Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #spooniecooking, aggregated by home.social.
I have a community potluck to go to tomorrow, and I'm just enough spooked by all the recent veg recalls that I want to be a little cautious when cooking for a group of people, so I'm resorting to jarred and pickled veg mix-ins for my pasta salad. Fortunately, since I happen to love pickled artichoke hearts and the like, this is no great hardship as far as I'm concerned.
Today's make-ahead potluck dish: a multigrain/veggie pilaf featuring little nuggets of roasted maple-glazed butternut squash. This coming weekend is turning into Potluckpalooza for me. 😆
Today's cooking mission is a success: a big pan of so-called "Christmas Crack" Graham cracker toffee. Currently cooling until it's cool enough to put in the fridge to chill completely.
Taking advantage of a community Halloween-weekend party to make a bunch of sweets, so I can get them given away before I'm tempted to inhale them all. 😆
Got up early to dress and adjust flavors on the salad. I added a little more vinegar and soy. I also decided to spare myself a couple energy-spoons and put the scallions and sesame seeds on now. Still bringing the seeds and the jar of chili crisp along for on-site add-ons. I put just a little of the oil from the chili crisp in the salad earlier and I can already taste it in there, so I'm going to leave any additional heat optional for the diner. Wonder how long before that little jar runs dry? 😆
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #ChineseCuisine
By the way, here's the main recipe I'm following - as always, I tend to compare and contrast a bunch of recipes for a given dish till I winnow out a general heuristic to follow. Some recipes specified the make-ahead strategy of waiting to add the dressing, so I went with that; I also added some toasted sesame oil to the dressing and left out the Thai bird chilies. But I'm all in on the Lao Gan Ma chile crisp - in fact, that's one of the reasons I zeroed in on this recipe, besides the fact that I follow this vlogger's YouTube channel and dig her cooking lessons lots. But the chili crisp ... I used to be addicted to the stuff until my gut decided it couldn't deal with that much heat in quantity, so my strategy is to only buy the stuff when I'm making a dish that will use up a bunch of it. And I'm planning to take the jar to the potluck - that should put a dent in it! 😄
https://curatedkitchenware.com/blogs/soupeduprecipes/smacked-cucumber-salad-with-lao-gan-ma
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #ChineseCuisine
The cukes, before and after their smackdown, along with some bell pepper and red onion for extra pops of color. The veggies are now chilling in the fridge after purging some of their water. Not shown: the dressing, in a separate container in the fridge, and some sliced scallions, also chilling in their own container.
These kinds of cookery posts majorly help keep me on track and motivated to finish projects despite the constant lowkey messages of "I don't wanna" from cranky-ass bod and neurospicy brain - so I thank you all for indulging me! 😅
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #ChineseCuisine
For the first time in a good while, I have a non-routine cooking project on tap for this weekend: a smashed-cucumber salad I'm bringing to a community potluck tomorrow afternoon. My game plan is to do all the prep today, wait to put the dressing on the veggies until tomorrow morning, and shlep little containers of the final topping bits along with the salad to the picnic site to add right before serving so they don't get all tossed around in transit. A nice easy pace for a cranky-bodded chef - plus excuses to smack one's foodstuffs are so cathartic 😄
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #ChineseCuisine
Been awhile since my last round of better-than-subsistence cooking. It's definitely helping my morale greatly.
I've cut up my batch of Graham cracker toffee, and while it's a tad on the greasy side, I'm generally pleased with how it came out.
#food #foodie #cooking #candy #dessert #SpoonieCooking #QueerFoodie
Haven't had any cookery projects interesting enough (at least to me) to be worth posting recently, but doing this batch of graham cracker toffee seems to have re-awakened my cooking mojo. The goodies are meant for a belated Earth Day event tomorrow at my residential co-op. I think this little cookery high means I need to find more cookery projects to do for folks in my community.
#food #foodie #cooking #desserts #SpoonieCooking #QueerFoodie
After my most recent candy-making experience, I decided to treat myself for my birthday/December-holiday by getting a proper thermometer for such jobs. It's also fine for other culinary uses like roasting meats, which I needed as my elderly cheapo analog instant-read thermometer was beginning to give out. I may give this toy a whirl as soon as this weekend - I had intended to make another batch of toffee for holiday gifts before stirring the first batch blew out my shoulder. So I guess friends will be getting belated gifts! 😅
Ow my left (dominant-hand) shoulder is mad at me. Started Thursday when I went stir-crazy so to speak making graham cracker toffee (most recipes specify stirring frequently/constantly for a full 5 minutes); exacerbated it by marathon gaming sessions plus hauling trash to the dumpster yesterday. Since using my mobility walker requires putting some weight on both arms/shoulders, this is a most inconvenient pain. Now spending today trying to take it easy and icing the shoulder properly. I still have ingredients for a whole other batch of cracker toffee, but finally googled a recipe that specifies no stirring after the sugar/butter mixture is melted, so I'll see if I can have a go at it later this week.
