Journal

2020 - Week 40 Cooking Results

Freyja has had a rough time the past couple of months. I think we finally have found what has been causing it. it seems like treating her ears like she has an inner ear infection has worked out and her behavior is really starting to finally return to normal. I may have been a bit emotional when she jumped up on my lap fort the first time in months, two days ago, she snuggled up for a nap time yesterday, and actually came up on to the bed this morning (normally she’s a fine heat thief). While giving her medication is becoming far more challenging, as she is getting back to her normal sassy self (I had to slowly chase her around the main level of the house for a couple of laps this morning). It’s good to see her become herself again.

Tuna Melt, perhaps following this

I did mostly follow the recipe, at least as much as I could. The packages of tuna that I had were not similar to the size they wanted to use, so even halving the recipe, I had to 6/10th it. It was pretty good. I used processed cheese, since it said to do so. It was a cleaner melt, but didn’t taste as good as it could’ve. As a note, Loki was insistent on getting some of the sandwich, but was not around when I was actually making it, when I would’ve actually given some tuna out.

Korean Chicken and Rice Porridge

I decided to delay this, since we already have a lot of leftovers from this week, so I don’t want to make another large leftover item (also it takes a bit, and it’s warmer than expected). I think next Saturday will work out well.

Smoky Tomato & Red Pepper Soup with White Beans

Made early in the week before it got warmer again. Soup season, in theory, being back in full force. I was pretty good, a thicker soup with a bit of paprika toasted white beans floating on the top. Pretty good. I actually ended up putting bit of it on top of the leftover pasta.

Pasta c'Anciuova e Muddica Atturrata

So I think this ended up being trying then it probably intended, but I also skipped a few steps because I replaced the bread crumb process with panko to save time. I used a very nice jar of anchovies to create the sauce for the pasta, and over all I think it turned out pretty well, if a bit dry. Certainly as we started eating the cats, mostly Loki, realized there was something delicious in the air.

Sloppy Sammys

Good as always.

Possible: Cranberry Apple Shrub

Ingredients not found.

2020 - Week 39 Cooking Results

Italian Sausage with White Beans and Kale

I ended up using baby spinach, and half as much as was called for. Even with all that these are quite good and hardy. I, at some point, ran out of Italian sausage from my local pork purveyors and ended up using Graziano for this. It was filling and easy to do.

Supe Me Domate

The previous week was too warm, but this past one was very much in the season of Fall. I suspect if I was able to use rendered chicken fat, it would’ve added to the overall flavor, but that being said it was a simple soup , but tasted pretty good. I added a bit of the habanero sauce to my leftovers over the next day or two.

Meatloaf Reloaded

I have misplaced my probe thermometer. Perhaps I have another place to look, but I ordered a new one. I liked the though that went into this and the mole style of a glaze. I like the use of the pan to form the loaf, but not actually using the pan, so you get better sauced edges. This was really fantastic, easy to follow and other then prop thermometer being missing (probe I found, reader, not so much), it came off real easy. I made some mashed potatoes to go with them, they weren’t my best attempt to be sure (I forgot to buy cream for them), but they were ok.

I’ll have to make this again, it was quite good.

Moroccan-Style Spicy Carrot Dip with Flat Bread

I thought this would make a dinner, I changed my mind. I will make this for a snack sometime.

Egg Sandwich with sausage

Maple Sausage from Lucky George, English muffin from a local bakery, and I fried eggs from Blue Gate. Good things, easy meal.

Extra: Habanero Hot Sauce

I think I had a double problem here. While two carrots is a meaningful reference and large is a reference, when making a sauce, the weight would end up being an easier method to figure out the right ratio. I ended up using twice the number of habaneros (because what else was I going to do with them). I made sure to use my latex gloves when handling the peppers. I have been adding the hot sauce to things and it does have a decent heat, but not as much as I was expecting. I’ll have to try this again, take notes and iterate until I am happy.

Possible: Cranberry Apple Shrub

Couldn’t find sage or fresh cranberries. I suspect sage will be coming in as we get closer to the Thanksgiving season.

2020 - Week 38 Cooking Results

BLT (last of the season)

Blue Gate tomatoes, some nice bacon and a bit of spinach. Good things.

Taco Salad

Always Good.

