Some More Dishes to Try

18 Friday Mar 2022

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5 Hour Duck, 5-Stars, Beef, Boise Farmers Market, Buy Idaho, Buy Local, Classis Sauces, Comfort Food, Dinner At Marnies, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Family, Duck, Food Photos, Food Prep, Fruit, Idaho Beef, Idaho Potatoes, Main Dish, Mushrooms - Local, Pâté, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Dinner, What's For Dinner?

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5 hour roasted duck, alfredo recipe, duck, fettuccini, fruit, green pepper, morel mushroom, nain dish, Pâté, Roasted Duck, stuffed pepper

Here are two really good meals we made. At least they’re good in my humble opinion. I liked them. The Fettuccini Alfredo our daughter found a basic recipe, but it looked a little bland, so I “adjusted” it a little. Added dried morels that were rehydrated in some white wine and added basil and fresh garlic. It was tasty. And the 2nd dish was Stuffed Peppers and i do like a good stuffed pepper. But Robin can not eat them. The last dish was 5 Hour Roasted Duck, which we all love! Take a look.

This was really a good dinner. As I stated above, I adjusted it. I used Half and Half instead of milk and added some white wine to the Alfredo. It was rich and smooth. Awesome flavor levels. Just be careful when adding the Half and Half that you don’t scorch it. Keep stirring gently. And I have never cooked pasta like this either. It worked fine.. (See the recipe) And too, I broke the dry pasta in half before adding to the pan. Easier for all to eat. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

This was a great pepper. The pepper was cooked, but still somewhat “crunchy”, but not raw. The flavor levels were great. Not over powered by the herbs or a strong green pepper taste. If you are making one, and use a larger cooking dish, try using different colored peppers – green, red, orange or whatever is available. And then serve them in the cooking dish. There was just me eating this, so I cooked it in a Pâté pan, as pictured. Worked well.

We all like duck. But it can be greasy. So if you like duck, try this one. 5 Hour Roasted Duck. It definitely is not difficult to do. Just takes a while. 5 hours! So plan ahead! Stewed the neck and any leftover vegetable parts and reduced it down to create the gravy. Use some pan drippings and wine, too. An awesome gravy. Serve with peas and carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy and thinly sliced fruit, left from stuffing the duck. While the duck is resting, cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm. And as a note, we have tried this with a goose, but it was not as good.

So threr you have it. Try them all and let us know how it turned out. Guten Abend!

Two Interesting Meal Ideas

25 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Asparagus, Basmati rice, Buy Idaho, Buy Local, Dinner With Family, Food Prep, Herbs and Spices, Housemade Sauces, Idaho Vegetables, Idaho Venison, Idaho Wild Game, Local Farmers Markets, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Prep Work, Recipe by Eric Rhodes, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Vegetables, Venison, What's For Dinner?

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backstrap, balsamic, basmati, blackberry jam, recipe, Red Chard, Rice, salmon, tenderloin, Venison

Here are two dishes we made this past week. Both are delicious and fairly easy to do, especially the salmon. Take a look.

The first is a baked salmon dish that does not have a specific recipe. This time we used a local Golden Plum Jam, but normally I use a MacKays Orange Marmalade. Just make sure the salmon is dry before you spread the jam, or marmalade, on the fish. Lightly salt and pepper the fish before adding the jam and then bake for about 7 minutes in a 375 degree F oven. Enjoy.

Golden Plum Jam or Orange Marmalade Coated Salmon served on a bed of Steamed Red Chard and Spinach.

Next we have a delicious venison backstrap pan roast with a special Blackberry Jam Sauce. A mixture of reduced blackberry jam, made from fresh blackberries from our daughter’s bushes last fall, and a good balsamic vinegar and apple cider. (See the recipe) OK. So your question is, “What is backstrap?”

