cooking the books in 2019 - lesmel

I got three cookbooks for Christmas. I also buzzed through a bunch of cookbooks from the library at the end of 2018. Now I just need to actually make some of the recipes!

While not in a cookbook, I'll be making two instant pot recipes tomorrow:

https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-chili/#recipe -- my go to recipe for chili (minus the beans b/c chili does not have BEANS!)
http://www.bruceandmark.com/recipes/2018/2/2/instant-pot-ramen-broth.html -- first time for this

Oh cool! Is this going to be your cooking journal? Love the title. :D

>2 MrsLee: That's my plan! I'm hoping to keep track of my cooking adventures this year. :)

Made sous vide egg bites on Sunday as well as the ramen broth (fantastic) and chili (always exceptional). The eggs bites are divine. Super velvety. Tender. Flavorful. On Saturday, I took the Anova Nano for its inagural run on a NY Strip steak. I got it more done than I planned; it is was also fantastic.

I am sort of in awe over some of the things I see people cooking via sous vide. Turkey. Prime rib. Pork shoulder. We are talking two DAYS of cooking. That is insane. Bet it is incredibly tasty, though. LOL

I thought I'd add a couple pictures from my most recent culinary adventure:

Sous vide steak:


Sous vide egg bites:

>5 lesmel: Without question, I'm coming to visit.

>6 Lyndatrue: I have a spare room! LOL

I'm still kinda on the fence about sous vide at the moment. Mostly, the safety factor is freaking me out; but I'm reading up on food safety and technique and set ups.

Sous vide is something I have not paid much attention to. Mostly because I have no counter space for large appliances. In fact, I am wishing my microwave would die so I could either get a smaller version or do without.

Your photos are lovely, and I'm sure the food was delicious!

>8 MrsLee: Our micro died back in 2012? and we never bothered to replace it. Toaster oven, real oven, and stovetop, that's how things get heated/cooked! Zero regrets!

>8 MrsLee: My Anova Nano is a stick with a clamp. I use a stockpot placed in a towel in a thermal grocery bag. I could up my game and make a sleeve (or buy one) or go all out and buy a polycarb container/lid, rack, and sleeve. Still, the space taken up wouldn't be that much more than with my stockpot. I could sous vide on my stove (burners off, of course) since I have plugs within easy reach of either side of my stove. Time will tell...

Thinking appliances, I have a HUGE Sharper Image counter oven with two top burners. We used it to make the green bean casserole at Thanksgiving this year. It is monstrous and lives just outside my kitchen on a large cart (with the rest of my cookware and appliances). I could leave the cart in my kitchen, but I find that I move it around the space constantly. If I park it just outside the kitchen, it stays put.

>10 lesmel: I obviously have much to learn about sous vide! I thought it was a big box-type thing that you fill with water. :)

>11 MrsLee: Totally is (a huge box that eats up counter space) in restaurants, Iron Chef, and industrial/commercial kitchens. Apparently, it's on planes, too. I'm learning all kinds of things with this new gadget!

Went through The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book, Weinstein and marked down a list of recipes that looked good, didn't have super special ingredients, and didn't feed a battalion.

I'm sort of disappointed in Sous Vide at Home, Fetterman. There's lots of great info; but the recipes are very "unicorny." In fact, it reminds me of how Bon Appétit has gotten. The recipes in that magazine used to be solid, easy to follow, no crazy techniques or ingredients. Now, the recipes are sometimes ridiculous. Granted, sous vide is a crazy technique; but I was hoping for more of a primer on sous vide and not food porn. Still, I marked down several recipes on my little notepad. And if I'm daring, maybe, some day(s), I'll sous vide for 36 hours straight to make the (supposedly) most perfect Puerto Rican Pernil. Yes. Thirty-six hours. Overall, the book is good; just not what I wanted to start off with.

>13 lesmel: "are very "unicorny." In fact, it reminds me of how Bon Appétit has gotten"

Why do good food magazines do this? I treasure my late-60s copies of Gourmet, and their books from the 1950s are gems, but after that they went "upmarket", with articles and recipes of no relevance or interest to real human beings. I was not in the least surprised that the enterprise failed what? over 10 years ago?

>14 hfglen: It is definitely a problem. Instead of trying to be useful they will try to be trendy and unique. As if that's what makes for good food! grr.

Well, I for one am adding "unicorn ingredients" into my vocabulary. I had never heard them referenced as such before this thread.

I like to DIY a lot of products, but so many of the recipes are full of unicorn stuff. I don't care if you tell me where to buy all the exotic things, if I have to spend $100 to make 2 oz. of lotion, I'm not going to do it. Coconut oil for the win.

>14 hfglen: I was just thinking how much I missed old Gourmet Magazine. When Borders was dying and they were having the huge markdowns sales, I bought two Gourmet cookbooks. The books could kill someone that's how thick they are. I also have my mother's two volume set of Gourmet cookbooks from the 80s(?). All four have good recipes that don't require exotic ingredients you only use once. Yes, some are a little unicorny, but it is rare.

>15 .Monkey.: I have been listening to Cooking with Bruce & Mark podcasts (for weeks now). Mark talks about two trends that have happened in cooking (and thus cookbooks) -- "overprofessionalization" and hrm, I've now forgotten the other term he used. Basically he says that people have veered so for into the art of cooking, they forget the basic science of cooking.

>16 MrsLee: Funny you mention lotion. I scanned a recipe for lotion from my mom's collection over the holiday and it calls for unibase. Neeeever heard of unibase in my life. Mom shrugs and says, "it's unibase. You buy it for lotion." Still have no idea what it really is. LOL

>17 lesmel: Subject to correction, I believe that the first edition of the two-volume set came out in the late 50s; you should be able to find out from the books themselves. I have Bouquet de France (1952), British Bouquet (1963, surprisingly) and Old Vienna Cookbook (1959). I agree about the size and weight.

I googled unibase and got half-a-dozen references to software. Can't imagine putting that into lotion.

>18 hfglen: I had to go look. My older Gourmet set is Gourmet Vol I and Gourmet Vol II from 1976. The newer books are Gourmet Today from 2004 and The Gourmet Cookbook from 2009.

May I suggest that your older set is a second edition or at least a later printing? I've just looked in my set of 1969 magazines, and it's already advertised in the January number. (BTW, I managed to find all 12 months plus the index secondhand, and bound them myself. The result weighs a ton, but has some good recipes.)

>18 hfglen: I believe that Unibase (the glycol-based item for lotions and similar) isn't made any more. Here's a reference to it:

https://www.drugs.com/sfx/unibase-ointment-side-effects.html

Please note that although it says "side effects" there aren't really any, other than the standard allergy items (skin rash, etc.). For further amusement, UniBase (note the capital "B") is a paint additive.

