Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb-Raspberry Pie

by almost_rosey // 25May2015 // No Comments

Memorial Weekend is the kick-off to summer. Fishing, gardening, barbecues, and fruit pies. In Minnesota, rhubarb pies are very common and for me, summer is also about rhubarb. It was a no-brainer that for my Baking Sunday this memorial weekend I decided to make a Rhubarb-Raspberry Pie using some frozen rhubarb that I had from last summer.

What a great way to kick-off the Summer of Rhubarb.

Rhubarb-Raspberry Pie

For the crust… (use store-bought or your favorite recipe. This is my quick go-to cause I always have these ingredients in my pantry)
- 1 1/4 cups all-pupose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup shortening
- cold water
For the filling…
- 4 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
For the crumb topping…
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tbsp cold butter

Crust: Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the shortening until the mixture is in pea-size chunks. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time, pushing the moistened dough to the sides. Add enough water until the dough is moist enough to hold a ball shape. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to be 1/8 in thick. Line a 9in pie plate with pastry. Crimp edge as desired.

Filling: Stir together the sugar, flour, & cinnamon. Add the fruit. Gently toss until coated (if using frozen fruit let stand for 45 minutes until the fruit is partially thawed but still icy).

Crumb topping: Stir together the flour & sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Assembly: Pour the prepared filling into the pastry lined pie plate. Top with crumb topping. Line edge of pie plate with foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake in a 375F oven for 25 minutes (50 minutes if using frozen fruit). Remove foil and bake for another 30-40 minutes until crust & topping are golden and filling is bubbly). Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hrs (this will prevent your pie from running all over the place). Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Picked Pea Pot Pie

by almost_rosey // 10Feb2015 // No Comments

Do you ever just have bad days? Of course you do. Everyone does. My fishing guide had one the other day. This year he is not really my fishing guide. He became a real fishing guide as he needed a job. The job options up here in Almost Canada are rather bleak so he was more or less forced to work on the ice. He now brings others to fish, thus we do not get to fish. Something that is none too thrilling for our hobby of ice fishing which we are both quite passionate about. But what can you do? He needed a job.

This job is different from his previous accounting desk type jobs. He likes this job well enough but like all jobs, things set you off. You get grumpy. He called me on his way home with a grumpy & annoyed tone the other day. Our conversation was brief. He had a long day.

All his days are long actually. He gets up at 4:30 and working 12 hour days (or longer) is the norm. Consequently, I make dinner. I always made dinner before but now it is more of a necessity. I don’t mind. I love making dinner.

When he called me I had planned on making individual pot pies with biscuits. A comforting, warming dish common in Minnesota this time of year. This one would be super easy and all my ingredients were readily available. I had leftover duck already shredded, I had biscuits for the crust, and I had cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese, herbs, and a bag of mixed veggies in the freezer for the filling.

The veggies consisted of corn, green beans, carrots, and peas. And here lied my dilemma…peas. He hates peas with a passion. I love peas and I love them in my pot pie. Needless to say he does not enjoy them at all in food. I knew today was not the day to be serving him peas. I actually burst out laughing in the kitchen imagining his reaction if I were to serve them to him. Funny to me but not to him most likely. So I set about removing the peas from my filling. It wasn’t that difficult. I just tried to scoop portions for his that didn’t contain many peas and then removed any stray peas.

When he came home and saw mini pot pies for dinner he looked pleased. When I served him his plate and put mine before me he said, “mine looks different”. I responded, “That’s because I picked out all the peas from yours.” A smile appeared on his face. And then a smile appeared on mine. We then enjoyed what little time we had left before he went to bed.

While I know that picking out peas did not cure his grumpiness completely it did lighten the mood. It is a reminder of how much I care for him. A small thing that reminds me that things aren’t as bad as one might think if all you have to do is take the time to remove some peas.

