The operator told Ds that he was done. Ds said, not even close. Somehow, he keeps forgetting things, or changing how it's done. As long as it's all done, and can be used for the water, wiring, etc., I would be happy.
But, I digress!
Remember my cornbread/corn muffins that Ds made for me a couple of times? They were quite good, and made with masa, rather than corn meal, which I have. Well, last week, I ended up with blueberries, which I studded it with, and increased the sugar. They were excellent, and tasted like muffins!
Blueberries, however, are kind of expensive right now, and also rather sour. So, I asked myself what a cheaper fruit might be, and came up with apple.
So, I took a Gala apple...the largest, best one of that variety that I've ever seen...and matchsticked it.
I can't find my cinnamon yet, so ground some fresh cardamom, which I love, and add that to the batter.
Then, thinking of my Christmas cake flavors, I pulled some batter aside, and added cocoa to it, and a bit more sugar. I wasn't sure how chocolate would taste with this masa muffin.
I then mixed the apple with the regular batter, put it into my pan, then dolloped the chocolate part over the top, and tried to swirl it, which it didn't do as well as I would have liked, because of the apple, but I managed.
It was delicious! There's hardly any left!
I may make it in place of my Christmas cake this year!
Stew.
So, I had the one roast here, and it had thawed. We spent a long couple of days prepping the vegetables, because I was going to make so much...in order to freeze it.
I prepped 2 bunches of celery...putting some in the freezer for the next time we make broth, then I peeled a lot of carrots for Dh to cut (they are difficult for me to actually cut with my hands.), and 2 large onions.
We were ready to go!
I started with the meat, which filled the pan. I figured that I'd put it aside, once ready, then cook the vegetables.
But, that's when my plug failed, and I had no pan, with a pan full of 1/2 cooked meat!
I was stumped, hungry, and with a lot of food to lose on the line.
We dug out a pan that was my favorite in the 90's. It isn't as large as my electric pan, but beggars can't be choosers, so...! It has a small handhold on one side, but the regular handle broke off about 20 years ago.
I put it on a single burner that's induction, and is Ds's. It would balance the pan better than my usual single burner, I hoped.
And, it did. I finished the meat, which took quite some time, and transferred it to another container.
Then, I put the onions and celery in, and because of the low heat, they took 90 minutes, and the celery could have been a tad more done. But, I was exhausted, even sitting. So, I added them to the meat, as I couldn't fit anything else in the pan with them.
Finally, the carrots went in to cook, and I kept looking at the number on the flat burner, which Dh said only went to 4. But, that was incorrect, it could go higher! No wonder nothing would cook! He didn't know, as it wasn't ours, and he'd only made tortillas on it, which cook at 3 or 4. Sheesh!
So, while there were a lot of carrots, so they still took a while, they were a lot faster than the celery and onions! About 1/2 way through, I added some canned corn. I like corn in it.
Anyway, it was eventually done, and wasn't bad at all. I speak in the past tense, because it's gone, and I wish there was more! I've not had that many choices recently, and any soup or stew seemed filling, and healthier than other choices.
Some meals, we had it over rice, but I liked adding some elbow noodles best. By making extra noodles, just under al dente, we could add a handful to the food when we reheated it, and it came out perfect. Plus, was faster than trying to make fresh each time.
I hope that we can get more meat soon. I don't know what the ranch has, nor when Ds can go, but I'd love to have more for various meals. I need the meat anyway. I had gotten in an unhealthy position with lack of food, especially meat and vegetables. I would hate to back slide now, after eating the soup for so many days.
I do have a small piece of meat left, which I'm going to make a little chili with, to make faux, stove-top tamales with for dinner. After that, I'm down to eggs. Or, maybe broth, if I get a pack of chicken.
Anyway, I was happy not to lose the meat, and all of the vegetables, when my pan was out of the game.
Now, I'm thinking about holiday meals, subject to change if I can't get the meat, etc. of course. I'll start with Halloween, which is often chili spaghetti the past few years, but because of the need for meat before then, I am staying flexible.
Bon Appetite!
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