Whatcha Cooking today?

[worth1]

Got the steak covered in kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and MSG.
It's in the refrigerator sort of drying out a little.
I can't make my mind up how I want to cook it.
Hot fire or under the broiler.
Skillet out of the question with all the black pepper on it.
It'll poison the air in the house with all the smoke.
Not a fan of a hot fire outside in 100 degree heat.

[worth1]

The chili came out fantastic and I put 2 freshly chopped habanero peppers in it.
It's not flaming hot either trust me.
The chili is for my beloved chilli and spaghetti for later on this week.
Chili with a nice layer of fat on top will keep almost forever in the refrigerator believe it or not.
Chilie peppers have antibacterial ingredients in them.
Plus all the chipotle in adobo as well.
It was actually a way of preservation in days of old before refrigeration.

[worth1]

Along with all the other things going on today I pre cooked some bacon for tomorrow nights hamburger.
Made with freshly ground chuck roast.
It will also have a big slice of Vidalia onion on it too.
Celebrating my first Vidalia onion.

[worth1]

Oven broiler steak cooked to my specifications.
Inside temperature no more than 117 and going down.
I don't use a thermometer to pull my steaks.
Tasty but a little chewy but it's a steak.
I ate about half of it.
The darn thing was around 20 ounces.

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[pepperhead212]

I made a ratatouille type dish today, using the first eggplants of the season, some of the first tomatoes, and about 1/2 c minced scapes, for the garlic flavor. Originally, I was going to make a caponata, but I wanted to use up a bunch of basil, from those plants in my hydroponics, so I made the ratatouille type dish. And I cooked up some chana dal and quinoa a couple of days ago, and refrigerated it, until I added it today, to add some bulk to it, and make it a one dish meal (at least that it's served out of!).

I started a couple of days ago, first that 3/4 c chana dal, and 1/3 c black quinoa, cooked in the IP, then drained, cooled, and refrigerated. And almost 2 lbs of eggplant in cubes, salted, then drained, and refrigerated (I usually use these things the same day, but I got busy too late these last 2 days!). Today, I drained the EP again, patted dry, then cooked them in 3 batches in a NS pan, in very little oil, and set aside. While cooking those, I started the sauce in the Instant Pot, on Sauté medium, cooking a chopped onion in about 3 tb olive oil. I minced about 1/2 c garlic scapes, and added this to the softened onion, and cooked about a minute, then added about 8 anchovies, I minced up with about 3 tb of that olive paste, a tsp of pepper flakes, and after about 30 seconds, I added the liquid from the tomatoes, to cook down. By now, the 3rd batch of eggplant was finished, and set aside in a bowl, to cool. The fresh tomatoes I cut up into chunks, then puréed in the Vitamix - got about 20 oz. Then I added the drained 28 oz can of plum tomatoes, and puréed it roughly, leaving some texture. I added this to the IP, with a tsp of thyme, and the first 3 tb chopped basil, and let the sauce simmer about 15 min, while cleaning up most of the mess. Then I added the eggplant, and simmered about 10 minutes, and stirred in that chana dal/quinoa mix, tasted for salt, and stirred in about a tb of fish sauce, and after about 2 minutes of simmering, I added the last half cup of chopped basil. I finished it off with some grated Reggiano.
Starting the ratatouille like dish, in the Instant Pot, starting with the onion, scapes, bell peppers, olive paste, and minced anchovies. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The tomatoes added to the ratatouille, plus some thyme and a couple of tb of basil, cooking down some. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Almost 2 lbs of eggplant, salted and sautéed, before adding to the sauce, then simmered 10 min. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

3/4 c chana dal, precooked with 1/3 c black quinoa, and added to the ratatouille, for some extra protein and bulk. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Finished ratatouille, with a few non-traditional ingredients, before I grated some Reggiano on it. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[worth1]

The Bastrop Texas onion bacon cheeseburger cooking on the Lodge 12 inch cast iron skillet.
Meat patty home ground USDA prime chuck 9 ounces.
Mayonnaise yellow mustard and dill pickle.
Side peppers.