Individual Pot Pies* (serves 4)

*Note that I do not know who came up with this recipe first. I know that biscuit companies have this almost exact recipe listed on their websites but I also know that I didn’t learn it from them. I’m not sure where I learned it. I think it is one of those recipes that everyone comes up with at some point.

pack of 8 refrigerated biscuits (or make your own)
1 1/2-2 cups shredded meat (I used duck but chicken works just fine)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp each oregano & thyme
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (use more if desired)
1 bag mixed vegetables or use what you have on hand (about 2- 2 1/2 cups veggies)

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease 8 muffin cups.

Cook veggies according to package directions. Place meat, veggies, soup, cheese, and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix well. Take biscuit dough and stretch each biscuit until about 1/4 in thin. The circle should be about 5-6in diameter. Place biscuits in greased muffin cups. Fill with filling until about the top of the muffin cup. Fold sides of biscuit over filling. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Heat excess filling on the stove or in the microwave. Serve pot pies with the additonal filling.

(Picture is of my pies, the ones with peas. My fishing guide’s pot pies looked the same but contained only corn, carrots, and green beans in terms of veggies)

Specken Dicken & Fried Potatoes

by almost_rosey // 20Jan2015 // No Comments

I was never close to any of my grandparents. My mother’s parents were cold & distant. My father’s dad died before I was born and his mom lives in Iowa. I did see her roughly once a year. I enjoyed visiting her every time. I got to play games, have tea time twice a day (with cookies of course), and eat fried potatoes at every dinner (lunch is what most people call it). At my grandmother’s house it was: breakfast, dinner, supper. And dinner meant fried potatoes.

I grew up eating this miraculous food and remember asking at one point how she got them to taste so good. She replied simply, lard. I never thought to ask for the recipe. Not until my trips to Iowa have more or less stopped.

With getting older and moving further away, it is harder to find the time to make trips at the 4th of July or during New Year’s. The last time I was at my grandmother’s was when she was 100 years old (she is now 102) at New Year’s. A majority of my aunts & uncles were there as well. In a traditional German New Year’s fashion we had specken dicken and of course…fried potatoes.

For those of you (most likely all of you) who do not know what Specken Dicken is, I shall enlighten you. It is an anise flavored pancake with Metwurst sausage in it (it sounds weird but it is delicious). At my grandmother’s house it is served with fried potatoes and red jello, although no one knows why it is served with the red jello.

This year I had the grand idea to ask my dad for the recipe. He then contacted my aunt who gave me the recipe that is at least 75 years old. I made it for New Year’s Day and it was fantastic. My fishing guide loved the whole thing, but he especially liked the fried potatoes and said I could make them whenever I wanted.

While I will not divulge the recipe as it is an old family one, I will share a photo.

Multiple Meals: Ground Beef & Pork

by almost_rosey // 9Jan2015 // No Comments

I was hoping to make one more giant grocery shop before the snow hit in Northern Minnesota (aka Almost Canada) but it seems I was too late. The snow & cold weather has infringed upon my ability to go get groceries this last weekend. Yes I can get food in town but it is drastically overpriced. I usually make a giant trip every 1-2 months and stock up on pantry items & frozen goods. I also buy meat in bulk and then portion it into 2-4 servings (enough for me & my fishing guide for dinner with leftovers if desired) and freeze it. Since I was not going shopping for a week or two I decided to work with what I had on hand. I made 4 meals using the same meat source. Meatloaf and casseroles are big in this state/climate so I included those in my food prep. Nothing fancy but all meals are different (an important concept in many households as people get sick of the same foods being served over & over). Most importantly, you can do all the prep in one day.

Before any of the meals can be made you must combine 1 lb of ground beef with 1 lb of ground pork. Divide the meat into two 1 lb portions. Take one portion and split in half again. Set both of these 1/2 lb portions aside (one will be for meatloaf and one will be for noodle casserole). Take the other 1 lb portion & add to a skillet and brown. Add taco seasoning to your liking with a small amount of water. Let cook off for a few minutes. Take this mixture and split into two portions. Use one immediately for tacos. Set one aside for stuffed poblanos.

Tacos (serves 2)

I will not put any information here for taco prep cause everyone knows what to do. Use your favorite fixings and sides of your preference. I made a spicy pepper creamed corn but refried beans or mexican rice are great as well.

