Holiday Wishes

The Cave Clan wishes you the brightest of Holidays, and the rockingest of New Years!

Cavey’s Holiday Helper

Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, New Years … they’re all approaching fast. Which means you should be preparing for your Holiday feast. What’s that? You’re not ready?? Not sure what to make??? Never fear … Caveman is here! Just read on for some suggestions on how to make your celebratory spread highlight your time with friends and family.

Of course, nothing piques an appetite quite like some sumptuous appetizers. You could throw a bowl of nuts on the table and call it good. Though, at C3 we take our pre-meal hors d’oeuvres pretty seriously. A recent favorite of the Cave crowd has been Cavey’s Colossal Shrimp Cocktail. These giant seafaring crustaceans are plump, succulent, delicious, and relatively easy to make. Plus, you can make them ahead of time, and then plate them just before your guests arrive. Other tasty starters include our Baked Brie with Peach Sauce; Lamb Wontons, Teriockeye Salmon Wontons, or – if you are feeling fancy – our incredible King Crab Wontons.

With Hispanic influences solidly embedded into California cuisine, it is no surprise that Tamales are a savory Christmas tradition that we have heartily embraced in the Cavehold. While we are solidly in the Gringo category on the census questionnaire, we will hold our Killer Chili Rojo (Red Pork) Tamales and Killer Queso (Cheese) Tamales up against any competition from South of the border. The masa (dough) in these two recipes is smooth, almost creamy, with a fantastic flavor all on it’s own, while the fillings are so scrumptious and hearty. A perfect blend that makes for a fiesta for your taste buds. While they are labor intensive recipes, it really is a very easy dish to pull off. Besides, if you gather your masses together for an assembly line when it comes time to actually fill and roll the tamales, it goes by very quickly.

Side dishes are always a key to making any Holiday meal a memorable gathering. 2x Baked Potatoes are always a welcomed Holiday treat. Yes, they are truly the “angioplasty special”. But, you aren’t starting your New Year’s resolutions for another week or so! Besdies, it’s the Holidays … live it up!! If you need to tone it down a bit, you could always opt for our Roasted Red Balsamic Potatoes for a tasty tater alternative. Other sides you might consider are our Sauteed Asian Veggies, Caramelized Red Pear Salad, and our annual must-have Super Spinach Soufflé. You can’t go wrong, no matter what you choose.

The main course usually goes one of two ways for the Holidays: turkey or beef. Since we recently enjoyed a T-day Turkey Brined bird over Thanksgiving, along with some Phenomenal Focaccia Stuffing, we are opting for our world renowned Glazed Teriyamic Prime Rib. Whether you call it Prime Rib, Standing Rib Roast, or a bone-in Ribeye Roast this is one recipe that is full of flavorful nuances. It is a delectable dish that will have everyone at the table silent, save for the occasional mewl of palatable pleasure.

A sweet treat is always the way to end a marvelous meal. Unfortunately, the Cavewoman does most of the baking and dessert making around here, and the vast majority of her incredible recipes have yet to make it onto this cyber rag. However, we do have a few posted up that might merit consideration. At the top of the list are her Hand-Dipped Holiday Cookies and other treats. These are an easy way to take some of your favorite store-bought cookies and turn them into something special to cap your Christmas-Hanukkah-Kwanza-New Year’s soirée. Plus, you’ll see that you also get to make pretzel/nut clusters, as well … my personal favorite. Some other temptations include our Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Easy Peasy Cherry Crumble Cake, or simply top some ice cream with either our Cognac Marinated Mint Strawberries or Candied Kahlua Pecans. Any of these will certainly put the finishing touches onto your Holiday bill of faire.

I know! I know!! I’ve given you so many options to choose from. But, isn’t that better than being stuck in menu limbo like you were before you read this post? Yeah … I thought so! Besides, you could always just celebrate ALL the Holidays … it will give you an excuse to make more than one Holiday meal! 😉 Let us know how it goes.

The entire Cave clan wishes you a happy, healthy, and delicious Holiday season.