Lamb Burger

It was mutton, I used the Momofuku savory salt, as a seasoning. Good things.

Italian Sausage with White Beans and Kale

It got warm. So it didn’t make a ton of sense to do this.

Supe Me Domate

It was still warm, and I was tired after mowing the lawn, so delayed!

Extra: Habanero Hot Sauce

I’m going to make this today.

2020 - Week 37 Cooking Results

Pasta

This became a garbage pasta. Not in that it was bad, but in that I used 3 partial packages of noodles, just to get rid of them. I had forgotten to take some sort of meat out of the freezer so I ended up using a whole pound of beef, I’ve been cutting my meat consumption in half. But it turns out that it was well over a pound of noodles (closer to 2), so it was probably a similar ratio. That being said, it turned out like it normally does. Pretty good.

Pork Burgers

These turned into lamb burgers. I was looking through the freezer drawer and wasn’t finding it and found a combo of half a pound of lamb and half a pound of mutton. Figured that’d work then went for it. I mixed them both together, probably not the point, and they pan seared up nice.

Kung Pao Chicken

I bought a bag of dried peppers at the Farmer’s Market a bit ago, the lady wasn’t sure I wanted them, and didn’t speak English so well, so I’m not sure what they were. So I am uncertain what dried peppers, but if they were the dried hot peppers that are supposed to be in the kung pow chicken. Or perhaps their age have weakened them (is that a thing for dried peppers?). Anyways, this was a bit of work, getting everything ready to go. I started the rice first as it was supposed to take about the time to cook that the recipe was supposed to made in. Then started things going. I got things prepped and went through the process. It was ok. I was expecting some heat, but there really wasn’t any, which is why I am so uncertain about the peppers.

I did remember having food like that with my father where we ended up both trying those hot peppers (and they are hot).

Anyways, ok, lots of active time, little in the way of breaks.

Chana Masala

This was simple to put together, as long as you have a food processor, I suppose. Some simple prep to make a dish that had a bit of heat (not to much) and some nice flavor to it, while still being vegetarian. I believe I described it as a warm hug. I served it with some naan.


Rioja-Style Potatoes with Chorizo and Peas

I was thinking I’d have to run to another store to get the Spanish style chorizo, but when looking for the pork, I found a package of D’Artagnan Spanish Style chorizo. It was on sale at my frequent grocery store (they don’t normally carry it), so i picked it up and tossed in the the freezer. And here my investment is paying off.

This turned out pretty good. I liked the sauce, and we used a bit of bread to sop it up. It was relatively easy to do.

2020 - Week 36 Cooking Results

Mexican Street Corn Salad

I remembered to have a gentle hand with the lime juice which can overwhelm this. also do now use the lime flavored chili powder that my aunt got for me. So I used jalapeño powder and just under the amount of lime juice. At least one person at Shannon’s work potluck thing wanted to have the recipe, so that’s a win.

Grilled Harissa Lamb Burgers

They were note really grilled, but I did cook them off in a pan. I also served them with a bit of feta. They were good, not too hard to make, and a good use of lamb.

Kimchi Chicken and Cabbage Stir-Fry Recipe

After I had to dump out the contents of my fridge, I had to restock a number of condiments, and this used most of the new jar of kimchi. It came together quickly, certainly more then the Lo Mein. It was good and I ate the leftovers. I did point out that I did need to pick up a few things (sherry) that apparently I drank all of.

Dublin Coddle

This took a bit. The baking time was noted as being 1.25 hours but at 1.25 hours The potatoes were still mostly raw. but who cooks something at325? I jacked up the heat a bit (400) and let it go for another 20 minutes, and then the potatoes were soft enough to eat.

I used my mandolin for the first time in a bit, and it was nice to flow through the potatoes real quick. I had some Lucky George bangers that I ordered from the Coop and used those.

Good, savory, and maybe not so good for you, but delicious to eat. Hunh. Apparently Irish bangers contain eggs, while English ones tend to not. I wonder if you could actually make those at a normal meat locker. Anyways, I wish I started earlier like I told my wife I would, but I got distracted as I am often am.

Stir-Fried Lo Mein Noodles With Pork and Vegetables Recipe

Lots of ingredients, and it did, eventually come together after all the prep work, it came together quite quickly and was fantastic.