Food

Tom's Food . . .

Tom's Food Archive 2019--2020  Word Document or Tom's Food Archive 2019--2020 PDF File

September 5, 2025  Another Product of Change – Low Fat Ice Cream.

Today I’ll spare you the conversation with ai; however, I needed to consult ChatGPT and Gemini ai to avoid misspeaking.

Way back in 1994, FDA changed the name of Iced Milk to Lowfat Ice Cream.  You can inquire yourself if you’re interested.  Presently, most ice cream sold for home use is probably the cheaper, healthier, low fat alternative which is processed by introducing air into the mixture before it is frozen (called Overrun).  I am not sure how much water, if any, is combined in the process.

The result is that a gallon tub/pail is filled with a mixture of ingredients that weighs about half as much as ice cream made back in the 1950s (my time-frame of reference).  Iced Milk was also available at a cheaper price, but if you wanted to make a really good Sundae, Parfait, Banana Split, Float, Milk Shake or Malted milk, ice cream made with whole milk, cream, and a few other natural ingredients was the way to go  (Typically Soda Fountain Menu Items).

If I remember correctly, in the earlier days of iced milk, you would actually sense the presence of ice crystals instead of a smooth and creamy consistency.  Today's methods of making low fat ice cream using improved processes and additional ingredients have eliminated most or all of that sensation.

Low Fat Ice Cream packaging labels, like many other food items processed today, read like pages out of a chemistry book.  A number of companies still produce authentic or what is now called “Heritage” ice cream using the old recipes or variations thereof with natural ingredients.

There is nothing wrong with low fat ice cream.  However, it lacks the richness and flavor of the original or homemade product.  It doesn’t make much difference for someone who has never eaten  and enjoyed an old fashioned dish of ice.

Sometimes within the past decade or two, or three, I have been disappointed after attempting to make milkshakes or malts from low fat ice cream currently being sold at the supermarket.  I will load up my blender with scoop after scoop of low fat vanilla ice cream, add a bit of milk, some malt powder, and chocolate or other flavorings.  After a few spins I pour out the contents into a tall glass and low and behold, the glass is not even half full.  (Using margarine instead of butter when making old-fashioned chocolate fudge has a similar outcome--runny.)

After checking with ai to for more answers.  The first thing they said was “Don’t use a high speed blender, or if you do,  just pulse it a few times.” The blender will liquefy the ingredients until it is soup (to  put it in my own words).  Secondly, ai stated that since a gallon of Low Fat Ice Cream weighs about one-half as much as a gallon of the old product made with milk and cream—4.5 or 5 pounds compared to around 9 or 10 pounds.

• The frozen low fat ice cream is suspended in frozen air and water?? (sugar water or liquid sugar which sounds better).  One gallon is measured by volume, not by weight (avoirdupois). 

• Therefore, don't confuse liquid ounces, a measure of volume, with pounds and ounces that measure weight.

The fast moving blades of a blender (NutriBullet) quickly breaks down the suspension resulting in a foamy consistency instead of being thick and creamy .  The missing ingredient is the other 90% milkfat that has been replaced other sciency sounding ingredients listed on the product label.

Ai's recommendation is to use a slower rotation method (I find a few stirs with a tablespoon will retain the consistency, but you’ll still end up with about half the quantity compared to using “Heritage” ice cream, instead.

 “Premium” ice cream is more expensive.  I venture to say you might be able to buy a single-scoop ice cream cone at the mall for around $5 where it used to cost 5 cents at the local restaurant.  (I’ll check that).

Woah!  I asked Gemini ai about this using a heavily advertised product that came to mind (not shown):  Here’s what they said:

Due to variations in location and franchise pricing, it is difficult to give an exact estimate for a single-scoop ice cream cone at a Mall Ice Cream Store in 2025. However, based on available menu information, the price for a single-scoop item (which is often an "In-House Creation" with various mix-ins) can range from around $9 to $11 or more.*

Factors that influence the final cost include:

·        Location: Prices can vary significantly depending on the city and state.

·        Cone type: Upgrading to a waffle or dipped cone will add to the price.

·        Mix-ins: The number and type of add-ins you choose to add to your base ice cream.

·        Taxes: Applicable sales tax will be added at checkout.

No Thank you.

Lastly, I will conclude this post with a link to a YouTube Video:  

How to Make Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker | Easiest Ice Cream Recipe Ever

I haven't tried this yet but it looks Yummy.

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Comments:

Lastly based on FDA guidelines, if a product doesn’t contain at least 10% milkfat, it cannot be legally called ice cream.  It is therefore illegal for drive-ins or fast food restaurants, etc., who sell soft serve desserts, cones, and shakes to call their products ice cream unless it contains the required 10% minimum of milkfat.

*Note that ai follow their conversations with the disclaimer that ai responses may contain errors.

ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus
Sources:  ChatGPT & Gemini ai 

September 4, 2025--Hybrid Corn -- Corn on the Cob 1950s vs. Corn on the Cob Today

As a child in the mid 1950s, one of the highlights of going to the State Fair on a few occasions was eating a huge ripe cob of corn dipped in melted butter, with dash of salt and served on a stick.  The ripe corn had large kernels that were chewy and delicious.  For 25 cents it was well worth the cost.

I am not sure if corn on the cob of that quality can be found on the midway anymore.  I know that tastes have changed where new generations of people may no longer appreciate such a delight.

This introduces today’s topic concerning early corn varieties and modern hybrid corn--its impact on developing nations and indigenous people while weighing its advantages--disadvantages and agri-business’s role.

Near the end of this post I also ask Gemini to refute or affirm my observations about cooking corn today versus how it was prepared in the 1950s, for example.  Just to mention in advance, my corn preparation methods are now deemed obsolete.

Click Here to read Gemini’s response to my 3 questions asked during today’s Conversation:

Question 1:

Do African subsistence farmers fear  that U.S. hybrid corn will pollinate their seed corn rendering it unsuitable for their needs?

Question 2:

Has the procedure for boiling corn on the cob for mealtime changed in the past 70 years due to the introduction of hybrid and genetically modified corn varieties.  Explain how boiling corn to achieve tenderness and doneness may differ today compared to yesteryear?

Question 3:

I thought so. Many years ago real butter and a dash of salt served on very ripe corn on the cob (even field corn) required 20 minutes--which was the rule of thumb. Today, the longer you boil it, the tougher it gets. New varieties are tasteless by comparison due less starch and a less chewy texture, and its raw and squishy kernels of today. Can you explain this in more accurate terminology? Sweetness, in my opnion, is not the defining flavor of corn on the cob.

ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus 

March 8, 2025  Natural Flavors Ask ChatGPT—Definition and Brief Overview

You Asked:

Does the Term "Natural Flavors" as it appears on food products sold in the United State originate from any of the following sectors:  FDA, Chemistry, Biology, Food Industry, or Advertising? Please Define the term "Natural Flavors" and also cite how its definition differs from similar products sold in Europe.

ChatGPT:

The term "Natural Flavors" as it appears on food products sold in the United States originates primarily from the Food Industry, with guidance and regulation from agencies like the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Definition of "Natural Flavors":

According to the FDA, "Natural flavors" refer to flavors derived from natural sources such as fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and other plant or animal products. Specifically, the FDA defines "natural flavors" as:

• Flavoring substances extracted, distilled, or otherwise derived from a plant or animal source.

• Flavor additives that are not synthetically created but derived from the natural substance through processing or fermentation.

The FDA's definition allows for a broad spectrum of processing methods, including chemical processes, but the source must still be natural (i.e., originating from a plant or animal). This includes things like concentrated fruit juice or essential oils from plants.

Difference Between the U.S. and Europe:

In Europe, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is more stringent with its regulation of "natural flavors." The EU's definition is more specific and typically requires that the flavoring components be extracted or processed with minimal intervention. In practice, European definitions of natural flavors often prohibit certain synthetic chemicals that might be allowed under U.S. regulations.

Some notable differences include:

The EU generally does not allow the use of artificial solvents in the extraction process, whereas in the U.S., solvents like ethanol or hexane are often used to extract flavoring compounds.

Enzyme treatments and fermentation processes used in Europe are often more strictly defined and controlled to maintain the integrity of the "natural" claim.

Thus, while both regions allow flavors to come from natural sources, the methods of extraction and processing are more regulated in Europe, leading to a somewhat more restrictive interpretation of what constitutes a "natural flavor."

Summary:

• U.S.: Natural flavors can be chemically processed, as long as the source is natural (plant or animal).
  
  

• EU: Tighter restrictions on the methods of extraction and processing to maintain the "natural" claim, focusing more on minimal intervention.

Would you like more detailed examples of what kinds of products would fall under each definition?

 Source:  ChatGPT 4o

March 6, 2025  Thrifty Shoppng--No Wasted Food and More . . .

Leftover food sometimes gets pushed to the back of the fridge and after a few days discarded mainly for safety reasons.  That happens when life gets busy and we make other food choices.  Preparing meals in the kitchen is the preferred method for many but not all.

With food costs at the grocery store on the rise, people on the go may, instead prepare microwavable meals that are ready in a just a few minutes.  Even T.V. dinners in a conventional oven maye take up to an hour.

Frequenting restaurants and fast food establishments, or ordering out  for pizza, Mexican, or Chinese food, etc., are other lifestyle choices.  If money is no object, subscribing to an online meal delivery service will save time when preparing an extra-special meal of their choice.  The food may be of an exotic nature not readily avaiable at the local grocery store.

Today's topic focuses on the cost of  bare-bones  home cooked and nutritious meals.  While not inflation proof, home made meals can reduce the monthly expenditure for food when living on a budget.  

Here is a detailed breakdown of the cost for a single home-made meal (see image below).