>21 Lyndatrue: That makes a lot more sense than the software references! Thank you.

>20 hfglen: Oh yeah. I knew they weren't first printing. That's why I said 80s. I knew the volumes have been printed multiple times.

>21 Lyndatrue: It looks like, maybe, Fagron still sells unibase. Although, that may only be for commercial volume. Wonder if a compounding pharmacy would have it or order it. Hrm.

Used the Anova to make some shrimp. In this case, I absolutely love sous vide!! I love seafood, but hate cooking it because I always overcook it. It would take a lot of effort to overcook seafood via sous vide. Also, I need to practice my water displacement method for removing air from the bag.

>24 lesmel: That sounds like a perfect method for seafood!

>17 lesmel: Here ya go: https://www.ndrugs.com/?s=unibase%20ointment#doctor_description. It does contain glycols, as lyndratrue suggested. "Butyrospermum parkii butter" is shea butter, if it isn't already obvious.

Apparently one of my nieces tried to order Everyday Dorie for me. The first copy had loose pages so she returned it. The second copy was coming off the spine, so she returned it and just got a refund. She gave me a Belk Gift Card instead.

>27 thornton37814: That's a shame. That's just the sort of thing that drives down sales and keeps people from buying decent cookbooks.

>28 lesmel: I will probably try to find it at a bookstore where I can see the condition. It was one that I really wanted because so many raved over it.

Today, I listened to a Bruce & Mark podcast about just what we have been talking about -- the over-romanticism (is that the right word?) of cooking. It's an interesting 12 minute editorial/conversation.

If you are interested, four of the platforms where you can listen:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cooking-with-bruce-and-mark/id1037713616?mt=...

http://bruceandmark.libsyn.com/the-problem-with-dinner

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/bruce-weinstein/cooking-with-bruce-mark/e/52014...

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-cooking-with-bruce-and-ma-27629061/episode/th...

I listened to the podcast - it was interesting!

Neither The Food Lab or All Under Heaven are "dinner on the table" cookbooks even though The Food Lab is traditional American fare. Definitely romanticized.

All Under Heaven definitely has some simple everyday stuff (millet porridge cannot be more simple) but the approach is romanticized. The Food Lab always wants to find a new improved way to cook a tried and true favorite.

I made bagels from the King Arthur Flour recipe last night. While they tasted fantastic, they looked hideous. I have taken to calling them bagelish.

Tonight, I tried again b/c I am stubborn that way. This batch LOOKS like bagels. I am hoping they taste as good as last night's batch.

Today, I also made vegan chili from Bruce & Mark. I am not impressed. It tastes like there's one note -- mud. It is also spicier than I like. I'll take that to work and see if anyone likes it.

Tomorrow, I am going to sous vide a beef filet. I may even do another round of bagels with cranberries and orange zest.

I gave the chili a second try. There's a lot more depth of flavor now. It's still hotter than I like -- mostly because capsaicin blows out my taste buds and I end up only tasting bitter -- but that's easily fixed with sour cream or avocado or cheese.

I didn't sous vide today. Or make cranberry orange bagels. Instead, I interacted with world via lunch with a friend and shopping.

Anyone interested in the chili: http://www.bruceandmark.com/recipes/2017/11/20/the-best-ever-vegan-chili.html
I would argue the "best ever" b/c A) it takes at least a day to age and B) every day it ages it gets just a little hotter.

In other news, now that I've binged on Cooking with Bruce and Mark, I've switched to a Great Courses podcast. Food: A Cultural and Culinary History: https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/food-a-cultural-culinary-history

RE comments about the food mags going downhill. The present ones are so trendy and call for strange ingredients. I have so many old ones that I almost gave away. Now I am rereading them and found true joy! (Bon Appetit and Gourmet especially!)

My family used to subscribe to Cooks Illustrated and I read them cover to cover. Always wanted to make all the recipes in every single one.

Remember mind blowing recipes for chocolate cake, sugar cookies, fresh fruit tart, poached pears with chocolate ganache, and beef stew with olives. Plus a recipe for crispy chocolate cookies that no one liked.

Also remember being unable to make most of the meat recipes because the cuts were unavailable. I desperately wanted to make a sea bass (or similar? it was a long time ago) recipe but sea bass was nowhere to be found. Same with ingredients for making stock that seem to be ubiquitous in recipes like chicken backs, wing tips, beef bones, etc. I supposed if you can get to a butcher you can get those things but grocery stores don't really stock them.

It's like Bruce and Mark said, if you live in NYC or even a smallish city you can buy sea bass and wing tips no problem, but if you live in back woods middle of nowhere it's not happening.

So I feel like that was always a problem.

But now with increased globalization ethnic ingredients are easy to come by in even small cities no problem, so we're adding that into the mix. It makes for interesting recipes but if you live in back woods middle of nowhere it's still not happening.

Plus I feel like the internet is also pushing food magazines becoming trendy. If you want a recipe for basic stuff like banana bread you can go online and find thousands of recipes easily. Where in the past you'd to be taught or find a cookbook or a magazine with a nice recipe. So the magazine has to set itself apart, and they do that by being trendy. "Banana bread" is boring. "BEST Banana Bread - NEW method!" with a unique ingredient might sell a magazine.

>35 kerrlm: I have a 1993 or 1994 Bon Appetit issue that has the best biscotti I've ever had. Even then, the recipes were getting trendy with unicorn ingredients.

>36 Settings: I think mags like Taste of Home still cater to that "basic, homespun, Grandma made this" recipe ethic. By far, I prefer solid recipes with clear testing and explanations than "use this new technique that requires monkey hair and a blow torch!!" Although, I do covet a butane torch...I'll have to settle for my broiler and my gas range. lol

What's sort of funny is that Cooks Illustrated is part of America's Test Kitchen along with Cook's Country...and they all used to be VERY distinct. I see less distinction between them now.

>37 lesmel:

Last time I tried to make Creme Brulee I messed it up by broiling it too long. D: It liquefied. Could have used that blow torch.

Yeah, I think clear testing and explanations are better than new techniques too. Like with stock there seems to be a trend where recipes that require a pressure cooker or grinding up meat in a food processor are presented as superior to just boiling it a really long time. Idk, boiling has gone through millennia of testing and grinding up bone-in meat sounds like a good way to break a food processor and get meat juices all over your kitchen.

Made bagels last night. Too chewy. I think it was a combo of not enough flour and possibly too much cinnamon sugar while I was kneading the individual pieces. I probably should have stuck to just cinnamon for the kneading. Also, I could just tell there wasn't enough flour. The dough was staying sticky. I should have gone with my gut and added as much flour as I thought (nearly 120 grams) instead of just flicking some in hoping it was right. Stupid humidity! Grr!