I have succeeded in turning out a pan of Graham cracker toffee a.k.a. Christmas Crack - and as a favorite Elder Scrolls Online NPC quest-giver is wont to snark, I managed not to burn a part of me off in the process. Seriously: every time I go to make something in my apartment's snazzy oven/range for the first time, it's an adventure in managing the logistics of shuttling around rocket-hot pans of stuff while using my mobility walker. This time, a minimum of F-bombs were dropped and I narrowly avoided burning a finger but otherwise emerged victorious with treats complete. But a contemplated second batch will await another day as the cook is pooped. 😅
The turkening begins. Wrestling this 13lb ball o bird was pretty taxing on my cranky-ass bod, but the actual disassembly was fairly basic. The legs, wings, and breast are now dry-brining a bit in the fridge, while the back and trimmings took a ride in the instant pot. I'll see if I catch a second wind enough to roast the bird tonight, or postpone that to tomorrow.
I received a free turkey thanks to a friend's employer, and stashed it in my freezer since my co-op's Thanksgiving potluck already had turkey covered (i brought side-dishes instead). So now I'm in the process of defrosting it so I can roast it up for freezer meals plus stock-making. Meanwhile, I've acquired the ingredients for that easy-version toffee treat popularly known in the US as Christmas crack, plus I snagged some proper Nordic Ware sheet pans on special that are small enough to fit in my apartment's little oven (it can't handle a half-sheet pan but a jellyroll-size pan fits just right). Looking forward to a weekend of cooking shenanigans! 😋
#food #foodie #cooking #omnivore #SpoonieCooking #turkey #dessert
My contributions to today's community potluck. Stayed just long enough to drop these off, grab a to-go container, and take my COVID-cautious ass back home to feast at my leisure.
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #vegetarian #SpoonieCooking
Mr Swayze is always fascinated with his hooman's doings, especially in the kitchen, even when nothing cat-foody is going on. Hope springs eternal in the feline breast. These veg are about to be mized for a mixed-grain pilaf I've got going in the IP, for today's potluck.
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #CatsOfMastodon
Whacked up three big acorn squash, doused them with a bunch of warm spices and just a little agave nectar, and wound up with a dish for a community potluck tomorrow. I love winter squash but hate when it's drenched in sugar; just a little bit of sweetener at most is all I think they need.
Received a pre-marinated pork tenderloin on my last visit to a local food pantry, so I cooked it up with a sheet pan-ful of sweet potato, putting some of the pork marinade on the veg.
#food #foodie #cooking #omnivore #QueerFoodie #SpoonieCooking
The chickening begins. I'm using a chicken soup recipe from the Korean Bapsang website, which I will link to in the comments.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #QueerFoodie #spoonie #KoreanFood #ChickenSoup
Made a nice big potato salad vinaigrette for a potluck. I feel safer offering a salad without mayo at potlucks where food will sit out for awhile - plus I really like the flavor of the potatoes after they've soaked up all the vinaigrette dressing. Especially when I loaded it with lots of garlic and fresh basil. 😋
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #QueerFoodie
Mornings will never be my favorite time of day, but a new batch of cold peanut butter noodles does wonders for my attitude.
Today's peacock plate special: a duck-egg breakfast sandwich on sourdough rye with a side of the previously tooted tomato/cucumber/scallion salad.
#food #foodie #cooking #omnivore #PeacockPlateSpecial #SpoonieCooking
And now it's time to play whack-a-cucumber. 🤣
(Did a riff on smashed cucumber salad, because I like tomatoes with my cucumbers.)
Made a big batch of peanut noodle salad for a community potluck, and am now enjoying the leftovers. 😋
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetarian #PlantBased #SpoonieCooking
Whipped up some hippie-veggie sauce and pasta for this evening's community feed. I'm digging having an outlet for my old potlucking skills.
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #potlucks
When life gives you cabbage, make cabbage pickle. 💖
Kind of a freeform dairy-free take on calabacitas that I whipped up for a Cinco de Mayo themed potluck later today.
#food #foodie #cooking #vegetables #SpoonieCooking #MexicanFood #spoonie
When constructing a "clean out the veggie bin" stew-thing, a nice big can of tomatoes is very helpful for pulling all the elements together.
Today's cookery: a "clean the vegetable bin" salad.
My heat's been out since Wednesday, so while I wait for the property management company's tech to get out here, I'm making do with space heater plus excuses to run the oven.
Improvized a turkey meatloaf out of items on hand - including a mustard-based topping as I'm out of ketchup (and prefer mustard anyway).
