Tag Archives: food

Braised Elk Roast Camper Style: One Pan Cooking in The Wagon Wheel

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elk roast n

Elk roasts liberally rolled in freshly cracked pepper and slow cooked with sweet onions, baby Yukon Gold potatoes and the chef’s choice of additional vegetables is an appealing meal that can be prepared virtually anywhere. Recipe below.

Over the years we’ve become big fans of Swiss Diamond cookware. Covered eggs cooked over very low heat in their non-stick frying pans are a revelation. Nothing sticks, and as long as the manufacturer’s instructions regarding overly high heat are followed, the surface on this cookware remains in excellent condition through years of regular use.

My favorite Swiss Diamond pan is their big, 12.5  inch frying pan. We call it The Wagon Wheel and it’s perfect for everything from baking a pizza to frying fish to slow cooking a roast in in the oven. The challenge with a pan this large is fitting it into some ovens – such as the one on our Lance truck camper. In fact, even storing a pan of this size in a camper is no mean feat.

So I removed the handle. Permanently. It’s around somewhere, safely tucked away along with the hardware used to attach it. On the camper, we don’t need the handle. Oven mitts suffice.

The elk roasts were a gift from a friend. The recipe is uncomplicated. The finished meal is hearty and has great eye appeal – the perfect meal with a glass of old vine Zinfandel on a rainy evening in Seward, Alaska.

Braised Elk Roast

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elk rump roast or similar cut from wild game or beef
  • 1 large sweet onion, chopped coarse
  • whole small potatoes
  • other vegetables as desired: parsnips, carrots, brussels sprouts, garlic cloves, mushrooms and even chunks of pumpkin or squash are all good candidates
  • olive oil
  • freshly cracked pepper
  • sea salt
  • sherry or red wine
  • additional seasonings such as rosemary, sage or thyme, if desired

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. (Our camper oven only turns down to 300 degrees F – a little hotter than perfect, but still fine.)
  2. Heat light olive oil or similar frying oil over sufficiently high heat to create a sizzle when the meat hits the pan. Sear the meat on all sides. Use tongs to hold the meat if necessary. About 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove meat and set aside.
  3. Lower heat on pan to medium low. Deglaze pan by adding sherry or wine and use a spatula to gently scrape the brown fond created during searing. Slightly reduce liquid over medium to medium-low heat.
  4. Meanwhile place seared roast in a bowl. Roll the roast in olive oil, salt and freshly cracked pepper to give the roast a coating.
  5. Add additional olive oil to the pan as necessary. Add onions and other vegetables along with salt and pepper, stirring briefly to thoroughly coat with oil. Add the meat, cover the pan with a lid, and place in oven.
  6. Cook covered for an hour for a small roast, longer for a larger roast. Add additional wine or a little water to maintain a broth on bottom of pan, if necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Armed With Lemon, Cream Cheese and a Kitchen Torch

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lemon cheesecake brulee_n

How to improve the creamy texture and flavor of lemon cheesecake bars baked atop a sugar cookie crust? Sprinkle with sugar and torch it to add a crunchy layer of caramel! 

After creating a delectable two-toned crème brûlée and a chai crème brûlée, we became hopelessly smitten with our kitchen torch and the multi-sensory delight it produces when applied to sugar crystals. We applied the technique to a different dessert with a creamy texture, cheesecake, and ended up with very satisfying results. We baked the cheesecakes in a rectangular pan so they could be cut into squares about two bites each, which is the perfect size – a miniature feast for the senses.

In recipes that call for sweetened condensed milk, we make our own. In addition to being less expensive and more natural, our homemade version has none of the tin-can aftertaste common to many canned products, and none of the harmful BPA manufacturers use to line cans. With the help of a stick blender, it’s easy to whip together 1 cup of powdered milk, 2/3 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of boiling water, and 3 tablespoons of butter to create 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk. This homemade version keeps well covered in the refrigerator.

