'Tis the season - Halloween and Old Legends

Bram Stoker

As Halloween approached, this is the season when many fire up their TVs to enjoy some classic horror movies. One of the most popular is Dracula!

Many believe that Ireland's Bran Stoker got his idea from the Romanian prince known as Vlad the Impaler and Vlad Dracula. He was the son of Vlad Dracul, or Vlad the Dragon. Adding the A to form the name Dracula means son of the dragon.

But this isn't where Stoker's vampire story actually began!

Here in Ireland where Bram Stoker was born and raised, there is an ancient chieftain called Abhartach who ruled a petty kingdom in today's Northern Ireland. The area was dotted with petty kingdoms ruled by tribal warlords dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries.

Legends paint Abhartach as a small, disfigured man who was jealous and suspicious by nature. He was cruel and unyielding, and some legends say he also had magic which made him all the more evil. Of course, he trusted no one, not even his wife and suspected her of having an affair. One night, he decided to catch her in the act and climbed out of a window of their castle to creep along the stonework to her bedroom, however, he ended up falling to his death.

Abhartach was buried with all of the rights of his station in a place called Slaughtaverty. However, that wasn't to be the end of this cruel overlord. He arose and returned to his castle and demanded the loyalty from his  subjects...they but give him bowls of blood to sustain his life. Those who refused were slain. By drinking their blood, he became known as a *marbh bheo*, or living dead.

Eventually the people had had enough. Tired of living in more fear than when Abhartach was alive, they hired an assassin, Cathán, to kill him. Once slain, Abhartach was reburied in his grave, but again, he arose and demanded blood loyalties from his subjects. 

Confused, Cathán consulted with local Druids (holymen of the time) and a plan was formed. Abhartach would be slain once more, but this time with a sword made from the wood of a sacred yew tree and driven through Abhartach's heart, then he must be buried upside down. Thorny twigs and branches and yew ash was to be scattered above the grave and around it before the topsoil was replaced. Finally, a large, heavy stone was to be placed directly on top of the burial site. The theory was that upside down, Abhartach would dig himself away from the surface and would never to walk the earth again.

Abhertach's Burial Place

Little more than 1300 years later, this Irish legend would spark the idea of a blood thirsty monster in the Irish born writer, Bram Stoker. He also fed off the legends of Vlad the Impaler to create the iconic Dracul we know today.

The ground where Abhartach was buried has long been considered bad ground and all the centuries, nothing has been built around or near it. While King Abhartach's monument no longer exists, the heavy stone placed upon his final burial is still there, in place, protecting the Irish people. And a single Yew tree has grown up from the rushes scattered over the burial site before the stone had been placed.

Some have tried in recent times to remove the tree and stone, however chains broke each time on chain saws and hand saws couldn't get through the bark. When the stone was chained to drag away by machines, those chains also broke, lashing one man and nearly killing him. Witnesses say that his spilled blood was soaked into the soil immediately, as if feeding Abhartach's ancient corpse, and all efforts to remove the tree and stone were abandoned and has never been attempted again.

It should also be noted that Patrick Weston Joyce wrote the book A History of Ireland, published in 1880, and told the story of Abhartach. This was a fully 17 years before Stoker's Dracula had been published...

Are vampires real? You be the judge... bwahahahahahaha

Chicken with Easy Teriyaki Sauce

Dad and I share a lot of recipes and this is one he sent me.

I think it's very nearly the perfect recipe...

* It uses minimal ingredients, yet it's flavorful.

* It cooks up quickly, but tastes like it takes a lot of time.

* And it looks great on the plate.

This recipe has everything to impress your dinner guests.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS

3 - 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

60 g flour (1/4 cup)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp butter with 2 tbsp olive oil

4-5 minced garlic cloves

1-1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

90 g (1/3 cup) maple syrup or honey (I use maple syrup)

METHOD

Cross cut the chicken, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and dredge in flour to coat.

Fry in butter and olive oil for about 3 minutes on each side.

