Iâve avoided this thread for a long time. I love delicious food⌠so much that I didnât pay attention to what I was shoveling in my pie-hole as long as it tasted good and gave myself diabetes. Itâs a mild case - controlled by diet and medication, not insulin - but I have to watch what I eat now. While nothing is technically off the menu, there are a lot of foods I should only have a taste of and not a full portion.
I love to cook. Iâve started baking a lot recently to help my fatherâs Parkinsonâs symptoms - and because my gf only consumes cannabis via edibles.
Truffles (not bad for a first attempt)
My gf was born in England so I bake scones for her - cinnamon chip for sweet, ham and cheddar for savory. We live 45 minutes apart and during the work week she usually has to travel the opposite direction, but we hang out on the weekends. I donât really cook âfor oneâ, which is great because I enjoy cooking when I donât have to do it every day, and can take my time on the weekends. This also provides both of us with leftovers for the work week. I make Thai and Indian dishes, cook meat on the grill, and I love a good breakfast scramble. Hereâs a Stir Fry I made
French onion soup: Iâve not made it myself but I worked for a French hotel that offered it as their specialty in the restaurants. Iâve eaten that dish so many times and, when properly prepared, itâs one of my favorites. If you like that, you might also enjoy âtarte a lâoignonâ which is a savory pie filled with caramelized onion.
Green chile: I lived in New Mexico for 2.5 years and got addicted to the native green chile. Now I order seeds from New Mexico State Universityâs Chile Pepper Institute to grow my own, and supplement whenever they have good Anaheim or Poblano peppers at the market. The past few years Iâve found groceries in the Midwest that have offered âofficialâ Hatch chiles (the Hatch valley in NM is the home of green chiles) when the harvest comes in. The stuff you find in cans doesnât even come close to roasting your own. You can use the grill, toaster oven, regular oven, or over open flame. Get the outer skin to blacken and blister, toss it in a paper bag for a bit to let the steam loosen the rest of the skin, then peel and chop. You can use immediately or freeze for later.
Green chile is excellent with eggs, on a burger (you can order it as a topping at McDonaldâs in New Mexico!), and in southwestern cuisine. A hearty green chile stew made with potatoes and pork shoulder may be the best thing in the world on a chilly autumn evening. Last minute additions of cilantro, crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream bring it perfection. MmmmmmmmâŚ
I also make my own hot sauce from peppers I grow (with carrots, garlic, vinegar, tequila):
Sausage: If we werenât in the middle of a pandemic I would be making plans with my friends. The 3rd weekend of March every year we descend on Hermann, Missouri, a traditional German town. Besides their big Maifest and Oktoberfest celebrations, they host an annual Wurstfest. All the brat/sausage makers in the region attend, offer samples, and sell their wares. I own a shoulder-carry, soft-sided cooler specifically for this event so I can fill my freezer before summer grilling season. Itâs only $10 to enter with 100s of samples available, and it takes place at a winery. Did I mention they open the town park for RV camping? Itâs quite a party!
I donât eat pizza âoutâ since the traditional recipe isnât in line with my diet, but I found a whole grain thin crust I can use to make my own at home:
Cheesecake
A co-workerâs family had a surplus of blackberries so I bought a few gallons last year. Among the recipes I made were an amazing Blackberry Basil cocktail, and a Blackberry syrup to pour over pancakes or ice cream
Speaking of basil⌠We went overboard and planted way too much when I lived on the farm a few years ago. Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full! I made sooo much pesto.
Not mine, but my dadâs handiwork on the Big Green Egg
Apologies for the huge pic dump. I guess Iâm making up for lost time!