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #QueerSpoonie
I have come to the conclusion that there's no way to take a picture of split pea soup and have it come out looking like anything other than brownish-green baby-poop, but FWIW I just made a batch of split pea soup that, well, looks like the usual poop but tastes amazing. Some bacon and Better Than Bouillon soup base made all the difference. 💖
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #QueerSpoonie #omnivore
The finished product: segments of feathered dinosaur, golden brown and delicious - the majority of which will either be shared, or frozen, or both.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #DeconstructingThanksgiving
The beets and onions I roasted earlier wound up in another batch of my borscht/veggie stew thing. Eating that rainbow (especially the red/orange/purple sectors) 😋
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #vegetables #spoonie #QueerSpoonie
I'm a solo householder, but I still buy whole chickens as they're cheaper per pound - and then I cut em up into parts for the freezer. This also leaves me with trimmings (neck, back, wings) to toss in the Instant Pot for chicken soup.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #QueerSpoonie
Part of today's cooking therapy, eat-the-rainbow edition. Seasonings include bay leaf, an Italian herb blend, a couple small dried red chiles, salt and fresh ground pepper, and a healthy slug of balsamic. Still needs a little more simmering.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #vegetables #spoonie #QueerSpoonie
Playing with my food again, featuring my cute clearance sale peacock plate. The wraps contain chicken breast that I managed to cook without drying it out via a little Instant Pot-fu. 😸
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #QueerSpoonie #spoonie
Cooler weather means it's cool enough to roast vegetables once again in my tiny-ass kitchen - huzzah!
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #vegetables #spoonie #QueerSpoonie
Went with a ginger/garlic/soy sauce dressing on the cuke salad this time around.
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LOL time for some food sillines with my favorite clearance-sale plastic peacock plate (from an age when I still ventured inside stores) 😁
The latest iteration of my cuke/tomato salad schema, put together just in time before the weather heats up again (though not as fiercely as last week).
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #vegetables #SpoonieLife #QueerSpoonie
Managed to catch a second wind or something thanks to the late evening cool, and got these veggies cooked up to enjoy for the next few days. I like my borscht on the chunky side, and love it cold in hot weather.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #vegetables #QueerSpoonie
How now, brown food! Lentils may not be the most visually interesting food out there, but I love 'em for my freeform all-in-one IP concoctions.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #SpoonieLife #QueerSpoonie
As a thrift measure, I buy animal proteins in bulk and then freeze and repackage as individual recipe portions. I froze these chops last night, repacked them today, and they're now back in the freezer.
#SpoonieLife #spoonie #QueerSpoonie #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #TightwadGourmand
Initial verdict: a little crumbly, and of course it would be nicer if I'd run it under the broiler with a sauce on per the recipe (though that's not happening today because heat), but the flavor is quite acceptable. Nice to add another low-impact spoonie-friendly recipe to my repertoire. It's this one; I subbed cooked lentils for the bread crumbs. https://www.thespruceeats.com/instant-pot-turkey-meatloaf-5092103
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #SpoonieLife #QueerSpoonie
Getting my mojo back via cookery hijinks. It's too hot in my tiny-ass apartment to run the oven, but I'd always wanted to try out one of those IP meatloaf recipes, so here goes nuthin' 😂
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #SpoonieLife #QueerSpoonie
Yep, the veggies I bought the day before I got sick a week ago were just beginning to go soft, so I'm glad I pulled it together to kick out the planned ratatouille.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #vegetables #SpoonieLife
It was cool enough today that I could have done this roast in the oven, but I was having a fatigue moment and decided to resort to the IP again, which is one of the reasons I wanted one. 😎
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #spoonie
That fine bunch of beets languished in my fridge while I dealt with hot weather and other energy-sappers, but finally found their way into my IP last night.
Did remember to take a photo of the chickpeas after all. I'm a longtime fan of pressure cookers - they scratch my food-geek itch - but the electric ones are much more manageable for me now that my body has gotten crankier.
(I did throw a chunk of animal protein in with these to cook, but I've done these meatless too. Love my legumes.)
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #SpoonieLife
Today's cookery round 2: Did up some beans and chicken drumsticks in the Instant Pot for assembling into bowl meals for the next few days.
#food #foodie #cooking #SpoonieCooking #omnivore #InstantPot #SpoonieLife #spoonie
Slept in well past noon - yesterday's jaunt obviously tired this spoonie right the F out - but still managing to get some cooking on with some chopped salad action.
#food #foodie #cooking #spooniecooking #vegetables #spoonie #SpoonieLife
Second low-impact cooking project du jour: a cucumber/onion vinaigrette salad with olive oil, balsamic, pepper, salt, dillweed, and a bunch o garlic. Nice now, but really needs to marinate overnight.