Food Purchased in packaging and containers:

• Mashed potatoes (Dehyrated) (4 servings):  Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Russet Potatoes--4 oz. package: (add 2 cupswater equivalent to 1 pound 4 oz. of mashed potatoes). $1.29

• Carrots: (Crunchy Whole Carrots): Grimmway Farms--5 lb. Bag (80 ounces).  $3.88

• Cottage Cheese:   Daisy Land Cottage Cheese--16 oz.  $3.24

• Chicken Tenders:  Perdue Havestland Chicken Breast Tenderloins:  .91 lbs, $5.26 (7 chicken strips)

• Radishes:   For You Brand Radishes--16 oz.  $1.86

Here is a breakdown of the cost of the prepared food shown on the plate below:

Total Cost of All food listed above:  1.29 + $3.88 + $3.24 + $5.26 + $1.86  =  $15.53

Fractional breakdown of food cost for 1 individual's meal:

                                       Mashed Potatoes  1/4 x $1.29   =  $ 0.33

                                           Boiled Carrots 3/80  x $3.88   = $ 0.15

                                           Cottage Cheese 2/16 x $3.24 = $ 0.41

                                            Grilled Chicken  2/7 x $5.26  = $ 1.51

                            Sliced Radish about 1/20 ct x  $1.86   = $  0.10

                                                Total Cost of One Meal  =  $ 2.50

All fractions were rounded up to the next cent.

Clearly,  the meat and dairy were the most expensive, athough more affordable than dining at a restaurant.  Dehydraded potatoes, compared to buying fresh Russet potatoes by the pound, throwing and away peels when making mashed potatoes, plus adding milk, would cost about the same as a small package of dehydrated potatoes where most of the weight and volume comes from the added water.

The advantage of making meals such as this one is that there is no waste regarding the food--no peels, fat, bones, skin or rinds, etc.  However, you can't eat the packaging or other containers that you pay for along with the food.  I did not factor in the cost of  labor, electricity, water or the  slice of toast my wife had instead of cottage cheese.

Carrots purchased in large bags are more economical compared to buying smaller bags or packaged baby carrots. Canned carrot flavor is not the same as boiled fresh carrots, that's for sure.  With a litte extra effort, raw whole carrots can be cut into carrot sticks and never have an odd smell compared to some bagged baby carrots.

Note:  Less expensive cuts of chicken breasts can be found:  We recently purchased, for example, Golden Plump USDA boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts @ $ 2.79/ lb.  (4 oz. serving = $ 0.70).

Also, USDA boneless Arm Steak @ 6.99/ lb. (4 oz. steak, cut up with carrots, patotoes, onions, and margarine--wrapped in foil, and oven baked at 350° -- 375° F. makes a nutritious meal that is comparable in cost to the chicken dinner and also without waste)--a Hobo Dinner.

Meal Variations:

Here is another meal that was recently made with wholesome food containing no waste except the liquid drained from the canned green beans.  Here is the break down of cost for One Salmon fillet dinner with mashed potatoes, green beans and toast shown below.   Again, most prices reflect sales prices from different stores.

Mashed Potatoes   (Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Russet Potatoes): 4 oz. package, 1/4 x $1.29  = $ 0.33

Green Beans (Great Value Cut Green Beans): 14.5 oz. can @ $0 .64 x 1/2 can (1.75 Servings)                   = $ 0.32

Toast (Sarah Lee White Whole Grain Bread): 1lb. 4 oz. loaf @ 2.79 x 1/20                                                      = $ 0.14

Pan Fried Salmon (Our Family Salmon Fillets--frozen):  1lb. @ 6.99 x 1/4  (4 o.z serving size)                   = $ 1.75

                                                                                                                                      Total Cost of One Meal  =  $ 2.54

With exact prices per meal known, a budget can be created for meals.  To allow for inflation, take the total of your annual food bill for meals (do not include candy, snacks, sodas.  Also, do not include paper towels, cleaners, laundry soap, and cat food).  You will  need to factor in the additional cost of cooking supplies:  sugar, salt, pepper, coffee, flour, yeast if you bake, milk, eggs, butter, margarine, ketchup, mustard, etc.--it counts up quickly--better add another $100/month or more to allow for that.

Mulitply the total annual amount allocated specifically for food and supplies by the anticipated percentage of increase.   For example.  $ 12.00/day (for 2 adults)  plus another $ 1,200 annually for the estimated cost of cooking supplies:  $12.00 x 365 + $ 1,200 =  $ 5,580* annual costs of staples for two adults.

Estimating that there will be a 5% rate of inflation on food for the upcoming year, budget for food as follows:  Multiply $ 5,580 x 5% = $ 279 estimated cost of inflation for food for the upcoming year.

Monthly Annual Estimated Cost of Inflation for Food:  $ 279 ÷  12  = $ 23.25 per month 

An extra $ 23.25 per month is the estimated cost of inflation to stay healthy.  It doesn't seem like much, but combined with everything else, it will amount to a lot, especially for someone living on a fixed income or are unemployed.

Accordng to current data (see below), my 2026 estimate for one adult's cost of food for one month, detailed above, would be $ 232.50 which is near the bottom of the range published by the USDA, currently.  That's because there was little or no waste, no junk food, and all meals were home cooked.  It is a very conservative estimate for that reason.

*The annual cost of food for a single adult in the U.S. can range from $2,500 to $3,500 depending on eating habits and location. . . The USDA estimates that the cost of food for a single adult ranges from $239 to $529 per month. 

Source:  Google Labs | AI Overview

Junk food shouldn't be included in your food budget--that's discretionary spending.  If absolutely necessary, the above meals can be reduced in price by substituting alternative meat selections, reducing portion size or frequency of how many times you eat meat on a weekly basis--or by elminating meat altogether.  However, non-meat substitutes, the healthy ones, that is, are priced comparable to, or higher than reasonably priced fresh red meat, poultry, and fish.

Take for example, soybean products:

Even if you purchased bulk products like bags of edible soybeans the price to consumers is high.  Currently as of today's  post, the price at grain elevators for organic non-GMO soybeans is $ 20.00 per bushel--60 lbs.

My next search was online shopping at Walmart.  A 5 pound bag of organic non-GMO certified soybeans was $32.24 for 5 pounds--there were others that cost more.  ( 12 x 5 lb = 60 lbs)  $32.24 x 12 = $ 386.88.    $ 386.88 ÷ $ 20  = 19.34 time more than what the producer (farmer) gets for his effort.

I understand soybeans are sorted, cleaned, tested and bagged, but if sold as raw soybeans to be processed at home, what justifies the 1900.34% markup from what the farmer gets. In between the farmer and the consumer are the middlemen's profit and tranportation costs.  You can look it up yourself to see who's getting rich.  The more soybeans are processed, the more expensive they become.  Another factor influencing the high price of edible soybeans is worldwide demand due to their nutritional value.  Maybe production, surplus, or availability is being controlled to prevent an over supply that would drive the soybean price down? (That would hurt the farmers even more.)  Or, is everyone just that hungry?

ThoughtsOfThomasNotNostradamus

Everything you Want to Know about Soybeans is link to a blog called Pickles and Tea.

January 28, 2025  Modern Cooking--Processed Food and Kitchen Stove

In the early day's my grandparent's homestead dwelling was primitive by today's standards, lacking electricity and other comforts that we now expect.  They did have a wood/coal burning kitchen stove that also provided  warmth for the kitchen.  Monarch and Home Comfort stoves were popular brands in our area.

In addition to cooking and baking, these stoves provided a source of warm water in its copper-lined reservoir (warm only if the stove is heating) on the far end where water could be either poured in or dipped out.  In the winter, pails or washtubs-full heaped with snow were slowly thawed atop the stove after the pumps for the water well and cistern were drained to prevent freeze-up and breakage.

The cookstove also had two sealed compartments above the stove top that could be used for storage, warming plates, etc., or as a place to keep the flies away (see image below).  A metal stove pipe (not shown) was usually attached to an interior or exterior wall-mounted brick chimney that extended three, or four feet, or higher above the roofline or peak depending on the roof design.

Baking could be tricky because the oven temperature was determined by the fire and the experience of the person stoking and adjusting the stove's draft and vents.  The oven door had a temperature gauge in the center on my grandparent's and parent's cook stoves, but constant temperatures had to be maintained.

Baking bread was a never-ending chore that could keep the kitchen overly warm in the summer months.  Due to this, baking had to be done early in the morning during periods of hot weather to allow time for the house to cool before the afternoon.

Pre-dating that era of the early 1900s,  some households did their cooking apart from the main house for fear of fire.  Food preparation was a more grizzly and all-inclusive process where butchering, scalding, rendering, or other undertakings might occur that increased the liklihood of kitchen fires.  Sparks from an open hearth could ignite combustibles or a chimney fire could (and still does) set the kitchen or upstairs ablaze.

Today's worries concerning fire are still justified.  It is important to watch what's cooking and to understand how to use the equipment used to prepare the meal. 

After the history lesson above, today's post briefly touches on two modern-day cooking topics:

Processed Food--Turkey Bacon.  The oink is gone in turkey bacon along with the pork fat and rendered lard.  The white streaks in turkey bacon are not fat--don't try to render it.  The white streaks are white turkey meat/breast that is included to  "mimic" the appearance of real bacon.  The excreted oil after turkey bacon has fried, can be patted off with a piece of paper towel.  

Kitchen Stove--Glass Top Electic Range.  A noticeable difference between glass top ranges and either gas or electric element ranges is the time it takes the burners to cool after heat is "reduced."   This has been one of the biggest adjustments we have had to make after purchasing a glass top range several months ago.

For example, yesterday's pan fried grilled cheese sandwiches became a bit dark (blackish) on the  second side after the temperature was reduced to low.  Low doesn't happen quick enough compared to external element or gas burners.  There is considerable heat rentention in the glass top.

The best solution if the initial temperature was set too high, for example, is to remove the pan from the hot burner, turn the burner off, and allow the burner temperature to gradually cool.  If the grilled cheese sandwiches are not sufficiently browned, wait a minute or two and place the pan back on the burner.  Experience will become your best teacher, just like when grandma tended her cookstove when baking bread.

January 16, 2025  Re-discovering Tea--A Fine Beverage with Medicinal Properties

Tea has been a favorite drink for centuries.  Bigelow's Red Raspberry Caffeine-Free Herb Tea, packaged in tea bags, makes an excellent drink, hot or cold. Opening the sealed package containing an individual tea bag passes the nose test--it has a very fragrant raspberry and tea smell.  Boil four cups of water and let one tea bag steep for five minutes.

To make it tastier, adding two Tbsp. of Real Lemon, two Tbsp. of honey, and two Tbsp. of granulated sugar to the boiling brew should satisfy any sweet tooth.  Tea is an excellent beverage served hot, but even though it's the middle of winter, iced tea is refreshing any time of the year.

Regarding its medicinal value--a hot cup of tea seems to relieve the effects of a lingering head cold.  The caffeinated variety can also serve as a mild stimulant, and with a lump or two of sugar or other natural sweetener such as honey can provide an energy boost.

