Holy Morel!

Retired Mountain Man and son, David, drove up Lightning Creek for a day of fishing and mushroom hunting. 

If you have hunted mushrooms your whole life as we have, then you have always wished for finding the mother lode of mushrooms.  Spending a couple of hours in the woods searching for these beauties is such a fun way to spend your time.  It's similar to hunting for Easter eggs.   "Yes!  I found one!"  There was always the competition as to who would find the first mushroom of the season, who would find the biggest one and who would come home with the largest sack of the golden nuggets. 

On Friday all of the planets aligned and David and Retired Mountain Man found the biggest morels I have ever seen.  They spent the entire afternoon searching for them and you can see why.

We were usually happy if we found a couple of dozen morels and they were not even close to this size.

These were fresh since the last rain we had on Monday.

Yes, I have a lot of photos of them because this is a once in a lifetime find.

Here they are on the tray getting them ready to be dried.  Morels are one of the best tasting mushrooms to add to sauces.  Plus, they are fantastic as an appetizer, breaded and sauteed in a little butter.

They are very tasty when added to a burger or a steak.

I have been enjoying my lettuce and baby kale from my garden.  The mushrooms are also a great addition to a tossed salad.  I am spending my day happily drying them for use next winter.

Wanna bet on it?

The big question is, who gave Retired Mountain Man's mother the recipe for Hungarian Chicken Paprika and Spaetzle?  It has become the Burkhart family signature dish.

Retired Mountain Man says it was her neighbor who lived next door to them in the apartments in Coeur d'Alene back in the early 60's.  His sister Linda says the recipe was given to her by the chef at the Diamond Bar Inn in Jackson, Montana.  His parents loved to spend time there hunting, fishing and enjoying the hot springs and of course, all of the conversations and good times at the bar.

The Diamond Bar Inn still has that same local flavor.  I have heard a multitude of stories about their adventures and we finally visited there in 2013.  I searched for my photos of that trip - but no luck finding them.

That brings us back to our family dish, Chicken Paprika and Spaetzle.  It's basically fried chicken with a sour cream and cream sauce made with the drippings.  The spaetzles are unique though.  I needed three pans to fry all of the chicken.

I brown it on one side, add chopped onion.  Season with Hungarian sweet paprika, salt and pepper.  Turn it and brown a few minutes more and then add 1/2 cup. water, cover and simmer until tender.

Drain off excess oil, saving the drippings from the fried chicken.  Add a pint or two of sour cream and a pint of cream or half and half.  Season with additional paprika, salt and pepper.  Heat and stir until it begins to bubble.

The spaetzles:
3 eggs beaten with 1/2 c. water and 2 teas. salt.  Add 2 &1/2 cups flour.  Stir until moistened.

Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil.  Using a teaspoon, drop small amounts of batter into the boiling water.   (Dip the spoon in the water and it will come off the spoon)  It's difficult to keep the spaetzles small so here's an easy way to do that.  I use my kitchen scissors to cut them into smaller pieces as they cook.

It only takes about ten minutes for the spaetzles to be done, but cook them to taste.  Drain.  In a large bowl,combine the spaetzles with the sauce.  Reserve some of the sauce to drizzle over the chicken.  Layer the chicken on top.

This dish tastes even better the 2nd day which is one reason that I usually make it ahead of time.  I will serving it on Retired Mountain Man's birthday.

Another note:  spaetzles are a great replacement for noodles in many dishes.  Instead of chicken or beef and noodles, I make beef and spaetzles.  These are dishes without the sour cream of course, but the spaetzles taste great without it.

So, where did we get the recipe?  Someone will have to give in.  Who will that be?  The brother?  The sister?  Anyone who knows them want to make a wager on it?

I'll bet $5 on the sister.

Kolache's, Almond Crescents and Christmas Wreathe Cookies

It's another rainy day.  I think it might be the 15th day in a row.....? It is making me think of my mom and grandmother and some of my favorite recipes that they used to make.

My grandmother, Ella, was a really great cook.  My mom on the other hand, had a few "go to" recipes, but she was a bigger sports fan than a fan of cooking.  That didn't mean that she ever stopped baking her famous Almond Crescent Cookies or her Christmas Wreathe Marshmallow Cornflake Cookies.  Everyone loved them, especially the kids, because the green food coloring in the cookies would turn your tongue green.  What could be more fun!

