What Did You Cook the Week of December 25, 2016?

By BakerAunt

Home › Forums › Cooking — (other than baking) › What Did You Cook the Week of December 25, 2016?

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  • December 31, 2016 at 10:21 pm #6120
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      On Thursday, I sautéed celery, carrots, mushrooms, and broccoli in drippings from our Christmas turkey. I mixed in chopped up turkey, some cooked couscous, and parsley, as well as some poultry seasoning. It is my version of a "grain bowl," although I was making them before they were trendy, and will be making them after they no longer are. On Friday evening, I used a heavy enamel iron pot on the flat deck of our wood stove to make broth from the turkey bones, and on Saturday, I again used the wood stove to make ground turkey, dried beans, and vegetable soup with the broth. I seasoned it with Penzey's Bouquet Garni.

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      January 1, 2017 at 12:00 pm #6124
      Joan Simpson
      Participant

        Cooked small pot of Chili.Made a big bowl of Ambrosia and a big batch of Rice Krispie treats which I doctor up adding more butter and marshmallows.

        January 1, 2017 at 1:40 pm #6126
        Italiancook
        Participant

          I was resting during this week. I didn't cook. We ate food from the freezer. So glad I spent the fall stocking the freezer. Oh, I made Blue Cheese Dip, but that hardly counts as cooking.

          January 1, 2017 at 4:09 pm #6127
          Mike Nolan
          Keymaster

            I made a cheese souffle in a kitchen where I couldn't find an egg separator, so I separated them by hand. Unfortunately, I broke 2 yolks and twice made the mistake of dumping the egg whites in the souffle pot rather than in the mixer bowl, so I wound up with a souffle with 10 egg yolks in it but only 6 egg whites. It was tasty but a bit too eggy, more like scrambled eggs in places than than a souffle.

            January 1, 2017 at 6:21 pm #6129
            BevM
            Participant

              This probably doesn't qualify as "real" cooking, but I tried my hand at making vegetable broth. My granddaughter is trying really hard to become vegetarian and some of the broths bought at the store are, in my opinion, questionable in color and taste. The broth looks to be about the same color as chicken broth and I'm hoping it will make a nice tortellini/spinach soup for her one weekend. If anyone has any suggestions on ingredients to add to the broth, I am open to any and all opinions.

              January 1, 2017 at 7:33 pm #6130
              Mike Nolan
              Keymaster

                I've never tried making vegetable broth, but I'm told you need to avoid things like cabbage and broccoli. Mushrooms are supposed to be good in vegetable stock. (Personally, I'd avoid garlic, but would include onions, carrots and celery.)

                The 'secret ingredient' in my chicken stock is parsnips, so I'd be sure to include them.

                January 1, 2017 at 8:28 pm #6131
                BakerAunt
                Participant

                  I've heard of using potato peels, but I've not tried it. I like red bell pepper in soups, so you could try it in a stock as well.

                  January 2, 2017 at 1:09 am #6132
                  RiversideLen
                  Participant

                    I've made veggie stock using celery, parsley, onion and carrots. It's decent, here's a link to recipe.

                    Veggie Stock

                    • This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by RiversideLen.
                    January 2, 2017 at 7:05 am #6134
                    BevM
                    Participant

                      Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and link to Veggie Stock. That is pretty much how I made mine. I did add a small piece of lemon grass and some fresh bay leaves. Eventually the weather will cool off and I will make the tortellini/spinach soup and will report back on the flavor.

                      January 2, 2017 at 7:15 am #6135
                      Italiancook
                      Participant

                        I had an excellent recipe for Vegetable Broth, but can't find it now. Sorry. It came from the Internet. It includes mushrooms. I've made veggie broth just using leftover vegetables without mushrooms. I can tell you the mushrooms add a depth of flavor to the broth that I couldn't achieve without them.

                        January 2, 2017 at 11:38 am #6142
                        BevM
                        Participant

                          Italian cook, thanks for the tip about mushrooms. I had some but hesitated to use them. I will definitely do next time.

                          January 2, 2017 at 1:58 pm #6143
                          RiversideLen
                          Participant

                            I'm thinking dried mushrooms would add more depth of flavor than fresh.

                            January 2, 2017 at 4:11 pm #6144
                            Mike Nolan
                            Keymaster

                              My experiences with dried mushrooms is that they aren't as flavorful as fresh mushrooms, unless they've been smoked.

                              January 2, 2017 at 4:35 pm #6145
                              BakerAunt
                              Participant

                                I read in some articles this past year that chefs who want to reduce food waste are using the mushroom stems in broths in order to get the flavor that Italian Cook was discussing.

                                • This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by BakerAunt.
                                January 2, 2017 at 4:53 pm #6147
                                Mike Nolan
                                Keymaster

                                  That practice has been around for decades. Minimizing kitchen waste can be the difference between a profitable restaurant and one that closes due to sustained losses.

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