Sorry about your bagels. Hope next time comes out better.

>39 lesmel: I hear you. I'm still trying to perfect my sourdough bread recipe.

Also, I made sourdough crackers today, which are delicious (oddly they taste like cheese crackers, but no cheese was added), but I need an easier process. It said to roll them out on floured parchment paper, which I didn't have, so used waxed paper. After they were baked, it was a pain to get them separated from the paper. Have you made crackers? Any suggestions?

>41 MrsLee: I have no advice for crackers. The only crackers I ever made were almond flour and that has so much fat in it, they nearly flew off the tray as I was pulling the paper off the pan. Sourdough crackers sound amazing. I love sourdough! Weird that they taste like cheese, though. Did they smell like cheese?

I've had a busy food weekend:

cinnamon crunch bagels


dog biscuits -- peanut butter beef


Food prep -- coldstart yogurt, mac & cheese, and lentil sloppy joe filling (vegan chili top middle and right from last week)


bagels -- cranberry orange, finally!


After my crazed couple weekends of bagels, I've decided to read Beard on Bread. There may be more baking in my near future. LOL

Coldstart yogurt?

>43 lesmel: 'Splain please this food prep thing. Do you fix these for lunches at work? Also, do you ever get ahead of your family in your baking? I have found that sometimes I get in a mood, and the family can't keep up with their eating end of it. :)

>44 haydninvienna: Coldstart yogurt is my new favorite thing with yogurt making. You start with ultra-pasteurized milk/cream & yogurt (or starter) and incubate...instead of having to scald the milk/cream, cool it, add the yogurt/starter, and then incubate.

>45 MrsLee: Food prep! It's only me; and yes, sometimes I get waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of myself with food -- like bagels. Luckily, I work with librarians. We love food. lol

I usually cook enough food on Saturday/Sunday for 1-2 weeks (sometimes it ends up 3-4 weeks if I have freezer space). I generally fix breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So, for a week, that's 21 meals. Two weeks is 42 meals. etc. Here's how this weekend broke down:

Mac & Cheese: 6 1-cup servings -- that will probably be 12 meals b/c I can't eat 1 cup of mac and cheese at one sitting
Lentil Sloppy Joes: 15 1-cup servings -- I'll have to freeze some of this
Vegan Chili: leftovers from last week -- I have 3 servings left
Coldstart Yogurt: 15 1-cup servings -- I can't freeze this, so I will be eating a LOT of yogurt in the next two weeks.
Bagels - cinnamon crunch went to work this morning
Bagels - cranberry orange -- I'll probably freeze them and eat them on the weekends since I have yogurt to eat.

I may or may not fix something else this coming weekend. If I do, some of what I made recently will end up in the freezer. I'm trying really hard to not freeze anything right now. I'm working on eating out of my freezer (and pantry) whenever possible -- that's why there's so many servings of yogurt and fruit. I had blackberries, mango, and blueberries in the freezer. In fact, I still have a huge gallon bag of blueberries to finish.

>46 lesmel: The penny drops. The point of scalding the milk when making yogurt (something I used to do quite a bit) is to denature the enzymes in it. If you start with UHT milk, the ultrapasteurisation process has already done that for you. But it requires an Instant Pot, yes? I have no access to such a thing here. My yogurt process involved a special kit which was made in Australia but seems no longer to be available--it was basically an insulated one-litre jar plus a special glass-enclosed thermometer. Worked really well.

>47 haydninvienna: You don't need an instant pot if you have way to maintain the temp for incubation. People have been making yogurt for centuries, so there are ways!

>48 lesmel: I believe one way was under the arm in a bag on a long horse ride. >47 haydninvienna: Do you have a horse?

Yogurt or wine will be my next fermentation adventure. At the moment I'm still working my nerve up.

>49 MrsLee: And now we have to find a historian who can tell us how the Magyars (Huns) actually did arrange their commissariat when they arrived in Europe 1500 years ago.

Thinks: We should also look into the domestic arrangements of the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania. That may be easier.

PS: You could also try making amasi. When I googled the word I was offered a recipe for amasi scones, which should work well.

Made cookies last night. I know them as "The World's Best Cookies" -- other people know them as Ranger Cookies, Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies, the "Neiman Marcus Hoax" Cookie.





I'd forgotten how huge a double batch of these is. I ended up having to make the main part of the dough in the mixer and then hand stir the add-ins. Ended up making 56 cookies. Half went to work. Half went in the freezer until book club on Monday.

Mac & Cheese from The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book
Didn't make this to spec. I don't like penne. I only had small shells. That was probably the biggest failing in this recipe. So, entirely my fault that while the dish is good, it's not very saucey. Having said that, I'm not sure I would trust a pasta recipe like this in the IP. It's a good thing I was working in the kitchen while making this or I would have been scraping scorched mac & cheese into the trash. The IP never pressurized (the whole scorching thing causes this), never gave me the burn message, and started counting down the five minutes of cooking time. I had to pull everything being careful not to scrape up the just scorched bit. Then I poured everything into a casserole I thought was appropriate for the volume of mac & cheese AND fit in the IP. It did not fit in the IP. Then I had to pour it all into a SMALLER casserole. That worked. The pasta cooked fine at that point. But then there was no way to mix in the cheese which meant ANOTHER baking dish before I was able to portion it out. I am REALLY tempted to fiddle with the recipe until I get it right because the flavors are great; I just am never going to make this with penne so following the recipe isn't ever going to happen. I looked for volume equivalents of 1lb of penne versus 1lb of small shells. All I kept finding was uncooked to cooked. Or macaroni, penne, and medium shells. Anyone happen to know how many cups 1lb of penne makes? I have another 1lb of small shells, that's easy enough for me to measure. lol

Lentil Sloppy Joe filling from The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book
I've made this before. In fact, I love this recipe. If you like sloppy joes that aren't super sweet or ketchup-y, this is a great recipe for you. I also double the recipe every time I make it. Since I have made it before, I had no worries about subbing a small portion of the French green lentils with red lentils. Yes, red lentils basically cook to mush while French green lentils hold their shape. However, I was only subbed about 2/3 of a cup because I ran out of French green lentils. I like how silky the red lentils get in this dish.

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I'm pretty sure it's too wet for me to be making bread today. Still, I may try scones. I saw a recipe on youtube for scones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89M-P-N0d_A

1000 g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
15 g baking powder
250 g salted butter, room temp
175 g sultanas
375 ml full fat milk
175 g caster sugar
1 egg
1 capful vanilla

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add butter. Rub in until you have "fine bread crumbs." Add sultanas. Combine milk, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat lightly. Reserve about 3-4 tablespoons for coating the tops of the scones. Combine wet into dry. Mix lightly until it binds. Turn out onto work surface. Mix into it all holds together but no more than that. The dough shouldn't stick to your hands. Roll dough to about 1 inch thick. Cut scones with 2.5 inch round cutter. Should yield 16-18 scones. Place on parchment covered baking sheet. Rest several minutes. Top with egg mixture. Bake at 180C for 17ish minutes. You may need to turn the pan about halfway through.

