Journal

2018 - Week 45 Cooking

  • Practice Pork Shoulder'

So my brain has already started to speculate how to do thing, and the ratios and combinations that will change the flavor profile. So the weight of the a mix of wood, the ratio of the rub, ratio of a mop (if a mop is used). This may take a while. I’m starting with some cheap pork before I move up to the pork I normally use (Lucky George, Crooked Gap, etc). As it stands, I’m using something of a recipe and a light mixture of woods, mostly apple.

2018 - Week 44 Cooking Results

Spaghetti Squash with Pasta Sauce

I had left the squash for a bit to long, and it had started to turn a bit. So I called an audible and just used pasta instead. Luckily I had some spare around the house. Good things happened. Dinner was served.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

I think I’ve made this before, but there’s not enough cheese in there and the spicing is a a bit lack luster. I added some red pepper flakes after the fact, and it was good.

Chicken Thighs with Tomato, Orzo, Olives, and Feta

I skipped the olives, as Shannon doesn’t particularly like them. When I served it, it was a bit under salted, but i had also forgot to add the feta, after the addition it reached a nice balance.

Spicy Cheese Spread (Shannon’s Work Thing)

Good Things.

Lamb Burgers

More accurately, mutton burgers. Good Things.

Practice Pork Shoulder

Weather didn’t’ cooperate on Saturday, so Sunday it is. I’ve already got it in the smoker and it’s been going for about an hour or so. It looks good already, but is only at 70 degrees.

2018 - Week 43 Cooking Results

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Hash

Delayed! We took out my brother and his partner(?) to dinner while they were waiting for their flight to Denver.

Skillet Chicken with Corn and Miso Butter

So part of me remembered that Miso, is one of those things that Shannon prefers a light hand with. So I dusted these with some salt, pepper and some spices and made options. I went for an open face sandwich, Shannon for a salad.

Salami Melt

I got a nice crispness to the bread. It was easy, and quick and delicious.

Mexican Tortilla Casserole

I added some chorizo to this and slowly went through. It felt comforting as I was dealing with foot pain which has vastly swung back and forth. It was nice as both the meal and leftovers the next day.

Egg dish of some type

Fried Eggs over bagel. Simple and good.

2018 - Week 42 Cooking Results

Drunken Noodles

I want to have one of the magical markets where the ingredients all exist and are labeled as the recipe states. Anyways. The noodles (ramen) were a bit not quite right, but it was ok. I added more shrimp and took out the tofu (Shannon is generally not a fan).

Farfalle with Spicy Sausage and Butternut Squash

This was quite nice. I thought it would be harder than it was. Tasted pretty good too.

Cheap Creamy Chicken Curry

This needed more stuff in it. Chickpeas? Something.

Slow Roasted Onion Dip (Shannon’s work thing)

I like this thing. I like making it as it is a lot of breaks. The onions were quite pungent, though.

Pork Burgers

Good as always. A little sear, a little salt. Good things.

We had quite a bit of fun with Slow Food of Central Iowa and did a tour of Frisian Farms, Milton Creamery and then Jefferson County Ciderworks. I enjoy these trips and hope to go on more of them.

2018 - Week 41 Cooking Results

Lincolnshire Sausage over potatoes

Yes, you are supposed to mash the potatoes, but this allows you the beauty of new potato and the skin and the fat from the sausages. It’s a good thing. Also, it’s a bit easier to do. Roasted in the pan, in the oven.

Farfalle with Spicy Sausage and Butternut Squash

Delayed! The night I was going to make this, I got home exhausted and proceeded to take a 2 hour nap, I slept through my wife texting me what was for dinner. I slept through it all, and woke up a bit stunned. I ordered from Jimmy John’s and we ate later then normal.

On a side note, I don’t know if they are in the process of changing hosting providers or what not, but I liked the tracking that they had and have now taken away. Maybe they’ll restore them, maybe not, but I liked it. Also no order history? wtf.

Curry Roast Chicken over Sweet Potatoes

I cleaned the small sweet potatoes, tossed them in salt, pepper and olive oil. Did the same for the chicken, except added some curry powder too, and let them roast slowly in the oven at 350, I moved it up to 400 later. I kept attention with a thermometer, and got it roasted and it was pretty good. Some of the potatoes were perfect, some were a little under done (they were wider), but it was good for the most part.

Taco Salad

I feel as if I’m making this as an excuse to eat the Kalona Sour Cream. Never the same, but following the same pathway.

Jamaican Goat Curry

With the cold weather starting to set in it is once again time for letting things braise for a long time and use that wonderful. So I had to make some modification (didn’t want to order Jamaican Curry Powder for just this, cause it’s apparently a thing). Anyways I used mostly local ingrediants (97% or so from the farmer’s market), add a few. I napped a bit while they simmered, my watch going off every once in a while to remind me to stir it a bit. I enjoy this type of cooking. I knew that I had to control the heat of it, so I combined a habanero and a jalapeno, diced them up. It had a nice heat level enough to put a little heat on the lips, but not so much to burn. I was cautious with the pepper as I have accidentally transferred the heat to my eyes in the past. It was a risk as you never quite know how it will turn out after a braise.

I served it over rice and it was a warming wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

2018 - Week 40 Cooking Results

Ham Hock and White Bean Stew

Fall! Long cooking! Hooray! So I had a leftover ham bone, and picked up a smoked hock from Lucky George at the market Saturday morning. I followed the recipe for the most part (adjustments made around the vegetables) and gave myself a bit more time to make sure the beans got done. Turned out pretty good, I’m pretty happy with the first soup of the fall. Last night I did forget to add the sour cream mixture and chopped cornichons, but added them when I had it for lunch today. Pretty good.

Pork Cutlets

Seared, cut into smaller pieces and sandwiched.

Lincolnshire Sausage

Delayed!

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

I’ve made this a time or to before, and this really turned out well this time. Creamy, smooth, I think it is because I had nice cornstarch slurry first. I added Green Onion sausage as well.

Hamburgers

Good things.