What are you eating (or drinking)?

[woods-racer]

If you are feeling the need to get your blood pressure up, check the FDA regs.  Can be any squash as long as some pumpkin is in there.  I don't recall the exact number but 20% pumpkin rings a bell.

And here it is....  Doesn't have to have any pumpkin in it at all to be labeled pumpkin.

 

 See, this is why I like my pie home grown. Never know what your pie could of had in it. 

[Weave]

 See, this is why I like my pie home grown. Never know what your pie could of had in it. 

 

*points at Woods-Racer*

 

This guy gets it.

[Stoner]

I mean, we're not talking about rat or horse meat in there. At worst, it's squash, right? Right?

[Weave]

I mean, we're not talking about rat or horse meat in there. At worst, it's squash, right? Right?

 

You keep telling yourself that....

[Stoner]

You keep telling yourself that....

I just read that Libby is 100% pumpkin. As in pumpkin, pumpkin. I'd be pretty disappointed if Lakeshore isn't as well.

 

Anyway, the pies turned out OK. I was a little short on the crust because I wanted to use the 10-inch deep dish pans I have. The crust ended up thinner than usual, and I left them in a few minutes too long. A touch beyond golden brown. The effect is nice, though. Nice and brown and crispy. Yes, I've already cut into one. Will be better tomorrow when the custard sets up.

[Ogre]

I just read that Libby is 100% pumpkin. As in pumpkin, pumpkin. I'd be pretty disappointed if Lakeshore isn't as well.

 

Anyway, the pies turned out OK. I was a little short on the crust because I wanted to use the 10-inch deep dish pans I have. The crust ended up thinner than usual, and I left them in a few minutes too long. A touch beyond golden brown. The effect is nice, though. Nice and brown and crispy. Yes, I've already cut into one. Will be better tomorrow when the custard sets up.

My wife always bakes a mini pie with the big boy. She knows that I can not wait. I feel great shame. Then I eat pie.

[Stoner]

My wife always bakes a mini pie with the big boy. She knows that I can not wait. I feel great shame. Then I eat pie.

You got it made.

[Ogre]

You got it made.

Mini pie was a collaborative effort. It has worked out so well that extra mini pies are made and frozen for an easy quick pie. It was all part of the peace agreement.

[Claude_Verret]

Sierra Nevada Celebration is on the shelves in NC. One of my favorites. Awesome.

[Weave]

Sierra Nevada Celebration is on the shelves in NC. One of my favorites. Awesome.

 

I'm hearing that the hop character is rather subdued this year.

[Claude_Verret]

I'm hearing that the hop character is rather subdued this year.

That's probably fair to say, but with a fresh hop beer I suppose it comes with the territory.

[Weave]

First batch of We've's (2 apostrophes are cool here, right?) badass chili this season is going right now.

 

Equal parts chuck eye roast and pork shoulder (about 2lbs of each) diced into small chunks, and 1lb ground lamb. Mix the meat together in a bowl.  Two big red onions, 7 roasted poblano peppers (OK to use fresh, roasted is more concentrated flavors), 2 carrots, 1 celery stalk, all run through the food processor to get to the consistency of salsa.  Processed veggies are then sauteed in a dutch oven with a little salt and pepper and a double pinch of dried oregano until the liquid evaporates and color of veggies darken. This concentrates the flavor of the veggies.  Remove veggies and set aside.  Re-oil pan and brown the meat in batches.  Too much meat in the pan and the meat won 't brown properly.  Add salt, pepper, and 1 Tbls of ground guajillo pepper pods and cumin to each batch of meat.  Cook until edges of meat start to brown.  When last batch of meat finishes browning, keep the meat in the pan and add 1 bottle of Harpoon Winter Warmer (or other spiced beer, brown ales work great here too.  Avoid hoppy beers.  The hop flavor really concentrates).  The clove used in the spiced beer is a great "secret" flavor to the chili.  Cook on high until the beer reduces to a thick syrup. Important to reduce the beer to a syrup or the flavor is too diluted to notice.  Add back in the veggies and the rest of the meat.  Add 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 cup beef stock, 3 Tbls ground guajillo pepper pods, can of beans if you must, salt and pepper to taste.  Bring up to a simmer and add more beef stock if it is too thick.  Lid up the pot and put it in a 280 degree oven for as long as you can stand to let it cook.  The aroma will make you impatient.

 

Note- you can substitute plain chili powder+ a couple pinches of cayenne for the ground guajillo pods. Guajillos have an intense, earthy, almost chocolaty and dark fruit character that really makes the chili pop.  They are medium heat.  You can buy dried guajillos in most major grocery stores.  I usually find them in the Goya aisle.  I have a small coffee grinder that I use just for grinding spices but you could grind it by hand with a mortar and pestle too.

