What are you cooking today?

Saturday is cooking day for me. Instant Pot madness at my parents' house. I'm going to make a batch of jambalaya to freeze, a batch of Swedish meatballs to freeze, and a low country shrimp boil for us to eat for dinner. With Worf's contribution of a tuna casserole and a batch of pasta e fagiuli, they'll be set in case they get bad side effects after their second vaccines next week.

Elderly parents. The struggle is real.

good for you for taking care of them and how fortunate they are getting their shots. Sounds like some good meal plans there. Jambalaya to freeze is a good call.

Here is my first try at those cheez it style crackers with a little twist. Next batch needs to be thinner but the taste is great.

Will It Hash? post-St. Pat's edition

Some will understand the relevance. 
This man is a delight. I posted one of his grilled cheese videos some years ago, I believe.

I remember that video. I tried to make it and it was a complete disaster. I used too much butter on the bread and the cheese had a meltdown like a nuclear reactor.

I combined a new recipe and a new steak cooking technique. Tested it on my ownself. Not difficult at all. This is for four.

1. Mashed Potatoes: (a new way to cook) 2# red potatoes (or 1.5 units per person) quartered and sliced ¼ “ thick; 1 ¼ c. whole milk; 4T butter 1 ¼ t coarse salt ½ t pepper 1 t white pepper: Bring all to a boil over med hi heat in thick bottom pan cover, reduced to med low cook about 20 minutes until soft. Off heat mash add more butter salt pepper even a splash of cream; cover keep warm.
2. 2 rib-eyes 1# each 1 ½ inches thick trimmed (cut gristle line off). Pat dry and add salt/ground pepper. Get out tongs and give them two test clicks.
3. New method: start with a cold seasoned cast iron pan* with a little spray. Put steaks in pan 1” apart then turn heat to high (pref. gas) cook two minutes (add 30 sec for electric). Use a timer. Flip and cook 2 minutes. Flip and reduce heat to medium; flip every 2 minutes until 120* by thermometer (4-10 minutes more). Pan should sizzle not smoke.
4. Transfer steaks to cutting board with juice catcher and tent with foil to rest for <5 minutes. Not you, the steaks. Deglaze pan with splash of bourbon
5. Compote: 6 slices bacon, chopped; 3 shallots sliced thin; 2 T packed dark brown sugar; ¼ cup generic bourbon plus 2 oz good bourbon in a tumbler with 2 cubes; 2 t worchestershire sauce (what’s this here sauce?).
6. Cook bacon in same skillet until crispy about 4 minutes. Leaving bacon in skillet drain off all but 2-4 T fat. Add shallots and sugar and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Get ready to plate food.
7. Slice steaks into thin strips cross grain and fan on warmed plates. Plate potatoes next to them and (optional) garnish each with sprig of rosemary and (essential) butter.
8. Add bourbon and Worch and simmer until reduced by half then whisk in 2T butter, more if needed. Spread compote in a line on top of the fanned steak. By now you should have drunk the tumbler of bourbon.

You have to watch the timing on the compote; it cooks down quick so be ready to get it out of the pan and onto the meat. Might require getting one of your troll friends up off the sofa to help.

*Recipe calls for non-stick pan. My cast iron is non-stick. I never use Teflon or other coated pans, TEHO, but don’t blame me. Rather use SS and oil the steaks. Porcelain iron like La Cruesette may work with some spray. Point is, meat releases itself when time to flip.

Potatoes—usually you boil in water, drain, add milk butter. These cook in a small amount of milk instead, I think it would be hard to cook a big batch that way.

been making my hot sauces from my peppers

Shepherd's Pie

I cooked garlic rosemary mashed potatoes for the tribe for Christmas and had left overs. Left overs are my palette since the poor days.

A pound of ground lamb from the grocery store; a pound of lean burger*, browned with onion, garlic, rosemary

A bag of petite green peas, pearl onions; baby carrots diced fine and parboiled to soften.

Brown the meat and mix in the vegetables. layer on the bottom of a baking dish one-two inches and layer an equal amount of mashed potatoes, Put a small layer of quality cheese with or on top of the potatoes--I use aged gouda from my daughter's shop.

refrigerate, freeze and thaw; bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

My MIL would make SPie just burger potatoes cheddar cheese--basically hamburger helper. My children, now chefs or cooks, eschew this. First, bag the cheese; second, use half lamb

This is the first time I've used cheese on it. be selective or leave it out. this dish is from Scotland, not Jersey.

93% lean burger is hard to cook; you can't make paddies except with 80/20. But I got the lean because, well, January. But to cook it right, three tablespoons of bacon fat makes that lean burger work!

No leftover potatoes? the Idaho "instant" are killer esp.if you sub chicken stock for half the water. In my parents' day, the instant stuff was wretched. Much better now. Except instant grits. They are an abomination to be cast out of your mouth. put some cream up in there, too, and white pepper

Dark Starr stout by Starr Hill

I came across this in a variety pack--haven't seen or had  it years but recall it was outstanding.  Will be hard to find but the company has a number of brew rooms around the state. 

Kutiti's concoction!

Sunshine Daydream Recipe (or I Ain’t Drivin’)
Bourbon- (volume of your choosing)
honeysuckle simple syrup- 1/3bourbon volume or to taste
Turmeric powder- dash or two
bitters- dash or two
Orange slice- thin. remember, this is not an Old Fashion, the honeysuckle is the star

Fill final container with ice, then shake all of it well. Smile, smile, smile.