Journal

2022 - Week 7 Cooking Results

Pork Sausage and Eggs

Some Red Table Meat sausages, cut in half, fried and then made some fried eggs and put them on English muffins. Good things.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

After a recently heard episode on how terrible rotisserie chicken can be, this was a follow up to that. It was easy to put together, given the relatively cheap chicken, I had some nice blue cheese that I put on it. I used Lola’s to replace whatever they called for, and it was nice and spicy, but not to much. I ate it for days afterwords.

Spiced Beef Pitas

I didn’t make the patties, I just had the ground beef and mixed it with the spices. We had it on sourdough pitas, without cutting them open. Pretty good.

Sweet and Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps

They had a Duroc pork tenderloins at the store, so I used those, instead of the normal ones (it’s hard to get just a tenderloin from a farmer since there is just two per pig). This was easy to put together and as I moved through the recipe I saw the simple logic of it. Could I have swapped out for ground pork, I suppose, but this worked out fine. I served these on the sourdough flat bread with arugula and it made for a tasty dinner.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken

I pulled out a few stops, but was a bit betrayed by my own desires. I wanted to make extra so that Shannon could have some for leftovers, but there were no other choices for non-dried pasta, or extra of that same type. I started the night by making some garlic bread, getting things made together and then when I had everything almost ready, I started the chicken breasts for the pasta, then brought water to boil and started cooking the Alfredo sauce. Certainly a lot of pans for a Monday night. Dinner went off pretty well, a bit of leftover garlic bread, but no leftover pasta. And because of that I had leftover cream for coffee.

2022 - Week 6 Cooking Results

Chickpea, Tomato and Rosemary Soup

This was fairly easy to put tighter and the addition of Parmesan (didn’t have pecorino romano on hand), added a nice element to it. I added a bit more chickpeas and tomatoes and pureed a bit to give the broth a bit more. I ate leftovers for a few times, and because Iðunn thinks it’s a game, she has tried to eat it a few times.

Bangers and Potatoes

Used some leftover potatoes and baked in the oven. Good things.

Mortadella grilled cheese

I pulled the loaf of bread my brother brought me out of the freezer and used Mortadella and Holy Cow. I cracked open the La Quercia Prosciutto Mustard that I ordered a bit before the winter solstice and this made a pretty damn good sandwich.

Hot Sesame Noodles with Pork

I was really hoping to have the leftovers, but Shannon took them to work. It took a bit for the tahini to sort of mix in. Maybe it would’ve been better with a hand blender in the hot water. I could’ve used a bit more heat, but even so, still quite good.

Sichuan Orange Chicken

I will admit that I may not be the best juicer, but I ended up using 5 oranges to get that 3/4th cup of orange juice, that being said it was a flavorful dinner. I added a bit more red pepper flakes and served it over jasmine rice. Quick, good and flavorful.

2022 - Week 6 Cooking

After a significant amount of time nestling at home, we are planning a vacation, it does coincide with a family reunion, but judging by the most recent family reunion, we’re planning our own activities, because why would we go to a place and just hang out with family and not explore the surrounding area (we arrive before and leave after)? Honestly, it is because nobody wants to take leadership, including me, so it becomes a plan of: some one gets annoyed, forces a decision, then vague plans get put in place. At least some people are moving.

2022 - Week 5 Cooking Results

Simple Fried Rice

I added more carrots, added celery, more ham. I added some Sichuan pepper on top of it. Perhaps a bit more oil. Still a bit basic, so I added some soy sauce and some sabal oelek.

Chicken Orzo

This was simple and good enough for both of us to eat it as leftovers, well me after I finished eating the Tingly Lamb.

Mongolian Beef Pasta

It was. Meh? I used some leftover pasta (as in half of a box that was left). Not that flavorful.

Tingly Lamb Ssäm with Quick-Pickled Celery (Today)

There is something that feel good about making something that takes a while and tastes quite good. I started a bit later then I should have. I did have some problems cutting the meat off the bones, but eventually got there. After searing the meat, cooking the veggies, and deglazing it with boomtown lager, the braise started and eventually the house starting smelling wonderful. While that was going on I prepared, the relish and took out some sourdough flatbread. Then while the meat warmed up, and I waited, the released smells brought joy. Time passed. Pulled out the meat, shredded it, back in at a higher temp. As the liquid evaporated, it was almost time to eat. Then it was.

Hamburgers

Ended up being pork, got a nice sear on them and served them.

2022 - Week 4 Cooking Results

Ham & Egg Sandwiches

English muffins, ham, egg and I added a wee bit of spicy mustard to it.

Taco Salad

Another good, relatively good meal.

Brats

Fresh Apple from Lucky George. Good things.

Ramen with Spam

I used ham instead, since I had some out. Chopped it up and cooked it up with some leftover onions, green peppers, and some freshly diced celery. I worked up the noodles and sauce using both of my electric kettles. It made for a pretty quick dinner.

Tingly Lamb Ssäm with Quick-Pickled Celery

Lamb still a bit solid, waiting for Sunday.

2022 - Week 3 Cooking Results

Curry Chicken Salad

Yeah I didn’t do all that stuff. I just added madras curry powder to the mayo and chicken.

Soy & Cider-Braised Chicken with Glazed Sweet Potatoes

I used skinless thighs and with that made some adjustments, accordingly. I tossed the chicken with the spicy seasoned salt, then used vegetable oil to replace the rendered chicken fat (not a great replacement, but what can you do). And cooked the onion, jalapeño and garlic. I used a Normandy Cider (rest for me), to deglaze the pan and then followed the recipe after that. Only I braised for a bit longer, because the chicken was raw, when I put it in for braising, as opposed to partially cooked.

I was surprised that my normal grocery store had white sweet potatoes, but I was not that surprised that they weren’t in the system, so I got them at a bargain, I’m guessing. Never bought white sweet potatoes before.

As a note, I overbought chicken stock a bit ago, and finally have made it through them all, with this dish (well half of the last box).

I made jasmine rice but instead of pepper added the spicy seasoning.

I really enjoyed this.

Baked Mac and cheese

This is a return to a favorite. This is a nice base that you can flex a little bit on, without having the sauce break or etc.

Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Potatoes

I forgot to add the chili crunch at the end, but these were still quite good.

Pork Burgers

These ended up being lamb, since I found ground lamb first. Good as always.