chocomouse

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  • in reply to: What are you Cooking the week of March 17, 2019? #15200
    chocomouse
    Participant

      Joan, we used to make it the old-fashioned way, probably the way your Granddaddy made it, with buckets hanging on the trees to collect the sap, horse and wagon (and then snowmobiles) to gather, and a wood fire which required hours and hours of logging to get the firewood. About five years ago, we started using plastic tubing hung from tree to tree, and a generator in the woods to pump the sap from intermediate gathering tanks up to the sugarhouse. Then we added a vacuum pump to literally "suck" the sap out of the trees, and last year a reverse osmosis machine to separate some of the water from the sap before boiling to evaporate the remainder of the water. Last summer, my husband decided to go commercial (he's 75 and retired 3 years ago from his paid job) so he and my son built a new huge sugarhouse (not finished, no roof yet) with an oil-fired burner and lots of sophisticated equipment.
      We're not going make enough syrup to sell much this year - all the carefully laid plans were delayed, and we are lucky to be able to make any syrup this year, but after another summer of construction, it should no longer be a family hobby, but a viable business. We live about 7 miles away from the sugaring area, but he has all electronic equipment, connected to his iPhone/Watch so he can monitor it from home. It's hardly hard work any more! And he is healthy and happy and able to enjoy his new toys! I wish I could share the delicious syrup with all of you!

      in reply to: What are you Baking the week of March 17, 2019? #15190
      chocomouse
      Participant

        Baker Aunt, yes great minds do think alike! I also made a whole grain bread yesterday, and used KAF's Harvest Grains blend. It is one of my favorites, along with the new(er) Super 10 blend. I have a standard base recipe I use for most of my "daily breads", when I'm not trying out something new. I use 2 cups of regular whole wheat flour, 1 cup of AP, 1 cup of something else (rye, oats, or more AP or WW, etc) and a cup of grains and seeds (KAF or Bob's Red Mill or my own mix of whatever is in the pantry and needs to be used up). I always use buttermilk, and knead it in the bread machine, it makes 2 loaves.

        Does anyone else use the Super 10? I'm not real pleased with it but haven't found the right changes to make it better (I've used the recipe on the bag and also my "daily bread" recipe). The bread is rather dry and crumbly. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

        in reply to: What are you Cooking the week of March 17, 2019? #15189
        chocomouse
        Participant

          Last night we had fresh, still hot, maple syrup from our first boil of the year! So we had Vermont sausage and blueberry pancakes. We got quite an ice/sleet/freezing rain/snow storm for the past 24 hours, so we won't be making more syrup for at least another day.

          So sorry most of you really don't have easy access to a Penzey store. I know you can mail order, but the in-store experience is so amazing. We will be driving 2 and a half hours to the store, and on the way back home will meet friends for lunch and then stop at Trader Joes. That is about 1 and a half hours from home, and one that we pass by 10-15 times a year so we have our standard shopping lists for those trips.

          in reply to: What are you Baking the week of March 17, 2019? #15163
          chocomouse
          Participant

            ItalianCook, I'm never sure how to freeze zucchini, or how to use it in baked goods - I just wing it every time! I shred it fresh, let it sit in a colander (no salt, no squeezing) for an hour or so and freeze it in 2 cup amounts. When I thaw it, it is a mass of zucchini shreds plus a LOT of liquid. I drain and use the shreds but save the liquid. If the batter looks a bit thick and dry, I add some liquid, until it looks/feels right. Not very precise, but it works. And info I have found on the internet is very conflicting - so I don't know what works best. I know - I should keep records of my results. I keep using zucchini in my baking because I grow so much of it, and it makes the baked goods healthier. Maybe someday. How do you use it?

            in reply to: What are you Cooking the week of March 17, 2019? #15162
            chocomouse
            Participant

              We had baked chicken thighs with Penzey's Greek seasoning, smashed potatoes, buttercup squash, and a spring greens salad. I've never made smashed potatoes before, and although all the hype seems to be over now, I thought it was time to try. I melted some butter and added roasted garlic and dried shallots to drizzle over the potatoes. It's a little more work than a plain baked potato, but not much, and they were delicious! Of course, butter, garlic, shallots would make anything taste great!!

