Dill Sauce

Posted on by November 13, 2024

11/12/2024 – Mary made this to go with sheet pan salmon and roasted baby potatoes. The dish was good and the dill sauce was great.

  • ? cup Greek yogurt (plain)
  • ? cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • ¼ cup fresh dill (chopped)
  • 1 green onioin (finely chopped)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground black pepper

Skillet Roasted Potatoes

Posted on by November 13, 2024

11/11/2024 – Very good and inspired by Lord Byron’s Kitchen.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds yellow-fleshed baby potatoes, washed and cut into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • green onions or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • On medium heat, melt the butter and a little olive oil in the cast iron skillet.
  • Add the salt and pepper, and swirl the pan around to mix the salt and pepper into the melted butter.
  • Carefully place the potatoes into the skillet and move them around, coating each piece in the butter.
  • Allow the potatoes to sit for a while. Don’t move them around the pan too much. Let the heat from the skillet brown the potatoes on each surface. Stir every 5 minutes or so.
  • After the potatoes have all turned a deep golden colour, add the paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Toss to coat.
  • Continue to brown the potatoes for a few minutes more before serving.
  • And, that’s it! Top with green onions

Smothered Chicken Thighs

Posted on by September 25, 2024

9/24/2024 – This dish turned out great. Crispy pan-fried, bone-in chicken thighs are topped with bacon, mushrooms, green onions, and a creamy sauce. The ingredients were easy to prepare and it was simple to cook. Mary served it over Jasmine rice. It was inspired by the recipe here.

Ingredients

  • 5 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. Dry brined for about 12 hours
  • 2-3 teaspoons paprika. Shake it on until it looks right.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • ? cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 4 ounces sliced portabello mushrooms
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 green onions, white and green parts separated and sliced

Directions

  1. The morning of the cook cut off extra skin and fat from thighs. Dry brine.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  3. Season chicken thighs on all sides with paprika and pepper with pepper under the skin.
  4. Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet. Remove bacon and drain excess grease from the skillet.
  5. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook chicken thighs, skin-side down, for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and place the skillet in the preheated oven.
  6. Bake until the IT is 165 degrees. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
  7. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from the skillet.
  8. Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat. Pour in chicken broth while whisking up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  9. Add mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  10. Pour in heavy whipping cream and whisk together until lightly simmering, then reduce heat to medium-low. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
  11. Return chicken and any juices back into the skillet; top with bacon and green onions.
  12. Serve over rice.

Baby Back Ribs Smoked

Posted on by April 7, 2026

9/24/2024 – We have been smoking ribs like this for the past couple of years, and they turn out good. This time was especially good so decided to record the process as there are always subtle differences.

  1. Removed the silver skin and dry rubbed about 6 hours before the smoke
  2. Preheated the Recteq to 250° and shake on 6POGS moderately on both sides.
  3. Smoked them for 3.5 hours with MasterBlend pellets.
  4. Preheated the oven to 250°.
  5. Put them in a foil “boat” and shake on a little more 6POGS.
  6. Poured on ACV + SoGood BBQ sauce mixed 3:1. Brushed the sauce to completely coat the top side of the rack. There was at least a cup beneath the rack. Pulled the foil over the rack and closed up the ends.
  7. Baked them in the oven for 1.5 hours. The twisting fork test showed they were done.

Mary was very pleased with them.

4/6/2026 – Previous cooks using the above method were good. Today was again very good, although minor differences were:

  • Dry rubbed for 24 hours.
  • Smoked Baby Back Ribs at those temps and times. Usually, we have full-size ribs.
  • Rubbed top with Kit’s Creole Seasoning and underside with 6POGS.
  • We did not have ACV, so we painted the top with the SoGood BBQ Sauce.
  • The ribs did not have enough salt. Try dry biring next time.

Seared Salmon with Creamy Spinach & Mushroom Sauce

Posted on by September 12, 2024

9/10/2024 – This recipe was easy and tasted great using ingredients we normally have on hand. It was inspired by Albert Bevia @ Spain on a Fork.

Ingredients

  • ~1 tbsp extra virgin Spanish olive oil
  • 2 fresh salmon fillets ~7 oz each About 1″ thick with skin on.
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 small onion
  • 1-2 cups sliced portabello mushrooms
  • ~1/2 cup white wine
  • ~1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups fresh spinach. Next time use 3 cups.
  • 1/2+ cup Greek yogurt – Set out early to come to room temperature.
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • lemon slices

Instructions

  1. Begin by finely mincing garlic, finely dicing 1 small onion.
  2. Season salmon with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  3. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a medium-high heat and add extra virgin Spanish olive oil, once the oil get´s hot add the fillets of salmon seasoned side down After 3 minutes of cooking flip the fillets, after a total cooking time of 6 minutes remove the fillets from the pan and cover with foil paper.
  4. Using the same pan with the same heat add the minced garlic and diced onions and mix with the rendered fat from the salmon and EVO. After about 1 minute add the sliced mushrooms and mix them around. After 3 minutes season everything with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper and add white wine and fresh lemon juice, cook for a little over a minute, then add fresh spinach, mix it around and cook until it welts and all the liquids have evaporated, between 2-3 minutes, turn off the heat
  5. After leaving everything to cool off for 5 minutes add 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt at room temperature and season with sea salt, mix everything together until well combined, add the cooked salmon fillets back to the pan and heat it with a low heat, cook for 5 minutes until everything is warm
  6. Serve directly from the pan, garnish with a couple slices of lemon and freshly chopped parsley

Crustless Quiche with Spinach and Mushrooms

Posted on by July 14, 2024

From The Mediterranean Dish here.