You can find the recipe at Allrecipes.com  Yes, your tongue will turn green when you eat just one.

When Grandma's cookie package arrived in the mail at Christmas, there was a lot of "hording of the cookies".  Let's just say that they were frequently hidden in strange locations to keep others from eating them.   I do not have a photo of them, but I did find one on the Internet.  The only difference is that my mom did not make them crescent shape.  She rolled them and shaped them into little rectangular bars and then rolled them in the powdered sugar while they were still warm. They were not "dusted" with powdered sugar, they were rolled in it.

Recipe Link

 The recipe at All Recipe's is fine, but she never used almond flour.

Last, but not least are the fruit-filled Kolache's.  These are awesome.  My grandmother always filled them with the prune filling.  At least that is what I remember.  I have never been able to make them taste as good as she did.

There is an excellent blog by Tori Avey that has wonderful recipes and tells the history of Kolache's.  The photo is from her blog and here is the link.   All I can say is that they are worth the effort it takes to bake them.

It's pie baking, turkey roasting time......

.....which means that the morning after you have set your oven to clean, you do not want to see this when you open the oven door.

Oh no!  

The Kalispell Burkharts were here on the weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving and since the oven element wouldn't arrive until Monday, I baked the turkey in a roaster. It actually turned out really moist and tender.   There was no time to bake the pies though, so for the first time ever, we had bakery pies for our dessert.  I think if you put enough ice cream or whipped cream on top of a piece of pie, it really doesn't matter whether it was homemade or not.

Fed Ex delivered the oven element yesterday and today Retired Mountain Man is going to get it installed. I am so fortunate that he is one of those "Guy - guys".  You know, the kind that can take a Q-tip and a pocket knife and go out into the wilderness and build you a shopping mall.

 Let the pie baking begin!  

I've reached the end!

I am finally finished.  Done!  Kaput!   It's over!  I don't want to do anymore of it.

The 2014 canning, freezing and preserving season is over.  

The tally:  

7 jars of Pear Maraschino Jam

9 jars of Chai Spicy Plum Jam with Hazelnuts

9 jars of Chai Spicy Plum Jam with Pecans

12 pints of grape jelly

8  jars of white grape jelly

7 jars of huckleberry jelly

3 gallons of plum liqueur

2 gallons of Slivovitz  (plum brandy)

8 quarts of dill pickles

16 jars of hot peppers

52 pints of salsa

6 quarts of dilly beans

12 pints of freezer broccoli

6 pints of cauliflower

15 pints of sweet corn

6 pints of beets

1 gallon of jalapeno peppers

1 gallon bag of ancho peppers

2 gallon bags of green bell peppers

2 quarts of roasted tomatoes

4 containers of tomato soup base

15 pounds of carrots in the crisper

37 onions hung up in the root cellar

5 pounds of shallots stored in the pantry

2 dryers of Oyster Mushrooms

And last but not least, the wine is started and fermenting in the vats.  

Cheers!

It's National Pepper Day on the mountain.

One last photo of the garden this morning before I start taking it out.  Today is the day to take out all of the cornstalks, broccoli plants, peppers, frosted green bean vines and till up the vegetable garden.  I am leaving my tomatoes for a few more days but it's almost time to bring them indoors to finish ripening.  Another frost and cold temperatures will show up soon.

Yesterday was Pepper Day!  These are Sweet Banana Peppers that I am trying to prepare to taste similar to a Pepperoncini.  I decided that the addition of a 1/2 t. of chili powder to each jar might do it.  We will find out in a month or so.

I also put up a few jars of Jalapeno Peppers.  They are nice to have on hand when you need to add a little heat to a dish.

Mandolin Ellie brought me beautiful bouquet from her garden.  It is so cheery on my table.

On Sunday at band practice we celebrated Neil's birthday.  He wasn't able to be there, but that never stops the band members from a celebration.  It is a General Robert E. Lee birthday cake.  I don't attempt baking many 3 layer cakes, but this one turned out good.  The lemon curd filling was yummy.

Thompson and Maggie each in their "toy heaven" spot.  They really do want someone to throw that ball, but it's a little rowdy attempting to throw the ball in the house instead of outside in the yard.

