[chocomouse]

I did not know what temp the bread should reach! I just used a wooden skewer. It came out pretty much clean, not completely, but since it is a very moist bread, I expected it might have a few crumbs. But, next time I'll go for 200 on my thermometer. Thanks, Skeptic.

[chocomouse]

Thanks for the Steamed Persimmon Pudding recipe, Sara. I'll have to try that. I've done a little more research, and have decided I most likely need to bake the brown bread for a longer time. And maybe make sure the water level in the slow cooker is higher on the jars, more than just halfway up the sides.

I have apple spice muffins in the oven, and will make molasses cookies next. That will be it for baking/cooking for the next week or so.

[chocomouse]

Last night we had leftover pizza. Tonight we're having meatloaf, roasted butternut squash and potato, so my husband can have meatloaf sandwiches for meals while I am away for the next week. I'm also making a German venison stew for a big "local foods" event.

[chocomouse]

Today I made steamed Boston Brown Bread. I put the mixture into three pint size mason jars, about 3/4 full, and covered each tightly with aluminum foil. Then, into the slow cooker and added water about half way up the sides of the jars. Add the cover, and cooked on high for 2 hours. I used a skewer to test for doneness, and decided to steam them another 15 minutes. The flavor was excellent. But the texture was "loose", crubmly, soft, not at all dry, had to be eaten with a fork, not in your fingers. I'm not sure what to do to fix that. Bake it longer? Add more flour? I followed the recipe exactly (I haven't made it for years, so almost like a new recipe for me). Anyone have any suggestions, thoughts? We ate it with leftover baked beans from the freezer and steamed hot dogs.

[chocomouse]

I made pizza for dinner, first time since the weather was cool last spring.

[chocomouse]

We had skinless chicken thighs with Greek seasoning sauteed in a cast iron skillet, and then fresh broccoli and frozen carrots from last year's garden added to the skillet. We also had mashed potatoes and home-made gravy - something we have only once a year, with our Thanksgiving turkey! I'm changing the routine!

[chocomouse]

I put my vegetable garden to bed several weeks ago. It was the worst garden I've ever had, and I'm glad to be done with it. Now I'm cleaning up the flower beds. We are still picking raspberries, however. Temps have been in the low 50s at night, 60s during the days, although this week we had two 80* days. We're on the river, so our temps are a bit more moderate than areas just a half mile away. I don't see any frost forecasts for the near future.

[chocomouse]

Skeptic, New Englanders generally don't eat anything else with that meal (except maybe a pie), just the beans, hot dogs, and brown bread. Not what we today would call a healthy meal! During the winter years ago, their vegetables were those that stored well, such as potatoes, winter squash, turnips, rutabaga, kohlrabi, carrots, and then later on they canned lots of vegetables and fruits. Today, of course, many people in New England no longer eat that meal, but "mature" people often continue the tradition. Until about 10-15 years ago, the local VA hospital's Saturday night menu was beans and hot dogs, and the older veterans, who made up the majority of the hospital's patients, looked forward to that meal all week!

[chocomouse]

Yup, baked beans, hot dogs, and brown bread are a traditional Saturday night supper here in New England. Lots of protein, relatively cheap, and a very hearty meal.

[chocomouse]

I have 2 loaves of sandwich rye bread rising this morning. I used to make steamed brown bread years ago in a stainless steel utensil holder, but haven't made it for ages. Not sure what recipe I used, but I'm pretty sure it is in my old-fashioned, hard-copy, 3 x 5 card recipe box! 'Tis the season for it; I think it would be good with bean soup or chili.

[chocomouse]

I made pasta with a meat sauce, and a green salad for dinner tonight. I also prepared a batch of lemon ice cream, which is chilling now (I used eggs in the base, and chill it overnight) so I'll process it in the ice cream freezer tomorrow. And it's 50* here and I'm frozen! as I try not to turn on the furnace this early in the season.

[chocomouse]

Yesterday I made whole wheat bread. Today I had planned to make Mini Apple Pie Bites (using home-made dough instead of Pillsbury crescent roll pop-open dough) but I got involved cleaning out old paperwork in my file cabinet, so the baking will wait until tomorrow.

[chocomouse]

Last night we had chicken thighs on the smoker, with a potato and a broccoli salad. I have turkey soup in progress for dinner tonight, with stock from the freezer, with celery, carrots, onion, orzo; and wheat-oat-flax buns.

[chocomouse]

That is an interesting article. I have recently been thinking about the use of garlic and onion, and recognizing they are in almost all of my favorite dishes. And if a dish seems to be lacking in flavor, I reach for the garlic and onion. I do not use either when I cook Moroccan meals in my tagine, or when I have Korean foods (except in scallion pancakes!). I do use onions whenever I'm fixing a roast in the tagine. I grow and use garlic chives a lot in the summer, but they are pretty mild.

[chocomouse]

Today I made a chocolate zucchini cake. It is dense, and rich, and delicious. I made a ganache type frosting for it, which really isn't needed, but adds to the richness. I also used an extra cup or so of zucchini - the last one from the garden.
Yesterday I baked an herbed, cheesy zucchini bread, not yeasted. I used extra sharp cheddar, rosemary, thyme, and basil from my herb garden, and then at the last minute thought that didn't sound quite right, so added two minced cloves of garlic and some minced onion. A little garlic and onion is always good, right? It's OK but I would try different herbs next time. Somehow, the taste just isn't quite right.

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