Ahira's Hangar

I need to open a 'BBQ R Not Us' store quickly. I have a friend who eats blue steak and it's horrifying to even watch as he cuts into the damn thing. Yeeeuch!

However...

I like steak tartare, and that Japanese dish that uses raw kobe beef, on the rare occasions I'm actually somewhere that serves it. So, I do understand if my food preferences are a bit extreme for you.

Oh, I can understand the raw food thing, I even eat sushi, but if you're actually going to cook something, then it needs to be done properly! 'Well done' means exactly that, which is why it's not called 'Not well done' or something.

Just put a lovely Lancashire hotpot in the oven for dinner tonight. I use beef instead of lamb coz I think lamb is completely bland, unless you superspice it, which I don't enjoy.

mmm...Lancashire hot pot.
Care to describe in more detail?

Oh it's a nice easy dish. The purists always use lamb, but I love beef, which is what I use. I dice about 2lb of decent beef, three carrots, two onions, couple of celery sticks. Some disgusting people use mushrooms, but as all mushrooms taste like mud, why on earth would you do that??? Get your oven on the go, around 200 degrees will do. nice old casserole dish and put a layer of the vegetables down. season with salt and thyme. Then a layer of the meat. Season again. then another layer of veg and season, then the meat and season. Pour over a pint of stock. Peel and thinly slice three or four good sized spuds and layer them on top to finish. Whoff into the oven for about 2 hours. Take the lid off, back in the oven for 20 mins for the spuds to brown and crisp up. Don't go too heavy on the spuds and don't be scared of the thyme. Wait for the rain and the cold to make you miserable and enjoy immensely!

We've been eating a lot of chicken leg quarters lately. Fortunately we are all dark meat lovers, and at 59¢/lb, one of the better meat deals locally.

I've been saving the bones, both before and after roasting, depending on if I've been deboning the thighs or not. And we have been having unseasonably cool weather for Gator Town (it has been heavenly!), so tonight I am making a big old pot of Jewish Penicillin.

I started it last night, and let it simmer overnight in a 200ºF oven, and am now finishing it off with the additional root vegetables that we will eat with the soup. About 30 minutes before service I'll add some pasta, matzah balls, fresh dill weed, and the chicken scraps I saved from the bones.

Right now I have about 12 quarts of soup in my 20 quart stock pot. Once I add the other items, I should have about 14 quarts all told I think.

After we have a couple meals worth of soup, I'll strain it and reduce the soup by half into a rich stock, before packaging it in two cup measure to freeze for recipes.

mmm-mmm
I do enjoy reasons for making a big old pot of home made soup...

I think I will try to make this tonight:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
any other vegetables desired, 1/2 cup each
2 tbsp oil or margarine
8 cups water or vegetable broth
1 cup barley, uncooked
1 cup pinto or white beans, pre-soaked if dry
1/3 cup tomato paste or crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery salt (optional)
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano or Italian spice mix
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp onion powder (optional)
2 large bay leaves
Preparation:
In a large soup pot, sautee the onions, celery, carrots and any other vegetables for 3-5 minutes. Add vegetable broth or water and all other ingredients and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low.
Allow to simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally, until barley is soft and somewhat fluffy. Add more spices to taste and enjoy!


I love barley soup.

Salmon, I can't wait-

had Nachos for lunch.

Just plain old broccoli soup 4 me and maybe an assorment of spanish meat and cheese with a glass of red wine quality. Not much of a cook I is not

Tonight is pork chops with unsweetened apple sauce, green peas seasoned with butter and dill weed and baked potatoes.
yummy...

Tam made talapia in lemon sauce with capers served with rice pilaf-out of this world!!!!

I made an almost eight pound chicken earlier in the week, and tonight I am using what is left of the meat and making chicken tetrazini. Just realized I am completely out of salt though, and no transportation until midnight...

We'll make do, but it won't be right.

whole rotisserie chicken in the Showtime
"kashered"
then rubbed first with fresh squeezed lime juice, followed by another rub with extra light olive oil
seasoned with a dry rub of fresh ground mixed peppercorns, granulated garlic, Hungarian hot paprika, and dried dill weed
stuffed with the lime halves, fresh whole garlic cloves and some fresh rosemary

white rice in the rice cooker
seasoned with salt, a little "curry" powder, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic and dried dill weed

sautéd broccoli florets in extra light olive oil with fresh slivered garlic gloves