Whatcha Makin'??

[MadamSarcastra]

Does removing the skins make a big difference? I never thought to do that, and my dry roasted chickpeas do come out kinda either to hard, or kinda chewy.
I tried removing the skins from cooked chickpeas for hummus one time, and it will be the only time. My hummus doesn't need to be all THAT creamy!

Yeah, I personally think it makes a big difference.... the first time I made roasted garbanzos I did not remove the skins, they came off as the beans roasted, but also took all the spices & flavor with 'em & they were chewy. It's a tedious task, but I don't mind doing it if the end result is a super-tasty, super-healthy snack.
They're re-roasting in Jer's toaster oven right now... gettin' nice & crispy... smells divine!!

 

[KLS52]

Soup! This is what I got in my veggie bag this week from Field Goods:



I'm roasting the blue potatoes and squash for soup. I will add carrots, too. No recipe, as usual. Just starting with veggie broth and will go from there. I will purée the squash and a few of the potatoes. Maybe add some coconut milk for extra creaminess. We will see.

The thing I like most about Field Goods is I am being introduced to produce that I've never even heard of before. I like broadening my veggie experience!
And, I can put a hold on any delivery if I don't think I will utilize what they are offering that particular week. That usually ends up being a week where there are a lot of greens. I'm not into all of the washing it entails. And turnips...I can't do turnips. I got some of those yesterday but I gave them to a co-worker.

 

[KLS52]

Uh oh...not sure the squash will make it to the soup...it looks like candy. I may have to eat it as is!

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Reheating what's left of my last sauteed veggie sammich for lunch. Two straight weeks of them & they're STILL delicious to me! I think I found a winner... something I haven't gotten sick of. LOL

Another main-stay is, of course, pasta. I've got many cans of no-salt diced tomatoes, a couple small onions, some matchstick carrots, a can of garbanzos, plenty of garlic & baby kale/spinach....

I'll get to makin' a big batch of pasta sauce here shortly.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

While the sauce cooks, I'm trying to throw together a shopping list so I can make a huge batch of soup later this week. I'm just letting my mind wander through ingredients I want to incorporate. I know I need to use up those damn carrots in something... and I've been jonesin' for a creamy, chunky roasted garlic & potato soup... to which I do believe I'll be adding broccoli, scallions, & watercress. I'm just gonna wing it. I'll get some low-salt veggie broth & a small container of some sort of plant-based milk with little to no flavor... and I know I'll be adding plenty of nooch for a "cheesiness"... maybe I'll pull the cooked carrots to blend them up, make the soup thicker & cheesier looking!

 

[KLS52]

Just an FYI...blue potatoes do not make for an appetizing-looking soup, particularly if you purée some of them into the stock, contrary to the fact that blue is a pretty color, hahahahaha!

 

[KLS52]

Well actually, I saved my ugly soup. I puréed some of the carrots, added coconut milk ( I don't have hemp milk but I will be getting some for next time), Daiya cheddar, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and I have to tell you it is delicious and it is no longer an ugly gray-blue color LOL.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Well actually, I saved my ugly soup. I puréed some of the carrots, added coconut milk ( I don't have hemp milk but I will be getting some for next time), Daiya cheddar, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and I have to tell you it is delicious and it is no longer an ugly gray-blue color LOL.

Sounds delish!!

 

[MadamSarcastra]

I'm makin' pasta!! Max pasta for small pot, minimum water usage. Still too much sauce to do the cook-in-sauce method, so I'm goin' with rotini this evening.

It's in.... watching carefully, using a tilted glass lid so water-evaporation isn't an issue, rather collecting condensation, adjusting burner temp as necessary, so far so good.... and VERY little water.

 

[KLS52]

More grape jam!

 

[PTree15]

I am crocheting hats at the moment. I will be donating them to the library where my mom used to work as part of its annual book sale. I am hoping to make 10, but I will probably end up making 5 or so. I got a late start. I've had a busy summer, and fall shows no signs of slowing down.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Gonna nab a cup o' coffee while my pasta sauce gently reheats (gets better every time), then make a wee bit of angel hair to go with it. I'm unusually hungry for this time of day.... rumbly tumbly! Maybe I can catch a quick nap a little later... I know tomorrow's gonna be a LONG day. LOL

 

[KLS52]

Not very good...it's a little rough...kind of like a draft/practice run.

