Favorite Recipes

Well, since winter seems to have returned to the High Desert, time to break out that stable and my go too meal-red beans and ham hocks. All you do is put a good pot on the stove (or camp stove, fire etc), turn it on low, put in some ham hocks (shanks, cut up ham or what ever you have handy), salt pork and some cut up bacon, some tomatoes and tomato sauce, onions, garlic, paprika and pepper , a slug of wine, put the cover on; add your beans (red, white, black-what ever) after a few more hours and simmer it until the pork starts to fall off of the bones . Best thing about this is you get to smell it all day (or days) as it cooks! Break out some good french bread and butter and a bottle of vinegar to splash on the ham and beans and add some potato salad or rice (maybe both) and make a quick check for any small bones.if hamhocks, then eat. It only gets better with age and will get you thru those power outages!

Smoke

Just curious if others are having same difficulty finding flour in grocery stores. Read there is widespread shortages, likely due to hoarding. If there is a source online I would like to hear about it. I can find it online at all the major grocers in Boise, but when I go top pick it up they are sold out. Was told they get shipments occasionally but they fly off the shelves in a couple hours.

BillTheHiker said:

Just curious if others are having same difficulty finding flour in grocery stores. Read there is widespread shortages, likely due to hoarding. If there is a source online I would like to hear about it. I can find it online at all the major grocers in Boise, but when I go top pick it up they are sold out. Was told they get shipments occasionally but they fly off the shelves in a couple hours.

Click to expand...

No flour, bread flour, or yeast. Finally found bread flour yesterday. We bought one five pound bag. We had two bags. "One per customer," the clerk sternly said. "But there's two of us," the Lady replied. We got "the look" and I asked if I should return it. "No," she said. "I'll just add it to the pile I have here behind me."

We ordered a pound of yeast on amazon. We'll split it with friends. It arrives Wednesday. Homemade cinnamon rolls Wednesday night!

This was darn good this weekend.



[SIZE=12pt]Preheat oven to 350[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]In large bowl, mix the following and blend well:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]3 cups Oatmeal (we use Coach’s Oats)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]1 cup brown sugar[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]½ Teaspoon salt[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]2 Teaspoons baking powder[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]In separate bowl, mix well:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]2 eggs[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Add all ingredients together, including:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]½ cup melted butter[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]1 cup milk[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]1 Teaspoon vanilla[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]OPTIONAL- ¼ Teaspoon cinnamon[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Place the mixture in an 8x8 baking dish-some cooking spray or butter may prevent the porridge from sticking[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Serve with fruit, yogurt, or milk. It is crumbly when warm but firms as it cools.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]For extra crunch, leave in oven for extra 10 minutes [/SIZE]

Look up JIT (Just In Time) inventory management. Over the last few decades, most of inventory for stores and manufacturing has adopted this practice. To minimize inventory costs, shipments are scheduled to arrive "just in time" for the need. Unfortunately, JIT doesn't react well to a step function change in demand such as the current situation has created. The tractor trailers on the road have become the warehouses. Supermarkets keep sufficient inventory for just two to three days of demand.

This works with predictable usage at both retail and manufacturing but make a big change in demand such as a large drop in TP usage at work with an increase at home, and it takes a while for things to adapt. TP rolls for commercial restrooms do not always fit home dispensers.

Can't eat out in a restaurant and and have more time at home and, perhaps, you bake some bread at home, I'll bet 100 lb bags of flour are more readily available as demand for 5lb and 10lb bags increases. People probably eating more sandwiches at home than burgers and fries for lunch. Doesn't take much of a change to empty the shelves of some items. Standing orders won't refill the shelves.

Reread the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", carry your towel, and above all, "Don't Panic!"

Paul

I baked another French Apple Cake this afternoon, but added a bit of
cinnamon and cardamom to the batter, as well as a few chopped dates. That’s dessert tonight.

