Its a well know fact that both Joe and I love to cook. We cook for ourselves, we cook for each other, we cook for others, we cook for strangers. Sometimes our cooking gets us in trouble (ala Before He Food Cheats). Sometimes our cooking gets us commended-such as every time I make a cake for Oscar Meyer.
Joe typically handles BBQ (as in anything that touches a grill), steaks and seafood. I do baking and then can make almost everything else. I am a big fan of things that are really simple to make-like special maccaroni or things that are more intracate like stews and new recipes. I made an entire Thanksgiving meal for my friends this year that weren't able to go home. My best friend has become the crock pot for chicken. If I need chicken for something, almost anything, it probably spends the day in the crock pot with water and spices till it falls off the bones. I like using thighs because they are cheap. Legs are good for this reason too. And the most beautiful broth can be made in this way and frozen for later.
Joe and I recently obtained a subscription to both Martha Stewart Living (for both crafts and recipes) and Bon Appetit. We both eagerly look at the recipes and determine if we could 1) make the food and 2) would we even eat it?. Sometimes, the ingredients are very complicated. I don't understand what they are or where I will find them. I figure if Hy-Vee doesn't carry it, who would? (Unless its a weird meat, then Moser's may very well have it.) I don't always understand the directions. Dice versus chop? What? And I don't have the equipment. A tart pan with a removable bottom? I don't have that. Do I need to buy one to make the recipe or can I use something else? Can I borrow one from Amberle because there's a good chance that she has some fancy cooking equipment.
Sunday's are one day that I really like to cook for Joe (or he often cooks for me). Today, I am making from Bon Appetit, Carbonnade a la Flamande. I think its a fancy way of saying-beer and beef stew. Because it doesn't have any vegetables other than onions in it, I am also making some mashed potatoes and spinach. I baked a loaf of bread. And baked a cake. I was going to make a strawberry and rubarb tart from the magazine but couldn't find rubarb in the grocery store.
The recipe for Carbonnade a la Flamande isn't that complicated till the end and it leaves me questioning if I need to follow it. There's a spice packet with cheesecloth, which I had to purchase. Then you do some browning of meat-I used stew meat because it was cheaper than short ribs. Then saute some onions that are sliced. This didn't really work that well because I think stew meat puts off more juice than short ribs do. And then you add beer. Then other things including prunes. And you also add a slice of bread which I took from the loaf I made. I'm not sure why its in there because now, its just floating on the top. What am I supposed to do with it? It has this really nice sweet flavor. At the end, there are instructions to strain out the chunks and reduce the fluid. Do I really need to strain? Can't I just keep boiling it? SO I might get lazy but in the culinary world I think its called 'reinterpretation of the dish'. And I'm calling it beef and beer. And thinking of things you could add to it like potatoes and barley (very appropriate.)
Okay, I need to go make some mashed potatoes and work on finishing up dinner.
OH! Here are some pictures of food in process.
Bread that didn't turn out as it shoud. I blame the mixer.
Slice the onions it said. Slice means to what size?
Joe typically handles BBQ (as in anything that touches a grill), steaks and seafood. I do baking and then can make almost everything else. I am a big fan of things that are really simple to make-like special maccaroni or things that are more intracate like stews and new recipes. I made an entire Thanksgiving meal for my friends this year that weren't able to go home. My best friend has become the crock pot for chicken. If I need chicken for something, almost anything, it probably spends the day in the crock pot with water and spices till it falls off the bones. I like using thighs because they are cheap. Legs are good for this reason too. And the most beautiful broth can be made in this way and frozen for later.
Joe and I recently obtained a subscription to both Martha Stewart Living (for both crafts and recipes) and Bon Appetit. We both eagerly look at the recipes and determine if we could 1) make the food and 2) would we even eat it?. Sometimes, the ingredients are very complicated. I don't understand what they are or where I will find them. I figure if Hy-Vee doesn't carry it, who would? (Unless its a weird meat, then Moser's may very well have it.) I don't always understand the directions. Dice versus chop? What? And I don't have the equipment. A tart pan with a removable bottom? I don't have that. Do I need to buy one to make the recipe or can I use something else? Can I borrow one from Amberle because there's a good chance that she has some fancy cooking equipment.
Sunday's are one day that I really like to cook for Joe (or he often cooks for me). Today, I am making from Bon Appetit, Carbonnade a la Flamande. I think its a fancy way of saying-beer and beef stew. Because it doesn't have any vegetables other than onions in it, I am also making some mashed potatoes and spinach. I baked a loaf of bread. And baked a cake. I was going to make a strawberry and rubarb tart from the magazine but couldn't find rubarb in the grocery store.
The recipe for Carbonnade a la Flamande isn't that complicated till the end and it leaves me questioning if I need to follow it. There's a spice packet with cheesecloth, which I had to purchase. Then you do some browning of meat-I used stew meat because it was cheaper than short ribs. Then saute some onions that are sliced. This didn't really work that well because I think stew meat puts off more juice than short ribs do. And then you add beer. Then other things including prunes. And you also add a slice of bread which I took from the loaf I made. I'm not sure why its in there because now, its just floating on the top. What am I supposed to do with it? It has this really nice sweet flavor. At the end, there are instructions to strain out the chunks and reduce the fluid. Do I really need to strain? Can't I just keep boiling it? SO I might get lazy but in the culinary world I think its called 'reinterpretation of the dish'. And I'm calling it beef and beer. And thinking of things you could add to it like potatoes and barley (very appropriate.)
Okay, I need to go make some mashed potatoes and work on finishing up dinner.
OH! Here are some pictures of food in process.
Bread that didn't turn out as it shoud. I blame the mixer.
Slice the onions it said. Slice means to what size?
More Random Pictures-April 13, 2010
So I wanted a white owl cookie jar that my mom had but she wasn't so sure about giving it to me. I found this one for $12 in Pennsylvania. Similar ones on EBay have a price of between $60 and $75. Whoo's laughing now? Me, because I made a pun. (sorry its sideways.)
This is what I made for dinner tonight. I DO know this recipe. Chicken thighs-four-one with skin on, the others without into crockpot on low for the day with a can of red curry, salt, pepper, parsley (dried) and two bay leaves. Before serving, make some rice (not shown here because we know what it looks like.) and cook onion, celery and carrots in butter in a skillet with salt, pepper and curry powder. TA DA! I took the chicken out of the crockpot because it was very greasy. It needs more spices. Ignore the gross stove top. I plan on working on that tomorrow. Maybe?
[EDIT-ditto on the pictures here. 5/31/11]
[EDIT-Originally published to Blogger on May 31, 2011]
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