Category: Patio Food

This Could Happen . . .

Let’s say it’s winter and you’re wondering how you can use your patio. It’s an overcast day — kinda gloomy — but it is reasonably warm for a winter day. You want to sit on the patio to take in the season but you need something to keep you warm when the winter chill starts to creep in. And you don’t mean a comforter. You need Randy’s Eat Shop White Bean and Bacon Soup.

I had you at “Bacon”, right?

Quick, Easy, and Delicious

This soup goes together in a flash so you’ll be sitting on your winter patio in no time with a bowl of soup in amazement of how your yard brings you such pleasure even though it is barren because it is “resting” for winter. It’s your patio. It’s your garden. It’s your soup. Enjoy!

White Bean and Bacon Soup

• 1 lb bacon
• 4 cans white beans (Great Northern)
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• String carrots — handful, to taste
• 3 – 4 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 large sweet onions, chopped
• 2 to 3 large garlic cloves, diced, or more to taste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Do this:

Bacon

Cook bacon in dutch oven until crisp. Remove bacon and save the bacon fat. Chop bacon into bite sized bits.

White Beans

You can use dry beans (Great Northern) and cook them in a pressure cooker — I do that often (but I never soak them — ask me why in the comment section below and I’ll tell you). But to speed the process I use canned beans — they’re almost as good.

Open all four cans. Two will go into the soup whole and two will be pureed to thicken the soup a bit. Do not rinse the beans. 

To puree two cans of beans, use a blender or empty them into a bowl and use an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender get one. I had no idea how fabulous this tool is until a friend bought me one. Now I can’t live without it.

Vegetables

Chop the onions, celery, and mince the garlic. Put them in the dutch oven with the bacon fat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil. Use as much, or less, of the vegetables as looks good in your dutch oven to suit your taste — it’s your soup. Add a handful or so of the string carrots. Saute over medium high heat in the bacon fat/olive oil mix.

Half-way through sauteing the vegies, add the spices so the heat will release their flavor and aroma. How long is “half-way”? Watch the consistency of the vegies. You’ll know when to add the spices and when to finish the soup (maybe 5 to 7 minutes). 

Finish Making the Soup

Add the whole beans and the pureed beans to the vegies. Stir to mix the ingredients. Add the chicken broth. Add the chopped bacon. Simmer uncovered about 15 minutes on low heat — stir the soup a couple of times while it simmers. Salt and pepper to taste.

Time to Eat White Bean and Bacon Soup

As with many soups, this will get better day after day. But it should be very tasty the day you make it. Fill up a cup or bowl, grab a spoon, and head out to your favorite seat on the patio. Oh, did you make a hot toddy to compliment your soup and add to keeping you warm? And a hunk of warm bread with butter will be a nice accompaniment to your just finished Randy’s Eat Shop White Bean and Bacon Soup for winter patio dining.

Remember, life happens on the patio . . . even in winter!

Please Leave a Comment

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or let us know what we missed and can add to this post. Did you make the soup? Was it as quick and easy as we said it is? Did it add to your winter patio experience? Did you modify the recipe? How so? Please include a photo so we can see how delicious your soup looks.

Remember I said that I never soak my beans before cooking them in the pressure cooker?  Ask me why in the comment section below and I’ll tell you.

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The Patio Dining Trap . . .

Beware of settling into the trap that patio food can only be something grilled in the summertime. Eating on the patio is not the same as picnicking; does not require potato salad or watermelon. Cooking and/or serving unique food on the patio can be a fun and creative dining experience. So let’s jump out of our “comfort zone” and try something totally unexpected for patio dining (think homemade egg rolls) whether for one, two or a group of friends you’ve invited over to party on the patio with fun food and adult beverages.

Homemade Egg Rolls — Why?

Egg rolls are a fun choice for several reasons:

1. They are great “finger food”.
2. They are very tasty especially with a variety of sauces.
3. You can prep them in your kitchen and fry them outside if you have a burner connected to your grill or have a stovetop in your outdoor cooking area. Or fry them on your kitchen stovetop and run them out to the patio. Imagine how surprised your guests will be lining up to get fresh, homemade egg rolls hot from the oil. I’m pretty sure that will be a first for them at a patio party. 
4. Egg roll stuffing is highly variable — whatever suits your taste.
5. They are really easy to make but appear to be complicated. Your guests will definitely be impressed.

