There is nothing quite like sausage and peppers. This is one of my favorite recipes. Sausage and peppers is easy to make and tastes even better the next day.

In a good sized bowl place an assortment of (some cut some whole) sweet, mild and hot Italian sausage. To the sausage add whole pablano, green and red peppers and quartered potatoes. Splash a fair amount of olive oil in the bowl and using your hands make sure everything is well coated.

Dust everything with ground plack pepper, granulated garlic, kosher salt, tarragon, fresh parsley and basil and again mix well making sure all is well seasoned.

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I love artichokes and a great way to serve them up is in a pasta dish. Here is my recipe for fettuccine with artichoke hearts from the kitchen of Bearfort Lodge.

Cook fettuccine and set aside.

One small ladle clarified butter in bottom of saute pan

Saute a breast of chicken.

Add to saute one hand chopped mushrooms, one hand of green onions and two hands of sliced artichoke hearts and one knife minced garlic.

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Recently a reader asked a question about chinking a hand hewn log home:

Am trying to figure out what is best to seal between logs [our log home is 100+ yrs. old.]. Most important consideration is keeping rodents out. .. Am sealing from the inside because clapboards are still outside. How can I apply mortar without it dripping out? .. Will Permachink keep rodents out?

Sounds like a great project Brian…

I dont know how large your logs are — but lets assume that they are anywhere from 8″ to 10″ tall by about 6″ thick. The gap between the logs may be about 8 ” on average as well.

Traditionally the space would be filled with a mixture of rocks and mud or rocks and mortar.

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This is another favorite from Bearfort Lodge - Potato lovers will delight in Bearfort’s Skillet potato salad recipe

2 pounds medium potatoes
2 stalks celery
1 small head Romaine lettuce
6 sliced red radishes
6 slices bacon
Small ladle bacon drippings
One palm of flour
Large ladle water
Small ladle vinegar
Two fingers salt
One finger pepper
Three fingers granulated sugar
1 pared cucumber
2 cups cooked beans or peas
2 peeled small onions

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Phil is working on a mountain cabin and writes -

I have been building what started as a relatively small cabin, now 5 years later with two timber frame additions in the mountains of Va. The first chinking I used was a mixture of cement sand and dirt and it seemed to crack a fair amount, especially where I added another skim coat in spots. I am now ready to chink the inside and would like a sturdy (somewhat lighter color ) on the inside. I would greatly appreciate any tips / recipes you might have. After 5 years of work I HAVE to get this one right!! Thanks much for your help

Phil Smith

Hello Phil Sounds like a great project… We would love to see photos some time.

Chinking on the interior will be much like your chinking on the exterior - however I suggest a different recipe. Just out of curiosity - where did you come up with your recipe?

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Here is my straightforward recipe of mine for scalloped oysters.

A few handfuls of coarse toast - I use a cracked wheat toast
A small ladle clarified butter
2 dozen raw oysters shucked and drained (save the liquid)
Small ladle oyster liquid
One finger kosher salt
One finger pepper
A splash or two of light cream
A splash of Worcestershire sauce
dash or three of cayenne pepper
Two splashes sherry

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I love spinach. Here is a recipe to make a spinach ring with hot cream

A couple of packages of frozen chopped spinach
Three chunks butter
Four fingers all purpose flour
About 3/4 cup milk
Two fingers salt
Two fingers pepper
Sprinkle grated nutmeg
3 eggs beaten

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Fillet strips are nice and quick.

I like to do them on the grill.

I season the fillets with salt, pepper and garlic with a splash of olive oil and grill them — they cook fast don’t wander off.

Once I have taken them off the grill I toss them into a hot saute pan with a splash of olive oil, fresh crushed and chopped garlic, chopped tomatoes, a few capers, a handful of chopped mushrooms, a handful of freshly chopped green onions*, salt, pepper, a few sliced olives a palm of romano cheese, and a splash of white wine.

Saute and serve.

A note on green onions: — don’t throw out the green! - Use the green too not just the white. Why some people just cut off and the white and throw out the rest is beyond me.

This extremely simple recipe is sure to please and is very quick and easy to make.

Fedelini cooked and ready

A large bunch asparagus chopped

Saute the asparagus in a pan with freshly chopped garlic, season with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt. once the asparagus has become tender add the cooked fedelini pasta and toss.

Add a handful of grated asiago cheese, a hand of grated fontinella cheese and four fingers grated Romano, a sprinkle of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper — yes again and a dash or three of granulated garlic.

Toss and serve.

Try something Special with Bearfort’s Steak Vesuvio recipe

This is very easy to make and very quick.

When ever I go to the butcher he knows how I like cuts — thick. A nice size New York Strip is about three fingers thick. Now thats a steak. None of this think crap from the wrapped meat in the cooler.

Anyway - Prepare a bowl with a medium ladle of olive oil and add to that about three fingers of fresh ripped and bruised rosemary, about two fingers of torn tarragon, a hand of finely chopped basil, one finger kosher salt, three fingers freshly ground black pepper and a palm of granulated garlic.

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