Thanksgiving was lovely. I spent the evening at Char's parents' home. In the afternoon I made cranberry orange relish for the first time. I still have some left. It is sooooo delish. Here are a few other things I've tried making lately:
Portobello Mushroom Lasagna with Basil Cream
Verdict: So incredibly yummy. One of the most complicated recipes I have tried, with multiple steps. My whole house smells like garlic. 5 stars.
Chili Roasted Pork Loin with Apple Succotash
Verdict: The chili/sea salt rub ended up being very crunchy and salty; not to my taste. The succotash was supposed to be made with fresh corn and semi-tart apples; I used canned corn and Golden Delicious apples, which made it too sweet. 1 star
However! I saw a show on cooking with Thanksgivng leftovers and the meat, veggies, stuffing and cheese were made into a stromboli using refrigerated pizza dough. I had some on hand so I wrapped up some leftovers with some cheese and baked. SO GOOD. I added leftover cranberry-orange sauce from Thanksgiving and it was even better. 5 stars!
Hummus Sesame Noodles
Verdict: Not very good, IMO. Seemed like a good idea. I used whole wheat angel hair pasta instead of white. Sauce made with hummus and soy sauce, it was pretty tasty, and I don’t even like hummus. But the snow peas and scallions chopped up raw were too...harsh tasting. I added crushed roasted peanuts but it didn’t help. 1 star
Ham and Zucchini Soup with Dill
Verdict: A good idea but I kind of messed it up. I didn’t have enough chicken stock so I thinned it with water, not good. The veggie soup is supposed to be pureed in a blender which I did not own (then, thanks, Mom!), and chopped cooked ham steak added with dill and nutmeg. The flavor of the ham and dill and veggies was pretty good, but the soup was thin and too chunky. Worth trying again some time, lots of veggies and nutrients here. 3 stars
Bacon Cheeseburgers sans Beef
Verdict: Believe it or not...these are for dogs. My dog loves them and so do I. Chopped up bacon gives a great flavor, and the patties are made with rice cooked in chicken stock mixed with bacon, egg and a binder of milk-soaked bread. Then pan fry in the bacon brease. I have eaten these with and without the cheese. Great for breakfast on-the-go! 4 stars
Pumpkin Ravioli with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Verdict: I love the flavor of this dish but it’s so so messy. You really need a lot of space and a lot of equipment to make this. I have neither, so pumpkin and butter got everywhere. I think I still have pumpkin on the ceiling. Maybe now that I have learned the pitfalls I can try it again some time. So delicious and so rich. 4 stars
Andes Mint Cookies
I mentioned these last time -- here are some pictures I took the 2nd time I made them. I bought a new, insulated, extra large cookie sheet last night, so I'll be making these as Christmas goodies in the next couple of weeks.
Mmmmmm...When the cookies have cooled, the candy hardens again, making a lovely minty chocolate candy coating on top! Yummeeee!
I think my next attempt will be a vitamin packed Red and Green Winter Stoup. My house is full of produce, lean meats, and all kinds of strange ingredients (kalamata olives and blue cheese crumbles, for example). Let's see what I can make this month.
Wishing you all happy holidays.