Egg Rolls

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground pork or diced pork loin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger root – skin peeled
• 3 cups coleslaw mix – chopped fine (16 oz bag)
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions – chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• Egg roll wrappers
• Oil for frying
• Optional: Cilantro – 1 bunch chopped

Do this:

Combine the ground or diced pork, garlic powder, onion powder, ground pepper, coarse salt, and minced garlic and throughly mix with your hands.

Heat the 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Cook the pork, breaking it up into small chunks with a spatula. Brown until the pork is cooked through.

In a large bowl mix together the coleslaw, green onions, minced ginger root, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Add the cilantro if you opted for that green. Mix throughly and salt and pepper to taste. Taste the mix and add more soy sauce and/or sesame oil if you want a stronger flavor. Stir in the cooked pork and mix again.

Spoon approximately 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto each egg roll wrapper and fold according to the package directions. Have a small bowl of water ready to dip your finger in and use that to wet the lip of the egg roll wrapper to seal it shut as you roll it closed. Set aside on a cookie sheet or wax paper, sealed side down. Fill and roll all your wrappers. 

Get out your baking cooling rack and cover it with a paper towel or two.

Pour 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil into a deep pot like a cast iron dutch oven. Heat the oil until it’s shimmering but not smoking. With a pair of tongs, lay 3 egg rolls in the hot oil at a time. Be careful not to splash hot oil as you set the egg rolls in the pot. Keep an eye on your egg rolls — they will cook fast.

When you see the wrapper brown in the oil up to the edge of the uncooked part of the wrapper, turn it over with your tongs. Check both sides and if they are the crunchy brown you want, pull them out. Lay them on your baking cooling rack lined with paper towel so the excess oil will drain off of your egg rolls.

Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice. Here’s a homemade “Duck Sauce” that we like and can adjust to our taste and/or the taste of our guests if we are entertaining:

Dipping “Duck” Sauce

“Duck sauce” (the sweet, orange-colored condiment) is named because it was originally served as a dip for roasted duck in Chinese-American restaurants. Duck Sauce, as we know it today, is an American invention. It was created to appeal to American tastes. Despite the name, it is a fruit-based condiment used primarily for egg rolls and noodles.

1 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy) sauce
1/2 teaspoon powered dry ginger
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

Remember, every day on the patio is Friday. Enjoy your patio egg rolls!

Please Leave a Comment: Homemade Egg Rolls

Leave a comment below and tell us how well (or not) this recipe worked for you? Did you modify the recipe? How so? Did you cook them on the patio or, at least, serve them on the patio? Add a picture so we can see your yummy egg rolls! And tell us your locale. We’re in Roanoke, Virginia, USA. Where are you?

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Sun Tea . . . a Relic of a Bygone Era

Sun tea seemed to be all the rage in the 1970s, although it had been invented some 60 years earlier. Some people still insist that sun tea is the only way homemade ice tea should be made. But I have invented an ice tea that I think is WAY BETTER than sun tea. And it happened quite by accident.  

The New Way to Make an Excellent Brew!

If you are like me, you drink hot tea that you love. And the more expensive those tea bags are the more reluctant you are to brew one-time and toss them. So I began to save all my once-brewed teabags in a glass jar in the refrigerator. And one day, it happened. I decided to use my jar of used tea bags to brew some iced tea and see what it would taste like. The flavor is best described in one word: WOW! It was fantastic. The ice tea is different every time because the tea bags I save are different based on the hot tea I had enjoyed in the past week or so. No two batches taste the same. I love the variety.

Here’s the recipe and then I’ll provide some tips I’ve learned along the way.

Julie’s Homemade Ice Tea

Here’s the material:

• Once-brewed used tea bags — about 24 — saved in a medium size jar (See “Tips” below for the “medium Size” reason)
• Stainless Steel Pitcher
• Filtered Water
• Glass Container for Tea Storage in Refrigerator

Here’s the process:

Homemade Ice Tea Tips for Success

Now here are a few things I have learned over the years:

• I tried using the saved tea bags for sun tea, but I did not like the results. Again the flavors were not as strong.
• I tried – once – to skip the metal pitcher and use the glass jar for initial brewing.  Yeah, the water was too hot and it broke the glass. So now it’s a two step process. 
• I save the tea bags in a medium size olive jar.  I found that a smaller jar did not have enough bags; something larger and there were too many bags. I know I need to brew more tea when my jar is full of used tea bags. You may need to experiment with what works best for you. 
• It’s strange, but I usually have enough used bags to make ice tea, even in the summer time (I love drinking hot tea year-round). Otherwise supplement with fresh bags of your preference. 