Stuffed Chile Poblanos (serves 2)

half of the taco seasoned meat previously prepared
2 poblano chiles
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup white rice
2 tomatoes, diced
taco seasoning
salsa
sour cream

Place poblano peppers on a cooking sheet & place under broiler. Broil for 3-5 minutes per side until skins are blistered. Place peppers into a bowl & cover with pastic wrap or place in a gallon sized plastic bag. Let sit for 10 minutes & remove skins. Slice open on one side & remove seeds. Place ground meat and 1/4 cup cheese in each pepper. Close peppers.
Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Stir in diced tomatoes and 1-2 tsp taco seasoning & salsa to your liking (I only use a few tsp of very hot salsa at this stage).
Pour rice into a 8×8 casserole dish. Top with peppers. Cover with foil & bake within 1 day. Bake covered in a 400F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve with additional salsa & sour cream if desired.

Muffin Tin Meatloaf (serves 2 with 3 muffins each)

1/2 lb portion ground meat
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped onion
2 slices bread, torn into pieces
pinch each oregano, basil, sage
sprinkle salt & pepper
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp worcestshire sauce
1/2 tsp ground mustard

Take a 1/2 lb portion meat & add to a medium mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredredients through the salt & pepper. Stir to combine.
Stir together the ketchup, sugar, worcestshiire sauce, and ground mustard. Set aside.
Lightly grease half of a muffin tin (this makes 6 meatloaf muffins). Add the meat to the tin with a scoop or spoon. Cover with foil. Place in the fridge or freezer.
Bake for 25 minutes if refrigerated. If frozen, take out the night before you want to bake it and place it in the fridge to thaw. Bake as previously mentioned.
Once cooked, top with the sauce mixture. Bake for 5-10 moire minutes. Serve with sides of your choice. I served baked potatoes and salad.

Sorry for the lack of photos. I forgot.

Beef & Pork Noodle Casserole

1/2 lb portion ground meat
1 small red & yellow pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp flour
2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
4 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups pasta

Brown meat with peppers and tomatoes. Do not drain. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and cook & stir over medium-low to medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

Add the pasta to the beef mixture and stir in parmesan cheese. Place in an appropriate sized container (I used a loaf pan). Cover with foil & place in the fridge or freezer.

If refrigerated, bake within 1 day. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and bake for 10-15 more minutes. Top with more cheese if desired. If frozen, bake for 50-60 minutes covered. Remove foil, stir, & bake for 15-20 more minutes.

The 12 Soups of Christmas for 2014

by almost_rosey // 7Jan2015 // No Comments

Last year I participated in the The 12 Soups of Christmas which for me is really about so much more than soup. It is about inspiration. It is about motivation. It is about confidence. Be it in your job, your everyday life, or in the kitchen. This year I participated again and I hope to do it for many more years to come.

My goal was to make soups that only served two (as it is just me and my fishing guide) and to make all different soups this year. I succeeded (although I did make 2 lentil soups this year and one last year, but technically they are all different types of lentil). Some were OK and some were fantastic. My favorites include Cordon Bleu and Wonton, but I also really liked the white bean as wells as the parsnip & potato. I will definitely be making these again throughout the winter months.

Soup 1: Beer Cheese (serves 2)

1/2 stick butter
1/2 onion, chopped (~1/2 cup)
1 carrot, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup half & half
3/4 cup beer
1 cup cheddar cheese
dash each salt, nutmeg, celery seed
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp dijon mustard

Melt butter in a medium pot. Add chopped onion & carrot and saute for 5-10 minutes until veggies are softened. Add flour and cook for 3-5 minutes until flour is well incorporated and appears cooked through. Whisk in broth, half & half, & beer. Simmer and stir for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor until smooth. Whisk in cheese until blended. Add the rest of the ingredients. Add more chicken stock if necessary to thin soup to desired consistency. Ladle into bowls and enjoy plain or with popcorn garnish.

Soup 2: Lentil Ham (serves 2)

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
black pepper and salt to taste

Saute onion and carrot in olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan for 8-10 minutes until slightly tender & onion is translucent. Add lentils, stock, ham, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 60-90minutes.

