Journal

2018 - Week 13 Cooking Results

The week was going well, was starting to concentrate on good eating behaviors again, then it took a sharp turn as work related crisis happened.  Things worked out as best as they probably could've considering all aspects.

Masoor Dal

So per a lunch conversation with some friends, I suddenly had a desire to find and make this.  Now I think I didn't realize it would be as carb heavy a meal.  I think my conclusion was that I didn't add enough spice (a number of Cook's Country / Illustrated recipes are a bit light on the spice for me), however, combined with some toasted flatbread, it was quite good.

Fried Egg Flatbreads with Nduja and greens

Skipped

Sloppy Joe's with Gorgonzola

I was talking about this at the cheese shop with another customer and it reminded me that I haven't had it in a while.  I took the extra effort to toast the cocktail buns.  This was as good as I remember.  However, I did use the last of my Lucky George White Park (I think) beef.

Spicy Larb with Cabbage Cup

Skipped

Cauliflower Rice with Jalapeño, Green Onion and Chicken

This kind of turned into somewhere between mash and rice.  Maybe I made the pieces to small or cooked it a bit long.  Even so, it tasted pretty good.

2018 - Week 12 Cooking Results

Cuban Burgers

Vaguely followed, Pretty Good.

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Cauliflower

I made one minor change here.  The cheese didn't exactly match, as there wasn't quite the match at the cheese shop, but I also changed this vegetarian dish to not, and added the leftover Garlic Sausage (red table), cutting it into rounds and then mixing it in.  That being said, this came out pretty well, porky, fatty garlicy and earthy (cauliflower).  More experiments to come I suppose.

Garlic Sausage Sandwiches

Halved the garlic sausage, seared, and then added to a sandwich.  Good things.

Peruvian Style Grilled Chicken with Spicy Green Sauce

So I think I've about had it with my food processor.  The pieces of it are getting harder and harder to find as Cuisinart has replaced it with a model that is slightly different.  That being said, this came together OK (minor leak splattered my shirt for the chicken marinade).  I used chicken thighs instead of breasts and the oven instead of a grill.  Good things.  I do like the Green sauce.

Ham Steak & Egg scramble

This turned into ham steak and eggs on bagels.  Good things.

2018 - Week 11 Cooking Results

Lobster or Chicken Alfredo

It was a bit weird to be both sad and try to celebrate the anniversary of my wife's birth.  As I didn't have enough lobster for the both of us, I gave her the option of what she wanted (lobster).  She also got chicken for the next day for lunch.  We also had little cakes from Let Them Eat Cake in Valley Junction.

Butterflied Pork Chop spiced with Ras El Hanout in flatbread

Simple and came together pretty quick.  Seared the pork chops, took them out, sliced them, added them back, with a can of diced tomatoes and finished them the tomato liquid.

Taco Salad

Simple, good stuff.

Shepherd's Pie (Modified)

I added some Ras El Hanout (instead of garlic) and a kiss (maybe two) of Irish Whiskey (lil for me, lil for the Pie).  Happy to have mutton to use (Lucky George).

Hamburgers

Always good with grass fed beef.

2018 - Week 10 Cooking Results

Pumpkin Lasagna

As I didn't have fresh pumpkin, I used some puree, and it turned out pretty well.  Notes from this, I made this the day before., which I think allowed everything to kind of settle into the pan pretty well.  I also added a bit of whole milk before putting it in the oven.  Good Stuffs.  I made this for a few friends coming over to play D&D in person.  It was fun, though much like the predictions, I starting to zonk out shortly after midnight.

Rigatoni with Sausage and Chives

Relatively simple, pretty good.

Fried Bologna Sandwich

I used mortadella, and fried it up in the pan.  Good things.

Red Table Meats Garlic Sausage, onions, tomatoes and rice

So I made this similarly to the baked rice from a previous week.  Good stuff.  I think it turned out more like it was supposed to.  I used the 12" skillet, which allowed for more crispy edges.

Sloppy Joe's

I used some ras el hanout in it.  Worked out pretty good.

2018 - Week 9 Cooking Results

Extra Juicy Turkey Burgers

So I ddn't have time to let them cool, so there was a bit of a problem with things holding togehter, that being said, it was still a pretty good taste and texture.

Mexican Style Chicken with Penne

I made adjustments, but I don't think it worked out so good...but it didn't look like it'd be that much.  Maybe I should've added more chipotle?  I added hot sauce to it.

Miso and Honey Butter Roasted Chicken

Easy, pretty good, and a nice dinner.

Roast Chicken Thighs Salad

Roast Chicken thighs, cool thighs, shred meat, make salad.  Makes for a easy meal the next day (which worked as I returned from a trip to and from Cedar Rapids).

Spiced Goat Meat Balls with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Forgot how I was going to serve this, so mad goat burgers instead.