What are you cooking today?

I also like the Bear Creek brand potato soup for cooking; it has some texture and is what I use for thickener in my clam chowder and oyster stew.  It will have some onion but otherwise is fairly flavor neutral. 

Some of the soup recipes called for panko for a thickener (or bread crumbs) which may give some texture and flavor.  

In the they crab soup I just made, I wanted a smooth texture so I used grated celery and onion instead of diced--worked well. It seems the store are removing the celery leaves, which is too bad b/c I use them like a bay leaf in a lot of things.

Instant grits should be outlawed. Imagine all the Northerns who have only had those and think they all the same.

Pasta e ceci (Pasta and garbanzo stew)

I forgo the fancy greens in favor of some thawed frozen spinach. And why use water when you can use stock? Oh, and I used diced tomatoes too. Instead of mashing the whole ones with the beans, I mashed the beans and then added the tomatoes. Probably not as "rustic," lol.

cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020860-pasta-e-ceci-italian-pasta-and-chickpea-stew

Sliced BBQ

Sliced is often an option in the joints and sliced with minced is good sandwich combo.



I found this butt/shoulder “roast” about 2.5 inches thick, bone in, like country style ribs. So I rubbed it and smoked at 225-275* for two hours then ran up to 500* and basted with thick sauce about 20 minutes to get the meat up to 165*



Cooled, boned and ran it through the meat slicer thin. Note it is not “falling off” like pulled pork.



On reheat, in cast iron with bacon fat.

Sauce: it does better with thick red than vinegar. The Sorghum shown is made in Staunton and I had it at a friend’s near Crozet and they sell it in that roadside store near there

A place here had sliced+pulled+craft bacon. Porkapalooza!

This sliced would do well on a Cubano but maybe sliced a little thicker

Top your shepherds pie with tots, ya fancy bastard!

I made the shepherd's pie with tots the other day; it was OK.

I use ground lamb + burger, and no cheese.

Dining with the Swanson's:

A brief history of the TV Dinner from Smithsonian:

www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/brief-history-tv-dinner-180976039/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20201021-daily-responsive&spMailingID=43734940&spUserID=ODkzMzIzNjM2MDI4S0&spJobID=1861775378&spReportId=MTg2MTc3NTM3OAS2

Sweet potato oatmeal muffins—I used haymans, which are a sweet potato only found on the Eastern Shore; they are pale yellow, funky shapes, tight skin and sweet/sugary. I copied the recipe from on line and have added my notes and changes. 

1 Cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
½ Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ Teaspoon nutmeg (I used fresh grated, and added some pumpkin spice)
1(15 oz) can sweet potatoes (yams), drained and mashed or 1 cup fresh sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed—I used haymans. I don’t think canned would be as good, but it may be smoother.
¾ Cup light brown sugar
1/3 Cup oil
¼ Cup milk—I used 2% and might try buttermilk next time
1 Large egg
1 Teaspoon vanilla

Crumble Topping
¼ Cup old fashioned oatmeal
¼ Cup all-purpose flour
¼ Cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon vanilla flavoring

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in sweet potatoes, brown sugar, oil, milk, egg and vanilla, just until well moistened. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Sprinkle with Crumble Topping. Bake 15-20 minutes. Makes 18 muffins. I got 15. They are chunky so wouldn’t work as mini’s.
Crumble Topping: In a bowl, mix together oatmeal, flour and sugar. With a fork, mix in margarine butter and vanilla until crumbly.

I made a chicken quesadilla and added homemade guacamole and pico.