Add garlic, and just as it colors, add in the A.C. vinegar, soy and honey/maple and reduce.

As the sauce thickens, spoon over the chicken and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. Turn chicken to coat evenly.

Serve, adding the remaining sauce.

Serve with rice or Asian noodles (optional)

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS

Just before the dish is fully cooked, you may want to add in some fresh vegetables. Consider:

Spring onions

Sugar Snap Peas

Snow Peas

Broccoli florets

Carrot slivers

Mushrooms slices (straw or button)

Bell Pepper slices

Toasted sesame seeds

What ever you choose, make it simple.

Use just 2 or 3 for color and crunch, and be sure not to overcook.

VEGETARIAN OPTION

This sauce would be great with vegetarian options, such as:

Soy curls

Seitan

Tempeh

Tofu

Quorn pieces

Or simply making a pile of vegetables and tossing in the sauce made separately.

FINAL NOTE

This recipe is easily increased.

Simply double or triple the ingredients.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you thought of it.

You can use the mailer on the sidebar.

Vegetarian Chili con Quorn Mince

This is my favorite recipe for chilli.

In this recipe, the Quorn mince can be swapped out for the same measurement of beef mince, or other favorite minced meat.

I've included some optional ways to serve this dish at the bottom.

INGREDIENTS

• One 500g bag of Quorn mince (OR replace with 500g of mince meat)
• One diced large onion
• One diced bell pepper (color of choice for contrast)
• One can of chopped tomatoes
• One can of beans - well rinsed (your choice bean)
• One can of consommé or one stock cube dissolved in hot water (add to one of the empty cans above for the one can measurement)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 2-3 large garlic cloves minced

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS

• Splash of soy sauce (Quorn mince flavoring)
• 1/4 cup ketchup or BBQ sauce (the ketchup cuts the acidity of the tomatoes, the BBQ sauce makes a sweeter chili)
• Tapatio (if you like your chili hotter)

METHOD

Brown off the Quorn mince, using a splash of soy (optional) as the mince starts browning then set aside to sauté the onion and pepper until soft.

Add back in the mince and add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Do a taste test to see if you need to add the optional ketchup or BBQ sauce or Tapatio.

- BEST SERVED HOT -

OPTIONAL SIDES

• Corn bread (my favorite)
• Steamed rice
• Baked potato
• Green Salad

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (my favorite)
• Minced raw onion
• Cheese and onion
• Minced pickled jalapeno
• Creme fresh

This batch will serve 4 to 6, and leftovers freeze well.

Happy eating!!

Spicy Mac and Cheese

SPICY MAC AND CHEESE

(c) Kemberlee Shortland, 2021

I originally saw this recipe listed as Turkish Mac and Cheese, but upon doing a little research, I discovered it was also called Indian Mac and Cheese, Pakistani Mac and Cheese, and simply just Spicy Mac and Cheese, which is what I've called this recipe.

As I learned with researching the Tavče Gravče recipe, ingredients and flavors can change with not just the region, but also within a family. Some recipes include making a flour roux during the course of cooking, some don't use the chili but opt for paprika, and some even add ginger.

I believe my version is a good basic recipe and one which you can use to create your own preferred flavor. And you'll see at the end of the post, I've suggested some ways you can adapt this recipe to create slightly new flavors.

As always, if you try this recipe, or any of my others, drop me an email and let me know what you thought, and how you added to it to make your own version of Spicy Turkish Indian Mac and Cheese.

! This recipe serves two hungry hippos, our four if served with side dishes such as salad.

!! This recipe can easily be doubled or further increased as desired.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of dry pasta - any will do, but I used macaroni here

*reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water for later

Olive oil or other cooking oil, as needed

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1 small onion - finely chopped

1/3 cup tomato paste

2 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar - used to balance the flavors (optional)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy or double cream

1 stock cube - vegetarian or chicken flavored - crumbled

1/2 cup cheddar

1/2 cup mozzarella

1 Tbsp butter

METHOD

First, put on the pasta to boil. Pasta times vary, but take this time to prepare your onion and garlic.

