What are you cooking?

[CaFF]

Did some general shopping for the big games ahead....found this from an old brand I know well. Back in the 2000s, I'd chat with her on a chilehead forums sometimes.

Love this....pure red habanero. They grow their own too.



https://mariesharpsusa.com/collecti...-habanero-pepper-sauce?variant=14563114778659


I REALLY Want her new Extreme variant they developed...

https://mariesharpsusa.com/collecti...dition-marie-s-hottest?variant=39330933833841

*edit*
I just snagged two bottles of that limited edition Red Hornet Pepper sauce...for cheeep using AMZ Prime.
It is a cross between a Moruga scorpion pepper and a ghost pepper. I'm in love...

 

[CaFF]

Inspired by this: Philly Cheese Steak Pizza Recipe | Little Spice Jar

My version...

 

[CaFF]

Had to do trimming and chopping up of meat for a batch of Milly's food...but wearing nicer clothes as we have an inspection of the fire system this morning too...what to do?

I don't own an apron but I *do* own a rain jacket. Taadaaa....no guck on my clothes.

 

[CaFF]

Made up some amazing Chipotle Meco powder from dried chies I'd brought from my former home.

(not my pic, see the link above for information on the Meco)


Stuff is so hard, I don't dare put it in my spare coffee grinder without some modification.
So, I drug out my 8" granite mortar & pestle, put on a mask, and went to work.

Awhile later, it was like a coarse coffee grind crossed with chile flakes, and could go in the blade grinder to make powder without damaging the thing.

Results:



Only made like a an ounce or two...but a little goes a looong way.

 

[Jimi]

Had to do trimming and chopping up of meat for a batch of Milly's food...but wearing nicer clothes as we have an inspection of the fire system this morning too...what to do?

I don't own an apron but I *do* own a rain jacket. Taadaaa....no guck on my clothes.

View attachment 211829

Good idea @CaFF

 

[Jimi]

HIya folks,still owe you an Aioli recipe hehe,busy with reviews and taking care of my pops so you know i got barely time to catch up on some reading.

Making some Baked gilt head bream today for my pops.
Sometimes when cooking and depending on the main ingredient in this case the gilt head bream less is more so this is what it looks like before going into the oven:

View attachment 210865

Pretty simple,guy at the fish store opens it up for me and then once home i lay it down on my non stick oven pan,i do take a little bit of olive oil and spread it with my hand just so it can soak up some of the flavor.

Important when doing this type of fish is to put the spices first,nothing fancy just the salt,pepper and some garlic powder.
Then i squeeze one whole lemon on top,if you were to put the lemon juice first the spices would just slide away.
Then i cover it up with slices of onion (red or white but i prefer red) and slices of lemon and that's about it.
This fish has a good strong mediterranean flavor so that is why i said at the beginning that sometimes less is more.

Some may ask when the olive oil? That goes at the end,when all the slices are on top you add a dash of olive oil,it will work its way down and add a little something something to the fish.

You can also cook this fish closed up with just a straight cut in the belly,in that case you gotta go in there to rub the spices and put in the lemon/onion slices.
Another way to do it is making small cuts on the top and just wedge the slices in there,but personally i prefer to cook it open like a book.

Gotta have the right touch when cooking fish,doesn't matter if its salmon or gilt head bream or its cooked in a pan or the oven.
Timing is crucial,gotta know when to it's correctly done,2 minutes too late and it will be dry 2 minutes early and it is done but it doesn't feel right,like Uncle Roger says (from the Youtube videos) it's all about feeling hehe

Spices for example i never just pour them using the bottle with holes on the top cap,i put the spices in my hand and then apply them so i know exactly how much goes on the dish.

I also use my own homemade kitchen salt,in Spanish its ''sal de cocina'' don't know the translation for the English version.
It is not just salt,its salt among other spices which i mix together to use on different dishes,i have 3 versions of it.

One of them is for when i make stews,another one for meat and another one for tomato based dishes.
Handy to keep those in jars already mixed up and ready to go,we always used those when my pops and me ran our kitchen back in the day.

I tried this heavenly recipe with a piece of wild caught salmon the only thing I did differently was to use parchment paper in case I messed up and made it stick, oh and I did add 1/2 tsp of Turmeric to my spice bowl. I can't thank you enough for posting this fantastic recipe, my diet is so bland. I didn't get to have it for Christmas but did have it last night. The lemon and spices soaked into the fish and made flavor that I can't get enough of. This is truly my new favorite way to have fish. Everyone try this it's fantastic. I can't wait to try one of the other fish recipes.

