Garlicky Duck Sausage Rolls

I often hear people dismiss British food as boring, but I've always been fascinated by it. Of course, I'm fascinated by the food of all cultures, so maybe that's not very surprising. But with names like Toad in the Hole, Bubble and Squeak, Spotted Dick, Cullen Skink, and Welsh Rarebit, how could one not be intrigued? And it's not just the names, I've tried all but spotted dick...and each is tasty.

One thing that I hadn't tried making myself until yesterday was a simple sausage roll. The name may not be exciting, but I don't know why I waited so long to actually try them. How could sausage baked inside a pastry crust be anything but delicious? And while it's anything but boring, I did shake things up a bit and use duck sausage in place of pork sausage.

Grilled Duck Half w/ Raspberry Barbecue Sauce

Would you believe me if I told you that you could have tender, succulent duck for dinner on a busy weeknight? Well, guess what? You CAN have tender, succulent duck for dinner on a busy weeknight! It's simply a matter of combining seasonal fruit and raiding your spice cupboard to throw together a flavorful barbecue sauce while your grill heats up.

You may know that I am a Maple Leaf Farms ambassador for a few simple reasons. They are a local family-run business here in Indiana and they produce a superior product that stems from caring and commitment. I'm not paid to use, write, or talk about their products—I do it because I think everybody should know about their availability.

Garlicky Duck Stir-Fry inspired by Eat Drink Man Woman

"Eat, drink, man, woman. Basic human desires."

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is a true "foodie movie". A delight for the senses, Eat Drink Man Woman is set in Taiwan and centers around widowed Master Chef Chu and his three unmarried adult daughters who still live at home. Each Sunday they come together to connect over a lovingly crafted elaborate family meal. The daughters are being pulled in their own directions by love and careers while they notice that their father's once flawless food is starting to lack flavor because he has lost his sense of taste.

Sound familiar? Well, if you haven't seen this 1994 release before, maybe you've seen the 2001 flick Tortilla Soup. Tortilla Soup is the American remake that features a Mexican-American family living in Southern California. I think both movies are equally delicious in their own right.

Asian-inspired Braised Duck Legs

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fiji Water, for the Perfection Takes Time campaign. All opinions are my own.

Recently I realized something, and it made me a bit wistful. I realized that I don't take my time in the kitchen anymore. I mean, YES—I'm always in the kitchen. Always testing recipes. Always making dinner. Always moving a stack of cookbooks from the table to the floor. Always fretting over lack of counter space...lack of daylight...lack of clean dishes. Hurry, hurry, hurry. Spending my time instead of taking it.

Sixteen years ago, when I moved into my first real apartment...not a dorm room, not a house or apartment shared with college roommates...just me, I took my time in the kitchen. I was just coming into my own. I was learning cooking processes and techniques. I used to make lists, explore ingredients, and prepare meals that took time. Golden-skinned chicken that was roasted in the new stoneware dish I was so proud of. Chuck roasts so tender and beckoning that burning my fingertips just to get an early taste didn't hurt a bit. Pink hams wrapped in a shiny glaze. Pork loins propped up by a bed of sturdy vegetables. You know, the type of food that envelops the entire house in a sense of calm.

And I did it just because I enjoyed it.

Duck and Lentil Ragù with Spaghetti Squash

The word ragù instantly conjures up visions of warm kitchens, family meals, and comfort food. Slow cooking...long braises...tomato based (traditionally) meat sauces, usually containing some sort of wine...what's not comforting about that? But sometimes I cheat and go for something equally as hearty and flavorful, yet cooked in far less time. Let's call them rapid ragùs.

This one in particular still features tender, slow-cooked meat—it's just that I didn't simmer it in the sauce itself. I love slow roasted duck and duck confit (duck legs that have been cooked slowly in their own fat), and while I don't mind taking the time to cook either, Maple Leaf Farms offers some awesome pre-cooked options. That means that I can have slow roasted meat at my fingertips, whenever.

I made this ragù at the end of last week (you may remember me telling you that there was a thick blanket of snow outside my window). It all started with a couple of little ovalular spaghetti squash sitting on my counter. Spaghetti squash just so happen to be my favorite type of winter squash...well, any squash really. More often than not, I'll just roast and scrape one and eat it with some Italian sausage and kale; that's one of my favorite meals. But since I've shared that recipe before, I knew I had to come up with something else. I mean, that is the point of 12 Weeks of Winter Squash. Stepping outside and trying new things, new combinations...coming up with new favorite uses for these sturdy squash varieties.

