THE TOTALLY UNOFFICIAL AAPK COOKBOOK

[Stanwade]

..What time is supper? I can be in Montana in about 22 hours LOL!

[WillyCamaro]

Delish! My mouth is watering already... that's some ummy stuff right there. Good job MMan .

[Stanwade]

A slab of beef ribs I rubbed with a basic coffee rub (instant coffee, garlic powder, onion powder, beef bouillon powder, black pepper, cayenne) Friday night.. going on the grill right now (indirect heat) oak and lump hardwood charcoal

[Stanwade]

Spritzed with Guinness beer throughout cooking time..Done.. glazed with a homemade coffee bbq sauce—(tomato paste, cognac, instant coffee, black pepper, garlic powder, minced onion, chipotle powder, brown sugar, Apple cider vinegar powder, Guinness beer)

[Montanaman]

..What time is supper? I can be in Montana in about 22 hours LOL!

Delish! My mouth is watering already... that's some ummy stuff right there. Good job MMan .

Thanks guys, it was really good, lots of leftovers.

Spritzed with Guinness beer throughout cooking time..Done.. glazed with a homemade coffee bbq sauce—(tomato paste, cognac, instant coffee, black pepper, garlic powder, minced onion, chipotle powder, brown sugar, Apple cider vinegar powder, Guinness beer)

That looks great Ryan! Thanks for sharing.

[Stanwade]

Thanks Kris!

[Montanaman]

Reverse sear on a thick cut tomahawk the other night. I bring the meat up to room temp, covered, with a little kosher salt. Then season with a little more salt, fresh Tellicherry pepper, a little garlic and onion powder. Indirect at 350-375F until 110F, then rest covered, and ramp up charcoal to 600F and finish with a sear. Jealous Devil charcoal with post oak chunks.

[Stanwade]

Looks amazing Kris!!

Great minds think alike... I was just getting ready to post this when yours popped up… Something different – – – homemade dry cottage cheese and parsley pierogies(my mom made , which is from my great grandmothers recipe) and homemade crab pierogies (which I made with the same dough recipe but I made my own lump crab stuffing) and blackened tilapia… I was out of sour cream so I tried something new and I fried the pierogies with blackening seasoning (homemade)… Might be my new way to eat pierogies All the time!

[Montanaman]

Looks and sounds delicious Ryan!

[Stanwade]

Thanks Kris! I am lucky I think I mentioned in another post before as I have Polish, Russian, Italian, Irish heritage on Either side of my family and all my aunts/uncles and my mom/dad and my grandparents are/were great cooks who learned from past generations… I literally get excited the week of a holiday dinner because I can’t wait to eat awesome dishes from everyone!

[Stanwade]

If anyone is looking for a simple refrigerator pickle recipe— this has been passed down many generations on my mom’s side… Simple, easy and delicious… The more garlic and dill you use, the better! And always cut the blossom end (just a slice) off of your cucumbers, I just learned that a few years ago— I guess there’s an enzyme that could remain and make your pickle soft if you don’t…And I soak in ice water not just cold water (goes without saying—sanitize EVERYTHING including the cucumbers !)..

[1967redrider]

If I hadn't just eaten I'd be jumping through the screen trying to get some of that!

Since they're popping up, here's recipes for morels including Cream of Morel Soup, I highly recommend it;

https://www.twineagles.org/morel-recipes.html

Cream of Morel Soup (with Leeks and Potatoes)

Of all the morel recipes, this is an absolutely heavenly soup that will make you dream of morels…

Morel Recipes
Ingredients:

3/4 pound fresh morels, chopped
1 large leek (use everything below the green leaves)
3 medium russet potatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. real butter
2 cups water
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:

Prepare the leeks by removing the dark green leaves and roots. Slice the stem lengthwise. Rinse under cold water, making sure to remove all the grit between the layers. Peel the potatoes and cut in half. Add the leeks and potatoes to soup pot with the water. Boil moderately until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add butter, morels, and a few dashes of salt. Cook morels gently for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, making sure they do not dry out. Add a few dashes of wine at a time to keep moist. When nearly done add the rest of the wine, turn up heat and continue cooking until liquid is almost gone. Now add chicken broth and stir until blended.
When the leeks and potatoes are tender, remove from heat and blend until smooth. Return to pot.
Add morel mixture to potato/leek mixture and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching the bottom. After approximately 5 to 10 minutes, add heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste.
Now serve up this delicious, earthy soup with a little fresh baked bread to win your family's heart!

[Stanwade]

Awesome John! I put a new 200amp service in a friends house last week and he was trying to pay me and I told him I don’t want any money, you know that… But I will take your first bag of spongies (morels)this year!

