HungryChris

These are something that have intrigued me for years. I have never had one, never heard anyone talk about them, but I see them in the deli counters in a lot of paces. About a week ago I pulled the trigger and bought a box without any idea about which ones are good. Here it is in my freezer door, waiting for me to work up the courage to cook it and give it a try. HC

OK, so I admit it, I'm a sucker for a Reuben sandwich. This one was made with homemade corned beef tongue from the freezer. As tender as it gets. HC

Pickled / marinated mushrooms. Whole white mushrooms were on sale at Aldi this week. It took 7 8 0z pkgs to fill this 2 quart jar. I clean and cut them, bring to a boil in salted vinegar water with bay leaves. Drain and put them into the jar with several cloves of crushed garlic, sliced onions, 1 1/2 TBS kosher salt, dried dill weed and crushed red pepper. I fill the jar half way up with distilled vinegar, add water to the 3/4 point and top off with good Italian dressing. Refrigerate for a few days and give it a shake every now and then. They are a great addition to a salad or as a snack. Here they are cooling on the deck rail. HC

Catfish made a brief appearance this morning, just long enough to finish off the last of the cream of the turnip green soup with toast. HC

Deb and I both like "Big Chicken Wine"!!!!!!

Shelby, thanks so much! I managed a restaurant for quite a few years and left with quite a few hard principles, the biggest one: Try to make it look inviting. You make yours look equally inviting from a different perspective and one that I respect just as much. Keep up the good work! HC

We had chili, salads, and thanks to @Okanagancook, a proper wine for National Drink Wine Day. I like to be a patriot, whenever possible. Especially if we get to drink wine in the process! Chili from the freezer, kicked up with a bit of cheese and chopped onion, a little salad and a Rex Goliath Cab. HC

This should work HC

It was just brought to my attention that today is National Drink Wine day. I was planning on having chili tonight. What wine goes with chili? HC

I have always seen them as blade steaks. The picture of the seven bone roast reminded me of the meal Lydia Shire made using it. She called it Braised Swiss Steak. It just looked very good.https://www.ming.com/simply-ming/episodes/season-12/episode-1225-all-in-one-satisfying-steak-dinners-with-lydia-shire.htm HC

My first shot at hash browns. Not bad, but definitely a work in process. HC

It was valentines day in Connecticut tonight. We had snow crab, TJ's wannabe champagne (from the convenient deck cooler). HC

Grilled Reuben sandwich. See details in St.Patrick and his Corned Beef. HC

I was reluctant to post here because meat cutting is a very broad subject. It really depends on what you are wanting to accomplish. I cut meat for a restaurant for a number of years. The meat cutting I did consisted of trimming and portioning boneless strip loins, trimming and breaking down top butts and cutting them into steaks and peeling, stripping and portioning beef tenderloins. We also handled prepping prime ribs for the oven. It really all depends on where you want to enter this whole process to answer your question. I believe this video of a top butt being broken down and portioned, illustrates the huge variety of skills and techniques in the process. Let me add that we broke top butts down in quite a different way, but the techniques are the same. HC

French onion soup and mini chef salads. HC

Cream of turnip green with garlic and lemon. HC

OK, it's Valentines Day. Since Deb still works, I chose to have the big meal on Friday night and opted for calamari tonight. Deb likes hers with ketchup, while I made a pepperoni aioli for mine. HC The price wasn't too bad and it did look fresh as hell. They were what I think of as the perfrect size.

I first heard the term when chicken exports to China was being discussed. I thought it was unusual, but catchy. That is how they were labeled in the store, so i went with it. HC

I was inspired by @Shelby when she posted her chicken paws in the instant pot for stock. I was intent on recreating the Hakata ramen from Menchanko-Tei that we used to enjoy in Manhattan, before they closed. I know the broth is pork bone based , but pigs feet were the only pork bones I could find. I chose to add chicken paws as well. I roasted them both in the oven at 425 F for an hour and cooked the broth down at a very low simmer, based on what I have read. A minimal amount of salt , seasoned by the last minute addition of garlic and onion got the job done. Dried ramen clusters that were simmered into submission, black fungus (tree ears, that had been soaked in hot water and sliced), turnip greens that had been simmered in the broth, just because I wanted some greens and the last minute addition of half & half to give the characteristic white sheen of tonkotsu broth, three slices of tender roast pork in each bowl finished off by the little pile of red pickled ginger garnish along with some chopped green onion. We were both happy with a visit to the past! Oh, and I opened a bottle of "two buck chuck", just for the occasion. HC

What customer, I ask you, is going to want to frequent a restaurant where the chef freely admits that he hates all his patrons? HC

Another sushi fix. HC

@rotutsI am fond of the TJ's shrimp pot stickers as well, but I like them with a dip composed of soy (Kikkoman), minced green onion, a splash of rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. If I can muster up a side of ginger and garlic stir fried baby bok choy, all the better! HC

I left the restaurant business after 7 years because I did not want to grow old in the profession, did not like getting home at 3 am and did not like being only able to to hang with others in the same profession. We, all of us, accepted the shortcomings of the business, which are inherently, many. Sounds like you should have left too. HC

@rotuts No, the green things are not bell peppers. They are cubanelles, much like an Italian sweet frying pepper. The TJ's red curry is something I always have on hand for a quick red curry meal that, I think, has some great flavor. HC

Pork in red curry made with sous vide country ribs, cubanelles, red pepper and onions on jasmine rice. The TJ's red curry has a great flavor, but lacks the heat I want, hence the chili oil. Just about a teaspoon adds the heat I like. HC