Babushka Delight: Babushka Delight # 112

Babushka Delight

As a child, Liz’s father did the bulk of the cooking in their home. Norm Robinson was a creative and resourceful culinary artist, never cooking from a recipe and always applying the creativity required when feeding a family on a meager budget. As a hungry child, when Liz began smelling tasty aromas waft from the kitchen she would consistently ask, “Dad, what’s for dinner?” And much to her chagrin he would he would respond, “Babushka Delight…and then insert a random number.” A variation of Baked Ziti would be called Babushka Delight #14 and Pork Chops and Rice entitled Babushka Delight #982…no rhyme or reason for the numbering system and never a dish or number repeated. Night after night, meal after meal, our table and stomachs were warmed with a series of meals made by a loving father each entitled Babushka Delight. As a child, anxious for dinner, Liz found his predictable answer a bit silly. Now, as an adult, when contemplating the daily questions, what shall we have for dinner?” she hears the trusted words of her father ringing clearly in her mind…”Well, tonight we are having Babushka Delight.”

Burke grew up working inside the delicious walls of a professional kitchen at his families business, Jacob Lake Inn nestled near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. While standing on milk crates Burke joined his parents to help peel potatoes, crack eggs, flip burgers, and sling hash. Through this process Burke developed the confidence of a chef, the speed of a line cook, and the creativity of a working mans Iron Chef.

Growing up in a foodie family has real benefits for a newly married couple. For Burke nothing brings a bigger smile than the potential of a handful of chopped onion, celery, carrot, and garlic sautéing in a few hearty splashes of a fine olive oil…and Liz is more than happy to sample the tasty outcomes.

Together Burke and Liz enjoy nothing more than a fine meal shared with family and friends. In keeping with tradition of both families, Babushka Delight is a collection of their favorite recipes and culinary creations.

Enjoy!

The Texas Rich’s

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Babushka Delight # 112

Ingredients:

1 large Smoked Sausage or Kielbasa

2 boxes Uncle Ben's Original Recipe Long Grain Wild Rice

1 med onion

4 Tbs Garlic

6 small sweet peppers (red, orange and yellow)

2 cups frozen broccoli (could be fresh but will need to be added earlier in the recipe)

2 cups frozen corn (could be canned corn but adjust water added to compensate for liquid from corn)

3 medium carrots

2 sticks celery

2 Tbs Olive Oil or 1/3 stick butter (whichever you like more)

3 Tbs soy sauce

4 1/2 Cups of Water

Spices:

1 tsp Cardamom

2 tsp Basil

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Celery Seed

Chile Powder

Lawry's Season Salt

Original recipe Seasoning Packet from Uncle Ben's

Instructions:

Perform a medium chop on onions and celery. Quarter and chop carrots. Fine chop all peppers. Place carrots, onions, celery and peppers into a bowl and add the soy sauce. Stir around and let sit so that the soy sauce has covered all vegetables.

Place a large pan on the burner at medium heat and put oil or butter in pan to heat. Upon reaching temp, add vegetables.

While stirring vegetables, cut the smoked sausage or kielbasa on the bias and place in a bowl and set aside. Remember to stir the vegetables that are sauteeing in the pan.

Once the vegetables are translucent, add the sausage and cook until the sausage and vegetables start to brown. Add the rice to the pan and stir around to brown slightly. Be really careful here folks, because the rice will absorb the oil quickly and will want to scorch if you don't stir quickly. Once the rice has browned for a bit, add the water followed by the spice packets from dear sweet Uncle Ben. Stir until spice mix is constituted, turn up heat to hi and stir until pan comes to a boil. Then reduce heat to simmer and cover.

Let sit until rice reconstitutes and most liquid is gone. Add frozen broccoli and corn.

Add garlic, powder, onion powder, season salt and chile powder to taste. Add 2 tsp of basil. Tap a little it of the celery seed. Stir and let sit.

Now add cardamom...this is both for color and for a certain special "somesing" that it adds...

Stir until all liquid is gone and remove from heat. Let cool for a few moments.

Serve and Enjoy!

Babushka Delight