kayb

Possibly the favorite zucchini recipe in this household is fritters, for which my children clamor relentlessly. Grate 3 medium zucchini (should grate out about four cups); add two beaten eggs and a stack of Saltine crackers, crushed into crumbs. (My girls insist they must be either Zesta or Nabisco saltines, no off-brand, and must be salted tops.) Add two beaten eggs. Stir and let sit about 20 minutes. Drain off excess liquid if needed. Shape fritters (I used a measuring cup) and drop into about 1/3 inch of hot oil; fry until golden and flip. Keep on rack in warm oven up to 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of dinner. The kids want no sauce. I prefer either garlic aioli or comeback sauce. I also like to slice them thinly, salt and drain them on paper towels, and fold the strips around ricotta cheese, then top with a tomato sauce and bake. I've done zucchini crisps -- slice very thinly, salt, drain, brush with olive oil, bake on a rack until crispy, salt. Great, but they need to be eaten hot. I'm contemplating trying to slice, drain and bake some as @Lisa Shock described earlier, then freezing them on the sheet pan, and when frozen, packing them between layers of waxed paper and into a plastic or vacuum bag for longer-term storage. Should work all winter as "noodles."

Good Lord. I'm seeing movie trailers. "Revenge of the Killer Basil." @Tere, your gardens are beautiful. Mine is grass and weed-infested now, but hopefully with an injury free summer next year and a better start, mine will look better next year! Tomatoes are still happily producing, though.

I, who have never cooked a goose (and truthfully, don't expect to) have unbounded admiration for your attempt and your chronicle. I'm also jonesing for some red cabbage, now.

It's created a monster, it has. I've used this thing every single day, I believe, since I got it. My oven has been turned on exactly once, and that was to keep things warm. Today after church, I was cooking midday "dinner" for the three of us. I wanted to roast new potatoes in the CSO, but I also wanted to bake pork chops in it. So I steam-baked the potatoes, tossed in olive oil, for 20 minutes at 450, took them out, scooted them to one side, laid the pork chops alongside, cut the temp to 400, and went for another 20. That was probably two or three minutes too long, as the pork was just a tad overdone. But the pork jus soaking the skin side of the potatoes, while the oil-coated cut sides browned beautifully -- that was a thing of beauty. Because I'd already figured out I can't make a space for two of the danged things.

Yes. Probably should have used convection, but it was good.

IP yogurt, homemade granola, and local blueberries, of which I did not take a photograph. Back to IP yogurt after a few weeks of the supermarket kind. Astounded at the difference in taste. No more supermarket stuff for me!

Andiesenji and I, along with anyone else who spent any time in Western Kentucky, will remember mutton barbecue. I thought it was horrible. And I confess to being one of those who doesn't care for lamb, unless it's highly spiced. Don't care for the "barnyard" taste. And I grew up eating, and still eat, all kinds of wild game. I also much prefer wild duck over farmed duck.

Oops. Maybe they make a real flat CSO??? Double oops. On top of the refrigerator. At least that's where mine moved. Not so sure about a litter box, though.

Set the CSO on top of the microwave. That's where mine is.

I just used the bread setting and guesstimated the time...took the short side of the recipe recommended time, and knocked 5 minutes off that. Beginner's luck, I reckon. Lesson learned with the CSO last night: 450F is too hot to bake sweet potato wedges. However, 450 for 10 minutes on steam bake turns out roasted broccoli llike a champ.

Sounds lovely. If you want an "entree" item, Anna N's shrimp fritters would fit the bill.

I have a pot of yogurt about to be finished here in an hour or so, but I've used yogurt starter. I will try this with my next batch, for sure!

Made @Anna N's shrimp fritters last night, with broccoli and jail slaw. Had to add a bit of tarragon, as I love the taste of tarragon with shrimp and corn, as in the saute' of the two that @Kim Shook shared a few years ago. That was white sweet corn I'd frozen last year, as I forgot to get any when I was out and about. Good, but it felt like it lacked something. I think I might try them with some ginger and sesame oil, and serve them with lime wedges, maybe. I chilled in freezer 20 minutes and then in fridge, fried in 1/4" oil and they held together just fine. First fritter I ever made that didn't have an egg or a bread crumb anywhere about it.

@Shelby, I think you've posted that recipe before, but would you mind either reposting it or PM'ing it to me?

Dear Sweet Baby Jesus. I'd be miserable afterward (my digestive tract gets hinky at high sugar loading), but I'd eat one in a heartbeat.

I cooked a chuck roast like this the other day (though not the two-day version) and shredded it pretty finely, then served it in roast beef sandwiches with mayo and cheese. Pretty doggoned good!

@huiray, those shrimp look delectable.

A take on fish and chips, with peas: breaded cod filet (frozen, breaded, from Schwans; I was underwhelmed and won't order again); new potatoes, halved, tossed in olive oil, salted, CSO for 40 minutes, followed by steam-baked cod for 10. Cole slaw (not my usual jail slaw, though I used the rest of the head of cabbage for a batch of that) and English pea salad, which should have had chopped bacon except I forgot to cook any.

Bacon-wrapped grilled scallops with a brandied cherry sauce on the side; green salad with tomatoes; cheese course with some of Kerry's chocolate for dessert!

Bread-ventures this week with the new CSO: Anadama Bread Foccacia: Baguettes: Yes, my baguette shaping technique needs help. This is first attempt ever. I made a poolish, per Peter Reinhart, and divided it between the foccacia and the baguettes.

First IP cheesecake. I covered the pan with a folded paper towel, per the IP directions, and covered that with foil. Paper towel stuck to the top of the cheesecake and pulled it off, possibly because I overfilled the pan. Didn't harm the taste. I'll do this again. Baby cheesecake pan vs my big cheesecake pan. Unless it's a big dinner with lots of sweets-eaters, the big one is just too big for here at home. Have a feeling I'll be using this little sweetheart a good deal.

I guess I am thinking more toward the unique blend of spicing and smoking that constitutes Memphis-style barbecue, as opposed to, say, pernil or char siu or something else!

Foccacia: Baguettes. Yes, I need help on my baguette shaping technique. I made a poolish, per Reinhart, and split it between these two recipes. The foccacia is just excellent. Haven't cut into the baguettes yet. The early bumps in the relationship road with the CSO are all forgiven. I'm in love!

I'd saute the country style ribs with onions in the Instant Pot, and then braise them on the slow cook function in some hard cider. Slaw in a honey mustard viniagrette with cabbage, kohlrabi and carrots. Warm potato salad with sugar snap peas and green beans, with a yogurt-lemon-dill dressing. Fresh fruit with creme anglaise for dessert.

Fried okra. Fried catfish. White beans with ham. Barbecued pork shoulder. Barbecued ribs. I don't know that any of those are exclusively American, but then, most of us here aren't native Americans, anyway. If you want native American food, tomatoes, frybread, squash are some I can think of.