A Smear or “Shmere” in pronunciation, is finely chopped green onion, bell pepper, tomato, and fresh garlic sautéed in a dab of butter, cooled, then mixed with fresh avocado, a couple tablespoons of salsa, approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, sour cream or Greek yogurt ( enough to make it a creamy spread), coarse salt, black pepper, cumin, sage, chili powder.. You use a spoon or small mixing spatula to “shmere” it across your tortillas. The term was invented on the spot when the girls were younger and were skeptical about seeing a bowl of it on the table. It just stuck after that
Wow! For as freaking awesome as I can tell it is, that's a rather unglamorous name!!! I really enjoy your posts. Thank you for sharing. Inspiring as well. Seems I always try or hear of a herb or spice combo from you or something else I'd never get anywhere else!.
It is time. There is only one way. Recipe? Wait?…There’s supposed to be a recipe?! …reaches for a favorite… He, Who is orange, Will supervise this creation event. Barbarians in the kitchen. Best not to interfere… Chili Pumpkin Spice Coconut Curry. This should probably be against the law. Actually, it probably is!!
Butternut squash, cinnamon, curry, turmeric, cardamom.... dude. I have never thought of butternut squash as a curry before. I bet that is damn tasty.
Than you my friend. It was a hit. That for sure. I can’t help it, I’m not a chef, I can’t follow an actual recipe to save my life. I’m a cook. I like to create things.
I will follow a recipe when baking, simply because it's science and chemistry. I will follow someone else's recipe at least once just to have an idea of what they think the dish should taste like. But after using someone else's recipe a couple of times, you should really begin to adapt it and make it your own. I honestly despise written recipes. They're great for making the same dish taste.... well, exactly the same, over and over. Consistency is great, but variety is the spice of life. I don't want to eat the same crawfish etouffee every time I make it. That is boring. Customers expect to have the same experience with their favorite dish at their favorite restaurant, so that recipe thing becomes important. Cooking at home.... there is no recipe. I start with an idea of a the dish, but I have no recipe that I am following.
The Spectrum. “Opposite ends of the extreme.” Asian Chicken Noodle. This is what happens when you leave lunatics home alone…with deafening loud streaming music…sharp objects..and a weird desire to create outrageous culinary tastes. Previously we used an 18” inch preparation blade. Today let’s use this. I love this recipe. It’s perfect for a fall evening. Tell me “You can’t..” is not likely to deter me much. Well, we must always consider the possibility… It’s because I’ve completely lost my flipping mind!
How many have had Sirloin Tips “smothered n covered” with Rice and Brown Gravy in a truck stop or short order diner? Me too. Used to pretty often. This is how I do them. #1- I used larger cubes of pork. Better interaction with the marinade and a more tender flavorful bite in the final product. Sid sez “de porkums need close trims don’t they? Yums for Sid?” This is what I call a well appointed kitchen. It’s a good day for this kind of eating I think… It needs some fresh chunky garlic. A lot of fresh..chunky..garlic. My secret to “Dirty Rice”? Water, dab of olive oil, chunk of real butter, bring to boil, dump in rice, reduce heat, cover, and leave it alone! Don’t open it. Don’t stir it. Don’t do anything else. Run out the time, take it off the heat and set it aside. Don’t even uncover it. Leave it for as long as you can..10 minutes is good. Trust me, you’ll have perfect delicious fluffy not sticky rice every time. Sheesh. It looks like I’m running a short order joint around here .
My most excellent friends, by now you must have asked “Is there anything this guy doesn’t cook?” And the answer might be…questionable. Chicken Enchiladas. As they should be. this crazy looking tray of things is going to transform.. Into this Homemade Brown Adobo Sauce. Thick rich intense flavor that makes your eyes water when you smell it. This collection of intensifiers… Is going to intensify this. Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce. None of that formless tasteless watery canned stuff here. Full of fresh tomatoes, onions,peppers, and garlic and slow simmered to perfection. A comparison pic? Sure, Why not? Adobe on the Left. Red Sauce on the Right. Then using these massacred mutilated portions of poultry (marinated for 30 hours ) and these barely processed vegetables… We’ll make this. Chicken Enchiladas. Brought up into the realm of acceptable eating. Ok, I’ll grant they’re not what you might expect as “normal “..but then again, Neither am I. I tried to give the Goddess ( with the Omg wide eyes) the plate with a 4 pc portion..but she said Noooo..