When the pasta is al dente (done cooking but still with some firmness), drain and set aside. *Be sure to save your 1/2 cup of pasta water for later.

Into a hot skillet, add some cooking oil. When warm, add the garlic and onion and sauté until translucent.

Add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook the tomato paste for a few minutes which will enrich the tomatoey flavor.

Add your dry spices to a bowl and mix well before adding to the tomato, garlic and onion mixture in the pan. Mix well.

Now add your pasta water and mix well to smooth out the spicy tomato paste.

Next, add in your milk and cream. When that's well-blended, add in your crumbled stock cube and mix well.

Add in your cooked pasta and stir well to be sure all the pasta is coated.

Add both cheeses and the butter and stir well.

Once the cheese is melted and everything is hot through, it's time to plate up.

Serve with a side salad, garlic bread, or just a big spoon.

Customize ingredients to your taste

If you don't like a very cheesy mac and cheese, use 1/4 cup each of mozzarella and cheddar. If you like it more cheese, add more cheese to taste.

This dish is a warming dish, meaning you will have a warm spice feeling as you eat. If you want a hotter dish, add in a 1/4 tsp of cayenne or 1/2 tsp Tapatio or Sriracha sauce.

This dish is easily adapted to have more of an Italian flavor by adding 1 tsp of oregano vs 1/2 tsp, and add 1/4-1/2 cup of Ketchup.

For something a little fancier, add the finished meal into a baking dish and add a layer of cheese to the top and put into a preheated 350F oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and with a golden brown color.

Chicken à la Kiki

CHICKEN À LA KIKI

(c) Kemberlee Shortland, 2021

INGREDIENTS 

8 large chicken thighs (2 per person)

2 large onions, peeled and sliced

2 medium-large shallots, peeled and sliced lengthwise

2 large yellow bell peppers, sliced (any color but yellow stands out against the red sauce)

2 medium size carrots, peeled, cut in half and into half circles...or whatever shape you want

4-5 large garlic cloves, peeled and rough chopped

1 can of good quality chopped tomatoes

1 jar of salsa (mild, medium or hot)

2 tablespoons dry mixed herbs

3 stock cubes, chicken or vegetable (traditional stock cubes, not stock gel/jelly)

olive oil, as needed

! Options below for vegetarian and other ingredients

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350F

Clean and prepare the chicken thighs (remove straggling pin feathers, lose fatty bits, etc), rinse well and pat dry with paper towels.

Put 2 stock cubes into a wide bowl and add about 1/3 cup of olive oil. With the back of a spoon, mash the cubes into the oil to form a lose paste.

Baste your chicken thighs with the paste and set aside, reserve the leftover paste. If you don't have enough, add a little more olive oil.

Heat a heavy skillet with a little fresh olive oil and when hot, add the chicken skin side down. Brown both sides.

While the chicken is browning, prepare your vegetables. Slice the vegetables vs rough chopping it.

When the chicken is done, remove to a pan or dish and set aside.

Using the chicken cooking oil, add the reserved paste, onions and peppers and sauté until they start to soften. Add the carrot and garlic and mix thoroughly.

When your veg is well mixed and softened, add the can of chopped tomatoes and your jar of salsa and mix well.

Finally, crumble in your last stock cube and and the dried herbs and mix well.

In a large oven proof dish or pan, pour in your vegetable mixture. Layer the chicken on top.

Cover and put in the oven for approx 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling.

Remove the cover and continue cooking in the oven for another 10-15 minutes to crisp up the chicken skin.

At this time, if you're serving with rice, prepare that now. If you're using a pot on the stove method, this will take about 15-20 minutes. If you're using a rice cooker, this takes 15-30 minutes.

Serve hot when the rice is ready.

OPTIONS

*Option 1:

If you have zucchini available, add that to your mix. Slice into strips like the onions and peppers, or into halves like the carrots.

You can also add in some cherry tomatoes if you have some laying around. Add them into the pan just before putting it into the oven.

