Hot Link Joe's Special

I hope you know Joe,
You know, Joe's Special.  Just about the most perfect breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner food.
Meat, Eggs, Spinach and Cheese.  
Throw in some other stuff, if you have it, but those are the basics.

I think I may have mentioned my Hot Link purchasing Costco personal shopper?
Yes, that guy.  
Always so willing to take our Costco list and do the shopping... I love that about him.  However, sometimes I wonder if it might cost us more.
He buys everything on the list, plus picks up every little thing that calls his name as he strolls the aisles.  It's hard to stay mad at him, it's like the more frivolous part of me going on a shopping spree.  I always like what I get.
But, Hot Links.  I love them, but really, how much can you do with them?
I actually have a whole category on my blog because of that 20 pc Hot Link purchaser.

So, the other day, here's what inspired me for a late breakfast together.
Here's another recipe for a Joe's Special from my blog about 4 years ago.

Serves 2 
Ingredients
  2 hot links, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin
1/4 onion, sliced thin
4 eggs, beat 
3-4 cups fresh spinach
1 cup mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the hot links, in half and then in thin slices.
Slice the onions thinly.
In a bowl, beat up the eggs
Grate the cheese.
Over medium high heat in a non-stick of cast iron pan, fry up the hot links for a couple minutes until starting to brown a bit. Add the onion(and mushrooms, if using) and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted.  If there is a lot of excess juice from the cooked spinach (and mushrooms), go ahead and drain off some, if desired.
Add eggs and continue to cook until the eggs are beginning to set.  Add about half the grated cheese, and serve.  Use the rest of the cheese to top the eggs, and then serve at once. 

  

Smoked Trout Spread

Someone at my house came home from a guy's weekend with 20 trout not that long ago.
Yep, 20.
He caught 3-4 himself, but many of the other guys caught them but didn't want them.
So, that guy knew what to do.  Bring them home to me.
I love trout, but it IS hard to eat 20 of them.
So, we lightly smoked a bunch of them after a very short brining, and then threw them on the smoker.  We happily ate one each while it was hot and fresh and chilled the rest.
I knew that they were perfect for smoked fish to serve cold, chowder or a trout spread.  

We served this on Thanksgiving and the kids nummied this right up and said how much they wished there was more.

My advice?  When you, or your significant other goes fishing, bring the trout home.  Brine it. Smoke it. Make some Trout spread, some smoked trout chowder and enjoy it!

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 boneless smoked trout, (about 8 ounces), reserve about 1/3 cup in chunks

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup onion, minced

1 Tbsp prepared horseradish

1 Tbsp minced green onions

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1-2 Tbsp capers

1/2 lemon, juiced

Serve with toasts, crackers, or celery.

Reserve a little of the fish and green onions for a garnish (as pictured).

Discard the head, and skin and flake the trout fillets, picking out any bones if you see any. Puree the cream cheese, sour cream, onion, mustard, capers, lemon juice and horseradish in a mini food processor. Add the fish and pulse to a make a semi- smooth dip. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate about 1 hour. It will not be totally firm, but nice and spreadable.

Note: 8 oz of smoked trout took about 3 small trout.