Tiffany Haugen

After a great morning of elk hunting it would have been ideal to be frying up elk backstrap for a late lunch… since I didn’t get my elk opening day, we had to settle for buffalo.
We were really hungry so just the run-of-the-mill buffalo burger was not going to satisfy us. Poking through the fridge I came up with a new version of one of our favorites, Loco Moco.
Five layers later… Loco Moco Buffalo was born.
1-Mashed potatoes
2-100% Buffalo burger
3-Avacado
4-Egg fried in olive oil
5-Hot Sauce (Scott put a little gravy on his…)
Loco Moco Buffalo hit the spot! Trying for the elk again later this week… maybe Loco Moco Elk will be my next creation.

Yumm… fresh basil pesto, fresh green beans… a terrific combination.  I couldn’t wait to try my pesto on pasta for dinner so I put it on my green beans for an afternoon snack. 

Today I used almonds instead of pine nuts.  Most nuts work well particularly walnuts and pecans.

Fresh Basil Pesto

1 1/2 cups loosely packed, washed basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop basil in a food processor or mini-chopper.  Add remaining ingredients and blend to form a paste.  Toss with hot pasta or hot green beans… a few tablespoons are also amazing in mashed or on roasted potatoes.

My #1 taste tester...

Passing up a .99 cent bag of bananas is impossible for me, so when I see one at my local grocery store it is time to make banana bread.  And banana smoothies and banana peanut butter sandwiches and banana pancakes… but we will just start with the bread.
I love banana bread because it lends itself to multiple variations (translation – making something out of what you have on hand).  The basic recipe I use is one I created while living in Indonesia where the bananas were plentiful but other ingredients were sometimes difficult to find.

Indonesian Banana Bread
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil (olive, canola, coconut)
2 eggs
3-5 mashed bananas
1/3 cup water (or 1/3 cup plain yogurt)
1 2/3 cup flour (white, whole wheat, spelt)
2/3 cup something interesting (flax meal, buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, oatmeal, bran, protein powder)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (if you like it)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350º.  In a large mixing bowl, cream wet ingredients.  Mix dry ingredients in another bowl (or just dump them all on top of the wet ingredients and stir them around a bit before mixing into the wet ingredients – my cheat for the day).  Mix wet and dry ingredients until lumps are gone, do not over mix.

Pour into a greased, 9×11 pan or 2 loaf pans or square/round cake pans or muffin cups.  Bake cake/muffin style 25-35 minutes, loaf style 35-50 minutes.  Test for doneness with a toothpick.

I like making the bread in cake pans because it cooks faster with a more even texture.  I always feel that breads like this in loaf pans get too done on the outside and the middle can be undercooked.

This recipe can be easily doubled and the bread/cake/muffins freeze very well.  If I am going to get a bowl dirty, may as well make something to enjoy at another time.

When making a large batch, I use a variety of pan sizes and just check the bread at 5 minute intervals if I am not sure when they will be done.  Also you can make a basic bread and pour some into 1 pan and then add something different and put that into another pan.  The same double batch of bread can make 4 different loaves/cakes!

The Ultimate Sacrifice

So when looking to add something interesting to that last bit of banana bread batter, I saw a flash of gold on the top shelf of my cupboard.  Hmmm, it was the chocolate Easter bunny I had hidden from myself many months ago.  With some swift chopping skills, the boys had that bunny butchered and added to the bread in no time.  Oh, more bunnies will be added to banana bread at our house.  Great result, thanks, Mr. Bunny for making the “ultimate sacrifice!”

Growing up on a strawberry farm, I have eaten strawberries in every way possible.  Of all the things my dad could have chosen to farm, strawberries, although back breaking to pick and weed, were a great choice.

Because we grew strawberries, I learned how to make strawberry short cake, strawberry  jam, strawberry pie, strawberry smoothies and at 9 years old, I could make a mean strawberry daiquiri.  I loved experimenting with strawberries and was the only one in my family that could make my Great Aunt Mary’s “Mile High Strawberry Pie.”  Bless her heart, she was still making that pie well into her 90′s (she lived to 104!)

In the 80′s, I went through a serious salsa stage and naturally experimented with strawberries.  Although, nothing tops my rhubarb salsa for its “wow” factor, Strawberry Citrus Salsa is a great way to add pizazz to any summer-time food.  It goes particularly well with grilled fish, chicken and pork.

Strawberry Citrus Salsa
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 orange, peeled and chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice and zest of 1/2 lime or lemon
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper taste

In a medium, bowl mix lemon or lime juice with honey.  Add all other ingredients, gently toss until combined.

Another yummy salsa for chips or to pair with fish, pork or chicken.  I won’t tell anyone if you choose to sit and eat a bowl of it with a spoon (I have been known to do that with this recipe!)

Indonesia-inspired, the optional bit of fish sauce gives this salsa a unique flavor.  If you like Thai food at all, fish sauce is present in many of the dishes.

Mango Salsa
2 cups mango, cubed
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce, optional
2-3 teaspoons hot sauce or chili sauce

In a medium bowl, gently toss all ingredients until combined.  Let sit, refrigerated, at least 30 minutes before serving.

This recipe first appeared in Grill It! Plank It! Wrap It! Smoke It! by Tiffany Haugen.  It has also appeared in Salmon, Trout, Steelheader Magazine, June/July 2008 issue.

Who doesn’t love pizza?  My family could eat it every night of the week.  Unfortunately, traditional American pizza, smothered in cheese and high-fat, processed meats, is something that should only be enjoyed occasionally.

Here’s a healthier take, using salmon and other flavorful toppings, that can be put together quickly and enjoyed any day of the week.  For a lower calorie version, low-fat or nonfat cheeses and sour cream can be substituted and crust can be thinned to 1/4-inch.

Sauce:

1 cup cottage cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon oregano
3 cloves garlic

Toppings:
4-8 ounces gravlax or smoked or thinly sliced raw salmon
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
1/2 cup wilted spinach or basil leaves
1/3 cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
Corn meal

Herbed Pizza Crust:
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 3/4 cup bread machine flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon onion flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
Place ingredients in bread machine in the order they are listed.  Follow bread machine instructions with the dial set to “dough.”
If mixing by hand, dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand 10 minutes.  Add all ingredients, stirring/kneading 3-5 minutes..  Let dough rise until doubled.

Pizza Instructions:
Prepare homemade or store-bought pizza crust or Boboli.  Sprinkle pizza stone or pizza pan with corn meal.  On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch, place on pan or stone and set aside.
In a food processor mix sauce ingredients until smooth.  Spread evenly on pizza dough, leaving about a 1/2″ along the edges.
Place toppings evenly on pizza in one layer.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
Bake in a preheated oven at 425º for 18-22 minutes (cut time in half if using Boboli) or until top of pizza is golden brown and crust is browned on the bottom.  Time will vary with oven and pan type.