Someone explain Cream Tea to this American. Maybe just explain "Tea" to this American.

Ok, found another recipe for scones that I totally adore...mostly because the baker is...enthusiastically chill?...just watch. lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1xpm2XraU8

Recipe here: http://annabellewhite.com/buttermilk-scones/buttermilk-scones/
ETA: link works, you have to take off the https that your browser keeps applying

>53 lesmel: Fun video! That's how I make my biscuits as far as the measuring goes. :) Will try this today, but no dried fruit in it for me.

Oh, I can't seem to get to her recipe through that link, it says it is broken.

>54 MrsLee: Well, crud. I had it a minute ago. Just a second. I think I can pull it up again.

Ha!

https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018645524/annabe...

ETA: Here's something weird. She goes on and on in the video about NOT touching the dough with your hot hands...but the recipes specifically states to work the dough with your clean hands. Ugh. Annoying.

Still going to try the knife technique on this! Once I go buy some buttermilk. Which I have been craving anyhow.

Tried the Cook's Illustrated scone recipe with dried cranberries. I didn't cut them into rounds since I see no point in overworking AND wasting dough. Not a ton of rise. No natural break. A friend that is a Brit says she was impressed with my scone making skills. Though, she is too far away to taste how light and tender these are!



I'm going to try buttermilk in this Cook's Illustrated recipe. That may give the scones some more rise.

My scones were delicious. I didn't have buttermilk, so I used a couple of T. whole fat plain yogurt, cream and milk. Let that sit about an hour. I did her butter grating technique, which was great, and I used a dough whisk I bought to mix. Again, worked great. I did her method for the dough, which also worked, but I want to pat it and cut in circles next time. I like circles, and it leaves a bit of raw dough to eat. I didn't use her recipe, used my dad's, but added the doctored milk, butter instead of shortening or lard, and more sugar. Very happy with the results which came apart easily and melted in my mouth. Will post a photo in my thread tomorrow.

>58 MrsLee: This is exciting!!

As I said, I used the Cook's Illustrated recipe. Combined the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the food processor. Pulsed it the recommended times. Grated the butter into the flour. Pulsed it about HALF the recommended times. Maybe I'm pulsing too long? Still, I got great "mealy" look from pulsing the way I did. Dumped it all into a big bowl, dumped in chopped dried cranberries. Then added the milk/egg mixture. I folded the two until just held together. Dumped that onto my counter. And then used Annabelle White's technique of rolling and turning with the small pats. Then I rolled and cut it. It took 16 minutes in my oven with one turn at 12 minutes.

>59 lesmel: I forgot to turn mine. Having shredded the butter, I wasn't worried too much about making it look "mealy." Using the dough whisk, it rather functions like I knife I think, I wonder if the egg makes it a bit heavier? I didn't put one in, but perhaps it is needed for traditional scones? My dad's biscuit recipe doesn't call for it. Also, I don't put dried fruit in mine, because I'm going for something to carry the very flavorful lemon and orange curds on. :)

These are the second batch with buttermilk...



It took 1.5 cups of buttermilk instead of the 1 cup of whole milk. This makes me wonder if I could have added more milk to my first batch.

These took 17 minutes in the oven. With three turns. Also, the mushroomed out instead of up. I'm guessing this is related to the shape. I'm thinking circles create better surface tension. Although, I probably should have tested my baking powder. It's not that old. Just since Thanksgiving.

I'm thinking your co-workers are going to love your experimenting. :)

>62 MrsLee: Ha! They will until I make them taste test and answer my survey. It's user needs analysis. How can a bunch of librarians deny me when I'm just practicing my librarian-y skills. lol

Here they are side by side.

Buttermilk on the left / Milk on the right




Milk on the left / Buttermilk on the right


I like the buttermilk much better. The milk are drier. Although, again, I wonder if that's because I didn't use enough milk. I'm willing to run another batch...but not today. I have to pause all kitchen activity to read my book club read: Little Big Love

I have been reading Beard on Bread. There is a recipe for cream scones. Also, I borrowed a copy of Baking Illustrated and there's a DIFFERENT scone recipe from their one online. I may be running another scone experiment this weekend.

Also, ATK recommends a low protein flour for scones and biscuits...which makes sense.

"Cream tea" is scones with jam - raspberry or strawberry for preference - with whipped cream, or clotted cream if you can get it. Served at afternoon tea time with, of course, tea to drink. "Tea", in northern England where they also say "high tea" and in Australia generally, is the family evening meal, being a less formal affair and eaten earlier than dinner. Invite somebody for tea and it is understood that they don't have to dress up or anything.

The thing with scones is to have a very light hand. Do not lead it, just pat lightly into shape. Place them on the tray almost touching which will encourage them to rise rather than spread.

Mix & Bake by Belinda Jeffery has a whole chapter on scones, with much useful advice and some excellent recipes. Her recipe for cheese scones is fantastic! Here is her recipe for buttermilk scones, slightly reworded in places

300 g self-raising flour
320 g stone-ground wholemeal self-raising flour
55 g castor (granulated) sugar
1 tsp salt
160 g cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
200 g sultanas, dried currants or chopped dates (optional)
500 ml buttermilk

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F). Sift together dry ingredients, rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs (this can all be done in a food processor). Tip into a large bowl, add fruit and buttermilk, mix lightly until moist. Turn out on to well floured board and knead gently until just combined. Pat into a 4 - 5 cm-thick round or rectangle. Cut with knife or scone-cutter, dipping into flour between cuts to prevent sticking. Place close together on lined tray and either dust with flour or brush with milk. Bake for 20 mins. Remove from tray and immediately wrap in a clean dry tea towel. Leave for 5 mins, then serve with jam and cream.

This makes about 18, but can be halved successfully. You can freeze leftovers, but I don't recommend reheating them in the microwave. The secret with scones is a light hand and a hot oven!

>65 dajashby: & >66 dajashby: Thanks for these!

>67 lesmel: I remember hearing that the secret was not only a light hand but a cold one. I remember a relative of my first wife who had a reputation for having cold hands. She wasn’t a great cook but could make terrific scones.

>68 haydninvienna: It turns out I'm crap at dough because I have hot hands in the kitchen. Using a food processor has been almost like a miracle. Although, I could have used a pastry blender...if I had realized why I was crap at pastries & dough.