January 15, 2025  Tom's Tasty Beefy, Onion and Mushroom Soup--Pennies per Serving

Stir in about 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms , 1/2 half cup coarsely chopped onion, 1/2 cup pearled barley, 1 Tbsp. butter (optional), and 1/2 tsp. each of  ground black pepper and garlic powder into a  mixture of  8 cups boiling water and 1 1/2 Tbsp. Better than Bouillon beef base.

Continue to boil uncovered for 5 minutes, reduce temperature to low heat, cover, and continue simmering for 15 to 25 minutes until barley becomes plump and tender.  That's it  (4 servings).

November 21, 2024 Air Fryer--Breakfast Cereal Rejuvenation

Today, while organizing the cereal boxes in the cupboard, my wife mentioned that the Frosted Cheerios that she enjoys for breakfast has been upsetting her stomach.  Rather than feeding it to the birds, I mentioned I would munch on the dry cereal for a snack.

The box was almost full, but during the past few weeks moisture had apparently gotten into the box making it somewhat soggy and unappealing.

A bit of moisture was not going to foil my plans.  I therefore poured a couple of cups of the soggy (not spoiled) cereal into the air fryer set at 270 degrees F. for 3--5 minutes.   The cereal blew around inside the heated fryer basket and presto, the crispiness was back.  Its flavor and sugary coating had not been compromised after all.

Since the dehyrated cereal passed the taste test, I considered the experiment to be a success.  The cereal's expiration date was still several months away and I felt that it had not spoiled.  I wouldn't recommend taking a chance with any food with an expired date, however.   It is not a good idea to eat tainted food.

November 13, 2024 Air Fryer--Another Application

Croutons:

Cut 8 slices of stale or fresh bread (not moldy) into 1/2" cubes--6 x 6 cuts in each direction). Pour cubes into air fryer basket and separate.  Set air fryer to 300 degrees F.  Depending on moisture level of bread, dried  cubes will require 5 to 10 minutes (without scorching--browning is acceptable).  Shake basket midway to further separate croutons as needed (yield:  approximately 3 cups). 

After cooling, pour into a sealable freezer bag.  In addition, season with a light sprinkle of salt, black pepper, red ground pepper, and garlic powder, etc., if desired, and shake bag.  Croutons are great for salads, stuffing, meatloaf, or a light snack.

September 21, 2024 Food Preparation with Glass Top Electric Ranges

Bean and Bacon Soup.  Three days ago I prepared a variation of the September 7 Bean Soup recipe (see description below).  This was the first homemade recipe prepared on our new glass top electric range.

Glass Cooktops.  We hadn't used a glasstop range since 2007 while living in Arizona.  I don't know why, but we had kept the half-used bottle of glass top stove cleaner.  The cleaner had been waiting beneath our kitchen sink for all these years.   It came in handy removing splatter from the boiling beans.

I see now that more care will need to be taken managing boiling and frying temperatures as well as selecting appropriate sized kettles and pans; otherwise, I'll be devoting as much time cleaning the stove top as I do for cooking the food.

The new range heats up quickly but was a bit tricky at first adjusting to the interior heating elements and care required when setting and removing kettles and pans on the glass surface (lift -- no sliding).  I recall how we used to make popcorn by vigorously sliding a covered heavy frying pan back and forth on various gas and electric range burners.  You can imagine what the glass stove top would look like after that stunt.

Cookware.  Adjusting to the new stove requirements was also an opportunity to thoroughly clean the bottom surfaces of all pans and kettles that had become discolored by the old electric stove elements and neglect.  With a little elbow grease and scrubbing they now shine like new. Our old cast iron pan collection should not be used on glass top stoves due to their heat retention that would damage the glass surface.  The cast iron pans will have to be used on a campfire or outdoor grill.

September 7, 2024 You Get What You Pay For-- Supermarket Cut and Packaged Meat and Dietary Alternatives

As a consumer, I sometimes have a "beef" and a  "bone to pick"  (puns intended).  Today, however, I'm talking about "pork bones."

It's not that I just started grocery shopping yesterday.   Depending on the supermarket, I can usually expect to find a couple of scrawny cuts of  meat hidden beneath three finer specimens in a value pack of cut pork chops.  That's just how it is.  I'm not getting hustled because I'm looking for bargain cuts of meat.

Generally, we open the large value packages and split them into several meals by putting them into individual freezer bags to be frozen.  A recent value package had two bottom pork chops each with 4" diameter bones leaving little or no meat to fry.  Therefore, we trimmed what meat there was and packaged it with the other three (Value pack of 5 chops).

I wasn't about to throw the bones away because it represented about a half pound of paid-for meat.  Instead, they were frozen separately, and today, I used them to flavor a bean dish made from dried Great Northern Beans (see recipe below).

Now this isn't the type of acitivity my wife participates in, but I grew up eating food prepared in this manner and have the patience to devote 6 hours to make it.   The first hour was used to quick soak the dried beans in an 8" tall x 9 1/2" wide stock pot half full of boiling water.

One pound of sorted and rinsed dried beans were boiled for 2 minutes and then simmered covered on low heat for at least another hour; followed by draining, rinsing, and draining again.

While the beans soaked,  the raw center pork bones (about 8 oz.) were gently fried (low heat approx. 20 minutes) in 3-4 tsp. butter with a few grinds of black pepper--being careful not to burn the butter.  A deep skillet was used in order to hold water for making a pork flavored broth consisting of:

8 cups water poured over
Fried pork chop bones (about 8 oz.),
Browned butter and pepper already in the skillet, and add to that:

2 tsp. salt (beans will need this for bringing out their flavor)
1/2 tsp. additional black pepper
1 tsp. dried minced onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup cut carrot:  in 1/2" square x 1/8" thick chips.  (personal preference)
1/2 cup celery:  chopped into about 1/2" pieces.

Bring broth to boil and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes.

After an hour the beans will have had time to expand in size but will still be woody.  If you elect to add the broth at this point, drain water from beans, rinse, and then drain again--as mentioned earlier--and then add the broth to the rinsed cooked beans in the stock pot.

Whether you elect to defer adding the broth for another hour or two is your decision.  Either way, the bean dish will not be fully cooked for about another 5 hours of intermittent simmering on low.  The longer the broth is combined with the beans, the tastier the end result will be--However, do not overcook the beans, otherwise the beans will separate into mush.

Important Note:  Cover the beans while simmering the mixture.  If water boils off, the beans will stick to the bottom of the  kettle and then you have a mess.  Do not leave the kitchen unattended and use low heat.  Remove the stock pot from the burner and shut off the stove if you have to exit the kitchen for a length of time.  If covered, the previously simmering bean mixture should be able to rest for an hour without fear of contamination or spoilage.  Safety First!  Suspend the cooking operation and refrigerate the beans if necessary.

Serve the cooked beans on a plate using a slotted spoon, or ladle them along with the liquid into a bowl as a soup if desired.  Warm up the leftovers for one of the best bean soups you will ever taste.  Whatever your choice, the bonus is the delicious pork that may be clinging to the bones, however scant it may be.  (Remove the gleaned pork bones before serving.)

Final comment.  The time commitment isn't as bad as it sounds.  Once everything has been combined, the stove and progress of the ingredients just have to be closely monitored as they are cooking.  If your're watching television, always have one eye on the stove. 😜

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Alternate Recipe:  Bean and Bacon Soup*

Instead of pork chop bones and broth, Substitute 4 strips of well-fried/nearly crisped bacon (broken into 1/2" pieces) and 2--3 tsp. rendered bacon grease (unburned).   Reduce Salt ingredient to 1 tsp. and omit the Butter.  Vegetables, seasonings, fried bacon, and bacon grease are added directly to the soaked,  rinsed and drained beans along with 6--8 cups of water.

Begin with 6 cups and gradually add more water to attain the desired consistency (your personal preference).  Simmer as described in the first recipe. 

Upon completion, allow soup to cool and refrigerate.  After refrigerating, excess bacon grease will solidify on the top.  Skim off excess grease while soup is cold and then re-heat the soup before serving.

*It is not recommended to eat the beans and bacon on a plate described above due to the bacon grease.  However, by omitting the bacon grease completely before cooking, a greaseless consistency can be achieved. Also, limit additional water after the initial 6 cups are added for a thicker consistency (occasional stirring required).

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Lifestyle Choices and Alternatives -- Vegetarian and Vegan

Imagine the above recipes without pork or bacon, butter, and salt.  Instead consider substiituting 2 Tbsp. olive oil in place of the pork or bacon, bacon grease, butter, and using a salt substitute such as Mrs. Dash.   The recipe would eliminate the frying step, be less expensive, and perhaps decrease water retention and lower blood pressure.  In addition, it could prolong the life of a pig and give a cow a better life.

Whether an individual chooses a vegetarian, vegan, or salt-free diet, the choice you make is a privilege--especially in a world where millions don't have enough or anything to eat.

Personal health and well being is a decision that all of us make every time we open our mouths at the dinner table.  Sadly, many Americans, myself included, have chosen a "see-food" diet mentality.  The obese remain shameless, even after receiving polite advice from their doctors, keeping clothes that have become too small, seeing flab, bulges, and double chins in the mirror, and watching the bathroom scale max out.  Not all obesity and health issues stem from overeating; but for many of us, we rationalize that "Eating More makes us feel better "--either for physical or psychological reasons.

We obsess over food--its flavor, its abundance, its preparation, and  the part it plays with social interaction.  Like water and air, food is an essential element for sustaining life.  We may be craving food for the wrong reasons.  Remember, "Eat to live, don't live to eat."

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Lifestyle Choices and Alternatives -- Vegetarian and Vegan (Rewritten with AI:  ChatGPT 4.o requesting better reability without loss of content)

Imagine the above recipes without pork, butter, or salt. Instead, substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the pork and butter, and use a salt alternative like Mrs. Dash. This change would eliminate the need for frying, reduce costs, and potentially lower water retention and blood pressure. Plus, it might help save the life of a pig and offer a cow a better quality of life.

Whether someone chooses a vegetarian, vegan, or salt-free diet, the ability to make such decisions is a privilege—especially in a world where millions face hunger or lack access to enough food.

