Kerry Beal

dbinokc - no sign of oil outside of my pump yet - unless I spill. I tend to drain an ounce or two of watery oil off the pump each run and top up with fresh oil to the middle of the sight glass. Over on the Falling Back on Island Time thread - I've started playing with some of the freeze dried foods I brought up north with me.

Rounds this morning - then off to the clinic. First use of the freeze dried cheese - rather interesting to have crunchy bits in a biscuit! There was a bowl of plums on the counter when we arrived - seemed a good opportunity to make the 'proper' version of the summer torte.

Nah - that's not how I work. Just show people what something can do - they gotta want it themselves!

Waxy potatoes seem to taste different after chilling than starchy potatoes. I'd say it's the starchy ones that develop the off tastes. Strangely once fried - the off flavour seems to disappear from the starchy potatoes.

Two more suggestions Anna and I came up with while out and about today. Sausage rolls (toaster oven) and baked potato soup (known to freeze well).

Want me to check with the NA distributor in Toronto?

Whisky sour. Lacking the appropriate gremolata we added angostura.

They are the green things on the right of the second picture.

Yes it is!

My thought exactly - but the thing I want to make demands Fujis.

Managed to wile away about 5 hours in Espanola while we waited for Hydro to do their thing (improvements of some sort Rotuts - but not quite sure what). It gave us the opportunity to browse more than we usually do - which resulted in a few purchases. There is a frozen duck there that was very reasonable and will provide two meals - as well as a chicken that was less than half the usual price that will go to make stock. Brussel's sprouts and heaven forbid Fuji apples - required for a project. Shallots are available in Espanola - not often in Little Current at this time of year. Cashews were $1.99 a can - checker commented on how many cans he had seen pass his scanner today. Some nice looking lamb chops - reduced, and the star of the show - sour watermelon Peeps! Those will be chocolate dipped. The bags that Anna has wanted since we saw them in the grocery store in the summer - thank god there were still a few there!

Pickin's are pretty slim in Espanola for lunch - so for the first time since 1978 I ate in a KFC. Amazing how one gallbladder episode can put you off a certain food almost indefinitely (don't think I'll ever drink lemon gin again)! 3 piece box for Anna. Chicken bowl for me.

Last time I did it - I forgot the wait at the bottom part too. Remade it twice.

I believe Mr Mike says that eggs are one of the best things to freeze dry - sorry!

Never too busy to share recipes. I tend to have more time up here than at home - hubby's got the rug rat to deal with.

Didn't measure anything - one egg, squirt of dijon, juice of half a small (but juicy) lemon, squirt of olive oil, bunch of grape seed oil (maybe 3/4 of a cup?) - just plunked the immersion blender to the bottom and lifted when I could see white in the bottom.

Decided before the power ant out that I'd make myself a nice bacon, cheese and tomato sandwich for breakfast. Halfway through assembly realized I didn't have mayo in the fridge - made mayo. In the interest of full disclosure the secret ingredient is anchovy - those of you who are allergic - please look away! Then realized I didn't have bacon cooked - DUH! Vegetarian bacon, cheese and tomato sandwich.

Well - gotta say - the freeze dried mashed potatoes are one the most exciting thing I've produced so far. Left them at home in little packets of 70 grams for the hubby and rug rat - instructions to add 1 cup of water and nuke. Taste just like fresh. If dad was still around - they'd be replacing the frozen ones in a heartbeat.

It's the Canadian Shield rocks on the mainland known as the La Cloche Foothills - it gets more mountainous when you get to Willisville on the way to Espanola. That's where Anna won't let me turn up the twisty dangerous road. I've been up here in the winter - not my idea of fun!

Wrapping sandwiches. I buy parchment in boxes of 1000 sheets in the full sheet and 3/4 sheet pans - use it for just about everything. But sandwiches need to be wrapped in waxed paper!

I've fed two old buggers over the past number of years - my friend Hughie and my dad. Made meals for the freezer that they then reheated in the microwave or toaster oven. Let me see if I can remember a few of the things that went over well. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and some sort of veg BBQ ribs and baked beans shepherds pie - add lots of dairy to the potatoes on top mac and cheese - the baked kind twice baked potatoes (they freeze beautifully likely due to all the dairy in them) beef stew meat pies (better in the toaster oven) corned beef in slices and frozen so that they could assemble corned beef on rye Ikea salmon fillets - not quite sure how dad cooked them but he loved them irish stew little quiches - made them in non disposable pie pans - reheated in toaster oven - I got the pie pans back after use cabbage soup (all the stuff that goes into cabbage rolls made into soup) chicken al la king - have some patty shells that can be reheated from frozen to go with it corn chowder lentil soup with lots of sausage scotch broth scalloped potatoes (or any other sort of vegetable gratin) - perhaps frozen with a slice or two of ham tourtierre meat filled buns red beans and rice vietnamese chicken thighs with rice little pizzas - also toaster oven cornbread pieces - can go with soups or chili or beans meatballs in some sort of sauce - with rice or mash I also put banana bread, cut into slices, each slice wrapped in deli wrap and frozen in a ziplock so they could take out a piece when they wanted. If you want recipes for anything that appeals from the list - let me know. I bought a bunch of the lunch sized corelle plates from various thrift stores - put the meals on them - froze - then vacuum sealed the whole thing once frozen. Shepherd's pie and mac and cheese got cut into squares, frozen, wrapped with a bit of deli wrap, then vacuum sealed.

Hopefully a good sign!

Eeyore's Requiem for Anna. Pork chops - sous vide then little BGE, caramelized onions with apple, steamboy potatoes in chicken fat.

Lunch - heated up in Steamboy - was just as crispy skinned as yesterday.

Jury still out. Perhaps a bit of baking.