 

[CaFF]

The final weekend of regular-season NFL football starts today, so gotta have a good breakfast.

A homemade brekky burrito...easy and warm on a chilly morning.

I made this one with leftover breakfast hash and some ham from the Xmas dinner they'd brought here. I spread some of the wild rice and chicken soup over the tort first as it was kinda dry, a few shots of Marie's Red Hornet sauce, then fiesta blend cheese. Topped with Oaxaqueña sour cream, cayenne powder, garlic pepper seasoning, and yes...the Chioptle Meco powder.
Mmmmm...so good.

 

[CaFF]

Added a dash of this to my coffee grounds today for a lovely carafe of decadent coffee...like a Mexican hot chocolate, warm and rich.

 

[CaFF]

Made insanely spicy football snacks.

* Cajun lemon-pepper fish sticks

* spicy brown mustard and Marie's Belize Hab sauce on the mini corndogs

* Just plain crazy chicken tenders.... Marie's Red Hornet and other sauces were involved...

You don't want to know what's in the dipping sauce....

 

[CaFF]

Made an impromptu soup out of various leftovers, frozen veggies, mushrooms, peppers, onion, garlic, chicken, a couple baby Dutch gold potatoes, etc. Nice for a chilly morning. And, I'll have some leftover too.



IDK why exactly, but I like eating soup for breakfast.

 

[CaFF]

Have yet to decide on whether I want to make a copycat Baconator, or a bacon cheeseburger pizza for the huge NCAAF Championship game today between two undefeated teams: My WA Huskies, and Michigan.

Michigan 34-13 Washington (Jan 8, 2024) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Michigan Wolverines vs. Washington Huskies NCAAF game, final score 34-13, from January 8, 2024 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

But, I'm prepared...and there WILL be Bacon...

 

[CaFF]

I decided on the pizza option...more practical.
Don't think it needs much explaining, eh? I made a DIY burger sauce, the rest is pretty obvious.

FWIW, Johnny's is a legend around the NW, made in Tacoma, WA. Seems fitting.
I used it on burgers we made at one of my first jobs flippin' burgers and slingin' Mexican food at the same family-owned joint. Some good times blasting Bryan Adams on the line...there's a gal out there who knows just what I mean...

GO HUSKIES !!!






I put it all together, looked at it and went..something is missing. American cheese!
(why don't we have an American flag smiley???)

 

[CaFF]

The Fred Meyer store was swamped...lines back into the aisles...things running out ... insanity.

But, I got meat for this weekends KC BBQ debauchery, and a *few* others things....





Bought the last quality pork shoulder roast they had....and a USDA Choice boneless Top Round roast to boot ..amazingly good meat....not cheap

KC BBQ is nigh..,
This ...it's near exactly the ingredients in Joe's Kansas City BBQ sauce.... So simple.



FWIW, that is a Duroc Pork Shoulder....about the best ya can buy ...I paid $5/lb.Which is pretty damn good.

Duroc Pork: Unveiling The Secrets Behind This Exceptional Meat - Cookindocs.com

When you go to the grocery store or the butcher to pick up some pork for dinner, you'll likely come across a few different options. There's conventional pork,

cookindocs.com

 

[CaFF]

BTW, this is the KC dry rub I'll be using...it uses the authentic 2:1 ratio of sugar and paprika, etc.
I'll use granulated onion and garlic though...better for a rub, IMO.

KC dry rub


1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup paprika

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

 

[CrazyChef v2.0]

Gonna be giving sourdough bread a try soon. I put together my starter about a week ago, and it's now starting to mature.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Have yet to decide on whether I want to make a copycat Baconator....

I'm still waiting for Wendy's to introduce the "lettuce tomatonator" they promised a while back (double lettuce, double tomato, cheese, no meat patty). I want to see it on the menu, but they make it for me if I ask. But sometimes it's this conversation:

So you want extra lettuce, extra tomatoes, everything else regular?

Me: No, just double lettuce, double tomatoes, pickle, onion, mustard and mayo.

Them: You want cheese on that?

Me: No. No meat, no cheese.

Them: Okay just minute. Let me get the manager.

