That sounds dramatic, but it’s really not. I’m not joking – best. weekend. ever. In the history of weekends! Oh, where do I begin? Remember last week when I said I was planning on sitting in the stand some over the weekend? Well… I did. Trusty John knew how anxious I was to bag a deer, so he got me in the stand to start off our weekend in Georgetown. Despite running late, and a rainy front moving in, I entered the woods at 5:30 Friday afternoon/evening to begin my first official deer hunt of the season. I always sit down with too much adrenaline, often finding myself moving around/making far more noise than intended, so I made a point to chill out sit still and just enjoy being in the stand. Aaand 45 minutes later I found myself taking a plethora of photos to pass the time more quickly.
With goat cheese… and cauliflower crust! Aha! I knew I would lure some of you in with the temptation of pizza (those of you who would otherwise baulk at the cauliflower crust part in the title). But trust me, it is so so good, you won’t even miss the fluffy, doughy crust from a delivery pie. Not that there is anything wrong with that fluffy, doughy crust. No sir. But, a certain someone at home was pre-ttttyyy skeptical about the cauliflower crust… And guess who ate half the pie? That’s right. It was officially man-approved. Now get to cookin!
INGREDIENTS:
CAULIFLOWER CRUST
1 head of cauliflower, medium size
1 whole egg, whisked
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried Italian seasoned bread crumbs + more if needed
TOPPINGS
1 cup venison sausage, browned and cooked through
pizza sauce
1 shallot, sliced thin
2 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Anything else you just can’t live without on your pizza – go crazy!
STEPS:
1. Preheat your oven to 450* and place a baking sheet inside to get nice and hot. While the oven is heating up, snag your cauliflower and chop the florets off of the stem, adding them to a food processor. It helps if you can get the chunks fairly small, just to help the processor get them down to size. You essentially want the pulsed cauliflower to look like a giant bowl of feta cheese. See what I mean? Or couscous? I don’t know. Like this.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, cook the cauliflower for around 4 minutes or so to cook it. Once it is finished, remove from the microwave and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer it to a clean dish towel and ring out as much of the excess liquid as you can. There will be a pretty fair amount, and if you don’t listen to me and let it cool, you will burn your hands with hot cauliflower liquid and then you won’t want to keep cooking. Did this happen to me? ……. No….. I’m just warning you…
3. A good thing to do while the cauliflower is cooking and cooling is to get your venison sausage browned and cooked. I like to put it in a hot skillet and let the bottom sear for a few minutes before moving it around to cook evenly. See those nice brown crispy parts? Those are the best. Once cooked, set aside until it is time to assemble the toppings.
4. Once the cauliflower is {mostly} liquid free, put it back in the bowl and mix in the rest of the dry ingredients, followed by the egg. I found that using my hands was the best way to get everything combined enough. It should form into a ball pretty easily. If it is still pretty damp, add in the bread crumbs to absorb some of the moisture.
5. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your counter or cutting board, and spray with non-stick spray. Then flatten your dough into a disc. It will vary in thickness depending on how much crust your head of cauliflower yielded. Mine was about 1/4″ thick, but tapered at the edges. Snag that hot baking sheet from earlier and slide the parchment paper/crust onto it. Carefully. It is hot, after all. Then bake the crust for 10 minutes or so, depending on your oven, until the top starts to turn a golden brown. See?
6. Assemble the rest of your toppings! Start with the pizza sauce and add a thin layer of shredded mozzarella. Then get the sausage, shallot, and goat cheese on there, topping it all with the rest of the mozzarella. Then bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is all melty and delicious. Then turn the broiler on high for the last 60 seconds or so, just to give the cheesy topping that nice golden brown top.
7. Slice ‘er up and dig in! This recipe makes one crust, but it really feeds 2-3 people just because of its size. You can believe me that you might want to just eat the whole thing yourself. It’s a vegetable crust. So the whole thing isn’t even bad for you, right? It’s actually healthy…
Adapted from here.
