What are we doing here?
Well, what ARE we doing here? The truth is, I don’t know. But you can watch us learn.
A Fixed Point of Light
There have been times in my life where the power has gone out. Where the wind howls and buffets the windows; where the doors strain and groan against their frames. Where the darkness is impenetrable and unending, with the thickness of damp wool. In those times, I’ve focused on a fixed point of light. InContinue reading “A Fixed Point of Light”
Vegan Red Pepper Pesto with Zucchini “Noodles”
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 1 Red Bell Pepper; 1 Tomato; 2 cloves of garlic; 1/4 cup of olive oil; 2 tablespoons pine nuts; Salt (to taste); Balsamic vinegar (to taste); Sugar (optional; to taste); Crushed Red Pepper Flake (optional; to taste); 4 zucchini (for the noodles, optional) Method: Quarter the tomato, keeping the seeds and gelatinContinue reading “Vegan Red Pepper Pesto with Zucchini “Noodles””
The Chicken and Dumplings Economy
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 1 whole chicken; 2 eggs; 2 tablespoons butter; Water (varies); Salt (varies); AP flour (varies); Method: Add whole chicken to a large pot and cover with water. Add salt and boil for an hour, then remove to cool. When safe to handle, pull chicken by hand. In a large skillet, melt theContinue reading “The Chicken and Dumplings Economy”
Love and Crime in a Plate of Nachos
I’ve been thinking about nachos a lot lately. Not in a “I kinda feel like nachos” way (though that, too), but more from a curiosity standpoint. You see, I’ve come to the realization that no other food can provide as much immediate, relevant information about a person or place. I’m confident that, with a littleContinue reading “Love and Crime in a Plate of Nachos”
Stormy Beef Stew
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 1 large chuck roast; 4 waxy potatoes; 4 carrots; 2 ribs of celery; 1 medium yellow onion; 2 TBS veg oil; 1/4 cup dry vermouth; Salt (to taste); Black pepper (to taste); Cornstarch slurry (to taste – see note) Method: Cut the chuck roast into bite-sized cubes, and brown in the bottomContinue reading “Stormy Beef Stew”
Spinach Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 450g flour 300g eggs (6 large) 12 oz frozen spinach 32 oz ricotta 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Salt (to taste) Fresh nutmeg (to taste) A sauce of one’s own 1 more egg (to seal the ravioli) Method: Combine flour, eggs, and salt (to taste), together with two (2) tablespoons ofContinue reading “Spinach Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce”
Kitchen Essentials, Part III – Accessories
Well, we covered knives and boards in Part I, then took on pots and pans in Part II, so onward to the real heart of a good kitchen setup: the accessories. I am a kitchen minimalist. I don’t like drawers overflowing with nonsense, or countertops covered in gadgets. As a general rule, if I haven’tContinue reading “Kitchen Essentials, Part III – Accessories”
“Colby Cove” Cheesy Buttermilk Biscuits
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 350g all-purpose flour; 1 cup shredded cheese; 1 cup buttermilk; 50g lard or vegetable shortening; 25g butter; 4 teaspoons baking powder; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; Cracked black pepper (to taste) Method: in a large mixing bowl combineContinue reading ““Colby Cove” Cheesy Buttermilk Biscuits”
“Ugly” Tortellini With Pink Sauce
#RecipeUpTop (details below): For the pasta Six eggs (300g); 450g AP flour; 10g salt; For the filling: 2 cups ricotta; Seasoning (per preference, to taste); Method: Combine the eggs, flour, and salt, and knead into a firm dough. Allow to rest for thirty (30) minutes, then process through pasta rollers to desired thickness. Cut rounds,Continue reading ““Ugly” Tortellini With Pink Sauce”
(Inter)Dimensional Lumber
I’ve long held some secret beliefs about the nature of space and time, and of our reality, and all of them stem from working with dimensional lumber. This was recently brought, once again, to the forefront of my mind when Mrs. 10Chickens suggested I build a desk for our oldest to have a dedicated spaceContinue reading “(Inter)Dimensional Lumber”
A Whole Fried Chicken, and a Coke
#RecipeUpTop (details below): A whole chicken 500 grams flour 100 grams cornstarch 4 eggs 4 cups buttermilk 20 grams salt Seasonings (to taste) Frying oil For the brine: Salt (varies) Sugar (varies) Spices (to taste) Method: Butcher your chicken into desired parts, and brine in a 10% brine for four (4) hours (or overnight inContinue reading “A Whole Fried Chicken, and a Coke”
Kitchen Essentials, Part II – Pots and Pans
Well, you’ve got yourself a knife and board. Next up: invaluable, mutli-functional, buy-it-for-life pots and pans. If you’ve been reading this blog, you know my favorite piece of cookware in the kitchen is my giant cast-iron skillet, Ol’ Faithful, and we’ll get to that. The reality, though, is it’s not the first thing I’d buyContinue reading “Kitchen Essentials, Part II – Pots and Pans”
Coal-Roasted Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce and Blue Cheese Dressing
#RecipeUpTop (details below): Chicken wings, separated into “drumettes” and “flats” Salt and sugar for brine (depending on amount of wings); For the buffalo sauce: 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno juice (optional); 1 teaspoon cayenne (optional); For the blue cheese dressing: 1/2 cup blue cheese (crumbled); 1/4Continue reading “Coal-Roasted Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce and Blue Cheese Dressing”
Poor Man’s Brisket
No #RecipeUpTop today because this is a BBQ post, and, well, it’s literally all technique. Were I to summarize: season several chuck roasts with salt and cracked black pepper, then cook over coals and woodsmoke until 205F internal. Rest and serve. The end. But there’s more to the story. Oh, so much more. In theContinue reading “Poor Man’s Brisket”
Keepers of the Arcane
In my youth in rural Maine, when my parents would travel out of town on business, my brother and I would frequently stay with our next-door neighbors; an elderly couple. I cannot say enough nice things about these people. They were the consummate New England neighbors, but more than that, they seem to have beenContinue reading “Keepers of the Arcane”