Manager: So let me understand, you want a burger with extra lettuce and tomatoes?



They do eventually get it right.

 

[CaFF]

It's happening....








I decided on using half of the roast because of time constraints and space in my convection oven. It's been rubbed and is cookin' now....325F for an hour a pound....or 150F interior temp.

 

[CaFF]

Well, after an hour it's got a nice crusting and all, but still not done and I'm afraid it's gonna get tough....so I cut it into chunks and put in the slow-cooker with some broth seasoned with the rub. It'll be pulled pork after all...not an actual roast.

 

[SirKadly]

Well, I was making some chili, and planning on going nowhere all weekend long. Seems I don't have any tomato sauce...

I have all the prep work done, so too late to change my mind now. Plus I really wanted some chili this weekend, and don't actually have anything else ready to go. Guess I need to dig myself out and run to the store.

On second thought, it's bitter cold out, and icy and snowy, mebbe I shouldn't run to the store, probably better to drive.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Well, after an hour it's got a nice crusting and all, but still not done and I'm afraid it's gonna get tough....so I cut it into chunks and put in the slow-cooker with some broth seasoned with the rub. It'll be pulled pork after all...not an actual roast.

Keep us posted on the outcome. I don't know how people make big pieces of roast crusty on the outside, juicy on the inside.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Well, I was making some chili, and planning on going nowhere all weekend long. Seems I don't have any tomato sauce...

I have all the prep work done, so too late to change my mind now. Plus I really wanted some chili this weekend, and don't actually have anything else ready to go. Guess I need to dig myself out and run to the store.

On second thought, it's bitter cold out, and icy and snowy, mebbe I shouldn't run to the store, probably better to drive.

Y'know, a Texan will tell you tomatoes don't belong in real chili. Can you sub any other liquid or flavoring? Or just leave it out.

Here's the recipe I watched my grandma and uncle make many times, and it was an old family recipe pre-dating them by decades:

Traditional San Antonio Chile

Rinse several dried ancho and/or pasilla chiles, split them open and remove seeds. These are the large dried chiles piled in the produce section. Don't use dried jalapenos (chipotles) for this part.

Boil water in a saucepan, remove from heat and add the chiles. Soak until they are swollen, soft and pulpy. Drain the chiles and pull off the stems. Press the chiles through a china cap sieve into a bowl. Discard the soaking water, discard the seeds and stems. You now have a bowl of chile flesh pulp.

Brown your meat with plenty of salt and pepper. When the meat is nearly done, add one tablespoon of cumin just to toast it, a heaping tablespoon or more of finely chopped garlic, and the chile pulp, one or two heaping tablespoons per pound of meat, being extra careful not to burn the cumin and chile. You can add a pinch of dried or fresh Mexican oregano too, not too much (it is an ingredient in many commercial chile powders, and is traditional in Mexico, more related to marjoram than Italian or Greek oregano). A lot of recipes also call for a tablespoon of paprika, but I feel this is not an authentic ingredient of the original spiced beef dish sold by the “chile queens” of San Antonio, on the street, before downtown was gentrified. It won't significantly change the overall flavor though, so your choice.

Add lots of homemade beef stock and cook 3-4 hours until the chile thickens and tastes right. Check to see if more salt is needed. In the last hour of cooking, drop in some whole washed jalapenos, optional. In the last half hour of cooking you can enhance the thickness by adding a little slurry of flour-water or masa-water. This is traditional, but should not substitute for cooking the chile long enough to flavor every shred of meat. Some people skim the oil from the top as it cooks, because if you've used lean meat, this oil is not meat grease; it’s chile oil, raging hot.

It may not take 3-4 hours, but 2-3. Check on it. The way we checked on it, and others have said "right? that's what we did", was to dip a piece of tortilla in and taste.

End

You can use this chile to make enchiladas. Take fresh corn tortillas and pass over an oily griddle to soften. Dip each tortilla in chile and lay it on a plate. Place a line of grated cheese and chopped onion in the center, roll and place in baking dish, seam side down. When all are rolled and in place, top with more chile, chopped onion and grated cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted and they are starting to sizzle.

 

[gopher_byrd]

Y'know, a Texan will tell you tomatoes don't belong in real chili.

Same with beans...

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Same with beans...

Correct, but after being vegetarian for many years, and vegan for some of those years, I don't preach the no beans rule. Black bean or mixed bean chili was a comfort food during those years. I never made it with pinto beans, because refried pintos were for chalupas.

