Importance of a Spice Grinder

Why does any kitchen need a spice grinder? Have you ever seen one and asked yourself this question? Me, I honestly prefer a mortar and pestle, but some people use electronic spice grinders, and they all do the same thing. Still, why does a kitchen need one?

Have you ever seen a recipe call for a ground spice or herb, and you have the required spice or herb, but it is not in ground form. It is flakes, it is whole, it is otherwise not ground, but you do have it. This is why any kitchen should have something to grind spices with. Plus, a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder, allows you to blend spices and herbs rather easily.

Some of my favorite spices are coriander and various types of peppercorns. For me, it is cheaper to buy the whole spice and grind it myself as I need it. Also, you get more of the spice's flavor from grinding it, as it allows for more of the spice to dissolve into the food. Whole coriander and whole peppercorns can be aggressive and overly potent if used and chewed. Personally, I love the flavor of coriander, but I absolutely hate biting into a whole seed and getting that rush of flavor from it. I'd rather have a mild coriander flavor throughout the dish, rather than whole seeds laying around.

So I use a mortar and pestle or some other form of grinding implement, and I grind the spices and herbs as coarse or as fine as I desire. This is also a wonderful way to work out aggression and stress; pulverizing spices and herbs into fine powder that you can cook with later. Another use for these tools is blending together spices and herbs to make your own seasoning mixture. You could make a pre-blended mix of apple pie or pumpkin pie spices. This would take guesswork and measure out of making pies later, especially if you seal your ground spices in pre-measured doses.

Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
2 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Apple Pie Spice
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Another wonderful use, is you can make rubs for steaks and pork chops. Keep your favorite homemade blend near the grill so it's always there. You could blend together your own curry powder as well for making a warm delicious curry during the cold winter months.

Curry Powder:

2 TSP Whole Coriander
2 TSP Whole Cumin
1 TSP Ground Ginger
1/2 TSP Whole Cloves
1 1/2 TSP Cardamom
1/2 TSP Cinnamon
1 TSP Dried Turmeric
1.5 TSP Cayenne or Ancho Pepper Powder, more or less for your preferred level of heat

Toast the cloves, cumin, and coriander in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, until they begin change color and become more aromatic. Combine all the ingredients in a mortar and pestle or some other spice grinder, and grind into a fine powder. Store for later use. It's that simple.

So, you are sitting there, reading this, and realizing you don't have a spice grinder. Well, anything that grinds will work fine, such as a coffee grinder (just make sure you clean it well before using it for spices). Go get yourself a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, and explore your own flavors and combinations, but before I let you go, I will leave you with my homemade chili powder recipe.

Druid's Chili Powder

1 TBSP Dried and Crushed Chipotle Chile Peppers
1 TBSP Dried and Crushed Chiles de Arbol
1 TSP Dried Minced Garlic
1 TSP Dried Minced Onion
1/2 TSP Mustard Seed
1 TSP Whole Coriander
2 TSP Whole Cumin

Mix up as much or as little as you need, grind it down into a fine powder, and store it away for future use. Very simple, and very flavorful, and you can use as much or as little as you desire to heat your favorite chili.

~Bon Appétit~

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Steak With Portabella Sauce

A delicious combination of Portabella mushrooms, steak, and a creamy sauce that comes together nicely over a bed of polenta or couscous. You will need two skillets, and I will break this recipe down per skillet.

Scotch-Steak Skillet:

2 Rib Eye Steaks
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup V8 Juice
1/2 Cup Scotch Whisky
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 TSP Coriander
1 TSP Marjoram
1 TSP Salt
1 TSP Coarse-Ground Black Pepper
Portabella Mushroom Caps, cut into 1/8 inch strips

Portabella Mushroom Sauce Skillet:

2 TBSP + 1 TSP Flour
3 TBSP Butter
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Diced Yellow Onion
3/4 Cup diced Portabella Mushroom Stems
1 1/2 TBSP Cream Cheese
1 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 TSP Garlic Powder

1: Portabella Mushroom Sauce Skillet: Melt down butter in a hot skillet; add in the Worcestershire sauce, onions, and mushroom stems and sauté until onions begin to brown. Mix in flour and garlic powder slowly until a creamy roux forms, continue cooking this for 10-15 minutes.

