Journal

2017 - Week 10 Cooking Results

Ultimate Zoodles

So the spiral slicer that I have seems to create well formed vegetable noodles, the issue is that it appears to depend on the size of the vegetable.  so while I'm more then willing to have a center circle stick taken out to make the rest into noodles, for carrots, it doesn't make a ton of sense.  Maybe that's just cause I wanted to use carrots?  I could totally see how it can work (especially with the videos) for larger vegetables, but I'd need to find a better way (with a mechinical advantage) for carrots.

Goat Burgers with Chèvre

I planned to do this on Tuesday, then remembered that my mother in law was coming into town.  Not wanting to push outside the American norm habits on my mother in law, we went to Krunkwich.  And while certainly not a straight ahead pick, a place where we could all be happy.

We did have the goat burgers the next night, and a little salt, and a little pepper.

So I'm thinking that either my previous stove wasn't getting enough gas, or wasn't passing enough through, cause these burners are a lot hotter and I have to pay a lot closer attention.  Still adjusting to how it works.

Grilled Corned Beef and Fontina

The corned beef wasn't quite what I expected... I mean sure it was mediocre corned beef, but after a couple of years of having some truly excellent corned beef (thanks to the fine people at the Cheese Shop), this was kind of a let down.

Canadian Bacon, Eggs sandwich

As intended from last week, finally done as expected.  Good things.

Steak v Chicken, finished in OVEN

Delayed!

2017 - Week 10 Cooking

New fancy range, new fancy gas line, busy work week, and some extended family issues..  All the matter of a course of the week.  It's been a struggle to maintain.

I made cookies...or at least I attempted to make cookies, I thought I had enough to do double the recipe, and did not, and apparently replacing peanut flour with peanut butter (even in a small portion) doesn't exactly work so well.  I think that the cookies may have turned out if I had been able to bake them longer, but got distracted by a cook thing.  Should've started earlier in the day, but didn't (distracting myself with video games).  Anyways, having a tool, doesn't mean you use it well.  Batter was good though.

2017 - Week 9 Cooking Results

This has been an unduly stressful week.  For connivence's sake (mine) I worked form home on Friday while the gas line install happened.  So that, plus some work stuff, plus some other family things has put me in a relatively bad state.

Ultimate Zoodles

No range on Friday night, and busy other nights, then work stuff on Saturday into running off to an event at a friends house...so...delayed.

Lincolnshire Bangers with Kraut and salad.

Yay!

Chorizo, Braised Pork & Beans Taco salad (I may have slept through dinner yesterday)

This took the braised pork, then added some chorizo and beans, and new taco salad.

Canadian Bacon, Eggs sandwich

I had ham (cheap ham) and used that instead, for ease of use.

2017 - Week 9 Cooking

So we've got a few entertainment items, so I'll have to have a few quick and easy meals.  Plus, as part of our tradition, we'll be getting some Gusto tonight for Oscars watching.  Also my new range will be delivered and installed this week.  So while I want to plan on using the oven for something, but gotta make sure it works before I start using it in the plan.

  • Ultimate Zoodles
  • Lincolnshire Bangers with Kraut and salad.
  • Chorizo, Braised Pork & Beans Taco salad (I may have slept through dinner yesterday)
  • Canadian Bacon, Eggs sandwich

2017 - Week 8 Cooking Results

Ultimate Zoodles

So from Christmas, I got two spiralizers (similar to, but not exactly), and right before that I bought my own.  I haven't tried the one I bought myself, but, while I do appreciate the gifts, from the practical use side, these come with draw backs.  First, if you want to make this a good part of the meal, like noodles, or etc, you will end up with a lot of effort (and wrist pain for me) just to get through a single carrot.

So I can see them used for decoration, but not as making a main part of a meal...unless maybe you set your kids on the task, thought that'd be pretty tough call because the blades in use are pretty sharp.

That being said, I only vaguely followed the recipe,  and mixed the spices in with pork (not in recipe) and had the carrots mixed in.  I may not have used enough salt.

Chicken Stew with Cannellini Beans and Dried Cherries

This came together pretty quick and was pretty good.  I may have just eaten the chicken skin instead of frying it off and that may have detracted from it overall, but even so, it was pretty good (I did take the cooled rendered fat and added that into the stock).