©2016 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.net authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

From our family …

… to you and yours, a wish for the very best this Holiday season, and always!

©2014 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at https://cavemancooking.wordpress.com authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

From The Cave Clan …

… to you and yours, a wish for a healthy, happy, and rockin’ Holiday Season!

©2013 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at https://cavemancooking.wordpress.com authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

Super Spinach Soufflé

While you wait for the next episode of C3TV (which is coming next week) we thought we would tempt your taste buds with this delicious dish that works great with any meal, but is especially suited for your Holiday fare. This is also a recipe that we have gotten many requests for since this site came to be. So, before we need to make any more excuses why it hasn’t appeared here yet, please read on … 😉

INGREDIENTS

2 10 Ounce Packages Frozen Chopped Spinach – Defrosted and Drained
2 Cups Cougar Gold Cheese (or another aged white cheddar cheese) – Shredded
2 Cups Medium Cheddar Cheese – Shredded
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Sour Cream
4 Large Eggs – Beaten Well
6 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Garlic – Chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/4 Cup Flour
Salt & Pepper to taste

RECIPE

Defrost and drain spinach.
NOTE #1: You might be tempted to use fresh spinach in this recipe, but we have found that the frozen variety works MUCH better.

Shred both the Cougar Gold (which you might just have to crumble instead) and the cheddar cheese.
NOTE #2: While you can use another type of aged white cheddar cheese, we highly recommend using Cougar Gold for this dish. It’s unique flavor adds the right amount of zing to the taste of this soufflé. Plus, you can use whatever you have leftover for Stuffed Pork Loin, fondue, cheese puffs, or just served with crackers and grapes … Mmmmm MMMMMMM!
Also, you might want to shred some extra cheese if your brood is anything like the ingredient-stealing, cheese-munching Caveclan.

Place spinach, shredded cheeses, and sour cream into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a medium sized sauce pan over a medium-low flame, melt the butter then whisk in the flour. Yes, this is a “roux”.

Now, slowly whisk in the milk. When the sauce becomes evenly smooth and creamy, whisk in the garlic.

Add the sauce to the large mixing bowl with the other ingredients and mix everything together well.

Stir the eggs into the mixture (It is at this point that we would suggest you stop your “taste-testing” of the raw but delicious mixture). Salt and pepper to taste.
HINT: It’s best to have your own beautiful and talented Cavewoman to put this dish together. Besides, it’s her recipe, so I had to give her some props! 😉

Place the entire mixture into a large, well buttered, baking dish. Place it, uncovered, into an oven preheated to 400° for about 45 minutes … until the top is slightly caramelized and the soufflé hardly moves when the baking dish is jiggled. As actual oven temperatures my vary, so will cooking times … just make sure it is cooked all the way through!

When done, let the soufflé set up for 10 minutes before serving. Eat your heart out, Popeye!

NOTE #2: It is plainly obvious that this is not a healthy dish. So, we try to cut out some of the fat by using non-fat milk and light sour cream. It works great, and there is plenty of other fat in there to more than make up the difference!

Prep Time = 30 minutes
Cook Time = 45 minutes
Serves 8-12

©2010 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This recipe originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.net authored by Caveman. This recipe may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

Happy Holidays 2011!

As previously noted on this cyber-rag, we like to have fun with our Holiday cards in the form of mocked-up magazine covers. We’ve spoofed such periodicals as People, Poker Player, American Angler, Photography and, last year, Bon Appétit. This year, after taking the trip of a lifetime to Alaska aboard the Disney Wonder, we felt that travel was the next “victim”. The result: Our 2011 version is a tribute to the well established trekking mag, Condé Nast Traveler! Yes, that’s really us standing in front of Mendenhall Glacier!!
We have much to be thankful for in the Cavehold this Holiday season: Our troops are coming home after 9 arduous years in Iraq. After several serious challenges this past year, our family appears to be happy and healthy. Our highly anticipated “C3TV” premiered to much fanfare and acclaim. And, we are surrounded by so many amazing and wonderful friends and family members!
Are things “perfect”? Of course, not … they rarely are. But, we always strive to see our proverbial glass as full as can be. So, please, take a moment this Holiday season to ponder the things in your life that bring you joy, happiness, and contentment. Give thanks for that which you do have, and aspire for that which you still seek to find it’s way into your life in the New Year!
The entire Caveclan wishes you and yours the best Holiday season, ever!