** Option 2:

If you don't want rice, just before you pour your veg into the baking pan, add in a can of your favorite beans. Drain well. White beans or garbanzos would be a nice color to stand out against the red sauce.

*** Option 3:

Another alternative to rice is baked or steamed potatoes.

!! Vegetarian option:

Use vegetable stock cubes.

Also, in place of the chicken, use cubes of good quality tofu. Prepare the same as the chicken by basting them in the paste, then quickly browning the cubes in a pan. Add to the stop of the veg mix before putting into the oven to finish off. Start your rice at this time.

Tavče Gravče

Unglazed earthenware pot
traditional to Macedonia

Tavče Gravče is considered the national dish of North Macedonia and is the most popular dish eaten by the Macedonian diaspora. However, this dish is also popular in neighboring countries such as Serbia, Kosovo, Croatia, and other nations which once made up the country of Yugoslavia.

First, let's pronounce this dish:

Tavče Gravče

Tahv-chay Grahv-chay

The name translates as beans on a tava (a flat or concave disc-shaped frying pan similar to a wok), although the dish I'm talking about today is traditionally slow-cooked in an unglazed earthenware pot, and usually over an open fire.

I was inspired to make Tavče Gravče after watching the video for Epic Beans & Sausage Tavče style by AlmazanKitchen. I love watching his videos. He takes viewers out of the traditional kitchen and into nature where he often uses produce he's grown himself and water from his fresh running stream. Or he brings viewers into his covered cooking area with a built-in fire space for cooking, which is where he made his version of this dish.

Like most national dishes, every family has their own take on Tavče Gravče. I've looked at several recipes and watched a lot of videos on YouTube, and came away with the basic ingredients that all dishes have: beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and paprika. Simple. Each cook adds their own favorite ingredients and method of cooking.

For my dish, I followed Almazan's recipe and tweaked it a little based on some of the other ingredients in my research.

Before starting, let me just say that the dish is normally eaten as is...the beans and sausage. I changed it up a bit and cooked some rice to go with it. I know. I doubled up on the carb...beans and rice! But, I only did that because I didn't have any crusty bread to sop up the sauce. For you, eat it as-is, or with rice, or with crusty bread, or whatever takes your fancy.

Okay, so here's my recipe for:

TAVČE GRAVČE KEME STYLE (or Kiki Style if you're talking to Beck):

>> Tools: Sharp knife, wood or non-scratch spatula or spoon, deep-sided skillet, ovenproof baking dish with lid (or foil to cover).

>> Prep time: About 45 minutes

>> Serves: This dish, as-is, serves two people. Double or triple as needed.

>> Preheat: Oven to 250F/125C, Skillet to medium heat.

INGREDIENTS Part 1

2 large bell peppers - yellow and orange/red for contrasting color

2 medium shallots

1 small red finger chili (optional)

4 or 5 fresh garlic cloves

Cooking oil, as needed

INSTRUCTIONS Part 1

De-seed bell peppers and cut into thin rings.

De-skin shallots and cut into long, thin slices.

De-seed chili and cut into thin, diagonal slices.

De-skin garlic and mash with the knife blade, rough chop.

Add cooking oil to pan and add everything in at once, mix well.

Continue mixing for just a couple minutes. You're not cooking these ingredients, just getting them started.

Go to part two:

INGREDIENTS Part 2

1 can of white beans of choice - Navy/Haricot are smaller than Canallini but taste the same 

1 can of chopped tomatoes (unseasoned) 

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2-3 bay leaves

3-4 tsp of smoked paprika (does not need to be level)

1 Tbsp real butter (does not need to be level)

Salt and pepper - half tsp salt and 1 tsp fresh ground pepper or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS Part Two

To your pan of veg, add paprika, rosemary, bay leaves, mix well.

Add butter, salt and pepper, mix well. 

Add beans (drained and rinsed), mix well.

Pour everything into baking dish and set aside.

