Living Well in the Ozarks
The Best Revenge
Friday, December 23, 2022
Hearty Bacon Potato Leek Soup
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Vegetarian Bubble and Squeak
Cabbage and potatoes are mainstays in UK households. Bacon, potatoes, and cabbage have been plentiful (with the exception of one notable period) and not expensive for centuries. Bubble and squeak describes the sound of combining leftover mashed potatoes and leftover boiled cabbage into a patty with bacon crumbles and frying those patties in the bacon fat or butter. The result is very tasty.
Modern American households infrequently boil cabbage and frequently contain vegetarians. This recipe addresses those problems, and can even be adapted to become vegan.*
Recipe for a Modern Vegetarian Bubble and Squeak
(Serves 3 or 4)
Ingredients
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced, or 4 medium yellow potatoes, skins on and diced (Note: The russets are starchier and hold together better, but I had yellow potatoes and usd them for this photo essay)
10 regular brussels sprouts or five of the giant size, shredded
2 baby bella mushrooms, diced
3/4 stick of butter, divided
splash of milk
1/2 tps. smoked paprika or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Method
First cut the brussels sprouts in half long ways and remove any disgusting outer leaves. Place a half sprout cut side down and, starting at the top end, slice the sprout in 1/8 inch slices until you feel the root. Repeat for all the sprouts. You should wind up with a large double handful of shreds. The shreds will shrink so cut more than you think you will need.
Continue to saute until the sprouts wilt and the mushrooms soften. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
When the potatoes and the sprout mixture are cooled, combine the potatoes with the spouts. Taste and reseason as necessary. Form two large patties and lay them on parchment paper.
Sunday, November 1, 2020
I HATE IT! SHORT RIBS ARE TRENDING!
Once upon a time, short ribs were cheap. Now they are trending and the price reflects their new popularity. I have seen this before, both with flank steak and skirt steak. Just as with the other two examples of trend victims, you must cook them carefully or you will have tough, inedible meat. And, in the case of the short ribs, you will have greasy, tough, inedible meat.
Short ribs are a cut from the ribs, of course, and you will find them in the grocery with bone in or bone out. I prefer the bone in. I feel it adds more flavor. The meat attached to the bone will have a fat cap, fat marbling, and sinew.
Sounds like and looks like pork shoulder, does it not? That similarity gives you the clue on how to cook them. Go low and slow and be patient.
Ingredients
Method
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers
I can and have made them myself. Frankly, they are tedious and you need to make large batches to justify the work.
Stuffed peppers are not the same thing, but the flavors are very similar and just as comforting. I do not pretend to offer an authentic spice blend in this recipe. Very few Lebanese cooks, home or commercial, will tell all. The internet has cabbage rolls, of course. Even Martha Stewart has posted one.
When you read those recipes, you find there are as many different ones as there are regions. Some that look tasty call for things like 7 spice. When I looked that up, I found a startling diverse set of recipes for the spice. I gave up. Instead I have reverse engineered a spice blend. The proportion on the spices can and should be adjusted by you to suit your own taste, as should the amount you use in the meat.
This recipe is based on 4 to 6 large bell peppers. Figure 1 or 2 halves per person depending on the size of the peppers.
Ingredients for Stuffing
Ingredients for Spice Blend
Vessel
Ingredients for Sauce
Method
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Pork Tenderloin Roulade with Dates and Feta

Roulades (AKA roll ups or "stuffed" meats) allow the cook to create unlimited flavors. They also help you to present beautiful plates.
Sadly, most home cooks are intimidated by them. The idea of cutting a large chunk of meat into a flatish piece seems too difficult. The work involved appears too much.
But, hey! You're stuck at home under a shelter in place order. What else do you have to do?
Ingredients
- mushrooms and bacon bits
- curried raisons and apricot
- spinach, parmesan, and pinenuts
- stewed apples and onions
- softened and diced dates and feta
Method
Traditional Roasting
Sous Vide Method
Monday, March 23, 2020
Sunday Red Sauce
Ingredients
Method
Cooking and Serving Notes
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Cheesy Corn Chowder
2 cloves garlic minced