Food and Recipes while under Coronavirus quarantine #5

[PayrollNerd]

So I'm curious, what are your "Eclipse Snacks" going to be?

When my oldest lived closer, I always made "Boat Snacks" because she was on a boat 2-4 times a week. Sometimes she'd be in Sarasota Bay. I'd meet them at the Turtle Beach dock when they came in for the day. I'd go early, take a book, sit on the bench and read. It was so peaceful.

I'd load them up with gluten free homemade snacks. Like mini loaves of bread, cookies, and frozen cookie dough, etc. One lady was not only gluten free but couldn't have dairy or eggs. I modified a zucchini bread recipe for her. She was in heaven and ate her 2 mini loaves before they even got off the island!

They always wanted their photo taken with the boat and equipment for their monthly PowerPoint presentation.

 

[IceIce9]

So I'm curious, what are your "Eclipse Snacks" going to be?

When my oldest lived closer, I always made "Boat Snacks" because she was on a boat 2-4 times a week. Sometimes she'd be in Sarasota Bay. I'd meet them at the Turtle Beach dock when they came in for the day. I'd go early, take a book, sit on the bench and read. It was so peaceful.

I'd load them up with gluten free homemade snacks. Like mini loaves of bread, cookies, and frozen cookie dough, etc. One lady was not only gluten free but couldn't have dairy or eggs. I modified a zucchini bread recipe for her. She was in heaven and ate her 2 mini loaves before they even got off the island!

They always wanted their photo taken with the boat and equipment for their monthly PowerPoint presentation.


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Last time we kept it simple with fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, and bread from a local bakery. We made sandwiches with the cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Also some packets of mustard and mayo.

For the 2024 eclipse I will be on the cruise and from what I have heard the food on cruises is pretty good

 

[IceIce9]

It has been quiet some time since I have tried a new brownie recipe, as I have several favorites that I bake. But this one caught my eye and I baked it, everyone loved it.

Coffee Brownies

Cooking spray
12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
INSTRUCTIONS

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper so that it hangs over two sides of the pan. Lightly coat the parchment with cooking spray.

Coarsely chop 12 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate. Place in a medium microwave-safe bowl and add 1 stick unsalted butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the mixture is melted and smooth, about 1 minute and 30 seconds total.

Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and whisk to combine. Add 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and whisk to combine.

Place 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined with no streaks of flour. Transfer the batter to the baking pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake until a tester comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35 minutes. Let cool 1 hour before removing the brownie slab from the pan and cutting.

 

[anneg]

There is a partial solar eclipse coming up in just over two months. My community is within the narrow band of prime viewing range and we are also remote enough to be known for our dark skies. Anticipating a crowd which can easily overwhelm tiny towns, I don't look forward to that aspect, but since we are along the route folks take to get to Burning Man, we are somewhat used to the sudden influx of crowds. And, unlike Burning Man, the eclipse is something we locals can see from the privacy of our own yards, without needing to deal with the traffic or crowds.

Where & When

The Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. It will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.

solarsystem.nasa.gov

Quite a few years ago when we lived near Pittsburgh, we went with friends (DH's coworkers) to see an annular eclipse in eastern Ohio. The viewing conditions were less than ideal but it was a cool thing to see. The wife of one of the men sent with us a delicious coffeecake with nuts and cinnamon--she called it Merk's Sour Cream Coffeecake. I may still have her typed recipe. I used to make the cake at Christmastime.

 

[PayrollNerd]

It has been quiet some time since I have tried a new brownie recipe, as I have several favorites that I bake. But this one caught my eye and I baked it, everyone loved it.

Coffee Brownies

Cooking spray
12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
INSTRUCTIONS

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper so that it hangs over two sides of the pan. Lightly coat the parchment with cooking spray.

Coarsely chop 12 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate. Place in a medium microwave-safe bowl and add 1 stick unsalted butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the mixture is melted and smooth, about 1 minute and 30 seconds total.

Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and whisk to combine. Add 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and whisk to combine.

Place 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined with no streaks of flour. Transfer the batter to the baking pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake until a tester comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35 minutes. Let cool 1 hour before removing the brownie slab from the pan and cutting.

That sounds like death by chocolate. 12 oz of bittersweet chocolate would be less sweet rather than semi-sweet chocolate. Plus 2 T of cocoa powder too. That is a ton of chocolate. Were they really rich tasting?

