What's for dinner?

Tonight was chicken salad with fresh basil, served on romaine leaves, with hot 7-up biscuits on the side. I didn't need to do any of that ahead, so this morning about 3 am I made two batches of cookies -- snickerdoodles, and honey-peanut-butter-peanuts-chocolate-chips. Honey as the sweetener really gives a distinctive texture and taste.

Sendme, I've made a few Winnies. The only way I can think of to show you here is to change my avatar, and poor kola just got her turn. :)

Jeanne, can we see a picture of your Whinnie the Pooh cake?

DINNER IS GOING TO BE LATE!

So for a very dear lady who asked a recipe for custard slices -
enjoy honey
First either make or buy puff pastry:
If you are going for the make I repeat the recipe from earlier:

Puff Pastry - this is the pastry I use when I am making salmon and prawn horns, vol-au-vents and vanilla slices
This is really a more professional pastry but it is easy to make although takes time. I cheat I buy mine to be fair
8oz plain flour
pinch of salt
1oz lard
5fl oz cold water
5oz butter
Sift together the flour and the salt and rub in the lard only. Stir in enough of the water to make a soft dough, against saran wrap and chill for half an hour.
When I actually bother to make this for myself I cheat and use this method
Put the butter between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper - you can use saran wrap but I find greaseproof easier and flatten out with a rolling pin until it is a rectangle 4 inches by 3 - you're not rolling it per se but flatten it out - I have a paddle and it gives me great joy bashing the butter!
Roll out the dough to another rectangle that measures 10 inches by 5
Take the butter out of the paper and put on one end of the dough rectangle.
Bring the corners of the dough together and pinch the edges together lightly to make a sealed envelope.
Chill for 1/4 hour (drink tea!!!) You have to to do the chilling or the fat bleeds out and everything turns nasty and becomes very greasy and the pastry is just plain tough
A
Roll your dough envelope on a floured surface so that it is three time longer than it is wide
B
Turn the top third down and turn the other third up on top of the edge you just turned down. Seal the edges lightly with a rolling pin and turn the pastry 1/4 turn
Repeat A and B and chill for 30 minutes.
Repeat A and B twice more and then chill for another 30 minutes and then repeat A and B two more times - so 6 times in all - I know it seems a lot but you need this to get the layers of pastry
Now roll out and use as required.
If some of the butter does bleed through dust with a tiny bit of flour butter might come through the surface, if this happens, dab on a little flour.

Ok now you have to have two equal pan size oblongs - thinnish

place them on parchment fork them all over or they will puff up and this time you want the flakiness not the puffiness - then bake them 350 F for about 20-25 minutes it will depend on your oven so keep an eye - they should be light golden brown

Let them cool in the tray. Meanwhile the custard:
As it stands this is great for eclairs etc we will add gelatine to it to make it much stiffer as if you don't you will end up with an inglorious mess! - if you want the thinner version don't add the gelatine

the seeds of 1 vanilla pod
32 ounces whole milk or half-and-half
1 cup of sugar plus a tbs
12 egg yolks
generous 1/4 cup cornstarch (cornflour if in UK)
3 teaspoons powdered gelatin

Put the seeds into the milk and bring it to the boil but make sure you give it a whisk now and then or the bottom of the pan will burn the milk and the seeds which is not a good move and an even worse taste.

In a bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar together on ‘highest’ level your mixer has until when you lift the mixer blades the ribbon of mixture that drips off is quite thick (what do I do with the white? well I save one for the fondant and the rest make meringues yum yum

Turn your mixer down to a lowish number and add the cornstarch slowly (if you leave it on high you will be covered in the stuff so you have been warned!!!) make sure it is all mixed in well - My mixer does this but you might have to scrape the dies down with a spatula if yours doesn't

Now add the hot milk a soup ladle at a time - it’s easier to manage like that or if you have a mixer that does everything except make tea you can just slowly pour the milk in.