Soup 3: Wonton (serves 2)

1/2 lb ground pork
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced garlic, divided
2 green onions. chopped
ginger
soy sauce
1 tsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
1-2 tsp spicy chili sauce
14 wonton wrappers
water

Broth: In a medium pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add 1/2 the garlic, a few dashes ginger, 1 chopped green onion, few dashes soy sauce, 1/2 to 1tsp spicy chili sauce. Heat over medium heat for 2-3minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil and therm reduce to a simmer.

Filling: Meanwhile, brown the ground pork. Drain off any excess grease. Add the rest of the garlic, 1 chopped green onion, a few dashes each ginger & soy sauce. Add the rest of the sauces & the mustard. Stir to combine.

Wonton & Soup Assembly: Take a wonton wrapper and place 1 tsp of the filling in the center. Place water on edges & fold over so that wonton is closed. Press down firmly & roll over sides slightly to guarantee wonton is sealed. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently drop the wontons in the water and cook for about 3 minutes. Scoop the wontons out and place in the broth. Serve is large soup bowls.

Soup 4: Cordon Bleu (serves 2)

1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup garlic & herb chicken stock
1 cup half & half
salt & pepper to taste
3/4 cup chopped cooked chicken
3/4 cup diced ham
2 tbsp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp mozzarella cheese

Melt butter in a medium pot. Add flour and cook for 3-5 minutes until flour is well incorporated and appears cooked through. Whisk in broth and half & half. Simmer and stir for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Add salt & pepper taste. Add chicken & ham. Whisk in cheese until blended.

Soup 5: Chicken Enchilada (Serves 2)

1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup enchilada sauce (store bought or homemade, see below)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup corn
1 cup chicken, cooked & shredded
1/4 cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 tbsp chipotle salsa
hot salsa to taste
2-4 oz diced green chiles

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, & oregano
pinch each salt, pepper, & cayenne

Heat oil over medium heat. Stir in flour until well incorporated & cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock while whisking to avoid lumps. Add the seasonings. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Makes approx. 1 cup. Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Soup Preparation

Melt butter in a medium pot. Stir in flour until well incorporated (mixture will be chunky). Cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock & milk slowly to avoid lumps. Stir in half of enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened slightly. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve with sour cream, additional cheese, green onions, &/or avocado.

Soup 6: White Bean & Sausage (serves 2)

small amount of olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 can white beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 lb crumbled & cooked mild italian sausage
1/4-1/2 tsp dried sage
black pepper to taste
1-2tbsp potato flakes (optional)

Heat a small amount of oil in a small pot. Saute the onion over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until translucent. Add the beef broth and beans. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor. Return to pot if needed. Add in the sausage and seasonings. Simmer for 5-10 minutes at a minimum (this can be simmered for 30-60 minutes if desired) . Add potato flakes if needed to thicken to desired consistency.

Soup 7: Curried Lentil with ground turkey (serves 2)

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup ground turkey
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp curry powder
black pepper & salt to taste

Soup 8: Rachel Sandwich (serves 2)

1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp flour
1 cup beef stock
1 cup milk
pinch each garlic & onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
few dashes celery seed
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp each horseradish sauce & catsup/ketchup 🙂
1 tsp chili sauce
1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken thigh
1/4 cup sauerkraut
1 tbsp cream cheese
2 tbsp cheddar cheese

Saute onion in butter until soft & translucent. Stir in flour for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Add the stock & milk and store over medium heat until slightly thickened. Add the rest of the ingredients through the kraut. Cook & stir for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the cheese until melted & combined. Serve with rye bread or croutons.

Soup 9: Cheesy Hashbrown (serves 2)

2 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp flour
1 cup beef stock
1 cup milk
1 1/3 cup diced or shredded hashbrowns (thaw if frozen)
dash each pepper, paprika, nutmeg, celery seed, onion & garlic powder
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard or 1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a medium pot. Add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until flour is well incorporated and appears cooked through. Whisk in broth & milk. Add hashbrowns & seasonings. Simmer and stir for 15-20 minutes until thickened & hashbrowns are cooked through. Whisk in sour cream & cheese until blended.

