I've been off work since Dec 15 - return Jan 3. I have been mega busy, my regular has had tons of OT, then running two businesses. Exhausted. 1.5 years until I (can) retire. My wife started back into the work force - HER choice - as my youngest started college away from home. But wife doesn't get many days off in health care and she if the usual festive cooking person.
So I do like to cook........
Smoked pork shoulder soup. Had the carcass from a couple meals, wanted some soup. I cooked up two quartered onions, a little garlic, a chopped up large apple (takes the porky flavor right out), bay leaves, carrots, a couple small tomatoes, half a jalapeno, etc, in olive oil and butter. Cooked that well, threw the remains (with bone) of the smoked roast in, browned it up, added some tomato paste, some harissa paste, then chicken broth. Simmered for a few hours, added some potatoes, chopped up the meat, removed the bone. Everybody loved the soup - rich, a little smokey, very slightly spicy!
A little lime, some mild white cheese from Bellingham and tortilla (also some sliced avocado).
Shepherd's pie (lousy cell pic):
And I made a fruitcake Wednesday: http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-id ... ake-recipe
I didn't frost it. I have 8 varieties of booze to dose your own slice as you see fit. Usually I make a panettone or if I make a fruitcake, the old dark variety and splash with booze a couple times a week for a month or so. My mom used to do that from the old world. As much as people make fun of [censored] store bought fruitcake, my mom's stuff is awesome. This recipe is lighter and drier. Don't even bake the nuts 10-12 minutes - THAT is way too long. 8 minutes should do it. Also, I soak the fruits in different alcohols to taste. (and used a bit more booze than the recipe calls for)
I mixed some simple syrup in a decent slug of the Jameson and soaked that bomb yesterday. Frack, wow it tastes good. Moist but not wringing wet. Oh yeah!!
So I do like to cook........
Smoked pork shoulder soup. Had the carcass from a couple meals, wanted some soup. I cooked up two quartered onions, a little garlic, a chopped up large apple (takes the porky flavor right out), bay leaves, carrots, a couple small tomatoes, half a jalapeno, etc, in olive oil and butter. Cooked that well, threw the remains (with bone) of the smoked roast in, browned it up, added some tomato paste, some harissa paste, then chicken broth. Simmered for a few hours, added some potatoes, chopped up the meat, removed the bone. Everybody loved the soup - rich, a little smokey, very slightly spicy!
A little lime, some mild white cheese from Bellingham and tortilla (also some sliced avocado).
Shepherd's pie (lousy cell pic):
And I made a fruitcake Wednesday: http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-id ... ake-recipe
I didn't frost it. I have 8 varieties of booze to dose your own slice as you see fit. Usually I make a panettone or if I make a fruitcake, the old dark variety and splash with booze a couple times a week for a month or so. My mom used to do that from the old world. As much as people make fun of [censored] store bought fruitcake, my mom's stuff is awesome. This recipe is lighter and drier. Don't even bake the nuts 10-12 minutes - THAT is way too long. 8 minutes should do it. Also, I soak the fruits in different alcohols to taste. (and used a bit more booze than the recipe calls for)
I mixed some simple syrup in a decent slug of the Jameson and soaked that bomb yesterday. Frack, wow it tastes good. Moist but not wringing wet. Oh yeah!!