Our health and well-being are determined by the choices we make at the dinner table. Unfortunately, many Americans, myself included, have adopted a "see-food" diet mentality. Even after receiving advice from doctors, many continue to eat poorly, hold onto clothes that no longer fit, and ignore the signs of obesity in the mirror or on the scale. While not all weight and health problems are caused by overeating, many of us justify it by believing that eating more makes us feel better, whether physically or emotionally.

We often obsess over food—its taste, availability, preparation, and its role in social gatherings. Like air and water, food is essential for survival, but our cravings might be driven by the wrong reasons. Always remember: "Eat to live, don't live to eat."

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Another Option:  Beans and Bacon--Slow Cooker Method

Beans and Bacon complement each other when blended with brown sugar and tomato flavoring.

1. Soften 1 lb. of dried Great Northern beans, rinse and drain thoroughly.

2. Pour beans into a Crock Pot.

3. Stir in a mixture containing 5.5 oz. tomato juice, 5.5 oz. water, 3/8 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. dried minced oinions, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp. dried ground mustard. 

4. Add 4 to 6 strips of lightly crisped and drained bacon chopped into 1/2 inch lengths.

5. Cook covered on high for 1 hour stirring occasionally.

6. Reduce heat to medium or low setting  with the lid partially adjar in order to reduce liquid to the desired consistency.

7. Monitor progress until beans and bacon have thickened and then re-cover with lid.

8. Lower cooking temperature to Warm until mealtime.

Can be served as the main or as a side dish and is also very good re-warmed.  Increase or decrease brown sugar content if desired.

Four Servings.  Preparation Time:  4--6+ hrs. depending on method used for soaking beans.

September 6, 2024 caveat emptor (Let the Buyer Beware) -- Supermarket Produce

I don't think it would be a cost-saving strategy to drive 100 mile to return a couple moldy peaches and not-so-good tomatoes.  Frustration set in today at mealtime while experiencing a letdown in the quality of fresh produce items purchased yesterday.

Two fine looking peaches were purchased that turned out to have a moldy taste as well as being rotten through and through. Their outward appearance and firmness indicated the fruit was ready to eat and enjoy.  They were intended to be the topping on a dessert of vanilla ice cream which is an indulgence we permit ourselves a few times a year.

Secondly, two large Beefsteak Tomatoes were packaged in a cellophane wrapper and neatly sealed inside a colorfully decorated cardboard container.  Again, their appearance and firmness indicated they were fully ripe and ready to eat.  The slicers were an immediate dissapointment.  They were mostly white inside and tasteless.   We usually buy Roma Tomatoes because they are less expensive and have greater longevity when kept in the fridge.  The pricey packaged tomatoes' eye-catching shelf appeal caught us off guard.  At least the box was pretty.

Once in a while, It's o.kay to gripe a bit in order to vent frustation; however,  I would never complain directly to the grocer or produce department manager about occasional defects in merchandise.  It would only cause more anxiety and upset a store employee who has little control over what is shipped to their business.  Instead,  I try to "wise up" and refrain from making repeat mistakes about future purchases of perishable produce.   If possible, try another seller if quality becomes a reoccuring issue.

August 29, 2024 Fresh Corn on the Cob--Environmental Issues

Last night we had our first taste of garden fresh corn on the cob purchased at a farmer's market that had been picked in the morning.   Sadly, it had an off taste with a flavor that did not resemble corn whatsover.  Even its smell had a peculiar odor as it boiled.

The corn husks were fresh and did not have any noticeable sign of disease or contamination.  The kernels were plump and tender but after taking the first bite I sensed something was wrong.  I speculated it was another disease-resistent hybrid corn variety or maybe it had been cross pollinated by nearby field corn grown for its byproducts.  Or, maybe it had been in storage for longer than what was advertised.

Another thought occurred to me this afternoon as the sky became hazy and the dewpoint increased with a wet mist in the air.  I then realized that the combination of wildfire smoke and moisture was similar to what I had smelled while boiling yesterday's corn on the cob.

It seemed within reason that wildfire and forest fire smoke drifting through our region almost on a daily basis since early spring could have affected the corn.   Oxygenated and hydrated corn plants may have absorbed enough smoke particles and resulting chemical compounds to affect the corn flavor and/or smell.  Furthermore, it is the nature of pungent smoke to cling to and penetrate whatever it touches.  Later, moisture is the catalyst that awakens it.

My unfounded theory is that a corn field or garden plot is like a huge "smoke house"  and after three months exposure (the growing season) to polluted air, the crop will be affected in some way.

August 22, 2024  Microwave Meal with Extra Dumplings on the Side--Microwave and Stove Top Cooking

This post explains how to increase the portion size of a really good microwave meal:  Marie Callender's Creamy Chicken and Dumplings Bowl, comes with Tender chick Breast (pressed and formed) and Dumplings with Vegetables in a Creamy Stew Sauce.  Net Wt 12 Oz (340g).

Everything is delicous except the size and texture of the dumplings was a little bit of a letdown.  Anticipating the need for a larger portion of dumplings, a bit of improvisation was required.  Here's how to mix up and cook a quick batch of chicken flavored dumplings on the stove top  in the same time it takes to heat up two frozen meals in the microwave.

Instructions:

Strain the liquid from 1 can Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup into a 3 quart kettle.  Also save the solid portion--noodles and chicken--to be used for another meal.  Add 1 1/2 to 2 cans water to the chicken liquid and bring to a boil.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to taste (optional).  Drizzle in water and stir until it forms a fairly thick and smooth pasty batter.   Drop heaping Tablespoons of the dumpling mixture into the boiling liquid and set to a low boil to prevent boil overs.

Prepare Microwave meals as directed while Dumplings are cooking    Cook each bowl (sealed) separately rotatiing each meal for two  3 1/2 minute cycles (depending on microwave).  Lift each cover between cycles, stir, and then recover.  Lastly, Allow a few minutes to cool/rest.  (Total Prep.  Time about 15 minutes).

When cooking has been completed, empty microwave bowls onto plates.  Use a slotted spoon to place the stove top dumplings on each plate and enjoy (approximately 3 dumplings per plate).  That should statisfy most appetites.

Also,  use a container to re-combine the soup noodles with the left-over chicken broth in the kettle, cover, and refrigerate--to be eaten later.

July 31, 2024  Stay Cool in the Kitchen--Microwave Cooking

Summer weather is here and it's not practical to crank up the air conditioning to cool down a hot kitchen.  There are alternatives for those who prefer eating at home. 

Microwave Meal.  Today's post features Stouffer's 15 1/2 oz. frozen Stuffed Peppers meal for two along with a steamed cup of long-grained white rice.  Total Preparation time was approximately 35 minutes. 

The steamed rice was prepared first in the Microwave oven using a microwaveable Pampered Chef Rice Steamer which takes 15 minutes with our oven (2 cups water, 1 cup rice).

The microwaved Stuffed Peppers required 7 minutes on high, spooning the sauce over the peppers, another 9 minutes on 50% power, and two minutes out of the oven to continue cooking before uncovering.

Faux Spanish Rice.   On my plate was a generous serving of steamed rice along with a stuffed pepper and topping/sauce that was included.  About 1/4 tsp. of ground red pepper was heaped on the edge of the plate rather than sprinkled over the rice.  Better control of the ground red pepper was possible by gradually integrating it into the rice and part of the tomato topping and stuffed pepper as it was eaten.  A dash of salt was also required to bring out the flavor in the rice mixture.

The meal was satisfying.  Cleanup was easy and the kitchen area remained cool.  Leftover rice will be used later.

July 4, 2024  Fourth of July Treat -- Ice Cream Sundae

What I like about Ice Cream Sundaes is the never ending combinations of toppings worthy of experimentation.  They all seem to be my favorite at the time.  Today was no exception.

Begin with two scoops of Maple Nut Ice Cream in a small bowl.  Top with three fresh cut-up dark-red Sweet Cherries (pitted).  Next, shave off the chocolate and crispy top and four sides of a Fun-Size (.74 oz.) 100 Grand Candy Bar.  Lastly, sprinkle it on top of the ice cream and cherries.  The center nougat of the candy bar will become very hard and sticky if added to the ice cream, so eat the caramel center separately.

As flavors become blended, the very sweet maple flavor is complemented by the distinct taste of fresh cherries.  The thin shavings of candy bar and the nuts in the ice cream (cashews and almonds, e.g.) add even more richness.

Also, feel free to substitute fun size Nestles' Crunch or Kit Kat bars.  They are good too.

Good Eating & Happy Fourth of July!

June 29, 2024  Tom's Cheesy Asparagus and Celery Soup -- Cooking

Steamed asparagus spears are an excellent vegetable dish.  Depending on its maturity and tenderness there may be a trimmed portion near the bottom  of the spears that is suitable for making soup for another meal.

Trimmed uncooked asparagus pieces were placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated to be used a day or two later for homemade soup.  Here is a recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups water

1  1/2 cups asparagus (lower green stem area above the white)

1/4 cup chopped celery hearts (1/4" pieces)

1 oz. Swiss Cheese

1/4 cup  milk

1/2 Tbps. Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Instructions:

Rinse and then bring to a boil and simmer the asparagus pieces (each cut piece about 2 inches long) in 2 1/2 cups of water for 25 minutes uncovered (retain the liquid for later use).  Next, allow asparagus to cool slightly (easier to handle) and  transfer the pieces into a blender and blend until smooth.  While the kettle liquid is warm, add it to the blended asparagus that is  still in the blender along with the Swiss Cheese, milk, and a dash or two of salt and pepper.  Once again, blend until smooth. 

Return the soup mixture to the kettle and stir in the chopped celery.  Simmer on low heat for one hour.  Stir occasionally and scrape down the sides of the kettle  as the soup thickens.  The longer it simmers the more pronounced the cheese flavor will become.

The celery pieces adds texture to the recipe.  Optionally, asparagus tips and cream could be substituted for the celery and milk for a more luxuriant blend.  The purpose of this recipe, however, was to utilize some of the less desirable parts of the asparagus spears rather than discarding them.

Makes 2--3 servings.

June 23, 2024  Frozen Corn Dogs -- Microwave & Air Fryer

We both  enjoy a corn dog as an occasional snack or with a quick lunch.   The brand of choice has been State Fair frozen 100% Beef Corn Dogs.  We prefer buying a box containing 16 corn dogs because they are individually wrapped rather than having the dogs running loose in the box.