As a general rule I’m usually neither festive, nor traditional. Merry Christmas my friends. How about a big pot of Gumbo instead? With Dirty Rice, and a Homemade 1910 Butter Cake with Rum Soaked Raisins and Smoked Slivered Almonds. …with feeling you motherless dogs! This is what happens when the scurvy crew decides to …indulge..my otherwise despicable nature.
Herself insisted I re-create the Black Eyed Peas I made for New Years..which is of course impossible, because every rendition must be better than the one before. Here they are… Nothing is ever just “plain ole” around here. Sid is pretty sure it’s gonna be chock full of those dag blasted onions…it’s depressing how often that happens. The southern cure for cold weather.
Notice how they’re talking up this winter storm? End of days. Teotwawki. Panic, run about like chickens, the sky is falling stuff? yeah… I’m getting rain. Cold, straight down, no wind, rain. Bleh. I made soup. Hot n Sour Chicken Noodle. Double shot on the chili oil.
You know..These days it seems like I’m often acting under orders to make more of something that she doesn’t think she got enough of. That means keep this big daddy close at hand. Her Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice “request “. ( and watching her tiny little dinky self put it away is almost..scary.)
A little two-day recipe. Braised the short ribs on Sunday, and had for dinner on Monday. Shepherd's pie. Cottage pie. The French call it hachis parmentier (a-chee par-mont-yay). The Germans even have a version called hackfleischauflauf mit kartoffelhaube (which I will not even attempt to give you a way to pronounce). I had a random thought.... what if instead of using ground beef, I used a braised shredded beef? I was craving beef short ribs, so that's what I went with. Cliff Notes: For the braise: 3-4 beef short ribs 1 onions 2 ribs celery 2 carrots 4 cups beef stock 1/2 bottle red wine Bay leaf Salt & pepper For the filling: The shredded short ribs 1/2 onion 1 ribs celery 1 carrots butter & flour to make a roux -> 1 Tablespoon each per 1 cup of braising liquid For the top: potatoes butter - an obscene amount of butter. Follow along. chives or fresh parsley to make it look pretty Here we go! Take your beef short ribs and season them up with salt & pepper. Let rest for 4 hours, or even overnight. 20250112_111742 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Cut your onion, celery, and carrot into a chunky dice. No need to be precise. It's going to cook for 3½ hours, so we want big chunks that won't completely disintegrate. 20250112_112653 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM I had a half package of mushrooms that were starting to get sad, and probably 5 cloves of garlic minced. The finer you cut your garlic, the more flavor comes out. 20250112_113411 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM You'll need half a bottle of a good red wine. I opted for pinor noir. 20250112_113644 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM You'll need 4 cups of beef stock. Mine is homemade and pretty jiggly in the fridge, so I warmed up to liquid state. 20250112_115655 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Set your oven to 300F. Set your Dutch oven on the burner and get medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add a good does of grapeseed oil for searing. I like grapeseed because it will handle high heat. Brown on all sides. I went for 3-4 minutes per side. Don't skip the ends. The caramelized proteins are the Maillard reaction, and that's what makes meats so tasty. Don't be bashful. 20250112_114645 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Remove the ribs, drain the excess fat, lightly sautee the chunky dice. Add the red wine to the pan and reduce by half. Use a wooden spoon to scrub all the stuck on bits (culinary term is fond) from the bottom of the pan. Once the wine is reduced, add your beef broth, and then nestle the ribs in. 20250112_124140 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Cover with a piece of foil to get a better seal. Add the lid. Into a 300F oven, and 3½ hours later you have... 20250112_161736 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Use a double mesh strainer and strain the braising liquid into a pan. 20250112_161949 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Optional - If you want a really clean sauce, peel a 2-ply paper towel apart, line your strainer with 1 ply and filter the stock through it. 20250112_162338 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM You'll catch a lot of particulate matter. Filter at least twice. 