Wed Eve

The pork cutlets were OUTSTANDING!! I did something a little different this time - flour, egg then homemade breadcrumbs. A quick saute until golden and then finished in the oven - topped with a little caramelized onion and some strips of roasted red pepper and then a slice of provolone cheese and broiled until melted..... WONDERFUL!!!

Wednesday Morn

Last night was another 'old fashioned comfort food' meal - grilled hamburger with homemade French fries. Tonight will be a sauteed pork cutlet with the leftover potato casserole from the other night.

I've spent a couple of hours reading online about wood smokers. This is something that I've been wanting to do for a l o n g time...... part of me wants to try one of the basic ones ($100 or so), part of me wants the 'mini fridge' style of electric smokers and another part of me wants to splurge and buy one of those 'Big Green Eggs' where I could grill as well as smoke. I'm never going to enter a BBQ competition or anything but I'd definitely want to be able to host a party or picnic with a whole bunch of friends!

So if anyone has an opinion about smokers (gas vs. wood, what style etc, etc), please leave a comment here (assuming anyone is still reading this... LOL).

Monday Morn

Dinner last night was awesome! The steak was grilled and very tasty, the scalloped potatoes were great and, instead of a green vegetable, I bought a bunch of orange ones - carrots, which I par boiled and then candied....Mmmm.

Falling temps and snow on the way for the entire week - luckily the freezer has plenty to eat so perhaps just one quick trip to the market to pick up a couple of odds and ends will take me until the weekend.

Sunday Morn

A VERY satisfying dinner last night - ya know, sometimes I just crave some old fashioned comfort food - like the hot dogs last night. Mustard, relish, onions and crumbled bacon..... mmm, mmmmm, MMMMMMMM!

It started out to be a simple meal of hot dogs, (doctored) baked beans and maybe some chips but I ended up making a bunch more work for myself cause I wanted some French Fries too..... making French Fries isn't difficult at all, it just requires deep frying TWICE - once at a lower temp to cook and soften, then once at a higher temp to crisp. It's just a little more work to clean up rather than sticking something frozen into the oven. But the end product is WONDERFUL! AND you can do 'em in smaller batches (cooking only at the lower temp) and then crisp 'em and have 'em HOT if you want some more!

As I said in yesterdays blog, today I'm having a New York strip steak (a small one). I seasoned it yesterday with a mesquite seasoning and let it sit overnight. I can't decide whether I want to go SIMPLE (baked potato) or more fancy (perhaps scalloped potatoes or something like that). I have some wonderful Gruyere cheese, milk, butter, onion and potatoes so that'd be easy - it'd just take a little more effort. OK..... I've talked (written) myself into the scalloped potatoes. Now for a green vegetable. I don't have anything fresh on hand but I have to go to the market anyway so I'll pick up something there. Maybe even some wild mushrooms to saute!!

Stay tuned!

Hmmmmm...... How Cum...... ?

I just emptied my full dishwasher. How cum the silverware rack was chock full and in addition there were mixing bowls, measuring cups, coffee mugs, a multitude of other cooking implements (whisks, spatulas, tongs, ladles).... but only ONE plate?????

OMG! Has it really been one week!

One week since my last Blog?!?! YIKES! Sorry everyone..... it's been kind of an uneventful week for a couple of reasons: 1) I kinda got tired of cleaning up after myself (seems like I could cook for FIVE and have the same number of dishes!) and, 2) I just wanted to save some money (I haven't reached the Ramen Noodle stage but I DID have soup and a sandwich a coupla times).

All of that said, last night I made something that I haven't made in AGES....... PANCAKES! Specifically, CORN pancakes. I had forgotten how much I liked these. In the store where I shop I saw a particular, well-known brand on sale. Then I noticed that there were two KINDS of their buttermilk pancakes. One was the 'Easy' recipe (just add water) and the other was the regular recipe of add milk, oil and an egg. No one will ever convince me that the 'Easy' box was gonna taste as good and the regular so that's the one I bought.

I got out my trusty cast iron grill and set it over a couple of burners to heat while I mixed everything together then added the drained corn. Luckily I also had some (REAL) Maple Syrup in the fridge. I had one end of the grill on LOW and the other on my grilling temp so I could keep some pancakes warm while still cooking others. I tell ya, I never moved from the stove! As soon as each pancake finished, it was onto my plate, added some butter and just a little Maple Syrup and into my mouth - NO LINE, NO WAITING!