Generally, we remove the wrapper and place them on a paper plate and microwave each corn dog separately for 1 minute on each side (Total 2 minutes heating time for each and 4 minutes total for two corn dogs when heated separately).  This is a deviation from the instructions on the box which states that the corn dog remain in the wrapper with one end opened.  Also, the time I have stated may not be appropriate  for your microwave.

Today, is several days into Summer and I yearned for an old-fashioned weiner impaled on a stick that has been dipped in batter and deep fried.  Since this was going to be a quick lunch, I was not about to prepare batter from scratch or heat up oil to deep fry anything on a hot day.  Neither was I going to use the Conventional Oven Method to heat the frozen corn dogs for the same reason.

Instead, I microwaved one of the frozen corn dogs for one minute and then transferred it to the air fryer with the time set for three minutes and the temperature at 350 degrees F.

Excellent, the outer batter crisped up very similar to the deep fryer method.  There was just enough oil in the half-cooked frozen corn dog batter for it to firm up the way it was originally intended to be eaten.  Live dangerouly and experiment a little.  You may enjoy it.  Next time, I may even push it to four minutes.

June 14, 2024  Banana Peel Flour--Dehydration

Boost the nutritional value of your baked goods or other dishes by adding Banana Peel Flour.  Instead of discarding or composting your banana peels, the idea of eating them had never occurred to me.  By pure chance, I stumbled onto an article posted about how ripe banana peels can be blanched, dried, and ground into an edible flour.  Watch Video at the Weather Channel.

I have yet to experiment with the process, but I thought it might be another justification for the purchase of our Air Fryer several years ago. The Air Fryer has proven to be useful for making beef jerky as well as its more conventional applications.  A low Air Fryer temperature setting will dry/dehyrate instead of cook the peels which should be cut into manageable pieces beforehand.  Flour can be ground from dried banana peels when needed.

Shelf life when kept in a sealed container would depend on  moisture content and temperature, but would probably be limited to weeks unless it is frozen.  Always follow safe practice guidelines for the preparation and storage of preserved food.

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Here's another use for Dehydrated Banana Peels--Garden/Plant Fertilizer.  Homestead Heart provides this video on YouTube:  DEHYDRATING BANANA PEELS ~ BUT WHY???  (25 minutes).   Also included is a demonstration on how to prepare sterlized egg shells that are dehydrated and ground into powder.  Finely ground egg shells will be sprinkled in the plant rows as a soil supplement.

A greater appreciation for what nature has to offer can be gained by watching this excellent presentation.   I've recently dehydrated and ground a few banana peels for fertilizing potted plants grown from seed.  We'll see how they progress in a few weeks.

May 16, 2024  Homemade Potato Salad--It's a Matter of Time

Homemade Potato Salad is a great treat in the summertime.  The Deli section of the supermarket that you frequent may  prepare an old-fashioned recipe that you like--but maybe not.  I'm not fond of surprises--like finding  "nuts, peas, and bits of cheese" in my potato salad.

We usually purchase an 8 oz. or smaller container of potato salad--enough for two--made with mostly traditional ingredients:  boiled potatoes, hard boiled eggs, chopped onion, a glob of mayo, a touch of mustard, a bit of sliced carrot for color and nutrition, salt and black pepper, with a sprinkle of paprika on top.

As consumers:  I have been stunned at the prices of food.  Not only in restaurants, but also at the supermarket.  Raw ingredients have been gradually rising along with escalating prices at the fast-food chains or sit-down steakhouses and pizza joints, etc.

As busy individuals:  Many people find themselves without enough time to prepare a homemade meal.

So, what about the Cooking and the Potato Salad:   Good nutrition for a healthy life should be the #1 priority.  Unfortunately, family structure and lifestyle changes have dictated otherwise.

A Matter of Time:  for home made potato salad, It will take a good hour of your undivided attention to gather ingredients, hard boil the eggs, peel potatoes, then boil potatoes, chop onion, slice a small carrot, cool the eggs, chop the eggs, mix the hardened yokes with mayo, mustard, etc., and finally mix all ingredients,  sprinkle with paprika, cover, and refrigerate.

There are a lot of hands-on steps involved before this single item can appear on today's dinner table.  Then there is the clean-up of kettles, bowls, utensils and the work area.  That time can be shortened by cleaning up after each step.

Home cooking looks appealing but how do you value your time when doing so, and do you have it considering other perceived priorities.  Is your time worth what it would otherwise cost to just buy it or have it delivered already prepared.

Either way--store bought or homemade--the benefit of eating potato salad and other wholesome food is nutritional.  With all things considered, and if the expense is not an issue, it seems to be a toss up as to how the potato salad is acquired.

Serving Suggestion below Created with Google FX  AI Text-to-Image Generator (see below):

Prompt:  Closeup of a dinner plate containing two pieces of fried chicken--a drumstick and thigh, a large serving of potato salad , and a slice of bread .  The plate is on a red and white checkered table cloth.  Knife , fork, and spoon are positioned next to the plate.  A tall glass of grape juice with ice cubes is positioned behind the plate.  A folded napkin is also next to the plate.

May 13, 2024  Rejuvenate Dry Oranges--Frugality at its Max

We recently purchased a half dozen very nice looking naval oranges at the supermarket.  They were large--between a softball and baseball in size--and in the recent past had found them to be very juicy and flavorful.   When we cut one in half to share for breakfast this morning we were disappointed to find it dry and tasteless.  I speculated they were either sitting too long in a warehouse or were the last of the crop from wherever they were harvested.

Rather then discard the orange, I decided to slice it into 3/8" thick slices (peel on), dredge both sides in granulated sugar, put them in a baggy, and then into the fridge.  Six hours later I tried a couple of slices and found them to be sweet and juicy.  Sugared oranges are not fresh off the tree by any means, but are tasty nonetheless.   If the remainder of the oranges prove to be dry, we now know what to do with them.

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By the way, you don't have to throw those orange peels away--they can be candied.  Shave off the interior white area leaving just the orange's skin.  Slice pieces of the peel into 1/8" x 1/8" thin strips.  Soak overnight in a solution of granulated sugar and a bit of water.  Pop in a food dehydrator (I use an air fryer) set at 200 degrees F. for eight-15 minute intervals or until most of the moisture has evaporated and a hard,  sugary coated has formed.

A half dozen strips of candied orange peel can be added to a carbonated orange beverage or other drink to give it an added zesty boost.  Peels will are slightly bitter if eaten, but the sweet orange flavor is predominant.

Here's another orange peel recipe from Juls' Kitchen.Com that would be good for jams, etc. that leaves the pith (white part) on the peel.

Three other things to consider:

1. The shaved white area from the orange can be added to the compost pile.

2. Can you justify the cost of electricity when drying the orange peels.  Dry two or three orange peels to justify the expense.  Maybe a sanitary method for Sun Drying  is an alternative.

3. If you pick oranges from your own tree you will be know for certain whether or not your oranges have been exposed to harmful pesticides or preservatives.  Caution is advised.

December, 2023  Rata-Tat -Tat -- Kettles vs. Spoons

An age-old practice for removal of unwanted ingredients remaining on a spoon or spatula is to tap it aggressively on the rim of a kettle, bowl, or pan.   This practice  has been handed down from generation to generation and seems to be the way almost every stirring session in the kitchen is concluded.

Along the line, something has been lost in translation.  In the days of grandma's cast iron pots and pans, the metal was more resistant to this type of treatment. 

If any of your favorite pans or kettles bear the scars of repeated tapping on their rims, it probably indicates that a stainless steel spoon (or other hard metal utensil) has been striking a softer metal (e.g. aluminum or copper) pan.  Glass or porcelain cookware may even be chipped (with some of the pieces ending up in the stew).  Stick resistant coatings can also be damaged, leaving an unsightly mark on the rim of your expensive pan.

If you are a habitual tapper, use wooden or plastic stirring and whisking utensils to lessen the damage to your kitchenware.

November 21, 2023  Choking Hazards--Dry Ingredients, Chaff and Husks

Food consumption is a necessity of life.  We have put our trust in the products we buy and eat.  Safe food storage and preparation are our responsiblity in the home.  Precautions must be taken when preparating and when we eat.

Visual, Nose, and Taste.  If anything is wrong--don't eat it.  Remove stems, bones, skewers, toothpicks, wrappers, or foreign objects, etc.  Tainted or off-tasting food should be avoided.  Politeness is not an issue when it comes to personal safety--alert others if you think food is unedible.  Don't eat in subdued light--be sure you can see what your putting in your mouth.

Also, too large of meat chunks or other chunky food can result in choking--cut them into smaller pieces on your child's plate as well as your own.

Packaged foods.

I occasionally have a quick breakfast consisting of a chewy granola bar  from a box and a glass of juice.  Today, I had the misfortune of having particles of the granola bar stick to the top of my throat (tonsils and uvula).  Even though I was drinking juice while eating the bar,  some of the sharp multi-grain particles (it could have been chaff or husk in the mixture) clung to the back of my throat causing a coughing episode that persisted until I was able to rush to the cupboard and grab a slice of soft bread to chew along with some water.  My wife also gave me a small container of applesauce to help clear the passageway.  Coughing was so intense that it caused an involutnary regurgitative reaction and watery eyes.

Had I not been in the kitchen the incident could have become far more serious.  Similar but less intense coughing attacks while eating unshelled peanuts and popcorn have happend before.   I believe the combination of sticky binders and dry ingredients in the granola bar contributed to today's incident.  Always take small bites and chew thoroughly before swallowing.

October 22, 2023  Oven Fresh Dinner Rolls--Baking.

It has been nearly 5 months since my last post.  There is nothing special about today's baking project except this is the first time I've used parchment paper to line the baking pan for large dinner rolls.  Each corner of the parchment paper was cut at an angle so it fit neatly into the cake pan.  Excess paper was trimmed from all sides. There was no sticking and extraction from the pan was completed by lifting the parchment paper by its edges.  The parchment paper and rolls were placed on a cooling rack.  After that, the sides of the paper were folded downward and the entire sheet was simply pulled out from one end.

I used  a recipe from the  internet:  Cafe Delites  that did not include eggs.  After  two proofing steps, the dinner rolls were baked for 22 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Butter was brushed on the tops after baking.  The rolls pulled apart easily with no cutting required.

