Journal

2010 - Week 47 Cooking Results and Thanksgiving

Eden Farms Berkshire Pork Hot Dogs

Good as always

Eden Farms Berkshire Pork Burgers

a nice contrast to the rest of the turkiness of the week.

Something with the last chicken breast

I statued the chicken, and then made it into sandwiches along with some ham and some other good things.  I turned out ok.

leftovers

Wow, there are a lot of leftovers.  That's all I gotta say.

Thanksgiving

There was a lot of work that went into this.  I had a plethora of tweets stating as such.  Overall I was generally happy with how things turned out.  There were certainly many hours of preparation that went into the dishes that I served.  I started on Monday.  I made a couple of sides (cranberry sauce, honey butter).  I made things that went into other things (bacon butter that went into the turkey, roasted pumpkin puree).  I didn't get a chance to make the cheese cake that I should've (didn't give it the entire cooling time, since it was 11 something and it should've cooled on the counter another few hours).  After all the preparation, it made Thanksgiving morning pretty simple.  I thought the execution of what I had left to do on Turkey-day was going to be easier then I thought, but there was a bit more to do when it came down to it.  Shannon helped me with the mashed potatoes (finishing), bread (taking out of the oven).  The stuffing stayed in the oven in a bit longer then I wanted when they were being reheated.  The Turkey turned out pretty good, if I do say so.  I think between butter and the brine, it would've been hard to overcook it.  All said and told, I made entirely to much food for the 6 people that were there, but it did turn out well.  I am happy with how it turned out.  My guests seemed happy and went away full, and that's really part of what it's about, isn't it?  A good time with family and perhaps friends.

If they are willing I will try to do this again next year.

2010 - Week 47 Cooking

So, the week of thanksgiving.  Clearly I won't have time to do anything that is going to take a ton of time, so for this week it is going to be real simple.

  • Eden Farms Berkshire Pork Hot Dogs
  • Eden Farms Berkshire Pork Burgers
  • Something with the last chicken breast
  • leftovers

2010 - Week 46 Cooking Results

Mac & Cheese (p309 Good Eats: The Early Years) (using the other 1/2 pound of macaroni)

This time around I used 1 ounce of blue cheese, and 7 ounces apple wood smoked gruyere in the sauce and then some sharp cheddar on the top.  The blue cheese got lost in the smokiness that was the smoked gruyere.  So it really wasn't necessary at all.  Perhaps if I had used more, it would've worked out better, but oh well.  I did like the smokiness that permeated everything.  It made for a nice dinner.  Though probably not the most healthy choice, but good none the less.

Elk Burgers

I had some leftover meat from the stuffed blue cheese burgers.  So mine got combined witht that and cooked (I stuffed some of the leftover elk with mozzarella yesterday for lunch).  Shannon's was straight up Elk.  It turned out well, but elk really does have the problem of being far to lean.  So it takes quite a bit to keep it juicy.

Bison Tacos

Lots of spices, onions and etc made for a good taco meat.  I couldn't tell you what spices I used, because it just started putting stuff in there.  There was quite a bit of cayenne pepper, though.

Chicken Sandwiches

I pounded out some chicken breasts, used some leftover egg whites to dip them in and covered them in a bit of flour.  And had a nice little sort of crispy chicken.  It made for a good sandwich.

Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Chops, (p13 November/December 2010 Cook's Illustrated)

I don't remember the last time I bought corn flakes, though I suspect it was probably for a recipe.  Anyways, this ended up crisping up very well, with a nice color as well.  It wasn't too hard to do and turned out very well.  I served these with some corn.

Pumpkin Bars

I finally used up the last of that set of pumpkin from before, and put it inside these pumpkin bars.  The bars themselves were very cake like, but I think that's on purpose.  I was happy with my mixer as it worked on making the cream cheese frosting, while I emptied the dishwasher.  The cream cheese frosting, quite good as well.  But when it came down to it I think there was too much frosting for the bars.  To me it seemed to make the pumpkin bar more of a delivery device for the frosting, rather then a nice balance between the two.

My First (hosted) Thanksgiving Menu

So I've read lots, thought about a lot of things and listened closely to several podcasts that I wouldn't have paid as close of an attention to.  I have reserved a Turkey from Gateway and will be picking it up tomorrow.  I am going to brine the turkey using some brining suggestions from Fox Hollow Farms.  Then, let it dry out a bit (so the skin gets a bit dryer, then use one recipe for between the skin and the meat and another for the turkey as a whole.  Hopefully it turns out well.  My guests will include Shannon's family (Uncle, parents and etc).  I'm going to start cooking Monday, and finish Thursday.  The plan is to get many items done, and then reheat them for Thanksgiving (I heard stuffings reheat very well).