Bacon and Butter Sandwiches

Simple, good, and an excuse to buy a good bottle of sherry.

French Style Pork Stew

So I made some changes, because, while I like cabbage, it seems like it wouldn't be the best addition to this, also, Shannon's not a huge fan of greens in soup, which is fair.  So per the recipe I made the following adaptations:

  1. Before step 1, soak dry cannellini beans overnight in salted water
  2. In step 3, before adding the vegetables, drain the soaking beans and add them to the soup
  3. After the beans have simmered for a couple of hours and start to get tender, add the parmesan rinds
  4. Skip the cabbage (or not, but I did), and pull out the parmesan rinds

Kitchen Re-Org

So I went through my herbs and spices, and toss a bunch that clearly are old, and for things that come in the future, I will label for the purpose making it know when they came into the house, so it is easier to make them go.  That being said, I re-ordered a number of items to have them make more sense, and am re-thinking how I want to do this for the future.  Clearly there is somewhat of a puzzle piece due to all the sizes of containers.  This is the first step of many, including the organization of cupboards, and etc.  Hopefully this goes well and I don't spend to much money on the equipment to reorganize.

2017 - Week 7 Cooking Results

Centurion Links with Cheese & Crackers (around a fire, ready to go into battle)

From large black pigs, and older style recipe, even though I didn't have to, I seared these off in a pan.  Combined with a couple of types of cheese and some crackers, it made for a nice meal.  Pretty good sausages.

Grilled cheese

Quick meal before we ran off to go see Lego Batman.

Chorizo Chili (pork, not chicken or turkey)

This turned into tacos, cause it was warm and Shannon wanted tacos.

Lamb, Arugula and Feta Taco

I really liked this.  a nice combination, easy to eat,

Pork Meatballs over Arugula

I had a plan, I executed the plan...but had bigger balls of meat (pattys).  turned out pretty good.

2017 - Week 7 Cooking

New range hunt has begun in earnest.  I know the limit that the wife has set (no $3k dream range for Sam).  Found the issue with the ceiling fan, now we need to find the documents to bug Lowe's or Harbor Breeze.  Electrician said that because the electrical neutral wire was swapped, it is entirely possible that is what caused the remote sensor to fail, since Lowe's sub-contractor was the installer...that's probably on them.  Yes I have an old house, yes the wiring is probably sub par, but that doesn't reduce the responsibility.  Anyways.  We'll see.

I need to spend some time going through my photos.  I'm still on Day 3 (morning) of our vacation this past summer.  I still have over 1500 photos to geolocate with the camera (includes Mason City weekend).  So going through, assign location, then going through to see what I like, then going through to more aggressively eliminate takes time and is a bit self critical, which is hard to do.  but still needs to be done.  It needs to be done, cause part of me doesn't want to go out and take more photos, until they're caught up, and spring is coming.

2017 - Week 6 Cooking Results

Shishito Pepper Dogs

Sautéed the peppers in olive oil, little salt, then they go on to the hot dogs (Crooked Gap, all pork).  It was ok.  not to spicy, but a nice flavor.  I can see why some of the food blogs want the trend to die.  This was superbowl-ish food, while we didn't watch the superbowl.

Crispy Thai Pork with Cucumber Salad

I've made this before, and it's pretty good, a nice use of ingrediants.

Lamb Burgers

In the cast iron pan.  I'm getting more comfortable with the way that this works.  I watched a video on how to clean the pan, and also re-read the directions provided by Field.  It sears nice, retains heat as it should and I can see how people like the behavior of it.  I'm temped to render off some of the freezer full of pork fat to just use that as the primary oil, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to justify pork fat rendering until I can keep the windows open during the entire time.

Chorizo and White Bean Stew

Good stuffs.  I used ground Chorizo (Crooked Gap) and went from there.

Eggs & Bacon

Bacon on the cast iron pan.  The one thing that is a bit harder to get used to is, because the pan clearly holds on to heat, you can't quickly adjust anything.  So the heat you have may gradually reduce, but will not in a quick fashion.  So gently heat up to where you want to be.