Ingredients:  4 cups bread flour, 3 Tbsp. sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 packet dry yeast, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 cup warm water, 4 Tbsp. melted butter, and no egg.  I also added a couple tablespoons of sourdough starter to give the dinner rolls added flavor (optional).  Since I used parchment paper, I did not apply spray-on oil and instead, covered the rolls with a damp cloth while proofing (No plastic wrap required).  Dough was proofed for 3 1/2 hours at room temperature which was about 73 Degrees F. in the kitchen.  The formed dinner rolls were proofed for 1 hour (I was using one-year old active dry yeast--a month beyond its expiration date--it worked o.kay).

As you can see from the photos below, a single roll (3.3 oz.) was almost a meal in itself--a bit too large.  The dough could have been divided into eighteen smaller rolls (2.27 oz.).  Even though the rolls were "fluffy", the recipe and method of preparation created a slightly "heavy" consistency unlike their store-bought counterparts that could be described as "feathery" in keeping with Modern America's definition of Bread.  At least, today's dinner rolls will not squish down into nothing or fall apart in you hands if you choose to use them for Hamburgers, or BLTs, etc.

May 2, 2023  Kale Veggie Drink--Food for Good Health.

Whether a person's preference leans toward vegan or otherwise, there are foods in either category that seem to invigorate ones state of being.

I try to avoid using the term Super Food to describe foods that we eat from the above-mentioned categories.  In my opinion, super food sounds gimmicky and too commercial.  We should be grateful for the food that we have. 

Home baked sourdough bread made from all-natural ingredients provides nutrition and is said to possess digestive properties that promote health.  I eat it because, to me, it tastes good.  Store-bought whole and mixed grain breads no doubt provide better nutrition than white bread made from bleached flour, etc.  As a recent T.V. commercial's new buzz phrase states:  "It's not a  Competition" (at least for me, anyway).

With that said, when it comes to an almost instant energizing experience, try drinking a 12- or 16-oz. glass of Veggie Drink made with kale and a few other ingredients:  

Veggie Drink:  Blend 10 ingredients with a Blender, Ninja, Nutri-Bullet, etc., until smooth--Three Day Single Serving Supply

3 de-veined kale leaves (removal of the spine and stem is sufficient)
1 celery rib. coarsely chopped--1 inch pieces.
1 carrot, coarsely chopped--1 inch pieces.
1/4 cup broccoli
1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash (Original)
1/4--1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
1 cup cold purified water and 5 ice cubes (partially crushed if necessary).  Ice cubes insure that the first day's drink will be cold.

Pour 2/3 of mixture into a container, cover (air tight), and refrigerate--to be used within the next 48 hours.

Before Serving:

Pour One 5.5 can of Campbell's Tomato Juice into a glass containing 1/3 of the cold Veggie mixture and stir with a spoon.  Small cans of Tomato Juice can be stored at room temperature--the veggie drink will be cool enough, but not ice cold.

I have found that combining the tomato juice with the veggie mixture to be used later does not retain the intended flavor.  Therefore, keep tomato juice separate until serving.

Repeat the process for the second and third servings within the next 2 days.

Previous veggie drink posts over the past 10 years have included similar recipe ingredients and methods for preparation, but storage had always been a problem.  There are quite a few steps and cleanup involved.  After awhile, the repetition becomes tedious, not to mention time consuming cleanup and putaway (the price we have to pay for lasting health). 

It is more convenient to prepare several single portions rather than one from scratch each day.  By the way, any of the seasonings and other veggies can be added or deleted to suit your taste.  Other Posts--Sept. 2, 2019 in PDF Archive above; link to 2016 recipe.

A Final Comment:  From past experience, I would not recommend drinking this veggie mixture every day.  I am skeptical of fad diets and miracle foods.  Try it for a few days to give yourself a boost.  If you start feeling better, that's good; but, continuing to consume it doesn't guaranty additional gains.  Just like about everything else, use in moderation.  Overindulgence isn't the best road to take.  You can always resume drinking it in the future.

Regarding Recipe Proportions:  Rather than precisely measure the amounts by weight, for example, kale, carrot, and celery have simply been specified by number.  Of course, all of these may vary considerably in size.  Also, kale for example, may vary in variety, maturity, or taste depending on what is avaiable in the produce isle at the store, at the local vegetable market, or in your vegetable garden.  You may also elect to use fresh garlic, onion, or tomatoes instead of pre-processed ingredients.

Expect the overall flavor to be sligthly different each time you prepare a batch.  If the veggie drink were exactly the same, consumption would soon become quite boring--another reason for not routinely drinking it.   After all, this is a health drink, not a gastronomical delight.  Just don't overdo any one ingredient and it should continue to be drinkable when the time is right.

April 21, 2023 Bread Preferences--Personal Tastes Vary.

If you try to convince someone how much better one bread type is compared to another, you're wasting your breath. Two images below represent store bought and home made bread.  Specifically, the image on the left shows two slices of Cinnamon Bread from a loaf purchased at a supermarket's bakery for $4.99--16 oz. loaf.  My wife considers it delicious when toasted and eaten with breakfast.  On the other hand, I consider it to be absolutely tasteless.

The image on the right are two slices from a homemade loaf of sourdough bread.  As you may have already suspected, my preference is the homemade sourdough bread, toasted, buttered with margarine, and sprinkled with a blend of cinnamon and sugar.  Ten pounds of unbleached bread flour can be purchased on sale for less than $5.00.  That's enough flour to make about 10 small loaves of bread.

Homemade sourdough bread has only a few ingredients, whereas the list of ingredients on a store bought bread label reads like a chemistry textbook--see images below).   Other ingredients' labels are also shown below  to illustrate how much easier it is to determine what goes into your mouth when you do your own cooking.

Additionally, when dining out or ordering take-out, you're putting a lot of trust in the establishment, quality, and method of delivery.  Food can spoil or become contiminated.

Let it be known that product labeling is a good thing.   I now know why some products taste like they do.  Labels help recreate recipes; proportions can be figured out by taste.

For fun, here's the comparison on Tom' Yum Yum Scale:

Store Bought Cinnamon Bread, Toasted and buttered with Margarine:

Deb's Rating   😺 😺  😺  😺  😺  (5 Smiling Cats)
Tom's Rating  😾 😾   (2 Pouting Cats)

Homemade Sourdough Bread, Toasted, buttered with Margarine, and sprinkled with Cinnamon & Sugar:

Tom's Rating  😺 😺  😺  😺  😺  (5 Smiling Cats)
Deb's Rating   😾 😾   (2 Pouting Cats)

It's a Draw!

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April 1, 2023 Tom's April Fools Day Bread--No Foolin' Baking.

Firstly, there is no significance in today's title.  The steps listed below for baking sourdough bread are similar to what I've posted in previous years.

For the past month or two I've been baking baguette bread with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil added to the basic sourdough bread recipe of water, salt, flour, and sourdough starter.  (1 1//2 cups purified water, 2 tsp. sea salt, 4 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour, and 1 cup of my cultured sourdough starter or 6 heaping Tbsps.  An additional 1/2 cup flour was set aside to be incorporated as needed and for flouring surfaces.

A single large round loaf was baked today using olive oil.  I usually omit olive oil for round loaf bread, but not today. 

Timeline:  

1/2 hour Mixed and prepared dough

Combined ingredients (bypassed autolyse, opted for slow rise, instead--added olive oil that changed the consistency)--Stirred and then Squished with hands.  Kneaded, Stretched and Folded dough.  Formed Loaf.

24 hours Raised dough

Allowed to rise on counter top and/or fridge.  Covered bowl containing dough with damp towel.  Dampened towel as needed two or three more times.

10 hours Proofing

Removed dough from bowl and placed on floured work surface.  Washed and Dried Bowl.  Gently pushed down air bubbles and reformed loaf.  Lined same bowl with parchment paper and placed dough on lightly floured bottom of parchment paper.  Covered bowl with dampened towel in center only to avoid touching the parchment paper.

1/2 hour Pre-heat Oven

Preheated Oven and Dutch Oven to 450 degrees F.  Placed 1" of water in glass bread loaf pan on lower rack to provide oven moisture.  Scored top of loaf.

Lifted dough by edges of parchment paper and placed both in preheated Dutch Oven using oven mittens.  Covered with lid slightly ajar to allow oven moisture to circulate.

1 hour Baking

Baked on center rack.  Uncovered last 5 or 10 minutes -- dark brown may vary--you decide.

2--3 hours Cooling

Cooled on rack.  Sliced and served.

Total Time:  About 39 Hours from start to finish.

Raw Dough weight: 2 lb. 13.5 oz.

Loaf after baking:      2 lb. 8.2 oz. 

Weight Loss:                      5.3 oz.  

Loaf dimensions:     10" x 4 1/2"

Comments:  The Dough Hydration Level was around 53.1%--not too sticky to work with. Olive oil affected the taste of the crust in a good way.  The crumb was soft and moist. 

The quantities of flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter used in this recipe have produced consistent results time and time again. That is, it was baked the way I expected it to taste, slice, and toast, etc.--not to how others describe how it should taste . . . .  In my opinion, the biggest cause for inconsistency when baking bread using slow-rise yeast, sourdough starter, is not providing adequate time for the bread to rise and proof.

March 12, 2023  Hearty Food for a Cold Winter Day--Cooking.

We're stormed in.  Nothing is moving except the drifting snow that came with the two-day blizzard sweeping across the entire state.

In my opinion, Dinner today was comfort food.  I'm also looking forward to this evening's Supper.  With food like this, who wants to leave home.

March 11, 2023  Homemade Pizza--Cooking.

Frozen bread dough was thawed and spread out by hand on the Pizzazz Plus rotary pizza maker platform.  The 13" cirular non-stick cooking surface as lightly coated with olive oil to prevent sticking.

The entire one-pound bread dough crust was prebaked starting with four minutes of dual heat (top and bottom heating elements) and then switching to 5 minutes set for top element only.  Prebaking prevents the pizza sauce from soaking into the raw dough and prevents soggy unbaked pizza crust.  Optionally, a thin coat of olive oil can also be applied to the top of the pizza crust before applying the sauce, etc.

A fork was used to pierce the top of the crust (care must be taken to avoid scratching the teflon baking surface).  Also, pierce bubbles as they occur while pre-baking.

The Pizza platform/pan was removed for adding sauce and other toppings.  Today's pizza was covered with a layer of pizza sauce, pepperoni slices, finely shredded mozarella cheese, mushrooms, green and red pepper pieces.  In addition, one half was also topped with onion slices and jalapeno peppers.  The other half received sliced green olives, instead.

