Sugar Mag’s Steak and Eggs

Counter Scene video at 8AM

Sugar Mag’s Steak and Eggs, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

Passports Roast Beef Sandwich With Thousand Island Mushrooms, Chipolte, Sauteed Onions On A Virgilio’s Roll

Don’t forget the Joey Fries- thinly sliced, done well and with lots of salt.

Christmas Hos at Passports

I helped my buddy Erik put together a blog for his restaurant- he is now posting specials and the updated menus

you can chickity check it out by clicking this here-http://passportsrestaurant.wordpress.com/

Christmas Hos at Passports, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

Christmas Eve at Sister Felicia’s House

If you grew up in a Sicilian house in Gloucester you know what this is-

I’m so glad my sister and mother keep up my Grandmother’s traditions.

No, You Don't Eat The Cranberries

Yellow Sub Shop Native Shrimp Sub

Yellow Sub Shop makes these native shrimp subs.  Now that’s an easy way to enjoy our local shrimp without even having to cook them!

Last Minute Recipe Idea: Recipe Video of Good Morning Gloucester Holiday Cookie Contest Winner – Laurel Tarantino Snowball Cookies

This cookie recipe melts in your mouth and is easy to do. Laurel Tarantino entered her cookies called Snowballs in the first annual cookie contest that was organized by Laurie Lufkin. The contest was designed to find the best cookies around and support the Open Door Food Pantry this holiday season. The video features Laurie showing you with step-by-step instructions how you can make these yourself. These prize winners impressed the judges in all categories – including taste, appeal, appearance and overall appeal – so they are worth checking out.

You can see the video at http://food.gloucestertimes.com. Here is a short segment-

TJ Peckham and Tom Ryan Host Second Week of Live Home Brewing and Beer Show “The Deadliest Batch” Wed at 7:00 PM

“The Deadliest Batch” will be on again this Wednesday at 7:00 PM and cover all things home brewing. It is live so that viewers can email in their questions. You can watch the live or a replay of last week’s sow at http://food.gloucestertimes.com.

This week’s show features how to carbonate your home brew, put your beer into a keg, and bottle it. In addition they will discuss Christmas gift ideas for the home brewer, whether they be experienced or just starting out. As always, they will also feature a recipe of the week and this week it is No Worries Wassail. Last but not least is the weekly beer tasting, and this week it will be the historical Saint Bernardus Christmas Ale, from a brewery located in a remote area of West Flanders, Belgium.

The Bean Kneads The Dough

At American Flatbread Company they give the kids dough to play with while you wait for your pizza.  A good idea that I’d never heard of before.

The Bean Kneads The Dough, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

Snoop Maddie Mad

Tony Gross’ Swedish Coffee Bread

Every Christmastime Tony Gross, the skipper of the lobsterboat F/V Sandollar makes a ridiculous number of Swedish Coffee Bread loaves and gives them out to friends.  I made the mistake and called it Nisu but because the recipe comes from an elder in Tony’s family he insists it be called Swedish Coffee Bread.

It’s delicious and best eaten within a day of cooking.  I sure am glad I’m on the list of those who get one every year!

Cape Ann Coffee’s Chicken and Corn Chowder

Pretty damn good on a cold snowy day I tell you.

Inspired Cooking Beauport Vodka Salmon Video Part II With Bobby Ryan

Another easy Appetizer Recipe for Christmas and New Years!

Here is re-post of the vodka cured salmon recipe because it is so easy to make and delicious that I figured might be nice to make for the holidays.  If you have any questions, as always, please don’t hesitate to comment on this post and I will answer you.

My sister Kate Lufkin and I had a tour which took us through the entire process from the raw ingredients to how they do the small batch bottling by hand.   When the tour was over Kate made some excellent cocktails and I made the recipe below–Vodka cured salmon with lemon mustard sauce.  I hope you enjoy it!

You can easily increase the amount of salmon by two or three times to feed a large crowd and if well wrapped, this cured fish keeps for weeks under refrigeration.  The sauce is excellent with all kinds of fish and shellfish and also works well with chicken or a sandwich spread so make lots!

Beauport Vodka Cured Salmon with Mustard Lemon Sauce

¾ pound skin on salmon fillet

1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup Beauport Vodka

Rinse and pat dry salmon.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine lemon zest, one tablespoon lemon juice, salt, sugar chopped dill and vodka.  Stir to combine.

On a flat plate, layer 3 sheets of plastic wrap overlapping each other.  Place salmon, skin side down on the middle of the wrap.  Pour mixture on top of salmon flesh and tightly wrap.  Use more plastic wrap around salmon if necessary to keep liquid in.  Place on a flat plate and balance another plate on top of salmon and weight plate with something heavy, like a pound of butter for example.

Store salmon in fridge overnight or for at least 18 hours.  When ready to serve, remove wrap and rinse off dill mixture.  Pat salmon dry and thinly slice with the grain of the fish.  Serve on crostini, thinly sliced bread or with eggs (excellent!) and bagels, topping with the lemon mustard sauce  (recipe follows) as desired.

Mustard Lemon Sauce

¼ cup horseradish mustard (or any flavor you like)
¼ cup good mayonnaise
2 teaspoons shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Inspired Cooking airs on Cape Ann TV on Tuesday nights at 8:30, Friday afternoons at 4:30 and Sundays at 11:30 AM.  I hope you will tune in!

Inspired Cooking Beauport Vodka Salmon Video Part I With Bobby Ryan

Part I Click pic to play

Part II at 8PM tonight

Need a party appetizer for Christmas? Try Creamy Mushroom Marsala Bites

I made this recipe up because I love chicken Marsala and wanted to get the same flavors in an appetizer-but without the chicken.  I have entered this recipe into a contest on http://www.mixingbowl.com and if you want to go and vote for my recipe, please go right ahead.  You can vote daily until the end of the year.  You do have to be a Mixing Bowl member so if you feel like signing up to a great recipe site, go right ahead!  I highly recommend the site as a great resource for all types of recipes.  And if you make these, please let me know what you think.

These gorgeous little bites are a hit at parties–but be sure to eat them in one bite or you will have a mess on your hands–literally!

Servings:         6

Prep time:       20 minutes

Cook time:      5 minutes

Total time:       30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 oz. proscuitto, finely chopped
4 oz sliced button mushrooms, roughly chopped
4 oz. sliced baby Portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
30 mini phyllo shells
1/3 cup Marsala wine
¼ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup cottage cheese
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped, plus more for garnish (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter. Add shallots and saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add chopped proscuitto and brown slightly, about 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add chopped mushrooms and toss with butter mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture is nearly dry, about 10-12 minutes.

In the meantime, place phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake 3-5 minutes until crisp. Remove from oven set aside.

Add the Marsala to the mushrooms, stir and cook again until pan is again dry. Add heavy cream and cottage cheese and cook again until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove mixture from heat and stir in chopped chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Fill shells with a scant tablespoon of mushroom mixture. Top with a fresh chive segment if desired and serve immediately. Mixture also keeps tightly covered in the refrigerator for a week. Simply fill phyllo with mushroom mixture and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Enjoy!

And here is the direct link so you can vote if you want to:

http://www.mixingbowl.com/message/recipe/view.castle?g=1222768&m=7966710