©2011 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.net authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

Happy Holidays 2010!

For years now, the Cavewoman and I have sent out a Holiday picture to all our friends and family. Pre-Cavekids, we even took those pictures with our pet birds (both of whom are now with us only in our hearts). The first few years that the Caveboy was around, we had our wedding photographer take a family shot for us to use. But, ever since the Cavegirl joined the tribe, we have had a bit more fun with our annual Holiday offering in the form of mocked-up magazine covers featuring the four of us. We’ve spoofed such rags as People, Poker Player, American Angler, and Photography. This year, for obvious reasons, our attention turned to food. The result: Our 2010 version is a tribute to the long running monthly tribute to chow, Bon Apetite! For those of you versed in Photoshop, you’ll see that the only original things in the picture are us, our clothes (sans hats), and utensils. The kitchen, the chef’s chapeaux, and the magazine headers and titles were all “Photoshopped” in. Yeah, I wish our kitchen looked like that!
As noted above, we share these Holidays cards with all of our friends and family. So it is, that we would like to share it with you. The love shown this cyber-rag, both vocal and silent, is truly felt and appreciated. You are our friends and, indeed, our family. As such, we wish you and yours all the best for the Holidays, and may your New Year be filled with health, happiness, and prosperity. Thank you for being a part of the Caveclan … we look forward to sharing even more from our tables and times with you in 2011!

©2010 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.net authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

Meteors & Melting Chocolate

I’ve always been a sky junkie. It doesn’t matter if there is something special going on in the celestial realm … I could just sit and look at the stars for hours. Throw in a major meteor shower and clear skies, and I will just sit and look at the stars for hours! So was the case tonight as the Geminid meteor shower, the most prolific sky show of the year, was available to all who cast a heavenly gaze.
But, before I could head out for a couple hours of star staring, I had to help out with a few Holiday honey-do’s. Our annual Holiday card had to be signed ad-infinitum, and our Holiday cookies needed to be hand-dipped in melted chocolates. The former I begrudgingly agreed to. The latter, however, I readily raised my hand for! I mean, what could be better than dipping Double Stuf Oreos, Nutter Butters, Walker’s Shortbread, pretzel twists, and cashew-pretzel clusters in Milk and White Chocolate?!?! Of course, as a “Chef”, you have to sample your wares before they can be offered for public consumption. Plus, any dip-ables that don’t come out “clean” become fair game! Add in the fact that our photo-processed cards don’t quite have palpable flavor, and you can see why my allegiances lie where they do.
I know you are saying to yourself, “Hey, Cave! These look great, but how about sharing some of these choco-coated cookies with the rest of us????”. Well, until they improve computing/internet technology to be able to download some of these yummy seasonal treats, the best I can do is offer the recipe we posted last year for making these delicious delights: Hand-Dipped Holiday Cookies.

Image courtesy of NationalGeographic.com

As for the Geminid meteor shower, much like the cookies, it lived up to the hype! I stepped outside the house and immediately saw a bright streak cross a good portion of the visible sky. I walked up the street to a nearby neighborhood park to avoid the street lights, set up my lawn chair, and was instantly treated to an amazing show. Perhaps, not as amazing as Roger Waters performing “The Wall”, as he did tonight in Anaheim. But, certainly getting to see 3-5 meteors per minute, while only having a clear view of 1/3 of the skyline and fighting the effects of light-to-moderate light pollution, qualifies as a very impressive performance. And, it wasn’t all about the quantity, either. The quality of many of the small balls of fire were nothing short of majestic.
All in all, it was a great night. Got much of our Holiday bucket-list done, munched many hand-dipped delectables, and got my astral fix! If only every night could be so fulfilling. 😉
By the way, (insert shameless self-promoting plug here) tomorrow is the last day to enter our final giveaway of the year! Don’t miss your chance to be one of four lucky winners to score over $700 in professional cookware from Man Pans in our Want Pans? Giveaway.

