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.

Cavey’s Colossal Shrimp Cocktail

With the New Year’s Eve celebrations set for tomorrow, I thought I’d share one of the favorite appetizers we will enjoy in the Cavehold as we ring in 2016. In fact, we bring this one out just about anytime we are celebrating anything. Take a bite of one of these plump, succulent, delicious decapod crustaceans and you’ll be adding this shrimp cocktail recipe to your next fete’s menu, too! Best of all, the recipe is SO easy … just the way I like ’em!!

INGREDIENTS

2 Pounds Of Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns – shell on, deveined
4 Quarts Cold Water
2 Tablespoons World Spice Merchants “Classic Crab”
1 Tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns
1 Preparation of Cave’s Quick Cocktail Sauce
OPTIONAL: Replace 1 cup of the water with a can of your favorite beer

RECIPE

Place shrimp in large colander and quickly rinse with cool water and drain. If frozen, DO NOT defrost.
NOTE: I prefer the “U-12” Black Tiger Shrimp found at Costco. They are already deveined, yet still have the shells on … plus, they are so tasty! That said, any uncooked colossal shrimp (12-14 per pound) should work just fine.

Fill large stock pot with water (add beer, if so inclined), World Spice Merchants “Classic Crab” spice blend, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes. Return to boil and add shrimp. Reduce flame and cook until prawns are pink and opaque throughout (about 5-8 minutes if frozen, 3-5 minutes if not) – shrimp will usually float when done.
NOTE: You can substitute the World Spice Merchants Classic Crab with Old Bay Seasoning or other seafood-boil spices. Though, I would recommend adding a Bay Leaf, mustard seed, and other spices/herbs to make up for the difference in flavor.

When done, immediately strain shrimp in a large colander. Then quickly place prawns into an ice bath until fully cooled. Again, quickly strain shrimp well.
NOTE: It is important not to let the shrimp sit in the cooling water too long. They can absorb water like a sponge, ruining their taste and texture.
HINT: We like to reserve the cooking broth as it makes a great base for seafood soups, cioppino, etc. Just let it cool, put it into a container, and freeze it until ready for use.

Next, shell the shrimp. If you do it right, you can take off the the shells and remove the legs in one motion, as displayed below. I also like to leave the tail and last section of shell on. Not only does it give the dish a stylish presentation, but acts as a little handle for you and your guests to use when eating it.

You can either serve them immediately or refrigerate them for up to 3 days. When ready, just plate them on a large ice-filled platter with a small ramekin of Cave’s Quick Cocktail Sauce in the center. Have another empty ramekin nearby for the discarded tails. Now just dip and enjoy! And, most importantly, have a happy, healthy, and happening New Year!

Prep Time = 20 minutes
Cooking Time = 2-6 minutes
Serves 6-12

©2015 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.

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.

Happy New Year!

The Cave Clan wishes you a happy and healthy New Year, and all the best in 2013!

©2012 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.

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.

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.