Lemon Brûlée Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 oz. softened cream cheese
  • 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp fine granulated sugar for brulee-ing, approximately

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8.5″ x 4.5″ glass loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, flour and vanilla until dough forms.
  3. Press evenly into the bottom of prepared dish. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, whip cream cheese.
  5. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Scrape sides and mix again.
  6. Pour in egg, lemon zest and juice.
  7. Mix until mixture starts to thicken, 20-30 seconds. Scrape sides and mix again briefly.
  8. Pour overtop cookie bottom and smooth the top.
  9. Bake 20 minutes or until cheesecake is completely set.
  10. Cool, then refrigerate.
  11. Cut into 16 squares and separate.
  12. Sprinkle the tops of each square with 1 teaspoon of sugar and spread around with finger to evenly distribute sugar. Torch the tops until the sugar melts and turns an amber color. (If you don’t have a torch, place under the broiler.)

Let the top cool for a few minutes, then serve immediately.

Pecan Banana Coffee Cake: More Tasty Experiments With Black Bananas

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Banana coffee cake_n

This moist, flavorful cake topped with crunchy pecan streusel is ready for a hot cup of joe. Four bananas per loaf make for a fairly nutritious slice, as cakes go, and a good excuse for seconds!

If you read about our banana mochi bread, you’ll know we are experimenting with the bounty of black bananas recently bestowed upon us! After sampling the banana mochi bread, Jack “requested” the next creation contain nuts. (He made me strike the phrase “petulantly demanded.” Editors… sigh.) To satisfy his request, this recipe for banana coffee cake included pecans in the batter and also as part of the topping. Jack said, “Mmmmm.” Guess that was the best compliment he could muster with his mouth full. One loaf went in the freezer, and one remains out for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Banana Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake –

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 bananas, mashed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup soy milk (regular milk would work, too)

Topping –

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • generous tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9″ x 5″ loaf pans. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until well blended.
  3. Using a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until combined.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined.
  5. Add bananas and milk, beat until combined.
  6. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and mix until just combined.
  7. Pour half the batter in each loaf pan.
  8. In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients.
  9. Crumble half of topping mixture on top of batter in each loaf pan.
  10. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
  11. Let cool on wire racks.
  12. Enjoy while still warm with a fresh cup of joe.

Sometimes Things Freeze in the Arctic (Mochi Cake With Black Bananas)

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Mochi Banana Bread_n

A delicious way to use the unusable, banana mochi bread has the moistness and flavor of banana and the dense, rich texture of mochi cake. Slathered with cream cheese this is a delicious afternoon snack.

Guided by a philosophy of not wanting to waste anything, we are sometimes the recipients of fruit past its prime. This week boxes of bananas arrived for snacks for our students at Tikigaq School in Point Hope, Alaska. Unfortunately, many had frozen on the plane on the way up. Most people will not eat thawed-out, blackened bananas. And then there are people like us.

The obvious response to these bananas was banana bread. I have a tried and true fruit bread recipe which I’ve used for bananas, blueberries, cloudberries, and pears. But this is the time of year to be a bit more creative in order to use up pantry items. With this in mind, I give you mochi banana bread. Mochi is a Japanese creation which uses sweet rice flour to make a dense, rich, but not-too-sweet dessert. With previous success baking a chocolate mochi cake, I wanted to give bananas a try.

The results of this experiment were a sugary-crisp crust enclosing the nicely dense banana bread I was going for. Blog worth! (Of course, we only publish the good stuff!)

Banana Mochi Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cup mochiko (sweet rice flour)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 cups smashed overripe bananas (about 6)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (substituting applesauce will lighten the bread)
  • 1 tsp Penzeys double strength vanilla extract (or 2 tsp regular vanilla extract)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix dry ingredients.
  3. In bowl of stand mixer, mix together all wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
  4. Stir dry ingredients into wet. Mix until just incorporated.
  5. Pour batter into loaf pan.
  6. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
  7. Cool loaf pan on wire rack until it can be handled. Then remove loaf from pan and continue cooling on wire rack.

Sour Cream Double Corn Muffins

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Sour cream double corn muffins_n

Speckled with red bell pepper and corn kernels, these corn muffins are waiting for a bowl of chili to happen.

With our time left in Point Hope numbered in weeks, we are going through the annual process of creating recipes based on what remains in our pantry. The last of the tri-tip roasts in our freezer inspired Jack to recreate his “Chili Done Large.” We’ll be closing out our lunches in style.

To accompany his chili, I brought out an almost-finished bag of corn meal. Usually the time-tested recipes on product packaging are pretty good, but this time relying on the maker’s recipe was a mistake. The corn muffins came out dry and bland. Time to create my own moist and flavorful version that would stand up to the merits of Jack’s flavor-packed chili con carne!

