Mexican Pasta Salad

Put the Fiesta in your festivities with this simple and delicious recipe, perfect for your upcoming cookouts and any time you want to go BOLD Southwestern with an Italian and Southern American Twist. Taco Tuesday or any day just got better!

Recipe:
1 lb. mezze penne
1 can fire roasted tomatoes, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small yellow squash, halved and sliced thinly, about 3/4 cup
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped red or yellow onion
3/4 to 1 c. mayonnaise
4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 banana pepper, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. pure cane sugar, optional
1/2  tsp. celery seeds
2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
juice of one lime
SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit Taste)
Instructions:
Cook pasta according to instructions on package, in salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes.
Shock pasta in cold water to retain texture and shape and drain.
In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise with 1/2 of cheese and all remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Fold veggies into dressing, then fold in pasta.
SPST.
Transfer to serving dish and garnish with remaining cheese.
Refrigerate until time to serve for flavors to marry, at least an hour recommended.
May be made a day ahead.

Complementary Beverages: National Independent Beer Run Day

In moderation, a nice IPA can be just what you need to beat the heat.  This spectacular brew featured above, goes will with fun in the sun and food, especially grub on the grill.   A dear friend of mine picked this up for me to see if I would approve.  He was applauded for a job well done.  It complimented our seafood fare perfectly too.  It is filled with citrusy notes with great body, fragrant and potent, a couple will do nicely.  There are even hint of grapefruit, very bright and complex, yet smooth.  I got these before we went on vacation, I still have one left.  This is all I've caught since fishing season kicked off, a good catch though might I add. I'll keep trying. Remember, the 3rd of July is National Independent Beer Run Day, so keep the craft beer brewers and small batch businesses in mind and celebrate responsibly!

Fourth of July: Decadent Frozen Desserts

A great way to celebrate Independence Day is with thanks, fellowship,  good food, grilling, booze  fireworks and fantastic desserts. With summer in full swing, any attempt to stay cool is welcome.  Nothing like frozen pie on a stick to round out a magnificent evening.  What's better, this pie is a Roasted Pumpkin Cream Pie, recipe by yours truly.  If you can't get into pumpkin, freeze your favorite pie and cut into serving slices. I used corn on the cob sticks to hold my pie in place, placing the stick in the pie after about 1 hour into freezing process.  Dip the slice of pie into dipping chocolate and place in freezer again, until nice and set.  To add festive and wonderful flair, place in individual sleeve and add colorful and relevant ribbon to tie it all off.  You can give them out for dessert or as a parting gift from the fantastic blowout of a cookout you had.  Your friends will remember it for years to come. 

Coffee and Painting, Painting and Coffee

I made some time for myself and took to painting as a special treat with my spare time.  My girls painted too and had completed their masterpieces early on in our trip.  I was determined to not be the one left behind, considering it was my idea as one of our family activities while out of town. This picture is inspired by 5 o'clock in the morning and my 'constant companion", coffee.  Usually when I buy coffee out, it's always a bit too strong, I prefer a weaker version to sip on throughout the day with less of a caffeine imprint. The coffee for sale is designed to be a one stop shop, strong enough to do the trick in one cup.  I enjoy coffee, hot or cold, day or night, kinda weak, I probably need to work on that, but that's something for another day!
 My painting is inspired also by impressionism and the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets of our vacation.  I hadn't painted since high school and was rather nervous and apprehensive about actually producing a finished product.  Uneasy at first, but as I stayed vigilant and decided it was a judgement free zone, then my painting started to come together.  With the absence of some of the colors, unfortunately forgotten at home, I did my best.  After about roughly 1 hour, I felt my project was complete.  I like it! 
Genesis completed her painting at the Cabin, it's title is "Ladybug Madness" and I think it's awesome. She is an aspiring artist and wants to continue in the Art field.  She certainly is creative enough and brimming with ideas.  Bronwyn completed a painting too, I may add her photo later, she is at a tweenage impasse right now, and I didn't want to upset her applecart, so depending on her mood, we'll see if I can share.  Tweens and Teens, they are so like whatever!

Fish Tips For the Summer!

I have done my share of cleaning fish, especially over the past 5 years.  I cleaned and butterflied  about 26 fish yesterday alone! My brother in law has really gotten into his hobby, when spare time permits.  He works for a paving company, making roads, both private and public, driveways and parking lots better and safer for us as drivers.  For that I would like to send out a big Thank You on behalf of motorists everywhere.
We have access to many fishing outlets here in these beautiful mountains.  Where we live is the second oldest incorporated town in Virginia, second only to Jamestown!   We are residents of the Leesville Dam and Leesville Lake area, plus there is Goose Creek and other waterways and ponds to choose from.  Goose Creek is where many people enter the river to float into the Staunton River, which runs by our  nearest town and my high school Alma Mater, Altavista.
There is avid hunting in this area as well, full of wilderness, full of life.  We have bears, coyotes, bobcats, rattlesnakes, moccasins, both water and copperheads, too many  deer, even the rare black coyotes, which is just a product of genetics.  I saw one that had been hit in the road one morning, it looked like a skinny bear cub with a dog's face. I was only able to glean  this description going about 45 mph, on my way taking the kiddoes to school.  When I came back through, it was gone, taken for its coat or picked up by VDOT, the first theory probably the most accurate.
Luckily, one of  my sisters and her husband, who is an avid hunter and "angler" came through and got out to investigate and clarified my best guess, having never seen one before.  But Yeah, the phrase "Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My" for sure.  This area is amazing from  the nature and natural beauty standpoint.  The people are pretty solid too.
Back to the lesson at hand, tips and tricks for cleaning and deboning smaller or pan sized fish, because let's be honest, we are not always going to bring home a whopper, plus these  are most the flavorful in my opinion. I like to use a small pile of salt to help anchor my grip on the fish. This way, you can scale this guy more efficiently, which is the first step if the fish has scales.   I line my cleaning station with cardboard if possible, any will do, empty pizza boxes are perfect for this kind of job, absorbing all the excess yuck while you work.  After scaling, you are free to remove the head and entrails.  The featured fish is a white perch.  This my technique to butterfly your protein. Gloves are advised, particularly for the hand holding the fish while you work.

