Grouse Hunting: A Walk in the Woods with a Gun

I know, there’s a reason they call it hunting and fishing, as opposed to killing and catching. And I certainly wouldn’t expect to come home with my limit every day. But sometimes I feel like Forrest Gump before the hurricane hit when he said, “Shrimping is TOUGH.” Well, grouse hunting is tough too.

Colorado is so [...]

Pheasant Black Bean Soup

Pheasant legs and back with bones
4 bouillon cubes (2 Not-Chik’n and 2 Not-Beef, or 4 veggie)
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 leeks, white part only, split, washed, and chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
1 can black beans
1 can black beans with cumin and chiles
5 cups cold [...]

Flan

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup blanched, slivered almonds
1 1/2 cans Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs (whole)
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
Optional: bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put sugar in round 9 x 3-inch pan. Put over heat to caramelize.

In blender, combine almonds, milk, eggs, vanilla, and bananas if you are using [...]

Mother Marie’s Pumpkin Bread

With Halloween right around the corner, and Thanksgiving after that, I thought it would be a good time to add my mother’s pumpkin “bread” recipe. When you look at the ingredients, you might think pumpkin cake would be a better name for this treat, but either way, it is delightful, and easy to make.

4 [...]

Roberto’s Super Secret Shrimp Ceviche Recipe

This recipe is so secret that I am not allowed to post the missing ingredient. It’s so secret that I don’t know what the missing ingredient is. It’s very very good, but when my friend Roberto makes it, it is a little bit better still.

2 cups raw shrimp, peeled and diced
Place in shallow dish and [...]

Avocado and Tomato Salad

4 avocados, peeled and cut into 16ths
1 sweet onion, slice thinly
1 package grape tomatoes, cut in half

Dressing
1 clove garlic, crushed
1T chopped basil
1t Worcestershire sauce
2T extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine avocado, onion, and tomatoes in bowl. In a separate bowl combine dressing ingredients. Pour over avocado mixture and stir, being careful not to [...]

Surf and Turf Sushi Roll

3 cups cooked Japanese rice (you can add rice wine vinegar and sugar, but we don’t)

Fresh fish, sauteed in olive oil and cut into strips (we used brown trout)

Venison, marinated in teriyaki sauce and grilled for 5 minutes a side. Cut into strips.

Cream cheese

English cucumber, peeled and sliced into strips

Avocado, peeled and sliced into strips

Steamed [...]

Frying Pan River Trout Sashimi

2 scallions, sliced

1 cup ponzu sauce (available at health food stores)

1/2 t to 1 t chili garlic sauce (to taste. it’s spicy. start with a little and adjust as desired)

2 fish filets (sliced thin), raw, fresh, from a river/running water or salt water, NOT from a lake or brackish water. We use brown trout from [...]

Root Vegetable Puree

This is a great alternative to mashed potatoes. We used to have it with our Thanksgiving dinner.

3 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and diced

1 1/2 pounds rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 pound carrots, peeled and sliced thin

6T soft butter

1 cup whipping cream

Cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. In another pan cook carrots and [...]

Gussie’s Spinach Casserole

3 packages frozen chopped spinach

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup minced yellow onion

1/2 cup melted butter mixed with Pepperidge Farms herb stuffing

Squeeze excess juice from thawed spinach. Add cream cheese, soup, and onion. Mix well. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Toss stuffing in melted butter and sprinkle on [...]