What did you cook or Bake today? (2018)

[Katrina]

This past weekend I made the sour cherry chocolate cake. Holy crap, it was freaking amazing! Our weekend guests liked it, and when we brought the leftovers to a friend's place, they also complimented it. It was sooo worth the extra effort. Sour cherries aren't exactly a common ingredient here (can't even buy them frozen at the store), so that made the dessert extra special. I'll definitely have to pick more sour cherries this year and freeze them again.

Anyway, I served lunch on the Saturday, so I also made a fruit salad (kiwi, apple, banana, red grapes, blueberries, strawberries) to go with the cake.

The actual lunch was this soup-in-a-jar that I'd made a few months back: wild rice, black beans, red kidney beans, pearl barley, dehydrated vegetables, dehydrated chopped onion, soup stock and spices. Just mixed that in a pot with water and a can of chopped tomatoes and let it simmer for a couple of hours, and it was good to go. That went over well. I served that all with bread and butter, crackers and cheese, pickles, some raw veggies, and two kinds of dip.

I don't usually cook for more than two people, so I'm happy that I pulled off making a larger meal.

 

[Katrina]

^^ most of the food was vegan, too. But I didn't tell my brother that. Lol.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Whipped up a huge batch of vegan pasta salad....




Chopped the last little bit of my Roma tomato & tossed that on top of the stuff I'm taking to Jer's for my dinner tonight....

 

[Tom L.]

@MadamSarcastra , that minestrone and "cheesy" garlic bread you posted back on Feb 11th look AMAZING.

I've been experimenting with my crock pot / slow cooker. I had read instructions on-line about how to cook potatoes in a slow cooker, and late last week, I tried them: I just scrubbed them clean with plain water (the bag said they were pre-washed, but why not?), put them in the pot by thmselves (it was very slightly less than half-full), put the cover on, and left them on "low" through the night. They weren't quite fully done, but they were quite good. I think they were cooking for about 8 hours- next time I'll keep track of the cooking time more carefully. The pot didn't burn or scorch and was easy to clean, but the potatoes had sort of sweated some of their moisture out.

I never leave it on when I'm not home because worry about a fire more when I'm away than when I'm home, which is stupid... I have this idea that between my natural carefulness and the smoke detectors, I could escape and maybe even stop the fire before it got too big. I know how deadly smoke or carbon monoxide can be and how they can knock you out you even realize it. It's not that I have cats, rabbits, etc home to worry about at the moment....

 

[MadamSarcastra]

@MadamSarcastra , that minestrone and "cheesy" garlic bread you posted back on Feb 11th look AMAZING.

I've been experimenting with my crock pot / slow cooker. I had read instructions on-line about how to cook potatoes in a slow cooker, and late last week, I tried them: I just scrubbed them clean with plain water (the bag said they were pre-washed, but why not?), put them in the pot by thmselves (it was very slightly less than half-full), put the cover on, and left them on "low" through the night. They weren't quite fully done, but they were quite good. I think they were cooking for about 8 hours- next time I'll keep track of the cooking time more carefully. The pot didn't burn or scorch and was easy to clean, but the potatoes had sort of sweated some of their moisture out.

I never leave it on when I'm not home because worry about a fire more when I'm away than when I'm home, which is stupid... I have this idea that between my natural carefulness and the smoke detectors, I could escape and maybe even stop the fire before it got too big. I know how deadly smoke or carbon monoxide can be and how they can knock you out you even realize it. It's not that I have cats, rabbits, etc home to worry about at the moment....

I did not make the minestrone with potatoes, although I know many "authentic" recipes do.... As much as I adore pasta and potatoes, it's rare when I use both in the same dish.

I also need to be present when cooking is happening... I trust nothing. LMAO

Hey, to save yourself a great deal of hassle, see if you can get bags of frozen diced potatoes! OMG, those are time/hand-savers!

I get these every so often... no added seasoning, just diced frozen taters, ready to do whatever....

ETA:

But looking back, I think you aren't talking about the soup anymore.... Sorry. LOL

And don't put that slow-cooker on high if you're gone... keep it lowww, daddy-o....

 

[MadamSarcastra]

I made more roasted cauliflower "cheese" sauce (nice & thick)... and for something else to do, I roasted my bag of frozen Brussels sprouts (with evoo, Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, a touch of Himalayan pink salt, & a scoop o' nooch)....

 

[Moll Flanders]

I have some of the stuff leftover from the Texas caviar salad I made the other day so I think I will make a nice, warming rice and beans dish today.

 

[PTree15]

I will be eating out of the freezer again. Maybe vegan shepherd's pie or some Gardein stuff. Something easy, as this cold has sapped my energy so that I don't feel like doing a lot of cooking.

 

[silva]

I still have Gardein porkless bites and think it's time to use them. Made brown rice, and have a bag of Oriental veggies frozen.

 

[shyvas]

I still have Gardein porkless bites and think it's time to use them. Made brown rice, and have a bag of Oriental veggies frozen.

They are my favourite together with the crabless cakes.

 

[PTree15]

Hmm, I haven't tried the porkless bites. I don't even think I've seen them in my store. I will have to check again.

 

[shyvas]

Hmm, I haven't tried the porkless bites. I don't even think I've seen them in my store. I will have to check again.

They are to die for.

 

[silva]

Hmm, I haven't tried the porkless bites. I don't even think I've seen them in my store. I will have to check again.

They're crazy good! I don't associate them with any meat taste either. They have the best texture yet, very tender, and they have a 'grain', like brisket The sauce is extremely tasty too!

 

[silva]

I just made a seiten salami from the Seitan and Beyond book. I didn't do the whole two process method, but instead wrote the total wet and dry recipe in the book, and added a packet of red pepper. That book is a bit too regulated for lazy throw together me that doesn't even follow my own recipes. Very very good though. Probably better if followed!

 

[silva]

I'm gonna have to make another salami seitan, I made two small logs and one is gone already. I'd like to have some for the week.
I made broccoli, mushroom, carrot, onion and garlic with thin rice noodles in a miso and mushroom boullion--love how rice noodles make the broth a sauce!
These boullion cubes are very good and are vegan by chance-find them in the Kosher food aisle. they also have a beef flavor and both reg chik'n and low sodium chik'n flavor
Telma

 

[shyvas]

They're crazy good! I don't associate them with any meat taste either. They have the best texture yet, very tender, and they have a 'grain', like brisket The sauce is extremely tasty too!

I find that they taste exactly like porc. Gardein's range is by far the best that I've ever tasted.

 

[Katrina]

I made "chikun" cutlets earlier this week. They didn't turn out the way I hoped they would, but I'll admit the texture is better than the usual seitan recipes I've tried.

 

[PTree15]

I just made a seiten salami from the Seitan and Beyond book. I didn't do the whole two process method, but instead wrote the total wet and dry recipe in the book, and added a packet of red pepper. That book is a bit too regulated for lazy throw together me that doesn't even follow my own recipes. Very very good though. Probably better if followed!

I think I need this book.

I didn't cook anything last night because I was afraid the power might go out during the storm. Tonight I will just have a chickpea salad melt on a sub roll with pesto. And maybe popcorn for a snack.

 

[Andy_T]

Made a vegan sushi party with some friends yesterday




So ... only leftovers for breakfast today ...

 

[silva]

wow that's impressive!
I don't normally like sushi, but if those were avocado free I'd love to try them!
What fillings did you use?
I had a roll that had a seasoned fried yuba skin as wrapper. Is that what the brown ones are?