I do like the coffee powder added in. I love things that taste like mocha and coffee ice cream but I don't drink coffee at all. Did it really only make an 8 x 8 pan? It sounds like enough ingredients to make a 7 x 11 pan.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Blueberry muffins from scratch and not gluten free. Pulled them out at dawn and then the oven went off! It was 81 deg then and is 84 now. Humidity is down from 90% to 88%. Feels like temp is already 97 deg.

Yesterday the feels like temp was 111 deg when I arrived home from treatment at 2pm. I swear, it felt like the sun was hurting my skin just walking from my vehicle to the door, a distance of maybe 20'.

I will cook on the stove top today instead of roasting veggies in the oven. I have mini red potatoes I can fry and sugar snap peas I will steam. I also have a lot of apples I'll cook down to use them up. Many different types and it won't matter once you cook them in a little butter, sugar and cinnamon.

I have a bag of yellow potatoes, which are my least favorite type. I'll let kiddo decide how she wants to fix them.

 

[IceIce9]

That sounds like death by chocolate. 12 oz of bittersweet chocolate would be less sweet rather than semi-sweet chocolate. Plus 2 T of cocoa powder too. That is a ton of chocolate. Were they really rich tasting?

I do like the coffee powder added in. I love things that taste like mocha and coffee ice cream but I don't drink coffee at all. Did it really only make an 8 x 8 pan? It sounds like enough ingredients to make a 7 x 11 pan.

I use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate. The recipe made 16 brownies, fit perfectly in an 8x8 pan.

I don’t care for coffee as a drink but do enjoy it in cooking chocolate recipes.

I used Folger’s Classic Roast instant coffee.

I just baked another pan of these brownies due to request. Some of my friends who sampled my first batch requested more. They told me they are the perfect snack to eat with their mid-morning coffee.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I made a huge batch of Ratatouille on Monday. It was a cool day, and I didn't mind turning on the oven. I used my large lasagna pan that was filled to the brim with cubed eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, Spanish onion, and Roma tomatoes. Tossed the veggies with olive oil and seasoned with Herbs de Provence, basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley, salt, and pepper. Topped the veggies with Little Italy marinara and baked for an hour at 350*. We ate the Ratatouille in bowls with shaved Parm and crusty French baguette. It was delicious! DH had some for lunch yesterday, and tonight we will use the Ratatouille as the base for Shakshuka with eggs poached on top. There will still be a lot left, so I might put some of the Ratatouille in a Ziploc bag and freeze it.

We took advantage of Nino's 20% off fresh produce Rewards benefit over the weekend. Michigan corn is now in season, so DH made black bean/corn salsa/salad. I've been making this dish for many years, and it's wonderful with tortilla chips, in tacos, or as a side dish. It's a colorful mix of black beans, corn, carrots, celery, green pepper, red onion, and grape tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, cilantro, a little cayenne pepper or splash of hot sauce (or Tajin) and toss with olive oil and fresh lime juice. Best when refrigerated overnight prior to serving.

 

[PayrollNerd]

I made a huge batch of Ratatouille on Monday. It was a cool day, and I didn't mind turning on the oven. I used my large lasagna pan that was filled to the brim with cubed eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, Spanish onion, and Roma tomatoes. Tossed the veggies with olive oil and seasoned with Herbs de Provence, basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley, salt, and pepper. Topped the veggies with Little Italy marinara and baked for an hour at 350*. We ate the Ratatouille in bowls with shaved Parm and crusty French baguette. It was delicious! DH had some for lunch yesterday, and tonight we will use the Ratatouille as the base for Shakshuka with eggs poached on top. There will still be a lot left, so I might put some of the Ratatouille in a Ziploc bag and freeze it.

We took advantage of Nino's 20% off fresh produce Rewards benefit over the weekend. Michigan corn is now in season, so DH made black bean/corn salsa/salad. I've been making this dish for many years, and it's wonderful with tortilla chips, in tacos, or as a side dish. It's a colorful mix of black beans, corn, carrots, celery, green pepper, red onion, and grape tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, cilantro, a little cayenne pepper or splash of hot sauce (or Tajin) and toss with olive oil and fresh lime juice. Best when refrigerated overnight prior to serving.

