Good Times & Good Food

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by Bushcraft_Dave, Oct 10, 2022.

  1. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Last week I hiked a bit in Mammoth California. We hiked to a place called the Devils Postpile (a very unique geological feature) and a a beautiful water fall- Rainbow Falls. We also visited Mono Lake.

    bottom of Devils Postpile:

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    from the top:

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    side of Devils Postpile:

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    rainbow falls:

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    Ansel Adams Wilderness:

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    Aspen Trees changing colors:

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    mono lake:

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    Throwing in a knife photo:
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    Last edited: Oct 10, 2022
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  2. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Throwing in some cooking photos:


    Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)


    Im currently living in an area where the food choices are very limited but it’s a good thing there’s well supplied markets here and if I crave a dish bad enough, I can scrounge up the ingredients to make it myself. I usually watch YouTube videos, recipe websites, or buy cookbooks. I’ve been craving Thai lately. It’s tasty sweet spicy and hits the spot! Plus some dishes are relatively simple, like this one.


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    Steak au poivre (black pepper steak with cream sauce) and Hasselback Potatoes.

    (Recipe from Ethan Becker’s (Becker Knife & Tool) family cook book: THE JOY OF COOKING - 2019 Ed.)


    I used a nice bottle of cognac to cook it up, which I drank after dinner. The BK5 is courtesy of a very generous member of the Becker sun forum on blade forums, Don W., who hosted a generous giveaway and I was lucky enough to win it!



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    Thai Basil Chicken


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    Butter basted Steak with garlic and rosemary.



    Heavily seasoned with salt and pepper, basted in Kerrygold butter , garlic and rosemary. While I was prepping the steaks and letting it get to room temp, I used a recipe from Ethan Beckers Joy of Cooking cook book. I threw in potatoes, Brussel sprouts and green beans with seasoning onto a foil packet and threw it in the oven. I only had a skillet to clean.


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    Last edited: Oct 10, 2022
  3. anrkst6973

    anrkst6973 Member

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    He hikes..he cooks..goes to awesome places..you can see why she’s trying to jump on him and get him down. He might escape!! ;)
     
  4. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    haha lol, I learn from the best- my ESEE brothers on this forum!
     
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  5. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Hello friends!

    Today I made another recipe from Ethan Becker (Becker knives) family cook book, The Joy of Cooking:

    Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

    First I spatchcocked the chicken by removing the spine (saving it in the freezer with the giblets). I don’t have heavy duty kitchen sheers so I decided to use good ole 1095 crovan by the way of the ESEE/ Becker collaboration: The BK14 the EsKabar.

    It was pretty easy removing the spine and then opening up the bird and located the keel bone. Made a few incisions and removed it so that the chicken will lie flatter.

    we tried an organic air chilled chicken and it came out really good. We left it outside to get to room temperature. Heavily seasoned it with salt, oil and poultry seasoning. Cut vegetables pretty big so they wouldn’t burn in the oven. Pretty basic medley- carrots, celery, onions, and elephant garlic. Coated it all with olive oil and an herb mix.

    350 oven and it took an hour and 10 mins, last ten mins I had the oven at 400 to brown the skin

    skin came out so flavorful and salty, the chicken meat was sweet and juicy, and the veggies were caramelized and sweet- the carrots tasted like candy! The garlic was sweet and fragrant.

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  6. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    I made a Vietnamese dish tonight- “Shaken Beef s/ mushrooms on top of a baby spinach salad.”

    I used 3 ribeyes and marinated it with salt, pepper, oyster sauce, low sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, mirin, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic

    it’s all cooked with green onion, a red onion, and garlic.

    It’s supposed to be served on watercress but I couldn’t find any so I used baby spinach. I used a lime, salt and pepper dressing.

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  7. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Shepherds Pie (cheated w/ instant mashed potatoes)

    I love Shepherds Pie and this one came out ok, not as deep and savory as I would have liked. I will try again. It was filling and hearty! I’ll use Kent Rollins recipe next time, as was recommended to me.


    browning the lamb
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    Made a garlic butter mushroom side
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    I couldn’t get the top to brown and it was getting late so we ate it as is.
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  8. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    It’s been chilly lately and I’ve been craving a hearty soup to warm up my bones. I found a really easy bratwurst soup recipe and I thought adding some southern style drop dumplings would make an awesome meal so I gave it a try.

