Journal

Positives and Negatives

So as my mood slowly faded down, with a correction here and there, but the eventual decline.  My morning routine changed.  After my walk, instead of sitting down and eating breakfast and flipping / reading through my subscribed to cooking magazines, I spent quite a bit of time with cat lap time.  So this me sitting on a chair, flipping through the news on my phone, drinking my cold brew coffee with 2% milk and I'll usually be joined by Moonshadow, sometimes Mani, and occasionally Freya (sometimes two at a time).

Frankly I like this as a start to the day. 

Even after the cloud of misinterpretation has cleared, I realized that most of these magazines don't make sense.  Cook's Illustrated / Country, I subscribe to them online ($), so getting the paper copy doesn't really make sense to me.  Food & Wine turned into the direction of Saveur (more travel, more wine and a bit of food), which is why I let Saveur lapse a while ago (though Lucky Peach's extra time has re-subscribed me to Saveur).  Food & Wine also has an over saturation of ads, making their website obnoxious to use.  Bon Appetit, I'm debating on keeping that, I kept the renewal card from the most recent magazine, but I'm going to call amnesty on the stack of issues and just donate them for re-sale. (hopefully a quarter a piece for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland).

So on the other side of the cloud, I can see that some of the spending was wasteful (we're trying to cut back quite a bit), so it doesn't make a ton of sense to keep paying for them.  Others, I just don't enjoy enough to justify the cost.  Sure I'll pick up the Thanksgiving issues probably, but beyond that...

2018 - Week 3 Cooking

Last month, I had a medication change, which is starting to settle out into a good normalcy.  I have been inspired by the Hilarious World of Depression to be more open and honest about my struggle with my own brain.  The medication change was like taking off a filter of awfulness off the world (which, well is extra awful lately).  One of which is to be more open with Shannon about what is going on in my brain, because frankly, my shutting myself off is one of the first signs that things are starting to go downward.  At some point, I'll probably write about how the last year has gone, and how, looking back on it over the years, it's effected me, but I'm not quite ready for that.

On a separate note, I keep seeing in my Facebook memories about putting Gorgonzola on a sloppy joe, so uh..that's gonna happen.

2018 - Week 2 Cooking Results

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Sausage

This did not work in the way that I expected.  Maybe because of the wide variety of the thickness of the sweet potatoes.  I think the concept was fine, maybe if I half the potatoes or square them off?  Anyways, needs more thought.

Grilled Cheese and Jam (Richard provided)

Sourdough, Cabot Clothbound Black Label Select (tasting notes: chicken & pineapple), apricot jam.  So damn good.

Chickpea and Celery Soup with Chile Garlic Oil

I may have ruined the expression of this, but adding chicken to the soup, even so, it turned out pretty well.  There was celery in the background, a little bit of spice and some creaminess due to the yogurt.  It was quite a good mix of ingredients.  Quickly comes together (even adding the chicken step).  I took the chicken out of the pan between the garlic oil and onion & celery, including the rendered fat (chicken thighs), as to not over cook it.  Then added it back, including the fat and other juices to finish off.  Quite a good modification.

Tumeric Coconut Curry with Pork

This was pretty good.  I enjoyed the flavor that tumeric brought to the game.

Ham & Bean Soup

Leftover ham some beans, some vegetables.  Cold day, what more do you need?

Lamb Burgers

I noticed at some point that there were a lot of lamb packages in the freezer.  Lamb burgers are some of my favorite things.

2018 - Week 1 Cooking Results

Roasted Chicken Thighs salad on Tortas

Having Monday off, I roasted these during the day time, let the rest a bit, then put then in the fridge to cool down.  Later I pulled the chicken off the bone, and combined them into a nice salad.  Good stuffs.

Open Faced Sandwich, finished with blow torch.  I think I know how I'm going to do this. (requested)

Little bit of deliciousness from the Cheese Shop + a blow torch.  It certainly speedy.  I have to be careful around the bread, which easily goes from toasted to charred.  I added a touch of sear to the pate, then added a soft cheese and added a bit of fire to that.  Melted a bit.  Quite a bit of goodness in a small amount of time.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Sausage

Delayed!

Chorizo and White Bean Stew (minus spinach)

I've made this before.  It is a good thing. and comes together pretty quickly.

Grilled Cheese and Jam (Richard provided)

I made a regular grilled cheese, so...delayed!

2018 - Week 1 Cooking

A new year, time to start again.  Last night we went to the Cheese Bar (the first time in a while) and I remembered how much I enjoy Brett's Cooking (the adobo carrots!).  Tonight, baring any sudden illness (like last year), we're going to go to Reed's Hollow for NYE.  Should be a good way to end out the year.

  • Roasted Chicken Thighs salad on Tortas
  • Open Faced Sandwich, finished with blow torch.  I think I know how I'm going to do this. (requested)
  • Baked Sweet Potatoes with Sausage
  • Chorizo and White Bean Stew (minus spinach)
  • Grilled Cheese and Jam (Richard provided)

2017 - Week 52 Cooking Results

Smooth and Spicy Pinto Bean Stew

It clearly is warming soup weather, but I felt like a taco salad, and since I had a number of ingredients for salad from this, so it was an easy swap.  Getting kicked out of work a bit early on Friday led to an easy stop at the Cheese Shop to pick up some sparkling wine and a few extra ingrediants.

Spaghetti Squash w/ Pasta Sauce and Italian Sausage

I got home quite a bit earlier and started the process to make this.  Good stuffs.

Roasted Chicken Thighs salad on Tortas

I still plan to do these, but I was running really late from work and needed to pulls something out quick.  So I picked up some wonderful ham from the Cheese Shop a bit of cheese, and baked a those on a torta, quite good and super quick.

2017 - Week 51 Cooking Results

White Park Beef (Lucky George) burgers on pretzel buns

Heritage beef, modern cooking methods, cute little pretzel buns.  Good things.

Breakfast Torta

I have torta buns that I picked up and Costco (and froze, if you have a suggestion of a local source, I'm all ears).  I combined the ingredients and these were delicious, if a bit messy.  I love me some good food.

Brats, Unbound (skinless)

Having the lack of skin allows you to sear them a bit better on the edges, kind of like what you get with a patty (but thicker).  Served with Kraut and mustard, good stuffs.

Kung Pao Chickpeas

This was, quite good.  Though my wife said it would be better with chicken.  I really liked the sauce, it may have been a bit too spicy for her, even though I specifically trim the heat by reducing the peppers.

Lamb Stew

Converted to lamb burgers, having tonight.  Not cause of lack of interest, but just cause I don't feel like lamb stew (with ground lamb).  Maybe I'll put a shepherd's pie together in the next few weeks.