Got to part three:

INGREDIENTS Part 3

4 medium homemade or artisan style sausages (can be omitted for vegetarians)

a big handful of cherry tomatoes - 6-10 whole or cut in half

INSTRUCTIONS Part 3

Wipe out the skillet and reheat with a little oil.

Add the sausages and brown all over.

While the sausages are browning, fold the cherry tomatoes into the sauce.

When evenly browned, add sausages to the top of the sauce, partially submerge. 

SLOW COOKING

Cover your baking dish (lid or foil) and put into the preheated oven. Slow cook for 4-5 hours.

Be sure to check every couple hours to ensure the sauce is not evaporating. If so, mix in a little water and recover.

About half an hour before you're ready to serve your meal, prepare your accompaniments, such as steamed rice or crusty bread.

Also at this time, remove the cover to give the sausages a little more color if needed.

Before serving, remove the rosemary stems (leaves will have fallen into the sauce) and the bay leaves.

*Taste - If the flavor is too sharp or hot from the chili, add a squirt of ketchup. It will knock the edges off the sharpness.

Serves two or one piggy!

Macedonian - Dobro jadenje!

Serbian - Dobro jelo!

English - Good eating!

If you make this dish, or any others on my site, please message me through the mailer on the sidebar and let me know how it went and if you liked it or not. And let me know if it's missing an ingredient you'd like to see. Your email is not harvested and I'll be the only one seeing your message.

Quick and Easy Beef Stew

It's wet, cold and mucky days like today that make me wish I'd made a bigger pot of beef stew last night.

Seriously, the easiest recipe on the planet.

There's no measuring, no weighing, no detailed instructions. This is a a real country-style pot of comfort food that packs a punch with flavor. Guaranteed.

You can save some time if your supermarket sells prechopped stewing meat, onions and carrot, and get one of those squeezy tubes of fresh garlic.

Ready?

QUICK AND EASY BEEF STEW

Ingredients

about a kilo (2+pounds) of chopped stewing beef

a big onion, roughly chopped

a big carrot, roughly chopped

3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

2 generous tablespoons of mixed dry herbs

half bottle of good dry red wine (I used merlot here but also use Medoc)

equal measure of beef stock (not broth) as wine

2-3 tablespoons of plain flour

cooking oil

floury potatoes, about 2 tennis ball size per person

Instructions

Preheat your cooking pot with the oil. Toss in your meat and flour together and give it a good stir. Be sure the meat gets well-covered. When the flour has browned and the meat looks like it's startint to cook, toss in the rest of the ingredients.

Stir well, then cover and bring to a boil then turn down to simmer and cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling apart. Pretty much forget about it, but set your timer. By 90 minutes, your house should be filled with the smell of the stew.

Just before it's done, put the potatoes in the microwave (should be less than ten minutes). When they're done, roughly chop them up in a deep bowl and mash to break them up a little before ladling on the stew.

*Tip: the better cut of meat, the tastier it will be. I prefer skirt steak (not flank) when I can find it

That's it. 10-15 minutes prep and the meal is done in about two hours. If you want to eat at 7pm, get it in the pot for 5pm. That's it

Serves 2 to 4

And you have leftover wine for the table.

No matter how you say it, it's...

Ithe maith!

¡Buen provecho!

Buona mangiata!

Gutes Essen!

Bon appetit!

Bwyta da!

Liánghǎo de yǐnshí!

Dobré jedlo!

Ukutya okumnandi!

Khoroshaya yeda!

Yoi shoku!

'akl jyd!

Goed eten!

Good eating!

The original Lucy and Ricky

My grandparents were Lucy and Ricky before Lucy and Ricky were a thing.

Roberta and Reyes in their new home

My grandmother, Roberta/Bobbie, was of Irish/German extraction and the daughter of migrant farmers who followed the work between Wyoming and Colorado. They eventually moved to the Central Valley of California not long after the Great Depression for better work and where she was born. When her parents eventually retired, it was to a sleeping coastal town on the Central Coast. 

