Favorite Cooking Recipes

[Alan]

I'm on the hunt for some quick and healthy meals that don't skimp on flavor. What are your go-to recipes for weeknight dinners? If you have any tips on prepping in advance or minimizing cleanup, I'm all ears!

 

[BearBio]

Several. While in grad school for my MS in Animal Behavior, we had about 1 1/2 elk, a big mule deer, a wild hog or two, pheasant, quail, dove and some albacore. We were the proverbial starving student as I didn't work (sub-taught biology one year, guided on wild pigs a few times). Wife supported us and we got student loans. I would go out at all hours to work on my thesis (radio-tracking bears), come home, work on writing my background research or on the thesis itself, sleep a couple of hours and then watch the cooking channel if I had no classes. We actually GAINED WEIGHT while "starving students"

Wild Boar Chops in Mushroom Gravy (works for regular pork chops, as well) for 2 people:
4 chops per person
3 cans Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup.
Rice or mashed potatoes.

In an 8x8 or 9x9 casserole, place chops and season. I like Suzie Q Santa Maria Seasoning or McCormick's Montreal Seasoning.
Cover with Golden Mushroom Soup (DO NOT DILUTE-straight from the can!)
Cover and bake at 350F for 1-1 1/2 hours. Serve over rice. For a quick meal, we use the microwave rice bowls from Costco.

We had this last night.

Dinners you can prepare and finish later:

Upland bird a la King (for 2) :
4-6 dove, 2-4 quail, 1/2 pound wild turkey, boiled and shredded (domestic fowl can be used; just substitute like amounts)
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 Can sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
1cup frozen Lima beans
1 cup diced carrots
1 tbls. cooking oil (I like olive oil)
1 Package chicken gravy
1 cup chicken broth



In a deep frying pan, saute poultry and carrots in oil until carrots are tender but not mushy, add soup (undiluted), together with mushrooms, peas, and beans. Mix chicken gravy with broth and add to skillet. Season as you wish (poultry seasoning, salt pepper, garlic). Serve over rice.

Poultry pot pie:
Same recipe as above but 2 packages of chicken gravy. Line 9x9 casserole with a pre-made pie crust. Fill and cover with second pie crust.

I'll type up some more later!

 

[BearBio]

Not really a recipe, but what I did today:

Fourteen jars of homemade BBQ sauce and four 1/2 pint jars (Ran out of pint jars). Yesterday, did 15 jars of blackberry jam. Tomatoes are just starting to really produce. After spaghetti sauce, it'll be blackberry pies and "Cowboy Candy" as the jalapenos start producing!

Cowboy Candy Recipe:

One pound of jalapeno peppers, washed and sliced cross-ways about 1/4 inch thick.
Canning jars (start with about 12 one-quart but have extras on hand)
One gallon cider vinegar
4 lbs white sugar (or brown if you prefer)
Two tablespoons pickling spice
Optional: turmeric, garlic, or..........?

Boil vinegar and add sugar to the desired sweetness (Don't burn yourself tasting it!). Add pickling spice and boil for 5 minutes. Add peppers and boil for 3-5 more (Less boiling=less flavor but crispier). Fill jars with peppers and fill with syrup. The more you boil (reduce) the syrup, the stronger it will get. Seal jars, cool and refrigerate.

NOTE: be careful when handling hot peppers. I've found that washing your hands with Dawn dish-washing soap is the best way to get the capsaicin oil off your fingers!