Journal

2017 - Week 47 Cooking Results

Pork Burgers

Easy, good, done.

Hot Dogs

...cause I have a lot of hot dogs left.  These are still all pork hot dogs.

Chipotle Chicken Thighs

So I made chipotle mayonnaise, and then we had sandwiches, it was quick, it was pretty good, it was super easy.

Thanksgiving

I think this went off OK.  I had a few challenges here and there, but for the most part, it was a fairly familiar menu.  Seems like people had a good time, lots of conversations.  Objectively, I should've felt relatively accomplished.  I was however exhausted into the next day.  I also got to use a blowtorch, which was interesting.  I think I need more practice to get the golden brown sugar color, like it should have...or get the gas that has a lower temperature.  I think there may be more usage of this as time goes on.  It makes me curious to get that really high heat and use it to perhaps finish something.  I guess we'll see how it goes.

So who won?  I'll first start of by saying, I love ham, and both hams were on a level far exceeding the hams that you would buy in the super market.  There is a clear care for both the animals and the process of making the ham.  I know Ethan and Crooked Gap and I've met many of his Hereford pigs.  I've had a growing relationship with Jason at Lucky George, and while I haven't visited his farm, I get the impression that they are lucky Large Black pigs to be there.  I've met some of the staff at Story City Locker (the processor for both farms that I prefer).  So that all being said, you'd be lucky to have either ham on your table.  But I'd give an edge to the Large Black pigs.  I liked the fat, just a bit better (yes this is not a common thing), but it had a slightly better texture at the edge.  Both hams did have a beautiful fat cap.

With a number of leftovers I made a ham soup.  Using ham from both and the ham bones from both.

2017 - Week 47 Cooking

As it will be a busy cooking week, it'll be an extra simple meal week.  Though thinking about it, it has been generally simple for a while, with flairs here and there.  It'll be a short week, as I'm taking some time off (first since early September).  I guess we'll see how it goes.  I'll do my main shopping tomorrow, I picked up a number of things at Winter Market, some for Thanksgiving, some for ourselves.  Should be a good cooking week.

  • Pork Burgers
  • Hot Dogs
  • Cipotle Chicken Thighs

Thanksgiving 2017

Appetizers

  • Carrots, Celery, Cornichons - Tuesday

  • Classic Cheddar Cheese Ball - Tuesday

  • Underground Meats Summer Sausage? (if available) - Thursday

  • Crackers

Bread

Mains

Desserts

  • Pumpkin Swirl Brownies - Wednesday

  • Pumpkin Creme Brûlée - Start Wednesday, Finish as needed

  • Ice Cream - bought

2017 - Week 46 Cooking Results

It was nice to shop at the Winter Market yesterday.  It seemed like such a general positive after sliding emotional state of the past...well...long while.  We took a little break at Sidebar, then continued shopping.  We picked up a Beaverdale map from DSM Foundry.  It kind of just drew us in.  From the people I had a chance to talk to, it was a very busy winter market.  I hope everyone did well.  Afterwards, I headed over to get a blowtorch.  I've wanted one for a while, but it's hard to justify as it has a limited set of use, however, Thanksgiving being special, it pushed it over, plus I had a Lowe's gift card which paid for almost half of it.  I've got the custard made, I have the sugar, now I just got to test it.  That being said, there are a lot of instructions for handling a blowtorch, for how relatively easy it is.

Elizabeth Street Cafe's Chicken & Rice Soup

This was quite good.  Perhaps plan on not having leftovers.  The rice eventually soaked up all the liquid to turn into a semi-risotto type dish (still good, but not soup).

Smoked Cheddar and Ham Toasties with Fig Mostarda

Did I perhaps use an excessive amount of prosciutto in these?  Like $7 / sandwich?  Maybe.  Was it delicious?  Absolutely.

Hot Dogs

Om nom nom.  I found a stash that I believe I may have intended to use when the family was here this past spring, and didn't for some reason.  So All pork hot dogs will continue for a while yet.

Chipotle Meatballs

Not that these would've been hard to make, but on Friday I wasn't feeling great, so I simplified it a bit and followed the ingredients, sort of, and made taco salad.  It was good.

Baked Mac & Cheese

Half a box of elbow macaroni left, what else would I do with it?  Shannon was pleased.

Sloppy Joes

Not as spicy as I would normally make things, but good none the less.

That point where you know you have been spoiled rotten on sourdough, and lesser ones just don't taste right.

