Jenn Dolari @dolari@driveinsaturday.org

This Week's Fancy Pants Meal: Babi Kecap

Oh, this is good. THIS IS GOOD. But it's Indonesian, so I knew it was going to be good. Brasied Pork in a sweet soy sauce. It calls for kecap mani, but since we dont' get that round here, I made some homemade kecap mani by using soy sauce and brown sugar and boiling it into a syrup. Tastes a lot like the Taiwanese Braised Pork, but a little sweeter. It works with the salty pork. :9

# Babi Kecap

Asia: The Beautiful Cookbook

2.0 pounds boneless pork
1.0 tsp salt
1.0 tsp black pepper
0.25 cup vegetable oil
1.0 whole onion
2.0 tsp garlic (crushed)
2.0 tsp ginger (minced)
1.0 tsp red chili (minced)
1.0 cup thin coconut milk
0.25 cup soy sauce
0.25 cup brown sugar
0.125 cup brown sugar

1 - In small pot, add brown sugar and soy sauce.
2 - Boil the sauce over low to medium flame until thickens resembling maple syrup. If the mixture starts to boil vigorously and looks like it is going to overboil, move the pot away from the flame until the boiling has calm down and continue to boil over low heat. As the mixture cools down, it will further thicken.
3 - Cut the pork into 1/4-in (4-cm) cubes and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
4 - Heat the oil in a large pan until very hot and fry the pork until evenly colored; do not overcrowd the pan or the pork will begin to stew instead of browning.
5 - Transfer to a heavy saucepan or baking dish.
6 - Peel and finely chop the onion.
7 - Sauté the onion in the remaining oil with the garlic and ginger until softened
8 - Add the chili and sauté again briefly.
9 - Add to the pork with the remaining ingredients.
10 - Bring to a boil, then simmer gently over low heat or in a 350°F (180°C) oven for about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is completely tender and the sauce is well reduced.
11 - Add a little more coconut milk during cooking, if needed. Skim the fat from the surface before serving.

#thisweeksmeals #cooking

Smoke...

This Week's Bread: Yeast Rolls (from Threagill's)

Oh, I shouldn't have fretted. These are GOOD. Still a little dryer than I'd prefer, but not nearly as much as the Luby's one and once you've melted a pat of butter on them, they're great. Still trying to find one where the bread is moister without butter, but as usual Threadgill's does not dissapoint.

ALSO: given that I make really tiny bread rolls to fit my 15g carbs rule for bread (the recipe makes 24 regular rolls), I got a muffin pan, and THESE ARE ADORABLE.

# Yeast Rolls

Threadgill's: The Cook Book

6.0 cups flour
1.0 tbsp baking powder
1.5 tsp salt
1.0 cup sugar
1.5 tsp sugar
0.25 oz dry yeast
1.875 cups warm water
1.25 cup vegetable oil
1.0 large egg
1.0 large egg yolk

1 - Combine flour, baking powder salt, and 1/4 of the sugar in the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook and mix on low speed for 1 minute.
2 - Combine yeast and remaining sugar in a small bowl and cover with the warm water. Set aside for a few minutes until the yeast begins to look foamy on top.
3 - Whisk together 3/4 of the oil with the egg and egg yolk and add to the yeast and water
4 - Add the liquid to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
5 - Turn the mixer off scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then knead on medium speed for about 5 minutes, adding a little flour if necessary to form a ball of dough.
6 - When dough is smooth and elastic, add remaining oil and knead only to incorporate it into the dough ball.
7 - Remove the dough to a well-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until the dough has doubled in bulk.
8 - When the dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down and divide it into the designated number of rolls and place in well-oiled muffin tins.
9 - Cover loosely and allow to double in size again.
10 - During the rising time, preheat oven to 350°.
11 - Bake the rolls for 15 minutes or until crispy and golden.
12 - Cool for about 10 minutes and turn out of pans.

#thisweeksmeals #cooking #baking

Welcome...to Jurassic Park. ::music plays::

Smokey skies....

That bat came back. This time it's in the car!

I've seen a few posts from friends talking about how it's getting harder and harder to relate to the younger generations. I worry about that myself a lot.

I don't think I've lost touch with younger generations, but the divide is there. But I do make the effort to keep in touch. Not by watching the latest shows, or listening to the latest music (although I tend to do the music thing), but by just talking and listening. And learning, specifically.

In becoming a "trans elder," something I'm trying hard to do is to allow myself to listen and learn from the younger folk. I don't want to end up like the folks in Boulton and Park who, when faced with an 18 year old in 1992, gave advice that was fine for a transwoman living in 1972.

It's not that I want to be a forty year old teenager walking around and saying "How do you do, fellow kids?" I just don't want to be the stuffy person giving bad advice to our younger folk who actually know better than me, learn from our younger folks, and be aware of the world around me as it is, and not as I remember. I may have the wisdom but they're living in the now, which is much different.

