Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Tonight, Udon noodles tossed in Thai Sweet, sour and savour sauce along with some green onion and king oyster onions, with boo choi on the side and a chicken breast SV, seared and then smoked a little with a smoke gun with apple smoke. Nice wild mix of styles and places

The shoulder was about 7 pounds, and it was the square end (without the pointy end) so it fit in my wider 11" bags. I made a long bag about 2 feet long, sealed on end, let it cool a few seconds and slid the picnic in. It had just enough looseness on the sides of the bag that the mojo could move freely. I poured in half a bottle of the mojo and set the bag upright. I cheated at that point and put the vac on a stock pot so that it was elevated, moved the bag over, gave it a good massage to be sure the air was out, and then stuck the end in the elevated vac sealer. Sucked out the air (and a bit of mojo) and sealed it up.

From there I just put it in the fridge in a plastic container in case of leakage and turned it over every few days.

This is the longest I've left a shoulder in the marinade, but time got away from me. I figured nothing much was grow on/in it with all that vinegar. When I opened it it smelled great, no off odors at all. I roasted in a slow oven to make up for any potential vinegar related mushiness. The meat came out perfect.

I've got the bone in the freezer and am also contemplating black beans this week.

--Lisa

mmm..CI's chicken marsala, roasted green beans and salad with lots of veggies...

Love that CI Chicken marsala.

Mix and match from the fridge night! Udon noodles, pork belly with Thai sweet, sour and savour glaze an some scallions.

Chicken curry, jasmine rice and a salad (if I'm feeling virtuous enough to make one for just me). If not, there are lots of peppers in my curry.

Last night was Carbonnade over no-yolk egg noodles and a pear and Gorgonzola salad. Happiness is a well stocked freezer these days.

Sausages and potatoes. My mom has been doing this for years in the oven but I do it a bit differently. I cut the potatoes (russets) in large chunks and cook on the stove with hot oil and some slivered onion. I cover to steam them while they are on the stove. (idea came to me after making CI's oven fries) When they start to brown I move them to a baking pan and put the cut up sausages in the middle of the pan, potatoes surrounding. Bake at 450 for another 15 minutes or so, turning once or twice.
Very simple but oh so yummy. Green salad on the side to make us feel better about ourselves.

Peri-Peri Turkey wings. I had these two enormous turkey wings (3.6 pounds!) which I marinated in a wet marinade for a few hours and then added a dry spice mix to them before they went in the pan. The two wings took up an entire 8 x 11 stoneware. We will be eating them for days. They were very good and my husband was thrilled.

Steak. Caramelized onions and corn groats to go with.

Jean,

Those potatoes and sausages sound good. I'll have to give them a try.

Tonight was roast turkey. I had 3 in the freezer from various times they were 99 cents a lb. We also had CI's make-ahead Mac and Cheese that I had made a while ago, ate half and froze half, CI's make-ahead gravy (also made a while ago, ate half and put half in the freezer), roasted baby potatoes, and steamed green beans. Rounded out with fresh bread, a bagged salad kit, and a dry Riesling (which was a bit odd for a German Riesling). All in all, a nice impromptu turkey dinner. Carcass is currently steaming away in the pressure cooker for stock, and I have a ton of meat stashed in the freezer for another day. I suspect at some point I'll put up some more stew. Gotta love getting a 12lb bird for $12.

Had my aunt from Italy over for dinner with my parents and my sister's family. Ribollita soup, CI pot roast, CI glazed carrots, CI braised brussel sprouts, CI roasted green beans (see a theme here?) and Canadian Living scalloped potatoes. I also did spareribs in the pressure cooker and then finished them in the oven, they were really really good.
Marilyn's toffee for dessert with some biscotti.