In California what are the traditional rules?

 

[SirKadly]

Y'know, a Texan will tell you tomatoes don't belong in real chili. Can you sub any other liquid or flavoring? Or just leave it out.

Here's the recipe I watched my grandma and uncle make many times, and it was an old family recipe pre-dating them by decades:

Traditional San Antonio Chile

Rinse several dried ancho and/or pasilla chiles, split them open and remove seeds. These are the large dried chiles piled in the produce section. Don't use dried jalapenos (chipotles) for this part.

Boil water in a saucepan, remove from heat and add the chiles. Soak until they are swollen, soft and pulpy. Drain the chiles and pull off the stems. Press the chiles through a china cap sieve into a bowl. Discard the soaking water, discard the seeds and stems. You now have a bowl of chile flesh pulp.

Brown your meat with plenty of salt and pepper. When the meat is nearly done, add one tablespoon of cumin just to toast it, a heaping tablespoon or more of finely chopped garlic, and the chile pulp, one or two heaping tablespoons per pound of meat, being extra careful not to burn the cumin and chile. You can add a pinch of dried or fresh Mexican oregano too, not too much (it is an ingredient in many commercial chile powders, and is traditional in Mexico, more related to marjoram than Italian or Greek oregano). A lot of recipes also call for a tablespoon of paprika, but I feel this is not an authentic ingredient of the original spiced beef dish sold by the “chile queens” of San Antonio, on the street, before downtown was gentrified. It won't significantly change the overall flavor though, so your choice.

Add lots of homemade beef stock and cook 3-4 hours until the chile thickens and tastes right. Check to see if more salt is needed. In the last hour of cooking, drop in some whole washed jalapenos, optional. In the last half hour of cooking you can enhance the thickness by adding a little slurry of flour-water or masa-water. This is traditional, but should not substitute for cooking the chile long enough to flavor every shred of meat. Some people skim the oil from the top as it cooks, because if you've used lean meat, this oil is not meat grease; it’s chile oil, raging hot.

It may not take 3-4 hours, but 2-3. Check on it. The way we checked on it, and others have said "right? that's what we did", was to dip a piece of tortilla in and taste.

End

You can use this chile to make enchiladas. Take fresh corn tortillas and pass over an oily griddle to soften. Dip each tortilla in chile and lay it on a plate. Place a line of grated cheese and chopped onion in the center, roll and place in baking dish, seam side down. When all are rolled and in place, top with more chile, chopped onion and grated cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted and they are starting to sizzle.

I will definitely add this to my list of recipes to try. Already got this one going (slow cooker recipe) so too late for this time. Also, already used paprika. Had no idea that wasn't traditional. Found a recipe once for "chili powder" that I mix myself instead of buying premixed, and it calls for paprika (also cayenne which I'm sure isn't traditional, but I use it anyway) so I will try it your way sometime.

Now, time to head back outside and do more digging. Before it gets too much colder.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I will definitely add this to my list of recipes to try. Already got this one going (slow cooker recipe) so too late for this time. Also, already used paprika. Had no idea that wasn't traditional. Found a recipe once for "chili powder" that I mix myself instead of buying premixed, and it calls for paprika (also cayenne which I'm sure isn't traditional, but I use it anyway) so I will try it your way sometime.

Now, time to head back outside and do more digging. Before it gets too much colder.

Paprika and/or cayenne won't hurt anything.

I hope you enjoy your dish. We're having a cold snap here too, which I know has no meaning in comparison with what you deal with in winter where you are, but all I can think about is chili, soup, and extra sleep.

 

[CaFF]

Sauce is simmering....mmmmm.

 

[CaFF]

Keep us posted on the outcome. I don't know how people make big pieces of roast crusty on the outside, juicy on the inside.

Well, I'm sure ya know this...but normally this'd be put in a smoker or grilled low 'n slow....I can't do that in an Apt.
So, I make do...

 

[CaFF]

Sauce is done...simmered for 20 minutes, stirred well and let cool.



Put it in a big glass container as this'd wreck any plastic one I have.
It's a lot of damn good KC BBQ style sauce. Whether the pork gets done in time IDK, but this sauce WILL make something very tasty....and no dang corn syrup.

 

[CaFF]

I did it in time, behold the glorious meat I have made.

It's meat candy.....

