Yes, TX we have a season change!

[JPipes]

Nothinig makes me think of the fall like carne guisada. I have been craving it for a few months now, and tonight was the perfect night for it. Rainy, about to turn cold, and the girlfriend was getting off work late. She is in for a surprise.

Tamales always remind me of Christmas eve, and this will be the first time in my life to make them...so wish me luck. We'll be making those very soon.

[lovebenton0]

Nothinig makes me think of the fall like carne guisada. I have been craving it for a few months now, and tonight was the perfect night for it. Rainy, about to turn cold, and the girlfriend was getting off work late. She is in for a surprise.

Tamales always remind me of Christmas eve, and this will be the first time in my life to make them...so wish me luck. We'll be making those very soon.

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If you're as much of a virgin at tamale making as I am you might want to check out the Tamale thread, JPipes. I've learned a lot there already! Will be doing my first tamales for Xmas soon too.

I made carne guisada a couple of weeks ago when one of our brief cool fronts passed through. Mmmm-hmm! Love that in the fall.

Nice big bowls of panang (coconut beef) curry for tonight with rice. Was good for a chilly and rainy day like today. Heated us right up.

[lovebenton0]

Well, we're about to have another one of our unseasonal mid-season changes. Near 80 over the next few days.

So, since I've been souping, stewing, braising, roasting for the past several weeks, the early winter pop up into unseasonal spring weather seems like a good excuse to fire up that smoker on the back deck and give the kitchen a break.

Just in time to do a New Year's Eve ham in the smoker with pecan wood, me thinks. Cornbread sticks definitely to go with the hoppin' john (with jalapeno added to the blackeye peas and ham ).

Some big healthy ranch chicken legs on the grill are looking like a winner for tomorrow evening. Maybe even some creamy bleu cheese red potato salad to go with that, with a pile of butter lettuce leaves.

What are you cooking to enjoy this bit of a warm break in the midst of winter? Snow or at least freezing temps last weekend and 78 to 80 this weekend. Calls for something different in my winter line up.

[memesuze]

And just when I got a copy of Molly Stevens' All About Braising - guess I'll have to shift to Suvir Saran's Indian Home Cooking

[Kevin72]

Gah! This weather is killing me! I've been cooking alot of traditional, rich roasty, braisy holiday meals for the family this past week and have had to kick on the AC! We went out for a walk on NYE to burn off some of our meal and came back sweaty!

[fifi]

Yep! Everything on my agenda has gotten a weather shift. The blackeyed peas ended up a salad. I would have done something else different this morning but you couldn't see ten feet for the fog. Driving even the five blocks to the store was out of the question. The nice little chuck roast braised in mushrooms (I ate them) is probably destined for another salad. So . . . We have a season change . . . backwards.

[matilda254]

I still made a big pot of black eyed pea soup (used the recipe from the Statesman). It was yum. And yes, I know its like spring outside but I was still in the mood for a nice bean like soup.

It was a very yummy recipe! Plan to enjoy some today again for lunch.

Matilda254

[lovebenton0]

Yep! Everything on my agenda has gotten a weather shift. The blackeyed peas ended up a salad. I would have done something else different this morning but you couldn't see ten feet for the fog. Driving even the five blocks to the store was out of the question. The nice little chuck roast braised in mushrooms (I ate them) is probably destined for another salad. So . . . We have a season change . . . backwards.

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I figured the way our winters jump around from fall to spring every week -- or day by day -- we'd have plenty to muse and chew about!

Drizzle and warmish then misty and chilly -- all in one day -- again! So in the interest of a more pleasurable cooking environment the smoked brisket idea died and braised pork butt steaks with tomato, onion, cumin, cilantro, beer, and serrano were born! Topped with sour cream and our pickled jalapeno slices (so pretty, bright red and green), rolled in flour tortillas. Wow! Ten people here today and the six pounds of pork disappeared like <snap>! Baked black bean and (Monty Jack) white cheese dip, salsa, chips, casserole of chili-spiced rice with tatuma squash topped with slices of 'maters and cheddar cheese. Nice and spicy, nice and warm and dry for the cook!

[crankyyankee]

For the first time since...well, ever, I got to make a dish I'd been craving during the cold snap: my grandmother's Jewish-style brisket. I begged her to mail me some of her better recipes, including that one, and I just made it last week for the first time. Rich, warming, comforting...and I hadn't tasted it for years. So heymish!

Following family example, I made kasha varnishkes for a side dish. It mixes beautifully with the juices from the meat. And of course, the brisket is exponentially more delicious the next day.

I was worried about the beautiful weather in Austin dimming the pleasure of warming my insides with the brisket, but fortunately it's been dreary for the last few days. Bad weather, good eating.

Cranky Yankee

Edited February 20, 2005 by crankyyankee (log)

[fifi]

Every time I see the title of this topic, I have to chuckle. Yes, we do have a season change, about every three days. It will be back in the 70s here tomorrow. My HVAC system is in a state of intense confusion.

And I have a chicken braising experiment on the schedule for tomorrow. Luckily, last week was gumbo and etouffee. I don't necessarily think of those dishes as purely winter ones. Though I may lean toward the darker chicken and sausage styles of gumbo in the winter and the lighter seafood types in the summer when shrimp are in season. And, after all, etouffee is a light dish. (What is a little butter between friends. )

I am intrigued, crankyyankee. Can you describe Jewish-style brisket? I love brisket, braised or BBQ'd, either way.

[crankyyankee]

I am intrigued, crankyyankee. Can you describe Jewish-style brisket? I love brisket, braised or BBQ'd, either way.

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Sure, Fifi! The style that I grew up with is to pour a few simple seasonings over the brisket, wrap it in foil and braise it for three hours.

At least, I think it's braising. The brisket's all covered up, and there's some liquid from the seasonings around the meat, and I set the oven to 'bake'. That's braising, right?

Can you tell I'm more of a diner than a cook?

Edited February 23, 2005 by crankyyankee (log)

[shoutsandmurmurs]

well, it's that time again when i'm perpetually hot and want to jump into the nearest body of water as soon as possible. and it's only april!

what are you folks serving up these days to keep cool? tonight i'm making something simple, cool, and intensely flavorful--beet and ginger soup (which also contains leeks, cucumbers, and some lemon juice), which i plan to serve chilled, with a simple green salad with dill, scallions, and more lemon.

i knew it was getting to be that time when i found myself craving a mojito. i made up a batch yesterday and all was very, very well indeed.

[shoutsandmurmurs]

err, texas weather is jacked! i just found out the low for tonight is 39 degrees. how can it be in the mid-70s now and drop to the freakin' 30s?!?

*sigh*

i guess i will postpone my first celebratory "cool" dinner for another day.

[lovebenton0]

yep that season change hit us in central TX again... low 40s and grey and cool all day over the weekend out here.

so i wanted to enjoy something a bit warming and was dying to try out my new la chamba 4 qt pot for some slow stovetop cooking.

Tex Mex style chicken and rice with yellow squash. (boneless skinless thighs, sliced, and slowly browned in the pot with lots of onion, garlic, cumin and a couple big jalapenoes. then slow cooked with chicken stock and diced tomatoes. removed all then browned the rice grains and returned the rest with thick slices of squash to cook about 30 until rice/squash were done.)

served with corn tortillas and a little salad (sourcream/homemade salsa for dressing).

result? yes! i love my chamba.

[fifi]

The muck just hit here today. I did paprika chicken last night for the occasion. It will become quesadillas when the sun comes back out.

Judith, that sounds suspiciously like a Tex-Mex jambalaya and it sure looks pretty in that Chamba pot. I am glad to see that it does its magic on rice as well.