Journal

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.

2017 - Week 42 Cooking Results

Pork Burgers (Remnant Hills Farms)

Good fat level, proccessed at a good processor.  Good stuff.

German Rye Beer Bratwurst (Lucky George)

Again, for the matching thing, I really kinda of want to find the beers and drink the beers with the brats.  Perhaps package them together?  Anyways, good things.

Spaghetti Squash & Red Sauce (Crooked Gap)

Perhaps my red sauce was a bit spicy...ok a lot spicy, but even so, it was still pretty good.

Ham and Egg on English Muffin (Lucky George)

So nice, I did it twice, once with ham, once with bacon (Lucky George).  Good Stuffs.

Smoky Quinoa and Bacon Salad

Delayed!

2017 - Week 41 Cooking Results

Rabbit Minute Steak with Salad (Lucky George)

Rabbit, I think, gets a bit milder without the bones with it.  I fried it up in a pan, had some beer washed cheese (quite good) on top and on sourdough with some spinach.

Regular Bratwurst (Lucky George)

Simple, good, made with good pork.

Chorizo Taco Salad (Crooked Gap)

I forgot, twice, to get guacamole.  I have failed my wife.  Clearly I need more then "taco stuff" on my grocery list.

Spaghetti Squash & Red Sauce

Delayed!  Due to the time frame and heading out to see Something Rotten, I didn't think that it would work out well to have the roasting time (which can vary a bit) with the firm deadline to leave, I made Italian sausage sliders instead.

Beef (Lucky George) Burgers on Pretzel Buns

Om nom nom.