Mix the gelatin with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of iced water and let it rehydrate - it will turn rubbery. While it is rehydrating

put the contents of the bowl back into a saucepan and whisking it the whole time bring it back to what we call a slow boil - you don't it to go berserk. After about 1/2 minute to a minute you will see a foam on the top - that’s ok its supposed to be there so just stir it back in and at that point add the rehydrated gelatine

Pour it into a clean bowl and leave it to cool for about ten minutes - I put saran wrap or cling film or wet greaseproof paper on it at this point because I loathe custard skin in any form. If you put the bowl on ice cubes it will cool quick enough in about 1/4 hour to put in the fridge

Then you have to put it all together you put one of the sheets of pastry on a tray, cover with the custard invert the other sheet over the custard and press lightly smoothing the sides. Top with fondant icing ( I use vanilla in that too) drizzle some chocolate sauce in lines up and down the icing (I do cheat and use the stuff that I use for ice cream drizzle simply because it is easier and quicker) then run a toothpick three line in one direction across the lines and then in between those line three in the other direction

Then when you come to cut it cut through the top layer first form one side using a sharp serrated knife, then cut through the custard then through the bottom layer (try to do it any other way and I wanna see the pics because it will get messy. -

Alternatively you could iced one sheet of the pastry first and cut it into rectangles then lay those on the custard which would make it easier to cut but I have always found the other way works fine

Enjoy peeps

Sendme, I've been changing my avatar periodically since I joined, just for variety. I believe all of them have been cakes I've made. This one is my attempt at creating a koala bear out of cake batter (with big cookie ears).

I did a LOT of hobby decorating before my husband got sick and my grandkids grew up. Not so much anymore. I've also done several wedding cakes. I've never stopped baking since I got a pink easy-bake oven for Christmas one year. :)

Jeanne, explain it to me. Are you making cakes?

Bookluvr, She, Jeanne, was saying she was confused by people changing their names and avatars. Then, she changed her avatar. Was not serious when asking if she was trying to confuse us.
So, do you mean by 'one of her creations' that she made the teddy bear as a cake creation? That would make a very fine and popular career!

Oh, no, Sendme. Jeanne would post her creations. This is one of it. I've been waiting for her to change her last one...which I kept guessing the wrong state.... Come to think of it, her last avatar did Not resemble one single bit like Texas. =) You should ask to see her Winnie the Pooh creation.

Jeanne, now that is a cute teddy bear! Are you trying to confuse us?

Oh vstefans, that is a wonderful suggestion! Amazon has almost everything, don't they?

Jeanne - worst comes to worst, you can get CrunchMaster crackers on Amazon - and they do sound good!!

Attention Costco shoppers ...

I am addicted to CrunchMaster multi-grain crackers. I haven't been able to find them there lately and a helpful employee looked them us and said there are the Discontinue Pending list. Oh no! I'm in withdrawal.

Next time you are in Costco, would you please fill out a suggestion slip begging them not to discontinue CrunchMaster crackers? You don't have to lie and say you love them, but you could mention you hate to see your addicted friend suffering in withdrawal.

Thanks.

I love crab, too, but Minnesota isn't exactly known as a good source for them.

At 3 am (shortly before I went to bed) I made a balsamic reduction for the caprese salad, and made an interesting sauce for stir-fried broccoli and ground beef. Half of the peach cobbler was left from last night. A granddaughter was here unexpectedly (from college) and there was just enough for everybody.

It was a much nicer meal than I could have done in the time I had without having made the sauces ahead of time. Think I'm going to like this adaptation.

I love crabs, one of the best things about living in MD is all the wonderful seafood!
And I also like to prep early in the day..my hubs used to laugh I would have dinner done before breakfast! but I love to cook.. and so does hubs

JeanetteB, I'm laughing at your avatar. Is that an inside joke? I don't get it, but it is funny anyway.

I have on hand tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Now I just need to figure out what to serve with them tomorrow.

I am struggling with something called Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder and because my sleep time is all wacky I'm learning to shift activities to later in the day. So late in the day (after dinner) I cut up and cooked potatoes and cut up a mess of peaches. Tonight for dinner we had Chorizo skillet (essentially a spicy hash with cheese, eggs, and tomatoes) and peach cobbler with ice cream. Having some of the prep done makes the cooking go faster. I was pleased.

Now to figure out what's for dinner tomorrow to go with the caprese salad ...

Jeanette, be sure to wash your hands after handling the plungers and before the bar-be-que.

pamz, I love crab! Keep waiting for Safeway to get more whole Dungeness fresh crab back in. It is my weakness!!

Tonight I'm grilling a nice fat steak, steamed cauliflower with chives from my garden, bacon and sour cream....oh yes, I picked several tomatoes and am letting them marinade in olive oil and basil, the fresh mozzarella is my desert choice.

