What's Cooking June 2022

I've been cooking a lot to get ready for a busy middle of the month. School cooking camp is the week of the 13th, then a KitchenAid work day, then I fly to Washington to take a class with ICN.

I'm not one to meal prep on a Sunday to get me through the week, but I do like to make sure I have easy food in the freezer.

I had a bone in pork butt in the freezer and a small pork sirloin roast so I decided to make Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde. It's delicious and versatile - rice bowls, enchiladas, nachos. I've made this recipe several times but this time went a little easier on me.

I used purchased roasted salsa verde, added a red onion and one pound of roasted hatch chiles (from the freezer). Browned the meat, put it all in the slow cooker and set it for 10 hours.

And then husband called from the kitchen "all of the lights on the front of the slow cooker are blinking". Not good. Only been an hour. Moved it all into the Dutch oven and put it in the oven on 200. Perfect!

We had it one night for dinner over cheese enchiladas and I put 5 containers in the freezer.

Fried Fish Crusted with Masa was delicious. I again used purchased roasted salsa verde to make it easy. I did not use as much oil as in the recipe. I used about an inch in my pan, just enough to shallow fry. It did not totally cover the fish, I just turned it. Flounder cooks quickly.

Also made lots of bread! Another loaf of sourdough but added fresh whole wheat to this loaf. I had 190 grams already milled so used that and it worked well. I slice and wrap it for the freezer. Electric knife with a serrated knife for finishing.

I made honey buttermilk using 3 cups bread flour and 3 cups fresh milled kamut. Half whole grain works very well I've found. Since I was baking, I made sesame semolina too. One of my favorites.

Sliced and into the freezer in case we need egg sandwiches or grilled cheese during camp week. Menu planning with activities in mind is key.

Since I was in the kitchen making bread all day, I thought slow cooker bolognese was a good option. Of course the slow cooker is broken so into a big pot and into the oven. Not sure I'll get another slow cooker since I don't usually use them often.

This makes a lot of sauce! Into the freezer with it all. In a pinch (camp week) I can tell myself that the celery, carrots, onions and tomatoes count as vegetables for dinner. Forgot a picture and it's all in the freezer now.

I used the last of the pie crusts in the freezer to make zucchini pie so made more for the freezer. I use The Art of the Pie recipe. I used the last of my leaf lard (keep it in the freezer) so ordered more from Fannie and Flo.

Shrimp with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, quick and delicious. Porch basil!

Leftover baked potatoes (always bake more) to use for home fries with cubanelle pepper and onion. Start with the potatoes and when nicely browned add the peppers and onions.

Breakfast quesadillas - scrambled eggs, bell pepper, banana pepper, onion, Monterey jack cheese.

Porch plants are growing nicely. I've been harvesting basil, oregano, some mint to make mint simple syrup, many cherry tomatoes.

Some tomatoes and shishito peppers from Monday harvest. Not many but exciting to me.

After two years of growing (seeds from a grapefruit) the baby trees are doing well. I have two, just gave them their own pots. They live in the craft room.

I put a dish of millet, safflower and thistle seed on the deck for doves since they seem to like ground feeding. And read that squirrels don't prefer that combo.

No one told the squirrels. Sigh. Doves are also enjoying the seeds. But squirrels are like vacuum cleaners.

Now I probably need to pull together recipes and information for camp. Since it starts Monday. And I have nothing done yet. Except for menus for each days. Lists needed for groceries, equipment, time lines for cooking.