I've been absent for some time, but that's cuz I've been busy... My last post was about the purchase of my new pressure cooker, which I'm playing with multiple times each week, cranking out all sorts of "experiments" day after day! How fun is that? I'm definitely still "learning" how to use this new appliance, but must admit that I can prepare an entire meal, without heating up the kitchen too much, which is a major thing here in AZ this time of year. We're used to it, but I fear that there are many of you in the mid country who aren't! That's according to the weather news I'm seeing on the tv.
Meantime, I'm checking in on a friend's kitty a day or three each day. She was called away to CA to help her older sister, so when her younger sis can't make it over, I am filling in as surrogate "mom" for Patches. She's a hateful kitty, but is beginning to come around.
My most recent claim to fame, is this evening's dinner. A friend had brought over some fresh produce that he didn't think he'd be able to use, which included "apple bananas." I'd never heard of such a beast, but low and behold, here I have two - which I certainly didn't want to go to waste. Having absolutely no idea what to do with these, I put on my thinking cap. Tonight, we had a pancake dinner... I made "banana" pancakes (for the first time ever) accompanied by bacon and scrambled eggs. The apple bananas are friggin' awesome! I could have cared less about the other items on the menu... and just filled up on pancakes!
So... despite the heat, I think I need to fire up the smoker again, for a second time around, and smoke a ham, or whole chicken, or some such - or both?
Till next time, be well!
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Pressure Cooker
Over the past few years, I've become interested in a more simple, old time lifestyle. I don't recall mom ever canning anything, but dad did put in a vegetable garden every year... Summers and I would end up spending a week in the boonies with our uncle and family. In my mind, we were the "city kids," and cousins were the "county folk." I distinctly remember aunt and cousins working diligently in the kitchen, prepping freshly grown vegs etc for the canner. So, I bought a water bath, and when I can get a great deal on fruit, I've learned to can jams, including marmalade made from our own bitter orange trees. Then I moved on to a stove top pressure canner, and cook/can all of my own dried beans just to mention my last effort - 5 lbs of navy beans. 12 pints of baked beans, and more in the frige waiting to go...
It was my ex-mother in law who introduced me to pressure cooked meals. She had a full time job, days as an operating room nurse, three kids to feed, and a hubby who worked second shift at Oldsmobile. The cooker was a workday answer to a tasty, quick meal come dinner time, to which I was invited often.
Last week (July 12, to be exact - Amazon's Prime Day!) I ordered an electric pressure cooker... I've thought about this for some time, as my pressure canner will indeed "cook" foods, but the thing is big enough to for a food kitchen, cafeteria, or the like! It's also rather awkward to clean, once used. My new "toy" can be used as pressure cooker, slow cooker, for rice, makes yogurt (so it says...) and has a 6qt capacity - more than I need for just the two of us, but trust me, in this heat, if I can cook once, and eat multiple meals, I'm all for saving energy and minimizing heat generation in the kitchen, it's a "go."
So, I placed the order, and waited an agonizing 48 hours for delivery! Opening the box, I identified the parts included, followed the "before first use" directions, and performed the recommended test run, though I think I added far too much water (directions a tad confusing...) so it took longer than predicted, but at least I know it works. What's first on my list? Boneless/Skinless chicken breasts. I've got green grapes, and thought they'd make a great chicken salad sandwiches one of these hot nights. The others? Once cooked there's a myriad of recipes I can think to make out of them, even if it means freezing for later use!
From there? I guess I'll learn as I go, and learn as I find recipes... any fav's you'd like to share with me? Leave a comment!
It was my ex-mother in law who introduced me to pressure cooked meals. She had a full time job, days as an operating room nurse, three kids to feed, and a hubby who worked second shift at Oldsmobile. The cooker was a workday answer to a tasty, quick meal come dinner time, to which I was invited often.
Last week (July 12, to be exact - Amazon's Prime Day!) I ordered an electric pressure cooker... I've thought about this for some time, as my pressure canner will indeed "cook" foods, but the thing is big enough to for a food kitchen, cafeteria, or the like! It's also rather awkward to clean, once used. My new "toy" can be used as pressure cooker, slow cooker, for rice, makes yogurt (so it says...) and has a 6qt capacity - more than I need for just the two of us, but trust me, in this heat, if I can cook once, and eat multiple meals, I'm all for saving energy and minimizing heat generation in the kitchen, it's a "go."
So, I placed the order, and waited an agonizing 48 hours for delivery! Opening the box, I identified the parts included, followed the "before first use" directions, and performed the recommended test run, though I think I added far too much water (directions a tad confusing...) so it took longer than predicted, but at least I know it works. What's first on my list? Boneless/Skinless chicken breasts. I've got green grapes, and thought they'd make a great chicken salad sandwiches one of these hot nights. The others? Once cooked there's a myriad of recipes I can think to make out of them, even if it means freezing for later use!
From there? I guess I'll learn as I go, and learn as I find recipes... any fav's you'd like to share with me? Leave a comment!
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