2: Scotch-Steak Skillet: Add all ingredients except the mushrooms and steak, and heat to a boil. Add steaks gently, carefully place half the mushroom cap strips on top of the steaks and cover the skillet, cooking for 5-10 minutes. Don't worry, the heat of the skillet will burn off the alcohol in the scotch, so you won't be getting drunk off this dish.

3: Portabella Mushroom Sauce Skillet: Combine the milk, water, and cream cheese to the skillet and stir quickly with a whisk, mixing all the ingredients thoroughly until well blended. Switch to a low heat and simmer the mixture for 10-15 minutes and then turn off the heat and cover the skillet with a lid.

4: Scotch-Steak Skillet: Flip the steaks and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes or until cooked-through. The mushroom cap strips will fall into the sauce as you flip them, do not worry about this, as you still have half the strips set aside, right?

5: Use a spatula to remove the steaks from the scotch sauce and place carefully upon a ready plate. Top the steaks with the remaining strips of mushroom caps, then spoon the Portabella sauce onto the steaks, making sure to get each steak mostly smothered in the delicious creamy sauce. Serve.

This can be served on its own, or as I often do it; on a bed of rice, couscous, or polenta. Adding a starch gives you a filling layer to soak up the Portabella sauce so none of it goes to waste. Also, keep in mind that I soak my steaks in the same sauce it cooks in for roughly 6 hours, which allows the meat to take in some of the flavor before it cooks. Marinating the steaks is completely optional and can be changed according to the flavor you are going for. So I ask that you give this a try, tinker with it to make it your own, and enjoy!

~Bon Appétit~

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Simple Conversion Chart

Ever wonder need a quick conversion chart for your kitchen that was easy to follow? Well, I know this has been passed around the internet a few times, but I felt it deserved being posted here. I'm thinking of having a few done as fridge magnets so I can keep one in the kitchen at all times.

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Unconventional Steak Rub and Marinade

Have you ever considered what you have around the house that you could use to make a new spice rub for steaks? Well, what if I told you to combine ground coffee, cocoa powder, and ground dried chipotle peppers? You would probably say I am absolutely out of my mind. Well, I highly suggest that you try it.

Steak-Rub Mix:

1/2 Cup Ground Coffee or Espresso
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 TBSP dried Chipotle Peppers, ground or crushed
1 TSP Celery Salt
1 TSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Coarse-Ground Black Pepper
1 TSP Ginger
1 TSP Ground Coriander
1/2 TSP Thyme
1/2 TSP Paprika

Mix ingredients together in a bowl, then rub lightly onto your steaks before cooking. Simple as that.

Oh, you are saying this isn't enough for a post about seasoning steak? How about savory rum marinade to go with it? I can do that easily. I've used this marinade many, many times to bring a delicious flavor to the meat.

Caribbean Rum Marinade:

1 Cup Spiced Rum (Captain Morgan)
1/2 Cup Canned Crushed Pineapples
1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice (can use the stuff from the can)
1/2 Cup Tobasco Hot Sauce (I use the Jalapeno variety, but you can change this to your favorite flavor)
1 TBSP Ground Black Pepper
1 TBSP Garlic Powder
1 TBSP Ginger
1 TBSP Savory
1 TSP Salt

Combine all ingredients in a deep bowl or dish, place raw steaks or pork chops into the mixture and allow to set for 6-12 hours. Flip meat once, and allow to soak another 6-12 hours. Grill and serve.

This is about using things normally one would not consider to be an ingredient in cooking meat. So I highly suggest you try, you explore, and you make your own discoveries in the kitchen. Just because something seems like it wouldn't go well, doesn't mean it shouldn't be tried.