I think I've found my scone recipe! For now, I love this version of the scones I've been testing. Granted, it might be the stick of butter and 1.5 cups of heavy cream that I love. lol

I'm not sure you can call these scones at this point. They are a hybrid of American biscuit and British cream scone, I think. I don't care what you call it. It's fantabulous. I'm going to try it with cinnamon chips and another with butterscotch chips.

I also made dog biscuits again. These actually taste pretty good. They are dry and need some flavor work; but they would make a good cracker.

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I tried my hand at beer bread. The flavor of this bread is phenomenal. I ended up eating three slices last night. The crust is a little chewy and crunchy...I'm not even sure how that is possible. I used Model Negro because that's what I have in the house. It's good that I discovered this bread because I can't drink beer any longer and have several more bottles to use. It has nothing to do the with the ingredients and everything to do with the amount of carbonation.

>71 lesmel: Beer bread? Good grief, how can you post that without a recipe? I have no idea what *kind* of beer Model Negro even is, but it surely doesn't sound like it comes in a can from Golden, Colorado.

That's a lovely looking loaf in your photograph, and it makes me long to make bread. I may be forced to make gingerbread later today, and I lay the blame squarely on you.

ETA: I looked up "model negro beer" and got back Modelo Negra (which is a Mexican beer "...Munich Dunkel Lager style beer brewed by Grupo Modelo..."). I suspect that I'm doomed on this one. I'm way too far north for such fancy things. I'd still like the recipe. :-}

>72 Lyndatrue: Yeah, it's Modelo Negra -- for the life of me I can't spell today. You don't have to use Modelo. Use what you like or have. Any dark (Beck's Dark is good) would work if that's the flavor you like. Although, searching the product locator, it looks like Modelo Negra can be found in your town. https://www.modelousa.com/en-US/product-locator

Beer Bread recipe:

3 cups (14 1/4 oz) self-rising flour*
3 T sugar
12 oz beer of choice

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until blended and pour the batter into a lightly greased loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-55 minutes.

* You can make your own self-rising flour:
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

>73 lesmel: Oh, my. For the tip on how to make your own self-rising flour I thank you, from the bottom of my teeny tiny heart. :-} It is a quickbread, then, and not one that uses yeast, and no kneading of the dough, either (which is wonderful, because I am lazy, and prefer breads that are easy, not those that will build biceps).

I'll have to put beer on the shopping list for next week. Thank you for the recipe, and the entertainment.

>72 Lyndatrue: You should be able to get Negra Modelo in Washington state. I've found it all over the country. It's one of my go-to beers here in southern Oregon since I don't care for over-hopped PNW beer.

>73 lesmel:, My DIL just made a beer bread, but hers called for a 1/2 c. of butter sliced over the top before you bake.

>76 MrsLee: I've seen a recipe where you either pour melted butter over the top or add the melted better during the mixing. KAF's recipe uses butter: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/classic-beer-bread-recipe

The recipe for the cookies in >52 lesmel:

Yield: About 18 large (using 1/3 cup measure) or 28 (using 1/4 cup measure)
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
2 ¼ c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. (two sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 ¾ c. packed brown sugar (1 ¼ c. light, ½ c. dark)
2 large eggs (room temp)
1 T. vanilla extract
14 oz. semisweet chocolate chunks (chunks work better than morsels/chips)
1 c. sweetened flaked coconut
1 c. coarsely chopped pecans (I use walnuts)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Optional: Chill the cookie sheets in the fridge.

In a food processor, process the oatmeal for 15 to 60 seconds, until finely ground. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Process for 5 to 10 seconds, until blended. Transfer flour mixture to a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the butter for 1 minute, at medium speed, until creamy. Add the brown sugars and continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is light in texture and color. Scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

At low speed, a third at a time, beat in the flour mixture, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate, coconut, and pecans. At this time, you can chill the dough 1-2 hours before baking.

Line several cookie sheets with baking parchment or silicone mat. Fill an ice cream scoop or a 1/3 (or 1/4) cup measure so that it is slightly heaping with some of the cookie dough and drop onto one of the prepared cookie sheets. Continue scooping the dough and dropping the cookies onto the cookie sheets, leaving 3 inches between cookies. Optional: Refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes, until the cookie dough is chilled.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Bake the cookies one cookie sheet at a time for 17 to 22 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. Do not overbake. The cookies will brown very little and as they cool they will become crispy on the edges and the centers will remain soft and chewy.

Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies are best eaten the same day they are baked. If desired, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to one month.

In an attempt to make my beer bread work-safe (MPOW is a state institution), I tried rootbeer bread. It is just as tasty!!

Rootbeer Bread recipe:

3 cups (14 1/4 oz) self-rising flour*
12 oz rootbeer of choice

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until blended and pour the batter into a lightly greased loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-55 minutes.

* You can make your own self-rising flour:
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

I used Abita because I was looking for a rootbeer with the least stabilizers and HFCS. I was also looking for something local-ish.

Root beer sounds wonderful. I'll have to try it.

I might try that myself.

>71 lesmel:, My friend recently got an "American Bull Dog" after her old one died at age about 6 you. Yes way too young.

The new one is still just a puppy (4 or so months!)

I would love the dog biscuit recipe.

Guido.

>82 guido47: Here you go...

2 cups whole-wheat flour, plus additional for dusting
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
About 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Heat the oven to 375F (or 350F with a convection fan). Lightly coat two baking sheets with nonstick spray.

2. Mix the flour, oats, baking powder, onion powder, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Stir in the peanut butter, broth, and Worcestershire sauce until a thick batter.

3. Flour a clean, dry work surface. Set the dough on it, press it flat a bit, and dust it with more flour. Roll to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out into dog-cookie shapes. Set them on the prepared baking sheets and roll more by gathering the dough together, dusting it again, and rolling it out. Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano over the cookies.

4. Bake one tray at a time for 20 minutes, or until browned and crisp. (If you've used a convection fan, you can arrange the racks and fit all the sheets at once.) Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a large wire rack and continue cooling overnight. Store in a zip-closed plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

http://www.bruceandmark.com/recipes/2015/12/25/marks-peanut-butter-dog-biscuits....

There are debates about the use of onion powder and garlic powder in homemade dog biscuits. I use it b/c I double this recipe but not the onion & garlic...therefore, each biscuit has far less of each. I also see no reason to add it in the first place.

I add more oats (half as much more) and parm (usually double) than called for. I use the cheaper parm in bags from Kraft rather than fancy parm. I also use beef base and use 1 1/2 tsp base to 1 cup water. And finally, I roll the dough fairly thin. Thinner than 1/2 inch, for sure. These have nearly no rise in them though they puff up a tiny bit while baking.

Thanks for your quick response >83 lesmel:

My friend did question the use of "Peanut butter". I immediately used DR. Google and found that the dangerous stuff in Peanut butter was Xyitroll

Evidently a natural substance (a sweetener) but dangerous to DOGS. So check the label!

