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With the much needed rain this last week, we're finally seeing some life in the gardens again! A few hardy naked lady lillies have sprung up, and in the veggie garden radishes, greens, purple pod beans, Brussels sprouts and cabbages are all making an appearance. We've missed greens this summer the most I think, since I pretty much refused to buy the sad, wilted and bug chewed offerings at the stores. The rain catchers are all full, which means about 3 weeks of water at this point. I'm hoping to have enough catchers next year to cover a month or more of garden water. Recipe of the Week will be a little late this week, as someone forgot to take the camera out of his gaming bag, and I didn't have access to it until today. Check for recipe posting tomorrow, a quick preview: Sun Dried Tomato Pesto. There, that should hold you till I get it posted!
Thanks to my son and husband, I got a brand new smaller crock pot for my birthday this year. The one I had was huge, old and a bitch to wash, since I have small sinks. Today I'm going to try cooking part of a brisket, I figure even if it isn't great as itself, I can always throw it back in with some barbque sauce and make sandwiches. Today is Experiment #2 on the great clotted cream debate. Now that Sister #1 has retired, she's looking for something to fill her days, so we are embarking on cooking together. Cutting back on eating out will save her more than she thinks. Since she lives in the other half of the state, and Texas isn't a small place, we'll be doing things seperately and compairing notes. Should be fun!
This morning I tried my mock clotted cream, and while is was ok, I definitely didn't turn cartwheels like my sisters. So, either they had something closer to the real thing, or what they had was better than what I made. I'm gonna bit the bullet and try the whipped butter/sour cream combo, and see if I like it any better. Personally, I think just a nice batch of home made whipped butter would be better, but maybe if I ever get to go to Devonshire, I'll change my mind!
M
y sister, who experienced her first British afternoon tea last year, has been on me to find/invent a recipe for clotted cream, which can't actually be made here in the U.S., due to the fact that you can't legally buy unpasteurized milk, and according to both sisters, the jarrred version sucks big hairy dog balls. So I'm trying a substitute involving simmering heavy whipping cream in a double boiler until it's reduced by half and forms a crust. Another version I found was basically home made butter mixed with sour cream and a little sugar, but I'm a bit skeptical about that one after reading the reviews. I also ran across a vegan version which doesn't even bear mentioning here, as it was too scary. I'll post tomorrow once the cream is done. Guess this means I'll have to make scones!
This is a very easy breakfast dish I first saw on the movie Moonstruck. I asked my half-Italian mother what it was, and she repiled "Oh, that's Toad in the Hole!" Ok, so the name's not so good, but the dish is! 1 red bell pepper (Must use reds, it doesn't really taste right with the other colors), cored, de-seeded and sliced longways into thin strips.ButterEggsThick sliced bread of your choice. I used English toasting bread this time. Take some butter, melt it in a skillet and saute the pepper strips until soft and slightly brownish on the edges. When they are done, remove them from the pan and add more butter. Take your bread and cut a hole right in the middle of the slice. You can use a biscuit cutter, or a knife. This is where your egg will go, so size it accordingly. Reserve the round of bread if desired. Place the bread in the skillet with the butter. The bread will soak up the pepper-flavored butter while it cooks. I also cook the cut out rounds as well. Break an egg into the hole. Don't worry if it runs out a bit. Cook the whole thing until the bread is crisp and golden brown on the bottom, then carefullly flip it over and cook the other side till the egg is done to your liking. I like mine a bit squishy so the yolk runs out when I cut it. Once bread/eggs are cooked, transfer to plate and top with pepper slices. Quick and easy, and very tasty! (Sorry I couldn't get more pics up, having issues posting multiple images. I'll see if I can't get that fixed before next week's recipe post)Enjoy!
So, my returning to college venture didn't quite go the way I expected. After looking at the prof's webpage for the US Gov class I'd registered for, it occurred to me that I really, really did not want to be doing this. Sure, if the Degree Fairy came by with an anthro degree, I'd take it. But the bullshit of math, foreign language and US Gov just hit me like a ton of tofu. So I dropped the class, and began to look at things I really liked to do. And food is the top choice. As I've started before, I love food. I read about food, think about food, have sex with food, (Well, and a partner, but that's another post!) Food, food, food. After my guest post on the Zaftig Chicks blog, I started thinking, "Hey, what about that cookbook you were working on??" Yea. Something to think about.
Reading an article about what celebrity chefs like to eat at home, I saw a link to Rocco DeSpirito's mini bio. So I clicked and read. I was doing great until Rocco talks about creating a yogurt pop for an 8 yr old girl, using SPLENDA!!!!! Rocco, Rocco, what were you thinking??? First off, SHAME ON YOU for using the stuff, and second, giving it to a child! Rocco, we just might have to not like you as much dude. Which makes us sad. :(