Winter's Tale

Making me hungry for potatoes!
Jeannegibbs-garlic mashed potatoes! Yum, pre-made is good idea.
Pamzmmrrt-we were at Costco last week, they were sampling potato salad made with red potatoes, it is supposed to be a favorite, but for large families.
Babalou-what is your favorite Shakespeare play?

Grilled some chicken, made some wild rice and mushrooms. Bought a bottle of prosecco. Got tickets to an outdoor production of my favorite Shakespeare play. Got a call fron NH on my way here, mom's xray shows she still has pneumonia and worsening pleural effusion. Dealing with that tomorrow. Tonight, the play's yhe thing!

we bought a chicken from costco, and Mom made german potatoe salad. Then G and I picked out the last dozen steamed MD crabs and I made a small pot of Md crab soup. Smells yummy here!!

Sendme2help, This week I bought the garlic mashed potatoes from the deli. Don't think I've ever done that, but time was running out. It was good. I deserved it. :)

Tonight, I am going to get in my Previously Owned Vehicle and drive down the street to get IN-N-Out cheeseburgers. Unless someone can help me find something to heal extreme g.e.r.d. symptoms through the use of food, not meds. I already increased the Prilosec dose, gave up chocolate this week, decreased my coffee to diluted and less, half-calf from traderjoes. I am awake all night so
don't nobody mess with me or my cute wolf-dog. Wait, what thread is this? Thought this was the whine thread. Oooops. Report me! I am off-topic.

Cwillie! Way of the dodo? Is that another bird joke? I have an iron still; if we have to steam something on the back burner for hours, we use a crockpot, and yes, pudding is a childhood comfort food that is good for adults too. So, what are you making for dinner tonight? If you don't behave yourself, I am going to put your name on 'THE CAREGIVER OF THE DAY IS' thread, and this time it won't just be an honorable mention! You are too too very funny.

I think puddings that are steamed for hours have gone the way of the dodo unless they are comfort food from your childhood. Back in the day when the stove heated the house popping a pudding on the back burner was practical and humidified the house too!
BTW, a long freckled roll called spotted dick, anyone else see the double entendre here LOL!

Spouted? Spotted^^

Ok for you heathens who are scared of suet(joke people joke) a spouted dick without suet

3oz self rising flour
2.25 oz cup fresh breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons caster sugar
1 pinch salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
2 1/2 oz sultanas
2 oz currants
4 1/4 oz butter
4 1/4 fl oz milk


Throw everything except the milk into a bowl and mix it together - see how easy this is.
Then just add the milk and get it all well mixed together till you get a soft dough.
Plop it all into a buttered bowl of about 35 fl oz capacity then cover with foil.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil then place a saucer in upside down to keep the pudding bowl off the bottom - I use a pressure cooker trivet in the bottom of my pan all well and good but I hear you ask how much water

Enough water to come about half to three quarters of the way up the bowl when it is boiling - trouble is you won’t know until you put the damned thing in the water

Now the recipes all tell you to put the bowl in the pan and leave it to boil for 2 hours and obviously you have to keep an eye on it or you will burn the backside out of your pan so when the water starts to run low boil the kettle and add more water. WHAT THEY DONT TELL YOU is how to get the bloody thing out without burning your hands and turning the air blue as you drop the damn thing onto the floor and ruin your efforts.

SO
I use 2 strips of foil folded several times - it has to be long enough to go right under the bowl and leave enough for you to grab hold of . Then i place them cross wise under the bowl and twist them at the top to make a handle

True spotted dick is done in a fat roll in greaseproof paper sealed using a double fold butchers wrap then tied into an old shirt sleeve ) no it doesn’t have to be a spouted shirt sleeve nor owned previously by Dick!) then steamed for two hours. but this isn’t a bad alternative

Send what do you mean wait for it to chill? We eat it hot over here! Cold rice pudding just would not be rice pudding (well I lie it would and I don't mind it actually but we eat it as a hot dessert)

Cwillie I can't imagine life without suet - you haven't lived till you have eaten spotted dick!!!!! or steak and kidney pudding or dumplings and if you want quick pastry it is just THE fastest method of all - 1/2 the amount of suet to flour pinch of salt mix and add water and roll out - how fast is that and it produces a really crisp pastry.
And what about jam roly poly pudding or foggy dowdy pudding - oh you haven't lived peeps!!!!!! grins

Tonight, eating late at 8:55 p.m. we had Eggplant Parmesan with freshly cut parmesan, romano cheese, and vine-ripened tomatoes.