That's HALF of the pork shoulder I'd bought.
On a 11" wide and 1" deep dinner plate.



Pulled it with just my fingers...I found it easier to weed out big bits of cartilage and fat that way.

It's simply ridiculous. And, that's not even sauced up yet...

 

[gopher_byrd]

Correct, but after being vegetarian for many years, and vegan for some of those years, I don't preach the no beans rule. Black bean or mixed bean chili was a comfort food during those years. I never made it with pinto beans, because refried pintos were for chalupas.

In California what are the traditional rules?

Competitions are Texas rules, otherwise there are folks who will throw anything and everything in and call it Chile.

 

[SirKadly]

Competitions are Texas rules, otherwise there are folks who will throw anything and everything in and call it Chile.

My recipe has a couple of oddities in it, unsweetened cocoa powder and honey. Does that count as anything and everything?

 

[SirKadly]

OK, the chili I'm having in about an hour or so...

Ingredients​

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies*
• 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large and deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Pour onions into a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker (I like this one HERE).
• Return skillet to medium-high eat, add beef and cook stirring occasionally until beef has browned.
• Drain most of fat from beef, leaving about 2 Tbsp in with beef (this is optional, I think it ads flavor but you can drain it all if you'd prefer). Pour browned beef into slow cooker.
• Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, sugar, coriander and season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 5 - 6 hours.
• Stir in dark and light red kidney beans and allow to heat through, about 2 minutes. Serve warm with desired toppings.

Except for a couple things, I replace the chili powder with a mix I make up myself and keep in a small jar, made as follows:

• 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked paprika is great)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne (use less for milder)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

And I replace the sugar with honey.

And yes, that means there is some doubling up on the paprika and cumin.

 

[gopher_byrd]

My recipe has a couple of oddities in it, unsweetened cocoa powder and honey. Does that count as anything and everything?

The cocoa powder goes well with Mexican cooking. My wife makes a killer Molé sauce which has plenty of cocoa. The honey is more natural than sugar.

 

[SirKadly]

 

[CaFF]

Made sliders....using a homemade coleslaw using broccoli slaw, with colby-jack, the sauced meat, and amazing Brioche buns from Canada using an old French recipe.

In time for Halftime too...KC Chiefs leading 19-7.

Lotta research, shopping in crazy crowds, walking carrying like 40lbs, waiting for a bus in 20F temps, then all the prep and cooking....but it all worked out.

I have a happy...

 

[gopher_byrd]

Texas Chili & The Chili Queens of San Antonio

Now I want to make a pot of red...

 

[Bliss Doubt]

OK, the chili I'm having in about an hour or so...

Ingredients​

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies*
• 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large and deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Pour onions into a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker (I like this one HERE).
• Return skillet to medium-high eat, add beef and cook stirring occasionally until beef has browned.
• Drain most of fat from beef, leaving about 2 Tbsp in with beef (this is optional, I think it ads flavor but you can drain it all if you'd prefer). Pour browned beef into slow cooker.
• Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, sugar, coriander and season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 5 - 6 hours.
• Stir in dark and light red kidney beans and allow to heat through, about 2 minutes. Serve warm with desired toppings.

Except for a couple things, I replace the chili powder with a mix I make up myself and keep in a small jar, made as follows:

• 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked paprika is great)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne (use less for milder)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

And I replace the sugar with honey.

And yes, that means there is some doubling up on the paprika and cumin.

Even if it isn't a traditional chile recipe, it certainly can be a delicious warming soup/stew. Your recipe looks rich and complex.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Texas Chili & The Chili Queens of San Antonio

Now I want to make a pot of red...

Yep. Remember what I said to Villalobos Ramirez about Germans making Mexican food here? Germans, Czechs and Poles came here to farm the land around San Antonio, and those who decided to come and live in the city often opened restaurants. Some of our greatest restaurants, some of them still standing, were started by Germans. They learned to make the food from their cooks and ranch hands. The Gebhardts apparently always did packaged foods for grocery markets.

Gebhardt Mexican Foods Company

The Handbook of Texas is your number one authoritative source for Texas history. Read this entry and thousands more like it on our site.

www.tshaonline.org

I feel that if I looked into the history and culture of California I would find it to be very similar in those ways.

 

[SirKadly]

Texas Chili & The Chili Queens of San Antonio

Now I want to make a pot of red...