So things have been a little slow around here on the hunting front, and I know the bright side of the road has suffered from boredom as of late. I genuinely have not had time to sit in the stand. Meh. Anyone out there want to hire me to hunt and fish and test recipes and pay me for it? Pleeeease?! I promise I’ll be the best you’ve ever seen!
Ahh… Digression aside… I saw this photo a little while back and literally giggled out loud. I just couldn’t help it. Now that the weather is cooling off a bit, I am working to make more time for a few hunts… Hunts that will hopefully lead to something like this.
Happy Thursday, friends! I have been waiting to do this little #tbt for a while now, rather than stick it in the lineup directly after the previous Costa Rica #tbt and be oh so predictable. This one comes at the same time that two of our very dear friends, Anne and Douglas, have officially started their cross-country trek on their move to California for the next year via a new job for Douglas {eek!}. And while we are all so excited for them (and can’t wait to visit in March), it was hard to say goodbye see ya later nonetheless. So, in dedication to the Marions, I give you the #tbt to our Costa Rica trip in 2012!
Roll back to February 25, 2012, and we began our fun by celebrating John’s birthday with cocktails on the plane, and a cake when we arrived. A full week filled with sunshine, lots of fishing (and catching!), good food, too much beer, and thousands of photos later, we created memories on a trip that we won’t soon forget. There ended up being 12 of us total, staying in the same house as our trip in 2011, and doing our fishing off of both Frenzy boats again out of Marina Pez Vela. With such a large group, we all rotated on fishing based on how much we wanted to fish/which boat we were able to book for a given day. I am so glad the same crew is still there, too, as they really made the experience as fun as it could possibly have been. Some days were slower than others, as it always is with fishing, but we never came home empty-handed. In fact, every single person was able to land at least 1 sail, a first for many of the group. Another first? Swimming with a caught sail. Right in the water with him, holding onto his bill! Because of the trauma caused to the fish bringing it up on the boat, that is no longer an option for an angler’s photo op. I feel very fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to do so the previous year, but absolutely cannot disagree with the new practice. I know I speak for everyone when I say that is was such an amazing rush to jump into the vast ocean and swim with a wild beast of a fish. Another outing resulted in a deliciously large tuna, which we prepared for dinner that night. Swimming at 2 pm, on the table by 8. You really can’t beat that, huh?
With John and I having so recently been to Costa Rica, it was easy to plan out both our days and nights, from figuring out meals for 12 to what adventures we could partake in on our days off from fishing. As luck would have it, there was one day that the boats were booked, giving the whole group a chance to head off together on a zip-line adventure. Not everyone was on board with the adrenaline-filled excursion at first (you know who you are :)), but it ended up being so much fun. Other days off were spent enjoying cocktails on the beach, eating local food in little roadside restaurants, exploring Manuel Antonio National Park, and even a little beach/rain forest horseback ride.
Literally 5000 photos later and 25+ caught sails under our belts, we headed back home, sun-burned tanned faces, mild hangovers, and huge smiles. Here is just a taste of our adventure. Enjoy!
I know that sounds weird… But trust me, it is so surprisingly easy and good, you’ll want to give it a try. Like, tomorrow. Or today, if you are just waking up. This is one of those quick breakfasts you can make and assemble in less than 5 minutes, wrap it in some tin foil to keep it warm, and walk out of the door to your hunting/fishing destination. I made this sort of on a whim with what I happened to have on hand, so it is pretty simple. So simple I was almost embarassedYou can also vary the ingredients to suit your taste buds, so be creative! *{See below for some variation inspiration}
Even though duck season doesn’t officially get started until November around here, I figured this would be as good a time as any to give you your essentials list for those fun-filled months. October 1 has brought with it the most glorious reprieve from South Carolina summer heat, and I know the next few months will be fantastic. What about early teal season, you ask? I had plenty of questions, as you know. To answer yours, no, I did not participate in teal hunting that weekend. Why? A casual afternoon 4-wheeler ride (more on that later… eeeeek!) down to the duck ponds to scout where we were going to hunt the next morning left me with one image. Well, 3, really. Alligators. Three of them. Right. Where. We’d. Hunt. I am talking like right where we would be standing in the water, trying to hide amongst the phragmite. I will admit it, I am that big of a wuss when it comes to large-ish alligators. A little small one? I have no problem holding him in my hands like a new pet. BUT WHERE IS HIS MOMMA? Exactly.
