Monthly Cooking Thread - April 2020

[Jamestown1630]

When we were in the local Lidl last week, the meat counters were practically wiped out – especially the chicken. But if you’ve got chick, this from Food Wishes looks like a great, fast-to-put-together recipe:

Chicken a la Crema:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m457svJVDQw

*******************************************************

As I’m sure many have been, over the past weeks of teleworking I’ve experienced periods of furious (and frustrating) work; and many slow hours where nothing was happening or could be done.

The oddball things that one becomes interested in, while sitting at home with hours to fill, are fascinating. I happened to find some posts to YouTube about ‘Kennedy Steve’, an air traffic controller with a humorous and droll approach to his job. I was intrigued by the language used in that profession, and by what it really takes to DO a job like this. The subject has filled hours for me over the past weeks – and I’ve never even traveled on a plane, and probably never will.

Here’s a collection of his most humorous performances:

http://www.youtube.com/user/H89SA

And here is the Wiki on him:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_Steve

Collection of ‘funniest ATC conversations’:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1hlp0DCE_8

There are people like this, doing essential jobs every day, whom we depend upon; and we usually never know their names or anything about what they do.

I hope that everyone remains healthy and safe, while we work through this difficult time.

(Sorry if the links aren't clickable - we're in the midst of changing out some of our components in order to work more efficiently at home; and some stuff isn't working yet.)

-JT

[nopardons]

Hungarians make most veggies sweet & sour, so if you want to try a new way to make canned green beans, why not try the following?

In a pot burn some butter ( well, not really, just make it rather dark brown, add flour to make a rue, the juice of a small lemon, sugar to taste, the pot liquor ( the liquid in the can of beans ) to the rue and cook on a low flame until it thicken a bit.

Yes this mixture WILL look a bit greyish brown, but it's supposed to!

Add the beans, stir, and serve when all is heated enough; about 2-3 minutes on a low flame for a small can of green beans.

This same recipe is great with kidney beans, wax beans, string & wax bean combo, and lentils that have first been soaked and slightly cooked first.

[Jamestown1630]

That looks wonderful, NP. Will Try! (Canned string beans is one of the things we’ve always stocked in the emergency ‘prepper’ pantry.)

[nopardons]

I hope you do try it and enjoy it. It's the way I grew up eating those veggies ( the family used both fresh and canned ones, depending on the season and what was available fresh; but you have to slightly cook the fresh veggies first, as you DO need the "pot liquor !) and I do love them this way.

I always have cans of green beans, creamstyle corn, sweet peas, and carrots, in the pantry as my "just in case" items. I wouldn't call us "peppers", exactly, but what with blizzards, power outages, and such,my pantry is ALWAYS stocked with canned goods of many kinds, soups, rice, and pasta.

[umgud]

So far, I’ve been well. I think there’s a good chance I won’t get the COVID, but don’t know my survival rate if I do get it. One of my work associates, died from it yesterday, but I haven’t come in contact with him since last year.

I hope and trust you are OK too.

[GOPJ]

Yeast has been sold out in our stores for weeks... are you using fresh yeast or putting some of your dough in the fridge to use as a starter for the next batch?

[Jamestown1630]

Don’t worry about your survival rate. Concentrate on *Not Getting It* in the first place.

Social distance, stay home; if you MUST go out, try not to touch anything; if you have to touch things, don’t touch your face until you have had the opportunity to sanitize or wash; and wash hands whenever you have been in contact with anything/anyplace outside of your house.

[umgud]

Thanks, you sound like my daughter.

[cherry]

we're working thru preps and older freezer food as we go......

I've been soaking dried fruits in rum for a month and today I decided I needed to bake it off for fruitcake...

...and I've got some unpeeled tomatoes in zip lock bags in the freezer that I want to can.( the skins are supposed to slip right off).

[greeneyes]

I have packets of yeast in the freezer. And I also have boxes of quick make breads that have the yeast inside the box.

Last week I found a box of bread mix that had best by 2014 that I had not rotated—was afraid it wouldn’t rise, so I proofed it with some warm water, sugar and spoonful of flour—it was ok, so I used it.

I have a book around here some where that tells how to make your own yeast, as well as how to make a sourdough starter. So if I get low on yeast, I have that to fall back on. I experimented with them both a few years back, and they worked.

Hubby didn’t like the sourdough bread(I did), but he thought the biscuits were ok—both were 100% whole wheat from our garden—another experiment. I found that I like a half and half mix better.

I also keep on hand beer-neither of us drink it—it’s for beer bread which uses baking powder. I have loads of baking soda and cream of tartar-which makes baking powder.