We used a locally produced "sourdough" bread to make grilled cheese and Salame Rosa (which was a wonderful suggestion from the Cheese Shop.  The sandwhich was good, the bread in and of itself was lack luster.

2017 - Week 46 Cooking

So this year, we'll have ham for thanksgiving dinner.  My other task is to try to see how many other menu items I can get pork into.  I've started looking through some websites.  I've got some magazines to go through.  So we'll see how it goes.  I'll start building a list to trim down from here today.

2017 - Week 45 Cooking Results

White Bean and Chorizo Chili

The white beans needed more time to cook.  But time constraints prevented it.  It was still pretty good.

Welsh Rarebit with Rabbit

I enjoyed the hell out of this.  Shannon not so much.  I used I love you with my stout (Evil Twin).  Good stuff.  Probably won't get to make it again, as it was not liked at all, by Shannon.

Chorizo Sweet Potato Breakfast Tacos

Easy, simple, good.

Pale Ale Pulled Chicken Sliders (halved)

So I get why they made so much, because it took quite a long time to do.  The sauce, flavor wise, was ok.  I admit I didn't make the picked onions to use in the sauce.  I also cut the beer amount in half, as to the issues with the welsh rarebit earlier in the week.  I didn't want to make it to beer tasting.  So it wasn't a lot of active cooking time, but it took a while.

Lamb Sausage and Salad

mmmm...lamb.

2017 - Week 44 Cooking Results

Shepherd's Pie (using root vegetables purchased yesterday, and mutton, vaguely using Alton Brown's Guidance)

I love me some shepherd's pie.  Even if you don't have the lamb or mutton that it requires, you can easily make a very filling dish that is worth the time and effort.  I do like peas and corn, but the issue with them is that they are relatively high in carbohydrates compared to other vegetables.  Because of this I swapped out with turnips.  Frankly this was the right thing to do.  Good Stuff.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese (bechamel + pumpkin puree + Prairie Breeze) + Chicken (less mac and cheese for me)

I really should deep dive into this to find that right balance of cheese, puree and bechamel.  I think I may have over did it on the pumpkin and it needed a bit more seasoning throughout, but overall made a good dish.

White Bean and Chorizo Chili (Saturday or Sunday)

Moved to Sunday (today)

London Bangers and salad

Quick, easy and good.

Pork Burgers

Yep, yum.

2017 - Week 44 Cooking

My freezers are full.  This is a pretty good thing, heading into the winter season, where regular access to really good meat starts to decline.  I would have more room, had I not been lazy and rendered pork fat as I should've.  Looks like it might be warm next weekend, so I could, in theory, do something then.  That being said I've been critical of myself over being relatively inactive here and there.  I'm going to try to be a bit better about it, but "try" is the operative word here.  There are times where it would be a lot easier.  Its about making a habit of it.  So instead of waiting until the shred bin is overflowing, do it weekly as part of the habits.  Anyhoo.

Last regular farmers market of the season was yesterday, it was a cool day and it probably depressed the last attendance.  But I spent all my money (plus bonus money for last market).

  • Shepherd's Pie (using root vegetables purchased yesterday, and mutton, vaguely using Alton Brown's Guidence)
  • Pumpkin Mac & Cheese (bechamel + pumpkin puree + Prairie Breeze) + Chicken (less mac and cheese for me)
  • White Bean and Chorizo Chili (Saturday or Sunday)
  • London Bangers and salad
  • Pork Burgers

2017 - Week 43 Cooking Results

Smoky Quinoa and Bacon Salad

I still have a lot of quinoa to use.  This was a pretty good use.  I used some jowl bacon and added some of the rendered fat to it.  Decent meal.

Cheesy Egg Bake with Sausage

Simple, good, done.

Fried Egg Tacos with Spicy Jam

Hunh.  So this was simple, but not...great?  Decent but a little odd.

Spicy Sausage and White Bean Soup

So I skipped the "add spinach" part.  It never works well when you want to have leftovers.  There is a small amount of time where the spinach is good, before it gets a little soggy and gross.  All and all, minus the spinach, good stuff.

Hamburgers

I could've sworn I had some mini pretzel buns left in the big freezer, but was mistaken.  Shannon was at the grocery store, but had just left by the...So we had them on Bagels!  Turned out pretty well.

Chicken Thighs with Salad

Dried, salted, seared, baked.  Then some delicious greens from Grade A Gardens.  What makes me feel pretty good about this is that I didn't time the cooking.  It just smelled right (then took the temperature then let it cook for a couple more minutes to get from 155 degrees to done.