©2010 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.net authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

Happy Holidays!

  From our family to you and yours … Happy Holidays!

BTW, our camera (with all the upcoming recipe photos) was left behind at my Mom’s. 😦 So, we won’t be posting any new recipes until next week. Though, there will be a couple new posts between now and then.
Hope your Holiday season is full of fun and flavor!

©2009 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at https://cavemancooking.wordpress.com authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.

Hand-Dipped Holiday Cookies

Who says you have to know how to bake to make some tantalizing Holiday treats? The Cavewoman (who is actually an incredible baker) and I easily dipped our way to some much ballyhooed Holiday cheer. Let me show you how we did it.

INGREDIENTS

2 Pounds Merckens Chocolate Melts (1 Dark Cocoa, 1 Super White)
4 Ounces Non-Pariels (“Sprinkle Balls”)
3 24+ Ounce packages of your favorite cookies
1 Medium bag of pretzels
1/4 Pound of your favorite nuts

RECIPE

First, make sure you get the real deal when it comes to melting chocolates. Merckens makes great stuff and is widely available in stores and on the web. We prefer the Dark Cocoa Dark and the Super White.
HINT #1: When you go in to get the “Sprinkle Balls”, don’t call them that! Use the term “Non-Pariels”, or you are likely to be roundly corrected. I speak from experience! Though, for our purposes, “Sprinkle Balls” will be gladly accepted here. 😉

Next, spread some wax paper or tin foil on your counter while heating some water in a double boiler. When water boils, add one pound (do just one color at a time) of chocolate wafers to the top half of the double boiler. Stir with a rubber spatula constantly until chocolate becomes creamy and smooth. Be careful to not overcook or it will become clumpy.
HINT #2: Save about 1/4 cup of each wafer color to do some easy, yet fancy decorating later on.

While they offer tools specifically made to dip cookies, all you need is a large two-pronged fork. Just put a cookie into the melted chocolate, turn with the fork making sure to coat cookie entirely.

Allow excess coating to drip off of the cookie before placing onto wax paper/foil. If you are decorating with “Sprinkle Balls”, or other toppings, add them now.

Follow the same procedure for other cookies and pretzels.
HINT #3: Our favorites for this recipe include Double Stuf Oreos, Nutter Butter, Shortbread, and Waffle Cookies. Also, we like both the small pretzels and the large pretzel sticks.

When the chocolate level gets too low to dip the cookies, use a spoon to “paint” the cookie with the coating. This is especially effective when coating the shortbread.

When you get to the very last of the chocolate coating, crush up a handful of small pretzels in a plastic bag.

Throw crushed pretzels directly into chocolate pan, add a handful of nuts (we prefer Cashews), and stir with rubber spatula until completely coated with remaining chocolate. Take a large spoon and scoop cookie-sized clusters onto wax paper/foil. You can also use Rice Crispies for this step … either way, it becomes a big clump of chocolate goodness and adds variety, too!

When cookies and clusters are completely dry, take reserved wafers and place into sandwich sized-baggie. Microwave in 20 second intervals until melted smooth and creamy. Be sure to knead the bag between intervals to aid the smoothing process. Again, don’t overcook! When fully melted, cut a very small hole in the corner of the baggy making, in effect, a small disposable frosting bag. Drizzle the chocolate in fun decorative patterns on cookies and clusters.

When drizzles have dried, arrange various cookies, clusters and pretzels onto plates, garnish with foil-wrapped Holiday candies, cover with tin foil, top with a bow, and present to friends and family as a tasty Holiday gift. That is, if you don’t eat them all first! 😉

Prep Time = 15 minutes
Cook Time = 30-45 minutes
Makes 60-70 Cookies, plus Pretzels and Clusters

©2009 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This recipe originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at https://cavemancooking.wordpress.com authored by Caveman. This recipe may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.