Soup 10: Sweet Potato (serves 2)

1 cooked sweet potato cut into chunks
2 tsp concentrated vegetable stock
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream

Mash sweet potato and stock together. Whisk in milk. Heat over medium heat until cooked through. Whisk in sour cream. Serve.

Soup 11: Egg Drop Soup (serves 2)

4 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8-1/4 tsp ginger (I am not found of ginger so I used around an 1/8 tsp)
1 tbsp soy sauce + more to taste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
salt & white pepper to taste
2 eggs
green onions

Pour 1/2 cup crock into a cup that contains 1 tbsp corn starch. Make a slurry. Pour the rest of the stock, the seasonings, soy sauce, & oil into a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken stock-corn starch slurry. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Beat the eggs into a measuring container with a spout. Slowly drizzle the eggs into the stock with circular motion stirring so that they can feather out. Pour into 2 bowls and garnish with green onions.

Note: This recipe can be made thicker if desired and just double the cornstarch. I might do that next time. Also, I’d consider adding an extra egg or two as I like mine to be super eggy.

Soup 12: Parsnip & Potato (serves 2)

2 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup peeled, chopped parsnips
1 potato, peeled & chopped
pepper, garlic & onion powder, thyme

In a medium saucepan bring parsnips, potato, stock, & seasonings to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Enjoy!

Cold Weather, Tropical Muffins

by almost_rosey // 4Jan2015 // No Comments

Winter is finally here in Northern Minnesota which I like to refer to as Almost Canada. It has been mild compared to last year when I moved up north. Last year was one of the coldest winters in awhile. This year it has been rather nice in terms of snow and freezing temperatures. But now winter is upon us.

It snowed 8in the other day and today (Sunday) it is -15 to -30F for actual temperatures but it felt as cold as -50F. Burr. I am not complaining. If anyone should be complaining it is my fishing guide who became an actual fishing guide this year as he needed a job.

He gets up at 4:30 in the morning and many days he actually gets breakfast at work but it isn’t until 7:30 or 8 that he gets to eat. He has certain tasks he has to take care of first, so he needs a little bit of something to get him through the first few hours. That being said, he is not a big eater right away in the morning so he is not getting up to cook himself breakfast. He needs something that he can grab quickly.

I decided to make muffins. These are individually portioned so he can grab one or two and eat them as needed. The weather outside is terribly cold but these muffins remind you of warmer climates or warmer seasons to come.

Pineapple Muffins (makes 18 muffins or 1 loaf*) adapted from my Peach Bread recipe

2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup diced pineapple
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a muffin tin or line with muffin cups. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the oil, eggs, juice, & milk in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the pineapple and almonds. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick near the center comes out clean. Cool for 2 minutes in tin. Remove muffins and cool completely on a wire rack.

*This recipe can also be used as a quick bread. Just pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60minutes or until a toothpick near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Baked Grouse, two ways

by almost_rosey // 9Dec2014 // No Comments

On the last day of My First Deer Hunt I ended up going grouse hunting and managed to come home with 4 grouse which was totally amazing! I had recently made Apricot Glazed Grouse which was delicious but was in the mood for more of a warming fall/winter type dish. I made a casserole the first night which is very easy & comforting. The next night I made an easy breaded grouse & served it with roasted carrots and creamy goat cheese rice. Neither are fancy but both are delicious.

Grouse Casserole (serves 2)

2 grouse, cleaned and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup rice
1 can cream mushroom soup
10 oz milk
1/2 bag frozen vegetables (I used a broccoli & cauliflower blend)
1/2 dry onion soup packet
water, as needed

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake for 75-90 minutes until rice is cooked through stirring every 15 minutes. Add water as necessary.