I wanted my muffins to have a rustic texture and also be moist. Coarse ground cornmeal and sour cream would be the key ingredients. The addition of whole sweet corn kernels added texture and complexity. Minced dried onions helped add another layer of flavor. And finally, I added dried bell peppers as “confetti” to give some color and zest to the muffins. A little butter smeared on to the muffins along with a drizzle of honey make these a satisfying balance to a bowl of spicy, smoky chili.

Sour Cream Double Corn Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • generous pinch salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp applesauce
  • 1 tsp dried minced onion
  • 2 tbsp dried red bell peppers
  • 1 cup thawed frozen corn

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 cup muffin tin. Set aside.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together wet ingredients except for corn.
  4. Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir until just mixed.
  5. Fold in corn.
  6. Pour batter into muffin tin.
  7. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Muffins should be just browning on the outside. A toothpick inserted in center of muffin should come out clean to indicate doneness.

Twisted Cinnamon Loaf Overnight French Toast

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cinnamon twist french toast_n

Swirling with, pecans, cinnamon, butter and maple syrup, this decadent creation puffs up like a soufflé in the oven. You and your guests will be inspired to linger over a leisurely morning table with a second mimosa.

We recently baked a loaf of twisted cinnamon bread, which is never better than on the morning it comes out of the oven. Since our Arctic kitchen is quite arid, items left out tend to dry out quickly, which gives us the opportunity to get creative with leftovers.

Overnight French toast is not a new recipe for us. But starting with a base of this wonderful twisted cinnamon bread was new. Soaking the bread overnight in an egg and cream mixture causes the bread to puff up magically during baking. Drizzled with maple syrup and served with a strip of thick bacon this cinnamon loaf French toast was a great way to start a weekend!

Twisted Cinnamon Bread Overnight French Toast

Ingredients

  • 8 inch-thick slices twisted cinnamon bread
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup half and half or heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk or soy milk
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for pecan topping:

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Butter an 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish.
  2. Lay slices of bread on bottom of glass baking dish.
  3. Thoroughly mix together eggs, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
  4. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover dish and place in refrigerator overnight.
  5. Bring bread mixture out of refrigerator and set on counter to come toward room temperature while preheating oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. Prepare pecan topping by mixing butter, pecans, and brown sugar.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes then top with pecan mixture.
  8. Continue baking another 20 minutes, until golden and puffed.
  9. Serve with maple syrup.

Twisted Brunch: Twisted Loaf Cinnamon Bread

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cinnamon braid_n

This sugary, buttery, cinnamon-laced, melt-in-your-mouth braided cinnamon loaf is centerpiece-worthy at the breakfast or bunch table.

In a quest for a visually unique loaf of bread, I came across a recipe for a Nutella twist which looked gorgeous. Reading through the instructions, I was surprised at how simple an intricate looking braid could be created. With plenty of cinnamon on hand, I decided to give this loaf a go sans Nutella. The result of my experiment is captured in the photo above and was a delicious compliment to plates of sunny-side-up friend eggs and mugs of French roast coffee.

However, upon further investigation, it turned out my “original” recipe idea had already been conceived and executed on the site Home Cooking Adventure. Nonetheless, here is my version of Estonian Kringle adapted for my dough machine.

Cinnamon Braid

Ingredients

Bread

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1 tbsp  granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg

Filling

  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place bread ingredients in bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
  3. Set cycle to “dough” and start machine.
  4. Make cinnamon filling while waiting for dough by combining filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mixing thoroughly.
  5. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, approximately 18″ x 12″.
  6. Spread cinnamon filling over dough evenly. Leave about 1/2″ border.
  7. Roll up dough jelly-roll style to form a long log.
  8. Cut log down the middle, the long way.
  9. Braid by wrapping the two cut pieces around each other, always leaving the cut sides up.
  10. Pinch ends of dough so that they will bake together.
  11. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Roasted Onion Cheddar Knots: Savory Stuffed Rolls for a Cold Winter’s Day

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Roasted onion cheese knots_n

Stuffed with cheddar cheese and warm out of the oven, these rolls are just the thing to go with a bowl of hot tomato soup on a chilly winter afternoon.

