She has Returned!

I think I’ve numbed my brain since July. The world hasn’t stopped long enough for me to catch my breath, take a look around and reevaluate a few important things. Luckily, nothing truly needed reevaluation and the things that did, wound up having the same answers as they did before the deadly busy month of July.

Weddings, nor bedbugs, Blue Skies or camping can hold me back any longer. I have returned!

And with little bits of culinary informations! And some gaming…

The Summer of Canning!

I have rediscovered a prior love of canning with my friend Sue. I’ve found that in Ontario there’s pick your own berry farms and other wonderful sources of fresh local produce. This amazes me. I’ve always had access to an abundance of local agriculture, but not in the sense of picking your own. (Unless I was orchard raiding. But that’s not entirely legal and not something I practice any longer.)

Needless to say I am prepared for a Zombie apocolypse now. So long as I can live off of jams, jellies and pickles. The recipes that were used are simple and found on the box of Bernardin pectin products. For my personal taste I’ve found that I prefer the low sugar pectin. Fruit is sweet enough and its natural flavours should not be hidden.

Bernardin Home Canning Recipes.

We made Strawberry Jam, Blueberry/Raspberry Jam, Red Currant/Jalepeno Jelly, a wonderful Jalepeno/Basil/Garlic Jelly and finally, Garlic Dill Pickles.

World of Warcraft!

How can I not talk about WoW?

At Blizzcon, Blizzard announced plans for the new expansion. Many of the plans seem like a grab at used straws with the idea to basically destroy the original continents. Personally, I think it’s a mistake. In the meantime, I’m perfectly happy to run around on my little mage who is now playing with an Arcane talent spec. I think I might go back to Fire once she’s done questing in Dustwallow Marsh.

TABLES!

Still writing my Star Wars game… no news.

The Culinary Adventures!

There really hasn’t been too many Culinary adventures this month. Just some old recipes that have been living in my head. One of the leaders of my guild in World of Warcraft is the father of 5 boys and who has asked me on many occasions to write my recipes down for him. So, I’ve been doing exactly that. Slowly. But, it’s been happening.

Beirocks

2lbs Ground Beef
2lbs Ground Pork
2 Onions, chopped
1 head of Cabbage, chopped
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Brown the beef and pork together in a large pan or pot. Add in the onions, cabbage and spices and cook together until the veg is sweaty, not translucient. Set aside and let cool. Or cover and put in the fridge for up to a week before using.

For the dough, you will have to make in batches. My recommendation is to have one ready to sit aside and rise while making the beirocks with the other.

2 packages of yeast
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups of flour (all purpose – I prefer unbleached.)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup water

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set in warm place. Add warm milk, butter and salt; let stand for 10 minutes with yeast mixture in it. Add flour and sugar. Cover and set aside in a sunny spot for 1 hour.

Roll out dough and cut into large circles. Put 1/4 cup meat mixture in center of dough. Pinch closed. Bake until browned, approximately 20 minutes, at 375 degrees.

California Cacioppo Marinara

3 28oz cans of Crushed Tomatoes
1 head minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika, chilli powder, cayenne pepper or any combination
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine or water, depending on taste
1 tablespon soy sauce or 1-3 ground anchovies
ground pepper to taste
15-30 FRESH basil leaves
A wooden spoon

Coat the bottom of a large pot in olive oil. Turn the heat to medium high and add in the onions and garlic. Stir them around with a wooden spoon until the onions begin to sweat. If using red wine, now would be the time to add it in, if not then just add the cans of tomatoes. Stir in a circle 8 figurine until simmering. Once simmering, turn down the heat to low. Add in everything except the fresh basil and let simmer 1-3 hours stirring occasionally. Before serving add in the fresh basil. To cut the basil, stack the leaves ontop of each other in order of height and then roll as if creating a joint. Then julienne.

Remember the circle 8 stirring motion with the wooden spoon. It makes all the difference.

My Popo’s Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground beef, pork, lamb, veal or any combination of.
2-6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 dashes cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with clean hands. Mix throughly. Once combined, roll meat into balls the size of your inner palm. Place on a foil or parchment lined pan and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Rawr.

Roman Lamb!

This is an odd recipe, but it’s one of my favorite dishes.

1 leg of lamb, cubed
1/8 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 package of anchovies
1/8 cup minched parsley, fresh
2-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon capers

In a mortar combine olives, garlic and anchovies mash together with the pestle and then set aside. In a bowl, toss the cubed and flour together and then remove the lamb. Heat a saute or frying pan over high heat and coat with olive oil. Add more if neccessary. Add in lamb once oil is shimmery and quickly fry. Drain off the oil once the flour os golden brown and any visible meat is brown. (Inside of the cube should be pink) Combine anchovy mixture, capers and fresh parsley. Serve hot.

~ by nunabutt on August 27, 2009.