This loaded pizza required 20 minutes beyond the pre-baking time using a combination of dual, upper, and lower heating elements to insure the top was bubbly and the bottom crust was brown, but not burned.  The crust was carefully lifted with a spatula to peak underneath while the turntable is rotating.

After we ate part of this fantastic pizza, I itemized what the entire pizza cost to prepare.  Since only a fraction of the ingredients were used, including perishable vegetables, the cost was not that expensiive.  The leftover ingredients will be used for salads and other purposes.   The total cost of food items including frozen dough, olive oil and toppings was $8.80.  That amounted to $1.10 per slice or $2.20 per serving.   If you have the time, homemade pizza is the way to go!

Makes 4 servings

March 8, 2023   Tom's Beef, Onion, and Mushroom Soup--Cooking.

Here a light and healthy soup made with fresh ingredients ( recipe and images below).

Ingredients

Beef  Stock:
2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon (Beef flavor)
5 cups water
6 oz. beef steak, cubed (and browned in butter)
2 Tbsp.  butter
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
salt optional (salt to taste)

Vegetables:
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup cut green beans

Directions

1.  Lightly brown 1/2--3/4" steak cubes in 2 Tbsp. butter (don't burn the butter) and season with 1/2 tsp. black pepper.

2.  Remove from heat and stir in vegetables.

3.  Add 5 cups of water and stir in 2 tsp. Better than Bouillon (see images below).

4.  Return to heat and bring to a full boil for 3 minutes.

5.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Makes 4 - 5 servings

March 6, 2023   Return to Sourdough Bread--Baking.

I've gotten rusty baking full-sized round sourdough bread loaves.  Most recently, I've been adding olive oil to the ingredients to make four baguette loaves from the same quantity of bread flour used for a single large round loaf.  Today's bread was allowed to rise for the same period of time--usually 23--24 hours.  However, when baking full size round loaves, more time is required for proofing.

Today, the bread dough loaf was allowed to proof until the oven was pre-heated to 450 degrees F.  (about 30 minutes).  The top of the newly formed loaf was scored about 1/2 inch deep and 30 minutes later, it went into the oven (see images below).  While baking, the top crust apparently hardened too quickly causing massive cracks due to further dough expansion.  I had also preheated the lid of the Dutch Oven which gave instant heat to the  top of the loaf from the onset. 

After it cooled and then sliced, the bread's rough appearance didn't affect its taste.  Its usual tasty and crunchy crust had not been lost.

The Sourdough Recipe used today is posted throughout the food section on this website and in the archives.

March 6, 2023   Tom's Homemade Beef Jerky--Air Fryer.

This is a first for me.  Beef Jerky made in the Air Fryer--Cool.  I dug out my old recipes used back some thirty years ago or so with my American Harvest Food Dehydrator.  

The recipe below also works with lean ground beef--90% or maybe 80% lean depending on the distributor.  Today's recipe is adjusted for a 1.3 lbs. sirloin tip roast that happened to be on sale for a good price (as compared to buying ready made beef jerky).  The roast was placed in the freezer for a couple of hours until it was firm enough to cut thin raw slices.  I tried to slice approximately 1/8"--3/16"  thick slices that would marinate thoroughly over night.  Thin slices will also required less time to air fry.

After slicing there were 26 pieces about 7 inches long and 1 1/2" wide.  The problem with the air fryer is its limited space whereas my old dehyrdator, that I no long have, had four circular trays about 15 inches in diameter.  The surface area in the air fryer was just the bottom of the basket which measures 8 3/4" x 9 1/4", less rounded corners,--each with about a one inch radius.   To remedy with this problem, I inserted a flexible stainless steel steamer basket inside the air fry and was able to double the surface area.   It was still necessary to divide the jerky into two separate batches.

The recommended time for air fryed beef jerky at 210 Degrees F. is approximately 2 hours (internal meat temperature of 160 Degrees).  With thin slices,  however, that time can be reduced depending on the model air fryer.

I set the temp. to 210 F and the time to 60 minutes.  After 60 minutes, I inspected and turned each piece of jerky over and reset the timer for another 30 minutes.  After only 60 minutes some of the pieces on the bottom of the basket looked pale on the underside.  Another half hour, took care of that after they had been flipped.

Note:  For hamburger jerky (ground beef) I marinated the ground meat as explained above.  To form circular pieces of consistent shape and thickness, I pressed a small portion of the marinated mixture into the plastic lid from a can of Fritos Mild Cheddar Cheese Dip, for example. This is about 1/8" thick pieces.   In the past, a yellow top from a can of Hershey's Chocolate was used, but I'm not sure if that product is sold by the can anymore.  Make sure the lid is clean and food safe.

Tom's Air Fryer Beef Jerky Recipe
Makes about 9 oz. of Beef Jerky

• 1.3 lbs. sirloin tip roast (lean with light marbling noticeable) partially thawed but firm enough to cut into 1/8--3/16" strips.

    Stir sliced meat into a stainless steel bowl containing the following combined ingredients:

• 1 tsp. sea salt (optional)

• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion

• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)

• 2 Tbsp.  soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire  sauce

• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Mix carefully until meat has absorbed the mixture.  Use the  back of the spoon to press the meat firmly together in the bowl, cover, and refrigerate over night.  The next day, drain off any excess liquid and pat dry if necessary.

Arrange  strips of beef so they are not touching.  Use another rack above the bottom of the basket if available.  Air Fry for 60 minutes at 210 degrees F.  Flip each piece after  60 minutes  and  continue to air fry for another 60 minutes as needed.  Over air frying may result in brittle jerky that may crumble because it was cut thin.

When jerky has finished air frying remove from basket and place on paper towels.  Wipe off any melted fat before storing.  Place in a sealed bag or container and keep refrigerated until eaten.

Repeat the steps for the next batch.

February 4, 2023   Crunchy Baguette Bread--Air Fryer.

The last of four baguette bread loaves baked earlier this week was lightly browned in the air fryer to produce a crisp and crunchy snack (see images below).

About twenty 1/2" slices were placed in the air fryer and heated for 7 minutes at 375 Degrees until they began to brown.  After cooling, they had a crunch but were not diffult to chew.

Slices for the second batch were cut 1/4" thick and required only 3 minutes until they began to brown.  The thinner slices were also crunchy but were easier to chew.

The bread slices moved around as they began to dehydrate in the air fryer and did not require stirring.  Check periodically, however, to avoid overbrowning or scorching.   Heating times and temperature may vary depending on the air fryer in use.

More information about my easy to bake baguette bread is given in the December 3, 2022 post below and in earlier posts found inTom's Food Archive linked at the top of this page.

January 28, 2023   Tom's Chewy Chocolate Squares--Candy Making.

One of my favorite candies many years ago was the 2-Cent Chocolate Tootsie Pops--the sucker with a soft chocolate center.  I couldn't wait to get to the chocolate inside, so the entire sucker was usually devoured after just a few licks.

Today's candy making-gone-wrong event turned out to be very close to the long sought after Tootsie PoPs chocolate center filling:

It all started with a recipe for Molasses Taffy (my original intention) located at Allrecipes.com.  Old Fashioned Molasses Taffy.  When all ingredients were measured out and combined as directed heating commenced with medium heat. 

After stirring and stirring with a wooden spoon, I would test a bit in cold water to see if it had reached hard ball stage.  Without a thermometer it turned out to be guesswork after what I thought was hard ball stage was actually soft ball stage.

Following three attempts to produce firm enough taffy to pull, I changed gears.  At that time, I also realized the old fashioned molasses taste was a bit too old fashioned for my 21st Century palate.

To cut the strong molasses flavor, everything went back into the kettle.  I added 1/4 cup of Nestle Quik Chocolate Flavored Powder, 1/4 cup of Nestle Toll House Semi-sweet Chocolate Morsels, and 3 Tablespoons Karo Corn Syrup.

The mixture was reheated for another 10 minutes on medium heat and stirred continually.  Finally it began to thicken and at that point, it was removed from the heat.  Another Tbsp. of Butter, another 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda, another 1 tsp. White Distilled Vinegar,  and 1 tsp. of Vanilla Extract were stirred in.

The thickening mixture was poured into a greased 6" x 10" glass baking dish and cut into 1" squares approximately 1/2" thick. (60 squares.)

The hot mixture firmed up as it began to cool.  The interior mixture, strangely enough, was like fudge, while the exterior border near the rounded edge of the dish became more shiny and later was chewy--sticky like chewing a Tootsie Pops with an intense chocolaty flavor.

The hard, shiny squares would first need to melt in your mouth before attempting to chew it--and this is where the similarity with Tootsie Pops centers became evident.

I don't recommend relying on a fluke cooking methodolgy for candy making, but stories tell us how the original Tootsie Roll and Salt Water Taffy recipes came to be.

January 24,  2023   Tom's Hot Pickled Brats--Bar Food.

Whether a snack for the big game or just a craving for something different, today's post might be what you're looking for.  Pickled- beans, brats, eggs, and even turkey gizzards are commonly served at the tavern--nothing fancy, you can be sure.

At our house, the Pickled Beans lasted four days.  That's pretty good considering it included a second smaller batch made with the last 5 oz. of fresh green beans (see January 21 post below).

Now that the green beans were gone,  the jalapeño liquid was destined for one final use--the jar would accommodate four plump beef bratwurst.

Knowing these would not last long either, I wasn't concerned about spoilage as long as the jar was kept in the fridge.

To prepare the bratwurst, I covered each with a paper towel (one at a time) and microwaved it for 30-35 seconds as directed on the bratwurst packaging.  After heating they were packed in the jar and sealed.  There was more than enough liquid remaining to fill the jar.  Five brats might have fit, but it would have been a squeeze.  (Keep refrigerated.)

January 21,  2023   Tom's Hot Pickled String Beans--Frugal Cooking.

After the last Hot Jalapeño Pepper slice was removed from the jar, the remaining liquid was used as brine for some pickled string beans (see images below).

When bagged fresh string beans went on sale this week everyone was buying them.  We purchased a 25 oz. bag and steamed half to serve with our evening meal.

The next day, I steamed approximately 8 oz. of the remaining beans for 12 minutes and packed them in the Jalapeño pepper jar containing the original liquid.  Afterward, the jar was topped off with an inch of water before sealing.  The filled jar was then placed in the fridge.

