BakerAunt

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  • in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of July 6, 2025? #46724
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      Len and Navlys--your dinners sound delicious!

      We had the rest of the pecan encrusted pork chop and more potato salad for dinner on Tuesday. I also pulled some apple sauce out of the freezer, which goes very well with the pork.

      in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of July 6, 2025? #46723
      BakerAunt
      Participant

        On Tuesday, I baked three loaves of Whole Wheat Oat Bran Bread. Two will be frozen, and we will begin slicing the third one tomorrow at lunch. We are currently having cooler weather, so baking does not overheat the house.

        in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of July 6, 2025? #46718
        BakerAunt
        Participant

          For dinner on Monday night, I made potato salad. It really does make a difference to steam rather than boil the potatoes. The texture is much better and there is no waterlogging. I also made pecan encrusted pork chops, which I baked. We have leftovers for tomorrow.

          in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of July 6, 2025? #46711
          BakerAunt
          Participant

            We returned on Sunday from spending two nights at Spring Mill State Park (founded 1927, with the Inn and park structures built as part of the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s during the Great Depression) near Mitchell, Indiana. The inn has been closed for three years for renovations and re-opened this spring. We were escaping the fireworks so that Annie would not be terrified into catatonia, otherwise, heat and humidity make it a less than desirable time to go to a state park. We were fortunate in that yesterday morning, as well as this morning, were cool enough for a hike with Annie (with a bit of creek wading to cool her down), although today was warmer. Scott and I also hiked around 8 p.m. on Saturday for a half hour. We met up with one of Scott's cousins and his wife at the inn and had lunch at the buffet, which featured fried chicken and brisket, which we don't usually eat. Once in a blue moon is probably fine, and they are famous for that fried chicken. We were also pleased that the park's water mill is back in operation, although we did not have a chance to get over to Pioneer Village where it is located to check it out, as dogs are not allowed in the village area. They had to replace the mill wheel, as well as other parts. However, Spring Mill now has its stoneground cornmeal again, which is simply the best cornmeal I have ever used for baking. Naturally, I bought two bags, put them in the cooler for the trip home, and now they are in our freezer.

            Dinner tonight was simple: the remaining turkey zucchini loaf, and I cooked 1/4 cup bulgur in Penzey's chicken base, which I mixed with the remaining vegetable and rice stir-fry to make enough for dinner. Tomorrow, I go back to proper cooking and baking.

            in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of July 6, 2025? #46710
            BakerAunt
            Participant

              Mike--I hope the surgery goes well and that you have some soft food prepared in advance.

              in reply to: 2025 Gardens #46696
              BakerAunt
              Participant

                Our blueberries are beginning to turn. I ordered bird netting from Gardeners' Supply a week ago, but when nothing seemed to be happening with the order, I called them today and learned that it would ship in NOVEMBER, which was not mentioned when I ordered it. I canceled the order. We will have to see if we can rig something else to deter birds and other animals.

                in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46695
                BakerAunt
                Participant

                  Aurgh! Store-bought bread! Of course, I was out of cookies and ended up buying a package of Newtons earlier this week, so we do what we have to do. Sigh.

                  I had a cup of zucchini left over from the meatloaf I made last night, so on Thursday morning, I baked Zucchini Muffins, using my adaptation of the Shipyard Galley recipe that King Arthur sent out long ago in an email (back when they communicated with customers on a more personal level.) I had one for breakfast, saved one for tomorrow's breakfast, set aside one for Scott to have with his tea today, and froze the other three.

                  I also baked my adaptation of Ellen's buns, but I made them as sixteen rolls.

                  in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46694
                  BakerAunt
                  Participant

                    I made yogurt on Thursday, a day earlier than usual, as I will not have time to make it tomorrow. For dinner, we had leftover Turkey Zucchini Loaf and leftover stir-fried rice with mushrooms and peas.

                    in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46691
                    BakerAunt
                    Participant

                      I baked Soft Oatmeal Cookies on Wednesday morning. These will be for our 4th of July trip. It was hotter today than expected.

                      in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46690
                      BakerAunt
                      Participant

                        How exciting to get the first tomato, Mike! I bought two packages of turkey bacon on our big out-of-town shopping trip on Tuesday and stuck them in the freezer, so I can be ready for tomato sandwiches or broccoli salad, whichever comes first!

                        I found the first zucchini of the season at the farmers market last Saturday, so dinner on Wednesday was Turkey-Zucchini Loaf with Peach-Dijon glaze using jam I made last year. I hope that peaches will show up at the farmers market again this year. I also needed to use up a pound of mushrooms, so I sauteed them in avocado oil, then added some frozen peas, then mixed in brown and wild rice cooked in chicken broth from the freezer, along with half a cup of cooked rice I had frozen.

                        For the rice, I used my new Green Pan rice cooker. I bought it online at their factory sale. I have been pleased with their pans. I chose the traditional style (push the tab down and wait for it to pop up when the rice is done). The liner is ceramic, and it washes up nicely. It is supposed to be a 6-cup model, but it seems a bit small. However, I rarely cook that much rice, and it is nice to have a rice cooker that gives me the option of cooking just a small amount. I can always use the old one if I need to make a lot of rice for some reason, but the old one will likely become our travel pot for heating up soup in motel rooms when we travel or making rice if we go for another stay in Florida.

                        in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46685
                        BakerAunt
                        Participant

                          Yes, the heat has been unrelenting, and even the "breaks" have been very warm. I baked five small loaves of wholegrain pumpkin bread on Tuesday evening. The weather had cooled enough that the oven would not heat up the house too much. I also ran the hood fan to vent the heat. I will keep one loaf out to eat for dessert tomorrow and the next day and freeze the other four for dessert emergencies. Tomorrow morning is supposed to be cooler, relatively speaking, so I will try to do some baking then.

                          in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46684
                          BakerAunt
                          Participant

                            I enjoy hearing how people re-purpose leftovers into new meals. Nice job, Navlys!

                            I made chicken salad on Tuesday with the rest of the roasted chicken breast. We had it as open-faced sandwiches for dinner, along with some raw carrots for me, and some German pickles (Aldi's) for my husband. We did our big shopping trip to the small city/town, then finished with the local grocery store, which gives a senior discount on Tuesday. So, an easy meal was great!

                            in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46678
                            BakerAunt
                            Participant

                              On Monday, we did more of the roasted chicken breast with the rest of the sweet potato chunks rolled up and microwaved mixed vegetables. I'm hoping for cooler weather tomorrow.

                              in reply to: What are you Baking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46677
                              BakerAunt
                              Participant

                                You are not alone in having to look at the recipe no matter what, Skeptic. I, too, have had those forgotten steps or ingredients that require last minute scrambles to incorporate.

                                in reply to: What are you Cooking the Week of June 29, 2025? #46673
                                BakerAunt
                                Participant

                                  I was happy that all the jars sealed from my two jam making sessions yesterday. I picked more berries today at one of our woodlands, but I do not yet have enough for a fourth batch. I also need to buy more canning jars.

                                  For lunch, I combined my leftover roasted asparagus, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes with cooked wholegrain penne. It worked very well, with no sauce needed. I have enough left for a second lunch tomorrow.

                                  Sunday dinner is a re-run of roasted chicken breast meat, more roasted sweet potato chunks (done in the countertop oven), and microwaved broccoli for both of us.

                                Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 7,933 total)