Crispy Onion Breaded Grouse (serves 2)

2 grouse, cleaned (keep breasts intact or cut into tender sized strips)
1 egg, beaten
frenchs onions
3 large carrots, chopped into bite sized pieces
olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 cup rice
1 cup chicken stock
1oz goat cheese

Line two baking sheets with foil. Lightly grease one with cooking spray and set aside. Drizzle 2-3 tsp olive oil over the other baking sheet and also add pinch or two salt & pepper. Add carrots to olive oil tray and gently toss. Place in 400F oven for 20-25minutes.

Place stock and rice into small pot. Bring to a boil & then cover and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in goat cheese.

Meanwhile, coat grouse in egg and dip into onions. Bake on lightly greased foil lined sheet for 12-17minutes until cooked through.

My First Deer Hunt

by almost_rosey // 24Nov2014 // 2 Comments

“The movie Bambi used to make me cry and even still I get teary eyed when I watch it.”

“Do you even want to go hunting?”

I was never exposed to hunting growing up. It was not a right of passage for me. No one in my family was a serious hunter that I knew of or at least knew well. I guess my dad used to go duck hunting all the time but this was before I existed. Somehow I ended up with a hunter. I never thought I would go hunting in my life, but here I am, asking my guy to take me.

Let me state that I have no desire to kill animals. I have no antler obsession or need to fill my walls with mounts of “trophies.” I do have a desire to learn new skills & try new things. I only recently started avidly fishing & ice fishing in the last few years. I love it. I love pulling fish out of the water (mainly through the ice) and cooking with what I or my fishing guide caught. I love knowing where my food came from. Maybe hunting could be similar.

I wanted to learn and experience hunting from an academic and skill set standpoint. I wanted to be able to cook with what I harvested. I didn’t know if I could handle hunting. If I could handle taking a life even if it is to provide food for my household. My hunting guide said he didn’t know if I would like it either, “Maybe you will like sitting quietly in a tree for hours. Who knows?” He does not particularly like deer hunting. He is more of a waterfowl hunter. Regardless, I thought I should try. It could be something we do together. It could be something that I might really enjoy. Or maybe I will hate it but at least I would know. With this mindset I set out for my first deer hunt.

This was probably the worst year for me to start hunting. The deer population is, let’s just say, bleak. This could be the worst year in about 20 years for harvesting deer. Very few doe tags were given and with no preference points I set out with a buck only tag. Having also recently moved to Northern Minnesota (aka Almost Canada), we do not know this area very well in terms of hunting, so were at a slight disadvantage. We did find some spots but of course they were on public land. Insert sad faced emoticon here. The weather was also not going to be the best. With very high winds and blistering cold temperatures some of the sessions were bound to be downright miserable.

There were lots of negatives stacking up against me. I went with the mindset that I would most likely not get a deer this year, but I should try and learn as much as I could. I was just hoping to see some deer (obviously still hoping to harvest one).

I made it a point to go as often as I could. I mean I live in God’s Country. I can leave work early and go hunting or go in late, which I did a few times. I could go in the mornings on the weekends, go home for a bit, & go out again in the afternoon. I also wanted to make the most of my investments: rifle, scope, ammo, & gear. Another reason to go out as much as I could.

We actually went out 11 times which I think is awesome. My guy says he has never hunted that much during a season. I said that if I didn’t get a deer it wasn’t going to be because I didn’t try. We ended up seeing a lot of deer sign & a lot of deer including a giant buck. Of course none of the deer were close enough for me to shoot &/or were on private land. Apparently that is what the majority of deer hunting is. Sitting quietly and seeing nothing or seeing some deer but not being able to take shot.

I don’t mind sitting quietly for a few hours. When the weather wasn’t terrible it was actually nice. Sitting in nature is quite soothing. Being able to think or not think and just be. That part of hunting I can handle. My guy even said that those were the coldest sits he had ever done and I had done numerous ones without complaining or wanting to go back home.

In addition to the deer, we ended up seeing lots of grouse during the last few times we went out. The last day (there is an extra weekend up here) when we were pulling out stands, I said I wanted to come back in the afternoon and try to hunt the grouse. As he had just gotten a grouse recently I was anxious to get some more to cook with. If I couldn’t get a deer, maybe I could get some grouse. I did just that.