Now gear yourself up before November, friends, and enjoy!
Wednesday morning I headed up to Columbia to visit dear Dad, as it was his 64th 50th birthday… Just kidding – I know he wishes it was, though! We had been planning to hunt on his birthday for a few days, and I wasn’t going to let the weather forecast (rain) stop us from enjoying the day in the field. All in all, I would say it was a fairly uneventful hunt. We came out of the field with 6 birds between us, and damp clothing from the cool rain. I was even chilly at one point – a welcomed rarity in the usual heat of a South Carolina September! We got to spent some quality time together, nonetheless, and I wouldn’t trade an uneventful day in the dove field for a day sitting in the office, that’s for sure! Speaking of making sure to spend time with those you love…
Wednesday was also the morning of the Georgetown fire that tore through Historic Front Street. It is disasters like this that make you want to stop and think about everything that is the most important to you. The 9 families (13 total people) whose homes were destroyed by the fire lost more than I can fathom. Remember the Rascal? The captain’s parents lived on Front Street and lost literally everything. What was their home overlooking the water is now barely a building facade. John’s mom lost her store, Goudelock & Co., along with everything in it. John immediately rushed to Georgetown to see what he could do to help… Thankfully, no one was hurt. Such devastation to a place that has become so near and dear to me, and affected people so close to me and the ones I love, is just heartbreaking. I have to admit – I felt a little guilty enjoying a day of hunting and celebrating when there were so many people watching their homes and livelihoods smolder in ashes. But it did make me feel better knowing that I was spending time with my parents, who I could not imagine life without. {Don’t either of you go anywhere, ya hear?!}.
Without getting too cheesy or cliche, take a minute to appreciate what you’ve got. While “things” aren’t the most important part of life, it is important to be thankful that you at least have a roof over your head and clothes on your back. I know I am guilty of forgetting that from time to time, and unfortunately it is tragic events like this that force us to bring everything into perspective. For more information on the fire, click here.
DON’T FORGET!
To donate to the Front Street Fire Relief Fund, call 843-546-8591 or visit any First Citizens branch in South Carolina. For more information on how you can help, click here, here, and here.
To every one of you who has taken a stroll through this blog of mine, I give you a cyber hug and high-five! Why, you ask? As of about 6:30 this morning, the bright side of the road reached a whopping 10,000 views! Well, 10,012 to be exact! I know that’s a hill o’ beans compared to most of the blogs I follow – which include everything from this to this… Ok, and this. Guilty pleasure… Feel free to mock me, it would not come as a surprise – but it is an amazing feeling nonetheless! So, THANK YOU!
When I started the bright side of the road last year, I really just had it in my mind to share some stories about doing the things I love, from hunting to cooking, and everything in between. I had no idea that it would reach as far as it has, and that I would get so much positive feedback from the most unexpected places. With work and, well, life in general, I don’t spend near as much time as I would like in the outdoors, and therefore don’t blog about such fun as much as I would like, but this little corner of the world is nonetheless mine to enjoy, and I love sharing it with all of you! Believe me, if I could hunt and fish and play outside and test recipes for a full-time job, I would do it in a heartbeat. Ahhh, to dream…
But, until then, I will keep up the work fun over here on the blog, and hopefully keep entertaining y’all for a long time to come. I will leave you with a list of the most popular posts – a little photo enjoyment for the day!
Oh man, what a success. Well… Mostly a wing-it and hope for the best because this is what we are having success, but success nonetheless! Wow. I am already embarrassing myself. Shocking, I know.