I lay the fish on its back  and hold it like a book I'm about to start reading.  I start at the top and carefully but firmly, make a cut through the bones along where the rib bones meet the back bone. I cut all the way down til I get to the stomach area.  I then lay fish on its side and place a hand firmly on the top run my knife down along the backbone, all the way to the tail.  The fish should lay flat at this point, like an open book.

At this point you can carefully remove the rib bones and the largest sharp part of the fin on the left side shown. Note:  I am left handed so this whole plan is flipped for you right handed souls lol.
You can remove the rib bones by carefully sliding your knife under the bones at the top or bottom of the ribs and working the knife upwards or downwards, pressing against the ribs.  Repeat on opposite side.  Scrape belly flaps to aid in extracting bones from this portion.  Normally, I would use my filet knife also,  the chef's knife is to cut through the bone, but it fell down behind the damn sink.  Drat!
After you remove all the yuck with a few good swishes and salted soak, at least 1 hour, your fish is ready for whatever comes next! Well, gotta go, just got a mess of fish from my fisher guy/bnl Will, back to the lab I go, because, "practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." I'll always remember that banner Mr. Temples, our beloved band director put up in the band room, he was possibly the best band director to ever live, just Phenomenal! Today's Catch of the Day, Bass! Stay tuned for fresh, new recipes featuring these 'puppies'.

The remaining bones are easily pulled out with the fins.  Extreme Caution Advised, especially for Children and Inattentive Adults!

Cherry Cherie Fo Ferry

Snacking on the road can get pretty unhealthy if you are not careful.  So when you see a farmstand, get out there and grab some goodness, your body will thank you for it. We got these cherries from Moore's Farm Stand in Clarksville. Moore's offers a delectable array of fresh fruits and veggies, locally grown and done so with love.   I remembered how delicious they were the year before, when we grabbed a bag for the ride home nibbling.  They were super juicy and fantastic.  This year I stopped by and we got several cantaloupes and peaches and rounded it out with a pound of cherries.  The cherries are only $5 a bag and worth every penny.  Admittedly, this batch did not trump the bag from last year, but they were still Yum!
Cherries are a wonderful fruit choice, full of good for you vitamins and minerals.  They are rich in antioxidants, some that may slow down aging process and promote cell growth.  It is suggested that they help thwart belly fat, ease insomnia and aid in digestive health.
From the  Stone Fruit family,  cherries are also said to help with joint pain and inflammation of the joints, making it excellent in the treatment of the gout, which is a painful inflammation affecting the joints of the body, especially the hands and feet.  Cherries also help stave off infections.  It's a Win Win situation!  My oldest sister has the same name, spelled differently, Cherie.  I wonder if she knows how good her name is for her? 

Oxtail Imposter: My New Favorite Oxtail Stand In

I was at the grocer in Lynchburg, which is about 40 minutes from where I live and ran across these gems and I was most pleased with the results.  I was browsing about in the meats section, when I thought about some oxtails.  They can run rather expensive and I was hoping to catch them on sale.  I actually don't think I've ever seen them on sale, reduced yes, on sale, nope...Anywho, since I get them for special comfort meals, a couple times a year, usually in the cooler months, I decided to pass, for another time when they were more in my head than on my mind.
I noticed the cow neck bones nearby and became intrigued.  I couldn't recall a time that I'd seen them for sale, pork, yes, but not beef.  I figured they would be full of flavor because of the lean to bone ratio and would render a lot of collagen goodness when cooked down to the jus.  Best of all, it was only a fraction of the cost of the oxtail. I said to self, 'What the Hell,  let's give it a go'.
I washed the cow necks in cold water and placed them in my Ninja Foodi on pressure cook mode. I made sure I threw in major aromatics like whole garlic cloves, celery and onion . I also added about 1 cup, mini sweet peppers; red, orange and yellow.   I added a bay leaf as well and some bouillon with water, enough to cover.
I pressure cooked the beefy bones for 1 1/2 hours.  After that, I placed them on sear/saute to render the juices down to a sultry broth, composed mostly of  the broken down veggies.
Once reduced, I was left with an amazingly tender and most delicious oxtail contender. There was an unctuous broth filled with beefy flavor and delight.  This is a dish you can cool and refrigerate, then remove the excess fat that has solidified.  Then you will be left with a hearty dish to consume with nice crusty bread or potatoes if you wish.  I used sandwich bread to envelope the goodness, it was most satisfying. The lush chunks of meat slide easily off the bones, bathed in it's own succulent gravy.
My sisters Bonnie, Hollie and Gayle loved it too!  We now have another comfort food dish for our culinary repertoires.
Cow Neck Bones can really stand in for an amazing and rustic meal, full of flavor and high on delivery.  I guess it's just the Country in me, but I think it's most definitely here to stay in my comfort food rolodex.