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Cooking Friends » General Discussion » What's Cooking This Month? » March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring?

March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring?

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bethk
Cookin Lore
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Cookin Lore



I remember when we had two freezers. trying to organize was not fun. Now I just have the one at the bottom of my fridge, and I still can't keep track of everything.

bethk

bethk
Admin

So at the last minute I decided one 'slider' size sloppy joe was enough for me ~ HE ended up with both hot dogs ~ topped with sloppy joe as a meaty sauce.


March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 03_07_25

bethk

bethk
Admin

From Lore:


"Dinner Tonight. Simple oven roasted potato chuncks, a London broil, and an heirloom tomato with salt/pepper, feta and a bit of parsley. Yumm!"


March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 03_07_26

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bethk

bethk
Admin

I'm continuing my quest to move things out of my freezer ~ today I pulled out a couple cubed beef steaks ~ thawed them a bit and cut them into smaller pieces.  I didn't have any buttermilk to marinade the beef in so I 'winged' it and mixed some sour cream, milk & sambal oeleck (chili garlic paste) to let the meat sit in until supper time.  I figured the acid in the sour cream, thinned with the milk, would suffice for a buttermilk substitute.

I also have a 16 oz. container of mashed potatoes thawing.  Perfect to have with the 'white' gravy I'll make after frying the breaded cubed beef in bacon fat (also out of the freezer).

So I'm feeling pretty good about my 'freezer meal'!


After marinating my beef for a few hours I 'double' breaded it ~ into seasoned flour/cornstarch/s&p, back into marinade & pressed into flour mixture a second time.

It's now on a rack in the refrigerator to 'air dry' so the liquid has a chance to hydrate the flour/cornstarch so it stays put when I fry it.


March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 03_08_18

JanaAZ



Who knew we’d have a cold and rainy snowy day when I planned Chinese chicken salad for dinner. Maybe wrong meal for the day but it sure was good. March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 Img_9612

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Cookin Lore



That all looks delish. Love the salad with I believe orange sections? I bought some Navel/naval oranges the other day. Very disappointing, almost no flavour!

bethk

bethk
Admin

JanaAZ wrote:Who knew we’d have a cold and rainy snowy day when I planned Chinese chicken salad for dinner. Maybe wrong meal for the day but it sure was good.


It's ALWAYS a good day for a Chinese chicken salad! One of my favorites.

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Imelda HL

Imelda HL

I was planning to make some tuna patties on this meatless Friday, I thought I still had a couple of canned tuna, this morning I could not find them, either I've already used them or I misplaced them. It was already after 10 when I realized it. Dirk was going to Walmart to get some, then I remembered I had a few bags of jumbo shrimps in my freezer, I took 1 bag out, soaked them in water for 10 minutes while I was boiling a bag of dried egg noodles, peeled them and sauteed them in olive oil and butter, onion and garlic, added part of the egg noodles, added some pasta water and lemon juice, sprinkled with dried parsley and Parmesan cheese. They were ready by 10.45, my MIL was ready for her lunch ( her lunch time is vary, depends on what and what time she has her breakfast Very Happy ), she cleaned up her plate in 15 minutes.

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bethk

bethk
Admin

The freezer to the rescue! That sure beats a trip to Walmart!

bethk

bethk
Admin

OK, so I obviously have nothing else to do but post a bunch of pictures of a meal of Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes & White (milk) Gravy.......

Just know you can scroll past ~

I marinated my pieces of beef cubed steak in sour cream, milk & garlic chili paste for a couple hours.

Then I dredged them in a well seasoned flour/cornstarch mixture ~ twice. I pressed the flour on well with my knuckles both times.

The coated beef sat in the refrigerator for a few hours before it was time to fry.

I used saved bacon fat from the freezer to fry my pieces in ~ I prefer smaller pieces for more even browning. Medium heat ~ don't try to move until they're ready so you don't lose the coating.

I was really happy with my golden brown & delicious outcome!

I put the fried steaks back on the (cleaned) rack and kept them warm in the toaster oven set at 200° while I made the gravy.

