APRIL 2017... What's Cooking for Dinner?

I made a batch of deviled eggs. I find that it is a PITA to put the filling in the halves. I looked up ways to put in the filling and saw where a person loaded the filling into a sandwich bag and cut off a corner. I have been using a tip and silicone squeeze thingy. Hate it. Got an easy way to pipe in the filling?

I got this especially for deviled eggs and I put it in the corner of a zip lock, then fill it with the egg yolk mixture.  It's the only thing I have to clean after filling the eggs and if you have more than a few to fill,it goes a lot faster than any other method I have tried.



tried.

Norm, I think I have one of those. I guess I need to find it and give it a try. Thanks for the tip.

I found that the smaller ones get clogged if I have stuff like relish in the yolk mixture.  It helps to put a thick rubber band around the bag at the top of the funnel inside the bag so the mixture does not get behind it.

I used up the leftovers from the refrigerator tonight with some grilled burger patties.....

Jimmy. I have a Cuisinart with a compressor. It works great but is noisy. Mine is at least 10 years old so maybe things have been made more quiet. When the ice cream is done, it will be like soft-serve. Tina will need to freeze the ice cream. I have learned a lot about making ice cream over the years and have some good recipes. Nothing exotic or fancy. Here are a few tips I can pass on. If you already know them, sorry for the repeat. Make sure you turn on the compressor and get the can nice and cold before adding the mix.

1.If you make a cooked custard base, chill the mix overnight. Something happens to the mix which makes it better.
2.If you make a custard base, do not go over 175-185 degrees. Your base will curdle.
3.With the exception of a few recipes, your ice cream will get rock hard once put in the freezer and will have to be softened before you can scoop it out.
4.
Ice cream base: Once you make the ice cream base or ice cream custard, it can never be too cold before going into the machine. The faster the freeze the smoother the ice cream. And avoid over filling the ice cream maker. Fill it only three-quarters full to allow for expansion and to allow the ice cream to aerate properly as it freezes.

Flavors and mix-ins: Alcohol will inhibit ice cream's ability to freeze, so moderation is key. When adding alcohol, try adding only a scant 1/4-cup to a quart of ice cream. For the best flavor, extracts and emulsions should be added once the ice cream base or custard has chilled but before going to the ice cream maker. Add candy, cookies or other solid mixings during the last few minutes of churning.

Ice cream storage: To keep the ice cream an even consistency use a shallow, flat, freezer-safe container like the Tovolo Glide-a-Scoop Ice Cream Tub. (I tried it and hated it) To help prevent ice crystals from forming, cover the surface of the ice cream with a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper before closing the container.


I have a recipe for vanilla ice cream that does not get hard as a rock when you put it in the freezer.



Soft Scoop Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Creams

1/3 cup sugar
1 extra-large egg
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon corn syrup
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Yield: 3 cups

1.In a large heatproof mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and egg. Heat the milk to just below boiling then pour slowly into the bowl with the beaten egg and sugar in a thin stream, beating constantly. Position the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the custard reaches 185 degrees. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Stir in the corn syrup. Cover and chill thoroughly.
2.When ready, stir in the cream and vanilla and freeze in your machine. Churn until the machine stops. Quickly scrape the ice cream into a freezer container. Cover with plastic and a lid.

For chocolate: chop 5 oz chocolate (or 6). After straining the custard add the chocolate and let stand for a few minutes to melt. Stir until combined and chill. When cold add vanilla, cream and freeze.

Jimmy, I don't cook this over water, just low heat and I stir it so it won't curdle.

There is also Philly style ice cream that you don't have to cook at all.

Vanilla Ice Cream
1 vanilla bean or 2 tablespoons vanilla
2 cups half and half
2 cups whipping cream
1 can Eagle Brand

Fudgy chocolate ice cream: Add 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate and use only 1 teaspoon vanilla.


Scrape out seeds and combine with other ingredients. Chill and then freeze.

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Haaaaaaa!!!  Just remembered today in the Fiftyoneth  ( 51th ) .Anniversary.
I have to cook something for supper ??

I know, that ice cream soothes Tina's stomach,  so I bought her a Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine.
She had always wanted one. We have two that use the ice / salt bath, they work, but are slow and messy / drippy; so I picked up a refrigerated one with the compressor to chill the dasher tank. We shall see....

You two must have gotten married when you were babies.

Congratulations on the 'one-past-50' anniversary.....quite an accomplishment!

Were you like we were when we married so young??? We said the part about 'until death do us part' and never imagined it would go on....and on....and on so long. LOL

PF Flyers! Run fast like the wind!!! Bet he loves when you compare HIS pics to Liam now.....that's so cool. (although, truth be told, I'll bet Liam has way more hair than Jimmy did at the same age!)

************

Pasta Primavera.....or is it Pasta with Chicken & Vegetables? Can you call it primavera if you add meat? Gee, I'm not sure. Made a 'salad' with sliced cucumbers, our home grown tomatoes, home pickled onions that have been in the back of the refrigerator for 6 months and a drizzle of basalmic vinegar.

My dad said PF in PF Flyers stood for pwweh foot. 

We had tacos tonight.

No cooking tonight.

Had a dental appt......KNEW it was going to be prep for a crown (at least no root canal needed).

I can't feel half my face and the vodka is dribbling down my chin.....

((sigh))

That sounds like a beautiful sight.....

Crispy pan fried chicken breast, roasted butternut squash, roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with onion & bacon (done in the cast iron skillet).

The cauliflower and Brussels sprouts were picked up at the Farm Market last week....the sprouts were still on the stalk. It's a bit more work to cut 'em off, but you know for sure they're fresh when you can find them that way....and really cheap. They only asked $1.50 for each the sprouts and cauliflower. Can't go wrong with a deal like that!

I was lazy and got an Italian style roast that I just had to cook in the microwave. I served it on pasta and with some roasted asparagus with bernaise sauce.

Convenience food or not, Norm, that still looks like a luscious meal. Heck, I could easily make a meal of your side veg......I'd need a large spoon to eat every bit of the sauce!

Looks good to me!

Thank you Beth.

I got this recipe in my email. Sounded interesting until I started reading it. This came from Real Simple magazine. It is supposed to feed 4.


Ingredients
2 small yellow onions, halved
½ dry shrimp-and-crab boil seasoning, such as Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seafood Boil
1 lemon, halved, plus wedges for serving
1 head garlic, halved crosswise 
2 tablespoons kosher salt 
8 ounces small red potatoes, halved 
8 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 8 pieces 
1 globe artichoke 
1½ large unpeeled shrimp
2 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into thirds



Directions
Bring 4 quarts water, onions, seasoning, halved lemon, garlic, and salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Add potatoes, sausage, and artichoke and boil until potatoes are just tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Add shrimp and corn and cook until shrimp are opaque, about 3 minutes. Drain and serve on a large platter with lemon wedges.
By Paige Grandjean