Appetizers

  • Southern Deviled Eggs (Do when I have time)

  • Baby Carrots

  • Celery (prepare Wednesday Night)

  • Cornichons (this may be just an excuse for me to buy and eat them)

Main Menu

Dessert

  • Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake (p397-398 Baking Illustrated)

  • Apple Pie (pick up Wednesday) with Vanilla Ice Cream, or Whipped Cream (make Thursday)

2010 - Week 46 Cooking

So the goal for the upcoming week is to empty out the cupboards, fridge and some of the freezer.  This is in preparation for thanksgiving.  I have my turkey (Iowa raised) reserved at Gateway.  So one of the first things that I'll have to do on that Monday before Thanksgiving is to get it in to the brine (since it's not going to be processed like other turkeys).  I still have to come up with the menu for thanks giving, but Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, lefse, salad and pies.  Green Bean Casserole (only if I can get fresh green beans) is something that we've been talking about.  But to me Thanksgiving is really about turkey, mashed potatoes, and lefse.  I'm hoping that my stash of homemade lefse has survived the freezer and will be good (or I can get a special delivery from my aunt).  So meals this week will be about using stuff at home and going from there.  Also, on Saturday is the first of two winter markets, so I have to prepare my freezer for that.  We'll see what they have there.  I will have a good old time at the market, though Shannon will be there to keep me from going completely insane.

2010 - Week 45 Cooking Results

Chicken, Vegetable Soup with Fresh Herb Dumplings (p124 October 2010 Bon Appétit)

I used chicken stock that I made to make this. Which was good. Though it still had quite a bit of fat in it, so when leftovers got refrigerated, it was gelatinous until it was heated up.  I mad a lot of soup, there are still some leftovers.  I skipped a number of the instructions which, I think, were meant to up the flavor of the stock, because, well, I already had a flavorful stock.  Which shortened the cook time by a bit (if you skip the 8 hours or so it took me to make the stock in the first place).  Anyways.  It turned out well, everyone was happy.

South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry (p33 October/November 2010 Fine Cooking)

I woke up with a start on Saturday (yesterday).  It was dark out, I saw the kittens napping.  I knew Shannon was upstairs napping (she told me that Gracie was napping with her).  My first thought, was I slept through he cooking window and I was a bit put out by this.  I pressed info on the remote and it showed me that it was just a bit after five, so I pushed down my startled state, and headed upstairs to make dinner.  I had my doubts about it.  One of the main ingredients was cauliflower, which I don't think that either of us are a big fan of.  But everything turned out well.  I skipped the step to add spinach at the end (I didn't think that it would really add, but more would detract for the texture).  This tasted pretty good, though I think with the cinnamon stick soaking in there almost the entire time it kind of overtook all the other spcies in there.  And I have to say that my cinnamon stick was at least a year old, so it wasn't near the top of it's potency.  I served this over rice

Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Hanger Steak with Carrots and Warm Lentil Salad (p72 October/November 2010 Fine Cooking)

The steak was good, the carrots were good, the warm lentil salad...I may have added too much lemon, because that is pretty much what it tasted like. It made for a nice well balanced dinner.

Quick Chicken Fricassee, (p20 Cook's Illustrated November/December 2010)

This was quick, I halved the recipe (to server 2 instead of 4).  I actually like this.  Even though there was a half pound of mushrooms in there.  I served this with some peas, and had some toast with the mushroom gravy.

Classic Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese

mmm...this is a classic dish.  I was feeling lazy so I didn't take the extra step to puree the soup at the end so that it would've been smooth, I can't remember why now, but whatever.  Anyways, it made for a classic combination on a chilly night.

Stuffed Blue Cheese Burgers (w/o the wine sauce) and Oven Fries

So the blue cheese burgers turned out very well.  I liked them (I even used more blue cheese then the recipe called for).  The oven fries on the other hand, didn't match the effort with the outcome.  If I was making them in mass quantities, it would make some sense, I suppose, but just for two, it didn't make a ton of sense to dirty a pot to parboil, then a pan to cook.  Overall the dinner was very good, but this wouldn't override my standard of frozen fries from the freezer section.