Mountain “Ridged” Potato Chips
#RecipeUpTop (details below): Russet potatoes (variable amount depending on desired volume of chips); Fry oil (peanut, or other neutral frying oil); Salt Method: Using a mandolin ridged blade, slice the potatoes as thinly as possible and soak in cold water for at least an hour. Heat fry oil to 350F. Drain chips and fry untilContinue reading “Mountain “Ridged” Potato Chips”
Kitchen Essentials, Part I
We’ve had some inquiries about the gear we use, and a few questions about setting up a kitchen for the first time with the bare necessities, so we figured a quick post was probably in order. Over the years, I’ve gone through all kinds of phases and philosophies of culinary acquisition. In my early youth,Continue reading “Kitchen Essentials, Part I”
Injection Renaissance
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 1 unassuming chicken; 300 grams cider vinegar; 200 grams water; 100 grams sugar; 50 grams salt; 5 grams onion powder; 5 grams garlic powder; Method: Combine the injection ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then cool. Spatchcock your chicken, and start your grill, aiming for a “ring ofContinue reading “Injection Renaissance”
Maine Lobster Ramen
I love Maine lobster. Like, with every part of me that is able to love. Everywhere I have lived, I’ve been an evangelist for the bugs. When I was a season ticket holder with the Miami Hurricanes, we’d do a big tailgate boil at least once a year where I’d foist hunks of lemon-buttered tailContinue reading “Maine Lobster Ramen”
Fresh-Herb Chicken Meatballs
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 700 grams (1.5lbs, roughly) ground dark-meat chicken, with skin (preferably home-ground); 70 grams plain, unseasoned bread crumbs; 35 grams grated parmasan cheese; 7 grams salt; 7 grams freshly chopped parsley; 1 large egg; 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil; Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside (refrigerate) forContinue reading “Fresh-Herb Chicken Meatballs”
Simple Hashed Brown Potatoes
No #RecipeUpTop on this one because, like some of our previous posts, this one is super basic, but almost entirely reliant on technique and a few tricks to get you where you’re going. To prove my point, here’s the ingredient list: two (2) potatoes, 2 tablespoons veg oil, salt. That’s it. And it takes likeContinue reading “Simple Hashed Brown Potatoes”
Classic Pesto
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 2 hand-fulls of fresh basil (home grown preferable); 1 hand-full of fresh flat-leaf parsley (home grown preferable); 3 large garlic cloves; 1/4 cup pine nuts; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2/3 cup olive oil; Salt (to taste); Black pepper (to taste); Method: Combine the herbs, garlic, pine nuts, and half of theContinue reading “Classic Pesto”
Back to the Woodpile
When things feel awful and out of control, I typically default to some combination of exercise and organization an attempt to remind myself that I do, in fact, have the ability to effect change and progress, if even symbolically. In my days as a trial attorney, this typically meant something as simple as cleaning myContinue reading “Back to the Woodpile”
Fennel-Brined Chicken with Lemon and Black Pepper Glaze
#RecipeUpTop: 4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (home butchered preferred); For the brine: 50 to 100 grams salt 50 to 100 grams sugar Fennel seed (to taste) Coriander seed (to taste) For the glaze: 1 lemon (juice and zest) 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup water 2 TBS sugar Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste) SaltContinue reading “Fennel-Brined Chicken with Lemon and Black Pepper Glaze”
A Sauce of One’s Own
If there’s one grocery store item I deeply despise, it’s pre-canned tomato sauce. Actually, there are a lot of grocery store items I despise, but they almost always follow the same pattern: simple, basic things that have been over-processed, over-priced, and sold as completely impossible or impractical to make at home. And, frankly, the worstContinue reading “A Sauce of One’s Own”
Dad’s Special Potato Salad
#RecipeUpTop (Details below): Six large Maine potatoes (or a dozen small red); Four rashers of bacon; 1/4 large red onion; 1/2 cup cider vinegar; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup deli-style mustard; 1/4 cup mayo; Salt (to taste) Parsley flakes (to taste); Mustard seeds (to taste); Method: Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, toss withContinue reading “Dad’s Special Potato Salad”
Mutiny of the Bounty
Spring is quickly sliding into summer here on the mountain, and the explosion of verdance is both refreshing and frustrating, particularly as we look around our garden. In my youth, the family garden was something of a novelty at best, and a weed-ridden albatross at worst. The early morning rays of March sunlight seemed toContinue reading “Mutiny of the Bounty”
Rustic Guacamole
#RecipeUpTop (details below): 3 Ripe Avocados; 1 large lime; 1 jalapeno pepper; Salt (to taste); Method: Zest and juice the lime into a large mixing bowl. Remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno, mince fine, and add to the bowl. Split and pit the avocados, and add to the bowl, season with salt, andContinue reading “Rustic Guacamole”
The Pull of Pork
My first serious food obsession was authentic BBQ. And, for someone who (at the time) could barely open a can or boil water, it was a hell of a place to jump into cooking. In baking, a novice can be guided by precise measurements, controlled temperatures in an oven, and any other number of quantifiableContinue reading “The Pull of Pork”
The Classic
No #RecipeUpTop for this one because, well, it’s a cheeseburger. It’s not that complicated, and it’s not really a recipe. It’s more akin to our discussion about steak; some tips and tricks, some things to avoid, and some personal pet peeves. As I’ve mentioned before, we generally only buy two cuts of beef: whole ribeyeContinue reading “The Classic”
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