Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish usually served on Halloween. The name is derived from the Gaelic “cal ceann fhionn”, which translates to “White Headed Cabbage”, but it is made with green cabbage or kale.  I’ve made colcannon before, but that version was taken directly from Monica Sheridan’s “My Irish Cook Book” (now available in updated form as The Art of Irish Cooking) and was as close to the traditional Irish version Ms. Sheridan described as was possible for me to produce.

I’m calling this an Americanized version for several reasons.  First, I used both butter and olive oil in preparation, not just the milk and butter called for in traditional recipes.  Secondly, in a traditional Colcannon the cabbage or kale is boiled.  The kale in this recipe never saw liquid, it was sauteed in butter, olive oil and garlic, which is the third change from the traditional.  I’ve not yet seen a colcannon recipe that calls for garlic.

Regardless of the differences from the original, I think that this dish turned out marvelously.  It may not actually be Colcannon in the traditional sense, but it was good, satisfying and well worth the minimal amount of effort it took to produce.  It actually sparked the idea for an entirely different version, but that’s for another post…

If you haven’t already, give Colcannon a try.  I think you’ll love it even if you aren’t part Irish.

Read more…

Popularity: 4% [?]

If you’re looking to put a little fun into the Halloween season and eat well while dong it, then I have a fun little idea for you.  This follows the same theory as the Spooky Silhouette Chili I made last year around this time.  It’s just a great bowl of soup with a touch of Halloween flare.

The soup itself is simple, the toppings delectable.  don’t just eat this for Halloween.  It’s great throughout the fall and winter, or for as long as you can get good butternut squash.  Make up a batch and get your spook on!

Read more…

Popularity: 4% [?]

As a kid I was, as are most children, a huge fan of October 31st.  I find that as I got older, I don’t care for the holiday as much, but I was wondering…  What are your Halloween traditions?

Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, is it trick-or-treating or just watching a bunch of scary movies throughout the month?  do you look forward to costume parties and get-togethers or are you more the sit-home and pass out candy type? Are you involved at all, or do you just turn off the porch light and pray you don’t get T-P’ed or, like my sister, do you deck the yard with everything you can imagine to frighten the youn-ones that will invariably be passing your way on October 31st?

Just wondering.  Leave a comment and share in the discussion.

Popularity: 3% [?]

This Halloween dish may not be as whimsical as some I’ve made, but what it lacks in cuteness, it more than makes up for in flavor. The black beans are the star of the show in this one, the chorizo and shrimp merely sing harmony.  Black beans are a flavor explosion, while the chorizo tickles the taste buds and the shrimp play the finale, leaving just a hint of their passing on the back of the palate. The orange isn’t just shelf dressing, either.  As you delve down into the dish, the citrus flavor becomes more pronounced until finally it comes into its own on the very last bite.  A perfect concert of flavors that I really didn’t expect when I started.

I just loved the idea and I hope you will as well.

While the bowls in the photos are done up “Halloween” style, this would be just as wonderful in orange bowls that are sliced straight across, and it would be a lot easier to make. These took a little practice, and two oranges gave their lives needlessly in the filming of this production.  We believe it’s a Halloween curse, but there is no proof of that at this time.  Our lawyers won’t let us say any more about the matter than that.

Read more…

Popularity: 1% [?]

At first glance you might think that these little guys are sad and looking for their mummies, but on closer inspection you’ll see that they’re all just waiting for a dip in the hot tub. (OK, I couldn’t pass up the mummy joke, sorry.)

sometimes simple is better, and it doesn’t get a whole lot simpler than this when it comes to appetizers.  Just cocktail sausages wrapped in refrigerated crescent dough and served with a side of mustard, spiced with your favorite hot sauce or horseradish and you’ve got yourself a wiener! (I know. It’s bad, but I can’t help myself!)

These little guys make a perfect party opener, but be warned, too many and your guests won’t want dinner.  They’re filling!  we used beef Lil’ Smokies for this one, but any cocktail wiener you can find will do just as well, I’m sure.  They’re great hot out of the oven or at room temp and can be served with ketchup for kids too little to appreciate a good mustard. (Or adults that just don’t like mustard, for that matter)

Any way you serve them, they’re sure to be a hit!

Read more…

Popularity: 8% [?]

We continue on today with our Halloween series and yes, I’ve come up with another use for cookie cutters. This is a variation on a “toad in the hole” (Also called a Camel’s Eye, Egyptian Eye, Bird in a Nest and a slew of other things. Not to be confused with the British “Toad in a Hole”, which is a batter cooked sausage and equally yummy.   Know of another name for this dish, a comment.) I’m calling “Ghosts in a hole”.  This dish is basically an egg cooked inside a slice of toast.  In this case it’s cooked in the cutout shape of a wee little ghostie who has wandered onto your breakfast or brunch table.

