This month – some Asian treats, and a salute to the people who brave the sea to the benefit of us all.
(If you would like on or off of this monthly cooking thread, please send a private message.)
-JT
Yum! Seafood my favorite!
I'm also planning to make Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls. I mastered chocolate babka for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. So, these are little mini-babkas that also look amazing.
Mary’s Nest website has a recipe for kimchi, and a lot of other fermented foods.
Our family has stopped giving gifts for Christmas - we try to focus more on the ‘reason for the season’ & family get-to-gethers with great food. For kids still in school, we do give them gifts. Still, with the ‘no gift’ policy, my SIL always gives me a little “something” - pair of gloves, bottle of wine, etc. If I have ‘nothing’ to give back, it’s really annoying. I do have a good friend that I exchange gifts with at Christmas.
I can jelly, so I can give jars of homemade jelly ... but my bro, for health reasons, has gone low carb, so jelly won’t work for him/SIL. My youngest brother uses the jelly as a glaze on salmon & his wife puts it on baked brie - he found/bought me jelly jars this year during the shortage to make sure he would get a batch of jelly! So ... what to do this year? I have always wanted to do homemade vanilla so I’ve bought beans & jars & will be putting them together next week (cooking for a big dinner tomorrow, so everything Christmas is “after the dinner”). I also listen to a podcast about homesteading & she has links to gifts ‘in a jar’ like brownie mix, cake mix, artisan bread, etc. I can give a jar of mix to a few people - a thoughtful little ‘something’ that won’t break the bank. My niece has 2 little kids (2 & 4) that she’s trying to keep off sugar, so in her mix, I’ll use Swerve (measures 1:1 like sugar). On the podcast, there are other gifts like lotion bars, soap, etc. - not up to doing those, but some of you might, for future gifts.
Here are some links, if you’re interested:
Frugal Homemade Homestead Gifts (mixes in a jar:brownie, cake artisan bread, pancakes, etc.)
https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/5frugalhomemadehomesteadgifts/
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I am making my vanilla in 8 oz bottles I ordered from Amazon. They will have a tag as to when the vanilla is “ready” ... 8 weeks minimum, 6-24 months, even better.
Homemade Vanilla: The Big Bottle Method
https://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/homemade-vanilla-the-big-bottle-method/
Homemade Vanilla Extract (small bottle - 2 oz)
https://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/homemade-vanilla-extract/