On the lookout for Sasquatch

We have our first freeze warning for 2014.  That means it's time to get the peppers picked.  Yesterday I picked the first row and I am trying to harvest the rest of the onions, carrots and beets.  

The first row filled two 5-gallon buckets and one two and a half gallon bucket.  My goal for today is to get these in the freezer and then to pick the next row before frost hits us.  


The two dogs, Maggie and Mackie, look like they are guarding my harvest but actually it's a game of who is in charge here?  They spent their entire time together running around the yard at breakneck speed.

Jalapenos and some sweet yellow bell peppers

Anchos and Sweet Banana Peppers


There were so many that I had to spread them out on the counter, in the bay window and on my dining table.There's going to be lots of salsa this year!

and more of the same

It is also possible that the two dogs were on the lookout for the Sasquatch? He has been sighted here more than once.

My new addiction.

What!  Another addiction?

In the past I had never understood how anyone could get addicted to coffee.  For several years we had Starbucks Coffee at work and I didn't think it tasted any better than Folgers.

Fast Forward seven years later.....

It hasn't been the same for me since the Ice Age Floods Field Trip last September.  They provided Evans Brothers Coffee on the field trip.  It tasted so good and here I am with my latest addiction.

Yes, it's really good.

It's expensive.

 I can't stop buying it.

I don't do latte's or anything like that.  I just want Evans Brothers coffee with a little cream.  Every morning.

I saw this quote on a Facebook share from Erin (SomeeCards) and it is definitely me.

There is no life without water, because without water, there is no coffee.  And without coffee, (Evans Brothers Coffee, that is), I'll kill you all.  

  

King Boletes!

Our good friend, Billy, and his son Darren, who is a chef, stopped by for a visit last weekend.  They brought us these!

Boletus edulis

 These are considered to be one of the best tasting mushrooms.  They are right up there with morels.

As you can see, I have almost four trays of dried Bolete Mushrooms. They have a nutty flavor and can be ground and added to soups and sauces for flavor.

(Sadly,the tomatoes on the counter are the last of my first crop of Red Robin's.  The plants are starting to blossom again for the next crop.)

Best Margaritas Ever! No kidding!

 Summer is here and to celebrate we enjoyed Margaritas on the deck after our band jam session on Sunday.   

Julie brought her Vitamix machine to mix them.  I had never heard of a Vitamix blender, but after watching it perform on Sunday, I  am convinced that it is a versatile appliance and you might also be able to use it to polish rocks.  What I am saying is that unlike other blenders, it actually crushes ice.  No Problem.

 Best Margaritas Ever

(Trust me.  One of these and you are feeling no pain)

From Cook's Illustrated

Makes about 1 quart, serving 4 to 6

The longer the zest and juice mixture is allowed to steep, the more developed the citrus flavors in the finished margaritas. We recommend steeping for the full 24 hours, although the margaritas will still be great if the mixture is steeped only for the minimum 4 hours. If you're in a rush and need to serve margaritas immediately, omit the zest and skip the steeping process altogether.

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons grated lime zest
• 1/2 cup lime juice from 2 to 3 medium limes
• 4 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice from 2 to 3 medium lemons
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• pinch table salt
• 2 cups crushed ice
• 1 cup 100 percent agave tequila, preferably Reposado
• 1 cup Triple Sec

Instructions

1. 1. Combine lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt in large liquid measuring cup; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors meld, 4 to 24 hours.
2. 2. Divide 1 cup crushed ice between 4 or 6 margarita or double old-fashioned glasses. Strain juice mixture into 1-quart pitcher or cocktail shaker. Add tequila, Triple Sec, and remaining crushed ice; stir or shake until thoroughly combined and chilled, 20 to 60 seconds. Strain into ice-filled glasses; serve immediately
 

It is not necessary to have a Vitamix blender to make these as long as you have crushed ice. They really are a very tasty frosty treat.

On a happier note.....

A little bit of good news.  After 6 months of drastically changing my diet:   My LDL is now: 144, HDL 48.
Blood Pressure 128/74.  Whoo hoo!