>84 guido47: Yes. You have to be careful with any sweetened peanut butter -- specifically xylitol which can kill dogs and cats in small quantities. I use an in-store ground PB with JUST peanuts...not even salt.

I made molasses spice cookies (a.k.a. molasses crinkles) from Cook's Illustrated a week ago:



2¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice (I subbed nutmeg because I didn't have allspice)
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup dark brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup granulated sugar, plus ½ cup for rolling cookies
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup light or dark molasses

Heat the oven* to 375F degrees with a rack in the middle position.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices and set aside.
In a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, ½ cup of the granulated sugar for about 3 minutes**, or until light and creamy.
Add the egg yolk -- beat 20 second, add vanilla extract -- beat 20 seconds, and add molasses -- beat 20 seconds, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds, until just combined.
Place the remaining granulated sugar in a shallow dish.
Using a spoon or cookie scoop, divide the dough into approximately 2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls.
Roll the balls in sugar and place them on your cookie sheet, giving them 1½ to 2 inches of space.
Bake 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the sheets in the oven about halfway through, until the outer edges just begin to set.
Allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

* I normally crank the heat 25 degrees hotter than I'm planning to cook at and let the oven get to temp and wait at least an additional 20 minutes. As soon as the cookies go in the oven, I lower the heat. Biggest issue with this process is if I'm making huge batches (which I normally make 4-5 dozen cookies in one go) where I get the first sheet in the oven and then prep two more sheets. Every time you open the oven door, the temp drops 10-15 degrees and takes 20+ minutes to get back to temp. So, each batch of cookies successively may take 1-3 minutes longer to cook. Ideally, I wouldn't scoop cookies until the first sheet has come out of the oven...but that's not going to happen.

**I have been told you cannot overbeat butter and sugar and you REALLY want the creamed mixture to be light and creamy -- however long that takes, minimum of 3 minutes.

>86 lesmel: Oh, you are the cruel one. I now want to make molasses cookies, using your recipe (although I strongly doubt I'd go through the work you did with the baking of them). They sound delicious. :-}

>86 lesmel: They look wonderful!

>86 lesmel: **I have heard that you actually can overbeat the butter and sugar, which will make the butter oily rather than creamy. But that's some serious overbeating.

Made stew tonight (started it last night). I love this stew. It's got crazy loads of flavor, just the right level of heat...and laaaamb. Mmmmmmm. I have also made it with beef, pork, & chicken. Lamb is still by far my favorite. I may try this with lentils.

Hunger Games Lamb Stew
2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb, 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2-3 teaspoons kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons fat for high temperature cooking (bacon fat, lard, etc.)
1 onion, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups carrots, approximately 6, roughly diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
zest of one lemon
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup quartered prunes
1/4 chopped cilantro (optional)

Combine spices & salt. Coat the lamb with the mix and marinate at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.

Heat a large skillet or dutch oven on medium-high heat. Melt your choice of fat. Brown the lamb in batches. Don't crowd the pan. Remove from the pan and repeat until all the lamb is cooked.

Add the onion and carrots. Cook about five minutes. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook several minutes.

Add the lamb back to the pan. Add the zest and the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 1.5 to 2 hours, until the lamb is tender.

Add the prunes at the last 30 minutes of cooking. Stir in the cilantro a few minutes before serving. Adjust seasoning as needed.

To cook in an instant pot: Heat the IP on sauté (high). Brown the lamb & remove, sauté the onions & carrots, add the ginger & garlic, add the lamb back, add ONE cup of chicken stock, stir the mixture well. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Use natural pressure release for 15 minutes. Add the prunes and simmer 5-10 minutes (longer to reduce the broth if the stew is too thin).

ETA: Salt adjustment. You will need to know your salt. I use a medium grain kosher salt and have a tendecy to err on the side of a little salty b/c it balances the sweet prune flavor. As we know, it is far better to under salt & adjust than over salt.

>90 lesmel: Mmmm, mmmmm! Sounds wonderful.

>90 lesmel: I wonder ... if you cooked that in a slow or very slow oven, could you leave it in the oven for a long time (5-6 hours or overnight)?

>92 hfglen: I would say yes b/c that isn't any different than crockpot cooking. It may need a little more broth for a long braise; but maybe not if you cover the pot well.

For Lyndatrue:

Skillet Lasagna (Cook's Illustrated - Best 30-Minute Recipe - pg 137-8)
Yield: 4 servings
1/2 lb ground beef (85% lean)
1/2 lb ground pork (can sub other meat if you don't eat pork)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (up to 1 tsp depending on your tolerance)
salt and pepper
6 oz curly-edged lasagna noodles (~8 noodles, break into 2" pieces)
26 oz jar tomato sauce
2 c water
1/2 c mozzarella, shredded
1/4 c grated Parmesan
3/4 c whole-milk ricotta
1/4 c minced fresh Basil

* Sub 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot) for the beef/pork. Add a chopped red bell pepper while cooking the meat.
** You can replace the mozz and parm with 3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

Heat a skillet over high heat.
Cook and drain the meat, ~5 minutes. While cooking, break up the large pieces with a spoon. Return the meat to the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium. Saute the aromatics (garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp salt) ~30 seconds.
Top the meat mixture with noodles. Top the noodles with the sauce and water. Cover & cook with a "vigorous simmer" until the noodles are tender (~20 minutes).
Remove pan from heat. Add 1/2 the parm and 1/2 the mozz. Stir. Adjust season with salt & pepper. Dot the top with the ricotta. Sprinkle the remaining parm and mozz over the top. Cover and let stand until the cheese melts (~5 minutes). Sprinkle with basil before serving.

These look/sound fantastic: https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/egg-pancakes-with-vegetables -- only problem I see is how wet the zucchini would make the batter. Then again, maybe not?

Egg Pancakes with Vegetables by Shirley Chung Chinese Heritage Cooking From My American Kitchen

Pancake Batter

2 large eggs
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 tbsp (15 ml) canola oil, plus more for cooking
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Vegetable Mix

1 cup (50 g) shredded carrots
1 cup (150 g) shredded zucchini
1/2 cup (24 g) chopped garlic chives
1 cup (150 g) sliced onion
1/2 cup (50 g) chopped green onions

Directions

Crack and whisk the 2 eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, milk, canola oil, sesame oil, salt and pepper to the eggs. Mix until everything forms a smooth batter. Add all of the vegetable mix ingredients into the pancake batter, and mix well. Heat up 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of canola oil in a 10-inch (25-cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add 1¼ cups (300 ml) of pancake mix into the skillet, and spread it into an even layer that almost fills the whole pan. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes. When the edge starts to turn golden brown, flip to the other side, and cook until golden brown. Repeat the steps to make a total of 4 large pancakes. Cut the pancakes into wedges and enjoy.