The next day I sampled a couple pickled beans.  Actually, I ended up sampling five.  The pickled beans are not nearly as hot as the jalapeño peppers so you can eat as many as you want. (Keep refrigerated.)

January 2,  2023   June's  Banana Bread--Originally Posted Nov. 2018.

Here's an ageless recipe from my Mother-in-Law's recipe box that has been handed down to the next few generations of banana bread lovers.

Having 3 ripe bananas on hand, I increased the recipe by 1/3 to make two 3/4 size loaves.  With no Crisco shortening in the pantry 3/4 cups of butter were substituted.  For sugar 3/4 cups each of white granulated sugar and brown sugar were used instead of 1 cup of white granulated sugar.

Other ingredients were also increased proportionately (except for salt because the butter was salted--salt remained at 1/2 tsp.), 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3 cups flour, 3 Tbsp. milk, and 3 large eggs. (Have you checked the price of a dozen eggs lately?)

Using butter, I reduced the baking time to 55 minutes.  Here is the link(s) for today's recipe: June's Banana Bread Word format or June's Banana Bread PDF format.

December 27,  2022   Food Page has been Archived.  Posts to the Food page made between March 21, 2021 and December 27 have been archived to make room for upcoming posts in 2023.  To Access earlier posts, Click on the Food Archive Mar.  2021 -- Dec.  2022 Button at the top of this section.  For continuity purposes, the November and December's posts have been retained below.

December 24, 2022 Baguettes for Christmas--Baking.

Twas the Night Before Christmas and all through the house
was the smell of Baguette Bread for me and my spouse.

The table was set for the Christmas Eve Feast,
A helping of stew and
bread, leavened with Sourdough's Yeast.

Our Guests will arrive on Christmas Day
We hope bad weather will not delay.

Stockings are stuffed but the baguettes will not fit.
So under the tree they'll have to sit.

December 20, 2022 Tom's Best Dressing--Leftover Baguette Bread.

Today's exercise in frugality made use of an extra loaf of baguette bread leftover from bread baking 8 days ago.   The loaf was the last of four loaves baked following the December 3 recipe except the entire batch of dough was made into 4 loaves instead of two loaves and a dozen sourdough buns.  It proved to be one too many to consume.

This recipe, using the dried baguette bread, turned out to be the best homemade dressing (stuffing) I'd ever eaten.  The loaf, similar to those pictured on December 3 below was cut into 1/2 inch to 3/4" cubes.  It was very dry and cutting it required a sturdy butcher knife. (Mind your fingers).

The bread pieces were placed in a glass baking dish along with 1 rib of finely chopped celery with a bit of the leaves, 1/3 to 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, a few grinds of salt and pepper, and 2 1/2 Tablespoons of butter. Next,  I prepared one can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup with 1 can of water.  After bringing it to a boil, the soup was poured through a strainer into the bread mixture and gently stirred a couple times while the liquid was absorbed.   (The drained noodles became a light snack.)

The lid was placed on the baking dish and placed in the oven preheated to  375 degrees F.   After 10 minutes, the cover was removed and allowed to bake for another 20 minutes .  At that point, the baking dish was removed from the oven, covered, and allowed to stand until the remaining portion of the meal was prepared.  It was then returned to the oven for another 20 minutes prior to mealtime.  I chose to leave it covered until the final 10 minutes to avoid making the top layer too crisp.

The main characteristic of the dressing was its moist, light, and fluffy texture.  Often times, dressing will turn out mushy if too much liquid is added or if prolonged boiling occurs inside a covered baking dish.

December 3, 2022 Sourdough Bagels, Baguette Bread & Pretzels--Same Dough.  

The dough recipe and preparation used for today's pretzels and Baguettes was the same as described for the November 21 bagel recipe--see below.   Additionally, the only difference between this recipe and what I use for baking large round sourdough bread loaves is the use of olive oil.  The round-loaf recipe contains four ingredients:  salt, water, flour, and starter dough.

I've tried to simplify ingredients and the preparation process for sourdough bread, bagels, baguettes, and pretzels, etc., without compromising flavor, texture, and appearance.

The quantity of dough prepared today (using 5 cups of bread flour) was divided into two parts.  One half was used to prepare a dozen soft pretzels (no photos) that were first bathed in boiling baking soda and water as explained for the bagels baked on November 21.  Baking  time and temperature were the same as the bagel's.

Next on the agenda was baking Baguette bread.  After forming the baguette loaves with the other half of the dough recipe, they were allowed to rest for an hour before baking.  The baguette loaves were also baked on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Baking temperature and time were reduced for the baguette bread.   The oven was preheated to 375 Degrees F.  This was a lower temperature than what I had used in the past.   Both loaves were baked together for 55 minutes and cooled on a rack.  I was attempting to bake more moist loaves without rock-hard crusts.   Note:  The loaves shown below have been brushed with butter for a more lustrous photographic effect.  (not included in the recipe, nor it should be)

Comment:  The lower temperature did result in fully baked and somewhat moist bread after it had cooled.  The crust, while not dark brown, was still very hard, as is the case with large round loaves that I bake for 60 minutes.

Hard and chewy crust is the nature of this type of baking and people will either love it or hate it.  Personally, I enjoy chewy and crunchy crusts as long as my teeth can withstand the force required to bite or tear through it.  rrruff, ruff.  

I recommend tearing the crust with your fingers--a customary and practical method for obvious reasons.  Here's a link to The Correct Etiquette for Eating Bread.

November 21, 2022 Sourdough Bagels--November 15 Redo.  First, our problematic brand of parchment paper has been replaced with a new roll of Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Paper.  It is advertised to be good to use for 3 batches.  

Although there was nothing wrong with the flavor and texture of the bagels baked last week, their appearance was somewhat disappointing.  The bottoms of all but one had to be completely cut off due to the fact that the parchment paper would not release.  This had happened several times before while baking sourdough bread but I was too stubborn to discard what remained on the roll until it was nealy gone.

Today's recipe was for 12 plain bagels following the same recipe with the exception of  omitting the sugar, spices, raisins and cranberry juice.  Here is the revised list of ingredients, etc.  Also, a detailed pictorial is given below.

Recipe:   Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.

Dough raised 21 hours before forming bagels.

• 5 cups bread flour.

• 1 cup sourdough starter cultured from the same bread flour.  (I used Dakota Maid Premium Bread Flour, Unbleached, Pre-sifted)

• 1 1/2 cups  purified water

• 2 tsp. sea salt

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil (Bertolli Extra Light Taste)  Avocado Oil can be used instead of Olive oil.  I prefer Olive Oil because it's more readily available where I live.

Other Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup baking soda

I used a kitchen scale to weigh each bagel to a weight of between 3.8 and 3.9 ounces.  The dough recipe above weighed 2 lbs, 14 ounces before it was divided into equal sections (see photos below).  Form the bagel into balls, slightly flatten, and then push a hole through the center with your fingers--carefully stretch the dough in a circular fashion, repeating the process several times as needed.  Allow the bagels to raise slightly (15-20 minutes) before bathing in the baking soda solution.

Bathe bagels in a solution of Baking Soda for 2-3 minutes.  Today, I used a Wok instead of the frying pan filled 1/2 full with boiling water and baking soda (be alert for boil overs).  I could easily manage 4 bagels at a time with the larger surface area.  A slotted spoon and spatula used together (use both hands) work well for removing the slippery bagels and placing them on a wire rack and pan to catch the liquid as the bagels drip.

Bake one dozen plain bagels on baking sheet covered with parchment paper, center rack for 25 minutes.

Makes 12 Bagels.

About 223 Calories each: 

Ingredient Data Source:  Calorie Conversion were based on product labels:
31g Dakota Maid Premium Bread Flour (1/4 cup) = 108 Cal.;  1 Tbsp. Bertolli Olive Oil Extra Light Taste = 120 Cal.

Delish!

Comments.  There was no sticking.  See parchment paper images below.  Don't stint on the quality of parchment paper.  It will save money, food, and time in the long run.

November 15, 2022 Sourdough Bagels--Ingredients Mishap. I've remarked in the past of buying deviled eggs that were topped with strawberry flavored sugar instead of paprika and thought how could a cook make such a mistake.  Well, I found out how easy it really is if you don't take the time to read labels.

I had finished baking eight plain and four raisin bagels and decided to cover the botched bottom of the raisin bagels with a blend of cinnamon and sugar.  I thought to myself how slowly the cinnamon and raisin mixture was coming out of the shaker.  Upon closer inspection, it was not cinnamon and sugar.  It turned out to be another of my homemade blends:  Five Spice Powder.  I brushed off what I could with a paper towel and applied cinnamon and sugar.  I popped them back in the oven for another 5 minutes to melt the sugar.  All went well.

Recipe:   Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.

Dough raised 21 hours before forming bagels.

• 5 cups bread flour, 1 cup sourdough starter cultured from the same bread flour.

• 1 1/2 cups  purified water

• 2 tsp. sea salt

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Other Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup  seedless raisins

• 1/4 cup 100% cranberry juice  (Plump raisins in juice--microwave for 1 minute and then  drain)

• Form 8 plain 4" diameter bagels--set aside 1/3 of the dough

• 1/2 cup sun dried seedless raisins and 1/4 cup cranberry juice

• 3 tsp. sugar

• Fold in 3 tsp. sugar and the drained raisins to the remainder of dough to make four more bagels.

• 1/4 cup baking soda

Bathe Bagels in a solution of Baking Soda for 2-3 minutes.  I bathed 3 at a time in a deep frying pan filled 2/3 with boiling water and baking soda (be alert for boil overs).

Bake 8 plain bagels on sheet covered with parchment paper, center rack for 20-25 minutes.  Bake 4 raisin/cranberry/cinnamon and sugar bagels for 20-25 minutes--may require new piece of parchment paper; then turn over, sprinkle on sugar and cinnamon, and bake for an additonal 5 minutes to melt some of the sugar.  (Pour off excess unmelted sugar when finished, if desired)

Five spice powder is not part of this recipe.  Try it if you must.
Makes 12 Large Bagels.

Please Note:  Effective Today, December 7, 2020, all food-related posts made to this page between January 27, 2019 through December 7, 2020 have been archived and will now be available in Word Document and PDF formats.  These files can be accessed by following the Archive Links below.

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