I poured off most of the bacon fat ~ used maybe 2 Tbsp. Added flour and seasoned with s&p and whisked until it was just barely tan. I whisked in about 2 c. milk, a bit at a time, continuing to whisk constantly. I tasted it and thought it was 'missing' something so I added about a tsp. of Chicken Better Than Boullion soup base. Then it started getting really thick FAST so I just kept whisking in water until I had it under control and it wasn't like glue.

My mashed potatoes were from the freezer ~ they always look like thick potato soup when they thaw but I let them slowly come to a simmer and they tighten up like magic. And because I make them with cream cheese & sour cream they never have a 'leftover' potato flavor. Love the convenience of having them in the freezer!

I was really happy that my chicken fried steak was tender and moist on the inside, with good flavor in the beef from marinading a few hours, and the crust stayed attached because I let them sit uncovered in the refrigerator on a rack (for air circulation) for a few hours so the flour could hydrate the flour/cornstarch and attach to the meat.


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NormM

NormM

I was going to cook these outside yesterday but it rained all day and today it was too cold so I cooked them insideMarch is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 Img_1510

bethk and Imelda HL like this post

http://r2j1cp@gmail.com

bethk

bethk
Admin

Today was Ladies' Lunch so (no surprise) I won't be cooking tonight.

HE decided he wanted an egg sandwich so HE'S on HIS own....So happy there are no decisions to be made.

Cookin Lore



UGH! White stuff coming down here today! We have had a very mild winter here, so Mother Nature is reminding us "Not so easy, Canada! I'm still in charge!"

No cooking yesterday, had some leftovers for lunch, and cheese, crackers and a can of smoked oysters for supper. Was thinking of making something Indian for tonight, and then it hit me................ I have a committee meeting of our social committee at my place today. THought it was going to be at one, so after lunch, before dinner. And then a hiccup in timing. It's at 4! so, a charcouterie board is in the works! I have quite a bit of stuff already, but need some different cheeses, grapes, maybe small tomatoes. I have olives, red and yellow pepper, jar of marinated artichoke hearts, smoked salmon, shrimp. OH yes, need some wine! a four o'clock meeting of a social club (and good friends) can easily turn into supper, right? Stay tuned! LOL

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JanaAZ



I use a lot of pork shoulder for dishes and when our store had it on sale, I bought another one. I made pork char siu with rice, and snow peas & broccoli. I think I’ll use the leftovers to make bao buns.

March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 Img_9613

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bethk

bethk
Admin

JanaAZ wrote:I use a lot of pork shoulder for dishes and when our store had it on sale, I bought another one. I made pork char siu with rice, and snow peas & broccoli. I think I’ll use the leftovers to make bao buns.


Looks good, Judy.

Do you make your own bao buns? I've watched videos and it doesn't look terribly difficult. I guess I just figure for the amount I need the frozen ones are just fine.....

(I especially like to add some quick pickled vegetables to my sandwiches ~ kind of combining bao and banh mi....

Imelda HL

Imelda HL

Yesterday I made some beef patties, with store bought dried onion soup seasoning, I had some leftover gravy I made for biscuit and gravy the other day ( they like eating gravy so much ), added some leftover pasta, it was so good

March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 8cd01110



Last edited by Imelda HL on Sun Mar 10, 2024 3:26 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Imelda HL

Imelda HL

Today I'm going out for lunch with a friend of mine, they are having leftover beef patties with gravy again, no complain here

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bethk

bethk
Admin

HE found some hot banana pepper plants a few weeks ago ~ HIS old ones were only about 3 years old and stopped producing....LOL It amazes me how something that was an annual in Ohio can continue to grow and produce here in Florida.

I looked at his plant and there are lots of good sized peppers ready to be used ~ and it gave me the idea of making something I haven't made in ages: Spanish Rice.....well, what WE CALLED Spanish Rice when I was growing up. Onions, celery, peppers with some tomato added to browned ground beef, some rice added and then some beef broth & Spicy V-8 juice to cook the rice.

And now I have my vegetables prepped and ready to go. So I'm excited for a meal idea that just came to me without searching for what we might like.

bethk

bethk
Admin

So get ready to scroll on past if this isn't of interest to you.....