This dinner really was a spur of the moment idea I had as I was running into Trader Joe’s to pick up a case of wine few groceries. With summer winding down and some of my favorite vegetables going out of season, I was craving something summer-y that would also satisfy a certain someone’s appetite and conviction that one must have protein at every meal. With corn on the cob, baby sweet peppers (remember these?), zucchini, and mushrooms in my basket – light bulb! Enter – kebabs. And an excuse to use some of that famous cube steak in the freezer begging to be eaten so I can make room for {hopefully} a few dozen more pounds of meat this fall/winter! But, honestly, I am getting dangerously close to empty-freezer freak-out mode… Perhaps a few days in the stand is just what the doctor I haven’t been to ordered. There. That’s my rant about wanting to deer hunt. Soon, friends. Very soon.
But, on to the recipe. This is so easy, and all you really need is time to marinate the meat and veggies. At least an hour for the meat, but you can get by with around 30 minutes for the vegetables. The slight sweetness of the venison marinade pairs so wonderfully with the tangy Greek marinade for the vegetables… It’s fantastic. And feeds 3-4 when served with corn and salad, depending on who those 3-4 people are. 😉
INGREDIENTS
VENISON:
1 lb venison cube steak, cut into palm-sized chunks
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
VEGETABLES:
6 baby sweet peppers – assorted colors, chunked
1 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1/4″ rounds
5 button mushroom tops, halved
1/2 cup onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves roasted garlic
2 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup Greek dressing {I use the house-made from here alllll the time. Get some if you are in town!}
I threw some corn on the cob in the oven a little bit before I took the meat and veggies out of the fridge – just a little bit of butter, salt, and pepper, wrap in tin foil, and 350* for 30 minutes. Super easy side dish, and super delicious.
STEPS:
1. I actually had John go ahead and cut/marinate the venison before I got home so it would have time to do it’s thing, so I unfortunately don’t have “before” photos of that. Wah Wah. Sorry. I’m terrible. But, like I said – at least an hour in the fridge to marinate. You’ll know it’s ready when the meat has darkened in color from absorbing the marinade and is fairly easy to pull apart.
Do the same thing with the veggies. Chop them up, toss them in a bowl with the dressing and lemon juice, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Remove venison and vegetables from the fridge, and begin assembling your kebabs. I made sure to pre-soak the skewers, but since I did these in the oven and not on the grill, I am not sure if that was such an important step looking back on it. Also, if some of your pieces of cube steak are much longer than others, like mine were… John…. it is actually really nice to wrap them around a veggie or two. Just for an extra layer of flavor. Or something like that… Isn’t that what they say on Food Network?
Place them on a baking sheet or wire rack that has been covered in tin foil – trust me on the tin foil part. Take a look back at the bowl your veggies were soaking in, and there will be some extra marinade left over. Pour that extra goodness in all of its garlicky glory over every last kebab. Don’t waste a drop!
3. Place into a 475* oven for 10-12 minutes.
This is actually the “after cooking” picture, but you really can’t tell that much of a difference since the meat was already such a great color from its soak in the hot tub. “But what about the vegetables?!” you ask? Where is their charred yet golden brown color? Ten minutes isn’t long enough for them to get where they need to be, I know. And I knew you were going to ask that, so I have your solution.
Did you notice that these are called “deconstructed” kebabs? I personally don’t have a great history with trying to eat kebab things off of the skewer. I always end up with some sort of puncture wound and then take the meat/veggies off and eat with my fingers a fork anyways. Which is actually perfect for this recipe.
4. Once out of the oven, remove everything from the skewers, and separate the meat from the vegetables. DON’T THROW AWAY THE TIN FOIL YET. Add the vegetables and all of the juices from the cooking process into a large skillet on medium-high heat. Saute for 5 minutes or so, or until they are at your desired hue of golden brown and slightly charred at the edges.
5. Plate it all together, yet separately – venison, vegetables, corn, and salad. My ranting made this seem like much more of a process than it really was, I am now realizing, but it is so simple.
