Food & Drink

[KARNUT]

I’m just the opposite. For about 30 years I’ve not added salt, eaten butter, no added sugar, low fat, and all my blood work is always good. Done every diet had tread mills and exercise bikes. Finally started Weight Watchers and started eating everything found my set point and just walk everyday. I’m not skinny and not obese. I just eat in moderation. Real food. No lite diet anything. I found that you can’t trick your body. If it wants it, it’ll torture you until you feed it. If I even pick up a pink packet instead of sugar for my coffee. My blood sugar drops and my evil twin takes over. Real Food in a timely manner is the only way to go.

[txab]

On 12/7/2022 at 5:37 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

 

No doubt! I think one could smoke a boot and it would taste great.  

You have to marinate the hell out of it, then make sure not to over cook it ans dry it out

[Grumpy Bear]

Cutting it thin! 

 

This will sound nuts but cut it thin. These artisan whole grain breads toasted when cut to like 3/8 of an inch thick, or less, toast crisp all the way through. The wheat/green olive/parmesan I've been using to make hard salami with tomato, sliced cheese and olive oil/Dejion mustard is off the chain. The meat, cheese and tomato cut paper thin... I layer it. You can still make it as thick as you like overall but... Guess it's a mouth feel thing. 

 

Bread/meat/oil/tomato/meat/cheese/mustard/meat/bread.  Nothing gets soggy and noting get diluted. 

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Grilled Goose

 

As many years as I hunted upland, I never hunted goose. No so for my favorite neighbor who hit their limit this year for several days. And, yes, they share. He and his son did all the heavy lifting for tonight's dinner. He didn't give full detail, but the breast was marinaded in a Soy/Worchester overnight and coated in a dry steak rub, then grilled to hot pink wrapped in char perfection. 

 

To accompany the goose breast, I steamed some long grain white rice which was finished with EVOO, salt and pepper. 

As a veggie steamed carrots finished in butter and brown sugar. 

A slice of an Artisan bread made with herbs and sundried Roma tomatoes. Buttered, naturally. 

A glass of hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick.

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Top Round Roast

 

I haven't brazed a roast in decades. Like maybe 5? Seems like the way to go given how lean a cut it is. 

 

in 4 Quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven a layer of carrot and sliced onion. Keeps the roast off the bottom. Roast on top and surrounded by a pound of good-sized Yukon Gold potatoes. Add half a quart of veggie or beef broth. Salt and pepper. 

 

This one was a 2.75-pound example I brazed for 4.75 hours. Actually, a bit too long as I overran the 190 F end point, but it hurts nothing when the pot is covered as long as you don't run out of liquid. Turned out perfectly after a half hour rest. 

 

Yukon taters in this dish is new for me. I used Russet before, but this is a serious upgrade.  A plus for this cut is shrinkage. There isn't much. And it's still to fork. No knife past carving required. I'll be eating on this awhile. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Price of Eggs!

 

Double the price and I eat half as many. I can do this all day.

Fact, I can do this until eggs are not part of the diet. 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

[KARNUT]

I have 3 eggs every morning. Sometimes egg beaters if I want a cheese omelette. Bacon or turkey sausage sometimes. Usually it’s eggs and toast with jelly. Or a microwave potato slices then thrown into the fry pan cheese eggs on top. Right now brown eggs are 4$ egg beaters fluctuates. If I have to I’ll get chickens. I’m having my eggs. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Avocado Toast

Another Version

 

I like to play with my food.  This time I traded the multigrain wheat for an artisan parmesan/green olive and a paper-thin slice of Corned Beef. 

 

The avocado was salt and pepper with a smidgin of dried Basil and a splash of a floral EVOO. No onion or garlic or citrus. Simple. 

 

Sliced Roma counter ripened. A young Gouda not smoked. (wife does not like this cheese unsmoked). 

 

Thin sliced the bread and toasted to a cracker like crunch.  Thin smear of butter. Slice of Corned Beef. Avocado mix. Topped with the tomato and cheese, cut wafer thin.

 

It's about as far as I think I will go stacking flavors. More at this point would be a muddy mess but as is, it playfully rotates textures and taste with each chew.  

Edited January 31, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

Coconut Rice and Chicken

 

Sometimes the stuff I just make up..... WOW do I like this one. Gets rid of some leftovers. 

 

I make a pot of white rice now and again and use veggie stock instead of water to do so. A cup of rice dry makes about 3 cups cooked. So, I always have a cup left over. Stored in an airtight container it gets a bit dry cold and clumps and I do not like microwave reheated food.

 

In a skillet I heat over medium heat a tablespoon of EVOO and a teaspoon of Virgin Coconut oil. A solid at room temperature it melts almost at body temperature. Once the oil is hot, I add the cup of cold rice and start breaking it up with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and some cracked black pepper and mix well. I do it flipping it in the pan like tossing a pancake without a spatula. While heating up I shred two or three ounces of store-bought cold rotisserie chicken that I've skinned and boned earlier. Pretty simple and really tasty. 

 

I serve it with a slice of Artisan Roma tomatoe toast with a smear of butter and a glass of cold milk. 

