Whatcha Cooking today?

[karstopography]

Fried redfish and fried okra.

[Jeannine Anne]

Funny place to put this but here goes.

Every Year I give something up for Lent, This year was a bit different. I left it to the last minute and decided to giver up spending money so except for paying bills, or medications and emergency vets fees I stopped . As I did not cheat and stock up before hand I had 40 days to get through with what I had in the house food wise. In a national emergency I would have to make do perhaps on very little so that is my challenge, so some expensive items I have made off limits even in my pantry and freezer. With just about 10 days to go it is getting a bit strange now. I do have a pantry and freezer I must admit but still..it has been frustrating.,

I have 2 eggs left, 1 potato, no milk, about 4 oz. butter ,no fresh veggies but do have dried beans , dried peas, rice, pasta etc. plus potato flakes canned milk and dried egg, so I won't starve but it is getting a bit frustrating now. I have eaten a lot of micro greens especially peas.
About 4 months ago I had 2 extra liters of whipping cream that was accidently ordered and so I made butter with it, and as I had plenty at the time I put it in the freezer and today it is to be used. I have a big bag of apples in the fridge, not my fave which is why they are still there, so I am going to make apple strudel with them and use the butter.
I have a large bag of pork hock in the freezer so I think it will be used today, I can make brawn ( head cheese) with half of it which will be good in homemade bread and the rest I will use in some soup. I have about 1 cup of frozen root veggies in the freezer which I usually have for quick meals, no onions but I do have three small shallots. So with barley too I think that will do. I do have home made sausages but as I had made them just the week before Lent started I thought it cheating to keep using them so I am not doing that much.

The funny thing I have found is. When I normally cook, I ask myself what I fancy and then get it, I do have an emergency pantry but have never had to live out of it before, It is feeding me well but not having the usual choice of what I eat is sometimes hard. This goes to show me that I ,like a lot of folks, may take food for granted. I am cooking and eating but not always what I want . I have deliberately not chosen to eat some of the stuff from my freezer, e.g. good steaks, roasts as in an emergency I probably would not have access to them.

So tonight it is soup with homemade bread and sandwiches for later. Oh and Apple strudel.

Does anyone know if I can lightly stir fry large microgreens,or any other ideas. I have three pots of pea shoots that are almost a foot tall. They were very old seed I tossed into large pots thinking I would use them as microgreens and they have got way from me,, the pots are stuffed tight with them.

XX Jeannine

[bower]

You can definitely stirfry microgreens of any kind @Jeannine Anne .

I must admit I have never given up anything for Lent.. however my Mom always talked about it and what people gave up and what it was like for her. Mostly I always think about the temptations that Jesus resisted. Power, wealth, that sort of stuff. A bit bigger than anything on my menu.
The tradition of giving up something or fasting at the last of winter is very deep, it's almost a universal across religions. I think your plan is super cool, go into the pantry. I actually haven't bought much either, due to the backlog of buying and hoarding stuff in the winter. This is always a good time to use up what you already have, no doubt about it!

I'm making a stew tonight with some pork from my freezer. Have lots of carrots, no cabbage sadly, but we'll do without this time. Still have pepper pickles from last summer to add.

I am full up with baby greens all of a sudden, which I need to share because also, the deadly onslaught of aphids!! In the greenhouse. Brought some to mom today, she said it was like candy. Baby napanapus omg. We need our folate, for sure.

[worth1]

I'm cheating I'm giving up prime rib and standing rib roast.
Not a follower of any religion.

But any who I'm having a thick grilled cheese sandwich with smoked Gouda cheese and pepperoni and sweet peppers on wheat bread.
Sort of a pizza sandwich thing.

[worth1]

Grilled cheese sandwich with pepperoni and sweet peppers sizzled in bacon fat with pickled okra.

IMG_20250411_193842815_HDR.jpg

[Jeannine Anne]

You can definitely stirfry microgreens of any kind @Jeannine Anne .

I must admit I have never given up anything for Lent.. however my Mom always talked about it and what people gave up and what it was like for her. Mostly I always think about the temptations that Jesus resisted. Power, wealth, that sort of stuff. A bit bigger than anything on my menu.
The tradition of giving up something or fasting at the last of winter is very deep, it's almost a universal across religions. I think your plan is super cool, go into the pantry. I actually haven't bought much either, due to the backlog of buying and hoarding stuff in the winter. This is always a good time to use up what you already have, no doubt about it!

I'm making a stew tonight with some pork from my freezer. Have lots of carrots, no cabbage sadly, but we'll do without this time. Still have pepper pickles from last summer to add.