My grandfather, Reyes/Ray, was Puerto Rican. He was in the middle of 16 brothers and sisters. He took on many jobs growing up which included working on a cattle ranch in the East Bay across from San Francisco. He took care of the horses and worked the cattle.

At the tender age of 13 (some family suggest it was a little later), at the height of the Great Depression, he decided to go out and make his way in the world. He eventually ended up on the Central Coast where he worked long hours and earned a reputation as a hard worker. This is also where he met my grandmother.

They married in 1942 right after she graduated high school. She was 18 and he was 23. My father was born the following year.

Roberta with her first born, Richard

My grandfather was a hard worker his whole life. His motto: If there's time to lean, there's time to clean. He ran a clean shop! Another motto: Never put anything on credit. If you don't have the money, you can't afford it. A home mortgage was the exception.

Around the time of their marriage, they started their own business and continued that hard work ethic. But in his spare time, he continued his love of working with animals. He had a horse called Silver and a dog called Coco, and the three became famous in the region, participating in all the big parades and events. Coco was a performance dog who could climb up and down ladders, walk upright while carrying a parasol, and loved riding on the back of the horse.

Reyes with Coco on the beach

Reyes with Coco and Silver, Butterfly Parade

My grandmother was the quintessential housewife--staying home to raise a family, kept a beautiful home, and cooked tasty meals for her family.

I feel my grandparents were an amazing couple. She was migrant farmer's daughter and he was the son of a poor rancher. They found each other, created a life and family together, and made a name for themselves with in their community.

They remained married for 47 years before my grandfather passed suddenly in 1989. She never remarried. Because of this couple, they left a lasting legacy that includes four children, eight grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

Can't ask for more than that.

Easy Banana Muffins, Bread, and Cake

My trusty recipe book

As it's been a while since I posted a recipe, I thought I'd add one to my recipe file here. This is my own recipe which I use when I have bananas that are starting to go off. You know the ones. The skins are full of black speckles and they're going soft. You think it's time for the compost, but let me stop you right there. This is when bananas are at their sweetest. Give this recipe a try and see if I'm not right.

Here's what you need

3 mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil (sunflower, safflower or something light)
2 average size eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla (real vanilla, not the fake stuff, make your own here)
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F/180C/gasmark 4

For muffins - Put your paper casings into a 12 muffin pan and set aside

For bread or cake - oil the loaf pan or cake tin and set aside

Here's how to do it

Peel the bananas and mash with a fork.
Add to your mixing bowl.

Add in the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla.
Blend until the ingredients are just mixed.

Add the sugars, flour, baking soda, and salt.

*Chopped walnuts are optional.

Blend until all the ingredients are well-incorporated.
DON'T over-mix.

Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin casings.

Of if you're making bread or a cake, pour into the prepared pan.

Slide the pan into your preheated oven, middle shelf.

Timing

For muffins - bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Use a toothpick to test the center of the muffin.

If the toothpick comes out wet, continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until done.

*This time is for average size muffins. Large muffins will take 40+ minutes to bake before testing.

For bread or cake - bake for 1 hour before testing. Use a toothpick as above.

Cooling

When done, remove the muffins from the pan and set on a wire rack to cool.

Why, yes, my muffins are lopsided. It's an old oven and I forgot to rotate the pan.
Hashtag #HomeMade :)

* For bread or cake, leave in tin for about 15 minutes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to complete cooling.

Topping?

Adding a topping to this recipe is up to you. This recipe will yield a very moist muffin/bread/cake and probably doesn't need anything on top. At least, I don't think so.

Storage

Muffins store well in a large ziplock bag or covered container. The bread or cake will store well under plastic wrap on a plate.

Double your recipe and store some in the freezer Wrap in wax paper, then put into a large ziplock bag or wrap in foil.

Yield

This recipe makes 12 regular size muffins or 6 large muffins, 1 bread loaf, or one cake layer. Make a second recipe to create a layered cake.

ENJOY!!

(don't forget to lick the bowl!)