~Bon Appétit~

Druid's Mac & Cheese

This a delicious simple recipe that is sure to be a hit with everyone you know. It is especially good during the chilly autumn months when you are looking for something hearty and delicious to keep you warm. This takes roughly 30-45 minutes to put together, and another 30 minutes to bake, but the end result is well worth the effort it takes to create this wonderful dish.

16-18 Ounces of your favorite pasta (Elbow Macaroni being the most common, but I use Fusilli)
1/2 cup of cooked, crumbled bacon
2 Cups of shredded Colby Jack Cheese or Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese or Cream Cheese
3 Cups Milk
1/4 Cup Butter
2 1/2 TBSP Flour

1: Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and set aside.

2: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a creamy roux. Add milk to the sauce slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses and bacon, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put pasta in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over pasta. Stir well.

Topping:

2 TBSP Butter
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/8 TSP Paprika
1/8 TSP Ancho Chili Powder
1/8 TSP Dried Parsley Flakes
1/8 TSP Garlic Powder

3: Melt butter over medium heat, add breadcrumbs and cook until brown. Remove from heat, sprinkle with the spices and spread over the pasta.

4: Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the pasta from the oven, and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes before serving. 

This can be served as a side dish to something else, or use this as the main course for a warm, delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy. Instead of bacon, try cooked ground beef and add a little mustard to the sauce for a yummy Cheeseburger Macaroni. The possibilities are endless for this dish when it comes to making your own. So cook, eat, and enjoy.

Hint: If you start the roux at the same time you start the water boiling for the pasta, then add the cheese once you add the pasta to the water, it will be done at the same time. Also as a dish-saving step, once you drain the pasta and water from the one pot, you can use this same pot to do the bread crumb topping.

~Bon Appétit~ 

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Druid's Chicken and Dumplings

This is a delicious recipe that I'm actually eating as I write this, and trust me, it's delicious. A creamy-style chicken 'soup' topped with light, fluffy biscuit-like dumplings. This uses leftover chicken from the night before, but of course as with any of my recipes, feel free to use fresh chicken or even sausage or bacon with it and make it your own.

2 Cups Shredded Cooked Roast Chicken
1/2 Cup finely diced roasted chicken skin (Optional, helps add a little more chicken flavor to the dish)
3 Large Red Potatoes, diced
1 Cup of sliced carrots
1/2 Small yellow onion, finely diced
1 can of Campbell's Cream of Celery Soup mixed with 1 can of water
1 TSP Coriander
1 TSP Thyme
1 TSP Black Pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 TBSP Butter
Salt to taste

In a slow cooker, combine everything excluding the chicken and skin. Set temperature to high and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring every hour or so. With the temperature still on high, add the chicken and diced skin then continue cooking for 2 hours. Continue onto next step.

Dumplings:

1 1/2 Cups Baking Mix (Such as Bisquick)
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 TSP minced garlic
1/4 TSP Olive Oil
1/2 TSP minced onion
1 TSP Herbs De Provence (Thyme, Rosemary, Basil, Sage, Fennel, Savory, and Marjoram)

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Dough will be sticky and you may have better luck using a fork or a spatula to mix, as it will clump into the wires of a whisk. Spoon the dough onto the top of the bubbling soup in the slow cooker. Do not worry if it isn't evenly covered or one dough-ball is larger than the others, they will spread out as they cook.

Continue to cook on high for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the dumplings comes out dry.

Serve, and enjoy!

~Bon Appétit~

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An Exposé on Rum

Rum, that delicious distilled liquid cherished by pirates, sailors, and cigar enthusiasts around the world. This is going to be a brief discussion about that oh so fine spirit that so many of us enjoy, but I'm not going to discuss the cheaper rums like Bacardi and Captain Morgan; they are great for mixing drinks and getting wasted at a frat party, but I'd much rather discuss the sipping rums; such as a fine bottle of Ron Zacapa 23 Year Old Centenario or Santa Teresa 1796. This is a discussion on the good rums, the rums you place up in a locked shelf away from the everyday guest; reserving it only for those wonderful special occasions.