A refreshing drink — just say “Ahhhhh”

Now you have a refreshing homemade drink to enjoy when the heat of summer makes you parched and it’s just a bit early for adult beverages — like Julie’s Cosmopolitan Cocktail — during happy hour on your patio.

And, if you’re invited to a patio party and asked to bring something to share, you can bottle and label your homemade, handmade concoction, make a pan of Sausage Wonton Cups and seriously impress your host and their guests!

Please leave a comment: Homemade Ice Tea

Tell us how your ice tea turned out and what flavors you used for your mix. Did you modify the recipe? If so, please share.

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Here is a real-life scenario:

Let’s say that it is late-afternoon on a Saturday. The sun is warm. The sky is blue. You’ve worked hard around the house and yard this day and now you’re going to reward yourself with a cold beer on the patio. You grab your beer from the fridge and head outside but then you STOP. You think, “Wouldn’t it be great to have a snack with my cold beer on the patio?” YES! You check the pantry and, in fact, there is a bag of unopened potato chips just waiting for you. But what about a dip? A creamy onion dip? 

Don’t even think about hoping in the car and running down to the store because you are ready to relax on the patio RIGHT NOW! But, with Randy’s Eat Shop Creamy Onion Dip you’ll be on the patio in about 10 minutes with cold beer, crinkle potato chips (ridges provide more structure to the chips making them better for dipping), and creamy onion dip that YOU MADE from scratch (no onion soup mix required).

Here’s the recipe:

Creamy Onion Dip

• 1/4 cup of dried onions crushed (in a mortar and pestle if you have one)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/3 cup sour cream

Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a whisk or hand mixer. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for later.

Here’s what mine looked like the last time I whipped this dip together in less than 10 minutes:

And yes, I ate the entire batch on the patio with two cold beers. I did not feel guilty. And I was very happy.

Please Leave a Comment: Creamy Onion Dip

Tell us if you tried this recipe. Did you like it? Did it come together in ten minutes or less? Did you eat the whole batch in one sitting? Did it require two cold beers? Most importantly, were you happy? Tell us how it worked for you . . . or not. 

Remember: life happens on the patio. Enjoy!

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Do You Like Food That Tastes Good?

What a silly question! Who doesn’t like food that tastes good? Other than for pure nutrition (read: human fuel), if it doesn’t taste good, why eat? 

So, how do you like your food to taste? What spices do you use to get the flavor that, when you take a bite, makes you smile, close your eyes, and whisper to yourself in an undertone . . . “yummy!”? Well, whatever you have in your spice cabinet, you may want to try Randy’s Eat Shop Smoked Paprika Spice and end up adding it to your seasonings as a “regular”. Here’s the recipe and then I’ll tell you how I use it.

Smoked Paprika Spice

• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoons coarse salt
• 4 Tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 2 Teaspoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a bowl, combine all the spices and mix well. Then, using an immersion blender, pulverize the mix to a powder. This works best if you have a tall jar that the blender will fit into to prevent the mix from being thrown about while blending. Or, use a coffee bean grinder. 

Store in a small jar in your spice cabinet.

Tasty Ideas for Using Smoked Paprika Spice

• So, you can use this spice as a rub on chicken or pork. I frequently fry up a pork cutlet with some potatoes for breakfast.
• And speaking of potatoes, if you like to dust your breakfast potatoes with a little seasoned flour or seasoned cornstarch to get them nice and crispy, add a couple of teaspoons of Smoked Paprika Spice with your other seasonings for some solid base and zing to the flavor of your potatoes. (I use canned diced potatoes with skin on — they cook up much faster.)

• Or, when you make rice, do you add a little garlic powder or onion powder to the rice before cooking? Well, add a couple of teaspoons of Smoked Paprika Spice and taste the difference in your cooked rice.
• You could even add a couple of teaspoons of Smoked Paprika Spice to the red sauce you make for your homemade pizza. That will make the flavor of your pizza truly yours.

This is a very versatile spice that has the flavor of summer all over it! And of course, you’ll want to enjoy this wonderful summer flavor on the patio, right? So mix up a batch and use it in your favorite recipes.

Please Leave a Comment

Let us know in the comment section below if you made it, liked it . . . or not. Tell us in what recipes you use the spice. Life happens on the patio. Enjoy!

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Cocktails on the Patio

The weather is good now on the patio. And what a better way to enjoy the patio in nice weather than to commune with nature while enjoying a warm-weather cocktail. Something slightly sweet with a bit of “tang”. Muted in color as the spring flowers are also while they eke out their first buds. Of course, this adult beverage should be served in a martini glass! Yes, it could only be a cosmopolitan cocktail — cosmo for short. 