Yummy. How about e-mailing me a slice?
Frank

Whole Grain Rye Bread:

Mix the following dry ingredients in a large bowl:

1/2 cup white bread flour
3 tsp gluten powder (optional)
1 tsp salt (2 if you are not trying to be low salt)
1 cup organic dark rye flour, Bob's Red Mill is our brand
1 or 2 packages of yeast (depends on how active your yeast is)

Mix wet ingredients in a pot:

1/4 cooking oil, canola or olive are good choices
2 tbs dark molasses (very very dark is our favorite)
2 1/2 cups skim milk or 1 1/2 cups skim milk + 1 cup water (even 100% water would work)
1/2 cup unflavored greek yogurt or 2 tbs vinegar

Heat wet ingredients to 100-105 deg F, use a thermometer

Pour warm wet ingredients into bowl of mixed dry ingredients and mix well.

Mix in additional dark rye flour 1/2 cup at a time to make a THICK batter.

Let thick batter rise 50% by volume in a warm place covered with a towel.

Stir in rye flour in 1/2 cup steps until a stirring/mixing becomes impossible. Then knead in more rye flour in 1/4 cup steps to form a smooth uniform ball. I knead in the bowl to avoid making a mess of my kitchen.

Coat dough ball with cooking oil and let rise in the bowl in a warm place 50% by volume covered with a towel.

Grease two 4x4x8 standard bread loaf pans.

Divide the dough ball in to two pieces. Knead each piece into an egg shaped ball as long as the loaf pans. Dust each piece with white flour and place in each bread loaf pan.

Let rise in a warm place 50% by volume covered with a towel.

Preheat oven to 380 deg F.

Cook 30-32 minutes depending on your oven performance.

Roll out loaves on to cooling racks. Cool completely. Slice and serve with cream cheese or fresh butter. We routinely eat slices plain and untoasted. Toasting gives a slightly different taste.

A very "earthy" true rye taste. The first and only "whole grain" bread I have enjoyed.

On the topic of bread, many decades ago I baked a lot of bread, using flour we ground ourselves from organic hard red Peace River wheat. My bible then was the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book. I see the original version of that book is mow $851 USD on Amazon. Luckily, the updated version is a lot less. Highly recommended for beginners and pro's alike
https://www.amazon.com/Laurels-Kitchen-Bread-Book-Whole-Grain-ebook/dp/B004HFRJS0/ref=sr_1_1?crid=157K4N38G5R34&dchild=1&keywords=laurel%27s+kitchen+bread+book&qid=1588130115&sprefix=laurel%27s+kitchen+bread+book%2Caps%2C209&sr=8-1

[SIZE=10pt]Blueberry pecan cake[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]cooking spray[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2 tsp. flour[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]5 tbsp. butter[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]3/4 cup sugar[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2 large eggs[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2/3 cups buttermilk[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2 tsp. grated orange rind[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1 tsp. baking powder[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1/2 tsp. salt[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1/2 tsp. vanilla[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1/3 tsp. almond extract[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1/4 tsp. baking soda[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1 1/2 cups flour[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2 cups fresh blueberries[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1/3 cups finely chopped pecans[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2 tbsp. sifted powdered sugar[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]coat 9 in. round spring form pan with cooking spray. Dust pan with 2 tsp. flour. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Place butter in glass cup and microwave on high1 min. Add sugar and wisk. Add eggs and stir well. Stir in buttermilk and next 6 ingredients. Lightly spoon l 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups. Add flour just until blended. Stir in blueberries and pecans. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, spreading evenly Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min. or until lightly browned and wooden pick comes out clean, Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Done[/SIZE]

You guys are far to talented In the culinary arts! Couple of hundred years ago maybe I could have been a chuck wagon cook. Here it goes “Wayne’s throw anything you have bean and drumstick soup”.

1/4 cup of five different dried beans soaked overnight
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1-14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
6- chicken bullion cubes (stock would be better refer to the recipe title)
Garlic granules (your discretion)
8-10 cups of water enough to cover the beans by 2-3”

Start by boiling the beans only and reduce to a simmer for 60 minutes uncovered. Add all other ingredients (chuck wagon). Simmer for another hour uncovered. 30 minutes before serving start the chicken legs.

Chicken legs
Olive oil
Goya Adobo all purpose seasoning

Medium heat with a lid cracked brown and cook through turning several times to obtain a nice golden color. Serve legs on the side or in the bowl with soup! Easy meal with easy re-heating leftovers. I like a little Louisiana hot sauce in my bowl to give it a little kick.




Wayne

Try making a classic Caprese salad with ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Now in summer veggies are so tasty and sweet. Especially tomatoes. My fav one