I browned my ground beef & removed it from the pan. Then I sauteed my vegetables ~ onion, celery, sweet and hot peppers. I added the beef back in with a cup of rice. Then seasoned it with some sambal (chili garlic paste), worchestershire, added 1/2 can of beef consomme & same of water, the can of diced tomatoes w/chilis and a can of spicy V-8 juice. Cooked it for 15 minutes and then let it sit, covered, for another 15. The rice was perfectly cooked.

I served my Spanish Rice supper with a half avocado w/basalmic vinegar ~ the perfect foil for the spicy rice supper.


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Imelda HL

Imelda HL

What is the substitute for beef consomme? Thanks for the recipe Beth, I'll cook it next week

bethk likes this post

Cookin Lore



I use OXO beef in a small Jar, made by Knorr, but there is also Bovril.

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bethk

bethk
Admin

From Lore:


"Dinner Tonight. Well, it was an afternoon ‘snack” on one of the beautiful live edge boards that I have from my son. Wood from a tree in their backyard!  I had a planning meeting of our social committee in my condo this afternoon, so this is what I served. See the pretty Easter type little tablecloth?  For the first time, I saw jackfruit in the grocery store. It was cut in what seems to be quarters.  Interesting flavour. But not interesting enough to buy it again."


March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 03_10_25

Lore ~ your board is fabulous! What a show piece....and one with 'history'!

Love the tablecloth, too!



Last edited by bethk on Sun Mar 10, 2024 9:45 pm; edited 1 time in total

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bethk

bethk
Admin

Imelda HL wrote:What is the substitute for beef consomme? Thanks for the recipe Beth, I'll cook it next week


Imelda ~ it's simply beef broth ~ you can use boxed or Better Than Boullion jarred.  I find the canned Beef Consomme with the Campbell's canned soups.  It's a concentrated beef broth that you thin by adding an equal amount of water.  I like the flavor better than the boxed ~ but I wouldn't hesitate to use homemade or boxed chicken stock in this dish ~ it's easy to sub whatever you happen to have on hand (even water).

And I can see this being a dish that might be liked at your house. You could use mild red/yellow/orange sweet peppers if your MIL doesn't care for spicy and then YOU could add your fabulous chili paste (and some crispy shallots ~ from a jar, of course) to YOUR serving! Super easy to cook and to adjust to whatever spice level that's preferred.

Imelda HL

Imelda HL

bethk wrote:
Imelda HL wrote:What is the substitute for beef consomme? Thanks for the recipe Beth, I'll cook it next week


Imelda ~ it's simply beef broth ~ you can use boxed or Better Than Boullion jarred.  I find the canned Beef Consomme with the Campbell's canned soups.  It's a concentrated beef broth that you thin by adding an equal amount of water.  I like the flavor better than the boxed ~ but I wouldn't hesitate to use homemade or boxed chicken stock in this dish ~ it's easy to sub whatever you happen to have on hand (even water).

And I can see this being a dish that might be liked at your house.  You could use mild red/yellow/orange sweet peppers if your MIL doesn't care for spicy and then YOU could add your fabulous chili paste (and some crispy shallots ~ from a jar, of course) to YOUR serving!  Super easy to cook and to adjust to whatever spice level that's preferred.

Thank you, I have Better Than Boullion in my fridge, my MIL doesn't like celery, so I 'm thinking to use orange/red bell peppers that I have in my fridge. We usually eat Spanish rice from the pouches (Knorr or Uncle Ben ) Very Happy

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JanaAZ



bethk wrote:
JanaAZ wrote:I use a lot of pork shoulder for dishes and when our store had it on sale, I bought another one. I made pork char siu with rice, and snow peas & broccoli. I think I’ll use the leftovers to make bao buns.


Looks good, Judy.

Do you make your own bao buns?  I've watched videos and it doesn't look terribly difficult.  I guess I just figure for the amount I need the frozen ones are just fine.....

(I especially like to add some quick pickled vegetables to my sandwiches ~ kind of combining bao and banh mi....

Yes, I do. Here’s a pic of the ones I made last time for a dim sum party I also made soup dumplings, egg rolls, potstickers and scallion pancakes tooo. My Chinese friend said she’s never attempted them herself and when she liked them, I was relieved.

March is marching forward! What's on your menu for the coming spring? - Page 2 Img_0410

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