until pink is gone:
• 3 T. Olive oil
• 3 lb. Ground turkey (93% lean)
• 1 ½ t. salt

Add the following, cook 4 more minutes:
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Add the following and bring to a boil:
• 4 T. Chili powder
• 1 t. cumin, ground
• 4-15 oz cans chopped tomato
• 4-15 oz cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans of water
• ground black pepper, to taste
• crushed red pepper, to taste


Simmer 30 minutes

Serves 12-15 people

This one is quickly becoming a favorite. Give it a try. Juanita

February 2010 Recipe: Country Pineapple Casserole

Country Pineapple Casserole

½ c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. sugar
8 eggs
2-20 oz cans crushed pineapple, drained
3 T. Lemon juice
10 slices day-old white bread, cubed

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pineapple and lemon juice. Fold in the bread cubes. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 325 deg. F for 35-40 minutes or until set.

Yield: 12-16 servings

January 2010 Recipe: Spicy Sausage-Potato Soup

This is for Bill; he even had to show me how to copy into this @#$%@ program. He came up with this recipe early in our days of Innkeeping, as a way to save by eating leftovers (leftover potatoes, sausage, etc.). Now it is so popular we had to learn how to make it from the bottom up without precooking the potatoes on the grill! Cut back on the seasoning if you want less spicy - or buy less spicy sausage. You can pre-cook your potatoes by cooking, whole, in the microwave for two minutes per potato (6 min.total, turning half way through for this amount). They will only be partially cooked and easy to slice. We eat peels and all; adds texture and flavor.
Juanita

Spicy Sausage-potato soup

1 lb spicy sausage, browned
½ c. onion, thinly sliced
½ c. celery, chopped
1-2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
2-3 c. milk
3 lg potatoes, pre-cooked and sliced

Saute’ onion and celery with sausage. Add all ingredients to a large soup pan, bring to a slow boil, simmer 15-20 minutes.

January Recipe

Mud pies

  4 cups dirt
  2 cups water

mix dirt and water, mold into roundish shape
let dry in sun

This is all I got.  Man, I wish Juanita would post something tastier.

Bill

November 2009 Recipe: Pecan Pie Mini-Muffins

Pecan Pie Mini-Muffins                  400 degrees  15 minutes

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
2/3 cup melted butter/margarine (Country Crock OK)
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon.
Pour into mini muffin tins (makes 3 dozen) that have been sprayed with non-stick spray.
Top with 1/2 pecan piece and bake.

October Recipe "Monkey" Bread

“Monkey” Bread (Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread)
Bundt pan (or whatever type pan you want)
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

Bread dough – enough for one loaf – or
3 pkgs. refrigerated biscuit dough
¾ cup sugar
2 tspn. Cinnamon, mixed into sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, melted

Heavily spray pan with non-stick spray, such as PAM
Divide dough into 30 pieces and roll into balls. Dip each ball into melted butter, roll in mixture of sugar and cinnamon, and layer in Bundt pan.

Bake until not doughy, set on rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Turn out onto plate.

Top with mixture of powdered sugar and milk glaze.

September Recipe: Apple Dumplings

Apple Dumplings
Makes 16 pieces
9"x13" baking dish, sprayed with PAM
350F for 20 - 25 minutes

Dough: Day before:
½ c. soft butter (Country Crock)
3 oz. Cream cheese
1 c. sifted flour
With electric mixer on med.,beat butter & cheese until smooth. Beat in flour. Shape dough into smooth ball; wrap in foil, refrigerate overnight.

Sauce:
1 c. orange juice
3/4 c. sugar
½ stick butter
Warm until dissolved.

4 apples (Delicious or Granny Smith)
Quarter, core and peel.
Divide dough into 16 small balls. Roll each ball very thin and
use to wrap each apple quarter. Lay seam side down in pan.
Pour sauce over them & sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake until
golden brown. Baste with sauce before serving.