 

I'll serve this with sour cream on the side and green onions.  And a good jalapeno hot sauce of course.  The poblanos and guajillos have enough heat to remind you that chili is a Tex-mex dish, but they are mild enough for the family to enjoy.  This isn't a skull sweater by any stretch.

[Eleven]

If I were to grind up some cloves instead of using a beer, what liquid would you suggest instead of the beer?

[Weave]

If I were to grind up some cloves instead of using a beer, what liquid would you suggest instead of the beer?

 

Beef stock.  Go easy on the cloves.  You are looking for a subtle background note.

[Claude_Verret]

To follow up on weaves chili recipe I'll post one of my favorites that I made last night with some left over smoked brisket (Franklin BBQ style.)  I followed the linked recipe, but replaced the ground chuck with the leftover brisket and used semi sweet bakers chocolate instead of cocoa powder.  I also made it on the stove instead of my egg since I figured the brisket would provide the smoke.  If you like spicy chili give this one a try, or if you like it milder go lighter on the penos and/or serranos.  I've won a few chili cook offs with this recipe.

 

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1133628/cow-lickin-chilli/p1

[Doohicksie]

Disaronno.  So if I seem a little melancholy and sentimental tonight, that's why.

[Weave]

2 well marbeled NY strip steaks, about 14oz each.  

 

Made a pan sauce by carmelizing a big handful of sliced crimini mushrooms in butter, deglazing the pan with a 50/50 mix of Evan Williams and beef stock (maybe 3/4 cup of liquid total), a splash of worchestershire sauce, about 1/3 stick of butter, and a good dose of black pepper.  Let that simmer down until it becomes a syrup. While the sauce was reducing, steaks cooked on the grill over screaming high heat until medium rare and set aside to rest while we ate a Caesar salad.  The liquid on the bottom of the plate of rested steaks got poured into the pan sauce.  Plated the steaks, big spoonful of mushrooms on top, a drizzle of pan sauce, two slices of garlic toast on the side.  Served with a glass of Petite Syrah.

 

And now contemplation over a glass of Old Forrester 1870.

 

Empty nest syndrome sucks.   :P

[Stoner]

Meh. That doesn't even sound that good.

[Ottosmagic13]

I ate here last night, Signatures at The Humphrey House, went out with my parents and the wife. If anyone is near Penfield, NY I highly recommend the place. I had the following:

 

SGT. Pepper's Burger 

Basted and Seared with Guinness Sriracha, Beer Battered Habanero & Jalapeno Peppers, Pepperjack Cheese, 3 Layers of Smokey Chipotle Mayo, Seasonal Greens

 

paired with some Troegs Celebration IPA and some Longtrail Mostly Cloudy Witbier. 

 

The battered habaneros had quite the kick! My father got a burger with duck bacon on it and let me tell you duck bacon is heavenly. Excellent all around. 

Edited December 6, 2015 by Ottosmagic13

[Weave]

Meh. That doesn't even sound that good.

 

It wasn't.  You should never try it.  Ever.

I ate here last night, Signatures at The Humphrey House, went out with my parents and the wife. If anyone is near Penfield, NY I highly recommend the place. I had the following:

 

SGT. Pepper's Burger 

Basted and Seared with Guinness Sriracha, Beer Battered Habanero & Jalapeno Peppers, Pepperjack Cheese, 3 Layers of Smokey Chipotle Mayo, Seasonal Greens

 

paired with some Troegs Celebration IPA and some Longtrail Mostly Cloudy Witbier. 

 

The battered habaneros had quite the kick! My father got a burger with duck bacon on it and let me tell you duck bacon is heavenly. Excellent all around. 

 

Holy crap, that sounds like a tongue burner.  Howinthehell did you taste the beer?  lol

 

OMG.  Duck bacon?  Want.

[darksabre]

Went to the liquor store today to buy some Kraken rum to mix with warm cider and ended up rolling the dice on some clear liquid as well.

 

The bottle of Aviation "American Gin" that was marked at an appealing price.

 

I don't know what that means. I just make G&Ts with Bombay Sapphire.

 

Well, whatever American Gin is, I like it.

[Ogre]

It's Christmas cookie day. My wife has sworn off the cookie press so the spritz cookies are my task. I opened a bottle of red and did 4 pounds of butter worth of them. 7 dozen? More? My wife has done her thumb press cookies and is now working on the cookie cutter type. My favorite. Guess how many never made it to the frosting station?

[Doohicksie]

Pot roast:  The Christmas dinner that keeps on giving

 

My optimistic dinner companion

 

Patience pays off!

[biodork]

Gat damn, that looks good.

[Doohicksie]

Gat damn, that looks good.

 

It was amazingly simple to cook.  It was the first time I ever tried it.  It was (I think) 2 lb. of potatoes, a pound of carrots, an onion (chopped up), a quart of beef stock, a few Tsp of corn starch and some seasoning added to a 5 lb. cheap roast.  Cook for about 5 hours at 350.  You could probably scale it down and cook in a crock pot.