One of the things I tried to do when stocking my pantry was to have some long term stuff that would last for a long time so I could just stock it and forget it until an emergency where I needed it.

I did order some additional packets of yeast a few weeks ago, and it was shipped by a company that sounded like a drugstore—not Walgreens, but similar.

I probably have enough for 2 months of bread before I have to worry about it. For several years, every store trip was to buy many things in extra. Buy what I would use and an extra can or 2 for the pantry till it was stocked.

For a while now, it’s simply a matter of opening something and writing it on a list for restocking-once a month or so.

[sockmonkey]

Had about 2.5 lbs of potatoes I needed to use, and some bacon wrapped cream cheese stuffed jalapenos-about 3/4 of a club pack.

Boiled and peeled potatoes, baked the jalapenos, then pureed it all in the ninja with 2 cans chicken broth.

It is in the forties here, and it was a nice supper on this cold, rainy night.

[greeneyes]

The skins do slip right off. Last month, I took some tomatoes out of the freezer to make a big batch of stewed tomatoes which I processed/canned.

This week, I used some to make breaded tomatoes to eat now. I’ve been making a lot of bone broth this winter-making a batch each week. Sometimes with the beef, I add tomatoes, celery, onions, carrots, peppers-whatever I have left in the crisper that needs to be used up.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

greeneyes :".. how to make a sourdough starter. So if I get low on yeast, I have that to fall back on.
I experimented with them both a few years back, and they worked."

I recently learned that, in the absence of sourdough starter, you can use a bottle of beer,
to get that 'quick start' sourdough flavor, absent a soughdough "Mother".

I would like to learn how make your own yeast - if you can locate that book/recipe at your convenience.

[noexcuses]

Sounds great! Thanks!!!

[Liz]

In case you ran out, here's a delicious recipe for Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Use in daily coffee; a key ingredient in richly refreshing Thai iced tea and coffee drinks.
Or use in baking or candy-making-----a sweet will keep up our spirits up during isolation.

METHOD Blender smooth (scraping down sides) cup instant nonfat dry milk powder,
2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup boiling water, 1/4 cup melted butter

CHEF NOTES

<><> Condensed milk typically has a thick, syrupy consistency;
if too thick to pour easily, add 1-2 spoonfuls of boiling water.
Reblend to incorporate. Adjust the water to fave consistency.

<><> Use right away, or fridge airtight 5 days.
Thickens w/ refrigeration; stir to room temp to thin.

<><>If dairy-free, substitute coconut milk for the dry milk.

<><> Has the same health benefits as milk; cans keep for years if unopened.

<><> Now enjoy the many sweet treats made with this easy-to-make pantry staple.

[sockmonkey]

*** In case you ran out, here’s a delicious recipe for Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk. ***

Thanks, that is a real keeper. I wonder if using whole milk powder, one would omit the butter. I only have whole milk powder (NdIDO brand) in my staples.

[Jamestown1630]

Someone sent me this recipe for a veggie burger (black bean) and it looks good. If you’re not expecting a veggie burger to be anything like meat, there are a lot of interesting recipes out there:

https://whatsgabycooking.com/black-bean-veggie-burger/

[FXRP]

Flat pan
Parchment
350 degree oven
Bacon
30 minutes
Paper towel
5 minutes (time to fry some eggs using the drippings)

Perfect crispy bacon and tasty fried eggs

Glad I could help. I suggest making cornbread while the oven is hot.

[sockmonkey]

*** I would like to learn how make your own yeast - if you can locate that book/recipe at your convenience. ***

I have captured wild yeast for pain de levain before. Fall & Spring are the best times. Basically, it was a crockery bowl of flour and water with two layers of cheesecloth placed over it. Set outside, bringing in at night for two days Watch for bubbling and sourdough aroma to begin. If mixture turns pink, toss, and start again.

[Liz]

I think the butter adds an element of taste —— replicates the lusciousness of the canned versions.

But you could try eliminating it-—make a small batch, taste it——then add the butter, if needed.

[Liz]

Keep a pitcher of this on hand. When the isolation blues hit, you'll have a nice pick-me-up.

CREAMY SPICED TEA

BASIC MIX Add 14 oz can (or homemade) Sweet/Cond/Milk
to combined 3/4 c plain instant tea powder, tsp ea orange zest, cinnamon,
2 tsp grnd cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Stir in 6 1/3 c water.

Heat thru portion needed; do not boil.

SERVE in a glass mug w/ an orange rind spiral on the rim.

DO AHEAD Basic mix fridges 5 days. Mix again; reheat. Then serve.