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 ounces Fontina cheese or mozzarella
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • ½ medium yellow onion, minced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups packed baby spinach leaves

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush a 9-inch pie plate with olive oil and set it on a baking sheet.
  2. Whisk the eggs and cube the cheese: In a large bowl, aggressively whisk together the eggs and milk. Cube the Fontina cheese and set aside.
  3. Prepare the vegetables: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the skillet. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms shrink and the onions are translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes depending upon the size of your mushrooms. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and stir, cooking for another minute or two. Add the spinach, stir until wilted, this should take about 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
  4. Combine: Add the cooked vegetables to the pie plate, sprinkle with the cubed cheese, and pour the egg mixture over the top. It should be full up to the rim. Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven.
  5. Bake: Set the timer for 35 minutes and bake until the center is set. Let cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Potato Salad

Posted on by July 18, 2024

7/10/2024 – This recipe makes a unique potato salad that is mayo free and very flavorful. It was inspired by the recipe at Southern Living here combined with Lauren Miyashiro’s Dad’s secret ingredient (pimento stuffed olives) here. Serve warm.

Ingredients

Image from Southern Living
  • 1½ lbs. baby red potatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 6 scallions, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 4 slices cooked bacon, roughly chopped. Save the drippings.
  • 4 tsp. finely chopped fresh basil from the garden
  • ½ cup approx. chopped pimento-stuffed green olives

Directions

  1. Prepare oven and baking sheet: Heat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Roast potatoes: In a medium bowl, toss together the potatoes and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Evenly spread the potatoes out on the prepared sheet. [Try using the bacon drippings.]
  3. Bake 15 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Turn and continue to bake until light golden and tender, about 10 minutes more. Let cool to room temperature.
  4. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil with the mustard and vinegar.
  5. Combine potatoes and dressing: Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooled potatoes, scallions, celery, bacon, bacon drippings, tarragon, and parsley, and toss to coat.
  6. Serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Let the salad come to room temperature before serving then warm in the microwave.

Mary’s Roasted Tomato Salsa 2024

Posted on by July 10, 2024

7/9/2024 – We again made tomato salsa with tomatoes from the garden that have been ripening on the butcher block for a week or so. This time was like the others this year with roasting in the convection oven. We did try one batch in the Recteq smoker that is posted here. All of them were made with a blend of tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, etc. as listed below. They all turned out great and this recipe should be used again and improved. We collected the flavorful liquid left in the sheet pan and made soup that was also frozen.

Continue reading →

Smoked-Tomato Salsa on the Recteq

Posted on by June 29, 2024

6/27/2024 – This was the second prep. What was done in the first is shown below on 6/23/2024. This prep also turned out well and the quantities are identified a bit better. The tomatoes used were fully ripe and hence the salsa turned out a bit sweet. The jalapenos did not provide any noticeable heat.

Ingredients per Half Baking Sheet

  • half-baking sheet of tomatoes cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 2 large jalapeño peppers quartered, seeded, and laid on top of the tomatoes
  • 1.5 medium-sized red onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • kosher salt to taste

Directions

  1. Preheated Recteq to 220°F. Smoked tomatoes and jalapeños in a baking sheet until somewhat collapsing, about 1 hour. Turned up the temp to 350°F for about 30 minutes.
  2. While smoking, place onion, cilantro, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until chopped but not fine. Transfer to a medium bowl.
  3. Place tomatoes, jalapeños, lemon juice, and salt in the food processor; process until slightly chunky. Transfer to bowl with onion mixture; stir to combine.

6/23/2024 – This was good and was inspired by the recipe here.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. plum tomatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 2 jalapeño peppers
  • 1 medium-sized red onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

  1. Preheated Recteq to 225°F. Smoke tomatoes and jalapeños, in a baking sheet until somewhat collapsing, about 1 hour. Turned up the temp to 300°F for about 30 minutes.*
  2. While smoking, placed onion, cilantro, oregano, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl.
  3. Place tomatoes, jalapeños, lime juice, and salt in food processor; process until slightly chunky. Transfer to bowl with onion mixture; stir to combine. Cover; chill at least 45 minutes before serving.

Next time:

  • * After an hour, raise the temp to 350 to roast the tomatoes and peppers.
  • Try mixing in corn, ripe avocado, black beans, (smoked) bell peppers, and more.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Posted on by June 25, 2024

6/24/2025 – This made a great soup with tomatoes from the garden inspired by Ina Garten’s recipe here. Mary made a double batch to give to friends who do not like “spicy” foods.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
Croutons, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste,basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat,and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
  4. Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that’s left.
  5. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

Yield: 5 to 6 servings