[Old Folder]

We have very close friends within walking distance that we share our home prepared meals and recipes with on occasion.
The Gentleman (Antonio) was born in Cancun Mexico with a historic Spanish ancestry inheritance. His numerous recipes are mostly influenced by Mesoamerican and Spanish cuisine. The Europeans who settled in or near Cancun long ago brought in the extensive use of meat and poultry in the Mexican food arena and also introduced the use of herbs, spices, cheese and various other daily products.
His Wife (Gina) was born in Napoli Italy and has Italian ancestry inheritance, her food specialties include "Linguine / Scoglio" and many other pasta dishes that I will not even attempt to spell (or pronounce).
My Wife (Anna) is Vietnamese / Chinese, born in Việt Trì North Vietnam. The culinary regions of the north (Ha'Noi) have more Chinese influence than the central or South Vietnam French food. The use of soy sauce, stir-fries, and the wok.
There is also the prodigious use of fish sauce giving Vietnam the title of the "Cuisine of Dipping Sauces."
She only uses fresh vegetables for her delicious soups, many from her own garden.
Anna's below jujube tree is a fruit berry tree, not a vegetable. She dries the jujubes out in the sun until they look like a raisin.
She also uses fruits and berries in her soups. The jujube tree originated in China, where there are more than 400 cultivars. It has been cultivated there for more than 4,000 years. Centuries ago, the trees were taken beyond Asia to different parts of the world, including the southwestern United States, but in many cases they developed into substandard strains. In 1908, improved Chinese varieties were brought to the United States by the USDA. The trees can be found in many nurseries throughout the USA. They can withstand a range of temperatures and is heat tolerant. They will grow within all aapk members regions.
The second picture below shows the freshly picked berries from Anna's two jujube trees prior to being sun dried for soup. Very sweet. Many of these were given away to family and friends.

Moving on to me:
I am most likely the less productive in our neighborly meal sharing of the four of us.
I have German, Dutch/Netherland ancestry. However, I can not, or perhaps should say "Have not" prepared many meals pertaining to such ancestry. I have eaten some fascinating Dutch food in Solvang Ca known as: "The Danish Capital of the World."
The Dutch are also well known for their Pancakes and Pastries. Take a look.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=dutch+pancake ... &ia=images

Our visitations and menu sharing has somewhat come to a halt with our friends for the time being at least, due to current "Social Distancing" recommendations.
Gina's Mother is 92 years old and lives with them, she must be protected at all costs. She is our "Queen Bee".

About 3 weeks ago, Gina brought a "Meatloaf" to us with a side of homemade "Tortellini Salad".
Now, I am no stranger to Meatloaf, but the taste was superb, never have I tasted its equal. I asked Anna to obtain the recipe from Gina. Gina advised her that Antonio prepared the Meatloaf.
When reading the Meatloaf ingredients, I came upon a spice ingredient "Red Mehr Saffron." I had never heard of Saffron, so I did a Google research.
Here is what I discovered.

"Saffron is a spice derived from the dried stigma of the flower of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), a species of crocus in the family Iridaceae. The flower has three stigmas, which are the distal ends of the plant's carpels. Iran ranks first in the world production of saffron, with more than 94 percent of the world yield. Other minor producers of saffron are Spain, India, Greece, Azerbaijan, Morocco, and Italy.

Harvesting:
The high retail value of saffron is maintained on world markets because of labour-intensive harvesting methods, which require some 200,000 saffron stigmas to be hand-picked from 70,000 to 80,000 crocus flowers for each 1 pound of saffron product, forty hours of labour are needed to pick 150,000 flowers.

One freshly picked crocus flower yields an average 30 mg (0.0011 oz) of fresh saffron or 7 mg (0.00025 oz) dried; roughly 150 flowers yield 1 gram of dry saffron threads; to produce 12 g (0.42 oz) of dried saffron, 1 lb (0.45 kg) of flowers are needed; 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fresh saffron yields 0.2 oz (5.7 g) of dried spice.

Premium All Red Saffron is the most expensive cut of the saffron flower’s red stigmas, where they are equally cut and separated after drying. Saffron threads that are cut this way give maximum natural dye, aroma, and flavor in baking and cooking.

Over 7000 purple saffron flowers must be picked by hand, and then dried carefully to get pure, All Red Saffron with intense colors and flavors you want. We believe that our customers deserve only the highest quality saffron, and Mehr Saffron products are created this way, but they also maintain that highest quality due to only containing just that natural, organic saffron, with no additives, chemical fertilizers or anything else at all.

Enjoy the new taste of foods and drinks by adding a small quantity of Mehr saffron.
Mehr Saffron is the most trusted saffron ingredient to use in making: saffron rice, paellas, stews, risotto alla Milanese, Indian Rice, sholeh zard, saffron milk, khoresht gheime, and chicken masala.

