Kicking back in Manitoulin

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

[rotuts]

Im not a cocktail person

 

so I had to look up

 

Zanadu (sic)

 

all I got was :

 

http://theaislestyle.com/drinks/drink-of-the-week-2/

 

too complicated for me.

 

Pulling a cork , or pouring a MR  is about it for me.

[Kerry Beal]

Brownies for tomorrow - playing with some chocolate - molded and dipped ginger for Anna

 

 

 

[Anna N]

Good morning. It's another bright, sunny day. The temperature currently is 22°C and it is going to get warm enough by day's end that Kerry has turned on the air conditioner. 

 

She is on call again today so anything could happen. 

 

 I debated whether chocolate-dipped crystallized ginger was an appropriate breakfast food then quickly nixed that idea as I remembered the slow roasted tomatoes and the goat cheese in the refrigerator. 

 

Warned ahead that the bread we bought  in Espanola on our way home from Sudbury would turn to rusks if toasted, I avoided the problem by sprinkling it with some EVOO and pan toasting it. 

 

 

A chiffonade of basil might have taken this to a slightly higher level but it really didn't need much to be a perfect breakfast.  

 

 I awoke without any serious plans for the day except for some minor housekeeping.   I will make another tray of the slow roasted tomatoes and floating around somewhere in my disorganized mind is a recipe for roasted cauliflower that sounded intriguing.  I know I saw it either in one of the many books we just purchased, on one of the many websites I've visited,  in an email from one of the food sites I subscribe to or…… 

 

 I know how to roast cauliflower. I've done that many times. This was one with a particularly intriguing sauce.  I realize my chances of finding it are slim but I'm going to attempt the task.

[curls]

@Kerry Beal I haven't seen any more caramel... did you perfect your recipe?

[Kerry Beal]

29 minutes ago, curls said:

@Kerry Beal I haven't seen any more caramel... did you perfect your recipe?

Yes I did! With help of course. Can't share it though because it's not mine to share 

[TicTac]

Little baker's tip I learned with bread when toasting/reheating...

 

Wet your hand with water and then wipe it over the bread, then toast.  The moisture will help revitalize the bread and produce a great (near fresh, out of oven-like) product.

 

I do this with frozen Rahier baguettes and (fresh and frozen) Blackbird breads and it works great.

 

 

[Anna N]

17 minutes ago, TicTac said:

Little baker's tip I learned with bread when toasting/reheating...

 

Wet your hand with water and then wipe it over the bread, then toast.  The moisture will help revitalize the bread and produce a great (near fresh, out of oven-like) product.

 

I do this with frozen Rahier baguettes and (fresh and frozen) Blackbird breads and it works great.

 

 

Thanks.  Must try that. 

 

[Anna N]

So. Has anyone tried reheating roasted cauliflower in the Cuisinart steam oven? How did it turn out if you did so?

[curls]

46 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Yes I did! With help of course. Can't share it though because it's not mine to share 

Congrats!!!

[Anna N]

 And another question. What would you do with mini flour tortillas? Mexican is not my forte and remember we are in the land of ingredient paucity.  Why sometimes you can't even find chicken thighs. 

[Anna N]

 

 So it looks as if I will have to take one for the team.  Cauliflower ready to go into  the oven to be roasted. 

 

I ran across a tip that suggested collecting all the little crumbs that are inevitable when you try to slice cauliflower and put them in a smaller container and roast them separately for a shorter time.  I think I will just put them in after the larger pieces are mostly roasted. Why is it that some cauliflowers will yield "steaks" and some won't?  

 

 I decided I wanted a romesco sauce with it but knew I was not up to the complicated version in the Zuni Café cookbook although I do love that one. 

 

 

 So I turned to Serious Eats for their version.  Garlic, tomato, bread, almonds are ready to be roasted. I intend to cheat even more and use roasted peppers from a jar!   Even as I post I'm thinking I am going to remove some of the almonds and replace them with some hazelnuts  because I can!  

[MelissaH]

15 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 And another question. What would you do with mini flour tortillas? Mexican is not my forte and remember we are in the land of ingredient paucity.  Why sometimes you can't even find chicken thighs. 

I'm visiting family in small-town western Michigan. We're making dinner for a crowd tonight (Jacques Pepin's Normandy chicken fricassee) and decided to use a mixture of bone-in breasts and bone-in thighs rather than try to cut up a whole bird or two in a kitchen without much counter space. Guess what's next to impossible to find here? Bone-in breasts. The only packages they had were discounted because the sell-by date was today. There were yards and yards of shelf space of boneless skinless breasts, and about three packages of bone-in, skin-on.

 

To answer your question, I like to use smaller tortillas for quesadillas. Or stuff them like tacos. Are they small enough that you could dunk them in sauce to soften, fit them into a custard cup, and bake to firm them up and then remove them to use them for edible bowls?

[robirdstx]

20 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 And another question. What would you do with mini flour tortillas? Mexican is not my forte and remember we are in the land of ingredient paucity.  Why sometimes you can't even find chicken thighs. 

 

Beef or Chicken Fajitas!

[Porthos]

40 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 and replace them with some hazelnuts  because I can!  

 

Yes, indeed.

[Shelby]

1 hour ago, Anna N said:

 And another question. What would you do with mini flour tortillas? Mexican is not my forte and remember we are in the land of ingredient paucity.  Why sometimes you can't even find chicken thighs. 

http://by-pink.com/instant-pot-taco-pie/

[FauxPas]

1 hour ago, Anna N said:

 And another question. What would you do with mini flour tortillas? Mexican is not my forte and remember we are in the land of ingredient paucity.  Why sometimes you can't even find chicken thighs. 

 

Mini pizzas would work. Or something like Emeril's Carne Asada Mini Tortillas. Or something like spicy shredded chicken or pork with mango salsa or radishes or cole slaw. 

[Anna N]

30 minutes ago, Porthos said:

 

Yes, indeed.

 And after all that I forgot. 

[Anna N]

10 minutes ago, Shelby said:

http://by-pink.com/instant-pot-taco-pie/

Excuse me.

 

This  was my plate!

 

 

[Shelby]

2 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Excuse me.

 

This  was my plate!

 

 

Even refried beans?????  Woman, what's wrong with you 

[Anna N]

10 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

 

Mini pizzas would work. Or something like Emeril's Carne Asada Mini Tortillas. Or something like spicy shredded chicken or pork with mango salsa or radishes or cole slaw. 

Now that might work with store-bought salsa and at least there's none of those evil beans in it!  Thanks. 

[Anna N]

1 minute ago, Shelby said:

Even refried beans?????  Woman, what's wrong with you 

 They are the most evil of all!

 

[Shelby]

Just now, Anna N said:

 They are the most evil of all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TicTac]

How big are the mini's?

 

In our house 'wraps' of all ethnicities (cant believe the plural is not a word!?) are often enjoyed - with many bowls of various fillings to be customized at ones delight.  Be it traditional Mexican, Greek, Thai, Chinese, etc.

 

We often will get some nice big lettuce (preferably red leaf or red bib) and use it as another base layer in the wrap to give a nice crunch.  If you want any further ideas pertaining to the various ethnic incarnations, let me know.

 

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, MelissaH said:

To answer your question, I like to use smaller tortillas for quesadillas. Or stuff them like tacos. Are they small enough that you could dunk them in sauce to soften, fit them into a custard cup, and bake to firm them up and then remove them to use them for edible bowls?

 

This is an excellent idea. I'll tuck it away to try, and be grateful that Anna N asked the question.