              Speaking of Penzey's -- I'm going to their store in MA next week! I'm so excited. I first went to a Penzey's about 5 years ago in San Diego, about 2 weeks after it's grand opening. Most amazing, wonderful shopping trip I've ever had! The smells, the choices! Of course, it helped that I had to fly to San Diego from the east coast, and also got to walk barefoot on the beach in February, and eat real Mexican food! Do any of you have a Penzey's nearby? I've started my list....

              in reply to: What are you Cooking the week of March 17, 2019? #15134
              chocomouse
              Participant

                For dinner tonight we had ribs and roasted potatoes on the smoker. With it, I had buttercup squash and my husband had candied carrots. We are busy making maple syrup these days, and meals are simply grab it when you can, so we've been having a lot of soups and sandwiches. It was really great to sit down for a nice meal.

                in reply to: What are you Baking the week of March 17, 2019? #15133
                chocomouse
                Participant

                  Today I made a raspberry coffeecake, based loosely on Moomie's recipe. I increased the ingredients, except for the sugar, and added 2 cups of shredded zucchini from the freezer and 2 tablespoons of vanilla. I used jam for the filling which I made from last summer's raspberries from the freezer and Certo. I had discovered a container of lemon streusel in the freezer, so I put that on the top. I needed to bake it for 50 minutes. It is delicious, not too sweet but very flavorful, and I don't need to make any further adjustments.

                  in reply to: What are you cooking the week of March 10, 2019? #15039
                  chocomouse
                  Participant

                    I made two soups today - Duchess, and clam chowder. I put two containers of each into the freezer. That will help with meal prep when we are gathering and boiling maple sap - I never know what time or even if we will be having dinner. Sugaring season is running very late this year, due to crazy weather patterns.

                    in reply to: What are you cooking the week of March 10, 2019? #15036
                    chocomouse
                    Participant

                      That sounds like a good meal, and great humor!

                      in reply to: What are you cooking the week of March 10, 2019? #15007
                      chocomouse
                      Participant

                        Dinner tonight was leftover corn chowder and egg salad sandwiches with eggs fresh out of the nests.

                        in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of March 3, 2019? #14975
                        chocomouse
                        Participant

                          It's a pretty common pasta here in our Northeast grocery stores. I love to search through the shelves of pasta looking for new, odd shapes! I like gemelli because it holds the sauces well. Thank goodness for Google!!

                          in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of March 3, 2019? #14967
                          chocomouse
                          Participant

                            Dinner last was an assortment of salads: broccoli, gemelli with mixed veggies, seafood, and chicken-grape. This feed us another one or two meals also. Dinner this snowy night will be a top-round roast with potatoes, onions, and carrots with spinach, onion, garlic ciabatta from When Pigs Fly. I think I've found a recipe online that might be a close imitation of that delicious bread.

                            in reply to: Online Recipes #14966
                            chocomouse
                            Participant

                              I've been sorting and tossing printed recipes for two years now! I think at this point I could just toss the two-foot tall pile I have left to go through, without looking at them, and I wouldn't regret a single recipe. I have a file cabinet drawer full of the recipes I use repeatedly, plus a few I'm pretty sure I'll use some day. I also have quite a collection in my Word recipe folder, some of which I've also printed and use often enough that they are in the file cabinet. I do also have a complete collection of KAF's Baking Sheet, in chronological order, in 5 large binders. I keep thinking one of these days I'll go through issue by issue and pick out a few to try. So many recipes, so little need for food!

                              in reply to: What are you Cooking the week of February 24, 2019? #14923
                              chocomouse
                              Participant

                                Italian Cook, "Sandwich Thin" is a flatbread made by Arnold in this area. Google Arnold bread. Each one is about 4.5 inches in diameter and 3/8 inch thick. I've seen three varieties, plain, whole wheat, and multi grain. They're pretty expensive, I recall over $4.50 for 6 of them, but they are really good and I love the size and amount of bread for a sandwich. So I've been searching for a good recipe for a year or so. I finally found the one that works best for me! And I learned that I can roll the dough with a pin just as I would pie dough, so they come out looking good too - flat and a decent round shape.

                                in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of March 3, 2019? #14922
                                chocomouse
                                Participant

                                  I made corn chowder for dinner, and we had the last of the ciabatta from the When Pigs Fly Bakery.

                                Viewing 15 posts - 1,996 through 2,010 (of 2,400 total)