Popular several decades ago when we were “budding” ourselves, the cosmo lost its devoted following but more recently is making a come-back. Surely the cosmo is a welcome quest on any patio.

Mix-up a Cosmopolitan Cocktail

Perhaps you are familiar with a cosmo, maybe you know it but haven’t enjoyed one in years, or you might just be new to the succulent joys of this elixir. Whatever the case, here is a recipe for a delectable cocktail that will become a standard for your patio enjoyment.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail

• 2.5 oz Citron (Lemon) Vodka — do not substitute plain vodka
• 1.0 oz Triple Sec or Cointreau
• 1.0 oz Cranberry Juice — NOT Cranberry Juice Cocktail
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• Orange peel for garnish

Add vodka, Triple Sec or Cointreau, cranberry juice, fresh lime juice and maple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until very cold. Strain into a sugar rimmed martini glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Details

• The vodka must be lemon flavored. You choose the quality. Substituting regular vodka will not result in a “real” cosmo.
• Use plain cranberry juice. Do not use cranberry juice cocktail. Because it is sweetened, your cosmo will be overly sweet. Yuk! Who wants to drink candy?
• If you plan in advance to have fresh limes, use them. If not, bottled lime juice is a good substitute. (I always have bottled lime juice in my fridge.)
• Use a strip of orange peel to wipe around the rim of the martini glass to make it sticky so it will capture the granulated sugar with which you’ll want to rim the glass edge. Give the orange peel a twist to squeeze out a bit of the oil from the peel before wiping the glass rim. Then dunk the glass on a plate of granulated sugar to coat the rim. Drop the orange peel in the glass before pouring in the cosmo.

You now have a delightful concoction with which to enjoy while relaxing on the patio. You might want to enjoy your cocktail with some shrimp and brie wonton cups by scrolling to the bottom of the recipe for Sausage Wonton Cups. Yum!

Please Leave a Comment

Let us know in the comment section below if you tried this recipe and how you liked it . . . or not. Or, did you modify it with success? How so? Do you have another Cosmopolitan cocktail mix you’d like to share? Post a photo of your finished cocktail.

Remember, every day is Friday on the patio!

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Around the fire pit in winter or kicking back on a summer evening on the patio, a hot toddy is a great drink to enjoy — comforting and satisfying. Here’s a simple recipe to create a tasty hot cocktail.

• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1/4 cup Whiskey or Scotch
• 3/4 cup Boiling Hot Water

Put the lemon juice in the cup first. Then add the honey and leave the tablespoon in the cup to stir your elixir and allow all of the honey to join your drink. Next, add the Whiskey or Scotch or your choice. Finally, add the boiling water and stir until well mixed.

It’s just that simple!

Be careful of your initial sips as the drink will be quite hot at this point. Taste it to make sure you’re happy with the flavor and then let it rest a minute and cool to your preference.

Note: Your choice of Whiskey or Scotch doesn’t have to be “top shelf” because you’re mixing it with honey and lemon.

Remember, every day is Friday on the patio. Enjoy!

Please Leave a Comment: Julie’s Hot Toddy

Please post a comment below to tell us how this recipe worked for you. Are you a winter, summer, or both hot toddy drinker? If a winter hot toddy drinker did it keep you warm on your seasonally chilly patio? Did you have it around your fire pit? If summertime, did you mix your hot toddy in a insulated travel mug and kick back on your hammock for a relaxing afternoon? Please share comments and a photo.

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OK, who doesn’t like pizza? Wait, don’t answer that if you’re in the “no” category. “No” to pizza is beyond my grasp to understand. For all of you “yes” people, what is the secret to good pizza? One word: Homemade! So much better than store bought!

Homemade Pizza

Homemade pizza is the best pizza because . . .

1. You get great satisfaction out of making something fabulous with your own hands.
2. You know the quality of the ingredients. 
3. You have all of the flavors YOU like.
4. You get to eat it hot out of your own oven. 
5. You didn’t pay some outrageous price. 
6. You’ll probably have a cocktail while you’re making your pizza and a cold beer to wash it down. Oh yeah!

Start With the Dough

Homemade pizza dough is easy to make and tasty to eat. Here are the ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt (I cook with coarse salt because it has more flavor)

Add any other spices you may want to flavor the crust such as garlic power, crushed rosemary, dried onions, red pepper flakes or other spices to suit your palette. Adding seasonings to your dough will greatly enhance the flavor of your pizza. 

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a medium bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix thoroughly and lightly knead to get an even mixture and smooth (not sticky) dough. If you have a food processor it really makes mixing the dough very easy. With the dough in a bowl, cover and let rest 10 minutes. 