 

Wife would add peas to this, but I don't. If I want peas, I serve those on the side. I like peas just not in this dish. 

 

Everything you put in a dish adds to or muddies the dish. Each item adds a layer of flavor or smell or texture or color. Somethings complement each other and some don't. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Winter Soup

 

This is a simple dish with medium prep time that is nice on a cold day. I make it about once a month during the winter. Dad is a one pot cook and it rubbed off. First time I made this I was cleaning out the frig. You get the kitchen tested refined version to start with. Play with it. 

 

1 Spanish Onion course diced.

1 Red Bell Pepper course diced.

2 Stalks Celery sliced 1/4". (a cup) 

1 Cup Matchstick cut Carrots. 

2 Tbs EVOO. 

 

In a 3-1/2-quart Dutch Oven over medium heat soften the veggies above until the onion is transparent. 

 

Add:

1 tsp salt and stir.

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper.

1Tbs Dried Fennel Seed.

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning. 

1 28 ounce can of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes.

2 cups veggie broth (to start). 

1 16 ounce can of White Beans.

1 16 once can of Red Beans.

1 Tbs Tomato Paste. 

1 medium Zucchini Squash 1/4" slices. 

 

Add enough broth to cover and low simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Water is good as well. 

It's good off the stove and naturally, depth is added overnight in the frig. 

 

Optional:

 

Yellow Winter Squash to replace or add to the Zucchini.  

A minute or two before you serve add a bunch of spinach. Both are a match you can only strike once. 

Second day the shrimp will be tough and the spinach stringy. 

 

You may be inclined to add garlic. Give that some measured thought. Fennel and Garlic. 

 

Serving suggestion:

 

Crusty bread and aged cheeses 

Shrimp Cocktail or hot boiled shrimp and lemon. 

White wine. 

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Sirloin Tip Roast

 

Did a top round up this page a few. This one was larger and added more veggies by weight. 

 

4-pound sirloin tip roast. I do not sear the roast. Just salt it well. 

1 pound of whole peeled carrots.

1 large white onion

2 pounds of new white potatoes. About plumb size. 

Salt.

2 cups of beef stock. 

Oven braise at 275 F for 5 hours.

Rest 20-30 minutes on the cutting board foil covered.

 

This brought internal temp to 205 F. Connective tissue is broken at 190 F so I can start shortening the time or lower the temperature, but it comes out great anyway. Next one, now that I have my bearings, will be another Round but grass feed Angus. See what the hubbub is about. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Corned Beef 

Sirloin Roast Hash and Eggs

 

We eat 'catch phrases'. Our Usual is the order of the day. We buy corned beef hash. Few make it anymore. It isn't that hard. Last night's leftover Sirloin, carrot and onion made a wonderful hash with fresh Yukon taters diced and fried in EVOO. The scrambled eggs made it a one pan delight. Think outside the labels we give our food and enjoy some fresh taste. 

 

Cold, snowy the last few days drew me back to the kitchen. Sorry for the barrage. Someone besides me cooks. Share less this gets stale. 

[KARNUT]

34 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Corned Beef 

Sirloin Roast Hash and Eggs

 

We eat 'catch phrases'. Our Usual is the order of the day. We buy corned beef hash. Few make it anymore. It isn't that hard. Last night's leftover Sirloin, carrot and onion made a wonderful hash with fresh Yukon taters diced and fried in EVOO. The scrambled eggs made it a one pan delight. Think outside the labels we give our food and enjoy some fresh taste. 

 

Cold, snowy the last few days drew me back to the kitchen. Sorry for the barrage. Someone besides me cooks. Share less this gets stale. 

Ever have pork roll or scrapple. In New Jersey pork roll egg and cheese on a Keizer roll. I can see the break truck now. Break time!

[Grumpy Bear]

Evan Williams

Bottled in Bond

 

 

Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley

A four-year-old 100 proof Kentucky Bourbon. 

$15-$20 a fifth. 

 

Inexpensive &Tasty. Drink the neck and shoulders off this bottle without a water back and you will know it. 

I have my everyday bourbons then I have my "Sunday Sippers'." This is that.

Sophisticated enough to serve company and cheap enough that nearly anyone can afford it. It will not embarrass you nor force you to choose a lesser drink on cost.   Surprise! It's more consistent than their 1783. Richer than the Black Lable. 

 

[customboss]

14 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Evan Williams

Bottled in Bond

 

 

Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley

A four-year-old 100 proof Kentucky Bourbon. 

$15-$20 a fifth. 

 

Inexpensive &Tasty. Drink the neck and shoulders off this bottle without a water back and you will know it. 

I have my everyday bourbons then I have my "Sunday Sippers'." This is that.

Sophisticated enough to serve company and cheap enough that nearly anyone can afford it. It will not embarrass you nor force you to choose a lesser drink on cost.   Surprise! It's more consistent than their 1783. Richer than the Black Lable. 

 

Little lady is a whiskey gal. Gonna try this for our next opportunity of drinks and entertainment.  I still prefer clear liquids....LOL