Venison backstraps are a cut of meat that is found along the back of a deer; alongside the spine. They are often confused with a tenderloin cut of meat. While they aren’t the same as a tenderloin, they are considered one of the most tender cuts of meat of a deer. Also, known as striploin. There are 2 ways of dealing with a venison saddle, the most common is to prepare a venison backstrap or striploin. The difference between backstrap and tenderloin is, backstrap refers to a length of loin on the back of a deer, elk, moose, etc. It’s the ribeye in beef and loin in pork. Tenderloins are the two strips of very tender meat under the loin, behind the ribs.

Recipe: http://www.rockinrs.com/Erics-Venison-Backstrap.pdf

Venison Backstrap plated with Asparagus and Mashed Garlic Potatoes

This dish would be awesome with a pork tenderloin, if you don’t have venison. Use the same recipe that is linked under the photo of the venison. If you use pork tenderloin, serve it with beets, either whole small beets or sliced, or sauteed cabbage.

Two Meals to Try

11 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Buy Idaho, Buy Local, Captain's Shack, Cheese, Chicken, Classic Cuisines, Classic Herb Blends, Classis Sauces, Cooking Styles, Dinner With Family, Food - French, Food Photos, French Wines, Homemade Sauce, Idaho Vegetables, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes, What's For Dinner?

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Alfredo, coq au vin, shrimp

Here are two meals we made. The first is probably one of the best alfredo sauces I have ever eaten. Not “gummy” with cheese, but rather clean and smooth. Shrimp went very well with the sauce. The second is an “Old Persons Meal”, of sorts. Fried chicken with garlic mashed potatoes with pan dripping gravy and garden green beans. Enjoy these.

Recipe – http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Alfredo-Sauce.pdf

The recipe calls for penne pasta, but we didn’t have any. So we used linguini which worked very well. The shrimp really added to the dish – you could probably use any seafood, scallops, lobster or Dungeness crab might be good, or other protein. Use your imagination.

The Alfredo was smooth and creamy and not grainy. It added to the shrimp we used and did not conflict with it. Several flavor levels came through that were delicious.

I have had problems when frying chicken, but this one seems to have over come that flaw. I added some baking powder to the flour that I used to coat the chicken and beaten egg to dredge the chicken in before the flour. We also made sure the chicken was dry before dredging. Cook slowly over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side, taking care not to burn the chicken. Start cooking skin side down. We always use thighs, or second joints if you are on the East coast, bone-in and skin on.

The gravy was made from the pan drippings to which we added some flour and some wine. Made sure that was all mixed then added some half and half and completely combined to make the smooth gravy. It was delicious.

So there are two more meals from this past week. Next thing I am trying is Coq au Vin, Rooster in Wine. Probably not as good as Julia Child would do, but good nonetheless. Stay tuned and Good Eating!

2 Classic Dishes: Kielbasa and Pierogis and Pork Wontons

04 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Asian - Sauces, Asian - Spices, Asian Food, Cabbage, Captain's Shack, Cooking Styles, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Family, Ethnic Foods, Food - Asian, Food - Make Your Own Meals, Food - Polish, Food Photos, Ginger, Local Markets, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Dinner, recipes appetizers, What's For Dinner?

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kielbasa, pierogi, pork, recipes, sauer kraut, Wine

Actually I have never made either of these dishes before, so this was an exciting trip! The idea for the kielbasa dish came from Rachael Ray, but I radically changed some of the ingredients by adding additional spices and herbs and eliminating others. The sauerkraut, for instance, was to be one with cumin and caraway and if you could not find one like that, adjust it by adding a “scant” teaspoon each. I went to a 2 teaspoons each and it was wonderful. I also added turmeric and Riesling wine. I guess that’s the German in me. Here is the recipe for our CS Kielbasa and Pierogi Combo dinner – http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Kielbasa-Pierogi-Combo.pdf

Kielbasa and Pierogi Combo ready for the oven

The second dish we made, my wife Robin came up with this one, I definitely have never made. It takes some time and effort, but I think well worth it. It’s basically, ground pork, not sausage, fresh ginger and garlic, Shoyu soy sauce (Japanese) and green onions wrapped in wonton pastry. Care must be taken when frying these and not burn them. They should be a light brown color. Here is the recipe for these – http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Pork-Wontons.pdf.