20250112_162511 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Now save that liquid in a container, and into the fridge. The fats will float to the top and solidify in the fridge. Just have to carefully pry that fat layer off the next day. 20250112_163801 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Shred the short ribs and seal, place in the fridge for tomorrow. 20250112_164657 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Day 2 Peel the fat off the reserved liquid, check the volume, and make a roux. You'll have to warm that jiggly gelatinous mass in a saucepan. Make your roux in a separate pan. 1 Tablespoon of flour and 1 Tablespoon of butter will thicken 1 cup of liquid. Once the roux has cooked a couple of minutes, remove from the heat. Hot liquid + cold roux (or vice versa) equals no lumps. Whisk the cooled roux and the hot stock together, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. 20250113_175005 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Finely dice 1/2 an onion, 1 rib of celery, 1 carrot. Sautee in a little butter or oil. 20250113_174142 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM You can warm the meat in a skillet just to get it loose and workable. Add gravy to this and stir. I want a wet but not soggy mixture. Butter your dish, and place the meat in. 20250113_180909 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Top with your sauteed veg. 20250113_180950 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Now you top with potatoes. And this is where it gets fun. Cook your diced Yukon gold potatoes and drain. Weigh them. Now divide that by 4. That's how much weight of butter to use. 4:1 potatoes to butter ratio. I ended up using over a stick of butter. Melt it, mash it, whip it. You probably won't need milk or cream. But if you need a splash to get that consistency just right for easy spreading, go for it. This is a take on potatoes by Joel Robuchon from what I've been able to find on the Internet. It's enough butter to make a cardiologist blush. Just don't splurge too often. Spoon the potato mixture on top. Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes. I want a little color on the potatoes, but not a lot. You can add cheese to the top of the potatoes (cheddar or Gruyere would be awesome), or even in the potatoes. I wanted to enjoy the sinfulness of the buttery potatoes, so I skipped the cheese. 20250113_183411 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM A little chives to garnish when it comes out of the oven. And nom nom. 20250113_184959 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM This was indulgent. I was doing good to finish mine. It is rich and full of flavor. The potatoes are insane. It was a fun experiment. The beef short ribs are loaded with flavor, but it really makes the dish cost prohibitive. I had a bunch of overtime last week so I could splurge without hurting the wallet too much. I think shredded smoked brisket would be an excellent way to get more flavor into the dish. Any beef that you can braise and shred (thinking roast) would work for this version of shepherd's pie.
A little two-day recipe. Braised the short ribs on Sunday, and had for dinner on Monday. Shepherd's pie. Cottage pie. The French call it hachis parmentier (a-chee par-mont-yay). The Germans even have a version called hackfleischauflauf mit kartoffelhaube (which I will not even attempt to give you a way to pronounce). I had a random thought.... what if instead of using ground beef, I used a braised shredded beef? I was craving beef short ribs, so that's what I went with. Cliff Notes: For the braise: 3-4 beef short ribs 1 onions 2 ribs celery 2 carrots 4 cups beef stock 1/2 bottle red wine Bay leaf Salt & pepper For the filling: The shredded short ribs 1/2 onion 1 ribs celery 1 carrots butter & flour to make a roux -> 1 Tablespoon each per 1 cup of braising liquid For the top: potatoes butter - an obscene amount of butter. Follow along. chives or fresh parsley to make it look pretty Here we go! Take your beef short ribs and season them up with salt & pepper. Let rest for 4 hours, or even overnight. 20250112_111742 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Cut your onion, celery, and carrot into a chunky dice. No need to be precise. It's going to cook for 3½ hours, so we want big chunks that won't completely disintegrate. 20250112_112653 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM I had a half package of mushrooms that were starting to get sad, and probably 5 cloves of garlic minced. The finer you cut your garlic, the more flavor comes out. 20250112_113411 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM You'll need half a bottle of a good red wine. I opted for pinor noir. 20250112_113644 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM You'll need 4 cups of beef stock. Mine is homemade and pretty jiggly in the fridge, so I warmed up to liquid state. 