What was the last thing you cooked?

[Kisa the tea]

Rice in the rice cooker!

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Grapefruit Cooler

It's the same thing as lemonade. Except with grapefruits.

I squeezed 4 grapefruits and two oranges.

Poured the juice into a one gallon pitcher.

Filled it the rest of the way with cold water.

Added 3/4 cup sugar and stirred.

It's so refreshing on a hot day!

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Tonight we're having oven baked pork chops, with a side of oven baked fried zucchini.

Yes it is 96 degrees outside. Yes I am tempting fate. But how else, if not with a 425 degree oven, can one test air conditioner power?

I just made the seasoning blends for both.

Dry seasoning rub for pork chops:

Brown sugar
Paprika
Sea Salt
Pepper
Ginger
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder

Seasoning blend to coat zucchini slices (after dipping in egg):

Parmesan
Breadcrumbs
Onion Powder
Parsley
Sage
Sea Salt

Both will be drizzled in a light amount of oil before baking. To simulate the flavor and texture of fried zucchini and pork chops.

I'm not too worried about the oven heating up the house, actually, as the food should only be in the oven roughly 20-30 minutes.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Tonight we're having oven baked pork chops, with a side of oven baked fried zucchini.

Yes it is 96 degrees outside. Yes I am tempting fate. But how else, if not with a 425 degree oven, can one test air conditioner power?

I just made the seasoning blends for both.

Dry seasoning rub for pork chops:

Brown sugar
Paprika
Sea Salt
Pepper
Ginger
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder

Seasoning blend to coat zucchini slices (after dipping in egg):

Parmesan
Breadcrumbs
Onion Powder
Parsley
Sage
Sea Salt

Both will be drizzled in a light amount of oil before baking. To simulate the flavor and texture of fried zucchini and pork chops.

I'm not too worried about the oven heating up the house, actually, as the food should only be in the oven roughly 20-30 minutes.

I used the same zucchini breading and made breaded catfish and zucchini. Oven fried.

 

[Jeff T]

Mung bean noodles topped with commercial marinara sauce, mushrooms, and 'romano' cheese.
Dessert was a Keto ice cream bar.

 

[Kayla55]

 

[Judge]

Another Pastrami on rye with Swiss Cheese sandwich.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

A dinner salad:

Lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, shredded carrots, corn cut fresh off the cob, sliced hard boiled eggs, crumbled crackers, ranch.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

*Bone broth and schmaltz - I keep the scraps from most of the meat that we prepare. Onion skins too, when I remember it.

I filled a pot halfway with bones and scraps. Put in a little sea salt and some rosemary. Filled it the rest of the way with water. Simmer it for several hours, until dark and lovely.

I strain out the scraps once it cools a bit. Then I let it cool the rest of the way in the fridge so the fat will separate from the gelatin rich broth.

The next day, I scrape off the fat, which we call schmaltz or tallow.

And then I put the broth into pint jars and pressure can it.

If there is enough fat, I fill a pint jar with the schmaltz and can that too, for pantry storage.

(Note- I don't just throw away the boiled scraps after straining them out of the finished broth. I pull all the leftover meat off the bones for use in other recipes. Waste not, want not.)

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

*Boiled fruit punch - I juiced six limes and put that juice in the refrigerator. Meanwhile I am boiling plums, peaches, and apples on the cooktop, in a big pot. Using a similar method to the aforementioned bone broth (post right before this one).

Once all the fruit turns mushy, I'll take it off the burner and allow it to cool. Once cool, I'll strain all the fruit out and pour the juice into a big gallon pitcher. I'll pour the lime juice over the fruit juice and fill the pitcher the rest of the way with water.

Then I'll taste the juice and if it isn't sweet enough, I'll add sugar, or perhaps this time, a kiss of elderflower syrup that I have in the fridge.

Sometimes I can the juice in quart jars (without diluting), for use during late winter, when it's rainy and icy out, and we're craving vitamin c.

You know the best part? I got all the fruit for free!

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Here's something I learned from my allergist. If one is allergic to rhus species (poison oak/ivy), they should not consume cashews as it can exacerbate an allergic response, causing thick, leathery hives (rather than just a rash) when one rubs up against a rhus species plant.

 

[Mary Terry]

*Bone broth and schmaltz - I keep the scraps from most of the meat that we prepare. Onion skins too, when I remember it.

I filled a pot halfway with bones and scraps. Put in a little sea salt and some rosemary. Filled it the rest of the way with water. Simmer it for several hours, until dark and lovely.

I strain out the scraps once it cools a bit. Then I let it cool the rest of the way in the fridge so the fat will separate from the gelatin rich broth.

The next day, I scrape off the fat, which we call schmaltz or tallow.

And then I put the broth into pint jars and pressure can it.

If there is enough fat, I fill a pint jar with the schmaltz and can that too, for pantry storage.

(Note- I don't just throw away the boiled scraps after straining them out of the finished broth. I pull all the leftover meat off the bones for use in other recipes. Waste not, want not.)

I sometimes make beef bone broth. I buy the raw bones at Whole Foods. Sometimes the bones are in the store freezer for sale. Sometimes I have to ask the butchers to collect them for me and call me when they have enough.

I oven roast the bones on a sheet pan first and then put them in a big pot with water and simmer them for hours to extract the taste and nutrients from the bones and the bone marrow and to reduce/concentrate the broth. Then I pressure can it for long term shelf storage.

