New Year, New Me

Just kidding - same old me!


Today was "put everything in the attic that could possibly go up there especially everything to do with Christmas" Day.  So that is done.  There may be some holiday foods still hanging about but Tuesday is trash day and that will be the end of them, except for that box of Lindt truffles.

Knitting is currently baby stuff.  I have a blanket in basketweave stitch on the needles at the moment.

Cooking - after finally getting rid of all the ham and turkey, dressing, cranberries, sweet potato souffle and pie we have gone back to simplicity.

Broccoli cheese soup
No Knead bread that I can't help kneading
Roasted carrots, onions and sweet potatoes
Orange and grapefruit salad
Steel cut oats
Oatmeal scones

Okay - I'll admit the oatmeal scones are not health food, but they pack a lot of fiber in return for all their fat.  And the Broccoli Cheese soup, again fiber for fat.  And I didn't use cream, just half and half and butter.  And sharp cheddar.

the soup:
I started with the recipe from Ree Drummond's website, ThePioneerWoman.com.  But I read on America's Test Kitchen that cooking the broccoli slowly for a long time would get rid of the stinky factor.  And I personally needed to add onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne.  This ended up being the best broccoli cheese soup I have made to date.

No Knead Bread:
I've had my problems with this recipe.  Seems simple but I always ended up with a damp loaf.  So I turned to America's Test Kitchen once again.  I added beer and a little vinegar to the mix.  But I did not cook it in a dutch oven, opting for open baking on a pizza stone.  Much better flavor and texture.  As a bonus, this website encouraged me to give the dough a few turns, which I think helps with the surface tension in the loaf.

Roasted carrots, onions and sweet potatoes:
Each vegetable had its own space on a large stoneware pan, drizzled with olive oil and coarse sea salt.  After roasting they were put in their separate containers but there was some olive oil remaining on the pan.  This olive oil was a revelation of flavor from the veggies, especially the onions.  Tomorrow I am roasting onions in olive oil just for the flavored oil!

Oatmeal Scones:
From Martha Stewart years and years ago.  I omitted the dried cherries this time.  They keep in the freezer for ages and you can slice off and bake what you want fresh each occasion.  I still have about 8 scones left to bake.

No recipes to include but I can provide them if requested.

It's the time of the Season for Chicken Soup

This is a slow day recipe.  The best part is fiddling with the broth, skimming slowly and ensuring a clear broth.  I end up using about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of salt and 1 Tablespoon of ground pepper for the entire pot.  Some Garlic powder and onion powder are also good additions.  But the entire soup is the vegetable broth.  DO NOT SKIP THE PARSNIPS!

                      Chicken Soup for what ails you

  1              pound  carrots -- cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (I cube them)
  1              pound  parsnips -- cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (again, cube them)
  1             large  onion -- cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 to 2) (1 pound)
  1            4 pound  chicken -- rinsed
                        Coarse salt and pepper                        
  2                  c  egg noodles -- optional

  1.  In a large pot, combine carrots, parsnips, onion, and chicken, breast-side down. Add enough water just to cover (about 12 cups). Season with salt. Place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 60 minutes. Skim any foam that rises to the top and discard. Never cover but do turn the chicken over after about 30 minutes.
 
  2.  Remove chicken from pot, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones; discarding skin and bones. Tear meat into bite-size pieces, and return to pot. Cook until heated through. Taste, and adjust for seasoning

 3.  Cook noodles separately.  Add to bowl and cover with hot chicken, broth and vegetables

the bonus is that with a light meal you can have a great dessert

                            Bourbon Pecan Pie

  1        cup  sugar
  3        tablespoons  butter -- melted
  1/2     cup  corn syrup
  3        large  eggs -- beaten
  1 1/2  cups  pecan halves (enough to cover the bottom of the pie shell)
  2        tablespoons  bourbon
  1        teaspoon vanilla
  1        pie shell -- (9-inch) unbaked

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, melted butter, corn syrup, eggs,bourbon and vanilla, and stir until all ingredients are combined.  Place the nuts in the unbaked pie shell. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell, and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Cheap and easy, warm and wonderful.

this recipe classifies as truly cheap.  but it doesn't taste cheap.  and on a cold rainy day like today, with a loaf of fresh honey wheat bread, it was wonderful.

                          "Lobster" Corn Chowder

  2             strips  bacon -- diced
  1                cup  onion -- diced, 1 large
  1                Cup  celery -- diced
     1/2      teaspoon  red pepper flakes
  2        tablespoons  flour
                        house seasoning
  2               cups  chicken stock
  1                can  evaporated milk
     1/2      teaspoon  thyme
  1                Can  creamed corn
  2               cups  potatoes -- diced
  1            package  imitation crab or lobster (I do kind of pinch it apart so the pieces are more shredded)

Get out the heavy pot and start rendering the bacon!
Add the onion,celery, herbs and spices.  Let it sweat.  Enjoy the wonderful smell in the house.
Stir in the flour to coat everything.  Brown it a bit.
Now the chicken broth, stirring the entire time.  Then add the entire can of evaporated milk and the creamed corn and potatoes. Cover
Simmer, simmer, simmer until the potatoes are soft.
Stir in the fish and bring back to a simmer.
Serve

I think you could serve worms on toast if you first started with bacon and onions sauteeing together.