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[worth1]

I'm giving myself a love.
This thing was fantastic.
I eat half and as usual I'll have the other half for lunch tomorrow.
Washed down with freshly brewed sweet iced tea.

[karstopography]

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Dester tomato, Aldi smoked cheddar, Mrs Bairds bread.

[worth1]

I remember back in the 80s I used to go by the Butter Krust bakery on Airport Blvd on my way to work.
The smell was amazing.

[Sue_CT]

Thanks, Worth, I will look them up online.

Today at the store, on a whim, I bought 3 habaneros. Came to .38, lol. Now what the heck do I do with them, lol? I like mild to medium heat I would say. The Thai chilis are the hottest I have used. One good size one will spice up my shrimp and spaghetti nicely once chopped up with seeds left on.

I have never cooked with any hotter. I have heard they have a nice fruity flavor, so I would like to try them in something, but don’t want to have my head blown off, lol.

[Sue_CT]

But the way, is there a support group for Buffalo Cheetos, lol? I never buy that kind of stuff but someone gave a bunch of bags they didn’t want and boy am I hooked. They say there are 3.5 servings in each bag. I ate the entire bag at once for second time just now.

[bower]

There's something in cheetos that activates cannabinoid receptors in your brain... Honestly I read that somewhere. It makes a fine excuse for the 'gotta have it' moment...

[karstopography]

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I got Cheetos today, but missed seeing the buffalo type.

Meanwhile, grilling Rosa Bianca eggplant, Calabrian Caviar and Frank’s peppers, then the bacon wrapped 85/15 beef.

Frank’s is just pure sweet pepper decadence. Calabrian Caviar wants to hold onto its skin more than the typical roasted pepper. Flavor is good, can’t get a bead on it. Zero heat like Frank’s.

[worth1]

Pan fried salted romaine lettuce heart.
Fried okra.
Fried onion rings.
Two slabs of salted Vidalia onion.
Bacon bits.
I cooked a double cheeseburger for tomorrows lunch.
It has ginger paste and harissa on it.

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[worth1]

Thanks, Worth, I will look them up online.

Today at the store, on a whim, I bought 3 habaneros. Came to .38, lol. Now what the heck do I do with them, lol? I like mild to medium heat I would say. The Thai chilis are the hottest I have used. One good size one will spice up my shrimp and spaghetti nicely once chopped up with seeds left on.

I have never cooked with any hotter. I have heard they have a nice fruity flavor, so I would like to try them in something, but don’t want to have my head blown off, lol.

I think Butterkrust is no more.
That place shut down.
They might have something in San Antonio.
The best way to first eat habanero is to chop it up and add it too your favorite salsa.
Put oil on your hands.
I don't but you'll need to.

[GoDawgs]

Ribs in the smoker, bbq baked beans in the oven (after having been sitting under the ribs to catch drippings), my grandmother's cole slaw, sliced tomatoes... oh, we'll eat good today AND tomorrrow!

[Tormahto]

Boston Baked Beans in the oven, making a mess. The molasses, brown sugar and maple syrup are slightly bubbling over the top of the bean pots. None of the vidalia onion or bacon pieces were lost. Two hours down, one more to go.

[worth1]

Butterkrust made in San Antonio I guess.

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[Tormahto]

Butterkrust made in San Antonio I guess.
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Extra thin?

I realize that you peeps have TEXAS T AST.

But, up here, extra thin would be slices half that thickness. The real extra thin sliced bread is getting very hard to find, and is getting very expensive.

[worth1]

Butterkrust made in San Antonio I guess.
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Extra thin?

I realize that you peeps have TEXAS T AST.

But, up here, extra thin would be slices half that thickness. The real extra thin sliced bread is getting very hard to find, and is getting very expensive.

Our regular is somewhere between this extra thin and Texas toast.
Some companies that are national have the ridiculous thin bread.