2010 - Week 45 Cooking

2010 - Week 44 Cooking Results

Mac & Cheese (p309 Good Eats: The Early Years)

The cookbook and the online version are different.  No bay leaf, suggestion to use smoked paprika...that sort of thing.  A little more then the "lets get it up on line".  It turned out pretty well, though I certainly didn't really need to use panko and could've used any old breadcrumbs that I had already made.  I think it has been similar to other ones that I have made, but it still turned out well.  Good stuffs.

baked mac and cheese

Caramelized Onion and Potato Gratin (p17 October/November 2010 Cook's Country)

It turned out well.  I hade intended to get some vegetable stock, but forgot, so I felt a bit guilty about it, being that I was planning on serving it for movie night, and Holly has made a veggie turn, I did tell her, and it was ok.  It made for a good main for a GF and nearly veggie option.  The onion and thyme mixture in the middle and the topping of gruyere, made for a good meal.  I served it with some bread (South Union, forgot to go to La Mie), arugula and spinach salad with onions and feta, corn with unsalted butter and fumee de sel (smoked salt).  For dessert I served warmed Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread with some vanilla ice cream on it.  Shannon had suggested that I serve it with cinnamon ice cream, but I couldn't find any that I found acceptable (and didn't feel like making it).  Over all it turned out to be a pretty good dinner.  I wasn't totally happy with the consistency of the potatoes, but I used German Butter potatoes that I had gotten from the farmer's market, rather then the russets that the recipe actually wanted.

Movie night dinner with Carmelized onion and potatoe gratin

Reduced Fat Stuffed shells with meat sauce (p4 October/November 2010 Cook's Country)

I made this on Friday.  This was after a long time spent making the Chicken Stock.  This actually turned out really well, I don't know if I would've complained about how long it took to make if I hadn't spent all the time to make the stock.  But it did take a good chunk of time.  But it would be good to make, and I didn't really matter that it was reduced fat.  The meat sauce was actually really good, and simple.  I'm biggest problem with this whole thing was that I was scared that I was going to run out of pots to cook in.

Reduced Fat Stuff Shells with Meat Sauce

Herbed Rice Pilaf (p37 Fall 2010 Entertaining)

Simple...but really meant for a side dish and not really a main, though it still turned out well.

Hamburgers (made with a panade with the leftover 93% lean ground beef)

It turned out nice, with the soaked in milk bread, the very lean beef made for juicy burger, even though it was frightfully lean.

Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread

I had to call an audible again, because I didn't have any of the pumpkin pie spice, like I had used, however, i used more cinnamon and some freshly grated nutmeg and it still turned out well.  I'm hoping this freezes well.  I want to use up the rest of my pumpkin and then freeze 'em and bring it out and thanksgiving.  I guess I'll try and see what happens, and if it's not edible...then...well...I won't serve it.

Chicken Stock (p339 Ad Hoc at Home)

I learned many things from this and the last time that I made stock.  The duck stock ended up being a bit salty, after it reduced down, because I didn't consider how salty it could get.  This stock doesn't have any salt in it.  Of course I will have to remember this when I cook with it, because I may need to add a bit more salt.  Adding ice cubes to it, a whole lot of fat appeared for me to skim off.  I have plans for this already.  It actually made for a good day.

Chicken Stock, mid process

Boiling water, Rudcing chicken stock, and making meat sauce.

2010 - Week 44 Cooking

So this week we took some small pumpkins, and carved them.  We got compliments on them from some of the adults that accompanied their children on Beggers' Night.  I am quite please that our pumpkins are still in tact.  Meaning that there are not too many hooligans in our neighborhood.  Though I suppose if they survive this evening, that really is telling.

2010 - Week 43 Cooking Results

Challah French Toast

I've made this so many times it's almost second nature.

Frittata with Italian Sausage and Cheddar

I added to much meat and to much cheddar, it kind of overwhelmed everything else.  I would have drawn it back to around 1/3rd a pound of sausage (instead of 3/4ths) and the cheddar that I put in, which I admit when I made it I was thinking, hey, this is probably too much cheddar.

Chicken (haven't decided how it will prepared) and Mustard Mashed Potatoes

I pounded out the chicken a bit, salted and peppered it a bit and then did a light coat of Dijon mustard.  I sauteed it in a pan.  The mashed potatoes actually turned out quite well.

Pork Burgers

I love the Eden Farms Berkshire Pork.  I still owe them a statement.  I've been vaguely thinking about it, but I have been busy, so what can you do?  I hope to see them at both winter markets.

Black Bean Soup with Sherry (p25 October/November 2010 Fine Cooking)

I bought some Sherry (I don't remember what kind, but certainly not anything that said "cooking" in the title).  I tried it by itself and it vaguely reminded me of something  I had had before, but I couldn't place it.  Anyways, it turned out pretty well.  Not to boozy, which has been a problem with some other recipes, at least in Shannon's opinion.  Anyways.  I added some heirloom tomatoes and a bit of chevre (I thought I had some feta, but I didn't).

Black Bean Soup with Sherry

Pumpkin Bread Muffins (p306 Good Eats: The Early Years)

I made the bread as it called for, then again with the added spice and the chocolate.  I like the way that turned out better.  I plan to make this again, with a suggestion from Shannon, which may involve me making ice cream.