pastameshugana

I see you're rocking a Global knife in the background. Just a single or a whole set? @shain The pizza with the figs looks incredible. And your crust/char look perfect. I had extravagant plans for dinners this week (see the smoking thread and the 12 hour pork butt that is still mostly in my fridge), but in-laws showed up and my schedule went down the tubes. Didn't get a picture, but my amazing wife turned half of the pork butt in to carnitas for tacos, with homemade mango salsa, spicy guac, pickled onions. Was planning to make my own baguettes and use the rest for banh mi tonight, we'll see what the clock dictates. Last nights dinner was sirloin rescued from the freezer that I grilled, Mrs' M made chimichurri, my oldest daughter made biscuits and an arugula salad. Everything was nearly gone when I realized I should try to get a pic. Here is the last bite:

We whisper this to each other when we see misbehaving children out in public.

Here’s an update after 12 hours on the GMG, just took it off this morning about 5:30am. It was coming apart in the tongs as I lifted it out.

I just put in a 9.5lb pork butt that I’m preparing for Carnitas tomorrow and Banh mi on Thursday. Mrs M scored and marinated it, I seared it on all sides on a hot grill and now it’s in my green mountain grills Davy Crockett at 225. Should go about 5 or 6 hours in hickory smoke before I wrap it up and move it to the electric oven until it’s done. I’m expecting at least 10 hours but we’ll see how it goes. Love the GMG pellet smokers. 1 degree of control and WiFi/app connected so I can monitor my cook from anywhere.

Memory lane: As a young child (7yo), my father got clean from a very long, very bad addiction to methamphetamines that nearly destroyed our family. As life got back to 'regular', we were understandably in narrow financial straits (of course I didn't realize that as a kid). Our special treat each week was going to Taco Bell on Sunday afternoons after church. My mother always ordered the 'pintos & cheese with green sauce & onions' - and so it became my favorite as well. I've eaten that weekly for nearly 40 years, and passed it on to all of my kids. So, when TB cancelled the green sauce, I was affected a little more than I should have been over a $1.29 cup of reconstituted been product with various questionable toppings. It's fascinating how powerful certain foods can be in memory.

This looks fantastic, care to share a recipe or a guide?

Sounds and looks delicious. And what a great photograph as well!

As for books, I can’t recommend Secrets of a Jewish baker highly enough. A wide variety of recipes, a fair amount of technique, and a love for bread!

Touché. However, as messy as my cooking adventures can be, I am drawn to techniques that cut the clean up a bit.

This looks so good.

That looks and sounds crazy good! I spent a few days in Ho Chi Minh in February, and one morning was devoted entirely to Banh mi. I went vendor to vendor, cash in hand, and only ate a few bites of each until I couldn't eat any more. @heidih that was also the trip where I discovered Pho for breakfast. Truly delightful. Even on a hot day.

Too funny. And frightening.

Paul - looks amazing! Tonight is night #2 with most of the family gone, just me and #3 (my oldest daughter) at home. She's cooking for me. Tonight was a mediterranean-style rice pilaf with chicken, so I decided it was high time to teach her how to make challah. Any good Jewish girl should know this (even if she's only 1/8th or so, unless she's recently skinned her knee). I assumed (incorrectly) that the 15yo fashonista could to a better 6-stranded braid than I could. So now it looks like I'll be hairstyle assistant for the foreseeable future. The bread turned out fantastic, great crust and flavor.

Mrs M and most of the kids are out of town for a few days, I’m home with my oldest daughter (3rd oldest child) and she’s made it her mission to feed me, so I’m not allowed to cook. She’s 15 and I think yesterday spent nearly $200 on groceries to feed the two of us for four days....there will be leftovers. Tonight she made pizza: Half is Margherita, the other half features red onion and salami. She also made a honey balsamic reduction drizzled on top.

Tonight I grilled steaks (in the rain!) and Mrs Meshugana made a purée of cauliflower and broccoli with garlic, and a red chard side with baby bella and onion.

Looks incredible! We got hooked on zaatar on a long ago visit to Jerusalem.

At least locally, they also retired the green sauce. For shame.

Very cool. Now I've got some reading to go and do! I was going to say: 65 years is a serious achievement!

Do I spy an anniversary celebration?

LOL

Tonight for guests I made a traditional Alfredo. The plan was for fresh fettuccine but I lost so much time on the dessert I had to settle for dried pasta. It was still amazing and so good we never got around to getting a picture. For dessert, blueberry balsamic ravioli with mint and ricotta, with a lemon glaze. The leftover filling Mrs Meshugana made into a crumble. Both were absolutely incredible. Next time I think I will try deep frying the ravioli and making a lemon dipping sauce.

Can you elaborate on the cherry dumplings?

Butter, sage and pancetta sounds incredible! I’m planning some fresh pasta for tomorrow for guests, and that sounds like a lovely option.

That BA video was incredible. The anolini looked divine.

Welcome!