OK, now you’re at a decision point. This recipe makes enough dough for two medium sized pizzas. So, if you only want one, split the dough ball in two and put one half in a zip lock bag and stick it in the freezer. The next time you’re craving pizza it’ll take about half an hour to thaw out on the kitchen counter.

Roll out your dough with a roller on a lightly floured surface and drop it into a lightly oiled oiled pan or just press the dough onto a greased baking sheet with your hands. Prick the dough with a fork to prevent air bubbles. Bake at 425° for seven minutes to get the crust started and prevent your dough getting soggy from the sauce and toppings. 

Wait! What’s the Best Thing to Cook a Pizza on?

Now, this is a huge point of contention among homemade pizza chefs. Many will swear by using a pizza stone. Not me. I swear by cast iron. All of my pans are cast iron. They are like trucks — multi-purpose — they fry, they bake, they broil. They take a beating and always hold up. You’ll get a nice crisp, evenly baked crust on cast iron. Here’s a few options I have in my cupboard.

What Kind of Sauce Goes on Homemade Pizza?

What do you like? We like a mixture of chopped fresh garlic, pesto and olive oil. Traditionally a red sauce is found on pizza. There are many good options of jarred sauce at the grocery store. Here’s a quick homemade pizza sauce recipe:

• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp honey or sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp Smoked Paprika Spice for extra zing! (Optional)

Combine the tomato sauce and paste in a bowl and mix until smooth — with a whisk if you have one. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix throughly. Adjust flavor as your palette requires adding more seasoning if necessary. Making the sauce a hour or so early will allow the slices to “marry” giving you more flavor.

What Toppings Can Be Put on Homemade Pizza?

Any topping ingredients of your choice:

• Tomato slices spun in a salad spinner to release water content
• Kalamata olives, sliced and drained well
• Chopped salami, ground sausage, pepperoni slices, chopped sautéed chicken, diced ham, sliced shrimp — whatever protein you like
• Sliced onion
• Pineapple
• Fresh basil leaves

Really, whatever you like to taste as long as the flavors go together and you don’t over do it. Two or three toppings is good. Any more than that and you have a smorgasbord on your pizza — not good!

Which Cheese is Used on Homemade Pizza?

Mozzarella is the standard although I have sometimes used Jalapeño Jack. The goal here is to have a creamy cheese that melts well. Use chunk cheese and grate it yourself — it melts better. Pre-grated cheese from the grocery store includes cellulose to prevent caking in the bag. It also impedes the melting. And, who wants to eat cellulose? Not me! Eight to 16 ounces is usually good for one pizza.

And remember . . . the cheese goes on the top. It is the glue that holds your toppings on the pizza.

Build Your Homemade Pizza!

So, by now you’ve made your dough and baked it for the initial seven minutes. 

Add your sauce. Go slow. Better to start light and see if your crust is adequately covered than drown the crust in sauce to the point that it will be soggy after the final bake. 

Add your toppings. Make sure you’ve drained all toppings so they are as dry as possible. A salad spinner will get rid of extra juice from your pineapple or sliced tomatoes to prevent a soggy finished pizza. 

Top your pizza with the grated cheese. Make sure all edges and corners are covered so every square inch will be tasty. As an added flavor, at this point, I sometimes sprinkle  just a bit of grated Parmesan if I have some in the fridge for an extra tangy blast to my pizza. And I almost always lightly dust the top of the cheese with a little dried oregano.

Bake Your Homemade Pizza

Your oven should be pre-heated to 425°. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. I check it at 12 to 15 minutes to see if it needs more time or to spin the the pan in the oven in case one area of the oven is hotter than another area. Look for the crust edge to be golden brown and the cheese to start browning as well.

Eat Your Homemade Pizza

When finished, I slide my pizza onto a baking rack to cool so the crust doesn’t get soggy — maybe for about ten minutes. Then I slide it onto a cutting board. 

OK. If you have one of those pizza wheel cutters throw it away! Go to Amazon or a restaurant supply website and buy a pizza knife similar the one pictured here. This is 14 inches but you can get them larger. Your pizza will cut cleanly without ruining the cooling cheese.  

Now you’re ready to eat some of the best pizza you’ve ever had while living on the patio. And YOU made it! You’ve got cold beer, right?

Please Leave a Comment

Please post a comment below to tell us how this recipe worked for you or how you modified the recipe to fit your taste. What toppings did you use? What pan did you bake it on? Attach a photo of your pizza!

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