Crazy Coupon

Hi everyone -
Another quick note - Wanted to do a follow up to a subject that I touched on in an earlier post. My wife is a very effective couponer - not totally over the edge but really pretty effective on getting value out of the deals offered. I was asked by one of our neighbors the other night (while Sandy actually was AT a coupon class) if we really save money with coupons? I said yes we do, and we really have enough toilet paper and paper towels for a while - it's not like they expire or go bad so why not, right? So anyway I wanted to put together a post for a meal or appetizer who's main components were all purchased with coupons.

Here is one I did today with ingredients and approximate cost

Crab Louie Salad:

Crab pieces (6 oz each package buy one get one free coupon for one free so total cost $0)

3 Tablespoons green onions, chopped (whole bunch $1 approx cost 20 cents)

2 stalks celery, diced small (again whole head $1 approx cost 20 cents)

3 radishes cut into matchsticks (again whole bag $1 approx cost 15 cents)

4 oz Fresh Mozzarella "pebbles" (2 (8 oz each) for one at Jewel -approx cost of amount 50 cents

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice (lemons 3/$1) cost 15 cents

Tablespoon Capers with Juice (had those in fridge - cost today $0 but OK say 50 cents)

2 Tablespoons Ketchup (OK who doesn't have ketchup in their fridge????? - heck check your glove compartment of your car :))

Tablespoon of Cocktail sauce

Mix together and serve on crackers, Melba toast or even better in a Bibb lettuce boat...

Total cost about $3 for an appetizer that would feed 10-12 guests...

Take a look - doesn't look bad does it...(I made a sandwich for lunch no stinkin' Melba toast for me)

Pheasant Poppers

Just a quick post here. A couple of posts back I posted some pheasant breasts wrapped in pepper bacon and grilled... So my mind started working I was watching a cooking show about appetizers and one was a jalapeno popper and that started me thinking.... So bear with me on this one, as the recipe is a little "loose" in it's construction but I'll think you'll get the idea.

2 whole pheasant breasts (boned out)

4 oz cream cheese

1 tsp of paprika (sweet or smoked either one)

1/2 tsp of Chili powder

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

few drops hot sauce

small can of water chestnuts (sorry only need 6-8 slices of them total - depending on the number of pieces of breast meat you get)

either pepperocinis or jalapeno pepper slices (same thing one per piece of breast meat

1 cup bottled Balsamic vinegar dressing

4-6 slices of bacon

6-8 toothpicks

First bone out the breasts and pound each fillet to a about 1/4 " thin.

Mix next 5 ingredients together until well blended.

Place Tablespoon (more or less depending on size of breast) of cream cheese mixture near one of the short ends of the pounded breast)

Place one slice each of the water chestnut and pepper on the cream cheese and roll.

Secure with one toothpick.

Take bacon slice and wrap the pheasant roulette in a covering of bacon, and secure with another toothpick.

Marinate refrigerated in dressing for 20 mints to hour.

Place on hot grill - watching for flare ups due to oil. Cook until bacon is cooked and cream cheese starts to run out.

Serve with favorite dipping sauce.

Ike, thanks for getting me these birds.. Couldn't do it without you buddy.

Terrific Turkey and Groovy Gravy

Hi everyone;
I hope everyone had a safe and joyous Easter. Let's not forget the reason for the holiday, and for the kids may they still be on the sugar high from chocolate bunnies and jelly bean Easter Eggs.

For me it was cooking for the family dinner. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy.
Today I just want to tell you about the turkey and the gravy.... For the first time I brined my turkey. I followed the recipe for the brining by Alton Brown -more or less I added some additional items but I have to say that if you haven't brined a turkey before, it really does add an amazing amount of moisture as well as some subtle flavor.

Here is the link.. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html

I added an orange and lemon studded with cloves and used a 5 gallon cooler (like the kind that get dumped on coaches after they win the Superbowl) for about 20 hours. I was quite impressed with the level of juiciness and flavor it imparted. I also instead of using canola oil, I made a compound butter of rosemary, sage and Italian parsley and liberally massaged it in under the skin as well as on the top of it and it made a beautiful golden brown and crispy skin. It really was a "Terrific Turkey".

Now for the "Groovy Gravy" and I wanted to tell you about that. I have never had much luck with flour gravies, preferring cornstarch over flour, but traditional turkey gravy calls for flour so that is what I tried to use.
I started with about 4 cups of drippings from the turkey - de-fatted using a fat separator cup. it was very clear and flavorful looking liquid so I has a very good base from which to start.
I then took 1/3 cup each flour and unsalted butter, melted the butter and added the flour and stirred until a golden brown. (I was making a roux). I wanted to make sure I cooked the flour enough (always my problem I think) to remove the pasty, gummy taste. BUT you have to be very careful not to burn it a roux can go from golden brown to brick to BLACK in a very few minutes so pay attention :) One it got to the color I liked I added the 4 cups of drippings and stirred with a wooden spoon until the starch particles burst and turned the liquid into the best looking gravy I had ever made. Added a little salt and pepper to taste and removed from heat.

A hint for serving (or at least transporting to where your dinner is being served, if you have a good thermos, charge it with hot water for about 10 minutes pour out the water and then fill with your gravy. Mine stayed steaming hot for over 2 hours that way......

It really did turn out to be a great meal... Everyone participated and no one went hungry.
Happy Easter everyone!