My first hunting season turned out to be a success depending on how you look at it. Yes, I am disappointed that I didn’t harvest a deer. I still don’t know if I truly like deer hunting. I know that for me there will be a big difference between killing a grouse versus killing a deer. Will I actually like all aspects of deer hunting? It could be another year or two or who knows how many years before I find out. Maybe I will never find out. My guide says, “Oh please dear…, ” in a tone that only couples have with each other. It still doesn’t mean I am any less disappointed with the lack of a deer. At the same time, I know that I am just lucky that I saw so many deer. I know many people who didn’t see anything.

I also know that one really has to be positive, patient, and persistent not only in hunting but anything else in life. I will have as many opportunities for different types of hunts and more deer hunting in the future. As many as I am willing to do or make happen.

For this deer season I hoped for the best but expected the worst. I think I ended up somewhere in between which is just fine with me.

Apricot Glazed Grouse

by almost_rosey // 18Nov2014 // 1 Comment

I have lived in Minnesota my whole life but recently moved to northern Minnesota, or as I like to say, Almost Canada. The house I bought is on 1.5 acres which isn’t much land but is enough to shoot small critters or birds. Which is exactly what my guy did.

He was eating cereal and looking out the window. He saw a bird in a tree, went & grabbed my .22, and shot it. It was a grouse. It was going to be dinner. I was going to cook it.

I have eaten grouse once before and if I hadn’t known it was grouse I would have thought it was chicken. There is no wild game flavor in this bird. I decided to make an apricot glazed grouse since I didn’t have to worry about masking a game flavor. I served it with sweet potatoes and roasted broccoli. It was delicious. There are no photos of the dinner, but it looked like glazed chicken with the mentioned sides.

Apricot Glazed Grouse (serves 2)

1-2 grouse, cleaned & cut into bite sized pieces or strips
apricot/peach jelly or preserves (I used jalapeno apricot jelly)
salt & pepper to taste
1-2 tsp olive oil
sides of your choice

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. Place 2-3 tbsp. jelly in a small bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add 1-2 tsp olive oil. Place the grouse on the baking sheet and coat with jelly mixture. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Glaze the grouse with more of the jelly mixture & broil for 3-5 minutes until grouse is cooked through and glaze is slightly caramelized. Serve with sides of your choice.

Squirrel Chili

by almost_rosey // 5Nov2014 // No Comments

Who doesn’t love chili this time of year? It is the perfect food to come home to from October to March. At least in the mid-west this is true. Not many people want to eat a hot, steaming bowl of chili in July or August, but once the temperature changes, the menu changes. Chili is one of those items on the menu in my household this time of year. My guy, who happens to be a hunter, shot a squirrel in our yard with his bow. Since it was only one squirrel, I decided to make a squirrel & chicken chili. Simple, but delicious.

Squirrel Chili (serves 2)

1 squirrel, skinned, cleaned, & cut into bite-size pieces ( brined for 2-4 hrs)
- Brine Ingredients (4 cups water, 1/4 cup salt, 1-2 tbsp sugar, dash or two each chili flakes, oregano, & pepper)
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (if you have 2 squirrels you can omit the chicken)
2 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
2-3 tomatoes diced
1 onion, chopped
1 can chili beans, undrained
1/2 cup chunky salsa
chili seasoning (1-2 tsp store bought or your favorite blend. I used a combo of chile powder, paprika, cumin, garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper, oregano, & cayenne).
olive oil (to coat two skillets)

Combine the brining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the squirrel & keep in the fridge for 2-4 hrs. Once brined, drain the squirrel but do not rinse. In a small skillet heat a small amount of olive oil over medium high heat. Brown the squirrel and place in a crockpot

Saute a chopped onion in another skillet for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add this to the crockpot with all the other ingredients. Stir to combine. Heat on low for 6-8 hrs (this can also be made on the stove in a heavy duty pot or dutch oven on simmer for 2-4hrs). Serve with cheddar cheese & sour cream if desired.

Feeling Almost Rosey

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