Also, I want to be the 2050s version of that awesome 1980s grandma who listened to death metal and genuinely enjoyed it.

Looks like we're going to get the worst of the smoke at 3 to 4AM. Just as I go to bed. We definitately had a smoke sunset, and the moon is blood red. I was smelling smoke when I left the girls' house this evening....

I'm gonna tell my kids this was The Borg.

Will it break 90 in the house?

It's hotter inside my house than outside:

Just walked past a window and got blasted with heat.

This Week's Fancy Pants Meal: Keema Curry

Oooh, this is a nice take on the Carne Picada I make. In fact, next time I make this, I'm adding some potatoes, as that would make this absolutely perfect for an Indian flavored version of Carne Picada.

# Keema Curry

Personal Trainer: Cooking

1.875 pound ground beef
1.5 large onions
2.0 pieces ginger root
6.0 cloves garlic
6.0 oz green peas (frozen)
3.0 tbsps cooking oil
1.25 cups tomato puree
1.0 tbsp salt
3.75 cups water
1.5 tsps turmeric powder
1.0 tbsp corriander
2.0 tbsps cumin
0.75 tsp chili powder

1 - First, peel the onion.
2 - Finely chop the peeled onion.
3 - Next, peel the ginger.
4 - Finely chop the peeled ginger.
5 - Now peel the garlic.
6 - Finely chop the peeled garlic.
7 - Heat the cooking oil in the frying pan over low heat.
8 - Sauté the onion gently over low heat until golden brown.
9 - Add the ground beef, ginger and garlic, then increase to moderate heat.
10 - Brown the ground beef, stirring it with a wooden spoon until it's broken up and no lumps remain.
11 - Add the tomato purée and the green peas.
12 - Pour in the water and stir well.
13 - Next, add the turmeric.
14 - Add the coriander.
15 - No add the ground cumin and salt.
16 - Add the chili powder and mix well.
17 - Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

#thisweeksmeals #cooking

Starting a Sunday off right. Wish I had some chopped onions and real salsa, but hot sauce works in a pinch.

I wonder if I could make that Gochujang Chicken Burger. Frying the chicken isn't a problem, it's finguring out how to make the Gochujang glaze myself....

Ten years I've been here and I've never felt an earthquake. And this one was down the street....

I wonder why that bat keeps hanging around outside my window....oh....

This Week's Fancy Pants Meal: Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

After a week of regrettable food, and a week of birthday indulgence, it's time to (1) get back on the diet and (2) eat something tasty.

This delivered. :9

# Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking

4.0 oz hot italian sausage
1.0 cup roasted red peppers (jarred)
6.0 cloves garlic
1.5 pounds broccoli
2.0 oz pecorino romano
0.5 cup water (brocolli)
1.0 pound orecchiette
1.0 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
0.5 tsp salt (brocolli)
1.0 tbsp salt (pasta)
4.0 quarts water (pasta)
0.5 cup pasta water (measurement)

1 - Squeeze the meat out of the casings and discard the casings.
2 - Rinse the roasted peppers and then cut then into thin strips.
3 - Use the side of a chef's knife to gently crush the clove. The skin should slip right off.
4 - Once the garlic has been peeled, we like to use a garlic press to mince it. A garlic press ensures that the pieces will be very fine.
5 - Place the head of the broccoli upside down on a cutting board and cut off the florets.
6 - Slice the larger florets into 1-inch pieces by slicing them through the stem.
7 - Square the stalks by cutting away the tough outer 1/8th inch from each side.
8 - Slice the trimmed stalks into 1/4-inch thick pieces.
9 - Grate the cheese on a rasp grater. The small sharp holes work well on hard cheese.
10 - Bring the water for the pasta to a boil in a large pot for the pasta.
11 - Cook the sausage in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces until browned, about 5 minutes.
12 - Stir in the roasted red peppers and the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
13 - Stir in the broccoli, salt for the broccoli and water.
14 - Increase the heat to high, cover the skillet and cook until the broccoli begins to turn bright green, about 2 minutes.
15 - Uncover and keep cooking, stirring frequently until the liquid's evaporated and the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes longer.
16 - When the water is boiling, stir in the pasta water salt and the orecchiette. Cook, stirring often, until almost tender but a little firm.
17 - Reserve the amount of pasta water listed, then drain the orecchiette and return it to the pot.
18 - Stir in the sausage and brocolli mix, Pecorino Romano, and olive oil, and toss to coat. Add reseved water to loosen the sauce.

#thisweeksmeals #cooking

Thoughts Before Bed:

I didn't think cheese and chocolate would be a flavor combination I'd enjoy, but after 2020, all bets are off.