20250112_115655 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Set your oven to 300F. Set your Dutch oven on the burner and get medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add a good does of grapeseed oil for searing. I like grapeseed because it will handle high heat. Brown on all sides. I went for 3-4 minutes per side. Don't skip the ends. The caramelized proteins are the Maillard reaction, and that's what makes meats so tasty. Don't be bashful. 20250112_114645 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Remove the ribs, drain the excess fat, lightly sautee the chunky dice. Add the red wine to the pan and reduce by half. Use a wooden spoon to scrub all the stuck on bits (culinary term is fond) from the bottom of the pan. Once the wine is reduced, add your beef broth, and then nestle the ribs in. 20250112_124140 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Cover with a piece of foil to get a better seal. Add the lid. Into a 300F oven, and 3½ hours later you have... 20250112_161736 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Carefully use tongs to move the meat to a plate. It's super squishy and will fall apart so be cautious. Use a double mesh strainer and strain the braising liquid into a pan. 20250112_161949 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:32 PM Optional - If you want a really clean sauce, peel a 2-ply paper towel apart, line your strainer with 1 ply and filter the stock through it. 20250112_162338 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM You'll catch a lot of particulate matter. Filter at least twice. 20250112_162511 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Now save that liquid in a container, and into the fridge. The fats will float to the top and solidify in the fridge. Just have to carefully pry that fat layer off the next day. 20250112_163801 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Shred the short ribs and seal, place in the fridge for tomorrow. 20250112_164657 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Day 2 Peel the fat off the reserved liquid, check the volume, and make a roux. You'll have to warm that jiggly gelatinous mass in a saucepan. Make your roux in a separate pan. 1 Tablespoon of flour and 1 Tablespoon of butter will thicken 1 cup of liquid. Once the roux has cooked a couple of minutes, remove from the heat. Hot liquid + cold roux (or vice versa) equals no lumps. Whisk the cooled roux and the hot stock together, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. 20250113_175005 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Finely dice 1/2 an onion, 1 rib of celery, 1 carrot. Sautee in a little butter or oil. 20250113_174142 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM You can warm the meat in a skillet just to get it loose and workable. Add gravy to this and stir. I want a wet but not soggy mixture. Butter your dish, and place the meat in. 20250113_180909 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Top with your sauteed veg. 20250113_180950 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM Now you top with potatoes. And this is where it gets fun. Cook your diced Yukon gold potatoes and drain. Weigh them. Now divide that by 4. That's how much weight of butter to use. 4:1 potatoes to butter ratio. I ended up using over a stick of butter. Melt it, mash it, whip it. You probably won't need milk or cream. But if you need a splash to get that consistency just right for easy spreading, go for it. This is a take on potatoes by Joel Robuchon from what I've been able to find on the Internet. It's enough butter to make a cardiologist blush. Just don't splurge too often. Spoon the potato mixture on top. Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes. I want a little color on the potatoes, but not a lot. You can add cheese to the top of the potatoes (cheddar or Gruyere would be awesome), or even in the potatoes. I wanted to enjoy the sinfulness of the buttery potatoes, so I skipped the cheese. 20250113_183411 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM A little chives to garnish when it comes out of the oven. And nom nom. 20250113_184959 by Kylemeister posted Jan 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM This was indulgent. I was doing good to finish mine. It is rich and full of flavor. The potatoes are insane. It was a fun experiment. The beef short ribs are loaded with flavor, but it really makes the dish cost prohibitive. I had a bunch of overtime last week so I could splurge without hurting the wallet too much. I think shredded smoked brisket would be an excellent way to get more flavor into the dish. Any beef that you can braise and shred (thinking roast) would work for this version of shepherd's pie.