>92 hfglen: I'm sensing a theme in your comments, Hugh ...

Indeed. We're told "load shedding" will be with us for "at least a year". And our area conveniently loses power on a Friday (my cooking day) just when one might reasonably want to prepare or eat supper. *mutter mutter grumble grouse*

>94 lesmel: Thank you for thinking of me. I did have to smile when I saw the note on not eating pork, though. I eat pork, but not beef. Then again, I'd probably just use ground lamb entirely. The recipe sounds quick, though, and I may add the fancy cheeses to my grocery list next time I'm thinking about it. It sounds like a good recipe for later in the season, when I have fresh basil from the garden.

I have some tiny flowers blooming (some things are just survivors), and it's an amazement.

>98 Lyndatrue: Ha! I had a 50/50 shot. Most people I know skip the pork. I would go with bulk Italian sausage, personally.

There's one person in my bookclubs that is gluten free for medical reasons. I made an effort to bake GF this last bookclub (and she wasn't there, ha!) with a family favorite slightly modified:



Coconut Macaroons Maybe Meringues

4 egg whites
dash of salt
3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar*
2 cups rice flakes cereal**
1/2 cup coconut flakes*
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325°F. Separate the eggs. Discard or set aside the yolks for another recipe. Beat the egg whites with dash of salt until stiff. Fold in the sugar, slowly. Repeat with the cereal, coconut, and vanilla. Drop onto a lightly oiled (or parchment paper covered) cookie sheet by the tablespoon full. Bake 17 to 22 minutes at 325° F. Cool until set (about 5 minutes). Yield: 18-24 cookies

* If you are using sweetened coconut, use 3/4 cup of sugar.
** Normally, I use Special K. You can use any cereal like Chex or Crispix (you will need to crush the cereal a little before measuring) or any non-wheat based flake cereal. Wheat-based flake cereals go soggy before the cookie finishes baking. I have not tried Rice Krispies; but they might work

Just received Everyday Dorie in hardback as a gift. It was purchased at Barnes & Noble in California. Wonderful cookbook ! I have a collection of over 500, and I can't wait to try some of her recipes !

Made bagels again! Cinnamon Raisin using ground cinnamon and cinnamon chips. Also merged the ATK and KAF recipes to make what I think is the best recipe for bagels at home. This time, I used instant yeast in the packet. The bagels got HUGE. I think the yeast in my jar is too cold (it is in the freezer) when I start my dough. I will be testing this theory (now that I've tested that my yeast isn't dead) soon. Although, I did use an entire packet of yeast. That's supposed to be 2.25 teaspoons of instant yeast. However, when I measured it, I didn't get 2.25 teaspoons. Hrm. Shucks, I'm going to have to experiment. How unfortunate.



Bagels at Home:

dough
20 ounces bread flour
2 ounces vital wheat gluten
1 T barley malt syrup
1 1/2 t instant yeast*
1 1/2 cups water (80F)**

water bath
2 QT water
2 T barley malt syrup
1 T sugar

Combine flour, salt, syrup in bowl of standing mixer. Add yeast and water.

Using dough hook, mix at lowest setting until dough is shaggy; about 4 mins.

Increase speed to medium-low and mix until smooth, stiff, and cohesive; about 8 to 10 mins. Turn dough onto work surface.

Divide into 8 portions; about 4 ounces each. Roll pieces into smooth ball. Cover with towel and rest 5 minutes.

Form each ball into 11 inch rope; do not taper ends. Form rope into circle; overlap ends about 1 1/2 inches. Dampen ends and pinch together. Place ring of dough over your fingers; roll circle on work surface to close seam.

Place bagels on parchment covered sheet; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Rest 12 to 18 hours (longer = more flavor) in fridge. Remove from fridge 30 mins before ready to boil and bake.

Heat oven to 450F; put rack in middle position in oven. Prep water bath: heat water, syrup, and sugar in large pot until boiling.

Place each ring into the water for 15-20 seconds a side. Remove from water and place on wire rack. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake about 14-15 minutes; turn sheet halfway thru baking time. Remove from sheet to wire rack to cool completely.

Topped bagels: After boiling, dip damp bagels in toppings of choice (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, everything mix, onion flakes, caraway seeds, etc).

Cinnamon-raisin bagels: Add 1 t vanilla, 1 T cinnamon, 1/2 cup raisins to the flour, salt, syrup.

* There's still some need to experiment with the amount of yeast; as well as the temperature of the yeast (room vs. fridge cold) and temperature of the water if the yeast is cold.

** There is a good chance you will need more water. Add water by the teaspoon, as needed, until the dough is smooth and doesn't break immediately when pulled. I consistently seem to need about 2-4 teaspoons extra water while the dough is mixing.

Over the weekend before Father's Day, I had family in the house. I made:

plain bagels
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Lentil Chili
beer bread

Everything except the lentils went over very well. I was very disappointed in the lentils. They were flavorless and didn't soften at all. I used the standard no-fail recipe I always use; but the lentils were old and I ended up with a lot more liquid to compensate without compensating for the liquid. I've since re-pressure cooked them with more seasonings...but it didn't fix the fact that the lentils are still a little crunchy. I'm going to call it a draw and eat flavorful, crunchy lentils.

>103 lesmel: What a shame about the lentils. I've had a similar problem with lentils and other pulses in the past which (following some experimentation) I have decided is often caused by cooking them with tomatoes and/or salt, so these days I cook the pulses separately before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. However presumably this wasn't the issue in your case if you were using an familiar recipe.

>104 Sovay: Normally, I would agree the tomatoes caused a problem; but the tomatoes are standard in this recipe and I've made it probably at least 6 times now. This is the first failure. I know better than to buy packaged bulk lentils and then not use them for 4 months. lol

I have impromptu guests tomorrow. I need to decide on lunch. Really not interested in cooking since it's hot as snot (or insert ruder word here). Not to mention, Saturdays are usually my "laying on the couch contemplating my belly button lint" days. One might say I was a little stodgy and stuck in the mud. Maybe I'll grab some tortillas and we can have chicken verde tacos. That would require my microwave, a skillet, and the gas burner for a very short period of time.

I had family in town on and off for the first two weeks of July. In that time, I made chicken and dumplings -- family recipe with rolled out dumplings; fig preserves (with lemon); bagels (my modified CI/KAF recipe AND the How to Cook Everything recipe); and tuna steak with pan sauce (my step father really really really likes this recipe I got from Sur La Table). Also in there were watermelon mojitos. There would have been watermelon sorbet, but there's only so many hours in the day.