Cheddar knot rolls are fun to make, and just about everyone loves baked goods stuffed with tasty ingredients. Investing a little extra effort in roasting the onions for the top and cutting strips of cheese for the inside of the ropes results in a perfect accompaniment to soup as well as a savory take-along snack for a winter’s day walk or hike.

If you and your family and friends like these, try our Arctic Anpan 2 Ways for additional creative recipes for sweet and savory stuffed rolls.

Roasted Onion Cheddar Knots

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 5 tbsp powdered milk
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 oz. cheddar cheese cut into matchstick strips
  • 3 thin slices (discs) of onion
  • olive oil, smoked sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten

Directions

  1. Place first 7 ingredients into the pan of your bread machine, in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
  2. Turn machine on, dough cycle.
  3. When cycle is finished, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.
  4. Cut dough into 6 equal pieces.
  5. Roll and stretch each piece into ropes approximately 12 inches long.
  6. Flatten each rope. Place about four matchstick-shaped pieces of cheese down the middle of the flattened rope.
  7. Pinch dough closed around the cheese pieces so that you still have about a 12 inch rope with cheese enveloped in the center. Make sure you’ve really pinched these shut so they don’t pop open during baking.
  8. Tie the rope into a knot shape. Repeat with all the ropes.
  9. Let knots rest covered on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 45 minutes in a warm place. Knots should almost double in size.
  10. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  11. Toss onions with olive oil, smoked salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Onion rings should be separated and all should be well coated.
  12. Roast onions on baking sheet for about 10 minutes. They should be translucent and just starting to brown.
  13. Remove onions from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
  14. Brush knots with beaten egg. Place roasted onions atop egg-washed knots.
  15. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Finished rolls should be golden brown.

Seafood Kebabs on Forbidden Rice

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salmon kabab n

Seasoned cubes of wild Coho salmon, fat, succulent Kodiak scallops, sweet Alaska deep sea shrimp and artichoke hearts drenched in olive oil alternate on this broiled seafood kebab.

The early Persians were onto something. Skewered meats, seafoods and vegetables deftly seasoned and grilled or broiled to perfection are easy to whip up and always a hit. The variations on these Alaskan seafood kebabs are endless. We seasoned ours with a mixture of ginger, toasted sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, sea salt, sugar, garlic, pepper and a sprinkle of toasted coconut. Add a little soy sauce, too, and serve on a bed of nutrition-packed forbidden rice.

Seafood Kebobs

Ingredients

A dash or two each of

  • ginger (freshly grated or powdered)
  • toasted sesame seeds
  • black sesame seeds
  • sea salt
  • ground pepper
  • ground peppers such as chipotle or cayenne
  • garlic (fresh chopped fine or powdered)
  • toasted coconut
  • seafood such as chunks of salmon or other fish, whole scallops, prawns, etc.
  • vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, etc.
  • olive oil

Directions:

  1. Place broiler pan in oven and preheat on broil, or fire up grill.
  2. Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix to thoroughly coat seafood and vegetables.
  3. Put food on skewers and place on preheated broiling pan or on hot grill. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice.
  4. Serve hot.

Smoked Salmon Avocado Dip: Tasty California-Alaska Fusion

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smoked salmon avacado dip n
Served in avocado half-shells, this Alaskan twist on guacamole is as eye-catching as it is delicious! See the super quick and easy recipe below.

In our Arctic kitchen, homemade smoked salmon is an essential pantry staple for which there seems to be no end of uses. Mix a little in with the stuffing in deviled eggs to create salmon stuffed eggs, and you’ve never seen this standard party dish disappear so quickly. A smoked salmon and seafood frittata or smoked salmon crepes make a gourmet’s breakfast. Or stuff a Portabella cap with smoked salmon and a favorite cheese and fire up the grill for a dinner guests will savor.

Our most recent use for smoked salmon came about when Barbra returned from a trip to Anchorage with two large, perfectly ripe avocados. This turned out to be a “Why didn’t we think of this before?” dish that we pass along here.

Smoked Salmon Avocado Dip

  • Cut a soft, ripe avocado in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to gently scoop out the insides, taking care to not break the shell.
  • Place the avocado in a bowl and smash with a fork. Add approximately an equal amount of smoked salmon and some coarsely ground black or multi-colored pepper. Gently mix together. More avocado results in a creamier dip, more salmon makes for a chunkier dip.
  • Return mixture to avocado halves. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips and a favorite ale or lager.