Fascinating. I never knew chili peppers had so much vitamin C, good reason to eat more of them.

Dangnabbit, that reminds me, I had a recipe saved for poppers that I was going to make on New Year's Eve, and completely forgot about. Maybe I'll remember to try it in a couple of weeks on my birthday.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Fascinating. I never knew chili peppers had so much vitamin C, good reason to eat more of them.

Dangnabbit, that reminds me, I had a recipe saved for poppers that I was going to make on New Year's Eve, and completely forgot about. Maybe I'll remember to try it in a couple of weeks on my birthday.

They also cause the "chile high". Look it up if you didn't know. It's why you have to have Mexican food from time to time, once you've ever had it, if you liked it.

I always spell and pronounce it "chile" because we always have a new next generation of Mexican immigrants here, and they pronounce and spell it that way. "Chile" always refers to the peppers, so "chile con carne" is meat in chile pepper sauce, chile mole is the poblano chile sauce from the Puebla region of Mexico. It's more of an anglo or American thing to say and spell it "chili", but that does predominate everywhere.

I agree with Gopher_Byrd, your sauce with the cocoa powder is more of a mole sauce, of which there are many variations, made with chiles, pumpkin seed butter or ground almonds, pureed onions (prepped in the molcahete in days of old). I really like that too, but have never made it. The restaurants usually have enchiladas en mole.

The little popper pies are super easy to make. Try them for your dinner one cold evening.

 

[CaFF]

Watching Green Bay vs Cowboys....a classic matchup, especially in a Wild Card game.



When I made the pork, I had popped in a couple of huge Angus hotdogs to cook too...much yummers now....�

 

[CaFF]

It's been a long time since I'd made one, so I made a filthy dirty Martini...



Used some nice organic Greek olives, with no pimentos....yup fancy.

Shaken, not stirred. Safely made at home.

That, would be about $15 at a bar.

 

[CaFF]

Rather annoyed at the USDA Choice boneless Top Round roast I'd bought recently.
It has sat in it's package, unopened, for a few days in the fridge...no biggie eh? It's not even out of date.

Went to dissect it today and it's brown...on the INSIDE like in layers.
I saw there were a few small brown/grey areas on the very outside...so I'd cut 'em off. RIght?

Wrong. It's on the INSIDE of the roast too.




This is systemic. HOW the **** does that even happen?

Out of a 3lb roast that cost $8lb+, I got this much outa it.



No more buying fancy meat. I'll stick to the usual cuts I'd always used...Chuck, London broil, etc.

 

[CrazyChef v2.0]

My first sourdough loaf. It came out pretty good!

 

[CaFF]

My first sourdough loaf. It came out pretty good!

That's just beautiful.

 

[CaFF]

Decided to make up a box of rice stuff from the food boxes...much adulterated, of course.



I cooked it in a mix of leftover veggie and beef stocks, adding more rice, veggies, leftover lamb from a gyro, couple slices of ham, peppers, onion/garlic, some Za'atar seasoning, sage and rosemary, spicy V8 for extra liquid flavoring, dashes of curry powder, NM red chile powder and chipotle Morita powder, and a shot of Red Hornet sauce..'cuz I gotta.

I think I made a nice pot-full out of it. Made about 7 cups worth of yummy stuff.

 

[Walter Ladd]

Classic Beef Stir Fry​

Simple and delicious classic easy beef stir fry with bell peppers, onions, spring onions, and savoury umami sauce. One of the best Chinese stir-fried beef recipes that you can make everything from scratch with cupboard-friendly everyday ingredients. Serve with a bowl of plain rice or noodles.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese Cuisine
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Beef marinade time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 - 3
Calories: 559kcal
Author: Khin

Equipment​

• ▢
  1 Large Wok Or pan or skillet

Ingredients​

Beef & Marinade​

• ▢ 250 grams Beef steak Rump, chuck, ribeye, sirloin, etc ( About 8.8oz )
• ▢ 1 tbsp Light soy sauce Or regular all-purpose soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp Sesame oil Or vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 tsp Corn starch or potato starch
• ▢ ½ tsp Ginger paste Or grated ginger
• ▢ ¼ tsp Baking soda

Sauce Ingredients​

• ▢ 2 tbsp Oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
• ▢ 2 tsp Brown sugar or regular white sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp Light soy sauce thin soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tbsp Shao Xing wine Chinese cooking rice wine ( see details in note )
• ▢ 1 tsp Sesame oil
• ▢ ½ tsp Corn starch

Stir Fry Ingredients​

• ▢ ½ Onion Cut thin slices
• ▢ 2-3 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
• ▢ ½ tsp Crushed chillies Dried chilli flakes ( optional )
• ▢ 1-2 Bell peppers Cut thin slices
• ▢ 2-3 Spring onions Cut 2" pieces
• ▢ 1-2 tsp Toasted sesame seeds For garnish ( optional )
• ▢ 3 tbsp Cooking oil Vegetable oil, sunflower, canola, peanut oil, etc.

