Mike Dean's Yellowstone Stuffed Tomatoes

                                      Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park

When noshing with the Yellowstone National Park execs at Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge, I asked for two other recipes. The secret of the delicious vegetarian stuffed mushrooms went with the chef who prepared them then left for another cooking opportunity elsewhere.

However, the stuffed tomatoes came from the creative mind of Mike Dean, executive sous chef for Yellowstone National Park Lodges. Once again, it was from a made-on-the-spot, no recipe inspiration, but here's how he did it.

Mike Dean's Yellowstone Stuffed Tomatoes

Hollow out cherry tomatoes with a small melon baller.

Mince some garlic and shallots then sautee them in a little olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper. Allow to cool.

For the filling, start with a creamy chevre-style goat cheese, preferably from a local producer. Whip the goat cheese until smooth then fold in the sauteed garlic and shallots as well as some chopped fresh thyme, parsley and basil. Pipe the cheese mixture into the hollowed tomatoes.

Before serving, roast the pan of tomatoes at 400 degrees for a few minutes to warm the tomatoes and soften the cheese filling.

Yellowstone Apple Rings with Pumpkin Puree

                                   Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge

A cocktail party thrown by our hosts, Xanterra Parks and Resorts, at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, featured sustainable and regional fare from organic crimson lentils to organic wines and regional beers in light weight eco-friendly aluminum cans.

Chef Nobile                                    
Everything was delicious but the Baked Apple Rings with Cinnamon Pumpkin Puree really wowed me. I asked Chef Joe Nobile for the recipe and he turned to its creator, Mike Dean, executive sous chef for the Yellowstone National Park Lodges.

Mike admitted this was the first time he'd ever written actual recipes, apologizing for the informality of the recipes and adding "sometimes for special events we don't write recipes because they often won't be used again. Sometimes we actually get to 'just cook' and not be constrained to recipes."

This informal gathering of travel writers and park personnel fit into both categories so I'm going to relay the recipe just as Mike emailed it to me.

Mike Dean's Yellowstone Park Baked Apple Rings with Cinnamon Pumpkin Puree

Cinnamon Toast Circles
Cut small rounds of white bread, lightly fry in melted butter over medium-high heat. When fried crispy and golden, sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Pumpkin Puree
This is simple; take a can of commercially produced pumpkin pie filling and whip it with asmall amount of whipping cream, a pinch of cinnamon and some powdered sugar to the sweetness tyou desire.

Apple rounds
Simple but can be tedious (which means you probably won't find this dessert on lodge menus).
Cut Granny Smith apples into rounds across the core. Use two different sized cutters. The first should be the same size as the bread rounds and remove the peel and outer section of the apple. The second should remove the seeds and core, leaving a hollow apple disc.
Lightly dredge this disc with cinnamon sugar then place on a parchment paper-lined baking pan and bake in a 375-degree oven about 12 minutes or until the apple is tender and beginning to brown.

To assemble
Spread a little pumpkin puree on each bread round to allow the apple and bread to stick together, then pipe a dollop of the pumpkin mixture into the apple to fill it. At this point, garnish as you like, with a small dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of nutmeg or anything else to to make them "pretty".

Don't expect any leftovers.

Presidential Beans

President Teddy Roosevelt loved everything about the great outdoors - riding, fishing, hunting and eating - so naturally he fell in love with Yellowstone National Park. In 1919-20, 20 years after the president first visited the park, Roosevelt Lodge was built on the site of the old tented Camp Roosevelt near the North gate, known for its Roosevelt Arch.

Roosevelt Lodge is still popular with today's visitors and so are the famous Roosevelt Beans served there.

Here's the recipe for your favorite outdoorsmen.

Roosevelt Beans

Serves 8-12

1 pound hamburger or sausage
1/2 pound bacon in 1/2-inch dice
1 onion, 1/2-inch dice
1 16 oz. can pork and beans
1 12-oz. can kidney beans
1 12-oz. can Lima beans
1 12-oz. can butter beans
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBS. cider vinegar
1 TBS. prepared mustard
1/2 cup Ketchup
salt and pepper to taste

Fry meats; drain fat. Saute onion with meat. Stir in next 10 ingredients. (For a thicker dish, drain liquid from beans.)
Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with cornbread.