Health Benefits of Premium All Red Saffron
We all know saffron for its amazing taste, exotic aroma and fabulous color, but it also brings some health benefits that are perhaps not so well known:
Saffron has very strong antioxidant components plus vitamin B2 and riboflavin with great benefits that will give your body a total cleanse.
Saffron is good for skin and hair and make your skin radiant and smooth.
A cup of Saffron tea is good for maintaining attention, aiding sleep and sharpening your memory.

The color, aroma and taste will mesmerize, giving anyone the chance to enjoy the new taste in foods and drinks they may not have experienced before. Saffron has no rules, you can unleash your creativity when cooking with saffron and find new ways to enjoy all it has to offer.

Different Ways of Using Premium All Red Saffron
To get the very best from your fantastic Mehr Saffron Premium All Red Saffron there are a couple of things to remember.

The first is to never throw whole saffron strands into your cooking, instead always crumble the required number of threads into a small container, or for the best results grind them with a pestle and mortar.

You can make a saffron infusion to add to your cooking very quickly, simply be adding a small amount of pre-heated liquid to the ground saffron, and simply leave for about 20 minutes for the color, aroma and taste to infuse out. What liquid you use will depend on the recipe, water, stock or milk all work, and once infused, you can leave it in the fridge overnight if you wish."

So...There you have it.
We purchased the below 0.18 oz (5g) Red Mehr Saffron through Amazon.com and received it a couple days ago. We are excited to experiment with our new found spice that can be used in Cooking, Baking and Drinks.
I have a strong urge to make a batch of "Danish Aebleskivers" I"ll keep everyone informed of my results.
Have you ever used Saffron? What are your favorite Spices, Herbs, and Seasoning Supplements?

[Quick Steel]

Fairly recently it was discovered that saffron has very positive effects on eyesight when regularly taken. Regrettably, it seems that those effects gradually dissipate once saffron is no longer taken.

[Waukonda]

Very interesting and informative post, Dan. Thanks!

[Stanwade]

Dan— awesome/informative post! I loved it… thanks for sharing!

fish sauce is my secret ingredient in a lot of my recipes..I do this at least once a summer when we cook out somewhere— I’ll make fish sauce burgers—-1to 3 Tablespoons(Depending on your preference/taste ) per pound of deer burger or ground beef and it’s all they need... and everybody loves them, Including people that would never even think of touching fish sauce…I also always have a little tub of shrimp paste in my fridge—It is very potent and strong— a little dab is all you need in linguini and clam sauce etc.. or anything that needs a seafood flavor..

Here’s some of my go to ingredients to kick your dish up a notch depending on what it is LOL…fish sauce, shrimp paste, oyster sauce, wasabi paste and Asian plum sauce..

[Stanwade]

I’m brining this 13 pound boned out venison hindquarter..I made a coffee and herb brine..It’s been brining since Monday night and tonight I’m going to take it out and dry it off and dry rub it with a coffee herb dry rub(homemade)..gonna smoke it in our smoker Saturday for my uncle’s 72nd birthday..I’ll post pictures before I put it in the cooker and after it’s finished Saturday…I’m gonna use the Keen Kutter knife on the left to carve it with…

[Montanaman]

Looks great Ryan Red Boat is very good quality fish sauce , we use it too.

[Stanwade]

Thanks Kris !I’ve found red boat to be the best other than gourmet batches from Asia that are quite pricey.. I also have a little bottle in my fridge that is equal parts soy sauce,fish sauce, oyster sauce and Worcestershire sauce… It’s an umami bomb..

[gsmith7158]

Mamies Sphagetti Sauce
1 1/4 pound Ground Beef
1 bell pepper
1 medium sweet onion
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
1 level tbs garlic powder
2 level tbs chili powder
1 tbs olive oil
Using a 5 quart Sauce pan dice onion and bell pepper and saute in olive oil until transluscent. In a separate pan brown the ground beef and drain thoroughly.
Combine the balance of the ingredients in the sauce pan with the onions, peppers and beef. Add enough water to bring sauce to your desired consistency (about 14 to 16 oz). Stir well and bring to a slow bubble over medium low heat. Cover and decrease heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Cook spaghetti noodles per instructions on the box and enjoy. This makes a good bit of sauce so you can freeze any that's left over for later use.

[Stanwade]

Deer leg is in the smoker—I’ll post pictures when It’s done—here’s one of our smokers—charbroil big easy..

[Montanaman]

Looking good, Ryan What kind of wood or charcoal, great looking smoker!

[Stanwade]

Kris— I used cherry wood to smoke it and sliced it up with a Keen Kutter knife ...was my uncle’s 72nd birthday and we had a great time !!goodnight!!

[Stanwade]

Here’s a few close ups..truly came out awesome.got compliments all day!...i smoked it until it reached 130f internal temperature then let it finish in the cooler..