The box says that the smallest mixable batch makes 8 - 10 pancakes. I hesitated to try to halve the recipe so I made the whole batch - Hell the whole box only cost me about $1.50!! Anyhow, after all of my perpetual motion of pour the batter, butter, pour syrup, eat a couple of bites, flip the pancakes, eat a couple more bites, check for doneness, eat a couple more bites, remove finished pancakes then REPEAT, I swear I only had enough batter left for a single pancake! OMG did I really eat THAT many?!?!

I also scored a family-pak of New York Strip Steaks that had been reduced (end-of-the-week-and-they-still-haven't-sold-sale). Three will go right to the freezer (individually) and perhaps the fourth will be on the grill tomorrow!

Meanwhile, it's Saturday once again and I still have some hot dogs (frozen) from my last beans and franks menu and I had been lucky enough to score some decent baked beans in those SMALL, one-serving cans for $.98.... wooHOO! Course I'll still doctor 'em up a bit (mostly with molasses and onion) but they'll do. (I've never made my own baked beans. I have my Mother's bean pot but not her recipe, which was WONDERFUL!!! I'm just gonna haveta try that some day.)

TIP: look in your market for Honeycup (Uniquely Sharp) mustard..... it comes in a little six-sided jar...... it's not your regular yellow mustard. It's pricey but I don't use it exclusively either so that's how I justify the cost....LOL

Saturday Late Afternoon

It's Saturday - and, if you're from New England like I am, what do you have for dinner on a saturday night? FRANKS AND BEANS!! I didn't take the trouble to bake my own but I DID doctor up some canned baked beans and they'll do. The snow is off the grill so I can make the dogs out there.

Best of all, VERY few dishes to do!!!!!

Friday Late Afternoon

It's FRIDAY!!! And I'm bringing out that smaller frozen pizza I made a while ago. I'll 'doctor' it a bit and it'll be GREAT!!

I also scored a coup at the market today - boneless center cut pork loins, (small ones) BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE!! So I froze one - the other will go for some pork cutlets, a couple of brined pork chops and maybe some BBQ pork!!! waHOOO!!!

Also bought 3 boneless chicken cutlets (on sale) - already sauteed them and they're in the fridge. LOTS of possibilities for those next week too!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Dinner Last Night

Dinner last night was fantastic! The only exception was the garlic bread - I used a new recipe and was NOT happy with the outcome at all! BUMMER. For a dessert I made POT Du Creme (French Custard) topped with strawberry preserves. Everything (except for the garlic bread) was awesome! And I have a LOT of leftover sauce/meat!! wooHOO!

Monday Eve

The noodles are made and drying, the sauce (with the meatballs, sausage and pork) is warming, the garlic bread is awaiting company before warming and the salad is made.

I THINK I'M READY!!

Sunday late afternoon

My Sunday Gravy is done and IT'S DELICIOUS!! It's cooling now but I'll reheat tomorrow. Decided that, though it's a bunch of work, I'll make home made noodles/spaghetti to go with it. Salad is done and I decided to make a cucumber salad too. Dessert is Pot du Creme (a French custard that I'll serve with some strawberry preserves. Also made a garlic bread.

It's gonna be a GREAT meal with good friends.

Meanwhile, dinner tonight is leftover pizza from the other night - it'll be just as good!

Sunday Morn

My Sunday Gravy is once again heating - I may transfer about half of it to my large crock pot later - we'll see. Meanwhile (lest you think that all I do is cook), I haveta do some laundry and otherwise straighten up the house before the Patriots game at 1:00.

2nd pic

Off topic but interesting

I saw the deer last night..... but waited until today to take pics of their footsteps


Two pics of deer tracks in my back yard

Saturday eve

The Sunday Gravy is now mellowing in the snow outside - I'll bring it in before the deer get to it tonight but, meanwhile, it's the quickest way to cool it.

I added a sauté pan full of pork cubes and he meatballs from the oven. I'll reheat tomorrow and then chill once again. Guests are coming on Monday eve so I may end up making homemade noodles too.

Now that I've spent so much time with the sauce, it's time to make myself some dinner. I think I'll crisp some grated potatoes and top with some chicken in gravy.

BACON Pic

Saturday - afternoon 2:15 - BACON TIP

A good friend suggested that I put this tip on my blog. I'm a single guy and I LOVE bacon (welllll, I LOVE my kids and many of my friends but I really LIKE bacon!).

The problem is that whenever I bought bacon, I used only a little and most of it often went wasted. But I found a great way to store it (frozen) in small bunches - as LONG AS YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE SEAL-A-MEAL devices!!!!!

I always cut my bacon in half - always have, always will. I start by making a l o n g bag in my SAM (seal-a-meal). I then take three or four pieces and place them in the bag at a time.

