As some of you may know, I’m a fan of apples (the fruit, not the electronics). Well, I found the Wood’s Cider Mill website. They sell boiled cider, cider jelly and cider syrup. All of these products are made by boiling fresh pressed cider over a wood fire and condensing the product. I’m thinking I might be making an order in the near future. I’ve been seeing some cooking shows using their products, and I want to try some of the recipes (and some of my own). I think I might be able to make a killer pork loin with a cider glaze. Also, the boiled cider apparently can be used as an apple juice concentrate.
Category Archives: cooking
Mmmmm…. Apples
Throw-Away Appliances
Last week, our 20-month old gas range‘s oven stopped working. (I got it through my work.) The warranty was one year. My first thought was to have it repaired. The estimated repair cost was at least $300. Now I paid $400 for this range. To me, it was kind of ridiculous that the repairs were this high. I checked around for used gas ranges, and found that they all ran just about $300 or more. At the same time, I could get a similar range new for $300 at Lowe’s. So, I went with the new one from Lowe’s. I am hoping, since it has less electronics, that it will last longer.
I see some people complaining about people throwing away things rather than repairing them. Why should they when the cost to repair them is more than the cost to replace them. Part of the reason I bought this stove is the simpler controls. My hope is that, if it does need repairs, it will be cheaper to repair.
My first meal prepared with it will be steaks cooked in the broiler, mashed potatos, biscuits (from scratch), and a salad.
Things I have accomplished/learned this weekend
- I made no cook strawberry freezer jam. I need to find a better recipe for than what is on the back of the no cook pectin. But, overall it is pretty good.
- I finally got around to testing the 2 new MecGar 1911 mags I bought. They work really well.
- I got around to checking out the rifle/pistol side of the Elm Fork Shooting Range. I enjoyed it. I think it will be great place to meet others who come from further west in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to shoot.
- I think I’m going to try to put together a steam punk costume for ConDFW. If I manage to do so, I will post pictures.
- I learned that you should not partake of strong drink. It may tempt you to shoot at the BATFE’s jack-booted thugs when they performing unconstitutional and immoral actions.
Contemplating My Yule Dinner
This Thursday, I will be fixing a standing rib roast using Alton Brown’s recipe. For sides, I am preparing fingerling potatos in butter and garlic (in the slow cooker) and steamed broccoli. I am also wanting to bake a loaf of bread, but I only have one oven. Does anyone have suggestions for an easy bread recipe that I can bake in the oven while I am letting the roast rest?
My Day So Far
This morning, I found my laptop had rebooted and had an error on it. I then found that the firewall and anti-virus were not working. I went to Trend Micro’s web site and tried running their home virus/malware scanner. That caused the laptop to reboot. That was it, I have installed Ubuntu Linux on my laptop. I am trying things out now. I need to see if I can get it to work with Windows home networking.
After this little experience, I went to the range. I have to say, I love Black Hills 223 ammunition. I’ve yet to find a load that does not work well in my AR or my Handi-Rifle.
Now, it is time for me to grill some salmon.
Chicken in a mushroom cream sauce
Last night, I fixed this chicken dish for dinner. I came up with the recipe myself, and thought I would share it.
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic crushed and finely diced
1 cup of hard cider (I used Woodchuck’s Dry Cider)
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
1 package of Hunter’s gravy mix
1/2 pint of heavy cream
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sautee the garlic in the oil for 2-3 minutes. This will infuse the oil with the garlic flavor.
- Salt and pepper the chcicken, then cook in the pan over medium heat. Preheat oven to 175 (or it’s lowest setting).
- When the chicken is cooked, place in the oven and turn it off.
- De-glaze the skillet with the cider and add the mushrooms. Cook this mixture until reduced to a consistency almost the same as syrup.
- Follow the directions on the hunter’s gravy mix. But, prepare it in the skillet with the sauce that is already there.
- When the sauce in the pan is ready, stir in the heavy cream. Heat this mixture until it is thoroughly mixed heated.
Serving suggestion: I served this by placing a chicken breast on a bed of egg noodles. I then covered the breast and noodles with the sauce.
Steak with Whiskey Mushroom Cream Sauce
2 One inch thick steaks
2 Cups of sliced Mushrooms (porcini/baby bellas is what I use)
1/4 Cup of whiskey or scotch
1/2 Pint of cream
1/4 Cup of butter
2 Cloves of garlic
Seasoning and herbs
1. Season the steaks to your taste. I use salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil and thyme
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat (I recommend a non-stick skillet) and then lightly coat the skillet with oil.
3. Cook steaks to desired doneness. I like medium-rare (about 5 minutes per side). Remove and cover with aluminum foil to rest.
4. Melt butter in pan.
5. Add garlic and mushrooms. Sautee until mushrooms are soft. (~2 minutes)
6. Add whiskey stir and allow to reduce for 2 minutes.
7. Add cream, and cook. You will need to stir constantly for 2 minutes.
8. Plate the steaks and cover with sauce.
Apple Pie
Click the picture for a larger image
I made a skillet apple pie this morning. I used this recipe with the following modifications:
- Pre-made pie crust from Kroger instead of making it myself.
- I added some nutmeg. Apple pie just doesn’t taste right without nutmeg.