Once you taste genuine bone broth, you realize that the store-bought "beef broth" or stock is basically devoid of flavor.

I've also melted beef fat into tallow for the wild birds in winter. Your idea of saving the fat from beef is a good one! I use a crockpot to melt the fat and then I strain the liquid fat to remove particles, let it cool, and pour it into plastic containers to let it solidify in the shape I want. You can also stir nuts, seeds and dried fruits into the tallow when it is nearly cool, before you mold it into the shape you want.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I sometimes make beef bone broth. I buy the raw bones at Whole Foods. Sometimes the bones are in the store freezer for sale. Sometimes I have to ask the butchers to collect them for me and call me when they have enough.

I oven roast the bones on a sheet pan first and then put them in a big pot with water and simmer them for hours to extract the taste and nutrients from the bones and the bone marrow and to reduce/concentrate the broth. Then I pressure can it for long term shelf storage.

Once you taste genuine bone broth, you realize that the store-bought "beef broth" or stock is basically devoid of flavor.

I've also melted beef fat into tallow for the wild birds in winter. Your idea of saving the fat from beef is a good one! I use a crockpot to melt the fat and then I strain the liquid fat to remove particles, let it cool, and pour it into plastic containers to let it solidify in the shape I want. You can also stir nuts, seeds and dried fruits into the tallow when it is nearly cool, before you mold it into the shape you want.

We bake a whole chicken a few times a month. Plus, I try to save the scraps and bones from any other meat. I reuse produce bags and slowly fill them up in the freezer, twist tying it shut each time.

Do you ever use organ meat in your broth? Giblets, liver, etc? I like adding those for extra richness and nutrition. It's a good way to sneak in organ meat if anyone in your family dislikes the gamey flavor.

 

[Mary Terry]

We bake a whole chicken a few times a month. Plus, I try to save the scraps and bones from any other meat. I reuse produce bags and slowly fill them up in the freezer, twist tying it shut each time.

Do you ever use organ meat in your broth? Giblets, liver, etc? I like adding those for extra richness and nutrition. It's a good way to sneak in organ meat if anyone in your family dislikes the gamey flavor.

I don't add the livers to the broth but hearts, gizzards, etc. are fine. I save chicken carcasses and bones, even the skin, in the freezer until I have enough to make a big pot of stock. I add onions, carrots, celery, fresh herbs, whole black pepper corns and garlic to the stockpot, and let it simmer until it reduces by at least half. The longer I simmer it, the more concentrated it becomes.

I save the rinds of Parmesan cheese in the freezer and use them when I make any kind of tomato-based sauce or soup. It adds a great Italian flavor to tomatoes.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I'm brewing a gallon of raspberry kombucha and a quart of cultured buttermilk on my countertop.

 

[tree]

Here's something I learned from my allergist. If one is allergic to rhus species (poison oak/ivy), they should not consume cashews as it can exacerbate an allergic response, causing thick, leathery hives (rather than just a rash) when one rubs up against a rhus species plant.

Last week I put a tablespoon of cashews in the smoothie I was making for breakfast.

I ended up throwing it out after a few sips.
My lips felt fat, my face tingled, and my nose was feeling narrow inside.

Looked up cashews.

Latex cross over.

 

[Judge]

Diced turkey bacon, green pepper & cheese omelette for dinner.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Last week I put a tablespoon of cashews in the smoothie I was making for breakfast.

I ended up throwing it out after a few sips.
My lips felt fat, my face tingled, and my nose was feeling narrow inside.

Looked up cashews.

Latex cross over.

Some lettuces do that to me too. Latex allergy as well.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Homemade egg rolls!

I cut all the meat off of spare ribs. Saved the fat and bones in a bag in the freezer for broth. Meanwhile my daughter diced up bok choi, celery, and green onions harvested from our windowsill. We diced the meat and veggies very small.

Fry it all up Chinese style. Drain off all the juices with a colander. You can save the broth and fat in a bowl in the fridge for cooking another meal. You don't want your egg rolls drippy.

Add about 1/4 cup of filling to an egg roll wrapper. Wrap it up real tight and secure, like a burrito. If you're from the Desert Southwest, you should be a pro.

The last corner of the egg roll wrapper, paint a little beaten egg onto it, and then seal it. Sometimes I add a little flour to the egg wash to help it stick better. Seal it like an envelope.

Once you have all your rolls wrapped, put some oil or tallow into a pan. On medium low heat (you don't want the oil to smoke), fry up your egg rolls. As they finish, transfer onto a plate lined with paper towels.

Let em cool a bit. I like to dip mine in Taiwanese fish sauce and teriyaki.


********
Just so you know, all these foods I cook are in a very low income household. When you buy kitchen staples in bulk, it's quite economical. Just get creative with what you have.

Like with this recipe, the only thing I bought special is the egg roll wrappers for 3.99. Everything else was from what I had.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Fix the crummy day Yoghurt Cheesecake

1 c sugar
3/4 c flour
1 tsp salt

Mix together dry then add

3 eggs
2 c plain yoghurt
2 T vanilla
1 heaping c blueberries

Beat it all together

Pour into a graham cracker crust and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
********


While the cheesecake was baking I also bottled 2 liters of finished kombucha (blueberry ginger with black tea base)

********

And earlier today, I made Lassi for my daughter and I

Fill a glass 1/3 full of yoghurt (I used homemade buttermilk)
Pinch of salt
Fill it the rest of the way with cold water
Stir
Sweeten to taste (I like mine kid sweet)