See the picture in the next post - it illustrates an entire pound of bacon - it can be folded and frozen just like this. When ever I want a few pieces, I cut the bag, take out what I need and then reseal the bag and put it back in the freezer.

I hope this helps others........

Saturday - early afternoon

Ya know, sometimes I go to the market to pick up just a few odds and ends and end up touring the meat case just for some inspiration. Well I FOUND it just yesterday! I bought a package of pork neck bones (had never seen 'em in this market before) and they were reduced in price! Bought a POUND for $1.05.... that's right, $1.05!!!!!

Now normally these things don't have enough meat on them for ANY kind of meal but I roasted them in a hot oven for about 45 minutes and just added 'em to (what will become) a GIGANTIC Sunday Gravy! If you're confused about that definition, look back at a much earlier post.

So, I sauteed some onion and garlic, added some tomato paste and gently browned that then added tomato sauce and petite diced tomatoes and a bunch of spices and some water. When the bones were browned, I added those. ALL of that will simmer for several hours. I also have some frozen Italian sausages (that I'd previously poached) and I'll cut those up into big bites and add later. AND I scored some ground beef (on sale) and will make a bunch of meatballs too!

I'm now sure that I'll HAVE to switch to a bigger stick pot (and probably invite a bunch of friends over too!) but this will all cook and probably finish tomorrow afternoon. I'll adjust seasonings then.

The layers of flavor from the tomato, pork, sausage and meatballs is gonna be FABULOUS!!! I haven't decided yet if I'll make my own spaghetti or just use store-bought - either way IT'S GONNA BE GREAT!!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's evaluation!

Friday 3:30PM

Pizza last night was AWESOME! Froze the leftovers (1/2 of the lg one and an entire smaller pizza).

Had snow overnight so something in me just HAD to have a roast chicken today. Nothin fancy, just good, old fashioned comfort food on a cold day. I can't WAIT!

Gooooood Pizza!

Thursday 1:40PM

Had to get out more bacon. I 1/2 cooked the first batch but couldn't stop snaking on it. SOLUTION: MAKE MORE!!!!!

Thursday 1:00PM

Veggies and meat are all sliced and ready...... I also found some pepperoni and julienned that.... and some..... BACON!!!! BACON, BACON, BACON....... BBAACCOONN!!!!!!

Dough is proofing...... gotta make my fresh tomato sauce....... but have LOTS of time.

Results later......... Mmmm, mmmmm, mm, mmm, mmmmmmmmmm

Thursday Morn

I haven't blogged in a couple of days because I'm still working on some leftovers. Since it's only ME, whenever I make something like Pot Roast, I end up with leftovers which mutated into hot beef (open face) sandwiches with gravy and some thinly sliced for a cold sandwich and a gravy/tomato sauce with the beef and some red kidney beans and spices for a very mild chili kind of thing. And the other day I roasted a couple of chicken breasts, ate one and the other is ready for sandwiches now too.

Today it's snowing and a good day to stay inside. So I'm making homemade pizza with homemade dough and sauce topped with onions, green peppers and sausage. Mmmmmmmmm It's gonna be sooooooo good!

A C O L D Sunday

Temps this morning are -5 with wind chill - soooo thankful I went shopping YESTERDAY! I'm in need of comfort food today - my youngest son called a couple of days ago wanting hints on a pot roast so that's been on my mind ever since. Pot Roast it IS! I'll follow my home recipe (see much earlier post) and may even have a cup of homemade onion soup to start!

I'm BA - ACK!

Ahhhh gentle readers, I have neglected you much longer than I ever anticipated. All I can say is that the wedding and the subsequent flooding in my basement have held me captive for a few weeks. But that doesn't mean that I wasn't cooking! So here's a small summary of some of the special things I've made over the last couple of weeks:

Christmas Eve dinner - I splurged and bought a couple of lobsters and steamed them - an extravagance that I can only afford once in a l o n g while.

Christmas Dinner - There was going to be six of us for dinner so I made a standing rib roast. Nothing fancy, just salt, pepper and flour dusting then roasted. It was MAGNIFICENT!

Since then, homemade meat ravioli (from the freezer) - just as good as the day I first made it!

Grilled lamb chops rubbed with fresh garlic and a bunch of salt and pepper - lamb is truly my favorite read meat!

Homemade meatloaf made with beef and pork and the traditional additives.

Tonight was a simple tomato sauce with chunks of leftover meatloaf used as meatballs served over pasta (alas, not homemade).

I shall be posting much more regularly in the future and I wish you all a Happy New Year.