Yes, rum can be enjoyed much like a fine cognac or bourbon. It has flavors, notes, and a good rum will almost tell a story with the hints of flavor and spices. Take a fine bottle of Ron Zacapa Centenario, which is a delicious Solera-style rum from Guatemala. We will get into what exactly Solera-style is later, but for now, let's discuss the story of flavor.

For me, I like my Centenario served in a brandy snifter so I can enjoy the full aroma of the rum. Take in the scent of vanilla and aged oak barrels. The sip itself becomes a story of sorts. Starting with an opening scene of sweet vanilla and dark hints of almonds. From here it moves into the middle, the climax of the story, which is brought on by a deep caramel flavor, touches of cocoa, and a lightly aged flavor of sweet fruits. The finale is the smooth and mellow texture, and the lingering sweet aroma of 23 year old aged rum that plays with your palate like a soft fall breeze, leaving you with a delicate and quite pleasant memory. This is the story of Ron Zacapa in a single sip.

Are all fine, top-shelf rums amber? By the gods no. There are some quite delicious dark and blanco (white) rums as well. Take Oronoco or Ron Anejo Pampero Aniversario for example. Oronoco is a delicious sweet rum distilled in Brazil by a cachaça plantation. It's very gentle, mellow, and comes with soft notes of sugary sweetness, tropical nuts, and a delicious vanilla aroma that settles nicely into your senses.

Pampero makes an exquisitely dark spiced rum that is great for a pleasantly aggressive take on the deliciousness of sipping rums. It comes with pungent notes of coffee and caramel, striking like a viper with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, but leaving your palate with a smoothness and lingering darkness that is reminiscent of a delicious spiced rum. Its definitely a pleasant sipping rum, and the leather pouch it comes in makes a wonderful dice bag or coin purse if you are into re-purposing items. I still have the bag I got from a bottle almost 6 years ago, it has served me well in my many D&D campaigns.

The different types of rum are often distilled from different processes involving sugar cane. Some use molasses, which leads to a more caramelized rum with a darker color; while some use the sugary syrup which brings out a delicate sweetness with a lighter color. Both versions are great in my own personal point of view, but for me, my downright favorite has to be a Solera-style rum, such as Ron Zacapa or Santa Teresa. Solera simply means that the rum is aged in a very unique way. They age the rum in oak barrels, transferring the rum to different barrels every few years, while leaving a little behind in each barrel. This is done until the desired age of the rum is reached and it is finally bottled. In the case of Ron Zacapa, this gives you a bottle that is a perfect blend of rums between 6 and 23 years old, allowing for a vast, and quite pleasant array of flavors and scents. I would highly suggest giving one of the Solera-style rums a try next time you are looking for a delicious sipping liquor to enjoy with close friends or on a special occasion.

When most people talk of rum, they generally are talking about the lower-quality items like Bacardi or Captain Morgan, and have never experienced what a true rum is supposed to taste like. Just like a delicate French cognac, or a sweet Kentucky bourbon, rum has its top-shelf sipping side as well. Something that can be enjoyed on the patio during a chilly fall evening while watching the leaves fall. Letting the aroma and flavors of the delicious rum blend with the scents and scenery of the view. So, next time you are cruising the local liquor store for something new to try, I would highly suggest a visit to the selections of rums from around the globe. Find that dusty bottle on the top shelf with the cork and let yourself indulge in the pleasing flavor of one the world's oldest and most famous distilled spirits. And know this, when it comes to rum, you often do pay for quality.

Enjoy responsibly and ~Bon Appétit~

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Druid's Easy Alfredo Sauce

This sauce I just made tonight. It was delicious; much better than the 'easy' alfredo sauce I tried to make a few weeks ago. I used mild Italian sausage, making the sauce in the same skillet I cooked the sausage in, without removing the meat or drippings. So If it needs a little work to go with other meats, such as chicken or shrimp, please, let me know.

