Quarantine Cooking

[dusty texian]

 I may be stuck in the city Self  Quarantine but that don't stop me from cooking like a country boy should . Lucky for me the last trip to the ranch I killed a wild hog , little one about 100 lb. sow . Cut down a few standing dead mesquite tree's (Jerky smoking  wood ) and brought a load to the kids in the city . Bring's us to today , started a good mesquite fire in the pit , when the coal's got right I laid on the pork shoulder that had been thawed a day before and rubbed down with garlic salt and black pepper . Roasted it until it was turning brownish and smokey color . Then wrapped it in foil ( cheating ) and added a bit of water in bottom of foil before closing the foil . That was put over the coals  . Off to the side I had set three pounds of deer jerky meat sliced 1/4 " thick and  had been rubbed with coarse salt and black pepper .  Four hr's later the pork roast is done to perfection ( wish y'all could taste it ) no grease just smoked garlic  salt flavored  , I was told it aint bragging IF YOU CAN BACK IT UP  , That stuff is delicious ! As I type the deer jerky is ready to take off the pit . Early test taste say's the jerky aint bad . These are some different times we are in my friends I hope Y'all are getting along , make the best of what Ya got . Happy Easter Eve ,,,DT

[River City John]

We've been making a lot of soups, chili and stews, using up the dried foodstuffs like beans, lentils, split peas, wild rice and barley. Had a ton of bouillon powder and cubes, and onion flakes, herbs and spices, etc. stocked up.

Even though potatoes had begun to root, they're still good enough to cut up in vegetable stews. Had carrots already, and various meats in the freezer. Nice thing about soups and stews, you can make a big pot and eat it for several days, or freeze part of it. Just gets better and better each time you heat it up.

Local store had a big sale on oyster cracker several months ago, three bags for $5.00, so I had filled a grocery bag, - we go through them quickly.

Canned goods are holding up, so only thing we have had to go pick up was fresh fruit and dairy.

RCJ

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

I  i have a bunch, two boxes, of instant buttermilk pancake mix.   I need to get rid off it before my wife gets out of the nursing facility.  She only likes the homemade pancakes .  I am diabetic so I can't eat it as pancakes.   
Any suggestions making it into cake?   temps and time?   I have apples to us up also.  Can add them to the middle of the cake?
Please help with suggestions for a lonely Old former  bachelor trying not let food spoil.  Thanks Y'all.

[Mogorilla]

Hello Lord Eoin,
Well, I am a weird baker.   I do measure, but sometimes I just go wild and throw things together.  So, I have played a bit with using the instant buttermilk pancake mix.  Not promoting one over the other, but I do like the Krusteaz version.   Some of what I have done with it.

Equal parts pancake mix and corn meal. (1 cup each) add an egg and milk to a thick pourable consistency.  Add to a cast iron skillet and bake 375 until golden brown.  you have Cornbread.  If you like it sweeter, add 1/4 cup of sugar.
For something extra, add more milk to a thinner consistency and make jonny cakes.   
Add chopped scallion, frozen corn, green chiles, maybe some shredded cheese and cook like a pancake.  Top with taco meat or beans for south of the border fun.


take 1 cup rolled oats and 2 cups of hot water.   Let sit for 30 minutes.   Add 1 1/2 cups of pancake mix, add 1/2 cup of brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1 egg, 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Stir.  Add milk to get a thick pourable cake batter, pour into a greased pan and bake at 350 until a tester inserted comes out clean.   Make a bit of powdered sugar icing and sprinkle some pecans on it. 

same as with the cornbread thin it with milk and make oatmeal pancakes.   I top this with cooked apples in the winter.   honestly these are my wifes favorite and she requests them once a month or so.

I experiment a lot with this.    Best part is you can eat the mistakes.   

[Mogorilla]

Have to say the pork roast description had my mouth watering.   

I am the primary cook in the house, so I have been doing my best with pantry items and trying to make sure nothing goes to waste.  When it first hit, we took stock and cleaned out the fridge.   During that time I took the reminents of some strawberries, blueberries and rasberries and tossed them in a pot.   I added some homemade cranberry jelly to it, touch of lemon juice and some sugar and brought it to a boil.    Have one heck of a mixed berry jam.   I always make Soda bread for work on St. Pats day.   Well I had the stuff to make it when got order to work from home as much as possible.  So, made the soda bread and froze it.   I toast pieces with some jam for tea in the afternoon.   Makes the afternoon.

Had some left over buttermilk, so I made these
Buttermilk Oat pancakes
2 cups old-fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend all of the dry ingredients together.   In separate bowl, mix buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter.   Add dry to the wet and mix until just encorporated and let sit covered in your fridge overnight.    cook on a griddle the next morning.   Great with berries or syrup.

[dusty texian]

Mogorilla you got my mouth watering over the Berry Jam and soda bread  talk , wishing I could trade you a chunk of that Garlic smoked pork roast  for some of that jam . Take care Amigo !,,,DT

[Duck Creek]

Great to hear about all the culinary efforts going on out there in CAS land. We have, for the most part, been following River City John's lead. Preparing soups, stews and some casseroles that generate plenty of leftovers.
I have also been reworking some of my old recipes into a more heart healthy style. Surprisingly most of the experiments have been successful, at least according to my resident food critic.
I read that many folks are home baking again and they seem to be trying sourdough recipes. Hope they all have read Del's treatise on sourdough as it answers any questions you could possibly have.
Duck Creek

[Tascosa Joe]

We live in a small enough place that we have had 2 cases of the virus in the county.  Both in the same family.  I don't eat beans unless they are green so we don't have cans of beans in the pantry,  but we do have a well stocked freezer mostly dead cow and chicken.  We really haven't changed our diet.  I assisted the wife making bread this morning.  We have 2 of the grand children with us and we spend most of the time home schooling.

[Delmonico]

Pretty much normal here, getting some supplies and got a good stock, Swiss Steak for supper.