I’m going to have to make ratatouille. It sounds so delicious!

 

[PayrollNerd]

Ok taking a break and resting my feet. I had a bag of green beans that were not looking good. I sautéed them in the skillet also. Rosemary potatoes and steamed sugar snap peas.

I thawed this huge package of thin sliced chicken breasts and decided I’d fry them with a coating of flour, white cornmeal and dried spices. Kosher salt, pepper, onion, garlic. Last time I sautéed them in butter with spices. I wanted something a bit different this time. I might need to freeze some!

Apples are next after I rest. I need to finish washing up the dishes and clean the stovetop. I clean as I go when I cook, so it’s not too bad of a mess. But when you fry with oil, it needs a good degreasing.

I cleaned out the fridge and freezer on Sunday. I have a better idea of what I have and can get some of the foods prepped. We’re coming into prime hurricane season. I don’t want to lose a ton of food again this year.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I’m going to have to make ratatouille. It sounds so delicious!

Ratatouille is also quite versatile. The vegetable melange can be eaten as a soup or stew, topped with freshly grated cheese and served with crusty bread. It can also be mixed with pasta, rice, noodles, or polenta. We like it as a base for Shakshuka, a Middle Eastern breakfast/brunch dish with poached eggs. Ratatouille is also a perfect side dish with meat, fish, or poultry. There are many variations in Ratatouille recipes, but the primary ingredients are eggplant, zucchini, yellow (crookneck) squash, onion, and tomatoes. Some recipes feature bell pepper and garlic, but I don't always include them. Seasonings usually include Herbs de Provence along with basil, rosemary, parsley, and/or thyme. Ratatouille is the quintessential fall dish. Bon Appetit!

 

[IceIce9]

I’m going to have to make ratatouille. It sounds so delicious!

Ratatouille is my absolute favorite meal from the garden. Right now there are plenty of eggplant, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini available, a few onions and garlic. So the only ingredient that doesn’t come from the garden is a can of crushed tomatoes.

I had a chunk of parmesan reggiano in the cheese drawer so I shredded it on top of this batch.

 

[Catmommy]

I'm with PayrollNerd, ratatouille will be added to my repertoire as well. I can hardly wait. Thanks ladies!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Ratatouille is my absolute favorite meal from the garden. Right now there are plenty of eggplant, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini available, a few onions and garlic. So the only ingredient that doesn’t come from the garden is a can of crushed tomatoes.

I had a chunk of parmesan reggiano in the cheese drawer so I shredded it on top of this batch.

Your dish is exquisite! A real work of art. I mostly cut my veggies into cubes, so it looks more like this version that's the way my mom made ratatouille. Ratatouille - Once Upon a Chef

 

[iamshadow21]

Maybe not the prettiest of dishes, but delicious. Tonight, for the first time in a long time, I made my version of drunken risotto. In the dim distant past, this was a Rachael Ray recipe.

30 Minute Meal: Drunken Risotto with Sausage and Spinach

30 Minute Meal: Drunken Risotto with Sausage and Spinach

www.rachaelrayshow.com

It's gone through a few changes since then. I made it a dish that starts on the stovetop but goes into the oven as a baked risotto, because who can stand and stir that long? Certainly not me, post-COVID. I put vegetables in there - tonight, it was carrot, zucchini, and broccoli. I use chorizo instead of the sausage meat she uses, I put in a bunch of herbs and spices (paprika, smoky paprika, chili flakes, rosemary, sage, basil, black pepper) and leave out the nutmeg, and I use the same amount of liquid - five cups - but instead of three cups of red wine, I use a cup and a half of cheap tawny port and the rest is water/stock. At the end, I don't just put in spinach, pecorino, and butter. I put in spinach, parmesan, butter, and haloumi. It's ugly, but it's really good. Like my cheap cast iron dutch oven, which I've had for about twenty years and looks it, but it still makes awesome food.




I have made this meal since I moved into this house with my mother, but it's a lot harder because she is Mormon and if she's eating I have to make it work with red grape juice and vinegar instead of booze. It can be done. Tonight I didn't have to, though, because it was just me and partner eating it!

 

[Puzzles8]

Ratatouille is my absolute favorite meal from the garden. Right now there are plenty of eggplant, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini available, a few onions and garlic. So the only ingredient that doesn’t come from the garden is a can of crushed tomatoes.