Filling the wontons. You might want to use a little shredded Napa cabbage in each one too.

The wontons sealed and ready to cook. There is more than one way to seal these.

The wontons out of the fryer. Notice they are brown and not burned. Keep your eye on them while cooking. They will burn quickly.

Presentation plate with Shoyu soy sauce with grated ginger.

So there you have two more dishes to try. The wontons might just make a good appetizer or “tailgate food” for a sporting event. Enjoy!

Some Meals We Have Enjoyed

07 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by Bob and Robin in Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Classic Herb Blends, Cooking Styles, Dessert, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Family, Egg Noodles, Ethnic Foods, Food - Make Your Own Meals, Food Photos, German Recipes, Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Housemade Soup, Idaho Beef, Main Dish, Morels, Mushrooms, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe - Soup, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Bavarian, Recipes - Dessert, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Sauces, Sauces, Spices, What's For Dinner?

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beef, prime rib, soup

Sorry for the long delay in getting articles or recipes posted. It’s been a crappy Fall, but things are returning to normal now. I will create this post, as I have done in the past with all posts, with a good description of the dish and a link to the recipe that we have created. Most of the recipes, however, are original only to the point that we have altered the original recipe to fit our needs. Most of the recipes presented here and on this blog, have a note attached to them “Source: adapted from (some other recipe)“. At least then, you know where you can find the original recipe. Please, as in the past, feel free to use and try any recipe presented and let us know how it came out and if you liked it or not.

Let’s start with a great soup. Did you ever see the movie Tortilla Soup? Well here is the recipe for that soup, Tortilla Soup http://www.rockinrs.com/Tortilla-Soup.pdf. I’m sorry I don’t have a photo of it. This is fun to make – you can make it as spicy as you want – and great eating. We love it!

And to start the main course off, how about Roasted Prime Rib of Beef? Really easy to do, but be sure you follow the cooking directions exactly. Recipe – http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Prime-Rib.pdf. This recipe calls for an herb butter and we used our Herb de Provence, http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Herbs.pdf. Use it liberally and mix well with room temperature butter. I even went so far as to, after adding the herb butter and salt, to dry brine this in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Came out great!

And here is a great leftover prime rib dish, Leftover Prime Rib Beef Stroganoff. (recipe – http://www.rockinrs.com/Leftover-Beef-Stroganoff.pdf) The original recipe called for Baby Portabella mushrooms, but we had some dried Morel mushrooms collected this past Fall and I reconstituted them in a little vodka and used some of the liquid in the sauce.

Total time to make this dish is about 20 minutes, not counting preparing the egg noodles or rice. If you would prefer not to use noodles, you can always use rice. If you use rice, I would probably use Basmati or Jasmin. Either way, we loved this and will make it again. Delicious flavors and easy to do. I even had someone tell me they have made a similar stroganoff with leftover meat loaf.

For the last of the prime rib, you can also make a delicious and scrumptious Prime Rib Soup. This is almost a one pot meal. Hearty with the barley in it. Great on a cold winter day. Just takes some time to make, about 3 hours and 15 minutes. But well worth it. Great herb combination in it. Here is the recipe – http://www.rockinrs.com/Prime-Rib-Soup.pdf

It takes a little time, but well worth it. The barley is really a great addition. That pretty much uses up the prime rib leftovers. But, there are 3 different meals from this cut of beef.

The last dish is a very German entrée. It is a Spinach Spaetzle with Speck, a German bacon. You can find the recipe here – http://www.rockinrs.com/Spinach-Spaetzle.pdf. Enjoy!

This is a big, hearty meal that will satisfy most big appetites. The speck gives a wonderful flavor the the spaetzle a great texture. We used a store bought spaetzle because I don’t have a spaetzle maker. We bought the spaetzle and the speck from a German shop here in Boise.

But wait! That’s not all! What about dessert? How about some Pecan Shortbread Cookies? http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Pecan-Shortbread-Cookies.pdf

A great shortbread treat full of toasted pecan bits, almond extract and a little rum, that is not in the recipe. I don’t usually do this, but our neighbor has a cookie business and they are good. Her business name is Crumb by devlyn and can be reached at (910) 405-4718 or emailed at crumbbydevlyncookies@gmail.com (No. I made the shortbread cookies!)