Sticky Mango Mustard Glazed Duck Meatballs

I'm not usually one to hide an ingredients, or tell my family it's something other than it is. However, if I'm using something that I think they may turn their noses up at, I probably won't tell them what it is if they don't ask. Case-in-point, these meatballs. They're tender, lightly spiced duck meatballs in a sweet, spicy, sticky mango mustard glaze. Sounds good, right? My guess is that half of you said yes, the other half held back because they were made from duck. Why is that?

I think it's just because duck isn't a meat that everybody grows up eating (and is therefore accustomed to it). Duck is often dismissed as a special meal (read, holiday meal) meat. If you know me, you that's an assessment that I just don't agree with.  Duck doesn't have to be a roasted, laquered whole bird garnished festively—though that is a happy picture. Try working instead with something as simple as ground duck, and using it where you would normally use beef, pork, or turkey.

Now, just in case this is your first time here (or you weren't familiar with the fact), I am a Maple Leaf Farms (duck) Ambassador. I'm not paid to say good things about duck, my opinions are all my own. But lest you think I'm only saying good things about duck because I'm an ambassador, you can flip that around and say I'm only an ambassador because I like to say good things about duck.

Char Siu Duck Legs (Chinese Barbecue)

It's hard to believe that we're already into the second half of summer. I know that I say it all the time, but even the kids are commenting on how quickly this year is passing by. It doesn't get light quite as early, and it doesn't get dark quite as late. Plus, the kids go back to school next week. Next week! That's far too soon, in my opinion. Growing up, we never went back until after Labor Day, when the days were crisp and fall jackets were in order. Now, I'm searching for shorts and short-sleeved shirts to send them back in.

But my original point was the speed with which summer is flying by. We've blazed through an impressive amount of charcoal this year so far; the grill has definitely been earning its keep. I've had these duck legs on the backburner for more than a month now, waiting patiently for their turn in the spotlight.

This was actually my first time cooking duck on the grill. I know, crazy! I was in the mood for a little barbecue, but instead of traditional (to us), I went a little off the beaten path and chose an addictive Chinese barbecue called Char Siu. Well, Char Siu actually means "fork roast" or "fork burn" (not literally barbecue) - a way to flavor roast pork (or traditionally any available meats, especially wild boar).

Duck Salad w/ Grapes, Almonds, & Blue Cheese + 13 more tasty ways to use DUCK!

A lot of people consider duck a "special occasion" meal, often roasting a duck during the holidays, and not thinking of it again for a whole nother year. While duck does make for a very special holiday meal, it's also great on a Tuesday.

Duck is extremely versatile, and holds up well to bold flavors. Try it with your favorite spice mix or rub. Still not sure when to use duck? Replace the chicken, pork, or beef in a recipe with duck! Try duck in a curry. Use it as a taco filling. Shred some slow-cooked duck legs and combine with your favorite barbecue sauce for a Pulled Duck Sandwich! Season a duck breast, sear it, and serve it over a salad or rice. Use any portion of cooked duck in a duck salad sandwich or wrap (like the one pictured below made by a local catering company that's filled with duck, pecans, pickles, mandarin oranges, and I think there was even rice in there!).

Duck Bacon Fried Rice {#EatingIndiana: Maple Leaf Farms}

Welcome to my very first #EatingIndiana feature.  You can click here too learn more about why I started #EatingIndiana, but at the core of it all, I will be featuring Indiana grown/based/established food.

Maple Leaf Farms was established in 1958 by Donald Wentzel near Milford, Indiana.  They began small with 280,000 ducks their first year (seems like a lot to me), but continued growing, and had 1 million ducks by 1964.  Mr. Wentzel passed in 1968, but the business is carried on by his son-in-law, Terry Tucker.  This family-owned company has a commitment to not only family, but also friends, personal fulfillment, community involvement, and high-quality products.

Maple Leaf farms now employs 750 people at operations in not only Indiana, but also Wisconsin, California, and Michigan.  They are at the top of the North American duck market with their White Pekin Duck products, from raw to fully-cooked.