I had a chunk of parmesan reggiano in the cheese drawer so I shredded it on top of this batch.

Can you share the recipe with us?
My mouth is watering just looking at the picture!

 

[IceIce9]

Can you share the recipe with us?
My mouth is watering just looking at the picture!

This is the recipe I usually use, although I substitute sometimes. The recipe calls for 2 zucchini and I like to use 1 zucchini and 1 crook neck squash or summer squash. And I use any variety of fresh tomato that is ripe in my garden, not necessarily the Roma tomatoes the recipe calls for.


INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 small onion (chopped)
1/3 cup carrot (shredded)
14 oz crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 small eggplant (sliced 1/8 inch thick circles)
2 small zucchini (sliced 1/8 inch thick circles)
3 Roma tomatoes (sliced 1/8 inch thick circles)
salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large nonstick pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the onion, garlic, and carrot and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Next, add in the crushed tomatoes and seasonings and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Once the sauce has thickened, pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Arrange the sliced vegetables in a circular pattern standing upright in the dish over the sauce. Brush with the remaining olive oil. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.

 

[IceIce9]

Your dish is exquisite! A real work of art. I mostly cut my veggies into cubes, so it looks more like this version that's the way my mom made ratatouille. Ratatouille - Once Upon a Chef

Thank you! I do make the cubed veggie version of ratatouille too sometimes. If I have produce that I pick young and fresh from my garden it is easy to dice it and layer in a dish. The zucchini and eggplant are long and relatively thin and easily slice into even rounds.

If I purchase produce at the grocery store usually the zucchini and eggplant are much larger with seeds that need to be removed, and they aren’t shaped for slicing into thin rounds.

The nice thing about making ratatouille is that it can be made in different ways and it always tastes great. You can modify ingredients and it still turns out fine. Sometimes I dice an extra carrot to add to the sauce, or use two eggplants if zucchini isn’t available.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Tomorrow night (Sunday) at 8:00PM (Eastern) on CNN: The Whole Story with Bobby Flay in Restaurant Nation: What’s Changed?

The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper Travels Across the Country with Bobby Flay in “Restaurant Nation: What’s Changed?​

EPISODE PREMIERES SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 AT 8PM ET/PT

Promo:

NEW YORK, NY – (August 7, 2023) – The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper, a CNN Original, continues with a special episode from celebrity chef Bobby Flay, as he examines how the pandemic changed the restaurant industry and the unique ways chefs and restaurants across the country have adapted. “Restaurant Nation: What’s Changed?” premieres on Sunday, August 13 at 8pm ET/PT.

Flay, whose own New York City restaurant was among the more than 110,000 restaurants that closed in 2020, embarks across the country to meet the restaurants, chefs, and entrepreneurs that pivoted to a new way of serving customers by implementing new digital business models and offering more than just food and drinks. From establishing employee equity plans to the rise of outdoor dining and ghost kitchens, Flay takes viewers into the restaurants that are revolutionizing how we think about dining out and what customers can expect. In this episode, Flay goes on a ride along with DoorDash to find out how the food delivery giant handled the enormous demand during the pandemic and has since evolved...

 

[Tbone144]

Pork chops were on sale again for $1.59/pound so I guess I’ll be eating that this week. Thinking some stirfry as my husband is traveling next week so it’s just me to feed. 104 in the shade so far and 82 in camper. Picked up some fruit and cottage cheese for snacks for the week. I wanted to make some slow roast beef in adobo sauce but I couldn’t find pasilla peppers around here so I had to order them. Also have some miso butter scallops planned but can’t find white miso either so I had to order that too.

Hubby wants what we call football food tonight. Queso with ground venison, Buffalo wings in air fryer, and lil’ smokies in bbq sauce. I sense water retention in my near future with all that salt. I’ll add some carrot and celery sticks as a side with the wings.

Finally decided on a paint color and stain color but I don’t think I should be applying it in this heat. HVAC was supposed to be hooked up last week but hasn’t happened yet. Thinking I’ll get up at 4am and start working out there and then take a nap with the dog during the heat of the day tomorrow. Maybe I can manage it during the week before going in to work. Getting close on getting out of camper so I can cook in full sized kitchen again. (I miss my dishwasher)