Enjoy these dishes. They are all good and worth a try. gutes Essen in German or biadh math is Gaelic. That covers my heritage.

Beef Stroganoff

05 Thursday Aug 2021

Posted by Bob and Robin in Avocado, Beef, Breakfast, Buy Idaho, Buy Local, Captain's Shack, Classic Sauces, Comfort Food, Cream Sauces, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Family, Eggs, Food - Russian, Food Photos, Heirloom Tomatoes, Idaho Beef, Idaho Vegetables, Local Farmers Markets, Mushrooms, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Pinot Noir, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, What's For Dinner?

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mushrooms avocado herbs, recipes, Stroganoff

We recently made/created a version of the classic Beef Stroganoff as pictured above. (The recipe can be found here – http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Stroganoff.pdf). The original recipe did not call for vodka. But this is a Russian dish, so vodka is a must. We did not, however, use the traditional potato based vodka, but rather a corn based. An entirely different flavor level and profile. Seems to me to be more inline with White Lightning. The button mushrooms cut into about 1/4″ slices. Also, we added some chopped fresh rosemary, which was awesome.But look at the recipe and see what you think. We are always open to suggestions.

And then one morning, Robin asked for an Avocado and Tomato Omelet. Never thought of this combination, but it was really good. No, did not cook the avocado or the tomato, Serve with a good fresh fruit mix. In this case, blueberries and cantaloupe. CROW bread toasted from Acme Bakeshop in Boise. Great combination.

A very good Pappadelle Dinner

23 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Beef, Boise Artisan Bakery's, Buy Local, Captain's Shack, Classic Herb Blends, Cooking Styles, Dinner At Marnies, Dinner With Family, Food Photos, Garlic, Idaho Beef, Idaho Pork, Idaho Wine, Italian foods, Local Markets, Malheur River Meats, Mushrooms, Pasta, Petit Verdot, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Italian, What's For Dinner?

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Pappadelle, Petit Verdot, ragu, red wine ragu

Pappadelle with Red Wine Ragu and Toasted Sourdough with Garlic

We came across this recipe from two different sources, one was Chef Jacques Pepin, and then we adjusted both recipes to make this one. It was delicious! We added a little chervil (French parsley) and Herbs de Provence, which we blend ourselves. We also added a little ground pork. Next time, too, I may add some diced garlic cloves. It is missing in this recipe, excerpt for the Garlic Toast (Acme Bakeshop Sourdough).

The other item that you may want to contemplate is the type of Passata – tomato sauce – you use. I like Cento Traditional, but I also like Rao’s Traditional and Mutti. Any of these are good, but if you prefer to use your own that you have made from all those seasonal Roma or San Marzano, then do so. Please though, when you puree the sauce, leave the skins on.

So here is our recipe. Enjoy it. http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Pappadelle-Red-Wine-Ragu.pdf Let us know your opinions.

Some Recipes That We Suggest

09 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by Bob and Robin in BBQ Beef, Beans, Beef, Boise Foodie Guild, Buy Local, Captain's Shack, Dessert, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Family, Easter Lamb, Food - Make Your Own Meals, Food - Russian, Food Photos, Holiday Menu, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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baked beans, beef stew, Halupki, lamb. shortbread, prime rib, recipes

It’s been awhile. But we are still here. So I think it will be a good idea to look at some of the recipes we have been working on. Some of these recipes call for Herb de Provence and we prefer to make our own. Keeps it to our liking. You can see the recipe here http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Herbs.pdf. Just remember the 3-1 ratio of using fresh versus dried herbs. For instance, if your recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of an herb and all your have is dried, use only 1 teaspoon of the dried. (3 teaspoons=1 Tablespoon).

Since summer is right around the corner and BBQ is probably in the back of your mind, here is a recipe for some awesome baked beans. We use a mix of canned Cannellini Beans, Kidney Beans and Black Beans. A wonderful blend of tomato sauce, molasses, brown sugar and dry mustard. Jack Daniels Black Label Bourbon also goes well in this mix. Here is the recipe for these great baked beans. Enjoy! http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Stovetop-Baked-Beans.pdf.