I am full up with baby greens all of a sudden, which I need to share because also, the deadly onslaught of aphids!! In the greenhouse. Brought some to mom today, she said it was like candy. Baby napanapus omg. We need our folate, for sure.

Thank you, I have eaten many micro greens in sandwiches but not stir-fried. I will do this on Sunday, maybe they will wilt quickly like Spinach does.

[leftylogan]

Lemon & thyme (from my plant!) chicken thighs and green beans cooked on the blackstone with air fried sweet potato fries.

[worth1]

I having charcoal wood fired grilled flatiron steak and flanken ribs.
Along with grilled peppers.
And onion rings maybe.
Not impressed with the flatiron after I got it home the underside has a big gristle running down it.
Just a little ticked off on that one.
Anyway the meat is marinating in a mixture of .....
oil cilantro garlic powder onion powder dark soy sauce my Worcestershire sauce concoction cumin ginger paste horseradish and lime juice.

[worth1]

I cooked the meat on the upper rack of my Argentine grill then right on the coals to finish.
It was very tender and tasty cooked rare except for that big gristle.
I just ate meat like a carnivore.
But I couldn't eat it all.

IMG_20250413_120038354_HDR.jpg

IMG_20250413_121050904_HDR.jpg

[Jeannine Anne]

Roast leg of Lamb,from the freezer, the first I have used in a month or more, roast potatoes and mash.. Brussel sprouts, buttered carrots cooked in honey. Yorkshire pudding and gravy with steamed treacle( golden syrup) pudding and custard to follow. No peas left but just enough mint in my herb garden to make enough mint sauce to go with the lamb.

Typical UK Sunday dinner..the veggies are modified a bit to suit my Lenten pledge as I am using my few emergency frozen at home ones, then they are all gone. I am now down to 1 potato, 1 egg,and about 2 ounces of butter but only another week to go. I just have enough yeast to get me through . that was a stroke of luck as it was ready to be replaced,, I have to be able to make my bread.

I guess tomorrow may be Shepherds Pie using instant potato flakes... or maybe Bubble and squeak...

All your meals above look so tempting so after next week I may be copying you when Lent is fully over

XX Jeannine

[karstopography]

IMG_6013.jpeg

Wild caught Sockeye Salmon oven poached with fresh garden dill. Purple Majesty potatoes roasted in the oven.

Sockeye salmon is a treat. Purple Majesty are now my favorite potato.

[Danny]

Funny place to put this but here goes.

Every Year I give something up for Lent, This year was a bit different. I left it to the last minute and decided to giver up spending money so except for paying bills, or medications and emergency vets fees I stopped . As I did not cheat and stock up before hand I had 40 days to get through with what I had in the house food wise. In a national emergency I would have to make do perhaps on very little so that is my challenge, so some expensive items I have made off limits even in my pantry and freezer. With just about 10 days to go it is getting a bit strange now. I do have a pantry and freezer I must admit but still..it has been frustrating.,

I have 2 eggs left, 1 potato, no milk, about 4 oz. butter ,no fresh veggies but do have dried beans , dried peas, rice, pasta etc. plus potato flakes canned milk and dried egg, so I won't starve but it is getting a bit frustrating now. I have eaten a lot of micro greens especially peas.
About 4 months ago I had 2 extra liters of whipping cream that was accidently ordered and so I made butter with it, and as I had plenty at the time I put it in the freezer and today it is to be used. I have a big bag of apples in the fridge, not my fave which is why they are still there, so I am going to make apple strudel with them and use the butter.
I have a large bag of pork hock in the freezer so I think it will be used today, I can make brawn ( head cheese) with half of it which will be good in homemade bread and the rest I will use in some soup. I have about 1 cup of frozen root veggies in the freezer which I usually have for quick meals, no onions but I do have three small shallots. So with barley too I think that will do. I do have home made sausages but as I had made them just the week before Lent started I thought it cheating to keep using them so I am not doing that much.

The funny thing I have found is. When I normally cook, I ask myself what I fancy and then get it, I do have an emergency pantry but have never had to live out of it before, It is feeding me well but not having the usual choice of what I eat is sometimes hard. This goes to show me that I ,like a lot of folks, may take food for granted. I am cooking and eating but not always what I want . I have deliberately not chosen to eat some of the stuff from my freezer, e.g. good steaks, roasts as in an emergency I probably would not have access to them.

So tonight it is soup with homemade bread and sandwiches for later. Oh and Apple strudel.

