Journal

2014 - Week 44 Cooking Results & a bit of Alton Brown fun

We, Joseph, Shannon and I, had bought tickets a while back to see the Alton Brown Edible Inevitable Tour.  I'm a fan of the mixture of science and humor.  We had pretty good seats (orchestra area), and really enjoyed the show.  At the time of one of the volunteer portions, Joseph made it abundantly clear that he wanted to be chosen, and was.  The show overall was very entertaining for all of us (me, food lover (cooker and eater); Joseph, food professional; and Shannon, food lover (eater)).  So if it is coming to your town, give it a go.  Video screens are available even for the not so close seats.  Alton Brown did go to a number of the places I suggested during a semi-drunken (ok mostly drunken) state (not that he followed my list, but apparently I'm not the only one who suggested the items).

Last night, I went off on a man-date with JZ and a number of other dudes where the plan was to play a bunch of Munchkin, but we ended up playing mostly Dominion (super fun, super variable), then a bit of Munchkin.  Let it be recorded for history that this was the first time that Drew has seen me not win at Munchkin (I've not won a bunch of times).  While we were doing that Shannon was off having a lady-date seeing St. Vincent with the elusive Courtney at the Fleur.  Pretty good week, over all.  Though there were some food failures this week.

The BA Patty Melt

So while I think I had heard using mayonnaise for grilled cheese or things like that was good and I Know I've used mayo to crisp up and keep my turkey moist (as opposed to pork fat, which I've also done).  Maybe I'm just kidding myself though.

These right here, were amazing.  Crisp crust on the bread, good meat mixture.  Good mixture of cheeses (Prairie Breeze and Prairie Rose).  Cooked down onions.

So damn good.  I'll be making this again, for sure.

Chili (today)

Seared in the pan, transferred to the crock-pot, fond from the pan gotten up and added to crock-pot...er slow cooker (I have no idea what the brand of my slow cooker is).  Then I slowly simmered it over the next while.  Pretty good, less spicy (on purpose).  Its not that I don't want it spicy, it's that I don't think I can so much take it anymore.  Anyways generally happy with the results.  Maybe vinegar should be a late add to it.  it brightened it up when you add a few dashes of Frank's Red Hot to the dish...  I'll have to think on that.

Wok-Fried Black Pepper Beef and Celery

I couldn't find gia vi...ok I didn't even bother looking for gia vi.  I was going to make my own, but was once again limited by time (I needed to head off to my man-date).  So basically this recipe is only represented by the fact that I used the ingredients to some extent.  I cut the beef, then marinated it for a little bit in a combination of the spices, soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce and some Sriracha.  I chopped up the celery, used the onions I had leftover and it just came together.  Served over some heated up leftover rice, a quick dinner, used some leftovers and still quite good.

Chorizo Tacos

Om nom nom

Rice and Beans with Fried Eggs (Modified)

This counted as a double failure this week.  So the thought was, hey, I've got some extra beans because the Slow cooker isn't as big as my Chantal pot, add some more liquids bam, use the beans and avoid buying (a cheap) can of beans.  This didn't work out because of timing.  One night I got home late from work, the other time the time was limited by going out to the Alton Brown show.  Either way it just kept being frustrating, and we just had eggs and toast instead.  So I'm going to actually follow the damn recipe...

Pork Burgers

Om Nom nom

2014 - Week 43 Cooking Results

The BA Patty Melt

Ok so I got home a bit later then normal (Hung out a bit longer at The Cheese Shop / Grade A / Crooked Gap Pop Ups, longer then I intended).  So I just made a burger instead, this is delayed until next week.

Chili

I starting making this yesterday.  Dinner is already ready for tonight...

Grilled Cheese & Jalapeno (cannot trust my blender for Tomato Soup, getting a new blade this week)

I overcooked Shannon's grilled cheese (no jalapeno) a bit, but was able to scrap off some of the blackness, to make it acceptable.  Mine turned out ok.  I used a combination of Prairie Breeze and Chèvre (this is also replaceable with Quark).  Good stuffs, quick dinner, sent Shannon off to her art class).

Cavatelli with Spicy Winter Squash (Pumpkin)

So I had to make some adjustments, but didn't make enough.  It was garlic heavy, but I thought it was fine, Shannon, not so much.  So I'll have to eat through this.

Thai-Style Soup with Pork

It came together pretty well, and tasted good served over rice.  I proceeded to take it to lunch for most of the days this week.

Mini-Burgers (I got a craving after seeing the posting from a local restaurant)

Om nom nom

Lasagna Bolognese (maybe)

Left work a bit early, rushed home, starting making dinner...a mere 3+ hours later, feed some friends.  It turned out really well, not really a weeknight dinner thing (though I could've done a bit of prep before to make it a bit easier.  

2014 - Week 43 Cooking

Mani has had a new fascination with the kitchen.  He's really liking the pumpkins, which is fine, because there's not much he can do with them.  However he has started to take the potatoes in their paper bags and spill them all over the kitchen, drag them around the house.  In fact I found him dragging the bag around.  He has started to go after the lemongrass on the counter (not supposed to be on the counter).  It has gotten pretty frustrating.  Anyways maybe it's time to break out the training squirt bottle.  The rest of the house, flat-non-window surfaces are debatable, kitchen, not so much.