 

[KLS52]

I do much better with food than I do with crafting, LOL.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

The other half of a Simple Truth organic roasted vegetable pizza. When I bring one to Jer's, I just cut it in half with kitchen shears BEFORE cooking, stash one half in the freezer & bake the other in the toaster oven.

Sh*t, better get comfy & turn the oven on I guess.... LMAO

 

[MadamSarcastra]

The first installments of this massive soup project (as I mentioned after my latest purchases)....

I've got Jerry's huge stockpot soaking... gonna use MY largest pot to saute the red onion & carrots, then add all the broth, seasonings, bay leaves, etc.... while that's happening, I'll be roasting a bulb of garlic (had to buy more as my elephant garlic was rotted)... just gonna hack the top off, put it in a Pyrex measuring cup, drizzle with plenty of evoo, & throw that in the oven for a bit.

Also going to prepare the creamy, "cheesy" vegan roux/Bechamel/Mornay/whatever (hemp milk, Wondra flour, nooch, etc.).... I was thinking I could also remove the (hopefully cooked-by-then) carrots from the broth & puree them with the roasted garlic, then add that to the sauce.

OK! Let's get cookin'!!

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Slight change in plans.... the baby carrots got frozen & they're not lookin' too hot... a bit dingy & very soggy. Sooo, I pulled the tiniest ones, pressed 'em between paper towels, gonna just use those to blend with roasted garlic later... and I'll just mince up the rest of my matchstick carrots to be in the soup after sauteing with onion. At least those are still in good shape.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Workin' on the broccoli-potato soup some more. Prepped the taters, boiled the chunks in the stock, then lightly steamed the broccoli florets, added those, let it all simmer some more.... just pulled a couple scoops out to cool so I can blend it up & add it back.... then the "cheesy" whatever sauce will go in. I want to keep the soup vegan, but that sauce desperately needed something, so I added a bunch of Go Veggie shreds to it.

So here's the soup in progress.... just veggies in stock right now.



Hmmm, looks a little dark... hope that changes. Eh, I don't care... I don't need to look at it to eat it. LOL

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Whisking, whisking, whisking... making the sauce for scalloped potatoes! Using the rest of my hemp milk (had to put things on hold & go buy more), evoo, sauteed garlic, roasted red pepper, herbs/spices (Mrs. Dash, garlic & onion powder, rosemary, thyme, dill weed, paprika, and a touch of sage & tarragon)... and plenty of nooch.

Off I go to the kitchen again... Gotta get the rest o' these taters sliced & get that sh*t in the oven...



And I get to finally use that cool (FREE) casserole dish!

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Just BEFORE it went in the oven....

Gonna bake that with the cover on for about 45 minutes to an hour.... then see if it needs more sauce.... and I'll top it with the last little bit of my organic white cheddar shreds (I ran out of Go Veggie )... and bake it some more uncovered until golden brown & crusty & bubbly.

 

[silva]

Whisking, whisking, whisking... making the sauce for scalloped potatoes! Using the rest of my hemp milk (had to put things on hold & go buy more), evoo, sauteed garlic, roasted red pepper, herbs/spices (Mrs. Dash, garlic & onion powder, rosemary, thyme, dill weed, paprika, and a touch of sage & tarragon)... and plenty of nooch.

Off I go to the kitchen again... Gotta get the rest o' these taters sliced & get that sh*t in the oven...

View attachment 10028

And I get to finally use that cool (FREE) casserole dish!


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Man that sound great! It's been a long time since I've made scalloped potatoes--a roux of olive oil, soymilk, lots of rosemary and garlic and pepper?
Your last soup so inspired me! I have a pot of potatoes, carrots, noodles, corn, peas and frozen leeks from Trader Joes. I'm not sure leeks freeze well- we'll see how they are after cooking. Cooking in a broth of Better than Boullion no chicken with tons of seasoning
And celery!