What's for dinner, Friday, Dec 12.

[pinto]

[pinto]

1. I'm having bacon and eggs with buttermilk pancakes. Rainy day meal...

And simmering left over chicken for soup stock.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. Dunno yet, but this morning for breakfast

I tried some of the black raspberry jelly we just started making this year, and it was just about perfect. I think the cloves were a little too strong, and I'm guessing that's because we used the same amount we use in the jams, and the ratio of ingredients shifts a bit. It was still really good, though, and the consistency was spot on.

I'm also thinking I might start planting some crocus sativus, the saffron crocus, and try harvesting my own saffron in the coming year.

[pinto]

3. I get a couple of jars of plum jam every year from a friend.

She makes up a bunch when the plum glut comes in. Really nice, not too sweet, a little chunky with some savory taste in it all. I should ask her what that is. I'm guessing nutmeg, but who knows? I've no clue about jam or jelly making.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

4. It's pretty simple, actually.

The hardest part as far as I'm concerned is simply making sure you keep things sterile. I know there are things that you have to pressure can to kill off bacteria, but I just do things with some acidity on their own, so we just boil things up, then put melted wax in as a plug even inside the jars before we seal them. As long as we eat them within a year, maybe a year and a half, they seem fine. I've never had one go bad, but then they never last longer than that in our household. The rest of it is just following the recipes. (Oh, and adding a small bit of butter or margarine when boiling the mix to lower bubble surface tension, to avoid getting a mass of bubbles overflowing the pot.)

[Galileo126]

5. Ribs, baby

Or make that meaty baby back ribs. With Trader Joe's KC BBQ sauce mixed with Huy Fong chili-garlic sauce.

I just made the mac salad (chopped onion, celery, tomato w/ mayo). Baked beans as another side. (Sadly, not B&M baked beans, these darned SoCal heathens just won't stock it in the grocery stores! Don't they know??)

[pinto]

12. Forgive them, for they know not B&M.

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Another pork chop.

I have half of the acorn squash from last night left over, but it has absolutely no flavor. I think it must be old. So I'm going to have a baked potato and a salad tonight.

[hobbit709]

7. Mexican food and good music at Cafe Hornitos

My friend Leti is putting on her annual Christmas show. A bunch of old Austin musicians will be there. She's even managed to drag Geoff Outlaw out of his hermit cave.

[NJCher]

8. Ribeye steak and onion rings

Tossed salad.


Cher

[pinto]

14. Do you batter and fry your onions rings, or saute as is?

[bif]

9. Turkish lentil soup

[grasswire]

10. pizza made at home with TJ dough

topped with pepperoni, baby kale, frozen basil, EVOO, mozzarella, and a bit of sauce.

For dessert, TJ 72% cacao bar. I've been making tulle tutus with Christmas ribbons and bells for the girlies in the family today. The big tabby cat keeps interfering.

[pinto]

11. What are tulle tutus?

[grasswire]

13. sort of like this, but with bells and ribbons

[pinto]

16. Oh, dresses for the kids. Now I get it. Have fun!

[grasswire]

15. it does sound like some kind of cookie, sorry.

tulle tutu

[pinto]

17. I was thinking some old WWII code, "Going out tonight. Tulle tutu? Please respond."

"Tulle tutu, tulle tutu. See you then."

[Galileo126]

18. Ah HA!

So that's what I heard on the shortwave last night. "Ocho...Nueve...Uno...Uno...Dos... Tulle Tutu..."

Darned spy stations...