[BakerAunt]

Today I baked the Barley-Rye Crispbread that is becoming a standard for me. I thought of trying that rye cracker recipe from the Swedish book (Fika), but it is more complicated than this recipe. I’ll put that off for another time.

[BakerAunt]

Wednesday night’s dinner was stir-fry using leftover pork, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, broccoli, and soba noodles. Mushrooms would have been nice, but the ones at the store on Tuesday did not look good.

I gave the wrong name: it's Penzey's Salsa & Pico. The ingredients are: shallots, cumin, garlic, black pepper, Mexican oregano, paprika, cilantro, Jalapeno pepper, chipotle pepper. I think that I also used it in a chili that I made. I find a little goes a long way. I have it because of a special Penzey's offer in the past. I agree that it adds to beans.

[BakerAunt]

Last night I made millet and deliberately made extra, so on Wednesday, I used it to make lunches for me for the next several days. I pulled out some black beans that I’d cooked and frozen a while back. After sautéing some onion and garlic in olive oil, I added a can of tomatoes with chilis. I added the beans, then the millet. I realized that I needed more sauce, so I added a second can of tomatoes with chilis. I also put in ¼ tsp. Penzey’s Pico & Gallo seasoning. I consider my creation to have a “kick,” but people who like very hot and spicy likely would disagree. I have enough for several more lunches, and it will satisfy my urge for spicy for a while.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

We usually have a maple-glazed tenderloin with mashed potatoes for Easter dinner, a tradition that I started when I met my husband because he does not care for ham. I have a tenderloin in the freezer, but we were able to get a turkey a couple of weeks ago, and my husband, who loves turkey, suggested we have it instead. We've done that once before when I was returning from a conference, and he needed to cook the dinner. We likely wouldn't have had a turkey to roast had it not been for restaurants closing, which resulted in an excellent price at the local grocery.

We will still have mashed potatoes. The grocery store had Russet potatoes in abundance when we shopped yesterday.

For the first time in two years, I know where my lamb cake mold is (that was due to remodeling). I can't make my former butter-laden cake, with its butter-laden frosting, and that would be the case any time we don't have others here to help eat it. I'm thinking of trying an oil-based Bundt lime cake recipe in the mold and making a lime glaze to drizzle on it.

I will be baking Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday. I'm also looking for an Easter cookie and may try an Italian Knot Cookie that uses oil, a change that is also due to dietary not pandemic constraints.

My husband sometimes likes to dye a few eggs, although he is not a fan of eating hard boiled eggs, but this year, we will save out egg supply for baking.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

I guessed correctly. I also learned important information.

[BakerAunt]

We had no peaches last year, Italian Cook, due to that "polar vortex" that destoyed the crop in Michigan as well as Indiana. I was able, two years ago, to get some "ugly" peaches from a local honey producer who does not spray her peaches. They made fantastic jam. However, the lovely ones from Michigan two years ago I ate in all their untouched splendor.

[BakerAunt]

We had leftover pork for Tuesday night dinner, with some millet I cooked in turkey/chicken broth from the freezer. We also had very nice microwaved frozen mixed vegetables. These are Gordon Food Services, so it was a 2.5 lb. bag that we found at our local grocery for $3.99. Not only was the price great, but the mix was carrots, peas, corn, green beans, and baby lima beans—much better than what we usually get in smaller bags. We were low on frozen vegetables, and this variety is welcomed.

[BakerAunt]

On Tuesday, I used the “Apricot Oatmeal Bars” recipe from Nebraska Kitchen to make Black Raspberry Oatmeal Bars for desserts for the next four dinners. The recipe reminds me of early summer when the fruit appears, and I am grateful to S. Wirth for bringing it to my attention, the original poster, and the person who added it to the treasure trove of recipes here. I replace the flour with white whole wheat and reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup. I use whatever homemade jam that I have on hand.

The black raspberry jam is from a batch I canned nearly two years ago. I didn’t get to can much last year due to the lengthy home renovation, but so far this year the weather is promising for a good crop on our terrace and in our woodlands—as long as we don’t get late freezes.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

I chose the right answer based on my limited knowledge of wine. In other words, somewhere in my mind was info that let me figure out the correct answer--maybe from pictures of vineyards?

[BakerAunt]

Everyone needs some of those "I'm not going to cook" days, Italian Cook. 🙂

My husband cooked boneless pork ribs on the stove tonight, and I roasted some cut-op red potatoes tossed in olive oil and sprinkled with Penzey’s Bavarian Seasoning and a bit of salt. I like using the small countertop convection oven for that purpose. We microwaved frozen peas to complete the meal.

[BakerAunt]

Len--It's the garlic in the topping that burns. It can even be an issue on the buns. You could probably put together your own seed topping without the garlic.

[BakerAunt]

Because of the time in which we live, I know the answer.

[BakerAunt]

I have fond memories of these "brown and serve" rolls. These were the ones we begged my Mom to get for special occasions (birthdays, holidays). We put the butter on afterwards--and there was an excuse to use more butter, since each pulled apart piece needed butter....

[BakerAunt]

I went to the Bob's Red Mill site. Lots of products are out of stock, still. However, if you click on some of the flours, there is a message that they should be back in stock April 26.

[BakerAunt]

I mixed leftover cooked ground turkey that I'd frozen after we had pizza a couple weeks ago and combined it with the leftover spinach noodles, broccoli, and mushroom mixture I made two nights ago. All dinner leftovers are gone, and we begin anew tomorrow.

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