Mac & Cheese (p309 Good Eats: The Early Years)
The cookbook and the online version are different. No bay leaf, suggestion to use smoked paprika...that sort of thing. A little more then the "lets get it up on line". It turned out pretty well, though I certainly didn't really need to use panko and could've used any old breadcrumbs that I had already made. I think it has been similar to other ones that I have made, but it still turned out well. Good stuffs.
Caramelized Onion and Potato Gratin (p17 October/November 2010 Cook's Country)
It turned out well. I hade intended to get some vegetable stock, but forgot, so I felt a bit guilty about it, being that I was planning on serving it for movie night, and Holly has made a veggie turn, I did tell her, and it was ok. It made for a good main for a GF and nearly veggie option. The onion and thyme mixture in the middle and the topping of gruyere, made for a good meal. I served it with some bread (South Union, forgot to go to La Mie), arugula and spinach salad with onions and feta, corn with unsalted butter and fumee de sel (smoked salt). For dessert I served warmed Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread with some vanilla ice cream on it. Shannon had suggested that I serve it with cinnamon ice cream, but I couldn't find any that I found acceptable (and didn't feel like making it). Over all it turned out to be a pretty good dinner. I wasn't totally happy with the consistency of the potatoes, but I used German Butter potatoes that I had gotten from the farmer's market, rather then the russets that the recipe actually wanted.
Reduced Fat Stuffed shells with meat sauce (p4 October/November 2010 Cook's Country)
I made this on Friday. This was after a long time spent making the Chicken Stock. This actually turned out really well, I don't know if I would've complained about how long it took to make if I hadn't spent all the time to make the stock. But it did take a good chunk of time. But it would be good to make, and I didn't really matter that it was reduced fat. The meat sauce was actually really good, and simple. I'm biggest problem with this whole thing was that I was scared that I was going to run out of pots to cook in.
Herbed Rice Pilaf (p37 Fall 2010 Entertaining)
Simple...but really meant for a side dish and not really a main, though it still turned out well.
Hamburgers (made with a panade with the leftover 93% lean ground beef)
It turned out nice, with the soaked in milk bread, the very lean beef made for juicy burger, even though it was frightfully lean.
Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread
I had to call an audible again, because I didn't have any of the pumpkin pie spice, like I had used, however, i used more cinnamon and some freshly grated nutmeg and it still turned out well. I'm hoping this freezes well. I want to use up the rest of my pumpkin and then freeze 'em and bring it out and thanksgiving. I guess I'll try and see what happens, and if it's not edible...then...well...I won't serve it.
Chicken Stock (p339 Ad Hoc at Home)
I learned many things from this and the last time that I made stock. The duck stock ended up being a bit salty, after it reduced down, because I didn't consider how salty it could get. This stock doesn't have any salt in it. Of course I will have to remember this when I cook with it, because I may need to add a bit more salt. Adding ice cubes to it, a whole lot of fat appeared for me to skim off. I have plans for this already. It actually made for a good day.