And if you are doing a BBQ or Grilling – we love St Louis Style Pork Ribs grilled – then try Eric’s Rib Sauce to slather on the ribs and to use as a dipping sauce. It is awesome! http://www.rockinrs.com/Erics-Rib-Sauce.pdf. Please note. The recipe calls for a special cider, Basil/Lemon. It is a local (Boise) brand, Stack Rock Cidery. These ciders are available, whether this brand or not, at most grocery stores. They may have different blends. Find one you like or you can use your favorite apple cider vinegar. Just add your favorite herbs.

And if you are in mind for a beef stew, try http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Beef-Stew.pdf, CS Beef Stew. It has the Icelandic herb lovage in it. A celery tasting green herb. If you use fresh – dried is available – be careful of the amount. The 1 cup chopped that the recipe calls for, is plenty and even at that, you might want to cut back to 3/4 cup. It is great in stews and soups.

And then there is Halupki. A Ukrainian stuffed cabbage leaves that means “little pigeons”. http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Halupki.pdf This dish comes from our neighbor and we have slightly altered it. It is simply delicious. It takes right around 3 hours to prepare, but is well worth it. “The name “golubtsy” came to Russia and the region around it in the 18^th century when the aristocracy traveled back and forth to eastern Europe. In France, pigeon was wrapped and cooked in cabbage leaves and stuffed cabbage rolls where then called “golubtsy” because the dish resembled the French dish.” [Wikipedia] Note: there is no “G” letter or sound in the Ukrainian language. Therefore this dish is called “Halupki” in the Ukraine.

12April2020_1c_Captains-Shack-Easter_Lamb-Pureed-TurnipandCarrot-Green-Salad_Acme-HotCrossBun

Easter Boneless Leg of Lamb

You say you like lamb? No? Then you probably have been eating mutton. The difference is in age. Lamb is generally less than 1 year old, whereas mutton is everything else. This one is simply delicious for those who like lamb. Maybe those who say they don’t like it, may learn to eat it using this recipe. Enjoy this lamb. http://www.rockinrs.com/Lamb-Rosemary-Garlic.pdf

And now some dessert! How about Pecan Shortbread Cookies? Yum. To give the pecans some extra flavor, roast them on s sheet pan in the oven at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes. Watch them – Don’t let them burn. Here is the recipe. Enjoy. http://www.rockinrs.com/Pecan-Shortbread-Cookies.pdf

And that does it for now. Brought you at least somewhat up-to-date, and I “learned” this new format, somewhat. Cheers.

Awesome Roast Beef

03 Sunday Jan 2021

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Beef, Buy Idaho, Buy Local, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Classic Herb Blends, Classic Sauces, Dinner With Family, What's For Dinner?

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herb de Provence, rib roast

I came across this awesome way to cook a roast of beef. In this case, it was a 12 pound, 7 rib Standing Rib Roast. It was delicious! Start out at 500 degrees F and then turn the heat off for 2 hours and do not open the oven! That’s right. Leave the oven closed! Do not peek! Here is the recipe – CS Prime Rib. You will need Herb de Provence for this recipe and here is our recipe. You can adjust it to please yourself. Herb de Provence. Enjoy!

7 Rib Standing Rib Roast just out of the oven

First slice

Dinner is served!

IP Chicken with Ketchup, Honey and Soy

05 Wednesday Aug 2020

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Asian - Sauces, Asian - Spices, Asian Food, Carrots, Chicken, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Dinner At Marnies, Dinner With Family, Dinner with Marnie, Dinner With Robin, Food Photos, Housemade Soup, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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asian food, chicken

Now don’ let the name of this dish fool you. This is one awesome chicken dinner. Try it! You’ll like it! (*Left-Click these photos to see them enlarged.) IP Chicken with Ketchup, Honey and Soy. And if there are any leftovers, it makes a great chicken/rice soup.