My thought on this was that it would be fun for the kids.  How neat would it be to have a Halloween themed breakfast, especially on the morning of the big event?  For parents, this is one of the simplest things in the world to make, so you won’t have to be rushing to do something complicated on the same day you’re still trying to keep the young ones on track (or distracted, if Halloween doesn’t fall on a school day for you.)

Either way, it’s a fun little way to start the day.  I hope you enjoy.

Read more…

Popularity: 1% [?]

Or  for the adults, Blackened Chicken with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

The Halloween fun continues.  This one is actually an original, because I completely screwed up trying to make something completely different.  Still I have to say that I can’t complain at all.  Tell a bunch of kids that they’re eating Burned Monster Meat with Goblin Goo and you’ll probably wish it were true.  I went through a  pound of these between one two year old and my wife in less than 20 minutes, so imagine what a room full of kids could do to them!  (Portion control, people!)

The unique texture and burned look of these is due to a heavy egg wash, which splits the breading when it expands in hot oil and heavy amounts of paprika in the breading. (The American kind, you know, flavorless, spiceless, mass produced and very cheap?) The paprika will blacken almost immediately, making for a very “straight from the burning building” look.  And with nearly neon green sauce, it’s definitely one of the less appetizing looking things I’ve ever made.

The kids should love it!

Read more…

Popularity: 1% [?]

Halloween is almost here, and in the spirit of the season, I bring you Spooky Silhouette Chili, also known as “Fun With Cookie Cutters”.  If you’re hosting a party this Halloween or just looking for a way to keep the kids smling up until trick or treat time, you’ll definitely get a few smiles with this one.

The shapes you use are up to you.  I used a bat shaped pastry cutter to lay out a few of the good Ol’ Count’s alter-ego’s in sharp cheddar, but cats, ghosts, ghouls and anything else you can make a cutout shape of would work perfectly, and any type of cheese you like is perfectly fine. (Monterrey Jack for ghosts, Colby for owls or whatever floats your boat!)

If you like even more cheese, try doing a backwards silhouette by wrapping the cutter in foil and laying it out on the chili, then covering the rest of the bowl in shredded cheese. (You could even make jack-o-lantern shapes that way…  Fun for black bean chili!)

Method:

Cut your favorite spooky shapes out of any kind of sliced cheese.  Arrange on hot chili (any type will do.  Looking for a good chili recipe?  Try this one.) Eat piping hot and enjoy!

Popularity: 1% [?]

It’s that time of year again.  Very soon things will be bumping and thumping in the night. To welcome these ghastly (or movie franchised) visitors, this year we’ve done a little bit to set the mood around the Cooking… by the seat of my Pants household.

My wife and I aren’t big into fancy electronic displays.  To be honest, I think the scariest things you’ll ever encounter have nothing to do with the technical abilities of a bunch of engineers somewhere.  It’s all about the mood, and that’s what I was going for here.

The basic setup is simple.  make the freshly relaid planter bed look as much like a spooky old graveyard as possible.  Up until three days ago, it wasn’t really looking very spooky.  when the tree trimmers came through and cut down a good portion of the tree out in front of the house, they gave me the perfect tool to finish the job, and I think it came out pretty well in the end.

The funky umbrella base in the center there (with the bouquet of black roses in it) is actually there to hold either a flagpole or a Christmas tree.  Since I didn’t have enough mulch to fill in the space it takes up, I just added some $1.00 each Halloween props and called it an urn. The tiny green shoots are weeds that should not be able to grow through two layers of plastic weed barrier. But they’re doing a pretty good job, don’t you think?

all-in-all, I think all this needs is a coupla jack O’ Lanterns and a few electric candles to finish off a pretty good spooky scene.  Especially if it’s pitch black outside.

did you decorate for Halloween?  If so, leave a link to your pictures in the comments.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Whether you’ve thought of it or not, Halloween is right around the corner.  In just over a month and three quarters things will once again be bumping in the night, or at least pounding on your door in search of free candy.  For some of us the season will bring with it a few parties or gatherings of friends and family, all of whom will be vying to see who can find the most outrageous costume of the bunch.

For some of my military friends this will mean choosing something wildly inappropriate, especially if the party involves alcohol.  For me however, I think this year I’m going to be running for mayor.  The Mayor of Munchkin Land, that is.  Why? I don’t know, really.  I was looking over the Wizard Of Oz Costumes at Halloween Adventure and just decided that it would be a lot of fun! Besides, who didn’t want to be the mayor of Munchkin Land as a kid?

There are a lot of Halloween Costume Storesout there, but hey, why not go with one that offers free shipping on orders over $100.00?  You’re going to spend that much or more on a pair of costumes anyway, right?  You don’t have to go as something out of OZ, either.  They’ve got a ton of different costumes available, one of them should be just right for you!

Popularity: 1% [?]