Sunset Squash, Acorn, on Leap Day

Cut your squash in half, lengthwise and scrape and remove the seed network with a spoon. Place face down on a cookie sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees until you smell squash, about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the squash and your nose.

If the skin feels soft it is done. Remove from oven, flip over to sunnyside up, add butter, brown sugar( or honey or maple syrup) and ginger. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Eat alone as a late winter snowstorm treat, or along with a venison or grouse ragout or as a 1st course in a many course meal.

A little cayenne pepper will make the squash sweet and hot, which is irresistible even to a Mn palate.

Oatmeal Cookies w/ Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Use the recipe from the Quaker Oatmeal cylinder, but use half olive oil and butter, and half honey and brown sugar and chocolate chips if your daughter does not like raisins, and use half whole wheat flour and white flour( organic, in my case) and a cup of walnuts and they are deep and rich and religious and they are good for you. Earthy,nutty and complete. You don't have to feel guilty when you eat them.

Baked Beans and Cornbread

Make your cornbread with whole grain cornmeal and half whole wheat and white flour. If you need quick use canned baked beans of your choice. A great combo for a snack or a meal or as part of a shore lunch.

Use the cornbread recipe on the bag or box, but add garlic and any cheese and jalapeno or cayenne pepper. Add onions and hot peppers to your beans, too.

Shore Lunch

You can do this in the fish house or in your kitchen during winter. It involves the same recipe and methodology as a traditional shore lunch on the shore of your favorite Mn or Canadian lake. I like to keep it simple. Fish, fried potatoes, baked beans.

Season( Lawry's, or cajun seasoning, etc) and flour your filets and pan fry in oil that is half the depth of your fish. You do not need to deep fry.Add oil as necessary.

Add onions, garlic and hot peppers of your choice to taste to the potatoes, as well as salt and black pepper.

Add browned onions and jalapeno or cayenne peppers to taste to the baked beans.

I like to know that I am eating when I am eating. You will, too. Spice it up.

A whole wheat soft shell tortilla which can be used as a taco or burrito. Basmati rice w/ lime and cilantro, cajun seasoned julienned chicken breast, avocado, salsa and grated jack cheese.Add sour cream and some heat to taste.

You can do this with pheasant or grouse, too.

.Do yourself a favor tomorrow and watch various Whitney Houston tributes on the day of her funeral. Enjoy and appreciate her gift of song as you do the gift of food.

She was so good and I am so sad.

Bluegills All Over Again

You don't just have to have it panfried. You can poach it in a broth involving onions, garlic, sweet peppers, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, and herbs de Provence. Plus a little v-8 juice.Toasted french bread in or on the side.

Mn Bouillabaisse

Three successive days of bluegill, this the French soup version.

Valentine's Day

A hug and a quiche for you on this Valentine's Day, cupcake!

The girls - 3 14 yr olds - made cupcakes for the Grammys the other night.

Chocolate cupcakes annointed with whipped cream, tiny dark chocolate chips and creamy caramel.

Need I say more?