It's now hotter than snot and I do NOT want to even think about cooking anything. I still need to do something with nearly a gallon of cut up watermelon. Sorbet continues to be on my list, I'm just lazy at this point. I need to do it soon before I lose the watermelon, though. I also need to go back to using up what I have in my pantry and freezer. That will include black-eyed peas, rice, beans, flounder, frozen veggie mix, chicken backs, bacon...I know I have more to blow through.

Wanna play a game? I'll list my pantry and fridge/freezer inventory, you find me recipes to make. Anyone? Anyone?

>106 lesmel: First, I'm trying to understand why you need to use up what you have. Are you leaving the country? Won the lottery? I'd play, but my suggestions would be extraordinarily boring. I promise.

>107 Lyndatrue: Mostly, I'm trying to clear out stuff that I've had in my pantry and freezer/fridge for a really long time. I like to cycle through everything if I've had a lot of stocked up goods for more than a year or so. I'm not make a huge push to clear everything now now now; but I want to hopefully work my way through my stockpile by the end of this year, if possible.

Generally, I cook to a recipe -- I'm rarely a free-styler in the kitchen -- but I also have a habit of picking up foods that stockpile. Sometimes that makes for a bad combination. Case in point, earlier this year I had a 5 lb bag of shrimp, 3 1-2lb bags of different fish, 4 lbs of lentils, 5 lbs of chicken backs, 7 lbs of chicken thighs, 2 lbs of beef bones, 6 lbs of frozen fresh cranberries, 1 lb bags each of mango, peaches, blackberries, 5 lbs of frozen blueberries...I stockpile food like a stockpile fabric stashes. lol

Normally, I would have taken a lot of stuff for the food bank (the stuff that was not within six months of the best buy date); but it's either too close to the best by date, was purchase from bulk bins. The stuff that still could be donated I still could, it's just less convenient now that MPOW has decided it's a waste of institutional resources to hold a food drive every year.

I'm ok with boring. Hit me with your best shot!

I'll post my inventory after I finish my dinner of canned butter beans. lol

Crushed tomatoes 28oz x2
Tomato sauce 28oz
Tomato sauce 15oz 2x
Tomato sauce 8oz 2
Tomato paste 6oz 3x
Tomato paste 2x concentrate 4.5oz 3x
Large butter beans 15oz 5x (hurricane supply)
Whole green beans 14.5oz 2x (hurricane supply)
Blackeyed peas 15oz (hurricane supply)
Evaporated milk 8oz 6x (hurricane supply)
Coconut milk 13.5oz
Coconut cream 15oz
Dried cranberry beans ~ 1lb
Anchovies in olive oil 2oz 2x
Smoked oysters in oil 3.75oz
Sardines in oil 3.75oz 6x (hurricane supply)
Toschi cherries in syrup 10oz
Preserved lemons 13oz
Golden syrup 11oz
Arrabbiata sauce 12oz
Pumpkin curry stir in sauce 12oz
Pumpkin tangine stir in sauce 12oz
Fideo/vermicelli 5oz
Buckwheat groats ~ 1lb
Brown rice 2lbs
White rice 2lb
Old fashioned rolled oats 2lbs
5min grits 24oz
Trofie shaped pasta 17oz
Five color spiral pasta 17oz
Black bean penne 8oz
Green lentil & beet penne 8oz
Split yellow peas ~ 1/2lb
Cannelloni ~ 1/2lb
Steelcut oats ~ 1lb
Norrthern beans 1lb
Adzuki 1/2 cup
Black beans ~ 1lb
Heart of palm 26oz 2x
Whole, cooked red beets 4lbs (hurricane supply)
Powdered milk 8qt bags 3x (some hurricane supply)
Polenta ~ 1lb
Cornmeal 24oz
Hazelnuts 8oz
Walnuts (chopped) 8oz 2x
Blueberries 2lb
Brown & serve rolls 12
Almond flour 2lb
Bacon 2lb
Beef neckbones 2.6lbs
Kernel corn 1lb 3x
Black eyed peas (frozen) 1lb
Chicken backs ~ 4lb
Cashews ~1lb
Flounder 12oz
Tuscan blend veggies (zucchini, tomato, bell pepper, etc) 12oz 2 1x
Riced cauliflower 1lb 2x
Cubed butternut squash 1lb 2x
Purple hull peas 1.5lb
Lady cream peas 1.5lb
Whole cranberries 12oz 4x
Pumpkin seeds 6oz
Coconut flake (sweetened) 6oz 2x
Chopped spinach 10oz
Frozen oj concentrate 10oz
Frozen limeade concentrate 10oz 2x
Dough puck 9.8oz 4x

Also have fats of various kinds, spices, seasonings, condiments, etc
My hurricane supplies are fair game since I always need to rotate them every yr.

Dang, you have a bunch of stuff. I'll need to think about this for a bit. Near time for sleeping for me, in any case. I'm expecting things listed, like Flounder, and Butternut Squash, Cubed, to be frozen, and awaiting use.

I'll check back in the morning.

>109 lesmel: Wow, no time for posting recipes at the moment, you have some work ahead of you. I am doing the same thing in my freezer and pantry, but I cook sporadically and for the most part by inspiration and the seat of my pants, rather than by recipe. :) I have a great bread-cake recipe that can use many kinds of fruit, and an oatmeal muffin recipe that is terrific. Fish baked on top of thinly sliced vegetables is really delicious.

I cleaned out my whole pantry, refrigerator and freezer about six years ago in order to begin a new life-style without prepared food and additives, so I don't have quite as much to work on, but my mother is moving into an assisted living place this Friday, so I will be working on her cupboards and freezer.

Made the sorbet. I tried using gelatin to keep it soft; but I miscalculated just how much sorbet I would have (3 quarts) and it's all as hard as a brick still. The good news, it softens quickly in the microwave!

Made my own birthday cake on Tuesday. Took it to work on Wednesday. It's the KAF 2019 recipe of the year -- Classic Birthday Cake



I had to make my own powdered sugar b/c I was nearly out. I ended up with superfine instead of powdered; but that didn't stop me (or anyone else) from enjoying the cake! I asked my Mom to teach me frosting techniques.

>113 lesmel: I'm grateful and sorry, all at once, to not be there. Your cake looks like Breakfast to me, and I would eat at least two slices (and then regret it all day, I'm sure). It's really lovely.

Slid through the end of the year with some Mommy and Me kitchen time (as is now tradition). We made cinnamon rolls, chicken and dumplings, cornbread dressing, split pea soup, and spice tea mix.

This year's Christmas turkey was a dud. It cooked for 4.5 hours and never got completely done. One whole leg was still raw. The whole turkey was tough and flavorless. I'd rather just pick up a couple rotisserie turkey breasts next year and call it good. Thanksgiving and Christmas are about the sides, anyway.