Made egg buns today since I had some milk going off. I think they turned out well though I obviously had some too close since they merged.

Stir fry fail!

DH cut up the veggies (onions, celery, broccoli including stems, bell pepper, carrots) and pork for a stir fry this afternoon and I cooked it, using my enamelled iron Dutch oven instead of our stainless steel wok.  Well, I mistimed my veggies.  Usually I brown the meat then remove it and add the onions, celery and pepper, which I did tonight but the pepper turned mushy.  I then added the carrots and broccoli stems and steamed them for too long since they ended up overcooked.  Then I added the pork back in along with the broccoli florets.  I have to remember to add the florets earlier and use the pepper later in my next stir fry.

Mustard

We bought bulk mustard seeds of three varieties last year, intending to make our own mustard.  Finally, I have taken the opportunity to make some.  I made both Dijon-style and a grainy mustard.  Here are the links to the recipes I modified:

America's Test Kitchen - Whole Grain Mustard

I think I pulsed the whole grain mustard a little more than I would like to do next time, but here's a pic of how it turned out:

It also made WAY more than I immediately need, so I'll halve it
next time I make it.

1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/2 cup brown mustard seeds
1 cup white wine vinegar
~1 tablespoonful white wine

Soaked at room temperature for couple of days, then blended
in food processor with 1 teaspoonful of brown sugar.

before processing

after processing

Look how much this made!

David Lebovitz - Homemade Mustard

• 1/3 cup (55g) mustard seeds
• 1/3 cup (80ml) white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup (80ml) dry white wine (or water)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• big pinch of cayenne
• 2-4 tablespoons warm water, if necessary 
• (1 teaspoon ground turmeric) - didn't have in my pantry so not used

Soaked seeds for couple of days, as above with grainy mustard.  Then blended and I definitely needed the water to make the mustard smooth.

Both recipes are best used in 1 month.  I plan to make some potato salad right away, so that will make a good start!

Potluck!

I made baked beans in my slow cooker and doubled this recipe:

1 lb navy beans (I used pinto)
4 oz salt pork 1/4" dice (I used 1 link farmer's sausage cut lengthwise into quarters then cut small)
1 med onion 1/2" dice (didn't worry about precision)
1 tsp minced garlic (I just crushed several cloves)
4 to 5 cups water ( with slow cooker use larger amount if doing overnight or it is too dry)
2 Tbsp molasses (not blackstrap)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp Heinz chili sauce or ketchup (used chili sauce)
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
ground pepper to taste
1 tsp kosher salt - more to taste
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

I just put it all in the slow cooker overnight (except salt and vinegar, that's for finishing). I added some bacon crumbles in the morning and some water to moisten it.

If you want to do it in the oven these are the directions:

Soak beans in water overnight -- discard "floaters" & drain.
Heat over 350 F.
Heat 5 qt Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add pork; cook until crisp & golden (~10 minutes).  Add onion & garlic; cook until soft (~5 minutes). 
Add 4 cups water, molasses, maple syrup, Heinz, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and pepper; increase heat to high to bring to boil. 
Add beans & boil.  Cover pot & trfer to oven.
After 10 minutes, decrease heat to 300 F.
After 1 hour, add water to keep beans barely covered.  Check every hour.
REady when soft yet retain shape (2 to 3.5 hours depending on bean)
Add vinegar, salt and pepper and stir gently.
Let sit 20 minutes before serving.

I had very few leftovers!  I count that a success.

Tried something new today.  I made a broccoli brie pizza based on a tart recipe I found online here.

Sauteed onions and garlic in oil then added broccoli plus salted water until vegetables were softened.  Added 1 beaten jumbo egg and placed it in a rimmed pizza crust, which was on top of parchment paper.  Sprinkled <too much> dried thyme leaves and then placed brie on top.  Moved to preheated stone and baked for ~12 minutes in 525 convection oven.  Here are pics of the result:

I would use less thyme and try some
mushrooms and maybe crumbled bacon next time.  But a satisfactory first attempt!  Even my carnivore husband said I could make it again!

Orange sponge cake with cranberry marble

4 eggs + 1 yolk
8 oz sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
8 oz flour, sifted (pulsed with b. powder in food processor)
rind of 1 orange
8 oz butter, melted, cool

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place eggs, sugar, salt, lemon juice and vanilla in bowl of stand mixer.  Place over water simmering in saucepan and whisk until eggs just warm and sugar has begun to melt.  Place bowl in stand and whip on high with whisk attachment until triple in volume.  Fold in flour and baking powder.  Fold in butter.  Pour into pan (bundt pan used).  Swirled cranberry sauce into batter with knife.  Bake ~ 45 minutes until tester clean.

Also made scrambled eggs with farmer's sausage:

Sauteed 2 links no name farmer's sausage until fluid diminished then added ~1 cup chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves plus a little beer and turned to low until onions golden.  Add eggs (mixed with some garam masala, and lots of dried chervil plus salt and pepper).  Won rave reviews from DH. No pics since gobbled up :)

Chili with steak

Tried a chili with steak, and loved the flavour!  Our steak requires a little more cooking than what you get from the store, so I should have allowed more time.  But once it was cooked, yum yum.  :)

~2 lb round steak
4 cloves garlic, chopped
~2 cups chopped onion
2 Tbsp homemade chili powder (from theKitchn)
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp ground coriander
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried leaf oregano
3/4 cup Lucky Lager (cheap cooking beer)
~3 cups beef broth
7 cups cooked beans
1 small can corn niblets, drained
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
fresh chopped red onion
chopped pickled jalapenos

Dry steak and season with 1 & 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 3/4 tsp pepper.  Brown steak in 2 batches undisturbed for several minutes then stir to brown evenly.  Remove to plate along with juices.
Heat oil and add onions and garlic with some kosher saltover medium, stirring occasionally until softened & lightly browned.  Add seasonings and cook, stirring, until fragrant, ~2 minutes.
Add beer, turn heat to high until most liquid gone, scraping bottom of pot to loosen browned bits.  Add broth and bring to simmer.
Puree 1 & 1/2 cups beans (maybe more next time) and add to pot along with whole beans and meat with juices.  Simmer until beef is tender (~ 3 hours).  Add water if thickens too much.  Add corn at end.  Add vinegar at end after seasoning.  Garnish servings with red onion & jalapenos.

adapted from fine cooking Feb/Mar 2014