Week 2, Tuesday Night, All Night!

That was one long night, but we were able to produce a decent amount of food and finally fill the second fridge.

SOUPS.
We did a repeat on last week’s soups but made more of each this time. The Carrot Soup came out nice. We made it using a recipe I wrote for my mom. It is nice to know that some of my recipes are accurate. Some did not cooperate. A nice undertone of ginger and orange balances out the carmelized carrot and onion base. The Black Bean Chili came out a bit spicier than last week, but more flavorful. I used primarily ancho chiles this time and more corn. Next week, I promise two new varietals. Any suggestions or requests?

SNAX.
Joanna has been requesting the Tuna Fish Salad. It is my mom’s tried and true recipe, nothing too fancy, but Joanna likes it. We are hoping Jake does too. I would have loved to use fresh dill, but HEB was out and I had to settle for the dried. It is time to get the herb garden going. The hummus came out nice. I have been using roasted garlic instead of fresh to maximize the garlic flavor, but without the bad breath and bitter bite. I also cut down on the amount of olive oil. Please let me know how it tastes.
The salsa is a chipotle with a medium kick. I used the broiler to roast the tomatoes, onions, and garlic. I have never had an oven with a working broiler. I was excited, I like my new stove. I could have charred them a bit longer to get a toastier flavor, but it tastes pretty good. Also, if you want more heat, let me know. I keep it pretty moderate.
The Cranberry Almond Granola was hit or miss. The new oven has a convection function that works pretty good. A little too good because I burned half the batch. The other half was salvageable. I will probably grind up the burned half and use it as a topping for smoothies. It has a nice carmelized flavor to it.

SIDES.
This is a new offering. I wanted to develop side dishes that are pre-cooked and just need to be reheated on the stove. The problem with pre-cooking veggies is that prior to reheating, they are cold, moist, and limp. (Insert bad joke here.) But once they hit the hot pan, things seem to come together well. To serve, heat a bit of oil in a sauté pan. Add the veg side and get hot, stirring frequently. If there is a sauce, add an appropriate amount and mix it in at the very end. Add some salt if necessary. Please let me know if things worked out according to plan.
The Fried Rice is a dish we eat every week at the house. Brown rice is mixed with edamame, red bell pepper, carrots, onion, and a hoisin ginger sauce. You may not need all of the sauce provided and can use the leftover for something else, like a marinade.
The Sweet Potato Hash is one of my favorites. We combined roasted sweet potatoes, corn, red bell, garlic, cilantro, and onion. This would be great underneath a grilled chicken breast or flank steak. It can also stand on its own.
Jo’s Veggies are a nod to the love veg at Magnolia. They came out different, but delicious. I used green zucchini, yellow squash, orange carrots, red bell pepper, corn, edamame, and onion for a vibrant veg mix. The love comes from an herbed roasted garlic butter that is very, very good. Especially on a piece of bread, after midnight, when concerns for the cholesterol have gone to bed.

SAUCES.
Sauces did not get much attention this week. I do have the BBQ sauce that I have visions of baking chicken wings in or glazing grilled pork chops. That’s right, the really skinny cheap ones. I used an ancho chile puree to give it an earthy feel. A bit more tomato than normal, but still pretty tasty.
The Joelula is still under production, but will hopefully be done. It is a vinegar base pepper sauce like tapatio or cholula. Great for eggs, chili, vegetables and the whatnot.

SALADS.
Salad dressings did not get done this week. Simply ran out of time. Which is where I am now. Gotta go to work.
Please let me know how you like what you bought. Honesty is appreciated. .This is a new concept and mistakes are being made. We value your opinions so we can improve on what we’re doing. As always, if you purchase something you don’t like, we will not make you pay for it. We will fix it, just like the first grade cafeteria.