Does anyone know if I can lightly stir fry large microgreens,or any other ideas. I have three pots of pea shoots that are almost a foot tall. They were very old seed I tossed into large pots thinking I would use them as microgreens and they have got way from me,, the pots are stuffed tight with them.

XX Jeannine

Pea shoots can be a salad, can indeed be stirfried, added at the last few minutes to a soup or stew, Chop a good handful quite small and either toss with some soft butter or sourcream to add to potatoes/ rice/ beans. For a salad, coarsely shred some of those apples and add some smallish chopped pieces of pea shoots and a dab of the brawn tossed in- add a chunk of bread along side and it's a meal.

[Danny]

Even though I do not like using the oven much when it is hot out, and it is currently 85F here, I used one of my old cast iron skillets to make oven potatoes ( sliced thick) some chunked up yellow summer squashes, asparagus on top of those and cooked almost done then a nice piece of atlantic salmon on top of the asparagus tender ends so they don't overcook. All seasoned simply and only missed making some cornbread !

[worth1]

Sweet peppers a giant white onion hotlinks.
Seasonings.
Fennel seeds.
5 spice powder.
Tomato bullion powder.
Garlic powder.
Black pepper.
Mexican oregano.
Tarragon
Homemade hot oil.
Bacon drippings.

IMG_20250416_183252238_HDR.jpg

[karstopography]

I cooked the Picanha on the grill. Cut it into about 1.25”-1.5” thick pieces. According to the wife it was the best one I have ever made. Fire on the Big Green Egg was perfect.

I had a bad batch of Oak B&B lump charcoal. Stunk when burning, each and every time. I think there was elm in it. Cedar too, I could smell that medicinal smelling wood for sure. Tainted with off odors. Burned that bag up finally and the new bag was like it has always been, no stench.

Grilled some of this year’s newly harvested onions with the picanha, three small granex, one small legend. Rested the finished picanha on the grilled onions, beef juice and drippings and grilled onions go very well together. Roasted yellow squash in the oven and finished them up with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

Dad gum delicious.

[pepperhead212]

Last night I made a meal in one dish, that I had leftovers for this morning for breakfast, and for dinner tonight! Still at least 4 more batches left for heating up.

It was an Italian type dish, that could have been served with some pasta, but the rice re-heats better, with this much. I started by soaking some dried tomatoes - about the equivalent of 2 lbs - in a little over 2 c hot water in the Vitamix, for at least an hour, until totally softened. I made a quick batch of sweet Italian sausage, with a lb of ground pork, about 2 tsp each of minced garlic and fresh rosemary (more in the tomato sauce), a tsp of crushed fennel seeds, a generous pinch of oregano, and about 1/2 tsp salt, and mixed it well, and set aside. I cut up a large onion, like I usually start these with, and put it in about 3 tb olive oil in the Instant Pot, on Sauté medium, and diced up 2 fairly large orange bell peppers (which were the two smallest!), and when the onion was golden, added about 2 tb tomato paste, stirring until darkening, then stirred in the garlic and rosemary, and stirred a minute, before stirring in the bell peppers, and cooked them about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, I blended those softened tomatoes on medium, leaving some texture, then poured it into a large bowl, and rinsed out the Vitamix container and lid, adding it to the tomatoes, making a thick batch of about 27 oz. The tomatoes and a 32 oz container of vegetable "stock" were then added to the vegetables, brought to a boil, then I stirred in about 3/4 c red lentils, put the lid on, and set on Manual for 4 min (more with rice, later), and let pressure release 15 min. While this was cooking, I browned the sausage in a skillet on the range. After I uncovered the tomatoes, I stirred in the sausage, then 1½ c parboiled basmati rice, corrected seasonings , adding a little more salt, and a generous amount of black pepper, then I set it on Manual 12 minutes, low pressure, then let pressure release naturally. I served it with a little grated Asiago cheese.
Here's the finished dish, showing the hole in the rice. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Serving the dish, with some Asiago cheese. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[worth1]

Cold can of Campbell's chunky clam chowder for lunch.

[worth1]

Last night I had a dessert made of get ready.
Greek yogurt.
Steen's cane syrup.
German chocolate cake frosting.
Chunky peanut butter.
All mixed up.
It was delicious believe it or not.

[Danny]

Left overs of a bit of the salmon and oven fried potatoes, green salad and a sumo citrus for dessert.

[worth1]

Dinner and a movie.
High planes drifter with Clint Eastwood.
Dinner, chili dogs with extra onion.

IMG_20250417_190742703_HDR.jpg

IMG_20250417_190618252_HDR.jpg