I went outside to get my groceries and what something like three hours later I bring them in.
Got hung up with my neighbor talking race cars an other odds and ends.

I think I have him talked into buying a Miller plasma cutter.
I could really use one.

I found a perfectly good bag of carrots in my vegetable drawer.
Was a little put out I didn't get any but the store was a mad house even in the morning.
Also picked up what looked like the last pound of chili powder.
I was down to one pound at the house.
I always try to keep two pounds of chili powder on hand at all times.
As well as cumin.

Bower wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:37 pm Honeycrisp is a great apple for salads, they don't brown. And they taste wonderful as well!

Anything but the dreaded Washington Red Delisous.

Tenderized Axis backstrap chicken fried in crushed saltines,flour and a dash or two of red pepper. Mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts roasted in the oven. Gravy for the steak and potatoes. This is the plan for Christmas dinner. Daughter is to make a creme brûlée with her free range eggs. She harvested the venison, too. She might also make a duck confit from her hunting efforts, but my wife hates duck, this we know everytime someone mentions eating duck.

Wood duck breast pounded out and chicken fried is very good.

I only ever ate duck one time. I bought a domestic duck and I Googled how to cook it so I roasted it with the skin on in the oven. Yuk to the duck. It was all dark meat and very greasy. Neither of us was impressed and we never ate duck again.

Must admit I'm a big fan of roast duck. Love the dark meat flavor, and it soaks up seasonings really well too. (thinkin rosemary, bay, garlic but the citrusy-ginger seasonings are just as good).
Whole fowl is a hassle for me, because the freezer makes everything rock hard ball of ice, but the countertop oven does not handle even a bit of frostiness in the middle very well.
So I am getting a jump on Christmas dinner this very day. Chicken thigh pie is the plan. Totally thawed but cookin in a pot anyway. Parsnips and onions, garlic, paprika, savory, salt pepper, a ton of button mushrooms, and a generous slosh of wine to simmer in. Summer savory is the christmas weapon! Oh yes. Will taste like Christmas to me. Shown below before the wine, adding extra savory to the sear just to be sure!
So that is cooling in the pot now. Will test a bit for supper with leftover potato salad, just to make sure the seasoning is perfect. Will take the bones out, add a few carrots and thicken the gravy before I make the pastry and pie it up.
One thing the little oven does very well is to reheat frozen pastries of any kind. I will have a couple spares of Christmas dinner in the freezer, and yeah, no work day on xmas. I can take it. Being who/what I am, I may just work on something else and enjoy my special dinner, served at the dinger no kitchen labor required.

I used to dislike duck until I had authentic Peking duck. Wow what a game changer! Such succulent meat, such super crispy skin.
I learned they pour boiling water over the skin a day before cooking. Bird is roasted hanging in special ovens, so the fat drains off. I poured boiling water over my brined turkey this year, as I saw on a YouTube video on spatchcocked turkeys. I'll never cook turkey any other way from now on, it took half the time & the skin was delicious

I was invited to a dinner of Peking Duck at a Chinese restaraunt over 30 years ago. You had to order it 24 hours in advance. It was awesome!

The Frugal Gormet used a ball pump to pump up the duck and separate the skin from the meat.

How high did it bounce?

Mackerel patties.
Think I'll have mackerel patties with the ham.

With absolutely no plans yet, I may do what I've never done on Christmas Day, fast.

Tormato wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 1:15 pm With absolutely no plans yet, I may do what I've never done on Christmas Day, fast.

We always fasted on Christmas eve. All we had to eat was a morsel of horribly salty cod, so salt you could barely get your bite down, and a slice of raisin bread (which was, conversely, really nice!) For some reason I always liked that part of Christmas though.
I hope you do have something on Christmas day though. I bet you have some veggies put away... Christmas is the time to sample what you stored for the winter, at least! This is not a bad tradition to enjoy. You need to keep your strength up... for spring!

Christmas Eve we'll have no-work stuffed manicotti. I made a pan of it two months ago and after we had it for two days there was still two good portions left that got frozen. It's defrosting in the reefer now. I'll cook up some fresh turnip greens from the garden and PIckles will make a tossed salad. I have half a homemade baguette in the freezer and that will get warmed up in the oven. Easy peasy dinner.

Christmas Day we'll have some nice shrimp baked about 20 minutes in a great butter/fresh garlic/lemon sauce, tossed salad and some crusty homemade rolls for mopping up the sauce. I have a bottle of Gewürtstraminer (my favorite wine) in the reefer and it will go nicely with the meal. Another quick and easy dinner.

Love both duck and goose but the trick is to get rid of the fat. As I write am now steaming the Christmas goose in a roasting pan in broth. I pricked the skin to release the fat and turn it every 30 minutes for two hours. Now the broth is full of fat and 3/4 cooked. Will remove goose to the top of the roaster while I poor off hot broth and fat, place it in our enclosed entranceway on a table to cool and let the fat freeze or at least harden. Will remove hard fat and be left with a really intense broth. Tomorrow will finish the goose in a hot oven to crisp the goose. Serve with homemade PA Dutch filling, Glazed Sweet Potato Casserole and a green, probably peas or broccoli! Christmas Day we will go to DH’s sister and nephew for Turkey. Will take some leftover goose to her as well. Weight gain?? Never!

Christmas eve will be homemade tamales with homemade chili and cheese plate.
Maybe some Mexican rice too.

Love the diversity of all these meals!

I'll be cooking oven braised short ribs, with mashed potatoes & mixed greens salad. I wasn't going to cook anything as I thought it was just hubby & me but my daughter wants to learn how to make it so I'll be showing her how. That way, she can cook for us next year