Drastically changing my diet?  No eggs, no cheese, no skin on poultry, fat-free dairy, low sodium or sodium free veggies and sauces, fresh fruit, whole grains..............limiting fat to good fat which would be olive oil (2 tablespoons per day)

and yes, some of it actually does taste good although I have thrown several recipes that I tried into the garbage, such as Sweet and Sour Lentils.  Yuck!  If anyone is interested, I will share that recipe.

If your cholesterol is high, don't be discouraged.  You can change it and you can find recipes and food that tastes really good.  Don't forget to check the amount of sodium in canned and frozen foods.  Some of them are really high!

I did it and so can you.

My favorite gingersnap cookie and yes, these are healthy, good for you, cookies.

I love these cookies.  I like to make two batches and put them in the freezer to bake another day.

Gingersnap Cookies

from Cooking Light

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark molasses
1 tablespoon cold strong brewed coffee (I used instant granules)
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons finely copped cyrstallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons sugar


1.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set asie.  Combine molasses and coffee in a small bowl, set aside.

2. Beat 1/2 c. sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add ginger, cinnamon, and cloves; beat well.  Add flour mixture and molasses mixture; beat at low speed until well blended.

3.  Gently press dough into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze 15 min.  Shape dough into a 7-inch roll; flatten to 1-inch thickness.  Wrap in plastic wrap; freeze 8 hours or overnight.

4.  Preheat oven to 350.

5. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper; Cut dough into 40 1/8 inch thick slices; place 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.  Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. (cookies will be slightly soft in center, but will harden as they cool).  Removed from pans, cool completely on wire racks.  Yield 40 cookies.

Serving size:  1 cookie.  Calories 45; FAT 1.8g; CHOL 0.6g; SODIUm 42 mg. CARB 7g.

Chocolate Amore anyone?

Our Cougar Creek Band Sunday jam sessions are always fun.  They are not your typical jam session in that they end with dinner. When I say dinner, I don't mean just your usual "run of the mill" meal.

The Cougar Creek Band Menu 

Posole

 Corn and Flaxseed Tortillas 

 Cherries Jubilee with Vanilla Ice Cream

Chocolate Amore

Assorted Dark Chocolates

Evans Brother's Decaf Coffee 

Note: RTM complained a lot about the Corn and Flaxseed Tortillas, but they were delicious.

Penthouse Posole Photo: Robert McMahan / SF

From Wikipedia:
Pozole (Nahuatl: pozolli [po'solːi]), which means "foamy"; variant spellings: pozolé, pozolli, posole) is a traditional pre-Columbian stew from Mexico, which once had ritual significance.  Since corn was a sacred plant for the Aztecs and other inhabitants of Mesoamerica, pozole was made to be consumed on special occasions. On these special occasions, the meat used in the pozole was human.   After the Spanish conquest, when cannibalism was banned, pork became the staple meat as it "tasted very similar", according to a Spanish priest.

Hmmm.   I'm not sure I really needed to know that.  

Ann's Posole was delicious.  This is all that was left.

The dessert, Cherries Jubilee!

Cherries Jubilee is not just a dessert, it's an event.  I didn't realize this was going to be an action photo.  Sorry about the blurry picture.  Cherries Jubilee is made with dark cherries and a liqueur, Kirschwasser, which is subsequently flambéed, and served as a sauce with ice cream.

Neil torches the cherries!

We followed the dessert with a kicker.  Julie and Ann are working on converting me to a lover of VERY dark chocolate so that I can join their ranks.  In order to begin the conversion, Julie brought an assortment of dark chocolate and we all participated in a "scientific study". We began with a 54% chocolate and worked our way up to 72%.  So far, I am still back at 55%, but there is hope.  We have enough chocolate left for tastings at the next 8 or 10 band sessions.

We had to have something to cleanse our palate as we tasted each chocolate.  Chocolate Wine anyone?

Needless to say, our wine connoisseur, Neil, was pretty skeptical about the Chocolate Wine.

Notice the smile on the wine connoisseur's face.

I would say the tasting was a success!  It was a very enjoyable evening.  Drinking good wine, with good food, in good company! 

P.S.  I have to say that it didn't end here.  The group proceeded to taste Retired Mountain Man's assortment of Halloween candy, Baby Ruth Bars, Butterfingers, Almond Joy Bars and finally, Paydays. Who knows what we will have on the menu next week.  It will be hard to top this, but I think the group can do it.