Instructions​

Prepare the beef and stir fry sauce​

• First, cut the steak into thin strips or thin slices against the grain by using a well-sharpened knife.
• Place the beef slices in a bowl and add soy sauce, sesame oil, baking soda, corn starch and ginger paste. Mix everything evenly and massage with your hands. Set it aside and marinate for 15-30 minutes.
• Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set it aside.

Stir fry the beef​

• Heat the large wok/pan over medium high heat and add 3 tbsp of oil and add the marinated beef. Flatten the beef and let it sear for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom part is charred. Then flip the beef and continue stir fry for another 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink.
• Then add chopped garlic and follow by the crushed chillies, onions, and bell peppers.
• Next, pour the sauce in the wok and continue stir fry for about 1 minute or until the sauce is glossy.
• Add spring onions and make a quick toss. Finish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately with plain rice or noodles.

 

[CaFF]

I finally got around to making my own single serve coffee bags using DIY empty tea bags and organic ground coffee. Simply wonderful, and it feels good to kick the non-organic Folgers singles out of my diet.

This works, and if you are very careful filling each little bag (one super heaping tablespoon coffee), you don't end up with any grounds at the bottom of the cup. My test cases were one cup yesterday, and one today. I let it steep about 3 minutes. It stays hot during that time because the bag floats to the top and serves as kind of a lid.

I made up a few of them last night, still have tons of coffee left.

View attachment 211190

I use a big mug that holds two cups of coffee, so the size teabags I bought were 3.94" x 3.15", or 10cm x 8cm, which is a common size offered, but if you use a normal size 8 oz. cup you can get smaller teabags, also commonly offered, and they'll be cheaper. The important thing is the bag is roomy enough for the poured hot water to really circulate and bring out the coffee goodness. The bags I got were 12.00 for a thousand of them, unbleached cotton, biodegradable, compostable. The coffee was 9.00 for the 12 oz. bag already roasted and ground.

Based on the price of the organic coffee and the empty bags, how many servings I've made so far, how much coffee is still left, I would estimate the cost at about 25 cents per normal size cup, or about 50 cents per serving in the double size mug I use. I hope I'm calculating right, adding a few cents for the empty teabag needed for each serving.

My next intention is to find a sealed cannister to store the ones I pre-make, to get the plastic container out of the equation. Maybe a used pretty brand jar like this Gevalia, which has a rubber seal inside the top:

View attachment 211193

Or a sturdy sensible clamp jar, also with a seal inside:

View attachment 211192

Unless I already have something around here I can use.

I just got these, looks like the same kind of silky/mesh-like plant-based material?
The bags are trihedral...never seen that before.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

I just got these, looks like the same kind of silky/mesh-like plant-based material?
The bags are trihedral...never seen that before.

Interesting. I'm not clear if "plant based" there refers to the tea bag material or to the foodstuff. That's a generous size tea bag for the spoonful of tea though. I'm convinced that makes it brew better because the tea can really give its good to the brewing water.

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Rather annoyed at the USDA Choice boneless Top Round roast I'd bought recently.
It has sat in it's package, unopened, for a few days in the fridge...no biggie eh? It's not even out of date.

Went to dissect it today and it's brown...on the INSIDE like in layers.
I saw there were a few small brown/grey areas on the very outside...so I'd cut 'em off. RIght?

Wrong. It's on the INSIDE of the roast too.

View attachment 212192
View attachment 212193

This is systemic. HOW the **** does that even happen?

Out of a 3lb roast that cost $8lb+, I got this much outa it.

View attachment 212194

No more buying fancy meat. I'll stick to the usual cuts I'd always used...Chuck, London broil, etc.

Previously frozen maybe, for transport? That's terrible. Where did you buy it?