2014 - Week 42 Cooking Results

Bangers (Lucky George Farm) and Mash

So in eating this I thought about making some of the oft suggested red onion gravy, but it turned out that I didn't really want to put that much more time into it.  However I did ad some dijon and spicy mustard as some of the recipes called for in the mashed potatoes.  To give it some of the tartness I used some of my bit over yogurt (just starting to sour).  All and all, really good mashed potatoes topped with sausages.

Now I have no idea if these were appropriately spiced bangers, but since they're also done by Story City Locker, I assume so, since they do good things there.

Good stuffs, and I bought some more.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I only vaguely followed this recipe, I added a bit more pumpkin then it called for.  They made for some pretty good pancakes.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese (bechamel + pumpkin puree + Prairie Breeze)

Turned out great.  I used the rest of the quart bag of pumpkin Puree.  Stirred in the pasta to the bechamel and the pumpkin into that.  I put it into the oven for a bit to warm anything back up and maybe caramelize the top a bit.  Good stuffs.

Chickpea, Pumpkin and Sage Stew

So this was pretty good the first time around.  Nice and warming on a chilly fall day.  But the more it sat around (for leftovers) the more the noodles absorbed the soup liquid and the more it turned into a casserole.  It was pretty much all casserole by the time I had the last batch of leftovers.

Bacon and Scallion Farrotto

Tasty, the first Sunday dinner in a while with Joseph attending.  He has a bit more free time now.  I'm still not sure how I feel about this whole thing.  Anyways, good stuff.

Brats (La Ventosa)

Good stuffs!

2014 - Week 41 Cooking Results

BLTs

Om nom nom.

Bacon and Scallion Farrotto

Delayed.

Hot Pepper Noodles

Made these last night.  Very quick to make.  Though the "hot" in the title of this recipe doesn't make a ton of sense to me.  Yes it was physically hot, but it was not really spicy.  I added some sriracha which gave it some of the heat needed.  Anyways, it was really fast to make and pretty good.

Pancakes

Finally the weather cooperated and it made sense to make pancakes...in the evening.  I finished off a bottle of the syrup we had, and Shannon cracked into the Great River Maple syrup.  This was shortly followed by a request to stock up on some more before the Farmers Market closes up for the year.  So I will do so.

Hasenpfeffer

Rabbit.  Rabbit rabbit.  So The rabbit raising has been a project of Ethan's (of Crooked Gap) son Caleb.  Certainly meaty, a bit cute (which is why Shannon didn't want to look at them the other week when we were at the farm) and I really enjoyed it.  However, I suspect Hasenpfeffer can be a divisive dish.  I had mine, with a bit of beer, and really enjoyed it (despite a few little bones, which I suspect is due to the way I broke down the rabbit).  This is how I expect it would be served and because of the heritage of the dish.  However, Shannon, not being a beer drinker, did not, and while the discussion on the dish may be related to the gaminess of it, we both agreed that next go round, we'll try something in a stew.  So I pleased myself, but Shannon wasn't a fan.  But I will try again.

Goat Brats

It's been a while, due to budget constraints / running out of money, I've been trying not to be tempted by the meats at La Ventosa Ranch, however this past weekend, due to the farm crawl, I had extra money, so I picked up a few items, and reserved a turkey for Thanksgiving.

2014 - Week 40 Cooking Results

Pizza!  (You will submit to me yeast!)

Once again, it was a return to form.  Dough rose as it should, had that nice spongy crust, with the wonderful crisp edges.  So the note here is that I need to pay attention to my yeast.  Turned out great, good stuffs.

Pumpkin Lasagna, Bread (TBD), Salad, Chopped Melon

A bit of a dinner party.  After seeing the recipe, and using their pumpkins, we invited over the proprietors of Grade A Gardens and their SOs and Joseph and his (early stage and possible) SO.  Joseph was kind enough to bake some bread for me and chop the melon and bake the bread and help me get the Lasagna in the oven (I left work a lot later then I intended).  I forgot to layer in some of the Prosciutto, which means it ended up on the top.  I added more whole milk, because the sauce didn't seem like there would be enough.  But then it ended up being a bit soupy.  Even with all that, it was both a successful dinner and a successful dinner party.  Good food, good company.  Time to have more dinner parties.

BLTs (probably the last of the season)

Ok one more.  Last pickings of the season from Jennie before she turns to the next chapter of her life.  I hope she does return to the restaurant and research farm idea that she has.

Hasenpfeffer

So uh...reading is hard.  But I did prep the rabbit so I can make it on Sunday.

Chicken Fajitas with Red Peppers, Onion and Lime

Simple, quick, delicious.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

So in leaving the market, going to AllSpice to get spices (having trouble getting there due to the Race for the Cure), then finally heading home, I wasn't abel to get this slow-cooking until around noon.  to do the slower cook, means we would've been eating at 8-10 PM, which I didn't think would fly, so I did the faster cook (6-7 PM).  It turned out pretty well.  Nice flavor, nice smokiness.  The sour cream and hot sauce added after the fact added more rounding notes to it.  Quite good and very filling.