    Bratwurst Soup w/ Vegetables and Southern Style Drop Dumplings

    Really simple, everything on its on already is delicious. Beer bratwurst (crumbled), potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic and beef broth. At the end add salt, pepper and if need be- chicken or beef bouillon cubes. Season to taste

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    Brown the meat and build a fond
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    Add all the ingredients:
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    After 20 mins:
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    Simple drop dumplings mix:
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    Good eating:

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    Last edited: Nov 14, 2022
  9. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Today my girlfriend decided to treat me to a Filipino dish. I’m not Filipino and it’s really a treat and a pleasure to be introduced to dishes she ate as a child growing up in the Philippines.

    Beef Shank Stew w/ Cabbage, Potatoes, Green Beans, and Corn

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  10. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    I’m trying to nurse my GF back into health today. She’s on strict orders: rest, water, vitamins, and soup…


    BECKER CHICKEN SOUP


    Went back and forth between the Knulujulu and ky chefs knife


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    Salted, floured, and then trying to brown it, put too much chicken in at once it kinda boiled. The flour did start to build a fond.


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    Cleaned out the fridge and threw in bok choy into the mix


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    Simmering… percolating and mingling going on-


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    I was going to make some southern style drop dumplings but got lazy and ate it with rice



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  11. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    I'll be right over! :)
     
  12. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Pull right up, saved ya a seat with a cup of coffee
     
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  13. Theo

    Theo Member

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    Good looking food!
     
  14. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Thank you Theo it’s been fun cooking ‍
     
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  15. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Kept dinner simple tonight, since it's the calm before the storm. Pan fried steaks in my cast Iron skillet. I tried a coulette cut steak today for the first time, cooked medium. Over cooked it a bit, I wanted medium rare. The other is a NY strip, cooked done (GF preference).

    Used the Nordsmith Canteen Knife for the honors. The handle is a work of art and the LTWK team did an amazing job with all the contours.

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    Last edited: Nov 24, 2022
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  16. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    First time cooking a Turkey. I was supposed to just cook the Turkey but Covid happened and I had to rush and put together a couple of sides. Very basic spread but hey, gotta adapt.

    I used the Turkey bag method and it came out moist. I brined it for 12hrs, should’ve been 48hrs. The drippings made an amazing gravy.

    First Turkey completed, it came out pretty decent, I’ll take that as a win. Rib roast for Christmas next.



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  17. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Used leftovers to make an old classic school cafeteria- Turkey Slop.

    I used up all the celery and carrots, so it's just leftover turkey, Turkey dripping, milk, flour, and some seasoning- over mash.

    Had This for lunch and really enjoyed it!

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  18. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    Cajun Chicken Stew

    I got inspired by a forum buddy who posted up his mother in laws Creole Chicken Stew.

    Chicken thigh
    Celery
    Bell pepper
    Onion
    Garlic
    Chili
    Chicken stock
    Cajun seasoning
    Salt and pepper
    Green onion

    Browned the chicken
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    Browned the roux and then adds the veggies. I chickened out on browning the roux more, things heat up so fast when it's already hot and I was afraid of ruining it and having to start again with little time and hungry bellies to fill.
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    Everything mingling and percolating
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    On the plate
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  19. Bushcraft_Dave

    Bushcraft_Dave Member

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    A few weeks ago I made my first legit roux and I chickened out with the color development, I didn't get it brown enough in fear it would burn.

    Tonight was the rematch. "Man vs Roux II"

    I used Isaac Toups (chef and author of "Chasing the Gator: the New Cajun Cooking"

    I'm really enjoying the book. It's full of stories of his upbringing and the food culture in Cajun country.

    Cooking vessel: Dutch oven.

    Roux: 1/2 cup four, 1/2 cup grape seed oil. Stirred until it was the color of milk chocolate, then threw in-

    Trinity: Bell pepper, onion, 3 ribs celery- diced. 10 cloves of garlic minced.

    Beer to deglaze

    Browned chicken thighs (seasoned) in oven for 20 mins and then added it to the Dutch oven alone with 4 bay leaves

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    Simmered for 1.5 hours, was supposed to be 3 hours but we got hungry. Taste tested a few times and seasoned it with a Cajun spice blend.

    Final product:

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  20. The Marsh Gorilla

    The Marsh Gorilla Member

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    That looks awesome!
     
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