1 Pint Half and Half
1 Cup Cream Cheese
2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Finely Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Button Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Parsley Flakes

1: Combine olive oil, garlic, onion, and mushrooms in a hot skillet, and sauté until onions become soft and begin to turn clear.

2: Stir in the half and half and add the butter. Heat this mixture to a light boil, stirring frequently.

3: Once the sauce begin to bubble, add in the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and parsley flakes. Continue to stir until the cream cheese is melted down and blended into the sauce.

4: Salt and pepper to taste, and pour over your favorite pasta. This sauce will thicken as it cools, and if it is too runny for your taste, add a little more Parmesan cheese. Serve, and enjoy!

Now, as I said above, I had cooked sausage in the skillet before hand, and left the meat and drippings in the pan as I made the sauce, which definitely added its own unique flavor to the sauce. So keep this in mind if you are preparing this with chicken, shrimp, or some other favorite meat. Try this out, make it your own, and let me know how it turns out for you! Also, when the sauce was done, I sprinkled some shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses over top, but this is completely optional. Serve with your favorite bread sticks or garlic toast, and enjoy this creamy delicious sauce.

~Bon Appétit~

Hot Spiced Mead

We are officially in fall, and it's time to start talking about warm drinks to sip by a fireplace on those chilly nights. What is better than a true Viking classic: Spiced Mead.

1 Bottle of Mead (Honeywine)
1 Cup Kentucky Bourbon (Wild Turkey)
3 Cinnamon sticks
1 TBSP Ground Nutmeg
1 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Ground Ginger
8 whole cloves

1: Place the cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, sugar, cloves, and ginger into a pouch made of cheesecloth or some other porous cloth that will allow the spices to meld with the liquid. Tie the pouch closed with a piece of string and place into a large pot or slow cooker.

2: Pour both the mead and bourbon into the pot, covering the pouch of spices. Heat ingredients until the liquid is steaming and the spices have steeped into the wine. Remove from heat and remove the pouch of spices. Serve immediately by ladling the mulled mead into mugs or drinking horns. Garnish each mug with a stick of cinnamon or a peppermint stick for stirring and extra flavor. 

Serve this with your favorite snacks, or as a late-night sip before bed. I like to pair this with some homemade gingerbread cookies or fresh apple pie. You can do this with other wines as well. For a red wine: replace the mead with a sweet red wine (such as a Port), and replace the bourbon with brandy. For a white wine: replace the mead with a sweet white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Muscat), and replace the bourbon with calvados (Apple Brandy).

~Bon Appétit~

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Creamy Chicken Carbonara

This is a favorite dish of mine when I go out, so I did some research and taught myself how to make it as well. It goes well with any pasta, on rice, or even as the filling for a hot sandwich. Since we are in the fall months, and things are cooling down, I figured this was a perfect time to share this recipe.

4-6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

1 LB. of Hickory Smoked Bacon, chopped into roughly 1/2 inch pieces

2 Cups Heavy Cream

1 Cup Diced Yellow Onion or Shallots

1/2 Cup Chopped Button Mushrooms

1 TSP Finely Minced Garlic

2 TBSP Butter

1 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 Cup shredded Asiago Cheese

1/4 Cup shredded Provalone Cheese

4 Egg Yolks

1: In a large sauce pan sauté the chopped bacon until golden brown but still tender. Drain off half the grease and add the butter, chicken, garlic, mushrooms, and onion. Cook until chicken is tender.

2: Add the cream, and salt and pepper to taste, then heat to boiling, stirring frequently.

3: Stir in the grated cheese and egg yolks, mixing the ingredients together well. Serve over rice, pasta, in a bread bowl, or on a sandwich. Sprinkle with the shredded cheeses and enjoy immediately.

This is a warm, hearty, flavor-filled dish that I fell in love with years ago, and when I like something, I have to figure out how to replicate it. Feel free to add peas, olives, try different cheeses, or even use mild Italian sausage instead of chicken. Make this dish your own, and enjoy it with friends and family.

~Bon Appétit~

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